The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-07-30
CHAPTER l.


tune" 10 1873, when other people wei
losing fortunes. and the magnificent
Of the Ambersons began then. The
splendOr lasted all the years that sa'
their Midland town spread and darke
into a city, but reached its tOpmOs
during the period when every prosper
Gus family with children kept New
fOundland dog.
In that town in those days all tn
women who wore silk or velvet knew
all the other women who wore silk o.
velvet, and when there was new
purchase of sealskin sick people were
got to windows to see 1t go by. Every
body knew everybody else's family
horse and carriage, could identify such
a silhouette half mihe down the
street, and thereby was sure who was
going to market or to a 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 it was a year or so old /;
IT remained distinguished by merely
remaining silk. Old men and COVER
nOrs wore broadCloth; "full dress" was
brOadClOth with "doeslin' trousers;
and there were seen mon of all ages
to whom hat meant only that rigid,
tall silk thing known to impudence as
a "stOvepipe." In town and country
these men would wear no other hat,
and without seif-cOnsciousnesS they
went rowing in such hats.
Trousers with a 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 alIusiOn to the shelf. In
the early eighties, while bangs and
bustles were 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, a spoon derby" a
single-breasted coat called a "Chester-
field" with short flaring skirts, tor
turing cylindrical collar, laundered to
a polish and three inches high, while
his other neckgear might be a heavy,
puffed cravat or a tiny bow fit for a
dolls braids. With evening dress he
wore tan OVercOat so short that his
black cOattails hung visible, five inches
below the OvercOat; but after a season
or two he heightened his overcOat till
1t 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 impairment.
Surely no more is needed to prove
that so short time ago we were liv-
ing in another age!
At the beginning of the Ambersons'
great period most of the houses of the
Midland town were of a pleasant ar
They lacked style, but also
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 filling
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 upon
q stone foundation or ef wood upon
brick foundation. Usually it had a
front porch" and black porch I"
often "side porch" too. There was
4 front hall :" there was "side hall"
and sometimes a 'back hall" From
he front hall" opened three rooms
he "parlOr," the Sitting room" and
he library" and the library could
how warrant to its title-for some
'eason these people bought books
Commonly the family sat more in the
library than In the Sitting room"
While callers, when they came for.
nally, were kept to the "parlor,"
lace Of formidable polish and discom.
ort The upholstery OF the library
urniture was little shabby, but the
Ostile chairs and sofa of the "parlor"
lways looked new. For all the wear
nd tear they got they should have
lsted thousand years.
Upstairs were the bedrooms; moth
T and fathers room" the largest; a
mailer room for one or two sons,
mother for one or two daughters;
ich Of these rooms containing a
1uble bed, a "washstand," bureau"
wardrobe, a little table, a rocking
lair, and often a chair or two that
Id been slightly damaged down
airs, but not enough to justify either
q expense of repair or decisive
ABANDONMENT in the attic. And there
as always a "spare ROOM" for visi-
rs (where the sewing machine usu-
" was kept, and during the seven
Is there developed an appreciation
the necessity for a bathroom.
At the rear Of the house, upstairs,
ps q. bleak little chamber, called "the