The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-07

The following is from the Jackson
vile. Fla. Metropolis:
Must man still like a mummy swathe
Himself to suit conventions rule:
While woman-in the shirt she took
From him-contrives to keep so cool?'
This IS the question tibet is agftating
that portion OF mankind which finds
itself compelled 10 spend its days in the
palp.tating heat of city streets and
offices. 1t was bound TO come in time,
and the extreme les of the month past
has brought IL to a decisive issue. Not
only in Jacksonville. but in ali the
other large cities, and even at the
summer resorts the question OF stick
ing 10 the conventional coat or cast
ing il aside in favor OF the DOL and
comfortable negligee shirt is being ac-
lively discussed. An enthusiastic and
rapidly growing minority has adopted
the latter course. while the timid or
conservative members OF h majority
are divided between those who regard
the innovation with envy and those
who jeer at il openly.
GROWING IN FAVOR.
Careful investigation in the principal
cities and summer resorts show that
as a rule the young men hail the pro-
posed change with delight, while their
elders, presumably more conservative.
regard il with slight favor. The most
hardened directors to the new style
seem to be the proprietors Of
and other places of public
entertainment. In most OF these places
there are rules, written or unwritten,
against serving men without coats
These rules probably We're not intend
al RI ha enforced against fashionable
patrons. but head walters or
seldom are capable of discrimination,
and instances are multiplying daily OF
the election of men from such places
because of their departure from the es-
tablished custom which DEGREES that
man must wear his coat regardless OF
the temperature. AS these institutions
exist for the convenience OF the public.
however. they are likely TO fall into
line as soon as the movement makes
sufficient Roadway to secure general
recognition
1t is unfortunate for those who de-
sire to see men CARRIED in summer as
comfortably as are their sisters, wives
and mothers, that the should
be designated as the shirt waist
movement" and its opponents as shirt
waist men" The term carries with II
almost the charge of effeminacy, al
though as a matter of fact il is among
men who are most athletic and best
set up" generally that the style is
most popular. Moreover. as n young
man who has been energeticaliy pro-
noting the anti-coat movement says.
there should be no iniQuity attached
TO the term.
SHOULD GO THE WHOLE HOG.
A Jacksonville woman sends the
Metropolis the following concerning the
fad:
IF the shirt waist man is coming to
stay, he must be prepared to go the
whole figure, and that means dress
shields. For the benefit of that portion
of the masculine sex who processes to
know nothing of feminine attire. let
it at once be explained that dress
shields are half-moon shaped arrange
ments of rubber, silk and cloth, fas-
tened in the sleeves and under the
arms of the waists of gowns to pro-
tect them from perspiration. Every
woman with the faintest pretense 10
neatness wears them, and in her shirt
waists of all things.
Will men do likewise? To be pre-
sentable in hot days they must, and
they need not balk at the thought Of
sewing them in, for they can be easily
pinned in with small safety pins.
I'm a spirit of friendliness it is sug-
gested that men of much flesh may
find it advantageous to also wear
shields across the chest and back in
otN 1890 NH-
late freshness of their shirt waists.
This done, even on the hottest days
men will be pre~sentable, and the cry
Of protest against the coatiess man Will
die in the land.
y shirt waist man must be so su-
perior as to ir0" for an instant
that he car * properly put together
without safety pins. This absolutely
necessary adjunct of shirt waists he
will oon learn the value Of it. II
Standing with reluctant feet
Where the shirt n trousers meet
He will swallow his manly dignity and
make use OF a couple Of big safety
pins he will have no further anxiety
as to the parting of the ways for the
garments Will be firmly united. The
belt then need not be tight and uncom-
Portable, or the yellow leather equators'
reviled by men,
Let the would-be coatless man sup
plement his shirt waist by shields and
safety pins, and he will be welcomed
in public places the world over"
Slaughtered by the Cholera