THE APPOINTMENT FAD 



attitude upon the box suggestive of nothing so 

 much as " the monkey on a stick " of " The 

 Geisha " fame, as grotesque as inappropriate, as 

 uncomfortable and unbusinesslike. This "cor- 

 rect " ( ?) attitude (and not a few of the masters 

 have adopted it themselves) consists in perching 

 upon the very edge of the cushion, with the back 

 much hollowed, knees much bent, and the heels 

 against the edge of the seat fall ; a position calcu- 

 lated apparently to project the contortionist into 

 space if perchance his gee-gee make a mistake or 

 stumble. This posture undoubtedly was origin- 

 ally adopted by some short footman or lad who 

 could not otherwise reach the heel-board, and 

 being perched upon the vehicle of some ultra- 

 smart owner, it was assumed that this must be 

 the dernier cri in form, and forthwith this atti- 

 tude of compulsory discomfort became the posi- 

 tion of established fashion. That any self-respect- 

 ing amateur, however, should thus make a show 

 of himself is as senseless as it is un-American. 



Another and more serious offence against or- 

 dinary common-sense appropriateness of detail 

 we notice when our carriage pulls up at the 

 door and our footman must jump down into the 

 mud, snow, or dust, and amid traffic, run thence 

 9 129 



