St. Landry democrat., 1890-11-01
Etta's Charity.

81 don't want to hor de baby" said Dora
Garfield Scott taking thu small black
cherub with unwilling hands.
81 desume you'd prefer to read that ry
dclus story in de 'Chldren's Corner"
observed her little sister Eta, rolling out
the big words with great relish.
This reply Was received in scornful
silence.
The SCOTS were a colored family of
small means They lived in b little one
story house, black with age. and cheer
less enough on the outside. Within.
however, its ho1nelike air was most re-
freshing in contrast
Outdoors it was raining hard. A light
cd lamp on little stand near the window
cast long bright rays which seemed to
becon q welcome home to the father.
Goa, Oh, ma, oe lsmp's exploring, de
lamps ex p!oring cried Eta excitedly
as gust of wind shook the small house
ami peted the rain against the window.
Ms. Scott stopped tuning the "gricdle"
long enough to put the lamp in place of
safety.
81 DON tink Dora has charity huff fur
George Washington Scott" Eta then OBJ
served shaking her head as she watched
her sister rocking the baby.
What you know bout charity. child, u
asked Mrs Scott laughing good -nsturedly
"Naneen toll me what it was, answered
Eta proudly. Use got it fur she said
had fur love everybody"
you see, ma, fore went to Naneen's
( stopped at ToInnle's to see if we could
borough his geography game. Tommie
was in tie back play room an l hea1G
Berthe say, 'Wus you swaller dat, l will
swaller il wus you don't | shan'L never
-B7rtie always says 'wus' instead of if"
| ex planned Dora Den | heard Tommie
shout o mis- ma an den she run and rur
too, and when We got here Berthe Wa:
lest as brack 10 de face. He done swsl-
lowed a button an it stuck in bis froat.
Mrs Scott. with genuine horror On he1
fat kinkiy frca, sat down abse atty in the
chair back of her. 1t happened to be the
chair in which Eta had set tin of mo
lasses which was waiting to be put owe!
the fire as soon as the supper was on thu
table. Molasses candy was fsvorit
d. ssert with the Scott family. 1t tool
several minutes to scrape the mo|asse
from her dress back into the tin. Thel
Eta went on:
'Dry got de button out of his froat a
las lest as de BRET was nearly mos gon
out of him. Den Mrs. Bri;k say in d
berriest mos sternes way she cher speak
Thomas, how did dis happen? q Den Ton
be 'splain dat he played circ is. and per
tend to swallow de button, an dat he ha
it up his sleeve all de tine. But Berti
thought he did swallow it an so he trie
to swallow his"
IL dom see what dat has to do wit
your charity" said Dora after the listaer
had passed various remarks. You sal
YOU was going to tell us about dat
dat was how l found | had it, an
swered Eta thoughtfully.
III toll Naneen, and l said l though
Tommie Brick was bad boy to most XII
his little brother. | said he tole lie too
for he made Berthe tink he swallowed il
said circuses were bad low places, al
our teacher didn't improve of our going t
em. | said he shouldn't come to see GU
George Washington Scott, and shouldn
play with him any more"
"Why, chile, you hain't got no charity
what you talking about said MIS-. SEQ
quite sharply.
.. you've done t'ings jest as bad as dat
George Washington, remarked Dora.
II didn, tknow bout it BEFORE answer
!, ed Eta with emphasis. "but have no.
since Naneen top me how lubely it was.
what did Naneen tell your aske
her mother
"She said we must hab charity; ds
, Tommie didn't mean to hurt B-rtie, al
dat he felt dreffully of course; dat W
must member de mistakes we make ou'
? selves. Den she told me lots of nice ting
Tommie did, and dat if We hab charity W
could find plentv CT good about mos
verybody. She say dat charity Is q
same as lobe dat We must lobe ebery Doc
On, she talk beautiful, an since kno'
5 bout charity hab it."
!. "WelI," said good Mrs. Scott, wiplng ne
= ewes with one end of the tablecloth, "Sne
: q angel, Miss Naneen is, an we must
remember what she says and have NOR
charity. l reckon she know what she
\ talking about, fur its pulled way up in d
- Bible, children"
a That evening. after supper, Eta got tt
!, great Bible that was kept in the BEST rool
s and used only on state occasions, Att
= considerable hunting the thirteenth CHAP
. ter of first Cor. was found, aad Mrs. 5 20
o read it in high unused sort of voic
d Before she began Eta said, Naneen say
/, to read it love 8 cad of charity. and so
was read that way. And with the Ia
Il verse of that wonderful chapter let US ell
It our little story.
). "And now abideth, faith, hope, low
these three, but the greatest of tne3e
love."-Bels st. JOHN Pearson, IN L"'
Christian.