The Comfort of Old Clothes. 237 



bending the tailor's lack of skill to the shape 

 of my shoulders, and new clothes are valueless, 

 an infliction, metal yet in the ore, until they be- 

 come old, and then their value is inestimable. 

 Rebel as I will against having aught to do with 

 it, I have at intervals to conquer this obnoxious 

 newness, and perhaps I am fairly well repaid ; 

 but then comes the hour of my trial. When I 

 have come off conqueror and more than con- 

 queror, I am told that I need a new suit ; or, in 

 plain English, the recent torture is to be re- 

 peated. But I am not conquered. I am rich 

 now in that I have two old coats, and there shall 

 be no divorcement. Until death do us part, as 

 young people promise, so I promise myself. 

 The world may go hang, but I will be happy as 

 a king. My coat knows me and I know my 

 coat. It is not mere toleration on either part, 

 but mutual good-will and respect. It is a whim 

 of mine to believe my old coats are happy be- 

 cause they fit, and I am happy that they are an 

 aid and not a hinderance. A man is known by 

 the company he keeps, so let me be known by 

 my close association with old clothes. If you 

 that worship immaculate cloth and glory in the 



