The Colorado statesman., 1912-02-17
Reaching a
Compromise

Putting Jeffrey Webber and style
together in one thought would have
struck all his friends as most star
Ting act of lunacy, something in the
light of touching a match to bundle
of excelsior and daring it to burn.
All his life he had SHE'D at neck
ties on the theory that if the benefi-
cent powers above had lowered a
man with chin whiskers it was rank
extravaganza for him to adorn himself
with unseen finery. Likewise he could
not understand the blind foolishness
of masculine individuals who turned
from celluloid collars which one could
wash daily and thus save unnecessary
laundry bills AS for clothes-they
were merely required for covering.
This, then, was the problem An
toinette Webber had to wrestle with
when she came back from boarding
school and began to get the family ar
ranged for her wedding.
Being a woman, her mother was
quite amenable to new ideas, but
when Antoinette tackled Jeffrey he
figuratively stood up on his hind legs
and roared war cry.
Dress suit!" he choked. "Me! At
my age! Cracky! Never!"
Now, father" Antoinette began
soothingly, quite as though she held a
tablespoonful of bitter medicine in one
hand and was prying open his teeth
rr-fth hn ~ fn 1nnE
your best when Horace and his friends
get here"
Look my best!" her father roared
again. Dressed up like a monkey on
a stick!"
"And you've got to wear a tie," An
:oinette broke in, firmly.
They revived Antionette's father
with tender care, but he never was the
same man after that. He gloomed
around the premises, surveying with
a hostile eye the housecleaning prep
arations for the coming wedding and
he developed a jumpiness at every
thing unusual and suspicious.
Antoinette was in despair. She was
marrying into rather a fashionable
family and the thought Of Horace's
college friends and his family arriv-
ing to find that while her father had
heavy bank account he had no sense
of sartorial values was tragedy.
Horace and his party won't get
here till the day ITSELF" Antoinette
told her mother in one Of their hope
less conferences. "They won't notice
dad SO much then, but in the evening,
at the wedding-mother, I'll just die If
he wears that baggy old gray sack
tie!"
"Then I'm afraid you're due to die,
daughter, said Mrs. Webber, who had
been married to Antoinette's father
long enough to know.
Il won't!" snapped Antoinette, with
the blind faith Of youth in it's powers.
"I'll manage it somehow. I'm not 60
ing to have the only wedding I'll have
in my whole life spoiled by fathers
ridiculous stubbornness!"
She and her father eyed each other
warily toward the last, like gladiators
before the fight. Her father ostenta-
tiously bought new celluloid collar
and fresh ten cent collar button and
a new pair of calfskin boots.
The day of the wedding Antoinette's
father, the only incongruous spot in a
refurbished, decorated house, filed
with frills and fluff, went upstairs to
get ready for the evenings fray. Lay
ing out his new collar and collar but
ton and simply tossing his old gray
clothes over chair, he stepped into
the bathroom for his ablutions. He
was absent 20 minutes.
When he came back to his room he
blinked. On the bed were spread some
strange black things. The coat was
low cut and had long tails. Patent
leather pumps stood fiendishly beside
a pair of silk socks. There were also
some weird stand-up linen collars and
a box of white ties and large
bosomed shirt. There was nothing else
in the way of clothes in the room.
Nobody paid any attention to his
rawlings and poundings, for everybody
was dressing the bride or was getting
dressed. Choking, gasping, hectic
with rage, Antoinette's father danced
in his bathrobe, poking finger now
and then at the hated garments.
Finally the wedding went on. Every
body was present but the brides ia
ther. After the ceremony and con-
gratulations the bride herself headed
a search party for him.
Holding her trailing satin skirt in
one hand, Antoinette, accompanied by
Horace, ran him down at last in the
most cnnlI1dnd 1,nrna Of The hn I'M, ,,rrr