The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-08
The Negro Funeral.

| moon had risen but the clouds Hhlch &a'hei0-
whan IN. sun went down, covered Its lace, ano
were fast spreadIg their thick black shso""'
over the little collection of negro houses. Veal
Two new made graves were gathered eo'h0 ~.
| hunursd men ana women, as DARK ~ ei'e "'s"'
that was setting around them. AS We ensefeu
the circle, the old preacher poinIed 70 sea'' re1
served for US, and the sable crowd Tell Oack 10"
PAGES. as if, even in the presence OF dea'n' 'hey
did not forget the difference between the'S FACE
and ours.
Scattered here and there among the tIees,
torches of light wood threw wild and htiul
light over The little cluster OF graves, revealing
the long straight boxes Of rough pine that held
the remains OF the two negroes, and lighting up
the score or two of russell mounds where siePl
the dusky kinsmen who had gone before them.
The simple head-boards that marked these
humble graves chroniced no bad biography or
senseless rhyme. and told no false tales of lives
TINT might letter not have been but " Sam,
age %: +" Pompey - Jakes Eliza -
" Aunt Sue " - doe !; and other ike IN
scrptions scratched in rough characters Cd the
unplaned board, were oil there. The rude
tenants had passed away - and lett no sign
| their birth, their aye, their deeds, were all
| alike unknown--onknowny5 but not forgotten !;
for are they not written in the book OF his re-
mem brance and when he counteth up MS Jew
els NAV not some of them be here
The queer, grotesqAe dress, and sad, earnest
looks of the black group; the red, ntiul glare
OF tie blazing pine, an the white faces OF the
tappesi trees, cleaning through the gloom ike
50 mary sheeted ghosts gathered 10 some death
carnival, made up strange, wild stene~the
strangest and widest ha4 ever witnessed.
The covers o. the rude yUfins were n1i yet
nailed down, and when he arrived, the blacks
were, one by one, taking last look al the faces
of the dead Soon JunIus: holding Dis weep
lag wife by the hand. approached TIE smaller
Of the two tOxes, which held all that was lett
of their first born The mother knee!lns by
its side, kissed again and again the cold shruk-
en- lips and sobbcd aS if her he3Dt would break
and the strong srsme of the father shook eon-
vulsivaly as he choked down the great sorrow
which welled up 10 mis- throat, AID. turned away
from his boy forever. As he did se} odd Pcmpey
said
l." Don't grebe, ,5une, hem wha7 de wicked
cease from trublng, whar de weary sm at rest.
9 knows it knows it, Uncle, knows
De Lord am berry goed TO take i'm way but
why did be take dc yeung chile, aHt' Leah de
ole man har?'
- De little sapllng dat grow in de shade May
se while tim young de great tree cst sr9~
in de sun must lib til. he IN rotted dpTn'
These words were the one drop venting 70
1sake the great grief which was swelling III the
negSos heart overflow. Giving one load, wild
cry. he folded his wife in his arms, and burss
into paroxysm Of tears.
>. Come now, my chill rem said me old
preacher, kneeing down. let US pray.
Ehs whole assemblags then knelt az the
l., Nld lpai
and more sincere, heart touching prayer never
went up from human lips to that God who
hath made of one blood A.. nations tina: dwell
Oh the face OF the earth Though clothed Ia
rags. and in feeble age, a., the mercy OF Z. crue!
task master, that old slave WAS richer far than
has master. His simple faith. which saw through
the darkness around him iaso the clear and ~.
diant lght Of the unseen Day was Of far more
worth than all the weal-a and glory Of this
world. know not why it was, but as looked
at hlus IN the dim rec highs, which fell en- his
bent form, anu cast strange halo around he
upturDed lace, thought OF Stephen, 4s he
gazed upward aud beheiG heaven open, and
- the SOD OF Man seated al the right hand OF
The throne Of God.
Rising from his knees, the old prt.she-
.arned slowly 70 the black MASS that encigcled
him, and said
My dear brederln and listers, de Lord say
lat DE d3st shall return L. ds earth, as It var.
end &c spirit TO Hum who gabe it, and now,
coTdln ID dat text, my r,ends, We m gwlae 70
pat dis d&st (polntins to tie two cofins) 10 de
groun wh4r II cum from, and whar it shll Law
ult de Dressed Lord blow ct great trumne: on
De Resurrection mornin' De spirits Of our
oDudders DAT he Lord hab already took &c his
self, Our brudders, | say, my emil ran, case
eoerY one dat de Lord had made sm orldders
TO you and me, whedder dsy m bad or good,
whlte or brack.
Dis young chile who nab gone way and leh
his pore iader and mudder sutfrln a.. oaer wild
grief, ne nab gone to de lord, shore. lie neb-
Der Done DO wrong; he alters bay d rs, III ASA,
and neoer said no bard y ord nor found 10 fault.
not eoen wen de cruel, Rad oberseer put de load
80 heaby on him dat it Kill him. Yes. lay bred
erin and sisters, he hao gone to de Lord gone
whar dey don't work IA de swamps :; war de
little emil rem don't de biz shin 5les fru de
water UP to OAR knees No swalnps am dar
no shingles am dar dey don't heed '.m case
OAR de mouse halnt builded wild hand, Tor
dey m al eui!ded by Ne Lord, and slb'n all to
de good nlggers ready made, and for nuhn' -
lie Lord don t say like as ded masSa say. 'pomp,
dar's De logs ana de shingles (dey m alters
pore shingles DO kline dat woant sell but
massa say dem good huff Tor nlsgers et de
root do ieak.) De Lord doan't say: Now
Pomp, you 20 to work and build your swn
house, but mine cat YOU does YOUR task all d.
time, Jess de same But de Llrt-de Dressed
Lord--he say, W en- we goes up car, OAR Pomp,
Gar De mouse dat sc been oui!din' Tor you
T