New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
THE BEST MANS COAT.
BY w. +. GUILE.

;. ..oo.,,o,,t,y gives one shock of surprise to
observe what small and even ridiculous mates
.erve IN influence mans Development anu 90 81
ceee in life Peter Sand. Master OF Aus anu Ia
-. - O. Caeton's was m-sighted. ana Iahe.'
on one occasion to distinguish between d pn.i
cloth and a dark blue. In this fact lies the 49,
If his subsequent development and prosperity.
rrhroe wears ago Peters development hdu dp
norentIv ceased He lived entirely at the VII VII
versity Town of Durbridge, was known DE- q ~
low of St Gaston's. and occasionally ectuitu 1 va
,hronoiocv His friends had once expected d
Great deal from him. but had for some ulr'
abandoned these expectations one ~ INN
ticIee in scientific magazines formed the sun
total of his contributions to the pres; an TEb
fret nortions of his great work on In, EP' /
If The Mastodon" had been written 0niy 10 ~
thrown aside. The income from ms re'i vi be- |
:, = g ,,ora than enough for his comfort, ana ne
had never liked society. Gradually ne ndu W. ~
9raVn further and further into himself un',I q"
The age of thirty-three ne lookeu ts" oI'so Ills
and was willing and contented refluIe, ,
enemies called him The Fossil, ana ne wa" aa
familiarly known among his friends as h'''e
Peter ,, o., tr,arrun
ton one dav in the form of a letter from bar
ron an old schoofellow who had KEEP u,s ISL
but kindly eye upon Peter Tor some nl,een s az,
The Fellow of st. Gastons read 'le Iettel -
oral times before he could comprehend IL luil?
BARRON was about to be married. ana wished MS
Did friend to attend groomsman
A notification that he would be expecteu 70
act as bridegroom could scarcely have causeu
Peter more distress. He groomsnahmat "
wedding, 1t was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 10 re-
fuse Barron's request. however, seemed aiso I'M
roseille for he was the last of that almost lot
gotten circle Of early friends After long anu
troubled consideration he sent an urgent hote'
asking the bridegroom come up to Durbridge
and explain. ,e..
Barron came a big fellow with large hear';
which even his work country solicitor had
not succeeded i'm warping. He was one OF tnose
who had respected Peters learning. ana hdu
hoped for great things from him. HIS disap,
pointment was extreme to find shrnkage instead
of expansion, retreat instead OF atIa nt
Dear me- Sand he cried what's wrong
with you? You look old, and so very gray!
DO you go out much?' ,,o.,
why because you are becoming FOSSIL
man" was the candid answer. GU must "dhe
up--you ought to marry. s
What" exclaimed Peter, astouhded' anu
lose my Fellowship?
Barron sighed and felt sorry that the Fellow
shin had ever been gained. Then he set hlmselt
to persuade Peter to run down for the wedding,
and IN undertake the duties of groomsman IL
Was TO be a very quiet affair, he explained and
the responsibility simply nothing. Peter
listened and gradually gave way To the pride
eroom's amusement he then began 10 iiahe eH
baustive notes in a pocketbook, so tnat he might
not forget any Of his duties.
since Won don't care for going about much,
said Rarron you needn't come down untll the
day before. That will be time enough ana you
won't require so much luggage
Just my things. / suppose said the Feiio".
ITS lucky that I've had hrst-rate ne" coat
lately. It's blue one.
yes dark blue intended to get black. but
7 am short-sichted you know. and when the
patterns were submitted | chose blue by ms
take. But it's a splendid thing. and my landlady
tells me that it looks very well ! should IKE To
do YOU credit at the wedding old Fellow.
He uttered the last words so kindly ana MS
confidence in the blue coat was so touching ana
chdkc that Barron could not speak me pro,
test which rose TO his lips. Besides. if Peter had
to exert himself to order and fit new coat ne
might rebel and give up the project altogether
SO he held his peace. rejecting that tnere n'sh.
he no law against blue after all. He did not
know how criminal his silence was, Tor ne was
but a man. and had never been married before
When he reached home he found cause to regret
his silence The bride o-be was supported by
the presence OF her sister. who had given up a
position of ease cOuntess's companion TO MI
the vacant place in the family circle. She had
bright eyes and a quick tongue. and did not
show SUCH reverence for her new brother as she
might have shown. Barron was continually at
with her.
What is this Mr.. sand? she asked. Pcftly.
What is his work?'
''Oh he's Fellow said Barron.
Indeed, That is very lucid. Is he a nice fell
low" .
He is a Fellow with a capital f. Miss Pattc."
the rebuking answer Fellow Of st. Gas
tons College His work -is-anthlopoogy.'
And what is that, pray?
oh skulls" said Barron--"skulls and skele-
tons and all that sort Of thing. He's wonder
fully cever-so clever that the st. CASTOR people
give him two hundred a year as long as he re-
mains unmarried They know that marriage
,poils clever men, so they bride them to remain
SINGLE
His triumph was but brief one.
Has anybody ever tried to bride you TO re-
main single John?' asked Miss Pattie Jelly
and John was SO demoraliZed by the thrust that
in another moment he had betrayed the secret
Of Peters coat.
The minutes that followed were decidedly
troubled ones Dismay succeeded to incredulity
and Indignation to dsmay 1t was in vain that
poor Barron pleaded that a Master of Arts and
n Fellow of ST. Gastons might wear any coat he
liked AT any wedding he liked, and even claim 10
sot the fashion He was told that the idea was
mn outrage and that he should have placed his