Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-04
THE MINISTER'S OLD COAT.

ministers sons are apt to turn out
badly" said 1, to the gentleman who sat
next to me in the Car. We had met III
the train bound for Chicago, and had
struck up an acquaintance.
He stopped me with his hand on my
arm, and with an earnest look which l
shall never forget.
paused at once in what was saying,
and it seemed for moment as if the
rushing train had stopped to listen, too.
LET me tell you story" he said. ~
know that it is common belief that
ministers sons are wild, but that is be-
cause people talk about the bad ones,
while those who turn out we'll are taken
in as matter of course. I gathered sta
tistics about them once, and found that
out of thousand sons of ministers, there
were very few who did not grow up USE
tul and industrious men,"
"But what is your storY9' asked, set
thing back IN my seat.
"Well, said he, sit begins with class
supper in Boston dozen years ago. A
number of old college friends had gath
union. Among them was the rich mer-
chant. J. E. Wllliston-perhaps you have
heard of him-and poor pastor of a
country church in Elmbank village, out
in Western Massachusetts,, whose name
was Blake. A good many of the class
had died, and the dozen or so elderly
men who were left felt more tender than
ever toward each other, as they thought
of the bright old days at Harvard, and
how soon no one would be left on earth
who shared in that happy time.
The dishes came and went, the lights
glowed brilliantly, and at last the friends
grew quite gay But the tender feel
ing l have spoken of would come upper
most, now and then; and in one of these
musing moments Williston's eye was at
tracted by something glistening about
the coat which his friend Blake, who sat
next to him, had on.
tic locked closer, and saw that the
black cloth of which the coat was made
had been worn so thin and smooth that it
was very shiny.
"'Well, Blake said he, suddenly TAX
ing hold Of his friends arm cordially
(Which he somehow hadn't thought of do
ing before, how has the world gone with
you, lately2'
Blake had a naturally sad and thought
full face; but he looked around quickly,
with warm smile.
"'No need to ask he said, laughingly.
You can read the whole story on my
| back. This old coat is sort of balance
sheet, which shows my financial cond1-
ton to t.
"Then he spoke more seriously, add
ing, 1T is pretty hard life, Williston,
that of a 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 fit tor man
of my profession to appear in; but I'm
going to send my boy Sam to Harvard
this year, and must pinch here and there
to do it. / really ought to be thankful,
though, that can get such advantages
for him oy a few little sacrifices of per
ssnal appearance and convenience
"'Don't you give q thought to your
coat, old fellow returned Williston
Nobody who knows you will ever imag.
inc that the heart inside Of 1t is thread
bare, however the garment may look
"Blake was pleased with this kindly
expression; and both men, after that ex
change Of confidence, felt happier. But
among the various incidents of the even
ing, this one almost passed out of tht
minister's mind by the next day, wher
he started for Elmbank.
"Speedy as his return was, however
something meant for him had got to hi
destination before him, 1t was a letter
Taken it up, he broke open the envelope
and found inside few words from Viii
liston, with check for five hundred dol
lars to defray the first years college ex
penses of his old classmates son.
"You are stranger to me, SIR saiC
} my traveling-companlon, at this point
"but think you will appreciate the feel
; Ing with which poor Mr.. Blake stoo'
in his bare dingy study in the old farm
parsonage, holding that letter in his hanG
and lifting his faithful eyes in thankful
ness to God"
eyes," replied. "Williston did jus
the right thing, too. And how was II
Did the son show that he deserved th
, help9"
, My acquaintance looked away from m
2 at the rich country through which W
2 were passing. Then he said:
2 Sam Blake was good-natured obed
s ent fellow enough, and was greatly please
!. to have the expense of his first colleg
5 year taken off his fathers shoulders; BIT
his senseHof duty didn't go very ia
: The Rev. Mr.. Blake brougt
4 a new coat, and Sam entere
: Harvard that fall; and there matter
), stopped for while.
:, "a freshman has great deal to learr
i as you know, but think the chief thin
e Sam learned that term, was the gres
r difference there is between Harvard and
: little village like Elmbank, and the gre;
/ difficulty Of working and playing at tt
= same time.
e "Here he had society meetings to a
/, tend, and rooms of his own, with chun
) where good deal of smoking was dor
It by himself and his friends. And the
o there was base ball, into which it appea
d ed indispensable for the honor of the clas
e that he should enter actively, on accou1
d of his strong legs, wonderful wind an
ground batting.
/ "He could not refuse to go to the the
t, ter occasionally with his richer compal
le ions. Sam took natural interest in Il
a society of young ladies, too, and had
g give up some time to its cultivation.
i also thought moderate amount of pra
is tice In the gymnasium was desirable
n prevent his health from breaking dow
+, under the confinement of study. SO, {
lg the whole, the actual work that he did
as the college course was not very exte
a. sive.
Id "This didn't seem to have any bad
lie feet till well along in the winter, VIII
h. the habit of shlrking work had grown
strong. without his noticing it. that