Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-10-26
The New York Swell.

The New York Swell.
A New York letter TO the Washing
ton star says: The society man Of the
present day in New York inspires a
sentiment Of sympathy or pity in the
heart of the casual observer, 50 very un-
/ comfortable does he look in trying TO
be stylish. A man Of fashion some
years ago, when loose garments were
the things TO wear, presented an easy
and breezy appearance, but now he
cannot be stylish without being un-
I comfortable. The terms are synony-
nous. This was brought forcibly to
my mind to-day by the appearance OF
the son Of wealthy Wall street
/ banker. | don't suppose he would care
I if his name was published, as he is
used to seeing it in all of the society
/ papers, and is the acknowledged leader
Of the more exclusive society men Of
| New York, but l won't give
/ it this time. lie has
just returned from England with an
entirely new and absolutely correct
wardrobe, and has already begun 10
F exhibit it. He is short, but fairly well
| formed, and he constantly wears the
I single glass, while his accent astonishcs
Amcr!cans-and Euglhhncn. too. /
/ fear. When ! saw him hcwas coming
around the corner Of Twenty eighth
street into Fifth avenue and the win
. dows Of the swell little Kuickcrhockcr
I club were alive with wcak-lookiug
faces, conyulsiycly holding tho single
/ cycglass, and gazing eagerly at the
+ latcst imported clothes. The Young
man Che is abou, thirty did not walk
easily He had on a pair Of dead black
shoes, with untanncd leather tops.
They were decorated by fancy stripes
along the side II the foot and over the
toe, and were so ahsurdly narrow that
I they looked like doformcd feet, and
rendered the movements Of the young
man FAR from graceful. though
he struggled hard TO preserve appear
anccs. His legs were covered by
pair Of trousers that were simply
amazing, so tight were they cut. II
would almost bc impossible to sit down
without splitting them across the
knee, rs far rs can DO judged from ap-
pcaranccs. They were as tight as eel
skin all the way down. 1tting around
the ankle rs snugly as stocking.
This remarkable expose Of a mans de-
vclopmcnt is not advisable when his
legs are not up to the standard. The
trousers in question were a very light
green with dark stripes Above them
was a vest that stretched from tho
chin to line just even with the hip
bones and was cut straight across. The
vest was Of light material and looked
odd. IL was So extremely short. The
cutaway coat was bottle green and
fitted like a jersey. IL was indeed a
trial Of the tailor's art in one
sense, but IL is far too tight
to be becoming The sleeves were
nearly rs tight as the trous-
crs, and the coat tails were very
long, hanging rs far down behind as
the knee. He wore a collar that Tapped
over in front, and was certainly higher
than any other collar | ever saw in
America. IT forced his chin up in the
air, and caused Che sunlight TO scintil-
late on his single glass. Around the
neck was a green scarf with a hounds
head in diamonds for a pin. Above il
all was one Of the huge English derby
hats with a great curling brim and
heavy crown. lie wore yellow gloves.
and carried a stick with twisted
handle by its lower end. so that the
handle dropped nearly to its feet The
vacant stare completed the effect, and
he elimped along while the others envied
himl This is no ideal sketch. but n
faithful picture of leading society
man in New York in the year of our
Lord 1882.
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