The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-26
WONDERFUL Child.
Ten'Year'old Colored Girl. Who
sways New York Crowds.
ClERETTA AVERY lSA PRODIGY.
Plays With Her Doll, During the hay
and at Night Preueho. Impromptu Ser
mons to Vast CongreSatlous-m An
Save Her Religion She Is Only an mno-
cent Little CuiOrcd GIrl-Interylewsd by
Reporters,

Reporters
New York, Nov, 2j,-sweetly simple
looked little Cleretta Nora Avery, tho
phenomenal child evangelist, who spoke
for the first time In this city last night
She is the colopod -ycar-old glrl
whose preaching talent created such n
sensation all through the Sunny South
land, Since she has been eight years
old she has been the marvel OF all and
the particular idol Other own race
A pretty child she is, even though her
skin be soft Egyptian In los hue, Her
eyes are large and elOquGntly mellow
In their glow, Her hands arelong and
thin and shaped with more than Ordl-
nary dellcacy, Her vOIceis low and
sweet, aud has enough Of richness In It
TO mako It's perfect balance for the leo
ture platform. Her lips suggest the
African, but not markedly 30.
The descendant OF Spanlard In Cuba
for few generations she might well be
taken for But her race and color are
not the dominating things that make
her interesting, She Is prodigy apart
from such accidents, She would be so
whether Of Caucasion or other descent,
Her looks and actions, her words ana
manner. her perfect calmness-all are
the assurances OF q child who has never
realized what possible public failure
might mean,
WITH HER LITTLE DOLLS,
She breaches with the same freedom
us she plays. She apparently has not
the consciousness that she is doing
anything extraordinary. In all but her
preaching she IN like all the other little
girls OF her age, cnAmOrcd OF her dolls
and curious TO visit the toy stores, When
reporter called upon her and her
mother at No. i5t Sixth avenue, where
they are temporarily staying, he found
the child sitting upon the floor OF the
parlor with a dozen dolls about her.
These dolls she has dressed fantastic
ally, some In blue and some in pink and
some In many colors, and all Hre called
after her closest friends in the industri-
al school at Charleston, $. c., for the
benefit OF which she is now travelling
She was talking 10 the dolls and paid
not the slightest attention 20 the re-
porter or the artist while they spoke
with her mother and learned from her
the Interesting story OF the little girl
wonder,
Now and then her chlldInsh instinct
asserted itself IN petulanCy that was
Just broad enough TO be noticed. She
complained ~ the cold weather and the
noises in the street. aud when she
wanted anything insisted on her moth
or getting II for her quickly. The pride
common 10 her was noted when she
found the artist making sketch Of her
She did not wish 10 be pictured In tn"
midst OF her dolls She did not think
II would be nice at all, and she told her
mother so. She insisted on standing up
and holding Testament In her hand
nj once assuming a gravity OF cOun-
tenunce that was cNquisitely charming
for no face Is so sweet as that Of II child
In thought
IN ZION CHURCH,
She was child stlli in all things in
Zion church at Bleeckcr and West
Tenth streets. last night, except in
her prayer and preaching The church
could not hold all who wished to hear
her Choir and aisle and sanctuary
were packed equally with the pcwS.
The great majority OF the auditors we're
colured people from the district. but
there were many who had come out OF
kindly curiosity. There were some
who were Just a trlic skrptical There
always will be n few Of that class.
Clarcttn came In with her mother,
and Immediately there was crnning of
necks and audible comments. She IL
not large for her years. There Is no
abnormal physical development about
her only. from outward appearance.
mild-faced. interesting child, with all
the characteristics Of one.
She looked at the audience as II she
took pleasure from the smiling faces
that greeted her. Her legs were too
short to admit of her feet reaching the
floor but she kept trying to reach II
with her toes, toying with her handker-
chief and generally wearing the non
chnlnnt air that Is never pleasing eS-
cept when taken on by child. and then
IL peculiarly so.
She was not interested when the pas
tor, the Rev. ]. s. Caldwell, sang. Meth
err did she seem 10 follow his address
carefully. Nor did she apparently lis
ten ut all to the ilattcrlng Introduction
that was given her by Professor Dart,
Of the Charleston Industrial school.
Nor. later In the evening, when the Ru-
dlencc was on the verge OF being STAN
peded into nconvulsIon peculiar TO re-
Vovals did the child seem to mind II at
all, but went right on with hGr sermon.
THE CHGLD'S PRAYER.
Her prayer was orthodox. but II was
phrased better than her sermon. Pos
slbly that was evidence In itself that
her sermon was her own product while
her prayer was naturally an Initiation,
or largely repetition. OF what she had
no frequently heard. But the sermon
srpmed natural II was certainly slim
pleas simple MS her plain hlnck dress
and large, homcly hat and hands and
throat that were entirely bare OF any
jrwolry or color.
She has lust the faintCst suggestion
Of q lisp, and here and there In certain
phrnsiug there was an indication Of the
dialect peculiar to her race. Her pose
was natural. her cnunCIntion distinct,
her gestures somewhat inappropriate,
but freely made. There was no hcsI.
tnncy nbOut amy words. nor was there
amy marked violations OF the rules Of
pronunciation She talked with grace
and curncatncSB, aud undoubtedly
preached n better sermon than could
any Of her auditors.
Some thought there was study rather
than glft about her. That may be be-
cnuHc the child In not being given fair
opportunity Even prodiglcs cannot
stnnd nm unnatural ErRln Travelling
and preaching so constantly nrG hound
soon to wear out the frhll body md
leave their lines In CrcaHep Of work
ncroas the pleasant face. II will take
many years Of rushing from city TO
city nnd speaking In large places 10
make that face Il sad one
HER PRETTY SERMON.