Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-13
A FAITHFUL Ex-sLAvE.
He Told his "Voung Misses" Ihet
the Lord Was Providln'.

He Told his "Voung Misses" Thst
the Lord Was Providin'.
The superintendent of census comes
nearer the throbbing heart OF poor
humanity than any other Official IN
Washington, says II letter to the New
York Tribune. OF all the departments
his alone is not governed by civil
service laws, and consequently that
class OF people whom Victor Hugo
sweepingly described rs les Miser-
ables" turn TO the census bureau Some
who apply are gentlewomon Of middle
age who can not pass clvil-service
examination, because when they were
young, girls were taught TO be house,
wives aud no provision was made FOR a
widowhood or adverse circumstance
when they would be fC reed 70 earn their
own and their childrcn's bread. Mr..
Porter, the superintendent, says there
is always one question that he is forced
TO put TO applicants that goes through
them like knife. IL is the simple
and legitimate question, NV hat can
YOU do?n Marvellous it is the number
OF people in the world who have no
definite idea of their own capabilities.
When the question doesn't bring tears
it is usually followed by wringing OF
the hands and a helpless 81 can not
tell" but rarely by a direct confident
answer. One of these cases Is unmatch-
ed IN pathos. Mr. Porter boarded for
time after coming TO the capital at
hotel where he noticed that his waiter
was unusually attentive. The man did
not seem to care for fees, nor did he
ask anything for himself. For month
or two this dumb admiration was
carried on until finally Mr.. Porter said;
What is it, Wallace? You seem TO
have something on your mind"
Yes, sab; Ise been studyin', sab, as
how like huff dey mout be some place
in the census for my young missis.
She's desarvin' but is too proud TO ask
fob anything. lse been studyin' nigh
a yeah how Wallace could get some
thin fob de missis, and when de head
waitah, sab, put you to my table, jest
said, de Lawd will provide"
"Who is the woman, Wallace?' Mr..
Porter asked.
She's de only chile OF my ole massa
70 de wah. Massa was killed an
missis an do chile came norf when dey
los all. Dey lib above Great Falls, an
doan tell it, sab, but dey's YER poah. "
AS Wallace finished some one came
up 20 talk with Mr.. Porter and the
matter was forgotten. Wallace knew
how to wait and it was not until an
other fortnight that he said, hopefully:
My young mlssis, sab, forgot TO
say dat she ver' Intellectual an do
everything consciously.
Wallace had the darlly's aptitude
for sounding words and passed among
his colleagues as that mysterious
Titan, a college graduate. There
was a ludicrous pedantry about him
that made one think he must have been
born college graduate. 1t was his
elect destiny. Mr.. Porter received
further condolences from the honest
fellow, who could do what few white
people would do in this selfish world
ask a favor for some one else before
himself. and, in this case, for the
daughter of the man under whom he
had suffered bondage.
Promising to remember the young
missis," Mr.. Porter left and might have
forgotten her il it had not been for the
faithful. watchful Wallace. Final
ly one Saturday night he said:
"Well, Wallace, | have something
for your young mistress Tell her to
come around to the census bureau next
week and there will be some work for
her"
Later he learned from the lips Of the
''young missis" that Wallace had
walked fourteen miles though the rain
that Saturday night after his work was
done to tell her the good news OF her
appointment She had not known that
he was seeking the place for her, al
though for some weeks he had re-
marked mysteriously de Lawd am
providin'."