r fear it might rain.

It did not make any difference to him, however; he went in all
weathers, rain or sunshine, winter and summer. There is a little ditty
he used to sing--

"Come rain or come blow,
A Methodist preacher, I must go."

One Sunday morning he was planned to preach at Shepley, and it was
pouring down rain. He, however, set off under his umbrella; but long
before he reached his destination he was drenched to the skin. Prior
to going into the chapel he called at the house where he was going to
dine that day; the good woman was grieved to see him in such a
condition. "Dear me," said she, "you are almost drowned; come in, take
your wet clothes off, and go to bed." "Nay, nay," replied Abe, "yo'
mun't tak' me for a butterfly preacher; I'm noan going to bed i'
dayloight, I'm baan to praach." And turning to her husband, who was a
big man, he said, "Thaa mun lend me some o' thy claathes." The
proposal to adorn himself in his host's clothes seemed so ridiculous,
considering that Abe was a little man, that both husband and wife
laughed right out. "Aye," said the man, "thou would look a queer
butterfly going into th' pulpit in my wings." But Abe wasn't to be put
off: "Come," said he, "thaa mun foind me some o' thy claathes." They
found him a spare suit, and in a few minutes he came downstairs fully
attired, and presenting such a figure that the man and his wife were
almost ill with laughing at him. It signified nothing to Abe who
laughed or who didn't; off he went to chapel. He was a few minutes
late, and most of the congregation were in their places. He was
therefore very eager to get to the pulpit; but in going across the
chapel for this purpose, one of his borrowed shoes slipped off, which
brought him to a sudden standstill, and caused special attention to be
drawn to his singular outfit; and the moment the people comprehended
the state of things, it was impossible to suppress a laugh in old or
young; and yet while they laughed at his odd figure, their hearts
warmed towards him as they thought of his zeal in coming so far, on
such a day, to preach to them.

That morning Abe had a good time in the pulpit. He was very lively,
and knocked about a good deal; but it was noticed that he had
frequently to be looking down on the pulpit floor, and shuffling about
with his feet. It afterwards came out, that, in his excited moments,
he had dropped his shoes off, and in getting them on again, had mixed