Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1884-07-20
RACE ApMIxTURE.

TWashington Letter.l

Washington letter.
Judge Mackey, an uncle Of the late
Congressman Mackey, of South Caro-
lima, denies the story of the latter's
marriage to an octoroon. He says
The facts are these: Years ago
young Col. Sumter, OF South Carolina,
q scion of the famous revolutionary
family, fell deeply in love with hand
some woman, whose position socially
was below his own. He was anxious
and willing TO make her his wife, but
he knew that his proud old father would
cut him off with shilling the moment
such an alliance was known. Accord.
ingly, for prudential reasons, the bride
consented, for time, to keep the mar,
riage secret. The only child born to
them was girl. The colonel died sud
denly before the secret had been re.
vealed, and was shortly followed to the
grave by his broken hearted wife. The
child, mere infant then. was
confded by the mother TO the
care of faithful old octoroon
nurse, who proved to be the ira.
ditional southern nanny TO her
charge. She lost no time in trying to
carry out the mothers request by prov
ing the property rights of the child
The marriage certificate had, unfortu-
nately, been lost, and nothing remained
but the colonel's letters to his wife
to prove the legal relationship
and the child's legitimate title. The
sumter family were not satisfied with
this, but the grandfather relented far
enough to provide modestly for the
child, taking care, however, to leave her
in charge of the nurse and make no
mention of her in his will. It would
not have mattered much, though, for
the estate was completely wrecked by
the war. iou see, therefore, that the
child passed her infancy and girlhood
among her colored protectors.
Naturally, she was supposed to belong
to them. lie became interested in
her history, undertook the task of her
education, and when that was over, and
her character had developed into charm
ing womanhood, he made her his wife.
There's not drop OF colored blood in
her veins, and it is the refinement of
cruelty to revive that old rumor over
his grave. There is no possible ground
for doubt on the subject when the race
signs can be infallibly detected. The
moment saw her first with her haxen
hair, deep blue eyes, and clear cut
Caucasian features, was satisfied of
the purity of her blood. but there will
at times be the same battling race
tokens in octoroons and even secta-
rooms. One sign, however, never fails.
In the negro, even to the sixteenth ad-
MIXTURE. you find Q purple instead of
white crescent at the base Of the finger
nails. The crescent was white.
Through long generations" con.
tinued the Judge, "this race admixture
becomes rather perplexing at times.
] remember curious circumstance that
happened during one Of my judgeship
campaigns. don't believe much in
elevating negroes to office-Republicsn
though am-and was slluding, by way
Of pleasantly and without thought
Of any personal application, to the po-
litical ambition Of men with purple
nails. Ny antagonist, whose blood I
never dreamed Of calling in question,
took this as personal affront, to my
great surprise. But learned, on con-
sulting with an old gossip, that he was
actually descendant Of the poet Tim
rod, who, although the most gifted
poet our state ever produced, and re-
ceived into the first social relations. was
we'll known to be an octoroon."