Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-16
"PENTATEUCH."

"PENTATEUCH."
The first time that we saw Pentateuch
he was about as unprepossessing and un-
promising a spectacle as could we'll be
imagined.
Father and I, coming down the land
one day from the grove, where we had
been for autumn leaves, found him stand
ing at the parsonage gate waiting for US
to come up--a bare-headed, bare footed,
ragged young negro, who looked lust
then entirely out of season and out of
place.
He took one of his hands from his
pocket, long enough to give pull at a
a lock Of his short, woolly hair, as we
drew near.
''Good mornin', folks" he said with a
tone OF assurance. II was long dis wav.
| an jes' dropt in ter take dinner wit
yer"
stopped in astonishment, while nv
father stood looking down at him with
an amused smile. I think that father
was never provoked or surprised at any
thing or anybody.
awe are all Of US just as God made us,
after ALL" he used to say. He only
knows the whole story, and perhaps we
better let him do the Judging"
"And who are you, pray?' he asked
the boy.
I'm Pentyehuke.''
"Pentateuch How in the world did
you come by such name as that?"
"Yaas, sah," was the rapid answer.
MY OF man, yer see his name was Mo-
SEES, an he christained me Pentychuke.'
Father laughed heartily at this expla~
| nation.
"Well, Pentateuch," said he, s'you shall
have some dinner for your names sake,
II tor nothing else. 1t will never do 20
have it SAID that minister of the Cos
pei turned the law from his door. Beside,
for all know you may be an angel una
| wares.'
Dear old father! In his kindly, cleri-
cal way he always made a Joke Of his
good deeds; but not one of Gods naked
or hungry creatures ever went uncared
tor away from the parsonage gate.
lie little thought now how true it was
what he last had said, that Pentateuch
might prove Gan angel unawares." T
shudder even now when think how diff
ferent it would be with all of us had not
God sent the negro boy to our gate that
day.
So Pentateuch followed us into the
house; and he liked his dinner so we'll
that he remained about the place all the
| afternoon and got his supper.
Then, almost as a matter of course. he
was permitted to remain over night, and
at break the next morning; and then,
somehow, Pentateuch liked us so vel.
and we became so interested in him, that
1t was decided he should remain at the
parsonage for the present, doing what
| chores and errands we could find for him
in return for his board.
That was the way Pentateuch became
a member of our family.
have not time to tell you very much
| about Pentateuch, save of the one thing
| that he did, not long after we first knew
him, and on account of which we have
always been so thankful that we knew
HIM at all.
Perhaps it is enough to say that he
was very much like great many other
young negroes of whom you have read,
who have come to live with families here
at the North, full of carelessness and in
dolence and mischief, and yet at times
devoted, generoua, and kindheartcd.
He certainly had one trait which is, I
am sorry to say, quite common among
youngsters Of his race-he did not seem
to have the remotest idea of any such
thing as moral obligation.
He would do all sorts of things, and
tell all sorts of stories, without any re-
gard whatever to what was right or true;
and 1t was quite impossible to make him
regret his misdoings save by Furnishing
him in some way. ,
We were all more or less troubled
about the moral obliquity'of Pentateuch's,
and my father felt particularly anxious
about him.
But mother: once said, hopefully,
"There must be some good IN HIM
somewhere. He is always willing to put
himself out, and to do what he can to
please us. 1t was only this morning
that he searched for more than an hour
to find the Ratchet for me''
eyes," father answered bitterly, and
then laughed in spite of himself; "and
he knew where it was all the time, saw
him hide it under thr wood-ptle last
night, to get rid of cutting the kindlings,
I suppose" ........
But let HE come at once to my story.
One evening just after tea-it was late
in November, and the nights were cold
we were sitting about the old-tashioned
fireplace, variously occupied, when father.
who was looking over the evening paper,
and was reading aloud Rnow and then
any items of interest that caught his eve,
suddenly uttered an exclamation of sur
prise.
We all looked up, expecting to hear
something of Importance, but he remained
silent
"What is it," presently asked.
"Oh, nothing" father answered, and
then looked quite confused, knowing that
he was not telling the truth. s'That is,
nothing Of any consequence" he added
hesitatingly. "Young Ellis escaped
from the State prison yesterday morning.
And that reminds me I was to 90 down
to Mrs. Ellis's tonight. Katie, child,
won't you fetch my coat?'' I
I ran to bring his great coat, and was
helping him on with it, when mother
came and stood beside him. She laid
her hand on his shoulder and looked up
anxiously into his face.
II wish, DEAR she said, and she tried