Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-31
ROMANCE AND INTRIGUE OF THE FAN

RoMANGE AND lNlkitt Il VT The TAN
In early ages, says an English pa
per, nobody famed him or herself
both men and women were famed.
Ancient Assyrian bas-relieis represent
the process, for which slaves, alike in
the East and West, were retained. So
IT was, too, even in independent Rome.
No Roman nalr"n, even in the very
decadence of the Pompeiian age, how
ever naughty or hot, was blessed with
the portable refrigerator of more
modern times; the ''ilabellumn was n
large and long instrument, usually
composed of feathers, and those who
could not afford tanner might
not indulge in fan. liz was
almost s- ponderous as the "Mystica
Nannus Iacchi," which winnowed the
gram. Except in Terence and Martial
there are but few illusions 10 tie lux
ury at all. But the fan may be taken
as one of the symbols of woman =
gradual emancipation from the posi-
! ton of u cherished chattel, and indeed
Miss Henrietta Mi Ter might we'll as
sumo the fan rampant for her badge.
In Shakspeare's time it was the chiv-
alrous SWANS Office ito fetch her fan
her gloves and her mask" Queen
Elizabeth was painted with one all to
herself in her hands, and the adofn.
ment OF fans for the adornnent (since
adjournment must be the object of ap
instrument which causes It's wielder
to wax hot in the pursuit of trying to
get cool OF women generally became
an industry in Europe.
As IN SO many other instances
France seems first To have veniurou-ly
ventilated the idea, which, picturing
bull lights and matadors, crossed the
Pyrenees from the realms of lustrous
eyes and graceful mantillas. The
reign OF Louis Qlatorzs was an era of
fans. The school of Boucher and Ian.
cret made them classical, and are re-
sponsibls for the dearness ~ the mod
ern connolsseur of those mock Area
dian specimens. The lace industries
OF the Flemings were coon largely de
voted W The same purpose, and the de-
sign and manufacture of fans at THE
moment support many reduced
Gentlewoman." The a. tistic inva- ion OF
Japan ha. increased both the cheap
uess and gaudiness the product, and
catholicism has not been stow to util.
re an ambush formerly devoted tC
fashionable coquetry.
So much for the historical aspect o.
The subject; its ethical import is more
subtle 1t is no longer sdvehemently
employed. The tap on the male
shoulder, the Tim of the foiled Cupid-
nc the beau's Plauces, the arch retreat
OF the btlie's bushes behind the out
stretched battery, would in these fine
days be deemed vulgari,y. Man ha'
become the newer OF wood and tn,
drawer OF water; he fetchea and CARR,
FOR the lovely despot. That DAINTY
palm laaf wreathed with choic.
flowers Is condescendingly presented
10 Adonis To keep or deposit ere u,
fioats with the goddess In the dane,
which even Byroh thought profane
The sentimental side of tanning ha
become passive instead of active. an,
IL now implies one more thing that
man can do for u woman, Instead o
one more barb in the quiver of amor
Gus destruction.
The utilitarianism, ton, of the nine
teenih century has hot LETT The fan M,
Influenced. IL has ceas. d To proiec
the fascinations or moderate the ina
neuvers OF the matchmaker or widow
the duenna of the old maid IT aucien
comedy; The fan If the ''School 70
Scandal or the "lsoad 10 RUM is *
I.nct with the mlnuet and spacille
No longer
snuii and q fan supply the pause OF chat
WIN laughter, hiring, ogiing anu ali tina
One has only to watch the British
dowAger tanning herself with business