The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07

me. 1 amt raise my eyes, sub ; I des look in
de embers. Bime-by, he say, 'Aint alters
treat you well, Ananias? 1 low, 'Xas
SER Den he say, 'Aint L raise you up fun
little baby, Wen you got no daddy?' l low,
'Yasser.' He say, How come you treat me
dis away, Anauias? What make you show
dem Yankees whar my horses en- mules is"
Ananias paused as he picked his way through
the mud, leading his broken down horse,
"What did you tell him ?" said Lawyer Ter
rell, somewhat CURLY.
well, sub, l dunner wat de name er God
come cross me. l was dat full up dat can't
talk. l tried ter tell Marster des zactly how
it wuz, but look like Twas all choke up. White
folks kin talk right straight long, but niggers
is diffunt. Marster stood dar, he did, en- look
at me right hard, en- 1 know by de way he look
dat his feelin's was hurted, en- dis make me
wuss. Eve'y time try ter talk, sub, sumpin'
ne T kotCh mo in de neck, en- TO l kin come
ter myself, sub, Marster wuz done gone. l
got up en- tried ter holler at i'm, but dat ketch
wuz dar in my neck, sub, en- mo- special
wuz 1t dar, sub, Wen | see dat he
wuz ,gwine long wild has head down;
en- dey mighty few felix's, sub, dat
ever is see my marster dat away. He kyar
his head high, sub, eff do say it myself"
"Why didn't you follow after him and tell
him about it?" inquired Lawyer Terrell draw
ing his lap robe closer about his knee.
"Dat DIES zactly wat oughter DONE sub;
but right den en- dar amt know wat ter do.
L know d dat Niger like me amt got no bust
ness foolin' 'roun much, en- dat Wuz all | did
know. I sot down, did, Ell J. make up my
min dat Ell Marster got de idee dat I had his
stock rund off, ] better git out fun dar; en-
den went ter work, sub. en- / pack up Vat
little buds got, ell l put out wild de army, 1
march wild UNI, sub, plum tell dey got ter San
der'ville. en- dar AK um wat dey gwine pay
me fer gwine wild un. WE'LL sub, you mayn't
blieve me, but dem wife mems dey des laugh
at me. All dis time l bin runnin' over in my
min bout Marster en- Miss Nelly, en- we'en I
fin out dat dey WANT no pay fer niggers
gwine wild dc army des up en- say ter myself
dat dat kind er business amt gwine do fer
me-"
''If they had paid you anything" said
Lawyer Terrell. II suppose you would have
gone on with the army"
WHO? Me? Dat wouldn't replied
Ananias, emphatically-" dat wouldn't. I'd
"a got my money, en- I'd "a come back home,
kaze l boun you 1 want a-gwine ter let
marster drap off and die widout KNOWN who
run'd dem stock off. No, sub. L wuz DIES
'bleege ter come back
"Ananias,'' said Lawyer Terrell, ''you are
good man.
"Thanky suh--thanky, marster!" exclaimed
Ananias, taking off his weather.
beaten cap. you er de fus white man dat
ever toP me dat sence 1 bin born'd inter de
worP. Thanky, suh!'
"Gcod-by," said Lawyer Terrell, touching
his horse lightly with the whip.
"Good-by, Marster!' said Ananias, with
junction. Good-by, Marster, en- thankyl' ~
Lawyer Terrell passed out of sight in the di-
same direction, but he made his way over the
road with lighter heart.
II
Il Is TO be presumed that AIiafiias s expiaii:.-
ton was satisfactory to Colonel Ben
ja1nin Flewellen. for he settled down
make his presence felt ON the farm as it never
had been felt before. Himself and his army
worn horse were decided accessons, for the
horse turned out to be an excellent animal.
Ananias made no contract with his former
master, and asked for no wages He simply
took possession of his old quarters, and began
anew the life he had led III slavery times
with this difference: in the old days he had
been compelled to work, but now he was work
ing of his own free will, and to please himself
The result was that he worked much harder
1t may be said here that though Colonel
Benz amin Flewellen was a noted plant
er, he was not much of a farmer,
Before and during the war he had intrusted
his plantation and his planting interests to the
care of an overseer.ss For three hundred dollars
year-whieh was not much of sum in slavery
times-he could be relieved of all the cares
and anxieties incident to the management of
a large plantation. His father before him had
conducted the plantation by Iroxy, and Colo
mel Benjamin Flewelen was not slow to
avail himself of long-estabished
custom that had been justified by ex-
perience Moreover, Colonel Flewellen he'd
a taste for literature. His father had gathc ed
together large collection of books, and G., o
mel FIewellen had added to this until he Was
the owner of one of the largest private libraries
in a state where large private libraries were by
no means rare. He wrote verse ON occasion,
and essays in defense of slavery. There are
yet living men who believed that his "Reply"
to Charles Summers attack on the south was
so crushing in its argument and its in
vectiye-particularly its invective-that
it would go far toward putting an, end
to tue ABOLITION f moyement Col
New York Day-Book, and there is no doubt
that he made the most of the limited space
placed at his disposal.
With his taste and training it is not snrDris-
ing that Colonel Benjamin Flewellen should
leave his plantation interests to the care Of
Mr. Washington Jones, lis oyerseer, and de-
vote himself to the liberal arts. He not only
wrote and published the deservedly famous
"Reply" to Charles Sumner, which was after
ward reprinted in pamphlet form for the hene-
his fugitive verses in volume, which was
published by an enterprising New York
firm "for the author;' and in addition
TO this he became the proprietor and editor of
the Rockville Vade-Mecum, a weekly paper
devoted to literature, science, politics and the
news"
When, therefore, the collapse came. the col
onel found himself practically stranded. He
was not only iand-pOOf, but he had no e&De-
rience IN the management Of lis plantation.
Ananias, when he returned from his iaunt
with the army, was Of some help, but not
much. He knew how the plantation ought TO
be managed but lie stood in awe of the col
onel and he was somewhat backward in Civ
ing his advice. III fact. he had nothing to
say unless his opinion was asked, and this was
not often, for Colonel Flewelien hads come
to entertain the general opinion about Anani-
as, which was, in effect that he was a sneak
ing, hypocritical rascal who was not to be de-
pended on good enough worker, TO be sure,
bat not negro in whom one conld repose con-
fdence.
The truth is, Ananias's appearance was
against him. lie was ugly and mean
looking, and he had habit of slipping
around and keeping out Of the way OF
white people--a habit which, in that day
andiime, gave everybody reason enough to
distrBst him. As q result OF this, Ananias
got the credit of every mean act flat could not
be tr8ced TO any responsible source II
smoke-house was broken omen In the night
AnsEias was tie thief The finger of sus-
picon was pointed az him on every possible Or
castor. He was thought 10 be tie head and
front 81 the Union League, a political organ
izatcn set in motion By tie shifty carpet bag.
gers npr the purpose Of consolidating tie negro
vote against the whites. In this way nreindioe
deepNned against him all the while until he
NuaflV became gCmcfiiu0 Of mn TuLfrnpIffo