Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-02-05
Views of the South.

discovered how they were written, and at
what time of the day. Here is one, for in-
stance, queer little thing, with scarcely
word of truth between the covers, prsising
all southern society, and even daring TO land
slavery. Now, though the thing is liter
ary ialsehood from beginning to end.yo and
/. who have been through the mill. can guess
very well when all that honest rhetoric was
written. | will tell yea my guess but YOU
must not let it 20 farther. Ii Is one of those
things the public must not know. Ii was
Just after dinner it Is a postpraniial pro
duction quiet little clerical joke, which
the pub lie does not understand.
Listen q my conjecture in detail. The
future author was met at the station by a
fine. talkative old gentleman, who at once
made him feel, after hard days ride, that
De had 40 last reached haven of rest, where
b.. might consider himself an honored guest.
the racket OF the cars was changed for the
sIft cushions Of a carriage. His tired nerves
was deliciously Initiated by the pleasant gar
rulity of the old gentleman, who mingled
fact, fiction and Wittieism in his converse
ton. The house was reached IL was pleas
antly surrounded by exquisitely fragrant or
ange trees, whose fresh blossoms hlled the
air with perfume and, after quiet cup Of
tea. tine considerable host showed his weary
guest to his chamber. Here, too, were
flowers. How full of good feeling and re-
tnement these southern people are hat
distinguished manners the lofty bearing OF
a prince, and vet the utmost suayity and gen
iality What difference between brick
walls, hot and musty, and this ambrosial
air, laden with the fragrance Of wild roses
and geraniumsl
just then, when the poor guest was half
disrcbed, timid knock was heard. Come
| in The door opened, and a curly headed,
/ pretty little boy entered,-he is one of the
flowers Of rhetoric belonging to the system,
hearing a little waiter, with pitcher OF
/ iced lemonade, with Just enough claret in 1t
to make it nectar 'Nlassa sends dis, sir.
| said the bashful little fellow.
How kind, how considerate How remark
/ able these southern people are for the delici-
| CIV Of their attentions When the boy left
/ the room, a thought entered the guest :
head he went 70 the South not merely Tor
his health. but 70 see the institutions and
here was piece Of II trotting about the
house. and bringing him ice-water. THIS
chance was not 10 be- lost. Opening the
door, he cried-'Come back, my child
want 10 speak % YOU The little fellow,
VINO had never been addressed ia that way
clore, hesitated a moment, wondering 1t he
Wa, the one meant and then entered the
room again My little boy. -aid the guest,
beginning bis experience, and gently pinch
Ing the little slaves fat cheeks, are YOU hap
py2' Yes mas-a.' the child sand. pi course
There was nothing else O. say. Does youI
master treat YOU well and do You hayc good
things 10 eat. and a nee bed tu lle 1n 'lc--
mas-a Then the boy was dismissed. and
the first impression of slavery was received
III had been 40 his elbow. | would have ask
el another question 'Bjy. where IS You.
nther2 p 'Dlu'o, sir, he would hov- answer
ed. Don't know. eh . Haven 'u eyel
seen him, or ever heard your mother tals
about him. No. massl, he would have
rcpli,d. w1ndenugiy. Now. look at his skin
it D. delicate olive. That boy never Joss,
any father Nou see 1 have got my fret
impression of the institution. got no icct
,lemuuaGe, with claret in It but think e1
hold ot very ugly fact instead.
The next day Just before dinner, the sad.
dle-horses were at the dor; and the guest
tremhlcl a little. no doubt, for be l. not ac-
customed To the exercise bat there Is NJ
fear tor the beast Is q blool-hOrse, and a.
gentle az a kitten the rider has nothing {.
do but To keep -till, and the well-tnIned an.
imal lopes along most elegantly. Let "a,
keep up with the old gentleman and the iu
tare author. Here are tine fields they
stretch along two miles on tue road, and are
hall or three-Quarters of a mile deep. Be
hind them are the cypress woods, extendin.
Indefinitely, sometimes SIX miles back 70 IN
lake The adl1le old gentleman Is an i'm
lmense landed proprietor, fit to be a lord. an'
entirely unlike the small farmers of th
North. At length, they reached the fell
where the hands are at fifty, seven
ty-tiye. hundred Of them, the men with
nothing but pantaloous on. their backs shin
ing in the sun but the women a la Bloomer
their skirts tucked above their knees, an'
ON their heads sometimes a piece Of a bon
net, again a straw hat, and still again a Tel
and yellow bandanna.
There, says the host. PECULIARLY, is tn
institution. Now. sir, those boys and girl
were all raised on this estate. took car
OF most Of them when they were curly-head
ed tots. A great many Of them can rea'
and write some have money in the bank
They have their little chapel, where the
praise God every Sabbath. Sir, much a
your northern people say against us, we ye
hold our slaves In dep regard. We are al
one family What | have, they have. The
have plenty Of food, and a good house. The.
are the most iOval set in the world AM
could not, ! verify believe, be hired to leav
the estate. This, sir, Is slavery abolish il
and You throw these, my family, upon tn
cold charities Of the world
Now, that is certainly very pretty thing
10 say. The guest believes every word oft
WHY not? VIII an aiable old gentleman
who sends NJ 10 his chamber iced lemonad
with elaret 10 it, lie The thought is unwor
thy. Our northern fanatics have vilihel
the institution. These people are in far bet
ter condition than the poor whites OF New
England. They are always properly care
for Has not the host said It! All me
only tine wild abolItionists could sit on thi
saddle, and view this truly patrarchal scene
they would at once vote the Democratic tick
ct. These are not exactly the words Jl
guests thoughts would assume, If he chOs
to utter them; but only my Interpretation %
what was gong on in his mind
By the way, the future author did not no
tice the black boy. who all the while wa
standing close by his horse, and who hear
every word Of the above well-delivcred speech
and consequently he lost the queer express
ion of the fellow face whenever the old gen
tleman became pathetic. You've seen thos
bank bills, which, for fear Of being counter
feited. are printed nearly all over with ont
dollar, one dollar, one dollar? Well, tina
bows face was covered all over in the SAM
wav with characters which any one coul,
read and they were not Quite complimenta
nv to the atiable old gentleman so | shal
not mention them here. Nor did the autho
notice the sharp voice Of command witt
which the boy was ordered to the field 50 b'
got his second impression. did notice thos,
two queer little incidents, and got my second
impression and. if | should compare note
with the guest. he would be greatly SURPRISED
at the discrepancy In our opinions. de for
got, too, to 20 to the cabins after dark, unC
talk with the people, just to corroborat'
what the old gentleman said about his Low,
for the hands and 20 didn' get any third i'm
preston at all. did do that thing, and wal
surprised TO find one OF the family Just from
the whipping-house. with his back all Gu
up,-a raw mass Of flesh, made by long
raw-hide lash and there found my thru
impression.