Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-01-02
FERGUSON AND HIS MACKINTOsn
Knocked Out Entirely by the Fickl,
Weather of the Windy City.
Chicago Tribune

tNttNVp lftOnnt
II had rained for three weeks, and was
still raining when George Ferguson
made up his mind TO buy macintosh.
Il want the best you've got" he said
to the clerk at the rubber-goods store.
''lf | had bought it when it began to rain
it would have saved me whole suit of
clothes"
1T would have saved you s. besides
your suit of clothes" said the clerk, af-
ter he had found garment that fitted
his customer and buttoned 1t around
him.
"How so ~
Mckinley bill"
George Ferguson paid the double eagle
the salesman demanded, and went out.
When he had entered the store five
minutes before, heavy rain was fall
ing. When he went out with his mack
intosh on the rain had stopped, the
clouds had almost disappeared, and the
sun was shining.
1T will be raining again in little
WHILE" he said. ''I'll keep it on"
He took il to the Office where he was
employed.
Perfectly dry, isn't it," inquired one
OF his associates.
YES"
at cost him .Sl.5O To 90 out with the
boys and ''wet" it.
He hung il on hook back of his
desk, and for whole week 1t remained
undiSturbed. There was not sign of
rain in all that time. He ached for an
excuse TO wear that mackintah, but the
weather gave him no opportunity.
At last came a cloudy, lowering day.
He 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
down town next morning, and the
weather became warm.
The day following was cloudy again.
and he brought his macintosh to the
Office, and hung it ON its accustomed
hook.
In the afternoon it cleared of, turned
suddenly cold, and he nearly froze rid
ing home i'm North Side car without
any oVercOat.
This would not do. He removed his
lodgings to a place within five or ten
minutes walk Of the Office, 50 that he
could make a hasty trip from one to the
other for the macintosh when neceS-
Sary. When it looked like rain he
brought it with him TO the office, and
when it was clear he brought his fur
beaver.
One morning when everything was
frosty he came down with his overc0at
on and buttoned up to ,he chin. 1t be-
4 hat "A
in the day and he left his overcoat at the
Office and started briskly for his lodg-
ings. 1t began to rain heavily before he
had gone half the distance, and when be
reached his room he was wet to the
skin. Then it cleared off, the wind blew
from the north, and when he went back
to the Office with his mackintosh on and
a fierce gale blowing about his ears and
Tapping the long skirts of his garment
about his legs everybody on the street
stopped and looked at hun.
And so it went on for weeks. When
ever George had his macintosh at the
Office and his overcoat at home it turned
colder.
Whenever he had his heavy overcoat
with him and his macintosh at the
Otncr emu OI inc IOulc IL ldiHNu IihO "''
possessed.
When he bought that macintosh he
weighed 1873 pounds. At the end of six
weeks his weight had fallen TO 1917.
Dark rings made their appearance under
his eyes. his hand trembled when he at
tempted to use then pen, he grew care
less Of his personal appearance, and lost
his appetite.
And never drop of rain had fallen
on that macintosh.
Yesterday morning the sky was clear
and he wore his heavy ovcrcoat. About
noon it began TO rain slightly and he
rushed To his lodgings, getting the full
benefit Of the shower on the way. lie
nut on his macintosh and went back to
the Office aud not drop of rain fell. 1t
had cleared OFF.
"Will any of you give me - for the
bcastly thing?" he asked, with a Wild
look ia his eyes, as he threw the fateiul
macintosh on the floor and danced up
aud down on it.
One of the young men bought 1t, hung
il up on his own hook, and George Fer
guson went to work again with feeling
of contentment to which he had been
long n stranger.
And at the hour at which this chronl-
Gle clOScS-4:30 p. ~, Saturday after
noon-it looks decidedly like rain, and
George has just gone out and spent the
- for an umbrella.