Newspapers / The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.) / May 4, 1905, edition 1 / Page 5
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Thursday May 4, 1905. - THE RALEIGH ENTERPRISE. 5 Little Joe's Thank Offering. You might have called him poor, but Joe considered himself a rich boy, or at least very comfortably well off. He had a home, and lots of boys that he knew slept in boxes, or under stairways, wherever they could manage to keep out of sight of the police. And he had a mother, who took the best care she could of him and his little sis.ter, though she had not much time when she was busy all day long over the wash-tubs. Three days in the week Polly had to be sent to the day-nursery. He had no father, but Joe's observation of life led him to conclude that fathers were sometimes rather a doubtful blessing, and mothers on the whole more reliable. He always had enough to eat, and both he and Polly fell heir to many comfortable garments from the homes where their mother worked. The red sweater came to him in that way, and the red sweater was Joe's pride and delight. He could scarcely believe his eyes, when his mother unrolled it from her washing apron, and slipped the beautiful thing over his towsled head. Since then he had never willingly been parted from it, and though the weather had grown warm enough for bare feet, Joe stuck to his sweater, and insisted it kept him cool! Joe had gone into business. The day he was eight years old his moth er had given him a quarter to invest in newspapers, and though the big boys kept him on a very poor "beat," his pleasant voice and cheery face helped him to find customers. His mother called him "the man of the house," and said she would soon have no need to go out to wash, but could stay at home like a lady. His money was put in a pink mug with "For a Good Boy" across the front, and ev ery night before Joe went to bed he used to count it. There was a church on Joe's beat and one afternoon he noticed that the doors were open, and people were going in men and women and lots of children. He stood by the stone 'steps' to watch them, and followed them up to the door. The people inside began to sing, and he stepped a little closer, for he loved singing. "Come in, if you want to," said a young woman, pleasantly, and Joe slipped into an empty seat just in side the door, and looked about him in wonder. Half the seats were filled with children, and on a high plat form, all gay with flags and banners and strange pictures, a troop of lit tle girls, in pretty white dresses, were standing in a row and singing. Over their heads, in big gilt letters, were these words: "What shall 1 render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?" "Tt's a kind of a Christmas tree," decided Joe. He couldn't read all the worcta, but he thought it was splendid, and wished Polly were there to see it. They sang and sang, and then a woman began to talk to the .children, and it seemed to Joe as if all the time she was looking straight at " him. ' She talked about the happy chil dren in this country, and what good times they had, and then she took a long stick and pointed on the map to a country she called India, that she said was away beyond the ocean, where nobody was glad when a little girl was born, but instead of loving her, and taking care of her, she might be thrown out in the forest, or into the river, or left to starve and die. "My," thought Joe, "spos'n that was Polly!" She told them how the people tor tured themselves, and went long journeys on their knees to try to please their cruel gods, and how, when a little child ; was sick, they thought a wicked spirit had come to live in it, and carried it away into the forest and left it there. And she told mp'y more pitiful things about children in "China and Africa, and other countries, and everywhere the trouble seemed to be that the people had never learned to know and love and serve the true God, arid so because we. were glad and thankful for ourselves, and sorry for the other people, we should bring our money to help send them the good news. Then the children began to go up to the platform, and put their money in a silver dish. Almost all of them had earned it themselves. Their teachers told how they had done it, and people laughed and sometimes cried to hear it. Then some girls went up and own the aisles with bas kets, and almost everybody put some money in. Joe wanted to help a little, but he couldn't give the money in his pocket that was to pay the rent and it be longed to his mother. He watched the collectors rather sadly, but no one even thought of passing the basket to him, so he did not have to say no. All at once a happy thought came into his busy little brain. "Say," he whispered, pulling the sleeve of a young- man who sat in front of him taking notes of the meeting, "I'll send 'em my red sweater." - The young man looked around, and his eyes were full of fun. "Hand it over," he said, and Joe pulled the sweater over his head, and was starting for the door. "Wait till I come back," said the young man, giving Joe his pad and pencil to hold, and walking right up to the front. "Friends," he said, "there's a little newsboy back yonder who has given this red sweater ; all he had to give. I'll buy it myself unless somebody else wants it." "Bring the boy up," called some one, and presently Joe was standing by his friend, the reporter, and all over the house people were calling out: ' "One dollar! Two dollars! Two fifty!" and so it went on until a man in the gallery bid "ten dollars," and came forward to get the sweater. "Tain't big enough for you," said Joe, looking at him disapprovingly. "It's just the size for the boy I bought it for," said the man, slip ping it over Joe's head. "You just keep on wearing it till I call for it." Joe laughed, but then his face grew sober. "Then I don't give anything for them kids " "Oh yes, you do," said the man; "you give what I paid for the sweat er. See, here it goes into the bas ket." Joe didn't really understand, but there was the money in the basket, and there was the sweater still on his plump little body, so he wisely con cluded to go out and sell the rest of his papers. 'Ilia mother understood better when he told her the story, and all he could remember of the talk about India and China and Africa. She hugged Joe and Polly, and there were tears in her eyes as she 'said:'-'.-. "Sure it's a deal we all has to be thankful for, and it's a pity we don't show it more. EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER. Girls Wanted To work on Men's Underwear. Nice clean worfcr. Wages paid while learning as much as $2.00, ?2.60 and $4.00 per week, according to age. Experienced hands make from $4.60 to $0.00 per weeK. Railroad fare advanced. F. W, KOHLER, Supt. Raleigh, N. C. H. J. BROWN COFFIN HOUSE, (Incorporated.) JOHN W. BROWN, Pres; Funeral Director and Embalm er, 206-208 South Salisbury Street and 101 West Hargett Street, Raleigh and Interstate 'Phones... 143 Bell... .......... 336 V CRINKLEY'S OYER 30 DEPARTMENTS Fayettevllle Street, - - - - RALEIGH, N. C. Iron Age Cultivators, $2.20; 14 Tooth Harrow Cultivators, i$2.75; Hoes. 16c to 35c; Shovels, 40 to 60c. , . , Big line of Summer Shoes in White, Black, Tan and Patent Leather All kinds and prices for men, women and children. Headquarters for Hats, Millinery, Dry Good, Furniture. Big lot of Stone Churns and Jugs. JUST IN NEW LOT TRUNKS AND BAGS. FREE CONCERT ON THE ZONOPHONE. CHOICE CUT FLOWERS, Roses, Carnations, and Violets OUR SPECIALTY. Pot Plants of all kinds for house and window decorating. Rose Bushes, Shrubberies, Evergreens, Vines, Bedding Plants and Shade Trees. Vege table Plants of all kinds in season, at J. L. O'QUINN & CO 'S, Leading Florists, : : RALEIGH, N. C. Mention this paper when buying or ordering. FOR COMMENCEMENT DRESSES. WE ARE SHOWING A COMPLETE LINE OF CHINA SILKS Embroidered Mouselines, White Organdies, Persian Lawns, 10c. a yard, worth 1 S c ; Indian Linons, 4 0-inch Lawns from 7 1-2 to 20c. a yard; Embroid eries and Laces. . . ...... . It will pay you to buy your Commencement Dress from WALTER WOOLLCOTT, Agent for Butterick Patterns, Co Jllf Our Subscribers THE GREAT Indianapolis, Indiana. The Loading Agricultural Journal of thm Nation, Edited by an Able Corps of Writers. The American Farmer Is the only Literary Farm Journal published. It Alls a position of its own and has taken the leading place In the homes of rural people In every section of the United States It gives the farmer and his family something to think about aside from the humdrum of routine duties. Within the Next Thirty Days We Offer Two For the Price of One: THE RALEIGH ENTERPRISE and THE AMERICAN Both One Year for $1.00. This unparalleled offer Is made to all new subscribers, and all old ones who renew within thirty days. Sample copies free. Address THE ENTERPRISE, - - Raleigh, N. C. 3C
The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.)
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May 4, 1905, edition 1
5
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