The times., 1899-04-03
A FRAUD EXPOSED.
Not Precocity. in
This Instance.
(From The New York Press.)


Whenever I hear of these remarkable
infants who expound the gospel, while
their parents or guardians sell photographs
and mementos and supervise the coIlec-
ton says Col. William a. Boyd, Presi-
dent of the Tobacco Board of Trade OF
Baltimore, with chuclle of reminiscent
JOY, 81 am put in mind of child exhorter
who appeared in the West few years ago
and took by storm a number OF great re-
ligious centres like ST. Louis, Chicago and
Omaha. He was a youngster about seven
years old, and sanity looking prodigy.
His hair was long and confined in plaits
with blue ribbons at the end, and his nose
and eyes were turned heavenward con
stantly. A man who professed TO be his
father accompanied him. He wore sad
and patient expression and his clothes
were of clerical cut. His part in the pro-
gramme was apparently small. and con-
sisted merely in selling photographs and
biographies OF the infant evangelist
"One night | met some men in a hotel
in Omaha, and they were discussing the
prodigy, who then was holding forth in
small church. In the party was tall.
smooth -shayen young man whose name
was Kendall. Kenny or something like that,
and he proposed that We go to hear the
infant We went. The church was pack
ed with an excited throng, through which
we pushed our way and secured seats well
up in front The child's choice of Ian
guage certainly was wonderful for one so
young and the extent of his biblical
knowledge appeared so great that we were
astonshed. As for the rest of the listen
ers they were carried away by his impas-
stoned utterances. But the tall. smooth
shaven man who had proposed going TO
hear the prodigy sat with q peculiar aud
irreverent smile on his face. Nor did he
pay any attention TO the child, but kept
his sharp eyes glued on the alleged faith
er, who sat on the platform of the chancel
apparently wrapt in an ecstacy of pious
JOY.
Put a question to the boy. whispered
he. nudging me. / refused at first, but he
grew persistent, so finally to prevent him
from attracting attention 10 US. | COM
piled.
4" Why were Adam and Eve expelled
from the Garden of Eden?" l asked.
| Hardly were the words out of my mouth
before the answer came back from the
child in deep bass voice:
For swiping apples, my sinful friend.
! Ask me something easy.
| The congregation was thrown into a
/ panic The child looked utterly dismayed,
( and the father seemed like a man on the
verge of an epileptic fit. The only serene
person present was the smooth-shaven
/ young man, who continued TO smile and
! look happy.
There's something wrong here, eX-
/ claimed gruff voice from the rear VIII
/ you kindly explain it, my little friend?
( The infant evangelist turned with a
/ dazed face to the father without replying.
/ The latter pulled himself together and
( stepped forward as if TO address the con-
gregation. but before he could say word
the child. who was resuming a look OF
greater placidness, seemed to say in his
/ natural voice:
"' This is skin game.
Everybody arose and the hubbub was
deafening.
Some sacrilegious person without re-
spect for the sacredness of this place is
playing a depraved trick screamed The
father Of the infant evangelist, TREMBLING
vsbly and wildly scanning the amazed
faces before him.
yes responded the deep bass voice
which had seemed to issue from the child''
lips, but which now came from another par
of the church the same depraYed tTicf
practiced by you-ventriloquism-
The father collapsed, and the child aug
mented the tumult by his cries ana sobs
I'VE must get at the bottom of this,
declared 4 SOllu-lOOhlhs tltlAtH NoiiAiH- :
forward to the platform. Who is it makes
the charge OF ventriloquism?'
Then the tall, smooth shaven young
man rose to his feet and confessed. He
said;
~ can prove to your satisfaction thai
what | charge is true, If you Will insist OF
the man leaving the room while the chic
remains
1T is he. shouted the man. spring
ing up in a frenzy. Turn that fellow out
He is a disciple OF satan and has been SEM
here to do evil works. As a Christian,
implore ye, brethren, to turn him out
but they did not turn him out. On IN,
contrary. the solidlooking citizen insisted
that the tall. smooth-shaven young maj
explain how he had detected the trick
THAT is simple matter replied he
In the first place. / noticed that the tone!
of the voice which seem to come from th'
child were too mature. full and definite
to belong TO him. Then l soon discovered
that the lips of the child moved with
mechanical regularity. Besides. his gest
ures were Of no import to the sentiment
expressed, and were mechanical as the Iii
movements.
I'm spite of his pleadings the father wa
taken into the vestry room. The chit
was questioned, but could give no NOR
accurate or erudite answer than any othe
youngster of his age. The outcome nigh
have been serious for the man had no
the church people concluded to make tn
best OF bad bargain and to observe Sc
crecy to save themselves from ridicule."
Ao-NDIA n, trf,r,c o,d th1dru,