National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-23
GEORGIA "REMINISCENCES
ONE EoETH ON PLANTATION IN
THE OLD SLAVE DAYS.

AN UNUSUAL RELIGIOUS EXCITEMENr-A
GENUINE HEATHEN RELATES HIS EXPE-
RIENCE-AUNT DINAHS APPEAL-AN OBJ
:sTINATE MULE AND YOUNG WASH TON
RELATES HIS TROUBLES.
The following from the New York Independeht
Is the second article giving one months expe-
Tfence of q Northern man on q plantation some
wears prior 10 the war. The first article appeared
THE REPUBLICAN Of April Is;
Next morning, at breakfast, DR.. NIL said:
sJsmie, is these any unusual religious excitement
among the nSgroesH" "Nothing very special,
father" said be. "Ths pleasure Of seeing me
again makes them . little noisy. have had
them sing good deal for our amusement In
deed father, there are some nne singers among
them. Iwould give kingdom for Joe's voice."
tBy the way" asked the Dr., swhat is the matter
with Joe's headf Has any one abused the boyf"
'NO, father. He thinks he saw g Jsck-o-lAntern
the other night, and, In trying to dodge 1t, ran
against tree" STRANGE" said the Dr., shat Q
negro can never be convinced that they are harm
less" NIL managed to change the converse
ton, and he breathed more freely. he found his
father was ignorant OF his lreTiyal," and, ae the
church was nearly half mile from the family
mansion, he thought he would be able to carry
the whole thing through without interruption.
The following Sunday was q fine day, and the
CuOICu was ni1eO- JOG uANlHSAy ouN Ae4O
the first prayer, then modestly resigned the re-
mainder OF the services to older negroes. But the
meeting at night was full of enthusiasm. Toward
the close OF the services
GIGANTIC NEGRO, ....-
who had entered the church unooserved went
forward and asked for help. But he could not
tell what he wanted. He had been raised on tho
rice-nelds Of South Carolina, sold for debt, and
brought to an adjoining plantation, and was .
FnFN Ia ha
supposed possess OF trleking and casting spells
on any negro he wished. He was the first genuine
heather ever saw. Until he came TO thatregion
he had never seen q church, never heard prayer,
nor Of Supreme Being or future state. But
when he heard the negroes sing and pray and talk
of beautiful place Of rest after DEATH he grasped
vaguely but herceiy at the thought I'll" said he,
Edar is SIGH place dat you sings and talks bout,
an dey VIII let dis poor niger In, wants to go
dar wild yOu. got no sensa- neber know
muffin. des poor Niger" And the tears flowed
rapidly down his face. But no one dared go near
him, for fear that even by touch he might cast
spell. But his appeal for help and his apparent
distress touched the heart of
AUNT DIGAB,
She rose and said: my breddren and sister, 1
tink dis is de tutis' case we obsr had in all our
sperlence. Bat dat don't keep Aunt Dinah back.
De good Lord will hGb to lend q helpln' hand or
we Gebsr can take dis poor Niger frew. It late
now an 1 tink, msbbe we bss' start on him to-
night an pint meetin' 'spressly for him. Don't
be 'fraid o5 his 'chAntments, breddreu. When do
dressed Lord was heah, he neber seed de fuss sim
nah he 'fraii OBJ. He walk straight up TO de poor
cretur DIST hab seben debil, and tuck 'em all outn
her, and dat is de way gwlns to do poor Jake.
He nebe- had chance to be good like we hab.
Now all liz up your hosrt for him, while Aunt
Dlnah git down on her knees wild him. Now
honey" said she, 80 'feIs your SIM"
'What DAT mean, Aunt Dinsh," said he.
"Whr, you poor, ignsnt Niger, It mean dat
you tell de Lard how mean you is, and da: you
sorry bout cherry bad ting You do all your life an
amt gwine to do so no noah"
: "Whar is de Lord?" said he. "I neber secs
him. He neber come Hhar 1 Is. 1 ueber know
muffin bout him."
sob! chile" said she, ''the good Lord is cherry
whar; He knows ebsryting We do, an, he can see
in de night des as good as in de daytime, Now,
honey, des speak to him, an he heah; 'fess your
sin, an you will feel light as de fodder. Como,
chile gin dis mint"
He began: "oh! good Massa God, is one poor,
tfifin' no-'count, S9uf CalIna cuss."
'Hush, honey, hush dat c1ssin'," said Aunt
Dinsh. Why, de Lord won't hesh you tall IL
you cusscs."
"I des a-cussin' myself, Aunt Dinsh. des D.
tellin' de LGrd how mean is, like you tole me"
"Wal, he know all bout you now, and you
mustn't say any cuss words" said she. -
''Oh! Aunt Dinah, II he know all bout dis poor
niger, he 'bleegs 10 burn up in de fab"
4 t'Oh! no. Don't say dat, jake" said she 'If
you try your bes' to be good all de res Of your
life, he fo'git all de pas. Yes chile, if. you gifts
to be good, when you dies you will 60 right up to
dat Dressed place Of res. Dsy won't make no
cotton OAR nor no ccrn; no oberseer dar; an we
can 90 all bout de shinin' city wIdout any pass,
an git 'quaiuted wild do angel and eberybody.
An, honey, I spec de poor dGrkey will be des &c
white any eb 'em up dnr. Aunt Dinah nose
- OAR now. She ole an trImbly; she des vaitin.'
Yes, she spec berry soon to DO dress all ober In
white, an hab q crown on her head, and o 'pooty
palm-leai fan in her han, an ne5er, neber, come
heah any moab"
: The meatOn OF the pass reminded poor Jake
that the one he had in his pocket only gave him
permission to remain till 10 o'clock, and he was
compelled to leave at once Aunt DInah followed
to the door, begging him to como every Sunday
to the meetings, and promised to do all she could
to help him to become good man. The meeting
closed with the doxology and an announcement
from NIL. that he would be happy to see any OF
them at his room, during that week, between the
hours Of and Top. m.
On Monday night two young negroes
WASH AND TON,
came At the appointed hour. Wash was an ex-
citable, happy creature, could sing and dance and
''pat Juber" and play the banjo to perfection,
and could initiate the voice Of any bird, beast or
fowl he chose. He delighted to keep some old
darkey in trouble; and would frequently hoot
like an an owl or sqeal like 'coon and keep her
up halfthe night to protect her chickens. Some
times lie would throw q pig over the garden
fence, and its squealIng would bring out Aunt
Peggy, the gardener, who would wander with
torch round and round the garden, "stoppin' de
hole;'' and, finding none, would mutter and de-
T.ord hnnp uh dat
scrouge frew, for dis darkey can't fine nary hole
If he killed q snake, 1t was always found in the
morning nicely coiled up on some old aunty's door
step: In fact, he was always boiling over with
mischief Of some sort.
But Joe's experience and conversion sobered
him little, and he wanted to begin better life.
"Mass' Jimmy" he said, 81 wants TO be des as
good as AIRY Niger ole massa got. can quiI all
dis mischief easy 'nuff. But If ole rnassa don't
move ole stumble-bOck Out'en de way, is q
gone Niger. 1 done plowed I'VE long yeah wild
DAT MULE, JUDY,
till de crop is lay by; and de truf Is neber can
stay good loag as I hab 8 ting to do wild her. /
b1eeve ole massa, Wild all his llgIon, would
scratch he head and cuss II he pillow wild her des
one houah. I goes to de church cherry Sunday,
1 hears 'em preach and sing and pray an gIts
started on de right road, an feels des as good
any Oh my felloW-serbants; but 'clar to de Lord,
next nornin' de ole debl git In bof OBJ us. She
bin resin obeT Sunday, and feel 'boye herss'f
and, fore God, she make me euss IOre-I gifts to de
end OBJ the first row. She got 50 she won't move
widout IL; she like it. Now, Mass Jimmy, dis
darkey want to know If der 10 eny hell for mule
Dsrort tobe one for Judy al would des lub to
lead her right up 10 de ID ouf OBJ de pit ard shub
hsrin. Ifshe send me dar, she ort to 60 wild me.
Den she make me 50 shame de day ole missus
saunt me to town. Des as rid up to de big hotel,
she gin to lay back her ea'ah, an tWis' hsrsef
bout an put all her fests In place. an try TO
make out she skeered o. white folks; an all dem
town niggers singer an laf, an tink IVES dss
piney-woods darkey, dat neber seed nuf1n' all my
life till den. turn mos blind was 50 mad Wid
'em, and say to one yaller gal dat was lam:
Shut your big mouE Ny ole mAssa ruoaey
huff 10 buy hfty fool Ike you Is, ar Issa
too, II be was black She Isf me deu. IN oh,
Mass Jimmy, neber, nSbsR vii fo'gt dat lay:
and de truths, me en- Judy can't work to5o lie
mo moab"
"WsIl, Wash, !" said MI, 30 which ofthe s~r
wants shall give Judyf Shall give her [,
some one you love or 70 some oas you hate: -
say you want to be good, aAA the Bible says - !