Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-23
AN EsTHETIC CONVERT
walks Along Main Street with an I'm
mense Suanower ON His Coat.

Estheticism has triumphed! Last week
number of young ladies appeared at the
theater with lilies and sunfowers on their
bosoms, showing a feeble endeavor TO intro
duce Oscar Wilde-ism in Memphis. The
attempt would have persisted with them had
il not Seen for q band of devoted aesthetics Of
the male sex recently organized here, with
Colonel John Powell as president. A day or
two ago depraved individual met Colonel
Powell in the sheriff's office and offered to
furnish him with large, double-decked sun
flower if he would wear it down Main street
pinned on the lapel of his coat The
colonel, in his enthusiasm, Immediately &C
cepted the proposition Hitherto he had
confined himself to mild tea slipping and the
cultivation of a secret love Tor dafydown-
dillies and sunfowers, and was fast assuming
degree of aesthetic biliousness that rendered
him the envy OF every one with aesthetic SEN
abilities. Here was a chance to show plainly
the message that he had to bear to the social
world. 1t required a man OF nerve to do
the deed, and that is something Of
which the colonel possesses a great deal.
The hour appointed for the trial came, and
a select gathering of faded attar-of-roses in
dividuals met in the sherifi7s Office TO bid
the sew apostle godspeed. An APPEAL
scribe who was lurking around in the devious
ways of the courthouse was attracted by the
signs of preparation, and accordingly made
bold to enfer. Colonel Powell was neatly
attired in a modest suit OF brown, with a
speckled shirt, a poker.dot cravat, and
large collar that escaped from the cravat at
intervals and clamped his neck like rat
trap. He had been presented with new
hat by his friend, Rutherford B. Hayes
Chiles.. His disciples affectionately took
farewell of him, and though he was ashy
pale thore was a set expression on his face
indicating that he meant to go through with
it all. No condemned criminal ever met his
fate more grimly. The APPEAL man felt his
pulse; it stood at 1908.
1t was a large suntiower; and as Colonel
Powell walked down Main street with the
stoicism of an Indian brave, it doomed up
like second sun. The whole street was
soon awake to the fact that etheticism was
rampant, and strutting in the light of day.
The incidents connected with the colonies
pilgrim ge were many and vsrious- He had
hardly gone square before Mrs. O'Flaherty,
of Happy Hollow, met him, and seeing the
supfower, said:
"Arrah, now, Mr.. Powell, and what is that
you be having ON your coat"
"Thats sunfower, madam" said he,
loftily.
"Give it to me. It's for young girls TO
wear, and not such as the loikes Of you
"No, nam; come and see me tomorrow,
when i am done with il, and you shall
have it."
Cries OF "look at the aesthetic, ""here comes
Oscar Wilde" and such expressions met Col
onel Powell wherever he went. He minded
il not.
"What are you wearing that yaller thing
for?" asked friend of his without smiling.
81 am an assignee for beauty. Nobody
else had the nerve to start the movement here
and 1 suppose somebody had to begin it.
The whole town will be wearing 'em in few
days"
Before the colonel reached the White
House, two or three hundred people had
shaken hands with him or questioned him
concerning his conversion to ;estheticism.
When his journey was nearly over and his
triumph was assured, ne was very much re-
lieved, and spoke cut boldly.
"This here esthete racket is good thing,
and the sunfower is all right, but if any
man that I've got a eapias for tackles me
about it, Pm hanged if don't clap him in
Jail"
Aud SO the day was won.