The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-07

large fiat circular button, very nearly as
big as a silver dollar, was said to have
been worn by a soldier during the Ameri-
can revolution.
Then there came three confederate but
tons that had been under fire in the con-
federate service. Another confederate
military button had been worn by SOL
der in a South Carolina regiment and
had on it in bas relief a palmetto tree
and the coat of arms of the state of Vir-
ginia and the motto sic semper tyran-
mis-"
"A friend of mine was a school teacher
in Richmond" said Mrs. Harris, "and it
was the custom there for the children to
make up what they called memory
strings of ten or more fancy buttons.
They were, as a rule, of very bright col
orings and numerous strings of this char
acter have since found their way into my
chains of buttons
There was the Irish button with the
shamrock decoration, and the Scotch but
ton ornamented with a thistle.
You remember the story of honest John
Hull, who adorned his small clothes with
pine tree shillings? Well, Mrs. Harris
did not claim to have one of these iden-
teal shillings, but she had a very an
tiuue Massachusetts button made from a
pine tree coin.
Then she came to a rather insignificant
looking blue glass button which had been
picked up on the Maine coast after the
Inflated steamer Bohemian was wrecked
on Trundys reef.
An Episcopal minister who heard of
Mrs Harris collection sent her a brass
button ornamented with a skull and cross
bones He said it had been worn by one
of the 600 in the charge of the Light Bri-
gade at Balaclava.
There were three tiny pearl buttons
which had been given to Mrs. Harris
twenty years ago by an old lady who was
at that time over eighty years old. These
had been in the old lady's possession from
earliest childhood.
Among the curios was tiny button re-
senbling a beer keg and perfect as to
shape There were acorns in miniature
and barrels and pyramids.
mot until the year of 1881 were but
tons made by machinery said Mrs Har-
ris. land all the antique buttons had very
large and crude shanks. In the old CO.
loniaI days no doubt all sorts of things
were utilized for buttons. Pieces of horn
and bits of ivory were rudely carved and
a bit of brass wire inserted for a shank.
But the buttonholes! Mrs. Harris did
not think it was possible to match some
of these wonderful buttons with button
holes She concluded they must have
been more ornamental than useful
A mother-of-pearl button reflected all
the colors Of the rainbow, and still an
other had the crescent and star of Islam
There were buttons having in bas relief
the heads Of horses, foxes, greyhounds,
butterflies or beetles and others with
leaves and crosses. There we're round
medallion buttons with classic heads,
and some looked like pieces of sculpture
Here is a smart little button bearing
three feathers of the Prince of Wales
crest and next to 1t a big wooden homely
button that had been worn by pauper in
a Massachusetts poor house.
A faded miniature Of a pretty young
girl decorated another and was very sug-
gestive of romance. A Romeo and Juliet
button was also pointed out.
On one button a little brood of chickens
were floating down the river in a shoe I'M
der a clear sky. On another a covey Of
partridges was feeding.
a very interesting button Of a bright
gold color showed the obelisk, the sphinx
and the pyramids of the Nile.
This one" said Mrs. Harris, taking up
button Of pretty eccentric circles of
blue and white with silver border, was
worn on the waistcoat of an old gentle
man of 50 when he married an old maid
Of 65, who has held my mother and myself
upon her lap. This is all the memento
that ] have left of either of them, dear
old folks"
Some Of the gems of the collection were
beautiful cameoes and no doubt would
make charming brooches.
MY collection has never been on public
exhibition" said Mrs. Harris, although l
did think Of sending 1t 20 the worlds