The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-05-15

there has been for half a century,
Ne,c York World.
Old Times.
A half century ago, a large part OF
the people OF the United States lived
in houses unpainted. upholstered. and
utterly devoid of adornment. A well
fed fire in the yawning chasm Of
huge chimney gave partial warmth to
a single room, and it was common
remark that the inmates were roast
ing one side while freezing the other;
In contrast. a maj ,rity of the people
OF the older states now live in houses
that are clapboarded. painted, blind
ed, aud comfortably warm. Then,
the household furniture consisted of
few plain chairs. plain table,
be1stead nude by the village carpen-
ter. Carpets there were none. To-
days, few are the homes, in city or
country, that do not contain carpet
of some sort. while the average la
borer by the weeks work may Obtui
eaough to enable him to reposc at
night upon spring bed.
Fifty years ago, the kitchen dress
ers" were set forth in q shining row
of pewter plates. The farmer ate
with buck handled knife and an iron
or pewter spoon, but the advancing
ciyiliza ion has sent the plates and
spoons to the melting pot, while the
knives and forks have given place TO
nickel or silver plated cutlery.
In those days the utensils for cook
ing 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 in the eve.
ming in the glowing light of pitch
knot fire, and real their weekly news
papers by the flickeIing light OF a
"tallow Dip" now, in city and village,
their apartments are bright by the
flame or the gas t or the softer radi
ance OF kerosene. Then, ii the fire
went out upon the hearth, it was re-
kindled by coal from a neighboring
hslrth, or by filt. steel, and tinier.
Those who indu' ged in pipss and
cigars could only light them by some
he rth-stome; TO day We light fires
and pipes by the dormant fire work
in the match safe, al a cost OF one
hundre.ith of cent.
In those days we g iessed the hour
Of noon, or asceriained it by the
creeping OF the sunlight up 10 the
moon mark drawn upon the floor !;
only the well to do could aft Jrd a
clock. To day who does not carry a
watch? and as for clocks. you may
purchase them at wholesale, by the
cart load at sixty-two cents apiece.
Fifty years ag) how many dwellings,
were "A formed with pictures? How
many arc there nov tlitt DO not display
print, engraving, chrome. or litho-
graph? How many pianos or parlor
organs were there then? II ed organs
were not invented till 1910. and now
they are in every village.
Some who may read this al ticle will
remember that in 1880 the Bible, the
almanac, and the few textbooks used
in school were almost the only vol
umes OF the household. The diction-
airy was volume four inches square
anu an inch and half in thickness,
Ia some OF the country villages 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 TO-
650,O00 volumes, not including the
Sunday school and private libraries
II the country. 1t Is estimated that
altogether the number OF volumes &C
cessible to the public is not less thar
20,000000l or Webster's and Wor.
cester's dictionaries, it may be saic
that enough have been publ ,hed tt
supply one to every one hundred in
habitants OF the United States.-C
| c. COfn i'm dtldnfic