Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-07
RUGS AND MATTINGS.
BY CHRISTINE rERHuNE HERRIcK.

Is hJuuleu. III IS as easy for the man IN
moderate circumstances to surround him
self with dainty and artistic belongings
as II Is Tor the millionaire to pursue the
same course on larger scale. Cheapness
and ugliness are no longer synonymous.
The time has gone by when purchaser
had to take his choice between a costly
velvet or body Brussels carpet and low
priced and glaring tapestry or ingram.
The same change may be observed in
connection with furniture. The old long,
Ing for parlor set, comprising cum
brous sofa, marble-topped centre table,
and six heavy chairs, warranted to NOR
tity the flesh OF the unhappy mortals con-
demned to perch on them. still fingers in
the breasts OF some aspiring hOuseholders.
II may be classed with the opinion eX-
pressed by a man OF uniform good taste
in most other respects who openly aVOwed
his preference for a nice, clean, hard
finished white wall as a background for
pictures over all the new-fashioned wall
papers in existence, no matter how rich
or artistic their cOloring,
These exceptions are RAPIDLY growing
fewer, and If there still remain individuals
too heterodoX TO come into the modern
way OF thinking on these topics, their fear
OF public opinion witnhOlds most OF them
from expressing their sentiments openly.
The reign OF faded green's, dingy blues
and bilious yelOws was happily short
lived, hut it lasted long enough TO give
some people the impression that this
ephemeral fancy was identical with true
artistic merit. Common sense is assert
Ing itself now, however, and the so called
aesthetic craze may fairly be reckOned a
thing OF the past. 1t had its use IN tOnlng
down the gaudy colOrs and staring pat
terms that were once fashionable, and
from the two extremes has resulted
taste for brilliant tints cleVerly con-
trasted with subdued ones, for draperies,
softened outlines and graceful effects
that gives promise Of reYOlutiOniZing
the style Of household decoration and in
PRODUCING a new and better order CT
affairs.
AS has been said before, the power of
adopting these improvements is not con-
fined to the wealthy class. Parquet floors,
stained glass, hard wood finlshiugs, Oriep-
tai rugs, rich hangings are very charm
ing to possess, but they are as utterly be-
yOnd the reach of the large majority of
bOusebOlders as were the velvet carpets,
plate glass windows aud elaborate white
marble mantels of an earlier day The
latter are cheaper now, so far as money
Is concerned, although in another way
they may justly be considered dear at any
price. 1t ia a cause for sincere regret
that there still remain men and women
sufficiently trammced by their early
preiudices to prefer to ANYTHING else a
Wilton or Moquette 1iOor covering IN an
impossible landscape pattern or adorned
with sprawling wreaths aud bouquets OF
lmpracucable flowers TO the rugs ct more
modest design and less aggressive lines.
The Ob5erVanU housekeeper must nave
had impressed upon her frequently the
conviction that Tor gathering and holding
dirt, dust and smells carpet is unri-
vailed. Looking at 1t from sanitary point
of view, covering tnat only acquires a
superficial coating OfimDurity, but also
suffers 1t TO slit through and accumulate
upon the planks beneath, does not seem
much superior to the rushes with which
our ancestors were in the habit Of strew-
ing their floors. In those davs, at all
events, ignorance of weather strips and a
free circulation of air through chinks and
crevices furnished q better system OF ven
tilation than is provided in some Of our
furnace-heated homes. The rushes had
the added recommendation of being easily
bundled out when they became too often
sive andlwere replaced byitresh ones, while
our carpets are rarely lifted to permit the
thorough cleansing OF themselves and OF
the floor Oftener than once or twice year
1t is not only out OF the power of every
one to possess floors laid in the natural
woods, but in homes where there are
amount of cleaning and rubbing required
to keen the polished surface in a proper
condition entails heavy burden OF labor
upon mistress and maids. There is less
OF this demanded for painted boards and
these are much more easily procured. In
old houses there are frequently wide
cracks between the planks and these
must be filled with putty before the paint
IS applied. New houses are better built
-, hi
lords who object to having the floors
either painted or stained. In an apart.
ment like a dinin9srOom. where there VIII
be large rug laid down ia the certre,
there Is really no advantage gained by
having more than wide border cOlored
The attempt to initiate hard wood, either
by granting or painting in stripes, result
in such q hollow pretense that it is far
wiser to choose some plain dark tint, or
perhaps two shades, and let the thing APP
pear for what it really is.
The variety of rugs from which one may
| choose is wide, even when excluding the
''reap' Persian and Turkish ones, which
| are beyond the purses of most people
! The smyrna rugs, manufactured in Phila-
| delphia, are too we'll and faVorably known
10 need much comment, but the large
| sizes i'm this make are not cheap, although
! their durability makes them we'll worth
the purchase. An excellent substitute
may be made by buying the PLAIN ingram
! filling, sewing 1t into a square OF the di-
mansions desired, and surrounding it with
border to match. This carpet comes a
yard wide at from soc. to 81 - yard.
wears capitally, and is less likely to pail
upon the taste than anything in florid
colors or conspicuous designs.
When, for any reason, a bare floor with
rugs is out OF the question, the next
best thingis mating. There is still an
ignorant prejudice held against it by some
people.
at seems so queer to see mattngs on
the floors OF nice houses" said a young
seamstress, the daughter of worthy
washwOman. "MOther wanted one for
her bedroom, but | told her folks wouldn't
think anything Of US If we didn't have
carpets all over the house."
Mating comes in so many and such
pretty colOrs and patterns that one has
liberal field for selection. It's exceeding
chcapness argues nothing against its
lasting qualities, for it wears quite as long
as an ordinary carpet. 1t is easily kept
clean, for the dirt lies on top. ana can be
brushed on instead OF becoming ground
into the fabric, as is the case with car
pets. IA It grows diugy it may be fresh
eued wonderfully by wiping il with a
cloth damDened in salt aud water. II
may be turned and cut 10 flt any room
WITHOUT the trouble OF ripping apart and
sewing the breadths together again.
Mating may not be the best floor cover