The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-23
A BUREAU OF INFORMATION.
Bows Clothes.

Those who have plenty Of money need
little advice in regard 10 the selecuoh
of clothing for their boys. To get those
which are becoming and fashionable Is
comparatively easy, and so long as the
stock on hand may be continually renew
ed without inconvenience, there Is no trOu-
however. find the purchase Of attire Tor
her growing. active boy serious respon-
sibility. She would not. Oh any account,
check his activities, or else he becomes
weak and effeminate; bu. these actlNiles,
however profitable they may be to MS
body. are extremely trying 10 ordinary
clothing There are many 20 syIhpdthlze
with that mother VINO lohsed IoI tne III ~
vention of a practicable leathern SUIT Tor
growing boys But, alas! none has so Iar
heen invented which is within the means
of the average buyer. .
4 hoy cannot change his school clothes
every time he wishes TO indulge in game
90 lean-frog or "pompom peel away"
therefore a suit which shall be at the
same time decOrOus enough for the school-
room and stout enough for the play
ground is a desideratum for the American
boy of from six to sixteen.
This suit should be made, In the iirst
place. of strong. good cloth. Cheap shod-
DIV material is ike tow In the fire before
the onslaught of the boy. For all but the
Warmest weather good cheviot Is COM
Portable and will resist his ravages as
well as anything
Having made sure Of ones material,
see next to the sewing. Seams should be
neatly and strongly finished at the ends.
and strong linen thread used in their
manufacture. Buttons must especially re-
ceive plenty Of thread and those when
have to bear a strain should be sewed on
over a pin or a match, which should
be removed when the sewing Is
done: the thread should then be
wound around the strands between the
button and the cloth until structure
is built which is perfectly firm. Then the
thread should be securely fastened on
the under side. 1t is astonishing to find
how many mothers, and even professional
seamstresses do not sew buttons on in
this way and seem never 10 have heard
of II. A strong double lining or stay for
the button should be provided, or else at
the first provocation the boy VIII demo-
lish on all ready-made suits the but
TONS should be carefully reserved before
the boy is allowed to put them on.
Cloth-covered buttons are deluslon.
At best the cloth covering wears shabby
in a very few weeks, and II is often difi-
cult to match such buttons. Bone ana
cutta-percha are good enough for any
common suit.
Rraid binding, even when it is of alpaca.
e TO be avoided. Ii wears of early In con-
snicious places, and must be often renew
Most mothers find the ready-made suit,
70 purchased from reliable dealers, the
most economical. Among most Of these,
even some Of the best a prevalent falling
is a narrowness of the coat across the
chest. The result of this is 10 make the
how stoop, and to injure his breathing
mower. 1t would be better 10 have the
coat a trifie too broad than too narrow.
Indeed. I'm buying coats for growing boys
allowance must be made for much filling
out and stretching up during period of
three or four months.
A common fault Of ready-made shirts
both cotton and woolen, IS neck too
high at the back. No boy or man can
carry himself properly when his neck is
thrust forward by an ill-fitting shirt. II
IL be not possible TO have such garments
made TO order, be sure that any cOnstric-
ton of the neck is relieved before the
shirt is worn.
r,i. material for boys clothing
containing blue stripes or checks should
be avoided. Rue, except the dark navy
blue, usually fades, and makes even
good garment look shabby weeks before
its race is legitimately run. Some browns
&C.. tut 10 fi.fr ruefV Floin 'lHck or any
plain color shows stains OF all sorts mare
readily than a mixed surface.
And, after all Is said and done, the
long before the best human judgment
could have foreseen the CATASTROPHE
From Harpers Bazaar.