Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-01-07
A oev DIED ex-sLAvE.


]
Daughter of His Os Muter.
The superintendent Of census comes
nearer the throbbing heart Of poor hu-
manity than any other official in
Washington OF all the departments
his alone is rot governed by civil SER
vice laws. and consequently that class
of people whom Victor Hugo sweep
ingly described MS Les Miserables"
turn TO the census bureau. Some who
apply are geLtlewomen of middle age
who cannot pass civil service ex-
animation, because, when they were
young, girls were taught TO be house
wives. and no provision was made for
widowhool or adverse circumstan-
ces when they would be forced TO earn
their own and their children'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 a knife. 1t is the
simple and legitimate question,
what can you doi" Marvellous it is
the number of people in the world
who have no definite idea Of their own
capabilities. When the question does
not bring tears, il is usually followed
by wringing OF the hands and q
helpless IL cannot tell, F" but rarely by
direct confident answer. One of
these cases is unmatched in pathos.
Mr.. Porter boarded for a time after
coming TO the capital at hotel where
he noticed that his waiter was unusu-
ally attentive. The man did not seem
to care for fees, nor did he ask any
thing for himself For a month or
two this dumb admiration was carried
on until finally Mr.. Porter said:
"What is it, Wallacel You seem
TO have something on your mind"
"Yes, sab; lse been studyin', sab,
as how like nuff dey mout be some
place in the census for my young
missis. She's desarvin', but is too
proud to ask foh anything. lse been
studyin' nigh a yeah how Wallace
could get somethin' foh de missis, and
when de head waitah, sab, put you to
my table, l jest said, de Lawd will
provide"
"Who is the woman. Wallacel" Mr..
Porter asked.
She's de only chile of my ole mas
sa 70 de wah Massa was killed and
missis an de chile came norf when dey
los all. Dey lib above Great Falls, an
doan tel it, sab, but deys very poah.
AS Wallace finished, some one came
up TO talk with Mr.. Porter, and the
matter was forgotten. Wallace knew
how to wait, aud 1t was not until an
other fortnight that he said, hope
fully:
"My young missis, sab, ! forgot to
say dat she YER intellectual an do
everything consciously"
Wallace had the darky's aptitude
for sounding words and passed among
his colleagues as that mysterious T.
tian, college graduate." There was
a ludicrous pedantry about him that
made one think he must have been
born q college graduate. Il was his
elect destiny. Mr.. Porter received
further condolences from the honest
fellow, who could do what few whits
people would do in this selfish world
ask favor for some one else bsfore
uIulscil, ANU Nu VIE 49, toE -
daughter Of the man under whom ~
had suffered bondage.
Promising TO remember tho ''younG
missis," Nj. Porter left and MIDI
have forgotten her bad Il not bsen -
the faithful, ever watchful Wallnsa.
Finally one Saturday night hs "A,
"Well, WallAce, I have eomeeh114
for your young mistzsuA Tsn - -
oons around 10 The ceasns buson1
next week and thas wi1l bssunsw wsrk
foe hsr." .t.r
LAtsr b learned hon - llpof -
'young mimisr ~ Wallnse -
walked fourtssn milo thFoqSA -
ysin that GaenEesy n1yht ~! hbw~
~ =: ~ ~ 3'si1