The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-05-31
WHOLE NO. 1891. i.
A Talk with a Dnde.


in the brilliant blaze of the April sun
listlessly buttoning his gloves He was
languid, sombre and inert.
He was narrow-chested, and his legs
were lank and wavering. On his head
was bell-crowned English beaver, with
mourning band two inches wide, and
around his neck he wore q collar of pre-
posterous hight. A drab covert coat.
such as Englishmen wear when riding
to Il ''meet," was buttoned closely about
his far from robust figure. The gar
ment was so short that the ends of his
spike-tailed coat fell far below it, pro-
ducing weird and eerie effect. His
trousers were so tight that the uneven
contour of his legs inspired pity, and his
feet were squeezed into long and mar
row shoes. Over his breast dangled a
single glass and he wore English dogskin
gloves, the color of ripe brick dust. He
held a silver-tipped cane under his arm
and stood with one foot far in advance
of the other. His hat was tipped back
on his head, his hair brushed forward
at the sides, and he displayed evil
dences of vapid mustache But the
most noticeable thing about him was
the expression of his face He meant to
appear naughty. Instead he looked in
SClent.
He was dude.
Presently another youth swung
around the corner He was the counter
part of the first, and their attire was
precisely similar, even to the brick dust
gloves. They approached each other
solemnly and then the new conner drawl-
ed:
How are you, my brave boy?"
"Eh? Oh, l cawn't say as I'm too
brisk, don't chew know? I'm freakish
to-doy."
''You look bit queer
"Yaas. I've been in the eating house
here trying to worry down bit of a
chop with some shandygoff. How are
you?"
''Oh, I'm fine you know / took a
tub this mawning, then tooled mo new
cart up the avenue, and had good APP
petoit for breakfast
..Rathah decent fun"
"Yaas'
''See you at the club later"
Upon which the newcomer, with a
face expressive of great exhaustion am
bled away. The first youth still stood
in front of the hotei and gazed indiffer-
emily about him. For long time he
stood there, while the reporter remain
ed in the background regarding him
with reverential awe and rejecting that
the dude was the only thing in all the
world that had not been interviewed. A
little time passed and thou-
Il beg your pardon said the report.
er.
"'OwP' asked the youth slowly.
Il beg your pardon.
oh said the youtF. and after olanc-
ing casually at the reporter he continued
placidly, Il don't remember to have
met you.
NO, !" said the reporter thoughtfully
while the youth gazed upon him with
immense contempt, ''but | wish to ask
you question or two about matter of
great Importance.
''Oh. you don't say, Rather an artful
idea, I'm sure. What did you wish to
ask about?"
''The dude
The youth started, glanced sharply at
the reporter for an instant, and then re-
sumed the air of indifference as he said,
"Wellr'
''Ihere was widespread rumor down
town that cat chased dude up Fifth
avenue yesterday at sundown.
''Oh, | say" said the youth with q
tranquil smile. ''It's quite too bad don't
chew know, 10 put it upon the-er-aw
dude, y know, loike that. The dudes
not hawf as bad as painted! Chased by
cat-Hawin
mo truth in it at all?n
"Whoy, I'd lay quid to bob any
tonne that it's pure guv," said the
youth, with some animation; ssand I'll
tell you what, he continued, '.the-aw
dude, don't chew know, is wretchedlv
misunderstood"
"What is dude?n
"a dude, answered the youth, Slow
". sis gentleman. A cad can never
be dude. He must not be in trade.
but must have money dare say there
are dudes who have very little mopev.
but then they have blood. y'know. But
the point of the thing is that tta dude is
the mbodiment-er-of the-ab-tri-
umph OF the gentlemen over the cad
lou take what was once known as a
swell, or fop, or dandy, and it was
never absolutely necessary for him to
be a gentleman. The pet particular
god of swelldom was Beau Brummel,
don chew know, and yet he was not a
gentleman, according to our English ac-
ceptatlon of the term. Still, he snubbed
the Prince of Wales"
Would he not have been quite effec-
tive as a dude?''
''By no MEANS" said the youth hast
lily. Don't chew see? He was gorgeous
and oyerdressed, while we-er-that
IS, the dude-is the acme of propriety
and good taste. He wore loud colorS.
padded shoulders, corsets. wigs, snuff
box, and unlimited jewelry, while the
dude wears no jewelry other than ring
and Invariably dresses in dark and quiet
co!ors'
''ls there any fun in being dude?''
10 the yulgaw dude is not impress
sive. The gorgeous swell took the eye
The women worshipped him for the
richness Of his dress and the waitahs in
eating-houses were overpowered; but
the dude is essentially negative He is
not spectacle; he is quiet, self-con-
tanned gentleman. He is refined, and
he is distinguished from common peo-
pie by his manners. In England we
have landed aristocracy; in America
the aristocrats are popularity known as,
dudes, know. A fellah dressed prop
erly and walking quietly on the Strand
Or in Pell Nell is known simply as an
English gentleman; but when he APP
pears in the same attire on Fifth ay'noo
he at once becomes n dude
MAY | ask how long you have been
away from England?'
.1-aw-cawn't say; the fact is have
nevah been in England" !"
"Ah, good day." accenting the
''good."
Good doy,' accenting the 'doy."-
n. Y. San.