Daily Republican., 1884-03-15
THE PLUG HArFEVER.
A Disease Almost ~ Fatal to Young
Men - 10 she Musiacbe Ambi.

Il
A Disease Almost ~ FstaI to Yoaua
Men - IL she Musiacbe Ambi
tlon.
Peok's Sun.
Have you ever been attacked will
the plug hat fever ?" asked an old gen
tleman the other evening, and, with
out waiting for reply, went on
to relate his own experiences, and
to tell the result of his own 0bserva
tons
81 never knew Of young man who,
when he had reached an age between
IS and %, but what he had the plug hal
fever to a greater or less severity. He
will suffer great deal too, before II
fairly breaks out, and he gets shiny
tile on his head. Then he suffers 80.
verely for several days after he gets the
hat, and IL cOnceited enough to believe
the eyes of the whole world are upon
him. He will wish for the first day OF
two he hadn't got 1t, and then again
he'll pluck up grit enough to wear It in
spite Of everything.
Next to the rnustache ambition, the
plug hat fever strikes to the very vitals.
The first symptoms Of the fever makes
it, presence known by the victim visit.
ing some hat store, and trying on half
dozen silk hats, and looking ad-
miringly ut himself in q mirror. He
will put 1t on square, then cock IL over
to the right side. then hang 1t on his
left ear, and smiles with satisfaction at
the image OF himself under the hat in
the mirror. A young calf under new
shed could not feel prouder Of itself
than the young man with goose
down on his upper lip, when he first
beaolds his manly brow in lookins
glass, supporting shiny silk hat. It's
too overcoming for anything, and in
great many instances 1t IL more over
coming than becoming. But then they
must have 'am no matter about the ex-
pense. Finally the hat is purchased.
put in hat box and conveyed to the
young mans room with the greatest of
care and fond expectations Of the man
illness 1t will give the wearer in the near
future.
For . week, maybe, he will exer.
else the hat by wearing 1t in his room
for few hours every morning FL
nally he gets his courage to proper
pitch, and On an suspicious Sunday
evening starts for church with the hat
nicely setting on the top of his head.
He knew he would attract attention,
and the first street urchin he meets
calls attention to 1t by shouting shoot
the hat. Now, how did that young
come to notice anything new
or novel about the hat? 1t IL easily
explained.
When q man wears plug hat on the
street for the first time he gives him.
,elf away by his I'm-on.dress. parade
air. He will walk as carefully az
though trying to balance a pail Of
water on his head and expecting every
that it will tip off and douse
him. 1t don't squeak like new shoe
10 attract attention, but 1t stiffens up
The spine IN an unusual and unnatural
legree. 1t takes several public appear
lnces in the new plug to again timber
up the spine to its normal condition.
Arriving at church the young man
lesitates for an instant about going in,
cut remembering an appointment to see
! young lady home, he braces up, stiflly
holds the determined to. attra act atten-
ion silk hat over his right forearm, he
swsars vengence on the usher
who Frances him up to the front pew in
he centre of the church for no other
purpose than TO call attention, in his
mind, to the new plug. Eight out Of
on first time-I- wore.a-plug hat young
nen will herome 80 agitated that in
teah of r'i'>ng the hat on the floor out
If thew viii place 1t on the seat anu
orget VI" remove 1t when the usher
hcwS - inc one else in for the sole pur-
,os", in lis mind, of having them sit on
I - wreck it.
lisa good thing to have the first
,lug wrecked in this way, because the
lrst. hat has got to be wrecked and is
done by some kind friend who
lips up behind, jams 1t down over your
yes and Is away before you fairly I'M
lerstand that brick block hasn't tum-
lied on to you. A plug hat is probably
he most dressy hat, but heavens how
man suffers when the fever first fully
evelops itself to head.
Just as the story was finished q young
elbow with skin-tight pants, tooth
lick shoes, arms curved so as to make
is body look as though it was in a
with pipe-stem cane in
be fingers of his right hand, and
hiny, latest loud style of plug hat put
n his head, passed Poor fellow"
tho old man az he passed up to
he hotel, "if he only had brains enough
, cover tho point ola cambria needle
Is hat would be quite becoming. Theyl
il get the fever though, regardless Of
rains"