CHAPTER XXV. 



APPENDAGES OF WEARING APPAREL. 



Buttons. Suspenders, or braces. Improved suspender. Suspender ends. Ladies' elastics. 

 Improved ladies' elastics. Stays, corsets, and braces. Pantaloon straps. Hat pockets. Hat 

 covers. Hat and cap springs. Foot holders. Shoe springs. Improved shoe springs. Vest 

 springs. Glove springs. 



These appendages consist chiefly of a variety of springs, 

 designed or arranged for the comfortable adjustment of wearing 

 apparel. Particular attention has formerly been paid in Europe 

 to the manufacture of these articles from the native gum, and 

 the mechanical execution of them has therefore been brought to 

 a higher state of perfection there than most other articles of 

 gum-elastic. They are, however, fast being superseded, both in 

 Europe and America, by articles of the same kind, (together 

 with many others recently invented,) and made from the vul- 

 canized gum-elastic. 



BUTTONS. 



Finding caoutchouc compounds applicable to buttons, a branch 

 of business which the writer supposed he had long ago relin- 

 quished altogether, his early associations are awakened, and 

 were it not a digression, he would be strongly inclined to write 

 a lengthy article on the art of button making, which, with many 

 interesting particulars connected with it, would aflbrd ample 

 materials for a volume. As a branch of industry and merchan- 

 dise, few persons consider the extent or importance of it, or that 

 this trifling article is indispensable for comfort and convenience, 

 making a large item of necessary expenditure, as well as that 



^ ^ =J 



