Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-03-31
MY NEW COAT.


Inerer was so miserable in all my
life, as the day l put on my new coat.
My misery was heightened by the cir
cumstancc that l expected to be parti-
cularly happy. putt on after break
fast. 1t fitted me exceedingly we'll,
and l have rather handsome figure
at least so my tailor tells me had been
reading Miss Landon's "Inaprovisa-
trice;abut the moment put on my
new coat, / found that my thoughts
vanderbilt Princes street, and could
no loagcr participate in the sorrow Of
her heroine. buttoned my new coat,
for the: greatest natural philosophers
inform us, that we should always wear
new coat buttoned, that it may get
habit Of setting close TO the body. l
buttoncd my new coat and sailed forth
/ passed through the western divisions
Of George street. 1t struck me that
there was an unusual number Of ladies
at the windows. l did not care: l was
sure that my new coat had fashiona-
BILE cut: 50 said to myself "they may
look if they please" Iresolved, how,
ever, not 10 walk as ifI were conscious
that wore new coat. assumed an
easy, good bumored, condcsccnding
kind OF air, and the expression of my
cointenance seemed benevolently to
indicate that would have addressed a
few words to an old friend, even altho'
he appeared in coat that l had seen
him in six months before. did not
wear my Indian handkerchief in my
breast, for LOOK upon that as strata
gem to which men should resort only
when the front part Of their coat gets
threadbare. / put my handkerchief
lit is real India, and have only one
Of the sorD into my coat pocket, and
! allowed one ofthe yellow corners to
hang out as if by accident Occasion
ally conveyed it from my pocket 10
my nose, but when l replaced it, yell
low corner, by the same accident al
ways hung out.
At the corner Of Castle street, sew
eral portcrs touched their hats to me {;
and two maid servants, who were
standing at the top Of their arena stair,
looked after me till was out ofsight.
When came to where the coaches
are, opposite the Assembly room, three
or four men asked me if / wanted a
coach; but though the compliment rath-
er pleased me declined their offers.
Just as I passed Gardeners shop, or be-
tween that and M'Diarmid's an indi-
vidual rather stability dressed, whis-
psred in my ear. aAny old clothes to
sell, sir?" l answered ssNo!' rather
crafty, for my first impression was
that kind Of sheer was intended at nv
new coat but on reflection felt con-
WINGED that these old clothes men only
address persons Of gentlemanly appear
ance, and therefore take this oppor-
tunity Of publicly expressing my re-
Gret for severity 10 the individual in
question, who / am sorry to repeat
was rather stability dressed. Hither-
to l had met with little to ruffie me.
Just as turned into South Hano-
yer street, rubbed against a white
phantom, who passed on as if nothing
had happened but who left the whole
Of my right arm and shoulder covered
with -four and dust. The daring vii
Han was baker, and with ruthless
barbarity worthy only Of lineal des-
cendant Of the murderer Heggart; he
had attempted TO destroy for ever my
coat and my Happiness. Fortunately,
IN obliging footnan, who was near me
1t the time, seeing fmy distress lifted
HE hand, and by a pretty violent ape
niication Of it to my back and side,
neded in restoring me to compare