Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-07-07
ssE.DS IND ErEDSEEADS.
SpsActhin4 g.! crcs. About the u a.
EIt Articles.

i4l"N NN'l' tllil- tISt. tilt ltttN - DtttS
came to Europe from the East, but the
urcDaaiti. oi climate completely changed
the character. Wooden frames were the
first suer,gtion of the dignifed four
py ter and luNurious canopied cou"hes of
tMr.po In France during the rcigns of
Louis NV. and Nv, the fashion OF hold
lu" rc. pilpns III bedrooms created IN i'm
..uan crMp, EDITION in the decoration of
tho Nrd Coverings of silk, satin and
velvet. ,labrodcrcd with coats-of-arms
m.l crhlematic devices Of all kinds be-
c.ju, ih" rage. and the luxury of the bed
.uaiu appointments dciies all description.
III l,ueud the same extravaganza. if
with somewhat rudcr ideas of luxury,
prevailed during the Ehzabethun rage. A
ll.t ul that period writes, in cnraptured
stralus. Of
"l'lir silver bath-tub,
rHr cmTodc.sd q0ili. the bed of gossanicr and
dltuasN rose.
Bnis were enormous structures, heavy
r1rtai of velvet and tapestry surround
Oh thcm, and the fashion of the day per-
mi,ud Il stylc OF dress for sleeping which
would hardly commend itself to modern
,a.tc. Queen Elizabeth, so says rumor,
llu niBht-lrcss Of blue velvet.
'.''''I A''i FllNl' l'l''N i''tS SUN Dt
Wt, with in Paris and the provinces of
fHnro. During stay in tha, ely in
lStr, / E'gE, my fortune 80 be tl1 Detu-
pant oi bed to which | ascended by n
Nj i-ll oi steps, and which was the idol of
ih' jndlady's heart How long it had
been IN her family ii would be hazardous
to- say, but the carving, the heavy wood,
tAc ,iyir and all connected with it, car
risd ono bacl, in Thought to the Middle
Ages. II was Il truly wonderful structure,
and the process of making it up for Use,
has @ mystery unfathomablc, by the IN
uitiatyd
Our hostess devoted one hour and
tgu every morning t. tins absorbing oc-
cupaliun, and commenced operations by
laying tNu gropyed lines of wood about
two iu'uvs u width upon the floor, into
which Hp cas;urs Of this unwiellly ned
st,au entered, thus enabling her to do
what would otherwise have been lmpossi-
h.o, iouuyn il from the wall. With in
'.H. interest aud .care each of the six
mattresses was removed, thoroughly
brushed ou.l turned, and replaced in or
der, t.nu the cDycringsof linen, blankets,
and Quilt Wer" rrvorcntly replaced, the
hcd-riotii. being each arranged in posi-
t..'t' ~ t'#.l VI 81 i''IlS Nl'th. iut 'ONtllltt
q ihj5 Aous hold treasure was of yellow
Gailtyd satin, the centre embroidered with
au ilirvutc omblcmatic device, and the
houeines Of faded tapestry.
Probably the simplest beds in the world
CcXcrptug tle cluchcs in the East are
those which are found in the United
States M hotels upon IN emergency, and
in the town and villages where luxury has
al i+,..1 H.,
,rcHiir beds, made to fold up after the
mauucr It q camp stoCl, and constructed
of plain wool and canvas, have good
r.,a to recommend them, for they are
cl,.u aud cuu he folded up and rolled
away and when provided with good
mattress and pillows are not to be de-
pissed,
Th' ordinary bed in Europe consists of
d framework OF walnut ormahognny fur
h led with paillassc or straw mattrass
nut one or two wool mattresses on top of
it,. Feather beds are scarcely met with
III any FOREIGN home, certainly i'll none Of
the fashionable ones hygienic considora-
tiunS having in these latter days led to
their dsuse. Probably in course of time
the same awakened ideas Of what is due
to the human body will lead to the dis
continuance even i'll Germany, Of sleep
ing under beds Of down. 1t must be adj
miilrd that the ''plumcau' so sacred to
| the Tcutonic heart, has much to recon-
mend IT i'll the way of comfort when once
the difficulty of keeping it in position is
overcome. But the struggles of an I'M
fortunate Englshman or American in nc
cummpdu!inG himself to the yagaries OF
the Gcmon covcrlid, will no doubt fur
pish amusement to caricaturists for many
wears to come The Teutonic mind is
slow to give up any custom.
For the origin OF bcd-hangings, cano
pics, etc, we must 90 back to the times
of the Romans. They were troubled witt
dust much us we are with mosquitoes
and 80 they hung muslin drapery from
thc ceilings Of their rooms, and probably
carried the custom with them to Grea
Britain, where, under different influences
it hloasomed ont with the four,post bed
stcads, resembling tents more than any
thing else.
Within this century the fashion in bed'
has undergone Il complete revolution
The four-postcr gave way to less cum
hcrsumC construction known rs the Eliza
bcthm bed which having only two up
righ. posts at the head and none at tn,
Iect left the greater portion of the bee
> exposed. Enlarged IDEAS Of the necessi
ty Of cleanliness next induced the adop
ton of white curtains, and bed furniture
changed IN character. The patchwork
, quilt OF the Industrious period of Queer
= Annc's reign was replaced by the dimit,
and magclla counterpanes of our owl
time, These, however, in the genera
sweep of the modern revival, are agail
p falling into disfayor, and in the fashiona
| hle home to-day ihe white quilt is super
; seeded by piece Of decorative work, O
ut least by decorative material
\ pillow-shams nre essentially American