Manners And Customs.

The dress of society women in the olden times was as much the subject of fashion's capricious whims as it is to-day. I here propose briefly to mention a few articles of apparel worn during the last century, and notice some of the demands the mode made upon its votaries. When elaborate hair-dressing (requiring several hours to be consumed in curling, crisping, and arranging one's head) was in vogue it was no unusual circumstance for a lady to have her hair dressed forty-eight hours before a ball, and to sit dozing in a chair during the intervening nights, for it would have utterly destroyed her toilet had she lain down. Hoops were enormous during the greater part of the last century, until shortly before the Revolution; not the light elastic skirt worn recently, but heavy clumsy affairs which had to be tilted to one side in passing through a narrow doorway. When they began to subside, callimanco padded with wool, made into petticoats, took their places, while over the latter were worn finely-quilted Marseilles, silk, or satin petticoats, the gown open and without a front, so that it might be displayed. Caps were generally used, and the style which is now known as "The Martha Washington" was at that day called "The Queen's Night-cap." Stays were worn by the wealthy, as a rule; costly affairs they were, finished in quilted silk or satin. Worsted dresses, with a plain white apron reaching almost to the ground, were used for ordinary every-day life, and matrons and maids had long, large pockets strapped around their waist beneath their gowns (Lydia Locket, we remember, lost her pocket), and a round pin-cushion, inclosed in a silver rim, and a pair of scissors were pendent from the girdles with silver chains. Large cloaks of red cloth were very fashionable, and for many years no bonnets for ladies were made of any other material than black silk or satin. During the early part of this century beaver bonnets were much worn, and when that addition was made to a lady's toilet, like a camel's-hair shawl of to-day, she was expected never again as long as she lived to need another best hat for winter. All women in moderate circumstances wore pattens in 1772, and as they stamped over the streets the racket of these unwieldy affairs could be noticed a long way off, and going late to church the delectable clatter they made drew eyes on the tardy comers and aroused the sleeping Christians. Women in middle life in the last century wore worsted dresses and check aprons to church, and very few females, unless the wife or daughter of a lawyer, doctor, or clergyman, or merchants in large business, thought of wearing silks, satin, or velvet. The servants wore short gowns and petticoats of coarse domestic goods, and their dress indicated at once their station in life. They stood in awe of their employer, and called him usually master and his wife mistress.

Use of Liquors. - The custom of drinking, so far as we have information, was generally indulged in by all classes throughout Christendom (Mohammed forbade the use of intoxicating liquors among his followers as a religious obligation) until within a comparatively recent period, for, as is well known, in the first quarter of this century it was a reproach to a man among the upper class if he could not drink his three bottles of sherry after dinner without falling beneath the table, while "the four-bottle man" was looked up to as a social hero. Hence it is not surprising that we find in our earliest annals that among the Swedes who settled on the Delaware both men and women were addicted to an over-indulgence in intoxicating beverages. We are told by Peterson DeVries that Governor Printz "weighed upwards of four hundred pounds, and drank three drinks at every meal," and the same writer describes the Swedes "as not very sober, as they bought from the captain of the vessel a good quantity of wine and sweetmeats, and that neither here nor in Virginia was intoxication punished by whipping." Of Dominic Laurence Lock, the Swedish chaplain, we learn his "great infirmity seems to have been an overfondness for intoxicating drinks," but he certainly must have gotten over this weakness, for Campanius records "that he died in the Lord in 1688."

After the coming of Penn, from the court records it appears that drunkenness was of frequent occurrence. At the court held 3d day of 1st week, Tenth month, 1686, "Haunce Urian was fined five Shillings for being drunk upon Tinicum Island," while at the court held at Chester, 3d day of 1st week, Seventh month, 1687, many cases of drunkenness were tried. I give extracts from the records of that session as a few instances of the manner in which infractions of the law against intemperance were punished in these early days:

"Robert Stephens was presented by ye Grand Inquest for being Drunk at Chester since ye last Court for which he was fined by Ye Court 5s. James Sandelains was fined 5s. for suffering Robert Stephens to be Drunk in his House."

"John Chard was Presented by Ye Grand Inquest for being Drunke about ye beginning of July last, for which he was fined by Ye Court 5s."

John Edge being convicted before John Blunstone and George Maris for being Drunke was fined by Ye Court 5s."

"Neales Quist paid 5s. for being Drunk at Chester."

The two following cases, which I cite at large from the old court records (tried at the session just mentioned), will present a general idea of the importance given to the breaches of the law against intemperance:

"Thomas Bowles being summoned to appear att this Court to answer ye Complaint of our Sovereign Lord ye King and Chiefe Proprietary for suffering the King's Leidge People to be drunk att his house was upon the same Indicted. The Grand Inquest find the Bill, Whereupon he is Called to ye Barr and Pleads not Guilty and refers himself to God and ye Country.