Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-02-03
THE GARTER.
AN EXTREMELY USEFUL OFFICER OF THE Sc
CRBT SERVICE.
Interesting Information on Topic bat Little Dis
cusssd - King Edwards Pretty French
Speech Which Has Been Very Pop
ular Since
DstrcL Free Press.

Gracious beauty has many aides in tie
Well-filled ranks Of her secret service, ard
among these, holding an honorable posi-
ton IN history, is thai truly feminine in
sisnia, the garter, with its epigrsmmatic
motto and heraldic glory. 1t ID not def
nitsiy known when or where the garter
itselffirst originated, but as it is en- st!ache
Of the stocking it must have been coinci-
dent with the wearing of that article of
apparel, and mus. Rave succeeded
tde sandal age. lis first appear
aace in beraldry vas when King
Edward III caugh. up the ribbon garter
which the beautiful Countess of Salisbury
let fall and tied it aIolnd his own leg with
the well known remark: "Honi soft dui
mel y pense," which hss since become one
of the little classics of literature: evil to
him who evil thi1k5." King Edward
further said that shcrily they should see
the garter advanced to 70 high en- honor
and renown as tn account Themselves hap.
py to wear it. 1t ia also said that it was
sslscted as symbol of union srd compli-
ment to the ladies.
The order of the garter was founded re-
ligiou'ly in honor OF the Holy Trinity, the
Blessed Virgin, st. Edward the Confessor,
and st. George, but the latter wa lis
especial patron. Ladies were admitted to
the order Gs late as ia the reign Of Edward
w., since which time 70 la lies but the SOW
ereigns are permitted 10 enter it. There are
at present, basides The Prince Of Wales end
such other princes Of the royal blood as may
be chosen. The members ara termed
Knights of tie Golden Garter, or Knights Of
the most Noble o der OF st. George ard tie
Garter. At the time whsn ladies par!ici-
pated in the hcnors of TIE fraternity,
thu quseD, tOme Of the wives of the
knights companions aad other great ladies |
hsd robes and hoods, gifts Of the sovsIe'go, |
the former ga!nisbed with little embrOid- |
cred ga tsis. TIE ensign of ths garter was
ALEC delivered To them, and they were ex.
pressly termed "DImss de la F.ateruitie |
de st. George" T@o monuments are still |
existing which have figures of lsdiss Wear
ing the garter. The Duchess of Suffolk, st
Eyelme, in OxfoTdshire, in the time of
Henry VI, represents hsr wearing the gar
ter on her wIiss ia the manner OF brace
let. Lady Harcourt, at Harcourt, in Ok
fordshire, in the tine If Edward ",
wears a garter OF her left arm. When
Queen Acre attended the Thanksgiving as |
st Paul's, il 1902, ard again in 1904, she
wore the garter eet with diamonds as the
sovereign CT the order tied round her left
arm.
The well known emblem Of thu order IL
a dark blue ribbon. edged with gold, hear
ing the motto in gold letter., with the
buckle AID pendant richly chased with
gold. 1t is worn on the left leg below the
knee. The Order of the Garter was organ
lied 1874. The nearest approach 10 sby
sinilar custom IS traced back TO 1892,
when, ON st. Georges day, Il chard l.
made SO of lis best knights wear thropg
of blue leather on their LETT leg in fight |
with infidtls
The Order of the Garder still hourishes
in moDarchjal circles, and the court jOur-
nails of the day record f,cm time to time
that it had been woIthiiy bestowed on
such and such sir knight, it being an
emblem Of the highest order of knighthoo1 |
il Great Biitain.
In spite Of all the romance and chivalry |
connected with the garter SO an institu-
ton, it ia doubtful il it long continues in
it's present useful service TO keep the stock
ing in place The Dress reform move
ment Invented hose supporter dozen
years ago, which is rot ligstuIe and is
said to greatly improve the gTacefulness Of
a woman's walk, causing the feet to turn
out instead of in. 1t fsstens the stockings
from the side and the weight is thrown on
az elastic band. It is claimed by the
enemies of the garter that it binds the
limb, whether worn just above or belo8 |
the knee, ard stops the circulation.
This may or may not be tue, bat
it is q rare thing to fiad children wearing
q garter. That ladies still wesr them Ia |
evident from seeing in the show cases Of
tie leading jewellers in Detroi. bewil-
deiiug display Of elegant garter1. This IS
not new fes,Ure even in this city, fer The |
two or three leading houses have each q
tray full OF them. They are made Of silk |
elastic in all shades of pale blue, red, buff
ard in black and white. The clasps are
of sold gold, silver, or in enamelei finish |
with blue fOrget-me nots, daisies and other |
flowers in natural cOlcrs. The clasps
fas;en over tiny cgshion which Is made
CT silk and highly perfumed.
'Our most expensive ones" ssid an at
teche of NJ. S. Smiths, "are made to or
der, with monOgrams and jewels"
"Wbat is the most you have been paid
for carriers of that Style"
1--WE have made up number of them at
$3.50 pair. 1t iIquite common for young
gentlemen to give them az a birthday
present to young ladies' members Of the
family, or fancee, and they are almost
hard ONE enough for brEc lets.
One pair was certainly in the prevailing
mode-a black band of elastic with one
and friDged with gold tassels, while
square gold clasp fastened them. These
were only $50
A Haytian prince gave Lillian Russell,
then in the beginning of her career snd
known in New York as Queen of the
Dudes" pair of silk carriers fastened
with clasp of many colored gold. In the
centre of the clasps were two s1perb mOOn-
stones of great value, and heirlooms IN the
family Of the prince. These were slr-
rounded by en- emh1asure OF gems of all
,olors and Of berbaric splendor, the whole
being estimated at a value of msny thou
ards Of dollaIe ArOther sc.Teis, now
led, bat one Of great beauty and repntee,
received ga Anonymous pTeaeut of pair
IF emaTald garters, the ciaqps be
ng eet with large, perfect enef-
dds surrounded by brilliscta. The lady
admired them very much, wore them
mt never found out TO whom she was IT, "
lebted for them until sickness ana disss-
G, overlook her. Then che paTned them, q,