The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-05-28

clared ~ was jes' skeered he mought tex two, he
peered lax he was so crazy bout 'em-he' done ct
SIX, cayZe | counted EN- an I knowed dey warn It
no mo In de kitchen
Another time that June distinguished himself
was when Eva had beau TO to see her from
New Orleans. She had not finished dressing when
he arrived, June sent to ask him into the Ii
braly- Now June had idea the stranger was ex-
pected in fact, he knew nothing about it, except
that he stranger.
It took Eva some time to get her hair arranged
IN just the most becoming way and add all the ht-
tie touches required to complete satisfactory toilet
so some twenty thirty minutes had elapsed before
she made her appearance. To her intense surprise
she found June propped up in the library doorway,
his bright, dark eyes fastened in unremlttng vigil
lance upon the strange young man.
You see La Miss Eva, y he carefully explained
to her afterwards "you tux so long ter come, was
skeered he mought get tired er watin' an try ter
ct erway. 'Sdes L didn' know nothin' erbout i'm,
an | lowed to myself dat he mought tex somethln'
wut didn't belong ter i'm
For about a week after the hanging of the bell
in' the new church June heard the Angelus every
time it rang and he would stop and listen with
pleased attention; then he grew accustomed to the
sound and it ceased to make any impression him.
He scarcely noticed it at all as time went by until
one afternoon in the early spring-nearly two
months after it had been hung.
1t the beginning of the baseball season. In
open square just opposite the church crowd of
little white boys about June's age gathered every
day after school for an exciting game. June soon
became enthusiastic fan, but not long salts
fed with that-he became fired with great ambi-
ton to be captain of a baseball nine himself He
had several black chums who acknowledged his
leadership and who all interested In his plans.
But, much to their chagrln, not one OF them could
must bat, ball or glove, and upon taking up col
lection they could raise only fifteen cents. June
fded his trouble to Mrs. Severn and Eva, who each
gave him "a quarter" but even that not
enough.
Then late one afternoon, for the first time in
his life, June came face to face with of the
greatest temptations to which his is subject
the inclination to steal. He, with several of his
companions, were watching the white boys playing
ball until their small hearts burned with envy. When
June S mother called him In to do his evening work
there was a little demon inside his breast much
backer and uglier than his countenance.
Among the things it was his duty to do before
setting the table for supper to take fresh water
into the bedrooms. Mrs. Severn and Eva were out
walking. No upstairs June himself.
He had put pitcher of water down in Eva room
and was turning away when CLINT of something
shining the dressing table attracted his attention
There, emptied carelessly from Eva's purse, lay
small heap of silver-several dollars in all.
June's heart gave sudden great throb and his
round eyes opened wide. The shouts OF the boys
leaving the ball ground came to his ears clearly
through the open window, and vision of the long
desired ball and bat seemed dancing just within his
reach. With a sly, sneaking turn of the head and
body he looked around him-no one was IN sight
Out went his small black hand, stealthlly, toward
the money; then
Suddenly through the evening air sounded
deep, solemn tone, followed by throbbng silence
June started back, shaking with fright. Again came
the admonishing note and vet again June listened
with hushed breath but the bell began the second
three, his lips moved in time with its strokes.
''Stop-an pray! Stop-an '-pray!'' he whis-
pered in an awed tone. 'Dat's hit, dat's Stop
an pray, an member ter be good Ii Miss Eva
say"
AS the bell began ringing steadily June gave one
last longing look at the shining, tempting silver,
and sticking his hands deep into his pockets, turned
and walked resolutey out of the room still murmur
ing to himself the refrain
''Stop an pray! Stop an pray!''-E. Tatum,
in The Rosary.