Up to this time I had been, perhaps, careless in dress and rather affected it.

Great heavy boots, loose collar, and general roughness of attire were then peculiar to the West and in our circle considered manly.

Anything that could be labeled foppish was looked upon with contempt.

I remember the first gentleman I ever saw in the service of the railway company who wore kid gloves.

He was the object of derision among us who aspired to be manly men.