South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-08

olHLAttENiphs Conspicuous among neN
first citizens was York Leicester
DriscoH. 40 years old. Judge OF the
county court, OF unblemished Vir-
ginia stock. unhappily chtldless, and
esteemed BY everybody that knew
him. Another citizen OF repute was
Col. Cecil Burleigh Essex. who eX-
cept for one important particular
later disclosed has nothing 70 do
with this story. Resident here also
was certain Percy NOrthumber-
land DriscoH. brother 20 the Judge.
married. and a prosperous owner OF
slaves. among whom was 4 likely
wench OF twenty. RoKana by name.
into whose home on the first day OF
February, 1890, two boy babies were
born. one u these, chrstened Tom
was the son OF Percy Northu m ber-
land. The other, tagged with the
name Of Valet de Chambre, or
Cham bers" for short. was the son
OF tho slave-girl RoXana by a father
at frst unknown, but later revealed
10 be Col. Essex. Within a week OF
the birth OF DriscolIs son the mother
died. and IN the natural course OF
events both boys were entrusted 20
the maternal care OF the slave
mother.
About the same time into this
quiet community came one David
Wilson. hopefully anticipating sue
ceasfll legal career, hope blasted
fl the borning. since a gift Of irony,
one OF David's most tangible assets,
fell upon ears so literal as 20 be
unappreciative. and suspicious OF
humOr.
III wish I owned half OF that
dog" said David one morning when
a tr-H. l.
Why" asked somebody.
Because then would kill my
half" replied David
His hearers fell away from him
in alarm. How could a man kill
half OF a dog without killing the
other half also2 Surely this man
must be out OF his mind.
"A lummOx" said one.
"A perfect iackass." said another.
Hes a puddnhead, that's what
he is said a third.
And from that day forward
'Pudd nhead wilson he was.
Now Puddnhead had two fads-
palmistry. and fnger-prints The
first he occasionally practised lack
ing clients 20 practise law upon, and
the second he collected with great
assiduity. No man. woman or child
ever entered the circle Of Pudd'n-
heads acquaintance without leaving
a finger print, or his thum mark
behind, and all OF these were care
fully named, recorded. dated and
filed. Thus II happened that one
day came RoXana and her two
charges. Tom. the son Of Driscoll
and Cham bers, the son OF herself
and another. As like as two peas
were the babies in color, size and
lineaments-so like that save to
mothers eyes they we're indisdn-
eruishable, and the finger prints Of
all were taken. labeled. dated. and
added 70 the collection OF Pudd'n-
head Wilson
What more natural than that the
likeness OF the two infants-Tom'
own father could not tell him from
the slave ba by-should suggest TO a
mothers heart an interchange OF the
children by which the slave should
become the master and the master
the slave, especially when that heart
was constantly oppressed by the
fear that when her babe grew to
manhood he might be sold down
the river" that ever-present tor
menting dread OF the slave OF the
upper waters? What more natural,
that there being no chance OF de-
lection. ROXana for love OF her son
should yield to that temptation and
forthwith turn Chambers into Tom
and Tom into Chambers by a simple
Interchange Of garments. these being
the only outward and visible signs
by which the boys were different
ated anyhow? IL was in this man
ner that II came TO be the proud
offspring OF the house OF DriScOli
grew into the slave-bOy Chambers
abused and neglected and that the
seemingly white child OF a negro
slave and an unknown father be-
came the scion OF a family OF I'M
blemished linee &c.
But a mere change OF clothes and
condition does not penetrate far be-
low the surface. a sdlken gown
cannot alter the currents Of a shOddy
soul. aud while externally the spuri-
Gus heir was all r. r. V. internally
he was a negro. After a few years,
never having discovered the decep-
ton praCtised upon him by RoNana,
Percy DriscoII died, penniless, but
his brother the Judge, his prayer for
children or his own denied. adopted
the supposiuuOus Tom, and made
the boy his heir. He sent him 20
college He gave him every ad-
vantage that an affeCtiOnate father
could have given a boy of his own.
but the raw material which was the
real rom Was poor ana the SOIL uu-
fruitful. The boy acquired a taste
fer dissipation for which the simple
life or Dawson's Landing offered no
arrangements lie plunged into the
gay whirl OF St Louis. yarnering
nothing but disgraceful gambling
debts. Worst OF all ne was at heart
snob abused the real heir now be-
come his slave. and acquired a pro-
found detestation for his ancient
nurse Roxana. Of whose real rela-
ton 20 him he vas unaware. until
goaded 20 intense resentment by his
contemptuous and brutal treatment.
she acquainted him with the terrible
facts 81 his birth and ancestry. and
demanded thai he treat her as a
mother on penalty OF exposure.
The revelation Frustrated the I'm
postor for a brief period. but failed
10 spur him on 20 better behavior.
He went from bad 20 worse. stooping
even 20 house breaking IN order 70
obtain funds 70 pay his gambling
debts. In HIS mothers power. and
she not at all disinchned 20 black
mail. he was driven 70 all sorts OF
aNpedients 20 satisfy HIS own and her
demands. But through Il all he
managed 10 maintain an outward
aDpearance OF superiority that en-
10 d - to