St. Mary's beacon., 1859-05-26
Old Violet.

The following episodical anecdote Of an
old slave behnging to the Rev. Moses Par
sons, the father of Chief Justice Parsons. is
taken from he biography of the latter re-
Gently publish ed by son of the latter 1t il
curious as Illustrating state of society very
different from that which exists at the pre-
sent day in he same locality:
She was, u all appearance, of pure African
descent. think never knew any person
whose face vas of darker hue. She came
into my grndfather's possession while she
was very yang, and when he was visiting
at Gloucester, after his marriage. Wien it
was generally believed that slavery was un-
lawful in Massachusetts,. he summoned his
slaves into his sitting-room, and there. in
the presence of his children, declared 10 them
that they we're free. The men accepted the
gift, or rather the declaration, for gift it was
not. Not 50 Violet. mo, no, master" said
she, eff you please, this must not be. You
have had tie best Of me, aud you and yours
must have he worst. Where am IN 90 in
sickness or Did age? No, master; your slave
am and aways will be, and l will belong
to your children when you are gone and by
YOU and tifm mean to he cared for"
She wa as good as her word. She lived
in the family till she was nearly ninety.
remembered her only rs a pet, n perfectly
privileged person. She lived with one or
another q my grandfather's children. as her
whims ppmpted; but during her last years
my Unce Williams house was her home
She was respectful. faithful and aiIectonatc
to my fathe. and TO my uneles, always cal
ling them however, by their Christian names:
but to Others she could be, at least in ex-
treme old age, somewhat cross and petu-
lebs.s ~ wan understood, however, that vio-
let wat to hberate her mind upon any topic
or to any person, at her own pleasure, and
with almost entire impCnity, (fur my uncles
were very unwilling TO rebTke her, and no
one else dared lo) and, ON the whole, she
used hei privileges quite tcmperatcly.
She lad what money size chose 10 ask
for, andspent il as she liked; aud Us she was
fond of iresS, few members of the family had
more officler garments. IL vas touching to
see her. as | did more than once, cropping
her wal when her eyesieht had become
dim, Though a large party in my unClc'S
drawing room. to him, as he sat-vnunger
but almost as decrepit as she was-iu his ac-
customd seat by the fresiae. She passed
among the guests, regardless of them. or
gently moving them ont of the way. and laid
her hard On his shoulder with BILLY, how
do you Gnd yourself to-night?' And he
would answer, well, Violet, am pretty
comfortable .to-Eisht, and how is it with you?"
And aftsr few more kind words, her crrand
was doie, and off she went To bed.
She vns extremely shrewd and Observing
and the domestics did Tot ike her; for. pur-
blind as she WAS. no waste ar negligence or
misconduct could escape her vigilance or her
tongue. 1t was not merely that she identi-
fic,i her Interests with thuSe oi the family; but
she belief seti that she was one Of us. She re-
u.enbcr3 nothing Of parents or relations Of
her own blood; she grew up with my grand
fathers children-a child 1ith them-and
somehow she had fallen into an indefinite
sort of lOtion that she was Of our kith aud
kin.