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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34262-8.txt b/34262-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a969ad --- /dev/null +++ b/34262-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2675 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Octavia, by J. F. Lee + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Octavia + The Octoroon + +Author: J. F. Lee + +Release Date: September 24, 2011 [EBook #34262] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OCTAVIA *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +OCTAVIA + +The Octoroon + + +BY + +J. F. LEE, M.D. + + + + +THE + +Abbey Press + +PUBLISHERS + +114 + +FIFTH AVENUE + +London NEW YORK Montreal + + + + + Copyright, 1900, + by + THE + Abbey Press + in + the + United States + and + Great Britain. + + + All Rights Reserved. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Prize Fight + + +CHAPTER II. + +A Baptismal Scene + + +CHAPTER III. + +The Birth of Octavia + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Almost a Watery Grave + + +CHAPTER V. + +The "Underground Railway" + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Mistaken Identity and Escape from Bruin + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Liberated + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Cotton Prowling--Employing Octavia's Governess + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Progress in Studies + + +CHAPTER X. + +Ready for College + + +CHAPTER XI. + +In the Red Cross Service + + +CHAPTER XII. + +In Foreign Lands--Strategy--Love Conquers + + + + +Octavia the Octoroon. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE PRIZE FIGHT. + +Just before the beginning of the civil war between the States there was +a large and valuable plantation on the Alabama River on which there +were several hundred slaves, said farm being in what is known as the +"black belt of Alabama," having a river front of several miles, and +annually producing five hundred bales of cotton, fifteen thousand +bushels of corn, besides oats, wheat, hay, mules, horses, hogs, cattle, +sheep and goats in abundance. + +This mammoth farm belonged to Hon. R., then a member of the United +States Congress from Alabama, and afterwards a gallant officer in the +Confederate army, rising from the rank of first lieutenant to colonel, +by which latter title he will be known in this story. He lived in what +was then one of the flourishing towns of the State, but which has long +since gone to ruin and decay. Colonel R.'s farm was managed by what +was then known as an "overseer," but now would be termed a +superintendent. He had assistants, white and black, who, with the +overseer, managed the farm in a systematic and scientific manner, +bringing it up to a high state of cultivation, which made it one of the +most productive and valuable in the State. + +Colonel R., with his man in livery, a thousand-dollar carriage and +finely caparisoned span of horses, visited his farm once a month when +at home, to give general directions to his overseer, and receive the +annual proceeds of his cotton crop. This was the state of affairs when +Lincoln was elected President, when the Southern States seceded from +the Union, and when the guns at Fort Sumter belched forth their shot +and shell, ushering in a war that had no equal in ancient or modern +times. + +When the call to arms was made Colonel R. resigned his seat in the +Federal Congress, hastened home, raised and equipped a company, which +rendered valuable service in the Southern army. Colonel R.'s overseer +and his white assistants also responded to the call, joining the +company which Colonel R. equipped. Thus was Colonel R.'s farm deprived +of white men, and as every able-bodied man was needed at the front, it +was out of the question to replace them; nor did he make any effort to +do so. However, Colonel R. was not wanting for some one to take charge +of his business; he had a quadroon named Simon, who had been carefully +trained and drilled by the overseer in farm management. He had been a +favorite with the overseer, who made no objection to his +fourteen-year-old son teaching him to read and write. He also taught +Simon's sister, Elsie. They were both bright quadroons, good looking, +and exceptionally intelligent for slaves. + +Let me say here that if the planters had any inclination to teach their +slaves, the latter had no time but at night to learn, and after working +from the time they could see in the morning until they could not see at +night, they felt like sleeping when reaching their cabins. However, +here and there you would find a negro who could read and write, who +generally received such instruction from their owner's or overseer's +children. + +Simon was twenty-five and Elsie eighteen years of age, both having the +same mother, Aunt Dinah, and the same white father. + +After the overseer and his assistants left for the army Colonel R. +installed Simon as his foreman, with the authority of an overseer. +Under his administration farm matters moved along as well as they did +under the overseer. In slavery times there was always a negro head +man, leader and squire among the negroes, who performed their marriage +ceremonies (without license), exhorted at their religious meetings and +could sing and pray and be heard a mile. Simon could "out-Herod Herod" +in doing all this. He was faithful, honest and upright, three virtues +rare among negroes. He successfully kept the farm books, in which were +to be recorded the number of pounds of cotton picked per day; the +number and weight of each bale of cotton--in a word, this book gave the +exact production of the farm, whether it was stock, cotton, corn or +what not. + +He was provided with a horse and whip, two concomitants that every +ante-bellum overseer possessed. Simon felt his importance, and +probably was too severe in some instances in using the lash on the +slaves. This, however, is characteristic of the negro, as they have +since freedom been known to almost whip their children to death. The +writer has interfered several times where negro parents were +unmercifully chastising their children. + +Aunt Dinah, Simon's mother, was rather prepossessing in appearance, and +was the plantation mammy, nurse and midwife, as well as the keeper of +the orphan asylum for all the little pickaninnies on the plantation. +Every place of any size had this character. It is often and truly said +that it is the ambition of negro men to be preachers and of the women +to be midwives. + +Simon had interceded with his master and the overseer to exempt Elsie +from farm work, and to appoint her seamstress, who had several +assistants on the farm. She was very apt with the needle and scissors, +cutting and making any garment she wished, and doing it all with the +needle, this being before the introduction of sewing machines on +plantations. + +In the eyes of Simon and his mother Elsie was a piece of perfection, a +paragon of virtue and chastity, two possessions rare among negroes of +both sexes. Elsie was the belle of the plantation, having a large +number of suitors, among them two of Colonel R.'s slaves, Brutus and +Cæsar. + +They were rivals and had an intense hatred for each other on Elsie's +account. While Elsie had no idea of accepting either one or any negro, +saying that she did not want a "kinky-headed nigger," she encouraged +the attentions of both--a consummate flirt, to say the least. Brutus +and Cæsar were good specimens of their race, and fairly good looking. +Their rivalry increased in intensity and bitterness until they +threatened each other's lives. + +At this stage of their would-be courtship Simon interfered and told +them that, as Elsie was a prize worth contending for, they had to fight +a fair fight in the ring, and that he would bestow Elsie upon the +victor. The time was appointed for the contest, referees chosen, and +all the negroes on the plantation assembled to witness something _à la_ +Corbett and Fitzsimmons. The battle was fierce, a battle royal; they +were contending for the heart and hand of the beautiful Elsie. Neither +was able to get the mastery over the other. Both could well say, "Lay +on, Macduff! and damned be him who first cries hold, enough!" At times +it looked as if Brutus would be victorious, at another, Cæsar. + +After they had pounded and bruised each other considerably, and both +being well nigh exhausted, the match was called off, and Simon +threatened each with a severe lashing if he heard of their fussing any +more about Elsie, as she would not marry either one of them. This +threat and declaration that Elsie would marry neither embittered the +combatants against Simon, both declaring _sotto voce_ that they would +get even with him yet; that they were as good as he was; that his head +was as "kinky" as theirs, and that while they were rivals and personal +enemies, they would make common cause against him and kill the bigoted +"nigger driver" if he "monkeyed with them." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A BAPTISMAL SCENE. + +About a year before this prize fight the "kernel," as his slaves called +Colonel R., obtained a furlough to visit his home and plantation. He +expressed himself to Simon as being highly pleased at the manner in +which he conducted plantation affairs, saying the farm books were +neatly kept, stock sleek and fat, cribs full of corn, smoke-houses full +of meat, ditches cleaned out, briars kept out of the fence corners--in +fact, he saw no difference in his (Simon's) or the overseer's +administration, and that he hoped that the work would move along as it +was being done at that time. Simon was glad to receive this +commendation from his master, and promised that it would be his earnest +endeavor to still merit the Colonel's approval. + +Colonel R. had been in the army long enough to know that in the end the +Confederacy would be beaten; he reasoned that the Southern States were +hemmed in by a blockade that no ship of the Confederacy could break, +and that they had to depend upon home resources for men, munitions and +supplies, while the United States had not only themselves, but the +whole world to draw upon. This was good, philosophic reasoning, and he +determined to prepare for the collapse, which would be only a question +of time. As there was no chance to sell cotton (there being an +accumulation of two crops of the fleecy staple, amounting to about a +thousand bales, on his place), he gave Simon explicit instructions to +hide this cotton if there was any danger of the Federal army raiding +that section of the State. He also intrusted to his keeping a large +amount of gold which he had hoarded. He told Simon that if he were +faithful to the trust he would reward him liberally--that if the +Confederacy won he would give him his freedom and $10,000 in gold; and +that if the United States won he would still give him the gold named +above and make him superintendent on his farm at an annual salary of +$2,000. As the sequel will show this compact was faithfully complied +with by both parties, and for so doing Simon came near losing his life. + +Colonel R. assembled all of his slaves and bade them an affectionate +adieu, telling them to be faithful, industrious and diligent, and to be +submissive to Simon's authority, and that if he was killed in battle, +Mrs. R., his wife and their mistress, would have general supervision of +the plantation. He was soon at the front and resumed command of his +regiment. Between now and the close of hostilities it will be my +endeavor to describe some of the scenes that were enacted on the +Colonel's plantation. Elsie was still the belle and had suitors galore. + +At every frolic she was the "cynosure of all eyes," the observed of all +observers. She never wanted for a partner in the dance or play. +Brutus and Cæsar were still rivals and bitter enemies on her account, +and at one of the plantation frolics they got into a fight, and Cæsar +was killed by Brutus driving an axe into Cæsar's brain. Brutus fled +and was a "runaway nigger" until the close of the war. + +Simon had a pack of negro dogs which were soon in full cry on Brutus' +track, who ran to the river and went up a tree bending over the water. +The dogs were soon there and "treed" Brutus. Simon shortly arrived on +the spot, thinking the dogs had Brutus up the tree. The dogs were +there, the tree was there, and no doubt Brutus went up the tree, but he +was not there. Simon gave up the chase, declaring that a negro who was +sharp and strategical enough to climb a tree, and then jump into the +river and swim across, would no doubt outwit the dogs, were he to take +them across and continue the pursuit. + +Elsie was thus relieved of her two most importunate and troublesome +suitors--one dead and the other in the woods. + +A negro is intensely religious, regardless of honesty and integrity; he +will attend night services, shout, sing and pray, and then return home +by some hen-roost and lift off a chanticleer which has been doing +business at that stand for a half dozen years with as much nonchalance +as if he, "Cuffee," were eating his dinner or taking a drink of water. + +On this plantation there were two rival churches, Methodist and +Baptist, and I would say here that, as a rule, Southern negroes belong +to one or the other of these two large branches of the Christian Church. + +During the summer these two churches held revival (and rival) services +every night and Sunday for three or four weeks, at which there was a +great awakening and a large ingathering of souls to the flock. For +some reason it is thought the Methodist "nigger" can shout, sing and +pray louder than his Baptist brother, while the latter can head him off +in drinking whisky, which is counteracted by the Methodist brother's +love for chickens and turkeys and their proclivities for lifting them +off the roost. + +At one of these night services, when everybody was happy, shouting, +singing and praying, and the house was in an uproar and it seemed that +pandemonium had turned loose, a large lighted lamp full of oil was +turned over and exploded. + +Negroes piled out of the windows and doors by the dozens. Some of the +cooler heads pulled off their coats, and wrapping up the burning +negroes, finally subdued the flames. Order was finally restored and +all assembled again in the house. The pastor in charge then arose and +said: "My bredderin an' sisterin, we is all run a narrer resk in bein' +burn to deth, an' it shood be a terrible warnin' tu perpare for de +burnin' dat awaits de ongodly, an' ef de richous am skasely saved whar +shall de sinner an' ongodly appeer? Brudder Sam, you is de wus burnt +nigger hear tu-nite, an' ef you keep on stealin' chickens you is gwine +to go whar de wurm dieth not an' de fire is not squinched." + +At this eloquent appeal on the part of the pastor moans and groans were +heard all over the house, that have to be heard to be realized. Old +Sister Ann, a two-hundred-and-fifty-pounder, got happy and began +throwing her hands in the air, and popping them together, shouting, +"Glory! Glory!" and started towards the pastor, saying, "Brudder Zeke, +I'm so happy I wants tu hug you!" whereupon she gathered him, a weak +man, in her herculean arms. He began to struggle to free himself from +her vise-like grasp--she was about to squeeze the life out of him--but +in vain! He then shouted for some one to "take her off! take her off!" +Several of the brethren interfered and finally released the struggling +pastor. After which he said: "Sister Ann, de wedder is tu hot, soap is +tu scase, an' you is tu big an' fat tu git close to ennybody; so pleas +kep yo' distunce." + +Brother "Zeke," fearing a similar experience, announced services for +the following night, and immediately dismissed the congregation. On +the last Sunday of the meeting baptismal services were held at both +churches, the Baptists assembling at the river to perform the rite by +immersion, and the Methodists at their church to perform it by +sprinkling or pouring. + +At the latter church the pastor requested all the converts, which were +fifty or sixty, to come forward to receive baptism, whereupon about a +dozen responded. He stated that only about a fourth of the converts +had come forward, and that if the rest were in the house they will now +come forward and be baptized. + +The preacher replied that he was very liberal in his views, and that he +would baptize by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, and for each +applicant to designate the mode, and it would be carried out. Those +who had not come forward said that they "wanted tu go under de water." +He said they would go to the river just as soon as he got through with +those present. Whereupon those who had come forward told the preacher +that as he had to go into the water they would be immersed also. The +minister then announced for the congregation to assemble on the river +to witness the baptisms. The Baptist and Methodist preachers reached +the water about the same time, and after conferring with one another, +agreed that the order would be for one minister to baptize one of his +flock and the other one, and so on, alternately, until they were +through. This took some time, as each had about fifty apiece to +baptize. There was shouting and rejoicing during this baptismal scene. +There were probably two thousand negroes present, those on adjoining +plantations also being present. It is a fact that baptism in water +will draw almost as large a crowd as a circus. + +With the exception of shouting on the part of converts there was no +noise or disturbance, and all went well until the last, the baptism of +a large, fleshy sister, who, as she arose from the water clapped her +hands and shouted: "I see my Jesus!" When she said this a negro, who +had climbed into a willow tree leaning over the water, replied: "Yu +lie, yu hypercritical old huzzie; tain't nuthin' but a snappin' mud +turcle yu seed, an' hit's a pity he hadn't kotched yu by de nose an' +drowned yu, so as yu would not tell lies enny more on 'spectable +niggers." As he said this the tree broke, precipitating him into water +twenty feet deep, and as he could not swim he went straight to the +bottom. Both of the parsons were silent spectators of this last act, +and were making for the shore as the congregation sang "Pull for the +Shore." They had been fishers, as it were, of souls; now that an +opportunity presented itself, they in reality would have to be fishers +of men--at least one would have to be. The Methodist, thinking the +Baptist more used to water than he, waited for the Baptist to strike +out for the drowning man, and the Baptist did the same for the +Methodist. The latter, seeing that the man would drown if no +assistance were rendered, and being the nearest, swam to him. The +drowning man grabbed him around the waist and both sank. The Baptist +parson, being in the water, thought he was duty bound to render +assistance, and swam to the scene just as they arose, when the +Methodist grabbed the Baptist around the waist, and all three went +under together. Things were getting serious, as it would be the third +time the man went under. One of the men on shore succeeded in time to +catch the first man, who was sinking the last time, by the hair, and by +superhuman jerks released him from the parson and succeeded in carrying +him to the shore. As this was being done another negro on shore swam +and caught the exhausted Methodist parson by the wool, jerking him off +from the Baptist, and carried him to shore. Another wicked negro on +the bank shouted: "Fair play; I'll be darned if the Baptis' shell +drown," and made for him, catching him by his cue and landing him +safely on land. The congregation could have consistently sung, during +the last three acts, "Pull for the Shore." As the submerged negroes +were resting one skeptical darky shouted out, "You's all Baptis' now." +Thus ended this baptismal and almost tragical scene. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE BIRTH OF OCTAVIA. + +Not long after this Simon's mother, Aunt Dinah, "went the way of all +the earth, and was gathered to her fathers." This caused great +mourning and lamentation on the plantation. The old auntie was almost +looked upon with reverence. She was, as it were, an oracle, being +consulted on everything that transpired on the place. + +This was a severe grief to Simon and Elsie, who received the +condolences of all the slaves on the place. The little negroes were +bereft of a true friend, as Aunt Lucy, Aunt Dinah's successor, was not +as thoughtful, good and kind to the little ones as Aunt Dinah had been. + +The negro is no nurse and of no account in a sick room. This was so in +the case of the deceased old auntie, who was sick quite awhile and +doubtless wanted good nursing. But let one of their number die and +they are very much in evidence, sitting up with the corpse or attending +the funeral. Aunt Dinah had one of the longest funeral processions +ever witnessed in that country. + +The negroes not only preach at the burial, but appoint a time several +months ahead, giving it great publicity, when So and So's funeral will +be preached with great _éclat_. On these occasions there is as much +shouting, singing, groaning, moaning and praying as there is in their +revival meetings. + +Simon and Elsie put on the usual mourning for parents, and to show +their grateful remembrance asked their mistress to get them an elegant +monument, with the proper inscription thereon, and erected it at the +head of her grave, something very rare for slaves. + +Soon after this Elsie got in bad health, would not eat, and +notwithstanding much was done for her restoration to health, she failed +to improve. The negro as a race has a larger share of superstition +than any other. With this Simon was considerably tinctured. As Elsie +failed to improve it was noised around that she was "conjured." Simon, +notwithstanding his intelligence, began to share in the belief that +this was so. There was an old negro "conjure" doctor on the place, +whom Simon asked to go around and see Elsie. + +After talking with Elsie awhile he left, and seeing Simon told him that +"Elsie grievin' 'bout Brutus." He protested that she cared nothing in +the world about that negro in the woods, and he would have to search +for another cause. Believing that she was "conjured," he insisted that +the conjurer take the "spell" off. To this he agreed, and appointed a +day when he would bring her around all right. The "conjurer" told +Simon that Elsie had "lizards and roaches" in her ear, and that they +must come out. It is possible that Simon believed this stuff by +letting his superstition get the better of his judgment and +intelligence. At the appointed time the "conjurer" came, having +lizards and roaches in a box up his sleeve. After songs, incantations +and gesticulations, all the while rubbing her head, he adroitly +liberated the lizards and roaches, which ran off, making Elsie scream. +This may have had effect on the few spectators present, but it +certainly had none on Elsie, who knew that she had been acting a piece +of consummate duplicity from the first. The "conjurer" told Elsie, +"dem live things in her hed wus de cause of all her trubble, and that +she would get well now." Elsie, however, failed to improve, and Simon +went to see his mistress in regard to the matter, who sent a physician +back with him to see Elsie. When leaving he told Simon that Elsie had +given birth to a beautiful girl baby as white as he, the physician, +was, and with hair as straight. + +Horror of horrors! This was "the unkindest cut of all." Simon was +crushed, humiliated, and felt that he was disgraced by the conduct of +his sister; and to think of her duplicity for all those months was +enough to cause an angel to swear. He and his sister were the most +intelligent and refined negroes in all that country. They were the +_élite_, the bon ton, the upper crust, and were looked on as such by +the other slaves. If there were aristocrats among slaves, Simon and +sister filled the bill. Simon had held his sister up to the negro +girls on the place as an example, and for her to bring disgrace on them +in that way was too much! + +Aunt Lucy, Elsie's nurse, said that Elsie had no ordinary baby; that +"it was white as the whitest, eyes as blue as ole mars'er, an' hair as +strate as ole missis, an' not a white man in de kentry. Dis weren't no +nigger baby; Elsie she got wid chile by de Holy Spirit." Simon knew +that the days of miracles had passed, and that none other than a white +man was its father. Elsie admitted after a long time that her owner +was the child's father. Whether he was satisfied, Simon said no more +about it, but refused for a long while to even see the baby. Time +heals all things, and finally Simon consented to see it and was struck +with her beauty. Elsie named her child Octavia, and as it grew in +years Simon began to love the child as his own. She became a favorite +on the whole plantation, nothing being too good that any of the slaves +had for little Octavia. She was a heroine from the first, as she +proved to be in after life. + +To all appearances she was as pure as the purest Caucasian, and if an +expert had been put on the stand to swear as to her race he would have +said Caucasian. Such are the circumstances under which this afterwards +wonderful being was brought into existence. + +With a white father and quadroon mother, this made her seven-eighths +Caucasian. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ALMOST A WATERY GRAVE. + +Before proceeding further I would say that the standard of virtue among +the negroes is very low, and that if any of their girls wander from the +paths of virtue they are not cast off as is the case with the whites. +It must be admitted, however, that there is an improvement among them +along this line. When Octavia was a year old she came very near being +drowned in the river. Elsie was fond of fishing, and carried Octavia +and a little negro nurse to watch the child. The nurse got careless +and let the child fall into the river, and would have drowned had not +Simon happened to be near and heard his sister's screams, and getting +there, jumped in just in time to rescue both mother and child, the +former having leaped in to save the child. Simon gave his sister a +good lecture and the nurse a switching for their carelessness. It +seemed that Simon's nearness was providential. + +Simon always said, after the child was a few months old, that she had a +bright future before her; that, though a slave, the Lord would open up +a way for her. + +In Colonel R.'s absence Simon was required to make frequent visits to +his mistress's home to report to her the progress he was making on the +farm. The war had been over half fought, and while the Confederacy had +gained many battles it suffered serious losses, and was daily getting +weaker, and it was only a question of time when it would collapse. +During his visits to his mistress Simon gained this intelligence in +regard to the progress of the war, and while he was sure of his +freedom, regardless of the way the war terminated, he could not but +wish for the success of the Union armies on account of his sister and +her child, who would thereby gain their freedom. He also had a broad, +sympathetic feeling for his race and wanted them liberated. + +He was also broad enough in his philosophy and intelligence to accord +to his master and other Southern slaveholders the right to resort to +arms to fight for property which they had bought or inherited, and +which was recognized in the Constitution of the United States. + +While he was legally a slave he enjoyed freedom as much so as his +master or other white men. He had all the comforts of a country home, +and while the large plantation over which he was foreman was not his, +he was in one respect "lord of all he surveyed." He had a buggy, +horse, saddle, whip, pack of hounds, and said to this, do so and so, +and it was done; or go and they came or went. When one of the slaves +transgressed he used the lash on him--in a word, he was as supreme in +authority as the Nabob of Cawnpore or the Sultan of Turkey. Enjoying +and having all these things at his command, why should he want them +terminated? It must be remembered that he was three-fourths white, and +one of the instincts of the Anglo-Saxon is freedom and liberty. Simon +was attached to his master and mistress, who were humane, kind and +thoughtful of their slaves. Still, with all this, there was a longing +in his heart that would not be satisfied. It is admitted on all sides +that had there not been cruel and heartless slaveholders, "Uncle Tom's +Cabin" would never have been written, sympathy in Northern pulpits and +Abolition societies would not have spread, and in all probability the +negro would yet have been a slave. Simon's reasoning was that he nor +his master were responsible for human slavery, which in some respects +had been a benefit and in others an injury to the negro, and that there +had been slavery in all ages of the world. + +He knew that the mistake was made when slavery was recognized in the +Constitution of the United States; also that the mistake had brought +the negro from the wilds of Africa, and civilized, tamed and made a +good laborer and citizen of him. That was the entering wedge which had +caused all the contention, and finally precipitated the most gigantic +war in history. + +Let the consequences be what they may, Simon did his duty in +successfully managing the affairs on his master's plantation. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE "UNDERGROUND RAILWAY." + +While he did nothing openly to oppose the Confederacy, he aided in a +secret way the escape of his sister and niece. + +Simon was not absolutely certain of the success of the Union armies, +and to insure the freedom of his sister and niece, he made use of the +first opportunity, which soon presented itself. As is well known, +there was before the war what was known as an "Underground Railway" for +the escape of slaves to the free States and Canada. This was nothing +more nor less than agents sent out by Northern Abolition societies to +abduct slaves, thousands of whom escaped in this manner. + +It was on this account that the "Fugitive Slave Law" was passed by +Congress, on which there was the test case before the Supreme Court in +the slave, Dred Scott, said court sustaining the law. One of the +Northern societies at this time sent an agent South as a spy, and to +abduct any slave or slaves that he could entice away. This agent made +his way to Colonel R.'s plantation, over which Simon was foreman. He +cautiously made known his business to Simon, who welcomed and secretly +harbored him. This agent was joined two days after by an escaped Union +soldier from the Confederate prison at ----. This was a happy and +unexpected meeting between the spy and soldier. What they did had to +be done quickly and secretly. If they were captured the spy would be +executed and the soldier reincarcerated in prison. Simon also had +enemies on the farm who would give him away to the nearest provost +marshal if it was known that he was harboring these men. Simon +arranged for an immediate conference at night, when it was agreed upon +that they were to take Elsie and Octavia, and for two stout negro men +to go also, to alternately carry Octavia, who by this time was a year +and a half old and full grown for her age. Simon spotted two stout +negro men whom he thought he would have no trouble in getting to go +along. But the very first one he approached, named Henry, bluntly and +insolently refused. Simon told him then that if he ever divulged it he +would handle him roughly. Henry left, telling him to "go on 'bout his +biziness; that he fixin' tu git hisself in trubble." He had no trouble +in getting the next he approached, whose names were Jim and Jack. + +All necessary arrangements being made, they assembled at the gin house +on the night of departure to bid Simon farewell. He parted with his +sister with many misgivings, fearing that she might lose her own and +the baby's life in this attempt to escape. He bade each man adieu, and +Elsie and Octavia an affectionate farewell. He returned home, retired, +but there was no sleep for him that night. At times he was almost +tempted to pursue the escaping party and bring them back. Without +Elsie and the child he was indeed desolate, as he had not a single +relation in all that country. Just before day he managed to fall +asleep, to be awakened almost immediately by a commotion in the negro +quarter, and on inquiring the cause was told that Jim and Jack had run +away. He then told his informant that Elsie and Octavia could not be +found, and they must have been stolen by the negro men. To allay +suspicion he had his horse saddled, blew up his dogs, and was soon +ostensibly on the negroes' tracks. He took pains however, to go in a +different direction to the one the escaping party went. After making a +spurious chase of three or four hours he returned, saying that the +negroes had escaped, at the same time making loud lamentations because +Elsie and the child had been stolen. It is unnecessary to say that his +grief was real. + +Let us now follow the fugitives. They traveled only at night, +concealing themselves in the day. + +The second night out they met some one with a squealing pig on his +shoulder. The Northerners, fearing detection, captured the man, who +proved to be Brutus, the runaway negro from Colonel R.'s farm. They +explained their mission to him, and asked him to go along with them, +and if he didn't they would treat him like he was going to treat that +stolen pig, which he took out of the pen up the road. Elsie being in +the party, he was only too glad to accompany them. He proved to be a +valuable acquisition, being used to the woods, detecting any noise with +the celerity of a cat. He was also of great assistance in carrying +Octavia, considering it a labor and burden of love, and would not +relinquish her, only from sheer exhaustion. + +All went well with the party, until the fourth night out, when they +came to a swollen river, and not a skiff to be found. An axe had been +brought along, to use in such a contingency, with which a raft was soon +made, and the party on it, and was being rowed over by the negroes, who +were three-fourths across, when, by some unaccountable manner, Octavia +fell overboard, and would have been drowned if the moon had not been +shining, which gave light for Brutus, who had jumped in the river, to +see and catch her as she arose, when he swam to the shore with her. + +It seemed that fate was against the little child, this being the second +time in her brief existence that she had narrowly escaped a watery +grave. The day after this accident they came near being detected, but, +through the strategy of Brutus, they escaped. + +Two more nights brought them in hearing of the opposing armies, and to +pass the Confederate sentinels was the "tug of war." They decided, +however, to make the attempt, rather than make a circuit of +seventy-five miles to flank the Southern lines. On the night the +attempt was made it was dark, and all would have been well if Octavia +had not cried out when passing the last sentinel. At this the whole +party rushed past, the sentinel firing several times into the party, +killing Jim and Jack, and wounding Octavia seriously and Elsie +slightly. The Northerners and Brutus escaped to the Union army. Elsie +and child were carried to the Confederate headquarters and had their +wounds examined and dressed. The surgeon said Elsie was all right, but +that it would take good nursing and skillful treatment for the child to +pull through. But she did, and when able to travel they were put on a +horse in charge of a squad of soldiers, with authority to investigate +the circumstances of their escape as soon as they reached Colonel R.'s +plantation. Henry became alarmed, turned State's evidence against +Simon, who, without time to exchange words of greeting with Elsie and +the child, was hurried off and put in the county jail, and was +succeeded as foreman by Henry, who probably had this in view when he +gave Simon away. This was another crushing blow to Simon; this was +capping the climax. What, Colonel R.'s handsome and intelligent +foreman in jail? This was indeed humiliating! Simon's enemies on the +farm were now elated because of his downfall. One ancient son of Ham, +who had been lashed severely for his misconduct by Simon, soliloquized +thus: "Dey sho' is got dat yaller son of a b---- now; he tink he white, +but I'll be goldurn my black skin ef dey doan salt an' tan his yaller +hide an' make it look yallerer dan 'tis." Simon could think of no way +of getting relief. While he had been faithful to the trust which his +master had confided in him, and who might be willing to forgive him, +yet he knew his master was powerless to get him out of jail, he being +in the conspiracy in abducting his master's slaves, and of feeding and +harboring a spy. However, he wrote to his master, making full +confession, and begged forgiveness, and asked him if there was any way +possible for him to get out of prison. But before the letter reached +the front there had been a battle, and Colonel R. had been captured and +was a prisoner on Johnson's Island. The letter was returned unopened. +He considered his last ray of hope gone, if hope it was, as he was +almost certain that his master could afford no relief. He endeavored +to compose himself the best he could; he was visited frequently by +Elsie and Octavia. She upbraided herself to Simon as being the cause +of it all. He asked her not to do that, as he blamed no one but +himself. On her first visit he sent a letter to his mistress, giving +explicit instructions and information where the treasure was which his +master had confided to his keeping. Simon being in jail, she sent and +had it brought home, and found every cent as the Colonel had left it. + +Elsie kept Simon supplied with papers, books, and such delicacies as +the distracted state of the country would admit of. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND ESCAPE FROM BRUIN. + +While he was whiling away the weary hours in jail another scene was +being enacted at the plantation. Railroads were not as fashionable and +plentiful as now, and had not driven the boats from the river, on which +was a magnificent line of steamers which plowed the waters from Mobile +to Montgomery. They were veritable floating palaces, and were the +admiration of all. The writer of this, though in middle life, never +tires looking at a fine steamer or train of cars. This was so of +Elsie, who frequently went to the plantation landing, carrying Octavia +with her. + +At this time a magnificent side-wheel steamer had been built, and was +advertised to leave Mobile at a certain time, and would pass the +landing on Colonel R.'s farm at noon. + +About six months previous to this a prominent lady living in Mobile had +had her three-year-old daughter, named Octavia, stolen from her. +Strenuous efforts were made to find her, large rewards being offered +for her return, but in vain! This lady had a brother, a captain in the +Southern army, who had been on duty at Mobile. He assisted his sister +in her efforts to find her child, to whom he had become much attached. +This captain and his company were transferred to another part of the +Confederacy, and took passage on this boat, he telling his almost +crazed sister that he would keep a sharp lookout for her child. + +The boat arrived at the landing at the appointed time, and stayed there +some time to put off a lot of freight. Among the spectators on the +bank were Octavia and her mother. This army captain saw Octavia and +thought he saw a resemblance to his sister's lost child. He told some +of his company to accompany him ashore, and as soon as he was in +speaking distance he was sure he had found the lost child, and running +to the child took her in his arms, exclaiming, "My Octavia, my +long-lost child," at the same time kissing and caressing her. Elsie, +dumfounded with fear, began crying, and told the captain that the +child's name was Octavia, but that she was its mother. The captain +threatened to have her arrested by his soldiers if she didn't hush up. +The captain of the boat saw and heard it all. Elsie by this time was +yelling and screaming at the top of her voice, and was trying to take +the child from the captain, who ordered his soldiers to take Elsie. By +this time the captain of the boat had arrived at the scene, and +suggested to the army captain that it was possible for him to be +mistaken, and that this child may be his sister's child's double. He +told Elsie to send for her witnesses, which she did, and soon had a +dozen negroes of the place who positively identified the child as being +Elsie's. Among the witnesses was Aunt Lucy, who was Elsie's nurse at +the birth of the child in the captain's arms, who had been struggling +to get out. This was positive proof, and the captain gave her back, +saying this was a clear case of mistaken identity, and as he was +honestly mistaken he would make the _amende honorable_. + +Aunt Lucy said: "Dunno what gwine cum of dat chile; she been drowned +twice, an' kilt wunst wid de soljer's gun, an' now dis Mister Cap'n +tink she his sister loss chile. Sho', 'fore Gawd, dis nigger dunno +what gwine cum to dat chile. Elsie better take her hoam an' keep her +dar." Elsie gathered the child in her arms, crying and shouting for +joy, at this narrow escape of again losing her child. + +All of this was reported to Simon, who ordered his sister to stay at +home and keep the child there with her. This was carried out to the +letter, and deprived her of the pleasure of seeing Simon; but better +that than run the risk of losing her child. + +In the earlier days of Alabama the forests were full of game of all +kinds, bears being plentiful at one time. They were very destructive +to the farmers' calves, lambs and pigs, and, in a few instances, to +children. A determined war had been made upon them and most of them +had been destroyed, but, as we will see, there was at least one left, +as one actually came out of the swamp to the Colonel's negro quarters, +and attacked Elsie's child, and would have killed her but for her and +the other children's screams, which attracted the dogs and some men +near, the latter gathering clubs, axes or anything at hand, and with +the dogs' help finally dispatched him, but not before he had killed one +of the dogs. Bruin was probably no respecter of persons, and attempted +to appropriate the prettiest child he could find. After this Aunt Lucy +said: "My Gawd, what nex'? De 'Federate cap'n like got her, an' now a +big ole b'ar. I 'spec he hongry, an' want white chile to smack he mouf +on." Elsie was indeed grateful that her child had escaped this awful +death. It was her daily prayer that no evil should befall her child. +While the means of rescue had always heretofore been at hand, it might +not be so in the future. + +The war between the States dragged heavily on--at one time the Northern +and at another the Southern armies were successful. Colonel R. +languished in a Northern prison on Johnson's Island, while Simon did +the same thing in a county prison in Alabama. + +The Confederate States were strongly blockaded, so much so that there +could be no egress nor ingress except by blockade runners, which was a +dangerous piece of business. Consequently very few of the delicacies +of life could be had in the Southern States. This blockade also kept +out quinine, which is so necessary in the South. For the want of this +Octavia came near dying from an attack of malarial fever. Her +physician gave her up to die, telling the attendants there was no hope +for her. She lay unconscious for days, and it seemed as if every +breath would be her last. During this stage of her illness it was +suggested that an all-night prayer-meeting be held in her behalf. +Being a favorite, the negroes turned out _en masse_, Octavia's only +attendants were her mother and Aunt Lucy. + +They carried their devotions on all night, singing, moaning, groaning +and praying, and were too much exhausted to do anything the next day. +At one time during the night Aunt Lucy said to Elsie that the child was +surely dead. But by close examination Elsie said she could detect a +weak, thready pulse at the wrist, and slight movement of the chest, and +said that "while there is life there is hope." Still she was cold half +way up her extremities, and the two were kept busy making hot +applications. She lay in this condition two days after the +prayer-meeting. Finally she said in the faintest whisper that she +wanted some water, and from then began to improve, and in a month was +playing with the other children. + +Aunt Lucy always said that "dem niggers brought dat chile fru by dey +prars. De Scripters say, 'de ferbent, effectual prar of de richus +availeth much, an' de prar ob faith shel' save de sick.'" + +There was much rejoicing because of Octavia's recovery, and none +rejoiced more than Elsie, who thought her and the negroes' prayers were +answered. + +While on the subject of having prayer-meeting for any special object, I +will relate the following incident: In a certain section of country +there was a drouth of long standing prevailing, and it looked as if +everything would be parched up, and nothing be saved for man or beast. +It was suggested that the negroes have a prayer-meeting at their church +to bring rain. One of my neighbors, who was almost a skeptic, +encouraged the negroes, most of whom farmed on the large plantation +which he owned. On the appointed night there was a large crowd +present, who prayed, sang and shouted until three o'clock in the +morning, when there came up one of the most terrific storms which that +section had ever experienced. It rained a perfect flood; the wind was +a most frightful tornado, tearing down houses, fences, crops, trees, +and killing some stock. The hail was terrific, ruining some crops. My +neighbor met some of the brethren the next day and said: "Boys, what +made you pray so hard last night? We wanted rain, and not a h--l of a +storm like we got." One of them replied: "Boss, I tells you how it +wuz. Dat fool nigger Pascal was de cause of de whole ting. In his +prayer las' nite he prayed de Lawd not to sen' one of dem leetle +drizzle-drazzle showers, but one of dem trash movers. An', boss, we +sho' got it, an' mo' too. I tell you, boss, dem niggers prayed all +nite for rain, an' when it did cum yu jes' ought tu seen dem niggers +prayin' fur de rain, win' an' hail tu stop. We thought sho' we gwine +git kilt. Dat fool nigger Pascal got no sence nohow; we keeps him home +de nex' time we wants rain." + +In commemoration of Octavia's restoration to health the negroes +appointed a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The negro is nothing if +not religious; he can surpass his white brother two to one in fervency +and zeal, but whether that "zeal is according to knowledge" is not my +province to decide. It is the custom of the negroes in their religious +meetings to line out their hymns for singing, and when at their work +you can hear them repeat two lines, sing it, and the other two lines to +make out the verse, and sing that. It is a rare thing to see a +skeptical negro of the Ingersoll type. I have already said something +about superstition; this characteristic, like religion, is developed to +a high degree. If one starts anywhere and forgets something, on going +back he makes a cross mark and spits in the mark. If one starts on a +journey and a rabbit crosses the road before him, he turns around and +goes back home. If one is sick and a screech owl screams near by, the +sick person is sure to die. One could not be hired to go in a cemetery +by himself at night. When any one dies they can see his "sperit" going +about the place. They are strong believers in ghosts and "sperits." +These and many other superstitions render them difficult patients to +treat. The writer was called to see a sick negro on one occasion, and +could not find that there was anything the matter with him. In my +examination I found a bag the size of one's fist tied under his shirt. +I drew it out and asked what it was. He would make no reply, when an +old granny, who was nurse, said that was his "conjure" bag to keep +"sperits" off with. It contained rags, rocks, gourd seed, a hog tusk +and a tack. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LIBERATED. + +After Octavia's restoration to health she looked prettier than ever. +Her beauty and intelligence were proverbial, and drew spectators from +many miles away. There was so much said about the matter that Elsie's +mistress made a special visit to see the child, who was now between +four and five years old. Whether she "smelled a mouse" or not is not +known, but certain it is that she entered into negotiations with a +party in the adjoining county to sell Elsie and child to him. He first +hesitated, fearing that the negro's mistress did not have the legal +right to sell them. He consulted an attorney, and found that anything +of the kind done by Colonel R.'s wife in his absence would stand good +in law. With this advice he bought Elsie and Octavia. Simon heard of +this and was hurt by it very much. Still, they were not very far off, +and that was much better than if they had been sent out of the State. +Her new owner, however, did not own her long, as we shall see. + +We have now arrived at that period when there was great consternation +and despair on the part of the white people of the country. It was +reported far and near that Gen. Wilson, one of the Union generals, was +making a raid through central Alabama with a large army. Simon heard +of this and knew that he would soon be liberated from prison. He had, +however, hidden Colonel R.'s cotton where he was sure it could not be +found. The report about General Wilson's raid proved to be true, as a +detachment went through the town where Simon was confined, and turned +all the prisoners out. Simon hastened home, and the first person he +saw was Henry, who fled on sight, fearing that Simon would do him harm +for turning State's evidence against him. A detachment of the army +went through the county that Elsie was carried to, taking all the stock +and negro men with them. Knowing that Simon had been liberated and was +at home, she and Octavia left immediately to join him, and arrived +about sunset the following day. This was a happy meeting between the +three. Elsie had had no opportunity to have private conversation with +him since she was brought back by the Confederate soldiers, when they +started on the "Underground Railway" for freedom. Consequently she had +much to tell him about that trip, and of her brief sojourn in the +adjoining county. They conversed far into the night, and finally went +to sleep wondering what would be next on the docket. They didn't have +to wonder long, as by some means never known Henry had found out about +Colonel R. intrusting a large amount of gold with Simon, and when he +fled at Simon's appearance, he went immediately to the Federal +General's headquarters and reported this fact. + +Henry thought there might be dollars in his pocket by giving this news. +He gave a detailed account of the matter, telling about Simon being a +"nigger driver," having a pack of "nigger dogs," and being heartless +and cruel to the hands on the place. He endeavored to incense the +commander as much as possible against Simon. The General sent a +captain with a company of soldiers to see if there was anything in +Henry's report. On the way Henry urged the captain to hang Simon. Of +course he wanted this done as a protection to himself, as he well knew +that Simon would handle him roughly if he got his hands on him, because +he, Henry, had given him away. + +On arriving at the plantation Simon was immediately arrested and asked +where the gold was. Simon said he once knew, but didn't then, which +was true, as his former mistress had had it moved. Henry shouted that +"Simon was lying." The captain informed him that he had orders to hang +him if he did not divulge the whereabouts of the gold. He still +protested that he knew nothing about it then. The captain ordered him +tied, amid the screams of Elsie and Octavia. Simon then tried to +reason with the captain, telling him of harboring the Union spy and the +escaped soldier; of his planning the escape of Elsie, Octavia, Jim and +Jack; of Henry's refusal to go, and that he was the one that ought to +be hung. Henry hollered out, "He's a liar; I wanted to go and he +wouldn't let me." The captain said he had to execute his orders, and +ordered Simon taken to the nearest tree, when Octavia, giving a loud +scream, fell on her knees before the captain (who reined his horse up), +exclaiming, "Oh, Mister Taptain, pease don't hang Uncle Simon; he ain't +done nothin'!" + +The captain thought he had never seen a lovelier object in his life, +and his heart, that had probably been hardened by a four years' war, +was touched. That beautiful, kneeling child, with streaming locks and +eyes of heavenly blue, and cheeks like a ripe peach, was enough to melt +a heart of stone. He dismounted and gathered the child in his arms, +caressing and kissing her, saying that she was exactly like his little +Octavia at home. He drew a picture from his pocket of his child, and +it proved to be the image of this child. He told Octavia that he would +release her uncle. She showed her appreciation by caressing the +captain, who ordered all the stock on the place, with negro men on +them, to be carried off. Whether they really intended to hang Simon is +not known, but certain it is that several slaveholders were hung about +that time to extort from them the whereabouts of hidden treasure. This +was done by the ex-slaves, probably mostly for revenge. But it is to +the honor of the Union soldiers that they did not countenance any such +action, and in some instances rescued the parties from a probable +death. This revenge was to be expected, as most any race, after being +in bondage a hundred years or more, if left to themselves and had the +power, would do the same. + +There was great lamentation on the part of the negro men's wives when +their husbands left. Simon, Elsie and Octavia were the only composed +ones on the place. Simon assured them that all of them would soon be +back. + +After this wholesale foraging of negroes and stock, things indeed +looked desolate. The crop had been planted, good stands obtained; it +had been worked once and was very promising. But under the present +status of affairs it was out of the question to try and work it. Simon +and Elsie, however, did not despair. Both had been raised to work, +knew how, and could do so again. The oxen on the plantation had been +unmolested, a yoke of which were pressed into service, Simon doing the +plowing and Elsie the hoeing. In a few days the negroes who had been +carried off began to come in, until about all had returned. Simon +advised each to harness up the oxen on the place and plow them, and to +break to the plow a drove of half-grown mules and horse colts that were +on the place. By this means probably half of the farm could be plowed +and cultivated. Simon told each man that under the changed order of +things it was "every fellow for himself, even if the devil got the +hindmost." It was only a question of a short time now when the +Confederacy would collapse, as Johnson was fleeing before Sherman in +the Carolinas, and Lee, having evacuated Richmond, was hard pressed by +Grant. Every State had been invaded, and in a few weeks the +Confederate Government would fall to pieces and the soldiers return +home, Colonel R. among the number, and he could then take charge of the +plantation himself and make any change he saw fit. + +Simon was satisfied, however, that this dividing up of the hands in +squads would meet with the approbation of Colonel R., who would +probably be a month later coming home than the other soldiers, as he +was in prison in the far North when the Southern armies surrendered. + +Before going to work under the new regime Simon made a visit to Colonel +R.'s cotton and found it all O.K. He and Elsie then went to battle +against "General Green," who had begun his depredations on the growing +crop by this temporary cessation of hostilities against him. The crop +was half made when Colonel R. made his appearance on his place. He +expressed himself as well pleased in the way each hand was making use +of what facilities the military cyclone had left in its path, and for +them to carry things on as they were then doing, and when the crop was +gathered he would give them a liberal share of it. The harvest proved +to be a bountiful one, and the negroes were greatly elated at the +success of this their first attempt to farm without an overseer or +foreman. Colonel R. had a private interview with Simon, when both went +to inspect the cotton that Simon had been intrusted with. They found +it intact and in a good state of preservation. Simon then and there +made a full confession of his share in the attempted escape of Elsie +and child, of his apprehension and imprisonment, of his letter to him +and its return, of his letter to his mistress advising her of the gold, +and that it would be best to move it, etc. + +The Colonel replied that he would have liberated Elsie and the child +anyway, and didn't much blame him in trying to effect their escape, and +that the only blame he attached to it was the sending off with the +party Jack and Jim. However, he was satisfied with Simon's +stewardship, and would now proceed to count him out the ten thousand +dollars in gold which he had promised him, and that he would engage him +as superintendent on his farm for the ensuing year at a salary of two +thousand dollars per annum, thus literally carrying out their compact. +It is needless to say that Simon hired a substitute to plow the oxen. + +They returned to the farm, had all the ex-slaves assembled, when the +Colonel made them a nice, short speech, commending them for their +faithfulness during his absence in the army; that the Confederacy had +been beaten, the war was over, and that they were free men, women and +children; that whosoever may have been responsible for slavery in the +United States, that whether it was right or wrong, the South had +resorted to the arbitrament of arms, and as a result they were free, +and that next year he would contract with any or all who wanted to farm +on his place, under the superintendency of Simon. During this talk he +had gotten a good look at Octavia, not knowing whose child it was, +called Simon aside, and asked whose it was; that it was a beautiful +child, and looked as if it were pure white. Simon then said that it +was a delicate subject, but that as he had asked for information, he +would give it to him. The child was Elsie's, and she says that he, the +Colonel, is its father. He then admitted to Simon that it was so, and +that, while at home on furlough at one time during the war, he so far +transgressed the laws of virtue, as to have an innocent, illegitimate +child brought into existence. He also said that Elsie was not so much +to blame as he, and that he was ashamed of his conduct, all of which +was in the past, and could not be undone, and that he would atone, as +far as possible, for his transgression, give Octavia the best +education, in every branch, that time, money and labor would procure, +and that, at his death, he would remember Octavia in his will, all of +which was scrupulously carried out. The only conditions imposed were +that the child be given to Simon, who would be her trustee or agent, in +carrying all these things out, which had to be done secretly. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +COTTON PROWLING--EMPLOYING OCTAVIA'S GOVERNESS. + +Not long after the Southern soldiers came home, they began a wholesale +prowling of government cotton, and in some instances, private cotton +was stolen. The status of this government cotton was as follows: The +Confederate government issued bonds, with a liberal rate of interest, +exchanging them with the planters for their cotton, and in this way, a +large amount had been acquired, half of which probably was still in +warehouses and gin houses throughout the Southern States. Of course, +this property, on the collapse of the Confederacy, by all moral and +legal right, became the property of the United States government. + +When the soldiers came home, they were without money, clothes, and in +many instances, without anything to eat, especially if their homes were +in the path of either army. + +They claimed that they were violating no law of God or man in taking +this cotton. However, the pulpits in the country came out strongly +against this practice, saying that if it was wrong to take private +cotton, it was as much so to take public cotton; that the latter was +nothing more nor less than wholesale theft. By some means, the +whereabouts of Colonel R.'s cotton was found out, and it was whispered +around, that it was government cotton. I would say here that Colonel +R. had made a liberal donation of cotton to his government for bonds, +but that every bale had been delivered and carried off. A raid was +projected on this cotton on a certain night, but when they got there +they found it guarded, Colonel R. and Simon having slept there since +this cotton-prowling began. The leader of the raid claimed that it was +government cotton, and that the raiders were going to have it. Colonel +R. protested that it was not government cotton, but his own private +property, and that if they got it they would have to do so over his +dead body, and that he had help and was well armed. The night was +dark, and fearing that it might be well guarded, and not knowing how +many they had to oppose, the raiders decided that "discretion was the +better part of valor," and left without molesting the cotton. + +Colonel R. immediately hired every wagon and team, hauled the cotton to +the river, shipped it to New Orleans by the first boat, and realized +fifty cents per pound in gold for it, and as there were about one +thousand bales, the reader can calculate, at five hundred pounds per +bale, what a nice fortune the Colonel had, all of which had much to do +with Octavia's future career. + +While to all appearances Octavia was as white as the whitest, she had +African blood coursing through her veins, which would debar her from +Southern society. Social laws on this point were as rigid and +unchangeable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. + +Octavia was now about five years of age, most too young to begin +school, but the Colonel determined at once to hire a governess for her. +Consequently he advertised in one of the foremost Northern dailies for +one. He was not long in receiving answers to his "ad." One reply, +from the interior of New York State, pleased him more than any of the +others, the lady giving as reference one of his former colleagues in +Congress. Several letters passed between the two, he telling her that +if she accepted she would have to teach the niece of his ex-slave +foreman, both of whom, however, were more white than black, and would +pass as white where they were not known. By teaching in this family +she would be socially ostracized by the white people of the country, +and that hers would be a life of seclusion. But if she would accept +and make the sacrifice he would make the liberal offer of fifteen +hundred dollars per annum, she and Octavia to spend three months +anywhere North in each year, the governess to teach her the nine +scholastic months at Octavia's home. The Colonel gave her a +description of Octavia, telling her that she would have an +exceptionally bright and beautiful child to teach. Her board in +Simon's family would cost her nothing, and all her hotel and traveling +expenses would be paid by Colonel R. during each vacation, this +contract to hold good as long as both parties were satisfied. The lady +hesitated quite awhile, thinking it would be too great a sacrifice to +be socially ostracized by her own race. But this was such an +exceptionally good offer, and as she could break the contract after the +first nine months, if she wished, she wrote Colonel R. a letter of +acceptance. She at once made preparations to leave and was soon on her +way South. She found a nice family and a most interesting child. We +will have a good deal to do with the governess, and will call her Miss +Mildred. She began her duties at once, and of course all of Octavia's +studies were primary. Governess and pupil at once fell in love with +each other, which ripened as the years went by. It was clearly a case +of love at first sight. Octavia proved to be an apt scholar, and was +soon ready to go in a higher grade. It was wonderful with what avidity +one so young could grasp, comprehend and commit the lessons given her +by Miss Mildred. + +The governess was making splendid progress with her charge, when there +was an occurrence which came near causing her to throw up her contract +and return North. + +At this time there were in the Southern States what was known as the +"Ku-Klux-Klan," a secret organization, somewhat similar probably to the +"White Caps." They could have been called "white" also, as they always +had on a mask and long white gown, their horses also being covered with +the same material to escape detection. + +This order raided towns and certain sections of the country at night, +but no one ever heard of any damage being done by them except what will +now be related: One dark night there came to Simon's home probably +twenty of these hideous-looking creatures, and called Simon out and +demanded Octavia of him. He wanted to know why, when the leader of +these ghosts told him that Mrs. ----, living in the town of ----, +fifteen miles away, had had her little five-year-old girl Octavia +stolen from her, and must have it; that the present laws of the country +were inadequate to protect the people, and that the "Ku-Klux-Klan" was +a law and order league, and attended to all cases such as child +stealing, wife beaters, hog thieves, etc., and that he, Simon, nor his +family, would not be molested unless they resisted their taking +Octavia. Half a dozen of them dismounted and went into the house, +almost frightening the women and Octavia out of their lives. They took +Octavia out of the house amid the screams of Elsie and Miss Mildred. +Simon was detained outside at the point of a pistol. They mounted, one +taking Octavia in front of him, telling her she could return on the +morrow if she was not the right child. They went off in full gallop +and were soon out of sight. Simon heard them tell his niece that she +could return on the morrow if she was not the right one. He went in to +tell his sister of this and then to get his horse, which he had +recently bought, to follow them. He found Elsie in a convulsion and +Miss Mildred so wrought up with fright that she was not far from it. +Consequently it was out of the question to leave them. He could get no +one else there, every negro being as badly frightened, at the strange, +weird sight they had seen that night. Wishing, hoping, praying that no +harm would befall Octavia, he set about to do what he could for the +grief-stricken and frightened governess and his unconscious sister. By +repeated assurances to Miss Mildred that all would be well with +Octavia, he in a great measure got her quieted. They then went to work +on Elsie, who was unconscious and of course not able to talk. They +worked with her the night through, and as the sun was rising she +regained consciousness, and Simon was endeavoring to assure her of the +safety of Octavia, telling what he heard the leader of the gang tell +her, and that he would get his horse and leave immediately and go for +Octavia, when there was a knock at the door, and on opening it there +stood Octavia, who ran into her mother's arms and was caressed and +kissed again and again by all. Of course their joy and happiness knew +no bounds, especially Elsie, who began alternately to cry and laugh and +couldn't stop. This alarmed them as they did not know what to do. +Octavia had returned, and it seemed that last night's experience with +her would be repeated. However, it soon wore off, and she was well of +the hysterics. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the +morning." We will let the negro who brought Octavia make explanation +in his own way. Said he to Simon: "Ole Miss axed me to bring dis purty +little gal back to yu. She is bery sorry, 'deed, dat dem 'jutty Klux' +fetched yu little gal tu her; dat she look like her gal sum, but she +ain't de wun. She say akcept her 'poligies, an' she hope Mr. Simon +won't tink ennyways hard ob her." Simon thanked the negro for bringing +Octavia back, and asked him to tell his "Ole Miss" that he didn't blame +her in any way, at the same time putting a ten-dollar gold piece in the +negro's hands. The negro bowed and scraped all over the yard and bade +them adieu. + +It leaked out that Henry, Simon's quondam enemy, told some of the clan +that Simon and his sister had a white girl named Octavia which they had +stolen from Mrs. ---- at ----. This lady's stolen daughter was named +Octavia, and the Ku-Klux took it for granted that this was the stolen +child. Henry had told a half truth--the girl at Simon's was named +Octavia and was about five years old, but that she was Mrs. ----'s +child was a willful lie, and he knew it. A half truth is as bad as a +whole lie. Simon threatened vengeance against him. Simon wanted to +prosecute the mob, but could get no evidence as to who a single member +was. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +PROGRESS IN STUDIES. + +After this experience Miss Mildred told Simon that she could not live +in any such a country, and that she would have to throw up her contract +and go back North. She said that with a little forethought she might +have known this, as everything was unsettled after such a war that had +been ended but a few months. She had no objection to a single member +of his family, and she had a high regard for him, and really loved +Elsie and Octavia. + +He then asked her to reconsider the matter, as he would move to the +city of M., then and since a flourishing town. There they could have +police protection, which was not available in the country. She said +she would think over the matter and decide in a day or so. Simon +immediately wrote to Colonel R. that he would have to throw up his +contract as superintendent, telling him the reason why. The Colonel +replied that he was loath to give him up, but under the circumstances +he would have to do so. + +After getting the Colonel's letter Miss Mildred agreed to remain if +there was an immediate removal. Simon said all the time he asked was +to go to the city and buy a house and lot, which he did, and the family +was soon installed in their new home. + +Simon now put the gold which Colonel R. had given him for his +faithfulness to good use. He, in addition to his dwelling, bought a +storehouse on one of the principal business streets, and put a large +stock of goods in it. He proved to be as successful a merchant as he +was a farmer. He was soon doing a large business, having to employ a +bookkeeper and a large number of clerks. + +Soon after Simon left Colonel R. had a good opportunity to sell his +plantation to good advantage, which he did, getting cash for it. + +This, with his cotton money, made a handsome fortune, which he +judiciously invested in stocks, bonds, etc. + +In his new home Simon prospered, and knew that here he would have +protection when the shades of night drew her curtain around them. + +Octavia's life from now on was what would be incident to the life of +any school-girl under a governess from six years old until sixteen, +when she graduated. She had no hairbreadth escapes as in the past. +She advanced rapidly in her studies, Miss Mildred having no trouble at +all with her. She always recited perfect lessons--in a word, was as +near perfect as mortal could be. She accompanied Miss Mildred North on +her vacation trips, which were generally spent at Saratoga Springs. +Octavia always had a bountiful supply of money, which her uncle gave +her, and consequently wanted for nothing. It is well to say here that +a check from Colonel R. was always on hand for such purposes. + +When Octavia was eight years old Colonel R. sent her an +eight-hundred-dollar piano. At ten years of age he sent the following +fine instruments: Organ, guitar, violin and harp, together with a good +supply of art material. He was simply fulfilling his purpose to give +her a finished education, and no girl was considered "finished" who was +not well grounded in music and art. Octavia thought her uncle was +giving her all these musical instruments and art material. She never +knew until in after years who was the real donor. Simon was indeed a +faithful agent and trustee. + +Miss Mildred had been Octavia's governess for seven or eight years, +when one bright morning, just before her and Octavia's annual vacation, +she was dumfounded to receive a proposal of marriage from Simon. +During all these years Cupid had been shooting darts into his heart; he +had been a silent lover of Miss Mildred. Time and again it was on the +point of his tongue to make this declaration, but knowing that he was +of an inferior race, and Miss Mildred far his superior, he shrank from +it. During all this time Miss Mildred never suspected the sentiments +he had for her, and never dreamed that he had any other than a high +regard for her as a faithful teacher to his beautiful niece. She +kindly refused him, telling him that she was too much in love with +Octavia and engrossed in teaching her to love anybody else. There were +stringent laws in this State against miscegenation, and his proposal to +elope was out of the question, as, if she ever married, that was one +way she wanted to avoid. She said she had a high regard for him as a +man of honor and integrity, and trusted that this refusal would not mar +their friendship. She said she was wrapped up in his niece, who had a +bright future before her, and while only one more session remained +before she would enter college, she would regret having to part with +her; that she had had a pleasant home in his family, and would return +after vacation to put in as faithful service in finishing up Octavia +for college as it was in her power to give. This skillful and adroit +changing of the subject relieved the embarrassment to both, and the +interview ended by Simon wishing for her and Octavia a pleasant +vacation at Saratoga. + +Simon afterwards said that if he could not marry one of a superior he +would not marry one of an inferior race. + +In this connection I would say that it is one of the leading +characteristics of the negro to want to marry one of better blood, with +straight hair and white skin. Consequently mulattoes and quadroons are +in demand. Especially do they bank on straight hair; if he or she have +straight hair it hides all the ugliness of the face. It is a common +remark that females of the white race resort to all kinds of ways to +make their hair kinky or frizzly, while those of the negro race would +give an empire for straight hair. + +Again, the negro suitor makes no objection because one has gone astray, +and has one or more illegitimate children. If she has straight hair +and a bright skin, it makes no difference about any of her past +indiscretions. + +While on the subject of matrimony among negroes, I would say that they +don't consider it a violation of the laws of God to have a plurality of +wives. True, they have one legal wife, but at the same time they have +one or more secret or illegal wives. This is the rule, and prevails +among their leading men in the churches--stewards, deacons, trustees, +Sunday-school superintendents, etc. A great deal is said against +Mormonism and polygamy, which some one has termed a "twin evil of +slavery." There is no doubt that Mormonism is one of the foulest blots +upon the escutcheon of the United States. It is passing strange that +such a curse could find a lodgment in "the best government the world +ever saw." It is not strange as to slavery, because that was +recognized in the Constitution. + +I would make the point that there is just as much polygamy among the +negroes as there is in Utah, and to be consistent the authorities +should cry out against one as the other. But it may be said that it is +the States' business to regulate this thing. If so, let them do it. +"Consistency, thou art a jewel." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +READY FOR COLLEGE. + +Octavia was now fourteen, and with her governess was spending their +vacation North. While they were absent Brutus came to the city and +gave himself up to the sheriff for the murder of Cæsar about eighteen +years before. On a preliminary trial he easily proved that he did it +in self-defense and was discharged. He immediately applied to Simon +for employment. Simon was in need of some one to work his garden, chop +wood and do the chores on the place, and as Brutus was a good worker, +and for the sake of old times, he employed him. Brutus doubtless had a +motive in this, as he had not been there long before he proposed to +Elsie. She indignantly repelled him, telling him that she did not want +him or any other "kinky-headed" negro. Brutus thought that, as Elsie +had at one time in her life wandered from the paths of rectitude, she +would readily consent to a marriage. But in this "he reckoned without +his host." He continued, however, in Simon's employ and made a good +servant. During the whole time that Simon had been a resident of the +city he and his household had been very exclusive, holding aloof from +the large negro population of that place. Notwithstanding this +exclusiveness, Octavia and her governess were not unknown, and more +than one young man of Caucasian blood made efforts to get an +introduction to Octavia, but in vain. They had found out that Octavia +was one-eighth African, but that made no difference, one or two +declaring that she was so lovely and accomplished that if necessary +they would make a "Gretna Green" affair of it. + +There were so many favorable comments on Octavia's beauty when she +appeared on the streets that Miss Mildred thought best for her not to +be seen so often, and made their visits less frequent. The summer +vacation soon sped away, and teacher and pupil were at their posts of +duty to put in their last session together. Miss Mildred said it was a +pleasure to teach such an apt scholar, and Octavia declared that it was +an equal pleasure to be taught by such a proficient and competent +teacher. + +The affection that existed between the two was wonderful, something on +the order of the love that David and Jonathan had for each other. Time +did not drag heavily on teacher and pupil, as it does in some schools. +The session came to an end and the time at hand when there would have +to be a separation. It was decided, however, that Octavia should spend +the summer North with her teacher, thus postponing the time of +separation three months. Miss Mildred's work with Octavia was done. +She would now turn her over to higher educators. Ten years before she +took hold, as it were, of the budding mind of Octavia. She saw it +gradually grow and unfold, and ere long she would be a full-grown, +intellectual flower. She had faithfully performed her part in +imparting instruction, and Octavia had equally performed hers in +receiving it. The sad day arrived when Miss Mildred had to part with +Simon and Elsie--she to return to her far away Northern home and they +to remain "away down South in Dixie." + +The fact that teacher and pupil had to separate in three months marred +the otherwise pleasant vacation which they would have enjoyed together. +It was more of a perfunctory sojourn together, both dreading the day of +separation. + +Simon consulted Colonel R. as to the college Octavia should attend, and +it was left to Miss Mildred, who recommended the large female seminary +at ----, Massachusetts. Colonel R. then wrote the President of this +seminary that he had a ward, a young lady of rare beauty and intellect, +whom he desired to enter the ensuing session, and that in addition to +his regular fees he would pay for any extra work done for his ward +liberally, and for him to spare neither time, labor nor money to +advance this young lady, that he wanted for her the best that the +institution afforded. He informed the President that she could finish +in two sessions, and that she would be present at the beginning of the +coming session. + +Three months soon sped away, and Octavia and her ex-teacher must part. +Their feelings can be better imagined than described. It had to be +witnessed to form a correct idea of the bond that existed. Miss +Mildred accompanied Octavia to the train and both were entwined in each +other's arms, kissing and caressing, and would separate, and Octavia +start for the train, when she would return, and the same performance be +repeated, and repeated again, until the conductor shouted "All aboard," +and the train moved off, bearing a desolate heart, and leaving one +equally so at the station. + +Octavia was going to a large city, an entire stranger. How desolate +one feels in a large city, with acres of humanity around you and not +acquainted with a single person! Reader, you will have to realize this +to get its full meaning. Miss Mildred had sent a telegram to the +President to meet the young lady from the South on the arrival of the +train. He did so, and endeavored to make it as pleasant as possible +for her, knowing she was a perfect stranger and far from home. The +school began the next day, and being engrossed in her studies Octavia +soon forgot her loneliness. It was not long before she was a favorite +with teachers and pupils. With such a being it could not be otherwise. +She was always referred to as "the lovely young lady from the South." +She matriculated simply as "Octavia," and when the President insisted +that she write her full name (in reality she had none), she would reply +"that will do." + +This was a strange condition to be in--a lovely, intelligent young lady +without a name! Whether the President thought anything strange about +this peculiarity was never known. In college, as with her governess, +she made rapid strides in all her studies, excelling in elocution, +music and art. + +She captivated the musical director almost on sight. He knew, however, +that propriety forbade his making it known to her. At every musical +recital every eye was focussed on her. She received the plaudits and +commendation of teacher and pupils. The following appeared in one of +the leading dailies of that city in regard to one of her recitals: "The +recital yesterday eve at the ---- Seminary was indeed a musical treat +to the large and cultured audience who graced the occasion. Miss +Octavia, a beautiful and accomplished young lady from Alabama, rendered +several difficult pieces on the piano which were grand. To have heard +these strains one would have thought he or she was listening to +Rubenstein, Mozart or others of the masters. It was a greater treat to +hear her sing. That voice! It reminded you of Adelina Patti, Jenny +Lind or other famous prima donnas. Musical Director ----, of the +seminary, is to be congratulated in having such a talented young lady +to teach. He also deserves the thanks of the public for getting up +such a musical treat." + +The above notice is only one of similar import that appeared at +different times in the various city papers while Octavia was at the +seminary. The session progressed apace; the musical director all the +while becoming more and more infatuated with his Southern magnolia, as +he termed her. The session at last came to a close, much to the regret +of the musical director. Octavia's success had been phenomenal from +the first. Her music teacher, being so infatuated, was probably +partial, and gave her extra attention. While it was Colonel R.'s wish +that she receive extra attention, for which teachers would get extra +pay, this teacher of music imparted this extra instruction because of +his extra love which he had for his fair pupil from the South. He had +always boasted that he could withstand the charms of the loveliest, but +he had at last been conquered and had surrendered, "horse, foot and +dragoons," to the loveliest being that he had ever beheld. He resolved +to make an effort to make her his bride. Consequently he indited the +following epistle, which he decided to send her on the evening of +commencement, this being grand concert night, and the closing of the +school: + + +"Dear Miss Octavia: I suppose you will be surprised to receive such a +note from me, but I don't see why, as my every look and act for the +past nine months plainly indicated that I was passionately, devotedly +and blindly in love with you. But the rules of the seminary as well as +propriety forbade that I should tell you so. The session having closed +I now say so, with all the emphasis of my soul, that you are the +loveliest and most intelligent girl that these heretofore +woman-resisting eyes have ever beheld. Have the breezes wafted this +magnolia from the South to make me happy or miserable the balance of my +days? Heaven grant that it may be the former. I have surrendered to +the most attractive object in existence. This conquest was made +innocently on your part, you not having the remotest idea that I +entertained any such feelings for you. You are the essence of +quintessence; the nectar that Jupiter sipped of the gods was not half +so sweet. But enough until I see you and have a personal interview, +which I hope you will grant immediately. I anxiously await until the +messenger returns. Yours, madly in love with the beautiful flower from +Alabama, + +"Your Music Teacher." + + +Upon reading this passionate effusion she burst into tears, and it was +quite awhile before she was calm enough to send the following note: + + +"My Efficient Music Teacher: Your note has just been received and +contents regretfully noted. I am pained to have such sentiments from +you, and sorry that I have innocently caused such. Were I ever so +willing to reciprocate the sentiments expressed, there is an impassable +barrier between us, the cause of which I cannot and will not explain. +I am sure this is only a passing fancy with you, and on reflection you +will soon forget me, and 'Richard will be himself again.' I leave in +the early morning for my home in Dixie, where I can have the pleasure +of again being with my dear mother and uncle. I appreciate your extra +efforts in my behalf in my music lessons, but I cannot and will not +grant the interview. Your music pupil from Alabama, + +"Octavia." + + +Upon reading this respectful but positive refusal he tore it in +fragments and tossed it out of the window. He then wrote the following +note to President ----, of the seminary: + + +"Dear Sir: Please engage the services of Miss ----, who has been my +proficient assistant during the session just closed, as your musical +directress during the ensuing session. Don't ask me to explain. Yours +truly, ----." + + +After writing this he deliberately took his pistol, and placing it to +his forehead, fired. The occupants of the house, hearing the report, +rushed into his room and found him on the floor, pistol by his side and +bullet hole in his forehead, from which blood was trickling. They soon +discovered the note to President ----, of the seminary, sent it to him, +with instructions to come at once and bring a surgeon with him. The +two were soon there, and the surgeon, on examining, found that the +would-be suicide failed to make a center shot, the ball being deflected +and going around the skull, where he extracted it without much trouble. +He soon regained consciousness from the concussion, arranged his +affairs and left on an early train, never to return. There were +glowing accounts in the morning papers of the grand concert, +complimenting the director; also giving glowing descriptions of +Octavia's singing and playing, and in the same issue giving a detailed +account of the tragedy at No. -- ---- Street, when the musical director +shot and thought he had killed himself. As a natural consequence the +city, early the next morning, was all agog about the "Grand Concert" +and the attempted suicide of the musical director who so successfully +conducted it. Everybody was amazed, as no clew could be found for his +deed and flight. Octavia called at the President's house on her way to +the train to bid him farewell. She inquired of him the cause of the +commotion in the city. He told her he was surprised to find that she +had not heard of the attempted suicide of his musical director, and her +music teacher the past session. He told her of his note requesting him +to employ the assistant directress as principal the ensuing session, +which he would have to do, as the director had fled and no cause could +be found for all this, as he had left in good shape, at least as to +money matters. She could easily have told him the cause, but kept her +counsel. It was with difficulty that she could restrain her tears +while he was telling this. + +The President congratulated her on the success she had attained in the +seminary, and told of the encomiums he had heard heaped upon her, and +after giving her a pressing invitation to return and graduate at the +seminary, he bade her an affectionate farewell. She was soon aboard +the Pullman sleeper and on her way to the Southland. Being an entire +stranger to every one on the train she had opportunity to read the +account in one of the city papers, which she had purchased, of the +preceding night's events. She was not a vain or egotistical girl, and +the papers' compliments of herself did not "turn her head." She was +only gratified that she really merited these plaudits. She was +grieved, however, to know that she was the innocent cause of the +attempted suicide of the musical director, and of President ---- being +deprived of his efficient services the ensuing term. The lightning +speed of the train soon landed her in her mother's arms, who, with +Simon, gave her a joyous welcome. She had much to say to them of her +seminary life, of the plaudits of the press and people and the farewell +commendation of the President, and when she told them of the attempted +suicide of her music teacher, and she being the cause, she broke down +and wept bitterly. They comforted her by telling her that her next +music teacher would be a lady, and surely that could not happen again. + +She whiled away the hours of vacation at her piano or organ or with her +guitar, violin or harp. Several attempts to gain admission to her +society by some of the best white bloods of the city were made, but all +in vain. She always refused, telling them that she was a school-girl +striving for an education, and she would admit nothing that would +detract her from her studies. + +Three months soon rolled away, and she bade her mother and uncle +farewell, she hoped for the last time, they showering upon her many God +bless you's and best wishes. + +The second and last session of her seminary life was but a repetition +of the first, minus the musical director, and another variation, which +will soon be narrated. + +Let us now return for awhile to Octavia's home and notice an event that +was destined to have an important bearing upon Octavia's post graduate +life. A wealthy lady from the North came to the city with a letter of +introduction from Miss Mildred to Simon. She was simply making a tour +of the South, and Miss Mildred knowing that her friend would be in the +city where she had spent ten years of her life, gave her this letter. +Anything emanating from Miss Mildred was all right, in Simon's and his +sister's estimation, and they gave the lady a cordial welcome, bidding +her spend her time with them. She respectfully declined, but said that +she would come around often while in the city. This lady had a costly +diamond ring, valued at one thousand dollars, which she had taken from +her finger one day while at Simon's residence. While in the +sitting-room she had carelessly laid the ring on the dresser and forgot +it until some time afterwards, when she could find it nowhere. All of +the occupants of the house were questioned about it; search for it was +made, but it could be found nowhere. It was clearly a case of theft. +But who did it? was the question. Surely Miss Mildred would not give +her a letter of introduction to a family any one of whom would steal a +ring laid on a dresser. Yet she had lost it in their house, and as +Simon was at his place of business suspicion at once pointed to Elsie +as the thief. The lady put the case in a detective's hands to ferret +out. Simon had a next door neighbor, a negro woman as black as the +proverbial ace of spades, whom he had spotted as the real thief. She +was frequently employed to do scouring and cleaning up in his house, +and while she was not doing any work of that kind on the day the ring +was stolen, she could easily have stealthily gone into the sitting-room +and got it. This woman told several parties that she saw Elsie have a +fine diamond ring. The detective found this out and questioned the +woman, who confirmed the report. The detective at once suspicioned the +woman and also that the woman said she would swear that she saw Elsie +have on a fine diamond ring. + +Simon at once employed a rising young attorney to defend his sister, as +he knew she would be arraigned in court. The Grand Jury was in +session, Elsie was indicted, and the trial set for Monday of the next +week. The trial came off, and there was a hotly contested legal battle +between the opposing counsel, Elsie's lawyer making a fine speech in +her behalf and having no trouble in impeaching the evidence of the only +witness the State had. Elsie's lawyer proved and brought out the fact +that this woman, the State's witness, was in love with Brutus and +Brutus in love with Elsie, and that she would swear to Elsie having a +diamond ring, when, as the woman thought, Elsie would be convicted, +sent to State's prison, and she would have no opposition to Brutus' +heart and hand. The attorney made the telling point, that "green eyed +jealousy" was why this woman had perjured herself. The jury gave Elsie +a unanimous acquittal. This woman, the State's only witness, was then +arrested for perjury, when she confessed to having stolen the ring, and +to swearing to a lie on Elsie, and handed the ring to the presiding +judge. This woman was "hoisted on her own petard," being sent to the +penitentiary, instead of Elsie. + +Simon thought best to keep all this from Octavia, to whom we will now +return. There were two lawyers in the city where Octavia was attending +school, who had been struck, the previous session, with Octavia's +beauty and accomplishments, but had kept it to themselves. During this +session, they attended every recital at the seminary, and the church +that Octavia attended. They could, at least, admire at a distance. +There were stringent rules, in the seminary, forbidding the girls from +having gentlemen visitors. To this, Octavia made no objection, as was +done by many other students. It is needless to say that the admiration +of these lawyers increased, as the session wore on, Octavia being +ignorant of anything of the kind. These men, by some means, found out +that the other was in love with this young lady from Alabama, and +became bitter enemies, because of this. The session closed, and +Octavia graduated with the highest honors, taking all of the prizes, +some of which were valuable. + +The city papers were again highly complimentary of Octavia, and +predicted a brilliant career, for "the accomplished young lady from +Alabama." The President of the seminary agreed that on the night of +the grand concert, the girls would be allowed to receive attentions +from the young men, if agreeable. Octavia's silent rivals met up with +each other, on their way to the concert, when the subject of the girls +being allowed that night to receive gentlemen attendants, was broached. +One claimed the privilege of seeing Miss Octavia; the other said he +would enjoy that privilege himself, both showing how egotistical they +were. Miss Octavia's feelings were not taken into consideration. They +kept contending, until a difficulty ensued, both pulling their pistols +and firing at the same time, both falling, one dead and the other +wounded. Of course the police were soon there, and the wounded man +gave the facts which have just been related. + +The concert came off, and Octavia carried off the laurels of the +evening. She might not have done so, however, if she had been told +that two men, perfect strangers to her had fought a duel about her, one +getting killed, and the other wounded. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis +folly to be wise." After the conclusion of the concert, all this was +told her, when she immediately went to her room, and was weeping, when +the President of the seminary knocked, and was admitted. He inquired +the cause of her grief when she said that again she was the innocent +cause of another tragedy; one man dead and another wounded, on her +account. The President then tried to comfort her, telling her that he +was more the cause of it than any one; that he had removed the +restrictions that night, and that these men, not knowing that she would +see either one, got into a quarrel as to which one should see her, with +the results as stated. + +He then complimented her on her attainments and brilliant success in +the seminary; of her original graduating essay, etc., and assured her +that she would always find a fast friend in him, and wished her +unbounded success in life, and would now sadly say farewell. When he +was gone, she again was convulsed with tears; bitter tears, at parting +with her presiding teacher, and of being innocently the cause of the +tragedy that had just been enacted. + +She retired weeping, and cried herself to sleep, and was awakened early +the next morning by her hackman, to take her to the train, which was +almost ready to start. She hastily dressed, and with her baggage was +soon in the hack, arriving just in time for Octavia to board the moving +train. She was bidding farewell to the city of her triumphs, in which +two tragedies had been enacted on her account, and was on her way to +her own Southern, sunny, happy home, at the same time wondering what +would be her future. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN THE RED CROSS SERVICE. + +In this age of the world, distance is no object, and Octavia was soon +in the bosom of her family, and would follow that career, which God in +His Providence would work out for her. + +Simon and Elsie were proud of Octavia, as they had a right to be. She +had just graduated with highest honors from one of the foremost +Northern seminaries, and had brought home a lot of prizes, some of them +valuable. + +She was beautiful and didn't know it; accomplished, without +ostentation; and was modest, gentle, courteous and dignified. + +Brutus, who was still in Simon's employ as servant, and kept in a +servant's place, frequently said, that if he didn't know to the +contrary, he would say that Octavia, "wuz a sho' nuff white 'oman." + +Of course she had to tell her uncle and mother about the lawyers +fighting a duel about her; of one getting killed, and the other +wounded; and she the innocent cause. Simon consoled her with the fact +that she was at home now, and could seclude herself, if she so desired, +and not be molested by men. She said she could not live the life of a +hermit, regardless of what the men thought of her. + +They then told her of the diamond ring occurrence, and that they had +purposely kept it from her while at school, and determined to await her +return, when they could explain the matter better, orally. + +Not long after her return, she was in Simon's store, and Elsie's +attorney happened to come in. Simon, in an humble, courteous way +introduced his niece to the attorney, as "Octavia," who had just +graduated with distinguished honors, from the foremost seminary in the +North. Both acknowledged the introduction with a bow, after which, +Octavia left the store, and the attorney, after making some purchases, +doing the same. That was a brief meeting, but Cupid had put in his +work. The attorney on his way home determined, if he could, to know +more of this lovely being. It must be said here, that the attorney had +heard of her beauty and accomplishments, and of her lowly birth, and +having one-eighth African blood coursing through her veins. The next +day he was in Simon's store again, and remarked that he would like to +hear his niece play and sing, and to examine her art collection. Simon +said he would be pleased to have him do so, and thought that his niece +would make no objection. He said he would be around after tea to enjoy +this pleasure. Will wonders never cease? Here was one of the leading +attorneys of the city, and purest of the pure Caucasians, becoming +smitten with an octoroon. Simon then reminded him of the social +barriers that existed and of the effect it might have on his practice, +and on him socially. He left the store, remarking "Society be d----." +At supper, Simon told his niece that the attorney would be there to +hear her play and sing, and to inspect her art collection. She said +that it must not be a social call. Simon went back to his store, +thinking a lot, but saying nothing. He had been in public business so +long, that he could read human character almost like a book. He was +satisfied in his mind that Elsie's attorney had succumbed to Octavia's +charms, and he would await developments with anxiety. + +This attorney was young and handsome and already had gained a lucrative +practice at the bar, and was still adding fame to his laurels. +Notwithstanding her short acquaintance, Octavia confessed secretly that +she was favorably impressed with him, but at the same time, she knew +that social barriers would prevent his paying her and she receiving his +attentions. + +At the appointed time, he was ringing the bell for admittance, which +was answered by Elsie, who invited him into the parlor. + +Octavia soon came in, when he told her that he had come to have the +pleasure of hearing her play and sing, and to inspect her art +collection. She gave him a cordial greeting, saying that he flattered +her, but, that if she had any talent for music and art, he was welcome +to witness and hear the same. He expressed himself as delighted with +her paintings; and then requested her to play and sing. She rendered +her graduating recital in music, on the piano. He thought it grand and +magnificent, and requested her to sing, which she did, using the organ +first, and then, guitar, as an accompaniment. + +He was charmed, and said that he had never heard her equal. That her +voice was sweet, but not inaudible; melodious, but not husky; loud, but +not boisterous; clear and harmonious; and that but few prima donnas, +who were delighting thousands, by their voices on the stage, came up to +her standard of singing. + +On leaving, he asked the pleasure of again calling, that he had often +heard of her, but had not had the pleasure of meeting her until their +brief introduction the day before at her uncle's store--but, that now, +he had come, seen and heard, and was conquered. + +He said that like the "Queen of Sheba," he could also say, that "the +half had not been told." She politely replied that the proprieties of +Southern social life would not permit a social call from him on her, +but that if it was any pleasure, he might come and hear her play and +sing, and to inspect her paintings--he might do so, but not in a social +way. He thanked her, and left, and on his way home, hurled anathemas +against social laws, so far as they separated him and Octavia. Of +course, he knew it would not do for the races to intermingle and +commingle, indiscriminately. But Octavia was so near pure white, that +it amounted to "a distinction without a difference." That he was +passionately in love with Octavia there was no doubt. What must he do? +What would the effect of these visits, if known, have on his practice? + +He was not wholly indifferent to public opinion, and while he knew what +the opinion would be, he was determined to hear Octavia play and sing, +let the consequences be what they may. + +The attorney was not the only Caucasian who had succumbed to Octavia's +charms. A wealthy real estate agent, and president of the local bank, +was in the same predicament. He had repeatedly sought an introduction, +but had never been able to reach the goal of his desires. + +The attorney saw Simon, and asked him to say to his niece that he would +come at 8 P.M., to hear some more of her singing. Simon did so. +Whereat, she was pleased as well as sad. She cared more for the +attorney than she was willing to admit. At the same time she knew that +it was wrong, socially, for a white man to be making visits to her +uncle's house. The public might think that his visits were purely on +business, as he had been her mother's successful attorney. But, if +they continued, their object would soon be found out. "You may fool +all the people awhile, but you can't fool some of the people all the +while." When the attorney came, she had on her "best bib and tucker," +and never looked lovelier. Whether she wanted to make an additional +impression, or not, on the attorney, the fact is she did. He came, saw +and heard again, and was charmed and chained to the spot by her +loveliness. He had often heard of Eden--he had found it. He did not +see how there could be a more attractive paradise elsewhere. If +allowed, he would remain--he was not like Mahomet, who, it is said, +after a long hot day's journey over the desert sands, came in sight +(just as the sun, as it were, was going down into the Mediterranean) of +Damascus, surrounded by a desert and situated on those beautiful +rivers, Pharpar and Abana,--Damascus, in which were bubbling fountains, +gardens of olives, dates, figs, oranges and all manner of tropical +fruits; streets shaded by royal palms, dotted here and there, with +magnificent mosques with their lofty minarets, and lovely dwellings. +This, after his weary, hot day's journey, was a charming sight, an +enchanting spectacle; how he longed to slake his thirst from those +bubbling springs, and bathe in those cool fountains, and then rest +under those royal palms, or appease his hunger, by eating of those +tropical fruits. He was tempted to enter, but after gazing longingly, +he said, "it was ordained for man to enter paradise but once," and +turned around and retraced his journey. With the attorney, it was +different; he had entered this paradise, and knew he had to leave, but +how? He arose to do so, and before he was aware of it, he was on his +knees before the fair Octavia. He declared his love with all the +fervor and ardor of a Castilian, and asked her heart and hand in +marriage. He had successfully pleaded the case of her mother, on a +false charge; might he not be as successful in pleading his case before +her, who was judge, counsel and jury?--his charge was true, that he +loved her, adored her, worshipped her. She listened patiently until he +finished, and then bade him rise and be seated. Like a chained +captive, he obeyed. She then in a cool, quiet, dignified manner told +him that she entertained feelings for him that she did not for any +other man, and which she supposed writers of romance would call love, +but that he knew and she knew that there was a social chasm between +them, that could not be bridged--that both knew that the laws of the +State were very stringent against the races intermarrying, and that it +was wrong for him to propose, or for her to accept. Being a lawyer, he +pleaded that it might be a legal wrong, but that there was no moral +wrong, and to get around this legal objection, they could soon go to a +State that had no laws on the subject. She then told him of her humble +birth--that of a slave--and of her life afterwards. He replied that he +knew all, but that that did not have a feather's weight with him--that +it was not birth, wealth or environment that made noble men or women; +but that it was true worth and merit, modesty, beauty, accomplishments, +gentleness and dignity, all of which she possessed to a most marked +degree. She replied that she was created under the present +environments and whether it was fortunate or unfortunate for her, she +must submit to it, and that it would be wrong to question the wisdom or +unwisdom as to how she was brought into existence. She then told the +attorney that her future career would be one of mercy; that she thought +it her duty to ameliorate as far as possible, the sufferings of +mankind, and that she had decided before graduation, the Lord +permitting, to join the Red Cross Society, and asked to be sent to +Europe, for a position with the Russian Army, that was then waging war +against Turkey. She hated to leave home--her mother, uncle--and as to +friends, she had none. + +The attorney protested that he was her friend, lover, and would be her +husband, whenever she said the word. She insisted that it would be +better for them to part; but, that when in a foreign land, she would if +it afforded any pleasure, carry on a friendly correspondence with him. +He thanked her, telling her that that would be one grain of comfort; +but begged her to reconsider, and not bury herself, as it were, in +nursing those despicable Cossacks and Turks. + +She said her decision was unalterable. With this, he took his leave, +fearing she might never return. He consoled himself with the thought +that she loved him, and if she ever returned, he would still have hopes +of winning her. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Once get +a woman to love a man, and all obstacles will as a rule be overcome. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IN FOREIGN LANDS--STRATEGY--LOVE CONQUERS. + +Octavia made known to her uncle and mother the attorney's passionate +proposal and pleading--of her previous determination to go on a mission +of mercy, joining the Red Cross Society. Both pleaded with her to give +up her European trip, whatever she did with the attorney. But secretly +they wanted Octavia to accept him. Both liked him. A firm friendship +had been formed. He had successfully pleaded Elsie's case, and would +be pleased to see the match. But Octavia was of age, and marrying was +a personal matter, and every one must choose for herself. + +She was firm in her decision to go, and they soon saw that further +pleading was of no use. It was only a question of short time to make +the necessary arrangements for her departure. Just before her +departure Colonel R. died. Just previous to his sickness and death, he +wrote Simon to come to see him, as he wanted to confer with him on some +important business. Simon went, and the Colonel said to him, that he +did not think he had long to live, and that in his will, he would +bequeath Octavia fifty thousand dollars in gold, and for him, Simon, to +act as her agent and trustee, until Octavia chose to make use of it. +Simon was grateful on behalf of his niece for this liberal bequest. +Colonel R. said that this would be the crowning act of atonement for +his wrong in bringing Octavia into the world. He said he had sought +forgiveness for this act, and that he felt that God, for Christ's sake, +had pardoned him; not only for this, but other wrongs. He said to +Simon that he had heard of Octavia's brilliant success in college, of +the plaudits of her teachers, press and public. If Octavia, said he, +went to Europe, it would be simply to get rid of her suitors; that hers +was an anomalous condition. She would not wed beneath herself, and the +laws of the country forbid her marrying a white man. He would now bid +farewell to his ex-foreman, for the last time, wishing him unbounded +success in life. + +Colonel R.'s heirs contested the will, or that part bequeathing the +gold to Octavia, and made strenuous efforts to have the courts set it +aside. Simon again employed Elsie's ex-attorney to defend that clause +in the will. There was a fierce legal battle, but the will as a whole +was sustained, and Octavia was left independent. + +Octavia now departed on her mission of mercy, Simon and Elsie believing +that they would never see her again. She was bidding farewell to home, +kindred,--to all that she held most dear. "Yes, my native land, I +leave thee, far in foreign lands to dwell." After arriving in New +York, she soon obtained passports for St. Petersburg, Russia, taking +the first steamer, and ere long, would be + + "_Out on the ocean, all boundless we ride._" + + +After arriving in St. Petersburg, she made known her mission to the +authorities, who appointed a guard to escort her to the Russian Army, +and she was soon administering comfort to the sick and wounded. She +really proved to be an angel of mercy, as her beauty alone often +brought hope to the despairing one. + +About two months after she began work as an agent of the Red Cross, she +received a telegram that her mother had died from smallpox. It is +trouble enough to lose a parent and be at her bedside, but to be in a +foreign land, with an army which is fighting another, with not a single +friend or acquaintance to comfort you, is heart-rending. This was the +severest grief of her life. But, being engrossed by her duties, her +grief was tempered. It is said that "duty is the sublimest word in the +English language." Certainly, it is the best cure for trouble, grief, +disappointments, or any of the ills of life. + +Soon after this, she received a long letter of condolence from her +attorney lover, on the death of her mother. This was quite a comfort, +and she redoubled her efforts to comfort the sick, wounded, distressed, +dying soldiers around her. While engaged in her mission of mercy, she +became acquainted with Count ----, a gallant colonel in the Russian +Army. This count, like the American attorney, fell desperately in love +with her, and made it known the first opportunity, asking her hand in +marriage as soon as hostilities ceased. She repelled his offer, +telling him that among the sick, dead and dying, was no place to be +thinking about anything of that kind. The count took his defeat +philosophically, saying to his friends that he would bide his time and +renew his suit for the fair American angel of mercy, in "the sweet +by-and-by." + +Octavia found time to correspond with her uncle, and her attorney +lover, telling each how she had become fond of her work, and that it +was not as objectionable as one would think. + +The war finally closed, and Octavia determined to return to America, +and render comfort to the soldiers who were then fighting the Indians +on the plains. She had caught a severe cold, while discharging her +duties at the front, which resulted in pneumonia, and for days her +physician despaired of her life. Finally, he announced that the crisis +had passed, and that good nursing would soon bring her round all right, +and wired this welcome news to Simon. It required a month or more to +recuperate and gain strength. In that time, she saw from the American +papers, that the Indian war had ceased. Consequently, she decided to +remain in the Russian capital, whither she had gone after hostilities, +a year or more. She had found trouble in rightly discharging her +duties, because of her inability to speak the Russian language. +Consequently, she determined to master that, and a half dozen or more +of the principal languages of Europe, during her stay in St. +Petersburg. The signs of the times pointed to another European war, +and she would stand in need of one or more of the languages she was +studying. + +Count ---- again renewed his suit with the fair Octavia, promising her +title, wealth, ease and pleasure, and as he was closely related to the +reigning family, she would have access to the pleasures of the Royal +Court of Russia. To all of his pleadings she would say nay, telling +him that she did not come to Europe hunting a husband with a title, and +that she was disgusted with the snobbery displayed by some American +girls in hunting for a husband with a title to his name. She said she +was a plain girl from Republo-Democratic America, and came to render +succor, aid and comfort to the sick, distressed, dead, wounded and +dying, of the Russian Army, and that her mission to that particular +field being ended, she was studying the various foreign languages, +while waiting for another opportunity to continue her mission of mercy. +This reply was characteristic of her. It is a fact that many American +girls, disgust the public in their chase after titled husbands--they +furnishing the wealth, and the husband, the empty title. Away with +such snobbishness! Simon kept her supplied with what funds she needed; +she was popular in society and being so exceptionally beautiful and +accomplished, she had from time to time a number of suitors, to all of +whom she would reply as she did to the Russian count. Besides, she +would be violating the trust imposed in her, and as long as she +remained an agent of the Red Cross, she would wed no man. The American +Ambassador to the Russian Court had heard of Octavia's beauty and +accomplishments, and of her refusing the Russian Count, and a number of +other desirable suitors. He said to his wife, that they must seek the +acquaintance of this wonderful American woman. They went to her hotel, +sent in their card, and received a cordial greeting. Octavia said she +was delighted to see any one from America, and especially the +Ambassador and wife. They promised to call frequently, and that they +would do all in their power to make her visit as pleasant as possible +during her stay in the city. In Russia's gay capital, she had all that +"wealth or beauty e'er gave," but there was a longing, which none of +this would satisfy. She often thought of her home in America--of her +dear uncle, of--yes, of her lover lawyer. Do what she may, she could +not efface him from her memory. She resolved to return, and await an +opportunity for service from the Red Cross. On the return voyage, her +vessel was wrecked in a storm, half of the passengers perishing, she +being among the saved, all of whom were carried to the nearest port, +from whence they were forwarded to New York. She went out and spent a +few days with Miss Mildred, who approved of her mission of mercy. She +parted with her former governess with many regrets, and was soon +caressing her uncle, in "Dixie's land." This was a joyful as well as +sad meeting. Her mother had died during her absence, and there was a +vacant chair which could never be filled. It took quite awhile to +relate her experiences in Europe, of her refusal to be Countess ----, +with wealth, ease, and all the pleasures of the Royal Court. + +Simon told her that he was prouder of her now, than ever. + +As was to be expected, her lover soon called, and while his +correspondence with her in Europe was only of a friendly character, he +had not despaired of making her his wife, if she ever returned. He +renewed his suit with more fervor than ever, but to all his entreaties +she would kindly but sadly say that were her environments or +circumstances different, she would bestow her hand where her heart was +already. His visits clandestinely made, were frequent. During her +absence in Europe, he had been elected State's Attorney, a responsible +and lucrative office, in which he had better opportunities to add to +his already well earned fame. + +After her return, she decided to write up her experiences in Europe +minus the proposals, and publish them in one of the leading Northern +journals. This, her first attempt at writing for the press, elicited +favorable comment. + +One day, while reading one of the latest novels, a messenger, nearly +out of breath, came running in with the sad news that her uncle was +dead. She hastened to the store, to find it too true. Her grief knew +no bounds. The physician who had been called pronounced his trouble, +apoplexy. She loved her uncle as she did her mother. Simon had gained +the confidence of all classes, and had built up a large lucrative +business. He was upright and honorable; just and fair in his dealings, +and his death was a public loss. There was a large funeral procession, +both white and black attending almost _en masse_. + +In his will, Simon left everything to Octavia, making his book-keeper +executor, without bond. Octavia requested him to immediately settle up +the estate, turning all of Simon's property into money, which he easily +did. + +She also requested him to purchase two magnificent monuments for her +mother's and uncle's grave. + +Her lover continued his visits, offering what comfort he could to +Octavia. Of course propriety forbade him mentioning matrimony. +Octavia was indeed lonely now. Not a relative in the world that she +knew of. How desolate! It is true, that troubles never come singly; +as the day after her uncle's burial, she saw in the newspapers, notice +of the death and burial of her former governess, Miss Mildred. In her +loneliness, she would weep for hours at a time. But time heals all +things, and in a few months, her grief was somewhat assuaged. She made +up her mind to go North to live. At his next visit, she told the +attorney of her intention. He then brought up the "tender subject," +again, and made the plea of his life, telling her that she was alone in +the world, and had no ties to bind her here, and to be happy the +balance of his life, he would give up his office, his practice, and +sever every tie that bound him here, and go with her anywhere on the +globe, if, by so doing, he could make her his wife. She burst into +tears because of her loneliness; tears, because of the barrier between +them; and said that it would be best for them not to marry and that he +would soon forget her, after her departure. He went away sorrowfully, +resolving to resort to strategy. The next day, the city dailies +contained the startling information, that State's Attorney ----, had +resigned his office, wound up his affairs and would leave in a few days +to make his home in one of the South American Republics. After seeing +this, Octavia threw herself on her couch, and wept bitter, bitter +tears. There is this difference in men and women when in trouble: the +former, frequently resort to drink, while the latter resort to tears. + +The attorney's masterpiece of strategy was successful. + +Brutus, who was still doing the chores on the place, came in while +Octavia was crying and said, "Miss Octay, what de matter?" she replied: +"Nothing of consequence." He left, and she immediately recalled him +and told him to come back in five or ten minutes, and take a note to +State's Attorney ----. He left, saying, "Yes, miss." Brutus was soon +back, when she sent the following note to the State's Attorney: + + +"Dear Mr. ----: I am miserable, oh, so miserable; please come to me at +once! Octavia." + + +It is needless to say, he went, and was exulting over his successful +strategy as he rang for admittance. She was waiting, and as he +entered, she ran into his arms, saying: "Take me anywhere. I'll be +your wife, regardless of all social laws." + +To say there was a happy couple goes without saying. + +In two days both left, the lawyer ostensibly for South America, and +Octavia for New York City. Both, however, drew their money from the +bank, and bought New York exchange. + +They were quietly married in the metropolis of America. After marriage +he laughingly told Octavia of the deception he had practiced upon +her--that the notice in the city papers of his intended departure for +South America was only a ruse to bring her to terms; that he had made +no resignation, at that time, of his office, and that the notice was +paid for as an advertisement. He said it was a two-edged sword, +cutting both ways; at first, deceiving her, and then, the public, but +with this difference: She was undeceived, while the public still +thought he was by this time in the wilds of South America. + +She embraced him, and amid a perfect shower of kisses, said: "Let the +public think as they please, the fact remains that you are my own dear +husband, whom I love better than life itself, and I am glad, oh, so +glad, that you took that means to bring me to terms. If you had not, I +might have refused you from time to time, on account of the fraction of +African blood that circulates in my veins, and you might, through +spite, have married some woman that you did not love." + +He admitted that there was much philosophy in what she had said, and, +if she hadn't married him, that he might now have been in the Alabama +River. He said that he didn't wonder at those Northern men killing +themselves, and one another, about her. + +Then saying, "My dear wife, let's dismiss all of those unpleasant +things of the past, and talk about the future. Where shall we 'drive +down stakes?'" + +She said she would leave all that with him. While both of their means, +put together, would make a fortune, and judiciously invested, would +provide for them, the balance of their days, she was sure that a man of +his caliber would want an active life, and would go where he could find +it. + +"Thank you," said he; "and that means one of the mining States of the +West, which is comparatively new." + +And there they went, and he prospered as he never did before. He +located in the capital of the State, and soon was doing a good law +practice. + +Octavia became the center of attraction for a large coterie of friends, +and if her husband had been of a jealous disposition, he might have +shown it. + +He was successively elected alderman, mayor of the city, representative +and senator, in the State legislature, attorney-general and governor. +In after years, when several children had blessed their union, they +often spoke of their home in "Dixie's land;" of Octavia's many +hairbreadth escapes; of the Northern tragedies on her account; of the +many suitors who had received their mittens from her; of her Red Cross +life; and last, but not least, of his successful strategy in bringing +her to terms. Octavia admitted, shortly after marriage, that she +deliberately ran off to Europe, knowing that if she remained, she would +have to "marry him, to get rid of him." + +They are now planning a visit to the old original home of Octavia, the +Octoroon. + + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Octavia, by J. F. Lee + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OCTAVIA *** + +***** This file should be named 34262-8.txt or 34262-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/2/6/34262/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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F. Lee +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 200%; + text-align: center } + +P.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center } + +P.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center } + +P.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center } + +P.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 50%; + text-align: center } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Octavia, by J. F. Lee + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Octavia + The Octoroon + +Author: J. F. Lee + +Release Date: September 24, 2011 [EBook #34262] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OCTAVIA *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="t1"> +OCTAVIA +</P> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +The Octoroon +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="t4"> +BY +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +J. F. LEE, M.D. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="t4"> +THE +</P> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +Abbey Press +</P> + +<P CLASS="t4"> +PUBLISHERS +<BR> +114 +<BR> +FIFTH AVENUE +<BR> +London NEW YORK Montreal +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="t4"> +Copyright, 1900,<BR> +by<BR> +THE<BR> +Abbey Press<BR> +in<BR> +the<BR> +United States<BR> +and<BR> +Great Britain.<BR> +<BR> +All Rights Reserved.<BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CONTENTS. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap01">CHAPTER I.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +The Prize Fight +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap02">CHAPTER II.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +A Baptismal Scene +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap03">CHAPTER III.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +The Birth of Octavia +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap04">CHAPTER IV.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Almost a Watery Grave +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap05">CHAPTER V.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +The "Underground Railway" +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap06">CHAPTER VI.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Mistaken Identity and Escape from Bruin +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap07">CHAPTER VII.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Liberated +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap08">CHAPTER VIII.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Cotton Prowling—Employing Octavia's Governess +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap09">CHAPTER IX.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Progress in Studies +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap10">CHAPTER X.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +Ready for College +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap11">CHAPTER XI.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +In the Red Cross Service +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 20%"> +<A HREF="#chap12">CHAPTER XII.</A> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +In Foreign Lands—Strategy—Love Conquers +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> + +<P CLASS="t1"> +Octavia the Octoroon. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER I. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +THE PRIZE FIGHT. +</P> + +<P> +Just before the beginning of the civil war between the States there was +a large and valuable plantation on the Alabama River on which there +were several hundred slaves, said farm being in what is known as the +"black belt of Alabama," having a river front of several miles, and +annually producing five hundred bales of cotton, fifteen thousand +bushels of corn, besides oats, wheat, hay, mules, horses, hogs, cattle, +sheep and goats in abundance. +</P> + +<P> +This mammoth farm belonged to Hon. R., then a member of the United +States Congress from Alabama, and afterwards a gallant officer in the +Confederate army, rising from the rank of first lieutenant to colonel, +by which latter title he will be known in this story. He lived in what +was then one of the flourishing towns of the State, but which has long +since gone to ruin and decay. Colonel R.'s farm was managed by what +was then known as an "overseer," but now would be termed a +superintendent. He had assistants, white and black, who, with the +overseer, managed the farm in a systematic and scientific manner, +bringing it up to a high state of cultivation, which made it one of the +most productive and valuable in the State. +</P> + +<P> +Colonel R., with his man in livery, a thousand-dollar carriage and +finely caparisoned span of horses, visited his farm once a month when +at home, to give general directions to his overseer, and receive the +annual proceeds of his cotton crop. This was the state of affairs when +Lincoln was elected President, when the Southern States seceded from +the Union, and when the guns at Fort Sumter belched forth their shot +and shell, ushering in a war that had no equal in ancient or modern +times. +</P> + +<P> +When the call to arms was made Colonel R. resigned his seat in the +Federal Congress, hastened home, raised and equipped a company, which +rendered valuable service in the Southern army. Colonel R.'s overseer +and his white assistants also responded to the call, joining the +company which Colonel R. equipped. Thus was Colonel R.'s farm deprived +of white men, and as every able-bodied man was needed at the front, it +was out of the question to replace them; nor did he make any effort to +do so. However, Colonel R. was not wanting for some one to take charge +of his business; he had a quadroon named Simon, who had been carefully +trained and drilled by the overseer in farm management. He had been a +favorite with the overseer, who made no objection to his +fourteen-year-old son teaching him to read and write. He also taught +Simon's sister, Elsie. They were both bright quadroons, good looking, +and exceptionally intelligent for slaves. +</P> + +<P> +Let me say here that if the planters had any inclination to teach their +slaves, the latter had no time but at night to learn, and after working +from the time they could see in the morning until they could not see at +night, they felt like sleeping when reaching their cabins. However, +here and there you would find a negro who could read and write, who +generally received such instruction from their owner's or overseer's +children. +</P> + +<P> +Simon was twenty-five and Elsie eighteen years of age, both having the +same mother, Aunt Dinah, and the same white father. +</P> + +<P> +After the overseer and his assistants left for the army Colonel R. +installed Simon as his foreman, with the authority of an overseer. +Under his administration farm matters moved along as well as they did +under the overseer. In slavery times there was always a negro head +man, leader and squire among the negroes, who performed their marriage +ceremonies (without license), exhorted at their religious meetings and +could sing and pray and be heard a mile. Simon could "out-Herod Herod" +in doing all this. He was faithful, honest and upright, three virtues +rare among negroes. He successfully kept the farm books, in which were +to be recorded the number of pounds of cotton picked per day; the +number and weight of each bale of cotton—in a word, this book gave the +exact production of the farm, whether it was stock, cotton, corn or +what not. +</P> + +<P> +He was provided with a horse and whip, two concomitants that every +ante-bellum overseer possessed. Simon felt his importance, and +probably was too severe in some instances in using the lash on the +slaves. This, however, is characteristic of the negro, as they have +since freedom been known to almost whip their children to death. The +writer has interfered several times where negro parents were +unmercifully chastising their children. +</P> + +<P> +Aunt Dinah, Simon's mother, was rather prepossessing in appearance, and +was the plantation mammy, nurse and midwife, as well as the keeper of +the orphan asylum for all the little pickaninnies on the plantation. +Every place of any size had this character. It is often and truly said +that it is the ambition of negro men to be preachers and of the women +to be midwives. +</P> + +<P> +Simon had interceded with his master and the overseer to exempt Elsie +from farm work, and to appoint her seamstress, who had several +assistants on the farm. She was very apt with the needle and scissors, +cutting and making any garment she wished, and doing it all with the +needle, this being before the introduction of sewing machines on +plantations. +</P> + +<P> +In the eyes of Simon and his mother Elsie was a piece of perfection, a +paragon of virtue and chastity, two possessions rare among negroes of +both sexes. Elsie was the belle of the plantation, having a large +number of suitors, among them two of Colonel R.'s slaves, Brutus and +Cæsar. +</P> + +<P> +They were rivals and had an intense hatred for each other on Elsie's +account. While Elsie had no idea of accepting either one or any negro, +saying that she did not want a "kinky-headed nigger," she encouraged +the attentions of both—a consummate flirt, to say the least. Brutus +and Cæsar were good specimens of their race, and fairly good looking. +Their rivalry increased in intensity and bitterness until they +threatened each other's lives. +</P> + +<P> +At this stage of their would-be courtship Simon interfered and told +them that, as Elsie was a prize worth contending for, they had to fight +a fair fight in the ring, and that he would bestow Elsie upon the +victor. The time was appointed for the contest, referees chosen, and +all the negroes on the plantation assembled to witness something <I>à la</I> +Corbett and Fitzsimmons. The battle was fierce, a battle royal; they +were contending for the heart and hand of the beautiful Elsie. Neither +was able to get the mastery over the other. Both could well say, "Lay +on, Macduff! and damned be him who first cries hold, enough!" At times +it looked as if Brutus would be victorious, at another, Cæsar. +</P> + +<P> +After they had pounded and bruised each other considerably, and both +being well nigh exhausted, the match was called off, and Simon +threatened each with a severe lashing if he heard of their fussing any +more about Elsie, as she would not marry either one of them. This +threat and declaration that Elsie would marry neither embittered the +combatants against Simon, both declaring <I>sotto voce</I> that they would +get even with him yet; that they were as good as he was; that his head +was as "kinky" as theirs, and that while they were rivals and personal +enemies, they would make common cause against him and kill the bigoted +"nigger driver" if he "monkeyed with them." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER II. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +A BAPTISMAL SCENE. +</P> + +<P> +About a year before this prize fight the "kernel," as his slaves called +Colonel R., obtained a furlough to visit his home and plantation. He +expressed himself to Simon as being highly pleased at the manner in +which he conducted plantation affairs, saying the farm books were +neatly kept, stock sleek and fat, cribs full of corn, smoke-houses full +of meat, ditches cleaned out, briars kept out of the fence corners—in +fact, he saw no difference in his (Simon's) or the overseer's +administration, and that he hoped that the work would move along as it +was being done at that time. Simon was glad to receive this +commendation from his master, and promised that it would be his earnest +endeavor to still merit the Colonel's approval. +</P> + +<P> +Colonel R. had been in the army long enough to know that in the end the +Confederacy would be beaten; he reasoned that the Southern States were +hemmed in by a blockade that no ship of the Confederacy could break, +and that they had to depend upon home resources for men, munitions and +supplies, while the United States had not only themselves, but the +whole world to draw upon. This was good, philosophic reasoning, and he +determined to prepare for the collapse, which would be only a question +of time. As there was no chance to sell cotton (there being an +accumulation of two crops of the fleecy staple, amounting to about a +thousand bales, on his place), he gave Simon explicit instructions to +hide this cotton if there was any danger of the Federal army raiding +that section of the State. He also intrusted to his keeping a large +amount of gold which he had hoarded. He told Simon that if he were +faithful to the trust he would reward him liberally—that if the +Confederacy won he would give him his freedom and $10,000 in gold; and +that if the United States won he would still give him the gold named +above and make him superintendent on his farm at an annual salary of +$2,000. As the sequel will show this compact was faithfully complied +with by both parties, and for so doing Simon came near losing his life. +</P> + +<P> +Colonel R. assembled all of his slaves and bade them an affectionate +adieu, telling them to be faithful, industrious and diligent, and to be +submissive to Simon's authority, and that if he was killed in battle, +Mrs. R., his wife and their mistress, would have general supervision of +the plantation. He was soon at the front and resumed command of his +regiment. Between now and the close of hostilities it will be my +endeavor to describe some of the scenes that were enacted on the +Colonel's plantation. Elsie was still the belle and had suitors galore. +</P> + +<P> +At every frolic she was the "cynosure of all eyes," the observed of all +observers. She never wanted for a partner in the dance or play. +Brutus and Cæsar were still rivals and bitter enemies on her account, +and at one of the plantation frolics they got into a fight, and Cæsar +was killed by Brutus driving an axe into Cæsar's brain. Brutus fled +and was a "runaway nigger" until the close of the war. +</P> + +<P> +Simon had a pack of negro dogs which were soon in full cry on Brutus' +track, who ran to the river and went up a tree bending over the water. +The dogs were soon there and "treed" Brutus. Simon shortly arrived on +the spot, thinking the dogs had Brutus up the tree. The dogs were +there, the tree was there, and no doubt Brutus went up the tree, but he +was not there. Simon gave up the chase, declaring that a negro who was +sharp and strategical enough to climb a tree, and then jump into the +river and swim across, would no doubt outwit the dogs, were he to take +them across and continue the pursuit. +</P> + +<P> +Elsie was thus relieved of her two most importunate and troublesome +suitors—one dead and the other in the woods. +</P> + +<P> +A negro is intensely religious, regardless of honesty and integrity; he +will attend night services, shout, sing and pray, and then return home +by some hen-roost and lift off a chanticleer which has been doing +business at that stand for a half dozen years with as much nonchalance +as if he, "Cuffee," were eating his dinner or taking a drink of water. +</P> + +<P> +On this plantation there were two rival churches, Methodist and +Baptist, and I would say here that, as a rule, Southern negroes belong +to one or the other of these two large branches of the Christian Church. +</P> + +<P> +During the summer these two churches held revival (and rival) services +every night and Sunday for three or four weeks, at which there was a +great awakening and a large ingathering of souls to the flock. For +some reason it is thought the Methodist "nigger" can shout, sing and +pray louder than his Baptist brother, while the latter can head him off +in drinking whisky, which is counteracted by the Methodist brother's +love for chickens and turkeys and their proclivities for lifting them +off the roost. +</P> + +<P> +At one of these night services, when everybody was happy, shouting, +singing and praying, and the house was in an uproar and it seemed that +pandemonium had turned loose, a large lighted lamp full of oil was +turned over and exploded. +</P> + +<P> +Negroes piled out of the windows and doors by the dozens. Some of the +cooler heads pulled off their coats, and wrapping up the burning +negroes, finally subdued the flames. Order was finally restored and +all assembled again in the house. The pastor in charge then arose and +said: "My bredderin an' sisterin, we is all run a narrer resk in bein' +burn to deth, an' it shood be a terrible warnin' tu perpare for de +burnin' dat awaits de ongodly, an' ef de richous am skasely saved whar +shall de sinner an' ongodly appeer? Brudder Sam, you is de wus burnt +nigger hear tu-nite, an' ef you keep on stealin' chickens you is gwine +to go whar de wurm dieth not an' de fire is not squinched." +</P> + +<P> +At this eloquent appeal on the part of the pastor moans and groans were +heard all over the house, that have to be heard to be realized. Old +Sister Ann, a two-hundred-and-fifty-pounder, got happy and began +throwing her hands in the air, and popping them together, shouting, +"Glory! Glory!" and started towards the pastor, saying, "Brudder Zeke, +I'm so happy I wants tu hug you!" whereupon she gathered him, a weak +man, in her herculean arms. He began to struggle to free himself from +her vise-like grasp—she was about to squeeze the life out of him—but +in vain! He then shouted for some one to "take her off! take her off!" +Several of the brethren interfered and finally released the struggling +pastor. After which he said: "Sister Ann, de wedder is tu hot, soap is +tu scase, an' you is tu big an' fat tu git close to ennybody; so pleas +kep yo' distunce." +</P> + +<P> +Brother "Zeke," fearing a similar experience, announced services for +the following night, and immediately dismissed the congregation. On +the last Sunday of the meeting baptismal services were held at both +churches, the Baptists assembling at the river to perform the rite by +immersion, and the Methodists at their church to perform it by +sprinkling or pouring. +</P> + +<P> +At the latter church the pastor requested all the converts, which were +fifty or sixty, to come forward to receive baptism, whereupon about a +dozen responded. He stated that only about a fourth of the converts +had come forward, and that if the rest were in the house they will now +come forward and be baptized. +</P> + +<P> +The preacher replied that he was very liberal in his views, and that he +would baptize by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, and for each +applicant to designate the mode, and it would be carried out. Those +who had not come forward said that they "wanted tu go under de water." +He said they would go to the river just as soon as he got through with +those present. Whereupon those who had come forward told the preacher +that as he had to go into the water they would be immersed also. The +minister then announced for the congregation to assemble on the river +to witness the baptisms. The Baptist and Methodist preachers reached +the water about the same time, and after conferring with one another, +agreed that the order would be for one minister to baptize one of his +flock and the other one, and so on, alternately, until they were +through. This took some time, as each had about fifty apiece to +baptize. There was shouting and rejoicing during this baptismal scene. +There were probably two thousand negroes present, those on adjoining +plantations also being present. It is a fact that baptism in water +will draw almost as large a crowd as a circus. +</P> + +<P> +With the exception of shouting on the part of converts there was no +noise or disturbance, and all went well until the last, the baptism of +a large, fleshy sister, who, as she arose from the water clapped her +hands and shouted: "I see my Jesus!" When she said this a negro, who +had climbed into a willow tree leaning over the water, replied: "Yu +lie, yu hypercritical old huzzie; tain't nuthin' but a snappin' mud +turcle yu seed, an' hit's a pity he hadn't kotched yu by de nose an' +drowned yu, so as yu would not tell lies enny more on 'spectable +niggers." As he said this the tree broke, precipitating him into water +twenty feet deep, and as he could not swim he went straight to the +bottom. Both of the parsons were silent spectators of this last act, +and were making for the shore as the congregation sang "Pull for the +Shore." They had been fishers, as it were, of souls; now that an +opportunity presented itself, they in reality would have to be fishers +of men—at least one would have to be. The Methodist, thinking the +Baptist more used to water than he, waited for the Baptist to strike +out for the drowning man, and the Baptist did the same for the +Methodist. The latter, seeing that the man would drown if no +assistance were rendered, and being the nearest, swam to him. The +drowning man grabbed him around the waist and both sank. The Baptist +parson, being in the water, thought he was duty bound to render +assistance, and swam to the scene just as they arose, when the +Methodist grabbed the Baptist around the waist, and all three went +under together. Things were getting serious, as it would be the third +time the man went under. One of the men on shore succeeded in time to +catch the first man, who was sinking the last time, by the hair, and by +superhuman jerks released him from the parson and succeeded in carrying +him to the shore. As this was being done another negro on shore swam +and caught the exhausted Methodist parson by the wool, jerking him off +from the Baptist, and carried him to shore. Another wicked negro on +the bank shouted: "Fair play; I'll be darned if the Baptis' shell +drown," and made for him, catching him by his cue and landing him +safely on land. The congregation could have consistently sung, during +the last three acts, "Pull for the Shore." As the submerged negroes +were resting one skeptical darky shouted out, "You's all Baptis' now." +Thus ended this baptismal and almost tragical scene. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER III. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +THE BIRTH OF OCTAVIA. +</P> + +<P> +Not long after this Simon's mother, Aunt Dinah, "went the way of all +the earth, and was gathered to her fathers." This caused great +mourning and lamentation on the plantation. The old auntie was almost +looked upon with reverence. She was, as it were, an oracle, being +consulted on everything that transpired on the place. +</P> + +<P> +This was a severe grief to Simon and Elsie, who received the +condolences of all the slaves on the place. The little negroes were +bereft of a true friend, as Aunt Lucy, Aunt Dinah's successor, was not +as thoughtful, good and kind to the little ones as Aunt Dinah had been. +</P> + +<P> +The negro is no nurse and of no account in a sick room. This was so in +the case of the deceased old auntie, who was sick quite awhile and +doubtless wanted good nursing. But let one of their number die and +they are very much in evidence, sitting up with the corpse or attending +the funeral. Aunt Dinah had one of the longest funeral processions +ever witnessed in that country. +</P> + +<P> +The negroes not only preach at the burial, but appoint a time several +months ahead, giving it great publicity, when So and So's funeral will +be preached with great <I>éclat</I>. On these occasions there is as much +shouting, singing, groaning, moaning and praying as there is in their +revival meetings. +</P> + +<P> +Simon and Elsie put on the usual mourning for parents, and to show +their grateful remembrance asked their mistress to get them an elegant +monument, with the proper inscription thereon, and erected it at the +head of her grave, something very rare for slaves. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after this Elsie got in bad health, would not eat, and +notwithstanding much was done for her restoration to health, she failed +to improve. The negro as a race has a larger share of superstition +than any other. With this Simon was considerably tinctured. As Elsie +failed to improve it was noised around that she was "conjured." Simon, +notwithstanding his intelligence, began to share in the belief that +this was so. There was an old negro "conjure" doctor on the place, +whom Simon asked to go around and see Elsie. +</P> + +<P> +After talking with Elsie awhile he left, and seeing Simon told him that +"Elsie grievin' 'bout Brutus." He protested that she cared nothing in +the world about that negro in the woods, and he would have to search +for another cause. Believing that she was "conjured," he insisted that +the conjurer take the "spell" off. To this he agreed, and appointed a +day when he would bring her around all right. The "conjurer" told +Simon that Elsie had "lizards and roaches" in her ear, and that they +must come out. It is possible that Simon believed this stuff by +letting his superstition get the better of his judgment and +intelligence. At the appointed time the "conjurer" came, having +lizards and roaches in a box up his sleeve. After songs, incantations +and gesticulations, all the while rubbing her head, he adroitly +liberated the lizards and roaches, which ran off, making Elsie scream. +This may have had effect on the few spectators present, but it +certainly had none on Elsie, who knew that she had been acting a piece +of consummate duplicity from the first. The "conjurer" told Elsie, +"dem live things in her hed wus de cause of all her trubble, and that +she would get well now." Elsie, however, failed to improve, and Simon +went to see his mistress in regard to the matter, who sent a physician +back with him to see Elsie. When leaving he told Simon that Elsie had +given birth to a beautiful girl baby as white as he, the physician, +was, and with hair as straight. +</P> + +<P> +Horror of horrors! This was "the unkindest cut of all." Simon was +crushed, humiliated, and felt that he was disgraced by the conduct of +his sister; and to think of her duplicity for all those months was +enough to cause an angel to swear. He and his sister were the most +intelligent and refined negroes in all that country. They were the +<I>élite</I>, the bon ton, the upper crust, and were looked on as such by +the other slaves. If there were aristocrats among slaves, Simon and +sister filled the bill. Simon had held his sister up to the negro +girls on the place as an example, and for her to bring disgrace on them +in that way was too much! +</P> + +<P> +Aunt Lucy, Elsie's nurse, said that Elsie had no ordinary baby; that +"it was white as the whitest, eyes as blue as ole mars'er, an' hair as +strate as ole missis, an' not a white man in de kentry. Dis weren't no +nigger baby; Elsie she got wid chile by de Holy Spirit." Simon knew +that the days of miracles had passed, and that none other than a white +man was its father. Elsie admitted after a long time that her owner +was the child's father. Whether he was satisfied, Simon said no more +about it, but refused for a long while to even see the baby. Time +heals all things, and finally Simon consented to see it and was struck +with her beauty. Elsie named her child Octavia, and as it grew in +years Simon began to love the child as his own. She became a favorite +on the whole plantation, nothing being too good that any of the slaves +had for little Octavia. She was a heroine from the first, as she +proved to be in after life. +</P> + +<P> +To all appearances she was as pure as the purest Caucasian, and if an +expert had been put on the stand to swear as to her race he would have +said Caucasian. Such are the circumstances under which this afterwards +wonderful being was brought into existence. +</P> + +<P> +With a white father and quadroon mother, this made her seven-eighths +Caucasian. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER IV. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +ALMOST A WATERY GRAVE. +</P> + +<P> +Before proceeding further I would say that the standard of virtue among +the negroes is very low, and that if any of their girls wander from the +paths of virtue they are not cast off as is the case with the whites. +It must be admitted, however, that there is an improvement among them +along this line. When Octavia was a year old she came very near being +drowned in the river. Elsie was fond of fishing, and carried Octavia +and a little negro nurse to watch the child. The nurse got careless +and let the child fall into the river, and would have drowned had not +Simon happened to be near and heard his sister's screams, and getting +there, jumped in just in time to rescue both mother and child, the +former having leaped in to save the child. Simon gave his sister a +good lecture and the nurse a switching for their carelessness. It +seemed that Simon's nearness was providential. +</P> + +<P> +Simon always said, after the child was a few months old, that she had a +bright future before her; that, though a slave, the Lord would open up +a way for her. +</P> + +<P> +In Colonel R.'s absence Simon was required to make frequent visits to +his mistress's home to report to her the progress he was making on the +farm. The war had been over half fought, and while the Confederacy had +gained many battles it suffered serious losses, and was daily getting +weaker, and it was only a question of time when it would collapse. +During his visits to his mistress Simon gained this intelligence in +regard to the progress of the war, and while he was sure of his +freedom, regardless of the way the war terminated, he could not but +wish for the success of the Union armies on account of his sister and +her child, who would thereby gain their freedom. He also had a broad, +sympathetic feeling for his race and wanted them liberated. +</P> + +<P> +He was also broad enough in his philosophy and intelligence to accord +to his master and other Southern slaveholders the right to resort to +arms to fight for property which they had bought or inherited, and +which was recognized in the Constitution of the United States. +</P> + +<P> +While he was legally a slave he enjoyed freedom as much so as his +master or other white men. He had all the comforts of a country home, +and while the large plantation over which he was foreman was not his, +he was in one respect "lord of all he surveyed." He had a buggy, +horse, saddle, whip, pack of hounds, and said to this, do so and so, +and it was done; or go and they came or went. When one of the slaves +transgressed he used the lash on him—in a word, he was as supreme in +authority as the Nabob of Cawnpore or the Sultan of Turkey. Enjoying +and having all these things at his command, why should he want them +terminated? It must be remembered that he was three-fourths white, and +one of the instincts of the Anglo-Saxon is freedom and liberty. Simon +was attached to his master and mistress, who were humane, kind and +thoughtful of their slaves. Still, with all this, there was a longing +in his heart that would not be satisfied. It is admitted on all sides +that had there not been cruel and heartless slaveholders, "Uncle Tom's +Cabin" would never have been written, sympathy in Northern pulpits and +Abolition societies would not have spread, and in all probability the +negro would yet have been a slave. Simon's reasoning was that he nor +his master were responsible for human slavery, which in some respects +had been a benefit and in others an injury to the negro, and that there +had been slavery in all ages of the world. +</P> + +<P> +He knew that the mistake was made when slavery was recognized in the +Constitution of the United States; also that the mistake had brought +the negro from the wilds of Africa, and civilized, tamed and made a +good laborer and citizen of him. That was the entering wedge which had +caused all the contention, and finally precipitated the most gigantic +war in history. +</P> + +<P> +Let the consequences be what they may, Simon did his duty in +successfully managing the affairs on his master's plantation. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER V. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +THE "UNDERGROUND RAILWAY." +</P> + +<P> +While he did nothing openly to oppose the Confederacy, he aided in a +secret way the escape of his sister and niece. +</P> + +<P> +Simon was not absolutely certain of the success of the Union armies, +and to insure the freedom of his sister and niece, he made use of the +first opportunity, which soon presented itself. As is well known, +there was before the war what was known as an "Underground Railway" for +the escape of slaves to the free States and Canada. This was nothing +more nor less than agents sent out by Northern Abolition societies to +abduct slaves, thousands of whom escaped in this manner. +</P> + +<P> +It was on this account that the "Fugitive Slave Law" was passed by +Congress, on which there was the test case before the Supreme Court in +the slave, Dred Scott, said court sustaining the law. One of the +Northern societies at this time sent an agent South as a spy, and to +abduct any slave or slaves that he could entice away. This agent made +his way to Colonel R.'s plantation, over which Simon was foreman. He +cautiously made known his business to Simon, who welcomed and secretly +harbored him. This agent was joined two days after by an escaped Union +soldier from the Confederate prison at ——. This was a happy and +unexpected meeting between the spy and soldier. What they did had to +be done quickly and secretly. If they were captured the spy would be +executed and the soldier reincarcerated in prison. Simon also had +enemies on the farm who would give him away to the nearest provost +marshal if it was known that he was harboring these men. Simon +arranged for an immediate conference at night, when it was agreed upon +that they were to take Elsie and Octavia, and for two stout negro men +to go also, to alternately carry Octavia, who by this time was a year +and a half old and full grown for her age. Simon spotted two stout +negro men whom he thought he would have no trouble in getting to go +along. But the very first one he approached, named Henry, bluntly and +insolently refused. Simon told him then that if he ever divulged it he +would handle him roughly. Henry left, telling him to "go on 'bout his +biziness; that he fixin' tu git hisself in trubble." He had no trouble +in getting the next he approached, whose names were Jim and Jack. +</P> + +<P> +All necessary arrangements being made, they assembled at the gin house +on the night of departure to bid Simon farewell. He parted with his +sister with many misgivings, fearing that she might lose her own and +the baby's life in this attempt to escape. He bade each man adieu, and +Elsie and Octavia an affectionate farewell. He returned home, retired, +but there was no sleep for him that night. At times he was almost +tempted to pursue the escaping party and bring them back. Without +Elsie and the child he was indeed desolate, as he had not a single +relation in all that country. Just before day he managed to fall +asleep, to be awakened almost immediately by a commotion in the negro +quarter, and on inquiring the cause was told that Jim and Jack had run +away. He then told his informant that Elsie and Octavia could not be +found, and they must have been stolen by the negro men. To allay +suspicion he had his horse saddled, blew up his dogs, and was soon +ostensibly on the negroes' tracks. He took pains however, to go in a +different direction to the one the escaping party went. After making a +spurious chase of three or four hours he returned, saying that the +negroes had escaped, at the same time making loud lamentations because +Elsie and the child had been stolen. It is unnecessary to say that his +grief was real. +</P> + +<P> +Let us now follow the fugitives. They traveled only at night, +concealing themselves in the day. +</P> + +<P> +The second night out they met some one with a squealing pig on his +shoulder. The Northerners, fearing detection, captured the man, who +proved to be Brutus, the runaway negro from Colonel R.'s farm. They +explained their mission to him, and asked him to go along with them, +and if he didn't they would treat him like he was going to treat that +stolen pig, which he took out of the pen up the road. Elsie being in +the party, he was only too glad to accompany them. He proved to be a +valuable acquisition, being used to the woods, detecting any noise with +the celerity of a cat. He was also of great assistance in carrying +Octavia, considering it a labor and burden of love, and would not +relinquish her, only from sheer exhaustion. +</P> + +<P> +All went well with the party, until the fourth night out, when they +came to a swollen river, and not a skiff to be found. An axe had been +brought along, to use in such a contingency, with which a raft was soon +made, and the party on it, and was being rowed over by the negroes, who +were three-fourths across, when, by some unaccountable manner, Octavia +fell overboard, and would have been drowned if the moon had not been +shining, which gave light for Brutus, who had jumped in the river, to +see and catch her as she arose, when he swam to the shore with her. +</P> + +<P> +It seemed that fate was against the little child, this being the second +time in her brief existence that she had narrowly escaped a watery +grave. The day after this accident they came near being detected, but, +through the strategy of Brutus, they escaped. +</P> + +<P> +Two more nights brought them in hearing of the opposing armies, and to +pass the Confederate sentinels was the "tug of war." They decided, +however, to make the attempt, rather than make a circuit of +seventy-five miles to flank the Southern lines. On the night the +attempt was made it was dark, and all would have been well if Octavia +had not cried out when passing the last sentinel. At this the whole +party rushed past, the sentinel firing several times into the party, +killing Jim and Jack, and wounding Octavia seriously and Elsie +slightly. The Northerners and Brutus escaped to the Union army. Elsie +and child were carried to the Confederate headquarters and had their +wounds examined and dressed. The surgeon said Elsie was all right, but +that it would take good nursing and skillful treatment for the child to +pull through. But she did, and when able to travel they were put on a +horse in charge of a squad of soldiers, with authority to investigate +the circumstances of their escape as soon as they reached Colonel R.'s +plantation. Henry became alarmed, turned State's evidence against +Simon, who, without time to exchange words of greeting with Elsie and +the child, was hurried off and put in the county jail, and was +succeeded as foreman by Henry, who probably had this in view when he +gave Simon away. This was another crushing blow to Simon; this was +capping the climax. What, Colonel R.'s handsome and intelligent +foreman in jail? This was indeed humiliating! Simon's enemies on the +farm were now elated because of his downfall. One ancient son of Ham, +who had been lashed severely for his misconduct by Simon, soliloquized +thus: "Dey sho' is got dat yaller son of a b—— now; he tink he white, +but I'll be goldurn my black skin ef dey doan salt an' tan his yaller +hide an' make it look yallerer dan 'tis." Simon could think of no way +of getting relief. While he had been faithful to the trust which his +master had confided in him, and who might be willing to forgive him, +yet he knew his master was powerless to get him out of jail, he being +in the conspiracy in abducting his master's slaves, and of feeding and +harboring a spy. However, he wrote to his master, making full +confession, and begged forgiveness, and asked him if there was any way +possible for him to get out of prison. But before the letter reached +the front there had been a battle, and Colonel R. had been captured and +was a prisoner on Johnson's Island. The letter was returned unopened. +He considered his last ray of hope gone, if hope it was, as he was +almost certain that his master could afford no relief. He endeavored +to compose himself the best he could; he was visited frequently by +Elsie and Octavia. She upbraided herself to Simon as being the cause +of it all. He asked her not to do that, as he blamed no one but +himself. On her first visit he sent a letter to his mistress, giving +explicit instructions and information where the treasure was which his +master had confided to his keeping. Simon being in jail, she sent and +had it brought home, and found every cent as the Colonel had left it. +</P> + +<P> +Elsie kept Simon supplied with papers, books, and such delicacies as +the distracted state of the country would admit of. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER VI. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND ESCAPE FROM BRUIN. +</P> + +<P> +While he was whiling away the weary hours in jail another scene was +being enacted at the plantation. Railroads were not as fashionable and +plentiful as now, and had not driven the boats from the river, on which +was a magnificent line of steamers which plowed the waters from Mobile +to Montgomery. They were veritable floating palaces, and were the +admiration of all. The writer of this, though in middle life, never +tires looking at a fine steamer or train of cars. This was so of +Elsie, who frequently went to the plantation landing, carrying Octavia +with her. +</P> + +<P> +At this time a magnificent side-wheel steamer had been built, and was +advertised to leave Mobile at a certain time, and would pass the +landing on Colonel R.'s farm at noon. +</P> + +<P> +About six months previous to this a prominent lady living in Mobile had +had her three-year-old daughter, named Octavia, stolen from her. +Strenuous efforts were made to find her, large rewards being offered +for her return, but in vain! This lady had a brother, a captain in the +Southern army, who had been on duty at Mobile. He assisted his sister +in her efforts to find her child, to whom he had become much attached. +This captain and his company were transferred to another part of the +Confederacy, and took passage on this boat, he telling his almost +crazed sister that he would keep a sharp lookout for her child. +</P> + +<P> +The boat arrived at the landing at the appointed time, and stayed there +some time to put off a lot of freight. Among the spectators on the +bank were Octavia and her mother. This army captain saw Octavia and +thought he saw a resemblance to his sister's lost child. He told some +of his company to accompany him ashore, and as soon as he was in +speaking distance he was sure he had found the lost child, and running +to the child took her in his arms, exclaiming, "My Octavia, my +long-lost child," at the same time kissing and caressing her. Elsie, +dumfounded with fear, began crying, and told the captain that the +child's name was Octavia, but that she was its mother. The captain +threatened to have her arrested by his soldiers if she didn't hush up. +The captain of the boat saw and heard it all. Elsie by this time was +yelling and screaming at the top of her voice, and was trying to take +the child from the captain, who ordered his soldiers to take Elsie. By +this time the captain of the boat had arrived at the scene, and +suggested to the army captain that it was possible for him to be +mistaken, and that this child may be his sister's child's double. He +told Elsie to send for her witnesses, which she did, and soon had a +dozen negroes of the place who positively identified the child as being +Elsie's. Among the witnesses was Aunt Lucy, who was Elsie's nurse at +the birth of the child in the captain's arms, who had been struggling +to get out. This was positive proof, and the captain gave her back, +saying this was a clear case of mistaken identity, and as he was +honestly mistaken he would make the <I>amende honorable</I>. +</P> + +<P> +Aunt Lucy said: "Dunno what gwine cum of dat chile; she been drowned +twice, an' kilt wunst wid de soljer's gun, an' now dis Mister Cap'n +tink she his sister loss chile. Sho', 'fore Gawd, dis nigger dunno +what gwine cum to dat chile. Elsie better take her hoam an' keep her +dar." Elsie gathered the child in her arms, crying and shouting for +joy, at this narrow escape of again losing her child. +</P> + +<P> +All of this was reported to Simon, who ordered his sister to stay at +home and keep the child there with her. This was carried out to the +letter, and deprived her of the pleasure of seeing Simon; but better +that than run the risk of losing her child. +</P> + +<P> +In the earlier days of Alabama the forests were full of game of all +kinds, bears being plentiful at one time. They were very destructive +to the farmers' calves, lambs and pigs, and, in a few instances, to +children. A determined war had been made upon them and most of them +had been destroyed, but, as we will see, there was at least one left, +as one actually came out of the swamp to the Colonel's negro quarters, +and attacked Elsie's child, and would have killed her but for her and +the other children's screams, which attracted the dogs and some men +near, the latter gathering clubs, axes or anything at hand, and with +the dogs' help finally dispatched him, but not before he had killed one +of the dogs. Bruin was probably no respecter of persons, and attempted +to appropriate the prettiest child he could find. After this Aunt Lucy +said: "My Gawd, what nex'? De 'Federate cap'n like got her, an' now a +big ole b'ar. I 'spec he hongry, an' want white chile to smack he mouf +on." Elsie was indeed grateful that her child had escaped this awful +death. It was her daily prayer that no evil should befall her child. +While the means of rescue had always heretofore been at hand, it might +not be so in the future. +</P> + +<P> +The war between the States dragged heavily on—at one time the Northern +and at another the Southern armies were successful. Colonel R. +languished in a Northern prison on Johnson's Island, while Simon did +the same thing in a county prison in Alabama. +</P> + +<P> +The Confederate States were strongly blockaded, so much so that there +could be no egress nor ingress except by blockade runners, which was a +dangerous piece of business. Consequently very few of the delicacies +of life could be had in the Southern States. This blockade also kept +out quinine, which is so necessary in the South. For the want of this +Octavia came near dying from an attack of malarial fever. Her +physician gave her up to die, telling the attendants there was no hope +for her. She lay unconscious for days, and it seemed as if every +breath would be her last. During this stage of her illness it was +suggested that an all-night prayer-meeting be held in her behalf. +Being a favorite, the negroes turned out <I>en masse</I>, Octavia's only +attendants were her mother and Aunt Lucy. +</P> + +<P> +They carried their devotions on all night, singing, moaning, groaning +and praying, and were too much exhausted to do anything the next day. +At one time during the night Aunt Lucy said to Elsie that the child was +surely dead. But by close examination Elsie said she could detect a +weak, thready pulse at the wrist, and slight movement of the chest, and +said that "while there is life there is hope." Still she was cold half +way up her extremities, and the two were kept busy making hot +applications. She lay in this condition two days after the +prayer-meeting. Finally she said in the faintest whisper that she +wanted some water, and from then began to improve, and in a month was +playing with the other children. +</P> + +<P> +Aunt Lucy always said that "dem niggers brought dat chile fru by dey +prars. De Scripters say, 'de ferbent, effectual prar of de richus +availeth much, an' de prar ob faith shel' save de sick.'" +</P> + +<P> +There was much rejoicing because of Octavia's recovery, and none +rejoiced more than Elsie, who thought her and the negroes' prayers were +answered. +</P> + +<P> +While on the subject of having prayer-meeting for any special object, I +will relate the following incident: In a certain section of country +there was a drouth of long standing prevailing, and it looked as if +everything would be parched up, and nothing be saved for man or beast. +It was suggested that the negroes have a prayer-meeting at their church +to bring rain. One of my neighbors, who was almost a skeptic, +encouraged the negroes, most of whom farmed on the large plantation +which he owned. On the appointed night there was a large crowd +present, who prayed, sang and shouted until three o'clock in the +morning, when there came up one of the most terrific storms which that +section had ever experienced. It rained a perfect flood; the wind was +a most frightful tornado, tearing down houses, fences, crops, trees, +and killing some stock. The hail was terrific, ruining some crops. My +neighbor met some of the brethren the next day and said: "Boys, what +made you pray so hard last night? We wanted rain, and not a h—l of a +storm like we got." One of them replied: "Boss, I tells you how it +wuz. Dat fool nigger Pascal was de cause of de whole ting. In his +prayer las' nite he prayed de Lawd not to sen' one of dem leetle +drizzle-drazzle showers, but one of dem trash movers. An', boss, we +sho' got it, an' mo' too. I tell you, boss, dem niggers prayed all +nite for rain, an' when it did cum yu jes' ought tu seen dem niggers +prayin' fur de rain, win' an' hail tu stop. We thought sho' we gwine +git kilt. Dat fool nigger Pascal got no sence nohow; we keeps him home +de nex' time we wants rain." +</P> + +<P> +In commemoration of Octavia's restoration to health the negroes +appointed a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The negro is nothing if +not religious; he can surpass his white brother two to one in fervency +and zeal, but whether that "zeal is according to knowledge" is not my +province to decide. It is the custom of the negroes in their religious +meetings to line out their hymns for singing, and when at their work +you can hear them repeat two lines, sing it, and the other two lines to +make out the verse, and sing that. It is a rare thing to see a +skeptical negro of the Ingersoll type. I have already said something +about superstition; this characteristic, like religion, is developed to +a high degree. If one starts anywhere and forgets something, on going +back he makes a cross mark and spits in the mark. If one starts on a +journey and a rabbit crosses the road before him, he turns around and +goes back home. If one is sick and a screech owl screams near by, the +sick person is sure to die. One could not be hired to go in a cemetery +by himself at night. When any one dies they can see his "sperit" going +about the place. They are strong believers in ghosts and "sperits." +These and many other superstitions render them difficult patients to +treat. The writer was called to see a sick negro on one occasion, and +could not find that there was anything the matter with him. In my +examination I found a bag the size of one's fist tied under his shirt. +I drew it out and asked what it was. He would make no reply, when an +old granny, who was nurse, said that was his "conjure" bag to keep +"sperits" off with. It contained rags, rocks, gourd seed, a hog tusk +and a tack. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER VII. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +LIBERATED. +</P> + +<P> +After Octavia's restoration to health she looked prettier than ever. +Her beauty and intelligence were proverbial, and drew spectators from +many miles away. There was so much said about the matter that Elsie's +mistress made a special visit to see the child, who was now between +four and five years old. Whether she "smelled a mouse" or not is not +known, but certain it is that she entered into negotiations with a +party in the adjoining county to sell Elsie and child to him. He first +hesitated, fearing that the negro's mistress did not have the legal +right to sell them. He consulted an attorney, and found that anything +of the kind done by Colonel R.'s wife in his absence would stand good +in law. With this advice he bought Elsie and Octavia. Simon heard of +this and was hurt by it very much. Still, they were not very far off, +and that was much better than if they had been sent out of the State. +Her new owner, however, did not own her long, as we shall see. +</P> + +<P> +We have now arrived at that period when there was great consternation +and despair on the part of the white people of the country. It was +reported far and near that Gen. Wilson, one of the Union generals, was +making a raid through central Alabama with a large army. Simon heard +of this and knew that he would soon be liberated from prison. He had, +however, hidden Colonel R.'s cotton where he was sure it could not be +found. The report about General Wilson's raid proved to be true, as a +detachment went through the town where Simon was confined, and turned +all the prisoners out. Simon hastened home, and the first person he +saw was Henry, who fled on sight, fearing that Simon would do him harm +for turning State's evidence against him. A detachment of the army +went through the county that Elsie was carried to, taking all the stock +and negro men with them. Knowing that Simon had been liberated and was +at home, she and Octavia left immediately to join him, and arrived +about sunset the following day. This was a happy meeting between the +three. Elsie had had no opportunity to have private conversation with +him since she was brought back by the Confederate soldiers, when they +started on the "Underground Railway" for freedom. Consequently she had +much to tell him about that trip, and of her brief sojourn in the +adjoining county. They conversed far into the night, and finally went +to sleep wondering what would be next on the docket. They didn't have +to wonder long, as by some means never known Henry had found out about +Colonel R. intrusting a large amount of gold with Simon, and when he +fled at Simon's appearance, he went immediately to the Federal +General's headquarters and reported this fact. +</P> + +<P> +Henry thought there might be dollars in his pocket by giving this news. +He gave a detailed account of the matter, telling about Simon being a +"nigger driver," having a pack of "nigger dogs," and being heartless +and cruel to the hands on the place. He endeavored to incense the +commander as much as possible against Simon. The General sent a +captain with a company of soldiers to see if there was anything in +Henry's report. On the way Henry urged the captain to hang Simon. Of +course he wanted this done as a protection to himself, as he well knew +that Simon would handle him roughly if he got his hands on him, because +he, Henry, had given him away. +</P> + +<P> +On arriving at the plantation Simon was immediately arrested and asked +where the gold was. Simon said he once knew, but didn't then, which +was true, as his former mistress had had it moved. Henry shouted that +"Simon was lying." The captain informed him that he had orders to hang +him if he did not divulge the whereabouts of the gold. He still +protested that he knew nothing about it then. The captain ordered him +tied, amid the screams of Elsie and Octavia. Simon then tried to +reason with the captain, telling him of harboring the Union spy and the +escaped soldier; of his planning the escape of Elsie, Octavia, Jim and +Jack; of Henry's refusal to go, and that he was the one that ought to +be hung. Henry hollered out, "He's a liar; I wanted to go and he +wouldn't let me." The captain said he had to execute his orders, and +ordered Simon taken to the nearest tree, when Octavia, giving a loud +scream, fell on her knees before the captain (who reined his horse up), +exclaiming, "Oh, Mister Taptain, pease don't hang Uncle Simon; he ain't +done nothin'!" +</P> + +<P> +The captain thought he had never seen a lovelier object in his life, +and his heart, that had probably been hardened by a four years' war, +was touched. That beautiful, kneeling child, with streaming locks and +eyes of heavenly blue, and cheeks like a ripe peach, was enough to melt +a heart of stone. He dismounted and gathered the child in his arms, +caressing and kissing her, saying that she was exactly like his little +Octavia at home. He drew a picture from his pocket of his child, and +it proved to be the image of this child. He told Octavia that he would +release her uncle. She showed her appreciation by caressing the +captain, who ordered all the stock on the place, with negro men on +them, to be carried off. Whether they really intended to hang Simon is +not known, but certain it is that several slaveholders were hung about +that time to extort from them the whereabouts of hidden treasure. This +was done by the ex-slaves, probably mostly for revenge. But it is to +the honor of the Union soldiers that they did not countenance any such +action, and in some instances rescued the parties from a probable +death. This revenge was to be expected, as most any race, after being +in bondage a hundred years or more, if left to themselves and had the +power, would do the same. +</P> + +<P> +There was great lamentation on the part of the negro men's wives when +their husbands left. Simon, Elsie and Octavia were the only composed +ones on the place. Simon assured them that all of them would soon be +back. +</P> + +<P> +After this wholesale foraging of negroes and stock, things indeed +looked desolate. The crop had been planted, good stands obtained; it +had been worked once and was very promising. But under the present +status of affairs it was out of the question to try and work it. Simon +and Elsie, however, did not despair. Both had been raised to work, +knew how, and could do so again. The oxen on the plantation had been +unmolested, a yoke of which were pressed into service, Simon doing the +plowing and Elsie the hoeing. In a few days the negroes who had been +carried off began to come in, until about all had returned. Simon +advised each to harness up the oxen on the place and plow them, and to +break to the plow a drove of half-grown mules and horse colts that were +on the place. By this means probably half of the farm could be plowed +and cultivated. Simon told each man that under the changed order of +things it was "every fellow for himself, even if the devil got the +hindmost." It was only a question of a short time now when the +Confederacy would collapse, as Johnson was fleeing before Sherman in +the Carolinas, and Lee, having evacuated Richmond, was hard pressed by +Grant. Every State had been invaded, and in a few weeks the +Confederate Government would fall to pieces and the soldiers return +home, Colonel R. among the number, and he could then take charge of the +plantation himself and make any change he saw fit. +</P> + +<P> +Simon was satisfied, however, that this dividing up of the hands in +squads would meet with the approbation of Colonel R., who would +probably be a month later coming home than the other soldiers, as he +was in prison in the far North when the Southern armies surrendered. +</P> + +<P> +Before going to work under the new regime Simon made a visit to Colonel +R.'s cotton and found it all O.K. He and Elsie then went to battle +against "General Green," who had begun his depredations on the growing +crop by this temporary cessation of hostilities against him. The crop +was half made when Colonel R. made his appearance on his place. He +expressed himself as well pleased in the way each hand was making use +of what facilities the military cyclone had left in its path, and for +them to carry things on as they were then doing, and when the crop was +gathered he would give them a liberal share of it. The harvest proved +to be a bountiful one, and the negroes were greatly elated at the +success of this their first attempt to farm without an overseer or +foreman. Colonel R. had a private interview with Simon, when both went +to inspect the cotton that Simon had been intrusted with. They found +it intact and in a good state of preservation. Simon then and there +made a full confession of his share in the attempted escape of Elsie +and child, of his apprehension and imprisonment, of his letter to him +and its return, of his letter to his mistress advising her of the gold, +and that it would be best to move it, etc. +</P> + +<P> +The Colonel replied that he would have liberated Elsie and the child +anyway, and didn't much blame him in trying to effect their escape, and +that the only blame he attached to it was the sending off with the +party Jack and Jim. However, he was satisfied with Simon's +stewardship, and would now proceed to count him out the ten thousand +dollars in gold which he had promised him, and that he would engage him +as superintendent on his farm for the ensuing year at a salary of two +thousand dollars per annum, thus literally carrying out their compact. +It is needless to say that Simon hired a substitute to plow the oxen. +</P> + +<P> +They returned to the farm, had all the ex-slaves assembled, when the +Colonel made them a nice, short speech, commending them for their +faithfulness during his absence in the army; that the Confederacy had +been beaten, the war was over, and that they were free men, women and +children; that whosoever may have been responsible for slavery in the +United States, that whether it was right or wrong, the South had +resorted to the arbitrament of arms, and as a result they were free, +and that next year he would contract with any or all who wanted to farm +on his place, under the superintendency of Simon. During this talk he +had gotten a good look at Octavia, not knowing whose child it was, +called Simon aside, and asked whose it was; that it was a beautiful +child, and looked as if it were pure white. Simon then said that it +was a delicate subject, but that as he had asked for information, he +would give it to him. The child was Elsie's, and she says that he, the +Colonel, is its father. He then admitted to Simon that it was so, and +that, while at home on furlough at one time during the war, he so far +transgressed the laws of virtue, as to have an innocent, illegitimate +child brought into existence. He also said that Elsie was not so much +to blame as he, and that he was ashamed of his conduct, all of which +was in the past, and could not be undone, and that he would atone, as +far as possible, for his transgression, give Octavia the best +education, in every branch, that time, money and labor would procure, +and that, at his death, he would remember Octavia in his will, all of +which was scrupulously carried out. The only conditions imposed were +that the child be given to Simon, who would be her trustee or agent, in +carrying all these things out, which had to be done secretly. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER VIII. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +COTTON PROWLING—EMPLOYING OCTAVIA'S GOVERNESS. +</P> + +<P> +Not long after the Southern soldiers came home, they began a wholesale +prowling of government cotton, and in some instances, private cotton +was stolen. The status of this government cotton was as follows: The +Confederate government issued bonds, with a liberal rate of interest, +exchanging them with the planters for their cotton, and in this way, a +large amount had been acquired, half of which probably was still in +warehouses and gin houses throughout the Southern States. Of course, +this property, on the collapse of the Confederacy, by all moral and +legal right, became the property of the United States government. +</P> + +<P> +When the soldiers came home, they were without money, clothes, and in +many instances, without anything to eat, especially if their homes were +in the path of either army. +</P> + +<P> +They claimed that they were violating no law of God or man in taking +this cotton. However, the pulpits in the country came out strongly +against this practice, saying that if it was wrong to take private +cotton, it was as much so to take public cotton; that the latter was +nothing more nor less than wholesale theft. By some means, the +whereabouts of Colonel R.'s cotton was found out, and it was whispered +around, that it was government cotton. I would say here that Colonel +R. had made a liberal donation of cotton to his government for bonds, +but that every bale had been delivered and carried off. A raid was +projected on this cotton on a certain night, but when they got there +they found it guarded, Colonel R. and Simon having slept there since +this cotton-prowling began. The leader of the raid claimed that it was +government cotton, and that the raiders were going to have it. Colonel +R. protested that it was not government cotton, but his own private +property, and that if they got it they would have to do so over his +dead body, and that he had help and was well armed. The night was +dark, and fearing that it might be well guarded, and not knowing how +many they had to oppose, the raiders decided that "discretion was the +better part of valor," and left without molesting the cotton. +</P> + +<P> +Colonel R. immediately hired every wagon and team, hauled the cotton to +the river, shipped it to New Orleans by the first boat, and realized +fifty cents per pound in gold for it, and as there were about one +thousand bales, the reader can calculate, at five hundred pounds per +bale, what a nice fortune the Colonel had, all of which had much to do +with Octavia's future career. +</P> + +<P> +While to all appearances Octavia was as white as the whitest, she had +African blood coursing through her veins, which would debar her from +Southern society. Social laws on this point were as rigid and +unchangeable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia was now about five years of age, most too young to begin +school, but the Colonel determined at once to hire a governess for her. +Consequently he advertised in one of the foremost Northern dailies for +one. He was not long in receiving answers to his "ad." One reply, +from the interior of New York State, pleased him more than any of the +others, the lady giving as reference one of his former colleagues in +Congress. Several letters passed between the two, he telling her that +if she accepted she would have to teach the niece of his ex-slave +foreman, both of whom, however, were more white than black, and would +pass as white where they were not known. By teaching in this family +she would be socially ostracized by the white people of the country, +and that hers would be a life of seclusion. But if she would accept +and make the sacrifice he would make the liberal offer of fifteen +hundred dollars per annum, she and Octavia to spend three months +anywhere North in each year, the governess to teach her the nine +scholastic months at Octavia's home. The Colonel gave her a +description of Octavia, telling her that she would have an +exceptionally bright and beautiful child to teach. Her board in +Simon's family would cost her nothing, and all her hotel and traveling +expenses would be paid by Colonel R. during each vacation, this +contract to hold good as long as both parties were satisfied. The lady +hesitated quite awhile, thinking it would be too great a sacrifice to +be socially ostracized by her own race. But this was such an +exceptionally good offer, and as she could break the contract after the +first nine months, if she wished, she wrote Colonel R. a letter of +acceptance. She at once made preparations to leave and was soon on her +way South. She found a nice family and a most interesting child. We +will have a good deal to do with the governess, and will call her Miss +Mildred. She began her duties at once, and of course all of Octavia's +studies were primary. Governess and pupil at once fell in love with +each other, which ripened as the years went by. It was clearly a case +of love at first sight. Octavia proved to be an apt scholar, and was +soon ready to go in a higher grade. It was wonderful with what avidity +one so young could grasp, comprehend and commit the lessons given her +by Miss Mildred. +</P> + +<P> +The governess was making splendid progress with her charge, when there +was an occurrence which came near causing her to throw up her contract +and return North. +</P> + +<P> +At this time there were in the Southern States what was known as the +"Ku-Klux-Klan," a secret organization, somewhat similar probably to the +"White Caps." They could have been called "white" also, as they always +had on a mask and long white gown, their horses also being covered with +the same material to escape detection. +</P> + +<P> +This order raided towns and certain sections of the country at night, +but no one ever heard of any damage being done by them except what will +now be related: One dark night there came to Simon's home probably +twenty of these hideous-looking creatures, and called Simon out and +demanded Octavia of him. He wanted to know why, when the leader of +these ghosts told him that Mrs. ——, living in the town of ——, +fifteen miles away, had had her little five-year-old girl Octavia +stolen from her, and must have it; that the present laws of the country +were inadequate to protect the people, and that the "Ku-Klux-Klan" was +a law and order league, and attended to all cases such as child +stealing, wife beaters, hog thieves, etc., and that he, Simon, nor his +family, would not be molested unless they resisted their taking +Octavia. Half a dozen of them dismounted and went into the house, +almost frightening the women and Octavia out of their lives. They took +Octavia out of the house amid the screams of Elsie and Miss Mildred. +Simon was detained outside at the point of a pistol. They mounted, one +taking Octavia in front of him, telling her she could return on the +morrow if she was not the right child. They went off in full gallop +and were soon out of sight. Simon heard them tell his niece that she +could return on the morrow if she was not the right one. He went in to +tell his sister of this and then to get his horse, which he had +recently bought, to follow them. He found Elsie in a convulsion and +Miss Mildred so wrought up with fright that she was not far from it. +Consequently it was out of the question to leave them. He could get no +one else there, every negro being as badly frightened, at the strange, +weird sight they had seen that night. Wishing, hoping, praying that no +harm would befall Octavia, he set about to do what he could for the +grief-stricken and frightened governess and his unconscious sister. By +repeated assurances to Miss Mildred that all would be well with +Octavia, he in a great measure got her quieted. They then went to work +on Elsie, who was unconscious and of course not able to talk. They +worked with her the night through, and as the sun was rising she +regained consciousness, and Simon was endeavoring to assure her of the +safety of Octavia, telling what he heard the leader of the gang tell +her, and that he would get his horse and leave immediately and go for +Octavia, when there was a knock at the door, and on opening it there +stood Octavia, who ran into her mother's arms and was caressed and +kissed again and again by all. Of course their joy and happiness knew +no bounds, especially Elsie, who began alternately to cry and laugh and +couldn't stop. This alarmed them as they did not know what to do. +Octavia had returned, and it seemed that last night's experience with +her would be repeated. However, it soon wore off, and she was well of +the hysterics. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the +morning." We will let the negro who brought Octavia make explanation +in his own way. Said he to Simon: "Ole Miss axed me to bring dis purty +little gal back to yu. She is bery sorry, 'deed, dat dem 'jutty Klux' +fetched yu little gal tu her; dat she look like her gal sum, but she +ain't de wun. She say akcept her 'poligies, an' she hope Mr. Simon +won't tink ennyways hard ob her." Simon thanked the negro for bringing +Octavia back, and asked him to tell his "Ole Miss" that he didn't blame +her in any way, at the same time putting a ten-dollar gold piece in the +negro's hands. The negro bowed and scraped all over the yard and bade +them adieu. +</P> + +<P> +It leaked out that Henry, Simon's quondam enemy, told some of the clan +that Simon and his sister had a white girl named Octavia which they had +stolen from Mrs. —— at ——. This lady's stolen daughter was named +Octavia, and the Ku-Klux took it for granted that this was the stolen +child. Henry had told a half truth—the girl at Simon's was named +Octavia and was about five years old, but that she was Mrs. ——'s +child was a willful lie, and he knew it. A half truth is as bad as a +whole lie. Simon threatened vengeance against him. Simon wanted to +prosecute the mob, but could get no evidence as to who a single member +was. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER IX. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +PROGRESS IN STUDIES. +</P> + +<P> +After this experience Miss Mildred told Simon that she could not live +in any such a country, and that she would have to throw up her contract +and go back North. She said that with a little forethought she might +have known this, as everything was unsettled after such a war that had +been ended but a few months. She had no objection to a single member +of his family, and she had a high regard for him, and really loved +Elsie and Octavia. +</P> + +<P> +He then asked her to reconsider the matter, as he would move to the +city of M., then and since a flourishing town. There they could have +police protection, which was not available in the country. She said +she would think over the matter and decide in a day or so. Simon +immediately wrote to Colonel R. that he would have to throw up his +contract as superintendent, telling him the reason why. The Colonel +replied that he was loath to give him up, but under the circumstances +he would have to do so. +</P> + +<P> +After getting the Colonel's letter Miss Mildred agreed to remain if +there was an immediate removal. Simon said all the time he asked was +to go to the city and buy a house and lot, which he did, and the family +was soon installed in their new home. +</P> + +<P> +Simon now put the gold which Colonel R. had given him for his +faithfulness to good use. He, in addition to his dwelling, bought a +storehouse on one of the principal business streets, and put a large +stock of goods in it. He proved to be as successful a merchant as he +was a farmer. He was soon doing a large business, having to employ a +bookkeeper and a large number of clerks. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after Simon left Colonel R. had a good opportunity to sell his +plantation to good advantage, which he did, getting cash for it. +</P> + +<P> +This, with his cotton money, made a handsome fortune, which he +judiciously invested in stocks, bonds, etc. +</P> + +<P> +In his new home Simon prospered, and knew that here he would have +protection when the shades of night drew her curtain around them. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia's life from now on was what would be incident to the life of +any school-girl under a governess from six years old until sixteen, +when she graduated. She had no hairbreadth escapes as in the past. +She advanced rapidly in her studies, Miss Mildred having no trouble at +all with her. She always recited perfect lessons—in a word, was as +near perfect as mortal could be. She accompanied Miss Mildred North on +her vacation trips, which were generally spent at Saratoga Springs. +Octavia always had a bountiful supply of money, which her uncle gave +her, and consequently wanted for nothing. It is well to say here that +a check from Colonel R. was always on hand for such purposes. +</P> + +<P> +When Octavia was eight years old Colonel R. sent her an +eight-hundred-dollar piano. At ten years of age he sent the following +fine instruments: Organ, guitar, violin and harp, together with a good +supply of art material. He was simply fulfilling his purpose to give +her a finished education, and no girl was considered "finished" who was +not well grounded in music and art. Octavia thought her uncle was +giving her all these musical instruments and art material. She never +knew until in after years who was the real donor. Simon was indeed a +faithful agent and trustee. +</P> + +<P> +Miss Mildred had been Octavia's governess for seven or eight years, +when one bright morning, just before her and Octavia's annual vacation, +she was dumfounded to receive a proposal of marriage from Simon. +During all these years Cupid had been shooting darts into his heart; he +had been a silent lover of Miss Mildred. Time and again it was on the +point of his tongue to make this declaration, but knowing that he was +of an inferior race, and Miss Mildred far his superior, he shrank from +it. During all this time Miss Mildred never suspected the sentiments +he had for her, and never dreamed that he had any other than a high +regard for her as a faithful teacher to his beautiful niece. She +kindly refused him, telling him that she was too much in love with +Octavia and engrossed in teaching her to love anybody else. There were +stringent laws in this State against miscegenation, and his proposal to +elope was out of the question, as, if she ever married, that was one +way she wanted to avoid. She said she had a high regard for him as a +man of honor and integrity, and trusted that this refusal would not mar +their friendship. She said she was wrapped up in his niece, who had a +bright future before her, and while only one more session remained +before she would enter college, she would regret having to part with +her; that she had had a pleasant home in his family, and would return +after vacation to put in as faithful service in finishing up Octavia +for college as it was in her power to give. This skillful and adroit +changing of the subject relieved the embarrassment to both, and the +interview ended by Simon wishing for her and Octavia a pleasant +vacation at Saratoga. +</P> + +<P> +Simon afterwards said that if he could not marry one of a superior he +would not marry one of an inferior race. +</P> + +<P> +In this connection I would say that it is one of the leading +characteristics of the negro to want to marry one of better blood, with +straight hair and white skin. Consequently mulattoes and quadroons are +in demand. Especially do they bank on straight hair; if he or she have +straight hair it hides all the ugliness of the face. It is a common +remark that females of the white race resort to all kinds of ways to +make their hair kinky or frizzly, while those of the negro race would +give an empire for straight hair. +</P> + +<P> +Again, the negro suitor makes no objection because one has gone astray, +and has one or more illegitimate children. If she has straight hair +and a bright skin, it makes no difference about any of her past +indiscretions. +</P> + +<P> +While on the subject of matrimony among negroes, I would say that they +don't consider it a violation of the laws of God to have a plurality of +wives. True, they have one legal wife, but at the same time they have +one or more secret or illegal wives. This is the rule, and prevails +among their leading men in the churches—stewards, deacons, trustees, +Sunday-school superintendents, etc. A great deal is said against +Mormonism and polygamy, which some one has termed a "twin evil of +slavery." There is no doubt that Mormonism is one of the foulest blots +upon the escutcheon of the United States. It is passing strange that +such a curse could find a lodgment in "the best government the world +ever saw." It is not strange as to slavery, because that was +recognized in the Constitution. +</P> + +<P> +I would make the point that there is just as much polygamy among the +negroes as there is in Utah, and to be consistent the authorities +should cry out against one as the other. But it may be said that it is +the States' business to regulate this thing. If so, let them do it. +"Consistency, thou art a jewel." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER X. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +READY FOR COLLEGE. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia was now fourteen, and with her governess was spending their +vacation North. While they were absent Brutus came to the city and +gave himself up to the sheriff for the murder of Cæsar about eighteen +years before. On a preliminary trial he easily proved that he did it +in self-defense and was discharged. He immediately applied to Simon +for employment. Simon was in need of some one to work his garden, chop +wood and do the chores on the place, and as Brutus was a good worker, +and for the sake of old times, he employed him. Brutus doubtless had a +motive in this, as he had not been there long before he proposed to +Elsie. She indignantly repelled him, telling him that she did not want +him or any other "kinky-headed" negro. Brutus thought that, as Elsie +had at one time in her life wandered from the paths of rectitude, she +would readily consent to a marriage. But in this "he reckoned without +his host." He continued, however, in Simon's employ and made a good +servant. During the whole time that Simon had been a resident of the +city he and his household had been very exclusive, holding aloof from +the large negro population of that place. Notwithstanding this +exclusiveness, Octavia and her governess were not unknown, and more +than one young man of Caucasian blood made efforts to get an +introduction to Octavia, but in vain. They had found out that Octavia +was one-eighth African, but that made no difference, one or two +declaring that she was so lovely and accomplished that if necessary +they would make a "Gretna Green" affair of it. +</P> + +<P> +There were so many favorable comments on Octavia's beauty when she +appeared on the streets that Miss Mildred thought best for her not to +be seen so often, and made their visits less frequent. The summer +vacation soon sped away, and teacher and pupil were at their posts of +duty to put in their last session together. Miss Mildred said it was a +pleasure to teach such an apt scholar, and Octavia declared that it was +an equal pleasure to be taught by such a proficient and competent +teacher. +</P> + +<P> +The affection that existed between the two was wonderful, something on +the order of the love that David and Jonathan had for each other. Time +did not drag heavily on teacher and pupil, as it does in some schools. +The session came to an end and the time at hand when there would have +to be a separation. It was decided, however, that Octavia should spend +the summer North with her teacher, thus postponing the time of +separation three months. Miss Mildred's work with Octavia was done. +She would now turn her over to higher educators. Ten years before she +took hold, as it were, of the budding mind of Octavia. She saw it +gradually grow and unfold, and ere long she would be a full-grown, +intellectual flower. She had faithfully performed her part in +imparting instruction, and Octavia had equally performed hers in +receiving it. The sad day arrived when Miss Mildred had to part with +Simon and Elsie—she to return to her far away Northern home and they +to remain "away down South in Dixie." +</P> + +<P> +The fact that teacher and pupil had to separate in three months marred +the otherwise pleasant vacation which they would have enjoyed together. +It was more of a perfunctory sojourn together, both dreading the day of +separation. +</P> + +<P> +Simon consulted Colonel R. as to the college Octavia should attend, and +it was left to Miss Mildred, who recommended the large female seminary +at ——, Massachusetts. Colonel R. then wrote the President of this +seminary that he had a ward, a young lady of rare beauty and intellect, +whom he desired to enter the ensuing session, and that in addition to +his regular fees he would pay for any extra work done for his ward +liberally, and for him to spare neither time, labor nor money to +advance this young lady, that he wanted for her the best that the +institution afforded. He informed the President that she could finish +in two sessions, and that she would be present at the beginning of the +coming session. +</P> + +<P> +Three months soon sped away, and Octavia and her ex-teacher must part. +Their feelings can be better imagined than described. It had to be +witnessed to form a correct idea of the bond that existed. Miss +Mildred accompanied Octavia to the train and both were entwined in each +other's arms, kissing and caressing, and would separate, and Octavia +start for the train, when she would return, and the same performance be +repeated, and repeated again, until the conductor shouted "All aboard," +and the train moved off, bearing a desolate heart, and leaving one +equally so at the station. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia was going to a large city, an entire stranger. How desolate +one feels in a large city, with acres of humanity around you and not +acquainted with a single person! Reader, you will have to realize this +to get its full meaning. Miss Mildred had sent a telegram to the +President to meet the young lady from the South on the arrival of the +train. He did so, and endeavored to make it as pleasant as possible +for her, knowing she was a perfect stranger and far from home. The +school began the next day, and being engrossed in her studies Octavia +soon forgot her loneliness. It was not long before she was a favorite +with teachers and pupils. With such a being it could not be otherwise. +She was always referred to as "the lovely young lady from the South." +She matriculated simply as "Octavia," and when the President insisted +that she write her full name (in reality she had none), she would reply +"that will do." +</P> + +<P> +This was a strange condition to be in—a lovely, intelligent young lady +without a name! Whether the President thought anything strange about +this peculiarity was never known. In college, as with her governess, +she made rapid strides in all her studies, excelling in elocution, +music and art. +</P> + +<P> +She captivated the musical director almost on sight. He knew, however, +that propriety forbade his making it known to her. At every musical +recital every eye was focussed on her. She received the plaudits and +commendation of teacher and pupils. The following appeared in one of +the leading dailies of that city in regard to one of her recitals: "The +recital yesterday eve at the —— Seminary was indeed a musical treat +to the large and cultured audience who graced the occasion. Miss +Octavia, a beautiful and accomplished young lady from Alabama, rendered +several difficult pieces on the piano which were grand. To have heard +these strains one would have thought he or she was listening to +Rubenstein, Mozart or others of the masters. It was a greater treat to +hear her sing. That voice! It reminded you of Adelina Patti, Jenny +Lind or other famous prima donnas. Musical Director ——, of the +seminary, is to be congratulated in having such a talented young lady +to teach. He also deserves the thanks of the public for getting up +such a musical treat." +</P> + +<P> +The above notice is only one of similar import that appeared at +different times in the various city papers while Octavia was at the +seminary. The session progressed apace; the musical director all the +while becoming more and more infatuated with his Southern magnolia, as +he termed her. The session at last came to a close, much to the regret +of the musical director. Octavia's success had been phenomenal from +the first. Her music teacher, being so infatuated, was probably +partial, and gave her extra attention. While it was Colonel R.'s wish +that she receive extra attention, for which teachers would get extra +pay, this teacher of music imparted this extra instruction because of +his extra love which he had for his fair pupil from the South. He had +always boasted that he could withstand the charms of the loveliest, but +he had at last been conquered and had surrendered, "horse, foot and +dragoons," to the loveliest being that he had ever beheld. He resolved +to make an effort to make her his bride. Consequently he indited the +following epistle, which he decided to send her on the evening of +commencement, this being grand concert night, and the closing of the +school: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Dear Miss Octavia: I suppose you will be surprised to receive such a +note from me, but I don't see why, as my every look and act for the +past nine months plainly indicated that I was passionately, devotedly +and blindly in love with you. But the rules of the seminary as well as +propriety forbade that I should tell you so. The session having closed +I now say so, with all the emphasis of my soul, that you are the +loveliest and most intelligent girl that these heretofore +woman-resisting eyes have ever beheld. Have the breezes wafted this +magnolia from the South to make me happy or miserable the balance of my +days? Heaven grant that it may be the former. I have surrendered to +the most attractive object in existence. This conquest was made +innocently on your part, you not having the remotest idea that I +entertained any such feelings for you. You are the essence of +quintessence; the nectar that Jupiter sipped of the gods was not half +so sweet. But enough until I see you and have a personal interview, +which I hope you will grant immediately. I anxiously await until the +messenger returns. Yours, madly in love with the beautiful flower from +Alabama, +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +"Your Music Teacher." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Upon reading this passionate effusion she burst into tears, and it was +quite awhile before she was calm enough to send the following note: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"My Efficient Music Teacher: Your note has just been received and +contents regretfully noted. I am pained to have such sentiments from +you, and sorry that I have innocently caused such. Were I ever so +willing to reciprocate the sentiments expressed, there is an impassable +barrier between us, the cause of which I cannot and will not explain. +I am sure this is only a passing fancy with you, and on reflection you +will soon forget me, and 'Richard will be himself again.' I leave in +the early morning for my home in Dixie, where I can have the pleasure +of again being with my dear mother and uncle. I appreciate your extra +efforts in my behalf in my music lessons, but I cannot and will not +grant the interview. Your music pupil from Alabama, +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +"Octavia." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Upon reading this respectful but positive refusal he tore it in +fragments and tossed it out of the window. He then wrote the following +note to President ——, of the seminary: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Dear Sir: Please engage the services of Miss ——, who has been my +proficient assistant during the session just closed, as your musical +directress during the ensuing session. Don't ask me to explain. Yours +truly, ——." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +After writing this he deliberately took his pistol, and placing it to +his forehead, fired. The occupants of the house, hearing the report, +rushed into his room and found him on the floor, pistol by his side and +bullet hole in his forehead, from which blood was trickling. They soon +discovered the note to President ——, of the seminary, sent it to him, +with instructions to come at once and bring a surgeon with him. The +two were soon there, and the surgeon, on examining, found that the +would-be suicide failed to make a center shot, the ball being deflected +and going around the skull, where he extracted it without much trouble. +He soon regained consciousness from the concussion, arranged his +affairs and left on an early train, never to return. There were +glowing accounts in the morning papers of the grand concert, +complimenting the director; also giving glowing descriptions of +Octavia's singing and playing, and in the same issue giving a detailed +account of the tragedy at No. — —— Street, when the musical director +shot and thought he had killed himself. As a natural consequence the +city, early the next morning, was all agog about the "Grand Concert" +and the attempted suicide of the musical director who so successfully +conducted it. Everybody was amazed, as no clew could be found for his +deed and flight. Octavia called at the President's house on her way to +the train to bid him farewell. She inquired of him the cause of the +commotion in the city. He told her he was surprised to find that she +had not heard of the attempted suicide of his musical director, and her +music teacher the past session. He told her of his note requesting him +to employ the assistant directress as principal the ensuing session, +which he would have to do, as the director had fled and no cause could +be found for all this, as he had left in good shape, at least as to +money matters. She could easily have told him the cause, but kept her +counsel. It was with difficulty that she could restrain her tears +while he was telling this. +</P> + +<P> +The President congratulated her on the success she had attained in the +seminary, and told of the encomiums he had heard heaped upon her, and +after giving her a pressing invitation to return and graduate at the +seminary, he bade her an affectionate farewell. She was soon aboard +the Pullman sleeper and on her way to the Southland. Being an entire +stranger to every one on the train she had opportunity to read the +account in one of the city papers, which she had purchased, of the +preceding night's events. She was not a vain or egotistical girl, and +the papers' compliments of herself did not "turn her head." She was +only gratified that she really merited these plaudits. She was +grieved, however, to know that she was the innocent cause of the +attempted suicide of the musical director, and of President —— being +deprived of his efficient services the ensuing term. The lightning +speed of the train soon landed her in her mother's arms, who, with +Simon, gave her a joyous welcome. She had much to say to them of her +seminary life, of the plaudits of the press and people and the farewell +commendation of the President, and when she told them of the attempted +suicide of her music teacher, and she being the cause, she broke down +and wept bitterly. They comforted her by telling her that her next +music teacher would be a lady, and surely that could not happen again. +</P> + +<P> +She whiled away the hours of vacation at her piano or organ or with her +guitar, violin or harp. Several attempts to gain admission to her +society by some of the best white bloods of the city were made, but all +in vain. She always refused, telling them that she was a school-girl +striving for an education, and she would admit nothing that would +detract her from her studies. +</P> + +<P> +Three months soon rolled away, and she bade her mother and uncle +farewell, she hoped for the last time, they showering upon her many God +bless you's and best wishes. +</P> + +<P> +The second and last session of her seminary life was but a repetition +of the first, minus the musical director, and another variation, which +will soon be narrated. +</P> + +<P> +Let us now return for awhile to Octavia's home and notice an event that +was destined to have an important bearing upon Octavia's post graduate +life. A wealthy lady from the North came to the city with a letter of +introduction from Miss Mildred to Simon. She was simply making a tour +of the South, and Miss Mildred knowing that her friend would be in the +city where she had spent ten years of her life, gave her this letter. +Anything emanating from Miss Mildred was all right, in Simon's and his +sister's estimation, and they gave the lady a cordial welcome, bidding +her spend her time with them. She respectfully declined, but said that +she would come around often while in the city. This lady had a costly +diamond ring, valued at one thousand dollars, which she had taken from +her finger one day while at Simon's residence. While in the +sitting-room she had carelessly laid the ring on the dresser and forgot +it until some time afterwards, when she could find it nowhere. All of +the occupants of the house were questioned about it; search for it was +made, but it could be found nowhere. It was clearly a case of theft. +But who did it? was the question. Surely Miss Mildred would not give +her a letter of introduction to a family any one of whom would steal a +ring laid on a dresser. Yet she had lost it in their house, and as +Simon was at his place of business suspicion at once pointed to Elsie +as the thief. The lady put the case in a detective's hands to ferret +out. Simon had a next door neighbor, a negro woman as black as the +proverbial ace of spades, whom he had spotted as the real thief. She +was frequently employed to do scouring and cleaning up in his house, +and while she was not doing any work of that kind on the day the ring +was stolen, she could easily have stealthily gone into the sitting-room +and got it. This woman told several parties that she saw Elsie have a +fine diamond ring. The detective found this out and questioned the +woman, who confirmed the report. The detective at once suspicioned the +woman and also that the woman said she would swear that she saw Elsie +have on a fine diamond ring. +</P> + +<P> +Simon at once employed a rising young attorney to defend his sister, as +he knew she would be arraigned in court. The Grand Jury was in +session, Elsie was indicted, and the trial set for Monday of the next +week. The trial came off, and there was a hotly contested legal battle +between the opposing counsel, Elsie's lawyer making a fine speech in +her behalf and having no trouble in impeaching the evidence of the only +witness the State had. Elsie's lawyer proved and brought out the fact +that this woman, the State's witness, was in love with Brutus and +Brutus in love with Elsie, and that she would swear to Elsie having a +diamond ring, when, as the woman thought, Elsie would be convicted, +sent to State's prison, and she would have no opposition to Brutus' +heart and hand. The attorney made the telling point, that "green eyed +jealousy" was why this woman had perjured herself. The jury gave Elsie +a unanimous acquittal. This woman, the State's only witness, was then +arrested for perjury, when she confessed to having stolen the ring, and +to swearing to a lie on Elsie, and handed the ring to the presiding +judge. This woman was "hoisted on her own petard," being sent to the +penitentiary, instead of Elsie. +</P> + +<P> +Simon thought best to keep all this from Octavia, to whom we will now +return. There were two lawyers in the city where Octavia was attending +school, who had been struck, the previous session, with Octavia's +beauty and accomplishments, but had kept it to themselves. During this +session, they attended every recital at the seminary, and the church +that Octavia attended. They could, at least, admire at a distance. +There were stringent rules, in the seminary, forbidding the girls from +having gentlemen visitors. To this, Octavia made no objection, as was +done by many other students. It is needless to say that the admiration +of these lawyers increased, as the session wore on, Octavia being +ignorant of anything of the kind. These men, by some means, found out +that the other was in love with this young lady from Alabama, and +became bitter enemies, because of this. The session closed, and +Octavia graduated with the highest honors, taking all of the prizes, +some of which were valuable. +</P> + +<P> +The city papers were again highly complimentary of Octavia, and +predicted a brilliant career, for "the accomplished young lady from +Alabama." The President of the seminary agreed that on the night of +the grand concert, the girls would be allowed to receive attentions +from the young men, if agreeable. Octavia's silent rivals met up with +each other, on their way to the concert, when the subject of the girls +being allowed that night to receive gentlemen attendants, was broached. +One claimed the privilege of seeing Miss Octavia; the other said he +would enjoy that privilege himself, both showing how egotistical they +were. Miss Octavia's feelings were not taken into consideration. They +kept contending, until a difficulty ensued, both pulling their pistols +and firing at the same time, both falling, one dead and the other +wounded. Of course the police were soon there, and the wounded man +gave the facts which have just been related. +</P> + +<P> +The concert came off, and Octavia carried off the laurels of the +evening. She might not have done so, however, if she had been told +that two men, perfect strangers to her had fought a duel about her, one +getting killed, and the other wounded. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis +folly to be wise." After the conclusion of the concert, all this was +told her, when she immediately went to her room, and was weeping, when +the President of the seminary knocked, and was admitted. He inquired +the cause of her grief when she said that again she was the innocent +cause of another tragedy; one man dead and another wounded, on her +account. The President then tried to comfort her, telling her that he +was more the cause of it than any one; that he had removed the +restrictions that night, and that these men, not knowing that she would +see either one, got into a quarrel as to which one should see her, with +the results as stated. +</P> + +<P> +He then complimented her on her attainments and brilliant success in +the seminary; of her original graduating essay, etc., and assured her +that she would always find a fast friend in him, and wished her +unbounded success in life, and would now sadly say farewell. When he +was gone, she again was convulsed with tears; bitter tears, at parting +with her presiding teacher, and of being innocently the cause of the +tragedy that had just been enacted. +</P> + +<P> +She retired weeping, and cried herself to sleep, and was awakened early +the next morning by her hackman, to take her to the train, which was +almost ready to start. She hastily dressed, and with her baggage was +soon in the hack, arriving just in time for Octavia to board the moving +train. She was bidding farewell to the city of her triumphs, in which +two tragedies had been enacted on her account, and was on her way to +her own Southern, sunny, happy home, at the same time wondering what +would be her future. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER XI. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +IN THE RED CROSS SERVICE. +</P> + +<P> +In this age of the world, distance is no object, and Octavia was soon +in the bosom of her family, and would follow that career, which God in +His Providence would work out for her. +</P> + +<P> +Simon and Elsie were proud of Octavia, as they had a right to be. She +had just graduated with highest honors from one of the foremost +Northern seminaries, and had brought home a lot of prizes, some of them +valuable. +</P> + +<P> +She was beautiful and didn't know it; accomplished, without +ostentation; and was modest, gentle, courteous and dignified. +</P> + +<P> +Brutus, who was still in Simon's employ as servant, and kept in a +servant's place, frequently said, that if he didn't know to the +contrary, he would say that Octavia, "wuz a sho' nuff white 'oman." +</P> + +<P> +Of course she had to tell her uncle and mother about the lawyers +fighting a duel about her; of one getting killed, and the other +wounded; and she the innocent cause. Simon consoled her with the fact +that she was at home now, and could seclude herself, if she so desired, +and not be molested by men. She said she could not live the life of a +hermit, regardless of what the men thought of her. +</P> + +<P> +They then told her of the diamond ring occurrence, and that they had +purposely kept it from her while at school, and determined to await her +return, when they could explain the matter better, orally. +</P> + +<P> +Not long after her return, she was in Simon's store, and Elsie's +attorney happened to come in. Simon, in an humble, courteous way +introduced his niece to the attorney, as "Octavia," who had just +graduated with distinguished honors, from the foremost seminary in the +North. Both acknowledged the introduction with a bow, after which, +Octavia left the store, and the attorney, after making some purchases, +doing the same. That was a brief meeting, but Cupid had put in his +work. The attorney on his way home determined, if he could, to know +more of this lovely being. It must be said here, that the attorney had +heard of her beauty and accomplishments, and of her lowly birth, and +having one-eighth African blood coursing through her veins. The next +day he was in Simon's store again, and remarked that he would like to +hear his niece play and sing, and to examine her art collection. Simon +said he would be pleased to have him do so, and thought that his niece +would make no objection. He said he would be around after tea to enjoy +this pleasure. Will wonders never cease? Here was one of the leading +attorneys of the city, and purest of the pure Caucasians, becoming +smitten with an octoroon. Simon then reminded him of the social +barriers that existed and of the effect it might have on his practice, +and on him socially. He left the store, remarking "Society be d——." +At supper, Simon told his niece that the attorney would be there to +hear her play and sing, and to inspect her art collection. She said +that it must not be a social call. Simon went back to his store, +thinking a lot, but saying nothing. He had been in public business so +long, that he could read human character almost like a book. He was +satisfied in his mind that Elsie's attorney had succumbed to Octavia's +charms, and he would await developments with anxiety. +</P> + +<P> +This attorney was young and handsome and already had gained a lucrative +practice at the bar, and was still adding fame to his laurels. +Notwithstanding her short acquaintance, Octavia confessed secretly that +she was favorably impressed with him, but at the same time, she knew +that social barriers would prevent his paying her and she receiving his +attentions. +</P> + +<P> +At the appointed time, he was ringing the bell for admittance, which +was answered by Elsie, who invited him into the parlor. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia soon came in, when he told her that he had come to have the +pleasure of hearing her play and sing, and to inspect her art +collection. She gave him a cordial greeting, saying that he flattered +her, but, that if she had any talent for music and art, he was welcome +to witness and hear the same. He expressed himself as delighted with +her paintings; and then requested her to play and sing. She rendered +her graduating recital in music, on the piano. He thought it grand and +magnificent, and requested her to sing, which she did, using the organ +first, and then, guitar, as an accompaniment. +</P> + +<P> +He was charmed, and said that he had never heard her equal. That her +voice was sweet, but not inaudible; melodious, but not husky; loud, but +not boisterous; clear and harmonious; and that but few prima donnas, +who were delighting thousands, by their voices on the stage, came up to +her standard of singing. +</P> + +<P> +On leaving, he asked the pleasure of again calling, that he had often +heard of her, but had not had the pleasure of meeting her until their +brief introduction the day before at her uncle's store—but, that now, +he had come, seen and heard, and was conquered. +</P> + +<P> +He said that like the "Queen of Sheba," he could also say, that "the +half had not been told." She politely replied that the proprieties of +Southern social life would not permit a social call from him on her, +but that if it was any pleasure, he might come and hear her play and +sing, and to inspect her paintings—he might do so, but not in a social +way. He thanked her, and left, and on his way home, hurled anathemas +against social laws, so far as they separated him and Octavia. Of +course, he knew it would not do for the races to intermingle and +commingle, indiscriminately. But Octavia was so near pure white, that +it amounted to "a distinction without a difference." That he was +passionately in love with Octavia there was no doubt. What must he do? +What would the effect of these visits, if known, have on his practice? +</P> + +<P> +He was not wholly indifferent to public opinion, and while he knew what +the opinion would be, he was determined to hear Octavia play and sing, +let the consequences be what they may. +</P> + +<P> +The attorney was not the only Caucasian who had succumbed to Octavia's +charms. A wealthy real estate agent, and president of the local bank, +was in the same predicament. He had repeatedly sought an introduction, +but had never been able to reach the goal of his desires. +</P> + +<P> +The attorney saw Simon, and asked him to say to his niece that he would +come at 8 P.M., to hear some more of her singing. Simon did so. +Whereat, she was pleased as well as sad. She cared more for the +attorney than she was willing to admit. At the same time she knew that +it was wrong, socially, for a white man to be making visits to her +uncle's house. The public might think that his visits were purely on +business, as he had been her mother's successful attorney. But, if +they continued, their object would soon be found out. "You may fool +all the people awhile, but you can't fool some of the people all the +while." When the attorney came, she had on her "best bib and tucker," +and never looked lovelier. Whether she wanted to make an additional +impression, or not, on the attorney, the fact is she did. He came, saw +and heard again, and was charmed and chained to the spot by her +loveliness. He had often heard of Eden—he had found it. He did not +see how there could be a more attractive paradise elsewhere. If +allowed, he would remain—he was not like Mahomet, who, it is said, +after a long hot day's journey over the desert sands, came in sight +(just as the sun, as it were, was going down into the Mediterranean) of +Damascus, surrounded by a desert and situated on those beautiful +rivers, Pharpar and Abana,—Damascus, in which were bubbling fountains, +gardens of olives, dates, figs, oranges and all manner of tropical +fruits; streets shaded by royal palms, dotted here and there, with +magnificent mosques with their lofty minarets, and lovely dwellings. +This, after his weary, hot day's journey, was a charming sight, an +enchanting spectacle; how he longed to slake his thirst from those +bubbling springs, and bathe in those cool fountains, and then rest +under those royal palms, or appease his hunger, by eating of those +tropical fruits. He was tempted to enter, but after gazing longingly, +he said, "it was ordained for man to enter paradise but once," and +turned around and retraced his journey. With the attorney, it was +different; he had entered this paradise, and knew he had to leave, but +how? He arose to do so, and before he was aware of it, he was on his +knees before the fair Octavia. He declared his love with all the +fervor and ardor of a Castilian, and asked her heart and hand in +marriage. He had successfully pleaded the case of her mother, on a +false charge; might he not be as successful in pleading his case before +her, who was judge, counsel and jury?—his charge was true, that he +loved her, adored her, worshipped her. She listened patiently until he +finished, and then bade him rise and be seated. Like a chained +captive, he obeyed. She then in a cool, quiet, dignified manner told +him that she entertained feelings for him that she did not for any +other man, and which she supposed writers of romance would call love, +but that he knew and she knew that there was a social chasm between +them, that could not be bridged—that both knew that the laws of the +State were very stringent against the races intermarrying, and that it +was wrong for him to propose, or for her to accept. Being a lawyer, he +pleaded that it might be a legal wrong, but that there was no moral +wrong, and to get around this legal objection, they could soon go to a +State that had no laws on the subject. She then told him of her humble +birth—that of a slave—and of her life afterwards. He replied that he +knew all, but that that did not have a feather's weight with him—that +it was not birth, wealth or environment that made noble men or women; +but that it was true worth and merit, modesty, beauty, accomplishments, +gentleness and dignity, all of which she possessed to a most marked +degree. She replied that she was created under the present +environments and whether it was fortunate or unfortunate for her, she +must submit to it, and that it would be wrong to question the wisdom or +unwisdom as to how she was brought into existence. She then told the +attorney that her future career would be one of mercy; that she thought +it her duty to ameliorate as far as possible, the sufferings of +mankind, and that she had decided before graduation, the Lord +permitting, to join the Red Cross Society, and asked to be sent to +Europe, for a position with the Russian Army, that was then waging war +against Turkey. She hated to leave home—her mother, uncle—and as to +friends, she had none. +</P> + +<P> +The attorney protested that he was her friend, lover, and would be her +husband, whenever she said the word. She insisted that it would be +better for them to part; but, that when in a foreign land, she would if +it afforded any pleasure, carry on a friendly correspondence with him. +He thanked her, telling her that that would be one grain of comfort; +but begged her to reconsider, and not bury herself, as it were, in +nursing those despicable Cossacks and Turks. +</P> + +<P> +She said her decision was unalterable. With this, he took his leave, +fearing she might never return. He consoled himself with the thought +that she loved him, and if she ever returned, he would still have hopes +of winning her. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Once get +a woman to love a man, and all obstacles will as a rule be overcome. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> + +<P CLASS="t2"> +CHAPTER XII. +</P> + +<P CLASS="t3"> +IN FOREIGN LANDS—STRATEGY—LOVE CONQUERS. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia made known to her uncle and mother the attorney's passionate +proposal and pleading—of her previous determination to go on a mission +of mercy, joining the Red Cross Society. Both pleaded with her to give +up her European trip, whatever she did with the attorney. But secretly +they wanted Octavia to accept him. Both liked him. A firm friendship +had been formed. He had successfully pleaded Elsie's case, and would +be pleased to see the match. But Octavia was of age, and marrying was +a personal matter, and every one must choose for herself. +</P> + +<P> +She was firm in her decision to go, and they soon saw that further +pleading was of no use. It was only a question of short time to make +the necessary arrangements for her departure. Just before her +departure Colonel R. died. Just previous to his sickness and death, he +wrote Simon to come to see him, as he wanted to confer with him on some +important business. Simon went, and the Colonel said to him, that he +did not think he had long to live, and that in his will, he would +bequeath Octavia fifty thousand dollars in gold, and for him, Simon, to +act as her agent and trustee, until Octavia chose to make use of it. +Simon was grateful on behalf of his niece for this liberal bequest. +Colonel R. said that this would be the crowning act of atonement for +his wrong in bringing Octavia into the world. He said he had sought +forgiveness for this act, and that he felt that God, for Christ's sake, +had pardoned him; not only for this, but other wrongs. He said to +Simon that he had heard of Octavia's brilliant success in college, of +the plaudits of her teachers, press and public. If Octavia, said he, +went to Europe, it would be simply to get rid of her suitors; that hers +was an anomalous condition. She would not wed beneath herself, and the +laws of the country forbid her marrying a white man. He would now bid +farewell to his ex-foreman, for the last time, wishing him unbounded +success in life. +</P> + +<P> +Colonel R.'s heirs contested the will, or that part bequeathing the +gold to Octavia, and made strenuous efforts to have the courts set it +aside. Simon again employed Elsie's ex-attorney to defend that clause +in the will. There was a fierce legal battle, but the will as a whole +was sustained, and Octavia was left independent. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia now departed on her mission of mercy, Simon and Elsie believing +that they would never see her again. She was bidding farewell to home, +kindred,—to all that she held most dear. "Yes, my native land, I +leave thee, far in foreign lands to dwell." After arriving in New +York, she soon obtained passports for St. Petersburg, Russia, taking +the first steamer, and ere long, would be +</P> + +<P> +"<I>Out on the ocean, all boundless we ride.</I>"<BR> +</P> + +<P> +</P> + +<P> +After arriving in St. Petersburg, she made known her mission to the +authorities, who appointed a guard to escort her to the Russian Army, +and she was soon administering comfort to the sick and wounded. She +really proved to be an angel of mercy, as her beauty alone often +brought hope to the despairing one. +</P> + +<P> +About two months after she began work as an agent of the Red Cross, she +received a telegram that her mother had died from smallpox. It is +trouble enough to lose a parent and be at her bedside, but to be in a +foreign land, with an army which is fighting another, with not a single +friend or acquaintance to comfort you, is heart-rending. This was the +severest grief of her life. But, being engrossed by her duties, her +grief was tempered. It is said that "duty is the sublimest word in the +English language." Certainly, it is the best cure for trouble, grief, +disappointments, or any of the ills of life. +</P> + +<P> +Soon after this, she received a long letter of condolence from her +attorney lover, on the death of her mother. This was quite a comfort, +and she redoubled her efforts to comfort the sick, wounded, distressed, +dying soldiers around her. While engaged in her mission of mercy, she +became acquainted with Count ——, a gallant colonel in the Russian +Army. This count, like the American attorney, fell desperately in love +with her, and made it known the first opportunity, asking her hand in +marriage as soon as hostilities ceased. She repelled his offer, +telling him that among the sick, dead and dying, was no place to be +thinking about anything of that kind. The count took his defeat +philosophically, saying to his friends that he would bide his time and +renew his suit for the fair American angel of mercy, in "the sweet +by-and-by." +</P> + +<P> +Octavia found time to correspond with her uncle, and her attorney +lover, telling each how she had become fond of her work, and that it +was not as objectionable as one would think. +</P> + +<P> +The war finally closed, and Octavia determined to return to America, +and render comfort to the soldiers who were then fighting the Indians +on the plains. She had caught a severe cold, while discharging her +duties at the front, which resulted in pneumonia, and for days her +physician despaired of her life. Finally, he announced that the crisis +had passed, and that good nursing would soon bring her round all right, +and wired this welcome news to Simon. It required a month or more to +recuperate and gain strength. In that time, she saw from the American +papers, that the Indian war had ceased. Consequently, she decided to +remain in the Russian capital, whither she had gone after hostilities, +a year or more. She had found trouble in rightly discharging her +duties, because of her inability to speak the Russian language. +Consequently, she determined to master that, and a half dozen or more +of the principal languages of Europe, during her stay in St. +Petersburg. The signs of the times pointed to another European war, +and she would stand in need of one or more of the languages she was +studying. +</P> + +<P> +Count —— again renewed his suit with the fair Octavia, promising her +title, wealth, ease and pleasure, and as he was closely related to the +reigning family, she would have access to the pleasures of the Royal +Court of Russia. To all of his pleadings she would say nay, telling +him that she did not come to Europe hunting a husband with a title, and +that she was disgusted with the snobbery displayed by some American +girls in hunting for a husband with a title to his name. She said she +was a plain girl from Republo-Democratic America, and came to render +succor, aid and comfort to the sick, distressed, dead, wounded and +dying, of the Russian Army, and that her mission to that particular +field being ended, she was studying the various foreign languages, +while waiting for another opportunity to continue her mission of mercy. +This reply was characteristic of her. It is a fact that many American +girls, disgust the public in their chase after titled husbands—they +furnishing the wealth, and the husband, the empty title. Away with +such snobbishness! Simon kept her supplied with what funds she needed; +she was popular in society and being so exceptionally beautiful and +accomplished, she had from time to time a number of suitors, to all of +whom she would reply as she did to the Russian count. Besides, she +would be violating the trust imposed in her, and as long as she +remained an agent of the Red Cross, she would wed no man. The American +Ambassador to the Russian Court had heard of Octavia's beauty and +accomplishments, and of her refusing the Russian Count, and a number of +other desirable suitors. He said to his wife, that they must seek the +acquaintance of this wonderful American woman. They went to her hotel, +sent in their card, and received a cordial greeting. Octavia said she +was delighted to see any one from America, and especially the +Ambassador and wife. They promised to call frequently, and that they +would do all in their power to make her visit as pleasant as possible +during her stay in the city. In Russia's gay capital, she had all that +"wealth or beauty e'er gave," but there was a longing, which none of +this would satisfy. She often thought of her home in America—of her +dear uncle, of—yes, of her lover lawyer. Do what she may, she could +not efface him from her memory. She resolved to return, and await an +opportunity for service from the Red Cross. On the return voyage, her +vessel was wrecked in a storm, half of the passengers perishing, she +being among the saved, all of whom were carried to the nearest port, +from whence they were forwarded to New York. She went out and spent a +few days with Miss Mildred, who approved of her mission of mercy. She +parted with her former governess with many regrets, and was soon +caressing her uncle, in "Dixie's land." This was a joyful as well as +sad meeting. Her mother had died during her absence, and there was a +vacant chair which could never be filled. It took quite awhile to +relate her experiences in Europe, of her refusal to be Countess ——, +with wealth, ease, and all the pleasures of the Royal Court. +</P> + +<P> +Simon told her that he was prouder of her now, than ever. +</P> + +<P> +As was to be expected, her lover soon called, and while his +correspondence with her in Europe was only of a friendly character, he +had not despaired of making her his wife, if she ever returned. He +renewed his suit with more fervor than ever, but to all his entreaties +she would kindly but sadly say that were her environments or +circumstances different, she would bestow her hand where her heart was +already. His visits clandestinely made, were frequent. During her +absence in Europe, he had been elected State's Attorney, a responsible +and lucrative office, in which he had better opportunities to add to +his already well earned fame. +</P> + +<P> +After her return, she decided to write up her experiences in Europe +minus the proposals, and publish them in one of the leading Northern +journals. This, her first attempt at writing for the press, elicited +favorable comment. +</P> + +<P> +One day, while reading one of the latest novels, a messenger, nearly +out of breath, came running in with the sad news that her uncle was +dead. She hastened to the store, to find it too true. Her grief knew +no bounds. The physician who had been called pronounced his trouble, +apoplexy. She loved her uncle as she did her mother. Simon had gained +the confidence of all classes, and had built up a large lucrative +business. He was upright and honorable; just and fair in his dealings, +and his death was a public loss. There was a large funeral procession, +both white and black attending almost <I>en masse</I>. +</P> + +<P> +In his will, Simon left everything to Octavia, making his book-keeper +executor, without bond. Octavia requested him to immediately settle up +the estate, turning all of Simon's property into money, which he easily +did. +</P> + +<P> +She also requested him to purchase two magnificent monuments for her +mother's and uncle's grave. +</P> + +<P> +Her lover continued his visits, offering what comfort he could to +Octavia. Of course propriety forbade him mentioning matrimony. +Octavia was indeed lonely now. Not a relative in the world that she +knew of. How desolate! It is true, that troubles never come singly; +as the day after her uncle's burial, she saw in the newspapers, notice +of the death and burial of her former governess, Miss Mildred. In her +loneliness, she would weep for hours at a time. But time heals all +things, and in a few months, her grief was somewhat assuaged. She made +up her mind to go North to live. At his next visit, she told the +attorney of her intention. He then brought up the "tender subject," +again, and made the plea of his life, telling her that she was alone in +the world, and had no ties to bind her here, and to be happy the +balance of his life, he would give up his office, his practice, and +sever every tie that bound him here, and go with her anywhere on the +globe, if, by so doing, he could make her his wife. She burst into +tears because of her loneliness; tears, because of the barrier between +them; and said that it would be best for them not to marry and that he +would soon forget her, after her departure. He went away sorrowfully, +resolving to resort to strategy. The next day, the city dailies +contained the startling information, that State's Attorney ——, had +resigned his office, wound up his affairs and would leave in a few days +to make his home in one of the South American Republics. After seeing +this, Octavia threw herself on her couch, and wept bitter, bitter +tears. There is this difference in men and women when in trouble: the +former, frequently resort to drink, while the latter resort to tears. +</P> + +<P> +The attorney's masterpiece of strategy was successful. +</P> + +<P> +Brutus, who was still doing the chores on the place, came in while +Octavia was crying and said, "Miss Octay, what de matter?" she replied: +"Nothing of consequence." He left, and she immediately recalled him +and told him to come back in five or ten minutes, and take a note to +State's Attorney ——. He left, saying, "Yes, miss." Brutus was soon +back, when she sent the following note to the State's Attorney: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Dear Mr. ——: I am miserable, oh, so miserable; please come to me at +once! Octavia." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +It is needless to say, he went, and was exulting over his successful +strategy as he rang for admittance. She was waiting, and as he +entered, she ran into his arms, saying: "Take me anywhere. I'll be +your wife, regardless of all social laws." +</P> + +<P> +To say there was a happy couple goes without saying. +</P> + +<P> +In two days both left, the lawyer ostensibly for South America, and +Octavia for New York City. Both, however, drew their money from the +bank, and bought New York exchange. +</P> + +<P> +They were quietly married in the metropolis of America. After marriage +he laughingly told Octavia of the deception he had practiced upon +her—that the notice in the city papers of his intended departure for +South America was only a ruse to bring her to terms; that he had made +no resignation, at that time, of his office, and that the notice was +paid for as an advertisement. He said it was a two-edged sword, +cutting both ways; at first, deceiving her, and then, the public, but +with this difference: She was undeceived, while the public still +thought he was by this time in the wilds of South America. +</P> + +<P> +She embraced him, and amid a perfect shower of kisses, said: "Let the +public think as they please, the fact remains that you are my own dear +husband, whom I love better than life itself, and I am glad, oh, so +glad, that you took that means to bring me to terms. If you had not, I +might have refused you from time to time, on account of the fraction of +African blood that circulates in my veins, and you might, through +spite, have married some woman that you did not love." +</P> + +<P> +He admitted that there was much philosophy in what she had said, and, +if she hadn't married him, that he might now have been in the Alabama +River. He said that he didn't wonder at those Northern men killing +themselves, and one another, about her. +</P> + +<P> +Then saying, "My dear wife, let's dismiss all of those unpleasant +things of the past, and talk about the future. Where shall we 'drive +down stakes?'" +</P> + +<P> +She said she would leave all that with him. While both of their means, +put together, would make a fortune, and judiciously invested, would +provide for them, the balance of their days, she was sure that a man of +his caliber would want an active life, and would go where he could find +it. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you," said he; "and that means one of the mining States of the +West, which is comparatively new." +</P> + +<P> +And there they went, and he prospered as he never did before. He +located in the capital of the State, and soon was doing a good law +practice. +</P> + +<P> +Octavia became the center of attraction for a large coterie of friends, +and if her husband had been of a jealous disposition, he might have +shown it. +</P> + +<P> +He was successively elected alderman, mayor of the city, representative +and senator, in the State legislature, attorney-general and governor. +In after years, when several children had blessed their union, they +often spoke of their home in "Dixie's land;" of Octavia's many +hairbreadth escapes; of the Northern tragedies on her account; of the +many suitors who had received their mittens from her; of her Red Cross +life; and last, but not least, of his successful strategy in bringing +her to terms. Octavia admitted, shortly after marriage, that she +deliberately ran off to Europe, knowing that if she remained, she would +have to "marry him, to get rid of him." +</P> + +<P> +They are now planning a visit to the old original home of Octavia, the +Octoroon. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<P CLASS="finis"> +THE END. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Octavia, by J. F. 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Lee + +Release Date: September 24, 2011 [EBook #34262] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OCTAVIA *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +OCTAVIA + +The Octoroon + + +BY + +J. F. LEE, M.D. + + + + +THE + +Abbey Press + +PUBLISHERS + +114 + +FIFTH AVENUE + +London NEW YORK Montreal + + + + + Copyright, 1900, + by + THE + Abbey Press + in + the + United States + and + Great Britain. + + + All Rights Reserved. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +The Prize Fight + + +CHAPTER II. + +A Baptismal Scene + + +CHAPTER III. + +The Birth of Octavia + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Almost a Watery Grave + + +CHAPTER V. + +The "Underground Railway" + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Mistaken Identity and Escape from Bruin + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Liberated + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Cotton Prowling--Employing Octavia's Governess + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Progress in Studies + + +CHAPTER X. + +Ready for College + + +CHAPTER XI. + +In the Red Cross Service + + +CHAPTER XII. + +In Foreign Lands--Strategy--Love Conquers + + + + +Octavia the Octoroon. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE PRIZE FIGHT. + +Just before the beginning of the civil war between the States there was +a large and valuable plantation on the Alabama River on which there +were several hundred slaves, said farm being in what is known as the +"black belt of Alabama," having a river front of several miles, and +annually producing five hundred bales of cotton, fifteen thousand +bushels of corn, besides oats, wheat, hay, mules, horses, hogs, cattle, +sheep and goats in abundance. + +This mammoth farm belonged to Hon. R., then a member of the United +States Congress from Alabama, and afterwards a gallant officer in the +Confederate army, rising from the rank of first lieutenant to colonel, +by which latter title he will be known in this story. He lived in what +was then one of the flourishing towns of the State, but which has long +since gone to ruin and decay. Colonel R.'s farm was managed by what +was then known as an "overseer," but now would be termed a +superintendent. He had assistants, white and black, who, with the +overseer, managed the farm in a systematic and scientific manner, +bringing it up to a high state of cultivation, which made it one of the +most productive and valuable in the State. + +Colonel R., with his man in livery, a thousand-dollar carriage and +finely caparisoned span of horses, visited his farm once a month when +at home, to give general directions to his overseer, and receive the +annual proceeds of his cotton crop. This was the state of affairs when +Lincoln was elected President, when the Southern States seceded from +the Union, and when the guns at Fort Sumter belched forth their shot +and shell, ushering in a war that had no equal in ancient or modern +times. + +When the call to arms was made Colonel R. resigned his seat in the +Federal Congress, hastened home, raised and equipped a company, which +rendered valuable service in the Southern army. Colonel R.'s overseer +and his white assistants also responded to the call, joining the +company which Colonel R. equipped. Thus was Colonel R.'s farm deprived +of white men, and as every able-bodied man was needed at the front, it +was out of the question to replace them; nor did he make any effort to +do so. However, Colonel R. was not wanting for some one to take charge +of his business; he had a quadroon named Simon, who had been carefully +trained and drilled by the overseer in farm management. He had been a +favorite with the overseer, who made no objection to his +fourteen-year-old son teaching him to read and write. He also taught +Simon's sister, Elsie. They were both bright quadroons, good looking, +and exceptionally intelligent for slaves. + +Let me say here that if the planters had any inclination to teach their +slaves, the latter had no time but at night to learn, and after working +from the time they could see in the morning until they could not see at +night, they felt like sleeping when reaching their cabins. However, +here and there you would find a negro who could read and write, who +generally received such instruction from their owner's or overseer's +children. + +Simon was twenty-five and Elsie eighteen years of age, both having the +same mother, Aunt Dinah, and the same white father. + +After the overseer and his assistants left for the army Colonel R. +installed Simon as his foreman, with the authority of an overseer. +Under his administration farm matters moved along as well as they did +under the overseer. In slavery times there was always a negro head +man, leader and squire among the negroes, who performed their marriage +ceremonies (without license), exhorted at their religious meetings and +could sing and pray and be heard a mile. Simon could "out-Herod Herod" +in doing all this. He was faithful, honest and upright, three virtues +rare among negroes. He successfully kept the farm books, in which were +to be recorded the number of pounds of cotton picked per day; the +number and weight of each bale of cotton--in a word, this book gave the +exact production of the farm, whether it was stock, cotton, corn or +what not. + +He was provided with a horse and whip, two concomitants that every +ante-bellum overseer possessed. Simon felt his importance, and +probably was too severe in some instances in using the lash on the +slaves. This, however, is characteristic of the negro, as they have +since freedom been known to almost whip their children to death. The +writer has interfered several times where negro parents were +unmercifully chastising their children. + +Aunt Dinah, Simon's mother, was rather prepossessing in appearance, and +was the plantation mammy, nurse and midwife, as well as the keeper of +the orphan asylum for all the little pickaninnies on the plantation. +Every place of any size had this character. It is often and truly said +that it is the ambition of negro men to be preachers and of the women +to be midwives. + +Simon had interceded with his master and the overseer to exempt Elsie +from farm work, and to appoint her seamstress, who had several +assistants on the farm. She was very apt with the needle and scissors, +cutting and making any garment she wished, and doing it all with the +needle, this being before the introduction of sewing machines on +plantations. + +In the eyes of Simon and his mother Elsie was a piece of perfection, a +paragon of virtue and chastity, two possessions rare among negroes of +both sexes. Elsie was the belle of the plantation, having a large +number of suitors, among them two of Colonel R.'s slaves, Brutus and +Caesar. + +They were rivals and had an intense hatred for each other on Elsie's +account. While Elsie had no idea of accepting either one or any negro, +saying that she did not want a "kinky-headed nigger," she encouraged +the attentions of both--a consummate flirt, to say the least. Brutus +and Caesar were good specimens of their race, and fairly good looking. +Their rivalry increased in intensity and bitterness until they +threatened each other's lives. + +At this stage of their would-be courtship Simon interfered and told +them that, as Elsie was a prize worth contending for, they had to fight +a fair fight in the ring, and that he would bestow Elsie upon the +victor. The time was appointed for the contest, referees chosen, and +all the negroes on the plantation assembled to witness something _a la_ +Corbett and Fitzsimmons. The battle was fierce, a battle royal; they +were contending for the heart and hand of the beautiful Elsie. Neither +was able to get the mastery over the other. Both could well say, "Lay +on, Macduff! and damned be him who first cries hold, enough!" At times +it looked as if Brutus would be victorious, at another, Caesar. + +After they had pounded and bruised each other considerably, and both +being well nigh exhausted, the match was called off, and Simon +threatened each with a severe lashing if he heard of their fussing any +more about Elsie, as she would not marry either one of them. This +threat and declaration that Elsie would marry neither embittered the +combatants against Simon, both declaring _sotto voce_ that they would +get even with him yet; that they were as good as he was; that his head +was as "kinky" as theirs, and that while they were rivals and personal +enemies, they would make common cause against him and kill the bigoted +"nigger driver" if he "monkeyed with them." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A BAPTISMAL SCENE. + +About a year before this prize fight the "kernel," as his slaves called +Colonel R., obtained a furlough to visit his home and plantation. He +expressed himself to Simon as being highly pleased at the manner in +which he conducted plantation affairs, saying the farm books were +neatly kept, stock sleek and fat, cribs full of corn, smoke-houses full +of meat, ditches cleaned out, briars kept out of the fence corners--in +fact, he saw no difference in his (Simon's) or the overseer's +administration, and that he hoped that the work would move along as it +was being done at that time. Simon was glad to receive this +commendation from his master, and promised that it would be his earnest +endeavor to still merit the Colonel's approval. + +Colonel R. had been in the army long enough to know that in the end the +Confederacy would be beaten; he reasoned that the Southern States were +hemmed in by a blockade that no ship of the Confederacy could break, +and that they had to depend upon home resources for men, munitions and +supplies, while the United States had not only themselves, but the +whole world to draw upon. This was good, philosophic reasoning, and he +determined to prepare for the collapse, which would be only a question +of time. As there was no chance to sell cotton (there being an +accumulation of two crops of the fleecy staple, amounting to about a +thousand bales, on his place), he gave Simon explicit instructions to +hide this cotton if there was any danger of the Federal army raiding +that section of the State. He also intrusted to his keeping a large +amount of gold which he had hoarded. He told Simon that if he were +faithful to the trust he would reward him liberally--that if the +Confederacy won he would give him his freedom and $10,000 in gold; and +that if the United States won he would still give him the gold named +above and make him superintendent on his farm at an annual salary of +$2,000. As the sequel will show this compact was faithfully complied +with by both parties, and for so doing Simon came near losing his life. + +Colonel R. assembled all of his slaves and bade them an affectionate +adieu, telling them to be faithful, industrious and diligent, and to be +submissive to Simon's authority, and that if he was killed in battle, +Mrs. R., his wife and their mistress, would have general supervision of +the plantation. He was soon at the front and resumed command of his +regiment. Between now and the close of hostilities it will be my +endeavor to describe some of the scenes that were enacted on the +Colonel's plantation. Elsie was still the belle and had suitors galore. + +At every frolic she was the "cynosure of all eyes," the observed of all +observers. She never wanted for a partner in the dance or play. +Brutus and Caesar were still rivals and bitter enemies on her account, +and at one of the plantation frolics they got into a fight, and Caesar +was killed by Brutus driving an axe into Caesar's brain. Brutus fled +and was a "runaway nigger" until the close of the war. + +Simon had a pack of negro dogs which were soon in full cry on Brutus' +track, who ran to the river and went up a tree bending over the water. +The dogs were soon there and "treed" Brutus. Simon shortly arrived on +the spot, thinking the dogs had Brutus up the tree. The dogs were +there, the tree was there, and no doubt Brutus went up the tree, but he +was not there. Simon gave up the chase, declaring that a negro who was +sharp and strategical enough to climb a tree, and then jump into the +river and swim across, would no doubt outwit the dogs, were he to take +them across and continue the pursuit. + +Elsie was thus relieved of her two most importunate and troublesome +suitors--one dead and the other in the woods. + +A negro is intensely religious, regardless of honesty and integrity; he +will attend night services, shout, sing and pray, and then return home +by some hen-roost and lift off a chanticleer which has been doing +business at that stand for a half dozen years with as much nonchalance +as if he, "Cuffee," were eating his dinner or taking a drink of water. + +On this plantation there were two rival churches, Methodist and +Baptist, and I would say here that, as a rule, Southern negroes belong +to one or the other of these two large branches of the Christian Church. + +During the summer these two churches held revival (and rival) services +every night and Sunday for three or four weeks, at which there was a +great awakening and a large ingathering of souls to the flock. For +some reason it is thought the Methodist "nigger" can shout, sing and +pray louder than his Baptist brother, while the latter can head him off +in drinking whisky, which is counteracted by the Methodist brother's +love for chickens and turkeys and their proclivities for lifting them +off the roost. + +At one of these night services, when everybody was happy, shouting, +singing and praying, and the house was in an uproar and it seemed that +pandemonium had turned loose, a large lighted lamp full of oil was +turned over and exploded. + +Negroes piled out of the windows and doors by the dozens. Some of the +cooler heads pulled off their coats, and wrapping up the burning +negroes, finally subdued the flames. Order was finally restored and +all assembled again in the house. The pastor in charge then arose and +said: "My bredderin an' sisterin, we is all run a narrer resk in bein' +burn to deth, an' it shood be a terrible warnin' tu perpare for de +burnin' dat awaits de ongodly, an' ef de richous am skasely saved whar +shall de sinner an' ongodly appeer? Brudder Sam, you is de wus burnt +nigger hear tu-nite, an' ef you keep on stealin' chickens you is gwine +to go whar de wurm dieth not an' de fire is not squinched." + +At this eloquent appeal on the part of the pastor moans and groans were +heard all over the house, that have to be heard to be realized. Old +Sister Ann, a two-hundred-and-fifty-pounder, got happy and began +throwing her hands in the air, and popping them together, shouting, +"Glory! Glory!" and started towards the pastor, saying, "Brudder Zeke, +I'm so happy I wants tu hug you!" whereupon she gathered him, a weak +man, in her herculean arms. He began to struggle to free himself from +her vise-like grasp--she was about to squeeze the life out of him--but +in vain! He then shouted for some one to "take her off! take her off!" +Several of the brethren interfered and finally released the struggling +pastor. After which he said: "Sister Ann, de wedder is tu hot, soap is +tu scase, an' you is tu big an' fat tu git close to ennybody; so pleas +kep yo' distunce." + +Brother "Zeke," fearing a similar experience, announced services for +the following night, and immediately dismissed the congregation. On +the last Sunday of the meeting baptismal services were held at both +churches, the Baptists assembling at the river to perform the rite by +immersion, and the Methodists at their church to perform it by +sprinkling or pouring. + +At the latter church the pastor requested all the converts, which were +fifty or sixty, to come forward to receive baptism, whereupon about a +dozen responded. He stated that only about a fourth of the converts +had come forward, and that if the rest were in the house they will now +come forward and be baptized. + +The preacher replied that he was very liberal in his views, and that he +would baptize by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, and for each +applicant to designate the mode, and it would be carried out. Those +who had not come forward said that they "wanted tu go under de water." +He said they would go to the river just as soon as he got through with +those present. Whereupon those who had come forward told the preacher +that as he had to go into the water they would be immersed also. The +minister then announced for the congregation to assemble on the river +to witness the baptisms. The Baptist and Methodist preachers reached +the water about the same time, and after conferring with one another, +agreed that the order would be for one minister to baptize one of his +flock and the other one, and so on, alternately, until they were +through. This took some time, as each had about fifty apiece to +baptize. There was shouting and rejoicing during this baptismal scene. +There were probably two thousand negroes present, those on adjoining +plantations also being present. It is a fact that baptism in water +will draw almost as large a crowd as a circus. + +With the exception of shouting on the part of converts there was no +noise or disturbance, and all went well until the last, the baptism of +a large, fleshy sister, who, as she arose from the water clapped her +hands and shouted: "I see my Jesus!" When she said this a negro, who +had climbed into a willow tree leaning over the water, replied: "Yu +lie, yu hypercritical old huzzie; tain't nuthin' but a snappin' mud +turcle yu seed, an' hit's a pity he hadn't kotched yu by de nose an' +drowned yu, so as yu would not tell lies enny more on 'spectable +niggers." As he said this the tree broke, precipitating him into water +twenty feet deep, and as he could not swim he went straight to the +bottom. Both of the parsons were silent spectators of this last act, +and were making for the shore as the congregation sang "Pull for the +Shore." They had been fishers, as it were, of souls; now that an +opportunity presented itself, they in reality would have to be fishers +of men--at least one would have to be. The Methodist, thinking the +Baptist more used to water than he, waited for the Baptist to strike +out for the drowning man, and the Baptist did the same for the +Methodist. The latter, seeing that the man would drown if no +assistance were rendered, and being the nearest, swam to him. The +drowning man grabbed him around the waist and both sank. The Baptist +parson, being in the water, thought he was duty bound to render +assistance, and swam to the scene just as they arose, when the +Methodist grabbed the Baptist around the waist, and all three went +under together. Things were getting serious, as it would be the third +time the man went under. One of the men on shore succeeded in time to +catch the first man, who was sinking the last time, by the hair, and by +superhuman jerks released him from the parson and succeeded in carrying +him to the shore. As this was being done another negro on shore swam +and caught the exhausted Methodist parson by the wool, jerking him off +from the Baptist, and carried him to shore. Another wicked negro on +the bank shouted: "Fair play; I'll be darned if the Baptis' shell +drown," and made for him, catching him by his cue and landing him +safely on land. The congregation could have consistently sung, during +the last three acts, "Pull for the Shore." As the submerged negroes +were resting one skeptical darky shouted out, "You's all Baptis' now." +Thus ended this baptismal and almost tragical scene. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE BIRTH OF OCTAVIA. + +Not long after this Simon's mother, Aunt Dinah, "went the way of all +the earth, and was gathered to her fathers." This caused great +mourning and lamentation on the plantation. The old auntie was almost +looked upon with reverence. She was, as it were, an oracle, being +consulted on everything that transpired on the place. + +This was a severe grief to Simon and Elsie, who received the +condolences of all the slaves on the place. The little negroes were +bereft of a true friend, as Aunt Lucy, Aunt Dinah's successor, was not +as thoughtful, good and kind to the little ones as Aunt Dinah had been. + +The negro is no nurse and of no account in a sick room. This was so in +the case of the deceased old auntie, who was sick quite awhile and +doubtless wanted good nursing. But let one of their number die and +they are very much in evidence, sitting up with the corpse or attending +the funeral. Aunt Dinah had one of the longest funeral processions +ever witnessed in that country. + +The negroes not only preach at the burial, but appoint a time several +months ahead, giving it great publicity, when So and So's funeral will +be preached with great _eclat_. On these occasions there is as much +shouting, singing, groaning, moaning and praying as there is in their +revival meetings. + +Simon and Elsie put on the usual mourning for parents, and to show +their grateful remembrance asked their mistress to get them an elegant +monument, with the proper inscription thereon, and erected it at the +head of her grave, something very rare for slaves. + +Soon after this Elsie got in bad health, would not eat, and +notwithstanding much was done for her restoration to health, she failed +to improve. The negro as a race has a larger share of superstition +than any other. With this Simon was considerably tinctured. As Elsie +failed to improve it was noised around that she was "conjured." Simon, +notwithstanding his intelligence, began to share in the belief that +this was so. There was an old negro "conjure" doctor on the place, +whom Simon asked to go around and see Elsie. + +After talking with Elsie awhile he left, and seeing Simon told him that +"Elsie grievin' 'bout Brutus." He protested that she cared nothing in +the world about that negro in the woods, and he would have to search +for another cause. Believing that she was "conjured," he insisted that +the conjurer take the "spell" off. To this he agreed, and appointed a +day when he would bring her around all right. The "conjurer" told +Simon that Elsie had "lizards and roaches" in her ear, and that they +must come out. It is possible that Simon believed this stuff by +letting his superstition get the better of his judgment and +intelligence. At the appointed time the "conjurer" came, having +lizards and roaches in a box up his sleeve. After songs, incantations +and gesticulations, all the while rubbing her head, he adroitly +liberated the lizards and roaches, which ran off, making Elsie scream. +This may have had effect on the few spectators present, but it +certainly had none on Elsie, who knew that she had been acting a piece +of consummate duplicity from the first. The "conjurer" told Elsie, +"dem live things in her hed wus de cause of all her trubble, and that +she would get well now." Elsie, however, failed to improve, and Simon +went to see his mistress in regard to the matter, who sent a physician +back with him to see Elsie. When leaving he told Simon that Elsie had +given birth to a beautiful girl baby as white as he, the physician, +was, and with hair as straight. + +Horror of horrors! This was "the unkindest cut of all." Simon was +crushed, humiliated, and felt that he was disgraced by the conduct of +his sister; and to think of her duplicity for all those months was +enough to cause an angel to swear. He and his sister were the most +intelligent and refined negroes in all that country. They were the +_elite_, the bon ton, the upper crust, and were looked on as such by +the other slaves. If there were aristocrats among slaves, Simon and +sister filled the bill. Simon had held his sister up to the negro +girls on the place as an example, and for her to bring disgrace on them +in that way was too much! + +Aunt Lucy, Elsie's nurse, said that Elsie had no ordinary baby; that +"it was white as the whitest, eyes as blue as ole mars'er, an' hair as +strate as ole missis, an' not a white man in de kentry. Dis weren't no +nigger baby; Elsie she got wid chile by de Holy Spirit." Simon knew +that the days of miracles had passed, and that none other than a white +man was its father. Elsie admitted after a long time that her owner +was the child's father. Whether he was satisfied, Simon said no more +about it, but refused for a long while to even see the baby. Time +heals all things, and finally Simon consented to see it and was struck +with her beauty. Elsie named her child Octavia, and as it grew in +years Simon began to love the child as his own. She became a favorite +on the whole plantation, nothing being too good that any of the slaves +had for little Octavia. She was a heroine from the first, as she +proved to be in after life. + +To all appearances she was as pure as the purest Caucasian, and if an +expert had been put on the stand to swear as to her race he would have +said Caucasian. Such are the circumstances under which this afterwards +wonderful being was brought into existence. + +With a white father and quadroon mother, this made her seven-eighths +Caucasian. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ALMOST A WATERY GRAVE. + +Before proceeding further I would say that the standard of virtue among +the negroes is very low, and that if any of their girls wander from the +paths of virtue they are not cast off as is the case with the whites. +It must be admitted, however, that there is an improvement among them +along this line. When Octavia was a year old she came very near being +drowned in the river. Elsie was fond of fishing, and carried Octavia +and a little negro nurse to watch the child. The nurse got careless +and let the child fall into the river, and would have drowned had not +Simon happened to be near and heard his sister's screams, and getting +there, jumped in just in time to rescue both mother and child, the +former having leaped in to save the child. Simon gave his sister a +good lecture and the nurse a switching for their carelessness. It +seemed that Simon's nearness was providential. + +Simon always said, after the child was a few months old, that she had a +bright future before her; that, though a slave, the Lord would open up +a way for her. + +In Colonel R.'s absence Simon was required to make frequent visits to +his mistress's home to report to her the progress he was making on the +farm. The war had been over half fought, and while the Confederacy had +gained many battles it suffered serious losses, and was daily getting +weaker, and it was only a question of time when it would collapse. +During his visits to his mistress Simon gained this intelligence in +regard to the progress of the war, and while he was sure of his +freedom, regardless of the way the war terminated, he could not but +wish for the success of the Union armies on account of his sister and +her child, who would thereby gain their freedom. He also had a broad, +sympathetic feeling for his race and wanted them liberated. + +He was also broad enough in his philosophy and intelligence to accord +to his master and other Southern slaveholders the right to resort to +arms to fight for property which they had bought or inherited, and +which was recognized in the Constitution of the United States. + +While he was legally a slave he enjoyed freedom as much so as his +master or other white men. He had all the comforts of a country home, +and while the large plantation over which he was foreman was not his, +he was in one respect "lord of all he surveyed." He had a buggy, +horse, saddle, whip, pack of hounds, and said to this, do so and so, +and it was done; or go and they came or went. When one of the slaves +transgressed he used the lash on him--in a word, he was as supreme in +authority as the Nabob of Cawnpore or the Sultan of Turkey. Enjoying +and having all these things at his command, why should he want them +terminated? It must be remembered that he was three-fourths white, and +one of the instincts of the Anglo-Saxon is freedom and liberty. Simon +was attached to his master and mistress, who were humane, kind and +thoughtful of their slaves. Still, with all this, there was a longing +in his heart that would not be satisfied. It is admitted on all sides +that had there not been cruel and heartless slaveholders, "Uncle Tom's +Cabin" would never have been written, sympathy in Northern pulpits and +Abolition societies would not have spread, and in all probability the +negro would yet have been a slave. Simon's reasoning was that he nor +his master were responsible for human slavery, which in some respects +had been a benefit and in others an injury to the negro, and that there +had been slavery in all ages of the world. + +He knew that the mistake was made when slavery was recognized in the +Constitution of the United States; also that the mistake had brought +the negro from the wilds of Africa, and civilized, tamed and made a +good laborer and citizen of him. That was the entering wedge which had +caused all the contention, and finally precipitated the most gigantic +war in history. + +Let the consequences be what they may, Simon did his duty in +successfully managing the affairs on his master's plantation. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE "UNDERGROUND RAILWAY." + +While he did nothing openly to oppose the Confederacy, he aided in a +secret way the escape of his sister and niece. + +Simon was not absolutely certain of the success of the Union armies, +and to insure the freedom of his sister and niece, he made use of the +first opportunity, which soon presented itself. As is well known, +there was before the war what was known as an "Underground Railway" for +the escape of slaves to the free States and Canada. This was nothing +more nor less than agents sent out by Northern Abolition societies to +abduct slaves, thousands of whom escaped in this manner. + +It was on this account that the "Fugitive Slave Law" was passed by +Congress, on which there was the test case before the Supreme Court in +the slave, Dred Scott, said court sustaining the law. One of the +Northern societies at this time sent an agent South as a spy, and to +abduct any slave or slaves that he could entice away. This agent made +his way to Colonel R.'s plantation, over which Simon was foreman. He +cautiously made known his business to Simon, who welcomed and secretly +harbored him. This agent was joined two days after by an escaped Union +soldier from the Confederate prison at ----. This was a happy and +unexpected meeting between the spy and soldier. What they did had to +be done quickly and secretly. If they were captured the spy would be +executed and the soldier reincarcerated in prison. Simon also had +enemies on the farm who would give him away to the nearest provost +marshal if it was known that he was harboring these men. Simon +arranged for an immediate conference at night, when it was agreed upon +that they were to take Elsie and Octavia, and for two stout negro men +to go also, to alternately carry Octavia, who by this time was a year +and a half old and full grown for her age. Simon spotted two stout +negro men whom he thought he would have no trouble in getting to go +along. But the very first one he approached, named Henry, bluntly and +insolently refused. Simon told him then that if he ever divulged it he +would handle him roughly. Henry left, telling him to "go on 'bout his +biziness; that he fixin' tu git hisself in trubble." He had no trouble +in getting the next he approached, whose names were Jim and Jack. + +All necessary arrangements being made, they assembled at the gin house +on the night of departure to bid Simon farewell. He parted with his +sister with many misgivings, fearing that she might lose her own and +the baby's life in this attempt to escape. He bade each man adieu, and +Elsie and Octavia an affectionate farewell. He returned home, retired, +but there was no sleep for him that night. At times he was almost +tempted to pursue the escaping party and bring them back. Without +Elsie and the child he was indeed desolate, as he had not a single +relation in all that country. Just before day he managed to fall +asleep, to be awakened almost immediately by a commotion in the negro +quarter, and on inquiring the cause was told that Jim and Jack had run +away. He then told his informant that Elsie and Octavia could not be +found, and they must have been stolen by the negro men. To allay +suspicion he had his horse saddled, blew up his dogs, and was soon +ostensibly on the negroes' tracks. He took pains however, to go in a +different direction to the one the escaping party went. After making a +spurious chase of three or four hours he returned, saying that the +negroes had escaped, at the same time making loud lamentations because +Elsie and the child had been stolen. It is unnecessary to say that his +grief was real. + +Let us now follow the fugitives. They traveled only at night, +concealing themselves in the day. + +The second night out they met some one with a squealing pig on his +shoulder. The Northerners, fearing detection, captured the man, who +proved to be Brutus, the runaway negro from Colonel R.'s farm. They +explained their mission to him, and asked him to go along with them, +and if he didn't they would treat him like he was going to treat that +stolen pig, which he took out of the pen up the road. Elsie being in +the party, he was only too glad to accompany them. He proved to be a +valuable acquisition, being used to the woods, detecting any noise with +the celerity of a cat. He was also of great assistance in carrying +Octavia, considering it a labor and burden of love, and would not +relinquish her, only from sheer exhaustion. + +All went well with the party, until the fourth night out, when they +came to a swollen river, and not a skiff to be found. An axe had been +brought along, to use in such a contingency, with which a raft was soon +made, and the party on it, and was being rowed over by the negroes, who +were three-fourths across, when, by some unaccountable manner, Octavia +fell overboard, and would have been drowned if the moon had not been +shining, which gave light for Brutus, who had jumped in the river, to +see and catch her as she arose, when he swam to the shore with her. + +It seemed that fate was against the little child, this being the second +time in her brief existence that she had narrowly escaped a watery +grave. The day after this accident they came near being detected, but, +through the strategy of Brutus, they escaped. + +Two more nights brought them in hearing of the opposing armies, and to +pass the Confederate sentinels was the "tug of war." They decided, +however, to make the attempt, rather than make a circuit of +seventy-five miles to flank the Southern lines. On the night the +attempt was made it was dark, and all would have been well if Octavia +had not cried out when passing the last sentinel. At this the whole +party rushed past, the sentinel firing several times into the party, +killing Jim and Jack, and wounding Octavia seriously and Elsie +slightly. The Northerners and Brutus escaped to the Union army. Elsie +and child were carried to the Confederate headquarters and had their +wounds examined and dressed. The surgeon said Elsie was all right, but +that it would take good nursing and skillful treatment for the child to +pull through. But she did, and when able to travel they were put on a +horse in charge of a squad of soldiers, with authority to investigate +the circumstances of their escape as soon as they reached Colonel R.'s +plantation. Henry became alarmed, turned State's evidence against +Simon, who, without time to exchange words of greeting with Elsie and +the child, was hurried off and put in the county jail, and was +succeeded as foreman by Henry, who probably had this in view when he +gave Simon away. This was another crushing blow to Simon; this was +capping the climax. What, Colonel R.'s handsome and intelligent +foreman in jail? This was indeed humiliating! Simon's enemies on the +farm were now elated because of his downfall. One ancient son of Ham, +who had been lashed severely for his misconduct by Simon, soliloquized +thus: "Dey sho' is got dat yaller son of a b---- now; he tink he white, +but I'll be goldurn my black skin ef dey doan salt an' tan his yaller +hide an' make it look yallerer dan 'tis." Simon could think of no way +of getting relief. While he had been faithful to the trust which his +master had confided in him, and who might be willing to forgive him, +yet he knew his master was powerless to get him out of jail, he being +in the conspiracy in abducting his master's slaves, and of feeding and +harboring a spy. However, he wrote to his master, making full +confession, and begged forgiveness, and asked him if there was any way +possible for him to get out of prison. But before the letter reached +the front there had been a battle, and Colonel R. had been captured and +was a prisoner on Johnson's Island. The letter was returned unopened. +He considered his last ray of hope gone, if hope it was, as he was +almost certain that his master could afford no relief. He endeavored +to compose himself the best he could; he was visited frequently by +Elsie and Octavia. She upbraided herself to Simon as being the cause +of it all. He asked her not to do that, as he blamed no one but +himself. On her first visit he sent a letter to his mistress, giving +explicit instructions and information where the treasure was which his +master had confided to his keeping. Simon being in jail, she sent and +had it brought home, and found every cent as the Colonel had left it. + +Elsie kept Simon supplied with papers, books, and such delicacies as +the distracted state of the country would admit of. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND ESCAPE FROM BRUIN. + +While he was whiling away the weary hours in jail another scene was +being enacted at the plantation. Railroads were not as fashionable and +plentiful as now, and had not driven the boats from the river, on which +was a magnificent line of steamers which plowed the waters from Mobile +to Montgomery. They were veritable floating palaces, and were the +admiration of all. The writer of this, though in middle life, never +tires looking at a fine steamer or train of cars. This was so of +Elsie, who frequently went to the plantation landing, carrying Octavia +with her. + +At this time a magnificent side-wheel steamer had been built, and was +advertised to leave Mobile at a certain time, and would pass the +landing on Colonel R.'s farm at noon. + +About six months previous to this a prominent lady living in Mobile had +had her three-year-old daughter, named Octavia, stolen from her. +Strenuous efforts were made to find her, large rewards being offered +for her return, but in vain! This lady had a brother, a captain in the +Southern army, who had been on duty at Mobile. He assisted his sister +in her efforts to find her child, to whom he had become much attached. +This captain and his company were transferred to another part of the +Confederacy, and took passage on this boat, he telling his almost +crazed sister that he would keep a sharp lookout for her child. + +The boat arrived at the landing at the appointed time, and stayed there +some time to put off a lot of freight. Among the spectators on the +bank were Octavia and her mother. This army captain saw Octavia and +thought he saw a resemblance to his sister's lost child. He told some +of his company to accompany him ashore, and as soon as he was in +speaking distance he was sure he had found the lost child, and running +to the child took her in his arms, exclaiming, "My Octavia, my +long-lost child," at the same time kissing and caressing her. Elsie, +dumfounded with fear, began crying, and told the captain that the +child's name was Octavia, but that she was its mother. The captain +threatened to have her arrested by his soldiers if she didn't hush up. +The captain of the boat saw and heard it all. Elsie by this time was +yelling and screaming at the top of her voice, and was trying to take +the child from the captain, who ordered his soldiers to take Elsie. By +this time the captain of the boat had arrived at the scene, and +suggested to the army captain that it was possible for him to be +mistaken, and that this child may be his sister's child's double. He +told Elsie to send for her witnesses, which she did, and soon had a +dozen negroes of the place who positively identified the child as being +Elsie's. Among the witnesses was Aunt Lucy, who was Elsie's nurse at +the birth of the child in the captain's arms, who had been struggling +to get out. This was positive proof, and the captain gave her back, +saying this was a clear case of mistaken identity, and as he was +honestly mistaken he would make the _amende honorable_. + +Aunt Lucy said: "Dunno what gwine cum of dat chile; she been drowned +twice, an' kilt wunst wid de soljer's gun, an' now dis Mister Cap'n +tink she his sister loss chile. Sho', 'fore Gawd, dis nigger dunno +what gwine cum to dat chile. Elsie better take her hoam an' keep her +dar." Elsie gathered the child in her arms, crying and shouting for +joy, at this narrow escape of again losing her child. + +All of this was reported to Simon, who ordered his sister to stay at +home and keep the child there with her. This was carried out to the +letter, and deprived her of the pleasure of seeing Simon; but better +that than run the risk of losing her child. + +In the earlier days of Alabama the forests were full of game of all +kinds, bears being plentiful at one time. They were very destructive +to the farmers' calves, lambs and pigs, and, in a few instances, to +children. A determined war had been made upon them and most of them +had been destroyed, but, as we will see, there was at least one left, +as one actually came out of the swamp to the Colonel's negro quarters, +and attacked Elsie's child, and would have killed her but for her and +the other children's screams, which attracted the dogs and some men +near, the latter gathering clubs, axes or anything at hand, and with +the dogs' help finally dispatched him, but not before he had killed one +of the dogs. Bruin was probably no respecter of persons, and attempted +to appropriate the prettiest child he could find. After this Aunt Lucy +said: "My Gawd, what nex'? De 'Federate cap'n like got her, an' now a +big ole b'ar. I 'spec he hongry, an' want white chile to smack he mouf +on." Elsie was indeed grateful that her child had escaped this awful +death. It was her daily prayer that no evil should befall her child. +While the means of rescue had always heretofore been at hand, it might +not be so in the future. + +The war between the States dragged heavily on--at one time the Northern +and at another the Southern armies were successful. Colonel R. +languished in a Northern prison on Johnson's Island, while Simon did +the same thing in a county prison in Alabama. + +The Confederate States were strongly blockaded, so much so that there +could be no egress nor ingress except by blockade runners, which was a +dangerous piece of business. Consequently very few of the delicacies +of life could be had in the Southern States. This blockade also kept +out quinine, which is so necessary in the South. For the want of this +Octavia came near dying from an attack of malarial fever. Her +physician gave her up to die, telling the attendants there was no hope +for her. She lay unconscious for days, and it seemed as if every +breath would be her last. During this stage of her illness it was +suggested that an all-night prayer-meeting be held in her behalf. +Being a favorite, the negroes turned out _en masse_, Octavia's only +attendants were her mother and Aunt Lucy. + +They carried their devotions on all night, singing, moaning, groaning +and praying, and were too much exhausted to do anything the next day. +At one time during the night Aunt Lucy said to Elsie that the child was +surely dead. But by close examination Elsie said she could detect a +weak, thready pulse at the wrist, and slight movement of the chest, and +said that "while there is life there is hope." Still she was cold half +way up her extremities, and the two were kept busy making hot +applications. She lay in this condition two days after the +prayer-meeting. Finally she said in the faintest whisper that she +wanted some water, and from then began to improve, and in a month was +playing with the other children. + +Aunt Lucy always said that "dem niggers brought dat chile fru by dey +prars. De Scripters say, 'de ferbent, effectual prar of de richus +availeth much, an' de prar ob faith shel' save de sick.'" + +There was much rejoicing because of Octavia's recovery, and none +rejoiced more than Elsie, who thought her and the negroes' prayers were +answered. + +While on the subject of having prayer-meeting for any special object, I +will relate the following incident: In a certain section of country +there was a drouth of long standing prevailing, and it looked as if +everything would be parched up, and nothing be saved for man or beast. +It was suggested that the negroes have a prayer-meeting at their church +to bring rain. One of my neighbors, who was almost a skeptic, +encouraged the negroes, most of whom farmed on the large plantation +which he owned. On the appointed night there was a large crowd +present, who prayed, sang and shouted until three o'clock in the +morning, when there came up one of the most terrific storms which that +section had ever experienced. It rained a perfect flood; the wind was +a most frightful tornado, tearing down houses, fences, crops, trees, +and killing some stock. The hail was terrific, ruining some crops. My +neighbor met some of the brethren the next day and said: "Boys, what +made you pray so hard last night? We wanted rain, and not a h--l of a +storm like we got." One of them replied: "Boss, I tells you how it +wuz. Dat fool nigger Pascal was de cause of de whole ting. In his +prayer las' nite he prayed de Lawd not to sen' one of dem leetle +drizzle-drazzle showers, but one of dem trash movers. An', boss, we +sho' got it, an' mo' too. I tell you, boss, dem niggers prayed all +nite for rain, an' when it did cum yu jes' ought tu seen dem niggers +prayin' fur de rain, win' an' hail tu stop. We thought sho' we gwine +git kilt. Dat fool nigger Pascal got no sence nohow; we keeps him home +de nex' time we wants rain." + +In commemoration of Octavia's restoration to health the negroes +appointed a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The negro is nothing if +not religious; he can surpass his white brother two to one in fervency +and zeal, but whether that "zeal is according to knowledge" is not my +province to decide. It is the custom of the negroes in their religious +meetings to line out their hymns for singing, and when at their work +you can hear them repeat two lines, sing it, and the other two lines to +make out the verse, and sing that. It is a rare thing to see a +skeptical negro of the Ingersoll type. I have already said something +about superstition; this characteristic, like religion, is developed to +a high degree. If one starts anywhere and forgets something, on going +back he makes a cross mark and spits in the mark. If one starts on a +journey and a rabbit crosses the road before him, he turns around and +goes back home. If one is sick and a screech owl screams near by, the +sick person is sure to die. One could not be hired to go in a cemetery +by himself at night. When any one dies they can see his "sperit" going +about the place. They are strong believers in ghosts and "sperits." +These and many other superstitions render them difficult patients to +treat. The writer was called to see a sick negro on one occasion, and +could not find that there was anything the matter with him. In my +examination I found a bag the size of one's fist tied under his shirt. +I drew it out and asked what it was. He would make no reply, when an +old granny, who was nurse, said that was his "conjure" bag to keep +"sperits" off with. It contained rags, rocks, gourd seed, a hog tusk +and a tack. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LIBERATED. + +After Octavia's restoration to health she looked prettier than ever. +Her beauty and intelligence were proverbial, and drew spectators from +many miles away. There was so much said about the matter that Elsie's +mistress made a special visit to see the child, who was now between +four and five years old. Whether she "smelled a mouse" or not is not +known, but certain it is that she entered into negotiations with a +party in the adjoining county to sell Elsie and child to him. He first +hesitated, fearing that the negro's mistress did not have the legal +right to sell them. He consulted an attorney, and found that anything +of the kind done by Colonel R.'s wife in his absence would stand good +in law. With this advice he bought Elsie and Octavia. Simon heard of +this and was hurt by it very much. Still, they were not very far off, +and that was much better than if they had been sent out of the State. +Her new owner, however, did not own her long, as we shall see. + +We have now arrived at that period when there was great consternation +and despair on the part of the white people of the country. It was +reported far and near that Gen. Wilson, one of the Union generals, was +making a raid through central Alabama with a large army. Simon heard +of this and knew that he would soon be liberated from prison. He had, +however, hidden Colonel R.'s cotton where he was sure it could not be +found. The report about General Wilson's raid proved to be true, as a +detachment went through the town where Simon was confined, and turned +all the prisoners out. Simon hastened home, and the first person he +saw was Henry, who fled on sight, fearing that Simon would do him harm +for turning State's evidence against him. A detachment of the army +went through the county that Elsie was carried to, taking all the stock +and negro men with them. Knowing that Simon had been liberated and was +at home, she and Octavia left immediately to join him, and arrived +about sunset the following day. This was a happy meeting between the +three. Elsie had had no opportunity to have private conversation with +him since she was brought back by the Confederate soldiers, when they +started on the "Underground Railway" for freedom. Consequently she had +much to tell him about that trip, and of her brief sojourn in the +adjoining county. They conversed far into the night, and finally went +to sleep wondering what would be next on the docket. They didn't have +to wonder long, as by some means never known Henry had found out about +Colonel R. intrusting a large amount of gold with Simon, and when he +fled at Simon's appearance, he went immediately to the Federal +General's headquarters and reported this fact. + +Henry thought there might be dollars in his pocket by giving this news. +He gave a detailed account of the matter, telling about Simon being a +"nigger driver," having a pack of "nigger dogs," and being heartless +and cruel to the hands on the place. He endeavored to incense the +commander as much as possible against Simon. The General sent a +captain with a company of soldiers to see if there was anything in +Henry's report. On the way Henry urged the captain to hang Simon. Of +course he wanted this done as a protection to himself, as he well knew +that Simon would handle him roughly if he got his hands on him, because +he, Henry, had given him away. + +On arriving at the plantation Simon was immediately arrested and asked +where the gold was. Simon said he once knew, but didn't then, which +was true, as his former mistress had had it moved. Henry shouted that +"Simon was lying." The captain informed him that he had orders to hang +him if he did not divulge the whereabouts of the gold. He still +protested that he knew nothing about it then. The captain ordered him +tied, amid the screams of Elsie and Octavia. Simon then tried to +reason with the captain, telling him of harboring the Union spy and the +escaped soldier; of his planning the escape of Elsie, Octavia, Jim and +Jack; of Henry's refusal to go, and that he was the one that ought to +be hung. Henry hollered out, "He's a liar; I wanted to go and he +wouldn't let me." The captain said he had to execute his orders, and +ordered Simon taken to the nearest tree, when Octavia, giving a loud +scream, fell on her knees before the captain (who reined his horse up), +exclaiming, "Oh, Mister Taptain, pease don't hang Uncle Simon; he ain't +done nothin'!" + +The captain thought he had never seen a lovelier object in his life, +and his heart, that had probably been hardened by a four years' war, +was touched. That beautiful, kneeling child, with streaming locks and +eyes of heavenly blue, and cheeks like a ripe peach, was enough to melt +a heart of stone. He dismounted and gathered the child in his arms, +caressing and kissing her, saying that she was exactly like his little +Octavia at home. He drew a picture from his pocket of his child, and +it proved to be the image of this child. He told Octavia that he would +release her uncle. She showed her appreciation by caressing the +captain, who ordered all the stock on the place, with negro men on +them, to be carried off. Whether they really intended to hang Simon is +not known, but certain it is that several slaveholders were hung about +that time to extort from them the whereabouts of hidden treasure. This +was done by the ex-slaves, probably mostly for revenge. But it is to +the honor of the Union soldiers that they did not countenance any such +action, and in some instances rescued the parties from a probable +death. This revenge was to be expected, as most any race, after being +in bondage a hundred years or more, if left to themselves and had the +power, would do the same. + +There was great lamentation on the part of the negro men's wives when +their husbands left. Simon, Elsie and Octavia were the only composed +ones on the place. Simon assured them that all of them would soon be +back. + +After this wholesale foraging of negroes and stock, things indeed +looked desolate. The crop had been planted, good stands obtained; it +had been worked once and was very promising. But under the present +status of affairs it was out of the question to try and work it. Simon +and Elsie, however, did not despair. Both had been raised to work, +knew how, and could do so again. The oxen on the plantation had been +unmolested, a yoke of which were pressed into service, Simon doing the +plowing and Elsie the hoeing. In a few days the negroes who had been +carried off began to come in, until about all had returned. Simon +advised each to harness up the oxen on the place and plow them, and to +break to the plow a drove of half-grown mules and horse colts that were +on the place. By this means probably half of the farm could be plowed +and cultivated. Simon told each man that under the changed order of +things it was "every fellow for himself, even if the devil got the +hindmost." It was only a question of a short time now when the +Confederacy would collapse, as Johnson was fleeing before Sherman in +the Carolinas, and Lee, having evacuated Richmond, was hard pressed by +Grant. Every State had been invaded, and in a few weeks the +Confederate Government would fall to pieces and the soldiers return +home, Colonel R. among the number, and he could then take charge of the +plantation himself and make any change he saw fit. + +Simon was satisfied, however, that this dividing up of the hands in +squads would meet with the approbation of Colonel R., who would +probably be a month later coming home than the other soldiers, as he +was in prison in the far North when the Southern armies surrendered. + +Before going to work under the new regime Simon made a visit to Colonel +R.'s cotton and found it all O.K. He and Elsie then went to battle +against "General Green," who had begun his depredations on the growing +crop by this temporary cessation of hostilities against him. The crop +was half made when Colonel R. made his appearance on his place. He +expressed himself as well pleased in the way each hand was making use +of what facilities the military cyclone had left in its path, and for +them to carry things on as they were then doing, and when the crop was +gathered he would give them a liberal share of it. The harvest proved +to be a bountiful one, and the negroes were greatly elated at the +success of this their first attempt to farm without an overseer or +foreman. Colonel R. had a private interview with Simon, when both went +to inspect the cotton that Simon had been intrusted with. They found +it intact and in a good state of preservation. Simon then and there +made a full confession of his share in the attempted escape of Elsie +and child, of his apprehension and imprisonment, of his letter to him +and its return, of his letter to his mistress advising her of the gold, +and that it would be best to move it, etc. + +The Colonel replied that he would have liberated Elsie and the child +anyway, and didn't much blame him in trying to effect their escape, and +that the only blame he attached to it was the sending off with the +party Jack and Jim. However, he was satisfied with Simon's +stewardship, and would now proceed to count him out the ten thousand +dollars in gold which he had promised him, and that he would engage him +as superintendent on his farm for the ensuing year at a salary of two +thousand dollars per annum, thus literally carrying out their compact. +It is needless to say that Simon hired a substitute to plow the oxen. + +They returned to the farm, had all the ex-slaves assembled, when the +Colonel made them a nice, short speech, commending them for their +faithfulness during his absence in the army; that the Confederacy had +been beaten, the war was over, and that they were free men, women and +children; that whosoever may have been responsible for slavery in the +United States, that whether it was right or wrong, the South had +resorted to the arbitrament of arms, and as a result they were free, +and that next year he would contract with any or all who wanted to farm +on his place, under the superintendency of Simon. During this talk he +had gotten a good look at Octavia, not knowing whose child it was, +called Simon aside, and asked whose it was; that it was a beautiful +child, and looked as if it were pure white. Simon then said that it +was a delicate subject, but that as he had asked for information, he +would give it to him. The child was Elsie's, and she says that he, the +Colonel, is its father. He then admitted to Simon that it was so, and +that, while at home on furlough at one time during the war, he so far +transgressed the laws of virtue, as to have an innocent, illegitimate +child brought into existence. He also said that Elsie was not so much +to blame as he, and that he was ashamed of his conduct, all of which +was in the past, and could not be undone, and that he would atone, as +far as possible, for his transgression, give Octavia the best +education, in every branch, that time, money and labor would procure, +and that, at his death, he would remember Octavia in his will, all of +which was scrupulously carried out. The only conditions imposed were +that the child be given to Simon, who would be her trustee or agent, in +carrying all these things out, which had to be done secretly. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +COTTON PROWLING--EMPLOYING OCTAVIA'S GOVERNESS. + +Not long after the Southern soldiers came home, they began a wholesale +prowling of government cotton, and in some instances, private cotton +was stolen. The status of this government cotton was as follows: The +Confederate government issued bonds, with a liberal rate of interest, +exchanging them with the planters for their cotton, and in this way, a +large amount had been acquired, half of which probably was still in +warehouses and gin houses throughout the Southern States. Of course, +this property, on the collapse of the Confederacy, by all moral and +legal right, became the property of the United States government. + +When the soldiers came home, they were without money, clothes, and in +many instances, without anything to eat, especially if their homes were +in the path of either army. + +They claimed that they were violating no law of God or man in taking +this cotton. However, the pulpits in the country came out strongly +against this practice, saying that if it was wrong to take private +cotton, it was as much so to take public cotton; that the latter was +nothing more nor less than wholesale theft. By some means, the +whereabouts of Colonel R.'s cotton was found out, and it was whispered +around, that it was government cotton. I would say here that Colonel +R. had made a liberal donation of cotton to his government for bonds, +but that every bale had been delivered and carried off. A raid was +projected on this cotton on a certain night, but when they got there +they found it guarded, Colonel R. and Simon having slept there since +this cotton-prowling began. The leader of the raid claimed that it was +government cotton, and that the raiders were going to have it. Colonel +R. protested that it was not government cotton, but his own private +property, and that if they got it they would have to do so over his +dead body, and that he had help and was well armed. The night was +dark, and fearing that it might be well guarded, and not knowing how +many they had to oppose, the raiders decided that "discretion was the +better part of valor," and left without molesting the cotton. + +Colonel R. immediately hired every wagon and team, hauled the cotton to +the river, shipped it to New Orleans by the first boat, and realized +fifty cents per pound in gold for it, and as there were about one +thousand bales, the reader can calculate, at five hundred pounds per +bale, what a nice fortune the Colonel had, all of which had much to do +with Octavia's future career. + +While to all appearances Octavia was as white as the whitest, she had +African blood coursing through her veins, which would debar her from +Southern society. Social laws on this point were as rigid and +unchangeable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. + +Octavia was now about five years of age, most too young to begin +school, but the Colonel determined at once to hire a governess for her. +Consequently he advertised in one of the foremost Northern dailies for +one. He was not long in receiving answers to his "ad." One reply, +from the interior of New York State, pleased him more than any of the +others, the lady giving as reference one of his former colleagues in +Congress. Several letters passed between the two, he telling her that +if she accepted she would have to teach the niece of his ex-slave +foreman, both of whom, however, were more white than black, and would +pass as white where they were not known. By teaching in this family +she would be socially ostracized by the white people of the country, +and that hers would be a life of seclusion. But if she would accept +and make the sacrifice he would make the liberal offer of fifteen +hundred dollars per annum, she and Octavia to spend three months +anywhere North in each year, the governess to teach her the nine +scholastic months at Octavia's home. The Colonel gave her a +description of Octavia, telling her that she would have an +exceptionally bright and beautiful child to teach. Her board in +Simon's family would cost her nothing, and all her hotel and traveling +expenses would be paid by Colonel R. during each vacation, this +contract to hold good as long as both parties were satisfied. The lady +hesitated quite awhile, thinking it would be too great a sacrifice to +be socially ostracized by her own race. But this was such an +exceptionally good offer, and as she could break the contract after the +first nine months, if she wished, she wrote Colonel R. a letter of +acceptance. She at once made preparations to leave and was soon on her +way South. She found a nice family and a most interesting child. We +will have a good deal to do with the governess, and will call her Miss +Mildred. She began her duties at once, and of course all of Octavia's +studies were primary. Governess and pupil at once fell in love with +each other, which ripened as the years went by. It was clearly a case +of love at first sight. Octavia proved to be an apt scholar, and was +soon ready to go in a higher grade. It was wonderful with what avidity +one so young could grasp, comprehend and commit the lessons given her +by Miss Mildred. + +The governess was making splendid progress with her charge, when there +was an occurrence which came near causing her to throw up her contract +and return North. + +At this time there were in the Southern States what was known as the +"Ku-Klux-Klan," a secret organization, somewhat similar probably to the +"White Caps." They could have been called "white" also, as they always +had on a mask and long white gown, their horses also being covered with +the same material to escape detection. + +This order raided towns and certain sections of the country at night, +but no one ever heard of any damage being done by them except what will +now be related: One dark night there came to Simon's home probably +twenty of these hideous-looking creatures, and called Simon out and +demanded Octavia of him. He wanted to know why, when the leader of +these ghosts told him that Mrs. ----, living in the town of ----, +fifteen miles away, had had her little five-year-old girl Octavia +stolen from her, and must have it; that the present laws of the country +were inadequate to protect the people, and that the "Ku-Klux-Klan" was +a law and order league, and attended to all cases such as child +stealing, wife beaters, hog thieves, etc., and that he, Simon, nor his +family, would not be molested unless they resisted their taking +Octavia. Half a dozen of them dismounted and went into the house, +almost frightening the women and Octavia out of their lives. They took +Octavia out of the house amid the screams of Elsie and Miss Mildred. +Simon was detained outside at the point of a pistol. They mounted, one +taking Octavia in front of him, telling her she could return on the +morrow if she was not the right child. They went off in full gallop +and were soon out of sight. Simon heard them tell his niece that she +could return on the morrow if she was not the right one. He went in to +tell his sister of this and then to get his horse, which he had +recently bought, to follow them. He found Elsie in a convulsion and +Miss Mildred so wrought up with fright that she was not far from it. +Consequently it was out of the question to leave them. He could get no +one else there, every negro being as badly frightened, at the strange, +weird sight they had seen that night. Wishing, hoping, praying that no +harm would befall Octavia, he set about to do what he could for the +grief-stricken and frightened governess and his unconscious sister. By +repeated assurances to Miss Mildred that all would be well with +Octavia, he in a great measure got her quieted. They then went to work +on Elsie, who was unconscious and of course not able to talk. They +worked with her the night through, and as the sun was rising she +regained consciousness, and Simon was endeavoring to assure her of the +safety of Octavia, telling what he heard the leader of the gang tell +her, and that he would get his horse and leave immediately and go for +Octavia, when there was a knock at the door, and on opening it there +stood Octavia, who ran into her mother's arms and was caressed and +kissed again and again by all. Of course their joy and happiness knew +no bounds, especially Elsie, who began alternately to cry and laugh and +couldn't stop. This alarmed them as they did not know what to do. +Octavia had returned, and it seemed that last night's experience with +her would be repeated. However, it soon wore off, and she was well of +the hysterics. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the +morning." We will let the negro who brought Octavia make explanation +in his own way. Said he to Simon: "Ole Miss axed me to bring dis purty +little gal back to yu. She is bery sorry, 'deed, dat dem 'jutty Klux' +fetched yu little gal tu her; dat she look like her gal sum, but she +ain't de wun. She say akcept her 'poligies, an' she hope Mr. Simon +won't tink ennyways hard ob her." Simon thanked the negro for bringing +Octavia back, and asked him to tell his "Ole Miss" that he didn't blame +her in any way, at the same time putting a ten-dollar gold piece in the +negro's hands. The negro bowed and scraped all over the yard and bade +them adieu. + +It leaked out that Henry, Simon's quondam enemy, told some of the clan +that Simon and his sister had a white girl named Octavia which they had +stolen from Mrs. ---- at ----. This lady's stolen daughter was named +Octavia, and the Ku-Klux took it for granted that this was the stolen +child. Henry had told a half truth--the girl at Simon's was named +Octavia and was about five years old, but that she was Mrs. ----'s +child was a willful lie, and he knew it. A half truth is as bad as a +whole lie. Simon threatened vengeance against him. Simon wanted to +prosecute the mob, but could get no evidence as to who a single member +was. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +PROGRESS IN STUDIES. + +After this experience Miss Mildred told Simon that she could not live +in any such a country, and that she would have to throw up her contract +and go back North. She said that with a little forethought she might +have known this, as everything was unsettled after such a war that had +been ended but a few months. She had no objection to a single member +of his family, and she had a high regard for him, and really loved +Elsie and Octavia. + +He then asked her to reconsider the matter, as he would move to the +city of M., then and since a flourishing town. There they could have +police protection, which was not available in the country. She said +she would think over the matter and decide in a day or so. Simon +immediately wrote to Colonel R. that he would have to throw up his +contract as superintendent, telling him the reason why. The Colonel +replied that he was loath to give him up, but under the circumstances +he would have to do so. + +After getting the Colonel's letter Miss Mildred agreed to remain if +there was an immediate removal. Simon said all the time he asked was +to go to the city and buy a house and lot, which he did, and the family +was soon installed in their new home. + +Simon now put the gold which Colonel R. had given him for his +faithfulness to good use. He, in addition to his dwelling, bought a +storehouse on one of the principal business streets, and put a large +stock of goods in it. He proved to be as successful a merchant as he +was a farmer. He was soon doing a large business, having to employ a +bookkeeper and a large number of clerks. + +Soon after Simon left Colonel R. had a good opportunity to sell his +plantation to good advantage, which he did, getting cash for it. + +This, with his cotton money, made a handsome fortune, which he +judiciously invested in stocks, bonds, etc. + +In his new home Simon prospered, and knew that here he would have +protection when the shades of night drew her curtain around them. + +Octavia's life from now on was what would be incident to the life of +any school-girl under a governess from six years old until sixteen, +when she graduated. She had no hairbreadth escapes as in the past. +She advanced rapidly in her studies, Miss Mildred having no trouble at +all with her. She always recited perfect lessons--in a word, was as +near perfect as mortal could be. She accompanied Miss Mildred North on +her vacation trips, which were generally spent at Saratoga Springs. +Octavia always had a bountiful supply of money, which her uncle gave +her, and consequently wanted for nothing. It is well to say here that +a check from Colonel R. was always on hand for such purposes. + +When Octavia was eight years old Colonel R. sent her an +eight-hundred-dollar piano. At ten years of age he sent the following +fine instruments: Organ, guitar, violin and harp, together with a good +supply of art material. He was simply fulfilling his purpose to give +her a finished education, and no girl was considered "finished" who was +not well grounded in music and art. Octavia thought her uncle was +giving her all these musical instruments and art material. She never +knew until in after years who was the real donor. Simon was indeed a +faithful agent and trustee. + +Miss Mildred had been Octavia's governess for seven or eight years, +when one bright morning, just before her and Octavia's annual vacation, +she was dumfounded to receive a proposal of marriage from Simon. +During all these years Cupid had been shooting darts into his heart; he +had been a silent lover of Miss Mildred. Time and again it was on the +point of his tongue to make this declaration, but knowing that he was +of an inferior race, and Miss Mildred far his superior, he shrank from +it. During all this time Miss Mildred never suspected the sentiments +he had for her, and never dreamed that he had any other than a high +regard for her as a faithful teacher to his beautiful niece. She +kindly refused him, telling him that she was too much in love with +Octavia and engrossed in teaching her to love anybody else. There were +stringent laws in this State against miscegenation, and his proposal to +elope was out of the question, as, if she ever married, that was one +way she wanted to avoid. She said she had a high regard for him as a +man of honor and integrity, and trusted that this refusal would not mar +their friendship. She said she was wrapped up in his niece, who had a +bright future before her, and while only one more session remained +before she would enter college, she would regret having to part with +her; that she had had a pleasant home in his family, and would return +after vacation to put in as faithful service in finishing up Octavia +for college as it was in her power to give. This skillful and adroit +changing of the subject relieved the embarrassment to both, and the +interview ended by Simon wishing for her and Octavia a pleasant +vacation at Saratoga. + +Simon afterwards said that if he could not marry one of a superior he +would not marry one of an inferior race. + +In this connection I would say that it is one of the leading +characteristics of the negro to want to marry one of better blood, with +straight hair and white skin. Consequently mulattoes and quadroons are +in demand. Especially do they bank on straight hair; if he or she have +straight hair it hides all the ugliness of the face. It is a common +remark that females of the white race resort to all kinds of ways to +make their hair kinky or frizzly, while those of the negro race would +give an empire for straight hair. + +Again, the negro suitor makes no objection because one has gone astray, +and has one or more illegitimate children. If she has straight hair +and a bright skin, it makes no difference about any of her past +indiscretions. + +While on the subject of matrimony among negroes, I would say that they +don't consider it a violation of the laws of God to have a plurality of +wives. True, they have one legal wife, but at the same time they have +one or more secret or illegal wives. This is the rule, and prevails +among their leading men in the churches--stewards, deacons, trustees, +Sunday-school superintendents, etc. A great deal is said against +Mormonism and polygamy, which some one has termed a "twin evil of +slavery." There is no doubt that Mormonism is one of the foulest blots +upon the escutcheon of the United States. It is passing strange that +such a curse could find a lodgment in "the best government the world +ever saw." It is not strange as to slavery, because that was +recognized in the Constitution. + +I would make the point that there is just as much polygamy among the +negroes as there is in Utah, and to be consistent the authorities +should cry out against one as the other. But it may be said that it is +the States' business to regulate this thing. If so, let them do it. +"Consistency, thou art a jewel." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +READY FOR COLLEGE. + +Octavia was now fourteen, and with her governess was spending their +vacation North. While they were absent Brutus came to the city and +gave himself up to the sheriff for the murder of Caesar about eighteen +years before. On a preliminary trial he easily proved that he did it +in self-defense and was discharged. He immediately applied to Simon +for employment. Simon was in need of some one to work his garden, chop +wood and do the chores on the place, and as Brutus was a good worker, +and for the sake of old times, he employed him. Brutus doubtless had a +motive in this, as he had not been there long before he proposed to +Elsie. She indignantly repelled him, telling him that she did not want +him or any other "kinky-headed" negro. Brutus thought that, as Elsie +had at one time in her life wandered from the paths of rectitude, she +would readily consent to a marriage. But in this "he reckoned without +his host." He continued, however, in Simon's employ and made a good +servant. During the whole time that Simon had been a resident of the +city he and his household had been very exclusive, holding aloof from +the large negro population of that place. Notwithstanding this +exclusiveness, Octavia and her governess were not unknown, and more +than one young man of Caucasian blood made efforts to get an +introduction to Octavia, but in vain. They had found out that Octavia +was one-eighth African, but that made no difference, one or two +declaring that she was so lovely and accomplished that if necessary +they would make a "Gretna Green" affair of it. + +There were so many favorable comments on Octavia's beauty when she +appeared on the streets that Miss Mildred thought best for her not to +be seen so often, and made their visits less frequent. The summer +vacation soon sped away, and teacher and pupil were at their posts of +duty to put in their last session together. Miss Mildred said it was a +pleasure to teach such an apt scholar, and Octavia declared that it was +an equal pleasure to be taught by such a proficient and competent +teacher. + +The affection that existed between the two was wonderful, something on +the order of the love that David and Jonathan had for each other. Time +did not drag heavily on teacher and pupil, as it does in some schools. +The session came to an end and the time at hand when there would have +to be a separation. It was decided, however, that Octavia should spend +the summer North with her teacher, thus postponing the time of +separation three months. Miss Mildred's work with Octavia was done. +She would now turn her over to higher educators. Ten years before she +took hold, as it were, of the budding mind of Octavia. She saw it +gradually grow and unfold, and ere long she would be a full-grown, +intellectual flower. She had faithfully performed her part in +imparting instruction, and Octavia had equally performed hers in +receiving it. The sad day arrived when Miss Mildred had to part with +Simon and Elsie--she to return to her far away Northern home and they +to remain "away down South in Dixie." + +The fact that teacher and pupil had to separate in three months marred +the otherwise pleasant vacation which they would have enjoyed together. +It was more of a perfunctory sojourn together, both dreading the day of +separation. + +Simon consulted Colonel R. as to the college Octavia should attend, and +it was left to Miss Mildred, who recommended the large female seminary +at ----, Massachusetts. Colonel R. then wrote the President of this +seminary that he had a ward, a young lady of rare beauty and intellect, +whom he desired to enter the ensuing session, and that in addition to +his regular fees he would pay for any extra work done for his ward +liberally, and for him to spare neither time, labor nor money to +advance this young lady, that he wanted for her the best that the +institution afforded. He informed the President that she could finish +in two sessions, and that she would be present at the beginning of the +coming session. + +Three months soon sped away, and Octavia and her ex-teacher must part. +Their feelings can be better imagined than described. It had to be +witnessed to form a correct idea of the bond that existed. Miss +Mildred accompanied Octavia to the train and both were entwined in each +other's arms, kissing and caressing, and would separate, and Octavia +start for the train, when she would return, and the same performance be +repeated, and repeated again, until the conductor shouted "All aboard," +and the train moved off, bearing a desolate heart, and leaving one +equally so at the station. + +Octavia was going to a large city, an entire stranger. How desolate +one feels in a large city, with acres of humanity around you and not +acquainted with a single person! Reader, you will have to realize this +to get its full meaning. Miss Mildred had sent a telegram to the +President to meet the young lady from the South on the arrival of the +train. He did so, and endeavored to make it as pleasant as possible +for her, knowing she was a perfect stranger and far from home. The +school began the next day, and being engrossed in her studies Octavia +soon forgot her loneliness. It was not long before she was a favorite +with teachers and pupils. With such a being it could not be otherwise. +She was always referred to as "the lovely young lady from the South." +She matriculated simply as "Octavia," and when the President insisted +that she write her full name (in reality she had none), she would reply +"that will do." + +This was a strange condition to be in--a lovely, intelligent young lady +without a name! Whether the President thought anything strange about +this peculiarity was never known. In college, as with her governess, +she made rapid strides in all her studies, excelling in elocution, +music and art. + +She captivated the musical director almost on sight. He knew, however, +that propriety forbade his making it known to her. At every musical +recital every eye was focussed on her. She received the plaudits and +commendation of teacher and pupils. The following appeared in one of +the leading dailies of that city in regard to one of her recitals: "The +recital yesterday eve at the ---- Seminary was indeed a musical treat +to the large and cultured audience who graced the occasion. Miss +Octavia, a beautiful and accomplished young lady from Alabama, rendered +several difficult pieces on the piano which were grand. To have heard +these strains one would have thought he or she was listening to +Rubenstein, Mozart or others of the masters. It was a greater treat to +hear her sing. That voice! It reminded you of Adelina Patti, Jenny +Lind or other famous prima donnas. Musical Director ----, of the +seminary, is to be congratulated in having such a talented young lady +to teach. He also deserves the thanks of the public for getting up +such a musical treat." + +The above notice is only one of similar import that appeared at +different times in the various city papers while Octavia was at the +seminary. The session progressed apace; the musical director all the +while becoming more and more infatuated with his Southern magnolia, as +he termed her. The session at last came to a close, much to the regret +of the musical director. Octavia's success had been phenomenal from +the first. Her music teacher, being so infatuated, was probably +partial, and gave her extra attention. While it was Colonel R.'s wish +that she receive extra attention, for which teachers would get extra +pay, this teacher of music imparted this extra instruction because of +his extra love which he had for his fair pupil from the South. He had +always boasted that he could withstand the charms of the loveliest, but +he had at last been conquered and had surrendered, "horse, foot and +dragoons," to the loveliest being that he had ever beheld. He resolved +to make an effort to make her his bride. Consequently he indited the +following epistle, which he decided to send her on the evening of +commencement, this being grand concert night, and the closing of the +school: + + +"Dear Miss Octavia: I suppose you will be surprised to receive such a +note from me, but I don't see why, as my every look and act for the +past nine months plainly indicated that I was passionately, devotedly +and blindly in love with you. But the rules of the seminary as well as +propriety forbade that I should tell you so. The session having closed +I now say so, with all the emphasis of my soul, that you are the +loveliest and most intelligent girl that these heretofore +woman-resisting eyes have ever beheld. Have the breezes wafted this +magnolia from the South to make me happy or miserable the balance of my +days? Heaven grant that it may be the former. I have surrendered to +the most attractive object in existence. This conquest was made +innocently on your part, you not having the remotest idea that I +entertained any such feelings for you. You are the essence of +quintessence; the nectar that Jupiter sipped of the gods was not half +so sweet. But enough until I see you and have a personal interview, +which I hope you will grant immediately. I anxiously await until the +messenger returns. Yours, madly in love with the beautiful flower from +Alabama, + +"Your Music Teacher." + + +Upon reading this passionate effusion she burst into tears, and it was +quite awhile before she was calm enough to send the following note: + + +"My Efficient Music Teacher: Your note has just been received and +contents regretfully noted. I am pained to have such sentiments from +you, and sorry that I have innocently caused such. Were I ever so +willing to reciprocate the sentiments expressed, there is an impassable +barrier between us, the cause of which I cannot and will not explain. +I am sure this is only a passing fancy with you, and on reflection you +will soon forget me, and 'Richard will be himself again.' I leave in +the early morning for my home in Dixie, where I can have the pleasure +of again being with my dear mother and uncle. I appreciate your extra +efforts in my behalf in my music lessons, but I cannot and will not +grant the interview. Your music pupil from Alabama, + +"Octavia." + + +Upon reading this respectful but positive refusal he tore it in +fragments and tossed it out of the window. He then wrote the following +note to President ----, of the seminary: + + +"Dear Sir: Please engage the services of Miss ----, who has been my +proficient assistant during the session just closed, as your musical +directress during the ensuing session. Don't ask me to explain. Yours +truly, ----." + + +After writing this he deliberately took his pistol, and placing it to +his forehead, fired. The occupants of the house, hearing the report, +rushed into his room and found him on the floor, pistol by his side and +bullet hole in his forehead, from which blood was trickling. They soon +discovered the note to President ----, of the seminary, sent it to him, +with instructions to come at once and bring a surgeon with him. The +two were soon there, and the surgeon, on examining, found that the +would-be suicide failed to make a center shot, the ball being deflected +and going around the skull, where he extracted it without much trouble. +He soon regained consciousness from the concussion, arranged his +affairs and left on an early train, never to return. There were +glowing accounts in the morning papers of the grand concert, +complimenting the director; also giving glowing descriptions of +Octavia's singing and playing, and in the same issue giving a detailed +account of the tragedy at No. -- ---- Street, when the musical director +shot and thought he had killed himself. As a natural consequence the +city, early the next morning, was all agog about the "Grand Concert" +and the attempted suicide of the musical director who so successfully +conducted it. Everybody was amazed, as no clew could be found for his +deed and flight. Octavia called at the President's house on her way to +the train to bid him farewell. She inquired of him the cause of the +commotion in the city. He told her he was surprised to find that she +had not heard of the attempted suicide of his musical director, and her +music teacher the past session. He told her of his note requesting him +to employ the assistant directress as principal the ensuing session, +which he would have to do, as the director had fled and no cause could +be found for all this, as he had left in good shape, at least as to +money matters. She could easily have told him the cause, but kept her +counsel. It was with difficulty that she could restrain her tears +while he was telling this. + +The President congratulated her on the success she had attained in the +seminary, and told of the encomiums he had heard heaped upon her, and +after giving her a pressing invitation to return and graduate at the +seminary, he bade her an affectionate farewell. She was soon aboard +the Pullman sleeper and on her way to the Southland. Being an entire +stranger to every one on the train she had opportunity to read the +account in one of the city papers, which she had purchased, of the +preceding night's events. She was not a vain or egotistical girl, and +the papers' compliments of herself did not "turn her head." She was +only gratified that she really merited these plaudits. She was +grieved, however, to know that she was the innocent cause of the +attempted suicide of the musical director, and of President ---- being +deprived of his efficient services the ensuing term. The lightning +speed of the train soon landed her in her mother's arms, who, with +Simon, gave her a joyous welcome. She had much to say to them of her +seminary life, of the plaudits of the press and people and the farewell +commendation of the President, and when she told them of the attempted +suicide of her music teacher, and she being the cause, she broke down +and wept bitterly. They comforted her by telling her that her next +music teacher would be a lady, and surely that could not happen again. + +She whiled away the hours of vacation at her piano or organ or with her +guitar, violin or harp. Several attempts to gain admission to her +society by some of the best white bloods of the city were made, but all +in vain. She always refused, telling them that she was a school-girl +striving for an education, and she would admit nothing that would +detract her from her studies. + +Three months soon rolled away, and she bade her mother and uncle +farewell, she hoped for the last time, they showering upon her many God +bless you's and best wishes. + +The second and last session of her seminary life was but a repetition +of the first, minus the musical director, and another variation, which +will soon be narrated. + +Let us now return for awhile to Octavia's home and notice an event that +was destined to have an important bearing upon Octavia's post graduate +life. A wealthy lady from the North came to the city with a letter of +introduction from Miss Mildred to Simon. She was simply making a tour +of the South, and Miss Mildred knowing that her friend would be in the +city where she had spent ten years of her life, gave her this letter. +Anything emanating from Miss Mildred was all right, in Simon's and his +sister's estimation, and they gave the lady a cordial welcome, bidding +her spend her time with them. She respectfully declined, but said that +she would come around often while in the city. This lady had a costly +diamond ring, valued at one thousand dollars, which she had taken from +her finger one day while at Simon's residence. While in the +sitting-room she had carelessly laid the ring on the dresser and forgot +it until some time afterwards, when she could find it nowhere. All of +the occupants of the house were questioned about it; search for it was +made, but it could be found nowhere. It was clearly a case of theft. +But who did it? was the question. Surely Miss Mildred would not give +her a letter of introduction to a family any one of whom would steal a +ring laid on a dresser. Yet she had lost it in their house, and as +Simon was at his place of business suspicion at once pointed to Elsie +as the thief. The lady put the case in a detective's hands to ferret +out. Simon had a next door neighbor, a negro woman as black as the +proverbial ace of spades, whom he had spotted as the real thief. She +was frequently employed to do scouring and cleaning up in his house, +and while she was not doing any work of that kind on the day the ring +was stolen, she could easily have stealthily gone into the sitting-room +and got it. This woman told several parties that she saw Elsie have a +fine diamond ring. The detective found this out and questioned the +woman, who confirmed the report. The detective at once suspicioned the +woman and also that the woman said she would swear that she saw Elsie +have on a fine diamond ring. + +Simon at once employed a rising young attorney to defend his sister, as +he knew she would be arraigned in court. The Grand Jury was in +session, Elsie was indicted, and the trial set for Monday of the next +week. The trial came off, and there was a hotly contested legal battle +between the opposing counsel, Elsie's lawyer making a fine speech in +her behalf and having no trouble in impeaching the evidence of the only +witness the State had. Elsie's lawyer proved and brought out the fact +that this woman, the State's witness, was in love with Brutus and +Brutus in love with Elsie, and that she would swear to Elsie having a +diamond ring, when, as the woman thought, Elsie would be convicted, +sent to State's prison, and she would have no opposition to Brutus' +heart and hand. The attorney made the telling point, that "green eyed +jealousy" was why this woman had perjured herself. The jury gave Elsie +a unanimous acquittal. This woman, the State's only witness, was then +arrested for perjury, when she confessed to having stolen the ring, and +to swearing to a lie on Elsie, and handed the ring to the presiding +judge. This woman was "hoisted on her own petard," being sent to the +penitentiary, instead of Elsie. + +Simon thought best to keep all this from Octavia, to whom we will now +return. There were two lawyers in the city where Octavia was attending +school, who had been struck, the previous session, with Octavia's +beauty and accomplishments, but had kept it to themselves. During this +session, they attended every recital at the seminary, and the church +that Octavia attended. They could, at least, admire at a distance. +There were stringent rules, in the seminary, forbidding the girls from +having gentlemen visitors. To this, Octavia made no objection, as was +done by many other students. It is needless to say that the admiration +of these lawyers increased, as the session wore on, Octavia being +ignorant of anything of the kind. These men, by some means, found out +that the other was in love with this young lady from Alabama, and +became bitter enemies, because of this. The session closed, and +Octavia graduated with the highest honors, taking all of the prizes, +some of which were valuable. + +The city papers were again highly complimentary of Octavia, and +predicted a brilliant career, for "the accomplished young lady from +Alabama." The President of the seminary agreed that on the night of +the grand concert, the girls would be allowed to receive attentions +from the young men, if agreeable. Octavia's silent rivals met up with +each other, on their way to the concert, when the subject of the girls +being allowed that night to receive gentlemen attendants, was broached. +One claimed the privilege of seeing Miss Octavia; the other said he +would enjoy that privilege himself, both showing how egotistical they +were. Miss Octavia's feelings were not taken into consideration. They +kept contending, until a difficulty ensued, both pulling their pistols +and firing at the same time, both falling, one dead and the other +wounded. Of course the police were soon there, and the wounded man +gave the facts which have just been related. + +The concert came off, and Octavia carried off the laurels of the +evening. She might not have done so, however, if she had been told +that two men, perfect strangers to her had fought a duel about her, one +getting killed, and the other wounded. "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis +folly to be wise." After the conclusion of the concert, all this was +told her, when she immediately went to her room, and was weeping, when +the President of the seminary knocked, and was admitted. He inquired +the cause of her grief when she said that again she was the innocent +cause of another tragedy; one man dead and another wounded, on her +account. The President then tried to comfort her, telling her that he +was more the cause of it than any one; that he had removed the +restrictions that night, and that these men, not knowing that she would +see either one, got into a quarrel as to which one should see her, with +the results as stated. + +He then complimented her on her attainments and brilliant success in +the seminary; of her original graduating essay, etc., and assured her +that she would always find a fast friend in him, and wished her +unbounded success in life, and would now sadly say farewell. When he +was gone, she again was convulsed with tears; bitter tears, at parting +with her presiding teacher, and of being innocently the cause of the +tragedy that had just been enacted. + +She retired weeping, and cried herself to sleep, and was awakened early +the next morning by her hackman, to take her to the train, which was +almost ready to start. She hastily dressed, and with her baggage was +soon in the hack, arriving just in time for Octavia to board the moving +train. She was bidding farewell to the city of her triumphs, in which +two tragedies had been enacted on her account, and was on her way to +her own Southern, sunny, happy home, at the same time wondering what +would be her future. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +IN THE RED CROSS SERVICE. + +In this age of the world, distance is no object, and Octavia was soon +in the bosom of her family, and would follow that career, which God in +His Providence would work out for her. + +Simon and Elsie were proud of Octavia, as they had a right to be. She +had just graduated with highest honors from one of the foremost +Northern seminaries, and had brought home a lot of prizes, some of them +valuable. + +She was beautiful and didn't know it; accomplished, without +ostentation; and was modest, gentle, courteous and dignified. + +Brutus, who was still in Simon's employ as servant, and kept in a +servant's place, frequently said, that if he didn't know to the +contrary, he would say that Octavia, "wuz a sho' nuff white 'oman." + +Of course she had to tell her uncle and mother about the lawyers +fighting a duel about her; of one getting killed, and the other +wounded; and she the innocent cause. Simon consoled her with the fact +that she was at home now, and could seclude herself, if she so desired, +and not be molested by men. She said she could not live the life of a +hermit, regardless of what the men thought of her. + +They then told her of the diamond ring occurrence, and that they had +purposely kept it from her while at school, and determined to await her +return, when they could explain the matter better, orally. + +Not long after her return, she was in Simon's store, and Elsie's +attorney happened to come in. Simon, in an humble, courteous way +introduced his niece to the attorney, as "Octavia," who had just +graduated with distinguished honors, from the foremost seminary in the +North. Both acknowledged the introduction with a bow, after which, +Octavia left the store, and the attorney, after making some purchases, +doing the same. That was a brief meeting, but Cupid had put in his +work. The attorney on his way home determined, if he could, to know +more of this lovely being. It must be said here, that the attorney had +heard of her beauty and accomplishments, and of her lowly birth, and +having one-eighth African blood coursing through her veins. The next +day he was in Simon's store again, and remarked that he would like to +hear his niece play and sing, and to examine her art collection. Simon +said he would be pleased to have him do so, and thought that his niece +would make no objection. He said he would be around after tea to enjoy +this pleasure. Will wonders never cease? Here was one of the leading +attorneys of the city, and purest of the pure Caucasians, becoming +smitten with an octoroon. Simon then reminded him of the social +barriers that existed and of the effect it might have on his practice, +and on him socially. He left the store, remarking "Society be d----." +At supper, Simon told his niece that the attorney would be there to +hear her play and sing, and to inspect her art collection. She said +that it must not be a social call. Simon went back to his store, +thinking a lot, but saying nothing. He had been in public business so +long, that he could read human character almost like a book. He was +satisfied in his mind that Elsie's attorney had succumbed to Octavia's +charms, and he would await developments with anxiety. + +This attorney was young and handsome and already had gained a lucrative +practice at the bar, and was still adding fame to his laurels. +Notwithstanding her short acquaintance, Octavia confessed secretly that +she was favorably impressed with him, but at the same time, she knew +that social barriers would prevent his paying her and she receiving his +attentions. + +At the appointed time, he was ringing the bell for admittance, which +was answered by Elsie, who invited him into the parlor. + +Octavia soon came in, when he told her that he had come to have the +pleasure of hearing her play and sing, and to inspect her art +collection. She gave him a cordial greeting, saying that he flattered +her, but, that if she had any talent for music and art, he was welcome +to witness and hear the same. He expressed himself as delighted with +her paintings; and then requested her to play and sing. She rendered +her graduating recital in music, on the piano. He thought it grand and +magnificent, and requested her to sing, which she did, using the organ +first, and then, guitar, as an accompaniment. + +He was charmed, and said that he had never heard her equal. That her +voice was sweet, but not inaudible; melodious, but not husky; loud, but +not boisterous; clear and harmonious; and that but few prima donnas, +who were delighting thousands, by their voices on the stage, came up to +her standard of singing. + +On leaving, he asked the pleasure of again calling, that he had often +heard of her, but had not had the pleasure of meeting her until their +brief introduction the day before at her uncle's store--but, that now, +he had come, seen and heard, and was conquered. + +He said that like the "Queen of Sheba," he could also say, that "the +half had not been told." She politely replied that the proprieties of +Southern social life would not permit a social call from him on her, +but that if it was any pleasure, he might come and hear her play and +sing, and to inspect her paintings--he might do so, but not in a social +way. He thanked her, and left, and on his way home, hurled anathemas +against social laws, so far as they separated him and Octavia. Of +course, he knew it would not do for the races to intermingle and +commingle, indiscriminately. But Octavia was so near pure white, that +it amounted to "a distinction without a difference." That he was +passionately in love with Octavia there was no doubt. What must he do? +What would the effect of these visits, if known, have on his practice? + +He was not wholly indifferent to public opinion, and while he knew what +the opinion would be, he was determined to hear Octavia play and sing, +let the consequences be what they may. + +The attorney was not the only Caucasian who had succumbed to Octavia's +charms. A wealthy real estate agent, and president of the local bank, +was in the same predicament. He had repeatedly sought an introduction, +but had never been able to reach the goal of his desires. + +The attorney saw Simon, and asked him to say to his niece that he would +come at 8 P.M., to hear some more of her singing. Simon did so. +Whereat, she was pleased as well as sad. She cared more for the +attorney than she was willing to admit. At the same time she knew that +it was wrong, socially, for a white man to be making visits to her +uncle's house. The public might think that his visits were purely on +business, as he had been her mother's successful attorney. But, if +they continued, their object would soon be found out. "You may fool +all the people awhile, but you can't fool some of the people all the +while." When the attorney came, she had on her "best bib and tucker," +and never looked lovelier. Whether she wanted to make an additional +impression, or not, on the attorney, the fact is she did. He came, saw +and heard again, and was charmed and chained to the spot by her +loveliness. He had often heard of Eden--he had found it. He did not +see how there could be a more attractive paradise elsewhere. If +allowed, he would remain--he was not like Mahomet, who, it is said, +after a long hot day's journey over the desert sands, came in sight +(just as the sun, as it were, was going down into the Mediterranean) of +Damascus, surrounded by a desert and situated on those beautiful +rivers, Pharpar and Abana,--Damascus, in which were bubbling fountains, +gardens of olives, dates, figs, oranges and all manner of tropical +fruits; streets shaded by royal palms, dotted here and there, with +magnificent mosques with their lofty minarets, and lovely dwellings. +This, after his weary, hot day's journey, was a charming sight, an +enchanting spectacle; how he longed to slake his thirst from those +bubbling springs, and bathe in those cool fountains, and then rest +under those royal palms, or appease his hunger, by eating of those +tropical fruits. He was tempted to enter, but after gazing longingly, +he said, "it was ordained for man to enter paradise but once," and +turned around and retraced his journey. With the attorney, it was +different; he had entered this paradise, and knew he had to leave, but +how? He arose to do so, and before he was aware of it, he was on his +knees before the fair Octavia. He declared his love with all the +fervor and ardor of a Castilian, and asked her heart and hand in +marriage. He had successfully pleaded the case of her mother, on a +false charge; might he not be as successful in pleading his case before +her, who was judge, counsel and jury?--his charge was true, that he +loved her, adored her, worshipped her. She listened patiently until he +finished, and then bade him rise and be seated. Like a chained +captive, he obeyed. She then in a cool, quiet, dignified manner told +him that she entertained feelings for him that she did not for any +other man, and which she supposed writers of romance would call love, +but that he knew and she knew that there was a social chasm between +them, that could not be bridged--that both knew that the laws of the +State were very stringent against the races intermarrying, and that it +was wrong for him to propose, or for her to accept. Being a lawyer, he +pleaded that it might be a legal wrong, but that there was no moral +wrong, and to get around this legal objection, they could soon go to a +State that had no laws on the subject. She then told him of her humble +birth--that of a slave--and of her life afterwards. He replied that he +knew all, but that that did not have a feather's weight with him--that +it was not birth, wealth or environment that made noble men or women; +but that it was true worth and merit, modesty, beauty, accomplishments, +gentleness and dignity, all of which she possessed to a most marked +degree. She replied that she was created under the present +environments and whether it was fortunate or unfortunate for her, she +must submit to it, and that it would be wrong to question the wisdom or +unwisdom as to how she was brought into existence. She then told the +attorney that her future career would be one of mercy; that she thought +it her duty to ameliorate as far as possible, the sufferings of +mankind, and that she had decided before graduation, the Lord +permitting, to join the Red Cross Society, and asked to be sent to +Europe, for a position with the Russian Army, that was then waging war +against Turkey. She hated to leave home--her mother, uncle--and as to +friends, she had none. + +The attorney protested that he was her friend, lover, and would be her +husband, whenever she said the word. She insisted that it would be +better for them to part; but, that when in a foreign land, she would if +it afforded any pleasure, carry on a friendly correspondence with him. +He thanked her, telling her that that would be one grain of comfort; +but begged her to reconsider, and not bury herself, as it were, in +nursing those despicable Cossacks and Turks. + +She said her decision was unalterable. With this, he took his leave, +fearing she might never return. He consoled himself with the thought +that she loved him, and if she ever returned, he would still have hopes +of winning her. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast." Once get +a woman to love a man, and all obstacles will as a rule be overcome. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +IN FOREIGN LANDS--STRATEGY--LOVE CONQUERS. + +Octavia made known to her uncle and mother the attorney's passionate +proposal and pleading--of her previous determination to go on a mission +of mercy, joining the Red Cross Society. Both pleaded with her to give +up her European trip, whatever she did with the attorney. But secretly +they wanted Octavia to accept him. Both liked him. A firm friendship +had been formed. He had successfully pleaded Elsie's case, and would +be pleased to see the match. But Octavia was of age, and marrying was +a personal matter, and every one must choose for herself. + +She was firm in her decision to go, and they soon saw that further +pleading was of no use. It was only a question of short time to make +the necessary arrangements for her departure. Just before her +departure Colonel R. died. Just previous to his sickness and death, he +wrote Simon to come to see him, as he wanted to confer with him on some +important business. Simon went, and the Colonel said to him, that he +did not think he had long to live, and that in his will, he would +bequeath Octavia fifty thousand dollars in gold, and for him, Simon, to +act as her agent and trustee, until Octavia chose to make use of it. +Simon was grateful on behalf of his niece for this liberal bequest. +Colonel R. said that this would be the crowning act of atonement for +his wrong in bringing Octavia into the world. He said he had sought +forgiveness for this act, and that he felt that God, for Christ's sake, +had pardoned him; not only for this, but other wrongs. He said to +Simon that he had heard of Octavia's brilliant success in college, of +the plaudits of her teachers, press and public. If Octavia, said he, +went to Europe, it would be simply to get rid of her suitors; that hers +was an anomalous condition. She would not wed beneath herself, and the +laws of the country forbid her marrying a white man. He would now bid +farewell to his ex-foreman, for the last time, wishing him unbounded +success in life. + +Colonel R.'s heirs contested the will, or that part bequeathing the +gold to Octavia, and made strenuous efforts to have the courts set it +aside. Simon again employed Elsie's ex-attorney to defend that clause +in the will. There was a fierce legal battle, but the will as a whole +was sustained, and Octavia was left independent. + +Octavia now departed on her mission of mercy, Simon and Elsie believing +that they would never see her again. She was bidding farewell to home, +kindred,--to all that she held most dear. "Yes, my native land, I +leave thee, far in foreign lands to dwell." After arriving in New +York, she soon obtained passports for St. Petersburg, Russia, taking +the first steamer, and ere long, would be + + "_Out on the ocean, all boundless we ride._" + + +After arriving in St. Petersburg, she made known her mission to the +authorities, who appointed a guard to escort her to the Russian Army, +and she was soon administering comfort to the sick and wounded. She +really proved to be an angel of mercy, as her beauty alone often +brought hope to the despairing one. + +About two months after she began work as an agent of the Red Cross, she +received a telegram that her mother had died from smallpox. It is +trouble enough to lose a parent and be at her bedside, but to be in a +foreign land, with an army which is fighting another, with not a single +friend or acquaintance to comfort you, is heart-rending. This was the +severest grief of her life. But, being engrossed by her duties, her +grief was tempered. It is said that "duty is the sublimest word in the +English language." Certainly, it is the best cure for trouble, grief, +disappointments, or any of the ills of life. + +Soon after this, she received a long letter of condolence from her +attorney lover, on the death of her mother. This was quite a comfort, +and she redoubled her efforts to comfort the sick, wounded, distressed, +dying soldiers around her. While engaged in her mission of mercy, she +became acquainted with Count ----, a gallant colonel in the Russian +Army. This count, like the American attorney, fell desperately in love +with her, and made it known the first opportunity, asking her hand in +marriage as soon as hostilities ceased. She repelled his offer, +telling him that among the sick, dead and dying, was no place to be +thinking about anything of that kind. The count took his defeat +philosophically, saying to his friends that he would bide his time and +renew his suit for the fair American angel of mercy, in "the sweet +by-and-by." + +Octavia found time to correspond with her uncle, and her attorney +lover, telling each how she had become fond of her work, and that it +was not as objectionable as one would think. + +The war finally closed, and Octavia determined to return to America, +and render comfort to the soldiers who were then fighting the Indians +on the plains. She had caught a severe cold, while discharging her +duties at the front, which resulted in pneumonia, and for days her +physician despaired of her life. Finally, he announced that the crisis +had passed, and that good nursing would soon bring her round all right, +and wired this welcome news to Simon. It required a month or more to +recuperate and gain strength. In that time, she saw from the American +papers, that the Indian war had ceased. Consequently, she decided to +remain in the Russian capital, whither she had gone after hostilities, +a year or more. She had found trouble in rightly discharging her +duties, because of her inability to speak the Russian language. +Consequently, she determined to master that, and a half dozen or more +of the principal languages of Europe, during her stay in St. +Petersburg. The signs of the times pointed to another European war, +and she would stand in need of one or more of the languages she was +studying. + +Count ---- again renewed his suit with the fair Octavia, promising her +title, wealth, ease and pleasure, and as he was closely related to the +reigning family, she would have access to the pleasures of the Royal +Court of Russia. To all of his pleadings she would say nay, telling +him that she did not come to Europe hunting a husband with a title, and +that she was disgusted with the snobbery displayed by some American +girls in hunting for a husband with a title to his name. She said she +was a plain girl from Republo-Democratic America, and came to render +succor, aid and comfort to the sick, distressed, dead, wounded and +dying, of the Russian Army, and that her mission to that particular +field being ended, she was studying the various foreign languages, +while waiting for another opportunity to continue her mission of mercy. +This reply was characteristic of her. It is a fact that many American +girls, disgust the public in their chase after titled husbands--they +furnishing the wealth, and the husband, the empty title. Away with +such snobbishness! Simon kept her supplied with what funds she needed; +she was popular in society and being so exceptionally beautiful and +accomplished, she had from time to time a number of suitors, to all of +whom she would reply as she did to the Russian count. Besides, she +would be violating the trust imposed in her, and as long as she +remained an agent of the Red Cross, she would wed no man. The American +Ambassador to the Russian Court had heard of Octavia's beauty and +accomplishments, and of her refusing the Russian Count, and a number of +other desirable suitors. He said to his wife, that they must seek the +acquaintance of this wonderful American woman. They went to her hotel, +sent in their card, and received a cordial greeting. Octavia said she +was delighted to see any one from America, and especially the +Ambassador and wife. They promised to call frequently, and that they +would do all in their power to make her visit as pleasant as possible +during her stay in the city. In Russia's gay capital, she had all that +"wealth or beauty e'er gave," but there was a longing, which none of +this would satisfy. She often thought of her home in America--of her +dear uncle, of--yes, of her lover lawyer. Do what she may, she could +not efface him from her memory. She resolved to return, and await an +opportunity for service from the Red Cross. On the return voyage, her +vessel was wrecked in a storm, half of the passengers perishing, she +being among the saved, all of whom were carried to the nearest port, +from whence they were forwarded to New York. She went out and spent a +few days with Miss Mildred, who approved of her mission of mercy. She +parted with her former governess with many regrets, and was soon +caressing her uncle, in "Dixie's land." This was a joyful as well as +sad meeting. Her mother had died during her absence, and there was a +vacant chair which could never be filled. It took quite awhile to +relate her experiences in Europe, of her refusal to be Countess ----, +with wealth, ease, and all the pleasures of the Royal Court. + +Simon told her that he was prouder of her now, than ever. + +As was to be expected, her lover soon called, and while his +correspondence with her in Europe was only of a friendly character, he +had not despaired of making her his wife, if she ever returned. He +renewed his suit with more fervor than ever, but to all his entreaties +she would kindly but sadly say that were her environments or +circumstances different, she would bestow her hand where her heart was +already. His visits clandestinely made, were frequent. During her +absence in Europe, he had been elected State's Attorney, a responsible +and lucrative office, in which he had better opportunities to add to +his already well earned fame. + +After her return, she decided to write up her experiences in Europe +minus the proposals, and publish them in one of the leading Northern +journals. This, her first attempt at writing for the press, elicited +favorable comment. + +One day, while reading one of the latest novels, a messenger, nearly +out of breath, came running in with the sad news that her uncle was +dead. She hastened to the store, to find it too true. Her grief knew +no bounds. The physician who had been called pronounced his trouble, +apoplexy. She loved her uncle as she did her mother. Simon had gained +the confidence of all classes, and had built up a large lucrative +business. He was upright and honorable; just and fair in his dealings, +and his death was a public loss. There was a large funeral procession, +both white and black attending almost _en masse_. + +In his will, Simon left everything to Octavia, making his book-keeper +executor, without bond. Octavia requested him to immediately settle up +the estate, turning all of Simon's property into money, which he easily +did. + +She also requested him to purchase two magnificent monuments for her +mother's and uncle's grave. + +Her lover continued his visits, offering what comfort he could to +Octavia. Of course propriety forbade him mentioning matrimony. +Octavia was indeed lonely now. Not a relative in the world that she +knew of. How desolate! It is true, that troubles never come singly; +as the day after her uncle's burial, she saw in the newspapers, notice +of the death and burial of her former governess, Miss Mildred. In her +loneliness, she would weep for hours at a time. But time heals all +things, and in a few months, her grief was somewhat assuaged. She made +up her mind to go North to live. At his next visit, she told the +attorney of her intention. He then brought up the "tender subject," +again, and made the plea of his life, telling her that she was alone in +the world, and had no ties to bind her here, and to be happy the +balance of his life, he would give up his office, his practice, and +sever every tie that bound him here, and go with her anywhere on the +globe, if, by so doing, he could make her his wife. She burst into +tears because of her loneliness; tears, because of the barrier between +them; and said that it would be best for them not to marry and that he +would soon forget her, after her departure. He went away sorrowfully, +resolving to resort to strategy. The next day, the city dailies +contained the startling information, that State's Attorney ----, had +resigned his office, wound up his affairs and would leave in a few days +to make his home in one of the South American Republics. After seeing +this, Octavia threw herself on her couch, and wept bitter, bitter +tears. There is this difference in men and women when in trouble: the +former, frequently resort to drink, while the latter resort to tears. + +The attorney's masterpiece of strategy was successful. + +Brutus, who was still doing the chores on the place, came in while +Octavia was crying and said, "Miss Octay, what de matter?" she replied: +"Nothing of consequence." He left, and she immediately recalled him +and told him to come back in five or ten minutes, and take a note to +State's Attorney ----. He left, saying, "Yes, miss." Brutus was soon +back, when she sent the following note to the State's Attorney: + + +"Dear Mr. ----: I am miserable, oh, so miserable; please come to me at +once! Octavia." + + +It is needless to say, he went, and was exulting over his successful +strategy as he rang for admittance. She was waiting, and as he +entered, she ran into his arms, saying: "Take me anywhere. I'll be +your wife, regardless of all social laws." + +To say there was a happy couple goes without saying. + +In two days both left, the lawyer ostensibly for South America, and +Octavia for New York City. Both, however, drew their money from the +bank, and bought New York exchange. + +They were quietly married in the metropolis of America. After marriage +he laughingly told Octavia of the deception he had practiced upon +her--that the notice in the city papers of his intended departure for +South America was only a ruse to bring her to terms; that he had made +no resignation, at that time, of his office, and that the notice was +paid for as an advertisement. He said it was a two-edged sword, +cutting both ways; at first, deceiving her, and then, the public, but +with this difference: She was undeceived, while the public still +thought he was by this time in the wilds of South America. + +She embraced him, and amid a perfect shower of kisses, said: "Let the +public think as they please, the fact remains that you are my own dear +husband, whom I love better than life itself, and I am glad, oh, so +glad, that you took that means to bring me to terms. If you had not, I +might have refused you from time to time, on account of the fraction of +African blood that circulates in my veins, and you might, through +spite, have married some woman that you did not love." + +He admitted that there was much philosophy in what she had said, and, +if she hadn't married him, that he might now have been in the Alabama +River. He said that he didn't wonder at those Northern men killing +themselves, and one another, about her. + +Then saying, "My dear wife, let's dismiss all of those unpleasant +things of the past, and talk about the future. Where shall we 'drive +down stakes?'" + +She said she would leave all that with him. While both of their means, +put together, would make a fortune, and judiciously invested, would +provide for them, the balance of their days, she was sure that a man of +his caliber would want an active life, and would go where he could find +it. + +"Thank you," said he; "and that means one of the mining States of the +West, which is comparatively new." + +And there they went, and he prospered as he never did before. He +located in the capital of the State, and soon was doing a good law +practice. + +Octavia became the center of attraction for a large coterie of friends, +and if her husband had been of a jealous disposition, he might have +shown it. + +He was successively elected alderman, mayor of the city, representative +and senator, in the State legislature, attorney-general and governor. +In after years, when several children had blessed their union, they +often spoke of their home in "Dixie's land;" of Octavia's many +hairbreadth escapes; of the Northern tragedies on her account; of the +many suitors who had received their mittens from her; of her Red Cross +life; and last, but not least, of his successful strategy in bringing +her to terms. Octavia admitted, shortly after marriage, that she +deliberately ran off to Europe, knowing that if she remained, she would +have to "marry him, to get rid of him." + +They are now planning a visit to the old original home of Octavia, the +Octoroon. + + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Octavia, by J. F. Lee + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OCTAVIA *** + +***** This file should be named 34262.txt or 34262.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/2/6/34262/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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