The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-07-27
Can He Do It?

lucky Cavalry, at presentcommanding the
!, First Division, a manly and cultured gen.
, tleman,) breaking off a discussion upor
books, girls, and the state Of the country
generally, "come with me now, and sec
how the problem of the South has beer
solved in ono instance, at least, already"
i when Kentuckian il right there is
power in his example.
I'VE mounted forthwith-ths evenings
frugal meal (spread in the open air amidst
the trees) having been disposed of, and the
herce sun expired, leaving behind the most
enchanting ghost of Southern twilight
and rode about thrse-quarters of mile.
1nhaling the delicious souls of those South
srn leaves and flowers that, like spirits of
the oppressed, venture abroad only after
the abolition Of the SUMS hot slavery, dis
mounting at plain, little one-story frame,
surrounded by paling fence in good re-
pair. At the gate we were met by nova
Die chattel-biped, of the gender masculine.
to which, having first addressed it with re-
spect himself the Colonel in due form pre-
sented me, explaining in terms suited to
chattel intelligence, that was q gentleman
from the North, curious on the great South
srn problem, Can't support himself Ac-
cordingly, with a simple sincerity that was
at least self-respectful as we'll as hospitable
to us, we were ushered at once by the chat
tel aforesaid beneath the roof of the realty
to which it appertained, seating ourselves
upon appropriate pieces Of furniture, in
obedience to invitation and example, when
fopened the case abruptly by announcing
the proposition as follows:-
"'You can't support yourself7'
"The chattel looked up quickly, first at
me, then at the Colonel, evidently puzzled
to know whether was in my right mind
or not. At length, treasured by twinkle |
In the Colonel's eye, the chattel smiled,-I
And for all the world so natural and intel |
hgent was the smile, that was on the |
point OF throwing up the case. !
Taking breath, however, recalling to
my recollection that the renowned state.-
manship, Christianity and chivalry of the
oouth were all involved, thrusting out nv
lips, lifting up my eyebrows, and turning
up the whites of my eyes, calmly removed
nay proposition.
to bs free for!' You know you can't sup
port YOURSELF
"What was my confusion whom the chat
tel, with another smile, accompanied by a
shake of the head so knowing az to be
positively startling, replied with equal
caimness, and an assurance of ONLY more
quiet dignity than mine:
My name is Bryan, so called from my
ast master. I was born in Virginia, where:
my first master having broken up, was
sold to trader and brought to Georgia
Here have changed masters six times.
married here, and each time my look -out
only saved me from being parted from my
They sold me wherever they could first
ret the money. / can't rad. My wife can
i little! I am tailor. Before the war /
paid twenty dollars a month for myself,
md ten dollars for my vito, and have still
to lay mp fifteen dollars a month
beside. lam now sending my oldest boy
% school at two dollars per month. Judge
1 want to be free. have sup
ported not only myself, but my MASTER
Why shouldn't 1 be able to support my
,elf?''
"Glancing around at the neat parlor,
plainly but wen furnished, the happy faces
,f the children, particularly the Oldest,
who came up, volubly eager to illustrate
MS progress in letters, and venturing one
more: glance at the intelligent smile Of the
fathsr hirrselfj row beaming with grstihel
incontinently renouncsd
the cause or the aforementioned renowned
Christianity and chivalry
of the South, reached for my hat and meek
ly inquired of the Colonel if the duties of
his station might not suffer by an absence
further prolonged, whsreupon he, respect
ful of the situation, bore me, q discomfit-
ted CHAMPION off the scenen -