Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-24
A True Incident Of Life
Among the
LoVfu.

confess was annoyed at being in
tarrupted. When one is comfortable.
when the fire in front of one is bright,
when ones book is interesting, the fact
TINT II is cold outside and that other
people are suffering does not seem TO
affect one as 1t should So, when she
sald that Celestlne wanted TO speak to
me- | looked cross. felt irritated, and
got up with no outward show of ami
ability. for there was no inward feel
Ing Of that sort. And i never was q
FOOD actress. Celestine is our laundress.
She is large. Indeed, she seems to be
one huge smile that weighs nearly 800
rounds In describing herself she in
yarlably says that she is buff" and
though that may be the color of Celes-
tines skin, she has the whitest heart
that was ever made. When she saw me,
she put up her hands and said, IT'S
Jo." / looked annoyed, and Celestine
looked apologetic, and then. after q mo-
ments silence, during which I got back
10 my normal good nature. she said, ut
does seem as II there weren't no place
for him Then l felt pain right in
my heart Christmas week and no place
for a boy Il years old A city full of
monaires and not human being but
poor colored laundress to care for this
boy.
This is the story of 10. He's Just 10.
II he ever had another name. 1t has
been forgotten. He was n boy who al
ways seemed all corners; who never
looked comfortable. In winter time his
hands were chapped, and his feet were
irostbltten. In the summer time he
had the chills, and he had the hives
Originally 10 came from the poorest
part Of North Carolina. He was the
son OF a colored preacher who was
great on telling his congregation about
love, charity, peace and good will and
who beat Jo so dreadfully that when he
was years old the elders of the church
complained to the Justice of the peace.
10 was put on baggage train and
stole his way to New York, and then
some society took care OF him, and
finding that he had more aches and
palms and was more amiable than the
average boy the society boarded him
out, paying the munifioent sum Of 81
per week for his keep Dollars being
scarce Celestine took him, and through
my acquaintance with her / met him.
For several years. in the intervals OF
bis various ills, he ran our errands
and was recommended by us to any,
body who wished a handy boy. But.
aIas for poor 10. Whenever, he got
what might be called u permanent sit.
ualion, his frostbites overcame him. or
his hives got the better of him, accord
ms to the season. and he would return
TO Celestine as an undesirable piece OF
GOODS Then, through another society.
farmer took him. and for once in his
Iia DO was happy. He not only had
enough to eat, but he absolutely had
llme to play. He grew to know every
bird and every flower in that county.
and he sent me :. snake skin for pres
ent, while Celestine's little boy had n
oox OF fresh eggs come to him, laid
especially to order by a small black hen
mat the farmers wife had given 10
ior his very own. But Celestine and /
ielt that this couldn't last. 1t was too
sood, So after ten months of absolute
happiness 10 was returned to us. He
nua uod on n rusty nail, and II had
gone INTO his bare foot, and the farmer
was afraid that locljaw would result.
Then 10 got into hospital. He liked
,ne delights of country life you cannot
eIame HIM for not wanting to stay in
yea with one foot tied up. could you ?
ne WINS declared better and put out.
Foo' 10 was not strong enough to
work The farmer refused to take him
u4ek' still fearing lockjaw, and up to
tls time he has been living with Celes-
une' and my church money has gone
Inward Oh,
mohey, by the bye, Is a fiction--that Is,
~ 'f as church is concerned. At the
friends meeting they do not take up
correction. and SO | keep my church
,upneY Tor whoever may need 1t. And
sou would be surprised TO know the
n nulnoer of demands there IRE for IT,.
1--WE ms IT is. Now. Celestine had come
'ell me that 1t seemed as II JOS foot
mes Getting bad again. and still they
Hpu'l not take him at the hospital. The
'e'eh money was got out, and Celes-
~ vas given note to the most fash
Ii,nuo'e and the most cynical man l
r"o"' lie responded to 1t by bank
10y and some other things and today
went to see 10. 10 is not bun. He is
ahnnctly black. and when he laughs.
~ Tor all his troubles, he does laugh
n.y. IN awhile. he shows the whitest
~ you ever saw in your life. After
naa passed the compliments of the
~ with him he said. Missy. that
49, gentleman sent me the most
LILY nightgown you ever seed"
Used at him then. and saw that 10
~ rooed in soft flannel gown, with
r e collars and cuffs embroidered in
que and realized that my fash