Use Of Dry Goods

Itshould bereinembered that GO yoars ago the market for dry goods, taking the words in a largo seuse, was much less extensivo than at present. A great deal of '.;ueu, cotton aud woolen cloth was in u in families, and men's clothiug was largely preparad by doniestio SeamstreBfees. Homespnn was still muoh woru. Men and boys who were uot afflicted with rheumatism did uot wear undershirts and drawers, and the correeponding garments were not used by the other sex till after 1825. Carpets were nnknown amoiig ths poor ïsO years ago, even in the rustió foriu of those made of rags. It was after tbis date that a parishiouer of Dr. Lyiuau Beniner, seeing a ueat and gay rag oarpet in the pastor's house, inquirad líoleumly if he tbought he could have all this and heaven too. Ingram j and bvnssels carne into use iinioiig the middle and lower classes in citiesabout 1830 and in the country 10 or 15 years later. Cotton goods were very dear in 1820, but have steadily been sinking ever since as the facilities of manufacture have improved. Ready made clothiug 50 years after the Declaratiou of Independence was only to ba fouml in seaports or in those places wbere there was likely to be at any time an inHux of backwoodsmen, boatmeu or miners. ïlie stores were I theii famiiiarJy knuwu as "slopshops, '' : aml the ganneuts made very little preteuse to tiitiüf,'. Couutless varietiea of cloth and a niultitudo of accessories in the dry goods trade have omue np withiu the halt' oentnry. Bei'ore that tho i supply was scanty. Men and women in BÖoiety iu Jefferson's time were well dressed. Their velvets, their lace, their satins and their gloves would compare wifu those of today or were even flner, but the great mass of the people had few varietiea of material to choose from aud made no nretense of followiug the