Connecticut western news., 1894-06-07
A RISE IN TROUSERS.

A RISE IN TROUSERS.
 was about to leave my office to go put to breakfast when the office boy brought me leaf torn from the block which is always to be found in the ante room of newspapers offices and upon which was written, Louis Demare. ''
 knew the man well. We were fellow townsmen and had come up to Paris to- gether. Fortune had drowned up.n him. I would like to say that I was out, but the fellow knew what he was doing, coming at such an hour. He would only have to wait on the sidewalk until hun ger should drive me out. Iresigned my self to admitting him.
 "Show him ill, Martin, said to the boy. ''As the gentleman has probably come to borrow, here is some money. If I ring and ask you to lend me some, give this to me and say that it is all you have.
 You're dead right to be fly with him, answered the boy. ''He looks as if he was on his uppers, and his pants is terrors. y
 Demare came briskly into the office.
 "Well, old boy," he said before I had time to open my lips, "I have come to borrow. But this is an exceptional case. I am not going to say that have not had good meal for a week, nor that I need 50 louis to pay debt of honor, nor 50 francs to pay for car riage ride for two. I want inst louis, for need precisely that amount. Just one and twenty francs. I have enough to match that and pay for my breakfast in the bargain, and he really showed me three 20 franc pieces. ''This louis I will return to you this evening before dinner time. As my demand may seem little extravagant, I will help you out by promising that if I do not bring the money back before tonight you may in- struct your boys to kick me off the prem ises if l ever show myself here again. Shall I sign that Agreement? You know that I would not for the world cut off the source of so many benefits by not keeping my word. I regret that I can not tell you exactly what disposition I am to make of your louis. can only tell you that I am to use it in a commer- cial enterprise that is daisy-you hear, jim dandyr'
 The fellow made me laugh in spite of myself. was completely disarnled gave him his louis, and truly believe 1 should have invited him to breakfast with me if he had not been so meanly dressed. But with such trousers it was an impossibility.
 Promptly at o'clock the boy an- nounced, with show of respect: ''Mr. Demare. .--.. .. Faithful to my agreement, said he l gayly. Here is your yellow boy. As l know you are busy, I will go, but not without thanking you most heartily" Was your jim dandy success?" I inquired
 Decidedly" said he, showing me a | handful of money.
 Allow me to compliment you," I said ''You must have been playing thB | races.
 II am not foolish enough for that" he replied.
 I noticed he wore new trousers, which must have cost him S4 or $5. That ex- plained the increased respect of the of fee boy. Surely the fellow had not | wasted his day.
 Tho next day he brought me an ar ticle on some of cur city institutions. It was interesting and I accepted it. When he went out, I noticed that he :. wore new trousers and different ones | from those he had worn the day before. Two days later he called for the pay for his article He came up to shake hands with me on going away. Mechanically glanced at his trousers-he had on q third pair, and they were perfectly new.
 I met him often in the succeeding days in the office and outside, and on every occasion he wore fresh pair of trousers. Cautiously enough, he always wore the same coat, which was shabby in the extreme
 I gradually contracted the habit of looking at mems trousers. After vague examination, lasting for several success sive days, of the neither garments of all the employees about the office from the proofreaders down to the janitors, discovered to my stupefaction that none of th hese persons of slender incomes wore the same pair of trousers two days in succession. Some of them even changed twice day. ... ...-.. .
 I became convinced that I was the victim of a special hallucination, and I resolved carefully to conceal my mal- ady, as it would have rendered me ex- tremely ridiculous Still felt that it would affect me greatly, as it would in- duce melancholy and become a mono mania .--..
 Still the trousers filed before my eyes. They were of all colors and of all shapes, Some fitted their wearers, others were a little too small or little too large They were evidently ready made goods, but what an enormous quantity of trou- sers my diseased imagination seemed to have seenl
 1 seriously thought of making my will; but, persuaded of my infirmity, knew 1t would be worthless and would only lead to exposure. With the great. est secrecy consulted specialist-not } a specialist in trousers, but in mental disorders. He showed no surprise at this , rasthenia, oyerwork and so on, aud charged me louis
 1 began to feel that my days were
 numbered. Every one remarked tho i. change in my health. One of the con
 tributors brought me curious article
 it being a history of trousers, past ant
 present. 1 threw the article into tht }. wastebasket and came near breaking
 with the unlucky author.
 Just as was about to arrange my
 business for long vacation, having de