The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-06-07
A STORY OF MISTRESS AND MAID.
Slaveh older's Child Becomes Seam
stress for Her Former Servant.

A Slaveh older's Child Becomes Seam
stress for Her Former Servant.
Away back in the days before the war
there was "A rich Kentucky family named
Montgomery. They lived ON beauti
full plantation near st. Joe, Mo. Mrs
Montgomery had over fifty slaves. One
of these was mite Of rolypoly black
baby whose parents were dead. Mrs.
Montgomery had little daughter just the
nge of the rolypoly mite, and rs soon as
the children grew old enough the little
black girl became the maid of the little
white girl Life was very gay in those old
days; there were lots of visitors to the beau
tful plantation, and little Miss Mongom-
cry had nothing to do but grow and be
happy. When she was thirteen years old
her maid married likely young fellow
who belonged to family in the neighbor-
hood. He had only one name then. He
was called Bristol. He used to come over
to the Montgomery plantation once week
to see his wife. Things went on smoothly
for the young negroes for awhile. Their
owners were 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
Montgomery'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 a living for her children. Finally
she drifted westward. She lived for sew
eral 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 he was in Sar
| Francisco. She wrote to him. He was
delighted to get trace of his wife and
| family, and at once sent for her. WheT
she arrived she found that her husband
had prospered IN California. At the close
of the war his master set him free, and be
managed to accumulate quite little sun
of money. This was only few years ago
some time in 1SS2-that the little slave
girl and her husband met and fount
themselves free and prosperous They
bought pretty little home out on Guer
zero street, and there they live today
They often wondered what had become o
the Montgomerys, and Mrs. Wilson nevel
forgot her young mistress.
About two years ago Mrs. Wilson wanted
some sewing done. She advertised for ,
woman to come and sew by the day.
Her old owner answered the advertise
ment.
She was no longer the pretty, ligh
hearted Miss Montgomery. She was mar
ried. Her name was Mrs. Sweeney. Sh
was wan and pale from overwork ant
anxiety, and the two women did not rec
ognize each other.
Mrs. Sweeney was surprised to find tina
the advertiser was "A colored woman, bu
she worked steadily away and said moth
ing. One day Mrs. Wilson was in a chat
ty mood, and the two women talked owe
the days before the war.
Then the truth came out The Mont
gomerys had been ruined by the war, an
they had come west to try to recruit
their shattered fortunes. They faile
miserably. Mother and daughter clun
together and fought fate with failing coul
age.-San Francisco Examiner