The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-04-06
House Furnishing.

Every home is the expression of its
mistress, and shows her knowledge or
want of it, her judgment or want Of it,
her taste or want of it. 1t matters not
what the furnishings may be to begin
with, the mistress Of the house will in
time impress her personality upon them
ALT is she that makes the home, and
the home is what she makes it. Conve-
nient and elegant furnishings are very
desirable accessories when the housewife
and mother can fill them full of the home
feeling, otherwise they are mere marble
or wood or upholstery. Ayoung couple
some years ago went to housekeeping in
Texas. Their kitchen was dry-goods
box turned on its side, their bedroom
was tent, their dinner was cooked in
q kettle hung from three-forked stick:
years after, when they were living in
what is termed luxury, the wife was
heard to say: II think, dear, the hap
piest time in our life was when we kept
house in that dry-goods box"
The first room to be furnished is the
kitchen, and the most necessary article
of furniture there is the stove or range,
with its accompanying pots, pans and
kettles. A sink in one corner of the
kitchen, with waste pipe from it, o
pump at one end and slanting shelf at
the other, is indispensable. Iron sinks
may be bought at reasonable rates, and
willlast indefinitely. A workable should
be provided with a drawer in it. A dresser
in the kitchen is as necessary almost as .
stove. Any carpenter can put one up. II
should be large enough for two wide clos
cts below, for cooking utensils and small
stores, and three above for kitchen china,
daily supplies, and such articles as are
used in laundry work. The tins may be
hung in one of these closets. Then there
should be chairs and window shades and
rugs to spread before the sink, the table
and the stove, and clock to regulate the
movements of the household. The floor
should be stained and oiled, or covered
with wood carpeting, which is as cheap
as oil-cloth and far more durable. The
furnishing of the closets depends on the
elaborateness of the cookery, and the
length Of the purse that opens to pay the
bills. 1t is very convenient to have
room adjoining the kitchen large enough
to hold closet or safe, the refrigerator,
the clothes bars, and other articles that
would cumber the kitchen. In the cellar
may be kept the washer and wringer,
the tubs and bench used on washing
days, unless they should be, as there
rarely are in country houses, stationary
tubs in the kitchen. To these enumer-
ated articles others may be added as need
suggests.
The necessary furniture of the dining.
room is an eXtension-table, chairs, 8
china closet or side-board, filled with the
furnishings for table use, clock, and
after these a pretty carpet, window
shades, a lounge, easy chairs, pictures
and whatever will add to the comfort OF
those who gather there. Some people
find comfort, or seem to, in turning their
iining-rooms and parlors into china
shops, and museums of bric-a-brac and
upholstery. There is no disputing about
tastes, but the inquiry sometimes arises,
why there shouldn't be in some houses
an apartment called the museum, in
which curious and fragile articles could
be safely kept, and the '.living rooms
beleft to live in.
The young housekeeper soon finds out
what she needs to add to her equipment
for greater ease and convenience in
her household, and as this
knowledge comes she can select and pro-
cure, such furnishings as are in accord
ance with her taste, her means and what
she has already gathered together. Any
upholSterer or furniture-dealer will tell
her what is used by the best people OF
the richest folk, but her guide must be
her own judgment as to what she can
afford and what will minister to the
harmonies and comforts of the home of
which she is the center.
This is not for those who can 90 to the
house-furnishing stores and select what
they wish and all they wish, and pay for
it, but to the great majority who, if they
begin housekeeping at all, must begin
with little. To these we most earnestly
say: Do not run in debt for even con.
veniences, but go without and save until
you can pay for what you have, and dc
not let what other people can afford be
any guide for you. The happiness of s
home depends very largely upon cunning
it. and the feeling of independence which
hatfeeling of absolute and unmortgaged
ownership brings with it.-M Y. 1rib
,llle.