The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-19
-ere turned heavenward constantly.

were turned heavenward constantly A
man who professed to be his father ac-
companied him. He wore a sad and patient
expression and his clothes were of cleri-
cal cut His part in the programme was
apparently small, and consisted merely in
selling photographs and biographies of the
infant evangelist.
zone night I met some men in a hotel in
Omaha, and they were discussing the pro-
dizzy, who then was holding forth in a
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 in
FAINT We went. The church was packed
with an excited throng, through which we
pushed our way and secured seats well up
in front The child's choice of language
certainly was wonderful for one so young,
and the extent of his biblical knowledge
appeared so great that we were astonished.
AS for the rest of the listeners they were
carried away by his imprisoned utter
ances. But the tall smooth-shaven man
who had proposed going to hear the prod
ICY sat with a peculiar and irreverent
smile on his face. Nor did he pay any at
tention to the child, but kept his sharp
eyes glued on the alleged father. who sat
on the platform Of the chancel apparently
wrapt IN an ecstasy 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 to us, l COM
Piled.
why were Adam and. Eve expelled
from the garden of Eden? l asked. Hard
ly were the words out of my mouth before
the answer came back from the child in a
deep bass voice:
" For swiping apples, my sinful friend.
Ask me something easy
The congregation was thrown into a
panic. The child looked utterly dsmayed,
and the father seemed like a man on the
verge of an epileptc fit. The only serene
person present was the smooth-shaven
young man, who continued to smile an
look happy.
There's something wrong here ex-
claimed gruff voice from the rear VIII
you kindly explain it, my little friend?'
1.-THE infant evangelist turned with q
dazed face TO the father without replying.
The latter pulled himself together and
stepped forward as if to address the con-
gregaton, but before he could say a word
the child, who was resumiug a look OF
greater placidness seemed to say in his
| natural voice.
This Is a skin game
Everybody arose and The hubbub was
deafenlng.
Some sacrilgious person without re-
| spect for the sacredness of this place is
playing a depraved trick screamed the
father of the infant evangelist, trembling
visiby and wildly scanning the amazed
| faces before him.
Yes responded the deep bass voice
which had seemed to issue from the child's
| lips, but which now came from another
| part of the church, the same depraved
| b,, frfr
1.-The father collapsed, and the child aug
mented the tumult by his cries and sobs
we must get at the bottom of this,
| declared a solid-looking citizen coming
forward to the platform. Who is 1t makes
the charge of ventrlloquism?
"Then the tall, smooth-shaven young
man rose to his feet and confessed. He
said:
"If 1 can prove to your satisfaction
that what l charge Is true, IL you will in
slst on the man leaving the room while
| the child remains.
1T is a lier shouted the man, spring
ing up in frenzy. Turn that fellow out
He Is disciple Of satan and has been sent
! here TO do evil works. AS a Christian, |
implore We, brethren, 10 turn him out
But thA did not turn him out. on the
| contrary, The solid-looking citizen insisted
that the tall, smooth-shaven young man
explain how he had detected the trick
- That is simple matter replied he.
In the first place, / noticed that the tones
| of the voice which seem to come from the
! child were too mature. fun and definite to
| belong to him, Then l soon discovered that
the lips Of the child moved with unechan-
ical regularity Besides. his gestures were
of no import TO the sentiments expressed.
and were mechanical as the lip move-
ments.'
| taken into the vestry room. The child was
! questioned. but could give no more accu-
: rate or erudite answer than any other
youngster Of his age. The outcome might