Wearing Bad Hats.

Western Star, Issue 2218, 1 July 1898, Page 4

Wearing Bad Hats.

Whenever one sees an elderly man wearing a peculiarly old and shabby hat of antiquated form, one may safely take it for granted that he is a celebrity of one kind or another, and a distinguished personage. All the famous men whom I have encountered during the course of my wanderings in various parts of the world have invariably worn hats that were absolutely shocking. And yet in one way these ancient “ tiles” seemed to command my reverence and respect, for I could not help remembering that, after all, they constituted the canopy of brains that had made their mark In the history of mankind. The hat of Carlyle, for instance, was beyond description. So was that of Tennyson ; while Lord Salisbury’s is such that Us battered and disreputable appearance on one memorable occasion led the ignm rant and short-sighted doorkeeper at Monte Carlo to refuse him admittance to the public rooms. Gladstone’s “ tile” is little better ; while that which the old Emperor William of Germany was wont to wear during his annual sojourn at Ema and Gastein was even worse.

She: “I think there is considerable room for improvement in ladies’ dresses nowadays.” He : “ Well, in the sleeves especially, T should say there was room enough for almost anything.”