The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-27
Ono Newspaper Speaks Of Their
Passing Away and Another Men,
tions the Fact That They
are Going Out Of View.
EVERY HOME HAD ONE
There Was One of These Rooms in
All Houses In Good Old Days
Their Disappearance Lessons
.pegree of Formality.

Something is always passing, IL it
isn't the buggy it is the burnsides or
the wide wedding rings If 1t isn't the
eggnog it's the pound cake. If it isn't
the buck it's the river steam boats.
Now it's tn eparlor-the old fashioned
parlor, says an exchange. The Rome
Tribune-Herald recalls it's passing, and
the Montgomery Advertiser speaks
respectfully of its going out Of view.
The Tribune-Herald deems it timely
to print description OF the old
fashioned parlor and of the uses to
which it was put It's editor, there
fore, writes Interestingly of the room
which was 1.-The pride and glory of the
household. Formerly, nearly every
dwelling house had it's parlor. no
matter how small or humble" We
read on:
when a person entered the parlor
OF mans home, he clothed himself
with due forInaIity, he stacked on
; ceremony, sat in bolt upright posi-
! ton with his hands crossed. his feet
obscured, and talked in stage whis-
pers, using only the most correct
phraseology and the most up-to-date
language, such as is used by the best
writer's and speakers of the day.
Around the walls of the parlo-
hung the portraits Of the households
ancestors: in the center was large,
round table, ON which was placed the
family album and family Bible. In
this could be found pictures of the
mother and father and all the chill
dren, aunts and uncles, at all ages.
from the time they we're babies on up
to the present. Somewhere in it was
a picture of the husband sitting in
large chair, while the wife stood
slightly behind with her hand on his
shoulder.
"A big horsehair sofa sat In one
corner, while what-not stood in an
other. On this article of furniture
were displayed various and sundry ar
ticles and gewgaws of ancient and
honorable memory. In this parlor the
children Of the house never dared to
assemble. but on certain state occa-
sfons, the older daughter Of the house,
or a younger one If she could beat her
sister to 1t, sat bolt upright in solemn
grandeur and received the final sworn
assurances Of her accepted lover.
But the parlor is a thing OF the
past, it has passed In its checks, as it
were. Now the guests assemble in
IuS VI III
room and soon attain a considerable
their feet on the tenders and do a
be strictly tabooed in the ancient and
historic past.
1.-THE parlor is seldom used If such
a thing exists it is covered with dust,
and only opened on rare occasions,
xr-1 Sc ~, ~.
something of the kind.
with the passing of the parlor go
also the formal, stilted manners o.
foolish and unnecessary things thai
pertained to another age.
'fIn fine, the parlor was a heritage
of false aristocracy, and in it's pass
ing we have one expression OF the
new democracy"
For another thing the model home
Of a generation or more ago was a
spacious object within whose ample
walls weekend parties were held, and
q ball room floor lay, while under the
house was cellar to keep things in
that might be needed on pleasant &C.
casions.
But the model home is dwindring in
size, with families. The cost of main
tenance, in the matter of servants,
lights, fuel and furniture, not to
speak of the cost Of building mate
rial, is too burdensome to encourage
The building Of large houses It has
become necessary to make smaller
houses. When something had to be
sacrificed, everybody agreed on the
parlor.
With these alterations came also
change in social customs. Dinner par
ties are frequently given at hotels and
receptions at downtown clubs. Dances
are usually given downtown. AS a