The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-01-17

ali sorts or handy taihgs Ills business with the
farmers is creGit business, but he has many cash
customers. His wife and young children live at I
Salem, four miles distant. He lives an insulated a
life. He takes bis meals at little log hut near
| by, where free negro keeps seu and body to-
gether, but sleeps in the shop. Summer and I
winter he sleeps here, lying en- tbs bare GROUND
in the summer, and curling up upon the warn
cndeIs Of the forge ia tho winer. There is his
| bed, and an cid blanket. Tonight, when this
days work is done, be will wrap himself in it and
! lie down to sleep. Saturday night he gaes to Sa-
lem to see his wife, aud returns at daylight on
Monday. So he has lived for fourteen years
A singular life, but not voluntary one. No.
He Is SLAVE. His owner lives down there, 10
that large white farmhouse with numerous out
buildings. Looking through, between the logs
of the shop, can see the proprietor OF this bsod,
bones aud brars--aa old man, white haired,
walking with a cane about his stables, lookin. |
out for the comfort of his tour-legged cattle on
this stormy day. For thirty years has this man
before me welded the hammer, made the anvil
ring with his heavy strokes for his master-a
thousand dollars year has been the aggregate.
Thirty thousand dollars earned of course it is
net ct earnings, but SO much business do BY
onc nan--wlo has received nothing ia return.
Thirty thousand dollars worth of uureQultsd la
Dor. His wife is slave, his Chi dren are slaves,
sold South, some ofthsm. lie will behold them
10 more. Oas has taken himself up North into
freedom, ana Que daughter is singing OF freedom
IN the presence Of God
Here is a little Of cur conversation, rabatlm ft
hiieratim, which have been having with this black
smith
" How much business do you do year uncle ~
" Last year | earned between ten and eleven
hundr~d dtilars, bat this year it will be about
thirteen hundred"
"Ol course your master gives you liberal
share OF what you earn"
"Nel cent, sir. gets sothing only what the
gentlemen gives me. have sorAed hard, sir
and master says if | take good care OF the tool,
and shop he wlII give EN- TO me whea he dies; SC
takes good care Of 'sm."
How old is your nlaster|
ole is seventy years DID,"
al should think, when so many negroes are
running away, you would want to get your free
dem, for fear they would sell you doSn South.
81 told my master | would always stay WIFI
him, and SO ne has prom,e to give me the tools
81 sh, uld TANK you would like to be wher
you could live with your vile"
Yes, would, SIT, but they don't think OF
mans feelings here. We amt no mare than thei
stock sir They abuses U.s. Gauss Ihey's get th
power"
80 "Ysu havs money, haven't you uncle p
"Yet, pse got about three hundred dollars
About fifty dollars is Southern confederate MOI
ey. Use mighty Uneasy about that, 'Irad sha
lose it. The rest /. in Virginia bank notes Il
been saving it this long while"
"D mt you find it rather hard times?"
mighty hard, ,ir. Hsls't had no sugar 81
day coffee this long while Oue ofysur soldiers ga
,set me spoonful of sugar yesterday. Ysu'Se get
1 oH nl.t I
the in one regiment that went by Yesterday, tnan
,rm the entire Southern army"
lich "Then you have seen the Southern army?"
can "On yes Gen. Walkers division went do'
lds. week ago to-day, and Longstreet went dosn
and week ago day afore yesterday"
and This was important information all of my pl
raw vios. inquiries of white residents upon the matt
oes had brought oRly unsatisfactory replies.
box "Walker's army, you say, wasn't very
coal clothed ?"
ear. "No, SIR they was miserably clsthed. 1t
rest ON 'em was barefoot. Oae on em offered ma
the dollars for thsse ere hoes lie t on, and I
,wn- led him SO | was good mind to let him h'
The EN-; then thought may be | couldn't get I
roof other pair was afraid he would suffer-"
giles, :" should think, uncle, you would be loneso
here nights"
ID Of "On, Pse got used to it. 1t was kind of 10
low, some at first out don't have body to trou
tnut me-, and 50 gets along first rate
need not continue the narration. While
shsped the shoes and fastened them upon the I
of a horse, with the dexterliy equal to that
any New England blacksmith, tel into reve
There was smith -stouG, hale and hearty, ed
;ug h ndssme tortuue toI hs master ROBBED
lie OF h,s wages, of his wife, his children less cared
NTH than the dumb beasts, seeking the shelter OF
any stables in the storm-a human being with
.hnuf az it-,,nnrial Lite