Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-09-08
The Vanity Of Men.
n Francisco Daily Alta.

San Francisco Daily Alta.
"Who buys them p asked repor-
ter in Kearney street notion" shop,
pointing to lot of tiny pocket mir
rors, with nail-cleaners, toothpick
and comb, all complete.
Il suppose you think the ladies are
our best customers said the "no-
ton man, 'but it is not so. Men,
sir-vain men-are' the pickers-up of
these unconsidered trihesv
Pretty men 7" inquired the repor-
ter.
The salesman grinned. at don't
matter much how they look, he said,
whether they are apes or Apollos
they want a pocket mirror all the
same. They retire every hour or so
to some secret place to admire them
selves. Talk of vanity of women
Indeed 1t pales, sir it fades away
into insignificance by comparison with
the admiration the majority of men
have for their own mugs"
Gould you mention--not for pub
lication, of course, but for individual
satisfaction names of some of
these purchasers?
The notion man looked grave. 81
could not give away the secrets of my
prison house, he said, solemnly. II
never trust newspaper man, and in
the present regard / hold the conf
dence these gentlemen have reposed
in me as sacred Why, there are
some half dozen who, entertaining
great respect for my critical judg-
ment of physical beauty. step in here
every day to inquire how they are
looking. Then it is, Am pale to-
day, Jim r or 'Doyou think my color
is too high, Jim p or That left eye
brow is growing triae heavy don't
you think I'd better have it trimmed
off bit?' If ! say your color is too
high, my friend is off to the barber's
for dab of powder, or but this is a
dead secret we accommodate him in
this shop. If he is too pale we tinge
him up. It's wonderful, positively
wonderful Now, the ugliest men are
the toughest. If there is the slight
est blemish in a pocket mirror, they
won't take it, because, forsooth it
may not faithfully reproduce their
bright, pearl beauty"
but there are different degrees of
vanity among these male beauties, are
there not?"
mo, sir there is but one degree
and that is the superlative, but there
are different degrees Of candor.-
Some are modest and will declare that
their moustaches or beard are always
getting tangled Now, there's good
looking blonde railroad agent on
Montgomery street who bought six
by-four mirror from me the other day,
which he keeps in his breast pocket.
He is glutton about his personal
beauty. he is but real estate man,
a fair, stout young person, whose
office is near him, has found out that
he has this glass and begs the loan of
1t dozen times day.
Then, as a matter of fact, you
have more customers among gentle
men for those pretty little articles
than among the other sex 20
Five to one, sir; the percentage of
those who carry pocket-mirrors is
small among ladies, but eight out of
every dozen men have one slowed
away in the vest pocket. "Why," :"
continued the notion man, 'some big,
smirking fellows-business men
have come in here and asked me if
could teach them how to blush. Just
think of it Fellows in the forties,
sir, who have not known a blush for
twenty years, believe it would be be-
coming to them if they could flush up
like a moss rose when a girl glances
at them The ancient rounder got
hold of the secret and made all the
rest hopping mad to learn it. You
won't give it away Well, when he
wanted to blush he'd jab pin into
bis leg and keep his mouth shut"
what did the mouth hare to do
with it ~
Because the pin would make him
feel like swearing and keeping back
the blasphemy was the effort that
suffused his cheek. That's the true
business, s'help me. Do you want to
look at any nice pocket-combs today
/ No. Then excuse me, for here's a
dude that does," and the philosopher
resumed his professional air and ad.
vanced on the customer with inter
laced fingers and acaptivating smile.
"HERE LIES "-"Yes, y said an old