Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-01-02
.JII1 Smith
Back to- the-Lander's Su~ceSs

out his chester what might have
been chest before he grew so fat-anC
said: Young man, look at me. never
got no learnn', nor anybody Co hell
me, but l got along all right.
worked and saved and worked some
more and if you want to buy a farm
go work for il; hut remember that
I'm a sclf-made man
"The young chap went away say
ing: 1 guess you're right. | don't
believe God ever had anything to do
with the making of you.
4 then picked up a little yellow ear
rs | said This man was born in
China. He never had enough to eat.
His parents had taught him to be
afraid Of the demons and the gods
until his poor soul was warped all out
Of shape
One day he heard that there was
"a land where men knew and worship
ped a kind God, and read a wonderful
book In his ignorance he cried out
TO the God Of America, and said: %
God, if you care for The white man.
have mercy on me and send me a
teacher
Picking up the fifth ear which was
q dark red nubbin, said: This man
vas born in Africa. His parents were
cannibals and you know all that word
means
Gone day white man came
ashore from a ship, and said he had
some nice presents aboard which he
would give this boy if he would come
Jut with him to get them.
"The poor fellow went out to the
ship in all his simplicity hut he had
no sooner stepped upon the deck than
be was struck upon the head, put into
chains, thrust into the hold, to be TAX
IN to America and sold as a slave.
Later, while working on a planta
CiOn, he heard a minister say TO his
master that God was the father of
us all and he began to think: If God
IS masters father, and he is mine,
Why are we not brothers, even if !
am black p
chat night he stole away into a
swamp, all alone, and prayed to the
only Gold he knew and the one he
had just heard about, saying: 90 God
if you are masters father, and you
are my father, why don't you change
my black skin SO / can have a chance
TO go to school and learn to read like
Master jack
cone day the God Of the corn, the
Great Nanitou, came to his Cornheld,
looking for seed corn with which to
rcplant the earth.
"He came TO The Boston ear in all
its perfcctucss and beauty, but his
ace was stern and he s9ii. Did you
10 anything which made your parents
sail I'm the Mayn3wCr TO locate ut Bcs-
con Did YOU build the schools in
which you were educated? Did Hou
maintain the university where YOU
completed your education? Did you
establish your fathers cotton mill
which has produced for you your
wealth You seem TO have forgotten
that ! have favored you with al these
advantages because | thought that !
could trust YOU, and through you ]
might help your less favored broth
ars. NaGght that you have but | gave
you and | want you TO beware OF the
day when | shall call for my own and
leave you desolate. You would not
lend that young man enough Of my
money TO fit him TO heal my sick chill
dren i'm China. You may be proud OF
your ancestry education, and wealth
but | cannot use you, for you have n,
heart and leaving the Boston ear he
came to the Ohio ear and asked the
Ohio gentleman to show him hi.
books and make an accounting OF
what he had done with that which
ne had received.
"He glanced over his ledger am,
noted the railroads, stocks and bonds
country house and city mansions, an,
then turning to him with a frowl
said: Was 1T anything that you di'
that made your parents settle in thi
fertile valley, and gave them the Lane
for a song, which enabled them t.
educate you, and which has produce,
all of your wealth? Did you plac
the oil beneath this soil? You hay
not even so much as dug the wei
nor sold a barrel Of oil, but you hav
gained from others labors, and whe
! sent that young lady asking tina
she might fit herself to teach my lit
tie children, I had hoped that yo
would realize that / had bestowe
upon you rich bless 'ngs and tina
through you / might bless other.
Your selfshness shall be your ruiz
and when ] call for my oil, and m
and, what will you have left?'
$50 saying he left the Ohio ma