Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-04-16

evening. Iney WoIc oo"ou OoSOen"'
and patched with deer skin thongs,
or whangs as they were commonly
called.
In cold weather the moccasons
were well stuffed with deers hair
or dry leaves, so as to keep the
feet comfortably warm but in wet
weather it was usually said that
wearing them was ga decent way
of going bare-footed )" and such
was the fact, owing to the spongy
texture of the leather of which they
we're made.
Owing to this defective covering
of the feet, more than to any other
circumstance, the greater number
OF our hunters and warriors were
afflicted with the rheumatism in
their limbs. Of this disease they
were all spprehensive in wet or
cold weather, and therefore always
slept with their feet to the fire to
prevent or cure it as well as they
could. This practice unquestiona'
bly, had a very salutary effect, and
prevented many of them from be-
coming confirmed cripples in early
life.
In the latter years Of the Indian
war our young men became more
eramored of the Indian dress
throughout, with the exception
of the match coat. The drawers
were laid aside and the leggins
made longer, so as to reach the
upper part of the thigh. The In
dian breech clout was adopted
This was a piece of linen or cloth
nearly yard long, and eight or
nine inches broad. This passed
under the belt before and behind,
leaving the ends for flaps, hanging
before and behind over the belt.--
These belts we're sometimes orna'
mented with some coarse kind of
embroidery work. To the same
belts which secured the breech
clout, strings which supported the
long leggins we're attached. When
this belt, as was often the case,
passed over the hunting shirt, the
upper part of the thighs and part
of the hips were naked.
The young warrior, instead of
being absshed by this nudity, was
proud of his Indian-like dress. In
some few instances | have seen
them 20 into places of public wor-
ship in this dress. Their appear
ance however did not add much to
the devotion of the young ladies.
The linsey petticoat and bed
gown, which were the universal
dress of our women in early times,
would make a strange figure iD our
days. A small homemade hand
kerchief, in point Of paint of ele-
gance, would lily supply the place
of that profusion of ruffles with
which the necks of our ladies are
now ornanented.
They went barefooted in warm
weather, and in cold their feet we're
covered with moccasons, coarse
shoes or shoe.packs, which would
make but a sorry figure besides the
elegant morocco slippers often em-
bossed with bullion, which at pres
ent ornament the feet of their
daughters and grand-daughters.
The coats and bed gowns Of the
women, as we'll as the hunting
shirts of the men, were hing in full
display on wooden pegs around the
walls of their cabins, so that while
they answered in some degree the
place of paper-hangings or tapestry,
they announced to the stranger as
we'll as neighbor the wealth or pow
erty of the family in the articles OF
clothing. This practice has not yet
been wholly laid aside amongst the
backwoods families.
The historian would say to the
ladies of the present time. Our an
cestors of your sex knew nothing
of the ruffles, leghorns, curls, combs,
rings, and other Jewels with which
their fair daughters now decorate
themselves. Such things we're not
then to be had. Many OF the Young
er part of them we're pretty well
grown up before they ever saw the
inside of a store room, or even knew
there was such a thing in the world,
unless by hear-say, and indeed
scarcely that.
Instead of the toilet, they had to
handle the distaff or shuttle, the
Z sickle or wedding hoe, contented II
they could obtain their linsey cloth
} ing and cover their heads with a
sun bonnet made Of six or seven
hundred linen.
(To BE CONTINUED.
THE GEOHGIA 6IHLS.