National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-14
White or BLACK NeeIfies-

To the Editor Of The National Republican:
The undersigned having had occasion recently
to attend formal affair" in the Monumental
City" presented himself before his hosts bedecked
in the inevitable white necktie. Observing with
some degree of surprise that we were the embar-
RAISING cynOsure of all eyes, and apparently OBJ
jects of much curiosity and CONSERVATION to our
Baltimore friends. enc of our hosts was quietly
calledas by us and solicited for explanation of
the seeming mystery. Patting us gently on the
shoulder, and with mingled expression of COM
miseration and disdain. he exclaimed:
My deah fellahs, your ties are not en- Tegte, you
know by Jove, they're not. Aw, weally, had
your faces, aw, been concwealed from view, I'd
ave taken you for some of the gdTcORs; aw, pom
my word, 1 would weakly" and hereupon he
patted us again eompassionately, and pointing in
sinuatingly to one of the d0maetiques, who was
then announcing the arrival of a tardy guest
silently withdrew, while we, mechanical direct,
ing gaze to the point indicated by our faeetious
host. shuddered and realized the truth and JUST ce
of his cruel remarks, to say nothing OF the awk-
wardness of our position, as our tear-bedlmmed
eyes rested upon the now to us repulSive lrhte tie
which adorned the apOplectic-like neck OF the
lnqudis to whom our attention had been called.
Shortly after this unfortunate event, and with
the view to avoid being caught again IN so EN-,
barrasSing predicament, we instituted careful
and diligent inquiries as TO what was en- regte in
the matter, and learned, from what we are modest
enough to believe the very best authority that So
cietyS latest decree with regard to ties IS that Tor
gr0nde paT1lre formal affair" they should be
black, III order not to assimilate or conflict with
those (white( now so universally indulged in by
walters lackeys, TO whose toilets the white neck
ties had some time since been releSated.
In view of this information, and being fully
cogniZant of the seemingly incredulOuS fact that
Washington at the soonest is not less than whole
year behind the beuu monde i'll its adoption of the
modes, we concluded that its dictunl as to what is
and what is not reglc not the safest or best
to be guided by, and at the most faulty, and hence
that we had innOcently committed an eSreg1ous
error in appearing at the affair above referred to
in trltite neckte in accordance with such dictlnR
1t seems, however, that we are are adrih and at
again, for on glancing over last Sundays issue
of the Herald the following meets our eye:
"SOme curiosity is felt to know whether the two
young gentlemen who appeared at Marini's Hall
Wednesday eveningin black neckties thought they
were at kindergarten. If the Bachelors German
is not, the society of Washington will be at loss
to understand what is formal affair"
This insinuates, as will be observed that bldck
neckties are not en- Tegle for - formal affairs.
Or is it that we are to be governed i'll such mat
tiers las would seem to be the caSe) by the custom
or fashion of each particular place?
viii you, Mr.. Editor, induce some authority in
such matters to step forward and settle beyond
cayil the mooted and much perplexing question,
so that there may be no uncertainty i'll the minds
of those gentlemen who contemplate participating
in the inaugural ball as to whether black or q
white necktie is en- reele for such formal affair?