The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1889-07-04
FORTY YEARS ago.
Changes Of Manner GHd Customs i1
-Four Decades.
OLD TInss BSauK GHa Bellies and
PbsSHFsS - = People and ThinGS
In ThOse Days.

Forty years ago the 6int and steel were
used 10 many . farmers household for
kindling the fires. Matches. not 80 plen-
tiful as now, were called "IOcOfocOs," q
name also iOV . time applied TO the Demo
cratic party.
| The spinning-Wheels huInmed and bug
Eed in many houSes. Farmers raised fax
and hemp and wore their own "home-
spun" and hons-dYed.
Gentlemen wore rufled bOsoms, stocks
in place Of cTavats and high shirt collars.
False boSOms, termed "dickeyS," tied On
with strlngI, served such ~ would make
q pretense Of wearing q shirt.
The "stock" was = collar Of steel en-
clEcling the neck, covered with silk OF
satin and having a permanent bow in
front.
Shoemaker in the country made every.
body's shoes and never kept their word.
The village tailor sewed baggy trousers
and black coats, generous in CTeases, and
our fathers wore them with contented and
plaSid minds. A suit Of clothes = year
was the average Limit.
Psntaloons were strapped under the
boots, buttoling pantalOOn straps was a
hard and iTksome and unclsan business
for such ~ had no Vslets. The majority
Of our. fathers did not indulge in that
luxury.
PantaloOns and boots were frequently,
when worn with straps, taken Of and put
on together to save time and trouble.
The boots were "Wellingtons. The
gaitsr was little Toru.
sWEIL's oET-UP.
Long. heavy cloAks, reaching quite To
the heels, were worn BY our elders. Such
q cloak lasted almost lifetime.
No male attire was perfect without q
big lob chain" and seal dangling from
the waistband. Gold watches were
scarce. Silver watches were large in
dimensions. The vulger called them
''turnips." They were wound up with
n key. which was always getting lost, and
in the winding the machinery was
noisy.
Some Of the styles and changes In cut
and fashion were even more marked than
those Of to-day. At one time gentlemen
WoFu summer garment called blouse"
though very unlike that Of the French
workman. It was Of linen, reaching to
the knee, belted at the waist, buttoning
In iront from the skirt 10 the bosom, and
was pleated above and below the belt. It
resembled the old time American hunting
shirt, and was q comfortable and becom-
ing garment. Al another period men
wore white duck.linen jackets, much
shorter than the present sack coat.
Gentlemen put their feet Ia pumps, or
lew slippers. at balls and dancing parties.
Dancing then in shoes or EaiteP would
have been deemed as great lack oi pro-
pEiSty as would bO going to an evening
party now in pair Of rubber boots.
The ball rooms were illuminated by
candles stuck in sockets on the walls,
Or, II more pEetsntious, in = chandelier
Suspended from the ceiling. The candles
wouldNiTip, and the ladies' and gentle
mems apparel frequently testified TO that
fact. Round dances" were barely tol-
eFated-waltEing was scandalous.
THE LIGHT TANTAsuc.
Some Of the steps" peculiar TO that
period required no small degree Of agility
on the part Of the gentlemen. The pig
con wing" and the double shuttle" lifted
Q man quite ofi the floor and would star
tie q modern ballroom. The lsdies lifted
their skirts 40 as to not interfere with
their freedom Of pedal IOcOmOtiOu and
were not adverse to the display Of . we'll
turned ankle. Striped and colored
hosiery were unknown.
Custom had not then sanctioned fem
inine skating. A girl on skates in 1912
would have been . phenomenon. 30
would also have been q feminine swim
meE.
Vegetables were far less in variety than
now. Tomatoes were regarded with sus.
picion. They were called love apples"
cultivated ~ = garden ornament and Sus-
pectOd Of poisonous. tendencies. Can
ned fruits and vegetables were generally
unknown.
Children were more respectful to their
elders. Boys were required TO bow and