Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-09
SOUTHERN SKETCHES.
OLD-TASHIoNED LOYALTY AND SELF-SACRI-
FIOE
Temptation and Despair-How the Faithful Oil
Black Servitor Sat BY the Gates Of the Stock
ads.

How could such a man be guilty OF
such a crimel Over and over again the
question came 70 me; over and over
again tried TO dismiss 10, for l had no
answer for il. / had known him when,
as a mere boy, he rOmped and played In
the spacious grounds Of his fathers
beautiful home at Riverside. As l
gazed into the face Of the criminal,
White from long confinement in the jail,
worn from sickness, and with the IA
tal shadows OF crime and re-
morse resting upon it, could
not make the now tit into the
then, The past seemed more real than
tbe present. 1 saw the frank open
hearted child looking up into the eyes
of his refined, cultured, loving mother;
I stood with his little hand in mine as
this mother, beside his fathers grave,
told OF the rich heritage that the boy
had In his name, and the shining ex-
ample his father had set him. l saw
the proud glow IN the child'S eyes, and
heard him whisper: Mother, I'm going
70 be q good man like my papa, and you
will be proud OF me, too, won't you,
mamma?" II saw her press him TO her
answer. / saw him on his return from
college, years after, crowned with all the
honors it could bestow. 1 was one OF q
company Of friends who were invited 70
an entertainment given 10 him, and as,
with thoughtful group, watched him
from nv Quiet corner, heard some one
saw: "What a beautiful face he has, but
can he live up TO itP See, his lips In
dictate a lack of firmness." Just then 1
, heard another voice, at my back this
time, and 10 the darkness OF the back
gallery, upon which the window opened:
s.Gord bless Marse Stuart; he de
spit ob he pa He all de same
AZ nv chile. l done look after him
uyer since 1 brUng he pa home
Pom Shiloh, Whar pear like de minnie
balls was pintediy ZOO-ZOO-ZOo-ing after
me. Now ole miStis done dead, he all de
one left Cord knows / glad he done
larnt be lesson good, an got outen col
lege. / hopes 70 de Lord Marse Stuart
will come long home now, an look al
Ter the plantation. DE place all g"lne
Ter rack; folks DlOughin' up an dOwnde
hills, an lettin' de soil wash OF TO De
branch, an choke hit up, stidder 90
hsvin' some sense, an ploUghin' 'roun
de hills an stoppin' de dreens. An
dey's Jess a burnin' up dc rails
black walnut an chestnut rails
whar would las till judgment
day, eff folks would let 'em. l split
heap ob dem rails myself, an l doan
like 10 see free niger burn 'em mp dat
way; de Lord knows l don't MarSe
Stuart dons got thro' now, dough, an
suect a change comm on de planta-
IAN. He look like ne pa, an he pa sot
store In seein' things grow outen de
ground. Looks like hits. yestiddy luse
TO saddle up de gray ey'y mOrnin' for he
pa to ride roun' ober de plantation an
look at de craps. Hit do dat"
UNC' SQUIRE.
turned my head, and just then some
one lighted the gas on the back gallery,
and "Unc' Squire" came into view,
slightly bald, with ring OF gray
wool" on his head, and shortcut
whiskers TO match the hair. With the
respectful familiarity characteristic Of
the "fo'-de-wah niger" as be express
&c tia familiarity which came from
their forming, in an humble way.
a part OF the "fam'b bly," "Unc'
SQUIRE" advanced TO the window,
dropped his hat on the floor and
said: Hi dere! Ell dat ain
Miss Cornelyl Howdy, Miss Cornely?
Does you member Unc' Squire? he
amt forgot you; he shine up your shoe
too many times when you come yiSitln'
ole mistis down at de plantation. he
shine 'em endurin' ob de war wild black
in made onten china berries an de
black scrape of de pot an skillet. Unc'
Squire members dem times; dat be do!'
] rose, and as he advanced 70 the win
dow, shook hands with him, assuring
ing him that / had not forgotten him.
II seemed cruel 20 check his loquacity,
so l stood for q moment aud let the tide
Of his talk flow on.
"Miss COrneley, ] knows what brung
you out tonight Dat brunR me, too.
] Jess come to feas' my eyes on Marse
Stuart. He de spit ob he pa" He did
not say spirit, as most type settlers at
the North want to make him say. lie
simply used this favorite expression Of
the negro when he wishes 70 express
the very maggie very spit"
"Have you had a chance to speak TO
Stuart?" l asked. Eyes, madame;
deed / is. He bin out ter see me de
first thing, an he de one whar AK ne TO
come 70 dis party. He say he done
Quest Mrs. Bliss dat mOught be aXed.
He know'd l know'd my place, an l
gwine do WuZ look In thoo' de window, !
like always done do when we had big |
doin's down on de PLANTATION. Look |
IN thoO' de window, an after |
de white folks done estln' pay my |
'spects to de supper, and teck great /
big ole pile ob goodies, whsr deY done |
gin me, out to de plantation TO my /
gran'chillern, whar Jess like fuse young !
niggers, an ain got no sense. Dey say: /
'Gran'pa, pear mighty cuyOus ter me
ter see white man come out here, fifteen
mile IN dc country, jess to see you, an /
set dere, an talk an talk like you waz
white folks or he waZ niger. Hit do |
dat. pear mighty cuyOus for him 10 give |
you money to ride on de cyars, so you
kin 20 to party at white folks house.
Miss COrnely, desc yere young niggers
pear like dey cyanrt hab no understan-
ment when tells 'em dat waz one OBJ /
de fsm'bly. De WOr' done turn upside |
down so desc days look like folks cyarnt |
understan' one nurr. Ain dat so, Miss |
Cornely? You knows all bout dem /
days, Miss Corneiy, kaze you been visit
down at Riverside when times waz /
times, and little Marse Stuart's pa an
ma waz liVin', and Unc' Squire an de |
tarn house hands all b'lOnged to de /
family. YOnder come little Marse /
Stuart now, bless God; he comm to de |
window to shake hands wild Unc' Squire, /
whar be quest to be 'vited to de party /
on 'casion ob dem old times down st /
Rivarslda. Cord bless Won. little Marsa |