The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-05-18
HIS FIRST FUR-LINED COAT.
New Workers. Experience in q New
and Splendid TOpcDnt.

ana Splendid TOpCDNt.
A very kind friend. filled with the gene
rosity which springs spontaneous In the
holiday season. sent as a Christmas
present fur-lined overcoat. l had always
wanted such coat. and once In Canada.
in the winter time, l had sore need for
such garment.
But l never believed that I should own
one. There were SO many other things to
do with my scant store of wealth that
/ mentally put the fur-lined coat as de-
sirable something that was quite out OF
my reach. Therefore when l opened the
big box that held the coat and looked upon
the gorgeous garment, l was surprised and
pleased beyond measure
l put 1t on. 1t seemed to weigh half a
ton. Thel looked at the weather and con-
cluded that it was too heavy for that day
And so l had to go forth in an old coat.
which looked all the shabbier because
could not help contrasting it with the SDlen-
did garment l had left at home In day
or so the weather became tolerably cold
not very cold. to be sure. but the ther-
mOmeter was below the freezing point
And SO mounted my fur-lined coat. with
it's imposing collar. and went out into the
street. l am no longer youth and
fancy 1t has been many years since l felt
at all conscious because of new clothes or
any special fineness of raiment. But the
fur-lined coat did the business for me, I
usual c)at-in fact, there was nothing un-
usual about it, except that l should have
been inside of it, l was therefore not only
conscious, but embarrassed.
Each beggar 1 met told me with mum
bled assurance of his needs, and without
the fear of the Charity Organization Society
in my mind 1 quickly Invested myself of all
the silvflfs and copper coins that I had.
How could a fellow wearing such a coat
refuse to agive aims? He could not even
think Of refusing; he had made Of himself
a fair mark and it was manfestly his duty
towards himself to live up to his own APP
rarel. Nohesse oblge.
When / got into Broadway I had another
experience From Twenty-third street to
-seepnd street l was besought by men,
women. and little boys to buy this dramatic
paper and another. whats got into these
folks?" / tasked myself. There must be
some fierce competition between these rival
papers, and it has today reached an acute
stage" 1 thought. l had been walking the
streets of New York these many years, and
no one hadeever asked me to buy dramatic
paper, so my inference was quite fair.
At length. I met a candid friend. "Hel-
TO-" he said, have you joined the profess
sion or have you been roped in as an
angel?'f G,
So here was the solution. My conspicu-
Gus coat had led these discriminating paper
vendors toe take me for an actor-me with
my squat figure and double chin. No doubt
they fancled l was a low comedian with
whom every person in the cast played
horse.
Since then have not had a chance to go
abroad in my splendid coat, and I cannot
say that I am sorry. But the possession of
the coat put a compulsion on me to get a
better top-Coat than the one I had intended
should see me through the winter. That
coat seemed to be all that / needed till the
fur-lined fellow was sent. Then it was all
inadequate. 1t would not do in mild days
to look the beggar and on cold days to look
the prince-Or the actor, which may ma y
not be the same thing. 50 l have had to
buy a more appropriate coat that l may be
able to make a fitting change and now
either l or my family will have to do with
out something which otherwise might have
been had.
The friend who gave me that fur-lned
coat meant well, but I wish-well, it might
seem ungracious to say what l wish.--Ncw
York Herald.