The times., 1898-04-10
TO notice for the first time, perhaps in
liigginson's hook He ..aYs:

~
TO notice for the first time perhaps, in
lii"ginaon's book. He says:
There were always present those whom Emer-
son terselv classified as 'mcn with bcarls;'' this
style, now familiar, being then utter novelty,
not tolerated in business the professions and
OF itself committa to pronounced heresy. Partly
as a result OF this unwontec adernment there were
men who-as Is indeed noticed in European So
ciaist meetings today-bore marked rcsemb ancs
to the accepted pictures of Jesus Christ. This
trait was varied to an extent which the news
papers called "blasphemous in Charles Burleigh
"a man of tall figure, benign face. and most per
suasive tongue, wearing long auburn cuTls and
a somewhat tangled, tempestuous beard.
Higginson. from a certain fatality of
temperament. as he says. was associated
] with the most radical Of the Boston re-
/ formers, and by virtue of his family and
! bringinE-up. with the most conservative
! After the passage of the Fugitive Slave
! Law. he was concerned in the attempted
1 rescue of Burns. and in some of the tur-
/ bulent mass meetings of the time. Later.
Z having studied for the ministry, he had
some stirring experiences in the new State
J oC Kansas. as d sort Of lighting parsOn.
! IN the civil war, he became colonel of u
negro regiment. This step was almost
! inevitable under the circumstances. in,
somuch that a nonsense verse" written
before his appointment. before. in fact,
there were any black regiments, ran III
this way:
There was a young curate Of Worcester,
Who could have command if he choose ter,
But he said each recruit
Must he blackeT than SCOT,
/ Or else he'd go preach where he used ter
He says of this verse:
As matter OF fact il came no nearer the truth
than the famous definition OF a crab by Cuvier $
! pupil, since I had never been curate, had al
ready left the pulpit for literature before the war;
and was so far from stipulatiEg for colored reg-
Inent that had just been commissioned in white
/ one; nevertheless, the hit paipable, and de-
served jts Fcfrioiitf.
| HiGginson's regiment was a regiment of
] freed slaves recruited by Brigader Cen
eraI Rufus SaXton, of the Department of
/ the South, at time when the first regi-
ment of emancipated slaves as such had
yet TO be mustered in, and it was doubt
/ ful whether such regiment would be
! anything more than a plantation guard in
uniform. His experience may be inter
esting at the present time. in connection
! with the record of colored regiments in
| the Regular Army which have just been
/ ordered to Cuba. He says:
1t is mistake to suppose that slavery, as such,
was altogether a good preparation for military
life; and those officers who copied the methods of
+ plantation oyerseeTs proved failures. II was
necessary 10 keep constantly before the men that
they much more than slaves, TO appeal 10
their pride soldiers. 10 win their affection also,
and then 10 exercise absolute justice; and the
officer who did all this could wind them round
his finger. Through such influences ii need
ful TO teach them, among Other Things. 10 obey
3 the non-commissoned officers OF their own color,
! and this they at tTst found hard. II don want
| him to play de white man obCr me, fire.
| quent remark in such cases. and the objection
| had TO be met 10y explaining that color had moth
ing 10 do with it; that they obeyed their segeants
| only those seIgeants obeyed their captains. or
the captains yielded 10 me or took my orders
from the general. In little while this became per
fectly clear to their minds. and they were proud,
not offended, when sent some expedition l.udeT
| a sergeant Of their own This was made easier
| by the fact that had among the non-commis-
stoned officers much admirable material; End the
! color-sergeaut, Prince Rivers, was not 1nlv a
man Of distinguished appearance. nut superior ~
the power of command 10 half the white officers
In the regiment. Once, when visiting heT
York Is Cen Hunters orderly, he Ind heen mob
bed in the street for wearing the United States
uniform. and had defended himself successfully
against half dozen men, taking his position il
a doorway. Afte the war ne was appointed
justice OF the peace in South Carolina.
! 1t a fortunate thing for both Gen Saxtor
and myself that each Of US had been satisfied il
| advance OF the essential courage OF the blacks
! In my tins was the result of little CNlr'n
ence at the Burns not; in SaXton's ease ii cart
from his participation in the war between th,
United States troops and the Florida Seminoics
when be had observed, having both blacls ard
/ Indians to fight against that the negroes would
( Ditch stand fire when the Indians would rur
away The coloTed soldiers caused me. and
think caused their officers generally, di-ap
pointment whatever IN respect 10 courage con
duct A. Gen. Saxton wrote 10 q Northern com
mittee Of inquiry TO the freed blacks they w,rt
intensely human. They were certainly more
docile than white soldiers, more affectiOnl7e end
/ more impulsive; they probably varied more under
different officers and were less individually self
reliant, but were, on the other hand, under good
guidance, more eager and impetuous than Ttntes
. They very gregarlous, and liked tC
march together even on 4 fatigue party singing a.
they marched whereas white soldiers on sucf
afar9Na Eaa9a all
sngly. : In regard TO courage. there was not
] suspect, much difference Most men have tn,
ordinary share OF that attribute; comparatively
few are adventurous; the commander OF any req
nent white OF black, soon knew perfectly we'll JUS
which Of hls men would be likely to volunteer
for a "forlorn hope" . There was plenty thai
was picturesque about this experience, and there
were some things that were dangerous; all
fought, for instance, with ropes around our necks
the Confederate authorities having denied TO Off
GERS oi coloreu regiments the usual privileges,
taken prisoners. and having required them 10 bt
( treated feions. Personally. / never believed
that they would execute this threat, and so tat
as We were concerned they had opportunity
but the prospect Of hanging not a pleasant
thing. even il kept in the background, nor was !
agreeable 10 our friends at home
After the war Colonel Higginson wen
abroad, and met many distinguished peo
pie in Literary London" and Literary
Paris" There is a charming glimpse o
Darwin, which is worth quoting:
remember that at my first visit. IN 1872.
was telling him Of an address before tie I'no
logical Society hy Dr. Alexander ]. His il
which he had quoted from Through the Looking
Glass the description Of what called port
manteau words. into which various meanings Me-
crammed. As spoke, Mrs. Darwin giided cuiet
away. got the book and looked up th2 passage
, Read il out, my dear said her husband and a
she read out the amusing plgc. lie hiG lis Lca
back and laughed heartily. II was alr )g.ih - dC
lightiu TO sec the 1an who hal revolu;i )nize
, . the science Of the world, giving him.olf whcl
I 10 tie ENJOY mCHt Of Alice and her pretty nOI
; sense. Akin 10 this was his hearty enjoyment 9
1 Mark Twain. who had then hardly begun 10 Il
, regarded above the Josh Billings arale nf ht
\ morist; but Darwin was amazed that | had NJ
4 read The Jumping Frog" and said that he a
ways Kept II by his tedside for midnight anus,
r ment ! recall with a different kind OF pleasur
y I the interest he took n my experience with III
I colored race and the faith which he expressed
! the negroes. This afterwaTd stated more full
: IN letter 10 me- which may be found in hi
, published memoirs.
Another remimiscence concerns d
Maurier:
! met Du Maurier at a dinner party. befor
he had added lterarV 10 artistic success Som
one had told me Than he probably the mos
bored man IA London. d'aing out daily, and bein
b tired 90 death of il. asked him where h
got the situations md lAottocs for his char1nin
: pictures OF children IN the London parks IIc la
2 an especial group, about that time who w,r
always walking with a great dog and making ,js
lightful childish observations. He replied Tia
= his own children provided him with clever saving
u
old 10 utter them, his friends kept him suapi: @
trom their nurseries. told him that he inivl
: Initiate lady once knew in America who whe
p her children invited TO any neigb,orin
. house 10 play. used 10 send by the maid who a,
- companied them notebook and pencil, with III
request that the lady q the house would lot dow
anything remarkable which they might say durin
q the afternoon. He seemed amused at this and
= month or two later, when | took up a new l.odn
4 Punch at Zernatt, / found my veritable tal
4 worked up In picture; a fat pudgy little moth,
handing a notebook 10 rather stately and dcaar
= Young goycTness; while the children, clusterin
L round. and oil looking Just like the mother sl.
-nD-LN u L. L. L