HIS OLD CLOTHES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 10

HIS OLD CLOTHES.

There .is nocharacteristic of -. ■'&'■ manr that pimles. woman more' thain hislove for his old, .nearly-Korn-out clothes. <H6 is. as' fond of ..them as; any ■ woman: of her newest. f'glad rags,v to. use-, an expressive ■^Americanism," of her ''hurrah, clothes, , ?, to make • use' of astill 'better one, end ho is never happier than when, drfcssod like a rather disreputable pampj'he.can potter.about for a few leisure hours;and devote.himself/to his pet grimv. or dusty hobby. It may be that he goes'grubbintf in the garden, or , knocking boards ■ together -in an energetic way that ho describes as carpentering,,-. or; perhaps: ho,-will spend one glorious afternoon, messing about a yacht.- It really tfoosinQt, matter, very: much whatheis' doihe 50 ' l0 . n 8,'as; he can wear,these shabby clothes, and feel^at.'hberty-to make them ovin shabbier JN ow, .thisstate.;■ of mind .is ■ incomprehensible to a woman. ~ She .often enough, has to wear shabby old,things while going about her housework,, unt she; hates; them,,and: longs • all ', the .time.for trim, neat frocks,and perfectly spotless white ; . aprons. The dnst and grnbbmess in. separable from honso-cleanirig, and certain kitchen: work, have, in themselves no charm for,her; she puts 115 with them; but does not love. them. ■ : .i ....-.■:■ - ..:. ~; .

7,^°. lro . man seen the dmce : coat' that this .sort ormanlikes to wear will ever foreet it..: Now, it. would bo'absurd to , say that all men who do .office-work .wear gtubby,, : almost Vorn-out, coats. ; A'great many of .them'do : not' Ihey array ; themselves for the work of the dav Sj:WS lck ,?nd, span suits, and,are careful to keep, them. spockless. : But that is not , from choice so : much nsfrom over-civilisation'.; and tno really,valiant ones/tho men who dare, mav 00. seen; any.•day., in :the.,week in 'things.that ■i They wifff sees .her;, husband 'leave in v the . niormng, for:the?- 'he'iwill remain dunngcmosti.oMhfday.and-aii the; watches lum^oidownrtho',street sho.'admires him: for hu:,tnmness ; and generally .well-brushed appearanceK,;How2s;ehbvto,khw. whathappens whM he reaches the office? in anlmerican magazino ■ doscnbes ■ one household ' shT kne* where, the husband demanded Hhat- his Wife should -. be spick andspanarid starched; all dav . long, no; fflatte!.wbatotbo>hbu6o-wort: that she jwas ongaged in., And the: friend: half-fearfully admired:El3 pnm:idMS-nnttl:she horse«:*ont Jcjme^era^^;^^ .^ d - l4l'v' Tr i^ he i d ''' ;t^"-'ilQ siV'■P^. c «a«oi; prepare ™h '^s***- >?F rsVroff came coat and vest, whwh p aced on a hanger 'theiS ono he had worn ; niSiCT-h Cr 'H°? :he a ? carried, and itwae .easily, the most disreputable"in the office. 'It ■^S s a Bide, ex-posing''-somo:; kind, of; canvas lining, and the padoW was ,-Rono from ,one shoulder, 1 which made! him more: lopsided than his wifo : v ho *wW express if she should ■' her; work'iwith thrce-quarfere 1 an t apron,and a one-sleeved waist: >Tho hair,tho moaer-iif.law ~as the-.joke. K'^AJ" 01 - 0 ■■.yet,man has an: ally as 't^^-^' 1 lh V im J lrpi^Hthou ß h; i t "nevermen-' -tioned'.m:joke-land. '-Itjis his coat'sleeve., If a man s' seat; is., dnsty;' a i dexterons • ;taovemenf ortlic. arm;\yanq«ishes'' the offending particles.. When the.mirror which he consults occasion,a}ly during, the' day-needs polishing his sleeve' accomphshes.'the deed.;- But the greatest ser,vico..tlio coast sleeve-perfnTTOs is ife r-nrknsa pen-wiper.-,: I have seen' sleeves decor.' nted to an. Easter egg,, and' it was: some time ?F, or , e , I, could quito, grasp the-reason therefovi but,, beliovo me, when: a' man.&ishos with nno pen a feii-lpasses ncroKsthe.left sleeve of his omeo coat;serves<w>.clean it,"' : '■■-■-■' -■•■ 1 J- t/i r?« i, ? i > nt ' : «»t- ; t!>o'.-::Americkn ; ', man: could f™,.W ftom ] the clerk in, Wellington unless it were vadhe matter of repairs. he one would hko any hole in that dear old coat withpaper-clipa, .'or a little bit ot red tapp,;orspmo : t)Tino,-thatknot.too ; thick—all of, them popular methods in Wellington ottices,.,though perhaps. the ; paper-clips are the favourites.,, The, stories'told by girl-clorks- of their masculino colleagues ' are wonderful,- and proveithat men are not really as dependent on- women if or'their'comfort as their wives like to believe., The wife'who takes such proyionsrcare of John's wardrobe docs not know how/muoh.hotter John l?ves that grubby' -old'.coat, ,with all its,buttons-:o^ , :ono sleeve half, torn ','■ out, ink { down-' the' 5 front, -,and ink", left elcevci and it-is .well for-her. tnatsao; does not. Let her-keep her ideals, and let her still -wear.-'tho. fresWt'.froclts she can auqrd l for her housework, , since'no amount of civilisation , will;brinß her to the level of man's, lofty disregard for ;good-looking garments. .' ■