Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-25

| anu iounu, Oh course, that along with the
plantation he had inherited a number Of
slaves. Ny father hated slavery, and
though he could not decide to sell the
property when he saw the fair broad
acres of rich Virginia soil, he determined
to abolish slave labor there. He freed the
slaves therefore, AMI sent for some of his
old acqnaintances In the Vermont village
to come and aid him In his new adventure.
They came and my fathers New England
| thrift made a success of what was a phe.
nomenon, strange enough. in those days
a Virginia farm ruiz by free labor. His
neighbors regarded him as sort of mod
ern Quixote, but they respected his enter
prise and energy, and he was soon re-
ceived in the GOOD social circles He
had handsome face and a pleasing man
ner, so it was not long before he found a
wife.
MY mother loved my father, but she
always had sort Of good-natured con-
tempt for his ideas about slavery. This
| feeling of hers my arother Sam inherited.
| He was always mother favorite child for
he was handsome while | was insignif-
can't and homeIy. She seemed to take a
delight in fostering all kinds of aristo-
cratic notions in Sans micd as he grew.
|
| lived, which was until Sam and | were Is
and Is respectively.
$50 you see, Madam. my father and my
brother differed on that most important
subject-slavery, and many an angry alter
cation took place between the two as my
! brother approached manhood. The year
| that Sam was 49, my father took him from
the academy IN the neighboring town and
set him at work upon the farm, to make
good Vermont lad of him All this was
very distasteful to Sam, who had no wish
to settle down into country pumpkin, as
he expressed it. My father was firm,
however, and Sam went about his tasks
more and more sulkiy every day. But he
was always "a reticent boy, and my father
thought he would soon come out of his ILL
humor.
''On one particular morning, Sam start
ed down the lane to drive the cows to our
back pasture three miles away. | remem-
Der the morning just as WE'LL the air was
very cool and the honeysuckles by the
| porch were so fragranGi | often went
with Sam when he drove the cows to pas
ture, as | liked to stop in the blackberry
patch, mile or so down the road and ill
my pail while | was waiting his return.
SO this pleasant morning | appeared with
my purple calico sunbonnet in one hand
and in the other my tin pail. When my
brother caught sight of me he said quick
| ly: Better not come with me to-day
Euuica, I'm in hurry and you coudn t
keep up [ thought his voice had queer
sound. | was not disconnected, however.
as was used to his ways, so replied
cheerfuily that | would try any way. He
turned around and said CURLY, But [
don't want YOU | stopped short in the
lilac bordered path and watched him go
down the road Sam did not come home
that day or the next, and though we
watched for long, long weeks, he never
came.
''He went away in October, and the next
spring the civil war broke out. My father
decided that Sam had run away from home
to enlist on the southern side. He said
little, but | knew that Sans conduct was
breaking his heart. We were in des-
rerate straits now for my fathers known
anti slavery opinions made his position in
the center of rebellion decidedly danger
Gus. He managed, though to escape the
Union lines and died fighting in his coun-
try's cause.
| II was left with the house servants to
| take care of things when father went away.
| He said he did not think that woman
would ae molested. But he was wrong,
for when the southern forces encamped in
the mountains here they learned the story
of our plantation. One day some cowardly
ruffans from the army ,rept up our lane
and set fire to our buildings and fields OF
standing grain. 1t was done without the
sanction or even knowledge of the southern
officers. had been warned of danger and
had fled with two old servants to dar-
ky's hut fan up on the mountain. From
that night | watched the destruction OF
all our property. Madam, it is impossible
to describe the feelings of person who is
compelled to stand by and see his home
sink in ashes-and that the result of wan,
ton destruction
81 lived hand-to-mouth, fugitive exist,
ence ON the hills with my faithful friends
until it was safe for me to go down and
do what | could to restore our home. All
this time no word had come from Sam,
and thought sorrowfully that he, too, had
erished in the war. And fighting
against his own father! | had buried
some of our silver in the back yard, and sc
saved it. With this procured the means
of building house to cover our heads,
This poor cheap shanty was all that we
could afford. Here settle down with
old Tompkins and his wife, Nellie, our
former servants. We were very poor,
did a little sewing now and then when
could get it. In time we were able to Guy
three cows and then | made butter for the
markets. And in this WAY we managed tt
live.
lone evening started to the barn to re
mind Tompkins that it was time
for him to go the back pasture for the
cows. There was a wonderfully beautiful
sunset that day; great bars of red and colo
spanned the western sky. | stopped
, awhile In the path, among the dear ole
lilacs TO watch the glory fade. AS | stood
there | happened to glance down the lane
What saw there made ny heart stanC
still. Up the lane came our three cows
Brindle. Bessy and Jane, and behind then
walked tall f cure in a blue uniform
: with knapsack over his shoulder
took in the situation at a glance, as
thought it was Union soldier who, tax
(. ing us for southern enemies, was going t.
/ take away our cows, our sole means fol
i living. All the forces on either side seem
o ed to think cattle their legitimate prey
y wherever found. My heart failed me 70
: | had already suffered so many sorrow
Z. and privations! My eyes filled with tear
!, so that | cou'd see nothing. could hea
# the COWS walk leisurely by ON their wa
2 to the barn yard but was conscious tina
: the stranger bad stopped.
she stauds in the same place and look
f Just the same as she did that morning
d but the housed" heard him murmur.
dashed the tears from my eyes and recoe
t nized in that tail stranger, with the lon
mustache sweeping his cheek, my brothe