The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-07-16
INDIANAPOLIS IND SATURDAY,

University, we came to the elegant
residence of Capt. O. S. B. Wall, who
needs no introduction to Hoosier
audience, if | may be permitted to as
sumo the oratorical style. On ring
ing the bell the Captain met us at
the door,and with ontstretched hands
welcomed us to his home. 1t hap
pened without malice afOrethought
that we reached the Captains house
just about the hour for luncheon, and
with great difficulty CD he succeeded
in persuading us to join himself and
family in the repast. If the we'll
known weakness of yours truly, on
such occasions, prevented ample JUS
tice to the elegant dinner, the phe-
nomenal appetite of my friend Smith
made up for all deficiencies. Captain
and Mrs. Wall have a very happy
home, which is adorned by their
daughters, Misses Sallie and
Belle, two of the handsomest
and most accomplished young
ladies in Washington. 1t is needless
to say that we spent very pleasant
afternoon, sitting and chatting in the
grateful shades about the Captains
residence 1t is we'll known that
Captain Wall has few equals as an
entertainer. Captain Wall. it will be
remembered, was one of the first col.
ored officers commissioned by Mr..
Lincoln. In General Grants first
term, he was appointed a Justice of
the Peace, in this city, and the assass-
ination of President Garfield, recalls
a similar attempt made on the Capt
aims life, some years ago, by adrunken
scamp, because, in the line of his
duty, he had tried to protect a colored
woman from the fellows rascality. He
was sitting in his office when the fell
low approached and without word,
drew a pistol and fired, the ball enter
ing the abdomen. The Captain knock
ed the assassin senseless with an iron
instrument, but did not finish him as
he might and doubtless ought to have
done. Supposing his wound to be NOR.
tai, he calmly awaited the approach
of death, but with the aid of good
physicians and prayer, as he verify
believes, he pulled through, though
he still carries the ball. Taking leave
of the Captain and his agreeable fam
lily, and promising to say "howdy" for
him to his Indiana friends, we di-
rected our steps toward the beautiful
mansion of the Hon. John Mercer
Langston, minister to Hayti, only
short walk distant.
We were cordially received by
Mrs. Langston and her amiable sister,
Mrs. Fiddler, of Chillicothe, Ohio.
Mrs. Langston is lady of high cul-
ture and varied attainments, and
withal very fine conversationalist
She has recently returned from a
visit to her husband in Hayti, and for
an hour she entertained us with in
teresting anecdotes and incidents of
Haytien life and character. Her de-
scriptions of life among these people,
must be heard to be fully appreci-
ated. The Haytiens are brave peo-
pie. They won their freedom with
sword and torch, and are proud of it.
They defied the first Napoleon, and
when he sent legion, the
flower of the French army
to conquer them, with blood hounds
to chase them out of the mountain
passes, they forced the soldiers to eat
their hounds and drove the army
into the sea- From the sainted Tou-
saint to the present time, the Hayti-
ems have maintained their indepen.
dence without a break, against the
combined greed of the Shylocks of
all Europe. And yet slavery left its
ineffable curse upon this people, in
that it made them look upon labor as
degrading, and to this day the mag
nifcent sugar plantations, from which
immense wealth might be coined, are
neglected wastes and ruins because
the common people disdain to do a
work that is such vivid reminder
of slavery. The upper classes, how
ever, are wealthy and cultured. Their
sons and daughters are educated in
Paris, and consequently Partisan
styles and fashions prevail largely
Mrs. Langston has great hopes for
Hayti. She advises ambitious young
men, desirous of marrying cultured
ladies with handsome income, to 90
to Hayti. Mrs. l.. has very kindly
promised at some future time to per-
NIT me to give to the readers of the
Leader a fuller account of her i'm
pres ssions of the Haytiens.
Mr.. Langston is expected home in
a few weeks to spend the summer,
and it is generally understood that
he will be continued as Minister at
Port au Prince, if he so desires.
After examining Mrs. LIS fine collec-
tions Of pictures of distinguished
Haytiens, and returning thanks for
an excellent photograph of the Presi-
dent which she was kind enough to
give me. we bowed ourselves out ofthe
presence OF the distinguished ladies,
securing cordial invitation to re-
peat our visit. BERT.
Terre Haute News. Charlie
Fauver died at Mrs Fauver's Satur-
day at p. m, of sunstroke. He was
buried last Sunday afternoon. Mr. Jethro
Bass and Jethro Fauver, of Sullivan, at
tended the funeral ..... Miss Carrie Steward
returned home from Vincennes last Satur
day evening. . Mrs. jackson left for her
home in Galesburg, ILL.,, last Saturday. .