Mr Bixby And The Coronel's Coat

Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s coat.
Once a month she would get on a train and travel to Baltimore to visit her old Aunt Maude. At least that was what she told her husband. What she really did was see a gentleman known as the Colonel and spend all her time in Baltimore in his company.
The Colonel was wealthy and lived in a charming house just outside of town. He had no wife and no family, only afew loyal servants, and in Mrs. Bixby's absence he amused himself by riding horses and hunting. Year after year the pleasant friendship between Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel continued without a problem, and never once did Mrs. Bixby's dentist husband suspect the truth.
Then, after one visit just before Christmas, Mrs. Bixby was standing at the station in Baltimore, waiting for the train to take herback to New York. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable visit and Mrs. Bixby was thinking how different it all was from her dull husband at home, when suddenly one of the Colonel's servants appeared through the crowd and presented her with a large cardboard box.
Mrs. Bixby: "Good heavens! What's he brought? What a big box! Was there a message?"
There had been no message, and as soon as she was onthe train, Mrs. Bixby found a place where she could open the box in private.
Mrs. Bixby: "How exciting! A Christmas present from the Colonel... I think it's a dress. It might even be two dresses. Or it might be a lot of beautiful underclothes. I won't look. I'll just feel around and try to guess what it is. I'll try to guess the color as well, and exactly what it looks like. Also how much itcost... Good heavens! It can't be true."
What the Colonel had given her was the most magnificent mink coat she had ever seen. The fur was almost pure black, with a touch of blue in it, as well, as deep rich blue. But what had it cost? She hardly dared to think. Then she saw there was a letter in the box, as well... a farewell note from the Colonel! He had heard her say once how fond she was of minkand asked her to accept it as a farewell gift. For his own personal reasons he would not be able to see her anymore.
Mrs. Bixby: "Well! Imagine that! Well, I've lost one thing, but gained another. Wait... there's something written on the other side: 'Just tell them that nice generous aunt of yours gave it to you for Christmas'." "The man must be mad! Aunt Maude doesn't have that sort of money...she couldn't possibly give me this... but if Aunt Maude didn't, then who did?"
In the excitement of finding the coat and trying it on, she had completely forgotten the most important detail. In a couple of hours she would be in New York, and even a man like her husband Cyril would start asking questions if his wife suddenly walked in from a weekend wearing a fabulous new mink coat.
Mrs. Bixbythought to herself: "I think he's done this on purpose just to annoy me. He knew perfectly well I wouldn't be able to keep it. But I must have this coat! I must! Very well, my dear. You shall have the coat, my dear. But don't be afraid. Sit still and keep calm and start thinking. You've fooled him before. The man has never been able to understand very much apart from his business. So sit absolutelystill and think."
Some time later Mrs. Bixby stepped off the train in New York and walked quickly to the exit. She was wearing her old red coat again, and was carrying the box in her arms. She signaled for a taxi.
Mrs. Bixby: "Driver, do you know of a pawnbroker that is still open around here? Stop at the first one you see, will you please?"
At the pawnbroker's Mrs. Bixby told the driver to waitfor her. Inside she made up a story about losing her purse and all her money, and left the fur coat with the pawnbroker in exchange for fifty dollars in cash and a pawn-ticket which she insisted have no name or address on it, but simply the word 'ARTICLE.'" The important thing was not to lose that ticket. Anyone finding it could go there and claim the coat. But Mrs. Bixby was not about to let...