The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-07
OUR MODERN CLOTHES.
People Everywhere Becoming More and
More Like Each Other.


and costumes which have been worn
from time immemorial fade away so
gradually that the period OF their final
disappearance is imperceptible. says
the London Telegraph. The most
experienced and the acutest OF obscrv-
ers would be puzzled to fix the pre-
else date when the nobility and gentry
ceased TO retain black footmen; or
when butchers left Off top boots such
a we behold in Sir Edwin Landseers
picture of High Life" and Low
Life;' or when London servant maids
repudiated the use of pattens. There
have been. il is true. exceptions to
the rule. Old editions Of the Stat
utes ut Large" contain the act OF
parliament passed after the rebellion
OF l745. solemnly prohibiting the
assumption of the Highland dress in
Scotland; while ii is notorious that
yellow starch went out" because
Mrs, Turner a poisoner in the reign
OF james l., was hanged in ruff
stitfened with starch OF the hue in
question. Similar squeam shness in
1919 condemned black satin as ma
tcrial for ladies' dresses to more than
twenty years prescription. il having
been in a black satin dress that the
murderess Maria Manning was hanged
at Horsemonger lane jail.
To the instances in which n certain
fabric, or mode, orcolor in apparel has
for n definite reason ceased at an as-
certained date to be worn, must be
added the proXimate demise at Rouen
OF a particular kind OF cheap blue cot
ton handkerchiefs, printed in four var
ieties OF tint by the very old-fashion-
ed wooden block process These
ken chiefs from period to which the
mind of man runneth not to the con-
trary, formed a distinctive feature OF
the picturesque costume worn by the
women of Plougastel. near Brest one
OF the last remain ng strongholds of
the ancient costume of Brittany.
The death OF the manufacturer has put
an end tc the production OF the cheap
block printed handkerchiefs. as the
sons are unwilling to carry on the fab
rication with the present antiquated
plant. and are possibly intent on turn
ing out tasteful cretonnes or Japanese
designs printed in colors by steam
from engraved steel rollers. Futher-
more. the demand for these special
handkerchiefs has been growing OF
late years small and unprotitably less.
Already the male Bretons have taken
to having their hair cut and at the
Pardon de TPloermem nowadays
there are as many closely clipped
rustics in wide-awakes and suits dit
toes Us there are peasants with the
Traditional flowing locks, and clad in
the traditional broad brimmed cas.ors
and voluminous galigask.ns of the
antique province.
The plain truth is that picturesque
costume is rapidly dying out the whole
world over. Take the "Vierlander
Madchcn "a decaying race, by the
way-who sells boug uets under the por-
ticoes OF the theatres ut Ham burg; take
the Roman ''contadina, with her.kir-
tie OF cuuningly contrasted hues. and
the snowy 'fa2loletto" OF white linen
which she wears as headdress; take
the Venetian .'iloraja" and the ''por-
tatrice d'acqua," or water carrier. ana
contrast any one OF these types With
the London flower girl.
The pity Off is that all these Con-
tincntal costumes are drifting into ex-
tinction. In Rome the .faz2olettor
and the manyhued kirtle are rarely
worn save by professional models for
artists; and the Nenetion flower girls
who poster the tourists at Florian's or
the SpeCci TO buy their po,ies. and
often thrust them unlimited into the
travellers buttonholes are rapidly re-
linquishing their distinctive garh,
and dressing themselves after the FASH
ions prescribed in the plates OF the
cheap fashion periodicals As for the
gondoliers. they have abandoned the
wearing of a striking costume as COM
pletely as they have discontinued their
citations from Tasso.
There are still Swiss cantons in
which the strongly marked and ex-
tremely picturesque Helvetic costume
is adhered TO. and in cartain parts OF
Norway. such rs the Hardanger and
Ielemarlsen districts, the peasantry
still wear their characteristic native
dresses; but in both countries the
''wlrleawake" hat and the suit OF
'xittoes" for men and the cheap and
Ill-looking parodies OF the Pars
fashions for women. are steadily maxi
ing their ignobe and depressing way.
"Store clothes have even invaded the
Tyrol and the provinces OF Austria
while IN European Turkey the upper
classes have wholly divorced them
selves from the turban end the ca'tan,
and have adopted IL nonotonous dress
in which the principal elements are
the scarlet fez cap and the single
breasted frock coat Tho Osmanli at
Stamhoul at least has even given up
the traditional "chibouck" and the
time honored ''narghile" and smokes
nothing but cigarettes.