Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-10-09

Tho "chimney-pot," which though uni
versally known Is rs generally abused as
the most incOnvenient of all hcad-cover-
ings, is an institution venerable for its an
tiquity. Chmney-pot hats were common
ly worn in Thibet long before the days of
Magma Charta. There were, however, dis
tinctions. A native of Thibet in those days
could tell who aud what the wearer was
from the color OF his hat. 1t was white for
civilians, black for oflicits, yellow for
monks, and the grand lama alone had the
privilege of wearing "chapeau" of the
finest red. The spartans wore felt hats,
not that they particularly affected any COW
ering for their heads, but as distinguish
ing mark. The felt hat was the outward
sign which distinguished the freeman from
the helot The natives of Egina wore hats
ola peculiar character: they were so thick
that they might serve for shield, and 50
heavy that they formed dangerous often
sive weapon. When Draco went to Crete.
he went TO the theater TO read out his code
Of laws. The Cretans determined that he
should be summariy extinguished and
forthwith threw their hats at him. Draco
viz A'Pt ANNcNSis hO ldu pIONtu lDO
much for him. The Romans-senstl lie
people-only wore hats for use, not for or
oad-brimmed straw hats, to
keep of the sun and rain. In France hats
appear 10 have been worn toward the close
the "llundred years war;" The rst
king that is represented with the civilian
hoad-gear is Charles VII. When he went
to Rome he wore on his solemn entry a
chimney pot hat with a piece of gold-bririd-
ing round it, not unlike the hats now oc-
casionally worn by footmen. Louis XI.
discarded hats, and resumed the conven-
lent and picturesque cap of maintenance
which had been the favorite head dress OF
most of his forefathers. 1t was not, how
ever, until the days of the league and the
religious wars that the hat rose into politi-
cal importance. The Huguenots wore tall
felt hats, not unlike those now worn by
tourists, ornamented with a single feather
the Catholics wore short felt hats, adorned
by the double cross adopted by the house
of Lorraine. Under Louis XIII. and
Louis XIV, the hat became once more q
social 81 mbol. The hat in general use was
three-cornered affair, like that worn by
London coachmen on levee and drawing.
room days. But doctors wore chimney.
pots about two feet high priests wore, Oh
tho contrary, shovel hats of the same pat
tern as that of Don Basilio in the "Bar
biere." Under Louis XIV. the hat was al
article for ornament, not use people use,
to wear ii, not on their heads, but undo
their arms. The revolution came, ant
made very short work of hats and tn,
heads that wore them. When Napoleon
fell, and Louis le Desire" returned to 18th,
throne of his fathers" the hat became pc
iitical emblem. The parlisans of Napule
ON wore huge machines with broad turn
ed-up brim, weighing over a pound tn,
legitimists donned light tall silk hats taper
ing TO point, with very narrow brlm
Duels-fatal duels-too, were then yer,
frequent, aud it was sufficient to brin,
about deadly rencontre for the wearer o
narrow brim to ask the wearer of thu
broad brim, "Who is your halter :" II
1926, when the consolidated debt was part
ly reduced to per cents, a new style O
low-crowned hat became very fashionable
under the designation OF "Reduced Con
suls." The successful instruction in Pc
RI was commemorated by Partisan liberal
by chapeaux la Bolivar. After tie reVo
luton Of 1880, the republican PARTY took {,
pointed wide-awakes, and, with its usua
absurd love Of meddling, the police mad
them very popular by prohibiting them a
"seditious emblems." At present tn,
chlmney-pot is generally popular, hut 1t i
not looked upon with favor by Belleyille
The chimney-pot is generally set down a
an emblem of reaction, conservatism, anC
anti-repubicanism The soft felt travel
ing hat is the emblem of republication
and radicalism of every shade.