204 THE CO:\IPLETE SPORTSMAN 



of suitable offerings gives free play to the ima- 

 gination of a million purchasers, thousands of 

 manufacturers vie ^^dth one another in the pro- 

 duction of novelties that shall appeal to the 

 jaded taste of the most fastidious buyer. 



The utility of a gift is a matter of very second- 

 ary consideration; what is primarily needed is 

 something that shall appear expensive and can 

 never be justly accused of satisf\dng any earthly 

 purpose or supph' ing any possible long-felt want. 

 The shop-keepers of the West End have long 

 proved themselves adepts at providing articles 

 which fulfil these essential conditions; they have 

 raised the cult of the futile to the level of a fine 

 art. 



The choice of goods with which their shelves 

 are amply furnished is suited to the needs of all 

 classes of customers. Tlie wealthy may pur- 

 chase jewelled umbrella-handles or enamelled 

 bell-pushes which the recipients reverently dis- 

 play in drawing-room show-cases, and which 

 need never be desecrated by the addition of an 

 umbrella or the connection of an electric "wdre. 

 For persons of more moderate means there are 

 miniature electric torches for which no one has 

 ever yet found a use, patent cigar-lighters that 

 seldom light (save on rare and painful occasions 

 in the trousers-pocket), nocturnal clocks, which, 

 when a button is pressed by the insomniac, 



