The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People. — John Shaqi
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.Weylland, John Matthias
History
The Man with the Book; or, The Bible Among the People.
Weylland, John Matthias
City missions; London City Mission
As the child entered to have her toilet completed the speaker said, "I
will tell you more about that another time. I really came in to ask you
about this child. She looks ill and overdone with work. I suppose that
she stays until very late at the gaff?" The man with the bones, who had
mounted a naval cocked-hat, replied, "I took her out of the workus,
guv'nor, to make a woman on her; but bless yer, her woice has gone, and
she can't keep up with her clump shoes for twenty minutes; and as we are
a-going werry soon to the seaside, we means to leave her with Mother
Dell, down the Court."
The men were startled as the Missionary inquired sternly, "Do you men
believe that there is a God in heaven?"
Upon several answering "Yes!" he continued: "He is the great Father of
us all, and it is not His will that even this little one should perish.
You know that that woman is vile and drunken, and has juvenile thieves
and depraved people in her house, and yet you would expose this poor
child to a life of crime. This shall not be, as I will take her, in the
name of the Redeemer, and place her in a home."
"Glad to get rid on her," was the heartless reply. But as the Missionary
left, a dissipated-looking man, who had partly completed the blacking
process, sprung from his glass, and following him to the stairs, said
with emotion, "Thank you sir. I am a wicked backslider; but do take care
of poor little Polly." This request was accompanied with a grasp of the
hand which left a mark so black that hard washing was required to erase
the stain; that however did not matter, as it was the grasp of
gratitude.
Next morning a lady and the Missionary entered the niggers' room. The
child, whose complexion had by scrubbing been reduced from black to a
whitey-brown, looked worn and ill; but her eyes brightened as the lady
took hold of her little hand, and said, "If you are good in the new
home, I will always be kind to you." The act of condescension, and the
sweet tone of that educated voice, had its influence with the niggers,
for they murmured their thanks, and gave the child an affectionate
farewell; Dusty's voice being the last heard from the top of the stairs,
exhorting her to "be a good un, and a credit to yer uncle."
That afternoon another kindness was done, though only in the way of good
advice, for a daughter of the Court. Her parents were old inhabitants,
they had lived there for many years, and sustained the respectability of
the costermonger's calling.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account