The Dickinson press., 1896-11-07
THE COMMON BLACK COAT.
1t May BE Superseded by One q
LiHhteE Color

1t May Be Superseded by One OF
Lighter Color.
1t would appear from one of our
trade organs that tailOrs are becoming
little anxious about the prospects of
the black coat of civilization, They
fear it Is in danger of being suppressed
ed by garment of lighter hue, If not
of variegated pattern. Perhaps, IL
they were to give voice to the deeper
apprehensions, they would say that
there was more at stake than the black
coat. There can, at any rate, be little
doubt, whether the tailors are willing
to admit it or not, that with the fate
of the black coat is bound up that of
the black waistcoat. Whether the two
have been lovely and pleasant in their
lives is matter of opinion, but we
feel sure that in death they would not
be divided.
We mean no disrespect to the vest
in describing it as a parasite of the
coat. 1t is an humble dependent,
which has only found its way into So
ciety under the wing of its Influential:
patron, to whom it adheres with sim
gle-breasted fidelity. rewarded on the
other side by an attachment which is
rarely broken save for short period
during the summer months.
The trousers, it is true, are connected
with the upper garments by no such
feudal tie; but their own opinion is
complete, and, except in very hot
weather, indossuluble. Hence, the far
sighted tailors nc doubt perceive clear
ly enough that if the black coat goes
we shall be within measurable dis
tance of the tweed suit" Nor are
there wanting those who would do
their best to accelerate the catastrO-
phe.
Animated by the restless spirit of
the age, its impatience of sobriety and
its thirst for change and color in cos
tune, as in life, there is q school of
ing to urge the wearers of black coats
to revolt. Let them give free play, ex-
plain their anarchistic cOunselOrs, to
their taste in checks and stripes"
and they will be able to cut far more
picturesque figure at far smaller an
nual outlay. With the outlay, of
course. the public is not concerned,
though that matter, doubtless, is not
without its interest for the tailors; but
we own to some uneasiness ut the idea
Of the entire community indulging
Its multifarious taste in checks and
stripes in headlong pursuit Of the
picturesque.
We have all of us. indeed, seen the
experiment tried under very favorable
circumstances, but with little more
than dubious results, by those little
bands of vocal and instrumental art
lists, generally six or eight in number,
who arc usually to be met with Mt race
meetings or on the sands of popular
seaside resorts mt this time of the
year. These pioneers of Gress reform
have entirely discarded the black coat,
prefcrring one of gayer color, with no
tlceable-elOngated tails, and the free
dom with which they indulge their
taste In checks and stripes may almost
be said TO border upon license. Yet
the effect, even with the addition OF M
open shirt collar OF Elizabcthan pro.
portions, "A c0rkcd face and banjo
cannot be described as entirely pictur'
cs0ue.-London yelc.ranli.
Too Much of q Good Thing.
What widc-awakc young fellow
Balt2r is," said Alice.
Altogether too wide-awakc." re
spondcd Edith. '"rhe last evening III
called at our houSe he stayed till ]
and then papa had TO set the burgla
alarm golng."-Detroit Free Press.
0ss Ma. Dead.
Pipestone, Minn., Oct. 90 - In 1
freight wreck on the Great Northern
twelve miles south of here. an un
known man, supposed to be . tramI