The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-06
HAT MAKES THE MAN.
IN THIS COUNTRY ONE MAY WEAR
ANYTHING COMFORTABLE.
But In London One Must Have Ugh AT
or Be Subject to Unpleasant Comments.
Small Shop of q Swell Hatter-Stock In
tho Basement.

But IN LONDON One MusI nave y Ign 'At
or Be Subject to Unpleasant Comments.
Small Shop of a Swell Hatter-stock In
tho Basement.
A mans hat is simple thing in Chica-
60 or any other American city. "Any old
hat" will do, and no one worries himself
much about the material or quality Of his
hats. But the Chicagoan who at home Is
one of one hundred thousand or so wearing
the conventional soft hat finds when he
goes upon the street in London that he is
q marked man. His hat proclaims his ma
tionality as certainly as the sou 'wester
identifies sailor on the coast One sees
about him an array Of silk hats-"top-
pers," in tho slang Of Piccadilly-that il
simply astounding.
No matter how hot or how rainy the day
the topper easily outnumbers every other
form Of headgear-the silk badge Of servi-
tude to the absurd demands of fashion.
One will see among the lower Glasses few
of the conventional round stiff hats known
on this side of the Atlantic as a derby,
and will also see few gentlemen from
across the channel promenading with al
pine straw hats protecting their heads from
the hot sun, but the overwhelming ma
jority of silk hats will arouse suspicion
In the mind of the man with the soft hat
that he is out of line The suspicion wiz
become certainty when he overhears an
irreverent street arab observe to q compan-
ion:
"Hi, AIRY, wotever do you suppose
Buffalo Bill is a-doin ere? Admit card
nothink Of lis comm up be special tryne,
'ad yer? 'E just went pawst-there. i'm
with tho at"
Then the impudent rascal rushes after
the stranger and tries to sell a paper.
"'Ere y are, capting. Oil the lytest
news from 'ome. 'Orrible murder in New
York an terrible ryleroad haxident in Ho-
eye-ol Piper, colonelp Do buy piper,
general. Only penny"
A visit to tho hatter's is almost inevita-
BILE after an experience of this sort, and not
to make any mistake he chooses one of the
Piccadilly shops whose product Is known
all over the United States. Possessing a
vivid mental picture of the extensive prem
Uses of the leading matters at home he is
startled when he squeezes himself into the
London shop. The SWEETEST tradesman in
London, at tho corner of Bond street and
Piccadilly, who is halter to the queen and
the royal family Of England and most Of
Ull0 uODllluy I'll COuUlllcllNtl lLuTOp5 utbS u
floor space about it by 20 feet in area.
There is no long perspective of black wal
NUT glass fronted cabinets, no stretches Of
cloth covered counters, no arrangement Of
carved tables about tho place. The Office
fixtures Of tho average American hat store
of any pretension would pack the English
establishment solid from wall to wall and
floor to ceiling.
In this establishment there are four las
sistants''-not clerks, mind you. "Clarks"
are the young men who do clerical work
about commercial establishments and are
much above shop assistants socially. No
self respecting ''clark" would jeopardize
his standing in his own little circle by as
sociating on equal terms with low down,
mere shop assistant.
AS tho wearer of the despised soft hat
approaches the low counter that separates
the assistants from the customer he Won
ders where the stock is kept. The nearest
assistant braces his hands on the counter,
with his thumbs thrown forward, and fixes
his coldly critical eye upon the offending
hat Without meeting the stranger s
glance, he inquiries:
TAT, sir9"
81 want to see something in stiff hat. !"
"Yessir. Round 'at, sir?'
"Why, just an ordinary derby, you
knows plain stiff hat"
"Yessir. For yourself, sirP"
"Why, of course"
"Yessir. If you're goin to ave at for
everydye use, sir, better ave Ugh at,
sir. It's quite the proper thing, sir. AL
low mo, SIR
He lifts off the strangers hat, slides q
metal tape measure into it, and then put
ting his head under the counter bawls;
''Twenty one sixty four, quarter, five
eighths" If he is asked, he explains that
that is the stock number, the sizo and the
width of brim he wishes to submit for in
spection. There is a rattling, sliding
sound ending in a bump under the coun-
ter, and tho mystery Of the stock is ex-
planned 1t is kept in the basement and
comes up in dumb waiter.
The article he produces is covered with
tissue paper, which lie deftly slides off,
presenting the hat with q flourish and tho
remark, TRY this one sir.
"This seems all right as to fit, but
don't quite like so much bell to the
CROWN
mo, sir Awf m mute, SIR" His head
goes under the counter again. Twenty
three-eleven, quarter, fve-eighths." And
then after moment n different shape is
submitted. "'Ow's that. sirf"
81 still think there's too much bel"
"Lytcst block, sir. -
"I know, but it doesn't quite suit me.
I'd like little straighter crown"
"Sorry we 'aven't such at in stock,
sir. Well be glad to mike you one, sir. -
"Bow long will it take?"
"Abaht fortnight, sir. I'm sure You
like that at there, sir. 1t suits you puff
flckly, SIR
"Well. dunno. 1 suppose if it's the
proper thing I'd better take it. How
much is it?''
"Twenty- three shillin's, sir"
Let's see that's - UNI - So rs. All
right Send the old one to the Victoria. !"
"Yessir, thank you, sir"
And tho stranger passes out into the
Piccadilly crowd no longer mark for i'm
pertinent urchins.
But it really is good thing. 1t is a
sort of official stamp of responsibility and
the sightseer with high hat receives more
courteous treatment from policemen, ush-
ers watchmen, caretakers and others in
public buildings. When the traveller gets
home after having worn his hat daily for
three months, he starts out with it from
force of habit, but quickly discovers that
he is as conspicuous here with it as he was
in London without it, and it is relegated
to the closet shelf, where it remains until
called into service by the marriage or flu
neral of some friend Chicago Tribune.