Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
THE COOL EGOTIST.
A Species of Mascnlinity Confined to New
York City.

n species Oh hIascnlluiby SOuhhcu " NoW
York City.
Men of a certain class are confined to
New York. They won't grow any
where else. and there they only flourish
in the first circles. They are exotic
plants, which only come to perfection
in the hot-house | know one of them
possibly as good specimen of the
species as one could find. He is, per-
haps, twenty-four or five-a kind OBJ
server would say eighteen. He doesn't
care about cultivating mustache, it is
commonplace fast becoming vulgar.
There is an air of gentle lassitude about
him-might one say weakness in his
legsP He is always little over.
dressed-a popularity which he out
grows in three OF four years-and al
ways wears some rings-diamonds,
gypsy setting--on his engagement fin.
ger" Whether this is to demonstrate
that he is ''bespoke"-a proclamation
for all spinsters who run to read-or
merely form of exterior decoration,
have never summoned the courage to
| inquire When a girl-a green girl
goes out to dinner, and finds him sit
ting at her right hand-as in nine cases
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 callow
boy. Presently the boy begins to talk,
not eagerly, but rather as if it was ex-
pected of him. Like Annie Laurie, his
voice is low and sweet; at times so low
that she is forced to lean toward him tc
catch his remarks. Then the fun be-
gins.
At first she is piqued by his apparen
indifference. She opens fire, quiverins
vengefully at the thought OF crushing
him Gradually. in some weird, mys
terious way, she feels her hold on thu
conversation gradually slipping away
he turns it, with a firm hand, int
the channel he wishes it tt
be in. She begins to fee
helpless and uncomfortable; she is con
scious that he is making game Of her
she sits uneasily under his glance. ant
wishes dinner was over. The glance
by the way, is superfine article. 1t i
very peculiar glance, wide-eyed ant
unsmling; and, though he stares grea
deal, it is never admiring-speculativ
is the best word to describe it. 1t
coldly speculative, and any thing NOR
disconcerting was never put into tn
, ewes of man. When the girl makes
final struggle for self-assertion itfreeze
her; it fastens on her face and coldl
speculates on every feature. She feel
|, that, while he is gently complimentar
in his remarks, ne is saying to himself
= in the words of Aaron, the Moor, "Of
. what thing it is to be an asst! Bu
with congenial companion, one VIII
knows and makes allowances for h
eccentricitles, he is quite charming. |
: nine cases out of ten he is clever-not
Y heavy, soporific ceverness, but ligh
: attractive style. He can discuss II
t kinds of topics with delicate, evane.
t cent originality; he can be genunel
4 witty at the expense of new star or
. collection of pictures; he lightens h
: talk with an occasional story, not tc
o long, and always slightly high;
d listens extremely well-a rare accon
g plishment-only disconcerting with h
l insistent gaze when he is out OF sort
7 or his companion is not keen enough
take his points. His owes his socl
= success entirely to his cool impuden'
# and unrivaled conceit And can ol
: blame himP He knows he is invulne
h able at dinner; he knows german
Vt would die without him; he knows Il
Z girls yawn themselves to death when
'e Is not there. And what man. KNOWN
this, could help being great and good
n his own eyesP-M. Y Tribune.
"