Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-12
-Hdrper's Young People
A Living Character of "UncIe TOm''
Cabin"

Cabin"
Comparatively few people are aware that
we have living in quiet retirement here in
Oberlin, the original of a character in fiction
that is known even where the name Ohio is
never heard. This is Mr.. Lewis Clark, the
George Harris" of Mrs Stoves Uncle
Toms Cabin" Mr.. Clark lives in pleasant
cottage on East College street, about half a
mile from the public square. He is in needy
circumstances, and it was the purpose of the
lecture which he delivered in the college
chapel recently to assist him in the support
of his numerous family. In answer to my
knock Mr.. Clark came to the door himself
l stated my errand and inquired if l was a
nuisance.
"Oh, no, he said cordially, throwing wide
open the door of his little stting-room and
motioning me to a chair; "never have l re-
fused any one such an accommodation as l
could furnish them. The agent of a New
York company has not been gone five min
utes he was trying to engage me to act the
part of George Harris in his troupe. But you
are perfectly welcome. They call me old
Accommodation, and l always want to de-
serve the name"
Mr.. Clark is an unselfsh, kindly, jovial
man of some sixty-six years of age. In per-
sonal appearance he is light octoroon, with
gray hair and beard, and a little below the
medium in height. He is a man with tender
sympathies, and generous almost to a fault
Many a fellow-slave in bondage has blessed
him for his timely assistance. He came to
Oberlin about six years ago, with the pur-
pose of educating his children in the Union
schools, none of them having ever been in
side a schoolhouse prior to that time. His
eldest daughter a young lady of twenty
years, is now teaching with marked success
in Washington, Ind, His eldest son, a youth
of seventeen, recently came out second best
in the cadet examination at Elyria, and has
since received from Annapolis several offers
of sub-positions; these, however, he has de-
clined, since five years of schooling does not
satisfy him. "What is your occupation, Mr..
Clark?' inquired.
pruning sir, chiefly but do any other
work 10 support my family, and even then l
can't pay the rent on my house."
"And yet you are happy?"
eyes sir I'm happy as the day is long :
there isn't happier man in Oberlin. I'm
full of gladness all the time"
"Ah, here they come, )" he added fondly, as
five or six boys came trooping into the room.
A handsomer, more intelligent group of boys
few white fathers possess. He has nine chill
dren in all.
The facts ELECTED in the interview embraced
the essential points of the lecture, and con-
siderable besides
Mr. Clark was born in Madison county,
Ky, about nine miles from Berea College, in
the month of March, 1914 or 1915. He was
then the slave of his grandfather, Samuel
Campbell. His father was Daniel Clark, a
Scotch weaver and a soldier in the Revolu-
ton. His mother was a mulatto slave, Lett
tia Campbell, the daughter of her own mas,
ter. He was himself sold at the death of Le-
gree (Tom Kennedy to Legrees son, also
bearing the name of Tom Kennedy, for
81 ,25O The latter was kind master, very
much like st. Clair, though addicted ocoa-
sionally to drink. Mr.. Clark saw Uncle Tom
whipped near to death by the elder Kennedy.
The original Uncle Tom was a oolored man