The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-24
BOY INSTEAD OF A Girl.
A NEW BRUNSWICK WOMAN SOLVES
THE SERVANT QUESTION.

The Little Negro Came on Trial for a
Week, but He Liked the Place So Well
He Has Adopted the Family-He Does
Housework as Well a Girl.
81 think" said Mrs. Henry Archibald,
as she settled herself in one of the comfort
able seats in the ladies' parlor of the parish
building to wait for the opening of the
meeting of the New Brunswick Married
Women's guild, ''that I have got right
down to the bottom of the hired girl cues
ton"
''Oh, dear, wish could say as muchp
responded Mrs. Oxtoby, with a sigh.
"Have You secured that perfect jewel of a
girl we have been looking for all our livess"
mo, have not. l have got down so far
that have no girl at all"
mo girl at allp'
"None at all. I've got boy-a little col
ored boy"
Good graciousl Why, of what earthly
use TO you is a little colored boy? What
can he dos"
well, that is pretty hard to say. /
have only had him three days, and during
that time l find that he can do anything l
tell him to do and a good many more
things that 1 don't want him to do. But,
do you know, 1 rather like the little
moke,' as my husband calls him. He is a
/ new sensation and keeps us all alive"
I "Where did you get him."
1.-THE other morning when Mr. Archi-
bald was going out l said to him: Henry,
that last girl has gone off. wish you
would send me little boy to carry coal
and sweep the pavement. Neither Ma
tilda nor l is able to do such things, and
We wouldn't want to if we were able
About o'clock that morning a little,
short, chubby, bullet headed, bright eyed
colored boy came into the out kitchen
where Matilda was making an effort to
wash the breakfast dishes The first thing
! heard was Matilda in argument with
him:
TAKEN UNDER PROTEST.
"T have nothing for you. Get away
from here
az doesn't want muffin
"'Well, clear out, then
"'Ts gwine TO wuk'
"'Clear out, tell your Whackl Whack!
"'Now, you jess let me alone, you gal.
Eff you don't, afoh de Lawd s'prise ye!
81 thought it was time 20 interfere, and
over him, and the boy was backed up in
corner preparing TO ward off an attack
with the rolling pin. told Matilda TO de-
sist, and asked the boy what he wanted
"'Gemman downtown done tole me to
come heah to wuk'
"'Was it Mr.. Archibald?'
"'DuDno, ma'am. He were fat, four
eyed man, an he had done slipped froo his
har.'
THAT must be your father said to
Matilda. She glared at the boy, who
lodged and threw up his hands as if ex-
pecting blow.
"'What is your nameP
'Silas Moorehouse. ma'am. My NAM
my lives on Cream ridge, an Use strong
boy for 10 years DID, he ratified off as if he
were saying lesson. Tn do anything
you wants, ma'am, cose Use willin' to wuk
an Use offle hungry
"'Poor little soulr said Matilda, he
shan't be hungry around here and in
minute she had big piece of pie in the
boys fist.
well, the boy ate his pie, carried coal,
finished washing the dishes, swept up the
kitchen and cleaned up the yard. Then he
had his dinner, and was washing up the
dishes again when there came a prolonged
whistle from the alley alongside the house.
""Scuse me a minute said Silas md
ran ont. In a second there was a terrible
fight going on outside the alley, with noise
enough for a dozen people in a row.
nearly tainted, thinking somebody was go
ing to be killed from the noise they were
making. but Matilda went out and leaned
on the fence. In five minutes Silas had
sent his adversary bowling out of the alley,
and Matilda came in holding Silas at arms
length TO keep his nose from bleeding en-
her dress. She put his head under the
hydrant, washed his face, bathed his nose
and finally got the bleeding stopped.
MAKES HIMSELF SOLID.
"'Silas, you're a young hero,' said Ma
tilda soothingly. You licked him, didn't
your
course l did. / amt gwine to have no
wuffiess young niggahs afoolin' aroun' my
place of business
From that time Silas was Matilda's
friend. He did his work well, and appear
ed happy over it, for he whistled until he
made my head ache, and when he polished
the stove he did it with two brushes, beat
ing time with noise enough for a drum
corps.
1.-The first night when the work was
done l said to Silas: That is all tonight.
You can come back about Z o'clock in the
morning. and l gave hin: fifty cents. He
gave me a strange wistful look, and say
ing Good night, ma'sm, went out, shut
ting the kitchen door softly after him l
thought no more of the matter until |
came down in the morning to find Silas
sitting in front of the stove with his feet in
a bucket of hot water and Matilda giving
him hot coffee.
What is the matter with SilasY asked
Matilda.
Nothing much, mother, she answered.
only / found him nearly persisted with I
cold out in the woodshed, where he has
been all night
why, child said, why did you not
20 home?
81 isn't gwine home no NOAH
why, SiIass Why won't you go homer !
EFF 90 back TO de ridge dey'll club me /
and take my fifty cents away
Gradually | got the boys story from /
him. His father and mother were both 4
dead. and he had no home in reality. The 4
story he had told me about his mother on /
Cream ridge had been taught him by the 4
idle and worthless colored people who sent /
him out to hunt work and took his money /
from him whenever he earned any. The 4
second night Silas slept in warm bed in 4
the garnet. and was the first one up in 4
the house in the morning. When Matilda .
came down be had q roaring fire in the I
kitchen. the kettle boiling and the front .
pavement swept. He told her confidenti- I
ally as he took his half dollar out OF his 4
mouth and handed il 20 her:
Use nevvah gwine away from heah no
noah. Use done 'dapted you and you
mother an you fodder. an don't need no 4
wages New York World.