The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-02-04

- &AS >~LAs @-A1 Il C&
as a peace offering at every visit. Finally
she made him write her a note and ask
her to take a ride with him. Nelse got
Charlie to write il for him, and made
his own boy carry it to his mother. After
three weeks of humility and attention TO
her wishes, she gave her consent, and
they We're duly married again.
CHAPTER Y.
4 MASTER OF MEN.
The first Monday in October was court
day at Hambright, and from every nook
and corner OF Campbell county, the peo-
pie fiocked TO town. The court house
had not yet been transformed into the
farce-tragedy hall, where jail-birds and
drunken loafers We're soon to sit on
judges bench and in attorneys chair in
stead of standing in the prisoners dock.
The merciful stay laws enacted by the
Legislature had silenced the cry of the
auctioneer until the people might have a
moment to grid themselves for a new life
struggle.
But the black loud was already seen
on the horizon. The people We're restless
and discouraged by the wild rumors set
afoat by the Freedman's Bureau, of com
ing confscation, revolution and revenge
4 greater crowd than usual had come
to town on the first day. The streets
We're black with negroes.
4 shout was heard from the crowd in
the square, as the stalWart figure Of
General Daniel Worth, the brigade com
mander Of Colonel Gaston's regiment,
was seen shaking hands with the men
Of his old army,
The General was a man TO command
instant attention in any crowd. An ex-
pert in a~nthropology would have selected
his face from among a thousand as the
typical man Of the Caucasian race. He
was above the average height, a strong
muscular and Well-rounded body, -
ed by 2 heavy shock of what had once
been raven black hair. now iron gray.
His face was rudy with the glow of
perfect health and his full round lips
and the twinkle of his eye showed him
TO be a lover OF the good things OF life.
He wore a heavy moustache which seem
ed a fitting ballast for the lower part Of
his face against the heavy projecting
straight eyebrows and bushy hair.
AS he shook hands with his old SOL
diers his face was wreathed In smiles,
his eyes flashed with something like tears
and he had a pleasant word for all.
Tom Camp was one OF the first to spy
the General and hobble to him as fast as
his peg-leg would carry him.
"Howdy, General, hoWdy do! Lordy it's
good for sore eyes ter see ye." Tom held
fast to his hand and turning to the
crowd said,
Boys. here's the best General that
ever led a brigade, and there wasn't a
man in it that wouldn't a died for him.
Now three times three cheers," And
they gave it with a will.
"Ah. Tom cure still at your old
tricks" said the General. What are you
after now"
"A speech, General."-"A speech. A
speech" the crowd echoed.
The General slapped Tom on the back
and said.
What sort OF a job is this you're put
ting up on me-I'm no orator, But I'll
just say to you, boys, that this old peg
leg here was the finest soldier that l
ever saw carry q musket and the men
who stood beside him were the most
patient. the most obedient the bravest
men that ever charged a foe and crown
ed their General with glory while he
safely stood in the rear"
Again q cheer broke forth. The Cen
SAaA . iLS III t0ult-
house, when he was suddenly surrounded
by a crowd Of negroes. In the front
ranks were a hundred OF his old slaves
who had worked on his Campbell county
plantation. They seized his hands and
laughed and cried and pleaded for recog-
milton ik a crowd of children. Most of
them he knew. Some of their faces he
had forgotten.
Hi dar, Mars Dan'l, you knows me.
Lordy, Use your boy Joe dat used ter
ketch 20 boss down at the plantation,'
OF course. Joe! Of course
Il know Marse Dan'l amt forget old
Uncle Rube.' said an aged negro push
ing his way to the front.
THAT | haven't Reuben, and how's
Aunt Julie Ann?''
She des tollable, Marse Danl. We'se
bof un US had de plumbago. How is you
all sence de wah?'
OH, first rate, Reuben. We manage
somehow to get enough to eat and if we
do that nowadays we cant complain,
Oats de Gods truf, Marster shot En-
now Marse Danl, we all wants you ter
make US er speech en- 'splain erbout dis
freedom ter us. Dey's so many desc we're
Buroers en- Leagers round here tellin' us
niggers what's er comm, twell we des
doan know muffin fur sho.'
"Yassir dats hit. You tell us er
speech Marse Dan'l,"
The white men crowded up nearer and
joined in the cry. There was no escape.
In a few moments the court house was
filled with a crowd.
When he arose q cheer shook the
building, and strange as it may seem to-
day 1t came with almost equal enthusi-
asm from white and black.
4 thank you, my friends" said the
General, for this evidence of your con-
fdence. ] was a Wing in politics. l
reckon | hated a Democrat as God hates
sin. | was a Union man and fought Sc
eesslon. My opponents won. My State
asked ME to defend her soil. AS an
obedient son | CAV my life in loyal SER
vice.
Il need not tell you as a Union man
that | am glad his war is over. | have
always felt as a business man, a cotton
manufacturer as well as farmer, in touch
with the free labor of the North as we'll
as the slave labor of the South, that free
labor was the most economical and eff
cient. | believe that terrible as the loss
OF four billions of dollars in slaves will
be to the South. if the South is only let
alone by the politicians and allowed to