News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-10-04

his possession highly valued letter
dictated by "Father" Josiah Henson,
the famous original of Uncle Tom of
Harriet Beecher Stoves story. The
letter was written by his second grand
son and signed by the hand of the old
slave. The scrawl is almost unintel-
ligible, as Father Henson learned to
write after he was sixty-fve years of
age.
Mr.. Clark 8 father, George Washing
ton Clark, the abolitionist singer,
who was to the anti-slavery cause in
a musical sense what Phillips, CARR
son and Frederick Douglass we're as
orators, Travelled through many
cities of the United States with Uncle
Tom alter his escape from slavery.
The touching songs, setting forth the
sufferings of the slaves, were rendered
doubIy effective by the presence of
the old black man whose true his
tory had become so generally known.
The poems of Whittier and other lib
erty poems were sung, and it is said
that the eloquent speeches delivered
in the many reform meetings of those
days could not touch the soul as did
the songs sung by Mr. Clark. Hearts
were thrilled which had never felt the
woes of the slave before and pro-
slavery bowed it's head and wept for
the first time.
Mr.. Clark assisted the old slave to
obtain means which took him to
Europe, where he secured several
thousand dollars. With this he
bought farm in Canada where his
large family was settled.
Mr.. Clark says of him
Father Henson was good, true,
noble man, genial and witty, always
good company. IL was with great
satisfaction that used to serve him,
often dressing and undressing the
poor slavery-made cripple. Just be-
fore he died he sent for me to meet
him at hatham, Ontario, at cele-
bration. | went anticipating one
more meeting on earth, but was dis
appointed. He was taken sick and
died before reached him. Peace to
his ashes! His soul goes marching
onl"
1t was in Canada that the following
letter from Uncle Tom was written
to Mr.. Clark and dated November s,
1875
George W. Clark, Dear Friend:
Yours of October 81 was duly receiv-
ed on Saturday, November 6, 1t
gives me untold pleasure to hear
from you, therefore, | hasten to. re-
ply. am glad to say that | enjoy
my usual health as much as can be
expected for man of my age You
wish to know my age? Well, | was
eighty-six my last birthday, which
was the 18th of last June.
Dear friend, I we'll remember with
grateful acknowledgement the great
kindness you done me when you and
were laboring together in the anti
slavery and temperance cause. The
Lord has greatly blessed our feeble
efforts. Great changes have taken
place both in church and state since
we met last. We helped to cut down
the brush and the trunks of the trees,
and burned them up in clearing the
field. But the fields are not quite
cleared yet so that the temperance
pillow can run straight furrow with
out meeting with some difficulty.
You remember how long the roots of
the white oak and the black walnut
stumps will remain in the ground ex-
cept we keep up a process of sprout-
ing of the suckers so that the stump
may rot. By and by we can take
them out, root and branch, and then
the temperance pillow will have fair
play. Perhaps if some theologian or
divine was to see this they might call
it negro theology because they might
not know the meaning. But | know
you do.
l would be most happy to see you
that we might have day of thanks
giving together over the victories
the Lord has hitherto won for us.
Slavery is dead, thank the Lord, and
we are still alive.
My family are we'll, but they are
not quite as large in number as
some. have but seven children and
forty grandchildren and five great
grandchildren and in a few days we
expect two more. The way feel now
would be glad to write you a letter
as long as the moral law, but it
would take up too much of your val
liable time. have been twice to
England since | saw you and had
the honor of being an exhibitor
at the Worlds Exposition and stood
in the presence of our sovereign lady,
the Queen, the great Duke of Well
ington and all the royal families of
the civilized world. Write soon, for |
should like to keep up correspond
ence with you until we meet again,
whether in this world or in the good
world to come. | am sitting down
by a good warm fire and my second
grandson is writing for me. l am
debating. / will sign my name in
my own handwriting, which l could
not do until after | was sixty-fve
Now, / remain, Yours truly,
JOSIAH HENSON.
Robbed the Grave.
A startling incident is narrated by