The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-12-06
GGlS0yRLhlANN1TS
TIE OLD BROWN COAT.
AN A NJ RIO AN IA l. E .
BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT, II. N.

Il reckon you see noIhlng very paIUcWd'
IN this do you! said an American acqualn
lance OF mine bringing oaI the cuff OF an
oId coat, and holding it up before me;dang
ling it between his finger and thumb.
Il can't cay that do replied |, but |
presume ii has some secret merit which
remains TO be explained
'Ex-sc-ly,' replied gv acquaintance,
pIonounring each syllable of the word apart
vet lhe coat, of which lhI, i. the rOmaIeing
cuff, was the occasion Of my being just
now pretty considerable well to do 10 the
world: guess I'm right, amt II continued
he appealing TO his wife, a very pretty
Young woman, VAo stood by him.
80 you seem 10 Ihnk,' replied she
smiling; 'BuI am not csuvlncsd,so far as !
am concerned in lhs business, Iha! The Goa
had any thing TO do with it,
We'll, then, shall teII my story and
leave you to decide sali he, turning to mt
'You must know that there was Time
when was rather hard up, and bow 10 60
ahead was the business. bad Iried at mer
camille speculation, and sunk an lmmsasIi!
uf dollars. had turned lawyer, but thai
would not answer in any way IL took 10
Ifarming-no luck there Went out supel
cargo, ship went on reef and lost cargo
Returned 10 New York, specuAted long
while upon nothing; didn't lose much, tha
Is certain, bui didu't realize, at last | gave
up business and resolved 10 amuse myself a
iue, so ! vent South aad Joined Bolivar,
'aughl with him for three years, and good
| rfIicer he was, but he had one fault AS
general, aud that was, his army never got
Dail. wanted my three years pay, and
ind that there was neither pay nor plnnGet;
cot tired Of it, and msdS nv way Aomr
% the States, and at last arrived at the Cap
tot with only oAe extra shirt, ard not
,eul in NY pocket, | happened TO meet viii
a tailor, whose customer had once bcer
when had money aud paid my bill, and ht
observed that nv coat was rather shabby
and that could not appear in it. ! knew
Ilhq, very well, and what he wanted WAS al
Iorler for another: bat as had no chanC,
of paying him, thought it advisable mu
10 take the hint.
i think said that with new vei'e
collar, brass buttons, il might do very wei
for an evening party
j see,' SAYS he, that's an n'd coun'r!
custom, wearing an old coat to a ball;
guess you're going to Mr.. rs tomorrow
oghi. regular Aare-upi | am told. Pres
Ident there, and every body else. lT'
hardly worth it,, conliuned he, touching Ih
hreadbare cuff
Yes, il is,' replied |; rhpre'II be regu
ar Jam, and a new coat would be spoiled
I'll send it to you to night, and you mus
Ier me have it ia tho morning,s0 gooG-6ye
',WeII, the coat cane home the next da
not early in the morning, ant walked Il
and down my bedroom in my trousers
thinking what should DO At Shree o'cIor
called upon Mrs r.,and left my card; wei
hack again aud waited two hours for the il
v,a,ion--no invitation. Called again
il We. and Irf another card, telling the ri
ger that | had not received an inv,Ianon, al
lha, there must be some mistake whereui
al invitation came about 40 hour after II
return, jusI as was putting my hoi on
cell again and leave another card, in
very fierce manner, reckon. Well,
wen, early to the bail, and NY coat look
Remarkably gay, You could see that I
velvet collar was new, aud the h1Uo
guered ltmou.ly, but you could not 5
THAT tie tIJh wos not Ii.da the worse
wear, Ia short, my brown coal lock
,p,y smart, and was consIdeat
smau tr}ow myself ia-, o, that time.
well. s.cod near Tie door, looking
,ue c.mp.ry "mrg Io hoping TO i"
someLed,: but presume tha ! he'd gro