The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-05-05

was powerful scared and believed H..
enough the world would all burn up
I'd know better now. but then l made
up my mind that if the end was accom-
ing | wouldn't know anything about
il. Well, sub, young MIR. Mills and me
and an old niger went to town the
day before the eclipse. The niger
stole shilling and lie asked me TO
buy him some whisky at the tavern.
for nobody wouldn't dare sell no
whisky to no niggcr in them old days.
and got "a big black bottle full
took one big drink before | gave the
bottle up and the nigger gave me two
'nore-oh. NV gracious they were prca;
big drinlSS!-and that settled INC, sub.
| was drunk on my own account then.
ald had to git down in the bottom
of the OK cart and lie there all the
way home and young Mr.. Mills. he had
TO drive the oxen home. Well, he hi
the oxen once and me four times with
MS OK gau all the way home. Oh I
was fuddlcd, but | could feel then,
whncis on my ribs, sub. and bei,vccl
the whisky md the licking | didn't
get out OF my bed for most q yvcrl,
| must have been about sixty or sev-
cniy Years old when got drunk noy;
time. was chopping wood up in Nor
ris county, subj up here in Jersey. ana
my boss give me too much run and
black pepper for the shakes The last
time was since I've been hero. i
young chap got me TO go 70 New Bruins
wick with him and got me full, bu;
he had the worst OF it, for he hndia
bring me back to the poor farm pig-a-
back, sub, through the mud and Ike
snow. lie dropped me a few times
sub, but didn't mind that; | was too
mitch fnddled." And the old man
laughed til it seemed as if his tooth.
less Jaws never would close again.
II never was much sc;gcd after that
eclipse, when [ got drunk the frs,
time the old man went on. but once.
and that was when | was boy, too.
big black snalic-a regular racer
chased me about half mile. Oh. nv
gracious, sub, that was big snake,
could see him rise right up every once
III awhile when | would turn to lool;
over my shoulder. Then he would
hump himself to catch nc. and then |
could near him go down on the ground.
l'erilop. like big pole. Then he'd 90
siss-siss- sias-like that-and thousht
was goncr sure. But he didn't oct
me, thank the Lord No. sub; not n
bit OF il. I've been free from all slavisb
fear for more than eighty wears now
ever since left the navy. was never
scared in New Jcracv, but before that
uScd to give up most shameful, sub
found out ii good while before Won
were born, sonny, that nobody'll make
no trouble for nobody that don't make
no trouble for them, and hain't made
NO trouble for nobody over since.
never had no fights; Id rather run
than fight, any time, and I've always
come out the better for il, too"
When Rahy was twenty-one he ro,
away from Mr.. Mills Fields plantation
ns fast as he could, and started out to
find employment
II didn't jess know whore | was 20
lag, sub, but Thought III find some
place where | could stav." the old man
said, after he had explained his life
philosophy "Wcll, l walked along.
and walked along till / come to the
house of the Widow Penelope Parker
oh, my gracious, sub, she was we'll of!
She had a big farm and couple hun.
drcd slaves. and She raised all kinds of
crops, and there was tar l5ilns on her
place that would make thousand bar.
rels OF tar Well. the widow saw me
walking along the road and she came
out, and sho says:
Noah, how far are you going?'
Il said | was going till l found n
place to work, and She says:
"'Well, guess you've found 1t. l
knew you when you was baby
well, | hired out to the Widow Penc.
lopc, to be her overSccr, for two hun
drcd dollars year. / stayed there
most live years, and then left to worl,
for her daughter-in- law, Widow Sarah
Parker She was well-off, too, but not
like the old widow When the young
widow wanted me to be her overseer
the old widow offered me fifty dollars
year more to remain on her farm. but
You see thought maybe could marry
the young widow, if was smart, and
then her plantation and the niggers
and the big house and tho tar l,ilns
would be mine Well, my plan would
have worked, yes, sub, II I hadn't