Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-11


wish Mrs. Jefferson Davis. who has
thought 1t worth her while 20 write q
page article for a Sunday paper on how
gentlemen should handle their silk hats
would give at least a portion Of the male
Richmond public a few hints on how 10
manage everyday straws and derbys
and slouches at tho vaudeville perform
aness. re one who has been trained
90 believe tho southern man America s
finest type Of the gentleman, and to think
his manners easier and his courtesy
more natural and nearly unfailing than
those OF other men, It is something of
Z establishment 60 see his fellow clu-
gems walking down TO seats near the
stage with their hats on their heads,
and SIT throughout the performance
without once uncoyering. though behind
them ara scores OF the mothers and
wives and daughters Of their friends.
uhs other night 1 saw a young man
seated by the side Of a young girl, and
putting away at his cigarette, though wo-
: men were all about him. / suggested to
one Of these hat-wearers the other
night that was surprised TO see so many
men remain uncovered in an audience
composed SO largely Of ladies. This
s. not a church" no said sharply. 1
didn't argue. but my observation with
southern men has been that they I'M
cover in the presence Of women about
y naturally as they do in the sanctuary
AL ages attend tho vaudeYilles, but |
have not seen "a elderly man keep ais
hat on his head while occupying q re-
served seat at performance.
The Richmond women appear on the
streets without hats more frequently
than those Of any city with which 1 am
familiar. / have heard many men who
have travelled extensively make a re-
mark 10 the same effect and in every in
stance II was followed by one commend
sng the custom. In a fifteen minutes ride
on q trolley car these nights one can
count fifty girls taking an airing with I'M
peverod heads, and in the same length
OF time spent in watching the crowd on
Dread street one would see as many more.
Richmond girls have discovered a secret.
Hennyson's declaration that there never
was a maid, however fair, who was not
fairer IN old clothes than in new, could
De paraphased 50 as TO make 1t apply 10
the troth would not suffer in the least. |
A poem 10 Richmond's bare-headed girls |
has never been written. When IT is the |
poet will be famous, II his verse do JUS |
hoe 70 HIS subject
have been greatly interested the past |
week in the efforts which are making 10 /
have a meeting OF citizens at an early |
day for the purpose of discussing Rich
snopd's Industrial and commercial advan- |
sages. have heard the proposed meeting |
discussed by q great many businessmen, |
ind I have not heard one say he will not |
attend. 1t will be great meeting, and |
will accomplish good. 1 presume that |
primarily the object of the meeting is |
10 encourage the investment Of capital |
here by bringing TO the attention of the |
outside world the advantages which |
Richmond offers. If It can accomplish
that which / presume Is a secondary OBJ
tSct with the promoters, IT will have pro-
huced great good 1 mean by secondary
object the bringing Of Richmond people |
to a realization OF what a great city |
tSiohmond is now and of its much great
BIZ possibilities. Many people thousands of (
miles away know as much Of this as
many who were born and have lived their
lives here. I have been struck with this
/
days in collecting data for an Industrial
article for the Dispatch If you think 1
nm mistaken, tackle some man whom
you think should DO able 10 give you ac-
curate information regarding what Rich
lnond IS doing in the world Of business.
Tackle a dozen like him, and you VIII
BEE was right. How can men talk up"
Richmond If they know nothing to say
for herr After all, am about ready 10
believe II is not the lack of talking up
that affects Richmond so much as the
talking down" which she receives.
A cynical Frenchman has said that life
Is joke. He had no ground for the as
seItion, and his reason for making ii was
probably only the desire of the average
whether he be a writer or
not. to utter startling eplgrams. 1 have
10 such desire, but i sometimes feel like
Of politics that which the Gaul
alluded TO said Of life. Ii is the most
lifiicult matter imaginable TO induce poll
iclans TO discuss politics seriously. No
natter how grave the public question, or
low important IN results may be the ac- ;
ion proposed. you find that nearly every s
politician who discusses IL win do so in
ne most ocular way. and If you talk TO
i'm long you will almost invariably have
o shake yourself together time or two
efore you can bring yourself back to re-
arding the question as being of the inn
ortance you thought before you heard
he politician discuss Il. And II he wins
% makes a Joke out OF It sometimes a l
ortune also). and II he loses the ever
asting Joke is heard. He refuses to take
Kings seriously. Were 1t otherwise there
Tould probably be no politicians. l had
ome such thoughts as these on leaving
furphy's Thursday night after spending Y
sveral hours with the gentlemen in at q
sndance upon the meeting of the State $
ommittee. q
I heard q good story on General Joe
Yheeier the other day, told me by a close
lend OF his. General Wheeler makes
ore speeches than any man in the House
: Representatives The members hear
IL few or them, for II Is his custom 20
liver two or three minutes OF his speech.
"a then AK leave 70 print the remainder
the Record. fIo IS said 70 send a copy OF
cry speech ne makes 10 every voter IN
. district, and he also sends them more
iblic documents IN the nature OF gov
nment reports than any member Of the
ouse. General Wheeler also sends 90
8 constituents every year thousands OF
Ickages OF seeds Furnished by the De-
rtment OF Agriculture. even buying
ON members from cities their quotas,
order that he may remember more OF
o men who will have voice In saying
hstheg no shall retain his seat among
o lawmakers. One OF the results Of all
is Ia. II takes several secretaries 10 at .
nd to his mali, and IL Is a common ,
yhs 10 see mail-wagon in front Of his