The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1886-12-09
A DREADFUL SITUATION.
The Experience of "A Young
Man Sent TO buy a Pair
of Charters.
clal0 Belle in Cincinnati Enquirer.

Shopping is essentially feminine
art, and the women ought to attend to
1t themselves, got friend
into an awful lot of trouble recently
by giving him commission. Coming
home from the theatre / became
aware OF something wrong where l
couldn't conveniently get at it. A
part of my standing rigging had work
ed loose, and stocking was slipping
down into lot of miserable, uncom-
Portable folds about my ankle. Of
course | had lost garter. My COM
panion noticed my preoccupied air
and inquired the cause, and when
told him he jokingly inquired if he
was expected to make good all losses
incurred while was under his pro-
tection.As it would be inconvenient to
60 out in the morning, accepted his
suggestion and told him he could get
me pair on his way downtown and
send them up by messenger. The
poor man was visibly agitated, but he
wouldn't back out and rather ruefully
accepted the commission. He had
terrible time the next day. He
thought he would step into Macy's
first, but when he got there his cour-
age began to ooze out. The place
was full Of women, and he thought
they were just waiting for him to
come in and ask for garters. Every
woman who passed him looked at him
as though she knew what he was af-
ter, and was silently laughing at him.
So he weakened and kept on down
town. Finally he sneaked around
corner when he thought nobody was
looking, and furtively lodged into the
door Of small store that seemed to be
a nice, quiet place, and to present pos
sibilities OF garters, judging by the
works of art displayed in the window.
He stepped up to the counter nearest
the door aud told the saleswoman
what he wanted in way that indicat-
ed great haste. l believe he added
that he wanted to catch train.
eve don't keep gents furnishings" !"
she replied.
Then he said he wanted them for a
lady, and she rejoined in her regular
cashmere voice:
"Next to the last counter on the
other side for ladies' garters."
He was the only customer in the
store, and all the clerks were young
} women, but he braced up and started
for the other end of the apartment,
which looked like the perspective of a
prairie railroad. 1t seemed to him
that he never would reach the van
ishing point, with all those girls look
ing at him. He tried to walk firmly,
and OF course tramped like horse
Then he essayed the easy, unconcern-
ed glide, scuffed along like school
boy and caught splinter in the sole
of his boot that caused him to Stun
BILE and lose both his balance and his
self-command. He tried to get his
bearings from the Autographs on the
walls picturing all sorts OF feminine
harness in actiye, service. As the
Autographs began to grow more in
teresting he concluded that he was
: about in the latitude OF garters, and
pulled up at a counter, his face red
and his eyes blurred, and asked the
girl for garters, expecting her to hand
them over forthwith and put an end
to the trouble. Poor little Innocent
3 The young woman smiled coldly and
: said
"What kind, pleasep
Y ''Oh, the best you have" he replied
s painfully conscious that his ears
s were blazing red.
But what style do you want?" she
t rejoined, evidently enjoying his
d plight. He didn't know, as | hadn't
Q given him any specifications, and
l. probably it never before occurred t.,
a him that there could be more thar
d one kind. 1t was useless for him tc
J. attempt to escape. All the clerks
6 were watching him, or seemed to be
l. So he asked what style was generally
t, used, and the clerk proceeded to ex
l, hibit and explain the various styles
e She showed him suspender garters at
ls taehed to a waist belt, dress reform
lr garters, garters that hitch on to tn,
side OF the corset, garters OF every i'm
aginable kind, and when he seemed
: dazed by her descriptions she tool
= : down Autographs and minutely point
= : ed out the way of wearing paten
j stocking harnesses. He was bewild
: I cred and helpless, and gazed at he
- appealingly for help. Atlast he STAN
mered; "What kind do you" bu
= - was checked by an icy "Sir" Thei
- - an inspiration Of genius, born of des
T. :, pair, came to him, and he blurte
= out:
:, "What kind would you be mos
ny l;lrol.. u loono aF -, thn ntrnnA on