The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-06-28
@%~%%%%%%%@@%&@@%
AUNT CHARLOTTE'S
RESPONSIBILITY.
The Story Of q Faithful Slaves
Faith In Her Masters Prom
.ts iss 70 Return.
BY HAYS BLACKMAN.

blackcned tlmbers and the crumbling
hemp of bricks that marked the place
where the big house of the plantation
had stood before the war was small
inclosure surrounded by rail fence.
In the plat were two graves-those
Of a grown person and. little child.
without the rail fence nature bad
done her best, hiding the scars OF war
under a tangle Of wild honeysuckle
that wrapped the vines Of the old man.
sion In a caressing greenery.
But within the Enclosure there was
evidence that nature had helper in
her ministry.
The plantation kitchen was a brick
building that stood just back Of the
ruins Of the house. From the door the
frequent passage Of feet had worn a
path through the buffalo grass to the
rail fence and the top rnil Of the panel
Of fence to which the path led was
smooth and sagging where an old
negress had climbed over It every day
for many years.
She stood this morning in the little
burying ground. She had been clipping
the grass In the inclosure and the
graves were coverd with roses--white
roses Of the old fashioned Thousand
leaved' variety that grow In old gar
dens. The old woman had brought
them from the garden at Captain Ter
rill's, where Captain Terrilps wife, the
new mistress Of the plantation, gave
her flowers for the graves or provi-
sions for her larder with beautiful
impartlality.
Captain Terrill, riding down the levee
road to the field, saw the pathetic fig
ure by the graves and drew rein at the
fence.
"Howdy, Aunt CharlotteT he called.
"Your graves look mighty nice this
morning"
The old woman Strengthened her bent
back.
'How you come on, Mist JoeT she
inquired. You lcokin peart. Use jist
tolluble, thnnky, sub. Yes, sub, de
grabes moughty fine. Miss Dell gin
me de roses 70 Miss Ma'gret's grabe
dis mawnin. Miss Dell moughty good
to me, Mist joe" ..
The young owner Of the plantation
smiled and nodded as he touched bay
Selim with the whip.
THAT'S all right, Aunt Charlotte"
he called over his shoulder. "You 60
to your Miss Dell for anything you
need"
Aunt Charlotte watched him out of
sight beyond the bend in the levee
road. She sighed as she turned back
to the graves.
Miss Dell moughty good" she said,
stopping to touch a flower on Miss Mar
garets grave. "She moughty good, but
her an MIST Joe amt my own folkses."
A tear rolled down her withered
cheek and fell among the roses.
Miss Ma'gret," she whispered, Use
lonesome, Miss Ma'gret. Cyan't you
ak de good Lord to SEN Marse Cunnel
home an tex po' ole Charlotte long
er you an III Marse john"
| One June morning, just after the des-
perate struggle to rend the Union asun-
der began, Colonel Murray rode away
from RivervIew to join the Confederate
forces. From the door Of the big house
Miss Margaret watched him, and Char
lotte held the colonel's little son up in
her arms that he might watch the erect
figure on the big horse out Of sight be-
yOnd the bend In the levee road.
"Charlotte," Colonel Murray had said,
II know you are faithful. leave your
Miss Margaret and your little Marse
John in your especial care. Until I
come home again will hold you re-
sponsible for their welfare"
After her master had ridden away
Aunt Charlotte took up her trust. How
faithfully she had fulfilled 1t only Miss
Margaret and little Marse John could
have tOld-Allss Margaret and little
Marse John who slept beneath the
roses.
The colonel had never come back to
Riverview. The tide Of war swept
over the plantation and the soldiers left
desolation behind them. When they
burned the big house. the flames spared
the brick kitchen, that, after the south
ern fashion, stood at some distance
from the main building. And here,
while the flames from the house, the
Outbuildlngs and the negro cabins In
the quarter lighted the level delta
country for miles, Aunt Charlotte car
ried her mistress and little Marse John.
And here she had lived ever since.
The little boy died Of a slow fever the
last year of the war. Aunt Charlotte
herself dug the little grave near the
house go that Miss Margaret might still
have her boy close to her. Miss Mar
garet lived till three years after the
war, heartbroken woman, for whom
the faithful negress cared tenderly and
patiently as for an aillng, fretful child.
When at last Charlotte turned from
the new grave beside little Marse Johns,
It was to new responsibillty-to wait
for Marse Colonel; to keep the graves
fresh and green; TO give back to him
tba trs,o ot oh ho1 Eopt Ehp had waitQI