The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-26
COMETS EFFECT
ON The negroes
VISIT OF 1886 RECALLED BY AN
AGED LADY THEN A GIRL
OF 9 YEARS.

| Atlanta, Ca, May 26.--Mrs, Jennie
| D.. keeling of this city, has received
1.-THE following interesting letter from
| her aged mother, MRS. Nv. r. Dicl1er-
son, who resides in. Giles county, this
state, concerning. her recollections of
the last appearance of Halley's comet,
and the impression It made, upon her
| then. as a child OFFS wears
Giles County May Is, 1910.
Mrs. Jennie D. Keeling,
Knoxville, Tenn,
My dear daughter.-I an very glad,
YOU asked ME to tell you or the comet
that appeared i'm 1885. have been
relating to my friends the many anus
ing incidents among the negroes at
that time. I can laugh now but then, as
| was only 8 years of age, their dis
tress impressed me differently,
My father and mother were living on
plantation at the time predicted for
the comet to destroy this earth was
drawing near. The screams the pray
ers of $50 superstitious slaves pierced
the air, for the prayers were screamed.
Mother took us, brother, sister and my
self i'm the living room, and attempted
to draw our attention from the pan
demonium without by telling stories OF
| the war of 1912, when father was
soldier Her attempt to divert US was
indeed vain for plainly we could hear
such prayers "Oh, Lawd, forginl'e for
takn de ole goblur off de fence. he jes'
roos so low I think sum nigger'd git
him." De judgen' day am cunir' -
another confession would be made.
Good Lawd, don't glib me tn de debbil
kaz | didn mean ter tuck ~
ble's bacon--I jes want poster her
sum-" My father. CAPTAIN Stone, was
endeavoring all the while to convince
the ignorant blacks that not even the
angels in heaven knew when the lend
of the world would be- At other times
they would have listened to ''Ole Mar
SER but that blazing comet banished
all confidence in him or his Judgment.
The adjoining plantation belonged to
Presbyterian preacher, Mr.. Orr. He
with his sixty slaves joined ours and.
he with father began 10 remonstrate
harshly-as the women grew hysteri-
cal, swoomed, etc. The event that
proved too much for them to keep
sober face was when Uncle Daniel
| built large fire and began to roast
potatoes and bake ashcakes. When
questioned as to his motive he prompt
" answered Cant leave desc 'taters
here, I'm gwine to put desc on as
my walls inside my shirt t eat on as
Use goes to hebbin" Old Aunt Hanna
sat in the corner near the fireplace
where she could knock thk ashes
from here pipe-replenish 1t with
baco, and light it with live Goals. all
| the time grooming De good
| Lawd's going to TUX me home.' When
was put in bed, 1t was not TO fall
asleep at once. The wailing, scream
ing and singing we're ringing in my
ears, and even when I did sleep my
dreams we're OF the distressed ne
groes
Never once did 1t cross my mind that
the comet would disturb the white
folks" AS the negroes were frighteri-
ed thought 1t would destroy their
world.
Mrs. Brownlow OF your city, whom I
mostly pleasantly recall can. am
confident tell you much more of in
terest than r. for Jennie you must
know II has been rs years since that
night of nights. and I was only O.
/ years old. too young to be impressed
as ! should have been. perhaps. end
yet the little / have told has lived
In memory. Tell the children not to
be afraid.