Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-08-22

material, quilted. 1t was immensely large,
and the binding was sowed so tightly
round the edge that the rm-broad
enough Tor a Quaker-was drawn down
almost straight, and rested on his shout
ders This article he wore wrong side out
through the week. so s ter keep toder
side clean for Sundays,"--he explained;
and AS the lining Vas of bright-colored
calico, he looked, at u little distance, as if
his head had turned into big snowfower.
Every SUNDAY ! read to the class some
part Of Bible history, and the next week
questioned them as to what they remem-
bered of II. On one occasion had taken
the story of Adame and Eve. Chris
seemed rtcularly interested, and aban
doned his usual occupation OF pincbing his
neighbors for fully FIVE minutes to listen.
The next Sunday when | asked no could
tell me anything about our last reading,
his hand went up instantly.
"Can you tell me about 1t Chris ?" |
asked.
"Yaas'm, kin tell heap. Boy, I'll
mash your mouf eff yer don't quit toolln'
wild me- Guess knows rs much as you
does" This last was addressed to one of
the class who audibly expressed his
doubts as to Chris telling anything about
n lesson 1t was the first time he had at
tempted such thing, and the children
were astonished Seyoud measure. Having
quleted them, | said, "Now, Chris; let us
hear how much you can remember
"Yaas'm. De Lord done made Adam
an Eve, an put 'em in de garden OBJ Euii.
boy, I'll choke yer eyes outen yer head
eff yer don't quit rollin' 'em at mel Dey
got long we'll huff till Eve done eat de
apple, den she carry enc 20 Adam an
cuSS at him to eat it, an den dey done
druv 'em outon de garden, an put an IN
gine at de gate to keep 'em from comm
back"
What kind of an engine was il, Chris?"
l asked, whe2 he paused breathless.
Firc.angiae, ma'am," responded Chris,
triumphantly. lie had understood angel
a. ingine, and this accounted for his inter-
est in the story He had once seen fire.
engine that 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 exied pair.
Almost match for Chris in oddity was
his neighbor Peter; but there was this
difference Potter learned readily, and as
a rule understandingly, and Was re-
markably intelligent boy for his age and
advantages, or rather disadvantages.
Whatever question was asked of Peter
was sure to receive an answer of some
kind, whether he knew anything about the
subject or not, He utterly disdained to
ask for assistance or explanation, and this
disposition, together with his unbounded
confidence in himself, frequently led him
mistakes.
One Sunday the class was repeating in
concert Psalm 1913. In the fifth verse;
Z" lie satisfcth thy mouth with good thiass,
so that thy youth is renewed IL the
eagles, PETER said sonnet that
sounded strangely 10n'a not make out
just what il was, but surely something not
iuthc ,e2t | stopped the class and told
hial " repeat the verse alGne- and evil
IDENTIFY considering this "a distinction
awarded to his superior merits, he shout
ed out with great emphasis, " He satistieth
thy mouth with good things, SO that thy
youth is renewed like nlgger's."
AT one Of the monthly meetings he un-
dertook to recite the third chapter Of
Matthew, and told about the Pharisees
and the PaduceeS," and burning the chat
with unSquenehabte fire :" and once when
the hymn :" want to be an angel" was
sung, Peter sang, apparently pouring out
his whole soul Ill the words, I" wants to
be an eagle,an' wild de eagles stauo
Was it any wonder that they should
have made many ond great mistakes, keIt
as they had been in ignorance as complete
as that Of heather lands ? Was it not the
greater wonder that they so eagerly and
readily applied themselves to study that
they learned so rapidly and remembered
so well
Many pleasant days we spent together
in that school house, and when the time
came that we must say goodbye" it was
hard for us all very hard know for me,
for dearly had | grown to love my little
Virginia freed children.
ELIZABETH KILHAM.