Year: 1874

member his short, active figure, and
the mingled affection and awe with
which we children regarded him.
He was given to my mother when
she was married, and drove the car
riage in which the bridal party per-
formed the five days journey which
the hundred miles ride over the mud
dyAroads Of thetime required. What
wonderful changes have come since
that day. The children of that fair
bride rush over the road with the l.
ron horse, while the descendants Of
that humble faithful slave are free
men and citizens What is in store
for the next generation? Perhaps
they shall govern the currents of the
air and ride upon the wings of the
wind. Perhaps the Africans of that
day, forgetting that his race has been
enslaved, shall carry republican prin-
ciples to his native land and behold
her rise to place of power among
the nations!


Coming from "Old Virginny," as
Uncle Billy always proudly stated
he and the rest of my mothers SER
wants looked down upon the inhabi
tants of their new home in Western
Virginia, because, I suppose, there
were but few slaves in that part of
the country, and though the place
was thriving village in the midst Of
fertile valley, perhaps the air of
prodigal hospitality and lavish ex-
pense to which they had been accus-
toned was lacking in their new sur
roundings.


Like all negroes, Uncle Billy de-
spised what they termed poor white
trash," namely, such persons as were
unable to own or hire servants and
were forced to work with their hands.
In my childhood we lived in brick
house on the banks of little stream
which flowed in and throw the streets
of the town. Just behind our house
the banks were very steep, and a
bridge spanned the brook some twen-
ty feet above the channel. One of
the earliest and best remembered
scenes in my life was of a crowd of
people on the bridge, where Uncle
Billy had gotted into a fierce quar-
rel with a white mechanic who lived
near us. just as my father was sum
moned to the spot by the cries of the
other servants, the white man swore
he would 'beat that nigger for his
impudence," and Uncle Billy threw
himself like tiger upon him. and in
stantly sprang with him in his arms
over the parapet on the rocks below.
A scream rose from every woman
present, and every one rushed to the
brink of the stream, fearing that one
or both of the combatants had been
killed; but both had escaped unhurt
and, like the man and the bear in
the old story, each seemed content
with his efforts and went slowly NOV
ing off in opposit directions. A loud
murmur arose in the crowd to chang
the nigger," and my father who Sc
cretly admired Uncle Billys pluck
hastily improvised a message to the
farm, and sternly bidding him mount
his riding horse, which stood at the
door, sent him out of town and man.
aged to dispense with his services
until the affair had blown over.


Combining the various duties of
wood-cutter, gardner and carriage
driver, Uncle Billy was withal ia
nous cook, though he disliked very
much to exercise that talent, and his
natural testiness always increased to
positive ill-Lumor when the sickness
of the cook, or any unusual occasion,
required his services in that depart
ment, and my mother often said
laughingly that she did not know
whether to be glad or sorry when
she sat down TO one of Uncle Billy's
finely prepared dinners, as the present


l. ..,.,,