Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-07-28
TEE MINISTER'S OLD COAT

out badly" said to the gentlemen whs
sat ne1t TO me in the car. We had me$
in the train, bound for Chicsgo, aud had
struck up an acquaintance. He stopped
me with his hand On my arm, and with
an earnest look which I shall never fog
get. paused at once In what / wac
saying, and it seemed for moment al
most as Il the rushing train had stopped
60 listen, too.
".Lst me tell ycc story" he said.
"I know it is g common belief that min
isters' sons are wild, but that is because
people talk aIopt the bad ones, while
those who turn out .yell ere tssaen as
matter OF course. ! gsthefsd statistics
about them once, ana found that out OF
1000 sons Of ministers there we're very
, few who did not grow up useful and in
td1strious men,"
"But what is you, story?" asked.
We'll" said he, "it begins With q
Glass supper IN Boston dozen years
age. a number Of old college friends
hsd gathered in the evening for their
annual reunion. Among them was the
,ich merchant. J. e WLlis.on-perhaps
YOU haze heard of hirn--and poor pas
tos Of country church in Elmbank vii
lsee. ont in Western Massachusetts,,
7hcse name wss Blake. A good many
of the class had died, and the dozen or
so elderly men who were left felt more
tender thar ever toward each other as
they thought OF the bright old DAYS at
Harvard, and hoE soon no one would bo
LEFT op earth who shared in that happy
time. The dishes came and went, the
lights glowed brilliantly, and at last the
friends grew quit. gay. Bat the tender
seeEng have spoken OF wctld come mp
pernost, now and then and in one Of
.hese moments Wlliston's eye WAS at
tracted by something glistening on the
coat which his fr:end Blake, who sat
pe1t 10 him, had on. He looked closer,
and saw that she black cloth OF which tho
coat was 1nsde had been worn SO thin
that it was veryshiny.
"'Well, Blake, asid he, suddenly,
s:ekirg hold Of his friends arm cordially
,.svhiuh he somehow hadn't thought OF
.l0ing beiore), how mas the vorld gone
with YOU lstely?'
"Blake he'd naturally sad and
.ihoughtful sacs, but be looked asouRd
yuickly with warm smile.
"'No need to ask, be said. laughing.
'You can read the whole story on my
back. This old coat is sortof balance
aheet, which shows my financial con-
6iticn 10 T.
"Then he spoke more seriously. add
ing: 'Is4a pretty hsrd life, Willis
ton, that Of country persen- / don't
complain Of my bot, though sometimes
I'm distressed for my family. The fact
is, this coat I've got Oh is hardly tit for
man il my profession 10 appear in
but Tn going 70 send my boy Sam to
Harvard this year, and must pinch here
and there to do it I really ought 10 be
tha ...ul, though, sbet I ceo get snch
advantages for-hin By . few little sacrl-
fses of personal appearance and conSen-
ienra'
st~Dont you give though. to your
coa4, old fellow, returned Williston.
..NobasaJ Who knows you will ever
imagine chat the heart inside OF 1t IS
.thre.,dbare, however the garment may
look
"Blake was pleased with this kindly
expression. and both snen after th@t ez.
cchange Of confidence felt happier. But,
acnone the various incidents Of the
evening, this one almost passed out OF
the minister's mind by the next day,
when ne atsrted for Elmoank. SPEEDY
ss his return was, however, something
meant for him hca 60. 70 bis dessioa-
lion before him. It yTas 2 letter. Tax
ing it up, he broke open the envelope.
and found few words from Willistoo
vii. check for $500. 70 defrsy tia
first YEARS college expenses OF bis old
classmates GOT.
lyon sre stranger 10 me, fir, Said
my travelling companion ct this point.
"bus L think You sill appreciate she
feeling Nah wtdcin poor Nr. Blake
stood IN his t.are sDd 'iingy study IL the
old form parsonage. holding that letter
IN his hand, and li6r;ng bis tearfu] eyes
in tbankfulness TO God
eyes" I replied, "Wilhst@n did iust
.hs right shing, Cos. And how was It?
Did the son SHOW that be deserved tho
help4"
Mysosuaiussacs looked eway from re
at the rich coppsry through wbieh We