Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-02-04
Hi $ G. 0 a 1
6 ar e ain
BY Helen Green

i'Sii ietu pScu Saving money lOI d
year. The small economies which he
had accustomed himself to practicing
We're hateful to young man with a
magnificent talent for expenditure and
a clerks wages. When the sum
reached S4O0 he intended to purchase
a fur-lined overcoat.
The furrier, of whom Bells first in
quify was made as to the price of a
smartly trimmed and lined garment
said carelessly:
oh, S15 up, Depends upon what
you want to spend, and the materials
you select"
How far up do they go?" asked
Bell, hopefully.
THE good ones begin at about 1915.
could make you something very
smart for $500
Bell sighed, observed that he was
sorry to have bothered the furrier,
and that he'd be in later. Strolling
up the street, he laughed sadly. Where
would man on SI5-a-month salary
find $500? After discarding various
wild schemes as impossible of fulfill
ment without Jail sentence to fol-
low, he decided upon the simplest and
oldest. He would save certain amount
each month
A year of self-denial had cost him
many pleasures. There were two or
three extremely nice girls, whom he
had fnrn1prly fnlt oh TO oc,1y to 40
theater and. supper, waited inpatient
ly for ten days, received no invita-
lions to anything, and hurriedly en-
couraged the advances of more
thoughtful individuals.
So when year had gone, and No
vember's blasts whipped against legs
that no overcoat skirts protected, Bell
looked at his bank a. count and Won
dered if 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 shop
window, bearing the sign: The Small
Fur Store"
Muffs, stoles, jackets and pelerines
We're arranged in charming profusion.
There We're ermine and dark striped
mink, Hudson seal and the better quail
tiles of that barking seafaring animal.
The display excited Bell.
Why should he not march into a
furriers and demand that he be
measured for coat? His eyes bright
ened, and his nose, in the chill river
wind, seemed warmer at the thought
His office was near Once inside it
he determined to return to the attrac-
himself as soon as possible, for those
II months OF going without things thai;
left life sayorleSs as meat minus salt
Il saw a fur coat that made my
eyes bulge out when | came along, "
remarked bookkeeper. Il went back
to look at it. 1t 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 it was as we'll to get an idea
Oh styles before ordering.
Fine furs-we save you the mid
dle-man's profits" He paused at this
sign. Upon wax fig,Se was a full
length coat The SHELF was of llls-
Tous black cloth. The lining cunning
~ thrown backward, seemed 10 be
mink 1t 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 ~ere
tine cuffs.
1t was marked $50, reduced fsam
s75.' 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, Astrakhan, or whatever it
is: can't be real
ut looks classy, it really does!" he
murmured.
"Und id 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 jeered Looks like a $500 coat at
least. Or is the $50 for one cuff, rest
comes eXtra?"
The little man said seriously, that
the price was $50.
Bud for this week only he added;
i'd would fit you! Let me try it,"
The coat fitted. Bell hunted for
blemishes. There were none that he
could find. The hair of the furs in the
coat resisted when he craftily tugged
to see if they We're moth eaten, or
what
Finally he ran around to the savings
bank and got $50 Then he bought the
coat, and wore it to lunch Every
acquaintance he met exclaimed en-
viously at it's 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.