Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-08-26
CAN'T TEACH OLD
DOC new TRICKS
Britisher Wear American Coat
Shirt? No, Stree, 1t Simply
Can't Be Done.
FIRMLY AGAINST OUR STYLE
Enellshman Wants to Slip Garment on
Over His Head, and He Wants
the Collar Button to Touch
His Neck, Too.

London.-"You cant teach an old
dog new tricks" is true when 1t comes
to the question of how an Englshman
puts on his shirts. Just few minutes
ago the writer went into haberdash-
cry shop in the Strand.
do you want your shirts cut Eng
lish fashion or Americana asked the
filter.
"Why, what's the difference" he
was asked.
you see, an Englishman won't have
coat shirt; he wants to slip it on
over his head" said the shirtmaker.
The filter then told of several Incl
dents about his countrymen who came
into this particular shop. The other
day one customer was thoroughly an
cry. He had been sold a dozen Ameri-
can coat shirts.
II can't get into them" he said.
"All right, We will sew them up"
said the shirt filter.
Another Englishman had bought
some American shirts and came back
with them in very bad temper
what do you mean by selling me
shirts without collar buttonhole in
the back?" was his objection. "Why,
l had to cut hole through with
penknife."
The polite salesman tried to show
his customer the benefit of the Ameri.
can shirts; how fine it was not to have
the collar button touch the neck. But
he would have none Of those kind of
shirts.
"Why," said he II can't reach the
back Of my neck to put the button
In"
you don't have to-" said the filter
put 1t in before you put your shirt
on"
That made the Britisher angry.
81 won't do It," he said. II always
put my collar buttons in after my shirt
is OH my back. And l won't have you
tell me how to do it."
Bars Hangers on Shirts.
Though unconvinced on that point
the salesman tried to tell the English
man how fine 1T was to wear coat
shirt; that 1t didn't ruffle up ones
hair when put on. NO. you can't sell
me those shirts. l comb my hair af-
ter l put my shirt on. Besides" said
this customer, Il don't want hangers
on my shirts"
The writer told shopkeepers that
coat shirts had not had long history
in America. "Well, you see," said he,
IAN Englishman learns how to put on
a shirt when little boy, and he won't
change"
This particular shop has customer
who has bought the same color shirts
for forty years, and he insisted on
that color all during the war. Another
customer for sixty years, now dead,
always bought one color of neckties-
red.
Races Function"
One London paper has paragraph
about Walter Hagen taking off his
sweater just as he was about to make
a drive. 1t simply isn't done here.
Rather serious criticism greeted the
first appearance of the American ten
mis- players because they dressed so
sloppily. An Englishman has his
trousers pressed for tennis just as he
has them pressed for dinner, and he
usually wears a beautiful blue coat
with brass buttons when he plays.
The writer asked an English friend
why he always wore silk hat and
cutaway to the races. "Well, you see,
it's a function and I must" he re-
piled.
All these differences were discussed
by group last night. The Americans
rather convinced the Englishmen of
the advantages of American shirts,
but very reluctantly. One OF the
group whom the Americans thought
convinced blurted out. "Wen, you see,
those coat shirts wear out quicker In
the laundry" What can you do with
that kind of MANI
w. PETIT Ridge, the English writer
and novelist, said the Americans
would better change the subject. So
he asked what was the differ, .ce be-
tween the English speech and the
American. Somebody said the Ameri-
can speech was bit louder. eyes, you
have hit it," he said. "Only you stress
the unessential word. Your the. and
to- etc"
Another Englishman said: ave will
settle 1t this way. Your shirts are
better and speech worse. But in most
things we break about even. But do
you know what John Hay said when he
returned from the embassy hereW All
asked for Hays speech. Here 1t is:
81 never saw a street fight in Eng
land; never heard story that
couldn't be repeated In the company
of ladies; l never heard real cuss
word used"
"Where did Hay live?' one English
man asked.
mo" said another. 'You are both
right; we break even on those things
fon ~