The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-04

duties will require his presence until
perhaps daylight He and one nsa:a
whom he keeps with him have lunchei
heartily at the nctel and he has sers US
to enjoy your hospitality
Oysters. broiiad chicken, hot biscuits.
fragrant coffee, scanning punch-all. in
the course OF twenty minutes. were
among the things that were but are
not" and. lighting Mr.. Blanks ch,ice
cigars. with many an apology that their
pressing patrol duties demanded al IN
ceremonious departure, the "guafi
bowed themselves out-too full for
u~tterance" of mcre than a chuekle. as.
slipping along Market street, they saw
through the gloom, feebly pierced by
the street lights. the true blue" pa
troll oonverging 10 the rendezvous in
eager anticipation OF the feast
Local history Is a blank As TO the
blankety, blank, blank explosion OF SIR.
Blank and his wearied warriors when
they struck that dismantled supper Ia
bic only a few minutes later.
In this connection a pleasant story
is told illustrative of the kindly Isel-
ings between the whites and the blacks
before. the Civil war, and of the us
| eliminating judgment Of character DIS
played by the folmer in their relations
TO the slaves.
One night a young man, a greenhorn
patrolman. walk".l up to headquarters
at the market mouse with his hand N.
the collar of a herculean negro. who
seemed TO take his capture very COM
poSedly, I've got a niger for YOU
captain" called u the youth, with
| Il good deal of exultation in his tones.
The captain of the patrol walked for
ward 10 the light. glanced at the ne
| gro prisoner and then turned on the
enterprising youth: why you mean 10
say that you have gone and took up
| Marsh Hooper," he demanded, wI'h
some heat.
4 don't know his name. but he didn',
have a pass and so | arrested him."
why, Marsh Hooper does lot need Il
| pass to go from one end OF Fayetta-
| vile to the other. during any houc of
the twenty-four. If | was to find hiIc
| in my back YARD or my back piazza at
midnight, I'd Know he was not there
| III any Hal iOu ~ diOAS, ais
| continued the captain, turning to rhe
captive: excuse this 'kid'-he's only
green" The negro laughed heartily
at the discontinue of his captor, ard
went ON his way.
This was a verv high tribute to The
character of a slave. but Marsh Hooper
we'll merited the enconium for he was
a remarkable MAI of exceptional force
of character. IN appearance he was
of fine physique. polite and digni.ie'i
in address ami bearing, and he was
gifted with unusual intelligence. 100
curing his manumiSsion from his mas
ter, he enIgrated to Liberia about 1853
! Or 1854, and, if | mistake not, attained
to the presidenCy OF the republic. At
any rate, he was nigh in Office and in
f1uence, and returned to Fayetteville,
full of schemes for the colonization Of
his ace. He induced many Of his col
Ored friends and relatives to accomra-
ny him back to Africa, and the simple
nature of the slave demonstrated itself
amusingly in tho preparations for the
voyage. Here would be seen a family
with a keg of soft soap and a Suord
of eggs, while another had a pig by Il
rope, and a yellow dog brought up the
rear At the Cape Fear river wharf the
captain of the steamer compelled them
to leave much Of their useless plun'iar
on the landing; and, by the time II ~
were slowed away in the emigrant ship
they were trimmed down to travelling
order. A few of them died in the course
of the passage across the seas and Sew
eral passed away after reaching Line
ria. John Patterson, an intelligent,
kindly mulatto and a most estimable
citizen, who lived for many years Oh
the corner Of West Rowan and Hills
boro streets, took great interest in this
colonization movement, n generally
aided the emigrants from his own D"i-
vate means.
This expedition was joined at El:zI-
BEETHOVEN, Blade1 county, by a contm-
gent of the freed slaves of Congress
man Mckay, the original watchdog OF
the treasury" These latter seemed to
have the fortune to "cast their lives in
pleasant places IN Africa than their
fellow-voyagers from Cumberland. One
of them returned years afterwards 10
visit his old home in Bladen county,
| who had been elevated to the rank of
! prince in the land of his adoption, and