The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-01-16
From the Home Journal
NIGHT FUNERAL OF A SLAVE.

/
at sunset, the mansion of the proprietor
through whose estate for the last hall
hour of my journey, had pursued my
way. My tired companion pricked his
ears, and with low whinny indicated
his pleasures, as 1 turned up the broad
avenue leading to the house. Calling td
black boy in view, bade him inquire
of his owner if I could be accommodated
with lodging for the night.
/ My request brought the proprietor
bimselfto the door, and from thence to
the gate, when, after scrutinizing
glance at my person and equipments, he
inquired my name, business, and desti-
nation. I promptly responded to his
questions, and he invited me to alight
and enter the house in the true spirit of
Southern hospitality.
Hewas apparently thirty years ofage,
and evidently man ofedueation and re-
fnement. I soon observed an air of
gloomy abstraction about him he said
but little, and even that little seemed
the result of an effort to obviate the
seeming want of the ciyility to a stran-
ger. At supper, the mistress of the
mansion appeared. and did the honors of
the table, in her particular department.;
she was exceedingly lady-like and beau
tiful, only as Southern women are, that
is beyond comparison with those of any
other portion of this republic have
ever seen. She retired Immediately af
ter supper, and servant handing some
| SPLENDID Habannas on silver tray, we
had just seated ourselves comfortably
before the enormous fire of oak wood,
when servant appeared at the end door
near my host, hat in hand, and, uttered
in subdued but distinct tones, the, to me,
startling words
Master, de coffin hab come"
"Very we'll" was the only reply, and
the servant disappeared.
My host remarked my gaze of in-
quisitive wonder, and replied to it,
81 have been very sad," said he, to
day. 1 have had greater misfortune
than 1 have experienced since my faith
er's death. lost this morning the
truest and most reliable friend had in
the world-one whom have been accus-
toned to honor and respect since my
erriiest recollection; he was the play
mate of my fathers youth, and the NEIL
tor of mine; faithful servant, an
honest man, and sincere Christian.
stood by his bedside to-day, and, with
his hands clasped in mine, 1 heard the
last words he uttered; they were, Mas
ter, meet me in heaven.'"
His voice faltered moment, and he
continued, after pause, with increased
excitement
His loss is melancholy one to me.
If left my home, said to him, John
see that all things are taken care of,
and 1 knew that my wife and child,
property and all, were as safe as though
they were guarded by hundred sol
diers. never spoke harsh word to
him in all my life, for he never merited
it. I have hundred others, many of
them faithful and true, but his loss is
irrepairable
/" L came from portion of the Union
where slavery does not exist, and I
brought with me all the prejudices which
so generally prevail in the free States
in regard to this institution I had
already seen much to soften these, but
the observation of years would have fail
ed to give me so clear an insight into
the relation between master and servant
as this simple incident. Itwas not the
naughty planter, the lordly tyrant, talking
of his dead slave, as of his dead horse |
but the kind hearted gentleman, lament
ing the loss, and eulogizing the virtues
Of his old friend.
After an interval. of silence, my host
There are," said he, many of the
Olu iudu ISlatfc6 dlio AElSHuS HHO
would wish to attend his funeral To
afford them an opportunity, several
plantations have been notified that he
will be buried tonight; some, I pre-
sumo, have already arrived and desiring
TO see that all things are properly pre-
pared for his interment, trust you will
excuse my absence for a few moments.n
"Most certainly, sir, but" l added,
if there is no impropriety,I would be
pleased to accompany you.
"There is none," he replied; and 1
him to long row of cabins, sit
lated at distance of some three hun
lred yards from the mansion. The
house was crowded with negroes, who all
arose on our entrance, and many of them
greetings with mine host, in
,ones that convinced me that they felt
hat he was an object of sympathy from
sheml The corpse was deposited in the
,ofin, ,attired in a ashroud Of the finest cot
.on materials, and the coffin itself paint
ID black,
The master stopped at its head and
aging his hand upon the cold brow of
MS faithful bondsman, gazed long and
ntently upon features with which be