The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-04-17

II l would call from time to time bo
would keep on the lookout for a berth,
eGc'' and appeared nightly relieved
When bade him good day and closed
MS Office door behind me. Father said
ne would be sure to ask me to STAY to
supper, as he put it, but he didn't. In
fact, he didn't even mention his home
address.
Once on the street rapidly resolved
THIS chilly reception in my mind, and at
the same time the recollection of that
elegantly dressed young fellow came
into my head. Then an idea struck me
like fash of light If / had been as
Wei dressed as the other man would not
all this have been different? The more
thought of it the more convinced T
was that with ninety people in every
hundred the clothes make the man.
This coupled itself with another idea.
A mans social position has more to do
with his business success than his busi-
ness success with his social position
In other words it is easier for a man
with social backing to climb up in busi-
ness than for man in business to climb
up IN social position.
Il drifted along with the crowd. not
noticing where I went, as 1 examined
this proposition from every side till I
brought up suddenly in front of atailor's
window. Then another idea laid hold
OF me-I was prolific in ideas thatd
which finally shaped itself like this:
The pater had given me 500, two new
suits and his blessing with which to
start the world on my own hook. If
my conclusions were correct nv best
chance was to make myself look as
c1tlt1ed as possible. I entered the shop
and asked the price of various things.
but could see from the style of the
man who waited on me that this was not
exactly first-class house and did not
order anything. After knocking about
Tor while l came to another place
where the sign read: Tailor and Draper ;
and no goods were displayed in the win
dow. | knew instinctiyely that my
search was ended and in I went.
The salesman was a dignifed, even
pompous, old chap with Dundreary
whiskers and bald head. He received
me as if had been heir apparent to the
biggest packer in Chicago Well, what
do you suppose did?"
"GiVe it up" replied the reporter, not
only interested but impressed to some
extent by the dudes philosophy.
81 just told him who l was, showed
him my letters and let him read one of
them. then told him the conclusions
had reached, how much ready money
/ had and asked him how the thing
could be managed. 1t was tolerably
callow act, I'll admit, but / just hap
pened to strike the right man,
young SIR" said the pompous party,
solemnly, ''you will succeed. You have
discovered for yourself most important
fact governing the whole social fabric.
Clothes do make the man and on first
impressions most of our success or fail
ure depends
''Before he let me go he had booked
my order for three suits of clothes at
S120 and accepted $50 down, giving me
time on the balance. Under his direc-
tions / bought a hat, pair of Shoes
some collars and ties and other little
things, and ordered copper-plate visit
ing card. By the time l got through l
only had about So left out of my hun
dred, and knew that expenses must be
retrenched. I found room at IS a
month out near Garfield Park. 1 next
took my other ''suit'' and sold it for 81,
though it cost me $50. / then paid my
bill at the hotel and retired to my modest
little room to wait until my new clothes
were ready, the other things having
been delivered meanwhile, and very,
very cheap restaurant supplied the wants
of my inner man during the first year of
my Chicago experience. But to get on
with the story. When my new clothes
came home I arrayed myself carefully
in the better of the two tweed suits, put
on fashionable collar and tie, my new
shoes, which / had meantime broken
in and my new Derby Never was
Solomon in all his glory so thoroughly
well pleased with his personal appear
ance as was with mine when I started
letters through the mail each. accom-
panied by a card. OF course it was
hardly the correct thing to do, but it an
swered my purpose, and when | sent in
the fac simile of the card, 1 received a
warm welcome, two invitations to din
ner, one to lunch right then and there
at Kinsley's, and bid to little in-
formal gathering. the next evening.
Before slept was engaged as clerk by
a large corporation at a salary, to begin
on, of $50 per month, and to-day-whis-
per, my boy-I am engaged to the sec
ond daughter of one of our high officials,
and the clothes did it."
''Sixty month is not particularly
fat salary" suggested the reporter.
''Not absolutely running over with
oil, agreed the dude with laugh, ''but
it's wonderful what lot of things
careful fellow can do with that much
money. During my first year here my
expenses were cut down as much as pos
sible. You see, as soon as got into the
swim kept right along. As had
position, I had no difficulty in per-
suading my friend with the Dundreary's
to let me have dress suit and light
overcoat, which he very decently gave
me at $40 for the two. This left me
owing balance of S13O, which I re-
duced at the rate of S12 month. NY