Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-06-14
A MOURNING.
An Idea OF What This Foreign Institu-
ton IL.

zion Is.
Few people in the United States have
an idea of what a state or uniform
mourning means beyond the fact that
ON the occasion of some great national
sorrow, such az the tragic death of a
president, it has been customary to
adopt general means of demonstrating
the public grief, leaving individuals to
express their regret in the most natu-
raj way, by talking of the event until
the impression wore off. Here, though,
1T is by express command of the queen,
says a London letter to the New York
ClOthier and Furnisher, a command not
of course enforced against civilians as
in the army, nav and civil service by
headquarters regulations, but a COM
mand which every good BritOn is sup
posed to heed just as he lifts his hat
whenever he hears ''God Save the
Queen" played, which in the life of the
average sol of Albion is close on to
three or four times a week. To the
court, of curse, such an order is per-
functOry.
So it happened the other day, while
orders were given right and left for
proper honoring of the obsequics Of the
late prince, that after the three great
branches of the public service had been
properly notified of their duties the
public itself was informed: ''And it is
furthermore expected that all persons
do put on mourning for the space of
three weeks" BY twelve o'clock on the
following day the only bits of bright
color to be seen in all london appeared
to be in the few theatcr posters remain
ing about town. Two million hat bands
were undoubtedly sold within forty
eight hours of the notification, for. rs |
afjcrward learned, London hat shops
were stripped absolutely bare of them,
and extra forces of hands were every
where pat to work cutting and sewing
black cloth to meet the emergency.
Every bOSicr's window in London was.
di'Elant1cd for the moment. and thcn
rctillcd with n bc~wildcring array of
S~pccialticS III black and white, the only
relieving color permitted being hello
tropc, which now, in connection with
the two former hucs, is a recognized
component of fashionable mourning
mo will probably hold its own for
many Il day, inasTnuch as it renders less.
GrcwScmc The always necessarily SOM
Der trappings Of woe.
The fact has, therefore, been estab-
li&hcd II Il mourning be made quite as
tasteful in male attire as it has always
been in the apparel of the gcntler sex.
1t has been also PIT upon record that
pattern of a. elaborate nature as desired
is admissible in mourning so long as
confined u n three cOlOrS ! have dWclt
upon. Lack silk squares worked with
q running vine pattern of heliOtrOpe in
tcrSp2rScd with small white figures or
S'''pings of black and hc~liotrope on
N.,litc have played a liberal role in the
r::riOuS orders for court mourning given
nY high pcrsOnagCS. BY fur the fHvorite
neck dress has, however, been heavy
black brOcadc squares. shot with the
inHS hCliOtrOpe stitch at wide inter
walls, the Sclf-pattcrn being e:quiSitcly
designed. While attendance upon amuSc-
mentS is not considered correct in mourn
ing observance, still, in a and where
every gentleman dimes in a dress suit,
and must pCrforce line out. as English.
Ilcn Of leisure do, five evenings ont Oh
>|vcn gloves to be worn arc of white OF
pearl kid, with backs finished with
eighth to quarter inch wide black braid.
"thrCe-quartCr inch to inch wide blacl
silk ties. to be tied by the wCarer, arc
proper with evening dress, as are white
or black cnameled studs, of which three
are now worn. IIandkcrchicfs display
both black and hcliotrope borders,
usually wide stripes at right angles
with the hemstitching, small spots OF
r'ngs. A black and hcliotropc ring,
linked togc Their, IS a popular aud r.eva.
Int pattern. Hosiery is generally
slack. with white or hcliotropc clocks
and small spots. nave seen also many
atripcd shirt patterns in black and hello
trOpe on white.