The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-07-31
HISTORY oE GLOVES.

Homer asad xsnOPhon Mention EhsEs-
Their sigEIhoanos In Past Timss-
When women draw on their gloves
they perhaps imagine they are wearing
an article which shows high state OF
civilization, and Il really quite mod
ern luxury: but never were they more
mistaken, for these hand coverings date
back almost as far as history itself
Homer mentions them in his writings,
telling how Laertes wore them in the
garden to protect his hands from the
sun-for all the world a modern dandy.
And XeuoPhon also speaks OF them,
thinking 1t not beneath 70 mention that
the great Cyrus once forgot his gloves
upon an inpOrttnt occasion
Next, we hear Of them as playing q
picturesque part In the days of chivalry,
when glove, presented by q dignitary
on some public occasion, was considered
as much Of an honor as the bestowal Of
3 medal or decoration Is In this age.
These gloves were often very costly,
being, embroidered with Jewels, and
wrought in gold thread about rich pieces
Of silk
They were, even then, generally made
OF skins, but the hRndsomest were more
clumsy than at present, Tor the dress
ing of these skins was not then carried
TO the degree of perfection il has since
attained. When the bestoVval Of a
no wonder 1t soon became q gage
d'amOur, or pledge OF affection, which,
when given by a lady to her knight, was
worn by him in his helmet, and proudly
displayed as the outward token Of her
| highest regard
Kings and high church dignitaries also
wore them, and were exceedingly par
ticulsr about them, too upon all state
occasions, for there are records Of large
sums being appropriated as glove
/ money" for these royal persOuages- IN
| fact, this matter Of glove money became
/ in time quite a universal custom, 10
being the habit 20 bestOw either the
/ glove or its equivalent in coin upon
| servants, by those guests who had
received their attentions, much as they
now give drink money in Europe,
and ''fees' In our country-thus intro
duoing peTniciOus custom.
This habit Of presenting gloves was
| kept up even unto Puritan times. though
| 50 was in vogue then mostly in religious
| Cerem Onies, such as weddings and
! funerals, where nearly all who assisted
in the affair expected TO be enriched by
/ a new pair, presented by the family.
This finally grew into such an eztrava-
Rance that the legislature Of Massa-
! chusetts took the matter up and forbade
| this lavish glove giving under a penalty
| of EGO fine
1t is strange how many uses the glove
has served, besides its legitimate one Of
q hand covering. We have seen It as
the award OF honor, token OF love, pay
ment of service, and gift Of gratitude.
It was once, also, the signal OF mercy
the dropping Of the royal glove before
! a culprit under punishment securing
instantaneous release; and from early
times It has also served the baser use OF
q challenge to a deadly combat
Thus the glove has served an impor-
| tant part in the worlds history, and the
next time a polite gentleman removes
his right hand dOgskin before shaking
hands with a friend, remember it is
simply the perpetuatiOn of a custom
handed down from those warlike days
of chivalry, when a knights gauntlet O1
woven steel might have hurt the tender
| fingers cOnfded to its clasp; hence the
habit of removing it now becomes q
mere point Of etiquette, quite unnec
essary except as a delicate attention
| Jenness Miller Magazine.