The Penn's Grove record., 1893-06-02

made the good man quite too vain to
live, for Deacon Garvln said to h m:
i "'Where did you get your new
Jvercoat Brother Jackson? Has the
lightning Of the Lord struck your
house?'
ait has, he said. The Lord has
given me a powerful wife. It's the
same old overcoat of Senator Mersey's
turned inside OUT
SIT was such a beautiful material
you see, Mrs Merseyl And he wore
that coat for five years more.
'tNow,' says he, wife, l suppose i
shall have to throw Senator MerseF's
oyercoat away. It's getting almost
too shabby to wear
"And l had to confess that it was
pretty bad, all stained and colored
with age, But l thought 1t over for o
week. 1t was Of such nice material
and had been so handsome that it
really seemed a shame to throw 1t
away, It was like an old friend.
One morning when l was a washlng,
1t occurred to me, WHY, it can be
dyed. 1t is such good stuff, 1t will
take dye nicely Surely the Lord
lent me that thought
$50 l ripped 1t up again, and dyea
t, and got a quarter OF a yard for i
new collar, and new buttons, and for
less than two dollars, he had such a
g~ood-looking overcoat that it was, l
am sure, almost the envy of the coun.
try. Brother Garvfn would have
liked to have seen it, but the good
man has gone to Glory"
She storped for breath, while Sena
cor and Mrs. Merssy BOXED from ono
to another with the smiles that
border on tears,
swell, do You know, my husband
wore that coat for five years more"
she began, in a QuIeter tone. 1.-THE
Qrst two years the dye held its color
very well. Then it VI course faded
and looked seedy, and ! must say, to-
ward the end, 1t was very shabby in
deed. Then my husband was ash lmed
to wear 1t, and L have mended it all
could, and 1 was ashamed to have
him. We both felt badly about it
"'You can do moth ng more with
t I've worn it in ide and outside,
and l reckon now lli have to 60 with.
Dut' My husband sa d this knew
1t was true, and l went into the bed
room and had a good cry. l reckon l
must have prayed right smart over 1t,
for oue night the inspiration from on
h'Rh came to newly not make 1t
over for a coat for jimmy He needs
an o%vercoat. The Lord surely sent
that thought to ME.
"Jimny vas Just ten years oil
then; that vas four years ago. So l
ripped it uA and cat of the worst
parts, and made a very gOad-looking
GOAT for Jimmy. You zee 1t was such
due material, | couldn't help but use
it as the Lord told me.
,trut around wish that coat on. He
thought 1t was the finest coat ip
town, and SO wlrm"
she stopped anu looked at her hus
oand, and wiped away a furtive tear
while she stiaed a cough.
Where Is Jimmy?" asked Mr.
Mersey, choking. II should like to
see Jimmy with the overcoat on"
"He died two years ago." came thu
.ow reply. 1.-THE Lord took him.
Pm sure he's better of with Him than
with u.s."
The mother broke down, She wen,
aver to her dusky husband, and took
his hand, AMI put 1t on her cheek and
kissed it. 1t was "a rare caress,
"Excuse me" she said, turning tt
ier gusts In apo ogy. Jimmy wal
our youngest, and We loved him so
much. The Lord loved him, too, ]
think, and 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 explana.
tions Of the awful mystery of death,
she went out Of the room to hide her
sorrow.
But soon she came back. While
The was gone, not a word was spoken
In the neat parlor. The old minister
could not speak, and his visitors eyee
were full, and their lips ~quivered.
..Here 10 the coat" said Mrs. Jack
Son, ~tenderly. She held 1t up.
What a travesty-what a ghost O.
an overcoat it was!
The Senator from n of the proud
est States in the Union looked at it
seeking for a familiar feature. Then
he arose and felt for his pocket-bnok.
Permit me, madam" he said, in
ais stately way, ITO have the honor
of purchasing that oyercoat Of you at
its original price. l should like to
take 1t to the North. / am SURF l
can make it the means Of sending
down many other overcoats to your
people, by giving its history as you
have told it,"
~ don't see how l can sir" pleaded
the mother. lit seems so like an
old friend, and then-and then-it
vas Jimmy's."
II think you will excuse her, SIR
said the husband; you see we've be,
come attached to it."
HNever mind" said the Senator'S
wife, sootninVly; II know another
way Of letting the overcoat tell Its
own story to generous people"
And l hope she may not he dis
satisfied with the way 1t has beer
told.-Youth's Companion.