The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-05

began TO Do carried IN the Aan0 or IN tle
exterior pocket or handbag is uncertain.
That there was time when there were
no handkerchiefs is as certain ~ that there
was -once an epoch when there was an un-
created world. The handkerchief could
not be evolved before the sense Of neatness
that called ksinto being, for the law of sup
ply and demand is as old as the creation.
For its comparatively modern advent
there are sufficient reasons. Civilization
began in regions where the climate was
mild and colds uncommon. This was the
case in Egypt, Syria, in India and about
the Mediterranean. There has nothing
been found on any Egyptian tomb or
obeiisk that suggests the handkerchief.
Assyrian monuments throw no light on
the subject. and even in regard to ancient
Greeoe the matter is in, doubt. But though
Che fashiona6les Of the old world were re-
there weHexther uses Tor such spare drapery
a. They had about their persons. They per-
spired freely and wept often, either from
grief q 9eke, or because the sand of the
desert wA8 blown into their eyes. What
moro natural than that the person who
perdous uaoisture with the end or corner
course Of xinae L shonld seem to him more
neat and proper to hste . separate piece of
woven fabric for thst purpose? Hence
originated the sudsrium, which some
writer's naturany suppose served as b hand
necessary to blow the classic nose. This
piece Of linsn drapery, first heard of in
Greece and afterwazd in Rome, where it
bore several names, formed part of the at
tire Of priests and was adopted later by the
Christian clergy. II underwent sew
eral forms in the dark ages. Sometimes it
was carried in the hand. at others attached
to the belt. Often it was of the finest ma
terial and adorned with fringe. It remains
as a relic of disused function in the sacer-
dotal dress of the Catholic church of all
countries to-day.
There are other writers who believe that
the Roman lady, whether old or young, was
too highly civilized and too we'll bred to
blow her nose on her robe or to spit on the
tesselated pavenents Of the elegant private
mansions or public buildings of the Eter-
nal city, besides which it was little less than
sacrilege to perform either Of these acts
ties assert that willie the men wore sort
of handkerchief shout the meek to be used
as napkin at meals or as an absorber
of perspiration. the great Roman
danes were supplied with handkerchief
made of the finest linen or cotton. Fur
tarrh and influenza were rare complaints
in central and southern Italy this was far
from being the case in the northern part of
the peninsula, where the winters were COM
paratively severe.
After the fall Of the Roman empire and
ism. the handkerchief. except as q meaning
less part of ecclesiastical costume, lay dor
mant for some hundreds of years. 1t is de-
pressing to reflect on the laws of decency
violated, Of the proprleties trampled under
foot, during this long dark epoch when the
and scarcely warmed, among forests I'M
cleared and swamps undrained, colds were
epidemic and the mucous membrane
in a. constant and inconvenient
state Of secretion. What was to be
done BY the queens and noble ladies
the too elusive nose the ends of the ker-
chief, while it was in fashion, and late,
the sleeves of their robes, which were some.
times 80 long that they fell to their feet
It was the use Of tho kerohief for this pur-
pose that probably suggested the piece Of
it's name b. retained? II was called hand
kerchlsf BY the English when it began &c
be carried in the hand, and pocket hand.
kerohisf after the invention of the pocket
attached to the waist in which ladies carried
it. The writer's on customs do not seem to
Know eX0Ctiy W00u inc uAuOkoIC0io1 WAL
evolved, though it may have been in the
fourteenth century, soon after the pocket
made its appearance as a part of feminine
apparel. We know from Shakespeare plays
that it was in common use in the time of
Queen Elizabeth. The great dramatist also
mentions it in king john as if it were in
use in the twelfth century, which is quite
uncertain. The French with perfect frank
ness call the handkerchief mouchoir,
nose wiper" The Germans with equal
sincerity call it schnupftuch, "snuff cloth. -
as if its use were not known till after the
discovery of tobacco in America, and snuff
taking became a habit. Are we to infer
from this that II tobacco had never been
discovered the use of the handkerchief
would never have been known in Germany?
Lace was used to ornament handker-
chiefs in France as early as 1884. In l64s
they were embroidered and had tassels at
each of the four corners. In the time of
the directory, that period of fashionable
eccentricity, they underwent many vaga-
ries. Those ladies who did not care to wear
the pocket attached to the girdle an