A Rapid Dresser

1895

This New York Society Man Can Do the Lightning Change Act.

The man who thinks he is a rapid dresser was in a cafe at Broadway and Twenty-sixth street with half a dozen friends at 6 p. m. He was in afternoon dress. Being invited to stroll down the street, he answered that he was afraid he did not have time, as he had a 7 o'clock dinner engagement and must go home "in a few minutes to dress."

"I should think," said one of the party, "that if you had far to go you would be late to your engagement as it is."

"Oh, no," answered the other. "It's true that I shall have to go to Fifty-ninth street to dinner, but I have ample time."

"Well," said another, "if I had a 7 o'clock dinner engagement, I certainly should not be sitting here at 6. I'd be home dressing."

"I'll tell you what I'll do," said the rapid dresser. "I live at Fifth avenue and Twenty-seventh street. I'll bet you that I leave here now, go home and dress, come back here, taken drink with you all, walk to the nearest elevated station — three blocks — go to Fifty-eighth street, walk two blocks to the house where I dine, all within ten minutes before 7 o'clock."

"I'll not take the bet," was the reply, "but I don't see how it can be done. Why, you will need half an hour at the least to dress. I require nearer an hour."

"I'll make you another proposition, then," said the "lightning change" man. "I'll bet you that I walk home from here, dress, come back here and join you before 25 minutes past 6 o'clock, and it's now eight minutes past the hour."

"Done!" cried the other, and the rapid dresser immediately left the cafe.

"I guess I've won that bet," said the taker, glancing confidently at the clock.

"I guess you haven't," said another one of the group. "Jack can dress in ten minutes on a pinch. It will take him not more than four, possibly only three, minutes for him to walk to his home and back here. Give him four for walking and 11 for dressing, and he still has a leeway of two minutes. Wait and see!"

At 23 minutes past 6 o'clock the fast dresser strolled into the cafe. He was in full evening dress, his hair carefully and smoothly plastered, his tie fastened and set to perfection, and his whole appearance that of a man who had a lot of time to kill.

"Guess I won the bet," he said coolly, drawing a chair to the table and removing his gloves. — New York Tribune.