Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-30


stood though not SO easily defined are to
him indispensable, and these he must be
born with in a great degree. though OF course
they are susceptible of cultivation. The beau
as type has existed and been recognized as
such in all ages, nor has he altered much save
in the more outward expression of Dress from
epoch to epoch. What he is now he was a Gen.
fury ago in the days of Beau Brummell; in the
middle ages with snowy shield and the fancy
armor OF the warrior exquisite; swelling along
the streets of ancient Rome in gauds Of cos
tune borrowed from the luxurious Greeks,
MASKING fair Egyptian damsel in the shadow
OK the palace Of Rameses the Great thirty-five
centuries ago; parading the fashionable thor
oughfare OF mighty Babylon in the height Of
its wonderful civilization. and doubtless prac-
ticing his agreeable wiles upon the prehistoric
maiden of the river-drift deposits, whose affec-
tons he was accustomed to finally subjugate
by knocking her down with club as q pre-
lminary to carrying her off to his cave for the
honeymoon. 1t must be admitted that the
typical beau has improved in the refinement OF
bis social methods since that early period"
THE WASHINGTON TYPE.
'The Washington type of BEAU presume"
said writer for The STAR, fairly repre-
sents the most advanced develo pment Of the
species?"
perhaps" responded the society man.
Prom my observation OF successful beaux in
Washington may venture to tell how to be
one In society here. To begin with il you
possess no atfectation of your own assume one
II only for the sake of exciting attention. 1t
may be merely your eccentric way of training
your mustache, or your manner Of saving
'aw-'aw between the remarks you utter but
at all hazards, you must not remain unob-
served When you enter room people who
do not know you must whisper to one another
who ia thatY Some persons NAV laugh at
you, but to that you are Indifferent so long as
you succeed in establishing distinct social
identity. which is the first point requisite to
becoming a beau.
In a general way your manner must be in
tensely languid. You must be invariably late
at entertainments to which you are invited
even at dinner parties. Formerly il was con-
sidered that man who was late at dinner COM
united the objectionable social sin, but nova
days things are viewed differently. The So
ciety man who manifests the greatest indiffer-
ence to the comfort and convenience of his
host and fellow guest is considered the person
best worth oeing civil to- inasmuch as the atti-
tude he assumes predicates a corresponding
worth. 1.-The assumes such an attitude Of indie
pendence, surely there must be some reason
for 1t. Accordingly, he should be and is cult
waited. The ruder he is to the people who are
civil to him the more invitations he receives
and this is as it ought to be. For leaving
party early you should give the same
excuse II any, as that offered by
Charles Lamb when he arrived belated
at his desk in the East India service. Il came
late, you know said genial Ella. At all events
you do not stay long, for it is not well that you
should render yourself common. Dance spar
ingly for the same reason. All the girls are
presumably dying to have You ask them for
turn, and by exhibiting judicious reluctance
to indulge their fancy III this regard YOU rem
a 6osir la oh
partner. II you dance at all select the rich
girls-those who are notoriousiy such-and the
young married women. The latter are the
most attractive of the women in society, and
there isa certain eclat arising from any scan
DIAL, however baseless, which may connect your
name with any OF theirs. You have nothing to
lose in such case, and it is the duty OF their
husbands, lot yours. to take care Of their rep
utations. At the same time you will not dis
dain to engage yourself even as q partner In
the german with a bud who is really and truly
recognized such.
MUST KNOW LITTLE.
"And, by the way, il you would be Q beau it
is not good form at all to be well informed
The thing at present is to know little or moth
ing about anything. Fashion does control in
more or less degree the requisites OF the dandy.
Julius Cesar, the greatest beau that ever lived.
was the greatest man of his or any other age
A century ago that prince Of exquisites, Count
DOrsay, was recognized man of talents
which would have elevated him to eminence
in art, literature or politics had he not pre-
ferred to achieve distinction as a dude Wal
pole and Chesterfield we're not lesS the howl
INCEST of swells for being at the same time
statesmen and litterateurs. But now. at all
events in Washington: the style is different,
possibly in q measure by reason of British in
fuonce. or facts in general you should be al
most profoundly ignorant. Most facts are pub
lished in newspapers, you know, and they are
hopelessly vulgar. Even Of persons 1t is not
desirable that you should know too much: 40
many queer people are getting into society by
one means or another, don't You see? 1t serves
very well that you should half close your ewes
and, languidly indicating some individual of
real Importance at an entertainment, saw: DO
tell me who is thatf' You may not know who
ladies are that you meet at parties, but you
must always know who they were before they
we're married.
AVOID ECcENTRIcrTY IN DRESS.
Remember if you would be a real bowling
thoroughbred swell never to wear anything
that can possibly attract attention. Any eccen-
tricity that you may assume must not be IN the
way OF dress. Permit me to lay emphasis upon
the fact that in your character Of beau you
should never permit yourself to be spoken Of
as intimate with any man. Be not Intimate
with any one, except it be with the husband Of
the lady you are rushing ! cannot lay too
much stress upon the desrableness of having
your name associated by gossip with that OF at
least one young married woman, and il mali
cious persons credit you with deluding the
husband it is an additional feather in your cap.
IL the thing can be arranged without too much
difficulty and danger, give occasion for one or
two divorce suits and your prestige Is estab-
lished on a permanent basis. Best Of all, il il
| IL possible to manage, angle for the heart of a
millionaire girl, play with her affections and
finally shake her of in such q manner that
every one will know of it. OF course this sup
poses that you do not want to capture tho mil
lionaire girls millions. II you are poor the
case is different.
WORD ABOUT RICH oIRLs.
For my own part l have always thought
that the man who marries millionaire girl
makes a great mistake. A things 60 in this
country she il more likely than not TO have
not cent OF her own, though her father mar
be very Crasus. To indicate that you antic-
ipAte dot with the young woman 10 to invite
dismissal with the foot Of the old gentleman
and accusations OF fortune hunting on ever
side. When one of these American nouveaux
riches gives his daughter 70 Q young man he
takes 1t 90 matter OF course that he shall sup
port her without cents worth Of help, even
| although he may be t20-a-wesk clerk in one
| OF the departments. Could anything be more
| absurd 30 in almost any case it 10 best 70
cape the obloquy that attaches to the man who
10 believed to have married for money shd
which in his instance IL not apt TO be oompsn-
sated Tor by any money advantage. Al all
events, II papa has any cash to bestoW it % ant
to be kept out OF his hands, though he may ob-
tain small allowance for his wife. A for my.
sell would never marry Q rich girl or Q soci.