Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-07-08
ANTIQUARIAN.

Edward III. of England wore slip
pers of salmon skin in the fourteenth
century.
The tomato is supposed to be a
modern fruit, if it is a fruit, but it is
mentioned in book printed in 1000
as having been long known.
The Oldest housein the United States
retaining its original form, is to be
found in Neponset, Massachusetts,. 1t
was built by John Minot about the
year 1910, and is still in good repair.
The Minot family still hold possession
of it.
The explanation of the origin Of the
phrase "By hook or by crook" is, that
in the ole time persons entitled to get
firewood in the kings forests, were
limited to such dead branches as they
could tear down with a shook or a
crook without hurt to his Majesty's
trees"
Paper did not come into use until
the end of the 18th century, the first
machine for it's production having been
constructed at Ravensburg, in 1250-
The first paper manufactured in Italy
was in 1880; in France, in 1860; in
England, in 1888; and in America. in
1725. The number OF paper mills now
existing in Europe are l,141, and in
the United States, $50.
The standard weights and measures
used by the clerk of the Alexandra
market in inspecting the weights and
measures OF the city are probably the
Oldest in the country. These stand
ards are of cast copper, the gallon
measure weighing so pounds. They
bear sthe inscription, Fairfax Co.
174s," and were brought from the roy.
al Office, in the tower of London, 12O
years ago. They have been in service
ever since, and show not the most mi.
mute variation.
ORIGIN OF MAHOGANY FURNITURE
A West India Captain, about the be
ginning of the eighteenth century, had
brought some logs of 1t as ballast foi
his ship, and gave them to his brother
DR.. Gibbons, an eminent physician
who was then building a house. The
wood was thrown aside as too hare
for the workmcns tools. Sometime
after his wife wanted \ candle box
The doctor thought of the West Indis
wood, and out of that the box was
made. Its color and polish tempted
the doctor to have bureau made OF
the same material, and this was thought
so beautiful that it was shown to all
his friends. The Duchess of Bucking-
ham, who went to look at it, begged
wood enough to make another bureau
for herself Then the demand arose
tor more, and Honduras mahogany be
came common article of trade
dickens All the Year Round.
The method of giving an artificial
gloss to the woven pieces was invent
ed in 1868. The discovery OF the
method was due to pure hazard. Oc
tavio Mey, merchant OF Lyons, being
one day in deep meditation, mechanic
ally put small bunch of silk thread
into his mouth and began to chew
them. On taking them out again into
his hand, he was struck by the peculiar
lustre they had acquired, and was not
a little astonished to find that his lus.
tre continued to adhere to the threads
even after they had dried. He at once
bethought him that there was a secret
worth unraveling in this fact, aud be-
ing man Of wits, he set himself to
stud the question. The result OF
his experiments was the procede de lNs-
TRACE, or "glossing method" The man
ner of imparting the artificial gloss has,
like all other details OF the weaving
art, undergone certain changes in the
course of years.
HArs.-Hats were worn by some OF
the ancient Greeks, and are conse-
quently not late invention. White
hats were worn at Ghent, as the sign
or badge of political party in the
time of Edward III. The wearing OF
hats was confined only to the wealthy
until the reign of Henry VIII.
High crowns came in fashion in
Elizabeth's reign, "and were often
pointed and conical;" a noticeable con-
trast with some of those worn by the
ladies Of the present day. Parliament
at that time restricted the use of hats
only to the higher classes of society;
the middle and lower classes being
compelled to wear knit caps.
Broadbrims were mostly worn dur
ing the commonwea ealth, and being in
convenient the custom was to fasten
up one or two of the sides, which,
probably, led to the three. cooked hat
in the time Of Queen Anne. Round
hats were mostly worn by the lower
orders, and gentleman was distin-
gnishcd by wearing cooked hat,
about 1850. Cooked hats were laid
by in the year 1890, and from that
time round hats have been the COM
mon wear.
MAKE WAY FOR JonN!-Quite a
squad of John Cinnamon, pig-tailed
and dirty. came in on the JJ. p, road