The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-03-14

; Tor thou hast MOI forgotten llly poor Old
mniheT."
, corSspoRSent Of lLesEioms JopraaL
. THE NIGHT FUNERAL or A SLAVE.
February, 1859.
MEssRs. EpIToRs - Travelling re-
emily, on business. in The interior OI
Georgia. ! reached Just al sunset. the
mansion af The proprietor. through whose
estate for The last half hour Of nv Journey,
! had pursued my way. Nv Tired COM
paninn pTirked his ears. and with low
whlnny indicated bis pleasure. as ! turned
up the broad avenue leading 10 The house.
Calling 10 black boy in view. babe HIM
inquire of his owner il could he accom-.
nlodaled with lodgings for the night.
Ny request brought The proprietor him
self 10 the dour. and from lhenre 10 the
gate, when. after srruiinizing glance al
my person and equipments, be inquired
my name, business. AMI destination. I
promptly responded 10 his question, and
he invited me to alighi and enter the
honse, in the irIe spirit OF Southern hos
pilalily.
lie was apparently thirty years Of age,
and evidently man OF eduralion and re-
finemeni. | soon observed an air Of
gloomy abstraction about him; he said but
liille. and even that liile seemed The result
Of an effort 10 0bsiale the seeming want
Of cisiliiy 10 stranger. Al supper The
mistress Of The mansion appeared, and did
The honors OF the table. in her particular
department.: she was exceedingly lady-like
and beautiful, only as southern mOnien
are, that is beyond comparison with those
Of any other portion Of Ills republic l
have ever seen. She retired Immediately
after supper, and servant handing some
splendid llahannas on a small silver tray,
we had just seated ourselves comfortably
before The enormous fire of oak wood,
when servant appeared al the end door
near my host, hal IN hand. and uttered in
subdued but distinct tones, The, 10 me,
startling words
Master, de coffin hab come"
.Yery WE'LL" was The only reply. and
the servant Unsupported.
My hnsl remarked NV gaze OF inquisi-
tive wonder, and replied 10 it,
II have been sad. sad" said, he To-
day. | have had greater misfortune
than have experienced since my fathers
death. ] lost this morning the irnesl and
most reliable friend had in The world
one whom ! have been accustomed 10 ho-
nor and respect since my earliest rcrOl.
lection; he was The playmate Of my fah-
er's youth, aud The mentor Of mine; faith.
ful servant, an honest man, and sincere
christian. ] stood by his bedside to-day,
and with his hands clasped in mine. ]
heard The last words he uttered; they were.
: Master. meet me in heaven
His voice fallered moment. and he
continued, after pause, with increased ,
exrliemenl--
His loss is melancholy one 10 me.
II left nv home, said To him, John. |
see .lla, all things arc taken care of, aud
knew that my wife and child, properly I
and all, were as safe as though they were |
guarded by an hundred soldiers. never
spoke harsh word TO him in all my life, I
for he never meriled i. have hundred )
others, many Of them faithful and true. but ]
his loss is irreparable." !
come from a section Of the Union
where slavery does moi exist. and |
brought with me all the prejudices which
SO generally prevail in the free States in
regard TO this " institution" had alrea-
1y seen much 10 soften these, but The OBJ
servation Of years would have failed to
give me SO clear an insight, into the rela-
lion between master and servant as this
simple incident. II was not the naughty
planter, the lorily iyrani, talking Of his
lead slave, as oil his dead horse. but The
kind.hearled gentleman, lamcn,ing the
loss, and eulogizing The virtues Of his good
old friend.
After an interval Of silence, my host re.
"There are" said he, many oflhe old !
mans relatives and friends who would =
wish TO attend his funeral. To afford
hem an opportunity, several plantations : :,
have been notified that he will be buried y
tonight; some, ! presume, have already :
arrived and desiring To see that all things ]
are properly prepared Tor his inlermeni. !
trust you will excuse my absence Tor a J
few moments"
Most certainly, sir; but" ] added,
). if there Us no improperly, | would be
pleased TO accompany you"
"There is none." he replied; and |
followed him 10 one Of long row Of ca
bins, situated al The distance Of some three
hundred yards from The mansion. The
house was crowded with negroes. who all
arose on our entrance. and many Of them
exchanged greetings with my host. ia
Zones that convinced me that they felt that
he was an object Of sympathy from Them!
The corpse was deposited in The coffin.
alfred in STROUD Of the finest cotton