Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-30


10 Interesting, The fact that ii is cold
outside -and that other people arc
suffering does not seem to affect ono
on il should. So, when she said that
CelestiDe wanted to speak to me, |
lnoked cross, ! felt irritated, and got
up with no outward show Of amiahility,
for there was no inward feeling of that
sort And | never was Il good actress
Celestine is our laundreHa. She is
large. Indeed, she seems 10 10 Qua
huge smiln that weighs nearly 300
pounds. In describing herself she in
variably Gays that she is huff, y and
though that may lie the color of Coles
tine's skin, she has tho whitest heart
that was ever made. When she saw
me, she put up her hands and suid,
ITS 10. " | looked annoyed, and
CeleBtine locked arologetic, and than,
after moments silence, during which
got back to my normal good nature.
she said, "lt does seeh as il there
weren't no place for him" Thuu felt
@ pain right in my heart. Christmas
week and NJ place for hoy years
OLD A city full of milliouairGs and
not human heng but poor colored
laundress to care for this boy.
This is tho story of 10. He's just
has been forgotten. lie was boy who
always seemed all corners; who never
luokeu comfortable. In winter timo
his hands were chanped, and his feet
weru frostbitten. In the summer time
he had thu chils, and bs bad the hives
Originally 10 came from the poorest
part of North Carolina. He was the
son OF cOlored preacher who was great
ON telling his congregation about love,
charity. peace aud good will and who
heat 10 30 dreadfully that when he was
years did the elders of the church
complained to the justice of the peace.
10 was put on baggage train anil
stole hiH way to New York, and then
some society took care of him, and find.
ing that he had more aches and pains
and was more amiable than the average
boy the society boarded him out. pay
ing the muniiicent sum OF 81 pDr week
for bis keep. Dollars being scarce,
Celestine took him, aud through my
acquaintance with her | mat him. For
several years, in the intervals of his
various ills, no ran our errands and
was recommended by us to anybody
who wished handy boy. But, Mas
for poor 10. Whenever he got what
might be called permanent situation,
his ITOsubIItH ONbTGHlnb UT ulh
hives got the better OF him, according
10 the season, and he would return to
Ceestine as an undesirable piece of
goods. Then, through another society,
farmer took hun, and for once in his
life 10 was happy. He not only had
enough to eat, but he absolutely had
time to play lie grew to know every
bird aud every flower in that county,
and no cent me snake skin for a
present. while Celestiue's little boy had
bOx Of fresh eggs come to him, laid
especially TO order by small black hen
that the farmers wife had given ia
for his very own. But Celestine and
] felt that this couldn't last. IL was
tUo good. So after 10 months OF ahBo-
Lutte happiness 10 was returned to us.
lie had trod on a rusty nail. and it had
gone into his bare foot, and the farmer
was afraid that lockaw would result.
Then 10 got into hospital. He liked
il pretty well there. but having tasted
he delights of country life you cannot
blame him for not wanting TO stay il
bed with one foot tied up, could you
He was declared better and nut out
Poor 10 was nos strong enough Il
work. The farmer refused tu take hin
back, still fearing loGkiaw, and up t.
this time hu has been living witt
Celestine, and my church money hal
gone toward supporting him. NJ,
church money, by tine by, 10 fiction
that is, SO far as church is concerned.
At the Friends meeting they do moi
take uI collection, and 80 | keen M,
church money for whoever may need it
And you would DO surprised to know
the number of demands there are for it,
little as il is. Now, Celestine hat
cone to tell me that it seemed aa j
JOS loot was getting bad again, ant
still they would not take him at tn
hospital. The church money was 60
out, and Celeatine was given note Il
The most fashionable aud the mos
cynical man l know. lie responded t.
it by hank note and some othe
things, and to-day l went to see 10
10 is not buff. He ia distinctly black
and when no laughs, and, for all hi
troubles, he does laugh once in awhile
be shows the whitest teeth you eve
saw in your life. After l had passel
the compliments of the day with hin
he said, IN issy. that thsra gentleman
sent me the most comfy nightgown yo
ever seed. " | looked at him then, an
l saw that 10 was robed 10 u soft tlan
mel gown. with the collars and cuff
embroidered 10 pale blue, and realize
that my fashionable and cynical frien
had responded in more than one wa
TO my request.
Then 10 went on to talk, for he wa
pretty sick. and his brain was wander
ing. After little hit he asked
"Ain't it queer, Missy, that all owe
this yere big world there cont neye
seem to be any place for JoY What
the matter with me? ! amt like tn
leapers in the Bible. amt got any
thing the matter with me cspt a ma
in my foot, but just as shore as | go {
\ place just so shore there somethIn
happens to ma, and people say; &c
you've got to git some place else. on
there in the country it did seem as
it was big enough for the other peupl
and for me too. But no, that ther
nail had to go and get in my foot, an
that there farmer gentleman said, 'Jc
Ise afeard you might get somethin
wrong with YOU And here | come
back to Celsstine, and Celestine's &C
plenty Of her own tn keep and thei
s don't SO many people give out washin
nowadays. Celestine teached Inc
Niron, and could help her on the roug
pieces. But, no, there had TO come
JuIl sort of feeling in my hand, and
j. can't hold the iron, and Pm afeard
will drop it on somo OF the Chillen, an
Missy Celestine, she's put me in ht
he'd. It's mighty pleasant hoing ner
hut it don't seem right II seems as
always get into somebody else's plat
and as if therB WASH no place in Il
world for Jo"
The uoctor came in then, and