Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-06

Sopu hOAie. Oh new 1otH, WHO 'lau visit
sd the schools lew months since, and
whose judcious selections were universal
ly commended and his generosity fully ap-
preciated. These children will never Tor
get this occasion.
Among the songs by the school, inter
spersed throughout the eXerclses-and
every child sings in these schooIs-was
the following, which aside from it's intrin>
sic merit and affecting pathos, was par
ticularly interesting from the fact that
just before the rebellion, congregation of
slaves attending public baptism On Sun
day, at Savannah, were arrested, impris-
oned and punished with 80 lashes each for
singing the song OF spiritual Ireedom-now
crime since slavery had become :" di-
vine institution !"
SLAVES SONG.
"My mother how long! Mothers ! how long
mothers how long
viii sinners suffer here?
CHoRUs-It won't be long It won't be long It
won't be long!
That sinners III suffer here
"Well walk de golden streets Wen walk de gold
streets !! We'll walk de golden gtreetsi
Where pleasures never die!
CHoRUs-It won't be long &c.
"My brot her do sing my brother! do sing my
brother! do sing
De praises oh de Lord
CHoRUs-It won't be long &c.
"We'u be free We'll soon be free we'll soon
be free !
De Lord will call US homeI
CHoEUs-My brotherI do sing my brother do
sing my brother! do sing
De praises OF do Lord''
And these verses so expressive and pa
thetic are added to almost indefinitely in
ty In hn ~,
Now where this and the hundred kindred
songs sung by the slaves came from, or
who amidst the darkness of slavery in
dlteth them | cannot of course say, but it
is easy to determine the source of the in
spiratiOn. In patient faith and enduring
hope these "SOngs of Zion have been
sung by generations of these bondmen, as
the only relief for bleeding hearts and
lacerated bodies, and now God comes in
Judgment to requite the nation Tor the
wrongs inflicted upon His oppressed and
suffering poor.
EMANCIPATFD SLAVE WOMEN PURCHASING
FLAG.
Another interesting and significant
event connected with the people here oc-
Cured on Monday. The women called a
meeting at the church to consider the pro-
pTiety of presenting Col. Littlefeld's regi-
ment now enlissing here a stand of colors.
Like the great dinner and celebration on
the 4th, all was arranged by the coIored
women and $50 was contributed on the
spot, by these poor fugitives, from the
hard earnings of their brief freedom-con-
| trlbuted to Purchase an American flag to
| be borne by their cOlOred brethren-the
| flag which had been to them till now the
emblem OF oppression They cherish no
feelings of maljgnity for ,the wrongs which
have been inflicted, but hail the new era
of freedom with joy, and rally to the
country's standard with pride and salts
faction now that that country is prepared
to respect their humanity and protect their
rights. Among the contributors Was one
slave women who has five sons and hus-
| bund in the army while she remains at
home to care for younger children.
A OENTENARIAN.
Ned Simons, ali old negro belonging to
the Dungenness estate of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene, on Cumberland Island, and who
was left by the rebel inheritor, Nightin-
gale, on his evacuation of the place, died
here last week, at the house of the lady
teachers Of the schools, who have kindly
cared for him since their arrival here
Ned was over 100 years old, ard remem-
bered Gen. Washington well, and was one
OF the number who assisted in carrying
him through the streets of Savannah on
his last visit to that place. Old Ned took
lively interest in the affairs OF the ma
ton, and rejoiced in the prospect of the
| freedom Of his race. He was deeply in,
terested in the cause of education, and,
though partially blind with age, he desir-
! ed himself to learn to read. On being
asked why he wished to learn when he
could not expect to live much longer, he
replied" as the tree falls, SO it will lay
his Attachments On earth would contri.
butte to higher attachments on Highland
the ladies yielded to his request, and dur.
ing the last months of his life he, with
much labor and effort, acquired knowl-
edge of his letters and syllables. Poor
old Ned ! After long life of unrequited
toll and slavery, he has "gone where the
good negroes go''-where no slave-drivel
will ever foilow-where he can sing "de
praises OBJ de Lord" in freedom and safety
r.