The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-06-21
a Talk with q Dude.

a@-.n@34
A Talk with Dude.
AT high noon youth emerged from
the Brunswick and stood for moment
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 a collar of pre-
posterous hight. A drab covert coat,
such as Englishmen wear when riding
to meet" was buttoned closely about
his far from robust figure. The gar
ment was so short that tho 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 q
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
solent.
He was a dude.
Presently another youth swung
around tho corner. He was the counter
part of the first, and their attire was
precisely similar, even to tho brick dust
gloves. They approached each othel
solemnly and then the newcomer drawl-
ed:
''How are you, my brave boyp'
''EhP Oh, 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 tho eating house
here trying to worry down bit of
chop with some shandygoff. How are
youP"
"Oh, I'm fine you know. 1 took
tub this mawning, then fooled me now
cart up the avenue, and had Il good ap-
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 hotel and gazed indiffer-
emily about him. For long time he
stood there, while the reporter remain
ed in the background regarding him
with reverontial awo and roflecting that
the dude was tho only thing in all the
world that had not been interviewed. A
little time passed and then"
II beg your pardon" said tho report
er.
"'OwP" asked the youth slowly,
II beg your pardon"
''Oh," said the youth and after glano-
ing casually at tho reporter he continued
placidly, II don't remember to have
met you"
NO" said tho reporter thoughtfully
while the youth gazed upon him with
immense contempt, "but wish to ask
you a question or two about a matter OF
great Importance.
"Oh, you don't sayi Rather On artful
idea, I'm sure. What did you wish to
ask aboutp"
Tho dude
The youth started, glanced sharply at
the reporter for an instant, and then re-
sumed tho air of indifference as he said,
''Wellr
There was widespread rumor down
town that cat chased dude up Fifth
avenue yesterday at sundown.
'Oh, / say" said tho youth with q
tranquil smile '"It's quito too bad don't
chew know, TO put it upon the-er-aw
dude, y'know loike that The dudes
not hawf as bad as painted! Chased by
q cat-Hawr'
''No truth in it at allP"-
"Whoy, I'd lay d quid to bob any
tonne that it's pure guy," said tho
youth, with some animation; land I'll
tell you what" he continued, "the-aw
dude, don't chow know, is Vretchedly
misunderstood. "
What is dude?'
"a dude" answered the youth, slow
Iy, ais a gentleman A cad can never
be dude. He must not be in trade.
but must have money. Idare say there
arc dudes who havo worry little money,
but then they have blood, y'know. But
the point of tho thing is that tho dude is
the embodiment-er-of the-ah-tri-
umph of the gentlemen over the cad
You take what was once known as q
swell, or fop, or dandy, and it was
never absolutely necessary for him to
bo q gentleman. The pet particular
god OF swelldom was Bcau Brummel,
don't chew know, and yet he was not O
gentleman, according to our English ac
ceptation of the term. Still, he snubbeC
the Prince of Wales"
"Would he not have been quite effeo
tive as dudee'
"By no Means" said the youth hast
iiy. "Don't chew see? Ho was gorgeous
and overdressed, whilo we-er-tha
is, the dude-is the acmo of proprietJ
and good taste. He wore loud colors
padded shoulders, corsets, wigs, snui
box, and unlimited jewelry, while th'
dude wears no jewclry other than n rims
and invariably dresses in dark and quie
colors."
"Is thero any fun in being dudeP'
ITO the vulgaw dudo is not impress
sive. The gorgeous swell took the eye
The women worshipped him for tn
richness of his dress and the waitahs il
eating-houses were overpowered; bu
tho dude is essentially negative. He
not a spectacle; he is n quiet, self-con
tanned gentleman. He is refined, anC
he is distinguished from common peo
pie by his ,mannors. In England W
hsve a landed aristocracy; in Americ
the aristocrats are popularly known n
dudes, y'know. A fellah dressed prop
erly and walking quietly on tho Stran'
or.in Pcll Nell is known simply as a
English gentleman; but when he ar
pears in tho same attire on Fifth av'no
he at once becomes 4 dude"
May ask how long you have bee
away from EnglandP"
"f-aw-cawn't say; tho fact is 1 hav
nevah been in England"
"Ah! good day." accenting tn
''good."
"Good doy," accenting the "doy."-
N. Y Sun.