n old soft felt hat
covered a head crowned with a wealth of iron-grey hair. He seemed like
a veritable patriarch of ancient Hebrew days, and this likeness was
intensified by his aquiline nose, keen eagle-like eyes, and a long
beard sweeping his expansive chest. A smile lightened his face as he
approached.

"Good mornin', parson," was his cheery greeting. "Ye're abroad early."

"Oh, good morning, captain," was the hearty reply. "We seem to be the
only persons astir, eh?"

"More's the pity, parson. Don't see the like of that every day," and
the captain waved his stick through the air. "Fine sight, that."

"It certainly is," the clergyman assented, "and how few are abroad to
see it. But say, captain, you haven't seen anything of my cow, have
you?"

"Ho, ho, that's a sudden jump, isn't it, parson?"

"A sudden what?"

"A sudden jump from the sublime to the ridiculous; from a scene like
that to a cow."

"Not when you have no milk or cream, captain. Brindle has broken out
of the pasture, and I have no idea where she can be."

"Did ye pray this mornin' that ye might find her, parson?"

"No, I can't say that I did," was the somewhat reluctant reply, for
Parson Dan was well accustomed to Captain Josh's thrusts.

"Ah, that's too bad. The missionary said night before last that we
must pray if we expect to receive, didn't he?"

"Yes, captain, he did."

"And he told us more'n that, parson. He said that we couldn't expect
to receive unless we gave."

"Yes, he said that also."

"And by jingo, he was right, too," and the captain brought his stick
down upon the road with a bang. "I've tried it, and it has turned out
just as the missionary said it would."

"You have!" and the clergyman looked his astonishment. "I am so glad,
captain, to know that you have come to view things in a different
light. I was pleased to see you at the missionary meeting, and I am so
thankful that you were benefited by what you heard. Won't you tell me
how you proved Mr. Dicer's words to be true?"

"Would ye like to know, parson?" and a sly twinkle shone in the
captain's eyes as he asked the question.

"Certainly. Go ahead."

"And ye won't feel hurt?"

"Feel hurt! Why should I?"

"Well, ye see, it concerns yer cow, and no matter how a man might feel
about the welfare of others, when it comes to himself and his own
personal property, it makes a great difference."

"I do not understand your meaning, captain," and the cl