The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-04
THE OLD BLACK NANNY.

Commenting on that peculiarly
southern characteristic old black
mammy-The Atlanta Georgian re-
prints a part of one of Henry Grady's
famous speeches, as follows:
In the passing OF the old black
nanny one of the most loyal and uni
que types of characters which the
ante bellium days produced on the
southern plantation has commenced to
fade in the dim restrospect of the years.
To the present generation of young
sters this peculiar product Of the old
south is unknown So much the worse
for them, in some respects at least.
But the children of older growth,
whose stopped shoulders and silvered
locks are beginning to tell OF autumn
days, knew well the old black NANNY,
and whenever they recall her dusky
image to mind there gathers a moisture
in the eyes and lump is felt in the
throat. The stories which she could
tell-the songs which she could sing
their very names were legion. She was
childhood's best friend In the old days
which will come no more.
The subject is suggested by the tri-
butes which were paid to the old black
nanny at the annual convention of
the National Negro Business league in
| Louisville, KY, last week.
But no higher eulogium was ever
paid to the old black nanny or to the
race which produced her than was
framed in the eloquent speech of Henry
| Grady at the Boston banquet in 1889;
and at the present time, when so much
is being said of the south's hostility to-
ward the negro, it will be well to re-
produce this utterance of one to the
manner born, Said Mr.. Grady:
| THE love we feel for that race you
| can neither measure nor comprehend.
AS / attest 1t here, the spirit of my old
black nanny from her home up there
looks down to bless me, and through
the tumult of this night steals the
/ sweet music of her croonings as thirty
years ago she held me in her black
arms and led me smiling into sleep.
This scene vanishes as speak, and
I catch a vision of an old southern home
| with its lofty pillars and its white pig
cons fiuttering down through the gold
| en- air. / see women with strained and
anxious faces and children alert yet
helpless. ] see night come down with
its dangers and It's approximations, and
In big lonely home I feel on my tired
brow the touch of loving hands, now
worn and wrinkled, but fairer to me
vet than the hands Of mortal woman
and stronger yet to lead me than the
hands of mortal man; and as they lay
a mothers blessing there while at hel
knees-the truest altar ! have evel
Known thank God that she is safe II
her sanctuary because her slaves, sen.
tinel In the silent cabin or guard at the
chamber door, put black mans loyalty
between her and danger.
"But I catch another vision. Th,
crisis of battle-a soldier struck, stag,
gering, falls. see slave, scuffiint
through the smoke, winding his blacl
arms about the fallen form, reckless o
the hurting death, bending his trust.
face to catch the words that tremble OF
the stricken lips. SO wrestling mean
while with agony that he would la.
{ down his life in his masters stead.
see him by the weary bedside, minister
ing with accomplishing patience, pray
ing with all his humble heart unit
death comes in mercy and In honor i
still the soldiers agony and seal tn
soldiers life. see him BY the ope