The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-12
a STORY OF .MlsTREss AND MAID.
Shareholders Child Becomes Seam
stress for Her Former Servant.

strcsn for Her Former Servant.
Away back in the days before the war
There was rich Kentucky family named
montgomery. They lived ON beauti.
iul plantation near ST. Joe. Mo. Mrs.
Montgomery had over fifty slaves. One
OF these was II mite of II rolypoly black
baby whose rrrcnts were dead Mrs.
Montgomery !ia'. II little daughter Just the
age OF the rolypoly mite, and as soon rs
the children grew old enough the little
black girl became the maid of the little
white girl. Life was very gay i'm those old
days: there were lots OF visitors to the beau
tiful plantation and little Miss Mongom-
cry had nothing to do but grow and be
happy. When she was thirteen years old
her maid married II likely young fellow
who belonged to u family in tho neighbor-
hood. He had only ono name then Ho
was called Bristol. He used to come over
to the Montgomery plantation once week
co see his wife Things went on smoothly
Tor the young negroes for awhile. Their
owners wore friends, and SO they saw each
other quite often. At the end of six years
the woman had borne her husband three
children.
Then came the war. The Montgomery
family suffered like all the rest of the
south. They lost all their property; they
were compelled to give up their home and
finally all the slaves were gone. Miss
Montgoincry's maid and her three children
went to st. Joe, and the woman went out
to work by the day. She did not know
where her husband was. Early in the be-
ginning Of the great struggle he had been
sold to Colonel Wilson, who went away
with him she knew not where So she
struggled along as best she could, trying
to gain living for her children. Finally
she driftcd westward. She lived for sew
cral years in Salt Lake City. All the time
she was trying TO find out what had be-
come Of her husband She knew that he
called himself Wilson. Bristol Wilson
after his new master, and she knew that
Colonel Wilson came to the coast
One day she heard that ho was in San
Francisco She wrote TO him. lie WAS
delighted to get trace of his wife and
faniily, and at once sent for her. When
Sl;e arrived she found hat her husband
had prospcred II California. At the close
OF The war his master set him free, and lie
MANAGED to accumulate quite little sum
oi money. This was onlya few years ago-
some tit:ic III lSS2-tiat tho little slave
girl and her husband met and found
themselves free ana prosperous. They
bought Il pretty little home out on Guer-
rero street, and there they live today
They often wondered what had become of
III" MontEomerys, and Mrs. Wilson never
forgot her young mistress.
About two years ago Mrs. Wilson wanted
some sewing done. She advertised for a
woman to come and sew by the day
Her old owner answered the advertise
mcnt.
She was no longer the pretty, light
hearted Miss Montgomery. She was mar
ried. Her name was Mrs. Sweeney She
was wan and pale from overwork md
anxiety, and tho two women did not rec
ognize each other.
Mrs. Sweeney was surprised to find that
the advertiser was colored woman. hut
she worked steadily away and said moth.
ing One day Mrs. Wilson was in IA chat
ty mood, and the two women talked over
the days before tho war
Then the truth came out The Mont
gomerys had been ruined by the war, and
they had como west TO try to recruit
their shattered fortunes. They failed
miserably Mother and daughter chung
together and fought fate with failing cour-
age.-San Francisco Examiner