Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-23

and, sure enough, 1t was almost as good as new. put on it a new collar and new buttons. declare it made the good man quite too vain to live, for Deacon Garvin said to him:
 "'Where did you get your new over coat, Brother Jackson? Has the light ming of the Lord struck your houseP'
 "'It has, he said. The Lord has given mo a powerful wife. It's the same old ovcrcoat of Senator Mersey's, turned inside out
 ''lt was such a beautiful material, you see, Mrs. Mersey! And he wore that coat for five years more.
 "'Now,' says he, wife, suppose l shall have to throw Senator Mersey's overcoat away. It's getting almost too shabby to wear
 And I had to confess that it was pretty bad, all stained and colored with age. But I thought it over for a week. It was of such nice material and had been so handsome that it real ly seemed shame to throw it away. It was like an old friend. One morn ing when was a-washing, it occurred to me, Why, 1t can be dyed. It is such good stuff. it will take the dye nicely Surely the Lord sent me that thought
 "So ripped it up again, and dyed it, and got a quarter of a yard for a new collar, and new buttons, and for less than two dollars he had such a good looking overcoat that it was, I am sure, almost the envy of the country. Brother Garvin would have liked to have seen it, but the good man has gone to glory"
 She stopped for breath. while Sen ator and Mrs. Mersey looked from one to another with the smiles that border on tears.
 "Well, do you know, my husband wore that coat for five years more," she began, in a quieter tone. "Thc first two years the dye held its color very we'll. Then it of course faded and looked seedy, and must say, toward the end, it was very shabby indeed. Then my husband was ashamed to wear it, and I had mended it all I could, and I was ashamed to have him. We both felt badly about it.
 "'You can do nothing more with it. I've worn it inside and outside, and I reckon now I'll have to go without My husband said this. I knew it was true, and went into the bedroom and had a good cry. I reckon I must have prayed right smart over it, for one night the inspiration from on high came to newly not make it over for a coat for Jimmy? He needs an over coat. The Lord surely sent that thought to me.
 Jimmy was just ten years old then; that was four years ago. So ripped it up and cut off the worst parts and made a very good-looking coat for Jimmy. You see, it was such fine ma terial couldn't help but use it as the Lord told me.
 You ought to have seen Jimmy strut around with that coat on. He and so warm"
 She stopped and looked at her hus- band and wiped away a furtive tear while she stifled cough.
 "Where is Jimmy" asked Mrs. Mer- sey, choking. "I should like to see Jimmy with the overcoat on.''
 "He died two years ago." came the low reply. ''The Lord took him. I'm sure he's better off with Him than with us."
 The mother broke down. She went over to her dusky husband and took his hand and put it on her cheek and kissed it. It was a rare caress.
 Excuse me-" she said, turning to her guests in apology. Jimmy was our youngest, and we loved him so much. The Lord loved him, too, think. so He took him where he will be safe forever"
 With that expression of the simple and supreme faith which puts to shame all cold and scientific explanations of the awful mystery of death, she went out of the room to hide her sorrow. But soon she came back. While she was gone not a word was spoken in the neat par1or. The old minister could not speak, and his visitors eyes were full and their lips quivered 'Here is the coat" said Mrs. Jack son, tenderly. She held it up. What a travesty-what ghost of an overcoat it was
 The senator from one of the proudest states in the union looked at it seek ing for familiar feature. Then he arose and felt for his pocketbook. "Pernit me, madam" he said, in his | stately way, ito have the honor of ! purchasing that overcoat of you at it's original price. I should like to take it \ to the north. am sure I can make it the means of SC nding down many other overcoats to your people by giving it's history as you have told it." | II don't see how I can, sir." pleaded the mother. "It seems SO like an old friend. and then-and then-it was Jimmy'sI'
 II think you will excuse her, sir, , said the husband; you see we've be. come attached to it"
 "Never mind," said the senators
 wife, soothingly; "Iknow another way of letting the overcoat tell it's owr story to generous people,"
 And hope she may not be dissatis
 fled with the way it has been told
 Herbert D. Ward, in Youths Compan
 ion.
 Jedge Waxem's Proverbs.