Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-05-05
FIFTY YEARS Auo-No. ns,


CONCERNING OTHER CABINET WARE.
Probably, contemporary with the ice OF
floors and beds was that Of tables and
chairs. The rudcst benches and boxes
were likly, Tor this purpose, very early, II
not at first, employed. In the undevel.
oped ssage Of civilization, only the actual
necessaries OF life were sought, or IL any
luxuries were in demand they were OF the
simplest, cheapest kind. A narrow strip
OF some highly colored cloth, or n small
string of floshy, glass beads attracts savage
attention and is more desired by the I'M
civilized than even ornaments OF silver
and gold. Neither these nor even dia-
monds are held OF much account 1y the
s,vage, until they learn their intrinsic
value OF commercial intercourse with the
civilized or perhaps the enlightened races
Of men. Birth, suslennnce and rest are
the few requisites Of life-death is simply
the end OF existence, yet more adornment
/, used on the coffin and in the cemetery,
than during life. Indeed one may go half
clad and worse fed all his days, but his
burial is not accompanied with due re.
spect, unless n costly casket receive his rel
mains and marble slab marks his last
earthly resting place. And it is fitting
that such is the case. Imagination easily
pictures life in its rudest stage, and per-
haps the Idea becomes real in the habits
OF our lowest Indian tribes. The next step
in advance, perhaps, is what is not infre
quenily seen among pioneers OF the white
and supposedly more civilized race. i re :
member residence, whose cost, with that
OF it's entire household and paraphernnla,
did not exceed fifty dollars or so. The
dwelling was constructed of poles through
which the bnlmy, summer zephyrs sig ed
and the boisterous, winter blasts howled
II was one apartment and answered, by
the uae OF bed-banket partitions, for par
lor dining room, kitchen and sleeping
rooms as well, The fireplace, with its
wooden crane und pot-hooks, and the big
chimney, OF sticks and mud, like almost
everything else inside the hunt, was home
made. For chairs were benches and
stools; for tables, boxes, and the inmates
used wooden dishes and knives and forks.
The bed.sleads consisted Of poles, one end
res ing in n crack on one OF the poles
forming the end OF the hovel, and the
other end morticed into posts The beds
were of forest leaves covered with SIX lns
| a. A.,
stage of civilization, ye: family of eight
persons lived, grew and developed int
hale, hearty, powerful manhood and wo
manhood, in that house OF poles.
Probably the necessity of having some
thing to brace and rest the back, while
sitting, led to the development of stool,
into ch airs. And what changes in the
style and ornamenture of chairs for hous,
Use, in kitchen, dining-room and parlor
have heen made The first idea OF tabl,
may have originated in the Inconvenience,
OF enting from anything, under which on,
cannot put his feet. A large family re
quired large table-too large with tn,
room required-as tables were first made
and hence the addition of falling leaves
, first, one leaf, and aflerward, two. Ever
this addition was found i'm some instances
insufficient in large dining rooms, for in
, stance; and therefore extension Ia bles wer
in the course of time devised. There hav,
been some odd concels in tables, many O
, which we of modern days do not know, anC
they would cause us no little surprise. My
grandfather had n table, that, when no
; spread, could be in same way, folded NJ
, aud used ms chair. 1t took but It'll,
, more room when set against the wall
Center tables, handicapped and other
wise, were likely unknown in early days
their place being supplied with stands
: These latter have almost gone out of use
except the styles extant as wash and ligh
sewing stands. Bureaus, one of the Frencl
words, appropriated by us without an,
chnnge-by the way, how this word troub
} les the young speller, and the old one, too
J for that matter-are not the thing tina
) is, the things the word Representative,
they were in olden times. Then they wer,
; tall, large, heavy unganly things, who's,
main advantage was that n tamily's entir,
wearing apparel and bedding could b,
slowed away in their capacious drawers
but how sharp Is the contrast between on
of those old-fnshioned bureaus, with 1t
, odd carvings and glass handles compared
with one OF our modern dressng-cases will
its gilt, pendent knobs, its marble top nm,
stylish, over-hanging fooking,gass. Will
80 much precious room occupied will
, brackets and the glnss-all convenient 4
[ be sure-there in too little room for cloth
ing, and hence the ward.robes OF molerl
times, with their drawers, shelves an,
hooks all safe from the hateful, insidiou
. dust.