Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-21
Tine Cool Egotiat.


Men Of a certain class are confined to New
York. They won't grow anywhere else, and
there they only flourish in the first circles.
They are exotic plants, which only come t.
perfection in the dollhouse. l know one of
theDl-possibly, as good specimen of the
species as one could find. He is, perhaps,
twenty-fOur or fve-a kind observer would
say eighteen. He doesn't care about cultiva-
ting mustache. it is Ommonplace-fast be-
coming vulgar. There ia an air OF gentle las
situde about him-might one say weakness
in his legs9 He is always little over
dressed-a popularity which he outgrows in
some rtugs-diamonds, gynsy setting
on his "eDgsgement finger" Whether this is
to demonstrate that he is ''bespoke"-a proc
lamation for all spinsters who run to read
or merely form of exterior decoration. l
have never sum moned the courage to inquire.
When girl-a green girl-goes out to dinner,
and finds him sitting at her right hand, as in
nine oases out Of ten she will find him. she is
at first incensed. She sits brooding sulkilY,
considering herself snubbed in having been
invited to meet a callow boy. Presently the
ooy begins to talk, not eagerly, but rather as
II 1t was expected of him. Like Annie Laurie,
his voice IA low and sweet: at times 30 low
that she is forced to lean toward him to catch
hIsremarks. Then the fun begins.
At first she is piqued by his apparent indif-
ference. She opens fire. quivering vengeful V
at the thought of crushing him. Gradually,
in some weird. mysterious way, she feels her
hold on the conversation slipping away; he
bui us itB WIN q III III manu. lHbO TUG Cuhuut.
he wishes it TO he IN. She begins to feel help
less and uucomtortabl BILE; she is conscious that
he is making game of her; she stirs uneasily
under his glance, and wishes dinner was over.
That glance, by the way, is "A superflne arti-
Gle. 1t is very peculiar glance, wide eyed
and unsmiling; and, though he stares a great
deal, it is never admiring-s speculative is the
best word to descrine it. 1t lie coldly specula-
tive, and anything more disconcerting was
never put into the eyes OF man. When the
girl makes final struggle for self assertion
it freezes her; 1t fastens on her face and coldly
speculates on every feature. She feels that,
while he is gently complimentary in his re-
marks, he is saying to himself, in the words Of
Aaron, the Moor, ION, what a thing it is to
be an ass" But with conRenial companion.
one who knows and m skes allowances for his
little eccentricities, he Is quite charming. In
nine cases out of ten he is clever-not heavy
soporifc cleverness, but light, attractive
style. He can discuss all kinds OF topics with
q delicate, evanescent originalitv; he can be
genuinely witty at the expense Of a new star
or collection of pictures; he lightens his talk
with an occasional story, not too long, and
always slightly high; he listens extremely
well-a rare mplishment-only dIscon-
certing with his insistent gaze whom he is out
of sorts. or his comps niOn ia not keen enough
to take his points, He owes his social success
entirely to his cool Impotence and unrivalled
conceit. And can one blame himp He knows
he is invulDerable at a dinner; he knows ger
mans would lie without him; he knows the
girls yawn themselves to death when he IL
not there. And what man, knowing this,
could help being great and god in his own
ewes?