Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-04
STORY OF A FLORIDA SLAVE.
By MRS. ?. D. CAGE.

We had been but day and half in
Florida. had sought the Gommandaut Of
the Fort, and asked leave to occupy Sc
eesh house, and to commence school, and
had received permission to do both, selected
our dwelling and hired negresses to help
sweep, dust, scour and clean, and make its
huge proportions fit for civilized life, when
the incident happened that led to the re-
eital of the story which I shall endesyOr to
put upon paper. -r
No one that has not passed through the
reality can understand the labor Of clean
ing up one Of these imposing homes of reb-
eldOm. Often it has been used as quar-
ters for a squad of soldiers" and especially
il inhabited for a few months by the ne
grOss, who never having received a hint
that personal cleanliness is a virtue, leave
it in unspeaksble conditions.
But as I was saying, we had been but
one day and half in Florida We we're
strangers-women asking to teach negroes
to read. OF course the first thing to be
done was to clean up-Yankee women,
even Of the highest philanthropy, could not
forego that; and SO we had worked hard
all day, to the great amusement and dis
gust Of our felow-laborers, who felt that
their rights were invaded. We forgot din
ner, but as the sun sank towards the west,
discovered that somsthing was going
wrong somewhere, and made the announce
ment by the exclamation, " OH lam awful
hungryF What a startling revelation to
three Iorn females in a strange country.
True, Mr.. -, the Missionary, had in
vited US to come to dinner at the "Parson-
age, at the same time asserting, awe have
not much, but to such as We have we make
you welcome" OF course we declined; ii
would be such luxury E sail to
get q meal in ones own hired house. We
began to feel that most anything in the
way Of rations would be a luxury; but
where was anything 10 come from We
haG not forgotten that C-had some
crackers in her box, but they were very
dry" had some tea, but there was nei-
ther teakettle OF teapot On hand. A can Of
butter all the way from New York State.
But there l-"we are ashore again. They
were, every thing Of them, down at the
storehouse, in our fother trunk 1t was
dilemma, and not knowing what else to
do we all took hearty laugh at our stu
pidity. Laughter is great promoter oi
digestion, but does not much satisfy, after a
days work and fasting, unless tits season
ed with a good fitch Of bacon, beefsteak
OF bread and butter After we had laugh.
ed, we looked blank, and said what is to be
done. Just then, rap at the door, gentle
but not 50 imperceptible as the spirits
sometimes make, called our attention
Come in y was answered, after Yankee
fashion when housewives are angry OF
busy. The knob was quietly turned, and
as noiselessly as a ghost would be supposed
to come, there glided into our midst a Wo-
man and young girl. The eldermigh have
been thirty five years Of age, the younger
thirteen. A glance revealed ITEM to us as
mother and daughter The woman greeted
Us with the air Of a princess, and intro
duced herself TO us as Mrs. -
81 knew you we're very busy, ladies, and
had no time to cook, and ventured to call
and offer you some cakes and light rolls for
supper"
"Just what we wanted, exactly" an
sWered Chloe, es she sprang forward and
took the neat willow basket from the hand
OF the Octoroon. Lifting the snowy cloth
with which its contents were covered, we
discovered a half dozen beautiful, white
crisp rolls, as many sweet cakes, and 8
tempting pie.
Without ceremony, the good things for
which we stood much in need were trans
ferred from the basket to q newspaper on
the cupboard shelf. "And what shall we
pay you 2, sounded upon the ears of the
donor, who looked up with a glance Of sur
prise mingled with modification.
'' They are not for pay. I only came to
bring them to you as q gift"
Her tone and manner precluded all fur
ther parley, and, TO atone for our mistake,
we seated ourselves and fell into a pleasant
chat. While we talk, shall l describe the
woman and her child
She was Of medium hight, with form
rather en- bon point her hair black as tho
ravens wing, and glossy as satin, waving
and ripping from her crown TO her ears,
and knotted behind under tastefully ar
ranged turban Of pink and white. Her
eyes were large and lustrous; her features
classic; her lip full and voluptuous; and
her complexion that Of dark Spanish bru-
nette. She had been beautiful at sixteen.
9 very Hebe, and the young daughter that
stood near was the personifeation of her
mother youth. Lottie was 4 rare and rad
liant maiden; her hair shining like bur
nished steel was flung back from her brow
in great, careless curls, as if the wild winds
had tossed it into form and shape. Her
teeth were perfect pearls, and her face was
but pencil Of sunbeams.
We talked 10 them of Florida; asked
them how long they had been on the Island,
&C., and were told they were brought there
only few months before, by our army,
from near ST. Johns
" You are MOTH sympathy with the reb-
els, then?" we asked timidly, not knowing
but We were addressing q descendant Of
old Ferdinand himself.
"Oh, no, Mistress I'VE started at that
word) "we were slaves, belonging TO Mis-
tress -.'I
aOhl no, mother, spoke up Lottie, in
. voice soft and sweet as an seolian, stdo not /
say that. In q manner we might say we
were slaves, ladiesi but 1t was unjustly." 1
chow was that2p we asked "Were YOU
more unjust y so th5n others We think |
all slavery unjust H.rLEs
eyes, know; but it seemed more un- 1
just for US than for some"
We pressed her with questions, and at
last she told US her tale Of sorrow and suf-
isrings filing our hearts so full Of pity for
the oppressed and indignation for the op-
pressor, till we actually forget cur rolls
and pie for on hour after. After that, we
law her privately, and gleaned-the follow
ng:
Reta, the elder, was born at Nassau fifty