Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-02
THE scHooL-MARM'S VISIT.
How an Old Colored Nanny "scotched I"
nm Attempt at Social Equality.
,wr,,,on tor me pisna,cb py Polk Miller.l

written for the Dispatch by Polk Miller.l
When the Confederate armies surren-
dered the soldiers of Lee and jackson
furled the beloved banner which for four
wears had foated proudly over their heads
ana returned home from Appomattox to
find that they had not only lost the
fight" but that everything In the way
of property which lifetime OF their
fathers had accumulated was gone, too.
A few places in Virginia had enjoyed i'm
munity from raids and the tramp OF the
main army of the enemy, but 1t was rare
thing indeed that you could find spot in
the old Commonwealth upon which the
UuIpn troops had not set foot. The soldier
of yesterday battling for his country to;
day returns from Appomatto1 ana
finds his old homestead IN ruins,
or il not in ruins swept Of every
thing that made his home comfort
able. Horses, cattle, provisions, fences Gil
gone. Farming utensils. which had always
been furnished by northern manufacturers
before the war, had become SO worn as to
be almost useless. The negroes, who had
done all the work on the farm under the
direction OF white overseers, had gone
wild overtime sudden transitionfrom slavery
to freedom, and had scattered themselves
around through the neighborhood en-
joyin' de fresh abr of freedom" What lit
tie that was left in the corn-cribs OF the
farmers was at their mercy. They had
been raised to believe that whats ole
marster's is mine, too" and appropriated
everything that came in their way.
The gallantry of the soldier on the held
of battle was nothing compared with that
pluck which he displayed when, unaccqs-
toned as he was to work Of any kind. he
took hold of the pillow and hos and by the
'sweat of his Brow not only supported
the family. but educated his younger bro
theirs and sisters, from whom. by the for
tunes of war, this blessing had been de-
MED.
TREATED THE NEGROES KINDLY.
He taught the negro that he was not only
as good a laborer as he was, but that he
had the industry and intelligence TO plan
and execute whatever he undertook to
accomplish. He treated the negroes kind
ly, but never for moment allowed them
TO think that their being set free entitled
them to any "social" advancement. He
loved his old colored NANNY and
treated her with the affection due to one
who from infancy to manhood had been
n mother to him. She thought no was
"the salt O. de nth" and proudly al
luded 10 the fact that she had "nussed
him fom little baby" Nanny was the
first to receive the benefits OF the changed
condition of things, for the two-story
IIHn0 WIN kldoo MlDAlOHS
(the height of negro's ambition then was
to be able to exchange the old dirt-daubed
cabin, with wooden windows, for framed
house with" glass" windows), which for
generations past had been the abode of
overseers on the farm, had been given TO
her. Nanny felt quite "set up" and was
disposed to give the credit TO "de white
folks in do greet house" rather than to the
"LiDkamn proclamation. which had set
all " de niggers up VIVID nothm' but dc
right toroam at will"
About this time there was formed in the
New England States a society which had
for its object "the amelioration of the OBJ
pressed race in the South" which had
been turned loose without any education
and without any hope of securing 1t from
their former masters. considerable sum
of money was raised to defray the ex-
penses Of lot or females who are known
by the euphcnious title of Yankee school
marms." and they were scattered through
this State.
TOUGH TINE. no DOUBT.
Southside Virginia was selected as the
most important field, for it was then, as 1t
is now, the most thickly- populated section
of our country because Of its being the
tobacco-r raising district, and every farmer
who came to Richmond with big crop of
%
check from his commission merchant for
the proceeds. less the amount paid for a
negro man or woman"
Miss Sallie Newcomb, from the vicinity
OF Boston. settled in Amelia county and
opened her schools with about forty
scholars, and at once begun to "improye
the minds, the morals, and the manners u
of these little darkies who had como TO
her with the assurance from their parents
that Mine is dc bes' chilun in dis whole
neighborhood, an everybody dat knows
'um will tell You de same thing bout 'um,
marm." No doubt Miss Newcomb had
tough time improving EN-" but as long
as the appropriation" held out she
TOUCHED it out. twas amusing tohear
some of the questions and answers which
were given at this school, viii mention
but two.
After a long lecture on the subiect of
CONSCIENCE" that ever-present night
marc which clings TO those who have gone
wrong. Mas kewcomb asked 12-year-oid
boy, by way of going over the ground
upon which she had lectured on "Right-
Dong" tor two hours, what IL was that
gnawed and gnawed him in the region of
his bosom when be had been guilty of
naughty condact-"
GOOD Answers
The little Niger, on being, pressed for
cep'n twas dem green apples dat I eat
yistiddy.n
On another occasion, after she bad read
the chapter in the Bible which tells Of the
whale swallowing Jonah. she asked one OF
the boys what made the whale swallow