Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-03-10
FIFTY YEARS AGo-No. 8.


| ne next step IN Ornamenting nOOrH was
TO use carpets to that end. We, in the
West, probably obtained the idea from
the East. Whence they got II can only
be guessed. We hesitated some time be.
fore we used carpets, fearing the cost.
Our fore-fathers and fore mothers, MS well,
were very economical, and they were not
only watchful, but most ingenious in de-
| yising ways to save expense. Undoubted.
ly that, to great extent, laid the founda.
ton OF our present prosperity and thrift.
Had they beon as wickedl ly extrnvagant as
we are in these fast days, we would have
had very little on which to keep house.
But, recurring to our subject, we ut length
came 10 have carpets; and now IL seems M II
to see how much money can be expended
in that manner, is the aim. Rags are
woven into very durable, comely and econ.
omical carpets; and some people are 20
countryfied as to use the same. Latterly
but not so much just now, floors were
painted -frescoed, so to speak. remem-
Der, once, in my boy hood or youth, to be
more nearly exact, on returning home
from visit, where my kind reader would
not be interested to know, and do not
care thus publicly to tell, though 1t was
not from robbing apple.trees, am proud
to say, my big eyes were made to open
like the lens of a magic lantern, at sight
of our best parlor floor freshly painted to
resemble, as nearly as, with all my wealth
of description-and h ave no fear that /
shall be opulcnt in any thing else-I can
describe, twelve-men. board,
which, il must be recollected, is rather
more labyrinthie than n iox and geese
draft in the beautiful but chilling snow
Quick II bottle of horlshorn or pinch of
me faint. And my fan, please. All
feel calmer and stronger now. The last
rage in floor decoration is to cover il with
linoleum. which, though ii sounds like
linsed oil, means, believe, though de-
cline to swear it, combination OF linen
and oil. 1t is both durable and decorous
ms we'll, provided it is genuine, and no
cheat.
come now TO speak ot house walls,
outer and inner withal This subject is 80
familiar to everybody, that it will be no
easy task, however pleasant it may be, to
say of it anything new. And do not
promise anything of the sort. The most
that can he said on this topic, is, that con-
siderable improvement has been made in
| this line OF architecture; but there is room
| for more, and doubtless some ingenious
body will fill the want. From the log
house aduence steps have been made to
frames, and thence to stone, and thence to
brick, and thence to marble; frame resi-
dences have changed from the ponderous
oak bents to the light balloon or scantling.
and they, in order to secure needed
warmth, have donned an outward lining
of boards and ieli; bricks have adopted
hollow or double walls properly tied, to
render them cool in summer, warm in vim
ter and safer from exterior fires; hut houses
built of stone and marble have been little
changed, except in trimming and style.
Occasionally we find that some erratic and
fnnciful genius has valiantly constructed
his dwelling after the manner of wooden
grain elevators, and plas' cred il outside
as well rs within. Eut lie sees his folly
when the coat begins to crack and peel
off, showing the grinning walls. Changes
have occurred in the use of brick. Press
ed or stock brick-a superior quality
are used for fronts and to beaiiify the
natural dull color, the entire outside is
painted some bright hue, and the separa-
tions joints between, penciled in white.
With a taste and passion for the antique,
we have returned and revived the Queen
Ann style OF house architecture whose
distinguishing feature is rambling ap
pearnnce making the single edifice look
like whole village nesting oil some side
hill
Inside the house whitewash was form
erly considered sufficiently artistic ON the
plain ceiling and walls, with two or three
coats of white or some colored paint on
the wood work. Now gum shellac coat
ing, or IN some instances, an oil finish on
the woodwork, and tinted kalsonining,
or frescoing in attractive patterns, are the
thing. Bare white walls were thought
cold and gloomy, and they were enlivened
with paper varying from common to gilt;
and some Of this pannel paper resembled
all the styles of architecture, ancient and
modern, rs well. AT one time there was
quite furor for gy pslm moding around
the top Of the walls. The chief objection
is their accumulation of dist, which in
some way becomes ingrained and gives the
plaster of Paris dull and bad look. 1t
is singular that so light thing as dust
win by simply settling upon anything,
wood, stone, brick or even paper, in time
70 adhere to il that by no process can IL
be wholly removed. What il the cruae
animaie-undergo insensil,le persprntion
or is dust, dry ~ it appears-and how
often we say, "Dry as dust r'-mostened
with something that causes it thus to al-
here? Whatever the reason, the facts re-
main.