A little bit of cloth

When I talked about aprons I brought up accessories. If you reenact you know accessories are important. There is one that I think gets forgotten the most but I love almost as much as an apron but is equally important to remember. Here is a riddle for you.

What does a rich man keep but a poor man throws away?

For me it starts with a family tradition. As far back as anyone can remember my mother’s mother’s family has made the christening bonnet out of a small square of fabric. Most of my cousins all had ours made by our Great Grandma B and when I was in high school I figured out how to make them. You take a handkerchief and with certain stitches, in certain spots you get a bonnet small enough for a baby.

All of my Great Grandparents and me on the day I was baptized. The one holding me is my Great Grandma B who made my handkerchief baptism cap and her Grandma made my gown

In my family they aren’t just a decoration in the pocket of a man’s jacket, or an accessory used to wipe one’s nose. In the Victorian era, (and other ones too) they would be sprayed or laid in something that would make it smell nice. They would bring it up to their nose to help ward away bad smells. I found this very useful to help me on very hot days when I was doing Civil War reenacting. It helped me stay focused and with water helped me keep from getting heat sick. They are great for wiping away sweat, or keep it wet and place it behind your neck to help cool you. If you faint and you still have the nice smelling one, might be more readily available then smelling salts.

A hankerchief I made with open work embroidery on the hem

Today some still use them for cleaning up their nose. Some brides will continue to use them on their wedding day. (One with a bit of blue ties in the bit of blue very well.) They are used in decoration or as a doily on an end table. They have been used both historically and today to make dolls. They aren't as prevalent as they once were, used in favor of more modern disposable tissues but they are still used.

A spin on a 1860s handkerchief "church" doll with a little tatting on the corner. A simple thing a mother could make and a quiet toy for those quiet moments.

So don’t forget your handkerchief. How useful, and important to keep on you. Bilbo Baggins even wanted to return home because he forgot his handkerchief.

A handkerchief in progress

So the answer to the riddle.

Snot. A rich man keeps his snot on a handkerchief in his pocket, and poor man throws it on the ground, or wipes it on what-ever is nearby. (If he is really crass or a three year old, whips it on his neighbor or his own clothes.)