The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-08
TACT.

TBy Barry Pain in Black and White. I
Mr.. Herbert Packer habituaIly spoke
of women as the fair sex. He had no
vices and on the other side of the coun-
ter was quite a. useful man. When he
came out into the world, his conversa-
ton on the subject of tact made some
men dislike him, but it won him the
respect of others-Ernest Taggs, for
instance.
One evening he happened to say that
Packer was his idea of the typical la
dies man. Nonsense, my boy" said
Packer. But all the same, a few min
utes later Tags was seated in Pack
er's club. and Packer was ordering two
glasses of sherry as If it were of no
Importance.
Coming back again." said Packer
with a pleased smile, ito what you
were saying just now. it's not the case.
of course; but, If I might put the ques-
ton, / should like to ask you what
made you say I was a typical ladies'
mani"
well, Mr. Packer" said Taggs. st
don't know how to put 1t in different
words. There is a style. Some have
it; some. on the other hand. have not.
You've got it. and 1 think the ladies
mostly know
LAS to there being a STYLE said
Packer, there Is an art in making one
self agreeable to the female sex and in
conducting oneself in society in the
GOIG0EL Way. % LAT as LndL goes per
haps I take rather more trouble than
most men to avoid mistakes. 1t may be
that have had more opportunities for
practice and rather more experience
than some. But I should be very sorry
to be vain enough to think there was
any more in it than that"
There's a good deal more" said
Taggs, with conviction Many a time
when with ladies I've wished you were
there to give me a hint or two. Now,
loci CErk ~I,-- II,
should very much like to know what
you would have done in a similar
case"
well, my advice is quite at your dis
posal if you really wait it. I have
sometimes been able to get out of a lit
spoken kindly Of"
Then I'll tell you. On Saturday aft
ernoon I took a lady friend, who for
reasons shall be nameless. to the thea
ter. paying. of course"
''Of course" said Packer. slipping his
fire water.
Coming out I said. You must per-
nit me to offer you some refreshments
That's the usual thing I think"
We'll, yes" said Packer critically.
Not absolutely essential"
Not essential? I rather wish I'd
known that. 1 knew I was pretty short
but it was only after she'd accepted
that 1 found I was down to ten-pence.
However, I took her to the nearest tea
shop and hoped for the best. The place
was full, and we found two seats at
table where there was an old gent sit
ting and reading the evening paper.
He'd got nothing but a cup of tea, and
I thought he would be going directly.
As a matter of fact he sat US out, and
we were there some time too said
I didn't want anything. I thought 1t
best to be on the safe side. But that
was no good. The lady in question is
what would be called a fine woman,
and she explained that she had cut her
dinner rather short in order to be in
plenty of time at-well, at the place
where we were to meet As a, rule.
like to see a girl have a healthy appe-
tite. But this time-I don't want to go
into any details, but when she had had
all she wanted and the waitress put
the slip down on the table it was near
er 10 pence than shilling. I kept up
the conversation as we'll as I could see
ing that all the time 1 was thinking
what the deuce I was to do. Now, what
would you have done?'
Il can't say 1t would have embarrass-
ed me at ALL said Packer. Z should
simply have said: My dear Miss So
and-so, I have been so entranced with
your charming society that I have &C
tually forgotten to send off an import
ant telegram. Would you kindly ex-
cuse me for two minutes?' She would
make some polite answer, and should
raise my hat and go OUT
IT see And then you'd do a bunk2''
Mr.. Packer was panied by the sub
gestion L don't think that would be
the gentlemanly thing to do. What
would it lead to when you met the girl
again? No; should go off at once to
the nearest pawnbroker and make
some little arrangement-in fact, pawn
my watch
THAT had occurred to me. I couldn't
have put it in that well chosen way to
the girl but might have made some
sort of excuse
aThen why didn't you do it? 1t was
obviously the right thing"
You see I had parted with my
watch temporarily to get the theater
tickets
well, a man of the world should be
never at loss. You might have put
ed that you had had your purse stolen
in leaving the theater. You could then
borrow the money from the girl and re-
turn it on the following day"
I'm afraid I couldn't carry a thing
of that kind off as you would. Then
the old gent was listening Besides. [
don't think she had any money with
her.
.sThen what did you dor"
TT wasn't right. But the old gent
was reading when we got up to go. So
him mine. Then I had enough to pay
at the desk. But the horror that he
would find out before I could get
awayi'
NO said Packer, 'It wasn't right
But-weu, you have some idea Of
what's meant by tact, though"