Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-12-29
An Afttting storp.
[From Morris and Wills Home Journal
THE NIGHT FUNERAL OF A SLAVE.

MEssRs. MORRIS AND WILLIS :-Trayellng
recently on business. in the interior Of Geor-
gia, ! reached Just at sunset, the mansion of
the proprietor through whose estate for the
last half hour Of my journey, had pursued
my way. My tired companion pricked his
cars and with low whinny indicated his
pleasure, as ! turned mp the broad avenue
leading to the house. Calling to black bo,
in view, bade him inquire Of his owner if |
could be accommodated with lodgings for the
night
My request brought the proprietor himself
to the door, and from thence to the gate,
when, after a scrutinzing glance at my per-
son and equipments, he inquired my name,
business and destination. | promptly re-
sponded to his questions, and he invited me
to alight and enter the house in the true
spirit Of Southern hospitality
He was apparently thirty years Of age, and
evidently man Of education and refinement.
soon observed an air of gloomy abstraction
about him; he said hut little, and even that
little seemed the result of an effort to obviate
the seeming want Of civility to stranger.-
At supper the mistress OF the mansion ap-
peared and did the honors of the table, in hel
particular department she was exceedingly
| ladylike and beautiful, only as Southern wo'
men are, that is beyond comparison with
| those of any other portion Of this republic
have ever seen She retired Immediately
after supper, and servant handing some
splendid Habannas on small silver tray, We
had just seated ourselves comfortably before
! the enormous fire of oak wood, when a ser
want appeared at the end door near my host
! hat in hand, and uttered in subdued but dis
tinct tones, the TO me startling words -
"Master de coffin hab come"
Every well" was the only reply, and the
servant disappeared.
My host remarked, my gaze of inquisitivc
wonder, aud replied to it
81 have been very sad" said he, to-day. 81
have had u greater misfortune than / have
experienced since my fathers death. / lost
| this morning the truest and most reliable
| friend in the world-one whom / have been
accustomed TO honor and respect since my
earliest recollection he was the playmate
of my fathers youth, and the mentor oimine
faithful servant, an honest man, and a sin
cere 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 faltered a moment, and he con
tlnued after pause, with increased excite
ment-
His loss is melancholy one TO me. III
left my home, said TO him, John, see tha
all things are taken care Of and knew tina
my vile and child. property and all, were u
safe as though they were guarded by an hun
dred soldiers. l Eever spoke harsh wort
to him in all my life. for he never merited it
have a hundred Others, many of them faith
ful and true, but his loss is irreparahle.
come from section OF the Union wher
slavery does not exist and brought with M
all the prejndices which SO generally prevail
in the free States in regard to this "institu
tlon." l had already seen much to softe
these, but the observation of years woul
have failed TO give me so clear an insigh
into the relation between master and seryan
as this simple incident. 1t was not III
naughty planter, the lordly tyrant, talkin
, of his dead slave, as of his dead horse br
the kind-hearted gentleman. lamenting th
loss, and eulogizing the virtues oi his goo
: old friend.
After an interval Of silence my host r
samed-- tE4