The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-09-08
Ny Heatheu.

The other daY | was reading
long newspaper article about the mo-
raj Improvement Of the heathens in
Africa, and the pressing need gilmore
money to carry on the good work.
Having almost half an hour to spare,
sat down on the stone post Office
step, put my feet on a boot blacks
box, and while be used his brush /
asked:
"My son, did you ever hear of hea-
ven ?"
HThat's where the rich men go,
amt it ?" be inquired.
"Do you know what sort Of place
it Is ?" | continued
"It's a bully place, l guessi Bill
Kydd told me that they had cireuses
every day, and a feller walked in free,
and there were apples and peanuts
and candy all around, and every feller
had good clothes and all the tobacco
be wanted"
My son, did you ever hear OF
Adam and Eve?"
"Adameve p he mused, holding
bis blacking box within an inch Of
his mouth and just getting ready to
spit-"less see? =? Was be the feller
the high Masons buried the other
day"
l waited until be had worked
around toward the heel Of my boot,
and then asked:
"Can you read 2"
You bet"
Did YOU ever read q book called
the Bible ?"
'Noap; but I've read nine dime
novels clean through, and I'm going
to buy one tonight"
"Do you know, my son, what a
Bible is ?"
"Yes-it's suthin' preachers read
out Of"
While he was finishing oftbe heel
I asked:
"You know that you must die one
day."
Il wont have to ifI take the doc
tors medicines, will l ?"
Yes, everybody must die some
day ?"
Gosh, that's meanl' be exclaim-
ed, leaning back and giving me q
sharp look
And what viii become of you
when you die ?" asked, as he work
ed the brush into the backing.
Be put in a coffin"
What else :"
"Berried.1
What else -
Then I'll rot."
"My boy. didn': any one tell you
you had q soul ?"
He looked at the soles Of his dilsp-
idated shoes, shook bis head, and an
swered:
"Ye want to git some joke on me,
1 see ~
Don't you know that you have
soul to save?"
"Oh, go long |"
He looked straight into my eyes
moment, then meistened the black
ing, and went over the boot with the
finishing coat.
Didn't any one ever tell you" /
finally continued chat there Is
hereafter ?"
After where ?"
That the good shall be rewarded,
and the wicked puuished?"
"Noap."
Wouldn't you Ike to go to heaven
when you Iiez"
Il couldn't. They couldn't draw
a feIler up there"
"My son, every one has a soul.
You have a soul, and"
Bully. Where is it?" be ex-
claimed.
Right here, my son-here in your
BOSOM
He pulled open his old ragged vest
and his dirty ragged shirt, and glanc-
ed down. Then be looked up at me
with a sus. icious look, picked up
his brushes, and went to work on
my other boot without word of
reply. He felt that l had deceived
him.
Would you Ike to be an angel p"
/ asked
Il couldn't bel haint no girl y"
he replied. Il seed more thaa forty
angels in the Black Crook. and all
was girls"
1If you live a good life you can
some day be beautiful angel. You
must not swear, or cheat, or steal, or
lie.n
Would I have wings on like they
have ?n
Yes
Could Iay over the highest hOuse?"
Yes"
"That would be kinder NICE" he
slowly replied "better'n catching a
ride on the bob-tailed cars, or climb
ing a tree"
There was pause, broken, after q /
moment by his leaning back and ask
ing:
''If Z feller was an angel and flying
around, would any anybody dare shy
at him ?"
al guess not"
Because Bill Knox is down on me
and he'd be throwing all the time
Ny dog licked his dog, and be says
he can lick met
''Don't you know it is wicked to
fight dogs 2"
"Nawi 'Taint wicked, is it, when
your dog lieks ?" !