Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-03
EVENING STAR.
THE TRAVELLING ovERcoAT.

I
into society, particularly in official circles.
Although be was n married man, he Otter
went out alone, for his wife had little fondnes
for this kind of party, aad could not often
make up her mind to accompany him.
M. de v. was a singularly absent-minded
man, and as his wife was seldom present Il
recall him to the speculations Of common
LIE; he was perpetually liable to these little
| accidents which unpleasantly disturb the sur
face Of an honest and regular household-en.
gagements forgotten, hired carriage left stand.
| ing under the shed, 10 run up long bill in
waiting, tippet left in coach, and to come
to the very worst and last, an overcoat ex.
changed in the dressing room
"My dear" said Madame V. one day to her
husband, "there is perhaps one method to
remedy this last Inconvenience. Why do you
not put one Ofyour cards in the pocket Of your
overcoat? In this way the person whom you
had victimized by your carelessness could
easily repair the trouble, being provided with
your name and address,"
at is an excellent idea, (" replied NJ de ",
''and promise you that viii take advantage
of it.''
In fact on the first occasion which offered,
NJ. de v, enchantid with the expedient, insert
| ed card in the depths Of his oveecoat pocket.
and behold him setting forth TO ball given by
| the minister to whose Office he was attached.
He showed himself there for an hour, and then
as it was still early, he took the occasion t.
make q call on one Of his acquaintances, and
| then upon another-and these friends lived so
far apart.
In short, it was nearly three o'clock when he
entered his carriage for the last time, and
ordered the driver to drive him to his home
1t was so late that the porter would probably
leave him to wait In the street, and the ther-
mometer was near zero.
Not at all; as far as he could see he remark
ed cab stationed at the door, and the door
itself was wide open. Moreover, his own
carriage had scarcely stopped, and while he
was fumbling in his pockets for the coachman' $
fare, the porter's door opened suddenly, and
displayed on the sidewalk, to the surprise of
M. de ", a gentleman in a ball dress, with al
overcoat Oh Ills arm.
''And here you are at last; it is very fortu-
nate" cried our unknown, red with cold and
anger. "I've been waiting for you lcng
enough; it is very sensible, to be sure, to stay
out until such an hour as this"
The astonishment Of NJ de v. increased;
he opened his eyes and sought in vain to re-
cognize the individual who was thus waiting
at his door, to salute him in so urceremonious
a manner.
" Your pardon sir, but have not the hon.
orr
care you NJ. de y?'' interrupted the
stranger.
"Yes; I am N. de v"
"Well then, alight aud we can come to an
explanation afterwards
NJ de v, completely subjugated by the
authoritative tone of his strange interlocutor,
obeyed without replying, alighted from his
carriage, dismissed his cOachman, after having
paid him, and passed over the doorstep,
following the stranger.
Now" said the later, stopping at the foot
Of the staircase, ''you will please to return my
overcoat."
''Your overcoat -
Undoubtedly; here is yours, which was
given me in the place of my own, at the minis
ter's soiree, where you were, were you not %
81 was"
fortunately, you had left one of your cards
in the pocket; if it had not been for that, /
should have been in q worse embarrassment
Know sir, that am a stranger in Paris-here
only for few days. / am provincial; L am
a magistrate in the town of B; and have
here only a little apartment, the key of which
l had in my overcoat. You understand that,
thanks 10 you, here / have been waiting more
than two hours at the door of your house, with
my wife and daughter In the pOIter's lodge.
A sensible thing for you TO come home so late.
Where the deuce have you been since you left
the minister's?"
.'But, sir, it seems to me-" said M. de ",
attempting to reply to the somewhat rude apos-
IIOpneS VI Inc pIOfluCidl IecuDg
all the while little mystifed by the queer
accident. -.
"But, finally" interrupted the stranger,
s'what matter is it; the main thing is, that you
have come home at last, and now let us change
overcoats."
"With pleasure" said NJ. de v; ''here is
yours.
"Thank you"
The interchange was effected, and while tho
oiStr 10
to the possession of which he had just been re-
stored, N. de V. was Fastening, as in duty
bound, to take polite farewell of the stranger.
with q food of excuses, when suddenly the
provincial uttered loud cry Of despair, his
face grew pale; his nose almost so, his eyes
sparkled, and dull imprecation was issuing
from his throat
"W hat is the matter" said IL. de ", in
alarm.
"The matter is, this aocursed overcoat is
not mine.i'
impossible" 4
"YOu see it is SO; can't get 1t on, and the
key is not in the pocket"
. In that case, sir, it is clear that am not
responsible-address yourselfto some one else.
There was great confusion in the dressing room
but if you look carefully-I am much obliged
to you for taking the trouble to bring me my
overcoat."
Pronouncing these words in a mocking tone,
which he thought was eKcusable after an
assault of this kind, III. de V. began to beat a
retreat up stairs.
But the excited magistrate, with the most
desperate leap, threw himself between him
and the first stair.
''No, SIR" exclaimed he, with voice trem-
ulous with rage ''you shall not escape me
thus, for it was you who took my overcOst for
your own. / was assured that no one had
quilted the saloon but you and me; you must
have passed the night in another house; you
have made some blunder, for you are apt to
fall into them, the porter tells me-"
'tAh, yes, SIR"
'swhere did you go when you left the minis
ter's?" rit
''To University street, sir"
every well, sir.
Sand afterwards to Drout street, sir"
"Heavens above! I risk nothing; but il IS
sensible for man to be running about in this
way in such night as this You have been
nowhere else, hope?" f aa...s .
"No, sir.' T.. +
'Oh! begin to breathe. Come, sir, have
kept my cab. Be 60 kind as TO get into 1t with
me-" = 80 GLIB -I1D q +
"To do WHAT" z /