Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-05-22

Az n1ah noon youth emerged mon
| the Brunswick snd stood for momeu
in the brilliant bla-s Of the April SUI
listlessiy butfonin9 his gloves He va
langaid. sounber and inert.
Up and down Fifth avenue the stages
rEmhled and Foared aud the carrisee.
vhirlsi. 1he doors OF the ho.e, slam
med lneessaasls, brightly dressed vogrs n
trIpped by, men strobe brissly TO aud
fro, laughing nurse maids led groups Of
frclicsolae children .nsard the Park.
ard even the cakmtn whis,led and SANG
as they went sboa. their work. IL was
cheerful seems
This youth did not seem interested IN
anything. Men who passed glanced at
him somewhat contsn p.nnasly, az with
paipible sneers. women locked admir-
ingiy.
tie was narrow shssi.sd and ms les
were lank and waveTinc. On his hesd
IVES bell-crovned English beaver. with
a mourning band Two inches wide. and
around his neck he wore a collar of PRE-
posieroCs hight. A drab covert coat.
such as Englishmen wear when riding
10 inset, WAS buttoned closely about
his far from robust figure. The garment
vas 50 short that the ends of his spike
tailed coat fell far below il. producing a
weird and eerie effect. His trousers wer,
so tight that the uneven co. tour OF his
legs inspired pity, and his feet were
squeezed into long and narrow shoes.
Over his breast dangied a single glass.
and Re wore English dogskin gloves. the
color of ripe brickdust. He held silver
tipped cane under his arm, and stood
with one foot far in advance of the
other. His hat was tipped buck on his
head. his hair brushed forward AT the
sides, and be displayed evidences of A
vap.d mustache. But the NEST Yoticea-
BILE thing about him was the expression
OF his face: he meant 10 appear naughty.
Instead, he looked insolent.
He was dude.
Presently another Youth swung around
the corner. He was the coun.erpart of
the first, and their attire WAS precisely
similar, even to the brickdus, gloves.
They approached each other solemnly.
ana then the new conner drawied:
How are you, my brave boyy"
Ehf Ol, / caynt SAY as I'm too
brisk, doat Chew You. I'm freakish to-
doy."
You looh bit queer"
faas. I've been in the eating house
here trying to worry down n bit of a
chop with some shandygatf. How are
your
"Oh, I'm fine, you know. took
tub { Is mswning, then fooled me new
cart up the avenue, and had good APP
pstoit for breakfast"
Rathah decent fun"
"faas,"
SEQ you at the club later"
Upon which the new conner. with q
face expressive of great exhaustion, am
bled away. Tho first youth still stood
IN front of the hotel and gazed indif-
ferentsy about him. For long time he
stood there, while the reporter remained
IN the background regarding him with
reyerent awe and rejecting that the dude
was the only thing in all tho world that
had not been interviewed. A little time
passed and then
Il beg your pardon" said the ye-
porter.
"Owf" asked the youth. slowly.
Z" beg your pardon"
"Oh," said the youth: and after glanc-
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 l wish to ask
you question or two about a 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
Iha ,rka 60 ID
sumed the DIR of indifference as he said
. WellI"
"There is widespread ruu,or down
Town that a cat chased dude up Fifth
avenue yesterday at shutdown
"Oh, say" said the youth, with
smile. Its quite too bad, don't
chew you know. to put it upon the-er--
y know, loike that. The dudes
not hawf as bad as painted. Chased by
. cat-hawr'
mo truth ia it at allf"
"Whoy, I'd lay quid to bob any
.oime that it's pure guy" said the
youth, with some animation; land I'll
ell you what" he continued, "the--aw
dude, don't chew you know, il wretch
sdly misunderstood"
"What is dude9"
I" A dude" answered the youth, slow
y, "is a gentleman. A cad can never
De dude. He must not be in trade, but
must have money. dare say there are
dudes who have very little money, but |
hen they have blood, y'know. But the |
point of the thing is that the dude il |
he embodiment r of the-ah--tri- |
lmph of the gentleman over the cad. !
You take what WIS once known as a |
swell, or fop, or dandy, and il was |
never absolutely necessary for him to |
DO a gentleman. The pet, particular |
god of swelldom, was Beau Brummel,
don't chew you know, and yet he was
not a gentleman according TO our Eng
lish acceptation of the term. Still he
the Prince of Wales"
Would he not have been quite "a ef-
fective as a dude?'
"By no MEANS" said the youth. hast. |
lily. Don't chew see? He was gor.
geous and over-dressed. while we-er-
that is, the dude-is the acme Of pro-
priety and good taste. He wore loud
colors, padded shoulders, corsets, wigs,
snuff box and unlimited jewelry, while
The dude wears no iewelry other than |
ring, and invariably dresses in dark and
quiet colors."
Is there any fun in being q dudoV'
"To the vulgaw dude is not impress
sive. The gorgeous swell took the eye. |
fhe women worshipped him for the
of his dress and the waitahs
in eating houses were oyerpowered: but |
he dude is essentially negative. He Is
not a spectacle; he Is quiet, self
contained gentleman. He is refined, |
and he is distinguished from common
people by his manners. In England
We have landed aristocracy; in Amer
ica the aristocrats are popularity known
~ dudes, y'now. A fellah dressed prop
srly and walking quietly on the Strand
Dr. in Pell Nell il known simply a. an
English gentleman; but when he ap-
pears in the same attire on Fifth av'n0O |
ne at once becomes dude"
MAY I ask how long you have been
away from Englandy
"1-aw-cavn't say; the fact is, have
nevah been in England"
All. good day." acoenting the word
good"
GOOD doy," accounting the "dsy."
WHAT DURANGO WANTS.