I

BY

BOUT the year 1735, there was a fierce battle between two of the stronger tribes on the west coast of Africa. The chief of one of these was considered the most powerful of his time. He succeeded in overpowering his weaker rival and slaughtered and captured a great many of his band. Some of those captured escaped, some died, many committed suicide, till but few were left. This chief delivered to his son a dozen of these unfortunate survivors to be sold to an American slaver.

The young African prince pushed his way through the jungle with the usual bodyguard, finally reaching the coast. He delivered these men to the captain of the ship and received his pay in trinkets of various kinds. He was then asked to go out to the ship to see this wonderful sailing vessel, which was anchored out something like a mile from the shore. He accepted the invitation. After he had inspected the ship, he was asked by the captain to dine, which invitation he also accepted. As he told the story to my grandmother, who is now about ninety-six years old (for this was her great-grandfather), he said that they gave him some very nice things to eat and some rather curious things to drink, all of which he enjoyed so much that he fell asleep. When he awoke he did not know how many days after the ship was in mid-ocean and he was chained to one of the creatures that he himself had sold, and the vessel was heading toward the United States.

The ship was owned by a man by the name of John Tabb, who lived in the county of Gloucester, in Virginia. The vessel with its cargo was brought to Richmond and this young man was sold with the rest at public auction in the slave markets of that city. He

was bought by a tobacco planter who lived in the county of Amelia, in Virginia, where he lived to be a very old man. It was said that he brought more at auction than any member of the party; he was a fine physical specimen, weighing some 200 pounds and standing about six feet two inches. It is not surprising, therefore, that he should have been captured. My grandmother says of him that he never learned to speak the English language well, not even the Negro dialect; that he detested America and everything American; and that certain days after so many moons, which he counted, were observed as feast days. It was impossible, even until the day of his death, to get him to do any work at such times. These days came about three times a year. His master finally instructed the overseer not to disturb him on those days.

His great-granddaughter, my mother's mother, is not, I should judge, very unlike her great-grandfather, for she was in her youth a fine specimen of Negro womanhood, both physically and mentally; and even to-day, in her extreme old age, she is a woman of remarkable strength and vigor. She carried the keys to the Craddock plantation and stood next to the mistress of the house, superintending the making of the clothes and caring for all the children of the plantation (for the mothers were field-hands, as a rule), conducting what would now be called a day nursery.

MY FATHER'S RECORD AS A SLAVE

My father's mother was also brought directly from Africa and sold to a planter who lived in Charlotte County, Virginia, where my. father was born. His own mother, a fullblooded Negro, lived to be 108 years old. My father was owned by Dr. Alexander, of

Charlotte County. When Dr. Alexander died, about 1850, the estate was divided and my father was sold to John Crowder, of Prince Edward County, and presented to his wife as a Christmas present.

I have often heard my father tell of his experiences as a slave of the hardships he suffered, and of the very, very good times he had even as a slave. For one of the saving traits of the Negro race is its ability to indulge in levity and song in almost any circumstances. -to find fun and merriment even in great adversity. One must also remember that during the days of slavery, while the master was as kind often as a master could be-if there is such a thing as kindness between master and slave-the overseers were the poor whites and they were the ones who usually made trouble. They were the patrollers, or "Patter-rollers, "as they were called by Negroes, who were paid so much an hour to catch and whip any Negro found off his master's plantation at night without a pass. They received from the master-class less consideration often than the slave, and the most bitter animosity existed between the overseer and the Negro, the Negroes generally considering themselves superior in every respect to "poor white trash." This particular overseer had a strong dislike for my father, probably because he felt that my father received entirely too much consideration from his mistress and master; in other words, there was a sort of jealous rivalry between them. It is unnecessary to add that this dislike on the part of the overseer was reciprocated; on my father's part it was stronger, if that were possible, and he without doubt used his opportunity to aggravate the overseer. It was against the rule on Crowder's plantation that any of his slaves should be whipped by the overseer, but this overseer persisted in whipping my father-and in the scuffle got the worst of it, for my father was a man of unusual physical strength. He whipped not only the overseer but four Negroes who were foolish enough to undertake to hold him.

My father took the only course, as he supposed, that was open to obstreperous slaves he took to the woods. This was in November. He lived with the 'possums and the 'coons, amid snow and rain, until March; then he was forced to give in, not for want of food, but because his feet were in bad condition on account of lack of shoes. He returned one

snowy afternoon slipped into the stable, and hid himself in the loft among the hay. His hat was discovered by the boys, his young masters, and soon he was found. The boys begged him to go to the house and promised him that if he would see his mistress, their mother, she would not allow him to be whipped. His feet had been badly frozen and he was suffering, so he finally yielded. He went to the house and received careful attention for several weeks. When he recovered, his master gave him just four "licks," and he promised he wouldn't run away again; and he also promised that if anyone disturbed him he would report it, but that he wouldn't fight.

When the Civil War broke out, my father went with his master as body-servant and was with him during the first three years of that bitter struggle, suffering all the hardships that are familiar to anyone who knows what the Southern army underwent. One experience that he used to relate happened at Petersburg. He accidentally got within the Union lines and was told that he might have his freedom if he would remain. But he refused, saying that his mistress had sent him to look after his master during the war; that he had never disappointed "ole mistress" in his life and would not then; that he would stay with them until the war was over or until he or his master or both died; but certainly he would see that no harm came to his master so far as he was able to protect him.

At the close of the war, he continued to work with the Crowders until Christmas of 1866, when he married my mother, whom he had met a few months before. They were married in the old Plantation House of the Hillmans of Amelia County; the Hillmans were Scotch Presbyterians and, like many other Southerners, had lost everything during the war except their name and the consciousness of aristocratic ancestry.

MY YOUTH AT "PLEASANT SHADE"

In January, 1867, my father hired to Samuel Vaughn, of Prince Edward County, and was soon made foreman-or head man, as they called it on the large plantation. I was born on August 26th of the same year. Among my earliest recollections is that of my father appearing on a Saturday morning with a team of four mules hitched to a large farm wagon; he and my mother, assisted by friends, packed our few belongings into this wagon, to be taken

with my mother and myself to the Vaughn place in Prince Edward County, where he had been working for the last three years. I remember perfectly the long drive and how they wrapped me in old gray blankets marked "U. S.," which had been found on the battlefields, to keep me from suffering in the bitter cold.

It was at this old house in the rear of the Vaughn mansion-"Pleasant Shade" that I spent most of the years of my youth. My mother was cook; my father led the hands on the plantation. It was there that I first saw the light of true civilization. On account of my parents' position on the place and because I was the only child near the "big house," I naturally received much attention from the Vaughn family. I can never forget Mrs. Vaughn "Miss Lucy," as we called her and the three daughters, Misses Patty, Jenny, and Molly. I soon began to carry "Miss Lucy's" key-basket, and this dignity I very much enjoyed. As I grew larger, my duties increased until I had the care of the fowls. I have never in my life since so sincerely envied anyone his position as I envied Sam Reedthe waiter and general house boy. "Miss Lucy" had promised me that when Sam was large enough he would be transferred to the farm and I should have his place. Sam helped the cook and made all the open fires; he was in the "big house" all day and wore good clothes. He was with the white folks so much that the people all said he was really "talking proper." Sam had many accomplishments, too. He could turn somersault, stand on his head, go like a cart-wheel, wheelbarrow fashion, and do many other kinds of acrobatic feats, besides being a good dancer and a very good singer. He must have inherited his gift of song, for his father, "Uncle Jim," was the most noted "shout singer" in the neighborhood. I practised all of Sam's accomplishments, under his tutorage, till I was a close second and was often called into the "big house" to perform with him. But oh! he grew so slowly; I thought many times that I would be big enough for the farm before he was (he is hardly big enough to-day). Fortunately for me and unfortunately for Sam, his father asked that he be put on the farm, as he was much older than his size indicated. He would get $3.00 per month on the farm, while he got only $1.50 in the house.

that I was to wait on the table at breakfast, and how Sam and my mother instructed me till late into the night. I practised on them. I have never had a position since that I took quite so much pride in as I took in this one. The young ladies made me a couple of suits, which I was allowed to wear only on special occasions. There was more in my position than I at first realized. "Mr. Willie," the only son, was my ideal. I copied his language, his walk, his dress, the way he ate, as nearly as I could. Indeed, it was a liberal education to come into daily contact with this family.

A strange thing happened. My mother made me devote an hour every night to my blue-backed Holmes primer; she was my teacher, for she could read. There was a popular belief that the Vaughns, notwithstanding their kindness, objected to and opposed the idea of Negroes reading and writing. My mother was therefore careful that they should not know that she was teaching me to read, or that she herself could read. So far she had kept it from them, but one night "Miss Lucy" came in and caught my mother giving me a lesson. My mother was going to hide the book but my father objected, saying that they were free and he would leave the Vaughns if they said anything against it. But to our great surprise, "Miss Lucy" was much pleased; the next day she asked Miss Molly, her youngest daughter, to teach me for one hour a day.

One of my earliest and saddest recollections was the death of "Miss Lucy." I can never forget the impression it made on me as a child -the wailing and evident sadness of the Negroes on this plantation, for there must have been 300, including men, women, and children. She, like her husband, was among the most beautiful characters I have ever known. While I did not then appreciate the gravity of the situation in its deepest meaning, I wept with the others because even then I felt what a great loss this death was to me.

of a very important sort, in my mind. I did pretty much as I chose and supposed that I was running the place. I carried the keys and went hunting with Mr. Vaughn-riding behind him on the horse, as was the custom when I was a boy, and looking after the game. It was not surprising that I should be doubtful as to whether the new mistress would interfere with my position in the house, for by this time the three daughters had married and only Mr. Vaughn, "Mr. Willie," and I had charge of things. My mother was the cook, of course, and my father the head man on the placebut they didn't count, in my mind; indeed, the Vaughns didn't either!

I was pleasantly surprised, however, when "Miss Patty" came. The things the boys had said about her were not true. She didn't take the keys from me at all. I had quite as much leeway as before, in some respects more. She made me more particular about setting the table and made me bring a fresh pail of water from the spring twice a day, morning and evening. I had to sweep off the porches at least once a day, and a few things of that kind, which I had grown careless about since Mrs. Vaughn's death. "Miss Patty" said she heard that I had been Miss Molly's scholar and she proposed to my mother that I should be encouraged to continue my lessons, as there was talk of a school opening for colored children. Indeed, this had been the talk for a year or more. My father, and all other colored men, for that matter, had voted for Gen. "Billy" Mahone and John Wise, who had promised to have a school for Negroes in our district.

MY FIRST DAYS AT SCHOOL

Early in October, the free school was opened for colored people, and was taught by a Mr. Morrisette. My father decided that I should go.

He consulted the Vaughns, especially "Miss Patty," and she thought it was a good thing. So she and my mother fitted me out and I appeared in school. I remember perfectly how superior I felt to so many of the other children who were in the class lower than myself, and the pride also that my parents had in the fact that their son was among the highest in the school. I think I was reading in the second reader, but that was high in those days in a colored school. Mr. Morrisette, though an ex-officer in the Southern army, was nevertheless very kind and took a great deal of pains and care; he exercised a great

deal of patience with parents as well as pupils, for frequently a father would come and insist that his child should be in a "bigger book." My father felt that my books were not quite big enough and was inclined once to enter protest against the teacher's injustice; but "Miss Patty" came to the rescue and insisted that it was quite all that I was able to do.

I continued my work in the Vaughn family before school in the morning and after school in the evening. Without doubt, what I learned from them has been worth a great deal more to me in the years since than anything I learned in the school-and this is not meant in any sense to belittle the book knowledge that I received. The Vaughns were among the finest types of Southern families, kind, generous, charitable, and while they were people of considerable wealth and the top of social standing in that community, they were the most popular among the Negroes. They never suffered for want of faithful help and their influence on the colored people who lived on their place was of the best. This was true of them; it is true even to-day of their three daughters and the son; and true also of their grandchildren.

Mr. Vaughn's death ended all at "Pleasant Shade," things were scattered, the farm was divided, most of the colored people moved away, and my father went to live with a family of Mortons who were by marriage connected with the Vaughns. Mr. Morton, who afterward became a professor at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, had a son-Ernest by name with whom I used to play. Our friendship grew very strong; indeed, he neglected parents and everything else to be with me, and I also neglected everything that I could with impunity to be with him. We fished and hunted together and engaged in many boyish pranks. Nothing in his possession was too good for me if he thought I needed it. My father did not entirely approve of this intimacy and used often to say that we were entirely "too thick to thrive." There came a parting. He went off to school and I was left on the farm. The weeks following were sad and dreary and long for me. This was in October. I continued my farm work and went to school when I could be spared. I was anxiously awaiting the Christmas holidays when my friend would come back. He came. I was at the house when he and his father drove up. He had with him a friend,

- his roommate at school. They both wore gray uniforms with brass buttons. I rushed up to shake his hand. He not only did not shake hands with me, but his manner was as cold as the freezing northwest winds we were breathing. I went into the kitchen with Aunt Veny, the cook. He soon came out to see her. I noticed that the greeting for her was even more cordial than usual. He came out later to see my father and was just the same in his manner toward him. I was puzzled and unhappy. I went to bed earlier than usual, and went to sleep later than usual. When I did go to sleep, I was wiser and more determined than ever before in my life.

Before going to bed, I asked my father about the school at Petersburg which Mahone was building for colored people. He told me all about it. It was to open the next fall. He also told me about Hampton Institute, but he did not care to have me go to Hampton because they made them work too much there.

The following spring I joined a party of boys and went to Surrey County, to work in a lumber camp on the James River, with the hope of saving sufficient money to pay my way through school at Petersburg. I had talked freely with all my friends about getting an education. One very good friend, Capt. Frank Southall, a brother of our recent State Superintendent of Public Instruction, urged me to go to a Presbyterian school in Alabama. The only condition was that I should agree to become a Presbyterian minister. I thought it over very carefully, for I was a Baptist. At that time the prevailing opinion among Negroes was that white peoples' religion was not of much account. While I was more determined to get an education than ever, I preferred of the two evils to be an ignorant Baptist rather than an educated Presbyterian.

I remained in this camp about two years. When I left, I was foreman of a squad and had charge of the sorting of lumber. I was taken sick with malarial fever and it seemed best that I leave this low marshy section on the James and return to my Prince Edward home. This was in the fall and the political atmosphere in Prince Edward County and the state was then very thick. I was asked to speak at a political mass-meeting, in a joint argument between the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democrats were mostly white, although there were a few colored men among them. The impression that I made on that mass of

ignorant colored people and on the white people too, for that matter-although very ignorant myself, was surprising even to me. They insisted that I should offer myself for the lower house of the state legislature. But there were two obstacles in the way: I was not old enough, and I wanted more schooling. The leading white people in the party urged me, saying that it was a very great honor, even for a white man. My colored friends argued on the ground that I was already well educated, for I could read and write, while

and were in the legislature and neither could read. They said that I owed it to my race and district to take the honor. I finally agreed. The matter was soon arranged by the white Republican leaders of the county; the only thing left was to be nominated a week hence. But my mother, when approached, refused to raise my age and I was obliged to back down. I confess that I was somewhat relieved and was not at all sorry that my mother had broken up the matter.

Fortunately, Mr. Edward D. Stewart, a graduate just from Hampton, came to teach in our district and I was able to get firsthand information about Hampton Institute. He told me that I could get an education if I were willing to work, and willing also to come under the rules of the Institute. He thought that perhaps my greatest difficulty was my popularity in that community. He was afraid that it might make it hard for me to adapt myself to the discipline of a school like Hampton. like Hampton. (I was then leader of the choir in our church and superintendent of the Sabbath school; indeed, I was a very big man in a very little place.)

I wrote to Gen. Armstrong, and Mr. Stewart endorsed my letter; Gen. Armstrong replied, saying that I might come and work in the knitting room. Mr. Stewart advised that I had better wait until I could get work either at Shellbanks, on the farm, or at the saw-mill. He knew my knowledge of lumber and farming, and he said that it would spoil me to work in the house. in the house. He had a feeling that the knitting room boys did not succeed so well at Hampton, and that they got into bad habits. So I wrote, asking that I might have a place either on the farm or at the mill, which work I thought better adapted to my size and strength. Not long after, I had a letter saying that I might

come.

(To be concluded in the next issue.)