St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-02-20
Coat
Bargain
RY heIen areen

EH H6lSH GHGSH /
Bell had been saving money for .
wear. The small economies which ne
had accustomed himself to practieing
were hateful to q young man with .
magnificent talent for expenditure ana
q clerks wages. When the sum
reached $500 he intended to purchase
d fur-1ined overcoat.
The furrier, Of whom Bells first IN.
oulry was made as to the price OF q
smartIy trimmed and lined garment
said ~carelessly:
aoh, $75 up. Depends upon Vna
you want to spend, and the materials
you select"
How far up do they got" asked
Hell, hopefully.
The good ones begin Ct about 1913.
/ could make you something YER
smart for $500"
BelE sighed, observed that he was
sorry to have bothered the furI1eE'
and that he'd be in later. strolling
40 tie street, he laughed sadly. Where
would 4 man on q $75-a-month salary
ind $500? After ~discarding various
Wild schemes as impossible Of fulfill
mant without q jail sentence to fol
low, he decided upon the simplest ~
Oldest. He would save q certain amount
each month.
Al year OF self-denial had cost MIN
manv Measures. There were two or
three extremely nice girls, whom ne
had formerly felt able to ask to fne
tbeater and supper, waited inpatient
ii for ten days, received no invita-
lions to anything, and hurriedly en-
eouraged the advances OF more
thoughtful individuals.
So when a year had gone, and No
vember's blasts whipped against legs
that no overcoat skirts protected, Bell
looked at his bank account and won
dered IL 1912 would be enough for that
fur coat. He had the book with him
~ he gtrolIed through TWenty-fourth
street and paused to peep into a shop
window, bearing the sign: "The Small
Fur Store"
Muffs, stoles, jackets and pelerines
were arranged In charming pr~ofusion.
There were ermine and dark striped
mink, Hudson seal and the better quail
tiles Of that barking s~eafaring animal.
Ths display excited Bell.
why should he not march into q
furrier's and demand that he be
measured for a coat? His eyes bright
ened, and his nose, in the chill river
wind, seemed warmer at the thought.
His office was near. Once inside 1t
he determined to return to the attrac.
tive shop at lunch time and reward
himself ais soon as possible, for those
Ia months Of going without things that
left life savorless as meat minus salt.
81 saw a fur coat that made my
eyes bulge out. when / came along"
remarked a bookkeeper. u went back
to look at 1t. II was In the next block"
Bell smiled to himself. He would
soon surprise the bookkeeper BY APP
pearing clad In his new purchase. AT
noon he left the office. There was time
enough to view the bookkeeper's bar
gain and 1t was as well to get an Idea
of styles before ordering.
Zine furs--we save you the mid
dlesman's profits" He paused at this
sign. Upon a wax figure was a full
length coat. The SHELF was of Ius-
trous black cloth. The lining cunning
by thrown backward, seemed TO be
mink, 1t might be muskrat from the
upstate, dyed, Of 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.
II was marked $3.50, reduced from
$7s." Bell stared until the glass
blurred beneath his rapid breaths.
rot course, it's the bunk he ru-
minated; must be that imitation Per
sian cloth, Astrakhan. or whatever 1t
III: can't be reel"
1T looks classy, II really doesI" he
murmured.
eUnd Id ISIS classy, mine jong
friendt," said a voice belonging to q
nttla man who stepped from the en-
trance. "Bedder dry it on"
Bell laughed.
whats II made of. on the level?''
lie 3eered. Looks like b $500 coat at
least. or is the $50 for one cut, rest
comes extra2''
The little man said seriously. that
the price was $40.
EF-aaE
@Hud for this week only" he added;
I'd would nt youl Let me try itl"
The coat fitted. Bel hunted for
bIemishes, There we're none that he
could mad. The hair OF the furs In the
coat resisted when he crafty tugged
10 see II they were moth eaten. or
what
Finally he ran around to the savings
bank and got $40. Then he bought the
coat, and wore It to lunch. Every
acquaintance he met exclaimed an
viously at its beauty. When o man
who knew furs pronounced it a hand
some. welEmade coat Bell began 10
believe that miracles do happen des-
pite general belief that they don't.
"Iszy, bring me my coat. I'm going
out. called the owner Of the estab
lishment which Bell had patronized in
the afternoon.
8 H1~ 4Ms