The sun., 1900-12-23
Tippits and Mitt'ns.

In letter TO THs Sun Mr.. CHARLES
BArrELL LOOMS sIlutes the uppet. dear
old word- and VOWS that II Is years since
he has seen il used" 1t must be owned
that the country is ovprcsslvely urOah'
yet we hope that uppl's are not opsoIete'
Even II they are. the word Is not. Ihat
hangs upon no rusty nail in the wardrope
of memory. by the side Of red-topped boots
with COPPER toes. high stocks and dickeys.
mems shawls. daguerrotypes and hoop
skirts and waterfalls" Tho old spelling
was tipplt- and this we choose to en-
ploy because it faithfully represents the
pronunciation thar was common IN the
Consulship Of pI-lNCUs. Nvld-hued.
sometimes many-colored. scarf. often OF
immodcrate length. capable of being wound
around and around tho youthful neck or
over the head and ears and neck-that was
tippit. There were long, medium and
short tipplts, tippts in which you were
swathed ike mummy. and mere pretenccs
OF tipnits: but all rested upon the theory
that the cold Vas cruel and that healthy
boy exercising himsLt into perspiration
needed 10 be protected ~ to his neck from
the chill air
In American PLAYS OF rural life there Is
always a snowstorm. Tho scoundrel or
a mortgagee will not foreclose unless the
Almanac saws "About this time look out
for snow and there must be the sound
Of slaighbells although they never get the
big od-fashioncd ones on the stage; and
bows and men must come into tho sitrn'
I l.. fr4r Il
ancient man in tho audience who was raised
In the North and the snow forgets the villain
and the heroine He feels the tippit around
his neck. The flying frosty ends Of it tickle
his checks. The woollen mitt'ns, red or
blue, are on his numb fingers. His clip
per- with its worn bright springing run
ners is behind him. Down the hill comes
the crowd, side-saddle. belly-bunt The
"traverses or double-runners are
rushing down with tremendous speed,
The sharp air shakes with the yelling.
The stars have their peculiar winter wink.
Are the people who are out sleighin :
and have to 20 up that hill. insured:
Or the ancient man with his tippit AID
his mitt'ns is on the ice. On h!s feet are
skates which screw into the heels and are
fastened by a system of straps that Will
absolutely paralyze the circulation by
and-bv. There is loud boom and crack
every now and then. Over on the other side
OF the pond a fire Is sputterinc and crack
ling. Every boy with a tiDnit is toy for
every bigger boy with tippt and IA pulled
and made TO sprawl by means Of that
inevitable and inconychiont neckhcc.
The old retired sailor fishing through the
ica for pickerel over there Is said TO have
been pirate and undoubtedly wears ear
rings. Fortune, srero i1ci1 nepotio, comes
and goes. but nothlng can change the
happiness OF having known a real sailor
who wore real earrings Just az they do In
books. An irascihle tar, with gift Of
language and n permanent aversion TO
skaters. He will thpmp all The boys whom
he catches too near his preserve and every
one will wear a tppi. Tie smaller the
boy, the larger the tippit
Oritis melting n little and there is a snow
balllng match. the stipulation no water
soaks perf1diously broken. as usual II "a
tho boy with the biggest tppit that VIII HIT
the least and be " soaked " the most
We have no especial desire 10 revive the
tippt. hs day is over Babies nre practi-
caly born In sweaters. we believe. In these
more accomplished times. But what has
become OF the mitt'ns- should It be
-mituns?- The mitt'n was the friend of
man and boy. There is nothing equal 10 IL
as hand warmer. Why don't people wear
mitt'ns in this town? Is there nobody that
can make those admirable fathers Of gloves?
! Gone, indeed. are Aunt PERsIs and Grandma
| DApAMY. and all the lovely old ladies In
col and bands who knitted. knitted. knitted
all day long while the fat cat by the fire.
place washed its own white mitt'ns and
wondered vaguely whore all the feet for
| all the blue woollen stockings and all the
hands for all the blue woollen mitt'ns came
! from; and DANIEL WEBSTER dying majcsti-
I cally in a flaming lithograph on the east
wall. was still choercd, as with some remem-
| brance Of slain Proconsuls. by the sight OF
| cally, surrounded by his weeping Cabinet,
/ in a fiery lthograph on the west wall.
Hearts are jusf a. warm now, but are the
! hands? The young women OF to-day make
many things of exquisite workmanship and
mysterious use but do they knit? Can they
| knit mittns? OF course they can. il they
will. We hope to see Mitt'n Knittin clubs
spring up all over the State and wherever
snow falls or ice forms.
| Our wise and pious ancestors used TO get a
drink of New England or West lndil rum
whenever they went to the village store to
buy a kuittin needle That was a kind Of
lbatlon to modest and useful household
cod, In the hands of women entirely great.
the knittln' needle wrought many marvels.
1t could test infauibly pie. II could make
cold-scorning mitt'ns. Where Is the pie?
Where are the m!tt'ns now?
Trusts.