The Bessemer indicator., 1893-12-02
A DAUGHTERS BURIAL.
A ROMANCE OF Posr-sLAvERY
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Old Servants Follow the Dying Bshssts
Of Theii Former Master and Remain
on the Plantation to He the PAll- Bear
ers Of His Daughter.

There is an interesting and a
pretty story that comes hero from
the South. says the Washington Post,
and is being told by Sou thern people;
a story OF scene in South Carolina,
which will possibly never be wit
messed again in the South; q tale OF
slave devotion and Shareholders ap-
probation, which sounds almost like
fiction:
AT Edgewood, tho ancestral homo
OF Governor Pickens OF South Caro-
lima. there lately died his daughter,
Douschka, who was as we'll known
In the South at her death as was her
illustrious father at the close OF his
career.
Before the close OF tho war Gen.
Pickens died. Learning his ap-
preaching fate. he summoned all his
slaves at midnight from their cot
tages, and. being lifted from his bed
to the window around which they
were gathered, the dying governor
called upon them to stand by their
mistress and their little missy
Douschka," no matter what tho war
might bring about, or what tempta-
tions might cross their path to tempt
them away. He died Us the moon
rose and the Oldest OF his slaves were
his pall-bearers. Since then not
one Of the men whom he addressed
that night has left the service of his
widow, and at the close of the civil
strife. when negroes were Fastening
to seek work In towns and cities. the
Pickens plantation almost alone re-
mained intact.
1t is almost the only plantation
where the laborer is paid bonus in
addition to his wages. according to
the season or success Of the crop.
This plan of giving to the tiller his
percentage OF the fruit of his toll
was instituted by Douschka at the
age Of 1S.
She was buried from Edgewood.
and her funeral services were with
out a parallel in Southern history.
As related by prominent South
Carolina lady, who was an eye wit
ness OF the services, it was memora-
Bile scene. Her pail bearers were
the sx-slaves OF her father, some of
whom had borne him to his grave
over a score Of years ago. Tho
spectacle was striking in its antithe-
sis. The collin was white velvet.
profusely covered with white flowers.
and around 1t in the palatial ball
room of the homestead were grouped
the white-haired negroes. The scene
was impressive enough in itself, but
was almost startling in its solemnity,
when Mrs Pickens, the courtly,
beautiful mother stepped to the head
of the casket, and facing her faithful
servants, addressed them.
al have sent for you to do you this
honor, because" and here there was
break in the voice. n wish to
make a public acknowledgment of
your faithfulness and devotion,
through all her sweet life. to this,
your young mistress. When your
master died, you will remember. he
sent for you and confided to your
faithful care and protection his wife
and his little child. You have been
faithful to that trust.
'In oil the dreadful times of riot
and thieving you have stood by us
and protected us, and | thank you
now in the presence of all these
friends for your loyalty and devotion.
That sweet young life is over, and
you will carry from this room her
precious body. Her spirit Is with
God. she is an angel in heaven, and
now l ask you to continue your faith
tul devotion and protection to your
desolate mistress and to these little
children of your young mistress,
whom she loved better than her life"
1t was strange sight this little
speech and appeal OF mistress to
her ex-slaves at tho casket OF her
daughter. The slaves, weeping and
awed, bore their young mistress to
the family burial ground and laid her
by the side OF her father, whom they
had buried thirty years before. Tho
tombstone will bear the name by
which she was known, "Douschka."
She was the vice regent Of Mount
Vernon from South Carolina, and en-
thusiastic over the old home of
Washing ton, always at the meetings,
and upon all OF her visits to this city
had been received with marked social
lttention.