Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-07-19
REMARKABLE BEDS.

stuffed them with the finest wool, III
they attained the highest pitch OF lux
ury in the appointment of theil
couches. Richly-carved wooden frame!
inla1d with ivory or silver, and finally
i, with gold, sustained cushions, pillows
and counterranes of gold and purple
IA striking contrast to the fock-hlle
trusses of their plebeIan brethren.
The old Greeks used beds supported
on iron frames; while the Egyptians
had couches shaped more like easy
chairs with hollow backs aud seats.
Climatic considerations must be
taken into ac,ou.t by different n l.
items in their bed-making arrange
mnet. The Russian day aud night
hugs sheepskins round him; and the
Pacific islander finds IN palm-leaves q
sufficient coyeriet In the tropics,
mats of grass answer the same purpose.
The East Indian urrolls his portable
mattress, AID in the morning literally
takes mp his bed and walks oE with 1t.
The Chinese use low bedsteads. often
we'll carved; while the Jap, with an
uncom Portable wooden rest for his
neck, stretches himself on q mating,
and has a lighted paper lantern for
company.
German beds are furnished with
large quilts filled with feathers or
down, which answer the purpose
Of ordinary bed-clothing. Travellers
agree that there is not enough OF the
[ Iontlnental bed-that, in fact, it ends
too quickly.
Europeans living IN the East soon
become acquainted With the slender
iron bedsteads with tall iron rods, de-
signed to support the mosquito curtain
which seldom really answers its pur-
pose.
On view in one Of the early London
Exhibitions was q Chinese bed orna-
mented with all sorts of curious and
elaborate cabinet.work, the greater
part of which consisted OF inlaid
mother of-pearI. How useless and eI-
travagant ornaments may be heaped
upon a single domestic article was
proved by the grand bodstead ex-
hIbited in the Austrian department. |
The enormity of its b, dposts, OF which |
there appeared TO be at least dozen |
risin in spires of different heights,
with the high relief OF the carving, and !
the massive magnlficence of the whole |
design, and the finish of the carving IN |
all it's parts, mado this bed appear not |
unlike n great model Of a Gothic cathe-
drh.
ChGmJcr's Journal tells Us that some
OF our wealthy American cousins ap- !
pear to be puzzled in what new form to |
lavish their money. \ brass bedstead |
inlaid with real pearls was recently [
ma lie for lady in New York. On Il
brass rail which runs across the top |
the owners name is wrought in pearls. !
Still more OF curiosity is the "Silent !
Alarm Bedstead, to turn any one out |
of bed at a given hour" tha production |
of an inventive genius in London some |
years ago. This amusing contrivsnce |
assumes . degree of density IN the |
sleeper which no alarm can affect, or
else q singular amount of luxurious
weakness of purpose. The he'd therefore
acts the part of kvsOludou for the
sleeper; and having been set overnight
for a given hour in the morning, the
said incorrigible sleeper finds the bed
revoIve go as to tilt him out; and
bath being placed by the bedside. he
may at once be relieved of all need for
summoning resolution either to get
up or take a plunge.
Another remarkable and, We should
say, moro generally useful bedstead-
exhibited in the Workmen's EIhibi-
tion at Pa:is-~as made SO that it can
be taken down and put up again in the
short space OF half = minute. BY
curious combination Of springs, the
bed can be instantanoously surrounded
with curtains, q washstand wheeled in
side, and the occupant go through his
or her toilet without being seen. By
another spring the bed is turned into n
canopy suited for Invalids, who have
no need to stir TO perform the Trans
formation.
We are told that III. Theirs died In |
a little iron bed scarcely larger than a
child's, which he had used for fifty |
years. 1t was wheeled into the small |
drawinC-roOra whers he had breakfast |
He took it with lin on his tour
through EuroUo il 1870.
An interesting historical role will be |
familiar to all who have visited Holy |
rood Palace, where may 10 .eel the |
four-poster beiStcad OF S,otllnd's |
beautiful and lUcklcss Cue, II. il its |
faded splendcr and melancholy laa-
gestiveGess of misfortune and decay
The darkness and secret veness Of !
Richard Ills character ha ru Illus !
tration, strange as it may a pear, in |
the construction CT his b,d. AuoEr !
his camp baggage it was his custom to |
carry a cumbersome wooden bedstoad, |
which he ayerred was the only couch |
he could sleep in; bat IN which he cou-
trived to have secret receptacle Tor |
treasure, so that it vas concealed IN
der r weight OF timber. Quite a
romance could be made ont of its sub
sequent history. After the battlo OF |
Rinh a foto II A.
pillaged Leicester; but the royal bed |
was neglected by every plunderer as
useless lumber. The owner OF the |
house, afterwards discovering the
hoard, became suddenly rich without
any visible cause, and baoame Mayor
of Leicester. Years afterwards, his |
widow, who had been left in great al
fuence, was murdered by her servant,
who had been privy to the affair; and
at the trial OF this culprit the whole
transaction came to light. Concerning
this bed public print of 1890 states
''about half n century since the relic
was purchased by furniture dealer,
who slept in it for many years and
showed it to the curious. 1t was well
preserved, being formed of oak, and
having high polish"
Many great personages seem to be
careful that their Importance should
be reflected, as it were, in the luxuri-
GUS appointments OF their sleeping
apartments. 1rue, it is said on one
occasion when a Persian ambassador
was shown into his bedroom in q GER
tain hotel, where a grand canopied
state-bed had been prepared for him,
he supposed it was throne in his au-
dience chamber, received his visitors
seated on it, and retired to sleep on
the carpet in the corner of the room.
But Eastern potentates show as a
rule much greater appreciation of