Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-08-10
From the True Flag.
THE NEW CLOAK:
Or, Mind your own Business.
BY OLIVER OPTIC.
CHAPTER [.

There declare, if Mrs. Burton hasn't
rot a new cloak!' exclaimed Mrs. Maxwell,
TO her intimate, friend, Miss Viney, as they
came out of church one Sunday.
Il see she has, replied Miss Viney, very
quietly.
Il know her husband can't afford it; she
will be the ruin Of him yet
4 suppose they know their own business
best; at any rate, it is a blessing that Tor you
are not accountable for her misdeeds,' said
Miss Viney, who, though what is technically
termed an 'old maid,' was not of that class
who have been slanderously styled gossips
and busybodies. And we have purposely in
Jroduced her TO refute the foul calumny that
xold maids are all meddlers-and we are sure
that all spinsters will be grateful to us for the
service.
Il don't know about that returned Mrs.
MAXWELL, with dubious shake of the head !;
'Mr, Burton owes my husband three hundred
dollars, and don't believe he ever will get
his pay, if things 60 on IN this way. That
cloak couldn't have cost less than thirty dol
lars
Il presume they could afford it, or they
would not have bought it-at any rate they
know BEST
Mrs. Burton is a vain, conceited proud
woman, and pride will have fall one of these
days
i hope not
Il hope she will have fall she would
drop some of those airs them
8 [ never thought she was what might be
termed vain woman
She is; she is an impudent mink, and the
sooner she is brought down on level with
her circumstances, the better for her and the
world.
'She has the reputation Of being very
kind-hearted person, and an excellent neigh
bor'
[ don't care if she has, she likes to 'lord
it through the village, and for one | won't be
ruled by her.
Really, do not understand you; she is
as amable and humble as any one need be-
sAmiable and humble, indeed What did
she buy that new cloak for, except to excite
the envy of half the town, and make them
think she is somebody!'
a hope there is no one so silly as to envy
her, and Miss Viney cast significant glance
full into the face of her companion.
i don't, for one but should like to
teach her that she is no better than the rest of
the world
She don't profess TO be; she visits the
neighborhood and I'm sure there is no bet
ter person in sickness than she is
All that may be.
When you had the erysipelas, you remem-
Der she watched with you when no one else
would
Il know it but is one to be tyrannized over
forever. because she watched few nights
with met
How strange you talk !
dol! Didn't she buy that cloak on pur
pose to cut figure through the town, and
make everybody feel cheapp
mo, am sure she did not she had no
such motive,' replied Miss Viney, smartly.
Il don't believe it, there Y
She is not such woman as that
Yes she is, just such woman as that
Il have seen no one but you who feels bad
about it,
But me La sake ! | wouldn't have you
think l feel bad about it. She can wear
what she's mind to, for all me; only hope
she Can afford it, that's all
Il think she can she has the reputation of
being pretty careful woman
Il don't care ; but feel it my duty to warn
my husband look out about his debt
When folks get to be awful extravagant.
there's no knowing what may happen
sMr. Burton is doing very good business,
people say
Nobody knows anything about what he is
doing. All l know is, that when Squire
Smith sold him two cords of wood last week,
and carried in the bill, he couldn't pay it.
He actually put the Squire off till next week,
That looks as though they could afford thirty
dollar cloaks, don't it!'
With these sage reflections, Mrs. MAXWELL
turned down the lane that led to her home,
leaving Miss Viney to pursue her way and
ponder the extravaganza of some folks
CHAPTER III.
Mrs. MAXWELL loved fine clothes quite as
much as any other woman of the nineteenth
century, and this is saying great deal. But
then her husband was parsimonious. and