The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-11

His hair, six inches long, was brushed
back and at the sides pink ribbons held
wisps of it dressed in the plantation
style. His brow was high and clear
and he was so straight in carriage that
he nearly leaned over backward. He
toddled up and down the platform like
a spoiled nursery pet, pouting out his
lips and swinging his arms. He COM
manded the audience to sing my Coun-
try It's of Thee" and when this was
over he shouted:
"singI Sing! The Lily of the Val
ley"
Sing 1t, say cried the child, i'm
patiently. What! Don't you know it :?
Then sing Jesus, Keep Me Near the
Cross Oh, sing, somebody"
Nobody answered and the boy seemed
to be going into a trance. His hands
Were twitching nervously. He went to
kind of diminutive priedieu at the
front of the platform and leaned over
it. He rubbed his hand over his brow
and pettishly dashed away the berib-
boned wisps of hair. He said something
unintelligible in a sing-song voice and
then stamped his feet.
Keep quiet!' he shouted. "An the
people keep quieti"
who wished might ask the child ques-
tions. Then followed a kind of dog
matte bear batting. Larneys' answers
were glib at times and at other times he
lost himself and made clever replies at
random or looked appealingly to his
mother, who sat out in front, for the
cue.
What is salvation p" someone asked
Salvation? I don't know. Salvation
salvation is salvation he replied.
To the inquiry regarding the identity
of the devil he made a similar reply.
What are you doing here?" asked a
seeker after truth.
Preaching the gospel and trying to
keep you from going to hell" was the
trite reply.
How can I be saved2' said the
QueStiOner,
by blood and water" responded the
boy.
Where is heaven?''
High as this house." pointing to the
ceiling.
where is hell?'
Deep down ground"
Where do sinners go when they
die?"
GO to hell. You go to hell right now.
All kinds of HE'LL
What makes you think so?''
This whole house is ready to go to
hell right this minute
You are not ready to go to help"
mo, don't mean myself. You. I
amt ready to go to hell at no time.
This ticket amt for hell"
Then someone asked how God mani
tested Himself. The child looked dazed,
exchanged glances with his mother and
then said:
Foolish question"
He walked up and down, vigorously
applauding himself, for veritable gale
Of merriment followed his sa1hes.
He then gave an imitation of the cruS-
ifxiOn or Christ, using the back of a
chair as a cross. Some one asked him
if he thought this world would be won
over to Christ. He replied that the
world was not good enough for the Saw
iOr and that He would not have it.
A little girl in a red dress advanced
and asked Larney If he had ever seen
the Supreme Being. The evangelist had
either forgotten the reply or could not
hfra1- \
ed the audience to stand up and sing
and during the singing he escorted three
''mourners" to the platform.
Then the collection baskets were pro-
| duced.
Everybody give 25 centsP' screamed
| the yOungSter.
Then he romped up and down the
| platform, rolling his head from side to
| side and clapping his hands.
Selling a photograph of himself from
a large package which his father car
| ried, the boy handed it to one OF those
| in the crowd and shouted: Gimme a
/ quarter
The parents also tried to increase the
revenue by selling the photographs of
| the youngSter, after the manner APPROX
| ed in dime museums. They were doing
| g. thriving business when the trustees
| of the church stopped the sale, thereby
precipit&ting a semiriot.
| The mother of the evangelist flew into
| a rage and made a speech.
| We've been travelling with this boy
for two years." she said, land every
| where we were he answered questions
| right offhand We had good order. That
J was because we took a fee OF 10 cents at
| the door Everybody paid. That's the
| way Wen do next time.
| why, if everybody here had paid, we
| would have had most a thousand dol
| lars! This boy can't stand to be an
noyed. He does not know his letters,
| but he knows the gospel We won't
| have no open door next time, and we
/ will get the right crowd. This boy came
1 here to save New York. There are per-
| sons here who did not give a cent"
/ 1t required a small squad of police
| men to clear the church when Mrs.Den-
n1s had finished