Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-09-01

| WISH us last WINTER.
The simple articles of household fur
niture that cur forefatherS considered
sufficient and almost luxurious would
now be locked upon as old junk and
converted into kindling wood or placed
in some dusty cockloft. These furnish
! ings of the early days descended fror,
father to son, and were rs carefully
watched over as the most expensive
| bric-a-brac in these times.
Instead of Silver or plated ware witt
eTS, as now, they Lad mahogany tea-
| boards and round tables. which being
turned on an axle underneath the CEN
ter, stood when unused upright like an
+, extended fan or palmleaf in the corner.
In another corner of the room was a
| closet with a glas door in which the
family china and the family plate We're
displayed, to be used only on state DC.
| caSiOnS. A conspicuous article was al
ways an enormous china punch bowl,
| in which was brewed a refreshing
and at times a headache producing
beverage. The teacups and saucers
rather diminutive III size, and only
the best families were able to boast
the possession of china teapots and
coffee pots with silver nozzles. Delft
ware took the place OF our earthen wac
and numerous pewter platters and por-
ringers, polished like a mirror, were
ranged along the old-faShioned dresser.
With the poorest class of people it
was an ordinary thing to cat from
wooden Tenchers. In the parlor n few
small pictures, painted on glass, with
black moulding for frames and scanry
bits of gold leaf in the corners, were
| hung on the whitewashed walls. The
looking glasses were placed in glass
frames figured with flowers or in seal
| loped mahogany or dutch wood painted
white or black, with here and there
some touches of gold. The ample chest
! of drawers, always placed either in
| the parlor and sitting roonl sometimes
reaching to the ceiling is too familiar
to require description. The floor was
devoid of carpets-silver sand, drawn
| into variety of fanciful figures with
the sweeping brush forming their only
covering. Much skill and even pride
was displayed i'll the devices and ar
Iangement Of the sand. Gas and lamps
were unknown luxuries Dipped can
! dies III brass or copper candlestickS
were usually good enough for common
use and those who occasionally used
mold candles made them at home in
little tin frames, casting four to six
candles each. A glass lantern with
square sides, furnished light in the
| homes of the wealthy. The home set
| tie was common sitting room appen-
| dage and was proof of more comfort
| than display. 1t had, as well as the
settee, a very high back of plain
| boardsand the whole was of white
pine usually implanted and kept ia
white as snow by untiring scrubbing.
| Generally this article was reserved
for the use of the head of the family
| although occasionally when he or
other of the old felix's were not enjoy
their own ease in their capaciOus depth
| depths, the tired youngsters would be
glad to embrace the opportunity Of
stretching their limbs upon it. Both tho
settee and the settle were placed be-
fore the ample freplaceS in winter
ild llle IdlueT OF OH lucleDelnS III
stalled in either, with his back thus
guarded from wind and cold, was won't
to deliver wise utterances or recount
wonderful stories of the field and for
est. fiji
The cooking utensils were of the best
/ material to be had, but to our eyes their
shapes appear decidedly uncouth.
Stoves were not then used to any great
extent. The pots and kettles filled with
sayory meSses were hung on iron
cranes and swung inward over the
glowing Goals in the fireplace. Though
these household appliances now appear
hOmely and primitive one cannot for
get the comfort derived from their use
by our sturdy forefathers.