The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-23
THE STORY OF A COAT.


II was dull, dreary Christmas eve on
one OF the narrow crooked streets that
bend and bend in the most apparently
senseless way In ana out in one OF those
good sized New England towns, on one OF
the many bays. whose waters seem ever
hungry for more OF the coast land. From
other streets Of the same town came the
harsh voices Of sailors who had fallen
into the hands OF men of the land who
were often more dangerous to the brave,
rough fellows who go down to the sea in
ships. than were the gales and other dis
ssters they met with ON their voyages
There were few small stores on the class
OF streets first referred 20, and tho merry
making Of the sailors OH the gayer
thoroughfares only made the storekeepers
naturally not much given TO merrimsnt
erumble even more than usual at the
slow way their stocks of second -hano
goods we're disposed to move.
There wss little 10 attract any one who
was not forced by necessity TO SO DO TO In
spect the bargains offered at these stores;
Tor the exhibitors were not inviting, ana
none OF tie journals OF the town an
nounced the bargains, special or otherwise,
tnat the merchants of the street had To
dispose of To the public.
On the evening of the year when, IL
ever the heart OF mortal can have slight
thrill OF the JOY that IL ever sighed for
hut so seldom experienced once the
heights of life's noon IA passed. the pro-
prietor of one OF these seoonl hand stores
hau gono to sleep In q chair in his store,
little thinking of the notable changes n
fsw short months would make for him
and his competitors in trade. This chair.
which was placed not great way from
the main entrance to the store, was the
chief couch of the merchant, for IL was
very late at night when the dim lamps
were extinguished and very early in the
morning when the shutters were taken
down; and when he went TO sleep In the
chair caution had taught him to place
the chair so that no one couid enter with
out awakening him.
The men who did business with this
class Of merchants would have but small
scruples In taking an extra coat away
with them TO wear on some distant shore,
and the style or neatness OF the fit would
not have troubled them any more than
their conscience did
As for the merchants who made their
living by selling these garments, which
mad had many owners, they were required
TO be light sleepers, and yet. the talks of
the garments Oh very quiet nights aid not
interfere with their slumbers
Ii was strange collection OF garments
tHbt WAS &htueTeu III lHo suOp Oh ono OI
these second hand clothiers. When the
garments got telling over their stories
the old store became, In imagination, the
scene OF revelries, and OF dark deeds
Nearly all Of the carelessly iookedaft
articles were very willing 10 tell their
stories on the arrival OF q new occupant
Of the shelves, but there was one that
was more reticent than the Others, and
strange TO say, 10 had the story best worth
the telling IL was only on Christmas
eve that this old coat would favor the
story telling and was willing TO repeat
the weiTu old tale that even those who
had stories to tell themselves always
heard with satisfaction. Inc tale was not
told in n boastful way and the contrast
TO the way others told their stories was
probably why all liked it more than
once However. the owner Of the shop
was surprised TO find, the first time ne ex-
amined his stock after Cnri-tmas, that
sor.e generally we'll behaved garment
had lost few buttons.
The old coat that did really have some
thing to say had been In tho store nearly
half century and was in so poor n con-
dition that when offered to the proprietor
he could be induced to give only fifty
cents for II. A short time after the us.
ual dullness WOULD creep over the uimly
lighted store on the eve OF happiness for
many, the old garment with the weird
story would say, "Ah, but my collar
n
some man would but come TO mo on such
night as this / would tell him some
thing worth his hearing.
The tale that the old coat had so often
told was of the murder of "A rich townsman
on the high seas, who. coming from
European land, had made money in the
Western Islands, and also in the very
town where the old garment now reposed,
that would unravel quite a mystery.
This man had sailed away on q voyage
over century ago and death had rudely
come to him. The crew Of the ship on
which he took passage were goddess, and
in some way the story that he carried
large amount OF money with him got
about. From the moment this informa-
tion got abroad his hours were numbered.
He went over the side Of tho ship with
Aves upon his lips, and the coat that was
To aid his descendants In the distant fu-
ture was taken ny one OF the inen VINO
caused his death.
There had been many other lively inoi.
dents during the voyage and the men
deemed IL best To separate when 10 was
finished. He TO whom the coat had fallen
wore 1t on shore for q time, but he al
ways noticed that on such occasions cheat
as he might at his favorite cards no al
ways lost his dollars.
His health too failed him and he finally
determined to rid himself of what had
proved 50 disastrous an incum brance
and the man TO whom the coat was sold
did not prosper either. nor any OF tho
many Others into whose hands it went
until IL fell into the possession OF our
storekesper.
The murdered man was forgotten by
nearly every one In few wears, for he left
but wife and two children in the old
seaport town from which he sailed on bis
fatefui voyage. Gossips for time said
that he had taken all bis wealth and re.
turned To Portugal, and they told pretty