The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-09-17
A Rit of History

Our townsman, Mr.. Il. j. Duling,
gives us the following bit of unique
history In the life of distinguished
American citizen not many months
dead:
Some years since, Mr.. DuliDg was a
citizen of the state of Texas, and while
residing there was an acquaintance and
friend of Prof. William Keate. Prof.
Keate was born and reared in Charlton
county, of this state, near The present
site of Keatesyiile, where lie owned
large estate consisting Of lands aud
negroes. Prof. Keate is represented as
gentleman strictly OF the old school,
of rare virtues and accomplishments, a
graduate Of Yale, a ciassmate OF Gen.
Jno. 5. Marmaduke and Justice Brewer,
now Of the supreme coart of the United
States. In the maelstrom of war, Prof.
Keate's fortune passed away, when he
emigrated 10 Texas where he engaged
in that quiet though honorable aecupa-
tion OF a teacher.
In conversation with Air. Duling,
Prof. Keate related some incidents in
, the early life OF B. X. Bruce, or more
fully stated Branch Keate Bruce-the
picturesque representative of the
manumitted race. Bruce belonged 10
Prof. Keate as slave, and was repre-
senled by his old master as an obedent,
honorable and exceedingly intslligent
boy. AT a very early age Bruce evinced
desire learn to read and acquire learn
ing. So persistent was he that Prof
Keate taught him the elements of
reading and writing, and exhibited an
elementary reader, well tbumbed and
worn, once the property Of Bruce. Upon
various parts of the book was Bruces
name, written by himself when slave.
or the many forms in which Bruce
had written his name, these two are
distinctly remembered; Hon. B. X.
Bruce and b. X. Bruce, member Of
congress. Can it be that at this early
age that Divinity which shapes our ends
had anointed him high priest in the
temple of his people, and that in an
exalted vision he saw the porphery dome
of the fame of his race and himself
standing within its holy of holies?
At the time of the conversation re-
ferred to, Bruce was register of the
United States treasury, and it was to
tease Prof. Keate in saying to him that
If Bruce should now meet him he would
treat him as an inferior. No, sir
replied Prof. Keate, if Branch should
meet me in Washington he would take
off his hat and call me Massa Billy, and
to prove it, will write him and show
you his reply, lie wrote him and, as al
excuse for doing so, told him Of tht
little reader referred to above and sale
that il he desired it, he would send it t
him. BY due course of mail q reply
came, commencing "My dear Mass
Billy" Bruce expressed the deepest low,
for his old master, sending him pack
age Of garden seed, in the corner o
which was smaller package of flowe
seed marked 'for Miss Lizzie shl
being Prof. Keate's wife.
Most Of Prof Keate's negroes re
mained with him long after they wer
proclaimed free, one of whom wa
Bruce. When their master could pro
vide for them no longer, he bade then
depart and exercise that freedom whicI
was theirs. Bruce obtained employmen
upon steamboat plying the waters o
the Missouri river, and afterward too
up his residence in the state of Missis
sipi, from which he was elected to tn
United Senate and held either state O
federal Office almost without intermis
sion to the time of his death.