Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-10-14
ruLL oF ploNlrY.


story Of an Unpopular Coiored Minister
who would Not Compromise Himself
The characteristics Of a Turveydrop
may be oftenest found in the humblest
life. III have never seen them more
oleverly exhibited" says a pleasant
writer, ethan in the case Of very un-
popular colored preacher, whom his
parish utterly discarded" She was
standing in hordoor one day, when, in
moment, q most peculiar-looking crca-
ture stood before her. His limbs all
seemed set at acute angles from his
body, and he sprang into the room
much as a grasshopper would do, But
he bowed low. Such : combination of
dignity and bulloonery the lady had
never seen before, and she hardly
knew whether to laugh or TO be afraid,
when he broke out with:
MADAM, dis yere's one Of dc 'mer-
gencies of life wild me; you know,
madam, life has its 'mergencicsl To
speak plain, rso in a tight place-in a
fix-and wants.
"WhatPn
al wants you TO help me out"
''Do You want ten cents, or somc-
thing to oatpn asko | the lady, kindly.
"Why, madaml Zee n clergyman,
not beggarl Use Rev. G.. Washing
ton johnson, madam, but Use in a
Emergency"
what Is your troublepn
"Dere's a sort of a ring got up in
my church TO get rid on me, and settle
pop'larer man to please de young
gals. riz agin 'em, and exposed 'em,
and dcy chased me out of the meetin'-
house.
$50 Use 'bliged to exile myself till
gets 'cm put down, but meantime /
mus keep up my dignity as dc Rev.
G.. Washington Johnsonl
81 heerd you wanted q man to look
after your furnace, and Use come to AK
for dc place. Dey says you's moughty
kind"
81 want q man to clean the side
walk, wash windows and take care OF
the furnace. Is your home near
hcrePn
III hasn't got no home. My wife she
20 iine de ring agin me, bein' as much
took up wild de poplar fellow as dc
gals is. So Use got no place wharin to
lay my headl All. seeks now is pri-
vacy and secretion, whar | can keep
up my dignity till dis 'mergenoy is
over Den I'll come out gran, and no
man can heaye up to me dat ever |
did jobs in cellars and such likel You'll
let me sleep i'm de cellar?
"Soon de brederen and de sisteren
will sarch me out, and call me TO
de pulpit agin! Use been q reverend
clargy in Missippy and Firginny fore
de war, and here since, so 'twon't do
for me to let up on dignity, and sIft
cindors and shake carpets fore de vul-
gar eyes, like any common job mani"
The lady laughed andpited the ignor-
ant man, and then told him If he could
get a written recommendation for hon
esty, he might come there and sleep in
the laundry.
He begged to "clar up dc cindersn
before he went OIL, and was allowed to
do so. Then he went "to get good
character
He returned with a note from n gro
Ger and doctor. He had served both
o! them years ago as stable boy, and
they praised him for industry, temper
aace and goOd-nature. On these docu-
n.cnts he was installed in the cellar.
The work was always done. The
sidewalk was washed, the door-plato
cleaned before any one was stirring i'm
the morning, and the cellar and laun-
dry were pictures of cleanliness and
good order.
But it was in vain to ask Rev. &c.
w. J.,' as young Harry called him, TO
do an errand, or to wash the front win
dows at ordinary working hours. His
only reply would be; Don't AK me
cher to compromise my dignity. "
IOuth's ppmpdHioR.