Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-16
NEW BOW OF THE DUDES.
Bonding the Human Frame Like
Machine.

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Bending the Human Frame Like a
Machine.
NEW YORK, May 1.-THE society bow
this year as practiced by men is amusing
to the easy-gaping outsider, untrammeled
and unimpressed by society observances.
IL is curious how fashion runs to ex-
tremes. The cOurtly, elaborate and era &C.
full bow OF the eighteenth century has
grown more and more abrupt, jerGy and
uneven, until it has reached its present
stage. The proper thing in the way Of
bowling this season would surprise a jig
saw. The society man first comes to a
fun stop and places his heels together,
with the toes almost touching, it being
no longer fashionable to turn the toes out.
Then he resOlutely faces the lady who is
TO receive the bow. drops his hands Imply
TO his side, Strengthens up, and with a
suddenness, born OF innate nerve, the body
is bent forward to an angle. of 40 degrees
and suddenly jerked back into all upright
position AGAIN. The quicker the move
ment the more fashionable the bow. The
head must never, under any circuul-
stances, be bent forward, and the only
movement is from the hips. When tine
body bends forward it is the natural in
clinatiOn of the arms to swing forward,
too. The SOC ETY. man prevents this by
Shaping his hands fiat on the seams of
his trousers, and holding his arms rigidly
in that position. The main element OF the
bow Is swiftness. 1t is apt to leave the
man little flushed; but as this imparts
an agrees ble color To the cheek no fault
can be found with it. The effects rather
odd In dance, but IL is positively gro-
tesuue in ordinary social life.
One night at the opera this season a
rather tall young man was sitting in Mrs.
GeOlet's box, chatting calmly with That
Distinguished leader OF New York society,
and slaring at her through a single glass,
when another tall and slim young man
entered and made another little bow and
sank into another chair. Suddenly Mrs.
Geolet discovered the two men. who sat
with their knees touching, were not ac-
quainted, so she waved her fan and muir
INJURED a gentle introduction. She is an
exceeding graceful woman, and the pan.
tOmIme was distinctly ineligible to the
people in the other boxes, all Of whom
were looking toward the box for some rea-
son or other. After she had introduced
the two men they sat and stared at each
other for moment through their single
glasses and then sprang alOft as though
shot from trap, dropped their four arms
To their sides, made two jerky aud peril
Gus bows. which brought their f0reheads
within "A sixteenth OF an inch of one an
other, and shot abruptly into their seats
again. The whole manmuvre was so
avowed that an inaudible litter went
around the house, but the face of the laly
to whom the two gentlemen were talking
was as serene and unconscious as though
sac had not noticed the comieal and awk-
ward nature OF the whole proceeding.
THE BOW is EQUALLY ABSURD
in drawing room, for the majority of
men do not bow at all when they enter
the door, hut stalk maiestically across
the apartment toward the hostess as
thou h imbued with the idea of running
that lady down. When he arrives within
three or four feet OF her the guest stops,
assumes rigid position, springs forward
and then back in place again with a snap,
and then falls into discretionary aud nat
ural manner.
Tue jack-knlfe bow is only practiced by
society men when they m set ladies. As
though TO even Things up they do not bow
at all 10 men. This particular habit is OF
Englsh origin, and was introduced 10
New York society life by the two iaYorlte
society actors. Kyrle Bellew and Herbert
Kelsey. Mr.. Kelsey recognizes his friends
bY looking at them in dainty Ind dr0oy-
Ing fashion Tor a moment. then slowly
raising his eyebrows aud dropping them
suddenly, averting his gaze at the same
time, The expression OF the face does not
change IN the slightest degree. Mr.. Bel
LEWIS bow is even less Enthusiastically
dem0nstrative than this. He simply eX-
pands the pupil Of the eye, throws a
ginam of welcome thercfrom aud drifts
with e1sminate languor on his geutls
way. New York men Of fashion have
fallen into the habit OF recognizing each
other solely by the eyes and eye Drows. 10
10 perhaps welcome relief from toe Sc
verely aerobatio bow with which they ta-
vOr ladies', and ia sharp contrast to the
local politician WAC casually greets his
friends with graudil0queut wave OF the
hand, stentorian tones and general aspect
OF noisy delight
While speaking OF the manners Of fash.
i0nable New York men, 10 may DO said
that the reserved aud INEXPENSIVE de.
mean0r ia still considered essentially
proper, aud the man whose face is least
expressive is usually considered IN tho
best form. Not that there Is anything
solemn or ill-uatured about IT, the main
object being 20 mimic as nearly rs posi-.
bic the manners ana ways OF the few blass
men OF the world VINO are usually nc.
knowledged models In social manners.
The more material cnarac'eristics OF
society msn are trousers of bailOon-like
proportions, lOng.tail coats, hats WITH SUI
gar-loM crowns, and horn-aandle sticks.
No man IL so unfasn lonable to-day as the
dude. aud a pair Of tight trousers on Fifth
avenue causes u visible shudder 10 pass
along that great thoroughfare, from
Washington square 70 Central Park.
1T Gs2 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
Stop here on Park Row, near tue Hall
OF Records. A never-ceasiDg stream OF hu.
mantty is pouring over the Brooklyn
bridge. The narrow sidewalk is thronged
and scores are climbing the stairways OF
the elevated railroad stations. A knot OF
men faces the sun bulletin board. caa.