St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-05-20

trust me- said /. So ] ripped il up
and cleaned il, and scwcd it together,
and, sure enough. il was almost sgood
rs new. I put ON it . new collar and
new buttons I declare Il mn.le the
good man quite too vain to live, fol
Deacon Garvin said TO him:
"'Whcrc did you get your new over.
coat. Brother Jacksons Has the light
ming Of the Lord struck your houser
1T has he said. The Lord has
given me q powerful wife It's the
same old overcoat of Senator Merscys,
turned inside out
1T was such = beautiful material,
You sec. Mrs. Merscy! And he wore
that coat for Ave years more.
NOW. says he. wife. l suppose ]
shall have to throw Senator MeEscy's
overcoat away. It's getting almost too
shabby to wear
"And I had to confess that il wa.
pretty bad, all stained and colored
with age. But thought IL over for q
week. It was Of such nice material
and had been 10 handsome that It real
" seemed . shame to throw It cway.
~ ~ ~ iAtAV 1u Olu AI1C10. OuC IlOG
ing when ! was a-washin2. IL occurred
to me, why. It can be dyed. 1t is
such good stuff, It will take the dye
nicely Surely the Lord sent me that
thought
$50 I ripped it mp again. and dyed it
and got a quarter of q yard 70. new
collar, and new buttons. and for less
than two dollars he had such good.
looking ovcrcost 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 Sem
ator and Mrs Mersey looked from one
to another with tho smiles that border
on tears
"Well, do sou know. my husband
wore that coat for five years more. I"
she began. in . quictcr tone. THE
first two years the dye held its color
very we'll Then it of course faded aud
looked sccdy. and I must say, toward
the end, It was very shabby indeed
Then my husband was ashamed to
wear It and I had ncndcd it all I
could. and was ashamed to have him.
We both felt badly about il.
lyon can do nothing more with it
I've worn It inside and outside. and
reckon now I'll have to 60 without
My husband said this I knew it was
true, and I went into the bedroom and
had good cry. Ireckon l must have
prayed right smart over it. for one
night the inspiration from ON high
came to newly not make it over for
q 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 mp and cut of the worst parts and
made . very good-looking coat for
Jimmy. You see, il was such finc ma
tcrial couldn't help but use it as the
Lord told me.
"You ought to have seen Jimmy
strut around with that coat on. H.,
thought it was the finest coat in town,
and SO warm"
She stopped and looked ut her hus.
band and wiped away . furtive tear
while she stiflcd q cough.
"Whcre is jimmy" asked Mrs Mer-
scy, choking. II should like to see
Jimmy with the overcoat on"
''IIe died two years ago" came the
low reply. "Thc Lord took him. I'm
sure he's better OF 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 1t was . rare carcs&
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, 50 He took him where he will
be safe forever"
With that expression of the simple
and supreme faith which puts 70 shame
all cold aud 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 parlOr. The old minister could
not speak, and his visitors eyes were
full. and their lips quivered
''licrc is tho coat" said Mrs Jack.
Son. tendcrly. She held it mp
What u travesty-wkat q ghost of an
overcoat it was.
The senator from one Of uhe proudest
states iTf the union looked at it seek
ing for . familiar feature. Then he
arose and felt for his poeketbook
''l,ermit me, madam, =" he SAID. il hts
stately way, TO have the honor Of
purchasing that ovcrcoat of. you 1t i:s
original price. Ishould like to take It
to the north. am sure can make it
the means of se nding down many other,
ovcrcoats to your people by giving its
history rs you have told It." gt ".
Il don't see how ] can, SIR" pleaded
the mother. ut seems 50 like IN old
friend. and then-and then-it was
Jimmy's!'
Il think you will excuse her, sir"
said the husband; you sec we've be-
come attached to it."
Never mind" said the senator's
wife. soothingly; 'Iknow another way
Of letting the overcoat tell its own
story to generous people"
And ] hope she may not be dissatis.
he'd with the way IL has been told.
d. Ward. in Youths Compan.
ion.
Jcd9e waxe0's Proverbs.
Most state Legislators needs n.uxxlin.
Ell local polliticks wus clencr. nash
nnal polliticlts would show it
Theirs two kinds of mouey in mol.