The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-02-25
His Coat
Bargai

had accustomed himself 70 practicine
we're hateful to a young man with a
magnificent talent for expenditure and
a clerks wages. When the sum
reached $500 be Intended 70 purchase
a fnr-lined overcoat
The furrier. OF whom Bells frst In.
quiry was made as 70 the price Of a
smartiy trimmed and lined garment
said carelessly.
oh. t75 up, Depends upon what
you vant TO spend. and the materials
you select"
How far up do they go" asked
Bell. hopefully.
The good ones begin a. about 1915
I could make you something very
smart for $500
Bell sighed. observed that be vas
sorry 70 have bothered the furrier
and that he'd b. IN later. strolling
up the street. he laughed sadly Where
would q man on a s7Samonth salary
fnd t5082 After discarding various
wild schemes as impossible Of fulfil.
ment without q fail sentence 10 fol
low. he decided upon the simplest and
oldest He would save a certain amount
each month.
A year Of seii-denial had cost him
many pleasures. There we're two or
three extremely nice girls. whom he
had formerly felt able 70 ask to the
theater and supper, waited impatient
ly for ten days. received no invita-
tons 70 anything. and hurriedly en-.
couraged the advances OF more
thoughtful individuals
So when a year had gone, and No
vember's blasts whipped against legs
that no oyercoat skirts protected. Bell
looked at his bank account and won
dered II 1912 would be enough for that
fur coat he had the book with him
as he strolled through Twenty-fourth
street and paused TO peep into a shop
Wirdow. Gearing the sign: The Small
Fur Store
Muns. stoles. jackets and pelerines
were arranged In charming profusion.
There we're ermine and dark striped
mink. Hudson seal and the better quail
tiles OF that barking seafarine animal.
The display excited Bell
Why should be not march into
furrier's and demand that he be
measured for a coat7 His eyes bright
ened, and his nose. in the chill river
wind, seemed warmer al the thought.
His Office was neSl. Once inside It
he determined 70 return to the attrac-
tive shop at lunch time and reward
himself as soon as possible. for those
u months OF going without things that
left life savorless as meat minus salt
4 saw a fur coat that made my
eyes bulge out. when ! came along"
remarked a bookkeeper. Il went back
70 look al it. Il was IN the next block"
Bell smiled TO himself He would
soon surprise the bookkeeper By ap-
pearing clad IN HIS new purchase At
noon he left the Office. There was time
enough to view the bookkeeper's bar
gain and it was as well 10 get an idea
Of styles before ordering.
Fine furs-we save you the mid
dle-mans profits" He paused at this
sign. Upon a wax figure was full
length coat. The SHELF was OF lus-
trous black cloth. The lining cunning
" thrown backward, seemed TO be
mink It might be muskrat from the
upstate, dyed, or that dubious crea.
ture known as Japanese mink" The
wide shawl collar. continued for two
inches down the edges Of the front,
was apparently Persian lamb. So were
the cuffs
It was marked $3.50, reduced from
SIS" Bell stared until the glass
blurred beneath his rapid breaths
"Of course, it's the bunk" he ru-
minated; must be that imitation Per
sian cloth. Astraknan, or whatever it
is, can't be real"
TT looks classy. It really does!v he
murmured.
"Und i'd iss classy, mine jong
friendt,' said voice belonging to a
little man who stepped from the en-
trance "Bedder dry it on"
Bell laughed
What's It made of. on the level?"
he ieered. Looks like s4OO coat at
least Or is the $50 for one cuff. rest
comes extra2
The little man said seriously. that
'he price was sac
Bud for his week only, he added:
id would fl YOU! Let me try it,
The coat fitted Ben hunted for
blemishes4 There we're none that he \
could find The hair Of the furs in the
coat resisted when he craftily tugged
70 see if they were moth eaten. or
what
Finally he ran around to the savings
bank and got $50 Then he bought the
coat. and wore It 10 lunch. Every
acquaintance he met exclaimed en-
viouslv at its beauty. When a man
who knew furs pronounced It a hand.
some, well-made coat Bell began to
believe that miracles do happen des-
pite general belief that they don't.