Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03
CURRENT CHAT IN PARIS.
Removing the Hat I'm Bowling to Be . d
cartled Practice

the actual beginning of a revolution in social
and polite affairs. There have been threats of
reform and change in many social customs.
and We have had it upon the tapis at sundry
times to do away with several exceedingly fool
ish and awkward ceremonies in vogue between
the refined members Of what is gracefully ad.
United to be society"
And there has been no habit more senseless
and with less raison d'etre than that of gem
tleman removing his hat from his head upon
every meeting with female acquaintance
Heaven only knows where such stupid and
such an awkward act received its origin. It has
arbitrarily controlled the men and supposed to
rank as mark of the gentleman for as many
years back as history extends. despite the colds
1t has caused, the bald heads it has exposed and
the infinite trouble and embarrassment it is
said to have caused BY giving to the winds
badly attached toupees that disappeared around
one corner while their discounted owners took
refuge from the streets laughter around
another.
So now it is said we are to do awav with this
sort OF thing and the sensible and simple sub
stltute that prevails in oriental countries is to
be adopted. That mode consists in placing the
right hand impressively over the heart and
bending the head slightly forward. SO as to
make noticeable but not extravagant obei-
sance.
Progress has been made in this reform to
such an extent that many gentlemen now lust
touch the brim of the hat a la militaire when
meeting lady, ard it is accepted as being
good form.
DINNERS TO BE EARLIER.
In connection with this movement it should
be noted that fashionable London. which for a
long time past has made its dinner hour later
and later. until it finishes its evening meal
about the time when ordinary mortals are Or
derlng their after theater supper, is about to
be reformed in this respect if the efforts of his
royal highness, the Prince of Wales are of any
avail. 1t was said little while ago that the
prince would make his dinner hour o'clock
instead CT Eaf-past or later, as has been his Gus
tom hltherto but with the dawning of the new
year he has resolved to anticipate the meal bv
another half hour and he will go to the sale a
manGer rs soon the hands or the clock soiat
to hilf-past 7, thus bringing his meal nearer to
the hour which he observes when he visits this
city and enabling him 10 go to the theater with
a good deal less Inconvenience than the method
he has hitherto followed allowed him.
This earlier dinner vii necessitate the prac-
teal elimination of meal which has Of late
years grown to be part of the days economy
This is what is known az lie four O'clock"
which is English kettledrum or afternoon tea.
1t used to be simply n cup of tea with bis
cult or scrap of cake, but of late years in ad-
dition to these kickshaws dish after dish has
been added to the growing list by the fashion
able world until the lightest of possible refec-
tons took on the bloated and important APP
pearance OF full grown meal and the table
upon which only delicate china and APOSTLE
spoons gracefully reposed in company with
the steaming tea pot under the harmful and
most unnecessary if rather pretty tea caddv
and the dainty cake basket literally groaned
under the weight of the dishes which were
gradually made to cucumber it.
1t was the extension of the dimensions of the
afternoon tea which caused the recession of
the dinner hour, and it is now expected that if
the 1880 dinner prevails kettiedrum will once
more resume her pristine simplicity.
Meanwhile 1t must be noted that the fashion
able people have not shown any alacrity in
following the lead of the Prince de GALES.
SALAD FAMINE IN PARIS
There is a salad famine here and the true
Partisan is in the throes of an awful depriva-
ton. Lettuce is looked upon as silver; water
cress and dandelion are worth their weights in
gold. while celery ard leeks are simply pro-
hibitive. The prices prevailing during the
selge we're bon marche compared to those that
now stare the appalled, and ravenous Frenchman
in the face There is one desirable feature in
famine. however, it will compel the resource
ful restaurateur to invent new devices for de-
ceiYing the palate o: his diner and induce him
to imagine salad in the oiled and macerated
remnants of the first or only green material
that may come to hand. This holiday season
is fruitful in greens of great variety and if the
willy Frenchmitn cannot find palatable dose
among them of somethn. very nearly ap-
preaching the famine-stricken articles then he
has lost his Witness.
THE QUEENS GIFTS.
This is the season at which presents are made
by the rich to their poorer brethren, when
good wishes gentle deeds reciprocate," and
when gifts are thought Of foremost in this good
work is her majesty the queen. who at this sea-
son always makes large donation to those of
Windsor who are not well off. This takes of
the form OF beef and Goals and during the hol-
days which have just passed joints of beef of
from three to seven pounds weight have been |
distributed. the size varying in accordance
with the number of those who constitute the |
family The total weight Of these joints was {, |
ton and half.
The other half of the gift, consisting of coal,
Is delivered at the houses of the recipients, 80 |
many sacks per family, and in this way sixty |
TONS have been distributed. The money value |
Of these two items for Windsor alone il $500
BARON RoTnscuLD's FANCY.
Baron Ro'hschiid has curious fancy in re-
gard to his New Year presents He has a |
special regard for the drivers Of the omnibuses |
and the men who are doomed to sit without |
any shelter at all. subject to all the atmos- |
pharic changes, on the top of these cumbersome |
vehicles. wrapped round in thick rugs. The |
baron lives in Piccadilly and hundreds of |
buses pass his door every day bound for |
the western portions of the city as well as the |
suburbs He accordingly selects these ''buss-
men IOr inc ckniDitiOn OF MS generosity, and |
ne sends a brace of pheasants to each of them, |
who thus are enabled to enjoy delicacy which |
would otherwise be quite beyond their means |
In this way he distributes about. thousand |
birds.
ANOTHER WAY.
Mr.. Shoobred of coachng-club fame also has |
/ regard for these drivers of the public vehi-
lies, but his generosity has another way of |
showing itself. He gives to the men themselves |
The right of procuring what they want and |
furnishes each of them with five shiliings.
This Is his method of acknowledging the in
diligence shown by the 'busmen of piccadllv to |
the four-in-hand during the coac hing season.
] he British parliament has had made for it in
The past the clam that it could do ANYTHING
xceptlng convert q woman into a man. This
has heretofore been accepted rs the solitary
and rnaccoElplishable feat to that
iugust body. Fable or tradition tells us that |
This remarkable act Was done upon one occa-
,ioa by the pontifical college in the person of \
Ine Of the Pope Johns, but tina. has always been
aiken cum graUs sails.
HITHERTO DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.
1t has remained for the high court of Am
'terdam to do what no other body of human
beings has reliably done before And the high
court has done it by deciding that all officials
md public servants shall take their oath OF
allegiance. not to Queen Wilhelmina but to King
" llhelmina- This extraordinary and physic-
My revolutionary decision has caused a small
'yc!one OF indignation. The women are all up
m arms and denounce the act rs an outrage
md as another blow at long-sufferirg sex.
! he press has taken mp the cry and calls sad
attention to the lack Of common sense in the
hing and talks with frightful plainness about
The density OF lawmakers who cannot tell n