The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1882-06-01
HAND COVERINGS.
Gloves and Their Manufacture.

Sixteen buttons on dainty glove Woult
seem to be not only unnecessary, but aIst
very absurd, yet to become the possesso
Of just such an absurdity was the heigh
of ambition of every. fashionable lady
year OF two ago. Fashion, however, is as
tickle as she is arbitrary in her dictates
and at present she has decreed two but
tons shall be worn and no more. The
glove may reach to the elbow, if you please
but it must be fastened at the wrist with
two buttons only, and the top to fall in
soft wrinkles about the arm. That so much
importance should be attached to the style
of the glove is not at all remarkable, when
it is remembered that next to a woman IS
affection for Glove of bonnet, there is
nothing SO dear to her heart as her supply
Of dainty gloves. She may be pardoned
for this feminine weakness, for even the
sterner sex are not insensible to the
charms of a shapely hand enclosed in a
deicately-tinted, neatly fitting glove, and
the French have it that the true mark of a
lady is to be always "Bien chaussee ct bien
gautee.'
THE GLOVE TRADE IN THIS COUNTRY
has increased very rapidly the last few
years, and is still increasing. During the
year just closed there were imported no
less than G73,528 dozen pairs of gloves,
valued at So, 834 $50. These figures in
clude every variety of gloves made, and
are not confined to those made especially
for ladies. France sends the largest num-
Der, also the finest quality. England, Ger
many, and Italy each furnish a large num-
ber. The custom Of wearing gloves is by
no means modern one. Homer speaks
Of Laertes wearing gloves while working
in his garden. Nenophen tells Of Cyrus
going without his gloves, and among the
sculptures found at Thebes was one repre-
senting ambassadors from some Asiatic
country bearing presents Of gloves. Apart
from the comfort they give and the finish
they are to the toilet, there are many curi-
Gus customs and historical incidents con-
nected with them which are well worth
our study.
IN THE MIDDLE AGES
there was q curious custom of giving a
glove as a pledge in concluding a contract,
and from this is probably derived the later
one of throwing down a glove as chal-
enge, which the opposite party accepts by
picking it up and throwing down his
own. In some parts of Europe there was
a singular custom OF taking off the gloves
upon entering the stables of a prince, or Of
a great man, or in failing to do it forfeit
ing the gloves on their value to the SER
wants. In hunting the same ceremony was
performed at the death of the stag. III
olden times they were very costly articles
Of dress, and were ornamented with preci-
Gus stones and worn only by kings and
church dignitaries, and only upon state
occasions. It was probably the cost of
them which gave rise to the custom of pre-
senting them or in. lieu thereof of giving
what was called "glove money!
AT THE FAIRS HELD IN ENGLAND
years ago it was usual to hang out the sign
of a gilt glove, signifying that all persons
attending the fair should be exempt from
arrest for debt Or other reasons during the
continuance Of the fair. La the London
Notes and Queries it is held that this GUS
tom originated in Chester, place famous
for its glove manufactures and during
the balance Of the year strangers were not
allowed to trade with the city. Hanging
out the sign during the fair was an invita-
ton for strangers and citizens to buy. At
the opening Of the Maiden Assize, the
Judge presiding was always presented with
Il pair of white gloves, as q token Of the
innocence Of the city. They were beauti-
fully embroidered and ornamented with
Brussels lace, and having the arms Of the
city embossed in frosted silver on the back
Of each glove.
PRESENTING GLOVES AND sCARFs
at funeral was very common in this
country some years ago, and still prevails
in some places. It was carried to such an
extent in New England that the Legisla-
ture Of Massachusetts, passed a law, for
bidding the practice under a penalty of
E20. Hull, in his history of the glove
trade, says that Charles w, King Of Spain,
was SO much under the influence Of any
lady who wore white kid gloves that the
use of them III court was strictly prohibits
ed. AS an item of dress at the present
time they count up in the course of the
year to quite large sum, notwithstanding
the apparent cheapness per pair. A lady
who is at all particular about such things
must have them to match her travelling
dress, her walking dress, her carriage
dress, her dinner dress, and her evening
dress; and as the latter must be Of the
most delicate tints, it is not possible to
wear them more than two or three times
so, if she is in the habit of going out fre-
quentIy each week during lhe season, a
pretty nice sum will have to be
CHARGED TO ssGLovE MoNEU.'
Although the lords of creation love to