The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-03-11

vsass bssors LssAaA dsssssnse ne plses - an
sssrsesfss sssas a aasssasnt and debAuch.
Lowell had called II place Of crucifyine OK
penses." But. according 10 this narrative. the
features that most struck travellers from re-
mote colonies or from foreign parts were
tho fneness Of the houses. the goodness
Of the pavement the nlthiness Of tho car
rinRcways. the regular arrangement OF tho
streets. and the singular custom Of numbering
some and giving to others tho names Of forest
treos." In 1884 Chestnut. now for the most
part given up to the demands OF commerce.
was the fashionable walk. There every finc
day, when business was over. when tho bank
was closed and the Exchange deserted. pleas
uro seekers gathered to enjoy the air and
display their rich clothes. A
Philadelphia gentleman Of the last GEN.
fury. II he we're man Of fashion or OF means.
woro u three cornered cooked hat heavily laced.
His hair was done up In cue. and its natural
shade concealed by profusion Of powder. His
coat was light colored. with diminutive care.
marvellously long back. and silver buttons en-
gravcd with the letters Of his name. His small
clothes came scarcely to his knees; his long
stockings were striped. his shoes pointed and
adorned with hugo buckles; his vest had flap
pockets. his cuffs were loaded with lead
When he bowed to the damscls
that passed him. no took half the sidewalk as
he fourished his cane and scraped his foot"
Tho historian proceeds to convince us that the
dress Of tho lady. ns she gravely returned his
salutation and courtesicd nearly to tho earth.
would SOON no less strange to u.s. Those
were the days OF gorgeous brocadcs and taffe-
tas. luxuriantly displayed over cumbrous
hoops. which. fattencd before and behind.
stood out for two feet on each side; OF tower
HI, mi aHD fo1 faa thar ~ slaah
and muskmeon bonnets. OF high wooden heels
fancifully cut. Of gowns without fronts.
OF fine satin petticoats. and OF implanted
teeth." 1t appears that in 1854 this curious
custom Of transferring teeth from one woman's
jaw to another's had been lately introduced In
Philadelphia. In an advertisement yet extant
one La Mayeur announces to his fair but pre-
sumably mature patrons that his business is
to transplant teeth and that he has within che
ak months just preceding successfully trans
planted 1923: and he assures those having front
teeth for sale that no will give two guineas for
every sound one brought to him.
In the city Of Philadelphia the dreariness OF
winter evenings was relieved by assemblies and
plays. " The assemblies were OF fortnightly
occurrence and very select. The price OF
season ticket was three pounds fifteen shil-
lings." Married women and refined men Of
cendancy. for it was thought highly improper
that advertisements Of this kind should be at
tended by young men under twenty or by
young women under eighteen. Eighteen was
then for women tho marriagcable ngc.l Nor
did such damsels as found admittance reap
any benefit from beauty, from wit. or from tho
possession Of any of those charms now 80
highly priced The plaincst and the fairest
were treated alike. For partners wore chosen
by lot. and remained partners throughout tho
evening. They danced. walked. and nirted
with no ono else. and when tho dancing was
over partook together OF rusks and tea" On
the following evening the young man went to
sup with the parents Of the young woman who
had fallen to his lot ut the assembly. an event
which was made the occasion OF a great display
Of plate. OF china. and OF ceremony.
1t appears. too that many OF the table usages
then in vogue have fallen into desuetudo and
been utterly forgotten. One single Philadel-
phia custom. however. has boon preserved to
us by an anecdote cited in this history. II
would we are told. have boon accounted as
rude for the guest to refuse to partake OF a
dish fourth or fifth time. II asked to
do so. as 1t would have been thought
negligent in the hostess to omit to press
him. There might seem. at first sight.
therefore. TO DO no limit to the number Of times
the lady OF the house was constrained to ask.
and the number Of times the visitor was bound
To comply. But there was apparently. a kind OF
Freemasonry signals by which guest con-
veycd. by the position Of his plato. tho arrange
ment Of his knife and fork. or the way In which
he disposed Of his spoon. his wish not to DO So
ltcited to be helped again to slices OF chicken
and sauoers OF jam. This custom sorely
puzzled the uninitiated. and gave rise to
many amusing incidents. one OF which hap
pened to the Prince dc Broglle. The
Prince. who travelled in our country in 1882
relates in one Of his letters that no was invited
TO dine with tho lady OF Robert Morris: that he
went; that he was repeatedly asked to have
his cup refilled; that no consented. and that
when he had swallowed the twelfth cup Of tea
his neighbor whispered in his ear and told him
that whom he had had enough Of the water
diet no should place his spoon across his cup.
drink tea till the crack OF DOOM"
1t WAS seldom in the ninth decade OF tho last
century that n New Englander or Pennsylva-
MAN penetrated the country lying to tho south
Of tho Potomac and when no did 40 he found
himself in land almost rs strange'to him MS II
1t had been the tropics He rode for days
through an endless succession Of tobacco fields.
and sat down to rest In tho shade OF trees whose
foliage bore no resemblance to that OF tn 70 elms
and chestnuts that grew along the streets Of his
native village. The rank vegetation OF tho Dis
nal Swamp. tho rice fields covered with wator.
tho sugar cane growing higher than he could
reach. the great forests Of pine yielding an In
exhaustible supply OF pitch and tar tho indigo
plant the fruits. the very birds. filled him with
establishment Nor did the people seem less
strange to him than the country. He admired.
indeed. their lavish hospitality. but their APP
probation OF good blood excited only his de-
rision. Their pride their arrogance. their
keen sense OF what they were pleased
to term personal honor. inspired him
with disgust" Then. as now. man
OF Northern birth and rearing found
1t impossible to understand why men of
sense and courage should be ever readyto seek
each others lives In revenge for sights and
insults 80 trivial that they would. In Boston or
Philadelphia. scarcely have elected hearty
curse. Moreover. the appearance OF tho
towns. the social customs and festvi-