The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-03
$1,000 IN THE COAT.
The Valuable Gift Woman Made to a
Tramp.

The Philadelphia Times prints this
| story from Houston, Texas That all
| rules have an exception was never proved
more corclusively than here few days
| ago, when tramp was being sought
| out as something rare and desirable.
| The story that goes with this seeking
| is one that all found amusing except the
man that had to hustle to overtake
Weary Wraggles. Some weeks ago gen.
tleman of the third ward was paid a
long standing debt, of which he had de-
spared, and, wishing TO surprise his
wife with the unexpected gift at Christ
mas, said nothing to her of it, but got
his sister to sew it up in an old coat of
his. Now the wife, having had some
work done on her shrubbery. gave the
man who did it this old coat in payment.
The man took it home, but it proved to
be too small for him, SO with mind on
thrift bent he sold it to an old clothes
shop.
Here it stayed for several days, when
a Degro coachman purchased it and took
it home, but after a week or SO the
coachman got into monetary difficulties
| and sold the coat to friend. This
friend in turn gave it to his brother
living at Sandy Point, about 80 miles
from this city, and the adventurous coat
went thither. In another week tin
peddler came along, exchanging new tin
ware for old clothes, and, in the absence
of her husband, the wife of the owner Of
the garment gave the peddler the coat
for two tin plates and pail.
The peddler carried the coat back to
Houston, and once more it saw the in
terror of the old clothes shop During
the day tramp accosted gentleman,
| asking for food and the wherewith to
purchase him clothing, his rags being
no longer sufficient to keep out the biting
breath of the Texas norther. The mer-
chant he spoke to saw this for himself.
and feeling benevolently inclined took
the unfortunate to the nearest Stop
shop" and bought the coat referred to
for him.
By this time the original owner of the
coat bethought him to inquire about
the garment into which he had sewn
$1,000, and nearly tainted when his wife
told him of her disposal of it. There
was still a chance, however, that the
money had hot been discovered, and SO
in hot haste the anxious fnancier set
off. But the chase had just begun he
found, and down to Sandy Point he
traced the garment, then back to Hous-
ton, then to the slop shop, where the
trail grew so faint that he nearly de-
SPARED of success, but it happened that
he told the grewsome tale to a friend,
who, thinking it over, fell to wondering
if that, by any chance, could be the
coat he had presented to Weary Wrag-
giles. He strained his memory TO recall
how that coat looked, and desert bed it
to the owner, who cried out that that
was the Identical thing.
Now began the search. Luck again
favored the mourner of his folly in keep
ing the money at home instead of in
bank, and one morning tramp called
on Mrs. B. with the request for break
fast. An inspiration came to the lady,
and sitting his trampsh1p down to
meal that opened his eyes, she tele-
phoned for the philanthropist, who had
given tramp that coat, to call at once
He came, and the moment he looked at
the man, said that this was indeed he.
With much diplomacy. SO as not to give
the fellow hint of the importance of
the question, he was asked what had
become of the garment. He declared at
first that Zone such had ever been given
him, but, persuaded by half dollar.
fially recalled the fact that being
thirsty soon after he had possession Of
the coat, he had pawned it for the price
of five beers.
On to the pawnshop went the DISTRACT
ed man minus his money, to see f1aunt-
ing gaily in front of the esta blishment
the coveted garment. But, here again.
diplomacy had to be exercised, and =
negro was hired to stroll carelessly into
the shop, and, after some haggling, to
purchase the coat. This done, the mas
sersby were much edited to see digni-
fed, respectable citizen sit quietly down
on the sidewalk and rip open ragged
old coat. redolent of a thousand unsa-
worry odors, then leap to his feet with a
loud, "Hurah. it's here still!n
The first nripters usad o,1,