The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-10
LITERARY NOTICE.

Cousin FRASx's HOUSEHOLD; or. scenes in tho Old
Dominion. Boston Uphsm, Ford, Co. 1852
Those of our readers who have seen the little
volume favorably noticed some three years ago
in the Era, entitled Jamie Parker, or the Fu-
gitye," will need no other inducement to pc
ruse Cousin Franks Household, by the same
author. 1t is series of letters, descriptive of
life on Virginia plantation, by young lady
from the North, on a visit to her cousin, who
had married rich and fashionable widow, the
owner of large slave estates. The style is
piquant lively and often highly dramatic Its
fault is perhaps in the cxaggeration of some
| portione Of its picture--the likeness, indeed, is
| always undeniable, but the distinguishing pc
culiaritieS of the originals are, We fancy, little
| csricatured. The book, however, in all its
parts, is eminently readable-alternating MS it
does from passages of pathetic earnestness to
those of genuine humor. The hospitality and
frankness of the STAKEHOLDER are well contrast
ed with the meanness and treachery of the
slave-breeder and seller, too often one and the
same person The descriptions of the poor
whites the Pariahs of slavehodng society,
although liable at times to the objection we
have alluded to, are worthy Of note as present
ing, in striking manner, one of the great evils
of Slavery.
We quote passage from Letter No. 7, pre-
plantation had just been sold by Mistress Re
gina to Texas speculator-smong them, the
coachman, Rafe, at whose cabin the prayer
meeting was held
| "OLD JOSEPH"
1t was the evening of the 24th-Christmas
| Eve---and all the week he had been decorating
the church for the coming festival. Rosalie
Ruth, several other young ladies, and myself
had made festOOns of leaves to our hearts con-
tent; and variety of evergreens, tastefully
arranged, made the beautiful little chapel look
charmngly The exercises did not commence
till seven o'clock, and meanwhile ! had time
to run into slave prayer meeting, incog of
course, disguised in o black hood and an old
cloak.
Twilight was deepening with shadows az |
seated myself in a dark corner of Rates. cabin
The coachman at on log that projected from
the fireplace, his face buried in his hands and
now and then groaning as if possessed by some
mortal agony. His wife, Martha, a spruce
lively little woman, sat near him in low chair
holding her beautiful baby, looking at her
stricken husband, and wipng the tears from her
bright, beautiful eyes Only three OF four had
AZ yet assembled there was scarce a whisper
to be heard among the little group all seemed
subdued to silence by a sense of the great sor-
row that swept so darkIy over poor Raie
An old man now came in, cleaning on the
top of his staff" the very beau ideal of patr-
arch, at once humble, dignifed and venerable.
Martha led him to the best seat the cabin af-
forded her homemade rocking-chair saying
{" Sit here, father, by de fire"
perceived that he was blind, and knew at
once that it was Old Joseph, whose praise was
in everybody's mouth He belonged to one of
man. who, now that Joseph had become old
blind and worn-out in his service, did not leave
him to die uncared for, but comfortably fed and
clothed him, ,cithota the least expectation of re-
,eard Indeed a favorte old race horse could
not have been more set by in his masters house.
hold than was Old Joseph. In the village he
was known az the old patriarch
After the blind man had CROPPED his way in
the cabin was soon filled He seemed to know
that RATE was sObbing and moved his chair
beside him, and putting his hand on his head
said
MY boy, don't now, don take on So Mem.
Der dero il no trouble dat de Fader can't cure
If VIC has nothing but flictions in dish sher life
let US see to il dat we lays up streasure in
| heaven"
dat | will!p sobbed the broken-hearted
coachman ; " bat how ken 20 way and neber
see Martha an little Charley,n
There was scarcely dry eye in the room
grief gushed spontaneously from every heart
My own heart ached to bursting, rs if the
wrongs of race were crushing it, There was
an interval of weeping, and at length Old Jo-
seph, summoning his remaining strength, slow
| ly arose, and said
Children de house of my pilgrimage is
de house of bondage, yet do praise de Lord
De Fader doeth all tings we'll He oberrules
all tings for dc best. 1t pears like only few
years full O trouble since was little child,
IN my country, playin' under de palms One
day, very suddn, de stranger come and steal
great comply OF my people DEFY tore me
from my old fader and moder; neber zee dem
more. Dat WAS my first grief; since den, my
life done has been full of grief, an full of mercy
too DE trader did not mean it for good no
more did de bredren of Joseph, dey reads of in
de good book dey didn't mean it. but God
done olerrale it for good. Children, ! done
hear of do worP beyon' the grave done hear
of de blessed Jesus Ise no house, no land ;
lie berry poor Ise nothin' 10 de world dat !
ken call mine but Massa JESUS berry rich He
own everything an He done promise all His
people shall live wild Him ia de- heavenly man
sions 10 little while shall 20 and dwell
wild Him Den my joy'll be like de rber;
s'll share de riches Of heaven, it dc Lord be my
portion at de end of my journey
"Dcrc is some on you like me onct, when
was grieving for dat could not help monrns
wild you your grief 10 my grief; but while
for good! Eberyting look berry dark in dish
| Of Dc great day. Dere all will be made plain
de crooked will be made straight; cherry dark
ting will be made light; dere we will know
why we have ~ many stroubles here.
| @chiidren, can't comfort ye no ways ef
don't lead We to the Man of sorrows, that was
'quainted wild grief His heart beat for his
suHrin' little ones, an we can 20 TO Him like
de little child, an tell him all our sorrors re
we done have no kind Saviour 10 60 to, den in
deed what sorror would be like our sorror
But He stands wild outstretched arms, sayin',
. Poor slave, come to me Come TO me, poor
slavel died for poor sinners like you! Come
to me weary and heaby laden, take my yoke
and learn Of me, an ye shall find rest to your
sOulsln
And the blind old man sank on his knees
and poured out bis full soul Of burdened
thoughts into the listening ear Of the compass.
sionate Saviour He seemed TO approach very
near him ; it was ~ if he had Mays place at
his feet; Ms il, in earnest pleading he had
caught hold Of his robe in passing, and detain-
ed him; and His glorious presence, no near to
the humble, oontrite, ieryent petitioner, made
the place Of prayer a hallowed sanctuary II
was good to he there. ] almost felt a. il had
never heard prayer before, a. the childiike,