Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-01-29
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN: THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1857.

to remain a week, and determined tt
have everything fixed before l left
! When / got to the gate Uncle Bel
, did not come as usual to take my
: horse, SO led him 20 the stable
myself | went up to the house. and
i | saw at a glance that there was
: something wrong. The Major was
, very cold and stiff, and the old lady
= was actually insulting in her insin.
uations. Lucy was sent out of the
way to neighbor's. | did not stay
long, you may depend. Putting on
all my dignity, ] wished them good
, day, and went to the stable for my
horse. There | found Uncle Ben
almost in tears. 'Well, Uncle Ben,
what is the matter here?' / asked.
! Mass Nash, dare is war in de plan
tation, bout you
what about me?'
old Missus says you plays dat
banjo too good for her use. She
say you'se some Snowman drapped
down in dis part de country, shore.
Massa took your side, but old Missus
carried de day. NIassa's been rarin
and tarin round de place, whippin de
niggers for muffin, he's so mad. Miss
Lucy mos wild, she is, and says she
will die by you. Dar's war in de
plantation, Mass Nash; mind l tell
yon.'
4 saw how it was. My fondness
for display had ruined all. gave
Uncle Ben a quarter and mounting
my horse rode away
Hero Dick passed his fingers over
the banjo, and the audience could
just detect few chords of Oh! no,
we never mentioned him.
two or three winters after that,
resumed Dick in a more cheerful
mode, 4 was travelling up the river
when gentleman stepped up to me
and asked me if my name was not
Nash. 1t was the old Major! We
took a drink and he gave me all the
news; how things went on at the old
place-how he missed me after left
how the old lady opposed the
match-how Lucy had married a
chap without amy music in himself
how they all regretted having pre-
vented the match with me, and a
hundred other things. Wegot high
over the matter, and the Major
having mellowed into communi-
cative stage, Informed me confden-
tally that Lucy's husband was not
worth his salt.
1t appears the Major had built
him house off by himself, and there
the fellow lived without doing any
work or attending to business in any
way. The Maj. swore be either intend
ed to hire an extra oyerseer to attend
10 his son-in-law's affairs, or feed him
from the old place. 4 found it cheap
est said the Major, 'to feed him; and
ever since / have kept team and
horses constantly engaged, ,haullng the
triling fellow bis meat, vegetables and
groceries. He will not live at the
old house, and having to keep up
two places is very expensive. Now,
Dick, you would have been company
at least, and believe wuold you have
turned out Of some use.'
Yes, Major said /, well you may
say so. | would have lived in your
house perfectly satisfied, and would
never have left while there wasa pound
of meatia the smoke-house.'
'And gentlemen so | would, ex-
claimed Dick with emphatic meaning,
$50 | would.
Did you ever 60 back, Dick2' In
quired one of the passengers.
Yes was the reply, Il was pass
ing the place once with a company
of negro minstrels, when I fell be-
hind the rest of my friends to take
the last look at the old place. I had
my banjo With me. The darkies
were working close to~the fence. |
called out to them where the overSeer
was, and being informed that he was
at the back Of the field, out of hear
ing, gave my old banjo sound,
and commenced. Gentlemen, have |
you ever seen Congo reel 2
MOL ttif
well, see one in oottor field /
that's ali. At first the niggers be-
gan to hoe to the tune of the music.