Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-31
MIR. FRRGUsoN,s MAoKINTosH.
Trfbulations of a Young Man Who I'm.
 vested i'm n Waterproof Coat.

Fluctuations of a Young Man Who In- vested fin n Waterproof Coat.
 From the Chicago Tribune.l It had rained for three weeks and was still raining when George Ferguson made up his mind to buy macintosh.
 "I want the best you've got" he said to the clerk at the rubber-goods store. ''If I had bought it when it began to rain it would nave saved mo whole suit of clothes"
 'It would have saved you S5 besides your suit of clothes" said the clerk, after he had found a garment that fitted his cus- toner and buttoned it around him, tsHow sol"
 "McKinly bill"
 George Ferguson paid the double eagle the salesman demanded and went out. When he had entered the store five min utes before, heavy rain was falling. When he went out with his macintosh on the rain had stopped, the clouds had almost disappeared and the sun was shin Tt will be raining again in little whild," he said 'I'll keep it on." He took 1t to the office where he was em- ployed.
 "Perfectly dry isn't it." inquired one of his associates.
 tsYesn
 It cost him s15O to go out with the boys | and ''wet it."
 He hung it on hook back of his desk, | and for e whole week it remained there un- distured. There was not sign of rain in | all that time. He ached for an excuse to wear that nackintosh but the weather | gave him no opportunity. | At last came a cloudy, lowering day. He l carried the macintosh out with him when | he went to lunch and took it home in the evening, but it rained not. He wore his heavy fur beaver overcoat downtown next | morning and the weather became warm.
 The day following was cloudy again and
 he brought his mackintosh to the office and | hung it on it's accustomed hook.
 In the afternoon it cleared off, turned
 suddenly cold, and he nearly froze riding
 home in a North Side car without an,
 overcoat.
 This would not do. He removed hi
 lodgings to place within five or ten min
 utes' walk of the office so that he could
 make a nasty trip from one to the othe
 for the macintosh when necessary. Whel
 it looked like rain he brought it with hin to the office and when it was clear h brought his fur beaver.
 One morning when everything was fros ty, he came down with his heavy overeoa
 on and buttoned up to the chin. It becam
 cloudy and somewhat warmer later in th day, and he left his overeoat at the offic and started briskly for his lodgings.
 began to rain heavily before he had gon
 half the distance, and when he reached hi room he was wet to the skin. Then ! cleared of, the wind blew from the norti |. and when he went back to the office wit ! his mackintosh on and fierce gale blow ! ing about his ears and Tapping the lon ! skirts of his garment about his legs ever, body on the street stopped and looked
 him.
 3 Whenever George had his macintosh 3 the office and his overcoat at home it turns colder.
 Whenever he had his heavy overco a with him and his macintosh at the oth, : end of the route it rained like all DO ' sessed.
 t When he bought that mackintesh : weighed 1S3 pounds. At the end of s D weeks his weight had fallen to 161t. Dal ! rings made their appearance under h ] eyes, his hand trembled when he attempt, l to use the pen, he grew careless of b 8 personal appearance and lost his appetit
 Ano never urOp or rum hhu Ialten y that macintosh.
 Yesterday morning the sky was cle
 and he wore his heavy overcoat. Apo
 noon it began to rain slightly and he rus
 ed to his lodgings, getting the full bene ' of the shower on the way. He put on
 macintosh and went back to the off
 and not drop of rain fell. It had clear a of. v "win any of you give me s for t r beastly thingl" he asked with wild lo' l. in his eyes, as he threw the faithful mac ,o intosh on the floor and danced up al n down on it.
 x, One of the young men bought il, hung l. up on his own hook, and George Fergus le went to work again with feeling of co of tentment to which he had long been . stranger.
 And at the hour at which this chroni IS closes-:30 p. m. Saturday afternoon he looks decidedly like rain and George l at just gone out and spent the s5 for an U et brella.