The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-08-19
The Laps Dress.


ordinary European boot The Lap boots
consist of two parts the under, which is
made of OK leather, is quite thin, and is,
in fact, simply piece of leather sewed
together at the heel and toe, and is consc-
quently peaked in front. There is neither
heel nor sole beyond the leather, which
accommodates itself to the shape of the
foot, and through which you feel each par
ticular stone you chance to step on. The
upper part of the boot is usually made of
reindeer leather, which is softer than the
other. II is sewed on to the under part
with thread made of sinews, and is wide
and loose about the ankles, round which
it is tightly fastened by long band. The
color Of these boots when new is bright
yellowish brown, but in time becomes al
most black, partly from dirt, partly from
the oil with which the boots are smeared
to make them easy to the foot. In winter
the Laps use boots covered with fur, but
We did not see any of them. These boots
are used not only by the Laps, but also by
the settlers, who find them useful in cross.
ing moasses and other places, where or
dinary boots would not keep out the water.
The Lap boots, on the contrary, are almost
waterproof when well smeared and tied
carefully at the ankles. Our boatmen
never hesitated to step into the water with
them, and sat with their feet In water in
the boots, without any apprehension OF
getting wet. Until, indeed, they get old
and begin to crack, these boots require a
good deal Of soaking before the water
comes through, and even then the wearer
is not much incommoded, because, instead
Of wearing stockings, the Laps stuff their
boots with hay, which both makes them
more comfortable for walking in aud soaks
up any water which may come through.
In Lule Lapmark some of the Laps now
wear stockings, and the settlers, excepting
the very poorest, always do, but they also
continue to use the hay. The only hay
harvest with which the Lap concerns him
self is the gathering of sufficient quantity
of grass to serve him through the winter
The grass he dries in the sun, and after
picking out all foreign substances, care
fully combs and hackles it, so as to make
the hay soft for the foot When the Lap
comes home in the evening he takes the
hay out and dries it at the fire in his hut,
and, with the occasional addition of little
new hay, the same stufing will last for
one or two weeks. Both men and women
wear trousers reaching down to their an-
kles, and their lower end is tucked into
the boots, SO as to prevent the water max
ing its way through. The trousers are
made either of skin or of rough homespun,
the latter of which the richer Laps prefer
in summer. The skin trousers when old
acquire the same blackish look which the
boots have, but at first they are brownish
in color The women are fond of having
trousers ornamented with red and green
The Laps rarely wear linen shirts, or in
deed any linen; but some of the Forest
Laps wear in summer sort of shirt made
of homespun under the tunic, which is the
most important article of their dress
This tunic, which is worn alike by men
and women, is open at the neck and half
way down the breast. 1t generally does
not reach below the knee, and is made Of
reindeer skin or homespun. The only
difference between the tunic worn by the
men and that worn by the women is that
the former has high, stand-up, stiff collar
The tunics are ornamented with blue and
red stripes round their edges, and the wo-
men are specially fond of a variety Of color
In winter furs are worn by all, and are
required to keep out the intense cold
The tunics are fastened round the waist
by belt, which is often highly ornamen.
ted, depending from which the women
usually carry bunch of scissors and
needle.holders. The women also frequent
ly wear bright.colored handkerchief
round their necks. The head-dress ol
men and women is the same, viz tall
sugar-loaf-shaped cap, made of blue cloth
sewed with red, though sometimes othel
colors are used. Such is general descrip
tion Of the Lap dress, but there are, o.
course, differences in material and orna'
mentation, arising out of the comparative
wealth of the wearers 1t is said that il
Lule Lapmark ornaments are not SO com
mon as they once were, and that the Laps
have used the money which they obtained
by their sale in maintaining Schools
Fraser's Magazine.
"THE'SIcK MAN." the title which tn,
Russian Emperor Nicholas applied to the
Sultan Of Turkey, has become the popular
designation of the Empire which the Sui
tan represents. The precise summary Of
the character of the disease was pointed
out by the French author and statesman
Iamartine, twenty years ago. He said