The Tomahawk., 1919-09-04
CHAPTER I.

~'%T
Major Anderson had "made a for
tune" in 1873, when other people were
tossing fortunes, and the magnil1cence
Of the Ambersons began then. Their
splendor lasted all the years that saw
Sir Midland town spread and darken
g. TO a city, but reached its topmost
ring the period when every prosper
40 family with children kept a New
toundland 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 1t 60 by. Every
body knew everybody else'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
riod 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 1t was year or so old
it remained distinguished by merely
remaining silk. Old men and COVER
nors wore broadcloth full dress" was
broadcloth with "doeskin" trousers; {;
and there were seen men Of all ages
to whom hat meant only that rigid,
tall silk thing known to impudence ~
a ''stovepipe" In town and country
these men would wear no other hat,
and, without self consciousness, they
went rowing In such hats. -..
Trousers with crease were consid-
cred plebeian the crease proved that
the garment had lain upon shelf, and
hence was 'reAdy made:" these be-
traying trousers were called ''hand-
me-downs," In allusion to the shelf. In
tho early eighties, while bangs and
bustles were having their way with
women, that variation Of dandy known
NJ the dude" was invented: he wore
trousers as tight as stockings. dagger
pointed shoes, q spoon derby"
single-breasted coat called Z Chester
field," with short haring skirts, q tor
turing cylindrical collar, laundered to
q polish and three inches high. while
his other neckgear might be a heavy,
pufred cravat or q tiny bow 1T for
dolls braids. With evening dress he
wore a tan overcoat 50 short that his
black coattails hung visible. i've inches
below the overcoat; but after season
or two he heightened his overcoat till
It touched his heels. and he passed out
Of his tight trousers into trousers Ike
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. &c.,,
Surely no more is needed to prove
that SO short q time ago we were Nv.
ing In another agel 49,
At the beginning Of the Ambersons'
great period most Of the houses Of the
Midland town were Of q pleasant ar-
chitecture. They lacked style. but also
pretentiousness, and whatever does
mot pretend ut all has style enough.
They stood In commodious yards, well
shaded BY leftover forest trees, elm
Ind walnut and beech. with here and
sre 4 line Of tall sycamores where
land had been made by filling
fous from the creek. The house Of
Sprominent resident" facing Mill
s.sa square or National avenue or Ten
Gee street, was built Of brick upon
ne foundation, or of wood upon a
foundation. Usually 1t had
porch" and q ''back porch :"
Se'A side porch" too. There was
hi 4 hall :" there was a "side hail."
times q back hall" From
1t hall' opened three rooms,
flor," the sitting room" and
brary:" and the library could
warrant to its title-for some
tsascn these people bought books.
Commonly the family sat more In the
library than in the "sItting room"
while callers, when they came for
nla!sy, were kept to the "parlo-," q
plscD ',f Formidable polish and tliscom-
fost The 1r,1o,Stery cs siie library