HOW WE GET OUR HABITS.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 37, 15 June 1878, Page 2

HOW WE GET OUR HABITS.

Things that are novo! aro liable to be regarded as nice. Once accepted, no man can tell how long they are going to remain. A good many years ago a married couple of noble tendencies —we refer to their birth—were descending a stairway in Paris. The gentleman blunderingly stepped on her dress and tore the same from the waste in (he rear. The lady hit him savagely with her parasol, breaking tint handle 'of that article. •' What shall we do now ?" she said with a sob.

" I'll tell yon, my dear," ho replied, with that cheerfulness and adaptability to circumstances which married men know so well bow to assume quickly. " Drop your shawl to your waist, so covering tho rent and there you are."

"How ridiculous!" she replied, shedding tears copiously. " I shall look like a fright. J stiall never dare to appear on the street again. You wretch ! I shall be the talk of the whole town."

" It cannot be helped, I am afraid," remarked the gentleman ruefully. "We must get home somehow. And really, my dear, I think the dress will look quite nicely. It will be a novelty, anyhow." '■ My new silk !" exclaimed the lady, wringing her hands. "It will be utterly spoiled. Ihe skirt will sweep up unutterable filth. It will be loaded with mud, and nutshells, and straws, and little sticks, and dust, and everything. You abominable person 1 You have ruined me for ever."

,; I hope it is not so bad as that," said the poor man trying to smile. " But see here, my dear, I am as unfortunate as you. Observe how ridiculous you have made this bat. You have battered it out of all shape with your parasol. It looks—it looks like a section of a badly used stove-pipe. lam ashamed to bo seen on the street with it."

" And the parasol," continued the lady. " The stick is broken oil' nearly up to the shade. 1 dare not go out without it ; but it looks so absurd that I shall be tho laughing-stock of all we meet." The couple were a long way from homo. The ludicrousness of the situation finally overcame their timidity and vexation, and they laughed. This put them in suoh good humour that they beoamo bold. Marching out to the street, they went on their way looking as if nothing had happened. People stared at thorn curiously. But they were known and respected, and there wcro no smiles and no questions. Tho ladies of Paris occasionally look around for a back view of tho ladies they have passed. It is a custom peculiar to no other part of tho world. In this instance the backward glances were numerous, hut by do means alarming. " Why, look at tbeOountem'a dress I" was the general remark. " It sweeps the walk at least a, vard iu her rear. How swoot! The folds of her dres, fall so gracefully | It is evid nice that there is no stinginess in the Countess's family. It shows that '.ri will nave its way, rogardlo-ui of ex-pen-os. It i« ibfl consummation of grace. And observe the Countess's parasol. The shade i-i down to the ti,• of the Countess'< nose. There's utility for you, What it

a sliade for but to keep the lUQ oil' What is the use of a yard of stick ? 1 is an unnecessary weight, anil it serves t let the sun thine in under the sliade. If is the sweetest ami best of parasols." The Couut had no less reason to be happy. "By Jove r remarked the gentlemen who looked at him, " the Count's bat is a stunner this time, Looks as if it had been accidentally elongated. That's art. Studied carelessness, you know. .Seems to be still', too. Thai's ait. Seems to have a superfluous amount of vacuum;, but whit's a hat unless you have enough of it ? Wonder where the Count got it ? His own invention, probably. Just like him. Nobody knows how to dress tastefully equal to the Count. It is the hat of hats. It is the brightest and most artistic and valuable hat that ever came from the maker's."

Tiiis wxs centuries ago. A week after tho event all Paris had a peculiar parasol, and likewise the trail and the stove-pipe hat. Since then they have travelled all over the world, and, dear children, they are with us yet. We .stepped on one of them a moment ago. Our hat was banged with another of them, as a result, sufficiently to make another fashion in that article. But, alas ! we are not a Count.