The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16
CHARACTER IN THE ARMY HAT.
A Soldiers Origin Often Clearly Indicated
by His Headgear.
From he St. Louis Globe Democrat.

From ne st. louis Globe Democrat.
When the recruit gets his new campaign hat
he notes its glossy gray surface and is loath to
crease it's tall crown for fear OF g spelling it,
For the first four or FIVE days he wears the hat
straight up from the RIM" as the boys say.
without crease or indentation. 1t is surprising
to discover the almost limitless shapes into
which the felt domes and rims can be shaped
by the men who idle way hours in their tents.
With the aid of a dash of water tho 81 cents
worth Of felt with which every man is
charged can be made to remain in almost
any position desired. OF course there is
an accepted style for everything which the
soldier has learned to recognize az "regula-
tion."' For infantrymen the regulation is a
Regulation for the, cavalryman is for his hat
crown to be pulled. out to point with three
IItaiESi aSl tSS pd III thf r felt W %sfS BIZ @ Afun nngf msn IL n
q the regiment Is the one who vets his hat,
t tae6eps u ! iii y ~ 2u brI to q S rihRobP point possibly oDd az
laugh at him, Il Is the dunce;cap" style, and
much anected OK the men who become prison.
IT. II is desired to find truly artistic and fan
t tSs 6.p styles 70 eamRpSSi d1a hats yoI must visit
tric about the army musician, anyway: n he
doesn't wear eyeglasses and football hair he
haps the crown is sunk In at the, top, and then
the edges looped up at intervals with bright
may be So arranged that 4 represents the bat
India ink. pieces Of 1tinsefi and bright. Pins or
buttons embellish the headgear, and these
Embellishments are only removed under threat
of grave discipline when the men appear at
The Eastern man has q style which. over
some casts Of countenance. give the men a
doKEed look. but on others q rakish look. His
down In front. To the men OF the Eighth New
York. many q whom came from that mystical
RlSSse g e1 HHsnr IL" IaSy s fSS% 6bst i Giyss a sb LAX xS q
and no other word will express It," Some bad
eyes" nave gaz9d out from under the edge OF
Al a type distinctly; different from that Of tho
efete Easterner is the man from tho far West.
ment He has a way Of pulling his hat far down
over his eyes and looping up the rim at the side
souvenir medals which are hswked about the
camp so industriously. The campaign hat In
shape and sppeaEance shares the feelings Of Us
dienided full dress" look, When a man
sticks and digging, trenches. the hat takes
unto itselt indentatlohs and creases. as
Though = It toe, ,h fell the i1dlsnitEn q being
soldier issIs SSpSy and say, bis hat Ssts hiss
depressed and homesick, the hat crowds down
close about. his head, often, depressing his ears
S oStTonSss 4 dt tb 3 tF HPe f az Sist GIty sn %b q liberal sHsl
about the campo. the hat wabbies all over the
head. II never comes down over the eyes. but
slides clear back on the head until h rim rests
on the nape OF the neck. After Q soldier walks
three three or -four milss Along the dusty G1yernmsnt
struggle, Of Eesplng mp his personal sppear.
erratlc shepes. Some time the army bandS vii
chant 70 the OLD campaign hat