Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-11-01
OId-Timed Econoniee.

Those were times when fashions had not
yet learned to change with such chameleon
like speed, says Agnes Repplier in tho Oc-
tober Atlantic and people did occasionally
wear their old clothes with oil uabiushiJg
eflrontery that would be well-nigh disgrace
full to-day. Silks and sstns, lnces aud fur.
bellows were all of the costllest description,
and their owners were chary of discsrdlug
them, or even lightly exposing them to
ruin. Emile Souvestre's langpid lady, wuo
proves the purity of her blood, somewhat
after the manner of the princess aad the
pea, by supercilous Indifference to the fate
of her velvet mantle in a srowstorm, could
hardly have existed y few hundred years
ago. We have in Pepys' diary most anus
ing record of his disgust at being over per.
suaded by his wife TO wear his bfot suit on
certain threatening May day, aud how of
course it raiued and all their pleasure was
spoiled The guilty Eve was quite as un.
furtuuate IS her husband, for she, too, had
gone forth extraordinary fine in her flow.
cred tabby gown" which we are greatly !e.
leved TO le6-n little later was two years
old, but smartly renovated with brand new
lacing. Only fancy being so careful of q
two.year old gown de TO begrudge it to the
sight of court and commoners on May day /!
The same frugal spirit extended down
to the last century end was OF in.
finite value to the self-respectipg poor.
Artisans had not yet found it imper
ative to dress their wives and children
in imitation fnery, and farmers were even
less awake to the exigencies of fashionable
attire. We read of rural couples placidly
wearing their wedding CLOTHES into theirad
vauced old age, and we are lost in hopeless
speculation Us 20 how they accommodated
their spreading proportions TO the coats and
gowns which presumably had fitted the
comparative slimness of their youth. With
what patient ingenuity did the good danes
of Miss Mitford's village, aided occasionally
by an tinerant tailoress, turn and return
their husbands cast OFF clothing until from
seeming ruin they had evolved sound gar
ments for their growing boys and with par
donable pride did the strutting youngster
exhibit on the village street these baggy
specimens of their mothers skill. Among
the innumerable anecdotes told OF George
Ill, it is said that strolling once with Queen
Charlotte in the woods Of Windsor he met
little red checked, white.haired lad, who
proved on examination to be the son OF one
OF his maiesty's beef-eaters. The gracious
king, always we'll pleased with children,
patted the boys fsxen head and bade him
knesl end kiss the queens hand, but this
the sturdy young Brinton declined fatty to
do; not, be it said. from any desire to emu
late the examples of Penn and franklin by
illustrating on minor scale the heroic prin-
ciples of democracy, but solely and entirely
that he might not spoil his new 5reeches by
contact with the grass. So thrifty nom.
arch, says Thackery, should have hugged on
the spot child after his own heart; and
even if the royal favor failed to manifest 1t.
self 10 precisely this fashion I make no
doubt that the beef-eater's wife, who ha6
stitched those little breeches with motherly
solicitude, found ample comfort in such
judicious son.