. A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions. ined the heat for these bread was baked, the ashes being first swept out. Furniture.—Oiled paper often took the place of glass inthe windows, and when glass was used the panes were smalland diamond-shaped.^ Furniture was scanty and largelyhome-made. Carpets were almost unknown, the floorsbeing often covered with sand, which was swept into orna-mental designs in the best room. Clocks were rare, and ^ In England, at the time of settlement of the American colonies,the walls were plastered only in the houses of
. A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions. ined the heat for these bread was baked, the ashes being first swept out. Furniture.—Oiled paper often took the place of glass inthe windows, and when glass was used the panes were smalland diamond-shaped.^ Furniture was scanty and largelyhome-made. Carpets were almost unknown, the floorsbeing often covered with sand, which was swept into orna-mental designs in the best room. Clocks were rare, and ^ In England, at the time of settlement of the American colonies,the walls were plastered only in the houses of the rich. Glass win-dows were then so valuable that when a country gentleman went totown for a length of time he took the sashes out of their frames andpacked them carefully away. Beds in that day for the poor were ofstraw, with fagots for pillows. Fingers were the only forks. Me-chanics lived largely on oat and rye bread. Millers who stole grainand dishonest tradesmen generally were fastened in carts and driventhrough the town to be hooted at and pelted by the 234 THE ERA OF SETTLEMENT. the houses were built so as to face exactly south. Theinmates knew that it was noon when the sun shone squarely in. Kitchen and BestRoom. — The kitchen,with its cheerful fire, itslow ceiling with barejoists, from which hungbunches of herbs andstrings of drying ap-ples, the occasional tall PiONEEK Dwelling. , i ^ i wooden clock, dresserset with pewter dishes, spinning-wheel, and occasionally aloom for weaving, was the living-room of the house, inwhich cooking, eating, working, and social converse wenton. The best room was used for state occasions, and usuallywas kept in almost total darkness. A sanded floor, tracedin quaint designs, shining brass andirons, high brass candle-sticks, a few books and family portraits, made up the usualornaments of the room. For light, home-made tallow can-dles were employed. In the kitchen the blazing logs servedfor illumination. Houses of the Wealt
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1915
