JEAN PIERRE'S GOOD FORTUNE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3, 30 January 1908, Page 37

JEAN PIERRE'S GOOD FORTUNE

The day was warm and the sermon long ; yet such was the eloquence of the preacher that tiie large congregation which filled the church of St. Thomas gave no sign of impatience or fatigue. One stout old gentleman, however, was a solitary exception. Seated .in ' a distant corner, the words of the text had, indeed, reached his ear ; but his attention had wandered from the pulpit to the red and blue dots which danced in through the stained windows, thence to the motley crowd whieli surrounded him, and lastly to a small urchin who stood leaning against one of the pillars. This boy was the picture of poverty, from the crown of his rimless hat" to his hobnailed boots'— boots which would have fitted one twice his size. But the crowning feature of his attire was his .coat, which was one mass of patches, each of a different hue ; .and the onlooker fell to" wondering whether anything of the original material yet remained.- The lad himself, seemed totally unconscious of the oddity of his appearance, and stood listening to the sermon with such 'rapt attention that the stout old gentleman felt tacitly rebuked, and finally made an earnest effort to catch the purport, of the preacher's words. The sermon, however, was drawing to its close ; arid a few minutes later the congregation had broken up and was streaming oat of church, the stout old gentleman himself being caught un in the vortex and deposited outside, in the Rue de Bac. As he started, walking briskly toward the Seine, he again caught sight of the strange little figure which had attracted his notice in church: To his surnrispi, he saw the ragged urchin stop before a beggar and drop a rennyinto his hut. The next minute the boy had sned onward, until,- meeting a second begqrar, he again drew a copper from his- pocl'ct This time the gentlem/an was urable to restrain his curiosity;

'Look here, youngster ! What is your name V ' Jean Pierre, monsieur.' - ' , m -^.\. • ' ' Well, oean Pierre, you don't look overburdened With this world's goods, yet here you are throwing away your money right and left.' ' ' ' , The urchin thus -addressed hesitated only si second. The Paris street, boy is not shy, and the old gentleman did not look so very formidable. f You see, Monsieur, this is how.- it is. I want » a new Qoat very baidly, and mother can't afford to buy me one ; and the preacher told us ]ust now that whatwe gave to the poor God would return to us many times over ; so I thought that for my two. pennies God would perhaps give me a coat. They -were my two.pen.nies, Monsieur ; I earned them this morning by carrying a lady's parcel.! The old gentleman had stood an amused and interested listener to this /qjuaiht explanation. As he ,met the boy's artless gaze his face softened. 'You will get your coat, youngster, never "fear; and to lose no . time, we will go and one ihis very minute. Come along !' And this oddly assorted' couple set off down the street, peering eagerly into every shop that seemed likely to contain the coveted article. - Half an hour later a casual -passer-by might have seen a delighted urchin tearing down the" street -with a large brown' paper parcel under- his arm ; while a. stout gentleman, stood' gating after him, with a smile on ftis face and -a warm feeling at- his heart, such", as he had not known for many a long day. Jean Pierre's good fortune did not end here ; for some weeks later, through, the old gentleman's interest, he obtained a situation as erraind boy in a large warehouse. Great was his delight when for the first time he saw himself decked out in his dark blue livery, with his shining brass, buttons. His first thought was for his kind patron ; and emboldened by the splendor of his attire, he marchVd straight up to' the great house and pulled the bell. His de'i<*ht was further' increased" when the old gentleman failed to recognise him at first, then thumped him on the back, vowing he had never seen such a change— never !— and admired- him to his heart's content.- ' Live up to your buttons, my boy ! Keep straight, please your employers, and you will get on in life.The old gentleman's parting admonition beenme a true prophecy; for several years later Jean Pierre rose to be manager of the very same warehouse he had entered as an errand boy. — Aye Maria.