The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-15


with some exceptions in the higher
walxs oflife, stronger and better adap-
tea to outdoor exercise than such arti-
cles are now. They lasted much longer
also, because the makers had not then
learned to paste them together instead
of sewing them. They were compare
lively cheaper also, owing to the greater
value of money. We read in an old his
tory about a whole people wearing the
same pair of shoes for forty consecutive
years, and they were not then worn
out. Men and women were healthier,
and lived longer in those days than they
do now, because they lived more natu-
rally and less artifcially. They ate
more beef and less jimcracks, drank
more water and less whisky.
But then, as now, men and women
were known ''by the cut OF, their coats"
and other appendages. There is GER
tain popularity of style of dress at
tachiug to all nationalities by which
they can be called off separately from a
crowd. Then again there are peculiar
styles by which men in different callings
and professions may be distinguished
from their fellow men. These, however,
are not so prevalent now as of yOrc, nor
are they so common here as in other
countries. A lady writing on this sub
Get, aud speaking particularly of the
fitting hoops of the present day, says,
as they swing from side to side, they
give the wearers the appearance of q
Dutch sloop laboring under heavy sea.
As regards ladies' head-gear, though
top knots" have come down from the
frightful altitude which they once at
tanned, we are yet long way from ma
ture, and in fifty years hence, when some
rosy-cheeked maiden, entertaining her
companions, will show them the pic
ture of her grandmother, taken when
she was gay young Miss Gin hoop and
stay and WATERFALL what clapping of
hands there will be and general laugh
ter at the folly and hideousness of the
present day just as we Of to-day enjoy
hearty laugh at the styles of attire in
our grandfather's days. The numbers,
the oolors and the styles of dress
have been, more or less, in all ages. in
dices of the standing in society Of the
wearers. But, although they are so
vet, TO some extent, the advancement of
the world in intelligence, civilization,
wealth, and democratic ideas, has tend
ed greatly to break down these ideas of
caste and fashion, and to bring the hui
man family nearer to its primitive
than it has been since the dis
persion of Babel. There should be de-
mocracy of dress as of politics; but I'M
like the latter in many instances it
should always favor that which Is nat
ural-that which is comfortable. If
some physiological savan would start o
series of common sense lectures for the
masses. or write a few plain readable
articles. which all could comprehend
upon the subject of dress scientifically
he would no doubt greatly
conserve the interest of health and hui
As il is now fashion has no
and when she makes her
quarterly or annual debut, the public
run after her without stopping to think
A moment whether there is either health
Or comfort in the new style. Had she
not one bur score of opponents in
very large city in the land, who would
would give their verdict for or against
he fashion as it proved 10 he healthful
md comfortable, or otherwise. And
vas it then adopted upon this physi-
illogical evidence, the annual health
rate in ali modern civilized countries
would he materially decreased, and the
,yeraoe duration of human existence
would be- much nearer our three score
and ten than it now is.