The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-06-10

sat trying to bring himself into some
friendly recognition of the fact that he
had presented his minister with a forty
five dollar overcoat, which he could OF
hope to have count at anything near its
full value on his yearly assessment, for
who ever heard of country parson hav-
ing such coat?
Jings! Don't he look fine, though"
calculated Sam, as Mrs Graves came
down the aisle.
And don't Mrs. Graves look set up ?"
said jim
Enough to make any woman to hang
on to piece of cloth like that" said Mrs.
Bingle
Mr.. Bingle was unhitching his horses
as Mr. Graves came out of the church
door, and did not at first raise his eyes
as he listened to the remarks passing
around.
" Bless me What fine lookn' fellow
our parson is anyhow! Where on earth
did he get that coat %
Must have had fortune left him.
Mr. Blngle could not help feeling that
the coat had been we'll bestowed, as it's
wearer came to meet him with out
stretched hands and few quiet, though
very earnest words of acknowledgment
his gift. The coat had fitted the farmer
7 well, but there was something more than
the mere filling out of good cloth in the
minister's dignifed bearing, and in the
scholarly face which appeared above it
something which stirred up feeling in
many members of the congregation that
this servant of the Lord had not hitherto
been clothed in a fashion worthy of his
high office.
That's a shabby old hat to wear with
it, said one of the village store keepers
"Pll see about that before another Sun
day comes round"
As Mr.. Bingle felt the grasp of his
pastors hand he began almost to be glad
he had given the coat. And then, as the
fact OF his having given it was whispered
about, to feel ashamed of receiving so
much credit for an act which he never
would have thought Of performing For
an honest and really warm nature lay
under the crust of parsimonious selfish
ness which had hardened over his heart,
as it has, alas, over SO many which might
overflow in deeds of Kindness to bless
those who have given not grudgingly,
""C tIItli Nholc StlNtS, 10 lnc MASTER
service.
81 feel like liar; yes do," said Mr.
Blngle to his wife, with an energy that
startled her, as they rode home "To
have that man shakin' me by the hand,
and talkin' about my generosity, and his
wife's eyes beamin' up at me, and me not
able to right out an tell 'cm I'm a
grudgin', tight-fsted old tell YOU
what''-he gave his horses such vigor-
Gus cut with the whip that Jim and Sam,
on backless seat Of the bob sleigh,
nearly went over backwards into the
snow-'l've got to get even with myself
somehow, but don't know just how yet"
1t was astonishing what commotion
Not one eye had failed to mark the JUS
tice done by Mr.. Graves goodly figure
to the goody garment, and with an
awakening pride at the possession of such
fine looking pastor, came desire TO q
see him thoroughly well equipped, which
desire found expression in such a vista
tion at the parsonage as had never before
been dreamed of. Cheap goods and cast
offs were ignored in the generous supply
of winter comforts which each visitor
made sure should be in keeping with the
new overcoat, and the wives and mothers
hid seen to it that Mrs. Graves and the
children should look fit to walk beside
that tailor-madeup piece of cloth.
Mr.. Bingle had smiled with light in
his eye which came up from somewhere
under that broken crust at the set of furs
which his wife carried to Mrs Graves
that night. But in the early gray of the
wintry morning after, he, with Sans
help, quietly unloaded in the back yard
Of the parsonage tirkin of butter, the
same of lard, and six barrels of his best
apples, packed for market.
CA good forty-ive dollars worth if I'd
carted it half a mile further,' he said to
his wife with a face that shone as he sat
down to breakfast.
"And not soul heard U.S." said Sam,
rubbing his hands in great glee. "Wish't
could see 'em when they find out ~
"Now Pm even," said the farmer.
And Pm blamed if it wasn't the best
days work ever did when l gave away
that coat by mistake"