The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-21
THE CHEVALIER YAUXS CHAPEAU.

action ON the subject.
TIE CHEVALLER YAUX'S CHAPEAU.
The Right Hon. Sir Richard Yaux, ex-M. P
which, in this particular connection, IL must
be understood, stands for ex- Mayor of Phila- |
delphia-Esq. has created no little sensation
by appearing upon the streets of the CITY In
broad daylight, with his head covered bya
bran new hat The circumstance, as Victor
Hugo would say, appears grave; but we are
enabled to appesse the public mind by d.
vulging the circumstances under which Sir
Richard has been guilty of this innovation
upon the settled habits of o life already SO
long drawn out that he has very pro-
perly taken unto himself the title of
veteran" The old hat which the Chevslier
Vaux wore for SO long time that the memory
of man runneth not to the contrary, was not
cast aside until stern necessity compelled It,
This shocking old hat was an historical hat
hat that was as dear 10 the Democracy as to
Sir Richard himself. We have understood
that it was built by Colonel Thomas b.
Florence many years ago, and long before
that genial deviser of coverings for the head
entered upon his political career. We give
currency to this report, but are unwilling to
become responsible for its entire correctness
1t was tke first hat that ever rested upon the
brow of the then youthful and now veteran
Vaux. 1t was, also, perfect fit These
two circumstances, taken together,
caused Sir Richard to conceive, at
the outset of his career, a kindlier feeling
towards the article than usually falls to the
lot of such inanimate objects. And when in
later years, he tucked that same identical hat
gracefully under his arm and walked through
cotillion with her Majesty. the present
Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, Sir Richard took O solemn
vow upon his knightly honor that he would
stick to that hat till death. Beautiful they
were in life, and by death alone was he will
ing that they should be parted. Such a com
panionship as this of course implies a limita-
ton by the death of either party to it, and
the disjointedness of the times has decreed
that the ohapesu should preoede the Chevalier
in its exit from this vain world. OF late years
the historical hat has been gradually going to
grass. To say nothing of the ordinary wear
and tear to which a hat is subjected by con-
tinual use, its symmetry sustained no incon-
have already referred, when it was ruthlessly
tucked away under the arm of Sir Richard
while he walked through cotillion with the
English Queen. Then there were the innu-
merable shocks to which it was subjected
during the two exciting campaigns in which
the Chevalier appeared before the people as a
candidate for the honors of the Mayoralty. De-
mocracy is proverbial for being rough on hats,
and Sir Richards favorite head-gear was not
exempted from the rough handling incident
| to every candidatorial hat; and the number
and intensity of the shocks to which it was
subjected gradually rendered it the most
shocking specimen Of hat to be seen in the
whole city and the country round about.
Yet by dint of hard brushing and judicious
pressure from tho interior, it contrived to re-
tain semblance of its original antediluvian
outlines until about a month ago, when some
| ignorant person from the country who had
struggled into Sir Richards Office mstook it
| for one of the projections on picket fence,
and in playful mood seated himself squarely
upon its apex. The few fortunate persons
who were favored with q sight of the hat
thereafter can join us in testifying that, even
in view of his knightly vow, Sir Richard was
clearly justifable in consigning it to the top
! shelf in the closet of his sleeping apartment.
1t was too dilapidated, even, to look graceful
on the head of the Chevalier Vaux. ?"
''The real and the practical" said Sir
Richard on one of the most momentous occa-
sions in his momentous career-''the real and
the practical, with which now the semi
instructed mind is SO absorbingly occupied,
are derived, be it remembered, from that con-
! junction of the emotional with the intellectual
from which alone comes the vitality-of ciyili-
zation." This startling passage may appear
slightly obscure to the average mind, espe-
cially in this connection; but we assure our
readers that the contemplation of the great
emotional truth which it enunciates afforded
Sir Richard inconceivable comfort for the
twenty-seven days during which he remained
in seclusion, after the disaster which befell
his favorite chapeau. From this seclusion be
emerged yesterday afternoon, bearing upon
his head the successor to the hat of his youth,
and strengthened in the belief that ''the
error to be avoided is the higher law which
it is the fashion to defy as the
attribute of the emotions, and which
is claimed to be infailible.' OF course and
if SO, why not, or any other man? The ap-
partition of the new hat deceived many of the
Chevalier's warmest admirers, who failed to
recognize him. Those who did recognize
him were not a little excited, but we are
happy to state that there was no attempt at
i l.