Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-04-27
AMagnifcent Lie.

Some sensatlonist,, who scribbles for the
Atlantic Monthly, gets off the following which
those who were residents here during the ex>
citement ofthe Brown raid, will recognize as
first class lie, gotten up for the delectation
of the fanatics of the North It purports to
be the substance of an interview between
Union officer and an escaped slave, the latter
having become servant of the former during
the war -
"Antony grew rapidly in favor with ALL
Officers, privates and servants were equally
glad to see his pleasant face. No service he
could do Yankee was too great-no labor
too much. His strength was prodigious.-
He could carry barrel of flour, lifting it By
the chimes with his teeth and lie was will
ing to put this great strength to any use that
was required. l talked to him about his for
mer life, and one day, when he was busy
brushing my Clothes said:
Antony, did you ever see John Brown 2"
"Do you mean Mr. Brown dey hanged at
Charlestowr Z"
YES"
"Know him? Yes, sar'-he dropped his
brush and straitened up-"Yer, sar was
one OBJ his lootenants."
''His what 2"
ellis lootenants"
''What do you mean lie had none"
Yes, sar de wife folks said de cullud PEG.
pie didn't care fur him, an didn't want to help
him but de culud folks roun' yer was all
down on his paper. Dey were rolled. an we
met sar. in de woods, Sundays and nights. an
got ready to fight fur him when he called US
an was chose lootenant OBJ de cullud peo-
pie in Shepherdstown."
"How many do you think were on the
rollsw
Can't tell yer, sar, jes how many, but a
drefflc sight mOre'n thousan."
'But if that was true why didn't you come
to the Ferry and help him 2"
Zoos we WIS afraid. De culud people,
been cheated so often By de white folks, dat
when dey struck de blow too soon at the Ferry,
we was afraid We was agoin' ter be cheated"
II DOM understand about striking too SOON"
"Why, ye see, sar, Mr. Brown told us dat
we should get Leah to come home on Saturday
fur Sunday; an ri ht smart lot o folks came
home, more d cverin de summer even more'n
Christmas; fur ye-sce de servant are hired
out rOun' de country. We was all ter be dar
Sunday; an den, when they 'spected we'd be
all gone back to our places, Monday. we'd
wall Ill Ce lllOuntuluS DiCh UD ue ISTEy, llbi
Mr. Brown gabe de word, an den all hurry
dar ter jinc him. We folks didn't know what
ter do when Monday came cos we hurd dc
news dat Mr. Brown an his men had taken
de Ferry an de arsene, an was KILN de
white an cullud folks Course, we couldn't
know de truf, an we got skeerd ter 90 down
dar. les it was only plan ter git us ter show
ourselves in a body an den dar'd be 'scuse
Fnr EilliD' OrS allp' ne. nm IL banD oh tod
so many times afore, we tort we'd better do
muffin, till we see wot Mr. Brown did When
the sojcrs come and took him, we KEEP quiet"
"But how did it happen that the white peo-
pie never knew it ~
"Why, cos no cullud man would tell, AN
Mr.. Brown, he an his men wouldn't tell, IAN
dey used de roll of names for de wads to dc
guns, nr some such ting, so I've heerGd.-
Any ways, no one cbber know'd wot become
Of it."
elf Mr.. Brown had waited another day do
you think many negroes would have joined
him -
"Many! Why, Lieutenant. more'n dere is
in dis army would have been wild him in two
days: an dey had tout fur him till all was
killed. t'dey could hab believed in de white
men bein true"
"Did you ever see Mr.. Brown after that p
''No. sar; we didn't dare to say muffin bout
him to de white folks. We talked bout him to
ourselves, but neber let anybody know it, One
night some of de Shepherdstown boys went
tween night an mornin' to der fields back OBJ
Charlestown, where we could see de Jail whar
lie was, and we sat dar tnkin' an tinkin' till
the night was done gone, an we could hardly
get back to dc plantation fore mornin' but
| tell you, Lieutenant, dar warn't many sich
men as Mr.. Brown he was de Sabour an
Redeemer OBJ de culud people, an mos OBJ
dem belebc he was Jesus Christ cum back
for to sabe u.s."