The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-11-21
A Letter from Kentucky:

In which our CORES pendent SlreS an account Oi
Negro filneral-a Saba day service for the COZ.
orcd pcople-thc effects of intcmperancc-the
holidays and the rowdies-a run upon the
matrimonial bank death "cOmc to the bridal
chamber the third scene in the matrimonial
tlrama-thc weather, politics. &c. &c.
MINERVA, Ky. Norcn 10, 1857.
If any of your numerous readers are in
doubt why this communication is like trag
ical occurrence i'll human life, they will prob
ably ascertain, before they have reached its
close. that it is by reason Of its being. in the
main, very dark affair. "Niggcr" is my
thcmc-habits and customs of "darLics," and
some incidents in their monotonous history.
\ couple of weeks since, veteran female
servant belonging to Gen. Seward, who is the
owner of Il large farm and 80 or 60 slaves.
died, after long and faithful life of scryi-
tudc, at the age of about so years She was.
as it seems. 4 venerable parsonage among the
sable brothers and sisters in slavery and
her demise was the occasion for Il large turn
out and general lamcntation at her burial.
Though not. as matter of taste. Il common
thing for white person t. attend 4 "nigScr
meeting. as was an intimate of the family.
and the occasion was an unusual one. my Gu
riosity led me to waive the popular objection.
and minglc in the crowd collected in honor
Of the "illu>triouS dead"
The hour appointed was II o'clock-,hc
day being Sunday. and before the time ar
rived. the numerous and spacious cabins. as
well as the grounds containing them, were
filed to Overlooking with "dark;cs" Of all
ages. SEXES. compilations. and degrees of rc-
tnemcM. They came on foot, on horseback.
in carts and wagons. ard also in hughes and
harouchcs. in as daShing style. as the NEST
fashionable "Ipertene'"m could desire. so far
as show and tluttcr are concerned. In short,
the entire negro population near and far. to
the distance of ten or twelve miles, were in
attendance. The bon-fon. should observe
en- p0>s"nt, were from the rity Of Ma>>>illc :
and as the ,H't generally are the residents of
cities. it is rot matter OF surprise that these
fashionable bcauX and bellies out>honr .h.ir
less cultivated and da>hing "countrv cou>-
ms The company was. in fact. a strange
cluster of raIjFy"t1 and highly seated pinh>
and RoyaS. with. ii is true. few thorns inter
mingled in thr shape Of "wtuNy ugly
faces. to give variety to the picture. and
set lis h,aufi,s off bv contrast The polite
ness of the really polite negro is as pro,crbi-
al as Martin Farquar Tuppcrs Philosophy :
of which the Ma>>,i!r gents afforded.
many specimen in acting the gay Io-
thario 10 the sable maids vhom they c>cor,
cd. Never were hlandcr word, spoken. more
graceful curves cf motion made. or winter
ivory shown. than in this gathering Of SCR
r"w.ay friends SO .:r as dcmcanor WAS con
ccrncd. it rc>cnhi,d more a holiday ;t>>,n-
blagc than Ike funeral Of a t,llow-h cinr. All
this. however. before the ceremony began.
But, Presto, cil.I"Ec, When the hour for
sorrow came. and the minister tone Of tn, ir
own nun.hcyl called ;,lc >,mnath:lirg friends
around him. as he began his homilv Of words.
lfor ideas he had hut few their coun'e,lancc>
became at once elongated. tears like raindrop>
ovcriio~cd the brin, fount> within. and grief
like conqucrinS goddess ruled the hour The
preacher was arraycd in broaLclotl. (in>,cad
of sack -clo,h) white crayat and >tarchv collar.
with light kid gloves and lircn handkerchief.
as indispensable &" c,'sro< His drift was to
recount the many virtues of the deceased
.mo,hcr in Israeli as he termed her: to de-
scribe the happy condition Of her spirit since
its flight from earth. with brilliant hrtcro-
gcncouS portrayal of the glorics and hcati-
! tudcs Of Kingdom come to such as follow
cd her example. and attained to her degree
of faith and pie,y. His closing pathetic APP
peal to the mourUcrs was a Il rare specimen
tire asscmIlagc white folks cNcrptrd) loud
walls of woe, and floods Of scaldin- tears.
At the conclusion of the sermon, the face of
the corpse WIS exhibited, amid great scnsa-
ton of the particular friends and then the
procession formed and wendell its way to the
Generals family burying ground. a few hun
drcd Yards from his residence -Four lustv
pall-bcarers bore the corpse, and the dra,l
mo'ch was played harmonious by their feet,
as they approached the grave. The usual
circle was formed around the yawning cavi-
ty, the coffin was placed upon its mouth, the
ropes were lowered, and the long-lovcd and
vcncratcd Din"h passed forever from their
view, as binding tears bcdimmcd their Wis
ion, i'll the rlo"d Of darkness that broodcd
o'cr the grave. 1t was truly dark picture,
worthy the taking of Dagucrrc, Or rather of
his I'M proven, Hill, with due regard paid to
coloring. Il turned and lief: the spot una
bic to endure the scene longer; as now |
leave the subject to make some remarks up
on other matters pertaining to this same class
of our population.
Negro meetings are tolerated on SUNDAYS,
at which immense numbers are usually col
lcctcd "to sing. and pray, and praise" The
officiating clergyman is (of coursc) black
man; and the congregation are like him
very dcvout and enthusiastic in their wor-
ship. Their 'hurchcs are large in point of
members, and we'll sustained. In many re-