The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-08-23
CHAPTER !.

..,,r Anderson had "made q for
IN 1873. when other people were
..r fortunes, and the magnificence
"A. Ambersons began then. Their
.,paor lasted all the years that saw
Z, Midland town spread and darken
Z. city. but reached its toplnost
~, the period when every prosper
/. tsmIIy with children kept a New
tssdland dog.
|. mat town in those days all the
,.u,u who wore silk or velvet knew
4 ne other women who wore silk or
vwt and when there was a new
rrbsse of sealskin sick people were
Z Il windows TO see it go by. Every
n, knew everybody else's family
ss.e and carriage, could identify such
Silhouette half a mile down the
<rs and thereby was sure who was
.d., 10 market or to a reception or
,suIug home from Office or store to
mn dinner or evening supper.
During the earlier years of this pc
I'D elegance of personal appearance
M believed to rest more upon the
ruure of garments than upon their
Inning. A silk dress needed no re-
pIelIug when II was a year or so old |;
1 rsnained distinguished by merely
msInIng silk. Old men and COVER
M wore broadcloth; full dress" was
nsdcIoih with "doeskin" trousers
nj there were seen men Of all ages
whom hat meant only that rigid.
III silk thing known to impudence as
'stovepipe." In town and country
bee men would wear no other hat
nj without self-consciOusness, they
rant rowing In such hats.
Trousers with crease were consid'
sri plebeian; the crease proved that
As garment had lain upon shelf. and
'lnce was "ready made" these be
|sying trousers were called hand
sedcwns," In allusion to the shelf. 1r
he early eighties, while bangs and
hzles were having their way witt
vunen, that variation of dandy known
y the dude" was invented: he wore
nu3rs as tight as stockings, dagger
pbted shoes, a spoon derby"
n1ebreasted coat called Chester
"" with short flaring skirts, a tor
ring cylindrical collar, Numbered t.
polish and three inches high, while
y other neckgear might be a heavy
HfM cravat or tiny bow fit for
bls braids. With evening dress m
sare tan overcOat so short that hi
'ah coatiails hung visible. five inches
'dow the overcoat but after season
Ftvc he heightened his overcoat til
'ourhed his heels, and he passed on
his tight trousers into trousers lik'
nat bags. Then presently he wa
IN no more, though the word tina
~ been coined for him remained u
Rvoeabularles Of the impertinent.
Surely no more Is needed to prov
nat 30 short a time ago we were liy
~ IN another age!
Al the beginning of the Ambersons
1n' period most of the houses of tn
.sand town were of n pleasant al
"efure. They lacked style, but ais
7entiousness, and whatever doe
pretend at all has style enough
ny stood in commodious yards. we
-sued by leftover forest trees. eli
y walnut and beech, with here an
ue line of tall sycamOres wher
hhd had been made bv film
V0us nom the creek. The house {
pFomitent resident" facing Mil
- @uare or National avenue or TEE
we street. was built Of brick upo
She foundation, or of wood upon
- foundation. Usually ii had
s~' porch" and a 'back porch
~ side porch" too. There W;
'"ht hail." there was 'side hall
Mmetimes a black hall" Fro
font hall" opened three room
parior," the sitting room" ar
narary;;" and the library cou
warrant TO its title-fOr son
These people bought book
ochly the family sat more in Il
,.s man In the sitting room
~ callers. when they came fo
We're kept to the "parlor."
VI formidable polish and discoI
The upholstery Of the 'ibraI
u'e was little shabby. but Il
ae chairs and sofa of the "parlo
as looked new. For all the We
var they got they should ha'
a thousand years.
sr'alrs were the bedrooms riot
iather's room" the largest;
r room for one or two sol
- Tor one or two daughter
VI these rooms containing
~ oed, "wushstand." bureau
~, 'ohe, a little table, y rocki
ard often a chair or two tn
~, "eeh slightly damaged dow
out not enough to justify eth
Apense OF repair or decisi