The Detroit times., 1915-12-10
THE EVENING STORY.
The Gray Coat.
Copyright, 1915. by w. werner)

knew on the train. Half dozer
years before Almira had been Il
the city with AL: and womanlike
had trusted TO him to pilot hel
about Her memory she found, was
confused and valueless. AS she
stood on the station platform che
was utterly turned around. Only
one thing stood out boldly In hel
minds eve and that was the name
Of MacNamara.
"keb, ma am" Almira started
She began to see way out of hel
difficulties.
She alighted from the cab at Mac
Namara's dooor and with renewed
courage entered. After Gould's this
department store looked vast. over
whelming. Moreover, II caught the
fancy at every turn She was like q
silly little butterfly In great field
OF flowers. She futtered here and
there enraptured. Never had she
seen so many things she wanted
II she resisted one thing she gave
way to another. At last she awoks
TO the fact 1t was O'Clock, she had
had no lunch, she was laden with
small parcels and considerable oil
her money had been spent.
A considerable fioorwalker direct
ed her to the restaurant, where she
swallowed some tea and a sandwich
Then she returned to the store. Or
the way to the coat department she
ran across some bargains In silks
which delayed her so long that she
had barely an hour left in which to
select her coat and get TO the sta
ton.
BY that time her poor head was
In a whirl and her money far gone
A clever little saleswoman helped
her into a coat luxuriously sill
lined Almira caught a glimpse ol
the price tag ard gasped. Twenty
FIVE dollars'
Il can't pay so much" she said
something simpuer, pleGse--some
thing about s12."
The saleswoman Immediately
looked bored, but she vent on put
ting coats upon Alm'ra, who be
came more and more confused. Shs
had never seen 80 many coats In
her life. After she had tried or
eight or nine they all looked alike
10 her The electric lights made
her head ache. Moreover, time was
flying. She glanced at her watch
and was Mortified to find that 4
would be close work getting to the
depot
Give me the coat you think IL
the best" she said To the salesgirl
And hurry, please, or shall miss
my train"
Almira, with a dozen parcels IN
der her arms. ran nearly the whole
way TO the station. Yet in spite O
her haste she arrived just in time
As with her last breath she hurried
toward the train a pig, familiar
arm gathered her and her bundles
in.
Plenty OF time, hon. said hel
husbands voice In her ear. He hat
grown uneasy about her. and hat
come in upon one train Just in tim,
to take her home on the other.
Almira was never so tired in hel
life. The next morning she dressed
up In her new coat and went down
town to do an errand Befor,
Goulds window she paused super
ciliously to view the display. A.
she stood three a woman drew near
why. Almira Spooner," CT. q
Lou Chittendcn. The corners D
her provoking mouth curlcd l
you haven't gone and got "a
just like mine, | didn't know you
thought that much of me-"
Almira swung round and looked
al her Then she turned pale. Il
was horribly true. Her coat wal
exactly like Lou3. And she mac
b'h" al 'ht way w liit NiNy W Sc
il, More than that she had paid s.
more for 1t than Lou had paid a,
Goulds For an instant her ears
sung, then she braced herself. She
had been a fool, but nobody should
know it, She smiled. Il hope yor
don't mind. LOU" she said.
Lou Chittenden laughed, Land
I'm tickled 20 death It's the first
time in nv life ever really fell
in style" She pulled Almira's arm
Come on down to Burnhams and
see his display of oil stoves" she
coaxed.
And Almira went.