28
THE SUNDAY OREGOIOAN, PORTLAND, AUGUST 19, 1900.
IN THE COUNTRY
Falsehood and Her Motley Crew, Drawn to the Confines of Her
Strange Territories, Is Speedily Overcome in the
Presence of Effulgent Truth.
It Is very hard for the mind to disen
gage Itself from a subject on which It
bas been Ion? employed. The thoughts
will rise of themselves, from time to
time, though -we give them no encour
agement, as the tossings and fluctuations
of the sea continue several hours after
the winds are laid. It is to this that I
impute Toy last night's dream or vision,
-which formed into one continued allegory
the several schemes of wit, "whether false,
mixed or true, that have been the sub
ject of my late reveries.
Methought I was transported Into a
country that "was filled with prodigies and
enchantments, governed by the goddess
of Falsohool and entitled the region of
falbe wit. There was nothing In the
fields, the woods and the rivers that
appeared natural. Several of the trees
blossomed In leaf gold, some of them pro
duced bone-lace and some of them prec
ious stones. The fountains bubbled In an
opera tune, and were filled with stags,
wild boars, and mermaids that lived
among the waters; at the same time,
doiphins and several kinds of fish played
upon the banks, or took their pastime In
the meadows.
The birds had, many of them, golden
beaks and human voices. The flowers
perfumed the air with smells of incense,
ambergris and pulvillios, and were so In
terwoven with one another that they
grew up in pieces of embroider'. The
winds were filled with sighs and messages
of distant lovers.
Surprising Happening:.
As I was walking to and fro In this
enchanted wilderness, I could not forbear
breaking out Into "sollllQules upon the
bCier&l wonders which lay before me,
when, to my great surprise, I found there
wore artificial echoes In every walk, that,
by repetitions of certain words which 1
spoke, agreed with me, or contradicted
me. In everything i said.
In the midst of my conversation with
these invisible companions, I discovered.
In the center of a very dark grove, a
monstrous fabric, built after the Gothic
manner and covered with innumerable
devices in that barbaric kind of sculp
ture. I imediately went up to it, and
found it to be a kind of heathen temple,
consecrated to the god of Dullness. Upon
my ontrancc, I saw the deity of the place,
dressed In the habit of a monk, with a
book in one hand and a rattle in the oth
er. Upon his right hand was Industry,
with a lamp burning before her, and on
his loft Caprice, with a monkey sitting
on her shoulder. Before his feet there
stood an altar of a very old make,
which, as I afterward found, was snaped
In that manner to comply with the In
scription that surounded it. Upon the al
tar there lay several offerings of axes,
wings and eggs, cut In paper, and in
scribed with verses.
The temple was filled with votaries who
applied themselves to different diversions.
as their fancies directed them. In one
part of it, I saw a regiment of anagrams.
who wore continually In motion, turning
to the right or to the left, facing about.
doubling their ranks, shifting their sta
tions, and throwing themselves into all
the figures and countermarches of the
most changeable exercise.
A Qneer Aggregation.
Not far from these was a body of acros
tics, made up of very disproportionate
persons. It was disposed Into three col
umns, the officers planting themselves in.
a line on the left hand of each column.
The officers were alt of them at least six
feet high, and made three rows of -very
proper men; but the common soldiers, who
filled up the spaces between the officers.
wore such dwarfs, cripples and scarecrows
that one could hardly look upon them
without laughing. There were behind the
acrostics two or three files of chrono
grams, which differed only from the for
mer, as their officers were equipped like
the figure of Time, with an hour-glass In
one hand and a scythe In the other, and
who took their posts promiscuously
among the private men whom they com
manded. In the body of the temple and before
the very face of the deity, methought 1
saw the phantom of Tryphlodorus, the
lipogrammatist, engaged in a tall with
four-and-twenty persons, who pursued
him, by turns, through all the intricacies
and labyrinths of a country dance, with
out being able to overtake him.
Observing several to be busy at the
western end of the temple. I Inquired Into
what they were doing, and found there
was In that quarter the great magazine
of rebuses. These were several things ot
the most different natures, tied up in
bundles and thrown upon one another in
hasps like fagots. Tou might behold an,
anchor, a night-rail and a hobby-horse
bound up together. One of the workmen,
seeing me very much surprised, told me
there was an infinite deal of wit in sev
eral of these bundles, and that he would
explain them to me If I pleased. 1
thanked him for his civility, but told him
I was in very great haste at that time.
l'lnyiiig Cramlto.
As I was going out of the temple. I ob
served. In one corner of It, a cluster of
men and women, laughing very heartily
and diverting themselves at a game of
crambo. I heard several double rhymes
as I parsed by them, which raised a great
deal of mirth.
Not far from the?e was another set of
merry people engaged at a diversion. In
which the whole gist was to mistake one
person for another. To give occasion for
these ludicrous mistakes, they were di
vide Into pairs, every pair being covered
from head to foot with the same klnd-of
dress, although perhaps there was not
tho least resemblance In their faces. By
this means an old man was sometimes
mistaken for a hoy, a woman for a man
and a black-a-moor for an American,
which very often produced great peals of
laughter. These I guessed to be a party
of puns.
But being very desirous to get out of
this world of magic, which had almost
turned my brain, I left the temple, and
crossed over the fields that lay about it.
with all the speed I could make. I had
not gone far. however, before I heard the
sound of trumpets and alarms which
seemed to .proclaim the march of an ene
my, and. as I afterward found, was in
reality what I had apprehended. There
appeared, at a great distance, a very
shining light and. in the midst of It, a
person of most beautiful aspect; her name
was Truth. On her right hand there
marched a male deity who bore several
quivers on his shoulders and grasped sev
eral arrows In his hand. His name was
Wit.
Cnnr Consternation.
The approach of these two enemies filled
all the territories of False "Wit wlh an
unspeakable consternation, insomuch that
tho goddess of those regions appeared in
person upon her frontiers, and the differ
ent bodies ot forces which I had before
eeen in tho temple who were now drawn
tip in array, prepared to give their foes
a warm reception.
As the march of the enemy was very
alow, it gave time to the several inhabi
tants who bordered upon the regions of
Falsehood, to draw their forces Into a
body, with a design to stand upon their
guard as neuters, and attend the Issue
of the combat.
I must here Inform the reader that the
frontiers of the enchanted region were
Inhabited by a species of mixed wit, who ;
OF FALSE WIT
made a Tery odd appearance, when they
were mustered together in an army.
There were men whose bodies were stuck
full of darts, and women whose eyes
were burning glasses; men that had
hearts of fire, and women that had
breasts of snow. It would be endless to
describe several monsters of the like na
ture that helped compose this great
army, and which Immediately fell asun
der, and divided Itself into two parts,
the one-half throwing themselves behind
the banners of Truth, and the other be
hind those of Falsehood.
The Goddess of Falsehood was of gigan
tic stature, and advanced some paces
before the front of her army. But as the
dazzling light which flowed from Truth
began to shine upon her, she faded Insen
sibly; Insomuch that, in a small space,
she looked like a huge phantom rather
than a real substance.
At length, as the Goddess of Truth ap
proached still nearer to her, she fqll away
entirely, and vanished amidst the bright
ness of Truth's presence, so that there
did not remain the least trace or Im
pression of her figure In the place where
she had been seen.
Vanquished by Truth.
As, at the rising of the sun, the constel
lations grow thin and the stars go out
one after another, till the whole galaxy
is extinguished, such was the vanishing of
the goddess, and not only of the goddess
herself, but of the whole army that at
tended her, which sympathized with its
leader and shrank into nothing, in pro
portion as the goddess disappeared. At
the same time, the whole temple sank; the
fish botook themselves to the streams and
the wild beasts to the woods; the foun
tains recovered their murmurs, the birds
their voices, the trees their leaves, the
flowers their scents, and the whole face
of Nature its true and genuine appear
ance. Although I still slept, I fancied
myself, as it were, awakened out of a
dream, when I saw thiB region of prodi
gies restored to woods and rivers, fields
and meadows.
Upon the removal of that wild scene of
wonders, which had very much disturbed
my imagination, I took a full survey of
the persons of Wit and Truth, for indeed
It was Impossible to look upon the first
without seeing the other at the same
time.
There was behind them a strong, com
pact body of figures. The genius of Hero
ic Poetry appeared with a sword In her
hand and a laurel on her head. Tragedy
was crowned with cypress and covered
with robes, dipped in blood. Satire had
smiles in her look and a dagger under
her garment. Rhetoric was known by her
thunderbolt, and comedy by her mark.
After several other figures, Epigram
marched up In the rear; he had been
posted there at the beginning of the ex
pedition, that he might not revolt to the
enemy, whom he was suspected to favor
In his heart.
I was very much awed and delighted
with the appearance of the god of Wit;
there was something so amiable, and yet
so piercing. In his looks, Inspiring me at
once with love and terror! As I was gaz
ing on him, to my unspeakable joy he
took a quiver of arrows from his shoul
der. In order" to make me a present of It;
but as I was reaching out my hand to
receive It of him. I knocked It against a
chair, and by that means awoke.
SIMPLEX.
FUN OF THE PARAGRAPHERS
.Things to MnUe Tou Iiftngh or Cry,
as the Case May Be.
"Who Is your favorite author?" asked
the fluffy Summer girl.
"Confucius," answered the distinguished
Chinaman. "All our people read him."
"Confucius?" she repeated. "Why er
what magazine does he write for?"
Washington Star.
Mrs. Malaprop I'm so glad to meet you,
for I have enjoyed your books so much.
Scrlblets (delighted) Thank you. I'm
so pleased to know you appreciate my
humble literary efforts.
Mrs. Malaprop And my husband enjoys
them so much, too. Why, there Isn't a
night of his life that he doesn't fall
asleep over them. Chicago News.
The first five minutes a woman guest is
left alone In her room are devoted to lift
ing up the covers and mattresses for
signs of bugs. Atchison Globe.
First Reporter What! The proofreader
burned to a crisp? How did that happen?
Second Reporter He was reading the
proof of a new book of poems by Ella
Wheeler Wilcox. Syracuse Herald.
"But," said a citizen of Kilkenny, when
the original proposition was made to
fasten two cats together by the tails and
hang them over the clothesline, "how long
will it take them to kill each other?"
"That," said the purveyor of the enter
tainment, shrugging his shoulders, "is
only a question of tie 'em." Chicago Tri
bune. A plumber was sent to the house of a
stockbroker to execute some repairs.
He was taken by the butler Into the dining-room
and was beginning his work
when the lady of the house entered.
"John," said she, with a suspicious
glance at the plumber, "remove the silver
from the sideboard and lock It up at
once."
But the man of lead was In no wise
disconcerted. "Tom," said he to his ap
prentice, who accompanied him, "take my
watch and chain and these coppers home
to my missus at once. There seems to
be dishonest people about this house."
An Exchange.
"Have you ever read Twenty Thou
sand Leagues Under tho Sea'?"
"No; but when I was a boy I done con
siderable readln' up in a hay mow."
Chicago Times-Herald.
"Yes, sir!" shouted the little man with
thin, straggly hair, "the Constitution of
the United States guarantees to every
man liberty of speech, and I'd like to
see any one try to deprive me of It!"
"John Henry," exclaimed a large
woman of decided meln, who had Just
entered the room, "you dry .up and come
home." Examiner.
"Tou look wretched, remarked tho
guinea fowl. r
"I am wretched," replied the fat pul
let. "I didn't dare sleep last night."
"Was it on account of anything tho
owl told you when you went to him
to have your fortune told yesterday even-,
lngr'
"Tes. He told me adark man would
soon cross my path, and speedily win
me." Philadelphia Press.
"I see that some of the big railroads
are experimenting with a device for light
ing the cars with electricity generated
by the car axles."
"But an axle seems a queer place."
"What for?"
"Picking currents. Cleveland Plain
dealer.
Jimmy Let's get that new boy to go
with us to swipe cherries.
Tommy Aw; he's no good.
Jimmy Ain't he?
Tommy Naw. He's too good. Phila
delphia Press.
The Rev. Dr. Fourthly paused in his
sermon. "I speak of tho matter with
some reluctance," he said, "but will the
little boy who Is tickling- the crown ot
the bald-headed gentleman sitting in front
of him in one of the middle seats near
the center aisle please let him alone? His
snoring does not disturb me. It is evident
from a further consideration of the text,
that." etc Chicago Tribune.
Miss Wunder My goodness, do you call
that a modest bathing suit?
Miss Gabby Of course! It has such &
shrinking disposition. Baltimore Amert-can.
HOW TO SLEEP LATE.
Simple Device for Avoiding: Annoy
ance of Sun'a Glare.
A thin, black India silk handkerchief,
tied over the eyes, 'is the best remedy
for the annoyance of the early morning
glare to which In their bedrooms imost
persons are now subjected.
This Is an army trick, commonly prac
ticed on the plains and In camp by those
desiring to sjeep after dawn, but never
before divulged to the effete Easterner,
says the New Tork Herald. Some officers
scorn this expedient, others like it and
the Army woman resorts to it always.
It often happens, however, that Bhe does
not possess a black silk handkerchief. In
which case she pins a black stocking over
her eyes Instead. And frequently her
husband Is not above begging the other
GREAT POWERS
'!
stocking. This solves the problem of
shutting out the light in a most simple
and effectual way.
But the Army woman says there Is no
reason why every woman living in prox
imity to shops should not have a black
India silk handkerchief. Blinds and awn
ings. In addition to window shades, are
all very well to darken a room, If they
are on a house, but frequently they are
not, more particularly In the country
where they aro most needed. Then, even
In the event of having these luxuries, In
hot weather many persoxts object to using
them because of the amount of air these
things shut out from a room.
Every one knows. In the migration from
town to country, how annoying the early
morning light Is to the city bred, par
ticularly the women who do not have to
rise at the flrst crow of the cock, In or
der to catch a train to business. These
people who are Summering in hotels and
boarding-houses occupy rooms with white
washed or very light-papered walls, and
this reflects the strong light, which, by 4
o'clock these Summer mornings, begins
to turn the light sleeper Into a wakeful,
restless creature, who, if he or she have
blinds, gets up and closes them, but Is
forced for lack of air to at least leave
the shutters open, whereby too much
light enters. And frequently there Is so
little air that to bar out any of It, even
by drawn blinds with open shutters. Is
out of the question.
Woch of a Nebraska Editor.
News is scarce this week, and the News
man has been sorely pressed to find ma
terial to fill up the paper. We can't rus
tle a real live news Item, one of the large,
Juicy kind, to save our bloomln' neck.
Everything moves on In,, the same old
way. The gang of whlttlcrs still hold
forth at their old stand on the steps of
the Butcher Building, and talk about
"tradln hosses" and how somebody got
RETURNED MIXER (TO
beat-in guessing on the weight of a teer
or a load of shoats.
This is the busy harvest time, and the
farmers don't come to town unless they
have to, and the merchants do more or
less loafing In consequence. The heat
dances in sweltering ripples down the
street and the mongrel cur chases the
pussy cat under the sidewalk. Everybody
is lazy, hot and sweaty, and ambition is
at a low ebb. Why don't something hap
pen? Platnvllle, Neb., News.
..- .'
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nil iWfSm iSLm i'
'nil vwfflJJK lif TcI iinviafiSV Si
CHINA'S GREAT REFORMER
REVERSES AHD TRIUMPHS OS1 THIS
SAGE, COKFUCHJS.
Els Classics, Written COO Tessa Be
fore Christ, Still the Moral
Code of All China.
In tho 20th year of the Emperor Ling,
El B. C, Confucius, tho "all-complete,
ancient teacher and perfect sage," first
felt the light In the district of Chinese
Tsow. His father was Shuh-leang Helh,
whose prowess was as large aff his sta
ture, and his valor greater than both.
His mother, consort of Helh's senility,
and his second wife, was Chlng-tsae,
youngest daughter of the family of Ten.
The usual miraculous episodes encluster
his birth. When Confucius was only 3
years old his father, Scholar Helh. died.
Of his early schooling, little that la
trustworthy has been preserved. Certain
It Is' that his house knew fail well the
pinch of poverty. At 15, Confucius K'ew.
or Confutse, had versed himself In studies
far beyond his years. At 19 he contracted
an alliance with a lady of the house of
Keen-kwan. In the following year the
CONDUCTING PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CHINA.
r,
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stork visited his dwelling. Chlng-tsate
gave birth to a son, Le.
Confucius was made keeper of grain
stores, next a warden of -.public fields and
lands. Even then his humblest duties
the fabric of much rich parable and simile
were discharged with an uncommon
thoroughness and conscientious devotion
At two-and-twenty he flashed forth into
a public teacher;- his house became the
rallying ground of thoughtful, ardent
youths. In 52S B. C. his mother joined
her husband in the valley of the shadow.
Five years after, when Confucius, a man
of "north, south, east and west," was
29, we find him studying music under a
famous principal named Seang. B. C. 517
saw him signaled out as teacher of pro
prieties to the son of one of the chief
members of Loo.
A later1 date discovers him a musical
acolyte, student of poetry, history, cere
monies, antiquity and ethics, Imbibing
wisdom at the court of Chow. Here so
entrancingly did a sage's music appeal
to him that for three full months flesh
food and he were strangers.
B. C. 500. In the early twilight of his
years, he was appointed Chief Magistrate
of Chung-too, and In this capacity proved
himself a manners reformer of no mean
prowess. Next he was respectively As
sistant Superintendent of Works under
Duke Ting, then Minister of Crime. Dur
ing this last tenure of office popularized
by deference to the verdict of one from
among his counselors, whichever was
most cogent such became his sway that
no offenders showed themselves.
Confutse was now the darling of the
populace. Delegates of his administration
sped far afield, pilgrims flocked In shoals
from other states. In the heyday of his
prosperity, at the turret of his power,
arrived that tragic throwback which,
from a worldly viewpoint, was his undo
ing. By the machinations of envious
states, It was contrived that a cargo of
80 peerless damozels should be presented
--,. ,-K- ' E-
HOME IS GOOD- ENOUGH FOR
WIFE)JS T WORK THAT "H" BACK
to his aoverelgn. These were sent osten
sibly as the portion of a good-will offer
ing. In "reality to seduce the King from
the teachings of his Minister. The ven
omous plot succeeded only too well. For
dejected Confucius began at 56 a cycle of
weary wanderings which were to last for
13 years. Through all his hardships and
perilous adventures belief in a divine mis
sion sustained him.
Of those travails and travels. In all
likelihood, were born his most consum-
mate maxims. Probably to that period we
owe hi3 uplif thig of ancestor worship into
a religion, many of his compilations, his
Immortal Analetcs, his Rules of Propriety
and the contiguous Five Relations of So
ciety to Be Observed.
Of Lofty Mobility.
Throughout his existence, from tho al
pha of his adolescence to the omega of
his obsequies, he seems to have been
characterized by a lofty nobility, a grand
independence of thought and speech, and
a transcendent purity of Irving.
Charitable, Confutse acknowledged the
vital need of education for rich and poor
alike. Narrow as to the functions of
woman, he was quick to see the influence
of right examples and to insist upon their
practice by those In authority. To se
curer the common weal he. realized that
good rulers and good leaders benevolent
despots, if you will were indispensable.
Alive before bis time, posterity awarded
this matchless conserver and transmitter
a glorious recognition. For 2000 years
countless Emperors made and still make
adoring pilgrimages to his shrine. Today
all native colleges raise Bide temples to
his honor; his disciples may be measured
by the hundred million.
B. C. 4S3, by a fortunate twist of fate,
the wanderer could return to Loo. Con
futse was now 69, and, thanks to time
and inward mastery, might "follow what
his heart desired without transgressing
what., was right." He absorbed and dif
fused wisdom and poetry, collated his
tory's pebbles and undertook the reforma
tion of music B. C 482 was blazed by
Hrr M
r.rjf. .sM
r tl. . -.:-. h-
1 I
, I ,
the demise of his son, Le, toward whom
he had, of principle, maintained a stern
reticence and dignity. Of his daughters,
although we know of one, at least, he had.
little' or nothing to say. His declining
years were punctuated by the death of a
loVed apostle, whose individual loss ap
parently affected him more keenly than
that of his own son.
Early one forenoon this King without a
throne, with trailing staff, toddled out
Into the sunshine. As he went he sim
pered his melancholy swan song: "The
great mountain must crumble, the strong
beam must snap and the wise man wither
away like a plant." He took to his
couch. A week later, with no wife or
child to minister to his dying hours, with
no expectations of a life to come, mut
tering no prayer, betraying no fear, the
end drew nigh. On the 11th day of the
fourth month, 478 B. C, the Unchallenged,
the Perfect Sage, fell asleep. New Tork
Mall and Express.
Kapoleon's Snuff Boxes.
Two of the many snuft boxes of tho
First Napoleon came to England in the
shape of presents. The one bequeathed to
Lady Holland, and handed to her, if we
are not mistaken, says the London Tele
graph, by General Count Bertrand, Is in
the British Museum. The other, given
personally by the great Captain to Archi
bald Arbuthnot, Surgeon of Her Majes
ty's Twentieth Foot, was sold on the re
cent anniversary of Waterloo, at Messrs.
Sotheby's and realized 140.
Archibald Arbuthnot lles In the grave
yard of Ecclefechan, hls"natlve place,
close to the remains of the greatest of
all his fellow townsmen, Thomas Car
lyle, who only wrote a short monograph
on the modern Hannibal In "Heroes and
Hero Worship." It Is curious to reflect
what would have occurred If these two
had ever met. We might have had-a se-
HIM.
WHERE IT WAS, WIFE.
quel to "The French Revolution." But
the future author of it left long before
the. Surgeon returned from the wars, and
the world is the poorer, perhaps by one
great book.
And Astor Wept.
"That measly cad from Tankeeland
"I'll now proceed to crush!"
And on the face of the Prince of Wales
There came a royal flush.
Chicago Tribuno.
THE SHIRT-WAIST MAN
HIS ADVE3TT IN THE EAST RE
GARDED AS PBBSASEST.
Account of His Evolution, and His
Progress Totvivrd Hecofmitlon
in the Eastern Cities.
Hurt man stilt Ilka & mummy swathe
Himself to suit convention's rule;
While woman In the shirt she took
From him contrives, to keep so cool?
This is the question that is agitating
that portion of mankind which finds itself
compelled to spend Its days in the palpi
tating heat of city streets and offices. It
was bound to come In time, and the ex
treme heat of the month past has brought
It to a decisive issue Not only in New
Tork, but in all the other large cities
and even at the Summer resorts, the
question of sticking to the conventional
coat or casting it aside in favor of the
cool and comfortable negligee shirt. Is
being actively discussed. An enthusiastic
and rapidly growing minority has adopted
the latter course, while the timid or con
servative members of the majority aro di
vided between those who regard the in
novation with envy and those who Jeer at
it openly.
Careful Investigation by tho New TorJt
Herald in the principal cities and Sum
mer resorts of the country shows that
as a rule the young men hail the pro
posed change with delight, while their
elders, presumably more conservative, re
gard it with slight favor. The most
hardened objectors to the new style seem
to be the proprietors of theaters, restaur
ants and other places of public enter
tainment. In most of these places there
are rules, written or unwritten, against
serving men without coats. These rules,
observes the Herald, probably were not
Intended to be enforced against fashion
able patrons, but head waiters or man
agers seldom are capable of discrlmlna
t.on, and lnstances'are multiplying daily
of the ejection of men from such places
because of their departure from the es
tablished custom which decrees that man
must wear his coat, regardless of the
temperature. As these Institutions exist
for the convenience of the public, how
ever, they are likely to fall Into line as
soon as the movement makes sufficient
headway to secure general recognition.
Unfortunate Designation.
It is unfortunate for those who desire
to see men garbed In Summer as com
fortably, as are their sisters, wives and
mothers that the Innovation should be
designated as "the shirt-waist movement"
and Its exponents as "shirt-waist" men.
The term carries with it almost the
charge of effeminacy, although, as a mat
ter of fact. It is among the men who
are most athletic and best "set up" gen
erally that the style Is most popular.
Moreover, as one young New Torker who
has been energetically promoting the anti
coat movement says, there should ba no
Iniquity attached to the term.
"Let us accept the designation of shirt
waist," argues this exponent of the new
Idea. "It Is simply a case ot man coming
into his own again. When women took
up the costume that has come Into such
universal use among them It was plainly
admitted that it was modeled on that of
men. It proves only that we are big fool3
and hidebound followers of convention
that we have not perceived and adopted
its advantages long since."
While man Is thus absolved from the
charge of encroaching on the province of
woman In leaving off his heavy outer cov
ering during the heated term, the charge
of effeminacy in the costume Is disposed
of quite as easily. In fact the lines ot
muscular development, which are sup
posed to indicate manly beauty, are re
vealed to much better advantage by the
light Simmer shirt than when covered by
a coat, and It is only the very attenuated
or the very corpulent who are likely to
hold out against it for appearance's sake.
The man of ordinarily good figure has
nothing to fear-from discarding his coat,
while the freedom of action which the
change imparts is altogether delightful,
say those who have tried It.
For tho benefit of those who have not
familiarized themselves with the new
style, or who may have been misled by
the term applied to the Innovation, it
may be explained right here that the
adoption of the "shirt waist" costume
does not entail any important change in
a man's attire.
What "Shirt-Waist Man" Is.
The "shirt-waist man" is simply one
who appears In his office, his clubs, on
the street, or In any public place, minus
his coat. To do this with Impunity, or
even with proper regard for the necessi
ties of neat dressing, certain requisites
are demanded In his costume. These,
however, are all Included in the Summer
wardrobe of the up-to-date man.
It goes without saying that a man who
presumes to cast aside his coat in any
place where people congregate must wear
a negligee shirt, with either a white turn
down collar or an attached collar of the
same material as the shirt. The old-fashioned
"blled" shirt, with its stiff bosom
and free and easy way of opening In the
back would never do at all. Nor is the
stand-up collar, which reveals the uncer
tain progress of the tie for the entire
distance around the neckband more per
missible. Suspenders, of course, are ab
solutely tabooed. The unfortunate man
whose physical confirmation makealt im
possible for him to hold up hla trousers
by means of a belt cannot hope to adopt
the new custom.
This matter of a proper Junction be
tween shirt and trousers is indeed the
nicest point that the shirt-waist man
is called upon to consider. Properly
no buttons should show on the outside
of his trouser band. His belt, which
should be of fairly generous width, must
pass through loops on the trousers, so
arranged that the top of the belt Is flush
with the waist line of the trousers. To
be de rlgueur, no part of the trousers
should be allowed to show above the
belt
If this plan Is followed and if a man Is
careful to have his shirts built reasonably
full he will be able to go about among his
fellows, minus coat and waistcoat and
with the consciousness of looking as neat
and of feeling far more comfortable than
they. On the ground of esthetic consid
erations, there Is no reason to object to
such a costume. Where a crowd of men
are gathered together the variety In color
which it affords Is a pleasing relief to the
eye.
An Agreeable Object.
Certainly a man In a neat, fresh-looking
shirt or shirt waist, if you will is a
more agreeable object to contemplate
than are his fellows who reveal them
selves In wilted collars and with other
indications of general molstness Induced
by wearing a heavy coat when the mer
cury Is up in the region of three figures.
Between him and the man who makes
himself a nondescript by adopting seer
sucker or calico or linen for his coat there
la no room for comparison. Kb well
dressed man is satisfied with a half gar
ment If he Is unwilling to submit to
the discomfort of a fashionable coat, he
will go the whole hog, and will become
a full-fledged shirt-waist man.
Although It is scarcely a month since
the flrst shirt-waist man to appear In
New Tork walked down Broadway, calm
ly oblivious of the inquisitive glances
turned upon him. the costume has gained
many adherents. On the streets, especial
ly in the downtown office district, of the
big city, the shirt-waist man is too nu
merous to attract special attention.
It Is likely that within another month
coatless men. If correctly garbed In every
particular, will be served without ques
tion in all the eating places restricted to
male, patronage. ,
Rapid as has been the progress of the
reform In New Tork, it has gone even
further in some other cities. In Balti
more, for example, the costume 13 so fas
recognized that the fashionable younjs
women have countenanced it and aro
willins to receive calls from their mala
friends or to accompany them, to publio
places hot Midsummer evenings without
questionlns the absence of coats.
The ancient and honorable City of Bos
ton, which takes all matters of culture
and fashion seriously, seems to be fully
reconciled to the shirt-waist man. Indeed
he may be said to have been welcome
there almost without question. While tha
number of men with courage enough to
walk along- Washington street without
coats la their possession has not reached
formidable proportions, thousands dally
go half way and carry their coats over
their arms. In Indication that they arq
ready to relinquish them on the slight
est encouragement.
At the Theater..
Up to the present time tho shirt-waist
man's efforts to invade the theaters have
been generally unsuccessful. One day re
cently In New Tork. two men. accompa
nied by ladles, bought seats at a popular
theater. The ladles wore shirt waists,
and tho men were In the new negllgeo
costume without coats. An usher prompt
ly handed them printed cards which
pointed out the fact that "shirt sleeves"
were not permitted. The men argued tha
point, on the ground that their attire waa
as suitable as that of the women, but tho
management Insisted. They got thelc
money back and left the theater. At an
other theater a man sat in a rear seat at
the Saturday matinee, attired in a shirt
waist that has been described as a dream.
Nobody paid any attention to him until
after the performance, although not two
days before the members of a box party
were obliged to leave the same theater for
appearing without coats.
In Newport, the famous Rhode Island
watering place, which sets a good many
fashions and follows other rigorously, tho
matter Is still under debate. A good many
of the men are not willing to take sides
for or against the new style, but a num
ber of them display the courage of their
convictions.
Philadelphia, Chicago and nearly every
other city that has suffered from heat
waves recently has made the acquaint
ance of the shirt-waist man. and every
where he is pushing his claims for con
sideration In constantly growing numbers
and with increasing boldness.
A short while ago a shirt-waist man. a
New Torker. too, Mr. Thomas Gaylord
accompanied by his wife, walked Into tho
Burnet House dining-room, in Cincinnati.
The head waiter objected, but Mr. Gay
lord retorted:
"If Vanderbllt can dine in shirt sleevea
at the Waldorf-Astoria. I can do so here."
Mr. Gaylord dined, and dined coatless.
First Shlrt-Walat Club.
While there Is likely to be much dispute
as to who was really the original shirt
waist man, there seems to be no manner
of doubt that the old and conservative
City of Richmond has the distinction of
harboring the flrst shirt-waist club. The
organization was formed by the simple
dovice of a published notice that all who
were In favor of the proposed departure
should leave their names In a designated
place. By this arrangement 15 members
were secured n one day, and the shirt
waist men, of Richmond were enabled to
make their appearance in tta new cos
tume all at one time.
By presenting themselves as a concerted
organization they have been able to se
cure general consideration for their
claims. By Joining the club the members
simply agreed to discard coats during tho
hot weather between S A. M. and T P. M.
Following the success of the Richmond
Shlrt-Walst Club, and on the principle
that strength lies in union, this plan Is
likely to be adopted In other places.
It Is an encouraging sign to those who
advocate it that women generally are fa
vorable to the shirt waist for men. having
proved its utility to their own satisfac
tion, by ions and thorough trial.
MURDER OF AMBASSADORS.
But Few Instances in History "Where
Envoys Have Been Killed.
The excitement that has agitated this
country and Europe concerning the for
eign Ministers and attaches at Pekin re
calls the fact that from the most ancient
times the person of an Ambassador or
Minister has been held inviolable tho
privilege beings extended to all the person
nel of his legation; so that when friend
ly relations are severed between his gov
ernment and the one to which he is ac
credited, ho is given passports to insure:
his safety until he shall have passed
from the limits of the country. Even to
insult an Ambassador has always been re
garded as.a most serious international of
fense, Alexander the Great having de
stroyed the City of Troy on that ac
count, say3 the Philadelphia Inquirer.
So strong, indeed, is the protection ac
corded to an envoy at all times, that
there are but few Instances of the actual
complicity of a government being traced
to outrages upon his security.
Chief among such, however, wa3 the
murder of Dr. Donislaus, the British Min
ister to Holland in 1519; that of tha
French envoys to Austria in 1799; and
in this century, of the British envoys at
Kabul in ISfl. and 1878 respectively.
Cowardly Murder.
The assassination of Dr. Donislaus was
due principally to his connection with tho
trial of King Charles, as one of the Par
liamentary counsel. Anumber of Eng
lish Royalists, had sought refuge at Tha
Hague, and on the day after the doc
tor's arrival succeeded in dealing him
a fatal blow. In this case the thinly
veiled sympathy of the reigning stadtho
der protected the murderers from arrest
and punishment, though the crime was
regarded by other Princes a3 even greater
than the execution of King Charles.
The assassination of the French envoys
at Bastadt In 1799, was of a particularly
treacherous character. War had been
declared between France and Austria, but
the three French Plenipotentiaries re
mained at their post, relying upon tha
protection of. their office. On the night
of April 28 they were suddenly ordered to
leave Bastadt, and had gone but a shcrt
distance when they were ambushed by a
regiment of Austrian Hussars. Messrs.
Bonnier and Robergeot were Instantly
killed, but the third, Jean Debry, though
wounded, succeeded in making his escapo
back to the city.
Perhaps the nearest parallel to the pres
ent tragedy at Pekln was that of tlo
massacre of Sir William Maenaghten and
his companions at Kabul in 1841. Tho
British envoy and two officers of his
household having been lured, unarmed, to
the palace, they were ruthlessly butchered
by the Ameer's son.
Story of Frightful Slaughter.
The story of the subsequent retreat of
the 4300 British troops, of wiiom 500 were
Europeans and 12.000 camp-followers, 13
ono of the most terrible In history. Among
the snow-covered passes they were en
compassed on all sides and attacked at
every step by fanatical hordes of Afghans.
Of that army only one wretched Individ
ual, Dr. Brydone, crawled Into Jalalabad
to tell of the horror of that march.
Again, on September 3, 1878, Kabul was
the scene of the assassination of another
British envoy. Sir Lewis Cavagnari,
after holding out for several days in tho
residency against the Ameer's revolted
troops, was compelled, by the firing of
the buildings, to sally forth and perl3ti
with his companions- It was to avenge
this outrage that Lord Roberts made hla
famous march to Kabul and Kandahar
The last serious attack upon the life oC
an envoy was that5af2a. Japanese fanatic
upon Ll Hung Chjagfet the close of tha
Japan-Chinese War. 7
The manner In which the Japanese Gov
ernment swiftly visited punishment upon,
the perpetrator, and the ample satlsiao
tlon offered to the Chinese Minister In
a large measure emphasized the claim oC
the Japanese to be considered one of tht
civilized powers.