The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-16
A SAD HISTORY.
The PftifuI Death of n Man Who Was
Once the Largest Slave-Owner

OAASS viz AShA VI u Haa
In Delaware.
A little funeral attended by only n
half-dozep people and including but one
nourner took place not long ago in the
little town of Seaford, in Delaware.
No newspaper chronicled it; few people
heard of it or cared for it, though a man
noted in %peninsular politics was being
buried, q man at one time the possessor
Of a fortune that was counted by hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars, a man
famous as the largest slave-owner in
Delaware if not in Maryland. Slaves
impoverished him. He died penniless;
his burial was a charity. William Hof-
iington Cannon seemed likely at one
lime to win a national reputation; if
plans that were carefully cherished had
not miscarried he might have been the
governor of his state or a figure in con-
gress. He was born rich; his relatives
we're among the Oldest families of the
Virginia-Maryland Delaware peninsula.
tie dipped into politics early in life, soon
after he had returned from a northern
college, the only college graduate, it is
said, at that time in his county. His
Iather died. leaving him the owner of a
good many acres of valuable land and
thousands of dollars of cash within call.
He had not married: foX-hunting was
chief among his occupations, and he
lad established kennels in the depths of
Sussex that would be the envy of a good
many New York sportsmen at the pres
mt day. Then, of a sudden, the happy
yo-lucky, devil-may-care young man
ell in love.
1t was not n of the Delaware bellies
hat had caught his eye. The last girl
II any in the world who would have
Beer selected as suited to his tastes was
;he one he courted-a meek, mild-eyed
Toung Quakeress of Philadelphia.
There was no question as to the SINGER
ty of his affection; he gave up all his
sports, he left his farm, he established
himself in her city. That was the time
II the rise of the anti-slavery wave that
vas felt all over the land so plainly in
he days before the war. And this de-
5out young Quakeress, with the pretti-
.st eyes and manner, the most fascinat-
ng in all the world, was the daughter
If Il man who was the colleague of Gar
'ison, Phillips, Sam May. and Charles
3urleigh. She received the addresses
If her Delaware admirer for some time
With marks of pleasure. He and her
brother had been classmates at college.
Ills manner vas fas cinating; he had Il
und of entertaining anecdotes; he had
cen something of the world. and, not
mike many another young man, had
views that were his W rs to the
General shortcomings of all former gen
'rations. So she smiled as he discours-
ID in his entertaining, gossipy, dog
matte way, and not a doubt entered the
mind of William Hotlington Cannon
,wer what he considered the settled fact
! hat his home was sure of a comedy mis-
ress.
One night Philadelphia's ardent
laters of the slave-power held q little
nass-meeting in a hall somewhere dowr
lear the old maynard, and ruflins
,roke the meeting up. One of the mcr
IN that platform was the Quaker
ather of young MI. Cannon's heroine
rhere was blood on his face when h,
anne home. He had been shamefully
.bused. Naturally enough the youne
nan from Delaware expressed mucl
ympathy for the victim, along witt
proper Indignation over the outrage
>us spirit that had prompted the mob
3ut overwise in his own conceit, he wa
rot satisfied to rest on this. If he had
perhaps there would have been a diff
erent and a very much brighter scque
n his after life. To expressions o
ympathy and indignation he had t.
i'd some critical observations of hi
ywn on the subject then beginning t
Sc uppermost in all mems minds an,
conversation. Hitherto he had neve
Ouched on slavery or abolition in hi
lit-and-miss chats with his fair inamora
a. Now he published his wisdom wit
much JUNCTION. He essayeI to prove t
ier that he knew it all; that, gifte,
With keen and penetrating insight, Ii
grasp the situation as none of the me.
iguring in public life were able t
grasp it. He showed her the weakness
If her fathers position; the foolishnes
If all anti-slavery agitation, and. wit
l gusto that was to his mind the choit
,st eloauence, he dilated on the beautie
md strength and everlasting blessed
ness of the southern institution. 1t wa
aot long before he discovered his mis
lake. The little girl, who had been a
meekness before, became suddenly an
mated rs he had not dreamed was pos
,iblc unto her placid soul. He live
much in the few minutes that followed
She told him she had loved him: tbs
she had been really to be his wife, bl
his night had been n revelation to hel
She could have neither affection nc
respect for n who could speak {
:cllow-mcn as mere beasts of burden
\ man who could applaud as he az
,lauded the auction block for huma
beings, a MAJ who could make merr
AS he made merry over tearing mothe
md baby apart to sell one to one ma.
er and one to another. William Ho
ington Cannon was daZed: he wei
from the home of the girl he loved witt
out any hope of ever regaining what /
lad lost, for he had pleaded all in val
Tor her to listen to a recantation of Ii
opinions. She would give his pleas Il