Smyrna times., 1879-06-18
From the Bryant Literary OtVl.
Hats.

winter has departed and the season of fruits
and flowers is upon us, we might infer 1t
from the sudden appearance in public OF
numerous new hats ;-light hats and dark
hats, cloth hats and silk hats, felt hats and
straw hats, though it is a notable fact that
most of the stylish new hats seem to be
.feh,-especially by their wearers. If there
is anything in physiognomy, and doubtless
there is,-generally in the face of the
wearer of a new three or four dollar straw
hat may be distinctly read the anxious in
quiry, "do you see my new hat ?"-and as
we observe a prominent new hat coming
down the street, set at an angle OF l73 de-
grees, and full of conscious majesty and
grace, our thought is "well, l wonder who
is under that?i
If you should observe anything resem
bling tinge of malice in this composition,
please N. B. that the writer has had but
one straw hat in three years, and that is
very modest brown straw at a cost OF 70 cts.
We are likewise so fortunate as to get felt
hat about once in two years, at q cost of
perhaps $3, and the money is good deal
more felt than tho hat is. Still we like
handsome hats, we have a respect for hats
there is character in hats, there is influence
in hats, and hat-rack, full of neat and
stylish hats, is a very hatrack-tive object.
Did you ever meet our friend Mr.. Jones?
If not, word of description may be an
place. Mr.. j. is a good, sound, square
man, he pays as he goes, and mark,-he
always pays for his hats. He is not hand
some, not remarkably stylish, but he is
genial and agreeable; always in good
humor and full of sunshine. But if you
meet Mr.. j. you will observe one striking
| popularity he has a fashion of jerking
| his head and shoulders down occasionally,
and sometimes oftener. When he ap-
proaches you will probably see him dodge
as if trying to avoid q brick-bat. This
| strange practice is due to the wonderful
force of habit. Several or more years ago,
under the influence of the prevailing drift
Of fashion, he was induced to purchase a
two-story, French-roof stove-pipe hat. At
the first opportunity, he equipped himself in
full dress and sailed forth from his room,
forgetting everything in the universe but
was to jam itself against the iamb of the
front-dcor. Mr.. j. said 'jam itr' and
dodged. The next freak of that hat was
to hump itself against lady's parasol.
Mr.. j. said "excuse me-" and lodged.
Mr.. j. being rather tall that hat struck an
awning, and its proprietor lodged. We might
enumerate many instances of this nature,
but suffice it to say Mr.. j. kept on dodg-
ing he persisted in wearing that hat for
two years, and during that time he ruined
the tops of two carriages by jamming the
hat against them, broke 27 panes of glass
in the cars, contracted the habit of saying
bad words, and had to apologize to 65 ladies
for knocking his hat off.
The hat is gone! gone where all hats go
But our respected friend retains the habit
of lodging. He is now in middle life, and
has sobered down some what; but the force
Of habit; and the influence of that one hat
will cling to him through life, though he
will never, or hardly ever, wear stove
pipe hat.
AS we are not treating hats in a CONNER
cial or practical way, but rather from ar
aesthetic point of view, we shall not des
scribe the process of manufacture, nor not,
the products used in their composition
Hats are very various in form and style
more so than one would suppose withou
rejecting on the the subject. In the yea
, $50, being struck WITH numerous kinds o
hats worn by men and boys, we began t
, note them down, and since that date W
/, have actually counted, (now you may no
, believe this, something's are too large t
] believe, even if we know they are true
. but we have counted 47,3l54 differen
!. styles of hats,-the consisting of q cor
cern that had no brim,-that is, yo
couldn't tell were the crown left off an
q the brim commenced the inverted wasl
r basin which was the rage years ago. An
v all this number in only 7 states of tn
8 Union; saying nothing of France or {
q Jersey.
6 Now just thought as to where we g
a the word chat" The French word haut
4 the German hoede, the saxon hood, the En-
n lish hut and hat, are very closely related, al
# nearly the same. As the French haute si
a nifes high, so the hat is the highest part
v a persons apparel ;-hOede, hood and hi
Il are synonymous, and as hut is o coverir
n and protection, so, also, is hat. Hel
o we may remark that the word bonnet is II
20 same as hat,-bonnet from bon--good, an
a. hood-hat "a bon-hat, or a good hat.
le Hats indicate character "a man may
n known by the hat he wears. Hats are
e. study up hat, and observing
,r narrowly, we may judge quite accurate
es what kind of man its owner is. Do "
N observe that the hat and the wearer usual
Or agree in style? A slouch hat and slout
ii man,-a stiff hat and a stiff man, -
RS silken, shiny hat-and silken, shiny ma
O. A hat that gracefully and correctly tur
ge up its rim indicates person whose ide
fe are up, whose desires are upward, who
b. sentiments are lofty, who has self.respe
and character. A hat looping down
around denotes general downward tende
ha y;-the eyes are down, the shoulders q
al down, the mouth is down, the hands G
7; down, the knees are down, the walk is U
= decided and slow, and you will observe tt
No a person who habitually wears a turn.do'
i've hat, habitually turns the toes slightly
ro, ward in walking.
~ Though great deal may be said abe
"a % hats, we have perhaps carried this pal
as' far enough for the present. We have ol
~ talked about masculine hats,-we shol
Cd not dare to touch the subject of lad
ia hats, at least not without an invitation.
1ht M now conclude ;-please pass the hat.
'ca-
he One of the most striking features in
Gus movements of population this spring is
itv. rush of immigrants to the far Northw
md especially Northern Dakota and across
the line in Manitoba. Entire trains are char
Bis. ed for the use Of such passengers, VIII
! ~ run through from Ontario to Manit
,ble without change. The new settlers in I'll
regions are of higher character than
average one of the Canadian parties.
l of -
this Strawberry festivals being about over,
set next social excitement will be the Sun
tern School excursions, where the lambs of
nse. religious flock will be taken out for
give ofskipping pleasure, ,superintendeda and
lent haps participated by the shepherds and