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Show GLOOMY OLD 'FRONT PARLOR' Mld-Vlctorian Furnishings Served to Remind Beholders of Particularly Solemn Mortuary Chapels. The mansard sheltered the accumulations accumu-lations of two or more Garland households house-holds of mid-Vlctorlan tastes. It was a debauch of black walnut and haircloth In a twilight of heavy lambrequins and large figured wall paper. Never In all my twenty-two years had I beheld so many marble-top tables gathered under a single roof. There were three In the parlor alone. One bore a Rogers group "Coming to the Parson," It was called; another a stereoscope with views of the Yoseralte and the centennial cen-tennial of 1876 ; the third served as pedestal for a case of pallid wax flowers. flow-ers. On the walls hung "oils" of mountain moun-tain scenery which It would hava crazed a geologist to classify. "The sitting room across the wide hall was even worse. It was bullied by fie ugly bulk of a secretary with vicious rams' heads carved on Its lower low-er doors. Second In massive gloom was a black marble mantlepiece crowned by a black marble clock with a limping tick and an asthmatic chime. Tables filled the spaces unclaimed by haircloth sofas and chairs, and a whatnot what-not bestrode a corner. I was now prepared pre-pared to find 'The Maiden's Prayer,' and I did, poor maiden, neatly done In best female academy style. There was also a bronze plaque of 'Washington 'Washing-ton Crossing the Delaware.' It was a' bad crossing. None of the pictures were Inspiring, but one at least was appropriate. It portrayed the youthful Victoria in her nightie receiving the news that she was now queen of Great Britain, defender of the faith and high sponsor for art." Woman's Homo Companion. |
