The Arizona sentinel., 1888-10-27


 sittings. So he put it on, and after much discussion and many experiments as to his position, he was finally seated and Mr. Archer was at work.
 Now the coat was a handsome one. Alexander had seen handsome clothes in his day, at the South, and he mo- ticed this one as soon as it appeared on the scene. The material was a rich diagonal, and it was lined and faced with expensive silk, and fitted like a glove When Mr. Winthrop went away that day he left the coat.
 Il will leave it," he said. ''I should be sure to forget to bring it every time"
 Alexander wrapped the coat up and put it away on a clOset-shelf After that Mr. Winthrop came nearly every Wednesday, for good many weeks, and then the portrait was finished at last, and was sent away. It made a fine picture. Mr. Winthrop was a tall, well-built man, with strong, vigor- ous face little flushed, and bushy head of hair just beginning to turn gray, and Mr. Archer had caught his best expression perfectly. Every one who saw it was delighted.
 MT. Winthrop and Mir. Archer had become very good friends, and Mrs. Archer had fallen into the way of sit ting in the studio while the work was going on, with her painting or sewing. But Mir. Winthrop was busy man, and after the picture was done, it was a long time-nearly year-before he came again.
 One day the carriage brought him once more. The Archers were both at home. Mir. Archer was at work just then on a portrait of a pretty child with blue eyes and sunny hair, dressed in black velvet. They had a very pleasant half-hour together, and then Mir. Winthrop rose to go.
 ''Oh, by the way" he said, as he stood by the door, ''it just occurs to me that have a coat here. I forgot it when I went away. That was a favorite coat of mine. If you can lay your hand on it now, without trouble, I'll take it."
 "Oh, surely" said MT. Archer.
 ''I'll let Alexander get it, said Mrs. Archer.
 ''Coat?" said Alexander, when he was summoned in. "Coat?"-I wish 1 could give you his voice, as well as his words-the strong melancholy in its tones, and faint, illusive negro ac- cent-too faint and too illusive to be represented at all in type.
 Don't you remember the Prince AL bert coat I had here, Alexander?" asked MT. Winthrop.
 ''Seems s if 1 did, now,n said Alex ander, lowing his head little on one side, at short intervals, and looking steadily at his own boots. ''Seems $ if 1 recalls that coat, an yet
 ''Oh yes, Alexander" said Mir. Archer, ''of course you remember that coat Go and look for it. It must be here, somewhere"
 Alexander shambled about the studio, looking not only in the closets, but in all sorts of impossible places, under chairs and behind boxes and pictures. Then he went shuffling through the other rooms, noisily open ing drawers, inspecting shelves, look ing into trunks.
 MT. Winthrop resumed his seat, meanwhile, and the talk ran on again. But Mrs. Archer exchanged looks with her husband.
 Alexander returned after a short time.
 ''I can't seem to fin no coat about, " he said, lowing and lowing, and look ing at the floor, and the pictures, and everywhere but at MT. Archer ''Some- fin mus have happened to that coat !"
 II will look for it myself, Alexan- der," said Mrs. Archer, in tone of displeasure, and so she departed and looked through the drawers and trunks and closets, but all with no better re- suits.
 Well, MT. Winthrop" she said, as she came back, ''there certainly is something mysterious about the disap- pearance of that coat. can not find it. But we will have thorough search for it, and will send it to you"
 So Mr. Winthrop went rolling away in his carriage.
 "Alexander," said Mrs. Archer, when he was gone, ''don't you remem- Der that coat Mr. Winthrop left here?"
 |'Coat?n said Alexander, bending his head on one side and beginning to bow, ''why, yes, I do rememb' that coat perf'ly."
 And did you really look for it just now as hard as you knew how?"
 ''Well," said Alexander, as if W eigh- ing his words very carefully, "well, now, not just as hard as I has some things, well, no"
 And did you really expect to find it where you looked?"
 Well, now," said the old man, ''jus' where look, why, no can't say I did expec' to see it jus there."
 Alexander" said Mrs. Archer, in a severe tone, q believe you never told me falsehood. Do you know where that coat is?"
 "Well, now," he said, T suppose I do know where that coat is, well, yes."
 ''Why, I am shocked, Alexander" said Mrs. Archer. 'Where is it? Who has it. Have you sold it?"
 "No.n