The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-10
LITTLE JOE'S CHURCH."
A Beautiful Memorial of An Orphan Boy. Real
ssStory of Short Life

| his little face up to the stars and saying,
When us gets dead us'll go up there.
We didn't know how soon he was really
going up there.
I'm Joes death musical genius was
taken from the world. He could sing
anything he heard. His little baby tongue
couldn't say the words but he always
caught the music. He would sing using
Just any words that sounded right 10
him.
HE sang not only easy songs and
hymns but classical songs that he had
heard only once or twice. He would
stand by the piano while the girls played
instrumental music and sing that with
out making a mistake and sometimes
would sit listening for an hour at tne
time while they practiced exercises.
Sometimes when he had been to service
we would ask him to sing the hymns
he heard and he would do 1T.
Gust before Christmas the piano at
Rumple Hall was tuned. The next time
Joe heard it he came and listened for a
little while and then he asked IL 1T was
the same piano. When he was told that
il was, he said: Who sounded it?' He
knew there was difference in the sound.
Possibly there were not five other people
in the Home who noticed the difference.
1.-The one thing Joe talked about most
was being a man and building a church.
He always said he was going to make a
porch to his church.
Eve laid his little body away in a
pretty spot near the place we have select
cd for our church. He is the first gave
in our burying ground.
Cant those of us who love little Joe
carry out the dream of his short life
by putting the church there by his
grave? Are there fathers and mothers,
who have laid away in Gods acre not only
the body of a precious child, but the
brightest dreams of their life, who would
like to build the little church? Are there
others who listen with swelling hearts
while their own wee laddie tells what he
will do when he is a man, who would love
to make a thank offering of this kind to
the Heavenly Father who has given them
so much to look forward to?
There may be some little men and
women full of young life and gladness
who as they look at their bright future
would love to help us carry out the plan
of Joe's little life. Then we know there
are other lives too who have hidden
away from the world dead hopes, hopes
that were once as real and as dear to
them as our little Joes vision of the
church was to him-Wouldn't you, dear
friends, like to help us carry out this
frail little creatures dream?
During the Christmas holidays Joe
sang for some friends who were being
shown through the Home. His sweet in
nocent manner and unusual talent i'm
pressed them very much and they gave
him forty five cents to spend as he
pleased. If you want to put something
to the forty-five cents please let us know.
The little life has been blessing to us.
and when we have the church, which we
are sure will come, we hope there will be
very many more lives blessed.
I'VE know that God knows best, when
he took the soul from our baby boys lit
tie body
THOUGH DEAD LITTLE JOE YET
SPEAKS.
Here is the sequel to the beautiful
death of Little Joe, given in 'Our Fa-
therless Ones" for April.
MY CHILDREN.
To the Sons and Daughters of the Or