The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-12-17

nal a sort of boy Topsy; unlike
anything in tie wide world but just
himself He belonged also to my
! daily school, and on entering gave
| his ncme as Chris
Chris what ? ! asked.
Name Chris, he repeated.
But have you no other name 7
Done tole yer my name fore
name Chris > and he looked at me
in Amusement at my stupidity. So
as Chris he was registered, and
that melodious monosyllable was
the only name he ever acknowl-
edged.
His dress was the most wonder
full thing that ever was seen, and
was arranged without the least con-
sideration of times and seasons.
On stormy winter day when the
cold seemed to pinch ones very
bones, and an Esquimaux suit OF
furs would have been comfortable
and suitable, Chris would dawn
upon the school in smiling salts
faction, attired in the thinnest pos
sible summer clothes, and usually
barefooted. On warm spring
day when every one else threw
aside extra wrappings, he would
frequently appear with two suits
Of WOODEN clothes, one over the
other, and an overcoat that reach
ed to his heels, the tatters drag
ging on the ground, and collecting
mud fringe around the edge Of
the garment. With this costume
he wore usually one boot and one
shoe, or if he so far conformed to
fashion as to wear pair Of boots,
one leg of his pantaloons was sure
to be tucked in, and the other left
hanging down. Uniformity was
something that his soul abhorred.
Surmounting this varied attire was
hat-but that must have a para
graph all to itself.
No description can do justice to
that hat; it was without it's like in
the wide world. His mother had
made it out OF some black material
quilted. It was immensely large,
of no particular shape, and the
binding was sewed SO tightly round
the edge that the rim-broad
enough for a Quaker-was drawn
down almost straight, and rested
on his shoulders. This article he
wore wrong side out through the
week, sos ter keep tother side
clean fer Sundays he explained
and as the lining was Of bright col
ored calico, he looked, at q little
distance, as if his head had turned
into big sunfower.
Every Sunday read to the class
some part of Bible history, and the
next week questioned them as to
what they remembered of it On
! one occasion / had taken the story
Of Adam and Eve. Chris seemed
particularly interested, and aban-
| doned his usual occupation of
pinching his nei ghbors for fully
| five minutes to listen. The next
Sunday when l asked who could
tell ME anything about our last
reading, his hand went up instant
Iy.
| Can you tell me about it, Chris?'
I asked.
'Yaas'm, kin tell a heap Boy,
I'll mash yer mouf eff yer don't
| quit foolin' wild me. Guess !
knows as much as you does This
| last was addressed to one of the
class who audibly expressed his
doubts as to Chris telling anything
about a lesson. It was the first
time he had attempted such hing
and the children were astonishcd
beyond measure. Having quoted
chem, l said Now, Chris, let us
hear how much you can remember.
| 'Yaas'm. De Lord done made
Adam and Eve, an put 'em in de
Garden Oh Evil. (Boy, I'll choke
yer eyes outen Yer head eft yer
don't quit rolli' EN- at me-. Dey
get long well huff till Eve done
eat de apple, den she carry one to
Adam an' cuss at him to eat it, an
den dey done druv 'em outen de
garden, an put ingin at de gate
to keep 'em from comm back
what kind of an engine was it,
Chris 2 l asked, when he paused
GREATNESS.
Fire ingine, ma'am,' responded
Chris, triumphantly. He had IN
derstood angel as engine, and this
accounted for his interest in the
story. He had once seen a fire
engine t. at had greatly interested
him, and nothing could persuade
him that it was not the very same
article that had barred the gates OF
Eden against the return of the ex
| ;l,l ,>o,-