The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-06-16


A few days later met him accident
ally in the street. He did not see me,
but as looked casually at him noted
that again he wore a new pair of trou-
sers, this tins of charming chestnut
color He must be .fourishing, surely.
| Again. after few days he came into
our Office to make a small payment
into the bank. Almost unconsciously
] cast look upon his legs, and discov-
ered-another new pair of trousers,
this time of an. original. though not
particularly tasteful, olive mustard
green. l shook my head. How very
wasteful of him to go thus into trou-
sers! Why could he not spend q couple
of sovereigns to buy new coat instead
of all these things? His blue coat sad
ly required replacing. almost said
so to him, but was afraid he might
then ask me to lend him more money,
and only gave him friendly nod.
Meanwhile my study of the circum-
stances connected with my old friends
trousers had had the curious conse-
quence that, quite involuntarily, be-
gan to look at the trousers of every
person with whom I came in contact
during the day. And imagine what
happened! To my boundless conster-
nation, noticed that all our clerks,
messengers, porters and other officials
never wore the same trousers more
than once They all appeared every
morning in brand new trousers, and
sometimes they even wore one pair in
the morning and another in the after
noon The end was that could think
of nothing but this matter; it took
hold of me more aud more. Dur
ing my waking hours and in my
very dreams I always asked the
question: What In the world induces all
these sensible people to be SO madly ex-
travagant about their trousers? At
last could stand it no longer. made
some jesting remark aboutit to the old
porter, whose business it was to an
nounce my visitors His answer was
given in q reserved manner and with SO
peculiar q smile that the dread truth
dawned at once upon me; was q
maniac-there was no doubt about it
had new mania. a trousers mania, a
peculiar kind Of hallucination! de-
cided at once to keep the matter pro-
found secret, and TO say nothing about
it to anybody. was especially careful
never again to breathe a word about it
to any of our officials, but could not
prevent myself from studying, with
morbid minuteness and day after day.
the trousers they wore. 1t was always
the same. Every one wore every day a
new pair of trousers. often even two
pairs in a single day. Trousers of
all sorts and conditions, striped,
checked, light, dark, long, short. tight.
wide-it was maddening!
One day went secretly to one Of our
most eminent specialists for mental
diseases. 1 put my case before him,
and was partly consoled and partly hor-
rified when he was not in the least sur
prised. but said. with a good-humored
laugh: well, we'll, it is not SO very
bad"
what did you say, doctor? Not so
bad? But plainly am mad!"
Mad" he said, very dryly. Yours |
is most interesting case of hallucina-
tons of the optical nerves Get away
for month"
Time went on, and with it my dis
ease. I still did my work, and the |
directors of my bank even sent me a
complimentary letter at the close of the
year. ate and drank as usual, but all |
the same l felt that was sinking |
deeper and deeper into the black abyss
of insanity. Sometimes even felt at
tacks of sudden ill-temper. One day at |
the restaurant colleague with whom
was having a game of chess told a
perfectly harmless story in which he
pair Of trousers. got SO
furious at this that poured torrent
Of the most violent abuse upon him, for
which l had to apologize very humbly
On the next day, as did not care to be
shot by him or horsewhipped.
The first glance cast at people at
this time fell always involuntarily upon
their trousers In this way noticed,
with great surprise, how very large was
the number of new trousers which daily
made their appearance in this vale of
tears Meanwhile was beginning to
think OF leaving my post. and of find
ing some work in Scotland or Central
Africa, where understood that there
are no trousers, when one day my old
friend Louis was announced. ssOf
said aloud to myself as he
entered, for he was indeed wearing a
new pair of trousers, very wide at the
'op and tight below the knees 1t was
! black and white check. A curious
garment rather loud, but not without
In air of distinction. His whole APP
,earance was in harmony with them.
he wore a jacket and waistcoat of fine
black cloth. faultless linen. large,
cravat, q heavy gold
watch chain, q shiny new silk hat and
! stick, with gold head. Perhaps it
vas not gold, but it looked like 1t. Il
''Well, old fellowr' he called out, and
topped with youthful energy ON my
'orns. II have come to take leave of
rOu. Thanks to the twenty shiilinrs