Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-24
y aD&DN@ MD@D M@&@@DAD<D@p l
J AS YOU
! LIKE IT
Y oRLAHD0-Hs remember, II was upon fhls
3 fashion.
d (AcT I, SCENE !.
SHE BUYS HIM A TIE.
- 49, ID g go ~@ @@

1880 - -
When a girl is in doub- about * hat
would be the most acceptable present
for Him, she straightwly seeks out a
gents furnishing establishment and
buys Him a necktie. She tells the
salesman confidentially that she knows
absolutely nothing about the styles in
gentlemen's neckwear, and entreals
him to advise her on the subject. She
Gets him to open every box of ties he
has in stock and, after critically exam
ing them all, she requests the obliging
salesman to make the selection for her.
He does so, picking out the newest
mode. The young lady Immediately re-
CARDS the tie with suspicion and gives
the salesman a distrustful glance. She
holds 1T up in a dozen different posi-
tions permitting the light to fall upon
it from various directions, and then
roasts it. The clerk is getting impa-
tient with his customer by this time.
He busies himself returning the seven
teen boxes he has pulled down back to
their places on the Shelf, leaving her
to think it over. She watches him with
a blank stare until he has replaced
nearly all Of the boxes. Then she
makes him pull them down again.
After rummaging through the whole
stock again, she picks out a tie three
seasons behind the fashion and takes
1T, providing it costs a dollar. If the
price is seventy-five cents she drops it
and resumes her search.
The clerk is hopping mad by this
time, but he smiles and says nothing.
After she has resurrected the most hid
eous looking affair in the shop from the
box in which 1T has reposed for five
years or more, she purses her lips. toys
with her pocketbook and asks the sales
man If that, style is much worn. The
salesman has grown foxey long before
this stage Of the game is reached, and
he promptly lies. While she is looking
over the ninety six neckties with which
the counter is strewn, he rubs the fifty
cent mark OFF the box. and when she
asks him the price of the freak of
neckwear THAT she still tightly clutches,
he says, "One dollar" and she buys it.
When the Unfortunate Recipient of
the Gift sets eyes on 1t Christmas eve
night He goes out and gets drunk.
Christmas day He puts it on, buttons
his overcoat tightly over it, SO that its
hideousness is hidden from mortal
eye and calls on the girl to thank her.
The route He takes to her house is
back alleys and side streets
After He has rung the bell He unbut-
tons his overcoat and pulls the tie prom
1nen'tly forward. When she opens the
door He bolts inside as quickly as de-
cency Will allow, lest some passing pc
destrlan should. happen to catch a
glimpse of the tie. She leads Him into
the parlor and While telling Him how
grateful she is for the diamond ear
rings, she Strengthens out the folds OF
the tie and declares it is the most be-
coming Thing she ever saw. He COM
pliments her on the rare taste she has
shown in its selection and, observing
that she is casting SLY glances up at
the chandelier under which they are
standing and Which is furnished With
He kisses her and she goes
into a fit of stage anger. While He
is feeling alarmed and foolish over His
act, she bursts out laughing in His
face aud He RECEIVERS His nerve and
kisses her again.
An hour later He energies from the
house locking as pleased as Punch He
has forgotten the awful tie. He re-
members it when he reaches the corner
and turns UP his overcoat collar With
celebrity. Reaching His room
in safety, He lifts His horrible secret
from His shirt bosom. substitutes a
respectable looking article of neckwear
for it and heaves a deep sigh Of re-
Mef.
THE RAcoNTEuR.