The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-06-22

to collect his thoughts. All his. life
he had put his feet under table in
the masters back yard and while he
had helped make the corH and the
bread, there was always plenty for
both white and black.
1t was with strange feeling, then,
that the old negro started out to
make his way in the world. He had
nothing but the shabby clothing on
his back.
His first job was grading wheat
and his long black arms swung
cradle from early morning until late
at night for TO ;r pounds of bacon q
day.
''It was hard work but I was used
to that and then I had to do some
thing" he said.
Years passed by and the old negro
was three times married. His first
two wives have crossed the river that
separates this world from the un-
known while the third lives with him
near Huff's bridge, on Reedy river in
the southwestern part of Greenville.
The majority of the twenty-four
children have also answered the final
summons, leaving the old man almost
alone as he waits.
II am not afraid to die," he said
with a feeble smile, "and I knows I
can't be here much longer. I have
worked hard all my life and I want
to work on until the end. I have
tried to make friends with everybody
and while the good Lord has let me
stay longer than many others, I want
to pay. Him for His trouble. Yes, I
want to pay Him for His trouble"
Was Sold for 81, 200.
Touching indeed was the old ne
gro's recital of his sale when 1S years
of age, which was his first separation
from his mother. His owner at that
time died and the estate was settled
up, the old negro explained. Todo this
it became necessary to sell all the
slaves and he brought $1,000 while
his mother, when placed on the auc-
tion block, brought $1,000. Others
in the party of slaves brought as high
as $500 also.
The old negro was not vain in his
recital of events concerning the war,
but he told of staying at home, plan
ming the farm and harvesting the
crop year after year. On one occa-
sion he was to go to Virginia to car
ry his young master some edibles
from the farm but was taken sick
and another of the slaves won the
trip.
One of the young men from the
family to which he belonged went
forth to the war and never came back.
Somewhere in the army, the old ne
gro didn't know where but thought it
was in Virginia, the lad was seized
with measles. Soon the family heard
that he had pneumonia and few
days later the tidings of his death
waited into the still country home.
Never again did the place seem the
same, the old negro said, and the
sound of the young masters voice
was never taken by any others who
came along that way.
Several times when the report got
out that the Yankees were coming
through, the old negro made efforts
to conceal the horses and other ami
mails belonging to the family. While
he never got any nearer the firing line
than Laurens county, South Carolina,
the war was a reality to him and
each day he worked to help supply
the soldiers with corn and other
edibles.
Eyes, sir, I have done lots of hard
work in my time,'> he said in COM
menting on his part in raising food
for the soldiers. ''I amt done moth
ing but farm and I have had big
time out in the open. I have been
healthy all my life except spell of
the rheumatism now and then, And
I believe it has been because I have
left tobacco and whiskey alone, as
well as the sweet mic macs that most
folks eat. l have eat three square
meals day and I have always been
able to go to work when the bell
rung"
Continuing, the old negro said, Il
have done lot of work; both for
your race and for me, but it doesn't
seem long when look back over it
all now. What hurts me is that l
can't get about like I used to. Why
when I came to this field I had to go
around the road because I couldn't