The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-06-09
"UNCLE TOM:o

4 SPO1AAACAc VI HID IhICs 6uluuY DlaCk SKID
keen, restless eyes, intelligent face
framed by full silver gray beard, heaG
bald only little way back of the fore
head, and covered for the most part with
wealth of snowy wool. Some years
ago Uncle ST paid visit to Detroit
stopping at Mrs. Clay's little cottage,
loo Wilkins street, where the indefati.
gable interviewer fereted him out. and
got from his own lips the story of his
life.
''In the slave days." he said, '.the ne
groes had a horror of being sold by the
Sheriff. Well, Massa Riley had a big
lawsuit at Annapolis, and one night he
came to my cabin-we lived some miles
below Montgomery Court house-and
said: Its gone agin me; am ruined,
and You will have to be sold by the
Sheriff, and then he told me that he
wanted me to run away clear to Ken
lucky. So took my wife and children.
and eighteen good slaves, and went to
Kentucky to Mr.. Amos Riley, brother of
my master"
This plantation of Amos Riley and
that of Mr.. st. Clair were separated by
Blackford's creek, small stream in Da-
vies county, Kentucky. Riley's plau-
tation was small one, and the fresh i'm
portation of slaves was more than he
needed. They were consequently hired
out to neighboring planters. 1t was his
good luck to work for Mr.. st. Clair
most of the time, and he told the report
er he was just such man, and died Just
the death Mrs. Stoves book represents.
And there was really an Eva st.
Clair!' asked the interviewer.
"Oh, yes, but her name wasn't Eva; it
was Susan; Susan St Ciair, and she used
to read for me; then I would sing for
her. Size was an innocent, affectionate
God fearing child" said the old man,
feelingly.
'.And did she fall in the water and did
you save her from drowning?"
Eyes, myself and another slave were
rowing her across Blackford's creek. in
small canoe, to her father, who stood
on the other shore. The canoe rocked.
she became nervous and fell into the wa
ter. I jumped after her, and I can't
swim either, but the Lord helped me,
just as He always has"
The hideous Semon Legree of the
novel was Bryce Lytton, overseer for
Isaac Rileys plantation in Maryland. He
it was who pounded ST SO that he could
not to the day of his death raise his
hands to the top of his head to wash his
face or dress himself. He could use his
hands and arms on any object that was
in front of him, could shave his master.
and do great deal of hard work. but he
could never feel OBJ de wool dat grew on
de. top OBJ his head"
Aunt Chloe, the faithful wife of Uncle
Tom, was Charlotte, the patient wife of
faithful ST, but instead of crying. as
she does in the play, because Tom would
not run away, she wept when he an
nounced his intention to do SO.
George Shelby, Uncle Toms great
friend, was IN reality Amos Riley, Jr.,
and he it was that took ST to New Or
leans to sell him. and while there was
stricken down with yellow fever, taken
back to Kentucky and nursed back to
life by Mr.. Henson, who shortly made
up his mind that the Lord helps them
who helps themselves, took his wife and
four children and made his successful
break for the freedom for which he had
really paid thousand times by his
faithfulness to different masters.
I'VE picked up few provisions" said
Mr.. Henson, ,"and put the two little pick
aninnies in bag and slung them over
my shoulder; my wife, she led the other
little ones. A fellow rowed US across
the river, and we trudged through the
swamps and on to liberty, and last week
left the two little darkies that I toted
away in the bag, now men grown work
ing the farm at Dresden" and the old
man laughed until his side ached as he
said: my farm, do you understand My
farmp'
Mr.. Henson never was on a race
track, and never visited theater or cir
Gus but once in his life, and that was
when special request of the newspaper
men who interviewed him he occupied
box at Whitneys's opera house and for
the first time in his life saw "Uncle
Toms Cabin" played by the Gotthold &
Rial. He was also introduced to the
audience from the stage. It is said that
Mr.. Henderson has forty-four grand
children and about dozen great-grand-
children. Chicago Herald.