The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-01-27
oLp.rlMe FURNITURE.
what Capt. Kidd Ate From, Sat ana step

s On.
Up to the time of the revolutionary
war there were no carpets on the floors
Of the houses in New York City. At
least, there were so few, that IL NAV
be said there were none without much
exaggeration. What few there were,
In the houses Of the wealthiest citi-
zens, were curiosities, and the citizen
of moderate means would as soon have
thought of keeping private balloon
for his travels as Of buying carpet for
his floor. Sand was sprinkled over the
boards in the houses that were fastidi-
ously kept, but aside from this there
was generally no covering.
The nearest approach to the modern
carpet that was known at all to the
early Dutch settlers was sort of
drugget cloth, which was only used ON
special occasions of ceremony and
state, when, because of the presence of
distinguished guests, the table would
be spread in the parlor instead of the
kitchen. This was laid under the table
to protect the carefully secured and
waxed floor.
The most expensive piece of furni-
ture in the old houses was invariably
the bedstead and its appointments.
The parlor, in the modern sense, was
unknown. That is, the handsomest
and best-equipped room in the house
was always the sleeping room of the
head of the household. The bedsteads
were of wood, as costly as the purse of
the owner would permit and commonly
of the old four-post kind. 1t was not,
however, until the luxury of England
had modified the simple customs OF
the Knickerboclsers that such Il thing
was known as the mahogany bedstead
with carved wood ornaments eagles
claws, and the like. Before that less
expensive woods were used and the
carving was unheard of.
1t is well known that our ancestors
deemed it almost essential to have cur
tains inclosing their beds. A canopy
overhung them as they slept, and from
these depended the curtains which in
earlier times were of "Killeminster, :"
lined with ''sarsnet." The cost of a
full set of these was often as much as
twenty-five or thirty dollars. The
feather pillows We're covered as to-day
with cases which were usually of a
check or other fancy pattern. Later
silk curtains, sillSen bedticlis. silken
coverlids, and pillow-cases came in
vogue. and the most extravagant OF
the aristocracy would spend as much
as two hundred dollars on the entire
outfit OF bed. In early times, or be.
fore the accession of the English, the
prevailing custom was to sleep be.
tween two feather beds of different
sizes, the larger being underneath and
the smaller and thinner one being useo
for cover. A small rug in front OF
the bed was the usual substitute fol-
the modern carpet in the bedroom.
Bureaus We're unknown. Among the
earliest settlers there was not even
known any such thing as the chest OF
drawers Chests, or boxes of expensive
wood, handsomely finished, were used
| by the Dutch housewives, in which tc
store their household linen, under.
clothing and the like, and the bureau
seems to be a thing of evolution from
this, the change beginning with the
| fashion of storingsone chest upon an
other.
| A sideboard, as it is now called, is
the modern modification of one of the
principal articles of furniture in the
houses of the olden time. Our ances
tors called it a cupboard, and this nat
ural composition of substantives be
came in time a word, used as the name
Of any small apartment used for the
storage of small things. The cupboard
of our forefathers was no such thing a.
the ''cubberd" of to-day. 1t was Q
leading article of furniture in the domi
cile. Itstood in the parlor, when there
was parlor When there was no par
lor it adorned the principal corner O,
the kitchen. 1t was usually made o.
what we now call French walnut
They called it, aforetime, French nut
wood. 1t was made in all styles. The
more ambitious pieces had glass doors
displayed the best dishes of the house
hold, whether they were of silver
pewter, china, delft, or the commones
earthenware. The best of these cup
boards were builded so we'll that the,
remained in family from one genera
tion to another, and became time-hon
ored as family relics or heirlooms
Some few of them are still eXtant, an,
are known among dealers in IAN
tiques' as HOLLAND cupboards."
Later than this-in fact almost
modern thing, by cornparison-was tn,
''scrutoire." 1t was chest of drawer
underneath, with folding lid tina
could be used as desk. Two soil.
bars were made, which slid in and out
and which served to support the lid
The upper structure was small book
case, ample then to hold all the book
Of the average household. These piece
are to be found to-day in great man,
New York houses.
Tables were formerly used only TO
the purpose of holding things to ca
and drink. Even after the Dutch New
Workers were supplanted by the En-
| glish there were none of the various ia
bles which are now used. 1t was no
until 1720 that there are any mention
made in the old chronicles of the sub
sidiary tables. Before that All tina
was known was the great dinner tabl
which stood in the kitchen or principa
room of the house for use at meals.
had what are now called foldin
leaves, which hung down perpendicu
larly when not in use to save room, an
which were propped up by moveabl
legs when 1t became necessary to en-
large the table.
In 1870 there was imported from III,