The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-05-26
A PAIR OF TROUSERS.

A PAIR OF TROUSERS.
l was Just about to go out to
luncheon when the porter brought
in a card. l glanced at it. My
friend Louis-Louis Degars, from
Tarascan. An awful fellow We
had been al college together. and l
had become bank manager. while
he had embarked upon soldering,
acting, editing, dentistry, authorship
clerkship and heaven only knows
what besides
What does he look like? l asked
the porter, somewhat anxiously.
Well, well, the cautious old boy
began, he wears incredible trousers.
Quite incredible trousers sir.
What was l to do' If l did not
admit him, the fellow would wait tor
me in the street, or would even
follow me to the club and there
expose me before my friends. Per-
haps, after all, it was better to re
ceive him here and try to outwit
him. gave my porter five shil!-
ings.
Now look you here, | said, this
gentleman is an old friend OF mine
but he is ne'erdo well. Do you see
what | mean? Well you've seen his
trousers. Very likely he will want
to borrow money from me. shall
then say that | have no money, and
must borrow some from you. Now
after l have made the necessary
speech TO you, you give these five
shilingsto to ne, regretting that it is
all you can call your own in this
world.
The porter grinned silly, and
allowed my old friend Louis to
enter the room.
Good heavens! his trousers were
indeed Incredible ; too short, frayed
at the edge and of a blue, gray and
green check pattern, which had been
the fashion in my grandfather's time.
Nor was his blue coat at all new. He
wore it buttoned all the way up so
that YOU could say nothing about
his waistcoat. There were gray
lieht in his collar, and his cravat
was greasy. Also, his curly black
hair now tinged with gray, and his
beard we're much neglected. An
Ill order came from the big black
cigar he held in his hand, and his
boots lett wet marks op the light
carpet.
Yes, old fellow, lie said and gave
me two thumps you are quite right,
l want to borrow money of you, but
it is for a very important matter.
| might come and tell you that |
have not tasted warm food for
week; might talk to you of debt
OF honor amounting to $50; might
take from you Is to pay the
landau that is to take me 10 the
place where l am to fight d duel.
Brit | have borrowed money from
other friends for all these purposes
and to day it is graver matter. l
ask for a sovereign-do you hear?-
only a sovereign. | really require
guinea but the shilling l must get
from somebody else, and since we
are old friends | will only ask you
Tor the twenty shillings. You shall
have it back to night before dinner.
If am not back at that time you
may consider me wretch, scamp
a fraud. | authorize you TO get
your porter to throw me down stairs
next time | come here ifI do not
keep my word to day. Iregret | not
to be able to give you more details
concerning my purposes with the
sovereign. | may only say that it is
wanted for a remarkable business
transaction on which the happiness
OF my life may depend.
l did as l have always done in
such cases. He had made me laugh
and l gave him the sovereign. He
pawned a few more words of honor
and vanished. For moment the
idea occurred to me to invite the
good old fellow to luncheon. But
don't you see, man with such
incredible trouSers-no it would
never go.
At five minutes to 7 O'Clock the
old porter opened the door of my