The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-23

ssTwo Little Confoderates- the following:
"a week or so later the boys heard the
rumor that General Lee had surrendered az
y place called AppomattoX. The news was
corrohoratcd the next day. During the iOi-
lowing two days every negro on the planta-
tlon left, excepting lame old sukey Brown.
some of them came and said they had to 90
TO Richmond; that the word had come 10
them;' others. including even Uncle BAHIA
and Lucy Ann, slipped away by night.
Further on the story relates that num-
Der Of the old servants, including Uncle
II .lla and Lucy Ann, had one by one come
back 10 their old home. This. indeed
Uncle Balla did. but not to live. The essen-
tial fact, however. is his having left in the
night. unable, as | believe, to facethe open
parting.
Not with regard to my friends structures
on "Meh Lady," which he says, us untrue
throughout 10 our white society as well as u
the negro race. and that the conditions OF
the plot could never have existed anywhere.
As Colonel Rufin does not particularlze,
! NAV misapprchend his meaning. zine
conditions Of the plot ] consider 10 be
first, the, relationl of the two old servants
IN their old mistress and "Mch Lady, see
ond. the poverty Of "Meh Lady" and thlrd,
! the marriage Of Mich Lady with the red
eral officer. The rest are mere details ac-
tual or romantic. These are the conditions
of the plot. The isolated condition OF 'Meil
Lady, was necessary for the perspective oi
the story. III.
| scarcely think that Colonel Ruiiin, with
his knowledge Of the cruel poverty Of our
people after the war, will claim that the
poycrty Of the two ladies was exaggerated.
have myself Witnessed the spectacle OF
delicately nurturod ladies hauling wood
from the woods in a rickcty tlunbril cart
| with the one poor little mule left them from
| a once handsome estate. could multiply IN
Stances: but am sure that my friends eNpe-
rience renders il unnecessary. Nor 90 l
suppOse that Colonel Ruiin VIII conlroNert
| the fact that marriages took place between
! Meh Ladies' and Colonel Nitons. III ne
does. can cite numerous Instances.
lie. must. therefore. base his criticism on
! the remaining condition Of the plot, the re-
! lati0n of the old negro to his mistress. !
will tell him where | got the character OF
| Uncle Billy.
! Although in some respects, as | have
/ stated. Uncle Balla was in my mind when |
drew the character Of Uncle Billy. the orlgi-
nal Of Uncle Billy himself was Uncle Billy
! Skipwith." hebutler of Blair Boiling, Esq,
| Of "W00dyille." Cumberland county. Va
who was the father Of Mr.. Archibald Boil
! lido and the grandfather OF my friends:
| Blair, Wyndham. Stanbope, Randolph ana
/ Miss Matte Boiling, Of this city. had the
following facts from them:
! When their father. Mr.. Archibald Boiling.
went into the army, he told Uncle BiilY
/ that nc expected him 10 take care Of the
/ children, and he did. lie staid with them
both during and after the war. never leaY-
/ ing Them for day. and finally coming Ia
! Richmond with them and living with them
until his death, in l>.l.
On one occasion, immediately after the
close Of the war, he knocked yankee sol
der down for slappng one OF the boys and
/ threatened % Kill him or any one who
| should Law hand on one Of his master :
children.
This character deemed worthy toperpe-
tuate. and hence II ncle Biliy.' tnhappily
the Uncle Billys and Uncle Ballas have
nearly all passed away and have left no
successors. That they lived. however. VIII
be verified not only by those who knew
Them. but by those knew "Unclo
Robin" Of Chcrryc0ke, "Uncle Henry,
OF Pampatike. and many others, whose lives
are held in anectionatc remembrance by
those whom they faithfully served.
The details Of "Meh Lady" may not be
exactly In accordance with the facts IN the
life Of any particular individuals; but re-
spcctiully submit that the conditions Of the
dot are true 90 life, and hone to art and.
! whatever the impcriocti0n Of my relation.
meant this story. with its characters, "a
constitute nv tribute Of praise iO that ciNi.
| lization. which, until my friends letter,
had supposed he appreciated and loved as
much a. ! DO. lOurs,
THOMA. NELSON PAGE.
Richmond, a., May -. $780,