Itendedintheirbuyingabookofetiquette，whichsettledthequestionadverselytoawhitewaistcoat。
Theauthor，however，afterbeingveryexplicitintellingthemnottoeatwiththeirknives，andaboveallnottopicktheirteethwiththeirforks，——athingwhichhesaidnoladyorgentlemaneverdid，——wasstillfarfromdecidedastothekindofcravatColonelLaphamoughttowear：shakenonotherpoints，Laphamhadbeguntowaveralsoconcerningtheblackcravat。AstothequestionofglovesfortheColonel，whichsuddenlyflasheduponhimoneevening，itappearednevertohaveenteredthethoughtsoftheetiquetteman，asLaphamcalledhim。
Otherauthorsonthesamesubjectwereequallysilent，andIrenecouldonlyrememberhavingheard，insomevaguesortofway，thatgentlemendidnotwearglovessomuchanymore。
DropsofperspirationgatheredonLapham’sforeheadintheanxietyofthedebate；hegroaned，andhesworealittleinthecompromiseprofanitywhichheused。
\"Ideclare，\"saidPenelope，whereshesatpurblindlysewingonabitofdressforIrene，\"theColonel’sclothesareasmuchtroubleasanybody’s。Whydon’tyougotoJordan&Marsh’sandorderoneoftheimporteddressesforyourself，father？\"Thatgavethemallthereliefofalaughoverit，theColoneljoininginpiteously。