Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-07-18
Old Times.

4 half century ago, large part OF the
people of the United States lived in
houses implanted. upholstered and ut
\ tAy devoid of adornment. A wellfed
6rs m the yawning chasm of a huge
chimney gave partial warmth to sim
ole room, and it was common remark
that the inmates were roasting on one
side while freezing the other. In con.
trast, majority of the people OF the
older states now live in houses that are
clapboarded, painted, blinded and com
fortably warmed. Then the household
furniture consisted OF few plain
chairs. IL plain table, a bedstead made
by the village carpenter. Carpets there
were none To-day, few are the houses
in city or country that do not contain u
carpet Of some sort. while the average
laborer by weeks work may earn
enough to enable him to repose at night
upon spring bed.
Fifty years ago the kitchen " dress
ers were set forth with IA shining row
of pewter plates. The farmer ate with
buck. handled knife ard an iron or
pewter spoon, but the advancing civil
ization has sent the plates and spoons
to the melting pot, while the knives
and forks have given place to nickel or
silver plated cutlery.
III those days the utensils for cooking
were a dinner-pot, tea kettle, skillet,
Dutch oven and frying pan to-day
there is no end of kitchen furniture.
The people of 1880 sat at evening in
the glowing light of a pitch-knot fire, or
read their weekly newspapers hy the
ilickering light of II "tallow Dip now,
in city and village, their apartments are
bright with the flame of the gas jet or
the softer radiance of kerosene. Then,
if the fire went out upon the hearth, it
was kindled by II coal from nei9hbor-
ing. hearth, or by flint, steel and finder.
TN who INDUCED in pipes and cigars
could light them only by some hearth
stone; to-day we light fires and pipes
by the dormant fire. forks in the match
safe, ut cost of one.hundredth of
cent.
In those days we guessed the hour of
noon. or ascertained it 10y the creeping
of the sunlight up to the noon mark
drawn upon the floor; only the wellto-
do could afford clock. To-day, who
does not carry watch? And as for
clocks, you may purchase them ut
Wholesale, by the rtload, at sixty-two
cents apiece.
Fifty years ago how many dwellings
were adorned with pictures? How many
are there now that do not display
print, engraving, chrome or Autograph?
How many pianos or parlor organs
were there then ? Reed organs were not
invented till 1S40, and now they are in
every village.
Some who may read this article will
remember that in 1880 the Bible, the
almanac and tho few textbooks used in
school were almost the only volumes of
the household. The dictionary was q
volume four inches square and an inch
and half in thickness. In some of the
country villages a few public spirited
men had gathered libraries containing
from three to five hundred volumes in
contrast, the public libraries of the
present, containing more than ten
thousand volumes, have an aggregate
of ten million six hundred and fifty
thousand volumes, not including the
SuAety. school and private libraries Of
the country. 1t is estimated that alto
gether the number of volumes access
IDLE to the public is not less than twen-
ty millions OF Websters and Worces-
ter's dictionaries, it may be said that
enough have been published to supply
one to every one hundred inhabitants
OF the United States.--C. @. Coffin, in
Atlantic