Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-03
Old P~hiladelphia.

Prof. McMaster, of Princeton, In
his newly published "History of the
People of the United States" gives an
interesting picture of life In Pniladel.
phla at the period Immediately follow
Ing the revolutionary a The city
was thea the greatest In the country.
No other could boast of so many
streets, 30 many houses, go many peo-
pie, 80 much renown. There had been
made the discoveries which carried the
name of franklin to the remotest
spots of the civilized world. There
had been put forth the declaration Of
independence. There had long been
held the deliberations of congress,
No other city WAS so rich, 60 extrava-
CANT, 80 fashionable. Seven years
before Lee had described the place as
an attractive scene of amusement and
debauch. Lowell had called 1t a place
of crucifyipg expenses. And this rep
utation is still maintained. But the
features that most impressed travellers
from distant lands were the ~fineness
of the houses, the goodness of the
pavements, the iilthiness of the car
riage-ways, the regular arrangement
of the streets and the singular custom
If numbering some ard giving to 9TH
ers the names OF forest trees.
One of these, Chestnut, long since
given up to the demands of commerce
and lined with banks, with warehouses
and with shope, was the fashionable
walk. There every fine day, when
business was over, when the bank was
closed, when the exchange was de-.
serted, crowds of pleasure seekers
gathered to enjoy the air and display
their rich clothes. If the dress that
has displaced the garb of that period
be less tasteful 1t must be owned 1t Is
at least more convenient. A gentle.
man of the last century, If he we're q
man of fashion or Of means, wore q
three.oornered cooked hat heavily
laced. His hair was done up In q cue
and Its natural shade concealed by q
profusion of powder. His coat was
light-colored, with diminutive cape,
%marvelously long back and silver but
tons engraved with the letters of his
name. His small clothes came scarce
to his knees; his stockings were
striped; his shoes pointed and adorned
with huge buckles; his vest had Hap.
pockets; his cuffs were loaded with
lead, If he were so happy az to have
seen some service during the war he
affected q military bearing and had
much to say of campaigns. When he
bowed to the damsels that passed him
he took half the sidewalk as he -four.
ished his cane and scraped his foot.
Nor does the dress Of the lady, as
she gravely returned his salutation
and courtesied almost to the earth,
seem less strange to us. Those were
the days of gorgeous brocades and
taffetas, luxuriantly displayed over
cumbrous hoops, which, lattened be.
fore and behind, stood out for two
feet on each side; of tower-built hats,
adorned with tall feather of calash and
musk melon bonnets; of high wooden
heels. fancifully cut; with gowns with.
out fronts; of fine satin %petticoats, and
of implanted teeth. This singular
custom had but lately been brought In
by one La Mayeur, and had rapidly
become fashionable. La Mayeur
called himself q doctor, advertised his
business extensively, was largely pat
ronizsd by the ladies, and, at the end
of a few months, went off, 1t wal be-
lieved, with a small fortune. One of
his advertisements is yet extsnt. In
1t he announces to the people of Phila-
delphis that his business is to trans.
plant teeth; that he has, within the
six months just passed, successfully
transpianted 1913, and assures those
having trent teeth for sale that he will
give two guiness for every sound one
brought him.
The dreariness of winter evenings
was,,broken by..dsnclng assemblies and
plays. The assemblies were of fert-
nightly occurrence and very select.
The price Of a season ticket was f3 los.
But It was thought highly improper
that advertisements of this kind should
he attended by young men under 20
or young women under IL. They
were therefore vigorously excluded.
Ner did such damsels as found adj