The Saint Paul globe., 1902-07-05

A st. Paul bachelor, who has not
been reconstructed on the modern
plan. gives the following description of
the shocks he received during a visit to
a friend at White Bear:
1.-THE other day I went out to White
Bear and spent a night with friends on
the island. 1t was the first time had
been to summer resort this year, and
l learned quite a bit about lake man
ners, and incidentally my elderly ner-
vous system received several shocks
from which it has not yet recovered. 1
arrived in time for dinner and at the
same time came several young men.
very young men they seemed to me
evidently familiar friends of the fam
lily. There are two daughters of the
house and one son. l was invited by
the hostess as an old friend of hers q
used to take her to balls when she was
the age of her girls), and the very
young mep were friends of the pretty
daughters and the son. The first shock
1 received VISA when 1 found 1 was the
only man at the table with his coat on.
The next shock was that nobody SEEM
ed to notice it. The host was in town,
so I sat in his place and regarded the
young people with a fatherly eye, and
did the carving. The third shock was
when 1 discovered that the boys had
no manners, and nobody seemed to no.
tice that. The fourth shock was that
distinctly heard one of the young men
Che had a pink stock round his neck)
say to the one next to him in a stage
whisper, Make the old guy give me
nhinknT and the fifth shock
came when 1 realized that l was the
old guy in question. 1 resolved to
keep a stern eye on these creatures.
They all had on ShirtWaiStS, the one
with the stock had ruff1eS down the
front of his and he carried his hand
kerchief up his sleeves. The only other
man / ever saw do that was Richard
lie Gallienne when he lectured here last
winter. Enough said.
"After-dinner shocks followed in
rapid succession. The hostess suggest
ed that the boys take the girls to the
hop across the lake. There was 81
lence for moment, then, without any
enthusiasm, and rather lamely, l
thought they asked the girls to go. The
girls seeming to understand matters,
gave their mother a significant glance
and refused fatty. The boys rose with
alacrity and departed without show Of
regret. I was mystified. The mother
asked the girls for an explanation, and
then 1 was due to receive another
shock. The girls said-and girls are
awfully wise these days-that they
knew the boys didn't want them to go,
that they wanted to go alone and dance
with a lot of pretty shop girls from
town, who, like as not, they had ar
ranged to meet, and the daughters of
their hostess would have spoiled their
arrangements, and the boys could not
have sought the society where they
undoubtedly belong. The fact that
they were the guests of the lady with
the daughters and that the latter were
cut off from enjoying the dance be-
cause Of the beaStly SelfiShnesS of
these things in ShirtWaiStS, had never
crossed their minds and the girls SEEM
ed to take it all as a matter Of course.
They were really accustomed to such
manners. The mother made no COM
ment, except she said to me that she
was glad she had only one son, girls
were so much easier to manage. /
sighed, see 1 am hopeleSSly out of this
~age, but / summoned courage at last to
tell the girls that they were foolish to
encourage such SelfiShneSS in the boys,
and in a very small voice I declared
that if they would get ready 1 would
take them to the hop. / added that l
was not an adept at the tWO-step, or
the -half-step. I still waltz
ed. But the girls jumped at the idea
of going as such a good joke on the
shirt wasted ones, so we went. My
cup of joy was full when I saw the
look Of dismay on the faces of the
boys who were dancing with Name
and Lot and Pearl They came over
in a sheepish way and asked the girls
to dance, but with the most magnifi-
cent manner they were told not to
leave their friends. Shock No. 16 when
I perceived that I was the only man at
the dance who had a coat on.
More shocks came next morning
which was unusually warm-when the
boys appeared at breakfast with their
sleeves rolled to their elbows, no col
lars or ties, the neckband Of their
shirts turned in, and handkerchiefs
about their pretty necks. was in such
state that I gave thanks for the
handkerchiefs and devoutly hoped that
they would not take off anything more.
came back to town with a sad feel
ing that I must have lived some hun
dred years ago and recently been dug
up. I have never worn neglige shirt
in my life nor ever appeared before a
lady without my coat. But I plainly
see that it is time for me to die. Pm
known now at the lake as the man who
wears a coat.
A Practical Bride.
The latest thing in weddings is the
result of the practicability of the times
and is evidenced by the forethought Of
eXpectant brides in preparing a list of
gifts needed or that would be welcome,
and the leaving ii at the local jewelers..
This was done not long ago by a st.
Paul bride and was of great assistance
in suggesting to friends what to give
her and doing away with the fear of
duplicates which are so apt to be sent
on an occasion Of that kind. There is
no longer any danger Of bride re-
ceiving twelve dozen coffee spoons all
marked, which did actually occur at
local wedding not long ago. This has
been changed, and now all one has to
do is to consult the taste Of the bride
as indicated by her thoughtfulness, and
purchase something that she really de-
sires. This new idea will take we'll, and
will do away with all anxiety on the
part Of friends that one Is giving what
is not wanted or apt to be duplicated.