The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-09-16
COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR THE PORTLAND GAZETTE.
NDISPENSABLFS.

political character, there is nothing which has
endured 50 many fashions in a short period as
ladies' Bags. Since the good old Augustan
age Of long waists and formidable hoops, when
wives wore their pockets without any awk-
ward enlargement of the exterior, there has
been such an ominous declension in this article
in the way of convenience, and such an ever
lasting variety in the way Of substitute, that
economists Of this day may well start to see
the expensive and ridicalous changes commit
ted upon the simple portfolio Of pocket hand
kerchief. have been, Sirs. great inves-
tigator of these female pendants, and have bad
more than once occasion to marvel at the in
vention Of woman. presume that the Bags
which ladies swing through the streets and
sport in the drawing-room, are true descen-
dants Of the old pocket; and that they came
into being on the subsiding Of hoops.
The first that | recollect taking notice Of
is the Bag Funereal, of black velvet, or crape
drawing, very methodically at the top, ia the
manner of satchels. One would think them
to be species Of the ancient Lacrymatories,
as have seen them at tragedies and weddings
stopped to, by dozen heads which had " tears
to shed" inasmuch as the pure white cambria
never issued more than half way from the re-
ceptacle. From this sprung the calico Bag
of the Kitchen, changed, to be sure, for the
ttntcotoT upon Sunday, and ample enough still
to bear the kerchief and psalm book. To or
der Of descent there soon appeared underyfhis
kind, the Compendious Bag, which holds la
dies cotton balls, and, if they have children,
the dolls wardrobe. You will generally dis
cover new fashion in this article by short
walk from King Street to Bramhall's Hill
did, upon the next change. 1t was now of a
morocco bottom, and silk summit. The
purse was on the outside of the leather-verv
convenient for gentlemen of legerdemain--
but extremely otherwise for the funds Of the
father or husband. This could not carry half
the shopping" and Of course the stores were
visited doubly.
The next rGriety, as Handel would call it,
Mr.. Prentiss held out in Broadway, and Mr..
ID. at the Music Saloon in Boston. 1t uCas
quite classic, and you will see few of the
species even now, as you do revolutionary sol.
diers in our streets. This was wholly OF mo-
rocco, or singularly dressed leather, very
proper, very genteel, and sometimes very
black. Indeed, have seen them, Sirs, in
4 the form of clergyman's sermon case, and
Though not exactly of lbellous similarity,
yet bordering SO nearly upon the Bag Eccle-
lsiastical, that wondered they could ever car
Try them to Mrs. Cutters Assembly room, or
on board Capt. Porter's Steam Boat. They
are of all shapes, Sirs. / have seen some in
the form Of the old parish belI--some futed
and worked like the carved work of the Or
lgan. and some Of that fine war confguration,
} OF the old felt crescents which you have seen
upon Review days, or at the fall trainings.
They used sometimes to glisten with pretty
piece of polished steel. These were generally
borne [ss they all were, very adroitIy, upon
the arm] by military ladies, or such as felt an
interest in the Marine.
The next was the Bag. Basket / first fell
in, or rather fell out, with this specimen, at
the counter Of druggist. The owner-most
strange was purchasing neat little gold
leaf'd bottle Of Otto Of Roses. / took Up her
appendage and gazed at it. Supposing it was
new kind of provision basket for the market
was simplifying upon it to the man Of " villa
nous SMELLS"
See," said most innocentIy, to what
conveniences we have arrived-what can be
more excellent to thrust wild pigeons or eggs
into, ia the shambles. This cover, now, Just
observe"-aDd was on the point Of lifting
the top, when the lady, flor it turned out tC
be one fearing perhaps some uulucky discov-
lery of loVe-letter, or of articles forbidden
the gaze of lawless eyes, with mastery ease
drew the machine up to the elbow, where il
kept dangling to my utter amazement.
/" The Basket may be very good basket,
lsaid |, as thought in low tone to the apothe.
cary, but really thought them calculated
q only for the stalls" Aye tits good basket,
very good basket" whispered the man of ar
lsenic-then with wink accompanying bis
technical wit he continued, shut believe af-
ter all, we must call it the basket ofthe shops "
:. saw she heard il all-it was all oVer-in
her confusion, the bottle Of Otto broke and ran
lover the counter,-and she walked hastily out
Iof the door. pardon me, sir" said g can
as well save you the trouble"--se | coolly
wiped up the Otto with my pocket handker-
chief, and walked out after her. There were
but four baskets left in town after this. The
last and most beautiful basket, (the last only
was called Indispensable is one invented in
Somerset-St 10 Boston, through the aid and
countenance of an intelligent young Ameri-
can who had seen them at this kind Of work
\ in Paris and at London. 1t is manufactured
of ucheGt StratO and nlillinet-and the straw
withal is thrust through the millinet by AID Of
a knitting needle very much in the manner of
cross purposes; until it looks wonderfully clas-
sic, and at distance like the beautiful tesseI-
lated pavements Of the Eternal city.
| The manufacture Of this article bids fair ;
for il is effected by the prettiest fingers in the
prettiest drawing rooms in the world. It's a
fashionable amusement. Ihave seen the bas-
kets myselfsr, and can answer for their beau
ty. The work is as handsome as an epaulette
On close inspection. This is the Basket-prop-
er-the true Reticule. Besides, when made
ljudiciousy, the sides are in the fair form Of
pyramid which reminds US Of Egypt, which
recalls Thebes and the Mummy. Ifs very If