New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-15
TROrBLE ABOUT THE BOILED SHIRT.

That humble but useful garment widely
known as the boiled shirt appears to be giving
more unrest to the good people OF New-England
than all the once fanced mmnence OF the
descent OF Spanish fleet upon the town or
Boston Numbers Of careworn and hollow-eyed
sufferers their bosoms torn by questions re-
garding the etiquette of the raiment that covers
said bosoms have turned. and are still turn
ing for help To the newspapers Of New England
and New York Even those who send their
touching appeals to the NewYork newspapers
date them from New England Why New Eng
land should he particularly chosen for Its victim
by the boiled shirt is n question the answer To
which we humbly confess is beyond US: for n
there ever was a neghborhood whose demeanor
was more strongly suggestive OF the ri-idty OF
starch. we have at this moment forgotten It.
One wanderer in darkness and seeker after
light who signs himself and who doubtless Is
Anxious" writes to n metropolitan paper in
curing II a man must put on clean shirt every
day In order to retain the right 20 he called
gentleman. The editor Of the paper In question
was silent in despair II is not our intention to
mpute to him n guilty consciousness that he
is no Judge OF the attributes OF a gentleman,
but it Is apparent that the answer to that un7
query depends upon the definition OF what con-
stitutes n clean shirt. This however. Is n def
milton that every man will insist upon manu-
featuring for himself. No gentleman. It is safe
to say would admit that he was wearing an
unclean shirt. Perhaps in he desired to
prevaricate successfully he would wear the So
called Ascot. Some have. indeed. called II the
"dirty-shir. tie"; but cannot bring our
70 "a In ha JaV dat ~ m
article Of attire In Itself so respectable
Yet another worried questloner writes TO The
Tribune and trembllngly inquiries whether a
gentleman may wear detachable cuffs without
thereby deserving and mourning social ostra-
cism This question Is simply n different form
Of the query already conscicntiously an
swerrd above. II man wears detachable cuffs
he does So manifesty that he may replace
them with fresh ones without at The same time :
retiring the shirt from the active list 10 the
washtuh The wcarer Of detachable CUFFS de-
tends himself. Of course by saying that cuffs
are soilcd with extreme ease and effectiveness.
once again you See We are rcpulsed TO tho
original question ot what constitutes cleanl-
ness Yet we deem IT proper To say that We
have known men who wore detachable cuffs and
who were at the same time law-abdlng. clever.
homes. and God fearing citizens In addition 70
being kind to their mothers.
One more correspondent, who writes TO The
Providence Journal" makes 1t perfectly clear
that the mere DOMINIC ~ n newly Numbered sh.r,
each morning does not OF itself make n gentle
man This complainant says that he- husband
has only two shirts. and that he abuses her and
the children when she fails TO have n clean one
for him 70 put on IN the morning. While We
I,stSo kfr.,s Chi ~
superiuous 10 say that no gentleman abuses his
wife and children under any circumstances. All
IN all. II seems 10 us that the boiled shirt is
causing anxiety out OF all proportion to it's rela
tive importance n the coat does not make the
man. the boiled shirt does not make the gentle
mar. Cleanliness may he difficult to define 10
the satisfaction OF everybody. but everybody |
knows what II Is Pax vobiscum. Anxious"