The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-17
OF SUCH U.s. THE KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN.

The virtues Of fidelity and gratitude al
the brightest adornments of human charac
ter In the highest walks of life. But whel
these virtues are manifested by an humbl
freedman toward the family of his old maste
IN the manner we are permitted to chronicle
the act is worthy to be emblazoned upon
tablet Of brass.
Jim Wilson, drayman in the employment
of Mr.. j. G. Morris. on Tchoupitoulas street
was before the war a slave belonging to Geo
Il. Lewis, of Franklin, st. Mary's parish
His master died in 1861, leaving but one
child, little boy of tender age. Mr.. Lewis
was kind and indulgent master and Jim was
faith I'll slave. A real friendship existed be-
tween the two. Jim watched by the death
| bed OF his master like guardian angel and
the only solace he could offer him before clos
ing his eyes in death, was to assure him that
he would in all time to come look after his
infant son and minister to his welfare through
life
The master was laid in the ground. This
slave soon after became free, and by the ycis
STUDIES OF the war was separated from his old
home, and, like thousands Of others of his
race, drifted to this city, where, .by industry,
sobriety and frugality he has at length accu-
mulated competency. In the meantime he
had lost sight of the lad toward whom he had
pledged his fidelity to his old master on his
death bed.
Yesterday they met by accident after a
separation of fourteen years, the lad verging
upon manhood. 1t may be imagined that
the meeting was mutually joyous. Jim's
memory of his old master came back to him
as the memory of an indulgent benefactor,
and he saw before him his young master Just
entering upon the struggle of life under
adverse circumstances that make success
doubtful. With a considerate generosity, and
as an earnest Of his love for his old master
and as partial tulflment of his pledge OF
fidelity to the fatherless boy, Jim Wilson |
presented the yo'ny man one hundred dollars in
cash, farther offering to give him start in
business whenever he was willing to accept |
the boon.
Tell US, ye mock philanthropists who fancy
hat the former relations between master and
slave were not those Of love and friendship,
ell us, upon what theory do you explain this
Instance of sympathy and fraternity manifest
ID by former slave toward the son Of his
ate master? Tell US, We venerable hypo-
rites, how do you reconcile this display of
generous friendship on the part Of tar.freed-
nan toward his young master whose child
rood he had watched with fathe1ly or frater-
al care with your ideas of the enmity that
ught to have existed between master and {
lave? I
Jim wilson, the noble freedman, can teach .
on a lesson of humanity that is not embraced
. your Pharisaical philosophy. He can s
each You that real friendship which links c
cart to heart, without reference to the ac- 9
dental or conventional relations Of life. ;.
[e can teach you tina. the kind master was 1
atriarch among his slaves and that their A
atural love survives the animosities stirred
p by fanatics and knaves, descending from O
to generation. as bond of fellow 0
zip. God bless you, jim, for your fidelity II
the son Of your old master. !: