Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-08-02
AUNT CHARLOTTE'S
RESPONSIBILITY.
The Story Of = Faithful Slaves
Faith In Her Masters Prom
ise TO Return.
BY HAYS BLACKMAN.

$%%%%%%~%%%~~~~%%~%%%%@~~$
Beyond the neglected shrubbery, the
blackened umbers and the crumbling
heap Of bricks that marked the place
where the big house of the plantation
had stood before the war was small
Enclosure surrounded by a rail fence.
In the plat We're two graves-those
Of grown person and little child.
Without the rail fence nature had
done her best, hiding the scars OF war
under a tangle of wild honeysuckle
that wrapped the vines of the odd man
sion In caressing greenery.
But within the Enclosure there was
evidence that nature had a 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 q
path through the buffalo grass to the
rail fence and the top rail 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 Enclosure and the
graves were coverd with rOses-whlte
roses Of the old fashioned Thousand
leaved" variety that grow In old gar
Nk.a IL a 10
them from the garden at Captain Ter
rill's, where Captain Terrill's wife, the
new mistress Of the plantation, gave
her flowers for the graves or provi-
siOns for her larder with a beautiful
impartlality.
Captain Terrlll. riding down the levee
road to the field, saw the pathetic fig
ure by the graves and drew rein at the
fence.
"HOwdy, Aunt CharlOtte" he called.
"YOur graves look mighty nice this
morning."
The old woman Strengthened her bent
back.
How you come on, Mist Joe% she
inquired. "You lOokin peart. Use list
tolluble, thanky, sub. Yes, sub, de
grades moughty fine. Miss Dell gin
me de roses fo' Miss Ma'gret's grade
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 go
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 flower on Miss Mar
garet's grave. "She moughty good, but
her an Mist Joe amt my own folkses."
A tear rolled down her wlthered
cheek and fell among the roses.
"Mlss Ma'gret." she whispered, Use
lonesome, Miss Magret. Cyan't you
AK de good Lord to SEN MaTse Cunnel
home an TEX po' ole Charlotte long
or you an lip Marse JohnT'
One June morning, just after the des
perate struggle to rend the Union asun-
der began, Colonel Murray rode away
from Rlverview to join the Confederate
forces. From the door of the big house
Miss Margaret watched him. ana 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. |
IL know you are faithful. | leave your
Miss Margaret and your little Nurse
John In your especial care. Until |
come home again ! will hold you re- |
sponsibIe for their welfare"
After her master had ridden away |
Aunt Charlotte took up her trust. How |
faithfully she had fulfilled 1t only Miss
Margaret aud little Marse John could |
have told-Miss Margaret and little |
Marse John who slept beneath the |
roses.
The colonel had never come back to
Riveryiew. The tide OF war swept |
over the plantation and the soldiers left
desola ton 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
outbuildings and tho negro cabins In
the quarter lighted the level delta
country for miles, Aunt Charlotte car
rfed her mistress and little Marse John.
And here she had lived ever since.
The little boy died OF slow fever the
last year OF the war Aunt Chario,e
herself dug the little grave near the
house no that Miss Margaret might still