Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03

A siaveholder's Daughter Becomes Ssam.
stress for Her Former servant.

sAsvenosoers Daughter Becomes Scam
stress for Her Former Servant.
Prom the San Francisco Examiner
There are two women in San Francisco Who
can tell story Of ups and downs tina, would
astonish novelist. One Of them live. out on
Noe street. She's q refined. well-educased
woman, with pretty way Of numbering her RS
that betrays her southern origin. She 10 .
widow, and she lives with her mother IN n bcuse
that shows unmistakabie signs OF penury and
want. She goes ont to sew by the day. and she
manages TO make just enough money 10 keep
the breath Of life in her old mother. and 70
purchase a few poor comforts TO warm the chill
OF age. Yet that woman was once the mistress
OF splendid home. She dispensed the OPEN
handed hospitality Of the old south. and she
never knew what care or snxiety meant.
way back in the days before the war there
was rleh Kentucky family named Montgom-
cry. They lived on q beautiful plantation near
St Joe, Mo. Mrs. Montgomery had over 6ftv
slaves. One OF these was a mite Of q rolv poly
black baby. whose parents were dead. Mrs.
montgomery had a little daughter lust the age
OF the roly poly mite and soon as the chill
dren grew old enough the little black girl be-
came the maid OF the little white girl. Life
was very gay in those old DAYS; there were lots
of visitors TO the beautiful plantation. and lit
tie Miss Montgomery had nothing TO do but
grow and be happy. When she was thirteen
years old her maid married likely Young fell
low who belonged 70 family in the neighbor-
hood. He had only one name then. lie was
called Bristol He used to come over to the
Montgomery plantation once a week 20 see his
wife. Things went on smoothly for the Young
negroes for while. Their owners were friends.
and so they saw each other quite often. At the
end OF six wears the woman had borne her hus-
band three children.
Then came the war. The Montgomery family
suffered like all the rest OF the south. They
lost all their property. they we're compelled TO
give mp their homo and finally all the slaves
were gone. Miss Montgomery's maid and her
three children went 10 II. Joe and the woman
went out 70 work bv the day. She did not know
where her husband was. Early in the beginning
OF the great struggle he had been sold 10 a Col.
Wilson. who went away with him she knew no;
where. SO she struggled along as best she
could, trying to gain a living for her children.
Finally she deifted westward. She lived for
several wears in Salt Lake City. All the time
she was irving = find ont what had become of
her husband. she knew that he called himself
Wilson. Bristol Wilson. after his new master
and she knew that Col. Wilson came TO the
coast.
One dav she heard that he was in San Fran
cisco. She wrote to him. He was delighted 20
get trace Of his wife and family and al once
sent for her When she arrived she found
that her husband had prospered in California.
At the close OF the war his master set him free
and ne managed 20 accumulate qui,e little
sum of money. Tins was only a few years ago
some time in lss2-that the little slave girl
and her husband met and found themselves
free and prosperous. They bought a pretty
E;tle home out on Guerrero street and there
thev live today. They often wondered what
had become OF the Montgomerys and Mrs.
Wilson never forgot Der 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 advertisement
She was no longer the pretty. lght-hearted
Miss Montgomery. She was married. Her name
was Mrs.. Sweeney. She was wan and pale from
overwork and anxiety and the two women did
not recognize each other
Mrs. Sweeney was surprised to fad that the
Advertiser WAS colored woman. but she
worked steadily away and said nothing One
day Mrs. Wilson in chatty mood. and the
two women talked over the DAVIS before the war
Then the truth came out. The Montgomervs
had been ruined by the war, and thev had como
west to try and recruit their shattered for
tunes. They failed miserablr. Mother and
daughter chung together and fought fate with
failing courage.
Now The daughter is sewing by the day for
the woman she once owned, and she is paid for
the work BIZ the man who was once the bond
slave of her friends