For a long time I hesitated between a bead necklace
and a pair of pyjamas. A few coloured stones
on a chain were introduced to the umbrella-less onlooker
as “The Latest Fashion,” followed by the
announcement, superfluous in the circumstances, that
it was “Very Stylish.” It came as
a shock to read further that one could be in the fashion
for so little a sum as six shillings. There were
other necklaces at the same price but of entirely
different design, which were equally “Stylish,”
and of a fashion no less up to date. In this
the merchant seemed to me to have made a mistake; for
the whole glory of wearing “The Latest Fashion”
is the realization that the other woman has just missed
it by a bead or two. A fashion must be exclusive.
St. James, Piccadilly, is all very well, but one has
also to consider how to draw the umbrella-less within
after one has got their noses to the shop window.
I passed on to the pyjamas, which seemed to be mostly
in regimental colours. This war came upon us
too suddenly, so that most of us rushed into the army
without a proper consideration of essentials.
I doubt if anyone who enlisted in the early days stopped
to ask himself whether the regimental colours would
suit him. It will be different in the next war.
If anybody joins the infantry at all (which is doubtful),
he will at least join a regiment whose pyjamas may
be worn with self-respect in the happy peace days.
There are objections to turning up to lunch (however
warmly invited) with a pair of pyjamas under the arm.
It looks as though you might stay too long. I
moved on to another row of bead necklaces. They
offered themselves for two shillings, and all that
the owner could find to say for them was that they
were “Quite New.” If he meant that
nobody had ever worn such a necklace before, he was
probably right, but I feel that he could have done
better for them than this, and that, “As supplied
to the Queen of Denmark,” or something of the
sort, would have justified an increase to two and threepence.
By this time nearly everybody was lunching except
myself, and my clock said one twenty-five. If
I were to arrive with that exact punctuality upon
which I so credit myself, I must buy my bead necklace
upon some other day. I said good-bye to the Burlington
Arcade, and stepped out of it with the air of a man
who has done a successful morning’s shopping.
A clock in the hall was striking one-thirty as I entered.
Then I remembered. It was Tuesday’s lunch
which was to be at one-thirty. To-day’s
was at one o’clock... However, I had discovered
the Burlington Arcade.
State Lotteries
The popular argument against the State Lottery is
an assertion that it will encourage the gambling spirit.
The popular argument in favour of the State Lottery
is an assertion that it is hypocritical to say that
it will encourage the gambling spirit, because the
gambling spirit is already amongst us. Having
listened to a good deal of this sort of argument on
both sides, I thought it would be well to look up the
word “gamble” in my dictionary. I
found it next to “gamboge,” and I can
now tell you all about it.
