The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-01-01

at first to avert a renewal of her trial
by emitting to put up the usual note on
Sunday. Rejecting, however, that such
omission would provoke offensive conn
ment, she determined to write the paper
and to stop at the parsonage, to sug-
gest, as her own petition to the parson,
that, as he had already given her hus-
band such raking at the funeral, he
might be quietly passed over in the
prayer. She added that her husband
had always been kind and good to her
and to his family. The aged and vene-
rated pastor took the note, replying,
well, we'll, we'll see" His curt relief
of himself in his prayer was this:
"Thou knowest, o Lord. that thy de-
parted servant was a good pro-
wider for his family; but, beyond that,
his friends think, and we think, the less
said the better"
1t seems strange to think of Connecti-
cut as slave-holding state, but such
was the case in colonial times. I have
met men still living who met in their
childhood with persons who had seen a
cargo of slaves placed in the old Jail at
Middletown, and afterwards sold at
auction. At the time of the Revolution
several prominent citizens in this thriv-
ing village of about one hundred falni-
lies were sea-captains engaged in the
slave-trade. This business was very
profitable for many years. Vessels go
ing out to the West Indies carried
horses, hoofs, grain and other articles,
and on the return trips brought cargoes
of Guinea negroes. They seem to have
been treated kindly, as a rule; and the
M r,c iac ho o,-lrf ha TO-
day were prominent then.
Captive Indians. as well as negroes,
were held for service in families; and
the colonial authorities enjoined strict
care in the training and religious in
struction of these bond servants. Soon
after the revolution steps were taken to
bring about a gradual emancipation OF
slaves on the ground that it was not
profitable to keep them. The conscience
of the people evidently was not trou-
bled in those days over the sin of slave
ry.
In some places they We're accustomed
to elect a governor in imitation of their
white masters, and his installation was
attended with great military pomp and
circumstance. They often addressed
these august personages as kings In re-
membrance of the kings Of guinea. A
tombstone in a Norwich cemetery bears
this inscription: I'm memory OF Boston
Kontrow, governor Of the African tribe
in this town, who died 1772 aged sixty
six" After the death OF TrontroW
Miss Calkins tells us that negro
named Sam Huntington, the slave OF
the distinguished Governor Huntington,
was elected annually to this mock Dig
nifty for much greater number or years
than his honorable namesake and mas
ter was to the gubernatoria1 chair OF the
state, We can imagine the amusement
that was afforded by this darby COVER
nor after his election, riding through
the town upon one OF his masters
horses, adorned with plated gear, his
aids on each side. himself putting and
swelling with pomposity, sitting bolt
upright, and moving with a slow, ma
iestic step as If the universe were look
ing on.
When he mounted or disnounted, his
aids flew to his assistance, holding his
bride, putting his feet in the stirrups
and bowling to the ground before him.
The great mogul in a triumphal pro-
cession, never assumed an air OF more
perfect self-importance than the negro
governor on such occasions.
They had the fondness of their race
for music and among them were many
good fiddlers and drummers. 1t was
one of these musical characters whom
the Rev. DR.. Williams Of Lebanon met
with the stern salutation: Caesar l
hear that you play your fiddle on the
Sabbath; Is it so?"
"Yaus Massa," he replied hesitatingly
IT do a little just for my own CONVEX
sion.''
The Rev. DIR. Chauncey OF Durham
had a slave named Devonshire. One
| Sunday morning after hearing his mas
ter preach from the text Dead In Tres
passes and Sins" he came home to find
the barn door open and the floor lit
tered with hay, which a mischievous old
| ram had pulled from the NOW. Hurry
| ing to the house he exclaimed: "Massa,
| Massa, the old ram is dead" The doc
| tor followed at once and found things
| as stated. Looking sturdy at Devon
shire, he said: What did you mean by
telling me such story as this?"
| Chuckling, the slave replied: Dead
| in trespasses and sins, guess, Massa."
| One other anecdote illustrates an en-
| tirely different side of the negro char
acter. The Rev. William Worthington,
| the grandfather of Governor John Cot
| ton Smith, was the first pastor Of the
| parish in Westbrook, commencing his
| labors there in 1926. For a long time
| he had a. slave servant In his family
who went by the name Girmey. After
| the death of Mr.. Worthington she lived
| in Durham and died there at the ad-
vanced age Of 105. When near her
death she was visited by the Rev. DR..
Goodrich, pastor of the village church.
| Her parting words were these: Yes
| Massa Goodrich, when I die I shall GO
right to heaven, and knock at de door
! and inquire for Massa Worthington
Massa Worthington will come right to
me: and I will says; Chimney, come
1 want you to tell God that Chimney was
always a good servant. She never sir,
never steal, never use bad language
Massa Worthington will go right and
tell God. Chimney was always a good
servant, she nebber lie and nebber
steal and nebber use bad language. .
And then he will come back to the
| door, and say: Chimney you may come
in, and 1 will go right in and sit down
in the kitchen"
The Lords day began at sunset or
Saturday At this moment all unneces-
sary work ceased, and the time was
passed with strict religious observance
until sunset of the following day. Sun