The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-02-25
The Minister'S Old Coat

Out Ua'iIy, Sdlu w eiic SeItteih%Ai WIN
sat mex 10 me in the Cal. We had me
in tn train. hound for Chicago, ant
had struck up An acquaintance.
He stopped me with his hand on m,
arm and with an earnest look which
shall never forget.
I paused at once in what l wassaying
and il seemed for q moment almost - |
the rushing train had stopped to listen
too. -,
Let me tell you IL story" he said
Il know it is a common belief thai
minist RS sons are wild, but this is be-
cause people talk about the bad ones
while those who turn out we'll are taker
Us a matter of course. [ gathered stats
tics about them once, ana found tina
out of a thousand sons Of ministers
there were very few who did not gro"
up useful and industrious men,"
But what is your story?' l asked
settling back in my seat.
well" said he, cit begins with /;
class-suppcr in Boston. 4 dozen year!
ago. A number of old college friend:
had gathered in the evening for theil
annual reunion. Among them was tn
rich mercnanl, e. Williston-perhap!
YOU have heard ofhim-and a poor pas
tor Of 4 country church il Elmbank vii
laee, out in Western Massachusetts,
whose name was Blake. A good many
OF the class had died, and the dozen OF
80 elderly men who were left felt more
tender than ever toward each other, u
they thought Of the bright old days q,
Harvard, and how soon no n would
be left on earth who shared in tina,
happy time.
The dishes came and went, the
lights slowed brilliantly. and at last
the friends grew quite gay. But the
tender feeling | have spoken of would
cone upperrnost, now and then; and in
one Of these musing moments Willis.
tons eye was attracted by something
.liS:enins about the coat which his
friend Blake, who sat next TO him, had
on.
He looked closer. and saw that the
black cloth ofwhich the coat was made
had been worn so thin and smooth that
it was very shiny.
".Weli. Blake said he. suddenly,
taking hold of his friends arm cordially
(Which he somehow hadn't thought OF
doing before) how has the world gone
with you, lately?"
Blake had Il naturally sad and
thoughtful tace {; but he looked around
quickly, with 4 warm smile.
mo need to ask he said, laughingly,
You can read the wh2le story on my
back. This old coat is Il sort of balance
Shrnt. which shows my financial condi'
tion to T. -,
Then lie spoke more seriously. add
ing, 1T is a pretty hard life, Williston,
that Of country parson. don't com
plain OF my lot, though sometimes I'm
distressed for my family. The fact is
this coat I've got on is hardly hit for 8
man OF my profession to appear in; but
In going to send my boy Sam to Har-
ward this year. and must pinch here and
fllcrc to DO it. l really ought to be
thankful. though. that | can get such ad-
vantagcI for him by n few little sacrifices
OF personal appearance and cop-
venience.'
"'Don't you give Il thought 10 your
coat, old fellow returned Williston.
Nobody who knows you will ever
imagine that the heart inside of it is
,lreadbare. however the garment may
look
Blake was pleased with this kindly
expression; and both men. after that
exchange of confidence. felt happier.
But, among the various incidents OF the
evening. this one almost passed out OF
the minister's mind by the next day,
when he started for Elmbank.
"Spcedy is his return was, however,
something meant for him had got to his
destination before him. 1t was 4 let
ter. Taking it up. he broke open the
envelope. and found inside Il few
words from Williston, with Il check for
$500 to deAray the first years college
expenses OF his old classmates son.
You are Il stranger TO me, Sill" said
my travelling companion, 1T this point,
- but | think you will appreciate the
feeling with which poor Mr.. Blake
stood in his bare and dingy study in the
old farM parsonage, holding that letter
in his hand, and lining his faithful eyes
in thankfulncss to God"
YES" l replied. "Williston did
llst the right thing, too. And how was
j? Did the son show that he deserved
the help"
NV acquaintance looked away from
me at the rich country through which
we were passing. Then he said:
Sam. Blake was q gOod-natured,
ohcdicNt fellow enough, and was greatly
pleased 70 haze the expense Of his first
college year taken off his fathers shout
derS; but his sense Of duty didn't 90
very far. The Rev. Mr.. Blake bought
Il new coat. and Sam entered Harvard
That fail; and here matters stopped for
i: while.
A freshman has a great deal TO
learn, rs you know; but l think the
chief thing Sam learned that term, was
the great difference there is between
Harvard and L little village like Elm
bunk. and the great difficulty of work
my and playing 1T the same time.
"1lcre he had society meetings to at
tend, and rooms of his own, with a
chum, where Il good deal of smoking
was done Iy himself and his friends.
And then there was baseball. into which
ii appeared Indispensable Tor the honor
NJ the ci;t>s that he should enter actively.
on account Of his strong legs, wonderful
wind and ground batting.
."uld not refuse to 20 to the
thc"L,t OCCASIONALLY with his ricl.cr
companions. Sam took Il natural inter.
est in the society Of young ladies, too,
and had to give up some time to its cul-
tivation. He also thought a moderate
t.nuunL OF practice II the gymnasium
WIS desirable, to prevent his heath
breaking down under the confinement
OF study. So. on the whole, the actual
work that he did in the college course
was not very extensive.
This dlGn't seem TO have any ba'i
effect TIL well along in the winter, when
The habit of Sinking work had grown
SO strong. without his noticing it, that
he fell easily into reading novels when
he ought to have been in the recitation
room. Gymnasium. theater, billiards,
smoking-and l am afraid l must say Il
liuie Grinking-friltered away his time.
"ODe horribly snowy, slec:y morn
ing when he had got up too late for
prayers, the postman brought him Il
note from tho Iaculty-an 'admonition.'
lie dropped the pipe he was just
lighting. and boited Off to recitation.
iiui nc .deaded Immediately, and that
Discouraged him.
lie soon began to make light of the
warming. and did himself no credit n
his studies. Though he managed to
squeeze through the examination ut the
ca. n; the freshman year. he came out
i.r down toward the foot Of his class.
He wasn't quite co%ntente1 with
h..a>elt, and thought he''i try to do bet
tyr the next year. But during the
; ..'". "y home, lie recovered his usual
" nrn he waike,i up the village to
ward the parsonage farm. lie was think
,i.,-S:nrr h, y:tS :. Spnhnn,S,,.