The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-18
THE QUEER LITTLE COAT.
A Fine Story for Careless Boys with
a True Teutonic Climax.

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diligently as any while the novelty
lasted, but his zeal never held out to tho
end; he would get tired and throw his
work by. Little Hebron never finished
anything. He had a top half whitfield
out, a windmill three-quarters done, a
white oak bow without string OF ar
rows, and a ship that would have been a
beautiful little plaything if its deck had
been 1uade and its masts put up.
It did not matter SO much about his
playthings as it did about his lessons and
his work. The school teacher was de-
lighted at first by Hobron's eagerness to
take up every new study, but he soon
grew grave when, after a few days, he
found that the lessons were lev likely
to be more than half learned.
This was no way for him to grow into
an earnest, useful man, and his parents
at last became very anxious about their
little boys great fault.
Something must be done about it,
that's certain" said his father, "or he
never will be good for anything at all.
We have tried talking long enough. /
have made up my mind. / am going to
send for that wonderful new tailor to
come and make Hebron a coat"
81 suppose it will be for the BEST"
said the mother, with o sigh.
So the tailor came in a great hurry,
for he was full Of business, he said,
making clothes for 80 many boys in the
village, a different patron for each one.
His eyes twinkled and his little sharp
face seemed to laugh all over, as he
worked away on Hobron's new coat.
Hebron watched him cut and haste and
sew for a little while, and then he got
tired.
I'm going out to plant popcorn, +" he
said, and away he went with a great
flourish, swinging his hoe and rafting
the corn in the pan. But in ten minutes
he was back again, playing with his dog
and teaching him to carry a basket.
"Have you finished planting the pop
corn?' asked the tailor.
sob, no." said Hebron; IT planted a
few hills, and then I got tired. I'll finish
it some other day"
"Ah!" was all the tailor said, and his
eyes twinkled more funnily than ever as
lS 1lDDCQ O0b q low Sb1bCI4OS IG 1lctQ .IuSG
put in.
At last the little coat was ready, and
Hebron was called to put it on. He was
to wear it to his cousins house that
afternoon. The coat fitted beautifully,
not a wrinkle anywhere.
sit almost seems as if it grew on me-"
said Hebron, well pleased, and he walked
up and down before the mirror. But
suddenly something on n side caught
his eye.
"Why, Mr.. Tailor" he exclaimed,
s'you haven't quite finished it. Here's a
seam on the side you haven't sewed up"
"Oh, that's no matter" said the tailor,
who was putting up his thread and nee
die, folks don't always finish things,
you know. Ibelieye you haven't planted
the rest of the corn yet, have you, my
boy.:r
mo" said Hebron, staring at him,
shut what of that? And just look here,
here's another place you haven't done,
you haven't but half sewed in this sleeve.
Just look at that!'
And he raised his arm, displaying an
alarming space indeed. But the tailor
did not seem to mind it at all; he only
said, as he took his hat to go:
"Oh, that's no matter; that can be
done any time, as you said this morning
when you threw down your Ratchet be-
fore you had cut half brush enough for
your mothers sweet peast"
"Come, Hebron" said his mother, sit
is time for you to start. if you mean to
spend the afternoon with your cousin"
why, am I to go looking like this?'
exclaimed Hebron, growing red in the
face.
Eyes" shd his mother, gently, s'until
you learn to complete what you under
take you must be made to feel the in
convenience Of unfinished things"
At the same time she felt sorry for her
little boy, and would gladly have sewed
up the seams for him, but she knew that
was out Of her power, for this very I'M
common tailor who made coats to fit
faulty little boys did his work in a very
uncommon manner, and was not to be
interfered with.
"Oh, well, il that's what it's for" said
Hebron, in surprise, '1then I'll go out at
once and finish cutting that pea brush"
"And don't forget the corn" said the
queer tailor, with n of his twinkling
glance land I'll wait here till you come
back"
So, away ran Hebron, much amazed
at his unexpected predicament, and seiz-
ing the Ratchet, he soon had a nice heap
of brush cut for his mothers garden.
"That's done!' he said to himself, and
it seemed to him that his sleeve felt bet
ter already. Then he fastened to the
corn hills. That was harder work, but
he dug with all his might, for his spirit
was up, and then he went quickly from
hill to hill dropping in the pearly little
kernels of corn, five in a hill.
ssThere, that is a satisfaction" he ex-
claimed, well pleased with his work. II
had no idea it could be done so quick"
Hum, hum" said the tailor, shrewd-
ly, 1--WE shall see how it will be another
time!" But he took out his shining
needle, and almost before you could wink
he had sewed up the seam, and sewed in
the sleeve. What a beautifully fitting
coat it was! He was certainly a remark
able tailor.
Then off went Hebron to his cousins
house. He played marbles with Dick
for awhile, and then he began to cut q