In imitation of what has already been done in America and France, numbers of the most elegant and fashionable young sion of Rome have appeared dressed in modified workmen's blouses as a protest against the excessive charges of the tailors. The "sa/opettes," as they are called, are generally cut with considerable fantasy, and the wearers look more like actors in costume than working-men, They also wear the roughest kind of cord shoes and straw hats, which, judging by their colour, must' have attained an advanced age.
The enthusiasts of the movement usually meet for an aperitif at the Arrange Cafe on the Corse, about midday, where the interest they excite serves as a good advertisement for the cause. The movement is obviously spreading among the smart young men of Rome. but so far most of the wearers of the standard costume for mien seem to be young fellows of 21 or so. The more serious part of the population has not caught on to the idea There is evidently a certain esprit de corps among the weavers jof the "sa/opettes" as a little incident that occurred the other day proves. A writer in one of the papers wrote an article making fun of the movement and deriding the adherents. The next day, three supporters of the standard costume presented themselves with sticks at the newspaper office, and would, perhaps, have proceeded to use them had not the editor pulled out a revolver, at the sight of which the young nien withdrew.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.