Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-05-06

Old VIOLET The following episodical anecdote
o an old slave belonging to the Re Moses Par
suns, the father of j nd q Parsons, illustrates
the biogral hers felicity us Il story-teller
She was, to all appearance, Of pure Alr-
can descent. think never knew any per-
son whose face was OF IL darGcr hue. She
came into my grlndlathcr's possession while
she was very young, and when he va, visit
ing mt Gloucester, ait his mlrriigh. When
it was generally believed that slavery was
unlawful in Massachusetts, he summoned his
slaves into his sttng-ruom, and there, IN the
presence of his children, declared to them
that they were free. The men accepted the
gift or rather the declaration. for gift it was
not. Not 50 Violet. "Np, no. mastcr.n said
she, "if you please, this must not be- You
have had the best OF M. and You and yours
must have the worst. Where am tn - in
sickness or old age? No, MASTER your slave
am aud always will be, and | will b,lung
to your children, when you are gone; and BY
| you and them | mean to be cared for.' She
was us good as her word. She lived in the
| family until she was nearly ninety. re-
| member her only rs "a pet, II perfectly privi-
| legged person. She lived with one or another
Of my grand'athcr's children. as her whm~
prompted; but during her last years my
| uncle Williams house was her home She
was resnectful. C,ithful. and uff,ctinnate to
nv father. and to nv unclcs a,d aunts, al
ways calling them, however, by their Chris
tan names; but to Others she could BE-, Mt
lea,t in extreme old age. somewhat cross and
petulant. 1t WAS understood, however, that
Violet was to liberatc her mind upon any to-
pic. and t. any person, at her own pleasure,
and with almost entire IMMUNITY, TOR my
| l,,1.
and no one else dared toy and. on thewlolp.
she used her rri,il.oes ouitc temurrntrlv
Sho had WIN. innnnv eho cI.,so T., ,.l C,,r
and sncnt it ms shc liked and MS She wls
fond of dress. few members Of tn. family had
more or richer garments. twas touching to
See her. MS did more than once. pr.uino her
way when her eyesight had become dim.
through IL LARGO uirty in NV uncl,'s draw
,nrroom. to him. az he sot-youn.nr. hut
almost as decrepit as she wAs-in his u.cus.
toned seat by the Preside. She rassel among
the guests. regardless If them. or gently NOV
inc them out of her way. and Laid her hand
on his shoulder, with '"Billy, how do YOU
find Yourself TO NIGHT? Are won ,oinr 70
sct Il GOOD slocp?" And he would answer.
"Wel1, Violet, / am prcttv comfortable to.
night and how is it with you?1 Anln(teI
a few more kind words, her GRAND was done
| and on she went t. bed.
She was extremely sLreyd and ol,sorvinr
and the domost;ns did mt lilo Lor f,r rnr
-. Hind ne sbo ,yns no waste n.y. ,o,li .ornc -,
n,i.o,,,J,o, all a.,ro l,,. ,.;,.;i,-l,- ~ o
y,n.,nc T. ,,.'s w., ,,or,I,. -'.sTo ii,nt;.
God Lor ;,+aros,s ,,i.L .i,:a e. 49, c.,.,;I,.
hut sbo b,li,rod ,r.,t sto ,,.,s ar,s ii,
ro,nom,hanaI ,.t v'' 9t'O W., o'' ~ .a
IS hnr n,,.,, ' ,Saa77 VI ,ne,', .;,I 49,,
,r,ndc, thnr.s on; T5 s'o at;il .h W." .,,,
c and somehow she had rIlnn into nm inlcG
p Mic SORT If notinn that sho was If our lii
md bin
As she rrcw infrm she hod tr,5nont an,
vrrc rbeTma,is,n ~ ,ybat u,'. d,Ilnd so