Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-04
fess consciousness OF incapacity. or IN.
difference as to whether or not Virginia
shall regain her ancient prestige and
power in the Union.
OLD AND NEW SILK HATS.

Ssss1
Tho newspapers announce that the union
hack and cab drivers Of Chicago, as We'll
as the men employed on the hearses In
funeral professions. have registered pro-
tests against being compelled to wear an
Gent silk hats and sleep in barns. 1t
will certainly strike the average man
that the Windy City jehns have some
ground for complaint. especially as to the
ancient SILK hats" for there is nothing
which can look so painfully old and SO
hopelessly superannuated as an old SILK
hat. Just why cabbies and hack drivers
should be compelled to wear high hats
anyhow, is more than we can understand,
yet the rule seems to prevail the world
over. In years gone by, however, "hen
we were wont to go to Paris. our &C
complished but altogether wicked friend,
''cochcr," used to wear tin chapeau,
which. while not so ornamental IN us
declining days, was at least weather
nroof. When we saw this strange head
gear, we couldn't help thinking what
useful thing it would be in the winter
l1IQS, WIeIs tHS Ivy GA y ~ o'A~ W
remarkable propensity for throwing
snowballs, and somehow always select the
most pompous looking hats as their tar
gets.
But as we have already intimated, the
silk hat is the slave of the modes, anu
unless it is made from the very latest
block its owner will suffer by the wear
ing of it. If you don't believe it, try
one Of the old style patterns your grand
father used to wear, and see what the
urchins will say as you walk down the
streets with it on your head. But after
all. YOU needn't go back to the high hat
of your grandfather's time; one Of the
vintage of $780, will serve amply well
to make you an object of ridicule.
Truly the article we now call high hat
is a veritable weathercock of the fash
IONS Even its name changes. But few
years ago we knew it as the silk hat,
ana 'befo' de wah'' we called it ''beaT-
err for in those halcyon days it was
made from the fur of the energetic little
animal which bears this name. A real
beaver hat to-day, however, would be as
much out of place as periwig; indeed,
we fancy we should prefer to wear the
latter, if we were compelled to don one
or the other.
Speaking of beavers" reminds us, TOO,
Of Shakespeare and of Hamlet's fathers
ghost The latter-that is. his ghostship-
is described by one of the characters in
the play, who, after telling of the unfof-
tunate monarchs appearance on the para
pet, adds this startling information,
HE wore his beaver up" Don't inter
from this. O, gentle reader, that HAM
let's fathers ghost wore silk nat. quite
the contrary. The article referred to was
a part of the headpiece of his arfnor-
the movable niece of metal which PRO
tected the lower part of the face and
checks Over and over again the Shake
pearean warriors are described as wear
ing beavers but to our modern minds
the word always suggests something
funny.
But to return to the high hat, or the
silk hat, as we prefer to call it. The
thing is very, very beautiful, and when
in good form and up-to-date is the YER
lest badge of prosperity, but to enjoy
the full sheen of its grandeur one must
be perfectly clothed and handsomely
shod In short. the tout ensemble must
be faultless. If you have a silk hat III
the family, don't feel compelled to wear
it on the day you have on bob-talled
coat and tan shoes. Such MISTAKE
would be fatal: it would make your wife
hate you or your sweetheart reject you.
knowing all this, we are, therefore,
in full sympathy with the Chicago jehus.
and hope their complaint will receive
sympathetic considera ton