Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-05-19
OLD TIMES.

A half century ago, large part of
the people of the United States lived in
houses unpainted, upholstered. and ut
terly 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 roasting on one side,
while freezing on the other; in contrast,
a majority of the people of the older
States now live in houses that are clap
boarded, painted, blinded, and comfort
bly, warmed. Then, the household furn-
iture consisted of few plain chairs, a
plain table, a bedstead made by the
village carpenter. Carpets there were
none. To-day, few are the homes, in
city or country, that do not contain a
carpet of some sort, while the average
la1vror by weeks work may earn
enough to enable him to repose at night
upon spring bed.
Fifty years ago, the kitchen ''dressers"
were set forth with shining row of
pewter plates. The farmer ate with a
buck handled knife and an iron or pew
ter spoon; but the advancing civilization
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 cooking
were a dinner-pot, tea-kettle, skillet,
Dutch oven, and frying pan to-day there
is no end to kitchen furniture.
The people of 1880 sat in the evening
in the glowing light of pitch-knot fire.
or read their weekly newspapers by the
Pickering light of "tallow Dip" now,
in city and village, their apartments are
bright with the fame of the gas jet or
the softer radiance of kerosene. Then
if the fire went out upon the hearth, it
was rekindled by coal from neigh
boring hearth, or by flint, steel, and
tinder. Those who INDUCED in pipes
and cigars could light them only by some
hearthstone; to-day we light fire and
pipes by the dormant fireworks in the
match-safe, at cost of one hundredth
of cent.
In those days we guessed the hour Of
noon, or ascertalned it by the creeping
of the sunlight up to the "noon mark
drawn upon the floor; only the well-to-
do could afford a clock. To-day who
does not carry watch ? and as for
clocks, you may purchase them at whole
sale. by the cart. load. at sixty-two
cents apiece.
Fifty years ago, how many dwellings
were adorned with pictures ? How many
are there now that do not displays print,
engraving, chrome. or lithograph? How
many pianos and organs were in use
then? Reed organs were not invented
till 1910, and now they are in every
village.
Some who may read this article will
remember that in 1880 the Bible, the
almanac, and the few text books used in
school we're almost the only volumes of
the household. The dictionary was a
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 thous-
and volumes, have an aggregate of TO-
65O.OOO volumes, not including the Sun
day-school and private libraries of the
country. 1t is estimated that altogether
the number of volumes accessible to the
public is not less than 10000, 900! Of
Webster's and Worcester's dictionaries.
it may be said that enough have been
published to supply one to every one
hundred inhabitants of the United States.
-C. c. Coffin, IN May atlantic.