The sun., 1896-07-13
ONE OF THE LAST UNcLEs."
A Type OF Negro that Is Fast disappearing
from the Southern states.


From the Sc,o Orleans HcoVune
Peter Dudley Is one of the most ancient char
acters OF Hancock county, Miss, and is well
known to every man, woman, and child at Bay
st. Louis.
He was reared In Brunswick county, N. O.,
although he constantly declares that he is
Yankee, born In Now York. lie was brought to
Hancock county, Miss, in 1888. and Mt that
time was found by Mrs. Amelia Russ at PEARL
ineton, Miss. He then supposed to be
about 40 years of age. which would now make
him over 100 years old. Men of 20 and 20 of
PearlinRton and Gainesville, Miss. relate that
when they were small boys Peter Dudley looked
nearly old as he does at the present The
general supposition Is that he is about los years
old.
After the death OF Mrs. Amelia Russ at PEARL
ington he passed into tho hands OF John Russ.
the great-unole Of A. r. Russ a prominent citi-
zen OF Pearlington. In tho days Of slavery 1t
was customary for slave owners to hire out their
men and women to different farmers of the
neighborhood and Mr.. John Russ. during the
war; hired Peter to Mr.. James Murphy, who
lived at Napoleonville, on Pearl River. 1t ap-
pears that the old fellow became dissatisfied
with tiling the soil for others, and one dark and
rainy night the idea struck him Of making an
appropriation of yoke OF Mr.. Murphy's oxen to
II
When Peter was found some weeks after In
Devils Swamp ho had n fine clearing of about
two acres Of land planted in sweet potatoes and
corn.
Mr.. Murphy succeeded in getting him back,
but could never get work out of him but such
as was congenial to Peters taste. Finally he
was put to caring for the negro babies on the
farm. in order that the mothers could work in
the fields. This occupation did not suit his
fancy and he became {retful over the humiliat.
ing task OF miuding babies. One day forbear-
ebrss no Of t&s little into prer
patch and again made for DEVILS swamp. Until
this day Peter is good At throwing and when he
where they started. History does not state
whethey they We're injured.
and would go to DEVILS Swamp about every
three months. and was always willing to assist
the flight OF other slaves by furnishing provis-
After. the war, when he became free, he sub
sisted S dn odd 9Ss
ment OF the children, and occasionally dancing
when some OF the boys would pat for him. AT
ts tuning and
imitation Of the sound at the same time In
St Louis on a schooner. Here he has resided.
happy and conten.ed; eyer since HIS memory
is soethinE wonderful In the mater @ Ef ma names s
families at PearlinEton. calling each by name.
and often recognizes people whom he has not
commu NEGATIVE. and says he was told before he
came to this country that life was very easy
grew gre ont on trees. and that in every hogs back was
knife and fork ready for carving and eating.
In these days of restricted suffrage 1t may
seem odd to the younger generation to hear
that at one time Peter was q qualified voter,
and that he took not only an interest but an
it came TO voting he was snot near SO foolish as
people thought; Unt!l the present day he says
vote the " Dimicrat" ticket as he was often So
llcited to do. Peter would often be given
ticket into the box. More than once he has
been snS p to rp his Soe
stopped at the Bay long enough for his admirers
Joined the procession and marched up with
big bunch OF lilies to give the General. twas
Peter Of late years has thought a good deal of
death and is awfuliy afraid of ghostss and Is
easily Impressed by dreams. His His prayer yer, Is;
Keep" keep ''' '''' ' pray '4 " 'ON' ~
He mixes the pretty little prayer. but Uncle
Peter has faith.
Like the average man. white and black. of ye
older time, he loves to chew tobacco and never
refuses u drink Of any sort of stimulant. He
has great appetite. and can get away with
more meat and bread than any three men In
on a glass Of sweetened water and loaf OF
bread; He will plant a sweet potato patch II he
fondness for the farm and garden shows itself
in thousand ways, and with all his faults tho
md anything else To do, he will wheel wood
from the beach which has drtted up in storms
to the beach cuts the wood. piles it. and when
ready throws 1t a few feet ahead OF him. This
he keeps up until lie is ON the shell road, when
he loads up the wheeibarrow.
The only thing he Is sensitive about Is his age.
which he declares is ls years. couple OF
gray beard from his face to carry out the idea
that he was young. As he sat on whcelbar-
mirine himself and pulling gray hairs, il was
enough To make cynic laugh.
In spite of his eccentricities and his great age.
he is not entirely unliko the average man.
When called upon to have hts photo made be
was as proud as peacock: and. notwithstnnd-
twenty five years. he laid himself back and tried
his best to stand erect. He primped up his large
while the photographer was getting him In
shape for the picture. When through he was so
that he had " had his picture made. and it was
Roin' In the,paper. all about him. and the peo-
pie in Pearl pea,rdIlnGtGq Now York, and New Or
when does vanity die in the human heart ?"
Here is man awey past 100. who is more de-
the newspaper than he would be with a new
suit OF clothes. hat, and shoes.
He has had letters written to some OF his peo-
pie, who have perhaps been dead forty or fifty
years. and at one time was frequent caller at
the Post ocs looking for letter. from his wife
sixty years ago. Often he pretsnds that he is
expecting letters and pack ages from New York.
He does that in order 10 keep up the pretence
that he really lived in that section,
HIS life has been one OF outdoor exercise and
exposure, and II he had been housed and cared
for he might have died many years Hgo. To
him pretend to read u newspaper upside down.
with " all tho best word" as he terms II. IL quito
amusing, and to know he is noticed In the at
tempt hatters his vanity and causes those pres
ent TO listen TO the chestnut of GIVE me
nickel, please"
The death, of Uncle Ben Lynch, a former
associate and rival In business who died good
many years ago. and who like Peter, was n notR-
BILE character, had most depressing effect upon
him. and In the still hours of the night he says
he often wakens md thinks that he will soon
follow Uncle Ben.
The old uncles and auntes are fast depar ting
and soon nothing of them will DO left except
tender and pleasant memories OF good acts and
kindly deeds tOyard tho white children, who
loved them since they could walk aud prattle.
Uncle Dudley Is one OF the old uncles that will
be missed by every chlla at the Bay and by Just
as many OF the grown folks. He has been identi-
fed with every important event at the Bay for
the last thirty years, hes witnessed the cpl
denies. storms. deaths. marriages.. and other
eyentful occasions, but the day Will soon come
when his voice will be hushed and the bent fig
ure leaning on the old stick will disappear from
sight forever,