The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-10-09
The Story of a Coat.

was strolling along carelessly in
Chatham street. when man rushed
out Of door, with Sam1 of Posen
face, and seized me in his arms. Great
Caesar" said |. He started to carry
me into his store. Is it possible,
thought |, that he has mistaken me for
his clothing store dummy, and is TAX
ing me in out of the wetp Before /
knew where l was. he had dragged me
into his lair, where there were two
more men, who looked so much like
sim that the three might have been
taken for twins. l thought of Daniel
in the lions den. l was representing
Daniel in the tableau. Like Daniel, l
was taken for profit.
Did you ever notice how those Dav-
enport brothers, of spiritualistic fame,
got their coats off and on in two turns
and one motion? Well, that's the way.
only faster, that my old coat came off
and a new one went on.
'Oh, amt he cunningP" said one of
them, referring to my improved ap
pearance.
Don't you want to puy dot goat for
sewing tollarsp''
really didn't need any coat, but on
examining it l found the cloth was the
finest had ever seen. 1t was really a
500 coat.
Iexamined the coat once more. The
garment was of the very best cloth.
Then | asked myself; Is it right for me
to take advantage of the mistake of
these unfortunate Israelites, who are
strangers in a strange land? May be
they are just starting out in business,
and perhaps they have families depend
ent upon them for support. On the
other hand, business is business. 1t is
for them to look out for their own in
terests. If they see proper to sell me
$50 coat for 81, why should l pre-
sumo TO dictate to perfect strangers
about their business affairsp l reluc-
tantly consented to buy the garment
handed out 81, which they accepted
without any hesitation, which surprised
me, as | expected them to back out. |
backed out as soon as they wrapped up
my purchase. 1t was so kind in them
to wrap up the coat for me considering
how little money they got for it. When
under my arm felt as if | had stolen
it. My conscience troubled me so that
l took the bundle back to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, and told them that
there must be some mistake about the
coat. They became very indignant,
and, not only refused to take it back,
but actually pushed me out into the
street with as much cordiality as
they had formerly shown in pulling me
in.
l hurried off with my precious bar
gain, which the partner of my joys un-
wrapped.
''Is this the coat you paid 81 for?,'
asked my wife, holding up wretched,
shoddy garment l had never seen be-
fore. or behind either
mo, no." | stammered; 'fhat's not
the coat. The Jew has wrapped up the
wrong coat by mistake"
''Well, then, take it back to them,
and tell them that they have made
mlstake, and get your money back"
Il ddid take the bundle back to them,
but they said there was no mistake.
They would not listen to me. The
children indulged in unseemly levity.
The coat has since been cut up for dish
rags.
A few days after my Chatham ex-
perience l met Sykes. He has lived in
New York all his life, and knows ev-
erything about the city. He said II
know those identical Israelites. Lord,
how they hate me, can pass there a
never try to sell me coat for ST. They
tried once and got away with the
coat. You see, knew all about the
trick of wrapping up the wrong coat
They fitted me with a coat that was
really worth twenty dollars, the finest
kind of coat, and then after / had
tried it on, and found it fitted, they
wanted me to take it off. I refused to
cooperate. | would not let them take
the coat of. Abraham tried to pull it
off, and hit him fearful whack on
the nose. / nearly knocked it off. tits
crooked yet. Then Jacob ran to the
door and called: 'Bolice! Bolicen A
policeman came running with his
tongue hanging out. l happened to
know him. His name is Mike Sullivan.
He is whole-souled Irishman. We
belong to the same lodge. He dubbed
Abraham and Isaac all over the store,
while l got Jacob over a dry goods box
and padded him good with piece of
the cover.
Policeman Sullivan ran all three Is
raelites in, and Judge Donahue, anoth-
er chum of mine, whole-souled, noble
lrishman, by the way-you ought to
know him, I'll introduce you some day
he fined Abraham, whose nose L dis
located. SO, and Isaac, whom Sullivan
dubbed. got $50, and Jacob, whom |
padded with the piece of a shoe box,
got ten days for resisting an officer in
the discharge of his duty. And | got
away with the $40 coat, and the best
of it was that didn't pay the 81, so |
got the $40 coat for nothing. When
ever | pass their store" continued
Sykes. ''and any of them are standing
in the door, | shake my hand, and say:
Abraham, don't you want to puy a
goat for sewing tollarsp' "-Aler. b.
Saoeet, IN Teras Siftilsgs.