Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-11
HE WEARS A VEIL.
A New York Man Says it is Habit
With Many Advantages.

Goold Hoyt, who wears a veil,
dressed to attend the Westchester
horse show in symphonies of colors
how blue, then green, or brown.
He has in black the air of Phillip H.,
in lavender the gentleness of a page.
Yesterday his dress, from his socks
to his hat, ran the scales of gray, from
slate to dove. But his veil is always
green. His veil, it is evident, is not
an integral part Of his costume, but
an adjunct, like his umbrella, which
he discards not only when the night
falls, but wherever he wishes. 1t is
made of sewing silk, or barege, and
covers the nape of his neck as do the
wells of travellers in Africa.
But the nape of his neck is sun
burnt, as is his face, for that matter.
His face has the features of a SYRIA
| cusan medal, and it's bronze tfnts also.
1t is a brave, affable face. He is tall,
1.-the, youthful. He sits at the dri-
vers place on the box of the coach,
close to the fence enclosing the parade
women whose faces are uncovered, his
veil softening the lines Of his profile
and making them similar to those OF
a statute under gauze.
You remind me of the man with
the iron mask" eXclaims a friend
He was a prisoner in fortress; l
am a prisoner out of dcors," MIR.
Hoyt replies. rs that it?"
you are Isis not unveiled" ex-
claims another friend.
Cor Tanit before Salambo came; or
a sybil, or a vestal, or the king in the
emblematic tale who ruled until his
mask was pulled off, or any parsonage
other than Goold Hoyt. 1t is enchant-
ing" Mr.. Hoyt retorts, languidIy.
He says to himself, eff l continue
they'll follow my example," and sud-
denly bushes.
Aren't you afraid to be ridiculed?"
he is asked.
Il am afraid of ghosts only. Ridicu-
lous! Why, wearing a veil in the sun
is the only habit that has a grain of
common sense in it. Under the veil
the air is cooler, the scenes of nature
are restful, men seem graceful, women
ideal. The myriads of insects that
come together in every ray of sunlight,
as if created by it, do not bite ones
flesh. Wear a veil, you'll never wear
spectacles or goggles.
ct depends on the veil. Have you
tried the dotted ones?'
Il have put on" Mr.. Hoyt replied
with graviey, 1.-The white wells dotted
with black, the black wells dotted with
white, the wells made of chiffon, one
of Alencon lace, which nuns of a con-
vent near st. Etienne made for the
Empress Eugene; the fish net veil,
which hOmely girls may not wear at
all, and the red wells, the dye of which
was cruelty illuminated
And your judgment is?"
There are no bad wells. There are
only bad veil wearers," Mr.. Hoyt re-
piled.
Your voice seems to come out of
wadding. Will you not raise your veil
a little?"
Mr.. Hoyt raised the veil till it rested
on his mustache, and said, in a voice
as clear as a crystal bell. "Imagina-
ton is a powerful thing. You will
say, of course, that you hear me better
now. But I have not changed the
pitch of my conversation.
Have you gone to the village with
your veil?''
When we return to White Plains it
is almost night. | do not advise the
wearing of a veil, then. 1t is too
weird.
And yet have you noticed how the
road is dusty? The air is so thick with
dust that you can cut it with knife.
may be obliged to wear my veil
after sunset on the road to White
Plains
How did you persuade yourself to
make your theory and practice about
wells agree?"
by gazing at the sun without a
veil" Mr. Hoyt replied.
oh, that's not it. You might have
bought smoked glasses"
"Well, I persuaded myself to wear
veil by making wager that l would.
| am winning the wager"
That's not it, either. Whoever says
he is doing thing for wager is try
ing to dissemble under a commonplace
"a very sweet and pretty sentiment.
What is it Mr.. Hoyt?"
Must | tell? The sun was burning
my eyes, and l wanted to look at the
horses, whose self-consciousness in
terests me- I wish / wore a veil L
said to one of the young women.
Take mine she said. Before | real
lied it she had fastened her veil on
my hat. This happened Tuesday. L
continue to wear 1t, to tease her"
you are brave! Her name is?'
"You are too curious"
On the Tarrytown road from the
Westchester fair grounds to the vii
lage of White Plains, white with dust,
through the air impregnated with pow
der, Goold Hoyt did not wear his veil.
New York World.