The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-05-20
miscellaneous
SANS TOURTSHIP.
BYDR. JAMES Il. HoDGKIN.

think Sam was the blacklist negro
l ever saw. He reminded me of Blue
Dave in one of Joel Chandler
Harris's charming sketches, so black
he was blue-black. Sam was rather
understood, about twenty, l should
Judge, with queer stammer in his
speech, and trick of rolling up his
eyes.until only the whites were to be
seen. He was quite fond of frighten-
ing the children by thrusting out his
tongue and rolling up his eyes, thus
making himself almost as frightful
looking as some of the South Sea idols
one sees in some of the museums. In
deed am not sure but that some of
these ideas of Deity-sculpture were
copied from some more than usually
hideously ugly member of the tribe,
who could comfort his face into horrid
shapes.
Sam, however, was thoroughly good
natured. None of his tricks had a
particle of malice or venom in them.
| really think he would hardly have
fought in his own defence, and was
thoroughly trustworthy, except liz so
for as his race failing beset him Of,
"teckin' something to eat or drink, de
warn no harm in dat" he frankly
stated, after having stoutly denied
the 'teckin',' and then reluctantly con-
Tossing it. l am sure my pocket-book
or watch was as safe on my bureau
when Sam was acting as my valet as
in the strongest safe, and as for be-
traying any interest of mine he would
have thought it the basest Of crimes.
But | found it always wise precau-
ton to keep any liquor l might have
under lock and key, although do not
think Sans weakness in that direc-
ton is at all confined to his race. l
am sure | have known some white
people quite as enthusiastically as Sam
in the presence of dram
think Sam had been with me for
about year when began to notice
a falling off in his attention to his
duties. There was a moodiness and list
lessness about him quite at variance
with his ordinary conduct and char
acter. True he laughed sometimes
still, but it wasn't the hearty outburst
of former days, and his old pranks and
good-natured tricks were almost a
thing unseen. did not question him
particularly, seeing that his appetite
was fairly good, and taking it fol-
granted that it was some mental worry
rather than any physical ailment, thai
made him SO abstracted and moody
But one day, coming into my room to
build the fire, earlier than usual, before
NV morning nap was hardly finished,
noticed that if anything he seemed
more worried than usual, Oar now,
he exclaimed, 'dat's gis' de way
Wen one thin wuck bad, de all wucks
bad. Dat fer won BUN, en- de chin
blew won draw ,en not even dis light d
knot won ketch. Things suttenly i:
crooked nowadays, en- de all comes
plum togedder."
Half asleep, i lay musing on the truth
that Shakespeare puts in the mouth
of one OF his characters, that mis-
fortunes come not single spies, but il
battalions," and l thought how {
touch of nature makes the world
akin" Here was poor, ignorant Sam
| discovering for himself the truth the
| Bard had recorded so far back in his
tory. We are much alike after all il
our human nature, for here was III!
ignorant servant making almost The
| identical observation of Shakespeare
After repeated blowings and puff
ings, and l may add grumblings, Sam
"chimbly drawed" to suit him, ant
the cracking blaze invited me to rise
| was about to do SO when Sam, afte
starting for the door once or twice ant
turning back and figetting for while
broke out:
"Mar-r-rs Jeemes, "-he always call
ed me "mars'r,n although this was il
1868, and the war had been ended AM
he free for three years or more
ma rs'r Jeemes, kin speak to yo'
gis' er minnit'?'
"Of course, SAM | replied, What
the trouble?" For saw i'll every lin
of his face that something worried hil
greatly. ''Of course, I'll lie here a littl
longer, as it's early, and you tell III
your trouble. You've had it on han
for some time"
How you know dat, Mars'r Jeeme'
how you know dat?n he asked, ANY
body been tellin you anythin'?''
No, no one has spoken to me, bu
I've seen from your face for some tim
that you have been troubled. What
the natter"