Year: 1867




if the children had to associate
with Negroes, l should too.


Iregarded the threat as an idle
boast, and thought no more of it.


a few days after this l notified
her that General - and his wife
would dine with us. Her eyes
spafkled. l knew there was mis-,
chief brewing, but could not forsee
it.


Iadvised her that the General
his wife and | would be at the cot,
tagS at one. And sure enough we
Wefes 'A.-.s s---.-..---'----.---.-,..-.


And Amy was prepared for us
She had prepared an excellent din,
ner, and met US at the door to vel,
come us, announcing at the same
time that dinner was ready.


So soon as we were prepared she
led the way to the dining room,
and to my surprise had spread a
large table, and had saucy old
Negro by the name of Crow with
his wife and the Two children that
were seated next TO our children at
school already seated at the'table.
She apologized for her haste in
seating her first guests, assuming
that she had concluded we were
not coming, and then proceeded TO
formally introduce old Grow and
the Crow family generally to the
General and his wife as brother
Crow, sister Crow, master Crow
and little Miss Grow.


felt good deal like growing
some myself. My legs began TO
show unmistakable signs of elastic
ity. | felt as if could heave out
any six Negroes in the neighbor-
hood. But l fully comprehended
the nature of the situation. The
Generals wife was about to ex-
plode. The General, although an
earnest Radical, could not suppress
his olfactory from becoming slight
ly elevated. My Amy was extreme
ly polite, and chartered away ap-
parently in one of her bappiest
moods. Old Grow sat back with
his thumbs in the armholes of his
dilapidatea old vest, whilst his wife,
with folded arms, was assuming an
air of maiden innocence.


Amy handed the General a seat
by the wench, which filled up that
side of the table, and hurriedly
seated the Generals wife by old
gums and ivory. Then gathering
up the children seated them be-
side their school fellows, after
which she took her seat at the head
of the table, and requested me to
be seated at the further end to
wait upon the guests.


Up to this time l had managed
well.


But the Generals wife arose and
remarked that she did not intend to
bear the insult further. At this
the General flew into a passion, and
accused me of purposely arranging
an insult. protested, and accused
Amy, and as l did so old Scraggs
stepped in. The General remarked,
"you old butternut, you are at the
bottom of this My Amy remind
ed him that that was her house and
no one could insult her father there
and ordered him to leave.


The General called her a dirty
huzzy for insulLing'his Wife, and at
this old Sclaggs hit him with knot
end of a 6utternut limb. l sprang
between them to protect my guest,
when old Crow placed the General
and l upon an equality. In the
melee the wench assailed the Gen
erals wife and the fight became
general, Amy in the meantime ex-
postulating and counseling peace.


Finally we had all succeed in re-
suming our perpendicular positions
but Grow, who was just then the
special object of a charge from the
General.


Amy was playing Pocahontas, by
leaning over the oid carcass, and
succeeded in causing the General
to retreat.


She then placed her arms around
him and attempted to raise him up.
My equality principles flashed on
me. l blew up. Making a charge
upon old manhood, l ruined a calf
skin.


Mrs. Crow patted me on the back
with a chair, whilst the young
Crows set up a regular down South
jubilee.


But l cleaned them out. / did,
indeed. The last words / heard
from old Crow were, "You're no