Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-10-19

The mellow. purpli,h haze Of Indian
summer had dcrpcncd into dusk. and one
by one the star, were comm. out. when
the last sounds OF labor on the old Wither-
ell plantation died awsy, and the slaves in
their humble cabins. found time to re.t
and paraAe OF Their evening meal The
Wltnerell place was situated some seven
teen miles, in direct line, from the Ohio
river. in the ilr-tamcd 'h.ue-gTa>s region.
the most charming portion OF the State Of
Kentucky. AID had been the family hoTe-
stead for more than two generations. Sew
erAl OF the slaves belonging to il who were
now old men and women. had been born
here, and had seen successivcly their chill
dren and their children's children enter
hrrn uPon lives OF scrvitudo and unrequrt.
ed toll. An aumal-liAe attachment to the
place OF the their birth an ignorance of
any better life. and real affection for 'old
massa,' had long kept them in 4 condition
OF measurable happiness; but. now that
young massa' had inherited the place, in
troduced certain new features in its man
agement. and manifested a rrodisalty in
his personal affairs which they feared
would ere long compel him 10 send some
of them 10 the much-dreaded auction block
the black iaces-once so happy-seldom
were seen la smile. and the sounds of their
lamentations. under the lash OF the new
overscer.wcrc ~ frequent a had once been
their songs and laughter in better days
gone by.
In one Of the cabins on the evening upon
which our narration opens were seated al
the rude table before the fireplace Uncle
Ben and Aunt Dinah, two OF the oldest
slaves upon the place. with their grand
daughter Jenny. Their supper of hoe-cahe
pork and molas>es had been completed In
silence. after which the old man, having
carefully filled aud lighted a short cob pipe
full oi tobacco, turned - Aunt Dinah say
ing in a low tone:
Pears to me. Dinah. like ives higher 10
dc Kingdom seuce DAT new o6erseer's come
dan We eber was beio.'
'Twon't be de fault Oh his cruel heart,
honey, ,et 70 long we don't all see de pear
ly gales n be at rest, sighed the old wo-
mau, sadly.
Jenny. too young to be seriously deprss-
sed by any sympathy with griets not par
ticularly her own, and indeed only having
heard the last few words uttered by her
grandmother, was reminded bv them OF a
favorite revival hymn, which she therefore
caroled Justify:
We'll all go froo de pearly gates,
Glory Halle
To where de Lamb an' de angels waits,
Me's gwine home"
stop dat ar fool noise, chile command
ed Aust Dinah. an don't sing dem sort Oh
songs So free-like till you's ole 'nough TO
un'stand dey'r power
GO out to de door. chi.e-stay da'n look
out DAT oberseer don't corne'roun' 'sprisng
men yer gan'mudder while we's talking
directed Uncle Ben. in kindly but firm
wav. which at once procured obedience
from the sometimes wayward Jenny.
He's from de Norf'. Ben pursued the
old woman. reyerting TO the Overseer
One of de rale ole Souv'n stock couldn't
be so hard wild US pore niggers.'
Ben gave a sniff OF disgust, but whether
il was meant to be expressive OF his feel
ings towards the Northern Overseer or the
real old Southern stock did not i'm mediate
ly appear.
You know yourself, Ben. we nebber had
no sech times beio' ole massa died
Oats so; but massa want muffin but a
good man. He want what young massa
an his fren's call "A high-toned gemman.'
He want no gambler; he didn't keep no
fast horses for racin, an he didn't git blin'
drunk on fizziI stuff stead Oh good plain
Ole Bo'bn an call il SPORT sport" Well.
4 kBO" udI cpOtl - W III
mighty fast.
i can't helc thinkin. alter all, ole man,
dat befo' dc judgment da. oberseer from
de Norf-ll be isub' for to blame for all de
mis'ry we has TO suffer
Git dat loose notion out'n yo' head, ole
woman. Who sent dat bad man hyer.
but Young massa? Who keeps him h'yer,
KNOWN what he is. bnt young massa
Which is de wustest. Dinah-de pore ign
ant teller dat was born'd wild a bad heart
an does bad cause he don't know no bet
ter, or de man what does know better. an
bein' 'shaned-lke for to do sech cruel
things hisse'f. hires dat bad man for to do
'em? Dinah. Use made up my mind 'tain't
no use for to stand it any longer, AN l ain
swine to-
De Lor' bress ye honey what can We do
Pore ole nigsers like us can't do ouffin but
submish'nate till de time comes, in de corn
field, or de 'bacca-rows. or de cabin, OF
NAV be in de dreffle rice-swamps ives hearn
tell on-for To lay down our weary hearts
in de last an happiest Sleep
.Dinah. does ye member what ole Mefo
dis Dan used for to read us out'n de Bible
dat Dressed book-dem prescious words
| Cast of de hebby burdens. break ebery
yoke. AN let de pressed go freeT Bres'
| de Lord for dat hope. In dis earf it may
be far of. but my ole eyes can see befo' me
clar an bright. de redemption OBJ de prom
ises. acrosst de Jordan, in de beautiful
land oh de kingdom
.Yes,bress de lord assented the old wo
man ferveptly; but our chil'n's chin ma!
see de day when it's on dis side OBJ de jor
dan'-her quivering aud the tears starting
! to her eyes.