The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-01-01
EMS e.lTills 4 u.n1rE GrnL.
Enchanted by tl1a Strains of a Violin, She
g, Falls.

:, 49, "'"'ou' sccui W w tHC OrQcr OF
the day. Memphis enjoys an cnviable
reputation as the hot-bcd of sensations
OF kind peculiarly her own. The
latest development has caused q con.
siderable local excitement. The hero
Is negro OF that Shade Of darkness
that hc might be 1clt--as black as n
black felt hat, in other words, and the
heroine is OF that scintillating pink
and white complexion so often the
theme OF the poets dream. Yesterday
morning the writer, while in the
CRIMINAL Court room, observed q nc-
gro man OF trial for assault and bat.
terry upon q white man, and learning
she had remarkable story to relate,
succeeded in interviewing her, and was
well repaid for his trouble.
Her name, she said, was Annie RAY,
and her age "a. In person she is tall
and well made, fair-haircd and blue
eyed, and was originally intended for
pretty W oman, but hard usage and
coarse associations had served to mar
the effect. Her language, accent and
manner was that of the typical South
ern darkcy, presenting a contrast with
hcr personal appearance and fair COM
plexion that was startling in itself.
She had lived with the negro fourteen
years, und when asked who her pa
rents were said her mothers name was
Alcathca Ray. aud up to her tenth
year She lived with her parents, near
Aberdeen, Mississippi. When about
that age there came through the coun-
try n strolling negro fiddler. lie stop
ped one night ut her fathers residence,
sleeping in little room back Of tho
house, from which strains Of music
which llc well understood how to pro-
ducc from his instrumcnt-issucd dur
ing nearly tho entire night. She had
never in her few years of life been
outside of her fathers farm, and this
was her first experience in the realm Of
melody.
All night she lay awake, enchanted
and in half ccstutic state. and as soon
as the first rays Of the morning sur
pccpca through her window arose,
and, dressing quickly, made her way
to the musicians cabin and bcppeu
him to play for her. He did so, rrlut-
ing to her meanwhile tho secrets of
the mysterious outside world. How
beautiful and bright everything was
beyond the distant horizon world of
song-birds and sweet music.
She listened cnrapturcd, and his Of
icrs to take her with him and his violin
fell upon Il willing ear. Before the
sun was fairly above tho tree tops they
were on their way. They Travelled
steadily for days and days, taking by
paths and sleeping in deserted out
houses. They finally arrived in Men,
phis, where he established her in a
nut on Alabama street, in the North
crn portion of the city. Here hc built
II stEonS Wall and locked his gate upon
all comcrs. lie established her as his
slave and jcalously guarded her from
the prying eyes Of the outside world.
Before she reached her twelfth wear
she was subjected to his loalhsomc cm-
braces. Her life, her health and her
happiness were all wrecked in one
black moment by the DESTROYER.
Yet she lived on in utter Ignorance
Of the outside world, pining and Ian
for the unknown. Her only
associates were y few negroes, and The
only pace to which she was allowed
10 go was q negro placc of worship.
uhlcttcrcu, unknown and uncarcd for
ny thc busy throng who bur-
rlca pnst her lonely prison. she re-
manned tho slave Of this foul tyrant.
lie ru'mGlo OF Inc oci.i cnginc and the so,;nd
Of the school bell reused in her no
ylcam of Intelligence.
Shc knew absolutely nothing. She
was not even sensible to the horror of
her situation. Some idea of it was
awakened, however, by his own guilty
conscience aud his fears of her cscarc,
which dictated tho most bool-curd-
ling threats of what he would do if
'hc attempted to escape, or if she left
the house without his knowledge and
consent.
ller escape, however, was made at
last. She concluded to set him nt
defiance, and one night when he acct
tentally left tho gate unlocked, llcd
from the house. The first person she
met was negro girl about her own
lgc, TO whom she told her story and
asked protection. The girl, bv name
America Mitchell, recognized her at
once rs the niece of her former mis-
[rcss, and, startled by her story, went
with her to her prison to demand an
explanation. When they reached the
gate il was locked, but her DESTROYER
rushed ont and. clutching her by the
throat, was in tho act of striking Il
dagger to her heart, when the yonne
negro girl clutchcd his arm and saved
her life, nronsing the ncignbors by her
screams before he could do more.
She has since been living with her
pew found friend, but always in dead
ly tcarH HhGE ftc. a few days since
she applied for and rccciv;a warrant
FOR assault and battery against Zacl
Seymour, her scduccr. lie was fount
ut work in the confectionery OF Spcch
~ walter, where he has been employ
Ell for eleven years, and arrested. III,
is now on trial in the courts.
In an interview with him he dcnict
every point other story entirely cxccp
that he had lived with her rs his mistress
lie is about So years Of age, medium
stature, stoop-shoullcrcd, woolly head
Ssloping, forehead, projecting mouth
heavy lips, large yellow teeth, and Il
black us the acc Of spades.
The trial is creating considerable in
tcrcst in and around the city. lie
story. incredible as it sounds, is sus