Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1901-01-17
NY W|FE'S FUR CAPE.
BY EMMA w. WISE.

The man with the red mustache nod
ded in friendly manner to the meek
looking passenger on the front plat
form.
There is strong affinity between
that man and myself" he said. 81 sup
pose it was the circumstances under
which we became acquainted that unit
ed us in ties of brotherly love. We
were both sufferers in the same cause
and consequently were in a position to
sympathize with each other. The cause
of our trouble was a fur cape. Four
years ago this winter my wife took
notion that she wanted a cape of Per-
sian lamb. She wasn't as reasonable
in financial matters then as she now is,
and when intimated that l couldn't
afford that luxury she pouted and
showed disposition to be generally
ugly.
"I haven't had anything new for a
good WHILE she said. I've skimped
along and saved and worried and
pinched all summer, and l don't think
it looks right to act stingy with me
now. l worried through last winter,
too, with next to nothing, and l really
think deserve the cape
"That was her parting shot as 1 left
the breakfast table, and all the morn
ing it ranked in vital spot. l could
not be oblivious to the fact that the
dear woman had indeed got through
the last year with a limited wardrobe,
and l made up my mind to strain a
point and see if l couldn't make the
rifle in regard to the coveted cape.
went up town that afternoon fully de-
termined that if l could get good gar
ment at a rec sonable figure l would
buy it at once, even though the pur-
chase might entail the sacrifice of a
number of little luXuries I had counted
on laying in for my own use in the
near future. Finally l came to win
dow in which a number of apparently
superfine fur wraps were on exhibit
ton. The store was pawnshop, but
on the impulse of the moment l step
ped in and asked the proprietor if he
had any capes in Persian lamb.
"I haf, said he-1 hat Won of de
LEFTY NluGSl CdDCS Ill uoWu, uhd L
am Citing him away dird cheab.'
'"The fellow ransacked around in an
inner room for a few minutes and at
length returned with garment which
even my uncritical eye could tell at a
glance was the real thing.
81 vas aloud to send id to de aug
ton shop, he said. IF id is a cabe you
want, you hat yoost in time come. This
cabe is magneeficent-length, 81 inch
es; sweep 126 inches. Id vas broughd
in here by a man who promised to re-
deem id ride away soon, bud now more
as year haf passed, und he not show
up, so l shall sell de cabe. How much
you dink id worth?
"'How much do you think?' I asked.
"'Vell,' said he, i'd is easy worth $500,
but I sell id cheab. l let you hat de
cabe for $50 cash
81 examined the garment carefully.
The fur, as far as 1 could see, was in
excellent condition. The lining was
without flaw, and there were a tone
and style to the cut that would, l felt
sure, bring joy to the heart of my fas-
| tidious wife. With all the capes mer-
| it's, was not ready to swear that the
| 5000 valuation was correct, but | was
| positive that it was worth $50, and l
| rashly closed the bargain then and
there. l carried the cape down to my
| office myself. l had there large pa
| per box bearing the address of a relia-
| BILE furrier, and in this l packed the
| wrap and gave it to messenger boy,
| with instructions to be sure to deliver
| the package at my house before 9
o'clock. That evening when l got home
| my wife was fairly efferyescing with
happiness and affection.
cit was so lovely of you, Donaldp
she said. Are you really sure you
could afford it? After you were gone
this morning I felt awfully ashamed
of myself for having been so cross. 1
know you always do the very best you
can by me. l hope, dear, that you
didn't skimp yourself in any way in or
der to buy this lovely wrap. Are you
sure it was wise to buy it at Sellers ?
They are so high priced. How much
did you pay for this, Donald, dearT
"My wife's unstinted praise of my
| generosity fed my vanity and made me
DESTROYS to maintain high standard
in her estimation, and said coolly,
Two hundred dollars
| "For two months after the advent
of the Persian lamb cape into our
household we were superlatively hap
DIV. But all the while clouds were gath
ering on the domestic horizon upper
ceived by me, and one day the storm
burst, We were dining in popular
restaurant when the deluge came. The
woman who sat at the small table-at
our right pulled out the stopper and
preeipitated the catastrophe. She
I watched my wife closely as she remov-
ed her fur cape and spread it out on
| the back Of her chair. She said moth