e person, hung
from the girdle.

Toilet Chatelaines.

The chatelaines worn by the ladies of olden time were bulky, and the
various objects deemed necessary to carry about the person rendered them
cumbersome in the extreme. A bunch of keys was always in evidence, and a
glance at a few old keys indicates how large the keys of even quite
small boxes were in olden time. There were the keys of the store
cupboard, of the linen chest, and of the larder and the wine cellar.
Drawers and cupboards and boxes, as well as the bureau or desk, were
always locked, and to deliver up the keys was indeed to surrender one of
the privileges of the matron and housewife which were jealously guarded.

[Illustration: FIG. 68.--FINE ORIENTAL LACQUERED BOX.]

[Illustration: FIG. 69.--SMALL LACQUER CABINET.]

[Illustration: FIG. 70.--A PAGODA-SHAPED CASKET.]

[Illustration: FIG. 71.--DECORATED JEWEL CASE.]

There were articles of toilet use, too, worn at the girdle. It is
recorded that Queen Elizabeth carried her earpick of gold ornamented
with pearls and diamonds. The little set, which was worn at a lady's
chatelaine in the eighteenth century, shown in Fig. 66, consists of
toothpick, earpick, and tongue scraper of silver, whereas the set
illustrated in Fig. 67 includes tweezers, a nail knife, and other
instruments. There are some charming manicure sets extant, as well as
isolated nail files of ivory and steel, and curious little instruments
for simple surgical operations, such as strong-nerved ladies were not
averse to perform in the good old days.

Locks of Hair.

Although long since separated from toilet operations, mention of locks
of hair so carefully preserved may not inappropriately be made here.
Many of these are associated with happy memories of childhood, others of
more saddened recollections. It has been a common practice to preserve
locks of hair of departed friends and relatives. In former days these
locks of hair were often enclosed in lockets, some of which were very
large. The simple lock did not always satisfy, for there are many
artistic plaits and beautifully formed sprays, imitating feathers and
even flowers, which were in years gone by cunningly interwoven and
artistically arranged on cardboard preserved by glass, often in golden
lockets and frames. Some persons have made quite important collections,
one of the most noted being that of Menelik II, the Abyssinian king, who
possessed upwards of two thousand locks,