The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-11-11
Simpsons Orercoat.

1
glorious days of Indian summer admon-
ished everybody who had an overcoat
that it was time to bring it out, and
everybody who had no overcoat that tt
was time to collect suficiency of depre-
ciated currency and 60 in search of one.
Hercules Simpson had an overcoat, or
thought he had one, left over from last
winter, and the calm and confident tone
in which he requested his wife to produce
it, on the first Of those cold mornings,
was quite contrast to her look of blank
dismay when she assured him that he
had no overcoat. go
"But did have one," he protested.
"You surely can't mean the overcoat
you wore all last winter" said Maria in
her sweetest tones. 'Why, Hercules,
that was all worn out"
"It was nothing of the kind. 1t was
nearly as good as new, and had lots OF
wear in it."
-"But you had worn it one season"
"And might have worn it two more"
"It was quite out of style"
"What do you know about style in
mems clothes? All sorts of overcoats
are always in style. But where Is my
overcoat? That's what want to know"
"My dear, I supposed that you 77ere
done with it, that you would never want
it again, and it was out of style, and it
was badly worn, and the moths had got
into it, and some acid had been spilled
on it, and it was always in the way, and
I wanted you to have new one, and l
never liked to see you in sack coat,
and"
"That will do," roared Simpson. "You
have given reasons enough already for
the destruction Of an entire tailor shop.
Where is my overcoat?" :.
eff you are going to be profane and
violent about SUCH a small matter, Mr..
Simpson, I will go and see my mother,
and you may sit here and rave as long as
you please"
"Maria," said Simpson, with a cool
ness and a sweetness that would have
done credit to CONCEALED jariof strained
honey, "will you have the kindness to
tell me what has become ofmy oyercoatT
II gave the old, nasty, worn-out, ugly,
out-landish, good-for-nothing thing to
my wash-Woman," and Mrs. Simpson.
burst into tears, ;n,5..~,sg;; ,a
"Don't cry, dear" said Simpson, sooth-
ingly. "No doubt you did just right.
Your wash-woman needed an overcoat,
and my Office boy needs few paniers
and over-shirts and such things, which l
will carry down 10 him if you will hand
them over"
!; "Do you want to kill me, Hercules?"
Haven't the least desire to do so. l
was just thinking how glad 1 would be to
60 down town to buy an overcoat, if l
had the money"
'But, I've got the mo-n1o- money" Sob
bed Maria, "and I've been saving it for
that very pu-pu-purpose."
Simpson was Modified, but his face fell
when his wife. announced her intention
of going out to buy the coat. He thought
that he was better fitted tobuy his coats
than she was; but she declared that the
money was hers, that she knew what
looked well, that the men were always
cheated, that she was determined that he
should never wear sack again, and that
she meant to have her own way for once
in her life.. IT,, IN ..,
She had her own way, of course, and
that oyercoat was sent home, and Simp-
son put it on to please her, but refused to
20 before the looking glass, saying that
he preferred her judgment. to his own.
He closed his lips tightly, and gritted his
teeth, and smiled q ghastly smile, and
dug his finger nails into his hands, and
turned around as she asked him to, and
buttoned and unbuttoned that coat ac- :
cording to command, and thanked her
for it again and again, and was very par
ticular to inquire where she had got it.
= Then he started down town, but had
hardly got two blocks away from the
house., when he took off that coat, rolled
it up into bundle, and carried it under
his arm. When he came home to- sup.
per, the coat no longer encountered MIN,
but he wore o sack, in cut and in color
exactly like his last winters oyercoat.
Mrs. Simpson said nothing, though she
looked whole dictionary, and the over
coat question has been quieted down in
that family. for another year. Simpson
vows ttlathe will leave his overcoat at a
pawnbroker's next spring, and will glad
" pay what may be charged for storage,
as it will be guaranteed against moths,
and his wife will have no chance to give
it away to her wash-woman.