The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-03-15

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II IL far from being generally under
stood that the handkerchief has reacn-
ed it's present position and dignity
through very slow aud elaborate pro-
cesses OF evolution, and the survivai
Of the fittest--the costly, dainty, ex-
quisitely transparent fabric OF lace ana
muslin az well as the plain, inexpen-
sive article Of use. now so esseptai 70
the toilette OF lady and gentieman-of
maid servant and man-servant-Was
not always a feature Of full dress In
deed, there were times. and times not
20 remote from our own as We may
imagine when the ''nose-rag. as u
was named in Saxon. was carefully
kept out Of sight hidden away IN un-
suspected pockets. or under pinafores
instead of lying conspicuously In my
lady's lap, or gracefully neld Witnin
her slender fingers.
Necessity, that prolific mother Of In
ventions. no doubt first gave existence
to this article of attire-plain and un-
slightly in its infancy, and. not unlike
other iii-favored children. gradually
developing into grace and comeliness,
SO that long before the days OF our
grandmothers. the handkerchief had
entered the domain of art and had be-
come q creation OF beauty and costli-
ness 1t can hardly be denied that the
handkerchief is Identical with the
'swat-c1oth." which was worn by
Saxon kings and mobiles on the left
side; wide and ponderous cloth. COM
pared to the neat and delicate squares
OF linen used In the present day-which
the bold riders and fierce lighters Of
Saxon days employed Unfortunately
for the comfort OF man and steed.
It Is noteworthy fact that from
time immemorial. handkerchiefs have
had q strange way of associating them
selves with the destinies of men and
women, and this belief was so deeply
rooted in the heart of the Oriental ma
tions that when Shakespeare made the
denoument of his play, othello. turn
upon the handkerchief. II was accepted
as altogether legitimate and logical.
The Egyptians especially had a veneer
alton for the handkerchief. and It was
an Egyptian charmer who gave to the
mother of Othello, the handkerchief for
which he roared in SO fierce a strain,
and the beneficent fairy or protector
always bestowed upon the beloved
child of her adoption a handkerchief
OF inestimable power. II was the COM
mon pledge OF lovers. and the conspic-
uous gift Of betrothai, as calderon
saws:
she gave me. too. handkerchief a
A fattering pledge. my hopes to AMI
An astroiogie favor, fatal prize,
That told me true what tears must
weep those eyes"
Thus IL came to be that the handker-
chief which was the gift of patron or
foster-mother. was believed to possess
a mysterious power-to be an "astroI-
oRic favor" working In a secret and
mystical way with the stars of destiny.
The Arabian Sheilkh and Bedouin chief,
both hold this superstition. and at the
present day accept from the tourists
who traverse their country, q handker-
chief as an especial mark Of esteem,
and consider II indissolubly connected
with the future events which are to
transpire during their lives. An Eng
lish traveller who had spent much time
in Arabia, speaks OF Bedouin chief
who sAcredly guarded more than a
dozen handkerchiefs among his most
precious treasures--very common
prints which strangers had conferred
upon him as they Journeyed from one
station to another. Yet no amount of
gold could purchase them; in some
way they became to him the express
: ons of the win which should control
hts fate and fortune.
We may smile at the simplicity and
superstition of the poor Bedouin, and
yet all along the pages of history,
ant part as the Dramatis Personae Of
tragedy as well as comedy
There must have been something hui
m0rous as well as painful in the APP
pearance OF that lay figure in old Fa-
gins den on which the miserable little
waits and Migrants under his instruc-
tion and jurisdiction practiced the
'.artS Of stealing a "wipeFl" To pick
q pocket Of wiper" was In old Fa-