The Ordway new era., 1919-09-26
CHAPTER !.

Major Amberson had made . for
tune In 1873, when other people were
Lowing fortunes. and the magnifcence
Of the AnbersOns began then. Their
.plendor lasted all the years that saw
their Midland town spread and darsen
into q city. but reached its topmost
during the period when every prosper-
ous family with children kept New
Goundland dog.
In that town 10 those days all the
women who wore Six or velvet knew
all the other women who wore silk or
velvet, and when there was new
purchase Of seAlsiin sick people we're
got 10 windows 10 see II go by. Every
body knew everybody else's family
horSe and carriage. could Identify such
n silhouette half a mile down the
street. and thereby WAS sure who was
going 10 market or to reception or
coming home from Office or store to
noon dinner or evening supper.
During the earlier years OF this pc
r1od elegance Of personal appearance
wns believed to rest more upon the
texture OF garments than upon their
shaping A silk dress needed no re-
modelling when IT was n yenr or no old !;
Ct remained distinguished by merely
remaining silk. Old men and COVER
nors wore broadcloth "fuIi dress' was
brondcIoih with "doeskIn" trousers;
and there were Eeen men OF all ages
to whom n hat meant only that rigid.
tail silk thing known to impudence as
n "stovcpipe." In town md country
6hese men would wear no other hat,
and, without self-consclousncss. they
went rowing in such hats.
Trousers with n crense were consid-
cred plebeian; the crease proved that
.he garment hnd lain upon a shelf, md
hence was "ready made" these be-
trDying trousers were called "hnnd-
me-downs." In allusion to tho shelf. In
the enrly eighties. while bangs nnd
bustIes were having their way with
women, thnt variation OF dnndy known
as the dude" WINS invented: he wore
trousers ns tight as stockings, dagger
pointed shoes. q spoon derby" q
singie-brcnyted cont called "Cbester-
fleld," with short hnring skirts tor
turing cylindrical collar, laundered to
a polish md three Inches high, while
his other neckgear might be heavy.
pufYcd crnvnt or a tiny bow ut for n
dolls brnids. With evening dress he
wore a TIM oyercont so short that his
black conttnils hung yislble fiye Inches
below the overcont but after senson
or two he heightened his Overcoat till
tt touched his heels. and he passed out
Of his tight trousers into trousers like
grcnt bags. Then presently he was
ha IN
hnd been coined for him remained In
tho vocnbulnrics OF the impairment.
Surely no more In needed to prove
TINT 40 short n time ago we were liv-
Ing In another ngei
Al The beginning OF the Ambersons'
great period most OF tho houses Of the
Midland town were OF n pleasant nr-
chltcciurc. They lacked style, but also
pretent iousncss, and Whatever does
not pretend Mt nil has style enough
They stood In commodlous yards. well
shaded by leftover forest trees. elm
md walnut and beech. with here and
there u line OF tall sycamores where
tho land had been made by hllinl
bnyous from the creek. The house oi
a "promincnt resident" facing Mill
tary square or National avenue or Ten
nessee street. wns built OF brick upor
n stone foundation, or of wood upon
brick foundation. Usually It had {
front porch" and back porch !
often n "side porch" too. There wal
"front hall :" there was Side hall. )
aud sometimes hack hall" From
tho front hall" opened three rooms
the ''parlor." tho "sltting room" an'
the ''librnry;" and the library coult
show warrant TO it's title-for som'
reason these people bought books
Commonly tho family snt moro In th'
library than In tho Sitting room,
while callers. when they came for
maiiy. were kept to tho ''parlor."
place of formidable polish and discom
fort. Tho upholstery Of tho librar,