The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-18
MARSE CHAINS SAM.
Death of an Old Darky of Whom Thomas
Nelson Page Writes,

MARSE CHAINS SAM.
p..,r, of an Old Darky of Whom Thomas
Nelson Page Writes,
written for the Tines
The following letter was written by
Thomas Nelson Page, ESD, to friend
who has kindly granted THE ZINES per-
mission to publish it as giving an inter
estine account of the original OF Uncle
Billy in Meh Lady and Of Uncle
Balia in 1.-TWO Little Confederates. ~
Those who are familiar with those
charming stories. aud who is not! WI!
be pleased TO learn these details about
the man who suggested to Mr. rage ine
portrait that he has dawn OF the ialth-
ful negro servant in two OF his most de-
lightful stories.
NV Dear -: Can you not write a
notice of Uncle Bailay He died at home
lup at Oakland) last Saturday night, III
the eighty third year of his age. l
would attempt to write 1t, but DO not
trust myself. You will understand
this. when | tell you that he made my
/ first whip and my first pair of boots.
| can only furnish you few facts. lie
was born at Little York, as York
town was called, and his mother ana
father belonged 80 my great-grahd
mother. General Nelson's widow, who
gave him TO my grandmother, her
Youngest daughter. lie was two years
older than my uncle, Colonel William
Nelson. being, as he used to tell me,
lies YOU Uncle Hugh Thomas age.
| When my grandfather. who had been
General Jack-on's collector OF the
PORT i'm Richmond, was turned out
( by General Taylor and went to 1--we
IT oakland. Uncle Balla became
the carriage-driver, function when
he performed with rare ability ana
dignity. until after Richmond ieli.
He Wa capital cOachman. an admir-
able servant and a devoted friend. MY
earliest recollections, and among my
tenderest. are OF him. lie was the
deity who presided over the stables; be
taueht me how TO ride too early Tor lie
to remember it; and was ever my boon
companion and faithful mentor. III;
room. known as Uncle Balla S house.
was our delightful resort, where W.
,could find among his things
,aU sorts of odds and ends dear
=, Jny hearts or Ov"oery boys
{ TO whom stores were as unknown
as if thew dwelt in Africa. | remem.
!, Der the pride which he took in Bill and
John. - the two black carriage horss'
which had been sold my grandfather, be-
cause they were too wild for their form
( er owner. My grandfather had SAID tha'
Balla could manage them. The horses
had both been dead twenty years be
fore it ever occurred to me that any
other person than Uncle Balla could
have driven them. His appearance
when he sat on the boot of the big car
riage. and held the lines" was noth
ing less than lordly. To sit beside HIN
was our highest ambition, and we would
90 cut and take up our position an houl
before the carriage was ordered to hcid
adverse possession Of the coveted place
lie was with his bushy gray hair ana
diguified mien, a striking figure.
During the war he was as faithful as II
ne had been the head Of the family
which III some sort, perhaps, he was, a.
ne certainly considered himself to be-
The Yankees were again and again al
about IL. Uncle Balla was my mother
first lieutenant and possessed her abso
lutte confidence.
The war closed. The negroes lett
some secretly. some openly. One mora
ing Uncle Bala had gone too.
think he had not the courage &
face MS at parting. He lived
in Richmond nearly year a
hostler. for a federal officer, and thei
came back. He did not however 60
home. but lived with his brother, car
penter William in a little hous'
lust off the plantation. Here
ne resided rent-fiee for twenty
four years. working his corn.
until last Fall. when the place
having been sold he accepted the stand
ing invitation TO come home. and once
more returned to his old place. Per
haps it WAS the reaction after the Ions
long strain of twenty-odd years OF
making his own living" but bC
shortly began to fail. and steadily de
clined to the end. lie must have been
very poor those years-pOorer than
ever knew. But the fact that he lived
for "a quarter of century IN poverty
and want. in order TO have absolute
freedom rather than accept the plenty
offered 10 him just across the way
proved that he had in BIN something
worthy of respect.
have endeavored in my various
stories TO set forth the higher qualities
of the negro OF the old regime. In
several Of them Uncle BalIa was IN
some respects the character | had II
mind and in Two Little Confederates
| have drawn his portrait. 1t has been
charged that the characters are toe
ideallzed to be accurate. don't think
this charge would be made by one who
knew Uncle Balla. His character was
! Just as [ have portrayed IL. A week
before his death his grandson. VINO Is
! licensed teacher of the Catholic Church
/ in Philadelphia, came 10 SEE him and
remained with him until the end. The
! last nourishment he took was from my
mother ) hand.
Just before his death the rector of the
parish administered TO him the Holy
| Communion. He sent Cor my fatherand
mother and uncle TO come and Join him.
and thus at the end Of a long and worthy
life he passed away among these tC
whom he belonged, by stronger ties
thar those of servitude and interest
He was buried from the front yard in q
beautiful grove on the hill, but | have
some hope that his memory will not
wholly fade. I, at least, shall never
forget him.
Yours faithfully,
THOMAS NELSON PAGE.
WAY DOWN IN DIXIE.