The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-09-13
AUNT CHARL0TTE'S
RESPONSIBILITY.
The Story of Faithful Slaves
Faith In Her Masters Prom
Use to Return.
BY HAYS BLACKMAN.

@%@,3.y::s: :.e:3 3:34s:s:s::::<3%s.>c
Beyond the neglected shrubbery, the
blackened timbers and the crumbling
heap of bricks that marked the place
where the big house of the plantation
had stood before the war was n small
inclcsure surrounded by a rail fence.
In the plat We're two graves-those
of grown person and little child.
Without tie rail fence nature had
| 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 inclosure there was
| evidence that nature had a helper in
| her ministry.
| The plantation kitchen was 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 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 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
riil'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
impartiality.
Captain Terrill, riding down the levee
road to the field, saw the pathetic figI
ure by the graves and drew rein at the
! fence.
"Howdy, Aunt Charlotte?" he called.
, "Your graves look mighty nice this
mornir.. +"
The old woman Strengthened her bent
back.
"How you come on, Mist Joe?" she
inquired. You look'1 peart. Use jist
tolluble, thanky, sub. Yes, sub, de
grabes moughty fine. Miss Dell gin
5 me de roses fo' Miss Ma'grets grabe
, dis mawnin. Miss Dell moughty good
4 to me, Mist Joe"
The young owner of the plantation
smiled and nodded as he touched bay
i Selim with the whip.
That's all right. Aunt Charlotte y
q he called over his shoulder. You &C
q to your Miss Dell for anything you
:. need"
Aunt Charlotte watched him out OF
o sight beyond the bend in the levet
road. She sighed as she turned bacl
y to the graves.
Miss Dell moughty good" she said
e STOPPING to touch flower on Miss Mar
n garet's grave. "She moughty good bu
" her an Mist Joe amt my own folkses.'
b A tear rolled down her witheret
,r cheek and fell among the roses.
Miss Ma'gret," she whispered, as
lonesome, Miss Ma'gret. Cyan't yo'
AK de good Lord to SEN Marse Cunne
7. home an tex po' ole Charlotte loni
er you an lii Marse Iohn?"
One June morning. just after the des
III perate struggle to rend the Union asur
le der began. Colonel Murray rode ava
lie from Riverview to join the Confederat
IS forces From the door of the big hous
r. Miss Margaret watched him, and Char
of lotte held the colonel's little son up |
,o her arms that he might watch the ereC
a figure on the big horse out of sight bt
yond the bend in the levee road.
~ Charlotte" Colonel Murray had salt
10 II know you are faithful. l leave yor
rs Miss Margaret and your little Mars
ot John in your especial care. Until
,t. come home again | will hold you r
VS. sponsible for their welfare"
as After her master had ridden ava
Aunt Charlotte took up her trust. 1o
~ faithfully she had fulfilled it only Mi
Margaret and little Marse John cou
ne have told-Miss Margaret and lit
he Marse John who slept beneath Il
he roses.
nd The colonel had never come back
of Riverview The tide of war swe
of over the plantation and the soldiers lie
desolation behind them. When th'
oA burned the big house. the flames SPAR
rn- the brick kitchen. that. after the sout
he ern fashion. stood at some distan
its from the main building. And hel
zen while the flames from the house, [
elk Outbuildings and the negro cabins
M. the quarter lighted the level del
, country for miles. Aunt Charlotte c;
ried her mistress and little Marse Jot
on And here she had lived ever since.
lnd The little boy died of slow fever
Tho last year of the war. Aunt Charlo
ldi- herself dug the little grave near
thel house SO that Miss Margaret might s.
ms, have her boy close TO her. Miss Nj
~ garet lived till three years after I
war. hcarthroien woman. for wht
the faithful nrgress cared tenderly q
"' patiently as for an ailing. fretful Chi
cen When at last Charlotte turned FRI
on, the new grave beside little Marse JOIN
t a it was TO new responsibility-to W
ted for Marse Colonel; TO keep the graz
Re- fresh and green: to give back to Ia
the trust she had kept. She had wait