Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1884 — “Jack,” the Evangelist [ARTICLE]

“Jack,” the Evangelist

Some years ago there lived in Hannibal, Mo., an old lame darkey named Jack, who made frequent excursions to the surrounding country to preach the gospel to the colored population. One Sunday, after having preached an eloquent discourse, he raised one of his big scaly, splay feet and rested it upon a bench in front of him and said: “De ole man hab walked fifteen miles ober stones and grabbel jes’ fo’ de good of yo’ souls, an* he dussen’t spec’ nuffin fur it in dis town, but if you wonld'jis’ lone hftn a pair ob ole shoes de Lod would bress an’ prospah you.” The brethren not having brought any shoes to church took up a collection and handed him the proceeds. After pronouncing the benediction he placed his old “yaller” saddle-bags across his arm and hobbled off toward Hannibal. Having traversed a mile or two of the distance he diverged from the roud among the timber. One cf the brethren a short distance in the rear, noticing the maneuver, followed, and found Jack standing beside a hollow stump, with his hands resting upon his hips and his mouth stretched from ear to ear with laughter, lopking at his feet. “Well, dat’s jis a little de currisist ting I ebbah seed in all my bo’n day’s. I run a groun’ squirril into dat stump, an’ poked my ban’ in aftah him, an’ it lit slap dab right onto dem shoes. An’ de funniest ting is days jis zackly de ole man’s fit. B rudder Johnsing, de fingah ob Providence mus’ hab retted me to dat stump.” —Chicago Herald.