The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-11-13
CHAPTER !.

Major ANDERSON had "mnde Tor
tune" In 1873, when other people were
losing fortunes. and the magnIficence
Of the Ambersons began then. Their
splendor lasted all the years that saw
their Midland town spread and darken
into city. but reached Its topmost
during the period when every prosper
GUS family with children kept New
foundland dog.
In that town In those days all the
women who wore silk or velvet knew
all the other women who wore silk or
velvet. and when there was a new
purchase OF sealskin sick people were
got to windows to see II sc by. Every
body knew everybody elye's family
horse and carriage, could identify such
Q silhouette half a mile down the
street. and thereby was sure who was
going to market or to reception or
coming home from Office or store to
noon dinner or evening supper.
During the earlier years of this pc-
Rod elegance Of personal appearance
was believed to rest more upon the
texture OF garments than upon their
shaping. A silk dress needed no re-
modelling when II was a year or so old |;
II remained distinguished by merely
remaining silk. Old men and COVER
nors wore broadclotb; "full dress" was
broadcloth with "doeskin" trousers !;
and there were seen men OF all ages
20 whom hat meant only that rigid.
tail silk thing known to impudence as
q "stovepipe." In town and country
these men would wear no other hat.
and. without seif-consciousness, they
went rowing In such hats.
Trousers with n crease were consid-
cred plebeian: the crease proved that
the garment had lain upon a shelf, and
hence was 'ready made" these be-
traying trousers were called hand
me-downs," In nllusion to the shelf. In
the early eighties. while bangs and
bustles we're having their way with
women. that variation OF dandy known
as the "dude" was invented: he wore
trousers as tight as stockings, dagger
pointed shoes, spoon derby" a
singie-breasted coat called a Chester
neld." with short fiaring skirts, tor
turing cylindrical collar, laundered to
a polish and three inches high, while
his other neckgear might be heavy,
pufred cravat or tiny bow fit for n
dolls brnids. With evening dress he
wore tan overcoat SO short that his
black coattalis hung visible, Ave inches
below the overcoat; but after a season
or two he heightened his overcoat till
II touched his heels, and he passed out
Of his tight trousers into trousers like
great bags. Then presently he was
seen no more. though the word that
had been coined for him remained In
the vocabularies OF the impertinent
Surely no more is needed to prove
that so short time ago we were llv'
ing In another agei
At the beginning OF the Ambersons
great period most of the houses of the
Midland town were of a pleasant ar
chitecture. They lacked style, but also
pretentiousness. and whatever does
not pretend at all has style enough
They stood In commodlous yards. well
shaded by leftover forest trees. elm
and walnut and beech. with here and
there line of tall sycamores where
the land had been made by fillinl
bayous from the creek. The house OF
a prominent resident" facing Mill
tary square or National avenue or Ten
nessee street, was built OF brick upor
a stone foundation. or Of wood upon q
brick foundation. Usually Il had q
'front porch" and back porch :
often 'slde porch" too. There wa:
front hall :" there was 'side hall.
and sometimes a 'back hall" From
the ''front hall" opened three rooms
the "parlor," the "sltting room" ant
the "library;" and the library coulC
show warrant to its title-for som,
reason these people bought books
Commonly the family sat more in tn,
library than In the sitting room.
while callers. when they came for
mally. were kept to the "parlor." ,
place OF formidable polish and dlscom
tort The upholstery Of the ubrar,