Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-10-24

carnage DrOuSnt NM aS;lln@ lie hAu
Alexah dor go down to the c.triage and
bring up apackage containing Prince
Albert co ut he; was to wear during the
sittinSs. SO he put it on, and aftor much
discussion and many experiments as
to his position, he was finally seated
and Mr.. Archer was at work.
Now the coat was handsome one.
Alexander had seen handsome clothes
I'm his day, at the South, and he no.
ticod this one as soon us it appeared on
the sccne. The material was q rich
diagonal, and it WAS lined and faced
with expensive silk, and fitted like
gloves Whon Mr.. Winthrop went
away that day he left the coat.
II will leave it" he said. Il should
be sure to forgot to bring it every
time"
Alexander wrapped tho coat up and
put it away on II closet-sholf. Aftor
that Mr.. Winthrop came nearly every
Wednesday,, for IL good many weeks,
and then tho portrait was finished ut
last, and was sent away. It, made a
fine picture. Mr.. Winthrop was tall,
wcll-huilt man, with strong, vigor-
GUS face Il little flushed, and a b,shy
head of hair just beginning to turn
gray, and Mr.. Archer had caught his
best expression perfectly. Every one
who saw it WAS delighted.
Mr.. Winthrop and Mr.. Archer had
become very good, friends, and NJ Is.
Archer had fallen into tho way Of sit
ting in the studio while the work was
going ON, with her painting or sowing.
But Mr.. Winthrop was u busy man, and
after the picture was done, it was a
long time-nearly Il year-beforo he
came :.gain.
One day the carriage brought him
once more. The Archers were both at
home. Mr.. Archer was at work just
then on Il portrait Of a pretty child
with blue eyes and sunny hair, dressed
in black velvet, They had i very,
pleasant half-hour together, and then
Mr.: Winthrop rose to go.
''Oh, by the way" he said, as he
stood by the door, lit just occurs to
me- that l have 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,
Ill take it,
"Oh, surely" said Mr.. Archer.
''Ill let Alexander get it," said Mrs.
Archer.
s. oata' said Alexander, whe1; he
was summoned in. Coat" wish I
could give you his voice, as we'll as his
words-the strong melancholy in it's
tones, and a faint, Elusive negro &C
cent-too faint and too Elusive to be
represented at all in type.
Don't you remember the Prince AL
bert coat l had here, Alexandcr?"
asked Mr.. Winthrop.
"Seems 5 if I did. now" said Alex
ander, bowling his head, little on one
side, at short intervals, and looking
steadily at his own boots. Seems s
if | recalls that coat. an YETI
"Oh yes, Alexander" said Mr.
Archer, "of course you remember that
coat. Go and look for it. 1t must be
here, somewhere"
Alexander shambled about the
studio, looking not only in the closets,
but in all sorts of impossible places,
und der: chairs and behind boxes and
pictures. Then he went shutting
through the other rooms, moist IL open
ing drawers, inspecting shelves, look
ing into trunks.
MIR. Winthrop resumed his scat,
and the talk ran on again
But Mrs. Archer exchanged looks with
her husband.
Alexander returned after a short
time.
! II can't seem to fin no coat about"
he said, bowling and, bowling, and look
ing at the floor, and the pictures, and
everywhere but at Mr.. Archer "Some-
fin mus have happened to that coat"
II will look for it myself, Aloxan-
DER" said Mrs. Archer, in a tone Of
displeasure, and so she departed and
looked through the drawers and trunks
and closets, but all with no better re-
suits.
well, Mr.. Winthrop" she said, as
she came back, "there certainly is
something mysterious about the disap-
pearance Of that cont. l can not find
it. But we willhavc IL thorough search
for it, and will send it to you.'
So Mr.. Winthrop went rolling away
in his carriage.
"Alcxander," said Mrs. Archer,
when he was gone, "don't you remem-
Dor that coat Mr. Winthrop left here?"
"Coat?" said Alexander, bending his
head On one side and beginning to bow,
''why, yes, l do rememb' that coat
perfly:" " =.
"And did you really look for it Just
now as hard as you knew how?"
"Well," said Alexander, as if W eigf1-
ing his words very carefully, "well,
now, not just us hard as has some
things, we'll, no. :"
"And did you really expect to find it
where you lookcd?"
"Wc]l, now" said the old man, ''jus'