The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-20
The Hat Question.

We thank our learned aud vivacous con-
temporary, the World, for its exceedingly
polite. entertaining. and suggest We an
swer TO our question touching point of
etiquette in the use of the manly hat. II
we understand our polished contemporary
Alright, the European custom OF carrying
the hat in the hand when making visit is
not binding ON US IN America, and though
venerable. is, indeed. out Of proportion
with the modern stove pipe, the only sort
of masculine head covering which can now
properly be called fun dress.
The point that when you carry your hat
in your hand as you enter your host's draw
ing room, you are supposed TO honor him
bv the act and that when you leave IL out
in the hall you study your own convent
ence, is sound and neatly put by the judi
cious WOrld. The old chapeau which
men wore in the days OF knee breeches,
swords, aud wigs, could rs our accommo-
dating contemporary remarks, be held
more gracefully. either in the hand or
tucked under the arm, than the present
stiff aud cylindrical stove pipe. No mat
ter how shiny aud well brushed it may be,
the hat of to-day il an awkward thing to
some ill-conditioned fellows, to drum IA
tattoo on its crown, makes II II possibly
sagreeabe companion in the social circle
The crush hat can be shut up into n thin
space, but we trust that our courteous con-
temporary will agree with us in thinking
IL not inviting ornament of the drawing
room, suggesting, rs 1t does, a mere patent
Continuance of springs and elastics, where
everything should SAVIOR of grace and
beauty. not of utility and labor-saving
construction.
There is unquestionably an advantage
to many men and all women in holding
something IN the hand as they discuss or
| prattle in the drawing room. Ii is for
! that reason much more than any cooling
Use it has, that the lovely partner of your
conversation misses her fan when she has
mislald it. Madame DE STAEL, we believe,
used TO twist "a straw or willow stick as
she talked III her brilliant salon; and the
snuff box in the days when social formality
was more rigid than il is now, bore an I'M
portaut part IN the play Of wits. An other
wise awkward pause, an occasion Tor mo-
mentarily avoiding the eye of your inter
! locutor, or desire to conceal an uncon-
| trolable expression of your features, could
| he improved, remedled or guarded by
| gracefully taking pinch of snuff rs you
| looked out under the corner OF your eye
lid at the effect of your sally on the per-
sou with whom you were conversing.
| The SNUFF box played great part in
diplomacy for century at least, and with
in our own day it has been regarded
| pinfa frtff for f,.t.
man or great soldier. Look in "my
unces" windows in Chatham street and
you Will see there many snuff boxes
| inscribed with names with which the his
tories OF our Centennial land have made
us more or less familiar. Even our grand
mothers IL we are able to trace our lineage
back so far, left us, along with their por-
traits painted by STUART or DUNLAP, gold
or silver snuff boxes which bear the marks
OF ancient use.
Now, we are told, a large part of the sale
OF the pungent Scotch snuff in New York
il for tho vile purpose of what is called
dipping, u practice very frequent IN Ken =
lucky Tennessee, and Mississippi, and i'm
ported into New York by IA certain class
Of women. II is "A pernioous as well rs a
| nasty lhDll' lue process cOHslsls III IuD-
bng the gums with the SNUFF. We read
now IN Kentucky journals of the extent
and progress Of the habit among the
women OF the state OF DANIEL BooNE-a
State which has produced many examples
OF rare feminine loveliness, Us well as OF
extraordinary manly power and beauty
aud we are distressed to hear it is to-day
afflicted with so vile Il practice.
But, getting back to hats, will our gra-
cious contemporary, the World support
MS in asserting that when the call is to be
short II Is always well to hold the hat in
the hand, to suggest TO your host the in
tended brevlty of your stayf Tue late
Mr.. CHARLES SUMNER, who was man very
exacting in matters Of etiquette. was ao-