Mower County transcript., 1869-12-30
IRE NEW OVERCOAT.


her drunken husband had just slammed
the door behind him, while she, her fac.
flushed with blow, turned TO her boy
Fred, who had sunk down by the freside
and given hlmSelt up to melancholy
thoughts.
While sitting thus, Fred formed q resolu.
tion. He would go to the city and find
employment; he would be sober and in.
dustrious, and afford that helped and com:
fort to his poor mother which she Coul,
look tor from no other source.
Fred carried out his determination. Two
Years passed by. and he wts to come home
to spend Christmas. 1t was early in the
morning when he reached home, and pro,
c,cie>i to wake his mother in novel
manner. He commenced one Of their old
familiar carols, which lie had many Il time
sung with the little ones ut home. Not y
;io. cared he whether he awoke the whole
neighborhood or not with his resonant ten.
or voice, so that he awoke his mother, and
SO that she recognized his voice. That was
all ho cared for. But Mrs. Hartford Wa al
ready awake. Thoughts of her boy had
made her sleepless, and she had heard til,
swift footsteps Changing down the streets,
and then stop suddenly ut her door, when
the singing began: and altogether it made
her ntnrt leap, :or she iancied she knew
the carol. Blu: the voice? 1t might be her
boys but il SO, Low changed how deep
and manly! \ knock followed the carol,
during the singing OF which she had has
THY dressed ht rsslf, tumbling over herself
almost in her haste, and making noist
which awoke the children in the next
room, though it did not wake her husband.
He was sleeping otfa drunken fit, and it
would have taken something little less
noisy than booming cannon to arouse
him.
In moment she WAS ut the door. and
mother and son were i'll each others arms.
Aftera long embrace she stood away to look
him up and down, and after fond survey,
size said. How you are grown. Fred! and
how we'll you look! and how well-todo in
t!lat great coat; it makes You look quite
the gentleman"
Its real treasure, MOTHER" said Fred
land doesn', it keep the cold out!
Il should think so," said thu mother,
laying her hand upon it appreciately.- =
Its beautiful thick cloth. Fred. How
did you manage to get it out Of your small
earnings after what you've sent me? I'm
sure I've been afraid that you did not leave
yourselta penny scarcely
.lou needn't have been afraid, mother.
Why, I've got a watch, too! look here.
gave fifty shiIlings Tor it,"
LA, Fred! how ever did you manage
it,"
I'm tell you by-and-by, mother. Now
please help me of with my great-coat; for
my hands have got the frost in them to-
night. had half mind to bring this coat
for father. But then, thinks /, it would
u 1r1r ok,
go. You know-so decided rather to tell
father how to get one as got this; he'll
prize it all the more for getting it So.
How merrily the breakfast.time passed,
and what happy day they hoped TO
spend! The sunshine was come into the
house at last; it lighted up the faces of the
sad mother and her children, and made all
bright. Toward nine o'clock the merry
hubub in the house,, awoke Mr.. Hartford,
and learning that Fret was come, he set
himself to the dreaded task ofgetting ui.
Presently the church bells, began to
chime. and Fred proposed that they should
go to their house Of worship. II shall be
glad to see the familiar old place again, he
said. All the children wanted to 90 with
Fred, and he wanted bis father to 90, too
He refused quite decidedly at first; it WAS
out OF the que estion, he said, and he never
went to church Low. '.All the more reason
why you should go to-day. father" urged
Fred.
But two got nothing fit to put on, said
the father.
Eyes, you have" said the wife; 'your
best coat is up stairs"
How came it there?" he asked, in aston
ishment.
Never mind about that now, said Mrs.
Hartford; ''but just go and make you.sel
spruce, and 60 out with Fred this once. We
may never meet together on q Christmas
day ngain, you know"
Look at Fred's coa!-what beauty!'
cried Susie, as Fred took it from peg be-
hind the door.
why, Fred, you look as though you
were getting on in the world" said his
father. "How did you manage to get that
and your watch too?'
You must know haven't spent a farth-
ing OF my wages on them." said Fred.
Then how in the world did you get
them?'
The price of h If pint of beer day
Tor nearly three years got these for me, -
said Fred. "Ml the fellows at our place
arc allowed half pint day. 1 told mas
ter that Id rather not have any, and if lie
liked to make me any allowance for my not
having it he might; or I'd just leave it, and
say nothing about an allowance. He said
he liked to encourage young fellows to be
abstaiuers, and allowed me three half pence
u day. That has been faithfully given me
for two years and nine months, and has
been something like six pounds FIVE shil-
ings in my pocket. With that, you see,
have been we'll able to buy my watch and
coat, and to send home some little Chris
tno's gifts last year, as we'll as to bring
these
Who'd ever he thought that three half
pence a day saved would have run up to
that in less than three years?" said Mr..
Hartord, thinking dolefully of the many
pence, and not only pence, but sixpence.
he had spent day after day during that
time and for years before -sixpences that
made many pounds, which would have
bought him coat, watch, and perhaps a
house too 50 many had he squandered.
Ned was trying to do sum OF the same
kind in mental ari ithmetic. though with low.
er figures than those which came to his
fathers mind; and both began a series of
self-rcproachings aud both felt that they
hid been foolish in the highest degree.
'IOu did well you did WE'LL Fred" said
his father, with sigh.
Then Mr. Hartford and his children went
to church. When they returned Mrs. Har-
ford seemed much surprised to see her
husband returning with the rest, and she
hustled about with IL glad heart to get her
Christmas dinner, just us i'll the happy days
OF long, long ago.
Mr. Hartford managed to eat pretty
good meal, and felt the better for it. When
it was over, and oranges and other good
things brought by Fred were being discus
hcd, his listless air quite passed away, and
he playiully helped the children to make
wonderful things with orange peel. By
und-by he leaned back in his chair and said
II can't believe it's me sitting here at home
like this - something like the poor fellow
us ",lr parson Was reading of this morning,
as was sitting clothed i'll his right mind. ~
"Ah, it does me good to see you" said
his wife, with glistening eyes.
He looked down at his coat to avoid her
glance, and SAID, "rhis may look tidy, mis-.
sis, but it don't keep the cold out; l was
regula, nipped coming home from chapel. d
You ought to have great.coat like
Frcu's, she replied. ''You might easy get
one as he did, aforc next winter"
What! save three half pence a day
Course could, and III begin" he said.
But l did something more than that,
father" said Fred. IF l hadn't might
just have gone on saving for month ol
two, and then let it all 60"
What did you do:'
"Why, I just kept right away from the
public houses. They're the places to keep
one from having a coat to ones buck; they
strip YOU, if you frequent them; but they'll
never cIotle YOU. You'll begin to save
three half-pence day for q great-coat,
father, as you say; but will you do the
other thing? II you only would, Ill tell