Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-03-17
The Minister'S BARNS New
Clothes.
BY REV. b. FREEMAN ASHLEY

AuS NV w iiiidii w nohthStoh was
the pastor of small church many
years ago in Port Mouton, all obscure,
isolated hamlet in the southeastern
part of Nova Scotia. lie was the
father of two daughters and eight
sons. Ills salary was 50 small that these
children were not like those (which are
"gorgcously apparcled and live deli
calely," or ''livo in kings courts"
What was left of the mothers gar
ments were made over for the girls,
and when the father got through with
his coats and trousers what was left
of them descended in true apostolical
succession from father to SONS, from
the eldest to the youngest. So little
was left at the end of the succession,
the ragbag was chronically empty; 1t
couldn't stand up even when propped
in corner, but hung ON nail in the
dark closet as fl It and as thin as a sun
dried Goldfish.
But Mr.. Washington had so much
trust in the wisdom of Providence,
and so much confidence in the recli-
tude of his own purposes, that he
gave himself little trouble about the
descent of ministerial clothes. In
ferior things of this sort were left ell
tircly 10 the care of Mrs. Washington,
whose practical mind and patient fin
gers at times threatened to make use
of tho ragbag itself for the repair of
breaches in the family wardrobe.
Many time had the boys good reason
for saying: "Therc is a divinity that
shapes our ends-rough-hcw them as
we may;" for the miracles she
wrought over the posleriors of panta-
looms were marvels of maternal in
genuity. Still, there was limit even
to her resources, and there were times
when needle, wheel and lpnm. ascss;' .;.s -
,,,.,xss .,a 5GCoT Iig lule uirouSn Tug
poverty which made material as scarce
as angels visits. Once when she was
almost inySespair she received help
from most unexpected source.
One Sunday morning, ju-t after the
holidays, when the air cracked with
frost and all the moro quiet waters
were covered with thick ice, the min
ister went to the little unpaiptcd meet
ing-house TO preach his usual two
hours sermon, a sermon which he had
toilsomely elaborated into eleven
heads, and every head carried in his
own head disdainful of all aid of pen
or note. His wife followed on aftel
him with long trail of children be
hind her, taking good care not to dis
turb his meditations; for what had h'
to do with his family when the whole
world was lying in wickednessF
Two of the boys, However, Dicl
and Freem, finding it hard TO tea
themselves away from the warm gloy
of the great open hearth were not i
, the procession. it was quite laI
when they started, aud they hurrie
to make up for lost time. Tho roa
| 10 the "meeting" led over a dill
which divided all inlet of the sea fro
a small lake beyond, that was near
surrounded with growth of prim
n tive forest The ice of this lake W
so clear and glary it shone in Il
), bright sun like great mirror.
- When the brothers were halfwi
across the dyke their attention W
suddenly arrested by a black 81
moving on the ice. Dick, the eld'
- brother, was skilled in woodcra
and quite noted as precocious hu
no er. "CrackeeI" he exclaimed i'll gre
Ca excitement, "that is silver fox,
sure as my name is Dick; and
skin ut this time of the year is wo
- pile of money. Ii could only
that fellows fur, we'd get a chal
to shed some of our old clothes.n
"But what's the use of fling, wi
you know you can't get him." S
Frecm, rubbing his ears to keep I'll
from freezing, and stamping his
to keep his blood at its business.
n "Pll try, anyway" was the r,
\ Lutte reply. "Come oh!" and he be
IN to run with all his might, maxim.
difficult for Freem to keep up '
him.
At the further end of the dixie
the house of Sol Stewart, know
"Uncle Sor' through the whole Il
let; he was rheumatic old Sc
fisherman, who, in spite of his W
protests, had determined TO sta,
home that morning, where he c
warm his stiff joints by he open
place, and smoke his ancient |
pipe with none TO mo.est him or
him afraid. He had the big ia
On Bible on his knees, as a sort of
promise, and was trying to read
Of its chapters. But his cor
proved too much for his consci
and he dropped asleep; his pip
from his mouth, and with its 81
ashes, lay on the pages before
But the little live heart of fire
III was at the bottom Of the pipe,
ILL., down the inclaSt plane and i