The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-01-14
MISGELLANY Z.
AN INCIDENT or loLA MIA TI0N
LIFE.


A Northern lady communicates to the New
York Independent the following touching in
cideut, which came under her Observation
during a recent visit ata Southern planta-
ton:
During a5yNsiait here -lshaV6 been greatly
interested in two old negroes who did not
leave as the surrender heiug too iuifm to
take care of themselves. One of them-Unole
Naunee is an African, who was snuggled IN
to Key West when boy, and was afterward
brought to middle Alabama, where be has
since lived lie knows nothing Of the world,
and thinks the adjoining plantations the ut
most boundary Of the8 Western Hemisphere.
He is nearly hundred years Of age, aud was
dwindled to such diminutive proportions that
he has scarcely the appearance of a hsman be-
ing. Bat speak to him and his hat comes Off
ia an instant and one foot is thrown back
ward, casting the sand and dust to the top Of
his head He never married. aud keeps aioof
from negroes aud reviyals aud prayermeet-
ines IN consequences Of this popularity be
is frequently annoyed by the other negroes.
When yexed, he frets and cries all day and
piays all night He lirst takes all his troubles
to his mistress who feeds him fIom her table,
and then he goes to God, just as sorrowing
child does to a loving mother. The WEAKNESS
Of hsboay. tlie lameness of his dog, The loss
Of chicken, the stealing Of his woou every
thing tf'at asfeses hinl the takes to shis Ged
and le'ssss Il his3 II $40 all.the other negroes
have goeet Tie night. asked him.
why h siiid iiet attend prayer-rneeting. He
said
" Uteie Waunse don t want anybody round
when lie pray He want de good Lord all to
hsself.'
Is that the reason why you pray so late in
the night z said J.
g Yes, Missus. God heah old Wauuee heap
better when dem noisy niggah' hloufs is shut
an dey Is Sleep
Ills mistress permits him to raise as many
chickens aud ducks as be pleases, all of which
she buys from him. In this way he has ac-
caunlated d considerable sum Of money
which lie often hides, and forgetting where
he puts it, Is incousiderable till he tiuos it.
But thera is one thing Uncle Wannee las
never forgotten, and that is bis love for the
little maiden he left on the banks Of the Sem
egal, and whom he WAS ipyiug to hide IN the
jungles when Id was captured, while she es-
eaped. All his eccentricities are attributable
TO this episode in his young life His body
is here ut-his spirit is always wandering
with her aeiialelis- 5alny groves and sunny
monntaibs of his native iaud
Mrs. NJ. had given me a brief history Of his
early life but, wishing q learn something
more defnire went Que Sunday afternoon
to bis cabin. lie WAS sitting outside updet
the shade Of sycamore tree. aud was, as
usual, talking TO himself. He seemed sur
prised and yet pleased to see me. He rose
Immediately aud offered me his chair, aud was
Feldcla9tto Sit il my presence till / urged
hifasto-sos So - s.
. Uucle Waunee, said l. !" what nice lit
tie cabin you have, aud how tidy you keep
ths gsif and yeryftliug aroiilid YOU. Are you
nevSs lopesospe bsre BY yourself 8
'sNc' Missus. Sod stay wild me, an dat is
huff
Il know God is better than all the friends
IN the wpYdt falq II put ifsyou had .
kind, Christian Wife, it seems to ms you
would be much happisp.-Why did you never
marry, Uncle Waunee m
He pulled his handkerchief (which he pre-
fers to. bat|aover his eyes, and began to
scratch ip the sapd with his toes, which were
long and hard and Abony, Ike the talons Of
some enormous Bird ] saw4 had touched
tender place in his heart and he writhed un-
der II. After moment, he said
7" Wsaneespeberlove anybody in dis COUP
try He neber love anybody but Ina"
|" Ina ~ said !. " What beautiful name !
And who vas ina, Uncle Waunee - q y
She was pretty gal what / lef 10 my
country an her an me was gyine to marry
one nudder, sometime
But Ithought You were quite too young
to marry when you were stolen by the slav-
ers .
8 Yes, Missus. But we wasn't too young