The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-18
Special Correspondence of The journal.

WI
ID the Castellane imbroglio is polit-.
ical. An enemy hath been
here stirring up the countess to dis
credit Boni and deprive him of funds
$50 that he may lose his seat as deputy
in the coming elections.
1t is more than political. 1t has to do
with fatigue after ten long years of
wifely effort to make a man of Boni,
just as certain tardy fruits of the spirit
were ripening in the graceless subject.
AS his sporty old father put it pa
thetically:
Here is shipwreck just in sight Of
port!"
Again he said:
tThere is no Justice My boy will
be punished really, not for his faults as
a husband-they would have let him 60
on forever in that line-but for his at
tenpts to please his wife and make a
name in politics. They want his seat!'
Whether or not the, countess shall
4 decide to break the bruised reed, it
must be admitted she has had hot ten
years in tending it. She began soon
after they were married. She put it to
him squarely-he must distinguish him
self. Her American ideals demanded
that man do something. AS to the
choice Of field she would be large.
His First Plan Grand1ose.
Boni told her it was easy. He would
be a grand seigneur and, in his way,
lead men. And truly his first plan was
grandiose: because he sought to bring
about an innovation more far-reaching
than the changing Of a government. It
would have imposed on each adult male
French citizen grave. decision touch
ing his own person; and it might well,
In course of time, have laid the founda-.
lions for a new aristocracy built up on
wealth, physical distinction and straight
legs. Yes. In word, we are assured
by Joseph Cavanagh himself, that it
was really Castellane who, unaided and
alone, conceived the idea Of creasing
pants down the sides instead of down
To understand the motives for this
innovation, you must glance at the
raison d'etre Of the crease in itself.
It's fundamental object has ever been
to dissmulate that bagginess that comes
to knee Ven who cling to their pants
as to Ids rejuvenate them by
the fro =.
Il = Failed.
But what of those whose trousers
never bag9 Count Boni' s never bag.
Those of his peers in wealth and taste
|, and carefulness don It bag There ought
to be a means to show it to the world.
So Boni hit on the side crease. 1t is
charming demonstration Of the purity
of line. It is terrible unmasker- of
incipient bagginess. Its fashion, from
the nature OF things, must remain ex-
elusive. No pants will stand the side
crease after they have been worn, say,
dozen times. Like the shirt with it's
collar and cuffs attached, the side
crease means continual renewing. To
have the side crease would mean you
/ have pants to burn. Also, stumpy men
do not become it. It embellishes the
puer gracilis in rosa; ever and always
it means straight legs.
Helas! There were not enough. I
mean straight legs / mean pants. Of
course there are any quantity of
straight legs in the world; but Of those
who possessed them, not enough owned
pants to burn. On the the other hand
/. the world is full of men with pants tc
burn; but Of them not enough possess
straight legs. And 80 the innovation
failed; and the young Count of Castel
lane, smarting under the defeat, threw
himself savagely into the character OF
great art patron.
How the Money Went.
Unluckily for himself, he fell at thu
same time into the hands Of one wht
disclosed to him unique combination
for raising ready cash. "Boni,' a.
you know, is exact French for $4,000
thing Well, Count Boni de Castel
lane would drop into the swell bric-a
brac establishment and say:
A-a-h, Asher, my dear, anythin!
new today?"
8 Thank you, m 'lud; yes, m 'lud,
Marie Antoinette centertable; very ez
pensive, $4,000 pounds, m 'lud. Jus
the thing for you, m 'lud! -
A-a-h, send it around.'
The young patrician would sign a
acceptance for 5000 pounds, have tn
countess add her signature, and tn