Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-11-26
HIS BEST COAT
BY JULIA A. ROBINSON.


help everyone In need, in fact 10 leeo
every tramp who came to the uooi
begging for food. A very loYable iaii'
Ing 1t was, and no one could ma the
heart to blame her.
May had managed her father ana
mother, and brought them INTO hei
way of thinking, but with Harold IL
might be different.
IF / marry you, Hal" she had to'a
her lover, "yon must let me keep vi
with my charities just the same
agreed" he laughed, with admifihe
eyes. 81 only ask that you do not run
me into the poor house"
"You know / would not do that she
pouted. "Ill just give away what Is
mine, out of the allowance you give
me, and the old things we do not
want"
"Sure thingi" he returned.
Things went smoothly for May AFTER
she was married. Her husband was
devotion itself, and life was happy.
II feel real lonesome, she contided
to her husband. Don't they have any
tramps In this part of the town.
"Weil, really, / like that!' he re-
scented, with pretended anger. Lone
some when you have me? Amt | as
good as any tramp?"
''There, Hubby, you know | didn't
mean that. You're the best husband
ever was, but you know | can't give
you cold yictuals and old clothes"
"Well, I should say not" he chuc-
killed., and the kiss he gave her assured
her she was forgiven.
1t was not very long, however, be-
fore the tramps found her out In her
new quarters. 1t does not take long
for them to learn who is ready to help
them. One by one they came to her
door, and she was happy once more
In the thought that she was doing good.
One day a very poor looking man
came to the front door. He was old
and thin and stopped. His clothes were
almost threadbare and it was a cold
day. May invited him into the kitchen
and gave him food, which he ate with
a relish.
IF you had an old overcoat, LADY,"
he suggested. ''Tse wind sweeps
through me In this old coat and my
lungs are weak
He gave hollow cough that showed
he spoke the truth. Her kind heart
was touched. She must find warm
coat for the man; there must be one
about the house somewhere
May did not know very much about
her husbands wardrobe or what he
did with his worn-out clothes, but she
would look. No doubt she would find
one tucked away in some closet that
she could give to This man who needed
1t so much. Where did her husband
put his old clothes, she wondered, for
she did not find them lying about in
as great profusion as she could have
wished.
AT last she opened a closet in back
hall. There it hung, the very thing
The old coat she had been looking for.
Ioyfully she took 1t from the peg.
There was good deal of wear In 1t
yet, she noted with satisfaction. 1t
would keep the man warm all winter.
The tramp was sincere and profuse
In his thanks, and Mays heart gIowed
as she watched linn depart, warmly
clad in Harold's old coat.
Lets go to the movies tonight" sug-
gested Harold, after he finished his
supper. "Want to go?"
ooh, yes!" cried May. "rd love to
go! How good you are!"
AS they were about to start Harold
said: Il think I'll put on my overcoat;
It's cold. I haven't worn it this sea-
son."
He went out of the room, but soon
came back in CONSERVATION.
"Been feeding any tramps today?"
he asked.
Eyes, one poor old man. He was
cold and hungry, and half sick, too"
"Well, he's helped himself to my best
winter overcoat for thanks" Harold's
voice was stern and May felt a little
afraid
"Your best overcoat! oh, Hall" she
stammered.
eyes. | hung 1t in that back hall
closet. He must have slipped In and
taken 1t while you were preparing his
dainty food" His voice was bitter.
May trembled. HAS best oyercoat
And he was angry! What would he
do to her If she tod him? Yet she
could net have the tramp blamed I'M
Justly. She covered her face with her
hands and burst into tears.
"Oh, Hall" she sohbed, st wasn't
he tramp. He didn't steal it-T-I-
gave it to him. But | thought it was
Did and that you'd thrown 1t away"
She shivered, expecting angry words
II reproach.
Harold was silent for a moment.
Then he burst into a hearty laugh.
$50 you thought 1t looked only fit
Tor tramp, lid your And my wife
vas the thief! | shall have to put my
clothes under lock and key hereafter
tc keep them from robber in my own
May looked up, shyly, half afraid,
nut there were smiles in Harol,l's eyes.
mYnll'rn not reallv angry WITH me ~