The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-01-13
sAM,s LEGACY.
A DEATH BED scRNE.

Sam is colored "man and brother"
He came nerth during the late war. He
got as far as Connecticut and hired out 10
a Radical farmer az farm hand. Sam
was free-that is, he was free to work
early and late for very little pay. He
got his board and clothes, such as they
were, and occasionally, on = holiday, he
found himself master of shinp!aster, OF
a small denomination. Once, his em-
ployer, aware that Sam was calculating
to go to Hartford TO attend a colorcd cele-
braiion, opened his heart and rendered
the grinning cOntraband Q twenty-five cent
shihplastcr. Now, Sam had an indistinct
idea that, notwithstanding his masters
protestations of love for his unfortunate
race. there were other colored men work
ing in The same neighborhood with him
self who were infinitely better of than he
was, and one especially, who worked for
@ "copperhead," had small sum laid
away in one of the Hartford saving banks.
So Sam had grown to be suspicious that
his master was not treating him SO gener~
ously as his sell>laudations might seem 10
imply, and when he was proffered the
twenty-five cent bill he plucked up his
courage to say, "Golly, massa, knows
Is a culed pussun, and am not waff
much anyhow but seein' this chile amt
Lad notfin' for about six months, pears to
me you might raise it to a half a dollar"
This stroke Of audacity on Sans part
subjected him to severe lecture, in which
his employer figured as benefactor, and
] {, r, h.,
not realize or appreciate what had been
accomplished for his race. After this
Sam almost thought it his duty to decline
the twenty-five cent piece, but when he
! thought Of the dusky city charmers whom
he might wish TO treat to ice~cream, he
smothered his feelings Of sympathy, pock-
| eted bis money and started for town to
participate in the emancipation celeGra~
/ ton.
Some time after this Sans master was
taken sick, and supposing that his life was
I near an end, sent fer Sam to come TO his
bedside. The negro made his appearance,
and with joyful face drew near, expect
/ ing something vastly TO his benefit would
occur What it would be he had rot the
remotest idea, bat judging from his own
/ feelings he thought that nothing less than
pretty good fiddle would be at all ap-
propriate for a death bed present,
'You know said his employer, ''you
have been a faithful servant to me, Sam!''
eyes, rnassa," (Sam's ebony features
developed into broad grin. He now
hoped for pair of cowhide boots in addi-
tion to the fiddle
You know, Sam, always treated you
kindly"
eyes, massa" (By this time Sans
imagination had expanded into something
like activity, and his desires now embraced
the fiddle, boots, handful Of plug tobac-
CO and bandanna handkerchief, and he
anxiously waited to hear the next word }
| His master then said in solemn voice,
| ''Sam. in consideration of your faithful
services, have directed in my will that
when you die, if you inihe meantime live
in this neighborhood, you shall be buried
by my side
Afer waiting few minutes as if ex-
pecting something else was to be said :,
Sam asked, 'Is dat all, massa %
eyes, Sam, al %
"Then," sail the disgusted African,
''dis niger don'i ike it {! for maybe some
dark night de debbio come look for mas
sa, an make stake an take poor Sam.
No, massa, if nj be the same to you, dis
chile 'fers to be buried by hiSself."