Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-14
TELLS OF SLAVERY DAYS
AND OLD AND NEW SOUTH
Rev. c. II. Miller, Of Schuyler,
Native OF Dixie, at Castelar,
Presbyterian Church.
(Omaha Bee).

c. ii. Miller. of Schuyler, who In (,
mastery manner, discussed the negro
question and incidentally told the
story Of the old and the now sou.h.
That the speaker was familiar with
his topic. there could be no question.
He was born and reared iu the south.
Prior to the rebellion, his fatanr was
slave owner, Who upon the break.
iLg out of the war, cast his fortunes
with the confederacy and was given a
cnptaincy in North Carolina regi-
ment. The father was alsn n Pres.
byterian minister and after the war
was instrumental in establishing the
BiGdle university. where SO many col
o,ed men have been educated.
As an Introduction to his discourse
u en- the negro question. Re-. -. H.
,liller told the story of Phiilip, who
was sent to the people of Samaria.
preaching the word OF Christ. In the
midst of MS work this messengc' re
oejyed instructions to go into the cos.
orl. where he found black man seek
ing light. The man was the prime
I.inister Of the Ethiopian queen. He
had been to Jerusalem and hal seen
maGy things but he had never seen
his redeemer. Phillip was invited
to ride in the chariot and. beginning
with the open page he read the words
of Isaiah concerning the slain lamb.
Then he preached the message of Je.
sis, Accepting the truth. baptized
with water and the holy spirit, this
al, l.G.,
glad heart-he had found the Lord.
To-day" said Rev. DR.. Miller.
there are, in the beautiful south.
land, millions of men and women like
this man. who are seeking after God
and they appeal to us to SEMI some
one to them who will show :nem Je-
sus: who will preach to them Christ.
THAT we NAV understand the mat
ter more fully. let us take a look at
the old south as it appeared to one
who was born there and who still
loves 1t with passionate love.
Remember that love is olind and,
like charity, covers multitude of
sins. And yet, with all due allow
ance for the fact that | am native
of the Old North state, | think | am
creditable witness in regard to the
things | have seen and heard. If
you have only such information as can
be gathered from books like Uncle
Toms Cabin, l can't blame you If you
regard the southern people as race
of blood-thirsty, cruel monsters.
This is. however. a bright side 10 the
slavery question. | bless God that
the negro is free, but | want to tell
you how slavery appeared to one
born on a plantation in North Caro-
lima
Il never saw a man or woman
smitten with the lash. l never heard
an angry word spoken in my life TO
a slave. They lived with us and
loved us and their affections were re-
turned with good measure. The
house was full of them, cooks and
walters and chambermaids masters
man and mistresses' maid, and a sep
arate nurse for each child: a black
took as long to wean us as it took 70
wean Samuel. Oh, the comfort ard
help it was, when we were in trouble
with stumped toe or an aching stom-
ach, to run and tell old NANNY about
it. And veritably believed that
under that black shining skin there
was heart as full of love for her
white charges as for her own child.
I'VE had glorious times on the old
plantation. Corn shucking and coon
hunting and Christmas and New
Years. The back log, in the Old
brick fireplace, was soaked in the
creek for month and on Christmas
eve it was rolled across the floor aud
as long as it lasted there was boli-
day on the plantation. Long before
daybreak the quarters were empried
and the negroes gathered around the
big house and the morning slumbers
of the inmates were broken by the
shout, Christmas gif. massan Christ
mas gif, mussus' Christmas gif,
children.' | wish | had time to tell
you about my first wedding. The
groom was clothed In black cloth
and the bride in white silk, the gift
of my father and mother, for Albert
was my fathers body servant, and
JUDAH, NY hlothci NuH iV
member the happiness that shone in
their dusky faces, even now. And
have always thought II matches were
made in heaven. surely this was one
of them.
But there was one couple on the
plantation that was not so blessed
One of our girls married man who
treated her badly when drunk, She
bore it patiently for long while
and then found cure that far sur
passes Keeley's cure for drunken
ness. One night the husband came
home drunk and insulted the wife
with bitter words and struck her
cruel blows. She answered not. but
quietly got big darnlng needle and
threaded 1t with strong twine.
Shores came from the bed upon
which he had thrown himself. She
slowly crept up. wrapped the sheet
around him, sewed 1t tightly and
reached up and got COW hide from
the wall. When that drunken hus.
band wroke up he woke up all over,