The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-09-10
WASH MCQUEEN.
A Word of Praise for a Trusted
and Beloved Servant.

Dear Robesonian:
. l have been informed that
Wash Mcqueen, a trusted and
beloved servant of family whose
name he has worthily worn, is
now seeking at the hands of |
Robesonians some humble posi-
ton that would make a glad |
light for his eventide. | am not
a Woman-suffragist, | belong to |
none of the advanced schools, |
neither do | exercise myself in
great matters or in things too
high for me-; and yet if l could
transport myself to the dear old
native heath with a legalized
ballot in my hand, it would be a
pleasure unspeakable to cast it
for Wash Mcqueen.
1t is a ''far cry" from the old
times of Floral College to the
present day in Washington City,
but my mother, Maria Mcqueen,
was to the manor born and
the family of negroes to which
Wash belongs l remember as
being for fidelity, intelligence,
morals and manners, the most
remarkable one | ever saw.
There may be none living who
ever saw Col. James Mcqueen,
Of Queensdale, as he died before
he was an old man, and grieve
to know that few of his own
descendants are familiar with
the history of his splendid life
and yet in his day lone blast
upon his bugle horn was worth
a thousand men,.
The gray-hair'd d sires who know the past
To strangers point the Highland-cast,
And moralize on the decay
OF Scottish strength in modern day"
Every instinct of a native high
lander was a natural Knight
seeking as often wrongs
to redress as to redress wrongs
and James Mcqueen landed on
this side of 1.-The sounding sea"
with deeply rooted prejudices
against the institution of slavery.
When ineXorable conditions COM
PEELED his surrender to the in
evitable, he formulated by way
of expiation. forsooth, a system
of ownership so uplifting and
benefcent that every bond-ser-
want felt him or herself to be as
actual an integrant part of the
family and home as any son OF
daughter whom they served.
never read in the Book of Ruth
the salutation of Boaz to his
reapers without being reminded
of the spirit that prevailed or
the old farm at Queensdale be-
tween master and slave. "AnC
BOaz said unto the reapers, The
Lord be with you. And they
D answered him, The Lord blesi
= thee" Ruth "a.
| remember to have heard m,
f mother say that when any rascal
, ity broke out in the quarters
+ and my grandfather sought t,
= know the truth, the whole trutl
and nothing but the truth"
D. young Washington was invari
i ably summoned, with the uniform
result that the mischief was sur
o to land on the well-known wis
: but willy BOnaparte.
8 Holding in most grateful re
membrance the affection an
,. devotion of this deserving family
and feeling assured that tn
o faithfulness Of the old represen
); tative who now seeks the kindl
o sympathy of his people in hi
declining days has only ripene
i and melloWed with age, l com
=, mend him most tenderly to Hir
= ;, from whom all gifts come (Jame
y LID, and who has power to tur
! hearts in obedience to His wi
II + prov. 21:D, believing that H
" will be as mindful of this faith
y. full servant in his pathetic nee
4 4 as He was of the faithful one {
a a old before whom and with whor
" He sent an angel and prospere
- his way. (Gen. 24::7, 40, 49,.
- Chattie Nee. Beall.
y y Washington, D. G.
~ od to iuCtifv OI1rco1voc in cO r.