Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-17

looking old gentleman, Wit1 benevolent blue
eyes and an amiable douhle.chin, stepped
cheerfully into the 'Stores," followed by
thin man, whose more than shabby exterior
and general appearance of extreme depress-
sion proclaimed that he was very hard down
on his luck
"Have you got such thing as a strong,
warm topcoat?" inquired the stout gentle
man.
"a topcoat ?" said the dealer, suspiciously.
'What sort of coat do you mean? Do you
want to buy one, hey 2"
"Of course do. Do you think 1 shall ask
you to make me a present of one? l want
coat that will fit this man here Anything
that's warm and tidy will suit"
"Oh, very well; then l think can show
you just the harticle you'll like :" and the
wary dealer, feeling he was safe, produced
the garment whose adventures it is our bust
ness to trace.
In the end, the stout gentleman paid for it,
and the thin man wore it, an arrangement
which was mutually satisfactory.
Nov, Reeves" observed the former as
they quilted the shop, you said. you could
get good job at once if you only had your
tools out of pledge and coat to cover you.
Here is the money for the tools-fifteen shil-
lings Take them. And may God prosper
you, my man may God prosper you !"
Two big tears coursed slowly down the
rough cheeks of the mechanic, as he grasped
for a moment the extended hand of his bene-
factor. "Il never forget this, sir-never !"
he murmured, in broken voice. at amt
for the likes of me to ask your name and who
you are; nor yet to offer to pay you back
when better times come to meas they will
now, as they will now. But you've saved me
from worse than death this night, sir. Be-
lieve me, l never raised my finger to take
what didn't belong to me afore. 1t was only
want aud desperation that ever gave the dew
il chance to put it in my head. / shall get
work now, thanks to you; and I'll be an hon
est man still, as l always have been"
''Yes, yes; of course you will, said the
old gentleman, nodding his head in friendly
assent, while his kind, mild blue eyes gis-
tened MOSTLY under the gss-lamp. "And
look here, Reeves; if ever you get better off,
and come across poor man in want of a
little help, you help him, Reeves, dye see
you help him"
The blessing which the good Samaritan
had invoked upon the man he had saved from
disgrace and misery came down upon him
Reeves prospered. Bit by bit, his cottage
grow into cosey home, that he loved more
and more every day; his children became
plump and rosy-cheeked and his wife bright
eyed and happy. But in all this newborn
prosperity the grateful mechanic never for
got bis true friends parting injunction to be
tender to others in distress. 1t will only be
necessary to mention one occasion upon
which be succeeded in initiating very closely
the sublime example of magnanimous charity
that had been his own salvation.
Reeves was returning from work. 1t was
rather late; and what few people were about
were hurrying out of the binding sleet and
piercing blast as fast as their legs could carry
them, and that was at no remarkable speed
on account of the atmospheric opposition
they encountered. At one moment the wind
suddenly increased to the fury of q hurricane,
and compelled Reeves to seek temporary
shelter in friendly doorway. He was not
alone there. Some one else had adopted the
principle of ''any port in a storm" 1t was a
man-gaunt, hollow checked, ill-clad, shiver-
ing, and miserable.
What fearful night-ain't it ?" observed
Reeves, in gentle voice.
''S'pose it is; don't care; ; it's all the same
to me, returned the man, hoarsely.
II don't want to be rude" continued
Reeves, in the same tones of sympathy, ''but
you seem to be hard up. I've been in the
same case myself, and l can pity you. Tn
only workingman, and know what hard
times mean"
at amt that alone what's the matter with
hps AiaNS aiehONBh 9Ou IlBul, 30 lar. IL
would puzzle anybody to be wuss off than l
am Just now. But it's sorrer that's a-killing
me, more than want I'm a.dying, mate,
that's what l am"
Come come, don't talk like that you'll
feel better after a good supper and a COM
Portable nights rest. And I've got a bob or
two as will pay for them"
You're a mana true brick It does a
chap good to speak to the like of you. l
thought the breed had died out But it amt
suppers and nights rests whatll give me
back my wife. l want my wife I've been
hunting for her high and low all over Lon
don, from one end to the other, for the last
six months. And l can't find her. / can't
come across her no how. Mary, Mary
why did you run away from as ?-why did
you leave me and the children when we was
so fond of you? You know we was Why did
you go?" He leaned his forehead against the
rough bricks and walled forth the agony of
his breaking heart, unconsciously. Present
ly, he drew himself up and shook his emac-
ated fist in fierce rage. "Curses!" he cried,
"a million black, bitter curses on the man as
'ticed her way from me! If had him by the
throat now-so, like that-Td tear him limb
from limb!"
For some time Reeves said nothing. He
felt he was in the presence of trouble which
no words of his could assuage. But by and
by, when the poor fellows passion had spent
ITSELF he ventured Locke here, friend
You'll find your wife one day, either on earth
or in heaven. God pardons such weak, mis-
guided creatures as she and if you should
never meet her here, you will there, depend
on it. You don't know how she has suffered;
you don't know how she has repented; you
don't know how her fault may have been
blotted out and her sins forgiven. Mate,
shan't say anything more about it, because l
can't help you in that matter. But l can do
so in another. When l get home, shall find
a bright, cheerful fire, plenty to eat and drink
and warm change of clothes. You won't
have such luck as that. The togs you've got
on now wouldn't be much use to you in sum
mer, let alone such night as this Pm 60
ing to leave you my overcoat-thats what
I'm going to do. 1t amt elegant; but it will
stand laundering lot of wear yet and it's
warm and waterproof. Here, catch hold of
it," continued Reeves, divesting himself of
the garment and throwing it over the mans
shoulders. Don't mind me. 1 can buy
another tomorrow, thank God. You'll find
three or four bob in the left side pocket get
yourself a glass of something hot, a jolly
good supper, and a clean shake down. No
thanks, old chap I'm not used to 'em, Good
bye, and good luck to you. I'm off," Suit.
ing the action to the word, Reeves darted out
of the doorway, and quickly disappeared
from view down an adjoining street
quarter of an hour later the recipient of
the generous mechanics bounty was recruit
ing his exhausted frame with half pork pie
and pint of hot ale, strongly favored with
ginger While he was disposing of this, to
him, delicious fare, his eyes rested upon a
ten-days-old newspaper, that ohanoed to lie
on the bar of the public house in which he
stood. All at once gray, asby hue over
spread his face the knife slipped from his
seized the paper, and gazed at one short par
agIaph with such an expression of horror and
despair that the barman on the other side
was startled, and said: "Whats the matter?
Are yer i'll ?"
"ReAd that for me-" replied the man, wild
ly. 81 can't see-I feel as if 1 were going