The Springfield herald., 1913-02-14
THE WRONG COAT
By HAROLD MacGRAEH4 .s,s,.,> e,.,.s
Axas~ THE Man on the Box" The Goose Ga,.' Etc
By HAROLD MacGRAFH,
(oOpyrisht b. ~ sosb.- N.r1in ooaoanyj


drama is closest to our everyday af-
fairs.
at once determined not to notify
the police: they would only bungle
the matter with the red tape of delay.
could call them, int.when the work
was over. .,.,N g-;sj..s;' -'4 p
And to think that this humans taste
in overcoats was one and Identical
with mine!1 had half notion to tear
of the coat. only 1t would have at
tracted attention-and, besides, 1t was
cold. 80
Some men would have shrugged
their shoulders and permitted the
thing to go on. In a great city the
good Samaritan is usually looked upon
as meddler; and. besides, every one
has trouble enough OF his own. The
girl was nothing to me; even her
name was unknown. l hoped, how
ever. that she was beautiful and
young. My duty lay clear enough. 1t
was possible to save a human being,
and that was all there was to the mat
ter. Any right-minded man would
have done exactly as l did, though
hardly with the same result. CThis is
not to say that I'm not right-minded,
howeverD II l should save the girl
from her prosecutor. should always
have something to fall back on II by
any chance I myself left the straight
and narrow way. To save life is to
do penance for many sins.
Putting asidetall flippant moralizing.
1t was an adventure such as invaria-
bly, appeals to me, and it is habit
of mine to pursue things to the end.
1t is fine and noble pursuit, that OF
research. But sometimes, as In cases
like this adventure of mine, persons
lacking my sense of the romantic, are
called busybodies.
l do not recollect what street 1t
was in the eighties that the guard
bawled out, but 1t was near enough
for my purpose. / hurried out OF the
car and down the steps OF the ele-
waited. Everybody gets in the way of
a man In hurry; SO, for block or
more. the time was spent in making
apologies to grufr-tempered persons.
They would get in my way, and they
would demand what I meant by not
looking where l was going. Finally
succeeded in Kidding myself of the
crowds, and turned into quiet and
sober street. The sign on the lamp
post told me that l had arrived on
the scene. 1t was twenty minutes past
eleven. Two things were possible:
either the girl had been killed the
night before or l had half an hour or
en- In pyhI oh to NJ
est possible service.l
The house proved to be fine struc-
ture, one OF those few dwellings in
the metropolis that boasts OF anything
like court or yard. This yard was
at the right of the building, and was
more roadway to the stables in the
rear than anything else. Still, may
stretch 1t a point and call It yard
/ cast hasty glance about. Not a
soul was in sight. I tried one of the
gates. 1t was unlatched! This Ger.
tainly must be the night. ! stole up
the roadway cautiously. The fact
that I left some fine tracks in the
snow did not disturb me. l was not
guilty of anything wrong. Yes, there
was the bow-window through which
the rascal was to enter. There would
be surprise In store for him. A sub
dued light shone through the half
closed blinds. Some one was awake !;
doubtless the girl herself. reading
Everything was working out nicely.
I would even save her any real annoy
ance.
tiptoed back to the gate, and was
about to make my exit, when paused,
Mortified, my heart in my mouth.
Coming airily along the walk was a
policeman. He was whistling popular
Irish melodies and swinging his night
stick. The deuce! Suppose he took it
into his head to examine the gate!
hid behind the great stone gate-post,
breathing with difficulty. II there was
anything In the world ! did not want
to happen, 1t was to be arrested in
this other fellows coat! Besides the
policeman wouldn't believe a word l
said. He would hale me to the near
est police station, and all my efforts
to save the girl would come to moth
ing.
The policeman did start for the
gate, but cat fight across the street
distracted him and he crossed over to
break up the conflict. l was saved.
After reasonable length of time,
stole forth. 1t was a close shave.
L dare say that ! have omitted the
fact that am young. still under thirty,
and am a struggling dramatist, after
having been struggling poet. into
which craft l had drifted after having
been struggling humorist. The main
fault OF my want of success l lay to
the fact that do not look the various
parts. AS dramatist. l lack the
requisite irritability OF temper; as
poet, / have not that distinct disre-
gard for personal appearance usually
considered characteristic: as humor-
list, / am totally deficient OF the long,
cadaverous and dyspeptic countenance
and lusterless eye OF the typical
writer of funny fancies. When my
uncle died and left me comfortable
income. Art received a staggering
blow, from which 1t is doubtful she
will ever recover. A spinster aunt in
sists that l am more than ordinarily
agreeable to the eye; but. of course,
blood is partial to blood. That is
enough for the present OF what the
amiable Thackeray called first per-
SON singular. perpendicular"