New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-28
A SABLE SEXTON.


Pollard. Pollard the Digger Of Diamonds Black.
Pollard the Paister Of Property Bpedal. "send
" for George SelwyD,' said Horace Walpole. when
an interesting thief had been captured upon bis
premises; "send for Mr.. selwyn, with m compli-
ments; and / have a housebreaker for him.
Our compliments to Mr.. Pollard; and we have
beautiful black Sexton for him--a charming dia-
mond digger of graves and scOoper Of sepulcbers.
Can anything hit Mr.. Pollard's fancy harder, ex-
cept becomingly buried slave, than a slave
burier7 Everybody has heard of old John Nc
DOnogh OF New Orleans, mighty man of milions
John McDOnogh in his time owned many men.
With affecting Kindness, John McDonogh kept
his properties at hard work and short ratons while
they lived, and buried them snugy and nicely
in his own private graveyard, when they were
dead With a consideration which even now
makes his memory fragrant he provided post
norton Injuries and deadly decencies. lie went
to the length of appointing and installing a sex
ton-"faithfuI darkey Jack"-so that the highly
favored cOrpses were lowered TO their last resting
places and tucked up with neat coyerlet Of sod
in kind Of ceremonious. not to say pompous,
style. But still greater honors awaited them even
before the resurrection. In time, old John Nc
DonOgh found himself at such pass that he could
not purchase a moment Of life, not with million
of money; Death foreclosed the mortgage that had
run 80 long but could not run forever, and faithful
darkey Jack tucked up rich old John McDoDogh
for his long ultimate snooze. Darkcy Jack put his
venerable lord aud master TO bed with his own
negroes; and then went on providing for other
houseess and homeless bodies " in a correct and
" busness-like manner" He retired "to his lit
" tie, DID, solitary hut, in the swamp near the
graveyard" (" His only companions"--so that
accurate journal, The n. D. Daily Cnseent, In
forms us" his only companions were crucifx
% and bottle of whisky" and he passed
blended life of rum, "reminiscences, and religion.
The Crescent POLITICALLY describes this sable solitary
listening :" to nightly repetition of the twir Of
the frog. beet Of the owl, chirp of the cricket,
% and shrill serenade of the katydld'-a very
ghostly, damp and, barring the whisky bottle,
spiritless STYLE of existence. When scOundrels
robbed Jack of his money, he went for consolation
to the cruciix and the whisky bottle. When grief
for bis departed proprietor threatened to over
whelm him. he found fresh life in the cruclfx and
the whisky bottle. When the frog, the cricket,
and the katydid became too plantlye for comfort,
he resOrted to the crucifx and the whisky bottle.
When the swamp, in conspiracy with the grave
yard, made miasmatic attack upon poor Oh
Jack. with the crucfix in one hand and the whisky
bottle in the other, the dark recuse repealed the
invaders Thus, his flask and his faith aiding,
honest Jack has managed to reach his huntredth
year.
But now the sorrows of the centeHarian have
begun. The other day the heirs, executors, adj
minstrators and assigns of the recent John Nc
Donogh appeared, and proceeded to dig up what
is lett of that testator " for transportation and re-
"interment at Baltimore The Dark Sexton,
aided in his reflections by the crucifix and tho
whisky bottle, conquered his feelings and con-
scented to the abstraction of the beloved bones.
But he yielded upon one condition only. The rule
of the cemetery prohibited the digging up of one
sr GLE individual bone, without the payment to
the sexton, in ready cash, of twenty-five dollars.
I" No cash, no corpse !" said the inhexble Jack,
rendered firm by his great age and the cherished
whisky bottle. But the heirs, executors, ad-
ministrators and assigns did not see the matter
in that light, and insisted upon having the dust
without coming down with the same. Alas they
were toe many and mighty for Faithful Darkey
Jack, and embezzled coffin and contents without
paying picayune. He ran after the remains,
bowling for twenty-five dollars. He pursued them
to New Orleans yelling like FIVE frogs, three owls,
fifty crickets, and five hundred katydids, for
twenty-five dollars. "IIOw he came out in the
prosecution of his claim" says The Noo Orleans
Crescent City gravey, "we have not yet learned"
We are anxious to know. We think the heirs,
executors, administrators and assigns might have
presented to this Ancient John at least two gallons
of whisky and new cruci6x.
We have all read-see Anecdotes of Dogs"
passim-of faithful Trays who could not be tempted
to leave their masters tombs, even by the blandsh
ing offer of quarter of mutton. This poor black
dog, it seems, would have surrendered the dust of
his benefactor for twenty-five dollars. This proves
that the black is little lower than the brute; and
that is the reason we suppose-or can really
think of no other-why The Crescent related the
touching tale.