Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-30
SOFT WORD
TURNETH AWAY WRATH

/
that l was an Overseer on q southern
| plantation. The overseer of slaves has
| so often been pictured as a monster.
| especially in the character of Legree in
! Uncle Toms Cabin that l have sell
| dom admitted that l ever held such a
| position. The truth is, I was born and
| brought up in the south under the sys-
! TEN of slavery. and TO me it was
| matter of course. The planter for
whom l worked was as kindly n man
as ever lived. Our method of punish
| mcnt l think now and thought then
was faulty, but we must remember
that in those days fiogging was COM
mon in the schools and in many fam
| lilies where parents whipped their chill
dren.
One day a strong, HISty negro became
lnsubordinate and refused To- work. |
ordered him logged. After his punish
ment he said 10 me, III get even with
yOu for this and the look he gave me
at the same time convinced me that lIa
would be us good as his word. Many
ovcrseerS would have had him logged
again ana again and then been ready
To shoot him Ut the slightest provoca-
ton. On the contrary. | treated him
more kindly than ever, though not let
ting him see that | attached any i'm
pOrtance to words uttered under great
humiliation.
'Pete-that was the negrOS name
tried at various times to kill me.
though indirectly. One night | found
on turning down my bcdclothes Il poi
sonOus snake between the sheets. 1t
had doubtless been placed at the foot
of the bed. but had not remained there
L suspected Pete of the work. and the
next morning. coming upon him sud
denly. he was unable to conceal his
feelings at seeing me. knowing that
his plan had failed. AT another time
he placed Il huge stone over my door
SO that the doors opening would dis
lodge the stone. | was struck on the
shoulder. which was diSIGca ted. and
was laid up for weeks. Several other
attempts We're made To kill me in some
such fashion. but none of them could
| trace to Pete. though | felt fairly
sure he had laid the traps. At last
grew so wary that | was always on
the watch. and il would have been
very difficult for him to catch me.
However. after | had discovered n
train of EunpOwder laid under my bed
l told Pete that | understood his pIIr-
pose and upon another attempt would
reveal his doings to his master. have
linn arrested. and | did not think it
would take any court long TO send him
to prison for good many years to
L.,
not usual TO the OverSeers of the south.
The truth is that when had seen Pete
logged it occurred TO mo that if We're
in his place | should probably seek re-
Vengc Yet no revenge was open TO
the slave that would not react on him
Meanwhile Pete who was married.
had q son born to- him. Il bright, woody
headed little pickaninny. who wound
himself about Pete's rcvengeful heart.
The child made Il great change in his
father in his relations TO all save me.
Though | didn't catch Pete in any
overt acts toward me after this sons |
coming, | felt that he hated me more |
than ever. Besides. his master re- |
marked 10 me that Pete had shown |
signs of Sulliimess and INSTRUMENTATION |
toward him.
Then the master was taken i'll and |
died. When his estate was settled it |
WIS found To- be insolvcnt. Most of |
the negroes We're sold at auction, Pete |
and his wife and child among the num- |
Der When il was ANNOUNCED that he |
and lis family were liable TO separa- |
ton Pclc became the most desperate |
looking man ! ever saw. lie brooded |
81 Il
Reason. When the sale came on. the |
auctinnaer. failing 10 get Il bid for the !
three in one lot. began the sale of Pete |
individually. intending To follow with |
his wife and child. together if possible. |
if not. separately.
PETE, having a bad reputation. did |
not attract bids and was about to he |
knocked down to Il negro trader when |
| stepped in and began 10 bid for him.
1t was curious TO note his expression
when he saw what was about. He |
apparently supposed that | was trying
TO buy him for the purpose OF reVeng
ing myself upon him. and when he was !
knocked down to me gave me Il look |
which meant plainly. We'll, we shall
see who lives. longest But when | l
began TO bid for his wife and child hc
was puzzled. He had evidently thought /
l had intended TO separate them. ! u
was obliged to bid high, but L secured
the two, and then Pete gave me an
Other look. this time OF relief mingled
with bewilderment.
Pete | said when the sale was II
over. L have leased a small plantation,
and you and your wife and family are
my first hands TO stock it
Not long after that the war came OF, H
and | was obliged 10 leave my planta
ton to fight for-well. a system didn't
like. | placed everything in Pete's
hands. The Yankees came down. and II
most of the hands left. but Pete and
his wife and pickaninny stayed on. The
fences were burned for campfires. but
Pete rebuilt them. The outhOuses were
torn down. but Pete gathered the frag L