Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-06-24
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era.
THANK GOD FOR TODAY
BY MARY IRVING,

might have been worn from MS boyuoou.
aWhy for to-day' particularly, Uncle Ben
n.y. asked
start, Jerk Of the hand to the hat brm
and scrape OF the old boot backward in the
soft clay then u smile and look of embarrasa-
ment broke over his honest black face.
s,Deed, missus, didn't know'd you was nigh,
or ] wouldn't o. spoke 80! Y"
No apology, Benny it was very proper
to thank God but for what"
ss'Deed, missus, Y he solemnly repeated, with
glance into tho sky, and reverential bow,
it's that l'se livin' and well this whole day,
please God
aYou are right, Benny" replied and a
thrill of self reproach smote my own ungra'e-
full heart; for | knew that old negro's history,
and thought how few 50 little favored in the
things Of this world were 30 rich in gratitude
had noticed old Benny ON my first arrival
in tho village, ia a kind Of unique parsonage,
remarkable Tor his readiness to oblige, his good
Judgment, his gratitude for smallest iavors, and
above all, for his freedom from the vice which
few in his condition fail to c0ntract--that Of
taking IN vain the name no so reverently and
appropriately used on the occasion to which !
have alluded He seemed to have but little in
common with others of his race; and there was
an independence, as far removed from imperti-
nence as it was from servility, in his demeanor
towards those who employed him, that inter
ested me, and aroused my curiosity. | soon
learned his history, from one who had known
him for years
Benny was not born q slave He lived, until
hOyhoOd, in free State with free parents
He was artinlly kidnapped, and sold into sa-
very, after he was old enough to realize the
sweets of the freedom he had lost, and tho in
Justice that had been wrought him. For a
time il was hard to bear. But the revere dis.
cipline permitted by Gods providence worked
for good on his spirit, and tempered without
destroying its strong mpulses He became, in
the course Of years. the trusted servant Of his
employer and at last was cheered by the per
miasion to buy hinaself into freedom again, if he
could gain the large amount specified, in the
course Of several years, by small per centage
on what he might earn daily. He had the
liberty Of hiring out, AZ it is termed, wher
ever he could make greatest gains
Thus stimulated, Benny went to work with
enthusiasm. Every nerve and sinew were
strained; he scarcely allowed himself time t,
eat or sleep, or suitable clothes to wear. He
had already carried more than half the sum to
his master, and moved about with heart won
dr0usly lghtened, when q change came over
his bright dream His master became involved
in debt; valuable hands, must be sold, to
prevent the pressure from crushing his entire
property. In disregard of all his promises to
Benny-sacred only in the eye Of God, for the
eye of the law takes cognizance Of no agree
ment between master and slaye--he sold the
, faithful fellow. keeping his hard-won earnings
for his own disposal
1t is but fair to Fay, that this act Of injustice
met with almost universal Reproduction in the
neighborhood But that did not save old Ben
ny; he was sold from a home to which he was
attached by the associations Of years from
his c0mrades--his faHiy--and from his hope
Of Freedom.
Ii he dcspaired, however, it was not long
Few would have tried the struggle again, once
so defeated. But he gradually worked his way
into the favor Of his new mistress, an ignorant
and rather imbecie widow lady, and was at
last intrusted with The entire management Of
her affairs; she eoosulting his judgment on NIL
matters of Importance and he, toiling in her
service with the utmost zeal and Difference
This won its re~a ard 80 far that she gave
him again the hope that had been the goal Of
his life. She promised to make him free, on
condition that he should not leave her while
she lived--I he would bring her the amount Of
his purchase money in addition to his average
daily earnings.
Those who believe that the slave cares little
for tho name Of freeman" should see the in
defatRsble ardor with which this old man la
bors for that promised crumb Of liberty
He has won the respect rs well as favor Of
old and young, in all the country round about
There il no labor too moan or too hard for him;
never word Of grnmbling escapes his lips,
though ssmetimes his trembling limbs tell Of
weakness and pain.
During the progress &c last summers epi.
demic, lost sight II Benny. We were num-
bering over the acquaintance whose faces Voc
ma M FSs4sr md Haxir .ot hor
the cheerful old negro was among them, when
ne, ono day, made his disappearance at our
door, in transport Of delight
"How-d'ye IN ssls! how. 20 ? he exclaimed
glsefnlly, gr@ping the handle that one and an
other hold out The Lord be thanked that !
sees you all spared ~
But where have you been oil the season,
Uncle Beuny?'
why, you see, young missus," said he,
strengthening his crooked shoulders with an
air of importance III tell you how il was: |
was hir'n out on tho Mulberry plantation, f,r
six weeks work. ditchin' and maxim lcvees
I'd been down there nigh q fortnight when
hearn tell Of the fever up yur; and | says to
the oversecr, My n,issus is full Of scare up
yonder, aud nobody to iook after her; must
leave here, and go mp deed | must y You
sec, mssur, know'd how very 'feard she was
OF any sickness that came about SO ] took
and came; and sure enough, my ole missus
was nigh dead with scare ! know'd she tcould
die, II she KEEP TO home 30 ! went about to
get her OIL But there was merry boat, merry
horse, merry carriage TO get, the sickness was
90 bad! At the last gets little fish-boat,
and puts my ole missus in, and takes two
boys 10 help me row. Well, they two took
sick, and laid down in the end Of the boat
and the ole lady scsry TO death in tn other
end and | had TO pole by myself oil the way
down the bayou. Those was hard timos,
young missus, deed they was
II got her down out Of the danger, and then
you zee, couldn't como back, beknsc she bid
mo not 70 quit her, tearing ~ how the fever
might come and cotch her. ! cculdn't stand
il 70 NOS be doing any jobs, and 10 | went out
il tho swamps aud cotchcd tho rheumatic, and
fhn4 laid me No eick time You aca. haint