Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-05-05
MY Old Coat.

We have seldom met With more
gushing touch of nature and truthfuIness
than will be found in following extract.
Some Of the illusions are touching and
all interesting:
There hangs my old coat on its last
resting place, its siIken lining torn into
shreds, its buttons hanging from its body
by the slightest tenure, and its collar
shining and greasy. Yet it has seen bet.
ter days in hall and grove and what
though its brief existence is for the prs..
ent ended, and it is doomed never to live
again, except, perchance, upon the men.
dicant's back, has it not a history7 Has
it not been at wedding, and baptism, and
funeral? Has it not been buttoned
snugly across a manly breast to keep out
the cool March air i? Has it not beer
first to feel the impress of pair Of WE'LL
rounded arms, or has not its gallant
sleeve often vibratcd under q soft and
gentle touch Well, can tell where it
has been, for have always been with To-
It has been in q certain uptown church..
when the owner was gazing more At the
back of a fashionable hat than at the Of.
ficiating minister, only glad when tho
bonnet turned, ,and from underneath glow
ed.a pair Of very expressive blue eyes,
surmountcd by massy golen hair. It
has been, too, not at the fashionable va.
tering-place, but only where there was
scenic interest to be raised in the bosom
Of its wearer; on the mountain top %
eventide, when it hardly kept its wearer
warm, when every 6tful sound that came
yelling up from the vast plain beneath
seemed song Of joy. 1t has been with
its posscssor on the country road, just 40
the sun was setting, and he was walking
briskly toward his boarding-place with :
clear head and keen appetite.
And then it makes me think Of y
harp, golden-haired girl, a summcy
evening, q tasteful parlor, and some soft
and soul.likc sounds. And then fancy
ever loving, bears me away on its snowy
wings to the Mall on Saturday afternoon,
when the air was resonant with tRous~
and sweet sounds, and the sky was bright
and all seemed happy, and amid the gush
OF music to forget their many cares. But
not always as a new coat did it flourish !;
by reason of slight degree of shabbi-
ness, it fell from its high position and be-
came an ofiee-coat, and was faithful to
its owner in the more sober duties Of
everyday life. And then, from constant
rubbing upon the desk, its sleeves grew
shiny, its buttons became worn, and final
ly it was doomed to hang upon the WALL
no more to be used by its wearer.
"And yet he feels 10th to give it up;
for in its skirts is yet the lingering per-
fumc of the party !; on its sleeves il the
shine of industry, here and there is .
small rip torn in the race for bread, and
there button hanging by a thread show
idg how careless we all are in that battle
which we all are fighting.
Well, farewell, coat! Only now and
then | may accidentally revisit the dark
ened closet in which you hang; only now
and then will ponder over the sweet and
sad things which your shrunken form has
called to mind. Yet am thankful that
you have remindcd me Of the DAYS gone
by.
Then last and fond adIeu! con-
slider you not in the light of cast.of,
but dear, departed friend.
NED SrouoAros.