ALEXANDER 
 GIFFORD 
 
 Vi'Let's Bo 
 
 
 REV.H.A. MERRILL 
 
LIBRARY 
 
REV. HENRY A. MERRILL. 
 
ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 OR 
 
 VI'LET'S BOY 
 
 A STORY OF NEGRO LIFE 
 
 By 
 
 REV. HENRY A. MERRILL 
 
 lUts0tt*t*d 
 
 SALEM, MASS. 
 PRESS OF NEWCOMB & GAUSS 
 
 1905 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 DAVIS 
 
Copyright, 1905 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. HENRY A. MERRILL 
 
TO THE 
 
 OEDucateD 
 
 WHO ARE GIVING THEIR REDEEMED SELVES 
 FOR THE UPLIFT OF THEIR PEOPLE 
 
 Cite ftoofc is 
 Il\e0pectf ullp SDetricatrD 
 
preface 
 
 There is more " truth than fiction" in this little book that 
 I am sending out. In writing the story, I have sought to 
 show the real purpose of most educated negroes, just as I 
 have seen it carried out, in their efforts to adjust themselves to 
 their new surroundings. 
 
 My negro characters are taken from lowly cabin homes, ed 
 ucated in good schools, and become influential agencies 
 among their people. The white characters illustrate three dis 
 tinct ideas of negro education. 
 
 The story begins and ends in the South. I have quoted from 
 "Negro Women" and "The Negro Child" by Mrs. S. H. 
 Harris as published in the "Atlanta Constitution" and "The 
 New York Independent," from speeches made at the " Mont 
 gomery , Alabama , Race Conference," in 1900, and an address 
 given in Boston by a leading educator. 
 
 To each of these I am under obligations, also to Roswell 
 Bros., Anniston, Ala. for the use of the illustration "De Ol' 
 Cabin 'ome." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I Barney ville, Georgia, .... i 
 
 II A'nt Car'line Gifford at home, . . 13 
 
 III Mount Zion Church, ... . . 24 
 
 IV Death of Rev. George Washington Bunday, 48 
 
 V The Jim Crow Car, . . . . 62 
 
 VI Apollos Washington, . . . . 75 
 
 VII First Days at Larimer University, . . 91 
 
 VIII School Life in Tuckerville, . . . 101 
 
 IX Apollos Washington under a Cloud, . 122 
 
 X Alexander Gifford in Love, . . . 135 
 
 XI Tobe Washburn makes a "man outer 'ess'lf." 147 
 
 XII " Clarendon Springs House, " New York, . 155 
 
 XIII Mr. de Goochy finds his Waterloo, . 173 
 
 XIV- Commencement at Larimer University, . 194 
 
 XV Class night, 210 
 
 XVI Alexander Gifford begins work, . . 227 
 
 XVII" Like Preacher, Like People," . . 238 
 
 XVIII Marriage of Alexander Gifford and Judy Bunday, 252 
 
 XIX The Improvement Club, . . . .265 
 
 XX Mr. de Goochy seeks to arouse the Negroes, to 
 
 lynch the preacher, . . . .280 
 
 XXI Milly Brown's Return to Barney ville, and 
 
 Death, 291 
 
 XXII The attempted lynching, . . .301 
 
 XXIII Death of A'nt Car'line Gifford, . .321 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Frontispiece, 
 
 "De Ol' Cabin 'ome," . 13 
 
 School house, Tuckerville, Ala., . 101 
 
 Negro home, 265 
 
ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 OR 
 
 VY LET'S BOY 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BARNEYVILLE, GEORGIA. 
 
 It was near the close of a hot August day in 
 Barneyville, a county seat in Southern Georgia. 
 The slanting sunbeams beat upon the low roof 
 of the veranda in front of the Planters' House, 
 the leading hotel in the town, where two men sat 
 smoking and talking, waiting for the afternoon 
 mail. 
 
 The hotel stood facing the station and com 
 manded a good view of the track for quite a dis 
 tance. Already the incoming train, made up of 
 Baggage Car, Jim Crow and Smoking Car, Tour 
 ist Coach and Sleeper, was in sight. The long 
 winding train held the attention of the two men 
 
2 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 sitting on the veranda. The dust rose in dense 
 billows from beneath the wheels of the cars, and 
 mingling with the black smoke from the engine, 
 left a dark cloud behind, as the train rushed to 
 ward the station. As it came to a full stop, each 
 window of the Jim Crow car revealed a black 
 face looking curiously out toward the hotel. 
 
 The sight of these faces seemed to irritate the 
 elder of the two men on the veranda. With an 
 oath, he turned to the other, the Hon. Abner 
 Gleason, and said : 
 
 " Look at that car load of lazy, trifling niggers ! 
 Here it is right in the busy season of the year, 
 and they traveling about the country. I wish the 
 whole race was where it came from, or sunk to 
 the bottom of the sea, I don't care which." 
 
 " Not quite so bad as that, de Goochy," 
 laughed Gleason. " The fact is, we can't get 
 along without them. Who would plant our cot 
 ton and look after its growth ? Who understands 
 how to prevent its numerous diseases from Worm 
 seed, Sour knee, Bruised Shank and Blossom 
 Blight; to Wet Rust, Ball Worm and Drop? 
 Then there is not another person living, who can 
 stand bent double, with the sun beating upon his 
 head and back, like the nigger. You know as 
 well as I, we could not do business with white 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 
 
 men, as we do with the niggers. We could not 
 treat them like brutes without their resenting it." 
 
 " Well," exclaimed de Goochy, " what are they 
 but brutes anyway ? What do they know about 
 freedom ? Their one idea is to be as good as a 
 white man ! How many of them know the value 
 of a dollar ? The niggers in that car have either 
 left work half finished, or have got into trouble, 
 somewhere, and are running away. I tell you 
 Gleason, the nigger needs a master ! He does 
 not begin to be as well off as he was when he was 
 a slave." 
 
 " I guess you are about right when you say he 
 needs a master," affirmed Gleason. "The fact 
 is, the nigger has no conception of freedom ; 
 neither will he ever be a thrifty fellow, for just as 
 you see him to-day he will be one hundred years 
 from now, a lazy, trifling, lying rascal. An ob 
 ject of disgust and distrust, to the North as well 
 the South." 
 
 " I tell you de Goochy, the North is getting its 
 fill of him; for the criminal class of blacks are 
 crowding into the cities. They are going to have 
 a negro problem, as well as the South, and I am 
 mighty glad of it. You see the sins of the parent 
 are being visited upon the children; for their 
 fathers kept up a continual howl about Slavery, 
 
4 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 and now they have the precious nigger right in 
 their own dish." Both men laughed heartily at 
 the thought of the Northern man's unwelcome 
 burden. 
 
 After a moment, Gleason continued, "One 
 thing is sure, the nigger is in the North to stay; 
 and unlike the South, the Northern people do 
 not understand his capabilities, and of course can 
 not come as near keeping him where he belongs." 
 
 " Did you hear that an agent, sent out from 
 Larimer University, had been among our niggers 
 urging them to send their children to Larimer, 
 Mississipi, for instruction ?" asked de Goochy. 
 " I felt like helping him out of the town ! For 
 my part I have no use for such schools ! I have 
 never seen that they accomplished anything, only 
 to make the nigger more impudent and trifling.'' 
 
 " I have just as much use for Larimer as I 
 have for Industrial Schools, for if the nigger 
 wants Industrial training, we can give him all he 
 needs right on our farms," exclaimed Gleason. 
 
 " The North is responsible for all such Schools 
 and should be told to keep their money at home. 
 For every dollar they give to these Institutions 
 is worse than wasted and only helps to make our 
 burden harder to bear. It is making a bigger 
 fool of the nigger, and more difficult for us to 
 keep him in his place." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 
 
 "You are speaking right to the point now," 
 de Goochy excitedly added. " If you give a nig 
 ger an education, he is ruined for all practical 
 use. He gets wrong ideas into his head about 
 social equality and political rights. My coach 
 man's son attended Larimer, I believe some 
 Church or Sabbath School in the East helped 
 him through. After he was graduated he came 
 home, and instead of rolling up his sleeves and 
 going to work in the field, he got up a school for 
 little niggers, and in the fall went to Chicago, Il 
 linois to attend a Medical College." 
 
 " Talk about impudence ! I never wanted to 
 use my whip over a nigger's back as I did over 
 his. Why, he dared to tell me I had cheated his 
 father, by taking unlawful interest on provisions 
 I had sold him, and that I charged more than 
 the goods were worth." 
 
 " What did you do with him ?" asked Gleason. 
 
 " Do with him ? I showed him the hole made 
 by the carpenters in the wall, and if he had not 
 gone outside the store pretty d d quick, I would 
 have blowed his black head off his shoulders. I 
 tell you Gleason, the educated nigger is bound to 
 make trouble ! It can't be otherwise." 
 
 " If we must have these schools," urged Glea 
 son, "they should be under the control of South- 
 
6 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 ern teachers. Northern money and Northern 
 teachers to carry on the schools, are doing great 
 harm! A Southern man knows the nigger 
 through and through and will keep him in his 
 place. Under his instructions he would never be 
 allowed to forget he is nothing but a nigger. 
 Did you know, de Goochy, the Northern teach 
 ers at Larimer sit at the same table with the 
 students ?" 
 
 "No. Is it possible? What can they be 
 thinking of?" de Goochy grimly asked. 
 
 " They lay great stress on the home training 
 of the school, and claim for their graduates, not 
 only superior qualifications for usefulness, be 
 cause of their education, but that the home train 
 ing is of untold value, enabling them to go out 
 among their own race, and by example and pre 
 cept lift them up to a better life," repeated Glea- 
 son, as if quoting from some book or article he 
 had read. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy entered into the spirit of Glea- 
 son's manner and speech and laughed heartily, and 
 then said: " The idea of bettering a nigger's home 
 life is all bosh ! Nigger refinement and nig 
 ger table manners are too absurd for anything! 
 It's like the fable of the 'pig in the parlor.'" 
 
 "I suppose your coachman's son was following 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 
 
 out the instruction he received at Larimer, when 
 he meddled with your business?" asked Gleason. 
 
 " No doubt of it," declared de Goochy. "And 
 worst of all, he is still writing to some of my 
 ' croppers ' who can read and write, telling them 
 how to buy. I know it is so, for they are insist, 
 ing on knowing what I am charging them, and 
 requiring bills for everthing bought." 
 
 " I tell you, Gleason, such fellows are danger, 
 ous to have round ! If he ever comes back here 
 again, I am for making an example of him ! If he 
 should be found hanging to a limb some morning, 
 it would do the other niggers good," de Goochy 
 said with grim emphasis. 
 
 " I admit," assented Gleason, "it might do the 
 other niggers good and perhaps serve him right, 
 still I could not bring myself to do it." 
 
 " If he continues to interfere with my business, 
 I will do it!" 
 
 " If we do not protect ourselves and our own 
 institutions, no one else is going to do it for us," 
 de Goochy excitedly exclaimed with an oath. 
 
 The two men looked at each other in silence. 
 They were in the habit of taking the measure of 
 the whole world in their own way; their own 
 opinion being the standard by which every other 
 man's opinion was to be measured. 
 
8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 There are some men with whom time deals 
 gently, and Mr. de Goochy was one of them. He 
 belonged to one of the old French families, which 
 had settled in the South just after the Revolu 
 tionary War, and had become very wealthy. Be 
 fore the Civil War he had nearly five hundred 
 slaves. Many of these, when they were freed, re 
 mained on the plantation and " cropped'* for Mr. 
 de Goochy. 
 
 Years of failure in crops had left them to the 
 mercy of a man who had neither love nor pity for 
 them. Mr. de Goochy was a bachelor nearing 
 fifty-five years of age. His hair was black and 
 curly, his face florid and his eyes black and pierc 
 ing. He was rich and proud, portly and pom 
 pous. A man given to high living and strong 
 drink. His house was kept by a negro woman, 
 who was so nearly white that she would not have 
 been taken for a colored woman, had she lived in 
 the North. He had bought her when she was in 
 her teens, at an auction sale in New Orleans. 
 
 The negroes on the plantation whispered 
 among themselves, that there had been a child 
 born in the big house and that it did not die, but 
 disappeared with old Mammy Juliette, who had 
 been de Goochy's nurse, when a child, and loved 
 him better than his own mother did. One thing 
 
OR vi 'LET'S BOY 
 
 was sure, Juliette had gone, no^one knew where. 
 
 Mr. Gleason was not unlike Mr. de Goochy in 
 pride. He considered himself an eminently re 
 spectable man. His chief claim to the esteem of 
 his fellowmen, lay in his self-esteem, his family 
 and his wealth. He dressed well, lived well, and 
 was in every respect an aristocrat. Tall, dark, 
 with hard black eyes and flashing white teeth, he 
 moved among those he considered his inferiors 
 as if he was a superior being. One so far above 
 them, that he could not see them. 
 
 His wife was a handsome woman, wearing an 
 abundance of costly jewelry and rich dresses. 
 She drove a skittish horse to a two-wheel dog 
 cart, followed by a fine coach dog. Her view of 
 life centered in herself and her surroundings; 
 and as her husband furnished her all the money 
 she required, she regarded him as the means of 
 her enjoyment, and knew just how to manage 
 him. She never argued with him or sought to 
 convince him of wrong. She simply appealed to 
 his pride, to his love of show, his superior wis 
 dom, and carried her points every time. 
 
 They were both agreed in the one opinion that 
 their only son was the most remarkable boy ever 
 born ; and both united in spoiling him, by allow 
 ing him to have his own way in everything. 
 
10 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 While the men were talking the mail had been 
 distributed, and people were seen returning from 
 the Post Office with their letters. Just then a 
 barefooted boy came in front of the Hotel. He 
 was slender and poorly clad, about thirteen years 
 old, with straight brown hair, blue eyes and the 
 least tinge of color, and yet he was a Negro. 
 His grandmother lived at the edge of the town, 
 in a cabin that was picturesque in its wretched 
 ness, and that is the best that could be said of it. 
 It would not be inhabitable anywhere but in the 
 South. 
 
 The interior was as unattractive as the out 
 side ; for the furniture was old and broken, and 
 yet with all its want of beauty and comfort it was 
 scrupulously neat and clean. Here "A'nt Car- 
 line" lived, supporting herself and grandson by 
 washing. Alexander was just returning from de 
 livering a basket of clean linen, when he passed 
 the hotel. 
 
 "Hullo, boy!" said de Goochy, "go to the 
 office and get our mail. Mind, now, that you 
 don't drop it!" Turning to Gleason he said: 
 "There is a specimen for you. His old grand 
 mother, instead of putting him to work in the 
 field, as she ought, is scrubbing and washing to 
 keep him in school. The family used to belong 
 to your father, did they not ? " 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY n 
 
 "Yes, that boy's grandmother was my old 
 mammy and one of the kindest niggers that ever 
 lived," replied Gleason. 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha ! " laughed de Goochy, " we are all 
 soft on our mammies ! Well the young niggers 
 aint much like the old slaves, anyway. That is 
 why I claim they need a master !" 
 
 Just then Alexander returned from the Post 
 Office, and handing each of the gentlemen their 
 letters, was about to leave the veranda, when de 
 Goochy said : " If you want to earn this quarter, 
 you must dance for it; dance lively too, or you'll 
 not get it." 
 
 The sight of the money made the boy's eyes 
 shine. He was a graceful dancer. Taking his 
 stand on the ground before the veranda he began. 
 Round and round he went, dancing with increas 
 ing vigor with each line. He dug his bare heels 
 into the ground, swinging his arms and waving 
 them above his head, bowing and smiling. Now 
 he would squat down, clasping his knees and wave 
 back and forth in perfect time, then rising to his 
 feet, he seemed to stand on one toe, while he 
 swung the other foot in the air and turned a com 
 plete circle. Then running forward a few steps 
 he turned a hand spring. 'Lighting on his feet 
 he smiled, bowed and held out his hand for the 
 quarter. 
 
12 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Both men had entered into the spirit of the 
 dance with the greatest enjoyment, de Goochy 
 keeping time with his hands and feet. As he 
 handed him the money, he said : 
 
 "Well, you monkey, how are you going to 
 spend this money? Buy candy, cigars, or help 
 your old grandmother buy you a new pair of 
 pants ? " 
 
 " I's gwinter keep it ter pay mah tuwishum at 
 Larimer University, fo' I's gwine dar dis fall." 
 
 " What are you going there for ? You better 
 go to work in the cotton field, and help your 
 grandmother," snarled de Goochy. " Did you 
 ever pick cotton ? " he continued. 
 
 4t Yas sah, I kin pick cotton," said Alexander 
 as he left the veranda. 
 
 " Your grandmother is an old fool to send you 
 to Larimer. Tell her I said so when you go 
 home," de Goochy called after the boy. 
 
 Alexander hurried on, for he was to stop at a 
 neighbor's on his way home. Turning the money 
 over in his hand he said: " Annuddah quahtah 
 to he'p me git dar. Golly, wouldn't I des lub 
 ter dance all da' fo' quahtahs." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 A'NT CAROLINE GIFFORD AT HOME. 
 
 The afternoon waned, bringing with it the 
 slight chill which sometimes comes at the close 
 of a hot day. A'nt Car'line had just dried her 
 wash boiler, emptied her tub and sat down to 
 rest. The day had been wearisome, for she had 
 been hard at work. Fanning herself with her 
 apron she rocked back and forth, singing softly 
 to herself. 
 
 "O by an' by, by an' by, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load. 
 
 O by an' by, by an' by, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load. 
 
 Wen I git ter hebbin gwinter sing an' shout, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load. 
 
 Dar's nobody dar ter poter ma out, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load. 
 
 O by an' by, by an' by, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load. 
 
 O by an' by, by an' by, 
 I's gwinter lay down mah heavy load." 
 
 '3 
 
14 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Just then Tobe Washburn came to the door. 
 He was a dapper young quadroon, with black 
 curly hair, broad brow and dainty mustache. He 
 had a splendid figure and small hands and feet. He 
 perfumed his handkerchief and wore a flower in 
 the button hole of his perfectly fitting coat. His 
 linen was immaculate. Men called him lazy, 
 while the girls praised his handsome face and 
 erect figure, and admired his air of indolent ease 
 and pleasantry. 
 
 A young mulatto girl, who had recently returned 
 to the settlement had been heard to say: " He 
 do com' pow'ful close o' bein' a niggah gent'man. 
 He am mouty nice." 
 
 He pretented to work with his father, who was 
 a barber in the town, but was seldom found at 
 his chair. 
 
 No gathering of young people was complete 
 without him. To-night as he stood before A'nt 
 Car'line, he was a perfect picture of good humor 
 and idleness. Parting his dainty mustache with 
 the tips of his fingers, he smilingly said : 
 
 " Good ebenin', A'nt Car'line, I 'ope I see y'u 
 berry well?" 
 
 " Good ebenin' Mr. Tobe, com' in an' res' y'u 
 'at." 
 
 " Dis am mouty hot weddah, A'nt Car'line." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 15 
 
 " Yas, hit am pow'ful hot, and I hab to wuk so 
 'ard, de hot weddah mek ma feel po'ly all de time. 
 Am y'u muddah well ? " 
 
 "Yassum, she's mouty peart dis summer. I 
 des drap in ter see 'ow y'u is, I's been to Miss 
 Simpkins' Croquet party, dis atternoon. 
 
 She am a berry fine lady, A'nt Car'line." 
 
 "Y'u is right Tobe. I knowed her muddah, 
 fo' she war jes' mah Melvina's age. Mah gal, 
 massa don sole to de man fom Nor'f Car'lina." 
 
 "Y'u hab seen heaps o' trebble, A'nt Car'line! " 
 
 " Yas, de Lawd's done been chas'enin mah fo' 
 mah good." 
 
 " Y'u wuk too 'ard A'nt Car'line. Mr. de Goochy 
 done say y'u am mouty big fool to wuk an' sabe 
 y'u money, to sen' Alexander to de Varsity." 
 
 " Mr. de Goochy doan 'now nuffin bout hit, 'E 
 des t'ink we am' good f o' nuffin, but ter ten' cotton 
 an' wait on the white folks. Mah Alexander's 
 gwinter go to Larimer dis ve'y fall. I's been 
 wukin' fo' hit, ebber since he was borned. 'Ow 
 ol 1 is y'u, Tobe ?" 
 
 " I'll be twenty, nex' Jenewawy," Tobe replied. 
 
 " W'y doan y'u go to school? Y'u suhtanly 
 hab 'bility," A'nt Car'line asked. 
 
 "Yas I hab 'bility," replied Tobe. "I gess I 
 hab de ungloriousness to lub 'ome and de c'iety 
 
1 6 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 of de ladies bettah, A'nt Car 'line. Den school 
 lif am to muttonus fo' ma." 
 
 " Wat y'u gwinter do in de f uter, Tobe ? " 
 
 " I raiken I git mah'dlak udder folks," laughed 
 Tobe. 
 
 " Tobe y'u 's er big fool," urged A'nt Car'line, 
 " to spen' y'u time pleasurin', w'en y'u mout mek 
 a man outen y'u se'f. Des t'ink, 'ere y'u am 
 walkin' in proudness, an' gigglement, an' w'en y'u 
 die de debbill hab y'u shu." 
 
 " Foh Gawd's sake A'nt Car'line, w'at y'u hab 
 ma do ? " Tobe irritably asked. 
 
 " I'd hab y'u go to school, or to wuk, dat's w'at 
 I hab y'u do !" A'nt Car'line emphatically answered. 
 
 "I's to ol 1 , A'nt Car'line ter go ter school. Hit 
 wo'd tek ma fo' y'ars befo' I co'd enter de refresh 
 ment class, and fo' y'ars mo' befo' I co'd gradiate 
 an' git mah reploma. I'd be er ole man den," 
 Tobe replied in an aggrieved tone. 
 
 " I 'fraid I'd mak y'u mad if I tole y'u w'at I 
 t'inks," said A'nt Car'line. 
 
 " Naw, tole me jes' w'at y'u t'ink," A'nt Car' 
 line." 
 
 "Tobe y'u hab 'bility. De Lawd done gib y'u 
 entitlement ter be sump'n, and w'at y'u doin? 
 Des spendin' ye'r days in debbilment Butter 
 flyin' roun' wid de gals, in good closes, while y'u 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 17 
 
 po' ole muddah an 1 foddah earn de money. Y'u 
 am des gwinter distruchshun as fas' as ebber y'u 
 kin." A'nt Car'line fearlessly urged. 
 
 "Y'u am 'ard on a fellah, A'nt Car 'line. I doan 
 raiken I's wuss'n udder young men o' mah age." 
 Tobe answered, an expression of resentment 
 coming over his face. 
 
 " Hab y'u chances fo' seein' bad ones been berry 
 great ?" A'nt Car'line asked with some show of 
 sarcasm in her voice. " Coz y'u mout be 'staken! 
 De fac' am,dar am no udder young cullud pusson 
 dat mout be so much as Tobe Washburn,an' he's 
 jus gwinter be nuffin! I 'clar y'u jes mek ma 
 'shamed o' y'u, a great large fellah, dat otter be a 
 man, doin' nuffin but smokin' seggars an pleasur- 
 in'w'en y'u mout bewukkin ebery day, at sump'n. 
 Is y'u jes' gwinter be a igniant barbah ?" 
 
 " I ain' shu, sump'n ma turn up I lak bettah," 
 Tobe reluctantly replied. 
 
 "Turn up!" said A'nt Car'line scornfully. 
 " T'ings doan turn up less y'u mek um tu'n up. 
 Demen say y'u'slazy, Tobe. Dat y'u faddah an' 
 muddah do all de wuk, an' y'u spen's de money! 
 Am dat so?" 
 
 Tobe shuffled uneasy under her sharp questions. 
 Finally he hesitatingly said: "I raiken I mus' 
 be er gwine 'ome." 
 
1 8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 "No, No!" said the old woman. "I ain' fru 
 wid y'u. I lubs y'u Tobe, an' wan' y'u ter be 
 sump'in, mo'ny'u is. I des wish Imout he'py'u, 
 coz I see y'u gwine out inter de worrel ambless. 
 Wat y'u 'spec ter be ?" 
 
 u I don tole y'u I ain' settle in mah min'," said 
 Tobe showing considerable spirit. 
 
 " Bettah hab er settlement mouty soon," A'nt 
 Car'line urged, "coz ef y'u go outen de worrel, as 
 y'u is, y'u'll be kicked dis away an' dat away, an' 
 w'en you am a po' ol' man, y'u'll hab nuffin ter 
 show fo' libbin." 
 
 Tobe hung his head and said nothing. After 
 a moment A'nt Car'line continued in a tender 
 tone. 
 
 "Y'u hab ebery acqualification to do sump'n 
 fo' Gawd an' our race. Fin' w'at y'u kin do, en 
 ef y'u doan wan' ter go to Larimer, go whar de 
 larn um ter wuk. Be'ershummaker, or bracksmiff , 
 or a cyahpenter, ef y'u don' wan' ter be a doctah 
 or a preachah. Be sump'n mo'n des er lazy 
 niggah, scronfulized by evey 'spec'able pusson." 
 After waiting a moment she continued: 
 
 " Lemme tole y'u dis Tobe, nuffin am unpossi- 
 ble to er smart cullud pusson, if 'e will wuk an 
 stick to hit. W'en y'u spen y'u days as y'u is, 
 y'u am a burnin' shame ter yer faddah an' 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 1 9 
 
 muddah. I doan blame de w'ite folks fo' 'spizin 
 us. Wen ebber we sho' we's wor'dy da'll spect 
 us," continued the old woman, "an' gibus jestice. 
 Till den we hab to wuk an' wait We hab ter 
 be tested by evey test o' manhood, an' we mus' 
 stan' de testin' befo' we gits de 'spectin'." 
 
 " We ain' fitten ter breave Gawd's pur' a'r," 
 she urged, "ef we do nuffin fo' 'im but des' feed 
 lak pigs. We mus wuk ! wuk ! De great trebble 
 wid de brack fo'ks am da doan lub ter wuk, an' 
 da won' sab' dar money! I des wish I were a 
 man," she cried, " I'de wuk an' sabe mah money! 
 I'd hab er 'ome, and be so hones' an' tru'ful de 
 w'ite fo'ks cou'dn't he'p spectin ma." 
 
 " I'd serb Gawd, an mek mah life so clean an' 
 good. I'd 'courage de young to go ter school, 
 an' git an' edication. To sabe dar money so da 
 co'd be men 'mong men. I'd 'vise um ter be 
 sump'n mo'n des er niggah." 
 
 Tobe hung his head with open mouth. His 
 great black eyes had in them a new light, yet he 
 was unable to utter a word. Finally he said: 
 " A'nt Car'line, waiter w'ilean' I'll toley'u sump'n. 
 I cahnt un'erstan' yit, but I doan wan'er be no 
 good fo' nuffin niggah !" 
 
 "I hain' mak' y'u mad hab I? I didn't go 
 ter do hit." anxiously asked A'nt Car'line. 
 
2O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Naw A'nt Car'line y'u hain' mak ma mad. 
 Ernuddah time I'll tole y'u w'at I's gwinter do. 
 Sump'n dat'll 'stonish y'u. I's gwine 'ome now, 
 ter hab a settlement wid mahse'f." 
 
 (It will be well to say right here that in a few 
 months Tobe entered Tuskeege Industrial 
 School in Alabama.) 
 
 A'nt Car'line was left alone in her cabin, for 
 Alexander had gone to a neighbors to look after 
 the children while the parents visited a sick 
 friend. She had been looking for him home for 
 some time. Seating herself in her rocker, she 
 sang: 
 
 " O wak' up chil'n wak' up an arise' 
 O wak' up chil'n, wak' up'. 
 Oil Satun fought 'e hab me fas'. 
 An I'll serb de libbin Gawd. 
 But t'ank de Lawd I'm free at las'. 
 An' I'll serb de libbin Gawd. 
 
 Oil Satun w'ars de hyp'crit's shoe, 
 
 An' I'll serb de libbin Gawd. 
 
 An' ef y'u doan min' 'e'll slip em onter y'u, 
 
 An' I'll serb de libbin Gawd. 
 
 Oil Satun fought he hab ma fas' 
 
 An' I'll serb de libbin' Gawd. 
 
 But t'ank de Lawd I'm free at las', 
 
 An' I'll serb de libbin Gawd." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 21 
 
 While she was singing Alexander came in. 
 
 "Well honey, hab y'u come?" asked the old 
 woman affectionately. 
 
 " Yas granny, an' I hab a quartah dollar." 
 
 "War y'u git hit?" questioned A'nt Car'line. 
 
 " Mr. de Goochy gibed hit ter ma fo' dancin'. 
 He an Mr. Gleason laft ter kill, w'en I danced," 
 Alexander explained. 
 
 " War y'u see un ?" A'nt Car'line asked. 
 
 " At de tahvern." 
 
 "Did y'u dance fo' money?" 
 
 " Yessum," Alexander replied. 
 
 " Honey, I's 'sprised at y'u," the old lady sor 
 rowfully said. 
 
 " Y'u done toP ma to earn evey cent I co'd, 5 ' 
 urged Alexander. 
 
 "Yas honey, but dis am diffunt. Wuk all y'u 
 kin fo' hit am hon'able an' manly. Men spect 
 y'u w'en y'u wuk. Da doan 'spect y'u w'en y'u 
 dance fo' money! You am nuffin but niggah 
 den !" said the old woman scornfully. " Des mek 
 um laf, dat am all. Vi'let's boy mus' be 'bove 
 sich t'ings fo' he'sgwinter be erman." Anxious 
 ly looking at Alexander for a moment she con 
 tinued, "lemme tole y'u sump'n, an doan y'u fo' 
 git hit. De niggah's allus look in' fo' money 
 widout wuk. Da call hit tips. De cullad men 
 wuks fo' dar money." 
 
22 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Ole misstis done tole ma, dat w'en she w'en 
 ridin' on de cyahs, de cull'd pussons 'spected 
 money fo' evey t'ing da did fo' y'u; an' at de big 
 tavherns whar she stop', ef da des look'd at y'u, 
 da 'spected y'u'd gib um money. De brack fo'ks 
 nebbah'll rise s'long as da ac' lak dis ! Da's 
 nuffin but des niggahs ! Now I doan wan' y'u 
 ter tak' one cent y'u doan wuk fo'. Keep y'u two 
 eyes open lookin' fo' wuk, no mattah 'ow 'ard, fo' 
 hit am hones' !" 
 
 " Money widout wuk ain' 'spec'able ! W'en 
 y'u wuk an' earn y'u money, I's proud o'u y'u I 
 W'en y'u tak tips an' dance fo' money, y'u ain't 
 nuffin but des a low down niggah !" continued 
 A'nt Car'line. 
 
 "W'at I gwinter do wid dis quahtah?" said 
 Alexander, almost in tears. 
 
 u We'll des gib it to de preachah. I hab two 
 hun'ard an' eighty fo' dollars sabed fo' y'u 
 schoolin. Evey cent hones' money, wuk'd fo' 
 wid dese old hans. Alexander, our people mus' 
 rise 'bove sich t'ings as tips, but da nebber will 
 rise s'long as da's fraid o' wuk. Sometimes I 
 feel lak I cahnt wait fo' 'em to rise! I keep er 
 sayin' ' Lawd open dar eyes to see dar needs, 
 mek um wordy o' y'u'r lub and keer.' " Then 
 turning to the boy she said entreatingly 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 23 
 
 " Honey, will y'u done say fo' shu, I nebber'll 
 tech ernudder cent I doan wuk fo'." 
 
 Alexander promised. u Now I feels conso- 
 lated," A'nt Car'line continued in a satisfied 
 tone. " Mah Vi'let's boy's gwinter be a man fo' 
 shu!" 
 
 Bedtime had come and Alexander was soon fast 
 asleep. The old woman busied herself for some 
 time about the room. The one kerosene lamp 
 partially lighted the cabin, which had few com 
 forts, and yet was the home of contentment and 
 happiness. Trouble had visited A'nt Car'line 
 and instead of blasting her character, had ripened 
 it and left her soul filled with all the sunshine 
 and gladness of a true child of God. 
 
 Going to the door for a breath of air before 
 retiring, she crooned softly to herself: 
 
 " Gwinter hoi' out to de en' 
 Gwinter hoi' out to de en' 
 Let trebble come as 'twill come 
 Gwinter to hoi' out to de en'." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 MOUNT ZION CHURCH 
 
 There were several negro churches in Barney- 
 ville. The Baptist and African Methodist Epis 
 copal Churches were the stronger organizations. 
 Then the Methodist Episcopal Zion, and the 
 church generally called by the ungodly, the 
 " Hard Shell Baptist," or correctly speaking, the 
 Anti-Missionary Baptist, held services in the town, 
 and had quite a following. 
 
 A'nt Car'line attended the Mount Zion 
 church, which held its services in a low roofed 
 log cabin, with few windows and a narrow 
 door, and stood in a small oak grove, where 
 several roads forked. This church was neither 
 wind or water tight. The seats, rude benches, 
 offered neither rest nor comfort to saint or sin 
 ner, while underneath them, unnumbered quids 
 of tobacco rested in peace. The walls had once 
 been whitewashed, but this had nearly all peeled 
 off. The preacher's stand, a slight elevation, 
 was at the farther end of the room. 
 
 24 
 
OR Vl' LET* S BOY 25 
 
 For some days there had been unusual interest 
 in the church. The members told their friends, 
 " We's habbin' mouty 'fresh in times," and urged 
 them to come out. 
 
 Sunday night, young and old, saint and sinner, 
 gathered in the old church, which was dimly 
 lighted by three kerosene lamps fastened to the 
 walls. Everything had a strange, weird look. 
 
 The preacher, an old man of the Ante-bellum 
 days, was short, fat and white haired. He had 
 formerly been a slave in the deGoochy family. 
 Liberated by the war, he had chosen to remain 
 on the plantation, and lived in the same cabin 
 which he had occupied before he was freed. He 
 was a good visitor, consequently a good liver, for 
 the best was none too good for " de bressed man." 
 
 His prayers were considered by the members 
 of his church, as " Monstus pow'ful," while the 
 unconverted winced under his personal thrusts, 
 and the more daring laughed and encouraged him 
 to denounce them. 
 
 He usually wore, buttoned up to the chin, a 
 Prince Albert coat, which shone like a polished 
 surface from long and numerous brushings. His 
 tall stove pipe hat was faded and of an antique 
 pattern. Its bare surface told of years of wear. 
 
 Tonight the meeting opened with a Jubilee 
 
26 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Hymn, led by an elderly woman with a clear so 
 prano voice. 
 
 " I's gwine up 'ome sooner in de mawnin', 
 
 Sooner in de mawnin', Sooner in de mawnin', 
 
 I's gwine up 'ome sooner in de mawnin', 
 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd. 
 
 O yender Stan's de two tall angels, 
 
 De two tall angels, two tall angels, 
 
 yender stan's de two tall angels, 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd." 
 
 " I dunno w'at mah bruddah wan's ter stay 'erefo', 
 Stay 'ere fo', stay 'ere fo', 
 
 1 dunno w'at mah bruddah wan's ter stay 'ere fo', 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd. 
 
 O yender stan's de two tall angels, 
 De two tall angels, two tall angels, 
 O yender stan's de two tall angels, 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd." 
 
 "Hit's a mouty rock'y road, an' Ps mos' done 
 
 trablin', 
 
 Mos' done trablin', mos' done trablin', 
 Hit's a mouty rock'y road, an' I's mos' done trablin', 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd. 
 O yender stan's de two tall angels, 
 De two tall angels, two tall angels, 
 O yender stan's de two tall angels, 
 I's gwinter lib wid Gawd." 
 
OR V1LETS BOY 27 
 
 The hymn was followed with prayer by the 
 preacher. When the old man began, his voice 
 was soft, sweet and resonant as a violin. As he 
 warmed up, his voice grew louder and louder, 
 and more intense and eloquent. He never hesi 
 tated for words, neither did the responses of the 
 people disturb him for a moment. 
 
 Such responses as these were frequent: 
 
 "'Ear 'im, Lawd." "'E's tellin' de truf " "Spit 
 hit out." "Somebody's gittin' hit now." 
 
 " Bressed Masse' Jesus, um befo' y'u in dus' an' 
 ashes ter nite. Mah po' ol' knees am mos' done 
 er bendin' befo' y'u, an' yit I lubs y'u good an' 
 true. Lawd Jesus, Marse ; poke y'u'r ear outen 
 yer windah in de skies an' 'ear ma, coz I's de 
 weakes' o' yer sarvints dats done been sarbin y'u 
 fo' mo'n sebenty fife years, an' I hain' got tired 
 yit." 
 
 " Has y'u got yer ear outen yer windah, Lawd ? 
 Is yer 'earin' ma ? Coz I wants to tole yer wa't 
 a low down sassy set o' niggahs am 'er libbin' 
 'ere. Da's done forgot y'u ! Da sw'ars, an' lies, 
 an' steals ! Da doan pay nuifin fo' de gospil ! 
 Day des loafs, an' smoke cygars, an' drinks w'isky, 
 an' play kyards, an' nebber gibs dar 'arts t' y'u." 
 
 " Da sarb's dar stummicks, an' lows dis po' ol 9 
 man ter 'arn 'his own libbin!" 
 
28 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Da cotch de possum, but da doan ax' ma no 
 mo* t' eat possum ! Da raise de sweeten taters, 
 but da doan gib ma no' sweeten taters! Marse' 
 Jesus, I's bin fai'ful to um, I's warned um fo' mo'n 
 sebenty fife years, an' da lafs at ma ! Da's all de 
 chil'n o' de Debbil, and ef da doan 'pent da'll all 
 go whar dar's whalin' an' gashin' o' teefs !" 
 
 " Des' flung yer eyes ovah dis congergashum, 
 an' see um, Lawd! Sen' down y'u blood noun's 
 f'om glo'y an' let um chase um to de marcy seat. 
 Bow down in y'u fu'y an' shak um ober de pit in 
 hell, but O, bressed Marse', doan let um drap!" 
 
 " Sho' 'em da ain' wordy to tech de hemmins 
 o' mah gyarmints! Da's laffiin' now, bressed 
 Lawd ! Y'u knows we's met ter serbe y'u an' ef 
 we's true, nuffin kin bus' asun'er f'om y'u !" 
 
 " Des look yer eyes on 'em Lawd, coz we ain' 
 gwinter stan' no mo' o' dar foolishin! We ain' 
 gwinter sackerfise de dignity o' dis hyar conger 
 gashum fo' des low down niggahs, whospizes y'u, 
 an' des wants ter hove unrespec' on dis meetin' !" 
 
 " We ain' gwinter hab no sich doins, and dats 
 nuff ! " 
 
 " An' Marse Lawd, bress dess lazy Chris'ans ! 
 Da say da ain' tired o' sarbin' y'u yit ! Shu nuff 
 da doan do nufifin ter mek um tired ! Shak um 
 up Lawd, befo' hits eberlastin' too late ! Fill em 
 up wid y'u bressed Speeruit !" 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 29 
 
 " Squench de power ob de lazy debbil in urn, 
 an' gib um new tarm'nation to lub and serb y'u ; 
 an' mek um lib 7 to Gawd, an' daid to dar lazy 
 se'vs ! An' mouty Marse, des sisterings who's 
 spendin' dar days er fussin' and fixin' to look 
 purty, lak de w'ite fo'ks. Da's all pride and fool- 
 ishin ! Da's nuffin but po' drudges, an' grub erns 
 o' de debbil ! Sho' um y'u mek an' lubly se'f an* 
 mek um 'bedient sarvints o' dar husban's an' 
 y'use'f." 
 
 " Mek um see dat in er few days da'll be wid 
 y'u ! Dat we's gwinter ride in de goden cha'iot, 
 draw'd by de fo' w'ite bosses! We'll wa'k dem 
 goden streets of de New Jerus'lam ! We'll w'ar 
 dem goden slippahs, an' de goden crown, an' de 
 w'ite robe, an' sing dem new songs ! " 
 
 11 We's gwinter eaten our fill o' milk an' honey. 
 We'll hab de same kin'er bodies dat Jesus rosed 
 wid." 
 
 " We'll hab bodies dat'll nebber tire ! We'll 
 hab foots dat'll nebber be awe'ry. We'll hab 
 moufs dat'll nebber stop er singin' ; we'll hab 
 hearts dat'll nebber stop er lubbin ! We'll play 
 dem goden 'arps an' jine dat Angil chire ! We'll 
 see de roff o' de mansions in glo'y all shinin' wid 
 gold ! We'll see de pal'ces per'pad fo' dem who's 
 fitten ter be dar." 
 
30 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Here the old man's voice had that peculiar 
 minor tone, heard only among the negroes. 
 
 " Chil'ns," he cried, " Dar'll be no trebble up in 
 hebbin, fo' Marse Jesus'll wash um all away in de 
 Jordin! D-O-A-N y'u fo'git hit. Hebbin hab 
 all de music, an' h-e-1-1 hab all de sin, an' de 
 sorrer, but da h-a-i-n got no song ! Des w-h-a-i-1-i-n' 
 an' g-a-s-i-n' o' teefs." 
 
 " Dar'll be no niggah up in hebbin, des C-H-I-L- 
 U-N o' de Lawd Jesus, fo' we's gwinter be lak 
 'im. C-h-a-n-g-e-d inter 's bressed image! De 
 w'ite fo'ks may cuss us, an' call us brutes an' 
 beasts, da may grin' us down wid do mo 'gage ef 
 we's y'u chilun, da c-a-h-n-t keep us outen hebbin ! " 
 
 " Up dar we's gwinter see Moses an' Ligah, 
 Za-ca-riah, an' Hez-e-kiah, Ne-a-miah an' Jed-e- 
 diah, Az-e-riah an' U-r-i-ah, An-ne-nians an' So- 
 phi-ah!" 
 
 By this time the people were carried away with 
 their emotions. They shouted and cried, laughed 
 and screamed. Some fell upon the floor in a 
 trance, others shook hands with their friends and 
 urged them to repent. 
 
 During all this time the old man continued to 
 pray, unconscious of the noise about him. Finally 
 he closed his prayer in a feeble voice. 
 
 " O, Lawd, bressed Marse, hear ma ! Bress 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 3 1 
 
 dis partishum f'om y'u'r feeble sarvint, dats done 
 been sarbin y'u dese sebenty fife years. Y'u say 
 y'u doan heah us fo' our much spe'kin, nor coz 
 we mek long prahs, but fo' de sinseah desire o' 
 de'eart!" 
 
 " Hear us now coz we's in dis worril o' sin an' 
 sorrer! Dis worril o' laffin' sinnahs an' howlin' 
 wolbes, an' temptin' debbils. An' o' Lawd, at'er 
 I's done chaw'd all dem hard bones an' swallered 
 all dem bittah pills, tak' ma to ma grabe in peace, 
 an' gimma a 'ome in hebbin widout de loss o' 
 one, Amen ! " 
 
 At the close of the prayer, an elderly minister 
 very black and very much in earnest, was intro 
 duced by the preacher in these words : " We haf 
 de priv'lige o' hearin' dis ebenin', a mouty man 
 o' Gawd who hab killed hims t'ousands wid de 
 jaw bone o' an ass. Him will now offend de 
 gospil to us ! " 
 
 The preacher stepped forward, and began the 
 sermon of the evening. He had formerly lived 
 in the neighborhood, but for the past few years 
 had resided in another settlement, and had just 
 returned to Barneyville. This fact had brought 
 out an unusually large number to hear him. 
 
 Rolling his black eyes over the congregation 
 in a satisfied manner, he announced his memory 
 text in the following words : 
 
32 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Wa'al hyah we is, on dis solom 'cas'on ! Um 
 in hop's ev'ry pusson am se'rus ! De Lawd hab 
 bin mah dwelHn' place thoo all gen'rashums ! Dis 
 bruddahs an' sistahs, am mah text, an' yu'll fin' 
 hit sommers twixt de libs o' de Bible." 
 
 " De Lawd hab bin mah dwell in' place, des es 
 sho 's y'u's bon'd. Am 'e y'u'n ? Ax y'use'f de 
 quession ; am 'e y'u'n ? " 
 
 " Whar am y'u faddahs an' muddahs, y'u brud 
 dahs an' y'u sistahs ? Da am daid an' gon', des 
 es shu's y'u's bon'd ! " 
 
 " Lawd Jesus, whar am da gon' ? Dats de 
 quession ! Whar am da ? O mouty Marse, stop 
 we all dats libbin in (er wil' kerrer), an' mek us 
 ser'us fo' we cahnt tol' de day, nor de 'our w'en 
 deaf's gwinter come er riddin' on 'is pale gray 
 hoss, fo' ter snatch we all's breaf o' life outen de 
 body!" 
 
 " Ya'as, bruddahs an' sistahs, de Lawd's done 
 bin mah dwellin' place thoo all gen'rashums, jes' 
 es shu's y'u's bon'd ! " 
 
 " I know dis ain' no lie, coz de debbil hain' 
 nevy hit ma yit, No sah ! An' dat ain' all." 
 
 " Des lemme tole y'u dis, 'e ain' gwinter nevy 
 do hit ! De debbils shot so many narrers at ma, 
 but whar did um Ian' ? W-a-a d-o-w-n on de floo' 
 o'h-e-1-1!" 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 33 
 
 " Ya-as, chil'n's, des lemme tol' yer, I kin hyah 
 de narrers w'en da drap on de floo' o' h-e-11, an' I 
 kin hyah ol' Satun er grum'lin an' er grum'lin, 
 an* er grum'lin coz da drap'd an' nevy hit ma ! " 
 
 " I kin hyah 'im er tromplin, an' er tromplin 
 an' er tromplin roun' ma 'ouse o' nites, tryin' ter 
 git 'is han' onter ma, to 'stroy mah soul, but 'e 
 cahnt com' hit." 
 
 " I's too good er Chris'un fo' dat. W'en I hern 
 'm, I des arozen in mah strenth, w'ich God-er 
 mouty gimme, an' I tole 'im ter git behim' ma, 
 coz I's got mah soul conwarted, an' I's soun' in 
 de Jubilee." 
 
 " Den de debbil, he teks 'isse'f off an' 'e doan 
 trebble ma no mo' dat er-way, fo' 'e's mad'er 'n a 
 hopper at ma!" 
 
 "Anuddah time 'e com'd an' 'e tol' ma, I neen- 
 ter say no mo' I's er chil o' Gawd, "dat no one 
 bleeded ma, w'en I tol' hit ! I done tol' 'im, I 
 hain' no 'quaintance wid 'im, an' fuddah mo, 'e 
 war a 'seetful, lying Speuit, galivatin roun' seekin' 
 ter grabble ma, an' smut mah gyarments, w'en 
 da war w'iter dan snow!" 
 
 " Ain' I tell in' de troof sistahs ? " " Yas, yas! " 
 they screamed. " Cahnt y'u witness fo' ma ? " 
 "Yas, yas!" they screamed again. " Coz ef y'u 
 cahnt 'gree wid ma, y'u hain' got no 'ligon des 
 
34 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 shu's y'u's bon'd." " Dats de troof!" they cried. 
 " Y'u's tellin arant lies w'en y'u say, y'u's er chil 
 o' Gawd." " Glory ter Gawd ! Somebody's git- 
 tin hit now!" several declared. 
 
 " Lawdy Mussy, chil'n ! Hitsmo'n noshun ter 
 'clar y'use 'i 's chil'n o' Gawd. De debbil am so 
 bussy all de time! 'E hab so much ter do, 'e hab 
 ter ride on " evey passin' breeze, is wun'ers ter 
 pu'fom." 'E cahnt wa'k. 'E am des cahootin' 
 roun', seein ef 'e cahnt cotch some o' y'u wid y'u 
 eyes shut!" 
 
 " 'E doan trebble de puffessors da: doan pay 
 nuffin to de chu'ch ! " Bruddahs and Sistahs, if 
 y'u doan watch out! Ef y'u doan dwell in de 
 Lawd thoo all gen'rashuns, de debbil '11 hab y'u 
 shu ez y'u'sbon'd ! " "'Shu' nuff," said one sister 
 to another. u Y'u'll nevy enter de goden gate, 
 nor war de w'ite slippahs nor de goden crown, 
 des ez long ez y'u libs on de yearf ! Wat you 
 know 'bout de fo' w'ite hosses, w'atsgwinterd raw 
 de goden cha'iot, ef y'u ain' dwellin' in de Lawd 
 fo'ever?" 
 
 " Des min' w'at I's gwinter tole y'u ! Tain' 
 nuff ter git inter de dwellin' place, y'u mus' stay 
 dar, Bruddahs an' Sistahs, thoo all gen'rashums, 
 jes' ez shu's y'u's bon'd ! If y'u doan, de debbil's 
 gwinter trap y'u ! " " Um, Ah ! " groaned one of 
 the deacons. 
 
1 J 
 
 OR VI LET S BOY 35 
 
 While he had been preaching he had thrown 
 his arms wildly about, like the naked branches of 
 the forest trees in a gale. In concluding his ser 
 mon he denounced the sinners in a fearful 
 manner, and painted the joys of heaven in glow 
 ing words. 
 
 Finally he said; "Every body dat ain' got 
 'ligion, com' to de mo'nahs bench." " Dorn yer 
 dar to go way f'um dis 'ouse till y'u'se settle de 
 quession, wheddah y'u'll dwell in de Lawd thoo 
 all gen'rashums! Wheddah y'u'll wa'k de gol' 
 pav'd streets o' de city o' Gawd, all d'essed in w'ite 
 wid a crown on y'u h'ad, an' psa'ms in y'u han's, 
 an' prais in y'u mouf's." 
 
 " Lawdy Mussy, Bruddahs an' Sistahs, doan 
 y'u wan ter be dar ? " " Yas, Yas ! " they shouted 
 with one voice. 
 
 " Mah good oY muddah '11 be dar," he cried 
 clasping his hands with ecstasy. " Now yVs 
 tellin de troof ! " came in a shout from the audi 
 ence. 
 
 " Mah good ol' faddah '11 be dar." " Yas ! " 
 cried the people. 
 
 " Mah lill chil'ns dar, an' ma bruddahs an' sis- 
 tahs dat uster sing an' shout, w'en I war libhin' 
 'ere befo'." " Da's dar fo' shu'." screamed the ex 
 cited congregation in one voice. 
 
36 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " An' Fs gwinter be dar fo' I's dwell-in' de 
 Lawd, jes' shu's y'u's bon'd." " dat's so ! " the 
 people excitedly answered. " Y'u's gwinter be 
 dar an' we's gwinter be wid y'u." 
 
 " Shall I toP y'u w'o ain' gwinter be dar ?" 
 
 " Tell hit! " the people cried, 
 
 44 Sinnahs ain' gwinter be dar!" "No No! 
 Nebber ! " the members declared. 
 
 u De brack slider ain' gwinter be dar." " Now 
 y'u's tellin' hit " the people answered. 
 
 " Dem dat 'low de fai'ful sarvints o' Gawd to go 
 un-po'vided fo'; doan pay nuffin fo' de gospil, 
 nevy '11 be dar ! De debbil laffs in 'is sleabes 
 Wen 'e 'ears um shoutin' in de meetin's, an' 'e 
 done toP de lill debbils da am 'is chil'ns fo' shu; 
 fo'da doan dwell in de Lawd fo' evey." " Good 
 meat bruddah, good meat " the old preacher 
 shouted. 
 
 " Da'll all go down w'ar da nevy '11 git 'er lill 
 peep inter hebben fo' evey an evey! " " Come on 
 down de line. Come on down de line," the old 
 preacher shouted again. 
 
 " Des whalin an' gashin o' teef ! " 
 
 44 Um, Um, Um, I doan wanter go dar ! " with 
 ominous shaking of the head, several exclaimed. 
 
 " Wen y'u die de Lawd'll ax y'u in de jedg- 
 ment: ' Has y'u bin 'ones?' An' hit won' do 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 37 
 
 no good ter say y'u has, des caze de chickuns 
 roos' too high fo' y'u ter cotch urn." 
 
 " De Lawd'll ax yer, * Has y'u done been sober, 
 an' let de bad w'isky lone ? " " Bettah watch out 
 'ow y'u ride dat hoss, 'e'll fro y'u ! " responded one 
 of the deacons. 
 
 " Has y'u tole de troof ? " 
 
 " Has y'u swa'rd ? " 
 
 " If y'u has, de Lawd'll tol' y'u ter go down ter 
 hell ! Coz y'u hain' dwell'd in de Lawd fo' evey." 
 
 "An' de Lawd'll ax y'u: 'Has y'u been er 
 triflin' no count niggah, w'en y'u mout'er bin 
 wokin' and carin' fo' y'u family ? " 
 
 " Bruddahs and Sistahs, quit y'u singin' an' 
 shoutin' if y'u has fo' de Lawd wan's y'u ter wuk, 
 an' 'e'll 'scuse y'u ef y'u mek short prahs w'en y'u 
 wuk; min' dat! 'E'll do hit shu's y'u's bon'd, 
 Bruddahs an' sistahs. Some pussons sing an' 
 tawk des beaut'ful, but da doan lib ligon des er 
 lill bit. Da doan dwell in de Lawd, an' da cahnt 
 go whar 'e is ! " 
 
 " Now y'u's shoutin'," the preacher cried. 
 
 " Da'll nevey be in hebben, des ez shu's y'u 
 bon'd." 
 
 Then with hands outstretched, and head thrown 
 back he burst into a holy laugh. 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha ! " he laughed, clapping his hands 
 
38 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 in ecstasy. Then he began to sing with all the 
 earnestness of his excitable nature, the congrega 
 tion joining lustily in with him : 
 
 " Whar shall we go w'en de great day comes, 
 Wid de blowin' o' de trumpets, an' de bangin' o' 
 
 de drums, 
 
 How many po' sinnahs '11 be cotched out late 
 An' fin' no latch to de goden gate ? 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 No use fo' ter wait twel ter-morrer, 
 De sun mus'nt set on yer sorrer, 
 Sins ez sharp ez a bamboo brier, 
 O Lawd fotch de monahs up higher!" 
 
 There was the wildest confusion while they 
 were singing. Several of the women had relieved 
 their heads of their switches, false fronts and 
 every adornment that would be in the way of 
 their indulging in their regular weekly pandamo- 
 nium, and began to shout in earnest. The scene 
 was beyond description. The altar and the space 
 between the seats and the altar was soon filled 
 with crying, screaming and groaning men and 
 women. 
 
 Among the number who had gone forward for 
 prayers, was Tobe Washburn. When A'nt Car'- 
 line kneeled by his side, and pointed him to 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 39 
 
 Christ, he was so overcome by the excitement 
 about him that he could not speak. Great breaths, 
 that were deeper than sobs, thrilled through his 
 frame, from head to foot 
 
 During the service of prayer, several had been 
 singing, others shouting and shaking hands with 
 their newly converted friends, while here and 
 there men and women were in a trance, or lying 
 exhausted in the arms of their friends. 
 
 The leader of the singing had urged her friends 
 to " 'pent an' git conwarted, coz de Lawd wou'd 
 kum mouty quick an' tek 'um f'om de yearf, and 
 w'ar y'u be ef y'u ain' dwellin' in de Lawd." 
 
 Let me describe her to you : She was most 
 unlovely in face and form. In fact, she had not 
 a single redeeming feature, or ray of beauty to 
 lighten her black face. She braided her short, 
 curly hair in small braids and wound them with 
 twine, such as is used by merchants to tie up 
 their groceries, and these braids stood out like 
 small horns all over her head. Yet, with all her 
 plainness, she had a heart so kind that it made 
 one forget her homely face, for when we know a 
 person we see only the soul that speaks to us. 
 
 u Sis Cindy," was one of the most important 
 characters in the community, and a universal 
 favorite among her neighbors, white and black. 
 
4O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Her skill in cooking was recognized by all, for 
 her cake was the lightest, her bread the whitest, 
 and her pie-crust would melt in your mouth. If 
 there was sickness or death in the home, no hand 
 more tender could minister to the wants of the 
 sick, or when death came, could close the tired 
 eyes, and straighten out the once active feet that 
 had grown weary walking the dusty ways of life. 
 
 Her love and patience had never been fath 
 omed, nor had her willingness to do been over 
 estimated. 
 
 No wonder that the Southerner, remembering 
 the colored Mammy of his childhood and youth, 
 has ever a warm place in his heart for her. 
 
 " Sistah Cindy " was a type of the Mammies 
 whose memory is as "ointment poured forth." 
 Tonight her voice had a peculiar ring of gladness 
 in it, that moved the people in a wonderful man 
 ner. Rising to her feet, she sang : 
 
 " O yes I's gwine up, gwine all de way, Lawd ; 
 O yes I's gwine up, to see de heabenly lanV 
 
 The music carried every thought heavenward. 
 The people forgot their hard lives, their mort 
 gages, their slights and sorrows, in the thought, 
 " they were on their way to heaven." They sang 
 and wept and rejoiced. 
 
OR VIOLET'S BOY 41 
 
 In the midst of the excitement, old A'nt Car'- 
 line rose to her feet. She was a tall, gaunt mu 
 latto, with strongly marked Anglo-Saxon features, 
 wearing the old-time turban on her head, and a 
 handkerchief about her neck. 
 
 She was looked upon as a kind of a prophetess, 
 among her neighbors. Rarely taking part in 
 meeting, her words were received with the great 
 est consideration. 
 
 She had been strangely moved, while the con 
 gregation had been singing. Rocking back and 
 forth in the greatest excitement, she had been 
 waiting to speak. 
 
 Her seat was on a bench in front of the whole 
 congregation. Here she had sat for years, bow 
 ing and swinging with her changing emotions, 
 clasping and unclasping her long, bony fingers, 
 and lifting her eyes to heaven in a mute, tearless 
 entreaty for help, or in thankfulness. 
 
 It was nearly midnight when A'nt Car'line, 
 with one wave of her hand indicated her desire 
 for silence. Then clasping her hands and raising 
 her unnaturally large eyes to heaven, she said, 
 while three hundred pairs of eyes looked upon 
 her, and three hundred pairs of ears listened 
 anxiously to hear what she would say: 
 
 " Chil'ns, I's mos' fru' wid dis wurrel ! " As 
 
42 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 she spoke her eyes seemed to penetrate the heav 
 ens. " I's gwinter leab dis wurrel an' fly away to 
 Jesus! Y'u's been singin', 'O yas I's gwine up 
 an* so y'u is if y'u lub Jesus, an' I's mouty glad 
 y'u is, fo' I's gwine up too. Deaf's gwinter lay 
 his col' icy han' on po' ol' Car'line an' tek 'er 'ome, 
 but not befo' I he'p Alexander fru school. Dis 
 mawnin' w'en I wen' to de doo' I 'eard de birds er 
 singin' in de trees, an' I says : ' O Lawd, des keep 
 mah soul er singin' w'ile I stays down 'ere in dis 
 wurrel o' sin, fo' I has ter wuk mouty 'ard ! Chil'n 
 hit'll be a 'appy day w'en we gits outen dese ol' 
 bodies, and up inter hebben. I uster be mouty 
 abstroperlus befo' de Lawd done showed ma de 
 good way. I 'ad 'lebben chil'ns, all peart an' 
 strong. Marse done say: * Car'line 's chil'ns '11 
 bring good price in de mahket! Da's pow'ful 
 strong!' Didn't I hate 'im den? An' didn't I 
 cuss 'im in mah 'art, an' wanter scronch 'im ? An' 
 didn't I pray dat all mah chil'ns mout die befo' 
 da growd up an' be sole? But da didn't, an' 
 Marse done sole eb'ry one but Vi'let, fo' she was 
 too small an' po'ly ter sell. Den he sole mah 
 man, an' 1 des hab Vi'let lef." 
 
 " Atter dat, de war mek us free! How I lub 
 Vi'let! She were dat peart, she 1'arnt eveyt'ing 
 she hern ! She co'd read des lak w'ite fo'ks ! I 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 43 
 
 was dat proud o' 'er I done fo'get Gawd. Den 
 her got mah'd, an' bimby leetle Alexander 
 was borned, an' I war pow'ful glad ! Den de 
 Lawd done took Vi'let 'ome, an' 'er man run'd off 
 an' nebber corned back no mo' an' I dess gib'd up 
 fo' shu' ! " 
 
 "I dou'ted de goodness o' Gawd! Hadn't 
 Marse done sole all mah chil'ns, but one, an' I 
 nebber seed um no mo'? An' now de Lawd 
 done took Vi'let ! " 
 
 " I tole 'im 'E hab not kep' 's word wid ma ! 
 'E hab not lef ma one chile to kep mah ol' 'art 
 f'om starbin'. I war dat wicked I nebber pray'd 
 onct. I des cussed, an' cussed, an cussed." 
 
 "I tole Gawd I'd nebber fo'gib ol' Marse, ef 'e 
 stan' at de do' o' hebben an begs ma too! I'll 
 nebber fo'gib 'im ef hit keeps ma outen hebben! 
 Didn't I hab de same 'art to lub, dat de w'ite 
 fo'ks hab ? Wat fo' he gib ma chil'ns des to be 
 sol' lak pigs in de mahket ? If de w'ite chiPn 
 corned f'om Gawd, didn't de brack ones ? I axed 
 'im w'y 'e mek de w'ite chil'ns t' belub'd an' grow 
 up in finement, an' de brack ones to be fed lak 
 pigs, an' sol' w'en da brung good price ? " 
 
 " Den I fought o' dose Marse don sol', an' I 
 said, da libs summers to cuss ma fo' brung 'im um 
 inter de wurrel ! I des fel' dar col' han's on ma, 
 an' dat I war cussed." 
 
44 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 "I uster lay wak' o' nights an' t'ink, an' t'ink, 
 an' t'ink, an' t'ink, till I were mos' crazy ; an' ol' 
 A'nt Sabra done tole ma ober an' ober 'gin, 'stop 
 t'inkin' ! Niggahs wan' made ter t'ink ! Ef y'u 
 doan, de debbil git y'u shu! Now mine w'at I 
 tole y'u ! " 
 
 " Atter dat, de Lawd done tole ma, 'ow 'E 
 lubbed ma, an' 'ow I'd squenced de spuit till 'E 
 mos' lef ma ! Dat I war stanin' ober de pit, an 
 de debbil fought he hab ma." 
 
 " Mah Lawd 'ow I prayhad ! 'Ow I rasel'd an' 
 rasel'd wid Gawd fo' mo'n free weeks, till I mos' 
 gibed up. Den de Lawd brung ma fru ! My, 
 my ! didn't I shout ? I seed mah blessin's an' 
 huged leetle Alexander to mah po' ol' 'art ; an' 
 promis'd Gawd dat I'd mek 'im a lifter up o' mah 
 people, an' I's gwinter do hit." 
 
 " I's gwinter gib 'm de bes' fit'n I kin ! Vi'let's 
 boy shall stan' on de top roun' an' lif de people 
 up to Gawd ! " 
 
 " Chil'ns, doan y'u min' all de slights an' flings 
 o' de w'ite fo'ks ! Hit doan mek y'u all bad coz 
 da say y'u is ! One smile o' de bressed Jesus is 
 wuff mo'n all dar praise ! Doan go fru dis lif 
 'clarin' dars nuffin but deep trebble hyur! We 
 mak mo'n 'alf o' trebble ourse'v's. We doan do 
 right. Ef we'd 'spect ourse'v's mo' udder fo'ks 
 'd 'spect us." 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 45 
 
 " Ligon am fo' dis wurrel. Hit am ter mek us 
 'appy, an' hones', an' truful. Ef hit doan do dat, 
 we hain' got no ligon ! Tain' no use des bein' 
 good, we mus' be good fo' sump'n." Then with 
 hands waving she sang, the people uniting in 
 singing every other line and the chorus, this 
 hymn: 
 
 " I nebber shall fo'git dat day, 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign 
 When Jesus washed mah sins away, 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 O reign, O reign, O reign mah Savior, 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign, 
 
 rain salvation inner mah soul, 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 1 looked at mah han's, an' mah han's looked new, 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign, 
 I looked at mah feet, an' da looked so too, 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 Chorus. 
 O reign, O reign, O reign mah Savior, 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign, 
 O rain salvation inner mah soul, 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
46 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 I nebber felt such lub befo' 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 Wen Jesus said, go sin no mo'; 
 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 O reign, O reign, O reign, mah Savior, 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 rain salvation inner mah soul, 
 Reign Masse Jesus, reign. 
 
 It was now time to close the services, and yet 
 the people lingered to rejoice over the saved, and 
 urge others to go with them in the blessed way. 
 
 As they went out into the night they went 
 singing, and from every direction came back the 
 sound of song. 
 
 " I've been wa'tin' at de settin' up so long, 
 
 An' I hain' got tired yet, 
 Ben wa'tin' at de settin' up so long, 
 
 An' I hain' got tired yet. 
 
 1 hain' got tired yet, I hain' got tired yet. 
 Ben wa'tin' at de settin' up so long, 
 
 An' I hain' got tired yet." 
 
 The music was grand as it came bursting from 
 the throats of three hundred people, all moved 
 by strong religious emotions. Now soft, as the 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 47 
 
 singers walked in the valley, or were hid by the 
 trees; then it burst out clear and full, as they 
 reached a slight elevation in the road, or came 
 out of the grove into the open ground. 
 
 Their music ascended above their black faces, 
 and far above the old swaying trees to the throne 
 of God. For they had the blessed assurance 
 that their worship was acceptable to Him. 
 
 The second and third verses, like the first, told 
 of their glad worship. 
 
 2. " Been prayin' fo' de mohnah so long, 
 
 An' I hain' got tired yet. 
 
 3. Been talkin' to mah Jesus so long, 
 
 An' I hain' got tired yet. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 DEATH OF REV. GEORGE WASHINGTON BUNDAY. 
 
 It was night in an Alabama Cabin. No other 
 light than that of the fire on the hearth illumined 
 the room. On a bed in one corner of the cabin 
 lay a sick man, breathing heavily, while about the 
 room men and women were gathered in little 
 companies, whispering, or tiptoeing about in an 
 officious manner. 
 
 " Do y'u t'ink he'll las' till mawnin'," asked a 
 young colored woman of an old auntie who was 
 rocking diligently near the door. 
 
 " Naw," was the answer, " I hearn a dawg howl 
 free times de uddah night, an' den a squeach owl 
 corned rite un'er mah winder, an' squeached free 
 times, an' las' night I hearn de deaf watch er 
 tickin' rite ober mah 'ead. It does mek mah 
 blood cuddle, an' de col' chills rund all ober ma, 
 tu hear hit, an' I done tol' Ezra dar's gwinter be 
 er deaf, an' shu nuff dar am." 
 
 " I has ter zamine mouty close befo' I lows 
 mah min' ter b'leab in sines an' wunners," said 
 the younger of the two women talking. 
 
 48 
 
OR vi LET'S BOY 49 
 
 \ hain' susticious. I spizes de fool w'ite 
 fo'ks dat has ter se de new moon ober dar right 
 sho'ler, an am feard to eat at de table, if dar am 
 firteen pussons dar." 
 
 " Lemme toP y'u dis, I des hates ter hear a 
 dawg howl in de night, an de deaf watch er 
 tickin', and de squeach owl mek mah ha'r 
 wan' ter riz, an mah flesh gits all creepy lak. 
 But I tells y'u ghos' es doan skeer ma! I's too oP 
 er chile fo' dat." 
 
 An elderly woman, who had been listening to 
 what the others were saying, said : 
 
 "Y'u am right Sis Mar'get. I ain mouty cu'us 
 mah se'f. How sumeober dar am some t'ings I 
 know am er comin', w'en I hears de dawg er 
 barkin' in de night. W'en mah man corned 'ome 
 de udder night, 'E seed a big black cat in de mid 
 dle o' de road, wid great big yaller eyeballs er 
 shinin'. Dars yer sine, I sez, an' I nebber know'd 
 hit ter fail, w'en hit corned on de dahk o' de 
 moon !" 
 
 " Now min' I sez, dars gwine ter be a deaf, 
 an shu nuff dar am, for de preachah'll die befo' 
 mawnin' !" Here she began to cry as if her heart 
 would break. 
 
 The sound of weeping seemed to arouse the 
 sick man. Opening his eyes, he anxiously 
 
50 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 looked around the room for some one not in sight. 
 He was a full blood negro, about fifty years of 
 age. Before sickness had weakened his frame, 
 he must have been a powerful man. Now con 
 sumption had done its work and his life was fast 
 ebbing away. 
 
 In a faint whisper he asked: "Where is 
 Judy?" A young girl, black as night, with an 
 abundance of straight black hair and clear cut 
 features, hastened to the bedside. She was tall, 
 straight as an arrow, and about thirteen years 
 old. Her mother, who had died the year before, 
 was an Indian. 
 
 Judy had the color of a pure negro, with 
 the features and hair of her Indian mother. 
 Her father, the Rev. George Washington Bun- 
 day, had for years been a strong leader among 
 the negroes of the South. Before the war his 
 mother, with her children, had been freed by 
 her master and sent to Ohio, where he had re 
 ceived a liberal education at a college which first 
 opened its doors to the black man. 
 
 Returning to the South, at the close of the war, 
 he had given himself to the uplifting of the 
 negro. He had been a great reader, and could 
 well be called a man of broad scholarshp. For 
 the past two years he had been the pastor of the 
 colored Baptist Church, in Hoopston, Ala. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 5 I 
 
 Now he was dying ! Placing his emaciated 
 hand on Judy's head, he looked lovingly upon her 
 for a moment, and said . 
 
 "Judy, do you think you can remember what I 
 am about to say to you ?" 
 
 Her only answer was a burst of tears. Bury 
 ing her face in the bed clothes, her whole frame 
 quivered with emotion. 
 
 Waiting a moment for her grief to spend itself, 
 he said : 
 
 " Judy you must control yourself for what I 
 have to say to you must be said now, for 
 I shall soon be beyond speech." Resting 
 a moment he continued, "Since your mother 
 died, I've been father and mother to you; now 
 you will be alone in the world. Remember 
 what I tell you. I want you to study hard and 
 never be content till you get an education. 
 Then give yourself, your life, if need be to our 
 people. Remember this is my dying charge, 
 made when the death dew had settled on my 
 brow, and my eyes were fast growing dim to this 
 world." 
 
 "Live for God and the negro. Go down 
 where our people are, and lift them up to God. 
 In that box on the clock-shelf, you will find a 
 letter from the President of Larimer Univer- 
 
52 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 sity, located in Larimer, Mississippi. I have 
 anticipated the change I am to make, and made 
 every arrangement for your education. The 
 President says a church in Massachusetts will 
 pay your tuition. I have saved five hundred 
 dollars, which I have turned over to the Uni 
 versity. This with the help the Church gives, 
 will enable you to graduate in ten years. Be 
 brave. You will have to work vacations to 
 earn your clothes. If they are poor and few, 
 never mind. See to it that your soul is clothed 
 with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ." 
 
 "Now Judy Good-bye." Placing his hand on 
 her head he prayed : 
 
 " Father I give her to Thee to be led, kept and 
 sustained." 
 
 "Give her a heart to love her people ; a zeal that 
 will never tire of doing for them. Enable her to 
 look above their ignorance, their superstitions, 
 their sinfulness to Thyself, and learn from Thee 
 something of the great love that thrilled Thy 
 heart when Thou looked upon the wicked city 
 and wept over it. Bless her, keep her, now and 
 forever, Amen." 
 
 Soon his mind began to wander. He was a 
 slave boy again upon the plantation, and with 
 other children picked cotton and gathered about 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 53 
 
 the cabin door with his mother. He talked of 
 his wife, of Judy and the Church. 
 
 At last there was only muttered words no one 
 could understand, and then the hard breathing 
 that grew less frequent, till all was still. 
 
 Rev. George Washington Bunday, the Negro 
 preacher, was dead, and Judy alone in the world. 
 
 In the early part of the night the sky had been 
 overcast with clouds. 
 
 These were scattered and the moonlight shone 
 through the trees, then it slanted through the 
 small window, near the bed in the cabin and 
 rested on the pinched face of the dead man, 
 where it met an answering calm. 
 
 Outside, and seated on the top rail of the fence, 
 the men had gathered. They were talking of 
 their dead preacher and his great love for his 
 black brothers. 
 
 The news of Elder Bunday's death spread like 
 wild fire throughout the neighborhood. The 
 negroes gathered in great numbers about the 
 cabin, and by nine o'clock there were hundreds 
 present, all anxious to do something to show their 
 regard for one who had loved them. 
 
 Some one started a hymn in the house, and 
 those outside took it up, singing as no one but a 
 negro can. Such harmony, such melting pathos 
 
54 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 is never heard unless under similar circumstan 
 ces. 
 
 Every heart was stirred, for there were few 
 present who did not remember a kind word 
 spoken, a loving service performed, a prayer 
 offered, a warning given, by the dead man. They 
 sang while the tears ran down their cheeks : 
 
 " Our bruddah's took 'is flight an' gone 'ome, 
 
 And de angels are wa'tin' at de do ' ; 
 
 Our bruddah's took 'is flight an' gone 'ome, 
 
 An' de angels are wa'tin' at de do'. 
 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n, 
 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma. 
 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n, 
 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma. 
 
 He hab laid down 'is cross an' gone 'ome, 
 An' de angels are wa'tin' at de do'; 
 He hab laid down 'is cross an gone 'ome, 
 An' de angels are wa'tin' at de do'. 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma. 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n, 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma. 
 
 He hab taken up 'is crown an' gone 'ome, 
 An' de angels are wa'tin' at de do' 
 He hab taken up 'is crown an gone 'ome, 
 An' de angels are wa'tin' at de do'. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 55 
 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma. 
 Tell all mah faddah's chil'n, 
 Doan y'u weep fo' ma." 
 
 The next day they buried their dead. Words 
 fail to give any conception of the wild grief of 
 the people. They had never realized how much 
 they loved him, and how much his life had be 
 come a part of their lives, 
 
 Men who were living in sin told how he plead 
 with them to forsake their evil ways, and lead 
 true, pure lives. 
 
 The idle and the profligate told how he urged 
 them to labor with their hands. Telling them of the 
 dignity of labor, that there was no true manhood 
 without work. That freedom did not mean law 
 lessness, or idleness. That to be free, one had to 
 give up a part of his freedom, so that others 
 might enjoy their own. 
 
 And the young told of his wise councils, of 
 earnest entreaty to be manly and clean, and to 
 44 remember their Creator in the days of their 
 youth." 
 
 And all turned away from the grave feeling 
 that a good man had left them. 
 
 Mr. Bunday was a deeply spirited man, and 
 whatever he did he showed the Christian gentle- 
 
56 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 men. He had come to Hoopston, Ala., two 
 years before, bringing his wife and daughter with 
 him. Here his wife had died and been buried, 
 and now he was dead ! Literally he had given 
 his own life for his people. He had borne with 
 their inconsistences, remembering the pit from 
 which they had been dug. 
 
 He had gone among them teaching social 
 purity and right doing. At first he had expected 
 less of those who had been in bondage, than from 
 their children, and was grieved at the children's 
 sinfulness. Then he remembered that they 
 were only a little removed from the evils of 
 slavery and pitied them. He knew their beset- 
 ments, the sins into which they were most likely 
 to fall, and reasoned thus : 
 
 "This people are not really themselves, but the 
 deposit of others. The responsibility does not 
 belong alone to them, but to their slave masters, 
 who have made the conditions that surround 
 them. They are impure because they have been 
 taught to be impure. The husband was sold 
 away from his wife, and the wife from the hus 
 band, and another given in place, thus teaching 
 them to disregard the sanctity of the marriage 
 relationship." 
 
 " This evil, with the numerous births of chil- 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 57 
 
 dren with white blood in their veins, and no 
 disgrace being attached to either parent, taught 
 him that the sins of his people lay with those 
 who made them what they are. At the same 
 time he did not attempt to excuse the negros 
 from all responsibility. He sought to rouse them 
 to a sense of their own selfhood. To teach them, 
 it is possible to overcome every evil tendency, 
 and be what God would have them be, men. 
 
 That, with the help of God, they could turn 
 the evil tendencies into right, pure tendencies 
 and become free men according to the Divine 
 command. He sought to give out of his own 
 personality, a force, and weight to reason, that 
 would lead the negroes out of themselves ; to 
 convince them that others coming after them 
 were to be influenced by what they were. 
 
 This was the teaching he himself had received 
 at the College from which he had been graduated. 
 It had become a part of his own being, the prin 
 ciple that had governed his every act 
 
 After the funeral many homes were open to 
 Judy, for every heart went out to her in her loneli 
 ness. The negroes never allow the orphan chil 
 dren of their people to be left homeless. No 
 matter how many there are in the family, or how 
 poor the fare, there is always room for one more, 
 
58 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 It had been arranged by Elder Bunday, that 
 deacon Manly should take her into his own fam 
 ily until the fall term should open at Larimer, 
 deacon Manly was a man who had been greatly 
 loved by the dead preacher. He was an 
 honest Christian man, living in a double log 
 cabin on two hundred acres of land, which he 
 owned and tilled. 
 
 It was needful that Judy should remain at the 
 cabin till her clothes were gathered up, her father's 
 books packed, and some other things got together 
 which she wished to keep. The balance was to 
 be sold. 
 
 Several of the sisters stayed after the funeral 
 to help Judy, dea. Manly promising to call for 
 her in the evening. Finishing the work sooner 
 than they expected, they had gone home leaving 
 Judy to wait for the deacon. The house seemed 
 so quiet, where everything spoke of her father, 
 she felt she could not stay there alone, she must 
 go somewhere. Closing the house she went 
 across the fields to Sam Homans', where she 
 thought she could see the deacon when he 
 called for her. Mr. Homans was the father of 
 nine children. He, like so many others of his 
 race, had no conception of the meaning of " Mine 
 or thine," and if he wanted the " thine," not even 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 59 
 
 the fear of being caught, prevented his taking it, 
 and when he was detected, he unblushingly lied 
 to get out of his theft. Mrs. Homans, or 
 " Rinda," as she was called by her neighbors, was 
 a woman who ruled her husband. Some claimed 
 she made him the lazy, idle thief he was. Her 
 children wrangled and fought with each other as 
 soon as they could crawl out of their cradles, and 
 continued this till they went out into the world 
 to fight the battle of life. 
 
 She was a sharp faced, angular woman, 
 wrinkled, yellow and sunken eyed. Her voice 
 was usually raised to a sharp pitch, for she 
 smoked or scolded all the time, when she was not 
 asleep. One never found her with work in her 
 hands. The ragged garments worn by her chil 
 dren bore positive witness to this fact. 
 
 The house was a low, sagging, dilapidated 
 affair, standing some distance from the road. Its 
 whole appearance was as if conscious of its mean 
 ness and was attempting to shrink into itself. 
 There was no ceiling to the room. The few 
 rafters were bare, and the boards were nearly 
 black with smoke and flies. 
 
 To this cabin Judy went to wait the coming of 
 dea. Manly. As she entered the door, Mrs. 
 Homans, with her pipe in her mouth, stood be- 
 
60 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 fore the fire poking something in an iron kettle, 
 with a two-tined steel fork. 
 
 Looking up, as Judy entered, she tried to make 
 her voice sound pleasant, something so unnatural 
 that her own tones must have frightened her. 
 
 Taking the pipe from her mouth she said: 
 " Howdy Judy, is y'u well ?" 
 
 " Yes mam, very well," said the child trying 
 hard to keep back the tears. 
 
 " I raiken y'u feels mouty bad coz yer dady's 
 daid ?" said Mrs. Homans. 
 
 "Yes, Mam," was the answer, almost in a 
 whisper. 
 
 "Did you see um put 'im in de grown ?" con 
 tinued Rinda. 
 
 Judy's tears were her only answer. 
 
 Seeing the child's whole body quivering with 
 her grief, she added : 
 
 "Hits mouty unwrong fo' y'u to cry so. Doan 
 y'u know Gawd made y'u daddy die, an' y'u mus' 
 be 'signed ?" 
 
 While the mother had been speaking, several 
 of the children, bare-footed and ill clad, had been 
 standing before the weeping child, and staring at 
 her with curious eyes. Observing this, the 
 mother said : 
 
 " Hump y'use'fs outen de way, starin' at de po' 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 6 1 
 
 chile who ain' got no daddy , nor mammy/' I 
 guess y'u'd cry if 'da dig'd a hoi' in de grown' an' 
 put y'u mammy in dar, an' y'u nebber see 'er no 
 mo.' Evey one o' y'u go outen de 'ouse to de 
 gyarden, an stay dar till I tole y'u to come in." 
 
 Judy could stand no more. Rushing from the 
 house she never stopped until she reached the 
 spot where her parents were buried. 
 
 Throwing herself down upon the ground, she 
 cried passionately: 
 
 " Papa, papa, come back ! I cannot live with 
 out you ! " 
 
 Here deacon Manly found her later in the day 
 and took her to his own home, where she found 
 love and sympathy. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE JIM CROW CAR 
 
 The summer soon passed. The ripened grain 
 had been gathered and the cotton picked, while 
 here and there, the foliage on some of the trees 
 gave a tint of autumn, when Judy began to make 
 preparations to go to Larimer and begin her 
 University course. 
 
 Now the last day had come, and Judy had vis 
 ited her former home and the graves of her par 
 ents. She had said "good bye" to her father's 
 parishioners the Sabbath before, and now only 
 waited for evening to start on her journey. 
 
 The thought of going among strangers fright 
 ened her. At deacon Manly's she had been 
 treated as if she w r ere their child. One after 
 another of their children had died, till but one 
 remained, and she had gone to a home in the 
 North, where as a wife and mother, she revealed 
 to those about her the sterling principles she had 
 been taught by her Christian parents. 
 
 Going to her favorite seat under a catalpa tree 
 
 62 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 63 
 
 that grew in the yard Judy gave herself up to her 
 grief. She thought of the death of her parents, 
 of leaving this, the only place she could call 
 home, of her father's last words, and of her utter 
 loneliness. 
 
 What would her life be at the University ? How 
 would she be received ? Then she remembered 
 what her father had told her of the School, the 
 teachers and their strong love for the negro, and 
 she began to plan for her journey and what she 
 would do when she reached Larimer. 
 
 While she had been sitting there, the pigeons 
 had gathered about her feet, expecting she would 
 feed them, as had been her custom. They 
 plumed and bridled their opal necks. They coo- 
 coo-cood around her, and wheeled about their 
 mates, swelling their throats and tremulously 
 bowing to them, cooing all the time. 
 
 In her delight over the pigeons, she forgot her 
 sorrow, and laughed at the pigeon's politeness to 
 his wife. Just then Mrs. Manly called her to tea. 
 
 Soon the " good byes " were said, and deacon 
 Manly and Judy were on their way to the station. 
 
 The sun was just sinking in the west as they 
 drove out of the yard. The whole country 
 seemed to catch the light that flushed with rose 
 colors, exquisite beyond all words, or pencil to 
 paint ; glowing like the gate of heaven. 
 
64 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Judy looked with tearful eyes on all familiar 
 objects as they rode along. She might never see 
 them again, and all the dear friends who had been 
 so kind to her since her father's death might be 
 sleeping in the same church yard with her par 
 ents, when she returned. 
 
 Entering the station, a policeman pointed to 
 the side of the waiting room where the colored 
 people must sit, for only those who serve the 
 whites can ride in the car with them or sit near 
 them in the station. 
 
 It was a motley company of negroes that were 
 waiting for the train. Near Judy were two men 
 chained together, and being taken to prison in 
 charge of an officer. A man so fierce and 
 bloated, Judy dared not look at him, came and 
 sat down by her. He was drunk and disposed to 
 be talkative. The ashes from his unlit pipe were 
 scattered over his bosom. Turning to Judy, he 
 said: 
 
 " I's roarin' drunk. Bounter hab a time fo' 
 onct. Say Boss " turning to deacon Manly, 
 " hain' y'u got a nickel fo' ma ? I needs a drink 
 pow'ful bad." 
 
 An old man shuffled up to a woman and asked 
 after her health in a tone which was prepared to 
 turn with equal appreciation towards sympathy, 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 65 
 
 if she was to say she was ill, and congratulations 
 if she was well. The old man had lived long 
 enough to know that there was nothing that 
 pleases an invalid so much as a chance to tell of 
 her aches and pains, and to boast of her courage 
 in enduring them. And nothing offends quicker 
 than to seem to ignore the afflictions. 
 
 " How am y'u Sis' Nervy ? " asked the old 
 man. 
 
 " I's pow'ful po'ly dis fall. I's mos' pas' feelin' 
 bad. I done tole Sam dis mawnin', hit look lak 
 I's gwinter be sick. I ain' sorry I's mos' fru, fo' 
 I's tired o' libbin in dis wicked wurrel. I had de 
 tubericles in mah libber, an' den de brown keet- 
 ers mos' kill ma, an' in de mawnin' I hab sich 
 pow'ful pains in mah back, hit mos' gimme de 
 high stirrups. Hit do beat de debbil Bro. John- 
 sing, 'ow good de Lawd am ter me. I ain' wuf a 
 cent, so I's gwine down to Mobile to see ma gal 
 Juliet. I doan see 'ow I's gwinter git all mah 
 bundles onter 'de cyahs," she continued anxiously. 
 
 " Y'u shuly do need resistance, an' I's gwinter 
 resist y'u ? " said the old man. 
 
 Just then the train, with clanging bell and 
 whizzing steam, came slowly in, and Judy went 
 forward into the Jim Crow Car. The conductor's 
 "All aboard," the swing of the brakeman's 
 
66 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 lantern, and the cars moved off again into the 
 darkness. 
 
 The Jim Crow Car, as it is called, is the front 
 half of the smoker, divided off for the negroes. 
 Here they must ride, away from the white tour 
 ists. The latter kept from the contaminating in 
 fluence of the negroes, by the smoke of the 
 white men in the smoker. Should a white 
 woman wish a negro girl to care for her children, 
 she may sit in the same seat with her, and caress 
 her children. This is all right, in fact the white 
 woman likes it. The same white woman could 
 never endure to have the same black girl sit at 
 the other end of a car in which she sits, if she is 
 there otherwise than as a servant. " She has such 
 a disagreeable odor about her, you know." 
 
 Young or old, sick or well, drunk or depraved, 
 are all huddled together into this Jim Crow Car. 
 
 The black man pays for first class accommoda 
 tions, and gets third class. The white tourists 
 are provided with a sleeper. There is no such 
 provision for the negro, let him be never so ill, or 
 even if he has the money to pay for a berth. 
 
 As Judy entered the car, the seats seemed to 
 be filled. Clinging to the back of one of them 
 she swayed back and forth, with the motion of 
 the train, and looked about her with fright. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 67 
 
 An old woman, seated on the back seat and 
 facing the door, with bundles and carpet sack 
 about her, motioned to Judy to come and take a 
 seat by her. 
 
 As the child staggered down towards the seat 
 the old woman looked at her with hungry eyes, 
 and as she sat down she almost strangled Judy in 
 her effort to kiss her. Her breath was heavy 
 with the mal odor of nicotine. She was old, and 
 wrinkled and unhappy. 
 
 With wondering, restless eyes she turned to 
 Judy and said : 
 
 u I's gwine ter fin' mah gal w'at libs in North- 
 vine, de Lawd doan wan' ma in hebbin, coz he 
 won' lemme die, an mah son's wife doan wan' ma 
 no mo' in 'er 'ouse, so I's gwinter fin' mah gal 
 w'at libs in Northville." 
 
 "How many children have you?" asked Judy. 
 
 " I had seben, an' da's all squandered, " the old 
 woman answered. 
 
 She was a sorry looking creature, forlorn and 
 friendless, with hollow eyes and hacking cough. 
 Her dress was shabby and thin. Digging the 
 ashes from her pipe with her finger, she asked 
 the man in the seat in front of her for the " fillin' 
 o' a pipe," and smoked for a time in silence. 
 Then removing her pipe from her mouth she 
 said: 
 
68 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 "Y'u doan seem afeared of de cyahs," and 
 without waiting for an answer, she asked : " Whar 
 y'u lib w'en y'u'r ter 'ome ? " 
 
 Judy told her of her old home, and her father's 
 death. Here her utter loneliness and homesick 
 feelings overcame her and she burst into tears. 
 
 The mother feeling in the old woman was 
 roused. Laying her pipe on the window sill of 
 the car, she took the weeping child in her with 
 ered arms and comforted her. 
 
 " Y'u ain' been fetched up to trebble, honey, as 
 I hab." Then she told Judy her great tragic 
 history, so bitter as to cloud her mind. How 
 " Ole Marse done sole mah man an' I doan no 
 whar 'e sole 'im too. Den da sole Pete, an' Dan, 
 an' Gassy an' Becky, but I's gwinter see urn in de 
 mawnin' ! I'll see um evey one ! I's gwinter tek 
 em in des ol' arms, fo' da's chil'n o' de bressed 
 Jesus." 
 
 Then in a chanting tone, swaying her body 
 from side to side, she sang: 
 " Da may burry ma in de eas', da may burry ma 
 
 in de wes' 
 
 But I'll 'ear de trumper soun' in de mawnin' ! 
 In de mawnin' mah Lawd, 'ow I long to go, 
 For ter 'ear de trumpet soun'in in de mawnin'." 
 
 There was something so weird and uncanny in 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 69 
 
 her appearance, that Judy moved instinctively 
 away from her. Observing this, the old woman 
 said: 
 
 "Y'u fraid I hurt y'u ? Deed I won', I's des a 
 po' ol j 'oman dat hain' got no place nowhar, fo' 
 God doan wan' ma in hebben coz' 'e won' lemme 
 die, an' mah son's wife won' hab ma no mo'n in 
 'er 'ouse. So I's gwinter fin' mah gal in North- 
 ville." 
 
 The train had now reached Montgomery, 
 where a large portion of the passengers got off. 
 Among them the two men chained together. 
 These seemed to take the attention of the old 
 woman. Turning to Judy she said: 
 
 " Deyen hab bad blood atwix 'um, da's mouty 
 bad men, fo' da's done kill er man ! " 
 
 The drunken man seen in the station was fast 
 asleep. He had thus far made the night hideous 
 with his loud breathing. As he was to leave the 
 train at Mobile, the brakeman, with no gentle 
 hand, attempted to rouse him. With loud curses 
 and threats of vengance, he was finally ejected 
 from the train. 
 
 There were new faces to attract the attention 
 of the old woman, for other passengers had come 
 into the car. After a short stop, the train once 
 more moved out into the night. Soon the old 
 
70 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 woman forgot her sorrows in sleep. Seeing a 
 vacant seat on the other side of the car, Judy 
 left her to her slumbers, and hastened to occupy 
 it. 
 
 The night was clear, and the moon full, so that 
 the objects along the track were plainly visible. 
 Here was a sqalid cabin, and there another. Judy 
 did not need to be told who lived in those cabins. 
 
 Then she passed a more pretentious home. 
 So all through the night, the cars rushed on, 
 through fertile fields and barren country, villages 
 and towns. Here everything spoke of thrift and 
 plenty, and there poverty and want were exhibit 
 ed. Thus the night passed, and the gray of dawn 
 found Judy wide awake, looking out into a new 
 world. The passengers showed signs of life, as 
 the sun peeped up in the east and began his daily 
 round. 
 
 How changed every thing seemed. When the 
 cars entered the villages and cities, there was 
 activity and bustle, for the great number of bread 
 winners had taken up the duties of life anew. 
 
 The car was soon filled with tobacco smoke, 
 for all of the men and some of the women had 
 lighted their pipes. This, with the motion of the 
 train and a sleepless night, made Judy deathly 
 sick. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 7 1 
 
 Seated on the opposite side of the car, were 
 two pleasant faced women. They had boarded 
 the train in the early morning, where the cars had 
 stopped for water, and for some time had been 
 watching Judy. Her unnaturally large black 
 eyes had the look of a hunted deer, driven to 
 bay. The elder of the two women turned to the 
 other and said: 
 
 " Sump'ns de mattah wid dat po' chile." 
 
 " Sho nuff dar am, fo' she look pow'ful droopy," 
 said the other. 
 
 " I wunner whar she's gwine," said the elder of 
 the two. Leaving her seat she sat down by Judy 
 and asked : " I's y'u lone honey ? " 
 
 The eyes of the child scanned the face of the 
 woman for a moment, then with a pitiful wail she 
 threw her arms around her neck and wept hysteri 
 cally. With all the arts of motherhood, the 
 woman comforted and caressed the child till she 
 was fast asleep, her head resting against her new 
 found friend's breast 
 
 Let me tell you what Judy saw in this woman. 
 A woman nearly sixty, plain and black, yet with 
 such goodness in her face, such sympathy, such 
 all embracing human kindness as to make her 
 lovely to look upon. Judy saw this, and child 
 like, threw herself into her arms. 
 
72 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 During the day there were young men and 
 happy girls who boarded the train. They 
 laughed and talked of their vacation, the good 
 times at home, and the school life before them. 
 These, like Judy were students for Larimer. 
 
 Judy felt better after her sleep, and as the day 
 wore on, forgot her homesickness in her interest 
 in those about her. However, she still clung to 
 her new found friend. 
 
 Hearing the young people talk about school 
 life, a seedy old man asked one of the young men : 
 " Whar 'e war gwine ? " 
 
 "I am a student, on my way back to Larimer 
 University," said the young man. 
 
 " What y'u gwinter do w'en y'u git fru' ? " 
 questioned the old man. 
 
 " I expect to preach the Gospel," the young 
 man replied. 
 
 " I hates ter mek rema'ks 'bout fo'ks w'en da 
 hain' w'ar da kin 'ear ma," said the old man, " but 
 I wanter tole y'u dis, dem taechers am gwinter 
 hell, for w'at das doin' ! W'en da ta'k 'bout edi- 
 catin' preachahs, das blasfemin'! Das jes a set o' 
 ijiots, now min' dat." 
 
 " I am' an edicated man, nuther do I b'leeb in 
 edication. De Lawd edicates 'is preachahs des 
 es 'e wan's um to be edicated. Some o' um 'e 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 73 
 
 edicates in de fiel', udders dribin' er mule, an' 
 udders in de cyahs, or pickin' cotton. I's been a 
 preachah for mo'n forty years an' I bain' nebber 
 bin ter no Varsity, I's a Hard Shell Baptist 
 preachah, des lak de postle Sorl o' Tausus war, 
 an' John de Baptist war, an' I's gwinter de place 
 w'ar da is, w'ile de edicated preachahs '11 all go 
 ter hell." 
 
 At West Point, Mississippi, two other young 
 persons entered the cars. One was a tall, mas 
 sive framed young man, very black and poorly 
 clad. The other was a delicate boy, nearly white, 
 about thirteen years of age. We have no trouble 
 in recognizing the latter as Alexander Gleason 
 from Barneyville, Ga. The other may as well be 
 introduced to the reader now as Apollos Wash 
 ington, from Macon, Ga. Both were new stu 
 dents bound for Larimer University, Mississippi. 
 
 The elder carried a carpet bag of an ancient 
 pattern, tied together with a piece of rope. His 
 coat sleeves were nearly two inches too short, as 
 were his pants. He seemed to have taken the 
 boy under his special charge, though they had 
 been strangers to each other till they met at the 
 junction which they had just left. 
 
 About four o'clock the train pulled into Lari 
 mer station. There were greetings for the old 
 and a welcome for the new students. 
 
74 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Soon all was bustle and rush. The baggage 
 was hunted up, directions given, and away they 
 all went to begin life at Larimer University. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 APOLLOS WASHINGTON 
 
 The reader should know something more of 
 the young man introduced in our last chapter. 
 Apollos Washington is a tall, massive negro, six 
 feet two inches in his stocking feet, and very 
 black. 
 
 His large and well shaped head is firmly set 
 upon his broad shoulders, and held in place by 
 his thick neck. He is a very Hercules in 
 strength. 
 
 The winter before our story commenced, he 
 had worked in a hotel in Florida, as porter. 
 Among the guests was a Mrs. Jefferds, a Boston 
 lady. She had called upon him frequently for 
 services, and found him a willing helper. 
 
 Often when unemployed, she had observed his 
 eagerness to read, and several times she had 
 loaned him books. 
 
 One day he had brought to her an express 
 package, and was about to leave the room, when 
 she called him back, and questioned him about 
 
 75 
 
76 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 his past life, and plans for the future. She was 
 led to do this after having heard a conversation 
 in the parlor the night before. 
 
 It had been claimed -that the negro had no 
 desire to rise above his present condition ; that if 
 he had enough to eat and a place to sleep he 
 would be satisfied. Wishing to verify this state 
 ment, she said to him : 
 
 " Are you happy and contented to follow your 
 present occupation ? In fact would you like to 
 be a porter in a fine hotel like this all your life ? " 
 
 " Happy ?" A strange fire flashed from his 
 eyes as he said : 
 
 " No mam ; I is not." 
 
 " What would make you happy ?" she ques 
 tioned. 
 
 " Hit won' do ma no good ter tell," he replied 
 gloomily. 
 
 " It might help you to tell me, for I may be 
 able to show you how you may get it," Mrs. Jef- 
 ferds urged. 
 
 " Is it something you can earn ? If so, there is 
 no reason to despair, for you are a great strong 
 fellow, and in time can secure it, if you save 
 your money. Tell me what it is ? " 
 
 "I wan' an edication, an' I'll nebber res' till I 
 gits hit," Apollos answered with a dry sob in his 
 voice. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 77 
 
 " What is to hinder your getting an education? " 
 she asked. 
 
 " Of course you mean you want to attend 
 Booker Washington's Industrial school and learn 
 a trade ?" 
 
 " No, I doan wan' a trade ; I wan' to go to Lar 
 imer University, and be er lawyer." 
 
 " Larimer University is a long way from here, 
 and it will take years of time and a great deal of 
 money to complete the course. How old are 
 you ? " Mrs. Jefferds asked 
 
 " I's mos' twenty," Apollos answered. 
 
 " Have you any money saved towards your ex 
 penses ?" she questioned. 
 
 ' Naw." 
 
 " How do you expect to get an education with 
 out money ? " said Mrs. Jefferds. 
 
 " I doan know," Apollos answered dejectedly. 
 
 " Have you counted the cost of such an educa 
 tion ? What you must do before you can enter 
 the school. The years of study and hard work, 
 and sacrifice, before you can be graduated ? " Mrs. 
 Jefferds anxiously asked. 
 
 " I knows mam, ebber t'ing's agin ma ! Doan 
 t'ink I hain' counted hit !" Apollos replied vehe 
 mently. " An' I's willin' to mos' starb to git fru ! 
 I's tried starbin' befo', and can do hit agin." 
 
78 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 44 My poor boy, I do not think you know what 
 you are talking about. 1 should hate to see you 
 try to get an education and fail. You would be 
 more discouraged than you are now," emphat 
 ically urged Mrs. Jefferds. 
 
 44 I's don' tole you ebber t'ing's ergin ma, I's a 
 niggah ! I hab no fre'ns ter he'p ma. Mah muddah 
 and faddah am bof daid, but I's qwinter go frufo' 
 shu !" Apollos answered with a fixed purpose in 
 his tone. 
 
 "Tell me all about your plans, Apollos, I want 
 to fully understand you," urged Mrs. Jefferds, 
 with increasing interest. 
 
 "Life hab been berry hard fo' ma," said Apol 
 los, " I des hates mah se'f ! I wish I were daid ! 
 I gotter go fru life wid mah brack face, an* no 
 one ter keer w'eddah I libs or dies, fo' I's nuffin 
 but a brack niggah ! " 
 
 "Don't feel like that," Mrs. Jefferds urged 
 kindly. 
 
 " Are you not well treated in this hotel ? Are 
 not the people kind to you ?" 
 
 "Des bein' kin' an* good ain' lubbin' ma ; I's 
 niggah des de same." Apollos grimly respond 
 ed. 
 
 44 Don't you feel that we have your interests at 
 heart ?" continued Mrs. Jefferds. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 79 
 
 " I hern de boss call us, "brute cattle" an' 'e 
 say, "we ain' humans." No lub 'bout dat ! We 
 wan's lub des lak de w'ite fo'ks gite hit !" he 
 answered moodily. 
 
 Mrs. Jefferds had before her a revelation of a 
 black man's heart, such as she had never known 
 before ! She had always been interested in the 
 negro, and had felt when she made her contribu 
 tion to the Freedman's Missionary Association, 
 for she was a loyal church member, that she had 
 done her duty. 
 
 Here was a human soul longing to be liberated 
 from its bondage of ignorance. Longing to 
 stand as a man among men, respected and loved. 
 She hesitated before answering: 
 
 " Here is an opportunity for service, a chance 
 to lift up one of God's children. What is my 
 duty ?"were the thoughts that passed through 
 her mind in quick succession. 
 
 Finally, she said: "You must not think of 
 those about you, whether they love you or hate 
 you, it does not do away with this fact God loves 
 you, and wants you to make a good, strong, 
 Christian man out of yourself. One that he can 
 use to build up his Kingdom, and help his chil 
 dren to do right." 
 
 Hesitating once more, as if to see her duty 
 more clearly, she continued : 
 
8O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " The most of my life is behind me. Yours is 
 to come. I will tell you what I am going to do. 
 I am going to help you to go through Larimer 
 University. You are to earn all you can towards 
 helping yourself, and what you lack, I will 
 supply." 
 
 A new impulse seemed to inspire Apollos. 
 He moved about the Hotel as if filled with glad 
 ness, and handled great heavy trunks as if they 
 were of little weight. 
 
 It soon became known in the Hotel what Mrs. 
 Jefferds was proposing to do for Apollos. The 
 wife of the proprietor of the house felt it to be 
 her duty to show Mrs. Jefferds the foolishness of 
 her plan. 
 
 She told her it was a " waste of money to send 
 that great hulk of a nigger to school ! That, after 
 she had educated him he would be only a 
 nigger ! " 
 
 Others urged, " It would be doing him an un- 
 kindness to educate him, and then send him back 
 to his own people, for no white person would 
 recognize him. He would have to spend his 
 days among his old and uncongenial surround 
 ings, an educated nigger." 
 
 At times Apollos chafed under the hard things 
 said to him. His employer's cold eyes watched 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 8l 
 
 his every move with merciless cruelty. Apollos 
 was a nigger, trying to rise above his true station, 
 and whenever he failed in duty, the landlord 
 cursed him, and twitted him of his effort to be 
 somebody, when he was no better than a beast ! 
 
 Mrs. Jefferds saw and heard something of what 
 was going on and tried to soften the bitterness in 
 Apollos' heart, but she knew little of the brutality 
 and contempt they heaped upon him, because he 
 dared to aspire to something above his present 
 degradation. 
 
 " Don't stop to think about their abuse," she 
 counselled, " or talk it over with the other servants 
 in the house. Your every spare moment should 
 be spent in self improvement. If what they say 
 about you is untrue, it does not hurt you in the 
 least ! " 
 
 " Your character is your true self ! No one 
 can touch that but yourself! If that is ever 
 harmed, Apollos Washington is the one that will 
 harm it!" 
 
 One day Apollos neglected to bring down a 
 trunk from one of the upper rooms. It made no 
 difference, for it would not go out for several 
 hours, still it was an offence. For this the son of 
 the proprietor cursed him and called him a " con 
 temptible lazy nigger." He even went so far as to 
 strike him with his fist. 
 
82 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Furiously turning upon his tormenter, Apollos 
 raised him from the floor as if he had been made 
 of straw, and would have dashed him upon the 
 tiling and trodden upon him, but for the interfer 
 ence of several guests. 
 
 For this he was lodged in jail, where Mrs. Jef- 
 ferds found him the next morning, and adminis 
 tered comfort to him. He had passed a sleepless 
 night. There had come before his mental vision 
 his past life. He saw himself without hope of 
 anything in the future but the endless monotony 
 of a service that he hated ! A long, dreary future, 
 a roving life and futile existence. 
 
 Then came the prospect of better things. A 
 door was opened before him, and he was about to 
 enter and gain the one desire of his heart an ed 
 ucation. Now that door was closed. Once more 
 the old look of enmity to mankind settled over his 
 face. Was not every man's hand against him ? 
 He felt the injustice of the world as never before. 
 He had felt that an education would enable him 
 to gain the foot-hold that now was denied him, 
 and he could become the defender of his people ; 
 now all hope was gone ! 
 
 He writhed under this, for his was a sensitive 
 soul. What was he to do when he should be lib 
 erated ? Should he not run away, and give up 
 the purpose of getting an education ? 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 83 
 
 How could he ever face Mrs. Jefferds ? He 
 felt she would not understand his provocation 
 that the man had struck him without a cause. 
 These were the thoughts of the night. 
 
 The next morning when the exhaustion, which 
 always follows in the wake of violent emotions, 
 had blunted the edge of his suffering, his thoughts 
 took the shape of an earnest longing to see Mrs. 
 Jefferds and tell her all about the matter. 
 
 Had Mrs. Jefferds been other than the noble 
 Christian woman she was, capable of discerning 
 the good in him, she would have left him in his 
 disgrace to get along the best way he could, feel 
 ing only disgust for him, and an unwillingness to 
 have her name mixed up with his again. To 
 abandon him was the last thing in her thoughts. 
 
 " Don't look so unhappy Apollos," were the first 
 words he heard from her, as she came to his cell 
 door the next morning. 
 
 "There is hope for you getting out of here be 
 fore long, for your friends in the hotel are inter 
 esting themselves in your behalf. I know you 
 had great provocations, but would it not have been 
 best to have continued master of yourself ? " 
 
 "I des wish I war fru school, I'd mek un pay fo' 
 dis ! Wen I gite terbe a lawyer, I'll sho' um da 
 cahnt 'buse de cul'd fo'ks dis away. I des hate 
 
84 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 um ! I hates de w'ole lot o' um ! " he cried, his 
 face quivering with passion, and his black eyes 
 burning with hate. 
 
 Mrs. Jefferds could hear him breathe through 
 the gratings of the prison door. 
 
 " You are not showing the best spirit," Mrs. 
 Jefferds sorrowfully urged. " If you cherish 
 hatred in your heart, you have nothing left worthy 
 of self respect." 
 
 " I wish I war w'ite," Apollos cried, with a look 
 in his face such as Mrs. Jefferds had never seen in 
 a human face before. "I cou'd den lib in peace." 
 
 " Don't wish to be other than what God has 
 made you," urged Mrs. Jefferds. Be content to 
 be black. If God had wanted you to be white, he 
 would have made you white. Did you never 
 think God created you ? That to do this, you 
 must have been in his mind ? That God thought 
 about Apollos Washington, and made him with 
 his black face to become a noble, self-reliant 
 man ? " 
 
 " Apollos, find out what God would have you do 
 for him ; you already know what he would have 
 you be." 
 
 Tears came to his dry, burning eyes, while she 
 was talking. With a shake in his voice he said : 
 
 " Life hab nuffin fo' ma now ! I hab to gib up 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 85 
 
 goin' ter Larimer, coz no body'll he'p me, I's so 
 bad !" 
 
 With something of the look of Him who came 
 down from Heaven, on her face Mrs. Jefferds said : 
 
 No, Apollos ; you will not have to give up going 
 to Larimer University. I am more determined 
 than ever to help you gain an education, for I 
 believe you will become a good, strong, Christian 
 
 man." 
 
 Before night he was released from prison. Mrs. 
 Jefferds had him return to his old home, Macon, 
 Ga., and remain till the fall term should begin at 
 Larimer, where we find him hard at work, begin 
 ning his preparation for his University course. 
 
 At Larimer it soon became apparent to the 
 faculty that young Washington was no ordinary 
 fellow. 
 
 One of the teachers, at the close of the fall term, 
 writing to a former instructor, said of him : 
 
 "He has physical qualities that will command 
 respect, while in every line of his black face is 
 written inflexible determination. His black eyes 
 reveal the most intense passion, or the most melt 
 ing love." 
 
 This was a correct estimate of Apollos Wash 
 ington, by one who had for years made a careful 
 study of young men, and rarely made a mistake in 
 her estimate of them. 
 
86 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 To those he loved, he was courteous, kind and 
 gentle as a child ; ever ready to do a favor for 
 them. His great fault was resentment of wrong 
 done him, or his race. When talking of the 
 slights and prejudice shown his people, he blazed 
 with passion. 
 
 It requires but a few days for friendship to form 
 among students. Apollos andAlexander had met 
 on the way to Larimer, at a junction where they 
 had waited several hours. They had agreed to 
 room together. Then, during the first week at 
 the University Alexander had been desperately 
 homesick, and Apollos had comforted him. In 
 fact he had completely taken Alexander into his 
 heart, and cared for him as he would for a young 
 er brother. 
 
 The great big fellow found in Alexander just 
 what he needed, some one to love, and in return 
 to love him. Theirs was a full-fledged friendship, 
 never to be broken, while life should last. 
 
 Every body wondered at their friendship, they 
 were so unlike in looks, tastes and disposition. 
 The one was black, tall, strong and shabbily 
 dressed. The other small, well dressed and near 
 ly white. Then there were seven years difference 
 in their ages. The one twenty, the other thir 
 teen. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 87 
 
 Apollos was ungainly in appearance. When 
 he stepped, his foot went down as if it would 
 never come up again. He kept his large hands 
 in his pockets, and looked out upon the world as 
 if he dared it to interfere with him. 
 
 Alexander was small for his age, refined and 
 timid. But wherever you saw the one you would 
 find the other. They studied, walked, laughed 
 and played together. The one was called by the 
 students, "substance," and the other "his shadow." 
 
 Outside school life it requires years for such 
 friendship to form. There is the slow learning 
 of each other's character, which comes by long 
 intimate association. In college there is an in 
 stantaneous process where one takes the other's 
 measure at a glance. 
 
 This, however, could be said of both. "They 
 are ardent and have a high sense of honor." 
 
 Entering Larimer, a new era dawned upon 
 Apollos. His was an undeveloped nature. At 
 first he found it hard work to master his lessons 
 and yet he never rested till the task was accom 
 plished. 
 
 It was no new spirit that came over him, for 
 the fire of ambition had long been kindled in his 
 soul. His diligence was the fruit of a conscious 
 purpose to go through the University and become 
 
88 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 a lawyer and defend his people against wrong. 
 He had read everything he could get hold of, 
 that told of the negroes' persecution, and unjust 
 treatment. 
 
 He had dwelt upon these wrongs till a desire 
 to right them had become his master, and waking 
 or sleeping, this desire filled his thoughts and 
 dreams. To gain this end was the goal of his 
 ambition. He allowed nothing to discourage 
 him. He reasoned, what man has done, he could 
 do. He soon took high rank in the University, 
 while into athletics he threw his whole energy, 
 and played to win. As the years came and 
 they both entered upon the University course 
 Alexander stood second to him in his classes. 
 He was good in mathematics, and the sciences. 
 He was also a fine linguist, while in oratory and 
 as a writer Apollos could not compare with him. 
 In athletics he despaired of ever being large and 
 strong enough to take part. 
 
 So the days came and went. In the Universi 
 ty Apollos had no occasion to find fault with the 
 treatment he received. He seemed to live in a 
 new world, where one was respected for what he 
 was ; where character was the standard of man 
 hood. 
 
 Now and then a daily paper containing an ac- 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 89 
 
 count of a lynching or some bitter utterance 
 against his race, roused his anger, and then his 
 bitterness knew no bounds. 
 
 Some'fpeople reach a religious life at a dash. 
 They seek and find Christ by a single act of faith, 
 while others Jreach such an experience slowly, 
 step by step. 
 
 This was the case with Apollos. He prided 
 himself on his manhood. He was honest, truth 
 ful and upright. He scorned a liar. What more 
 did he need ? 
 
 He had long been the judge of his school- 
 mates, and judged them by what he saw them do, 
 and heard them say. He was sure he was right 
 in his estimate of their character. He judged 
 himself by his own thoughts and intentions, for 
 he felt he knew his own motives. 
 
 He never seemed to feel he was harsh in his 
 thoughts of others, and when they blamed him 
 for the same offence he had condemmed them 
 for committing, he was angry, and felt he was 
 abused. 
 
 Then he held resentment towards them, feeling 
 he was all right himself because he said nothing 
 about his feelings to others. 
 
 One of the teachers, who understood him bet 
 ter than he did himself, invited him to her room 
 and had a plain talk with him. 
 
90 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 She told him it was not enough to be honest, 
 truthful and clean. That being a Christian 
 meant more than being respectable ; that he 
 needed a change of heart. She labored long and 
 faithfully with him, but he would not yield. 
 
 That night he took another review of his 
 heart. He took it in his own strength and 
 seemed for a time, determined to follow out the 
 course he had marked out for himself. 
 
 How he longed to come in contact with the 
 busy world ; to feel its atmosphere, its rush and 
 hurry ; to be a part of it ; to be the defender of 
 those who were wronged ! How he gloated over 
 this thought ! 
 
 Then there came to his remembrance his 
 mother's prayers for him, and an unacknowledged 
 misgiving laid its hand upon him. 
 
 Here the battle began. Step by step it was 
 fought, though not gained, till he had left the 
 University and commenced his labors in another 
 field. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FIRST DAYS AT LARIMER UNIVERSITY 
 
 There were many new faces among the stu 
 dents at the beginning of the fall term. Those 
 who were in the University the year before, 
 missed the seniors who had been foremost in all 
 the life of the college. 
 
 And those who were now the seniors had not 
 become familiar with their duties, or used to their 
 new dignity. Then the new students were timid, 
 and many of them homesick. 
 
 They moved about the halls as if uncertain 
 whether they were in their right places or doing 
 the proper thing. 
 
 Judy had found friends among the smaller 
 girls, for she had an off-hand way of approaching 
 them, peculiarly her own. 
 
 Children's happiness depends upon their sur 
 roundings. What those who have the direction 
 of their lives make them. And in making their 
 characters, they can only modify what they really 
 are. 
 
 9* 
 
92 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Judy's new life was a constant delight to her. 
 Her teachers were kind and thoughtful of her 
 wants, and then she had an innate love for her 
 work, and a bright and cheerful spirit. 
 
 Her environments had been good, for both of 
 her parents had been educated, the father in 
 Oberlin, Ohio, the mother in Carlisle, Penn. So 
 her home had been the abode of refined and cul 
 tivated people, who had watched her childhood 
 with the greatest solicitude. 
 
 They had guarded her from every wrong asso 
 ciation, and whatever evil she had received by 
 heredity, they had sought to overcome. 
 
 She had only to close her eyes to have the 
 whole past come before her in imagination. To 
 see the cabin where her parents died, and to hear 
 their morning and evening prayers. 
 
 She had not the perfect beauty of some, for 
 she was too young to be beautiful; and then she 
 was overgrown for her age, and somewhat awk 
 ward in her movements. 
 
 The poise of her head, however, was like that 
 of her Indian ancestors, while her eyes were large 
 and black, looking one fearlessly in the face. 
 
 She was dressed in a skimpy black dress, 
 plainly made, and yet this never seemed to trou 
 ble her in the least. As the days came and went, 
 
OR vi LETS BOY 93 
 
 Judy could hardly realize that she had not always 
 lived at Larimer, it was so easy for her to adjust 
 herself to her surroundings. 
 
 As each day was filled with new experiences, 
 she grew more and more happy and full of life. 
 How she bounded up the steps and through the 
 halls of the girls' boarding house. No voice 
 sounded more melodious or had a richer swell 
 than hers, when the girls sang on the stone steps 
 the boarding hall. And then, the Endeavor 
 Meetings, and work of the King's Daughters 
 were a source of constant delight to her. 
 
 How much it meant to her to be young, to be 
 able to mingle with those of her own age, to be 
 interested in the same things, to live the same 
 life and enjoy the same sports. 
 
 So the days came and went. Fall gave place 
 to winter, and winter to spring, and spring to 
 summer. Like the days, the years came and 
 went and Judy grew to womanhood. 
 
 Her face became full of beauty and delicate 
 stateliness. In time she was more than beauti 
 ful, though her skin was as black as ebony. Her 
 carriage was that of a queen. Then she had the 
 heritage of the negro, a wonderful voice, low, 
 rich, sweet and mellow, and when she laughed, it 
 was as musical as a chime of bells. 
 
94 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Her father's prayer had been answered, so far 
 as her purpose in life went, for she had early 
 consecrated herself to God. And during the 
 years that had passed, since she stood by his death 
 bed and heard his wishes for her future, she had 
 lived for God and his glory. 
 
 She was strong in her belief that her race 
 would rise to usefulness and honor. She longed 
 to go out into the world, and rouse her people to 
 efforts for themselves; and to instill into the 
 minds of the young, some of the great truths her 
 father had taught her; and the University had 
 reiterated till they had become a part of her life 
 and thought. 
 
 She had upon the wall in her room this motto, 
 written with her own hand : 
 
 " Always show kindness to my people, especial 
 ly to the ignorant and sinful, because of Christ's 
 everlasting love and goodness to me." 
 
 She was capable of any sacrifice, life, health or 
 ease to benefit her race. She was ready to lay 
 everything upon the altar to be of use to the ne 
 gro. Sickness should not appall her, dangers 
 should have no terrors. She would gladly bear 
 scorn and hatred, poverty and want, to lift the 
 negro up to better things. 
 
 Her father's request had become a part of her 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 95 
 
 being. It had been burned into her soul. Every 
 lesson was learned, to further her end. Every 
 accomplishment was to benefit those who were in 
 the bondage of sin and ignorance. How she re 
 joiced in her musical ability. It would help her 
 to win souls to God. 
 
 I have spoken of the custom of singing on the 
 steps of the boarding hall, Sunday evenings, in 
 pleasant weather. At such gatherings Judy led, 
 for she had a voice of great compass. 
 
 Now a hymn of touching tenderness was sung 
 with all the eloquence of which the human voice 
 is capable, then came the triumphant words of 
 faith and assurance, and then a Jubilee Song, 
 Judy singing the first and third line, and all the 
 others singing the second and fourth and the 
 chorus. 
 
 No one has ever heard music more harmonious. 
 It could not always be measured by any arbitrary 
 rules of the musical world, and yet it was thrill 
 ing and grand. 
 
 At such times Judy sang as if the Master 
 stood before her; and she was pouring out her 
 soul to him in song. 
 
 She had long ago made up her mind she would 
 never marry, that she belonged to her race, and 
 they should have all there was of her. Her 
 
96 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 acquaintance with the young men in the Univer 
 sity was general. She met them frankly, and 
 conversed with them without reserve. 
 
 For some time Alexander was her opposite at 
 the table. They had met in the recitation room 
 during all the years they had been at Larimer, 
 and walked together to and from recitations. 
 She had always taken his arm going home from 
 lectures and choir rehearsals, and felt her heart 
 thrill, with pride, and something else she could 
 not understand, when he declaimed in the Chap 
 el, or took part in public debate. 
 
 Had any one told Judy she was in love with 
 Alexander, she would have resented the imputa 
 tion. She had never stopped to examine her own 
 feelings, till she realized that his coming had 
 brightened her life. Then she saw how, little by 
 little, her heart had gone out of her own keeping 
 to him. That she loved him ! Loved him with 
 out being loved in return ! 
 
 How she loathed herself for her weakness ! 
 Then she went resolutely to work to root it out 
 of her heart. 
 
 She fought her love desperately; fought it as 
 a man fights for his life. Was she not cheating 
 her people out of their rights ? She was jealous 
 for them. Then her love pled for recognition. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 97 
 
 Could she not do just as much for her people as 
 a wife ? Was he not a true, honorable man ? An 
 educated man ? Then she remembered that he 
 was not a Christian, and could not sympathize 
 with her religious life and work. She must be 
 true to her trust, obedient to her father's wishes. 
 
 She was alone in her room, when she fought 
 the battle with her own heart, alone with God. 
 
 Leaning back in her chair near a window, she 
 looked out into the campus where the leaves were 
 falling in the slight breeze that moved them. 
 Her book lay open on the table, her light unlit 
 
 Again and again some of the girls rapped at 
 her door, and listened for a sound from within, 
 and then passed on to their own rooms thinking 
 she was not in. 
 
 The hours passed slowly away, yet she made 
 no move or sound, other than a suppressed sob. 
 Again and again her eyes were raised to heaven, 
 and her lips moved in prayer for help. 
 
 Thus the dawn found her still sitting by the 
 window, her hands and feet cold, her face drawn 
 and pinched. She had wept herself out. 
 
 There were no tears left. For a moment she 
 was disposed to blame Alexander; had he not 
 cheated her people out of their exclusive right to 
 her love ? 
 
98 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Then with shame she confessed to herself that 
 he had never by word or look, led her to think 
 his feelings toward her were more than those of 
 a good friend. During the night her one prayer 
 had been : 
 
 M Father help me to keep my heart for thee and 
 my own race, for Jesus sake." 
 
 Mechanically she watched the sun come up in 
 the morning. She was now in a passive state. 
 Throwing herself upon her knees she prayed for 
 grace to bear her burden, to be able to meet Al 
 exander just as she had always done, without be 
 traying her affection for him. To go among her 
 fellow-students cheerful and strong. 
 
 When the breakfast bell rang, she went down 
 to the table and took her place just as she had 
 done before. Her face told of suffering, for it 
 was haggard and gray. When approached by 
 the teachers, who saw and felt that she was not 
 herself, and questioned about her health, she as 
 sured them that she was not really ill ; that she 
 would be all right in a few days. 
 
 So, quietly she went about her work, making 
 no confidants, talking of her trouble only with 
 her Heavenly Father. The struggle lasted for 
 weeks, but in the end she became master of her 
 self. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 99 
 
 Not that she loved Alexander less, but God 
 and the negro more. 
 
 The trees in the campus had shed their leaves 
 and the limbs were naked and bare. One day 
 looking out upon them she said. 
 
 "The glory of the spring time and summer is 
 gone, but next spring and summer these naked 
 branches will be more beautiful than ever. God 
 will clothe them with blossoms and leaves. The 
 birds will come back and build their nests, rear 
 their young, and sing their songs." 
 
 "My life is not like those trees. The glory of 
 youth and love, the joy that never comes into a 
 woman's life but once, the spring time of my 
 heart, is ended forever. Perhaps God has given 
 me this experience, that I may the better help 
 those of my own people who have been led to 
 love and trust only to be betrayed and deserted." 
 
 Then leaning back in her chair, her strong 
 sweet voice burst into song. 
 
 " My faith looks up to Thee, 
 Thou Lamb of Calvary, 
 
 Savior Divine. 
 Now hear me while I pray, 
 Wipe sorrow's tears away, 
 O let me from this day, 
 
 Be wholly thine." 
 
IOO ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Her tender feelings slowly came back to her. 
 She sang and wept sang till she was quiet and 
 at rest. From that hour she was calm and 
 strong. No one seeing her would have believed 
 she had been through a great sorrow, and grace 
 had prevailed. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SCHOOL LIFE IN TUCKERVILLE 
 
 In her Senior college preparatory year, Judy 
 had secured a school in Tuckerville, a small vil 
 lage in Alabama. The Rev. Jedediah Moses, 
 pastor of the Baptist Church, had written the 
 President of Larimer University, asking him to 
 recommend a student who had the ability and 
 courage to teach a school in a community where 
 the greatest ignorance prevailed. 
 
 When Judy Bunday's name was proposed, 
 Mr. Moses remembered that he had met her 
 father, and not only offered her the school, but a 
 home in his own family. 
 
 The settlement was made up of a lot of cabins 
 built near to each other. There was not a decent 
 one among them. The negroes were poor, igno 
 rant and lazy; working just enough to keep from 
 actual want. The balance of the time they 
 smoked and gossipped, slept and hunted possum. 
 
 Their numerous children were sadly neglected. 
 Half naked, they ran the streets and quarreled. 
 
 IOI 
 
IO2 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Rev. Mr. Moses had had a hard experience in 
 Tuckerville. 
 
 Several times he had resolved to go away and 
 seek another field of labor, then he had remem 
 bered that Christ died for the ignorant people in 
 Tuckerville. 
 
 A Christian education had made him all that 
 he was. 
 
 If he had attained to better things, if he pos 
 sessed more knowledge than they had been able 
 to gain, was it not his duty to remain and try to 
 help them to improve ? 
 
 After careful thought and prayer he had come 
 to see that the work must begin with the chil 
 dren. Most of them had been in school a few 
 months, each year, but their teachers had been 
 women of few qualifications, incapable of teaching 
 the English language correctly. 
 
 The school building was an old, tumbled down 
 log cabin, poorly lighted, and without conven 
 iences. 
 
 Monday morning the school opened with forty- 
 three scholars. Reading a few verses from the 
 Bible, Judy offered a prayer for guidance, sang 
 with the children a hymn, and commenced to take 
 their names and learn something of their profi 
 ciency. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY IO3 
 
 During this time she was disturbed by some 
 one who laughed and talked whenever her back 
 was turned. Soon the offender became fearless 
 in her efforts to annoy the teacher, and disturb 
 the school. 
 
 Judy at first spoke pleasantly to her, then rea 
 soned with her, but to no effect. Realizing 
 that her success depended upon quieting the girl 
 she went resolutely about it. 
 
 " Pinkey Patterson," as she called herself, was 
 a large, overgrown girl of twelve, very black and 
 poorly clad. Her kinkey hair was braided in 
 numerous small braids, and like all the other 
 scholars, she was barefooted. 
 
 Going up to her, Judy said: "You are disturb 
 ing the school ; you must be quiet." 
 
 The girl looked into her face, and then burst 
 into a loud laugh. 
 
 "Am I to understand you do not propose to 
 obey me ? " said Judy. 
 
 " I raiken I won't ef I doan wanter ! " said the 
 child. 
 
 Without a quiver in her voice Judy said : 
 
 " If you are not quiet I shall take means to 
 make you so, for I am not going to have my 
 school disturbed by any one." 
 
 Nothing daunted, Pinkie turned away from the 
 teacher and said: 
 
IO4 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 I'd lak ter see 'er 'elp 'er se'f ! " 
 
 Taking her by one of the braids of her hair, 
 Judy said : " Come with me," and led her unwill 
 ingly onto the floor. Holding her with a strong 
 hand she attempted to reason with her, but to no 
 effect. Evidently the child had never learned 
 what it meant to obey. 
 
 Struggling to get away from the teacher, she 
 said: 
 
 " Quit dat, or I'll bus' y'u nose! " 
 
 Judy's hand tightened on the braid, and not 
 for one moment did she take her eyes off from 
 her face. 
 
 Soon the child's eyes began to wander about 
 the room, and she muttered, 
 
 u I won' com' hyah no mo', des min' dat ! " 
 
 Relinquishing her hair, Judy placed her in her 
 own chair by the table, where the child sat and 
 glared and made faces behind the teacher's back 
 till noon. 
 
 The teacher had brought her lunch with her, 
 as had many of the scholars, Pinkie Patterson 
 among the rest Soon after school was dis 
 missed, Judy heard her say to some of the schol 
 ars: 
 
 " I's gwinter do sump'n to dat niggah teacher 
 befo' she knows hit, dat'll 'stonish yer ! " 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 1 05 
 
 Thinking it best not to seem to hear her, Judy 
 took up a book and began to read. Soon Pink 
 commenced to sing in a clear sweet voice : 
 
 Doan teller ma dat de teacher ain' mad, 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'; 
 
 An' her t'inks dis niggah am pow'ful bad 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 Fo' I laffs an' talks an' wunks at de boys, 
 
 An' w'en 'er doan look, I meks a big noise 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 Some fo'ks ti'nk dat chil'ns cahnt feel, 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin', 
 
 De teacher she fought she'd maker ma squeel 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 She cotched dis niggah right by 'er wool, 
 
 An' she gibed mah ha'r a mouty pull 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 But y'u des bet dis niggah doan car' 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 I'll letter 'er know her ain' no whar 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
 Dis niggah ain' sich a mouty big fool, 
 
 An' ef 'er doan min', I'll lead'er her school. 
 
 Oh I's er seekin', I's er seekin'. 
 
IO6 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 While singing she seemed unconscious of the 
 teacher s presence, not once turning her eyes in 
 her direction, and yet there was not an expression 
 of the teacher's face she did not see. 
 
 The other scholars were silent lookers on. 
 They felt the mettle of the teacher was being 
 tried. Would she laugh, or would she become 
 angry ? In either case she would lose their re 
 spect. It was a test of a cultured, self-reliant 
 woman's power over a lot of undisciplined chil 
 dren. 
 
 Judy read on, to all appearances unconscious 
 of what was going on about her. When Pink 
 finished singing, there was a look of disappoint 
 ment in her face because the teacher did not re 
 sent her song. Then she laughed long and loud, 
 as did all the other scholars. 
 
 This seemed to rouse the teacher. Hastily 
 looking up she said: 
 
 " Children ! Children ! this is no place for noise ! 
 Go outside if you are getting to be boisterous." 
 
 Several scholars hastened to the teacher, anx 
 ious to tell her what Pink had sung. With a 
 pleasant smile, Judy turned to the child and said: 
 
 " I noticed your voice this morning, it is very 
 sweet. Some of these noons you must sing for 
 
 us." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 1 07 
 
 During the afternoon there were frequent dis 
 turbances, which were soon quelled under the 
 steady gaze of the teacher. 
 
 At the close of the school all of the scholars 
 were dismissed except Pink, who was told to re 
 main with the teacher. 
 
 At first she refused to do so, and started for 
 the door, but yielded to the teacher's restraining 
 hand and steady look. 
 
 The children rushed excitedly to Mrs. Patter 
 son's cabin, telling her " de teachah done kep 
 Pinkie, an' am gwinter whoop 'er des awful." 
 
 The mother was not one that spared the rod, 
 especially when she was angry, but like some 
 other parents, allowed no one else to punish her 
 children. 
 
 Not stopping for her hat she ran to the school 
 room. When she entered, the teacher stood be 
 fore the angry child trying to teach her better 
 feelings, and make her see she was only hurting 
 herself. 
 
 Breathlessly rushing into the house, the mother 
 cried : 
 
 " Come heah chile, w'ile I ax yer sump'n. Now 
 tol made troof, or I'll smash evey toof down your 
 fro't! Has yer been bad an' 'fused ter min' de 
 teachah ? " 
 
108 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Naw ! I hain' been bad ! De udder chil'n mek 
 ma laff, an' den done tol on ma. Atter dat er let 
 dem go 'ome an's gwinter whoop ma." 
 
 " I's y'u tellin' de troof? Now min', I doan 
 wan' no lies ! " 
 
 " I ain' tellin' no lies, I's tellin' de troof! Her's 
 de nocountins teachah I ebber seed." 
 
 " Doan y'u open y'u mouf agin till I tole y'u 
 too, y'u sassy niggah ? Ta'kin' 'bout de teachah 
 dat away ! I'll kum down on yer lak er cyclome 
 ef yer doan min' ! " 
 
 " I tell yer I's tellin' de troof! I'll cross ma 
 'eart, ef I ain'." 
 
 " Den y'u des kum 'ome wid ma ! I ain' gwinter 
 hab ma' chile cruel ized by no niggah teachah, if 
 she hab done been ter de big Varsity." 
 
 Judy tried to reason with the mother, and show 
 her she was harming her child, but she would not 
 listen. 
 
 Pink waiting for no second bidding to go home, 
 darted by the teacher and out of the house 
 quickly followed by her mother, who said as she 
 left the school house : 
 
 " My Pinkie shan' com' hyah no mo ! " 
 
 Left alone, Judy buried her face in her hands 
 and cried. How could she help this poor mother 
 to see the great wrong she was doing the child ? 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 
 
 Just then she seemed to hear her father's voice as 
 it sounded when he gave her his last blessing : 
 
 " Live for God and the negro. Go down where 
 they are, and help them up," and then there fell 
 upon her the calm of answered prayer, her 
 father's last prayer. 
 
 "Father I give her to thee to be led and sus 
 tained. Give her a heart to love her people, a 
 zeal that will never tire doing for them. May 
 she look above their ignorance to thyself, and 
 learn something of the great love that thrilled thy 
 heart, when thou looked upon the wicked city and 
 wept over it." 
 
 There was but one thing for her to do, and that 
 was to visit this mother and try to open her eyes 
 to her own need of help to lead her children 
 aright. She felt that nothing but the Gospel of 
 Jesus Christ would be sufficient for her in her 
 degradation and ignorance. 
 
 Talking the matter over with the minister's 
 family, it was decided that she^should hold even 
 ing meetings for mothers. At these meetings in 
 dividual work could be done, and questions asked 
 and answered along family lines. Home duties 
 and personal responsibility could be discussed, and 
 aid given where needed. 
 
 She found it difficult to persuade the mothers 
 
HO ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 to attend at first. However, a few came, and be 
 coming interested, induced their neighbors to join 
 them. 
 
 Judy did not wait for Mrs. Patterson to come 
 to the meeting of her own accord, but sought her 
 in her own home. Her first visit was an eventful 
 one. Mrs. Patterson was away when she called, 
 but was expected to return any moment. Old 
 Aunt Cla'inda Gifford, Mrs. Patterson's mother, 
 received the new teacher and entertained her. 
 
 Sis' Cla'inda Gifford was a tall, fat negress, 
 weighing fully three hundred pounds. Her nose 
 was very flat, her lips thick and droop, and her 
 wool short, gray and curly. 
 
 She was one that never tired of talking about 
 her ailments, and when she exhausted this sub 
 ject, told all about 'de pow'ful mis'ry she hab, 'ow 
 she war gittin' mo' spin'lin and po'ly all de time." 
 
 She then related her Christian experience, tell 
 ing how she got 'ligon at de Mef'dis Chu'ch." 
 
 In answer to Judy's knock, the old woman in 
 vited her to " Come in," in a loud tone of voice. 
 
 Entering, the teacher found herself in a small, 
 stuffy, one room cabin. Several small children 
 were playing in the road. Seeing the teacher 
 enter the cabin they left their play and unsettled 
 quarrels and rushed noisily into the house. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 111 
 
 The old woman sat smoking a cob pipe, in a 
 large rocker, near the back door. The chair was 
 covered with a number of pieces of an old dirty 
 quilt. 
 
 " Good evening," said the teacher, going up to 
 her and shaking her fat hand. " I hope you are 
 quite well." 
 
 " Naw, Miss, I's po'ly, pow'ful po'ly t'ank Gawd ! 
 an' I's gittin mo' frailer eve'y day ! " 
 
 This was said with the greatest effort to breathe. 
 Those who knew Sis' Cla'inda said, she always 
 gasped and wheezed, when strangers were about, 
 but just let her get to talking about her " mis'ry," 
 or "Chris'ion Speuance," and she forgot to puff 
 and wheeze, and breathed like other folks. 
 
 " De fac' am," gasped the old woman, "I des 
 eats nuffin, an' I doan shut mah eyes ter sleep, fo' 
 weeks an' weeks. I's dat bad, I raiken I's gwinter 
 die terrectly." 
 
 This was said with the greatest difficulty. It 
 was painful to hear her talk, she seemed in such 
 distress. 
 
 " I am sorry to find you so ill," the teacher said 
 in a sympathizing voice. " What seems to be 
 your difficulty ? " 
 
 u I hab de cute indigesshum, an' de arrysipples 
 in mah face, and de newralligy in mah neck an* 
 
I I 2 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 back ; an' den I confractured mah arm, an' dat 
 made mah ban' begin ter swunk. Atter dat de 
 rheumattics tuck hoi' o' ma. Consequentially I's 
 pow'ful po'ly, fo' I's gittin wusser and' wusser all 
 de time." 
 
 " With your age and infirmities, you ought to 
 have a rich Christian experience from which to 
 draw comfort," the teacher reasoned. 
 
 " Lor bless y'u honey, I's er Chris'ian ef I is 
 feelin' de dispenshashums o' pov'dens. I's had 
 'ligon, sine' long befo' y'u's born'd," the old woman 
 excitedly exclaimed. 
 
 Without knowing it the teacher had struck up 
 on the subject that would set her tongue to run 
 ning and her breath to come and go freely. 
 
 " Y'u see I war conwarted w'en I war a gal,' 
 the old woman said glibly, digging the ashes from 
 her pipe with her finger. "I raiken I war 'bout 
 twenty. Yer see da war holin' Vival meetin's at 
 de Mef'dis Chu'ch, and everybody war gittin' 
 'ligon. I wan' no Mef'dis. I allus 'ten'ed de 
 Baptis' Chu'ch." 
 
 While she had been talking the children were 
 making the greatest confusion and noise. Rais 
 ing her cane and striking at them viciously, she 
 cried : 
 
 " Hyah y'u chil'ns, I raiken y'u'll quit dat ! Ef 
 y'u doan, I'll use mah cane ober y'u'r 'eads." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 113 
 
 Without waiting for quiet, she continued to re 
 late her experience, in an altogether different tone 
 of voice from that used when threatening the 
 children. 
 
 " Y'u see, Gabil, de man I mah'd ten'd de 
 Mef dis Chu'ch. 'Is 'oman 'ad ben daid mos' two 
 mont's an' 'e 'ad two o' de peartes chil'n y'u ebber 
 seed. Da war de very spite an' image o' da's 
 daddy." 
 
 " I kin'er felt de Lawd wan'ed ma ter be de 
 muddah o' dem ar chil'ns, so I zolved ter go ober 
 to de Mef 'dis Chu'ch an' git 'ligon. Den Gab'il 
 was a Zorter an' Spoun'er o' de Scriptuahs, an' 
 war gwinter 'zort dat ve'y nite. So I sez ter 
 mahse'f, Sis Cla'inda, now's y'u time ter git 'ligon, 
 an' keep dat low down, no' count Dinah f'om 
 cotchin' Gab'il, an' bein' de muddah o' dem chil'n." 
 
 " Y'u see Dinah was de low downe's, no counts, 
 merlatto niggah on de plantation. Des er gal 
 Marse Swaim don bo't in Yellabawmah ter ten* 
 cotton. An' Gab'il an' er 'ad been gittin' mo* 
 familious wid wunner nuddah, fo' mos' tree 
 weeks." 
 
 " I war rais'n up in de 'ouse by quality fo'ks, an 
 dar wan' no mo' 'specttubler gal dan I war in de 
 wurrel, an' wat's mo', I know'd bettah dan ter ac' 
 scanderlanas lak her war doin. I seed 'ow de 
 Ian' lay all de time. 
 
114 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 So I des fix'd up an' w'en to de Mef 'dis Chu'ch. 
 I know'd I'd hab er mouty 'ard time gittin 'ligon 
 coz I'd nebber 'ad nuffin easy. Mah muddah done 
 tole dat w'en I 'ad de whoopin' coff, blud floo'd 
 f om mah mouf an' nose eve'y time I coffed ; an* 
 w'en I cut mah teefs, I 'ad er fit eve'y time one 
 com'd thoo ; an' den w'en I 'ad de mumps an' de 
 measles, I mos' died, so I'd been putin' off gittin 
 'ligon des es long es I could coz I know'd it 'nd 
 mos' kill ma." 
 
 " Atter er w'ile de meetin' begun for' ter com 
 mence, an' Ga'bil zorted till I war col' an' got all 
 shive'y lak. I he'rn de sistahs er whis'pin roun' 
 ma, an' da say : "Sumpin wukin on Cla'inda, her'll 
 hab to go to de monah's bench ; an den da laff , 
 kin'er low lak, y'u see I'd done toP, I'll nebber go 
 to de monah's bench ef I nebber gits 'ligon 's 
 long's I lib." 
 
 "Warl, I fought I'd give hit up ! Den I mem- 
 berlec 'ow Dinah got 'ligon, an' Gab'il 'ad see'd 
 'er 'ome two times, so I begin'd ter gedder mah 
 min' tergedder, fo' I terminated ter go an git hit ! 
 I des said ter mahse'f, 'Git behin ma, oP debbil, I 
 ain' gwinter gib up gittin 'ligon and hab Dinah 
 cotch Gab'il, an' be de muddah o' dem chil'n." 
 
 "Den I begin'd ter feel wus'n eber. I 'clar, I 
 des dunno w'at ter do, I war feelin so pow'ful mis- 
 rified, pears lak I gwinter die ! " 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I I 5 
 
 "Terec'ly Gab'il hyah, y'u limbs o 4 Satan!" 
 screamed the old woman, reaching for her cane, 
 and shaking it at the children, who were fighting 
 and rolling on the floor " I'll dos' y'u hides ef 
 y'u doan quit dat ! " 
 
 "Warl w'en 'e ax'd dem w'o wan'ed ter be 
 Chris'ians ter come ter de mo'nah's bench, I war 
 de fustis one dar! Dinah got 'ligon des as easy 
 as fallin' off er log. Her wan' dar mo'n tree min- 
 its, an' her nebber shouted des er teeny bit ! I 
 know'd bettah'n dat! W'y I nebber goes to chu'ch 
 dat I doan shout, an' hit teks tree or fo' to hoi' 
 ma ! I des ra'as an' ta'as all ober de chu'ch, an' 
 Brer Smiff done s*y, I's de bestis shouter in de 
 chu'ch." 
 
 " W'en I got to de monah's bench I des feel all 
 splimmy-splammy and trem'lin lak ! De preachah 
 prayed, den Gab'il prayed, an' de bruddahs prayed 
 fo' mo'n 'nour ! Den Gab'il com'd an'talk'd to ma, 
 an' I des gib'd one gron' an' fell'd right ober in- 
 tranceed." 
 
 " I tell yer dem wer' citin times ! De sistahs 
 cried, an' squeamed, an' de bruddahs shouted, an' 
 de preachah called for de mo'nah's ter come an' 
 mo'n fo' ma. Der I lay des as perconscious an' 
 onhelpless ez er chiP. Gab'il war de sorreres 
 pusson you eber seed." 
 
Il6 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Hitting one of the children over the head with 
 her cane, she angrily said : 
 
 " Ef I ebber cotch y'u med'lin wid mah t'ings 
 ergin I'll bus' y'u 'eads ! Go outen de 'ouse dis 
 minit ! " 
 
 Warl da prayed an prayed an' m'n'd fo' mo'n 
 tree hours. I hearn one o' de Sistahs pray : 'O 
 Lawd bress dis po' gal dat's com'd ovah f om de 
 Baptist Chu'ch ter git 'ligon at de Mef'dis 
 mo'nahs bench ! " 
 
 " Dinah war dar, des pertenin' ter mo'n, ter 
 cheat Gab'il. I hearn 'er say to annudah gal : 
 
 " Tain no sich ting ! Her des com'd 'ere to 
 cotch Gab'il. I 'clar ter grashus, I war dat pow'- 
 ful mad I mos' com'd too, an' slap's 'er lyin' 
 mouf ! " 
 
 44 Y'u see de Spuit mos' lef ' ma ! 'E cotch'd 
 hoi' o' ma agin, an' 'e des hoi' ma right dar, thoo I 
 hern all da sa'd, des de same." 
 
 "De congregashum kepter gwine 'ome till des 
 de Chu'ch mem'ers an' de preachah war lef. 
 Dinah hung roun'er wil', t'inkin' Gab'il mout se 
 'er 'ome, bet 'e nebber paid no 'tention to 'er, an 
 kiner sconful lak, 'er des up'n hump 'erse'f outen 
 de Chu'ch." 
 
 " 1 des hab ter hoi' mah breff ter keep f'om 
 laffin', w'en I seed 'er go outen de 'ouse." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 117 
 
 " Atter er w'ile de preachah done tole Gab'il, 
 kin'er low lak : 
 
 " Brer Gab'il speak to de po' gal ; I t'ink her's 
 comin' out'n de trance." An Gab'il tuck mah 
 had' in 'is an' kin'er squoze hit, an' den 'e put 'is 
 mouf down clos to mah ear, and said : 
 
 " Cla'inda, honey, doan y'u see de light ?" I 
 gibed one shout and frow'd mah arm aroun' 'is 
 neck, an' den I shouted an' shouted fo' mo'n 'nour. 
 I 'clar I shouted twil I war des 'zosted." 
 
 " Chil'n I's gwinter gib y'u de wustis t'rashin' 
 w'en de lady go's 'ome y'u ebber 'ad. Now des 
 min' dat ! " 
 
 After threatening the children, she continued 
 to relate her experience in the regular pious tone 
 she had been using before. 
 
 Warl I war so pow'ful weak, da war bleeged 
 ter hoi' ma up. Bimeby de preachah done tole 
 Gab'il ter tek de po' gal 'ome. W'en we got 
 outen de chu'ch I war bettah. We war strudgin 
 'long tergedder, kin'er quiet lak, fo' I 'ad hoi o' 'is 
 arm, w'en I seed Dinah hidin behin er tree 'er 
 eyes des er gogglin out'n 'er 'ead at us." 
 
 "I pretend'ed not ter see 'er, des hugged up ter 
 Gab'il, sorter lubbin lak, an' den I tole Gab'il w'at 
 de Lawd done tole ma, w'en I war entranced, 'ow 
 I war to be de muddah o' 'is chil'n." 
 
Il8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " I war under de Spuit den, or I nebber cou'd 
 done hit, coz I war allus de mos' propperes, an' de 
 mos' innercentes gal y'u evey seed in all y'u life." 
 
 11 Gab'il des hearn ma thoo, an' den 'e tuck an' 
 say I war des de gal 'e wan'ed. An Gab'il done 
 tole Marse Swaim de next day 'bout our 'gage- 
 ment an we war mah'd dat ve'y nite at de 
 Chu'ch." 
 
 " I's been er walkin' in de strait'n narrer paff 
 eveysence. Halleloo ! I's got de bestis speuance 
 y'u ev'y hern tole." " Glo'y, Glo'y, Glo'y ! I's er 
 Chris'ian, des lemme tole y'u ! " 
 
 " Dinah war dat mad, her w'en to de Baptist 
 Chu'ch an nebber cam'd to de Mef'dis Chu'ch no 
 mo' ! Her show'd ma all de unrespect' er co'd ! 
 Her des ac' scandelanus. I hain' nebber 'ad no 
 confabbin wid 'er coz I hoi' mahse'f 'bove 'er. 
 I's spec'ubble, I is, coz I's rais'd by one o' de 
 fustis w'ite fam'lys in Flurrify." 
 
 " Dinah done tole dat I got 'ligon des ter cotch 
 Gab'il ! Dat Gab'il ax'd her to mah 'im! I neb 
 ber squestioned 'im nuffin 'bout hit coz I know'd 
 'e know'd mo'n 'ed tell, so I des let hit drap, coz 
 I know'd I'd got 'im fas ! But dar was allus un- 
 frennullness atwixt us." 
 
 " Dinah mah'd Pete Smiff, des er common fiel' 
 niggah ! De man I mah'd was a Zorter an' 
 
OR VI LET S BOY IIQ 
 
 Spouner o' de Schriptuahs in de Mefdis chu'ch, 
 an' de coachman fo' de fustis w'ite man in Flurri- 
 
 fy-" 
 
 What more might have been said about her 
 "speuence " Judy will never know, as Mrs. Pat 
 terson returned and put a stop to the old wom 
 an's talk. Setting her fat arms akimbo on her 
 hips, Mrs. Patterson stood before the teacher, 
 ready for anything. She was a great course, 
 ignorant creature, with no sense of wrong doing. 
 Just a brute sense of wilfulness. 
 
 Judy was at no loss to understand where Pink 
 got her disposition after seeing the grandmother 
 and mother of the child. 
 
 At first Mrs. Patterson was disposed to be an 
 gry with the teacher for " cruelizin' 'er Pink." 
 She thought the teacher had come to talk about 
 the trouble at the school, and was ready to defend 
 herself and her child. Judy made no mention of 
 school, or Pink, merely telling her of the " moth 
 er's meeting " and her wish for Mrs. Patterson to 
 attend. 
 
 Little by little her anger melted away, and she 
 listened with considerable interest. Once or 
 twice the old lady Gifford attempted to speak, and 
 was silenced by her daughter's sharp command 
 to: 
 
I2O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Shut y'u mouf ! We doan' wan' nuffin' o' 
 y'u." 
 
 When Judy rose to go, Mrs. Patterson, of her 
 own accord, spoke of Pink and her disturbing the 
 school. 
 
 " I done try ter raise dat Pink de berry bes' I 
 know'd 'ow, an' 'er won' memberlec nuffin I tole 
 'er. 'Er ain' no comfo't ter ma, fo' I cahnt put no 
 'penence on 'er." 
 
 Judy spoke kindly of the child, praising her 
 voice and quick wit. The mother became plia 
 ble and pleasant, and when Judy left the cabin 
 she had a firm friend in Mrs. Patterson. 
 
 The last words Judy heard from the mother, as 
 she left her door, were : 
 
 " Ef ma Pinkie doan min' I'll break ev'y bone 
 in 'er ugly hide ! Y'u des tole ma, coz her's no 
 manner o' count! " 
 
 Pink was on hand the next morning. She was 
 not always quiet or obedient far from it. The 
 teacher labored to win her love, and in the end 
 succeeded. The mother's meeting became a last 
 ing good to the negroes. 
 
 For several years Judy returned and taught the 
 same school. It is needless to say her coming 
 was looked for with the greatest anxiety. There 
 was improvement on the outside of the cabins as 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 121 
 
 well as on the inside. The children were clean 
 and their garments mended, if they were old and 
 poor. Cheap cotton curtains were at the win 
 dows, and thrift was observed on all sides. 
 
 On Judy's return, at the close of her fourth 
 year in Tuckerville to begin her Junior year in 
 the University, she was accompanied by a tall, 
 trim looking negro girl, like herself on her way to 
 Larimer. If you were to listen to their conversa 
 tion, you would hear Judy address her as Pinkie 
 Patterson, and wonder if this is the same girl 
 who so persistently disturbed her in her first 
 effort to teach. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 APOLLOS WASHINGTON UNDER A CLOUD 
 
 Near the close of a Friday afternoon in May, a 
 number of the older students were sitting on the 
 steps of Theological Hall, discussing a match 
 game of Base Ball, to be played the next day be 
 tween the University nine and the Otis Hadly 
 nine. This had been the one topic of conversa 
 tion, out of school hours, for several weeks. 
 
 The practice at Larimer had been faithfully 
 done, and each one of the nine was on his mettle. 
 
 Contrary to all expectation, Alexander had be 
 come a champion ball player. His weight was 
 one hundred twenty-five pounds and the boys de 
 clared " it was clear sand." He was a daring 
 base runner and a swift one. It was difficult to 
 catch him off his base, for he was always back to 
 it like lightning. 
 
 Apollos was the pitcher. Hardships had given 
 him muscles like bunches of knitted cords, and 
 an unconquerable nerve. 
 
 The interest in this game was intense. Every- 
 
 122 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I 2 J 
 
 body was excited and talking in an animated 
 manner, when Apollos Washington and his chum 
 came among them. 
 
 " I say Washington," said young Goodson, 
 " Don't you think we shall clean out the Otis 
 Hadlyites tomorrow ? " 
 
 " I don't know what we'll do," said Washing 
 ton. " If I don't feel better than I do now, I shall 
 not be able to do much toward it." 
 
 " What's up, old man," said Goodson. " Has 
 someone been saying something more about the 
 nigger ? I can always tell when you've been 
 reading or hearing disagreeable things." 
 
 Every school has its share of characters, men 
 who are conspicuous because of age, size, scholar 
 ship, or some peculiar belief. Apollos, as has 
 already been stated, resented everything said or 
 done hostile to the negro. It was well there 
 were no more like him in the University. 
 
 Answering Goodson's question, he said : 
 
 " I should say we have been talking it. I've 
 just been reading an account of the ' Race Con 
 ference,' held at Montgomery, Ala. I tell you it 
 makes me mad ! I feel tonight like hating the 
 whole white race." 
 
 " What's the use talking that way ? It does not 
 hurt them if you do hate them, and it only makes 
 
124 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 you disagreeable around among your school fel 
 lows, said Tip Edwards, one of the seniors. " For 
 my part I have no time to waste on such reading. 
 It takes all my time to get my lessons." 
 
 " You are like the most of our people," said 
 Apollos bitterly, " You haven't spirit enough to 
 resent anything." 
 
 " You have spirit enough for us all," said Ed 
 wards. " If we were like you, the race would be 
 in trouble all the time." 
 
 "It would be better for us if we did show some 
 resentment; the white people would respect us 
 more, As it is, we just curl down and take every 
 thing they see fit to heap upon us. We dare not 
 say our souls are our own." 
 
 " Well, what's set you going today ? Are they 
 advocating new school laws ? Making the negro 
 sign a contract to be shut up in a stockade be 
 tween the hours of work, for fear he will run 
 away ? Or have they some new requirements for 
 citizenship ? " asked Goodson. 
 
 " Let me give you some of their choice sayings 
 at this convention in Montgomery," said Apollos, 
 taking his stand on the lower step in front of 
 them. 
 
 " There he stands," " the negro of course," " the 
 innocent and unfortunate stranger. Over his 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 125 
 
 black body, rivers of blood have been shed, and 
 yet as the crimson tide rolls away in the years, 
 we realize that all this blood and treasure was 
 spent in vain; that the negro, whom a million 
 Americans died to free, is in present bond and 
 future promise, still a slave, whipped by circum 
 stances, and trodden under foot by iron preju 
 dices." 
 
 " * Shut out from the heritage of liberty, and 
 holding in his black hand the hollow parchment 
 of his franchise. As a freeman he looks through 
 a slave's eyes at the impassible barriers which 
 imprison him forever.' " 
 
 " Who said that ? " asked several voices at once. 
 
 " Never mind," continued Apollos, " Hear some 
 
 more : " 
 
 " ' It is more than folly to attempt to raise the 
 negro beyond a laborer, and any education that 
 attempts to do it, before he passes through the 
 intermediate stages of civilization, is a failure.' " 
 
 Again, " ' The negro is treacherous, deceitful 
 and not truthful. He knows nothing of real 
 friendship. He would betray his best friend to 
 gain his own ends.' " 
 
 " ' He confronts a hopeless future.' ' 
 
 " * He has not even a soul, but is outside the 
 Gospel dispensation. So far inferior as not to be 
 
 a man.' 
 
126 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " ' There is not a line of light or hope for him 
 in politics, industry, in society and in trade.' ' 
 
 " * It may not be right to take away his fran 
 chise, but it is honest. It may not be just, but it 
 is evident. It may not be politic, but it is a great, 
 glaring, indisputable fact.' ' 
 
 " ' Will the white man permit the negro to have 
 an equal part in the industrial, political, social and 
 civil advantages of the U. S. ? The answer to 
 this question is in every white man's heart, even 
 if it does not lie openly upon his lips.' ' 
 
 " * The answer to this vital question rings like 
 a martial bugle in the single syllable, No ! ' ' 
 
 " Tell me what there is for us ? " Apollos 
 asked. " Here we are fitting ourselves for useful 
 ness? The teachers have made us feel that we 
 are men human beings, touched by the same 
 Divine laws, and having the same rights, God 
 bestowed upon the white man ! " 
 
 " Is this teaching wrong ? Is there no honora 
 ble course open to us ? No field of usefulness ? " 
 
 " Are there no respectable negroes ? None who 
 have acquired an education and are laboring as 
 teachers, preachers, physicians, lawyers or me. 
 chanics and by their success are giving the lie to 
 the statement that the educated negro is a fail, 
 ure ? " 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I 2 7 
 
 " Are there no negro homes where the wife and 
 mother observes all the requirements of pure 
 womanhood ? " 
 
 " How do you manage to get hold of so much 
 of the white man's venom ? " asked one of the 
 young men. 
 
 " O, he looks for it," said Edwards, " just as an 
 owl looks for faith. If I were to read or hear 
 much of this talk, Apollos has repeated to us, it 
 would unfit me for work." 
 
 " I don't believe we are so much worse than we 
 were when we were slaves," said Goodson. 
 
 " Nor I either," several voices affirmed. 
 
 " If we were less moved to friendship," said a 
 young man who had been a silent listener up to 
 this time, " It is because we fail to find friends 
 among our white brethren." 
 
 " A Southern man said in an Eastern city, re 
 cently, that we are not nearly as well off as we 
 were when we were slaves. He claimed that our 
 old masters were kind to us. That they treated 
 us just as they did their pet horses and dogs, for 
 then we represented great money value, and it 
 stood to reason we would be carefully guarded," 
 said Goodson. "He neglected to say anything, 
 however, about separating families, by the sale of 
 husbands, or wives or children." 
 
128 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Thus the conversation went on till the bell 
 rang for study hours. The next morning dawned 
 bright and clear. The hour for the ball game 
 came, and the friends of both schools were on 
 hand each wearing their college colors. 
 
 Washington went on to the field sullen and 
 glum. His spirit had not recovered from the bit 
 terness of the day before. 
 
 From the start the Larimer boys were victori 
 ous. They were outdoing themselves and had a 
 man on first. The first time Alexander took the 
 bat he sent the ball flying down the field, and was 
 half way to the base before the people realized 
 what he had done. On, on, he went for dear life, 
 and planted his feet on the plate before the 
 catcher has the ball in hand. 
 
 Larimer went wild with delight. The people 
 yell like mad. Even the sedate President forgets 
 his dignity and throws up his hat, Rah ! Rah ! 
 Rah ! he finds himself shouting. 
 
 Six other innings are played, and the game 
 stands : Larimer 7, Otis Hadly 3. 
 
 There was little else talked about that night 
 but Larimer's victory. Washington and Alex 
 ander were the champions of the school. Apollos 
 heard their praise, and received their congratula 
 tions in silence. The faculty had never seen him 
 in so bad a spirit. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I 29 
 
 The next morning, one of the teachers gave 
 each student at her table a slip of paper, on which 
 she had written a verse she had carefully selected. 
 
 These quotations were to be read during the 
 hour for dinner. This was done with the hope 
 that she might turn their thoughts away from the 
 all exciting ball game, and Larimer's victory. 
 
 Had one listened to the various conversations 
 at the different tables, they would have caught 
 the words " Victory," " We taught them a les 
 son," " Just wiped them out," and " 111 bet they 
 will do little bragging after this." 
 
 Apollos alone seemed to be in gloom. The 
 talk at the " Race Conference " had aroused his 
 natural impulses, as they had never been roused 
 before. For the past forty-eight hours he had 
 been asking himself: "why the color of his skin 
 should affect his standing as a man ? " But for 
 the hope of something better than the old days 
 and life he would not care to live. 
 
 The thought of not only bettering his own life, 
 but the lives of his people, had spurred him on to 
 intellectual endeavor. The expectation of some 
 thing better, had kept him from vice and low pur 
 suits. 
 
 He remembered the days when he longed for 
 love and sympathy. Then he saw what his life 
 
I3O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 would have been but for the education he had 
 gained. He gritted his teeth at the memory of 
 his sufferings. 
 
 He saw the miserable poverty of his childhood ; 
 the wretched cabin where his mother had died, 
 and himself a half starved boy. 
 
 In those days he was anything but prepossess 
 ing in appearance, for he was ragged, dirty and 
 ignorant. 
 
 Cuffs and kicks were more frequent than kind 
 words. In fact he had learned to expect them, 
 and stood ready to defend himself. 
 
 " Was there a God who looked down upon the 
 abuse of his people and allowed it to go on ?" he 
 asked himself. He was standing face to face 
 \vith the great question that concerned his race. 
 
 Bitterly he said to himself : 
 
 " I am, and always will be, only a nigger; there 
 is nothing to look forward to!" 
 
 He had not reached the point where he could 
 see that the individual is to help solve the difficult 
 question. 
 
 He did not think that Larimer, and kindred 
 Institutions were working to this end. That the 
 best talent, among the young negroes, was to go 
 out from these institutions, and help to lessen the 
 lump of ignorance that exists among the negroes. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 131 
 
 Instead of grinding over the wrongs endured 
 by his race, he was expected to prepare himself 
 to be to them an inspiration, a helper and a 
 brother. With others he had received a slip of 
 paper in the morning, and thrust it into his pocket 
 without looking at it, then pushing back his chair 
 a little, he folded his arms and silently waited for 
 the hymn to be sung, and prayer offered. 
 
 He was anxious to return to his room and 
 brood over the misery of his people. 
 
 As soon as the blessing had been sung and the 
 plates served at noon the teacher called upon 
 some one of the students to read his selection. 
 The first to respond, read : 
 
 " Give me thy light, that I may kindly be for 
 
 others heed; 
 Give me thy grace, that I may better see my 
 
 brother's need ; 
 And thus extend what I receive from thee, in 
 
 word and deed." 
 
 The words seemed to arouse Apollos' atten 
 tion. 
 
 The next read : 
 
 " There are flowers down in the valley low, and 
 
 over the mountain side, 
 Which were never praised by human voice, nor 
 
 by human eyes descried ; 
 
132 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Yet as sweet as the breath of the royal rose, is 
 
 the perfume they exhale ; 
 And why they bloom, and where they bloom, the 
 
 good Lord knoweth well." 
 
 " If I can ease one heart from aching, I shall not 
 
 live in vain ; 
 If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one 
 
 pain, 
 Or help one fainting robin unto its nest again, 
 
 I shall not live in vain." 
 
 " An arm of aid to the weak, a friendly hand to 
 
 the friendless, 
 Kind words so short to speak, but whose echo is 
 
 endless, 
 
 The world is wide ; these things are small, 
 They may be nothing, but they are all." 
 
 So one after another read his quotation. 
 Apollos felt in his pocket for the one that had 
 been handed to him, while Alexander read : 
 " Just to be still and murmur not ; 
 To know He never yet forgot 
 The child He led ; tomorrow's cares 
 To lay on Him, my Guide, to bear; 
 To see the sunlight of today, 
 Nor sigh that it may fade away 
 If this my part, my days shall be 
 Forecasts of immortality." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 133 
 
 Apollos hurriedly read to himself his slip, and 
 hastily looked into the face of his teacher. Were 
 these selections chosen expressly for his own ben 
 efit? 
 
 Was there a design in the choice of the quota 
 tions ? Just then his own name was called ; 
 clearly he read : 
 
 " Once out of all the anguish and the sorrow of 
 
 my heart ; 
 I wrote a song, and put my pent up passion in its 
 
 art. 
 And the great world never heeded this sorrowful 
 
 human groan. 
 For it bore a burden infinitely heavier of its 
 
 own." 
 
 Once out of the happiness and joy within my 
 
 breast, 
 I made a little song and blithly sent it on its 
 
 quest. 
 And the great world, with its infinitely many joys 
 
 divine, 
 Still had room, and instant welcome for this little 
 
 song of mine." 
 
 Just then the bell tapped and the students 
 passed out of the dining room. Apollos had new 
 thoughts on responsibility. He had been told 
 
134 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 the truths, taught in the selections, again and 
 again, but they had never seemed to mean so 
 much before. They helped him out of the dumps 
 and caused him to resolve to carry a cheerful face 
 in the future. 
 
 If wrong existed he could not correct, he would 
 try not to commit sin by his moody spirit. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 ALEXANDER GIFFORD IN LOVE 
 
 Alexander was now twenty-two, and had been 
 a student at Larimer nine years. In that time he 
 had developed into a strong young man. He was 
 a gentleman to the backbone, and the very soul 
 of honor. 
 
 He had reached the age when his soul longed 
 for some heart he could fed was all his own. 
 The face of a woman had. of late, come between 
 his own and his books. It was the face of a 
 young woman with a broad brow and smooth, 
 well-kept hair. Her eyes and face as black as 
 night, and yet every feature classic, almost to 
 severity in its outline. She was peculiarly beau 
 tiful to him. 
 
 His love had grown into a passion for her, and 
 yet he had been kept from telling her of his love. 
 For the past few months she had seemed to shun 
 him, and when forced to be in his presence, or to 
 receive his attentions, she had been under re 
 straint, as if unwilling to talk, 
 
 US 
 
136 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 He thought of her womanly character, and 
 wondered if one so far above him could possibly 
 love him. The time had come when he felt he 
 must speak. He could keep silent no longer. 
 
 It was near the close of the summer term, and 
 they were going in different directions. Judy 
 to teach again in Tuckerville, Ala., and he to go 
 to western New York to work in a hotel. 
 
 For several nights they had met at the church 
 to practice the Commencement Music. Each 
 night he had resolved to accompany her to the 
 boarding hall, but she had hurried off with some 
 of the girls and given him no chance to speak 
 with her alone. 
 
 One evening he told her he wished to speak to 
 her after rehearsal, and so found himself once 
 more with Judy on his arm going towards the 
 girls' dormitory. 
 
 Briefly he told her of his love ; that she was all 
 his heart could wish, good, gifted and beautiful ; 
 and that he needed her love and strength to make 
 his work for their people complete. 
 
 For a moment Judy did not answer. Then 
 lifting her tearful eyes to his, she said : 
 
 " I cannot link my life with yours, much as I 
 love you, for we each have a different purpose in 
 life. When my father died, I promised him I 
 
VI'LET'S BOY 137 
 
 would live for God and our people ; that I would 
 go down where they are, and lift them up out of 
 their degradation, to God." 
 
 " You seek the intellectual uplift of the negro, 
 without the one thing needful, a Christian exper 
 ience. In our life-work, you would be in my 
 way, and I should be in yours if I were to marry 
 you." 
 
 " I dare not give my life into your keeping, 
 however much my heart prompts me to do it, for 
 I should break my vow to my father, and take 
 back the offering, my redeemed self, which I have 
 laid upon God's altar." 
 
 Alexander urged his love, telling her that she 
 should be free to work in her own way. Her only 
 answer was : 
 
 " How shall two walk together except they be 
 agreed." 
 
 Turning to him, as they entered the gate lead 
 ing to the ladies' hall, she said : 
 
 " Alexander I am sorry to pain you but I must 
 be true to my vow. You are not a Christian ; 
 you lack a real fixed purpose in life. I know you 
 have rare talents, that you are manly, honorable 
 and true ; and yet you lack the one thing that 
 will make your life a success among our people, 
 and will lift them up to the only source of safety 
 and true happiness." 
 
138 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 14 Remember this, a Godless education is not 
 what they need ! " Bidding him good night she 
 hurried into the hall. 
 
 Alexander hastened to his room feeling that 
 there was not another girl in the University who 
 could have spoken to him so simply, so sincerely, 
 as she had done. She believed every word she 
 said. She had faith in God. Christ was a real 
 living person to her, not a dead Christ. 
 
 Christian service was more than profession, it 
 was a life. It had a personal meaning to her. 
 
 Hurrying into bed he pretended to be asleep 
 when Apollos came into the room, a few moments 
 later; and yet sleep was impossible. His mind 
 was too busy to allow him to sleep. He thought 
 of his grandmother's life of Christian service and 
 sacrifice, and of her wishes and prayers for him. 
 Religion was everything to her. He remembered 
 what she told him of his mother, that she was a 
 Christian. 
 
 Then he sought to understand his own attitude 
 towards religion. He was not an unbeliever, he 
 was just indifferent He had never felt the need 
 of being other than he was, a straight-forward, 
 honest fellow, hating deception and despising a 
 hypocrite. 
 
 He thought of some of his fellow-students, 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 139 
 
 whom he knew to be leading double lives. They 
 were untruthful, when it would help them out of 
 a College difficulty or hard lesson. 
 
 Often, when they spoke in meeting, he had felt 
 thy were not sincere. He believed himself to be 
 morally above them, although he was not a Chris 
 tian. Then he asked himself if there was not a 
 better life than he was leading. If others were 
 untrue, did it excuse him from being an out and 
 out Christian ? 
 
 I do not know who it was that said : 
 
 " The character of no man is fixed, until it has 
 been tried by the woman he loves. Till then he 
 has only the material of character, waiting to be 
 shaped and altered." 
 
 It was true in Alexander's case. Judy's words 
 could not be driven from his mind. 
 
 " You have no fixed purpose in life. Nothing 
 can take the place of Christian purpose. Our 
 people do not need a Godless education." 
 
 The next morning Apollos observed Alexan 
 der's troubled look, and said : 
 
 " What's up old fellow, you don't look over and 
 above cheerful this morning ? Did Judy go back 
 on you last night ? " 
 
 Alexander answered with some bitterness : " I 
 am not over and above grateful for my existence, 
 just now." 
 
I4O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 This spirit was so foreign to Alexander, that 
 Apollos gave up his bantering tone. Throwing 
 his arms about his friend, he said : " Tell me all 
 about it ! " 
 
 In a few words the whole story was told. With 
 considerable spirit Apollos said : 
 
 " No woman has a right to force a man to be 
 come a professing Christian to gain her love." 
 
 " No, No ! Apollos, you are wronging her. She 
 only told me the truth. There was no effort on 
 her part to have me profess religion to gain her 
 hand. She simply told me some plain truths for 
 my own good. The question that troubles me is, 
 how am I to get right with God ? " 
 
 " You have got me there," said Apollos as he 
 hurried from the room to hide his feelings. 
 
 No sooner was Alexander left alone, than falling 
 upon his knees he gave himself to God and his 
 service, and felt himself accepted and adopted as 
 a child of God. Rising to his feet he said : 
 
 "I'll trust Him who has promised : ' My pres 
 ence shall go with thee, and I will give thee 
 peace! 5 " 
 
 Seating himself at the table, he hurriedly wrote 
 a few lines to Judy, saying : 
 
 " Life is widening, deepening, and getting 
 sweeter and happier. I have found comfort be- 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 14! 
 
 yond expression by believing on the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Pray that God may take my life and 
 make it throb with life and meaning for our race. 
 I feel my spirit is now resting in his love, and am 
 content and happy." 
 
 That evening, at the student's prayer meeting 
 he gave his first testimony, Rising to his feet, he 
 said : 
 
 " I want to tell you of the new joy that has 
 come into my life. Christ's love fills my soul." 
 
 " I now stand upon Christ's merits, 
 
 I ask no safer stand, 
 Not 'een where glory dwelleth 
 
 In Immanuel's land." 
 
 Had there come a peal of thunder out of the 
 clear sky, there would have been no greater sur 
 prise. Alexander and Apollos had withstood all 
 the persuasions of teachers and friends to become 
 Christians. His testimony thrilled the entire 
 congregation. 
 
 Judy had leaned forward to catch every word. 
 Her blood gave a leap and her body quivered 
 with its tingling rush through her veins. She felt 
 every one in the house could hear her heart beat. 
 His testimony was, to her, a delight that was al 
 most painful. 
 
 The leader caught the spirit of the meeting and 
 
142 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 asked if there were not others to begin the new 
 life with Alexander, and several raised their hands. 
 Apollos, contrary to all expectations, remained 
 apparently indifferent. On reaching their room 
 he said to Alexander : 
 
 " I respect your stand, but for my own part, I 
 am not ready to become a Christian ! Remember, 
 this is a matter we will not discuss. I could talk 
 with you, if I talked with any one, but I am not 
 free to talk with any one. Should the time ever 
 come for me to speak, you, old boy, shall be the 
 one to point out the way, and help me, as Chris 
 tians say, into the light. Remember not a word 
 till then!" 
 
 That Alexander was disappointed, does not 
 express it. They had been united in thought 
 and purpose since they had been in Larimer. 
 
 Now, when it had come to the deepest experi 
 ence of the human soul they were to be divided. 
 
 Alexander and Judy met daily in the dining 
 hall and recitation room, but seemed under great 
 restraint. Soon Apollos noticed that Alexander 
 began to shun Judy and that both were unhappy. 
 
 Turning to his chum Apollos said : 
 
 11 1 thought religion made people happy." 
 
 41 It does," replied Alexander, "what led you to 
 think it did not ? " 
 
OR vi LET'S BOY 143 
 
 " Your long face and lack of joy. Before you 
 became a Christian there was not a person in the 
 University more joyous than you and Judy, and 
 then you were fast friends. Now you are both 
 Christians and both unhappy. You shun her as 
 if you were offended with her ; and she, by every 
 look shows she does not understand you, and is 
 'miserable. I don't want religion, if it makes me 
 ;go back on my friends." 
 
 While Apollos had been talking, Alexander 
 had risen from his chair and gone to the window. 
 Turning to Apollos he said: 
 
 "I do not want you or any one else to think I 
 have professed religion because Judy urged me 
 to do it. Neither do I wish her to feel that I took 
 the step because she refused me, or that I thought 
 to gain my end in this way. I love Judy with all 
 my soul and feel more and more that I cannot get 
 along without her." 
 
 " Whatever put such a notion into your head ?'" 
 asked Apollos, " Any one that knows you, would 
 not think of it for a moment." 
 
 " You, Apollos, said no woman has the right to 
 demand that a man should become a professing 
 Christian before he could marry her. In my first 
 joy at knowing I was a child of God, I never 
 thought of it in that light. Later it came back 
 
144 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 to me, and 1 felt that Judy, as well as yourself be 
 lieved I was not sincere." 
 
 " Not a bit of it, Alexander, you are sincerity 
 itself. I suppose this is one of the temptations 
 that I hear Christians talk about ; anyway, get rid 
 of it as soon as possible, for I want my cheerful 
 chum back again." 
 
 That night, after rehearsal, two young people 
 walked down the sidewalk toward the boarding 
 hall arm in arm. It did not need for Apollos to 
 take the second look to know who they were, for 
 it was Alexander and Judy. A few moments 
 later Alexander came rushing into the room in 
 the greatest excitement. 
 
 " It's all right, Apollos ! It's all right ! Con 
 gratulate me! I am the happiest boy in the Uni 
 versity." 
 
 There is never but one first day to an engage 
 ment, and this one day is happier than all other 
 days. 
 
 People say : " That a woman gives more of her 
 heart than a man." It was not so in Judy and 
 Alexander's case, for each gave their whole heart, 
 and each felt surprised that the other could love 
 one so imperfect. 
 
 Alexander was manly, and so overflowing with 
 love and reverence for Judy, that he treated her 
 as if she were a superior being. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 145 
 
 There is nothing so grand as to see a man, in 
 his young manhood, in love with a woman. Next 
 after the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in 
 the soul, is the fixed presence of a Christian 
 woman in the heart. She ennobles him and 
 brings out the best there is in him. 
 
 If he is coarse, she refines him, and beautifies 
 his soul. Judy became the glory of his life. The 
 few remaining days before Commencement soon 
 passed and the students began to scatter, each in 
 his own way. 
 
 Judy's train left several hours before Alexander 
 and A polios were to start for western New York. 
 Alexander had his last look at Judy as she sat by 
 the window in the Jim Crow car, bound for 
 Tuckerville, Ala. 
 
 A few days later we find Alexander seated on 
 a rock back of the hotel. He holds in his hand 
 the first letter written by Judy since their en 
 gagement. 
 
 He had read it over and over again. She tells 
 him of her happiness in the knowledge that he 
 loves her. 
 
 " I have just been thanking God for the power 
 to enjoy, as well as the enjoyment that comes 
 from this knowledge. I have thanked Him on 
 bended knees for both. Let us stand close to the 
 Master and he will direct our steps." 
 
146 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 How bright the world looked to him as he sat 
 there with her letter in his hands. The next year 
 they would be through school, and he could make 
 a home for Judy and his grandmother. Togeth 
 er they would live and work for God. 
 
 u My work is hard," Judy wrote, "but I can see 
 a wonderful improvement in my school from year 
 to year, and feel that I am overcoming the igno 
 rance, superstition and laziness of the people." 
 
 " When I return to Larimer this fall I expect to 
 bring Pink Patterson with me. Really Alexan 
 der, if I never accomplish any thing more in this 
 settlement, the redemption of this girl will more 
 than pay for all the toil and sacrifice I have made 
 for this people." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 'ES SE'F" 
 
 On a clear warm morning in the latter part of 
 June, a well dressed young negro took his way to 
 A'nt Car'line's dilapidated cabin. It was a perfect 
 morning, for there was not a cloud to be seen in 
 the sky. Here and there the birds were joyfully 
 calling to their mates, while on both sides of the 
 road the wild flowers were in full bloom. 
 
 Nothing of this escaped the eyes of the beauty 
 loving young man, who seemed deeply interested 
 in every thing about him. As he neared the 
 cabin, he stopped and listened for a few moments. 
 
 A'nt Car'line was at the wash tub, hard at 
 work, and singing between the rubs she gave the 
 clothes : 
 
 " Bar ma away on y'u snowy wings," rub, rub, rub, 
 To mah immortal 'ome," rub, rub, rub, 
 O bar ma away on y'u snowy wings 
 To mah immortal 'ome " rub, rub, rub ! rub, rub ! 
 
 " I know I's nerin'" rub, rub, u de hebhenly Ian' 
 O' fr'ens an' kindrid dear" rub, rub, rub, rub, 
 
 147 
 
148 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Fo' I brush de dews on Jardin's stream' ; 
 De,' " rub, rub, rub," " crossin' mus' be near ; 
 O come angal ban', 
 C-O-M-E." 
 
 The hymn was cut short by a knock at her 
 door. Hastily drying her hands, she hurried to 
 greet her visitor. 
 
 " Bress y'u soul, honey, I's pow'ful glad ter see 
 y'u ! " A'nt Car'line, joyfully exclaimed. " Come 
 right inter de 'ouse, an' res' y'u 'at ! " 
 
 " I am delighted to see you, A'nt Car'line," 
 said the young man, who was no other than Tobe 
 Washburn, just returned from the Industrial 
 school located in Tuskegee, Alabama. " How 
 are you," he continued, " and how is Alexander ?" 
 
 " I's gittin' ol', Mistah Washburn, an' mah hans 
 er gittin' kin' er draw'd up, but I's wukkin' an' er 
 sabin' ter he'p mah boy thoo de varsity. De 
 Lawd done stan' by ma an' 'e's gwinter he'p ma 
 thoo. Hab y'u com'd 'ome ter stay ? " asked the 
 old woman. 
 
 " Yes, A'nt Car'line, I have finished the Nor 
 mal course at Tuskegee and also learned the 
 blacksmith trade. I have come home to open a 
 shop here in Barneyville." 
 
 " I's mouty glad," A'nt Car'line admiringly re- 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 149 
 
 plied, " coz you hab entitlement ter be sumpin 
 mo'n des er no count, lak udders I knows." 
 
 " A'nt Carline," said Tobe, the tears coming 
 to his eyes, " I came over here this morning to 
 thank you for the plain words you gave me a few 
 years ago when I was a thoughtless fellow, living 
 for present enjoyment. But for you I should 
 have remained a trifling young man, like so many 
 others about here." 
 
 "You were my inspiration, A'nt Car'line. I 
 have come to feel that the vicious, idle, negro 
 boys and girls in Barneyville need the positive 
 waking up you gave me, to help them to make 
 something of themselves." 
 
 While Tobe had been speaking, A'nt Car'line 
 rocked vigorously back and forth, the tears run 
 ning down her withered cheeks. Raising her 
 eyes to heaven, while she clasped and unclasped 
 her black hands, she said : 
 
 " Y'u mek ma feel so 'umbil, Mistah Washburn, 
 w'at am I dat de Lawd shu'd 'low me ter p'int 
 one o' his chil'ns in de bressed way, 'an he'p 'im 
 ter mek er man outen 'imse'fs. Hit's de wuk o' 
 de Lawd, an y'u mus' gib 'im de glo'y, not po' ol' 
 A'nt Car'line." 
 
 " I know," said Tobe earnestly, " that God has 
 helped me. I also know he put it into your 
 
I5O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 heart to say the strong, sharp words that roused 
 my ambition to go to Tuskegee, and I shall nev 
 er cease to thank you." 
 
 " Dis am er happifyin 'casion, fo' dar am nuffin 
 dat mek ma feel so happy as hit do w'en de 
 brack fo'ks gits mo' commonsenser. Now da's 
 erady ter set down an' say de wurrill's ergin um, 
 an do nuffin, iven das des ergin umsufs. I 'clar 
 I doan wunner de fo'ks f'om de nowf gits 'scour- 
 aged an' fuse ter 'elp um no mo'. I's propesin 
 diffunt t'ings fo' de col'd fo'ks w'en ma Alexander 
 an' de uddahs gits thoo de varsity." 
 
 " The colored people are already improving, 
 Auntie. There are intelligent carpenters as well 
 as preachers, harnessmakers, brickmakers, and 
 blacksmiths, as well as physicians and teachers, 
 who are taking their places in the South and 
 showing what education does for the negro." 
 
 " I git's 'scour aged w'en I see's de boys an gals 
 doin' nuffin. I's exhortin' um an' 'monstat'in 
 wid um all de time, but da won pay no 'tention to 
 ma!" 
 
 " Don't be discouraged, auntie, can you find 
 among the whole lot a more hopeless case than 
 Tobe Washburn ? You certainly reached me ! 
 And then Alexander got his inspiration from 
 you. If we ever accomplish any thing you are 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 151 
 
 going to share in our labors, for you see your 
 work will go right on forever. Have you never 
 thought of the partnership there is in Christian 
 service ? " asked Tobe. 
 
 This was a new idea to A'nt Car'line. For a 
 few moments she was silent, and then in an awed 
 tone she asked : 
 
 " Do y'u mean de Lawd's gwinter bress po' oF 
 Car'line, w'en y'u an' Alexander wuk ter brung de 
 col'd fo'ks outen dar ignaence ? " 
 
 " I mean just that, Auntie. During all the 
 years I was in school I have never forgotten to 
 ask God to bless you ? I have again and again 
 thanked him for putting it into my heart to visit 
 you that night, when you showed me what a mis 
 erable fellow I was. You made me feel very un 
 comfortable, A'nt Car'line, and sometimes angry, 
 but it was just what I needed to open my eyes." 
 
 " Bress de Lawd ! " shouted A'nt Car'line. " I 
 hez 'bunance' o' reason ter be 'umbil befo' Gawd, 
 ter t'ink 'e lemme 'elp on' er 'is chil'n." 
 
 Going to a shelf near the fireplace, she took 
 down a letter which she handed to Tobe, saying: 
 
 " Read dis lettah f'om Alexander ter ma. I 
 hatter shout an cry mos' all nite atter Jennie Jor- 
 den done red hit ter ma." 
 
 Tobe took the letter from her trembling hands, 
 and commenced to read aloud : 
 
152 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 "Larimer University, Mississippi, June 5, 1898. 
 
 My dear Grandmother: I have two 
 matters of the greatest interest to us both, to 
 write you about. First, I want to tell you that 
 God had answered your prayers ; that I have 
 found Christ, and know him to be my personal 
 Savior." 
 
 Here the old woman stopped Tobe, and said : 
 
 u I war so 'stonished an' glad I des hoi' mah 
 breaf an' lis'n'd. I 'clar I des fought mah breaf 
 war gwinter stop er breavin' ; hadn t I bin er ras- 
 telin' an' er rastelin' at de t'rone o' grace evey 
 sense dat boy war bon'd ? Des er beggin' an' er 
 axin' an' er beggin' an er axin' Gawd ter brung 
 'im inter de foP, an' now 'e's done done hit! " said 
 A'nt Car'line in hallelujah tones, wiping her eyes 
 upon her apron. 
 
 Tobe read on: 
 
 " I shall never cease to thank God for my dear 
 old praying grandmother." 
 
 " Hallyloo ! " shouted A'nt Car'line, Tobe read 
 on, " For her consistent Christian life and helpful 
 words. If I ever gain heaven, your prayers and 
 tears, as well as the earnest words of one I have 
 learned to love better than my own life, will have 
 led me there." 
 
 " Heah dat, Mistah Washburn," said A'nt Car'- 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 153 
 
 line proudly, " dat boy am done gone an' 'gaged 
 hise'f ter de bestis gal in de varsity. Des read 
 w'at 'e don say." 
 
 " Then grandmother, I have won the love of 
 the truest and best girl in the whole world. I 
 have written you about her before. Judy Bunday 
 is her name. She is alone in the world, for her 
 parents are both dead. Her father was a minister 
 in Hoopston, Ga." 
 
 " She is most beautiful and gifted. She loves 
 our people and has consecrated her life to them. 
 When I am well settled as a minister, she has 
 promised to become my wife, and help me in my 
 work." 
 
 " What am I, that God should bestow upon me 
 such a rich gift ? I keep asking God to make 
 me worthy of her love. In one year I shall be 
 through here. I am coming home then and go 
 ing to work among the negroes in Barneyville. 
 There shall be no washing or ironing for you, 
 for I am going to take care of you and make your 
 last days just as happy as I can." 
 
 "Later, when I bring Judy to our home, we 
 three will live together, and work among our peo 
 ple. God bless you my precious grandmother. 
 I am too busy to write more." 
 Lovingly, 
 
 ALEXANDER GLEASON. 
 
154 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 A'nt Car'line could not refrain from shouting 
 when Tobe finished reading the letter, for her cup 
 was full and running over. The two continued 
 to talk till her wash water was cold and her fire 
 had gone out. Then Tobe took his leave, assur 
 ing A'nt Car'line that Alexander would find him 
 ready to aid him in his work for the betterment 
 of their people. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 " CLARENDON SPRINGS HOUSE," NEW YORK 
 
 The heated season had come. The dwellers in 
 cities and towns had sought the mountains, the 
 seashore and the springs, for health, pleasure and 
 a cool breath. 
 
 In a delightfully pleasant town in western 
 New York, a large number of guests were spend 
 ing the summer at the Clarendon Springs House. 
 Among them were a number of southern men, 
 two of whom we know; St. Julian de Goochy and 
 the Hon. Abner Gleason, both of Barneyville, 
 Ga. 
 
 The vexed question: " What shall be done 
 with the negro," had been discussed again and 
 again by the guests. Northern men had asked 
 innumerable questions and expressed their opin 
 ions in a way that showed there was every shade 
 of belief among them. 
 
 The Hon. Abner Gleason had listened quietly 
 to all that had been said, saying nothing himself. 
 Not so St. Julian de Goochy. He had talked 
 
156 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 loud and used the most bitter terms, when he 
 spoke of the " Nigger," as he always called the 
 black man. 
 
 It soon became noticeable to the guests, that he 
 was most vehement in his denunciations of them, 
 in the after part of the day. At that time he was 
 apt to be somewhat under the influence of liquor. 
 
 Another Southern guest who was much in the 
 company of the two men named, and had taken 
 an active part in the discussion of the negroes' 
 future, was Sylvester Carpenter, a business man 
 from Macon, Ga. 
 
 These three men had just left the dining room 
 and sought the Spring House for a quiet smoke 
 and talk, when Gleason, turning to de Goochy, 
 said: 
 
 " Have you observed the almost white negro 
 who waits on the table on the other side of the 
 room from us ? " 
 
 "Yes," said de Goochy, "and have caught him 
 watching us." 
 
 " So have I, and have made up my mind that I 
 know him. Do you remember the colored boy 
 who danced for us in front of the Planters' House 
 in Barneyville, some years ago ? " 
 
 u The one who said he was going to Larimer 
 University ? " Gleason asked. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 157 
 
 " Yes, but how did he come here ? " questioned 
 de Goochy. 
 
 " Working, as so many students are doing to 
 help themselves through school. I am glad the 
 fellow is doing something for himself. His old 
 grandmother has denied herself the necessities of 
 life to keep him in the University. Mr. de Goochy, 
 I have been surprised to see the amount of ener 
 gy and sacrifice the negro women are manifesting 
 to give their children an education," said Mr. 
 Gleason. 
 
 " It is not so much the education they are 
 after," urged de Goochy, " they think it raises 
 them above their neighbors. That they are nigger 
 aristocrats, to have their children graduate from 
 some school. And then, the children are willing 
 to get an education to get rid of work." 
 
 " No, No ! de Goochy," said Mr. Carpenter. " I 
 believe the negro mothers are honest in their 
 ambition to raise their children above their own 
 ignorance and degradation." 
 
 " You are right," exclaimed Gleason. " Noth 
 ing but an honest purpose to make her grandson 
 a useful man among her own race, would have 
 nerved this young table waiter's grandmother to 
 work and save, as she is doing, to carry him 
 through Larimer University." 
 
158 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " You always had a soft spot in your heart for 
 that old woman," sneered de Goochy. 
 
 " Why should I not? " Gleason curtly replied, 
 " Aunt Caroline was my old mammy ! She carried 
 me over many a hard place ! Then the father of 
 this young fellow was my first slave and playmate. 
 My father gave him to me when I was born, and 
 as soon as I was able to understand what the 
 word gift meant, I called him * my boy ' and 
 bossed him accordingly. He was several years 
 older than I, and understood that he was to go 
 with me, and wait upon me wherever I went, and 
 I found him faithful to his trust." 
 
 " I remember him well," laughed de Goochy, 
 winking at Mr. Carpenter. " He was a white 
 nigger, Ceasar Augustus Gleason, as he was 
 called; and the people used to say he looked 
 wonderfully like his young master! Whatever 
 became of him ? " 
 
 " I never knew," Gleason answered with a cold 
 glitter in his eyes. " After his wife died, he left 
 the state and has never been heard from. I think 
 he must be dead." 
 
 " So this is his son," continued de Goochy. " I 
 could not help noticing the assumption of dignity 
 he put on. One would think him a Bank Presi 
 dent, the way he carries himself." 
 
VI LETS BOY 159 
 
 " He is a fine looking fellow anyway," remarked 
 Carpenter. 
 
 " What do looks amount to ? They will not 
 help him if he attempts to go among white peo 
 ple. He is just as much a nigger as the one who 
 waits upon our table, and he is as black as the 
 ace of spades," declared de Goochy irritably. 
 
 " Gentlemen," said a Northern man who had 
 sat near them and had listened to their conversa 
 tion, I never could understand why you call a 
 man a negro when he is seven-eighths white, and 
 only one-eighth black. Take that young man in 
 the dining room. He has a white skin and 
 brown hair. Here in the North no one would 
 take him for a negro if he did not call himself 
 
 one." 
 
 " You," said de Goochy, " know nothing about 
 it. Northern men have no conception of the 
 question that troubles us Southerners. Neither 
 do you understand that a white nigger, if he has 
 but one drop of black blood in his veins, is as 
 much a nigger as though he were born in Africa. 
 I wish you Northerners had the whole d d race 
 to deal with. The South would be mighty glad 
 to spare the whole cussed lot." 
 
 The stranger rose and left the Spring House. 
 
 After a moment of silence, Mr. Carpenter 
 turned to de Goochy and said : 
 
160 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " I have long since made up my mind that the 
 negro is in the South to. stay. I admit he has 
 lost his old time charm. That in the turning of 
 a cog in his evolution, he has lost the personal 
 deference we so much liked in the old slave. 
 Still I am almost persuaded he is being changed 
 for the better." 
 
 " The nigger, to some people, may be a useful 
 citizen, but as a human being he is a gigantic 
 fraud, in my estimation. I would not care if he 
 were to be instantly annihilated ! " replied Mr. de 
 Goochy in a disturbed manner. 
 
 " I know, Mr. de Goochy, the new order of 
 negroes are not much like those we used to know 
 before the war. Still I think I see improvement 
 in them," Mr. Carpenter urged in a conciliatory 
 tone. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy was a man of fixed beliefs, a 
 man who never changed his opinions; and few 
 who knew him cared to oppose him, for he never 
 forgave an offence, fancied or otherwise. 
 
 Turning to Mr. Gleason, Mr. de Goochy said : 
 
 " We must push the school bill that is being 
 agitated at home. In the room of more schools 
 for the niggers, let us place the whole responsi 
 bility of maintaining their schools on themselves. 
 A bill should be introduced at the next Legisla 
 ture, to this effect." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY l6l 
 
 "All taxes paid by the white citizens of Geor 
 gia, shall be used for the support of schools main 
 tained for white children. And only taxes paid 
 by the niggers shall be used for the maintenance 
 of schools for black children." 
 
 " This will lessen the number of nigger schools, 
 and keep the race in a state of ignorance, where 
 they belong. For the good of the state we have 
 taken away their suffrage. This is the next step 
 required. Now, Gleason, you are in a position to 
 help such a bill through. In fact, we elected you 
 to the Legislature for this very purpose." 
 
 " I am very sorry to disappoint you Mr. de 
 Goochy," Mr. Gleason firmly replied. " I have 
 changed my mind, within the past few months 
 very greatly. I have come to see the negro in a 
 new light. I believe education is the only solu 
 tion to the vexed question that is agitating the 
 South." 
 
 " If this bill you name should go through, it 
 will be not only a great wrong to the negro, but 
 a greater wrong to the state, for 'whatever injury 
 we inflict upon the negro, we inflict upon our 
 selves'. There has been no truer statement made 
 than this by one of the best thinkers in the 
 United States." 
 
 " As a people we shall rise or fall on the sense 
 
1 62 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 we have of the value of the negroes. If we 
 would aid them to come up in personal character, 
 we must educate them, for their improvement 
 will have a reflex influence on the state, as well 
 as on the individual white citizen. To say we 
 will keep them in ignorance is to leave them a 
 lustful, vicious set of criminals, but little above 
 the beasts of the field. This will lower our own 
 characters, for as a people, we shall rise or fall on 
 the sense of the value of the negro, who is with 
 us to stay." 
 
 Mr. de Goochy gave a disagreeable laugh, and 
 then with grim sarcasm, said : 
 
 " Gleason you are a d d fool ! You are doing 
 the worst thing you ever did in all your life! You 
 are killing yourself socially, as well as political- 
 ly!" 
 
 " You know education makes a fool of a nigger 
 and unfits him for the state of peonage, in which 
 it is desirable to keep him ? Let me tell you 
 something else ; You have ambition ; you have 
 an eye on the next State election, and the Gov 
 ernor's chair. Can you afford to ruin your pros 
 pects? Ruin yourself, just for the sake of the 
 d d nigger ? " 
 
 Without waiting for Mr. Gleason to answer, 
 Mr. Carpenter spoke, thinking to soften de 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 163 
 
 Goochy's feelings toward Gleason, by turning his 
 thoughts in another channel. 
 
 " I have also undergone a change of heart, or 
 better still a change of thought concerning the 
 negroes. Not that I love them better or want 
 them about me in any capacity, other than that of a 
 servant. They are not, neither will they ever be 
 welcome visitors at my house ; but I have come 
 to see it is for the best to give the negroes an ele 
 mentary education, and a trade of some kind or 
 other, so they may be of more use to us." 
 
 " I don't believe in educating the brutes at all ! " 
 de Goochy hotly exclaimed. " They were made 
 to be servants of the superior race of men. The 
 Bible clearly teaches this ! Because of the con 
 tinued harping of Northern Abolitionists, the war 
 was brought on, and the nigger freed ! We can't 
 get them back where they were, but we can keep 
 them down where they belong, unless we turn 
 fools, like Gleason, and educate the whole d d 
 lot." 
 
 Gleason was a man no less determined than de 
 Goochy, a man that thought quite as well of his 
 own opinions, and just as fearlessly maintained 
 them. 
 
 He differed from de Goochy, however, in this 
 respect ! He was master of himself. His cold 
 
1 64 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 piercing eye, and soft voice told little of the vol 
 cano that burned within his breast. 
 
 Turning to Mr. Carpenter he said in a voice 
 perfectly gentle, and without seeming to notice de 
 Goochy's insulting remarks : 
 
 " The negroes did not come to us of their own 
 accord. You know their past history as well as 
 their present needs. For more than two centu 
 ries they served the South without recompense, 
 Now it is the duty of the South to be just to 
 them, and as far as it is possible to reward them 
 for their services." 
 
 " If we fail in our duty, we make them a men 
 ace to our best interests, for they remain among 
 us an element of increasing ignorance and vice. 
 Then I am convinced, the fruits of their wrong 
 doing will go beyond themselves, and strike down 
 our children, and our children's children." 
 
 While Mr. Gleason had been talking, de Goo- 
 chy had hard work to contain his anger. As soon 
 as he could make himself heard he excitedly ex 
 claimed : 
 
 " Gleason, you surprise me ! If these are your 
 sentiments, I do not care to continue our acquaint 
 ance ! The nigger will take my place ! " 
 
 " If the holding of an opinion differing from 
 that held by yourself, makes it impossible for you 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 165 
 
 to be on friendly terms with me, our acquaintance 
 better stop right here, Sir ! " Mr. Gleason unhesi 
 tatingly answered with a cold gleam in his eyes. 
 
 " What has changed your opinions, Mr. Glea 
 son ? " asked Carpenter. 
 
 " I have for some time been making the negro 
 question a careful study," answered Mr. Gleason. 
 " I have examined it from an impartial standpoint, 
 and as far as possible without prejudice or previ 
 ous opinion. Then my Northern trip has helped 
 to convince me that my recent conclusions are 
 correct. I have seen negroes filling important 
 positions in Western cities, and heard candid men 
 speak of them with respect." 
 
 " What I have seen and heard since I came 
 North, has made me hate the niggers as I never 
 hated them before. The look of complacency 
 and satisfaction; the independent, self-reliant 
 spirit they assume ; the insolent look they give 
 you, when you order them to wait upon you, 
 makes me wish for the old time to come back, 
 that I may take the conceit out of them with the 
 lash," Mr. de Goochy said addressing Mr. Car 
 penter. An awful fury gleamed from his set face. 
 
 " I have never been better served in all my life," 
 Carpenter urged, " than I have been in this Hotel. 
 I know there is none of the old time deference 
 
1 66 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 we used to require of them, still they are none the 
 less polite and willing to serve." 
 
 " Carpenter," said de Goochy contemptuously, 
 " I saw the white nigger and the big black one 
 reading Greek out in the Grove back of the hotel 
 yesterday. Think of it, a nigger reading Greek ! 
 I am going to surprise them some of these days, 
 and tell them what I think of their studies." 
 
 " It strikes me, de Goochy, they are spending 
 their time much better than many of the trifling 
 young negroes are doing in the South, for it seems 
 to be a fixed habit with them, to do nothing," 
 laughed Carpenter. 
 
 " The educated negroes are not seeking to at 
 tract attention to themselves, or force themselves 
 upon our recognition. Take the young negro 
 who serves at your table, Mr. Carpenter. He was 
 brought up in my own town. He knows Mr. de 
 Goochy and myself. He must have a desire to 
 hear from his grandmother and home, yet he has 
 not put himself in our way or presumed to address 
 us," said Gleason. 
 
 " Doubtless he has some of the rare qualities of 
 the Gleason family, for he is the son of the nigger 
 branch, Qesar Augustus Gleason," Mr. de Goo 
 chy said, insultingly, as he left the Spring House. 
 
 Both men smoked in silence for a few moments, 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 167 
 
 though Gleason's eyes were burning like coals of 
 fire. Then Carpenter remarked : 
 
 " I am deeply interested in the Industrial 
 Schools scattered through the South, particularly 
 the one in Tuskegee, Alabama, managed by a 
 negro. I believe such schools are to solve the 
 negro problem for us." 
 
 " I am sure, Mr. Carpenter, they have a part in 
 solving it," Mr. Gleason answered, " but only a 
 part." 
 
 " What other agencies are to be used ? " Mr. 
 Carpenter asked. 
 
 " They are not the only educational agencies 
 at work in the South. There are the Universi 
 ties and Colleges where the exceptional young 
 negro men and women are fitted to become lead 
 ers of their people. These Institutions ar~e to 
 help reach the solution," urged Cleason. 
 
 " Do you believe in the Higher Education for 
 the negro ? " Carpenter inquired. 
 
 " Most certainly I do ! Why should he not re 
 ceive it ? " asked Mr. Gleason. 
 
 " I do not believe him capable of receiving it, or 
 able to use it wisely if he were to receive it in his 
 present state of civilization. It may be for him a 
 century hence, but not now," answered Carpenter. 
 
 " I believe it is for him now ! In fact I am ac- 
 
1 68 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 quainted with Universities that are sending out 
 well trained men and women who are a success in 
 the professions, as well as in business." 
 
 " There are colored me"n and women in your 
 own state who are living testimonies to the fallacy 
 of your statement ' that the negro is not capable 
 of receiving the Higher Education,'" Mr. Gleason 
 warmly declared. 
 
 " Perhaps I am prejudiced, Mr. Gleason, but I 
 must confess I have no use for the Negro College, 
 or their graduates," answered Mr. Carpenter. 
 
 " Industrial training is all right for the majority 
 of young negroes ! It is all wrong for others ! 
 Each school has its place just as the school of 
 Technology and the University, the Agricultural 
 College and Commercial College have their place 
 and use. The unlikeness of tastes and mental 
 qualifications of our white boys and girls, decides 
 which of the named institutions they will attend." 
 
 " The same unlikeness of tastes exists among 
 the colored boys and girls, for they are just as un 
 like in capability and capacity. You would not 
 think of forcing all white young men to become 
 Bookkeepers, Carpenters or even Surveyors. 
 Why attempt to shape the future of the negro 
 young men ? " asked Mr. Gleason. 
 
 " It does not look reasonable to me," Carpenter 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 169 
 
 answered, " that a race so recently slaves are pre 
 pared to receive the Higher Education any more 
 than the people of the South are prepared to re 
 ceive them as Teachers, Physicians, or Lawyers- 
 You know as well as I, Gleason, that they are ir 
 responsible people, moved by every emotion and 
 act of violence." 
 
 " As barbers, table waiters and boot-blacks, they 
 are a success ! I am for giving them whatever edu 
 cation they need to keep them in their proper place, 
 and will help them to do their work, and no 
 more," Mr. Carpenter continued. 
 
 " Nothing is better than actual results, Mr. 
 Carpenter. Take the two hundred college edu 
 cated men and women in Chicago who are teach 
 ers, practicing physicians, dentists, lawyers and 
 ministers of the Gospel, as well as those who are 
 filling places of trust. You find no more self- 
 reliant men anywhere. Their education has 
 taught them to respect themselves. They are 
 thrifty men and women, capable of reasoning 
 calmly, for their minds have been trained to 
 think." 
 
 " They have learned that life is to be filled with 
 toil and struggle, competition and endurance, pa 
 tience and perseverance, and that each day they 
 are to be engaged with the necessities of the 
 
170 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 present. They are not asking themselves what 
 they shall choose, or what will most minister to 
 their pleasure, but what God has chosen for 
 them, and what will aid most for their usefulness." 
 
 " They are anxious to make the most of them 
 selves for both worlds. Now Mr. Carpenter, 
 these facts speak for themselves, for what is true 
 of Chicago is true of Nashville, Atlanta, Georgia, 
 and other Southern cities. Then there are scat 
 tered all over the South young men and women, 
 who, if educated, will become strong to lift up 
 their own race. Don't for one moment think I 
 am not in full sympathy with the Industrial 
 Schools. I would have their number increased a 
 thousand fold, for the majority of the negro 
 young men and women will be fitted for a useful 
 life in these institutions." 
 
 " I cannot understand, how you, a Southern 
 man, can take such a stand on the negro ques 
 tion ! I can understand Mr. de Goochy's feel 
 ings, for I have felt much as he does, till within a 
 short time. The practical work done at Tuske- 
 gee, opened my eyes to the advantages to be de 
 rived from such schools. Let me say right here 
 Mr. Gleason, I am not thinking so much of the 
 negro's uplift as I am of his betterment to serve 
 our ends and increase his usefulness in our ser- 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 171 
 
 vices. I cannot get above the fact that they are 
 an inferior race, once our slaves ; and that they 
 are black ! You may give them all the education 
 you will, their black skin remains, and I believe 
 they will be none the less deceitful or treacher 
 ous, vicious or untruthful," Mr. Carpenter warmly 
 urged. 
 
 " I believe myself thoroughly loyal to the highest 
 good of the South, and that I am doing that 
 which will best advance her interests, when I urge 
 the Higher Education for the exceptional, mind 
 you, exceptional men and women." 
 
 " I cannot fail to see the wisdom shown by 
 Japan in selecting her best young men and send 
 ing them to England and America to be educat 
 ed, and how these young men have been the in 
 spiration that has made the new Japan of today. 
 It was not the entire people who received the new 
 ideas, but the individual and he is inspiring the 
 multitude." 
 
 " So it will be with the educated negro who is 
 fitted to go among his people, and teach them the 
 better use of life. It will be slow work, for he 
 has to meet the prejudices and dislike of the 
 white man as well as the indifference and slug 
 gishness of the negro." 
 
 " Mark this Mr. Carpenter, there are better 
 
172 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 things for the negro as sure as God is in heaven, 
 who is "No respecter of persons," and " Has made 
 of one blood all nations." 
 
 Here the two men rose and left the Spring 
 House, still talking of the negro's possibilities. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 MR. DE GOOCHY FINDS HIS WATERLOO 
 
 The next day after the conversation in the 
 Spring House between the three Southern gen 
 tlemen, Alexander and Apollos sought, as usual, 
 their quiet resort back of the hotel. 
 
 With open book Alexander sat hard at work ; 
 not so Apollos. His book was open, but he was 
 not thinking of it. With head thrown back and 
 eyes fixed on vacancy he was all unconscious of 
 his surroundings. Looking up, Alexander said : 
 
 " Come back to business, Apollos, what have 
 you been thinking about the past twenty min 
 utes ? " 
 
 " I have been thinking of the cabin where my 
 mother lived and died. I have never told you 
 much of my boyhood. There was so much bit 
 terness and sorrow in my life, that I could never 
 bring myself to talk about it." 
 
 " I was born in Macon, Ga. My father died 
 when I was a babe, my mother when I was thir 
 teen. Few people know what it is to be hungry 
 
 173 
 
174 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 as I do. My mother had consumption and for 
 two years could do little towards our support." 
 
 " I did the best I could to earn a few pennies 
 but it was uphill work. I've been to bed so hun 
 gry that I cried myself to sleep again and again. 
 The neighbors were kind and did what they could 
 to help us, but they were poor, and had all they 
 could do to live." 
 
 " One night my mother woke me and asked for 
 a drink of water. She had been unable to sit up 
 for several days. When I brought her the water 
 she did not notice me. She seemed to be look 
 ing into heaven, and said : 
 
 " ' The gates are wide open and I can look in. 
 I see the angels and the beautiful river of life 
 and the trees of God, whose leaves are for the 
 healing of the nations. I'll wait for you Apollos, 
 at the gate,' and she was gone." 
 
 " How I loved my mother ! When she was a 
 slave she was her mistress' maid, and learned to 
 read and write. She was so ladylike, for she had 
 the ways of her mistress, and young as I was I 
 used to look at the other boys' mothers and think 
 how different my own mother was from theirs." 
 
 ' After her death I went out into the world 
 with my black face to meet prejudice, hatred and 
 abuse. I found out what it is to crave love and 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I 75 
 
 sympathy, and never find it ; to long for kind 
 words of % appreciation and never get them ; to 
 live on without encouragement, shifting from 
 place to place, a homeless black boy." 
 
 " I felt it was a cruel fate that compelled me 
 to live on, year after year, in the eyes of the white 
 men for whom I worked, ' Only a nigger ! ' ' 
 
 " How I loathed myself longed to get away 
 from myself and could not do it. I felt I had to 
 live on day after day and know there was nothing 
 better for me to the end of life. I believe I used 
 to curse God for creating me." 
 
 " How often I have said to myself, when I have 
 seen white boys well dressed and tenderly cared 
 for, ' I wish you might wake up some morning 
 with a black skin ; you would find out, as I have,' 
 what hell is like.' " 
 
 " Nine years ago I came to Larimer. I was 
 just twenty then. The years have been so full of 
 work and happiness, that I have at times forgot 
 ten I was black." 
 
 " In looking over my college life, I feel I have 
 done my very best. In one year I shall have fin 
 ished my University course. How I love Mrs. 
 Jefferds, who has helped me to gain an education ! 
 With God's help I will not disappoint her ! I 
 will make the most of my life ! " 
 
ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " I was reading the other day an extract from 
 Walter Landor's writings, he said : 
 
 " ' There is no funeral so sad to follow, as the 
 funeral of one's own youth, which we have pam 
 pered with fond desires, ambitions, and hopes, 
 and all the bright berries which hung in poison 
 ous clusters over the path of life." 
 
 " He tells the young to * beware of making 
 their youth such that it will need a funeral. That 
 no one should become a mourner for himself ; 
 that each life should be so true, that it will live 
 on, always running into life eternal.' " 
 
 " That is a grand thought, Apollos, let me fin 
 ish the quotation and draw the conclusion," said 
 Alexander. ' Yet how few have lived without re- 
 grets.'" 
 
 " What a fool I have been to throw away my 
 life ! I wish I could live my life over again ! 
 Is the wail that is going up from men and women 
 everywhere. The young form wrong habits to 
 start with, trusting to the future to correct them." 
 
 " Men neglect to secure the ' One thing need 
 ful,' just as my chum Apollos is doing, only to 
 regret in after years that he wasted opportunities 
 and disappointed his best Friend, who purchased 
 with his own blood the ' Gift of Gifts,' for him." 
 
 " Yours has been a hard lot, Apollos, I have 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 177 
 
 often wondered why you felt so bitter toward the 
 white people of the South. I am glad you have 
 given me this much of your history, for I never 
 quite understood you before. Have you never 
 thought that a large per cent of the colored 
 youths have had much the same experience as 
 your own ? " 
 
 " Prejudice and misrepresentation, bitter hatred 
 and abuse are heaped upon the negro wherever 
 he goes. Apollos, you are black and I am white, 
 yet in the eyes of white men we are both * Nig 
 gers/ " J jfo % 
 
 " I hate the name * Nigger ' with all my soul. 
 I always feel like righting whenever a man calls 
 me a * Nigger,' " Apollos answered bitterly. 
 
 Just then Mr. de Goochy stepped in front of 
 them. They had been so busily talking they did 
 not hear or see him till he spoke. He had evi 
 dently been drinking more than usual, and was 
 in no pleasant frame of mind. He had always 
 been abusive to the negro, and today he felt more 
 bitter toward them than ever. 
 
 " Well, Sambo, what are you doing ? What 
 book have you there ? " he asked impertinently. 
 
 Without answering him Alexander handed him 
 the book. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy took it and turned over a few 
 leaves and said : 
 
178 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " So you niggers are studying Greek literature 
 are you ? " " Translating classics ? What busi 
 ness have you with Greek ? " 
 
 " We are taking a review of our last year's 
 work," Alexander answered politely. 
 
 " Why do you spend your time over such stud 
 ies as Greek and Latin ? They will never help 
 you to earn your bread and butter. All you 
 black fellows want is a chance to work in some 
 cotton field ! " said de Goochy sharply. 
 
 " Would you oblige all the negroes to spend 
 their days on the plantation, regardless of qualifi 
 cations or preference ? " asked Alexander. 
 
 " A nigger has no right to talk about qualifica 
 tions or preferences. All he wants is a master," 
 said de Goochy in a scathing tone of voice. 
 
 " I think you are mistaken, Sir ! We have 
 been taught to believe that a negro who has the 
 ability to acquire an education and rightly use it, 
 should have the opportunity," Alexander calmly 
 answered. 
 
 " There is no right about it," snapped de Goo 
 chy. " There is but one place for you and all 
 your cussed race, and that is where God placed 
 you, and the moment you get outside of that, you 
 are outside of your proper sphere." 
 
 " Would you have us understand that in a race 
 
OR VI LET S BOY I 79 
 
 numbering ten millions of people, there are none 
 among us capable of receiving a liberal education 
 and becoming leaders of our people ? " asked Al 
 exander. 
 
 " Where do you want to lead them ? I have told 
 you God created the niggers to be servants. If 
 you lead them out of this, their rightful place, 
 you are going contrary to the will of God." 
 
 " Then education ruins the nigger. It puts 
 him in possession of ideas he never ought to 
 have ; ideas he can never hope to carry out ! 
 Aspirations he will never realize ! He will come 
 in contact with educated white men, who will not 
 associate with him, or recognize him even as a 
 man ! " 
 
 " Then by reason of his education he feels 
 above his own people. Education has made an 
 unhappy man of him, for he stands alone in the 
 world. When he was a slave he ate and drank, 
 and slept like any other beast, and was satisfied," 
 said de Goochy grimly. 
 
 " You are greatly mistaken Sir " Alexander 
 fearlessly answered. " The negro is not now, 
 neither was he ever satisfied to remain in igno 
 rance and servitude. Then he is not a brute or a 
 beast, he is a man like yourself ! I admit he was 
 ground down to the condition of a brute by his 
 brother man." 
 
l8o ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " All the time he was in bondage, he had the 
 same mental qualities and aspirations his white 
 brother possessed. As a human being he longed 
 to be lifted up out of his degradation. He had a 
 soul that was starving for something better than 
 you of the South were giving him." 
 
 " Thank God slavery is a thing of the past ! 
 God is now calling to us, in tones we can under 
 stand ! He bids us claim our birthright to man 
 hood. He would have us throw off the chains of 
 ignorance that have bound us down for so long a 
 time, and stand before the world, men ! " 
 
 Mr. de Goochy gave a darkly significant glance 
 at Alexander while he was talking. Then, in an 
 exultant tone, he asked : 
 
 " Supposing you do throw off the chains of ig 
 norance, what then ? No one will invite you to 
 his home or table ! You can never gain a politi 
 cal triumph by the votes of white men, even 
 though you be the equal of the best of them ! 
 Racial exclusion and no opportunity to exhibit 
 your ability will remain in the South ! You are 
 now and always will be a nigger ! " 
 
 The last sentence came with a hiss and the 
 glare of a demon. 
 
 " We hope there are better days before us," Al 
 exander calmly replied. " That the white people 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 181 
 
 of the South, of the nation, will learn to love us 
 better and respect us for what they find us to be." 
 
 " I find myself smiling when I hear white men 
 talk as if our happiness must come from being 
 invited to their homes and tables. They, no 
 doubt, would be surprised to learn that the edu 
 cated negro prefers the society of his own people. 
 Every year more of our race are being graduated 
 from the schools established especially for the 
 education of the negro. We might form a select 
 social class among ourselves, if we wished." 
 
 " It is, however, not our purpose to seek those 
 who have had University advantages. We hope 
 to be of use to our people. To lift them up to a 
 better life than they now know." 
 
 " As for our highest joy, next to the conscious 
 ness that we are right with God, we derive pleas 
 ure from books. No one can deprive us of this 
 enjoyment. The best books are open to us, as 
 well as to our white brethren, and ' whatsoever is 
 pure and good, whatsoever is lofty and noble,' 
 we enjoy." 
 
 " You may seem to ignore the idea of social 
 equality all you will. 1 know you are no better 
 than others of your race ! You grind over the 
 fact that as a nigger, you have no place among 
 the white people North or South ! " de Goochy 
 almost shouted. 
 
1 82 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Look here, Sir," said Apollos Washington 
 who had held his peace thus far with great diffi 
 culty. " Social equality may never exist between 
 negro men and white women. It must have ex 
 isted between the white men and negro women, 
 or there would not be so many white negroes to 
 blush because of the color of their skin." 
 
 Mr. de Goochy could hold his temper no long 
 er. He was fairly beside himself with rage. 
 With a horrid oath, he gasped hoarsely : 
 
 " Such talk as this shows what education does 
 for the nigger ! It makes a saucy, impudent ras 
 cal of him; and in no other place but the North, 
 would you dare to speak as you have." 
 
 " A worm will sting when you tread upon 
 him !" Apollos vehemently continued, " Can we 
 do less ? You keep our parents down under a 
 mortgage system that is only second to the bond 
 age of Slavery, and those of our young men who 
 have not the ambition to push out and make 
 something of themselves, are to be held in the 
 same bondage. You trump up a bogus charge 
 against a negro that has some natural ability, and 
 have him sentenced for a term of years to hard 
 work in States Prison, where he, perhaps is hired 
 out to work for a second party, and nights is shut 
 up in a stockade for fear he will run away." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 183 
 
 " You would shoot a negro, or burn him rather, 
 if he insults a white woman, while our women 
 are forced to endure insult and indecent remarks 
 as they walk the streets, and if we attempt to de 
 fend them, it comes under the name of * race 
 troubles ! ' " 
 
 " Many of the people of the South sneer at the 
 virtue of our women ! You say : * The mention 
 of such a thing as a virtuous negro woman, pro 
 vokes a smile in the South.' You declare : * It 
 does not exist ! ' Articles have been written to 
 prejudice the people of the North against us ! 
 We are called * bastard sons of bastard' mothers." 
 
 " You tell the world we are ' reared in homes 
 where neither husband nor wife preserves the 
 sanctity of the marriage vow ! ' You say of our 
 women, that like Trilby, as soon as they come to 
 their use they are already damned. That our 
 young men and women are * doomed sons and 
 daughters of mothers hardened by crime and pov 
 erty.' ' That our mothers are void of the principles 
 which discern between things right and things 
 wrong. That we children draw with our moth 
 er's milk, lust and prostitution." 1 
 
 " We are expected to take all this with never a 
 word, and then after we have spent years in col 
 lege and go among our people to preach the Gos- 
 
184 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 pel of Jesus Christ, you write and publish in a 
 Northern newspaper." 
 
 "* Your philanthropists may endow theological 
 seminaries for young negro men. They may cease 
 to be criminal, and even get a bastard longing for 
 higher ideals, but out of his loins and out of the 
 breast of his impure wife will come their heritage 
 of prostitute daughters, and vicious sons.' " 
 
 While Apollos Washington had been talking, 
 he had risen from the ground and stood before 
 de Goochy pouring out his words in a perfect 
 torrent. Several times de Goochy had attempted 
 to interrupt him while he had been speaking, but 
 failed to do so. Finally he stood as if held by a 
 spell. His florid complexion blanched and his 
 breath came and went rapidly. He did not need 
 an artificial stimulant to his emotions. 
 
 Here was a despised " nigger " standing be 
 fore him defiant. Controlling himself with a 
 great effort he managed to say : 
 
 " I have seen many a nigger tied up and 
 thrashed because he got too smart/' 
 
 " I have no fear the negroes will get too smart," 
 Apollos answered. " The great fear is that they 
 may think themselves too smart. This is equally 
 bad for black or white men." 
 
 Turning to Alexander, de Goochy said, with 
 angry emphasis : 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 185 
 
 " What will your education do for you ? " 
 
 " Already it has made me a present of myself 
 and all my faculties. It has lifted me out of 
 mental bondage. Mr. de Goochy, you know me ? 
 You knew me as a little boy in Barneyville, the 
 grandson of Old A'nt Car'line Gifford. You 
 are able to compare my mental capabilities with 
 those of the little boy who danced for you in 
 front of the Planter's Hotel. Don't you remem 
 ber you gave me a quarter of a dollar, and asked 
 me how I would spend it, and I told you I would 
 save it towards going to Larimer University?" 
 
 " Better remain in ignorance all your life ! 
 Then your education cannot have done much for 
 you, for I find you here in this hotel nothing but 
 a table waiter," de Goochy hissed. 
 
 " This seemed to be an opening where we 
 could earn something to help ourselves through 
 our next and last year at the University, said 
 Alexander. 
 
 " Then, Mr. de Goochy, I want to assure you 
 we think no less of ourselves because of what we 
 are doing. If we slighted our work or neglected 
 to serve the guests promptly, or were disrespect 
 ful to them we should be unworthy of their re 
 spect. We have been taught, ' it is not so much 
 what we do, as the way we do our work which 
 makes it respectable or otherwise.' ' 
 
1 86 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Do you call it respectable to be a table wait 
 er ? " de Goochy asked. 
 
 " Yes, whether others think so or not ! " Alex 
 ander emphatically answered. 
 
 Turning once more to Apollos Washington 
 Mr. de Goochy asked with face and voice full of 
 hate: 
 
 " Do you presume to place yourself on an 
 equality with me ? " 
 
 " No Sir, not at all ! " Apollos sarcastically an 
 swered. 
 
 " What am I to understand by your answer ? " 
 blazed de Goochy. 
 
 " I try to live and act as I think a gentleman 
 should, and as long as I do this, I consider my 
 self morally the equal of every other gentleman, 
 but not your equal, Mr. de Goochy," Apollos 
 fearlessly answered. 
 
 For a moment the struggle between the im 
 pulse to " thrash the nigger on the spot, or blow 
 out his brains " was severe. Then remembering 
 his pistol was in his room, de Goochy raised his 
 cane and said with horrid imprecations, " I have 
 a mind to break my cane over your black head." 
 
 " I have no doubt of it ! " said Apollos fearless 
 ly. " Still I would not advise you to do it, or 
 even attempt it, for I am a younger and stronger 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 187 
 
 man than you. Then I respect myself too much 
 to allow you to do it." 
 
 All the dark malignant passions which had 
 been working in de Goochy's heart up to this 
 time now burst forth, He lost all control of him 
 self. His anger was fearful to look upon. His 
 bitter oaths and abuse knew no bounds. Wheel 
 ing around he hissed, as he staggered past Alex 
 ander Gifford: 
 
 " I'll get my grip on your throat yet, or my 
 name is not de Goochy." 
 
 He had purposely sought these young men ex 
 pecting to administer a lasting lesson to them, 
 and at the same time to give vent to his feelings 
 toward the negro. To his surprise he had found 
 himself put to shame by the fineness of Alexan 
 der Gifford's instincts and lofty principles and 
 his manly bearing. Then Apollos Washington 
 had shown himself capable of fierce resistance. 
 To say he was surprised is to put it lightly. He 
 went to his room hating the negro more than ever 
 before. 
 
 The next day found him on his way to Bar- 
 neyville, Georgia, cursing the d d yankee and 
 nigger, the former being no better, in his esti 
 mation than the latter. 
 
 Left to themselves Alexander and Apollos were 
 
1 88 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 silent for a few moments, then Alexander said, 
 turning to Apollos : 
 
 " When will you ever learn to be master of 
 yourself? You certainly gained nothing by your 
 angry words to Mr. de Goochy. You have only 
 made him hate our people more than ever before." 
 
 " I can't help it ! It makes me mad to be 
 called a ' Nigger' and to have to endure insults 
 from a drunken man who despises and misrepre 
 sents us. I tell you, Alexander, it does me good 
 to show such men up." 
 
 " No doubt of that, Apollos ! One has only to 
 hear you to be sure of it. Did you ever think 
 you are showing yourself up at the same time ? " 
 
 " Would you keep quiet under all circumstan 
 ces? Have not the white people in my own and 
 other states taken from the negro the franchise, 
 and at the same time allowed the equally igno 
 rant white man to exercise the rights of a citizen ? 
 They will twit us of our * ignorance and poverty ' 
 and when we seek to improve our condition, they 
 tell us we are out of our sphere! That education 
 is not for the nigger ! " 
 
 " They tell us we are a parasite race, lacking 
 self-respect, and when we show resentment, we 
 are ' saucy, impudent niggers ! ' They tell us 
 that those of us who have white blood in our 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 189 
 
 veins are worse than those who are real black ! 
 Still they do not tell us from which parent we 
 got our bad blood. We are told that ' race preju 
 dice ' can never be overcome ! That the * edu 
 cated nigger is a bad nigger, lacking docility, and 
 aptitude for development and progress ! ' " 
 
 By this time Apollos was walking back and 
 forth in the greatest excitement, the tears stream 
 ing down his cheeks. 
 
 " Come, come, Apollos ! You are losing all 
 self-control," said Alexander. 
 
 " How can I help it ? The whites in the 
 South make educational tests a requisite to the 
 right of suffrage, and then seek to cut off all edu 
 cational advantages from the negro ! In some 
 cities they are doing away with all grades of pub 
 lic schools but the primary." 
 
 " I tell you the negroes' friends are all the time 
 growing less here in the North ! We are con 
 demned to hopeless degradation and ignorance ! I 
 am completely discouraged," continued Apollos, 
 dejectedly. 
 
 " I know it is looking rather dark for our peo 
 ple just now, but I believe God is for us. His 
 eye is upon us as well as upon those who are 
 working against us, and in his own good time and 
 way he will bring us up out of Egypt." 
 
IQO ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Alexander, you make me mad ! If God is for 
 us why does he allow these wicked things to be 
 done and the men to prosper who do them ? " 
 
 " There is another side to the question, Apollos. 
 I believe it was a great wrong to give the igno 
 rant freedmen the rights of citizens, till they un 
 derstood their duties, and were prepared to exer 
 cise the responsibilities of suffrage. Then our 
 people have not been wise politicians. They were 
 not slow to learn all the political tricks of their 
 white brethren, and ignorantly applied them to 
 their own hurt. I am not sure but this education 
 al test is the best thing for the negro, after all. 
 It will give him something to rouse his ambition. 
 On the other hand, it is bad for the ignorant white 
 man for he will continue in his ignorance, and be 
 satisfied with his condition," Alexander urged. 
 
 " I should like to have you tell me, Alexander, 
 what our people are to do, when every avenue for 
 their educational uplift is being closed against 
 them ?" Apollos blurted out. 
 
 " These conditions are not going to last always. 
 The better thought in the South, as well as in the 
 North, will yet assert itself. The Christian peo 
 ple will come to see the effort that is being made 
 to crush the negro, and will raise their voices 
 against it," reasoned Alexander. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 
 
 " Tell me where our friends are to be found 
 Apollos interrupted. " When we were slaves the 
 pulpits in the North thundered against the wrong, 
 till the people were roused and a strong abolition 
 sentiment prevailed. How is it now ? The pul 
 pits are silent ! Some of our people have been 
 confined in stockades, under a worse slavery than 
 our parents ever knew ! The knowledge of this 
 wrong scarcely made a ripple in the North ! Then 
 the party we have always been affiliated with 
 sees us set aside as if we were not human beings, 
 and is catering to keep the reins of power in 
 their hands, and if possible break the Democratic 
 ranks of the solid South." 
 
 " I tell you Alexander, the people of the North 
 are being educated against us ! The Southern 
 writers are doing their work well ! " said Apollos 
 with fierce earnestness. 
 
 " I firmly believe there is soon to be a better 
 day for the negro ! A new and permanent senti 
 ment will rise in our favor, if those who are the 
 best representatives of the race are wise leaders 
 of the people. If the educated negro proves 
 untrue to his trust, then we have little hope ! " 
 Alexander urged. 
 
 "Alexander Gifford, you are just like the ma 
 jority of our race ! You never resent anything 
 
192 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 said or done! You have no feeling for the 
 wrongs of our people ! Is there nothing that will 
 arouse your resentment ? " cried Apollos. 
 
 " I do not intend to allow anything to over 
 come me, if I can help it. I want to be so fully 
 my own master that I shall at all times respect 
 myself. I feel these things you have mentioned 
 as deeply as you ; At the same time I see I can 
 do no good by fretting or making myself unhap 
 py because they exist. Then I remember the 
 spirit and life of the educated negro has much to 
 do to help right these wrongs, for those who have 
 aided us to get our education should see in us 
 something to encourage them to farther aid our 
 
 race." 
 
 " Do you remember how Moses acted when he 
 saw the wrong done to his people ? How he at 
 tempted to take the matter into his own hands 
 and got into trouble ? He was not fitted for the 
 work he had to do ! There was a waiting time 
 required, as well as a preparation to be made ! 
 When God's time came, Moses was all ready to 
 do God's bidding, and not till then did God give 
 him the wonder-working rod and the command 
 to bring his people up out of Egypt ! " 
 
 " I am working and waiting for God's time to 
 go forth to service." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 193 
 
 " My great anxiety is to be fitted to do his will, 
 when he sends me out." 
 
 " Apollos," continued Alexander, " I cannot re 
 frain from speaking to you about your need of 
 Christ. You are struggling along in the dark, 
 beset by your bitter spirit, when you should be 
 able to possess your soul in peace." 
 
 " Why are you untrue to your own soul's best 
 interest as well as the best interest of our race ? I 
 must repeat Judy's words spoken to me: * The 
 negro does not need a Godless education.' 
 Whenever we seek to lift him up to a good and 
 true manhood, and disregard his spiritual needs, 
 we defeat our purpose. If he ever developes the 
 manly Christian virtues, which are essential to a 
 worthy character, he will require more than a 
 * Godless education.' v 
 
 " You hope to be a successful leader of our 
 people ; to help solve the problem of our uplift. 
 To do this you must be right yourself. See to it 
 Apollos, that you do not have to follow, as chief 
 mourner, the funeral of your own wasted youth 
 and fruitless life." 
 
 Apollos made no answer to Alexander's appeal. 
 Opening his book he appeared greatly interested 
 in his studies. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 COMMENCEMENT AT LARIMER UNIVERSITY 
 
 The president of Larimer University said, in 
 an article written for a Northern paper, " No 
 greater or more inspiring object lesson could be 
 presented, of the power and influence of a great 
 educational institution over the lives of a people, 
 than can be seen at Larimer University during 
 commencement week. The great congregations 
 that gather in our chapel, the well-dressed and 
 decorous people, the hearty appreciation of every 
 thing said and done, shows the power of the in 
 stitution, and the readiness of the negro to adapt 
 himself to his changed condition; and get to 
 himself all possible advantage." 
 
 " The students are no less interested than are 
 their parents and friends, for there is to be ad 
 vancement all along the line. Each class is step 
 ping one round higher ; for those who finish the 
 preparatory course become Freshmen, and those 
 who are Juniors, Seniors." 
 
 For days before commencement, everybody is 
 194 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 195 
 
 busy. There are class examinations during col 
 lege hours, and rehearsals after four o'clock. 
 
 In the dining hall there is but one subject of 
 conversation: "Commencement and what is to 
 be done." Sunday, the baccalaureate sermon is 
 to be preached by the President ; Monday, exami 
 nation of classes and the Alumni Anniversary ; 
 Tuesday, graduating exercises of the Normal de 
 partment ; Wednesday, commencement exercises, 
 the Master's address and commencement dinner, 
 to be followed by after dinner speeches. 
 
 The sunshine seemed to flood the earth in rich 
 glory, Sabbath morning. The roadsides were 
 lined with wild roses, and the pastures bright 
 with white, pink and blue larkspur. 
 
 In front of Goodspeed Hall, the Magnolias 
 were loaded with blossoms, while near Gladstone 
 Hall the Catalpa trees were fragrant with bloom. 
 
 The congregation began to gather at an early 
 hour. These were old students, who had not 
 visited the University since they were graduated, 
 men and women who had attended Larimer dur 
 ing the time the school was carried on in the " old 
 barracks." When old men, with their children 
 and grandchildren had gone to school to learn to 
 read and write. 
 
 Parents from the different states who had nev- 
 
196 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 er seen the institution where their children had 
 been in attendance for years, and the citizens of 
 Larimer to the number of a thousand, had come 
 together to hear the President's baccalaureate 
 sermon. Some one asked an old man " if his 
 daughter was to graduate this commencement" ? 
 
 " Naw," said the old man, " she hab two mo' 
 years ter go, den all mah chil'n will hab gradia- 
 ted." 
 
 " Don yer feel proud, brer' Jo'nsing ? " asked a 
 negro who stood by. 
 
 " Yas, but not biggity proud, just humbil 
 proud," answered the old man. 
 
 The services opened with an anthem sung by 
 sixty voices. Such singing cannot be heard any 
 where in the South outside of Larimer Chapel, 
 Larimer, Mississippi. The harmony was perfect, 
 the voices strong and under perfect control. 
 They carried the congregation with them as they 
 sang. 
 
 Then followed the prayer and the sermon. 
 The latter was so plain and practical, so helpful 
 and strong, that each person, however illiterate, 
 could understand it, and be profited by hearing 
 it. When the congregation passed out of the 
 Chapel, Larimer University meant more to them 
 than ever before. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 1 97 
 
 Monday was a great day to the students, as 
 well as to the parents. The themes discussed by 
 the graduates, were just what we would expect 
 them to select, for each bore upon some phase 
 of the negro question, which is of vital interest to 
 the race. 
 
 Apollos' oration had been smoothed down by 
 the President, till little bitterness remained. 
 Judy read an essay, subject: " What do I, as an 
 Educated Negro, Owe to My Race." 
 
 Alexander's theme was : " The Past, Present 
 and Possible Future of the Negro." 
 
 He asked the people to consider with him the 
 negro's character as exhibited in slavery, what he 
 has accomplished under difficulties since the days 
 of slavery, and what he may become, if allowed 
 equal opportunities with the white man. 
 
 He had no apologies to offer for the negroes 
 being in the South, for they did not come to 
 America of their own free will. Neither would 
 he apologize for their skin being black when they 
 were brought to this country, or because their 
 faces had grown so many shades whiter than their 
 ancestors ? He did ask for a fair field to develop, 
 and that a right example should be lived before 
 them and they be encouraged to make the most 
 of themselves, in a friendly spirit. 
 
198 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 He urged the people to keep in mind their 
 condition when slaves. How they were " market 
 able commodity," though human flesh and blood 
 like the white man. How they were kept in ig 
 norance and compelled to work without remuner 
 ation. How their homes were not protected, for 
 their children were taken from them as well as 
 wives were separated from their husbands, and 
 husbands from their wives. 
 
 He told of their lack of education and knowl 
 edge of self support when emancipated. That 
 because of their lack of education and knowledge 
 of the ways of the world, they could only work in 
 the lower grades of employment as " hewers of 
 wood and drawers of water," and because of this 
 had failed to invite respect. 
 
 He showed his audience what the race had ac- 
 oomplished under difficulties. The amount of 
 personal property and real estate they had accu 
 mulated, the number who had been graduated 
 from Industrial Schools, as well as from schools 
 for the Higher Education of the Negro. 
 
 He told them how many educated physicians, 
 pharmacists, lawyers, dentists, teachers and 
 preachers were successfully at work among their 
 own people. He told the young people they 
 must not be reconciled to their condition. That 
 God expected them to be men ; men of promise. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 1 99 
 
 They were not to sacrifice their young man 
 hood to vice, or fasten the yoke of sin upon 
 themselves with their own hands. If they did, 
 they would sooner or later feel its galling pres 
 ence, and learn it was there to stay. No man 
 addicted to vice could have the respect of himself. 
 He could not help feeling the hang-dog shame of 
 his own vileness. 
 
 He told them that the one underlying thought 
 with them should be to get knowledge, and that 
 the next purpose should be to rouse the Negro 
 fathers and mothers to educate their children, that 
 they might make something of themselves. 
 
 No nation had ever risen from degradation to 
 civilization in a body. The few became enlight 
 ened and were examples before their people. He 
 urged the educated negroes to think less of the 
 "almighty dollar," and more of helping their peo 
 ple to become useful citizens. 
 
 He rejoiced that the love for religion had been 
 planted in their breasts, that they believed in a 
 Supreme Power. He realized that too many of 
 his people forgot that morality is the basis of re 
 ligion. That no one can be a Christian unless 
 he is pure in thought as well as in act. 
 
 He told the audience they were to teach the 
 young to remember that because they were free, 
 
2OO ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 they had no right to be lawless ! They were to 
 be above the frenzy that would seek by acts of 
 violence, to assert their rights. 
 
 He knew the negro was assailed by unrelenting 
 prejudice and that this prejudice was growing 
 stronger and more bitter every day, and yet God 
 was over them. He was looking upon them, and 
 saw all the injustice and misrepresentation, and in 
 His own time and way would help them. 
 
 He urged the negro to be just to the white 
 man. To condemn with voice and life, laziness 
 and shiftlessness among the negroes. There 
 should be thrift and industry. A lazy man could 
 not be a Christian. 
 
 In conclusion, he stated he believed the time 
 would come when the last remnant of prejudice 
 would be removed. 
 
 The negro will yet be respected, and the indi 
 vidual alone held responsible for his wrong do- 
 ing." 
 
 His impassioned oratory carried his audience 
 with him, for he was a young man of splendid 
 presence and magnetic power. He not only had 
 the charm of the ready speaker, but all the graces 
 of polished manners. 
 
 The people cheered, and cheered and continued 
 to cheer. Finally the diplomas were handed 
 around and the audience dismissed. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 201 
 
 A little weazen-faced old man, with a fringe of 
 white wool round his black skull, shuffled up to 
 one of the teachers, who was standing in front of 
 the chapel, and said: 
 
 u Pears lak dat young pusson am pow'ful 'stin- 
 guished." 
 
 " He is a promising young man," said the 
 teacher. 
 
 The old man seemed to find it difficult to say 
 just what he wished. Shifting from one foot to 
 the other, and mopping his face with his bandan 
 na handkerchief, he finally said : 
 
 " I war nebber hyah befo'. De oF 'oman an' 
 mah gal am sot on er comin' 'ere ter git edicated. 
 I nebber fought hit right ter git edication, but 
 da done mek me kum, an I's pow'ful glad I's 
 hyah ! I nebber seen nuffin lak hit befo'." 
 
 " How many children have you/' said the 
 teacher. 
 
 " She's mah onlies' gal, an' de peartes', an in- 
 nercentes' gal y'u ebber seen." 
 
 " Then you never visited the University before ?" 
 
 " Naw, I done hearn tell o' hit," the old man 
 answered. " De ole 'oman had ma kum ober ter 
 see hit immeg'etly ! " 
 
 " We shall be very glad to see your daughter in 
 the fall, and will do all we can for her," the teach 
 er assured him. 
 
202 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Hit am des cuis'some, 'ow de chil'ns gits de 
 idee o' goin' ter school," said the old man, wiping 
 his face anew with his handkerchief. 
 
 It was now time for the commencement dinner. 
 Plates had been laid for three hundred persons to 
 sit together in the dining room in Gladstone 
 Hall. A more joyous, happy company could 
 hardly be found outside its walls. 
 
 One of the features of the commencement 
 dinners, at Larimer University is to have the 
 fathers and mothers of the graduates make the 
 after dinner speeches. No matter how great the 
 advancement of the negro youth, he never goes 
 back on his mother. She is all in all to him. 
 Far more than the father, for through all his 
 school life and struggle, she has been his inspira 
 tion, the one who has saved and sacrificed that he 
 might acquire an education ; and at Commence 
 ment no face is so welcome as mother's. He 
 delivers his oration for her ear and wears the cap 
 and gown with the feeling that mother is pleassd 
 to see him honored. 
 
 After dinner addresses were in order. The 
 President called upon the strangers who were 
 there to make a few remarks. Then the parents 
 were asked to speak. Their speeches were often 
 expressed in the quaint dialect of the ignorant 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 203 
 
 negro, but there was a depth of meaning and 
 pathos in them that touch the heart as no polished 
 speech could. These old people have come from 
 their cabin homes, in different states, to see the 
 University that has done so much for their chil 
 dren. 
 
 They have made the greatest effort to be 
 present. Doubtless the money to pay their fare 
 has been saved at the sacrifice of their own com 
 fort. Here a dime and there a nickle or a penny. 
 It may have required more than a year to get the 
 amount together. It is pitiful to see their delight 
 as their children take their places on the rostrum. 
 
 How little the world understands them. These 
 fathers and mothers are acquainted with every 
 throb of pain the human heart can feel, and know 
 little of the joys of life. They are patient, sensi 
 tive and beauty loving; accepting slights and re 
 buffs and appreciating every kindness shown 
 every sympathy expressed. 
 
 The President called on an elderly woman, 
 Mrs. Martin from Georgia to speak first. She 
 had a daughter who had just received her diplo 
 ma. Her lot had been hard, for there had never 
 been a springtime in her life. 
 
 Rising to her feet, she spoke in a voice that 
 had all the liquid softness of the negro: 
 
2O4 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " I raikon I's de Happies' muddah in de 'ouse, 
 coz mah chile hab done got fru die great Uniwar- 
 sity. All mah chil'ns hab gon' to de Norf, ter 
 wuk, an lef ma an mah two younger chil'ns ter 
 git de bes libbin we knows 'ow. I tell y'u, I's 'ad 
 ter wuk mouty 'ard, an' I's pow'ful glad I's libbed 
 ter see mah gal thoo. I nebber co'd er done hit 
 er lone ! " 
 
 " Wen I t'inks o' dat blessed Sun'y Skule dats 
 he-'p-'d 'er ; I des gits down on mah knees an' 
 axes Gawd ter 'inch 'is goden chaiot up ter 'is 
 di'mon win'er an 'ear ma, coz I wants ter ax 'im 
 ter bress dat Sun'y Skule. Ter po' out 'is Spuit 
 on hit, an' w'en de mernmers die, ter sen' 's bestis 
 goden chaiot an tak evey one o' dem 'ome ter Glo'y, 
 outen dis worl o' sin an sorrer." 
 
 Here the old woman broke down. Covering 
 her face with her hands she sobbed aloud. 
 
 The second speaker was a tall black woman, 
 old and gray. In a clear tone she said: 
 
 " I's mouty glad ter be hyah dis day. I's been 
 er prayin' fo' hit an' wukin' fo' hit, an' er plannin' 
 fo' hit all de year. W'en mah ol' man died, 'e 
 took mah boy's han' in his an 'e done say : ' Some 
 day dis han's gwinter hole er pen,' and sho nuff 
 hit hab. Mah boys done got thoo. Doan y'u 
 b'lieb I's glad ? I bress Gawd I's libbed ter see 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 205 
 
 'im gradiate. Dat I kin hab de 'appy priv'lig o' 
 settin mah eyes on dese great bildins whar da 
 take de ignuance an' low down' es outen de 
 chil'n an' mek um mens an' womens, fitten ter 
 stan' wid gent'men." 
 
 Turning to the table where her son sat with 
 others of his class, she said: 
 
 " Chil'n ef y'u doan lub dis skule, y'u doan lub 
 w'at Gawd do, an' ef y'n ain' true ter des teachahs 
 dats done so much fo' y'u, y'u ain' fitten ter hab 
 er edication! Y'u'e de noacountes pusson 
 gwine ! " 
 
 The third speaker was a small man, nearly 
 white, with lithe form and sparkling black eyes. 
 He was a barber in one of the cities of South 
 Carolina. He had all the graces of a courtier. 
 Bowing and smiling, he said : 
 
 " I was mo'n pleased ter heah de speackin o' de 
 young pussons in de chu'ch. An I war con- 
 winced dar am bettah days er comin' for de brack 
 foks. I feels lak exhortin em ter hoi' stiddy. 
 An' I feels lak propersyin dat dese gradiates w'ats 
 gwine outen dis Uniwarsity inter de worril '11 be 
 a conjunctuary in 'elpin ter mak de collod pussons 
 bettah." 
 
 With a low bow and wave of his hand he smil 
 ingly took his seat. 
 
206 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 The Rev. Pharaoh Sampson Washington was 
 invited to speak. He had been one of the first 
 to attend the school at the close of the war, when 
 himself, wife and children learned their letters to 
 gether. He was a full blood negro, very tall and 
 fat, about seventy years of age. Looking over 
 the dining room in a fatherly way, he said he felt 
 that in the years that were between his own life 
 and those that were going out from the Universi 
 ty, lay all that life had taught him, and the grad 
 uates had to learn. In a deep rich voice he said : 
 
 " Young pussons, we'r 'spectin we'r gwinter hear 
 f'om y'u, wunner des days. Y'u's gwinter do 
 sump'n fo' de col'd race. Hit pears unto ma I kin 
 tole y'u sump'n dat'll he'p yer, sump'n dat y'u 
 hain' learn'd yit, and I doan wan' y'u ter go an fo' 
 git hit off' n y'u min'. I knowledges y'u hab heaps 
 o* 1'arnin dat I knows nuffin erbout, but chil'ns 
 I's libed in dis worril fo' mo'n sebenty y'ars, an' 
 f udder mo' I's kep mah eyes open all de time, con- 
 sequenly I knows er mouty sight y'u knows nuffin 
 erbout." 
 
 " Howsomebbah sah, dat ain' needer year ner 
 dar. Now I's gwinter gib y'u some 'structions so 
 y'u kin subdoo y'u rashfulness an' be fiten ter 'elp 
 our people. Doan y'u go fom dis Varsity ter be 
 wunner des uppity niggahs dat des knocks er-ron 
 pickin' up er lihbin sorter easy lak, doin' nuffin ! " 
 
OR VILETS BOY 2O/ 
 
 " Des wuk fo' y'u libbin. I hab saw sich fellahs, 
 all d'ess'd up monst'us fine an' da's no kin'er use 
 ter de wurril, an' dats w'at mek's me say w'at I's 
 er say in'. Ef y'u hab tuck de notion ter be 
 sump'n, de wurril am open to y'u." 
 
 " Now I's gwinter tol' y'u de Gawd'-er mouty 
 troof. Ef de young edicated col'd pussons doan 
 riz an' do sump'n fo' Gawd an' dar race we's 
 gwinter sink twel we cahnt riz no mo' ! " 
 
 " We hain done no great sight er-rizzin yit, but 
 mark mah words, t'ings'll git wuss an' wuss if de 
 brack fo'ks doan quit dar foolishin an' settle down 
 ter wuk. Ef y'u'd been libbin s'long ez I hab 
 y'u'd er seed er t'ing er too. Y'u'd seed dar war no 
 way outed de muss, less y'u feel y'u way whar y'u 
 cahnt see hit, an' keep er wukkin," 
 
 " Um clean 'sprized at de col'd fo'ks. Da doan 
 see dat de morgij' sisturm am de ruinashum o 
 dem. Y'u's gotter open y'u moufs ergin hit, fo' 
 dar's a recknin' day er cummin, to de col'd pus- 
 sons, w'en da'll fin' da's done bin an' swaller'd, an' 
 wor' out all da 'spected ter git outen de earf, an' 
 da hain' nuffin lef, an' da's gotter steal or starb," 
 
 " Den w'en de w'ite fo'ks done tol' hit all ober 
 de Nawf, dat de niggah hain got no c'aracters, 
 dat da's all bad, de Nawf doan preciate de brack 
 fo'ks no mo'. I bleeb I mout tawk till de dark 
 
20)8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 com'd, tellin' y'u all 'ow ter ac', but coz o' de un- 
 seasonableness o' de 'our I'll hatter stop." 
 
 The last speaker was a feeble, careworn little 
 woman. Her patient, wrinkled face and white 
 hair told of sorrow and suffering. She was very 
 light and spoke intelligently and to the point. 
 
 In her youth she had met and married her 
 husband in Oberlin, Ohio, and gone with him at 
 the close of the war to North Carolina, where 
 after a few years of married life, he died, leaving 
 her to care for herself and children. Appreciat 
 ing the advantages of an education, she had 
 worked and saved until both of her sons had been 
 graduated from Larimer University. 
 
 " I want to thank you, Mr. President, and these 
 kind teachers, for all you have done for my boys. 
 The widow's blessing shall follow you. I was 
 raised in Ohio. My parents were freed by their 
 master, some years before the war. I was quite 
 a large sized girl when they left the South. I 
 had the advantages of a common school educa 
 tion and three years of study in Oberlin College, 
 Ohio." 
 
 " My husband was raised in Pennsylvania, and 
 graduated from the same college where I was a 
 student. I am the mother of two children. My 
 eldest son was graduated from Larimer six years 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 209 
 
 ago, and is now pastor of a Baptist church in 
 Wilmington, North Carolina." 
 
 " Today you have graduated my youngest son." 
 Holding out her hard, calloused hands, she said : 
 
 " With these hands I washed and ironed to 
 earn the money to help them through this Uni 
 versity." 
 
 " From this time I shall be waiting, not anx 
 iously or impatiently, for the Master to call me 
 home, for I have this day seen the desire of my 
 heart, and am ready to depart. God bless and 
 prosper this institution that has done and is do 
 ing so much for my people." 
 
 Several of the students had a few parting 
 words for their teachers and college mates. The 
 President expressed his gratitude for the correct 
 lives and helpfulness of the students during the 
 year, and the exercises closed. 
 
 The trunks had been packed in the early part 
 of the day and taken to the station. A few hours 
 later the greater part of the students were on the 
 train bound for home. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CLASS NIGHT 
 
 Commencement exercises were over, and most 
 of the students and visitors had gone to their 
 homes. The class of 1898 was together in one 
 of the recitation rooms in Goodspeed Hall for 
 the last time. It was class night. A night never 
 to be forgotten by those who were present. 
 
 The President, Apollos Washington, called the 
 meeting to order, George Goodwin offered prayer, 
 and the Secretary of the class, Judy Bunday, 
 read the report of the previous meeting. 
 
 The class numbered sixteen, twelve young 
 men and four young women. At the commence 
 ment of their Freshman Year, there had been 
 twenty-seven men and twelve women. One after 
 another had dropped out, finding it too hard to 
 raise the one hundred and twelve dollars, the re 
 quired amount for a school year. 
 
 The President announced the subject of the 
 meeting : 
 
 210 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 2 1 1 
 
 " What is to be our life work," or in other 
 words : " What is our mission ? " 
 
 " I can say for myself," said the president, " I 
 am to teach for a few years. I have to do this to 
 earn the money to take me through an Eastern 
 Law School. Mrs. Jefferds has helped me 
 through thus far. I can not ask her to do more, 
 for I am now in a position where I can help my 
 self." 
 
 " I am going to study law because I feel I can 
 help my people most by following that profession. 
 They have failed to receive justice in Southern 
 Courts, when they have appealed to the law for 
 protection against the wrongs heaped upon them 
 by the white men. The Negro has no rights, 
 for he is * Only a Nigger ! ' I will defend him, 
 and help him. I know what it is to need a friend 
 to reach out a helping hand, as does the Negro 
 today, and fail to find it, for many Southern 
 hands and pens are against him." 
 
 " I look through the South and see our people 
 ground down by the present mortgage system. 
 I see them cheated and abused the unhealed 
 wounds of their souls lashed afresh, and yet they 
 are uncomplaining. The fact is I believe they 
 are too cowardly, or too forgiving for their own 
 good. I will teach them to believe in their own 
 
212 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 manhood. That they have rights that the white 
 man should be made to respect." 
 
 "Here they are taxed to support benevolent in 
 stitutions they can never enter, while every race 
 that has a white skin is welcome. These and 
 other wrongs which are heaped upon the black 
 man have prompted me to choose the law as a 
 profession. I am bound to acquire the best pos 
 sible qualifications that can be had, to fit me for 
 my work. I want to stand intellectually the equal 
 of any white man in the profession. I should 
 hate myself if I were to be called ' a pretty good 
 lawyer for a nigger.' I will stand on my merit, 
 my intelligence, my manhood. Right here I will 
 say, I will succeed or die in the attempt ! " 
 
 Judy Bunday was the next to speak. 
 
 " I am just as fully pledged to help my people 
 as Mr. Washington. When my father died I 
 promised him I would live to aid the negro in his 
 attempt to rise out of his degradation and sin." 
 
 " I came to Larimer University to fit myself 
 the better to keep my pledge. I said ' I will study 
 to make the most of myself,' and I find in looking 
 back over the ten years I have spent in the Uni 
 versity, that I have done the best I could. I am 
 now going out into the world to help my people 
 towards the best ends. Others have lived and 
 
.5 5 
 
 OR VI LETS BOY 213 
 
 set their mark on their fellowmen,' I will set my 
 mark on my fellowmen no less than the mark 
 of my high calling in Christ Jesus." 
 
 " I know I am the weakest creature on God's 
 earth, a Negro woman. There are difficulties 
 before me for I have a black face, the worst 
 heritage a woman can have, and yet I am not 
 going to cry about it, but make the most of my 
 self for God and those who, like me, are black." 
 
 " I have my way to make in the world, and am 
 bound, by God's help, to make it. I have a voice 
 to sing. I give that to my Master, I have abil 
 ity to teach and mean to exercise it ! I have a 
 heart to love, and my race, however low, however 
 ignorant and sinful, shall believe and feel I love 
 them ! " 
 
 l< I have the qualifications to make a home 
 bright and clean, and should I ever become a wife, 
 I will make my home the next place to heaven, 
 in its cleanly restfulness and gladness! I am 
 going out from this University to take up my life 
 work ! " 
 
 " Wherever a Negro woman lives and needs 
 my help, 'wherever tears flow or a heart beats 
 with pain, because of shame or a wrong com 
 mitted ; wherever women toil to rear their chil 
 dren, unrecognized by their fathers, or stagger 
 
214 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 under burdens too hard for them to bear ; wher 
 ever ignorance abounds or children need a teach 
 er,' if it be possible I will go to them in the name 
 of my Master, and help them to work out a good 
 and true character." 
 
 " I will point them to the * Lamb of God, who 
 taketh away the sins of the world.' I will urge 
 them to keep their faith in God. I will go out 
 from this University and be to all my people with 
 whom I come in contact, an inspiration and 
 guide." 
 
 " I will teach the young men to labor with their 
 hands, to be prudent, and above all, Christians. 
 Pleading with God to give me no greater reward 
 for service than an increasing opportunity to 
 serve." 
 
 After standing a moment, as if in prayer, she 
 continued : " I shall stand upon no other merits 
 than the merits of the blessed Christ, and ask no 
 greater honor than thus to stand, an approved 
 servant of my God." 
 
 Ezra Noah Jefferson, a very light colored young 
 man from Wilmington, North Carolina, in answer 
 to his name, stepped to the piano, and sang in 
 a clear tenor voice : 
 
 " I'll live for those who love me, 
 For those who know me true, 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 215 
 
 For the heaven that smiles above me, 
 And waits my spirit true ; 
 For the cause that lacks assistance, 
 For the wrongs that need resistance, 
 And bright hopes in the distance, 
 And the good that I can do." 
 
 " I'll live to hail the season 
 By gifted minds foretold, 
 When man shall rule by reason, 
 And not alone by gold. 
 When man to man united, 
 And every wrong thing righted, 
 The world will then be lighted, 
 As Eden was of old." 
 
 George Pearson Goodwin, was the next to 
 speak. He was the son of the barber, who so 
 gracefully addressed the guests in the dining hall 
 after Commencement dinner. Like his father he 
 was a small man, and very graceful. Unlike his 
 father he was dark skinned, with thick lips and 
 tightly curled hair. 
 
 Like all the other members of the class, he had 
 been obliged to work his way through the Uni 
 versity. Or to use his own words, he had been 
 forced to " hustle " to get his education. 
 
 " I have been thinking of the years we have 
 
2l6 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 spent in Larimer University. Here we have 
 been protected and sheltered. We have been 
 made to feel we were men, as long as we acted as 
 a man should. At times we have almost forgot 
 ten we were black. Perhaps we should have 
 forgotten it entirely had not Apollos Washington 
 kept us aware of the fact, by telling us the evil 
 things said about the ' Nigger.' " 
 
 " Now we are going out into life to shift for 
 ourselves. We are to stand on our merits as ne 
 groes. I think it is well for us to be prepared 
 for the difficulties we have to encounter. I expect 
 knocks and slights. That the pen of those who 
 hate our race will be turned against me." 
 
 " I am prepared to be branded a 4 Nigger ' and 
 meet the old time prejudices and dislikes of our 
 white brethren. In the face of all this I am 
 bound to succeed among my own people as a 
 druggist. I shall enter a College of Pharmacy 
 this fall, and when I open a drug store in my na 
 tive state and city, I will give the lie to the oft 
 made statement, 'that the educated nigger is 
 spoiled for any practical use. That he is lazy, 
 trifling and above h is own people.' ' 
 
 " I will make my store as attractive as those of 
 my white competitors, and should a white man 
 ask for a glass of soda water at my fountain, I 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 217 
 
 will give it to him more willingly, than I would 
 poison, though his skin is of a different color 
 from mine." 
 
 " Apollos Washington said a moment ago, ' that 
 our people are too kind, too ready to forgive an 
 offence, and that they lack resentment' I am 
 glad this is true of the Negro. It is to his credit 
 rather than to his blame. If we were the oppo 
 site in disposition branded as we are as ' thieves, 
 liars, criminals and beasts ' ; if we were to resent 
 every outrage and misrepresentation, our condi 
 tion would be pitiful, indeed." 
 
 " I rejoice in the forgiving, forbearing and lov 
 ing spirit of my race. I know we have great 
 faults, but I believe we have great virtues as well. 
 I am going, by God's grace, to try to overcome 
 all the evil tendencies of my own nature and to 
 cultivate all the good qualities of my people." 
 
 Beatrice Arvesta Zenobia Martin, a girl with 
 blue eyes, light hair and face, was the next to re 
 spond to her name. Her home was in Georgia. 
 Her mother had made a desperate struggle to 
 keep her daughter in school. She had denied 
 herself many of the necessities of life and now re 
 joiced that her work was accomplished. It was a 
 general surmise, among the students, that when 
 Apollos Washington completed his Law course, 
 
2l8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 he and Beatrice were to be married, though nei 
 ther of them confessed to such an engagement. 
 
 " I have been thinking of our varied occupa 
 tions, and our widely separated fields of action," 
 she said. " I am going home to help my mother. 
 We shall enlarge our boarding house for colored 
 young men who are laboring in our city and with 
 out homes. In this way my mother has support 
 ed herself and my younger brother and given me 
 all the aid she could. She is getting too old to 
 bear the burdens of life alone. Then my brother 
 must have a chance to attend Larimer, and I 
 must help him." 
 
 " If I am not to teach, or preach, or practice 
 law or medicine, my work shall be none the less 
 for God and the Negro. I shall make the young 
 men in our home comfortable. I will encourage 
 them to take up some line of study evenings, and 
 help them to do it. I will try to be to them all 
 they need to make them pure and clean young 
 men. In fact I will try to broaden their thought, 
 and help them to make the most of themselves." 
 
 " In the years to come, as you pass along life's 
 highway doing for God and the Negro, if you 
 will look in the sand, you shall see my tracks 
 along the same road ; for I am none the less de 
 termined to help my people up to the best God 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 219 
 
 has for them, if I am in a boarding house. And 
 should any of you chance to visit my city, where 
 I shall be ' working at my required task,' don't 
 fail to call at ' Mrs. Martin's boarding house for 
 young men,' and I will give you a good square 
 meal, and make you as comfortable as I know 
 how." 
 
 Phebe Virginia Calhoun spoke after Beatrice 
 Martin. She had come to the University from 
 Little Rock, Arkansas. She was a slight, trim 
 mulatto girl of rare good sense. Unlike the other 
 members of her class she was to go at once to her 
 own home, for she was to marry a minister, preach 
 ing in an Eastern city. 
 
 " I am glad I came to Larimer University, for I 
 have found here just the training I need to help 
 me in my chosen field." 
 
 " I know something of the work I have to do, 
 its possibilities and discouragements, its cares and 
 victories. Since I came to Larimer I have been 
 instructed in the way of ' Life and truth.' Right 
 things have been so clearly set before me, and 
 things that are wrong have been made so plain, 
 that it now seems to me I should do violence to 
 all that is good and holy, to yield to sin." 
 
 " Can we ever forget the teachings of our Pres 
 ident, who more than any other person taught us 
 
22O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 to condemn everything that lowers womanhood 
 or manhood, and at the same time taught us to 
 reach out after everything that would elevate us 
 and enable us to respect ourselves." 
 
 u This is the message I am going to take to my 
 husband's people. The lessons I have learned 
 here shall speak through me shall I not say, 
 through us ? to the negroes." 
 
 Thus one after another spoke of their purpose 
 in life and the work they expected to do. Of the 
 twelve men in the class, two were to enter the 
 ministry, three become physicians, one would 
 practice law, one dentistry, two pharmacy and the 
 other three were to teach. All were practical 
 Christians except Apollos Washington. 
 
 Alexander Gifford was the last to speak. 
 
 " This," said Alexander, " Is the proudest mo 
 ment of my life. I am now going out into the 
 field to do active work for God. I have looked 
 forward to this hour with the greatest anxiety and 
 longing. Sometimes it has seemed to me I could 
 not wait for the time to come, and now it seems 
 as if the days will not be long enough for me to 
 accomplish all I want to do, all I shall find to be 
 done." 
 
 " To-night I want to give honor and praise to 
 the best woman that ever lived, my grandmother. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 221 
 
 All I am and all I ever shall accomplish will be 
 due to her. I never saw my parents. My mother 
 died when I was born, and my father went away 
 after her death and never returned." 
 
 " All the years of my life my grandmother has 
 stood between me and harm. She has sacrificed 
 her own ease and comfort that I might have an 
 education. She has stood over the wash tub and 
 ironing board when her back ached and her arms 
 were tired, to earn the money to keep me in the 
 University." 
 
 " I have always had the inspiration of her chaste 
 and holy life." 
 
 " Her love has never wavered, neither could I 
 overtax it. Her arms were never too tired to en 
 fold me, and her kiss of forgiveness was always 
 ready, when I was wayward." 
 
 " She is an ignorant old black woman who 
 knows all about troubles and sorrow, pain and 
 suffering. The white people pass her by as one 
 beneath their notice, but she is the child of a King, 
 an heir to the throne of God ! " 
 
 " How she has pinched and saved and toiled 
 for me ! To-night she is old, white haired and 
 wrinkled. Her steps are feeble and her eyes are 
 fast growing dim. Patient and uncomplaining she 
 sits by the fire, waiting for me to come home." 
 
222 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " To-morrow I am going home. I am going to 
 take the wash tub and the ironing board and put 
 them away. I am going to place her in the easi 
 est chair in the house, and then sit down by her 
 side and take her old calloused hands in mine, and 
 tell her all she is to me, and all she has done for 
 me, to make me the man I am. I am going to 
 make her comfortable and happy all the rest of 
 her days." 
 
 " I am going to teach and preach among the 
 people I knew as a boy, for a few years ; then I am 
 going to the city where I can have a larger field 
 of usefulness. Classmates, I love God more to 
 night than ever before." 
 
 " His love and faithfulness seems more real to 
 me when I think of the love and faithfulness of 
 my old black grandmother." 
 
 " If I never see you again, I want you to think 
 of me as somewhere hard at work for God and the 
 Negro. I am to-night realizing, more than ever, 
 that God wants good, earnest men ; men practical 
 in bent, pure in purpose and principle, with cour 
 age to maintain them." 
 
 " Only such can help to solve the problem of 
 the future of our race, that is pressing for solu 
 tion." 
 
 The next morning the class separated. For 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 223 
 
 some distance, Judy, Alexander and Apollos 
 traveled together. They talked of their first ride 
 over the same road, when ten years before they 
 were on their way to Larimer to enter the Uni 
 versity. At last they reached the West Point 
 Junction where Apollos and Alexander were to 
 get off, and Judy continued her journey to her 
 old home, where she was to spend the summer 
 with Deacon and Mrs. Manley. In the fall she 
 would teach in one of the city schools in Mobile, 
 Alabama. 
 
 Before they separated Alexander and Judy 
 made all their plans for the future. They were 
 poor ; they would each work in their chosen field 
 for two years, and then, God willing, their lives 
 should be spent together. 
 
 At the Junction where Alexander and Apollos 
 had first met, they once more waited for different 
 trains. 
 
 Naturally they talked of their life at Larimer 
 and the work before them. Turning to Alexan 
 der, Apollos said : 
 
 " What a world this would be if the people only 
 realized the brotherhood of man." 
 
 " That's so, Apollos " said Alexander, " but 
 they do not believe in it, or at least act as if they 
 believed in it. But I am not going to bother my 
 
224 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 head about it. I will take the world just as I find 
 it and try to make it better." 
 
 " How do you like the idea/' urged Apollos, " of 
 meeting men who are mentally inferior to you, 
 and being snubbed by them, just because you are 
 a negro ? I confess to you that I long to have a 
 hand in the affairs of life ; to push my way to in 
 dependence and fortune, and yet, now I am ready 
 to work, I feel I am to be kept from doing it be 
 cause I am black." 
 
 " I don't believe there is a white man in the 
 South, that has a higher aim or a more honest pur 
 pose than I have. My arm is just as strong and 
 I am as swift of foot. My heart will respond just 
 as readily to kindness. I am as sensitive to injus 
 tice, as any white man, yet I feel I am to be shut 
 out of every enterprise and industry because I am 
 black." 
 
 " I tell you, Alexander Gifford, it makes me 
 mad when I remember I am mentally the equal of 
 most white men, and yet I am to be ignored by 
 them." 
 
 " I feel it is not assumption, neither is it pre 
 sumption, that makes us as good as a white man," 
 declared Alexander. " To be as good a man as 
 any morally right man, whether he be black or 
 white, depends upon their Tightness within," Al 
 exander urged. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 225 
 
 " As long as we are masters of ourselves, we 
 are all right in the sight of God ; for we are kings ; 
 and nothing can dethrone us. We are to think 
 most of what we are in the sight of God, instead 
 of how we look in the eyes of our fellow men ; or 
 attempt to measure ourselves by their standard. 
 There is nothing pleasant to be remembered about 
 the slavery of our parents ! We hate the word 
 * slave ' and yet if we are not masters of ourselves, 
 we are abject slaves without the hope of freedom." 
 
 " Apollos, I heard you sing the other day, ' be 
 fore I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my grave.* 
 Now you may not like what I am going to say, 
 but you are a slave to your hatred of the white 
 man. You show more prejudice towards them 
 than any white man I ever met manifested towards 
 the negro." 
 
 Just then the distant rumbling of the train, as 
 it came nearer and nearer, caused Alexander to 
 gather up his bundles and bid his chum good-bye. 
 
 Soon the rumbling ceased and the train came 
 to a full stop for a few minutes, then the bell rang 
 and the train moved on, leaving Apollos Wash 
 ington standing on the platform of the station 
 watching the cars go out of sight. 
 
 Alexander soon reached Barney ville. Hurrying 
 to his old home, the odor of the fried chicken 
 came to him from the cabin. 
 
226 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 In the doorway stood an old woman, poorly 
 clad and bent. Throwing her withered arms about 
 Alexander's neck she raised her eyes to heaven, 
 and thanked God that she had been spared to 'elp 
 Vi'let's boy thoo de Varsity ! " 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 ALEXANDER GIFFORD BEGINS WORK 
 
 Immediately on reaching home Alexander 
 opened a select school, which was largely attend 
 ed by the negro children in Barneyville, some of 
 them coming from quite a distance. 
 
 He also began preaching in the old log school 
 house. In the early days of his conversion, he 
 had planned to enter a Theological Seminary in 
 the East, when he should have finished his Uni 
 versity course. This, however, he had long since 
 given up and now entered upon his work with 
 heart and soul. 
 
 As he came in contact with his old friends and 
 neighbors, he wondered if he would have been 
 like them had he never had other advantages than 
 theirs. Then he remembered his responsibility 
 would be measured by the benefits he had received ; 
 that if he knew more than those about him, more 
 was required of him. 
 
 Sitting down, he reasoned thus : 
 
 " Most of the men in this settlement are ' crop- 
 227 
 
228 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 pers.' They have nothing of their own. The 
 owner of the land furnishes them seed to plant, 
 their miserable cabins where they live, and the 
 mule to work the ground. 
 
 While their crops are growing they receive from 
 their landlord a certain amount of provision each 
 week and he takes a mortgage on their share of 
 the prospective crops, at an enormous interest. 
 Year after year they have not been able to pay 
 the mortgage and interest, because of the failure 
 of their crops. 
 
 They are in debt beyond their power to pay. 
 In debt to men who hold them in an iron grasp. 
 They call themselves freemen, and yet they are 
 slaves to their landlords. 
 
 They are ignorant and some of them vicious. 
 What can I do to encourage them, or help them 
 to better their condition ? " 
 
 " Single hands have accomplished wonders in 
 laying great foundations. Single voices have 
 moved multitudes and sent out into the world far 
 reaching influences. Is it not possible for me to 
 do the same ? " 
 
 How he longed for Judy's presence her prac 
 tical helpfulness. While he was a student, he 
 had thought it would be an easy matter to teach 
 and lead people in the right way. It had seemed 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 2 29 
 
 to him that great crowds would rush in to hear 
 him preach, and hearing him, would be inspired 
 to work and live the truest and best lives. 
 
 His ambition had known no bounds. Now he 
 was learning that there are hard tasks to be per 
 formed ; tasks that require patience and courage. 
 That though he might do his best and preach 
 most eloquently the multitude would remain un 
 moved. 
 
 One day, just after school had been dismissed, 
 he heard the shrill treble of a girl's voice, raised 
 to its highest pitch in anger. It came again and 
 again, mingled with cries, jeers, curses and the 
 sound of blows and scuffling. 
 
 Rushing to the door he saw in the center of 
 the yard a group of scholars gathered, and from 
 the group came the discordant sounds. Calling 
 one of the older boys to him, he asked the mean 
 ing of the disturbance. 
 
 At the sound of his voice the group of scholars 
 scattered, leaving a girl of eleven or twelve years, 
 standing angrily in front of the school-house. 
 She was thin and as straight as an arrow; wear 
 ing a dress that was scant and faded. Her fea 
 tures were regular, her hair black and matted 
 from lack of care, and wearing no shoes or hat. 
 Had she been properly dressed and cared for, she 
 
230 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 would have been called handsome ; as it was, no 
 one seemed to notice the beauty of her eyes or 
 the fine curve of her upright figure. 
 
 Learning from the boy the cause of the outcry, 
 he called the girl to the school-room door. With 
 flashing eyes and defiant look, expecting a rebuke, 
 she came boldly up to him. 
 
 Kindly he said : " Were my scholars troubling 
 you ? " 
 
 " Yessar an' da bettah be er saying dar prayahs, 
 coz I mout stop som' o' dar bref's ef da doan 
 lemme Ion," she fearlessly answered. 
 
 " Do you live about here ? " asked the teacher. 
 
 " Yessar, I stops wid Yaller Sail ovah on de 
 yuddah road," answered the child. 
 
 " Have you no parents ?" questioned the teacher. 
 
 "Naw, ma muddah runn'd away an' lef ma 
 w'en I's des a leetle piccaninny. I doan b'long 
 no whar ! " 
 
 " Did you ever go to school ? " 
 
 " Yessar, I kin read an' spell some, but I ain' 
 gwine no mo'." 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " Hit won' do ma no good ! I's des er common 
 niggah, dats all." 
 
 " It will help you to care for yourself, to be re 
 spected and become a good and useful woman. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 231 
 
 Don't you want to grow up and be such a wom 
 an ? " Alexander kindly asked. 
 
 " I dunno ! Wou'd I hab to wuk berry 'ard ? " 
 the child inquired. 
 
 " You would have to study, and keep yourself 
 clean and nice, and stop quarreling and scream 
 ing," the teacher replied. 
 
 " Wat I do w'en da call ma * beggah niggah', 
 * beggah niggah' ? " she asked with clenched fists, 
 the fire again flashing from her eyes. 
 
 " If you would come to my school, I would not 
 allow the children to call you such names. I 
 would be your friend and help you." 
 
 " Whar I gwinter stay ? Yaller Sail won' hab 
 ma no mo' coz I whopped 'er gal," she anxiously 
 asked. 
 
 " Have you no place to stop to-night ? " 
 
 " Naw ! " 
 
 " Why did you whip Sally's girl ? " 
 
 "She hole 'erse'f er bove ma, an' call'd ma 
 
 names." 
 
 " Are you not sorry you did it ? " 
 
 " Naw, I's glad, she's de wustis', lowdones, black 
 niggah I ebber saw'd, dats w'at she am ! " 
 
 " You have lost your home by this means," said 
 the teacher. 
 
 " I don't keer ! I kin git ernuddah, lemme tole 
 y'u ! " 
 
232 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Where will you get your supper to-night ? 
 Where will you stop ? " 
 
 " I'll sleep mos' any whar, I ain' keerin' ! " she 
 defiantly answered. 
 
 " Suppose no one will have you in their homes? 
 They certainly will not if you whip their chil 
 dren," declared the teacher. 
 
 " Y'u des mek ma tired ! Lemme told y'u dis 
 an' hits de fatal troof ! A daid shu' troof ! Ef da 
 trebbles ma, da's gwinter 'pent, becase I's gwine 
 ter mek em de sorreres pussons ergwine," she 
 said bringing her fists together. 
 
 " Did you ever have a home and some one to 
 love and care for you ? " asked the teacher. 
 
 The defiant look left her face, her lips quivered 
 as she said: 
 
 "A'nt Juliet war good ter ma. She war de 
 olies one." Then in a low tone she continued, 
 "She's daid now." 
 
 "Who was Aunt Juliet, was she your real 
 Aunt?" 
 
 " Naw, her done took ma w'en ma muddah run'd 
 off. I war des a teenty-tonty piccaninny den. 
 No boddy lub's ma now, nor keers fo' ma." 
 
 " My poor child," said Alexander. " If you will 
 study and try to be a good girl, people will love 
 you and you will be happy ! I am going to have 
 you go home with me tonight." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 235 
 
 With all her apparent indifference about her 
 supper or where she would spend the night, her 
 face brightened at once. Closing the school-room 
 door they passed down the road together. Duty 
 had never looked so plain to Alexander before. 
 Here was a poor, untaught, passionate child, with 
 a brute sense of self-protection. No home, no 
 one to guide her or care for her ! Might he not 
 redeem her life ? 
 
 Tears came to his eyes as he thought of her, 
 and others much older who were about him ; men 
 and women who needed help. He realized as 
 never before, that the negro is in a mental and 
 spiritual childhood, needing to unlearn much he 
 had learned. 
 
 How could he blame the children for their vie- 
 iousness ? Had not the taint of sin descended 
 from ancestral badness ? A badness learned from 
 those who should have taught them better things ? 
 Did it not throb in every heart beat, and impel 
 every act of their lives ? And out of his sorely 
 pressed soul was wrung the prayer : 
 
 " O my Father, help me to redeem this people, 
 for they know not what they do." 
 
 Again his mind went out to Judy. How they 
 would work for the redemption of his people. 
 Help them to work out good, true lives. This 
 
234 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 poor child had no sense of wrong doing ; she 
 needed to be taught. She was surely susceptible 
 to kindness, for did she not remember Aunt Ju 
 liette? Would she not recognize the same spirit 
 of love manifested by others ? 
 
 That night in the quietness of his room, when 
 alone with God, he gave up his ambition to be a 
 great preacher, moving the multitudes by his ora 
 tory, in some of the larger cities of the South ; and 
 chose for his life work that of a missionary teacher 
 and preacher, in the quiet town where he was 
 born. 
 
 Never did his work seem so pleasant as the fol 
 lowing morning, when he began the duties of the 
 day. And never had he prayed when he felt the 
 same nearness to God as at the opening of the 
 school. 
 
 Among the other girls sat Milly Brown with 
 her hair nicely combed and face and hands clean. 
 
 It was a new, strange life to her. In fact a new 
 life had begun, for the outcast had found a home 
 and some one to love her. Was the work of re 
 demption an easy one ? By no means. Did she 
 never relapse into her old habits and passions ? 
 Yes, but loving hands guided her, patient Chris 
 tian councils were given her, till less and less the 
 old anger and rebellion overcame her. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 235 
 
 Whoever saw the ambitious child years later, 
 would not have believed her to be the once 
 screaming, vicious girl who fought with the chil 
 dren in front of the school-house. 
 
 Plainly clad, she went quietly to and from 
 school, and never did benefactors have a more 
 loyal worshipper than had A'nt Car'line and Al 
 exander, in Milly. 
 
 There could be no greater punishment inflicted 
 for wrong doing, than for them to withhold the 
 expression of their love. 
 
 It soon became apparent to Alexander that 
 Milly possessed a voice of rare beauty and excel 
 lence ; a voice so clear and sweet as to astonish all 
 who heard her. Realizing its worth, he encour 
 aged her to study and improve it, giving her every 
 aid in his power, and telling her he would send 
 her to Larimer when she was sixteen years old, 
 where she would have every advantage. 
 
 He excited her ambition by telling her her for 
 tune was in her voice, for with thorough cultiva 
 tion she could visit the Northern cities and charm 
 the people by her singing. 
 
 The girl caught the inspiration, and with all 
 the energy of her soul, pored over her books at 
 school and practiced her music at home. Judy, 
 an accomplished musician, wrote regularly to the 
 
236 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 child, telling her just what to do, and directing 
 Alexander in his instruction. 
 
 Soon she became the acknowledged leader in 
 her classes. Later, Alexander wrote, in answer 
 to one of Judy's letters: 
 
 " Milly is improving, but needs your strong 
 guidance. Her voice is something wonderful ! 
 It will be either a blessing or a curse to her, 1 
 begin to doubt which. Sometimes I see a won 
 derful resemblance to a Mr. de Goochy, one of 
 the wealthy land owners in Barneyville, and from 
 the few things I have been able to gather from 
 the little she knows of herself, I am led to believe 
 she is the child of his housekeeper." 
 
 " The old people who were brought up on his 
 plantation, tell of the birth of a child and that it 
 was carried away by an old negro woman, Aunt 
 Juliette, who was his mammy, and loved the un 
 ruly fellow next to his own mother. She has the 
 same ungovernable fits of temper as Mr. de Goo 
 chy, and is just as unforgiving when she feels she 
 is wronged." 
 
 The work of the church continued to grow and 
 prosper; though at first opposed by the other 
 churches in the town, its lack of emotion failed 
 to appeal to them. Little by little the number of 
 attendants increased till quite a congregation 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 237 
 
 gathered each Sunday to hear the Gospel 
 preached by Rev. Alexander Gifford. 
 
 From the first Alexander had a strong helper 
 in Tobe Washburn, who had opened a blacksmith 
 shop in Barneyville, and was called by the white 
 people " a thrifty nigger." 
 
 So the work continued to grow and the days 
 and months quickly passed. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 " LIKE PREACHER LIKE PEOPLE " 
 
 In one of the largest cities in Alabama, a 
 number of negro teachers were seated around a 
 tea table, talking of an article that had just ap 
 peared in the daily papers. 
 
 It claimed that too much education was detri 
 mental to the negro and stated that a " leading 
 Negro educator " had said in a public meeting, he 
 had addressed in one of the Southern cities, 
 " that he was convinced that the negro preacher 
 should not be educated above his people." 
 
 Among those who were at the table was our 
 friend Apollos Washington, Principal of the 
 colored High School. It was proposed by him 
 that they go to the Hard shell Baptist Church, the 
 next day, where they would have an object lesson 
 of "like preacher like people." 
 
 A colored girl who had waited on the table, 
 and heard the conversation, said to the teachers 
 as they were about to leave the house the next 
 morning : 
 
 238 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 239 
 
 " Is y'u gwine to de Hard Shell dis mawnin ? " 
 
 Being told that they were, she said : 
 
 " Y'u hear mouty big shout if y'u go dar ! De 
 Mef dis mek big noise but de Hard Shells got de 
 bigges' moufs." 
 
 "Don't you like the Hard Shells?" asked 
 Apollos Washington. 
 
 " Naw, da doan know nuffin'. Da doan b'leeb 
 in gittin' conwarted, nor de monahs bench, nor 
 Sun'y-Schools, nor edication, nor nuffin ! Da 
 cahnt read, des say w'at-someber da t'ink an' 'clar 
 de Lawd done tole um ter say hit ! " 
 
 Leaving the boarding house the party walked 
 towards the outskirts of the city. Their way led 
 through Magnolia and Black Jack Oak trees, 
 which completely shaded the streets, while on the 
 sidewalk in front of them were numerous colored 
 people, bound for the same church. The women 
 dressed in colors resembling a New England for 
 est in October. 
 
 The church was an old weather beaten build 
 ing, hemmed in by dilapidated negro cabins. As 
 they entered, the congregation stared at them for 
 a moment, and then low whispers were heard 
 on every side, while the members bobbed their 
 woolly heads at each other. The house was soon 
 filled and the services began. 
 
-240 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 A gaunt bean-pole figure, stepped to the front 
 of the raised platform, and said : 
 
 " We am gwinter begin dis serbis with a spuitu- 
 able hymn," which he proceeded to line, the con 
 gregation singing in their accustomed way, mov 
 ing and swaying their bodies back and forth and 
 keeping time with their head and feet ; while from 
 thick lips rolled sweet melodies such as no other 
 nation can rival ; no other people imitate. 
 
 The hymn was followed by a prayer. The 
 minister began in a low tone of voice, grow 
 ing louder and louder till he fairly screamed, his 
 chest rising and falling with his emotions, while 
 great beads of perspiration rolled down his black 
 face. 
 
 The audience caught his spirit and cried, 
 shrieked and shouted in the wildest manner. The 
 sermon was not an unusual one for a minister of 
 that sect to preach. He, or some other negro 
 preacher, had heard the Scriptures read at white 
 Methodist camp meetings or other services where 
 they had attended. Their minds had retained a 
 few words, which had been handed down from 
 preacher to preacher, in their exaggerated form 
 and used for texts, regardless of their connection. 
 
 "Wiping his face with a large red handker 
 chief, he began his sermon in a pompous tone. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 241 
 
 He delighted in big words and a great show of 
 wisdom, though he constantly assured the people 
 he was ' beginst edication ! Dat he hab no use 
 fo' hit." 
 
 "ChiFn," said the old man, "de Lawd he done 
 casted seben spuits outen Ma'y Mag'erleen ! 
 Seben spuits! Min' y'u, seben spuits! Six o' 
 dem spuits war de spuits o' de debbil, an' de uddah 
 spuit am de spuit o' de Lawd, an' dat am de spuit 
 dat am movin' ma dis mawnin'." 
 
 After speaking thus he stood looking at the 
 people as if his words were the embodiment of all 
 wisdom. The congregation turned in their seats 
 and bowed to each other. Encouraged by their 
 show of approval, he continued : 
 
 11 I's gwinter 'scuss dis mawnin a mouty big 
 ques'ion ! One dat's mos' prob'ly been argafied 
 fo' mo'n five million years! Hit's de mos' pro- 
 vokenes' ques'ion, fo' de w'ite men hab been 
 sputin an' contendin' an' argafien hit sine' befo' 
 de fustis chu'ch war begined." 
 
 " Wen I fin's a 'ard ques'ion, I goes to de 
 Lawd an' axes 'im about hit, an' 'e des settles mah 
 
 min' ! " 
 
 " Fo'ks say de Lawd am a great big man ! 
 T'ink o' dat! A great big man! Dat 'is glo'y 
 fill de y'arth ! Now we knows bettah 'coz de 
 
242 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Lawd don tol' us. Doan y'u know dat fo'ks 
 cahn't un'erstan' des ques'ions, till da go down 
 un'er de watah an' come up outen de watah ? " 
 
 "Dat'sso." " Shu's y'u's horned." '"ear 'im 
 Lawd " shouted the deacons and sisters in cho 
 rus. 
 
 " Now da's er mouty sight o' des heah Mef'dis 
 dat pertins ter kno' 'bout des t'ings, an' da gits 
 dar ide's outen books ; t'inks da's pow'ful peart, 
 w'en da doan kno' nuffin, fo' da's nebber been 
 un'er de watah," nor corned up outen de watah ! " 
 
 " I am gwinter tole y'u whar da's gwinter, w'en 
 da's daid. De Lawd dun say da's gwinter go to 
 de b-a-a-d place, so I ain' gwinter say no mo' 'bout 
 hit; but lemme tole you dis I hain' no use fo' 
 books ! I's plum beginst edication, an' I's gwin 
 ter monstate ergin hit, des as long as de Lawd 
 gimme bref ! " 
 
 " Hain' de Lawd done say: 'Tek no fo't w'at 
 y'u's gwinter sa', open y'u mouf an' I'll fill um ? 
 An' ain' he gwinter do hit ? An' w'en de Lawd 
 fill de mouf 'e put's sump'n in hit. He doan sa' 
 'go to de books an' learn.' I's pow'ful glad I hain' 
 bin to Kolideg nor non' o' dar 'Logical Semnys. 
 I's des been to de school o' adversity, w'ar de 
 Lawd done tries 'is chil'n. But I's got de grace 
 of Gawd in mah 'eart, des de same." 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 243 
 
 "D'atsso!" "Glo'y!" "Glo'y!" "urn, urn!" 
 " Y'u's got hit ! " 
 
 " Shu' nuff," the preacher responded, " Him 
 say demdat lib 'ligion mus suffer. De 'lec'chil'n 
 hab er 'ard tim' ter git thoo dis wurril ! Wen 
 Saul o' Torsus war on de y'arth, he hab pow'ful 
 bad time ! De Jews casted 'im inter de prison, 
 an' den de Lawd sen' David wiv' 'is 'arp to play 
 to 'im, an' den 'e done brung 'im outen de prison, 
 coz 'e war de 'lee' chil' o' Gawd." 
 
 " Den dar war de 'pos'l John 'e hab mouty 'ard 
 time on de ile o' Patmouse, fo' de Jews tried to 
 kill 'im wid 'ile ! Ter burn 'im in a caldun ! I 
 doan kno' wat dat am. I t'ink it mout be a kin' 
 o' kittle, but de Lawd dun brung 'im out ! " 
 
 An' den Herod cut off 'is 'ead, but 'e rose er- 
 gin, caz 'e war de 'lee' ! Som' o' de pos'ls war 
 casted inter de lions' den, an' udders inter de 
 fir'y fu'nace, but nuffin co'd tech 'em, caz da war 
 de Lawd's 'lee'." 
 
 " 'Ear 'im Lawd ! " " Spit hit out ! " came from 
 the amen corner of the church. 
 
 " Chil'n, doan you dou't Gawd! Ef y'u chil' 
 dies, 'is tim am com ! Ef de Lawd wills ter sabe. 
 'im, 'e will ! Ef 'e wills ter sabe y'u 'e will, an' 
 all dis nonsense 'bout gittin 'ligon, an' gwine ter 
 de monah's bench won' do no good ! Ef y'u's 
 
244 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Gained ter be sabed, Gawd '11 sabe y'u, an' dat 
 am all dar am 'bout hit ! " 
 
 " Y'u mout go to de monah's bench fo' tree 
 hun'red years, 'twon do no good ! Dar D'winity 
 Schools won' sabe um ! Da'll all des go down, 
 down, to distrusshum. Da say de Lawd am no 
 respetable pusson ; dat 'e'll sab any one dat calls 
 on 'im ! Now de Lawd's mouty cute, fo' 'e des 
 sets an' laffs at um lak a rabbit un'er a stump, an' 
 won' hab nuffin to do wid um! 
 
 " No wunner da say de Lawd am a mouty big 
 man ! Da des doan kno' nuffin, dat's wa't da 
 doan ! Dar war dat imperdent man da brung to 
 Jesus. T'ink w'at de Lawd war gwinter do fo' 
 'im, ef 'e war imperdent an' talk back to 'im! He 
 war gwinter sabe 'im coz 'e war de 'lee' o' Gawd." 
 
 " So we's de 'lee' chil'n o' Gawd. We's dained 
 ter be sabed! De Lawd done tole us, he hole us 
 in de holler o' 'is han' an' nuffiin kin kotch us 
 outen. We's dar ter stay! Hit doan mattah 
 w'at we does, de Lawd'll keep us fo shu' ! " 
 
 " Ef des Mef 'dis wid dar edication w'at ain' been 
 undah de watah nor corned up outen de watah, 
 t'ink da's gwinter git inter hebben, da's 'staken. 
 Da mout squoze inter hebben w'en de angels er 
 sleep, but w'en 'e opens 'is eyes 'e'll put um out ! 
 Da cahnt cheat Gawd ! W'en I gits ter hebben, 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 245 
 
 ef I fin's um dar I'll 'mand Gawd ter gimme er 
 clean place. I won' lib w'ar da is. I's no busi 
 ness ter be wid um." 
 
 " Ef de Lawd cahnt do bettah dan ter lemme 
 in, I doan wan' nuffin ter do wid 'im. I's gwine 
 to er shu' nuff hebben. To a clean place whar 
 da doan tek de pussons dat argafy dat de Lawd's 
 er great big man. I's gwine ter er hebben whar 
 de bressed ones is. I's gwine ter be wid de Lawd 
 fo' ebber. Min' chil'ns 'e ain' gwinter leaber ma 
 in de groun. 'E's gwinter cotch ma up w'unner 
 des mawnin's inter de air, an' I's gwinter be wid 
 'im fo' 'evey, fo' 'e doan say I's gwine no whar 
 else." 
 
 " De Lawd wan's us Baptists ter be engrounded 
 in de faif. Not ter be whimsied erbout wid evey 
 win' o' doc'rin. We ain' ter 'pend on books ter 
 tell us w'at am de troof. Book preachahs ham' 
 got no spuit o' de Lawd lak I hab, de sebenth 
 spuit dat war casted outen Ma'y Magerleen ! " 
 
 " De Lawd war mouty peart w'en 'e war on de 
 y 'earth. He min'ed 'is own bus' ness. 'E war 
 not lak y'u niggahs min' in evey udder pussons 
 bus'ness but y'u own. W'en 'e war on de y'arf, 
 des er lill boy twel' y'ars ol' 'is ol' muddah foun' 
 'im at de mah'g suppah in Cannah o' Gale, talkin' 
 to de doctah men and de lawyah men. An' 'is 
 
246 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 muddah done say to 'im ' son com' 'ome ! ' An* 
 'e say to his muddah: 'Muddah min' y'u own 
 bis'ness an' lemme lone! Fs 'bout mah faddah's 
 bis' ness, an' 'e war. 'E wan' no great big man 
 den, 'e was mouty small fellah.'' 
 
 The people had responded heartily during this 
 part of the sermon. There had evidently been 
 an effort on his part to hold himself in because 
 of the visitors who were in the house and known 
 to him. 
 
 The congregation felt that he was not at his 
 best. That he lacked the usual unction and 
 power, and in their responses they had sought to 
 encourage him to cut loose from the "fear of 
 men " and give them the gospel, as they liked it. 
 
 They had told him to " spit hit out," " to tell de 
 troof an' shame de debbil." " Not ter fear de face 
 o' man," and when he spoke of education and 
 where educated preachers were going, one of the 
 deacons shouted in a delighted voice: 
 
 " Some one's gittin hit now." 
 
 At last he did cut loose and began to pace back 
 and forth before the people. Sometimes he would 
 bend nearly double, then he would stamp and 
 pound the desk, frothing at the mouth. He 
 flung his long arms wildly about, speaking with 
 that peculiar catch in his throat, which assured 
 
OR VILETS BOY 247 
 
 the members, the " seventh spuit casted outen 
 Ma'y Mag'erleen" had got hold of him. 
 
 He told them the story of the flood. How 
 " Noah builded de ark an' wen' in, an' 'is sons 
 wen' in, an' 'is darters wen' in, an' all de anermals 
 o' de y'arth wen' in two an' two, 'ow da waited fo' 
 de rain ter com', an' de rain corned and de watah 
 riz hi'ah an hi'ah, an' hi'ah, an drowned de y'arth. 
 An' som' o' de pe'ples clim up on de ruf o' de 
 chu'ches fo' da war de big bil'dins, an' w'en de 
 watah riz up dar, da climed up on de steeple, way, 
 way, way up on de leetle pint o' de hiest steeple 's 
 in de wurril. An' de watah des riz, an' riz, an' 
 riz twil de las' one drap inter de watah an' war 
 drown'd." 
 
 The congregation was wild with excitement. 
 They caught the fire of the preacher and helped 
 to make the place a pandemonium. After a time, 
 he paused, wiped his face and said amid gasps for 
 breath : 
 
 " I t'ink I can say yas chil'n I t'ink I mout 
 say I 'bleeb I will say, Bruddahs and Sistahs, 
 de Lawd doan lie like we duz. 'E tole de troof 
 w'en 'e say 'e war a lill-low man. Min' him-se'f- 
 say-so ! Now-look-y'ur eyes -on ma-coz-Is' gwinter 
 prove-hit-to-y'u." 
 
 " Doan' y'u min' whar 'e say. 
 
248 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 "Lo-I-am?" "Doan dat prube hit? Ain' 'e 
 er lill low man, for doan 'e say * Lo-I-am ? ' ' 
 
 With bows and " I knowed hit" from the peo 
 ple he called for "ernddah spuituable hymn," 
 which was sung without lineing. 
 
 " Oh w'at y'u raiken de debbil say ? 
 
 Keep inchin' 'long, keep inchin' long. 
 De Lawd's er sleep an' y'u Gawd's away, 
 
 Keep inchin' 'long, keep inchin' 'long. 
 
 Stan right still an' study y'use'f 
 
 Keep inchin' 'long, keep inchin' 'Jong. 
 
 Gawd's gwinter move de ark 'imse'f 
 Keep inchin' 'long, keep inchin' 'long." 
 
 When the hymn was finished, he said to the 
 excited people : 
 
 " De Lawd done say * brung all y'u fives inter 
 de sto' 'ouse o' de Lawd, an' I'll po' y'u outen a 
 blessin' dat y'u cahnt hoi." Raising his voice, he 
 cried : 
 
 " Chil'n de Lawd wan's shouts," and then the 
 people shouted till the old church rang. " De 
 Lawd wan's groans an cries," he declared again 
 and the people groaned and cried aloud as if in 
 the greatest agony of soul. Once more he 
 cried : 
 
 " Now de Lawd wan's money." 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 249 
 
 Immediately the people began to sing another 
 hymn. Four of the trustees hurried forward to 
 a table in front of the desk, two to count the mon 
 ey and the other two to watch and see that no 
 part of the collection was mislaid or appropriated 
 by those who counted it. 
 
 Then, to make the matter doubly sure, the 
 preacher stood looking down upon them, watch 
 ing every move and keeping count of the dollars 
 as they were placed in separate piles. Frequent 
 ly he would whisper to one of the trustees; then 
 urge the people to " brung in de fives an' let de 
 sto' 'ouse be filled." 
 
 One after another, the congregation came for 
 ward and placed their money on the table. It 
 soon became apparent to those who were looking 
 on that if one expected to give five pennies he 
 would go up to the table five times. 
 
 Sending up their offering by one of the dea 
 cons, who had previously waited upon them to 
 know 'how much they were going to give,' the 
 visitors left the house. 
 
 No sooner were they outside the church than 
 the conversation, commenced at the table the 
 night before, was continued. 
 
 " Here," said Mr. Washington, " we have an 
 object lesson of the folly of the * prominent edu- 
 
250 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 cator's ' statement, that the negro preacher shall 
 not be educated above the people he preaches to." 
 
 " The man was either a fool, or else he was ca 
 tering to an audience of negro haters, and wished 
 to ingratiate himself in their favor, by opposing 
 negro education," one of the company said. 
 
 " Mr. Washington," asked one of the teachers, 
 " how can a minister like the one we have listened 
 to be expected to lift a congregation above him 
 self?" 
 
 " If the church is the center of negro life and 
 the minister is the leader, it is easy to judge of 
 the elevation of this people," answered Mr. Wash 
 ington. 
 
 " It is no wonder to me that there is such a 
 lack of sincerity, or that the religious life of so 
 many negroes does not correspond with their pro 
 fession. They go year after year without any 
 true religious instruction. Convinced that they 
 are the elect of God and will be saved, let them 
 do what they may." 
 
 " Then another bad influence that is going out 
 from a church like the one we have just visited," 
 continued Mr. Washington, " is the standard of 
 one member of the church, in the estimation of 
 another member, is not lessened, if he does step 
 aside from the right path." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 251 
 
 " As God's elect, they cannot shut themselves 
 out of heaven by sin, for once in God's hands 
 they are there to stay." 
 
 " Nuffin' kin kotch us outen 'is han's," as the 
 preacher said this morning. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 MARRIAGE OF ALEXANDER GIFFORD AND JUDY BUNDAY 
 
 Two years have passed since Alexander and 
 Judy went out from the University to humble, 
 patient ministrations in behalf of their race. 
 They have borne the cross of Christ, the best they 
 could. 
 
 Often their hearts have been pierced by the ha 
 tred and contempt of men, and yet they have 
 gone steadily forward, walking in Christ's steps. 
 
 It was the understanding when they left Lari 
 mer, that they would wait two years before they 
 were married, so they might be able to furnish a 
 comfortable home, one that would be a beacon 
 light in the settlement; showing what refinement 
 and education does for the home. They felt this 
 to be a part of their mission to their people. 
 
 Their home would necessarily be small and in 
 expensive, but it should be clean and adorned 
 with the many dainty things Judy had learned to 
 create with her own hands. This would naturally 
 
 252 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 253 
 
 teach the negro women the importance of rightly 
 employing their leisure moments. 
 
 During the last part of the winter Judy had 
 been very ill, with fever. In answer to a telegram, 
 Alexander hastened to her bedside, to find her 
 hovering between life and death. 
 
 " If I should leave you," she faintly whispered, 
 " do you think you can carry on the work that I 
 was to have helped you do ? Can you teach the 
 women how to live? " 
 
 " 1 have felt I could be particularly helpful to 
 the women of our race; and with the aid of my 
 Master I could give them a higher conception of 
 womanhood, for I feel the future of the negro de 
 pends upon the mothers. I was to teach them 
 to take a deeper interest in their children and 
 their homes." 
 
 "This was to have been my work. Do you 
 think you can carry it on for me ? Surely the 
 blessed Christ will be with you and help you. 
 His hand will lead you and his grace sustain you, 
 in doing for those who are most painfully jour 
 neying through the years of toil and prejudice." 
 
 Seeing the agony in his face and pitying him, 
 she said : 
 
 " If you could only look into my heart, you 
 would see that next to my blessed Master, you 
 
254 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 are on the throne. Together we were to have 
 walked among our people under the glorious light 
 of married love. I was to lean on your strong 
 arm. I fear this is not to be." 
 
 For a little time she lay silent. Alexander 
 stood by the bed unable to speak ! His was a 
 dumb grief ! He would have gathered her in his 
 arms and held her back from the jaws of death 
 if he could, but he was powerless to move. 
 
 Mastering her strength, she said: 
 
 " Remember, all is as he would have it, and we 
 are in his hands. If I go it will be well ; yes by 
 His grace, all will be well." 
 
 Closing her eyes as if the effort to speak had 
 been more than her strength would allow, she fell 
 into a deep sleep. For two days she was uncon 
 scious. During this time Alexander moved 
 about the house like one in a dream. He was 
 numb with grief. He tried to pray, but could 
 only say: 
 
 " Lord, behold she whom thou lovest is sick." 
 
 So the tide of life ebbed for days. On the 
 morning of the second day, Alexander turned to 
 the physician as he was about to leave the house, 
 and whispered: 
 
 " Do you think she'll live ? " 
 
 " There will be a change very soon," was the 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 255 
 
 only answer the physician made. Towards even 
 ing she became conscious, but so weak she could 
 only look her love and smile. A new spirit 
 seemed to take hold of Alexander. He wept 
 with passionate grief. He seemed to have lost 
 all control of himself, and was forced to keep out 
 of the sick-room. Slowly she came back to life. 
 How he rejoiced ! His prayers became a perfect 
 thanksgiving. 
 
 It was decided that she should go to her old 
 home, as soon as she was able to travel,, and re 
 main with deacon and Mrs. Manly till the last of 
 June, when they would be married. 
 
 During all the years of school life the Manlys 
 had followed Judy with their love and prayers, and 
 twice she had visited them. It seemed to Alex 
 ander and Judy, in talking the matter over that 
 their home, the home that opened to Judy when 
 she was left alone in the world, was the one from 
 which she should go to her own home. 
 
 Time passes quickly to those who have seen 
 years ; weeks seem days and years come and go 
 like months. Not so to eager youth when the 
 heart is young, as well as the body. When the 
 thoughts are glad and the eye looks not back 
 ward, but forward into a bright, joyous, hopeful 
 future. 
 
256 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 At last the day came for their wedding. The 
 marriage ceremony was short and simple, only 
 deacon Manly's family being present, and once 
 more Judy went out from the only place she had 
 looked upon as home, since her father died. 
 
 What did it matter to them that they were 
 black or that the world looked down upon them ? 
 They had each other and were happy. Each had 
 the gift of the one, the heart enthroned, and was 
 satisfied. 
 
 It had been arranged that they should go from 
 Hoopston, Ala., to Wilmington, Ga., where 
 Apollos Washington awaited their coming to be 
 joined in marriage to their classmate, Beatrice 
 Martin. Alexander was to perform the ceremony. 
 
 The journey to Wilmington was a delightful 
 one. The inconveniences of the Jim Crow Car 
 were not minded. They had their plans to talk 
 all over again, and then the prospect of renewing 
 old friendships, made them look eagerly forward 
 to the end of the journey. 
 
 Apollos and Beatrice were at the station wait 
 ing for them. A few hours later they were mar 
 ried, and then the four sat down together to talk 
 of their work. It will be interesting to the read 
 er to learn that Apollos had become a practical 
 Christian. Little by little his thoughts of life 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 257 
 
 had changed, and God had become more and 
 more to him. It was like the dawn of a new day, 
 growing brighter and brighter till clearly and ful 
 ly the light of the Gospel shone into his heart. 
 
 He could hardly tell how his affections became 
 changed, or when the light came to him. This 
 one thing he knew, " whereas he was once blind 
 now he saw." 
 
 He no longer thought of the law with a view 
 of fighting his people's wrongs ; he had become 
 a preacher of righteousness, fighting against sin 
 with all the powers of tongue and pen. 
 
 As the four sat together, Alexander turned to 
 Apollos and said : 
 
 " This night crowns and compensates for all 
 the sorrows and disappointments of our lives, 
 We have each other and the wives of our choice." 
 
 " Best of all God is with us. I tell you Apol 
 los, I would rather stand as we do tonight, feel 
 ing that we have the approval of God. than to be 
 white and the owner of millions of gold and 
 know not God." 
 
 The few days they spent together were filled 
 with visits to different points of interest in the 
 city, and the strengthening of old ties; then the 
 friends separated, each going to his special field 
 of labor. 
 
258 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 The journey home was soon ended, and life 
 with both of them began to take a new form. 
 Alexander had built a new log cabin with four 
 rooms. Little by little he had added different 
 pieces of furniture till the house offered more 
 conveniences and comforts than are generally 
 found in the negro cabin. These, with fancy ar 
 ticles, made by Judy's hands, needful table wear, 
 pictures, and her father's books, saved from the 
 old home, made the cabin look most inviting. 
 
 A'nt Car'line was childish in her delight. 
 
 " I nebber see'd such t'ings befo'. Des ter see 
 mah Vi'let's boy livin' in sich 'f in'ment ! Dat chile, 
 Judy, hab done mek mo' t'ings dan I ebber hern 
 er bout. I raiken da's like w'ite f'oks ! " 
 
 The people were not so ready to rejoice in the 
 adornment of the parsonage. 
 
 " Hab y'u see'd de fin' t'ings at de Eldah's ? " 
 asked one sister of another. " Da's des bondacious. 
 Dar's pictahs all golded ober, an' den da eats wid 
 silber fo'ks an' 'nives. I clar ter grashus hit mos' 
 took mah bref w'en I see'd urn." 
 
 " I don memberlec no sich t'ings in a niggah 
 preachah's 'ouse befo'. P'overdunce won' bress 
 no sich doins ! I'd keep mah gal in ignuance, 
 befo' I'd let 'er sho sich boudacious proudness," 
 answered the other good sister. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 259 
 
 " Y'u am tellin de troof, Sis' Ma-anner, de 
 Lawd done say, ter ' be not onekled jined terged- 
 dah.' W'y doan Car'line 'monstate wid er ? I 
 'clar sis' Car'line des all wrop up in er. An' den 
 de Eldah war momstas proud w'en 'e interduced 
 'er," said sis' Minty SmifL " I doan t'ink she 
 hab a berry good speuance. We otter hab a 
 'oman ter lead us. I 'clar Sis' Ma-anner Fs des 
 gwine 'ome an' tek 'er to de frone o' grace." 
 
 " Minty Smiff, you am tellin de fatal truif . She 
 des otter be de befo'mos' mem'er in de chu'ch," 
 said Sis Ma-anner. 
 
 Before the end of the week nearly every negro 
 woman in town had called on " Eldah Gilford's 
 new 'oman." They were anxious to see the won 
 derful things in the parsonage, for an exaggerated 
 account had gone out of Judy's extravagance and 
 pride. 
 
 The next Sunday morning the church was 
 packed, for many people from other churches 
 were present for the first time. Judy, all uncon 
 scious of the things said about her, followed her 
 husband down the aisle and was seated on the 
 front seat in the church. 
 
 One woman whispered to another and said : 
 
 " I feels most 'suited to hab dat 'oman ober 
 ma. 'Ows 'er gwine ter brung sinnahs inter de 
 
260 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 fol', an' he'p de chu'ch ? 'Ows 'er gwinter h'ep us 
 wid er prahs ? Pen on hit, de Eldah's done 
 th'ood 'ise'f away." 
 
 There was not the usual attention paid to the 
 sermon that morning, for the women forgot to 
 listen, and watched every movement the preach 
 er's wife made. 
 
 Judy's rich contralto, with Milly's clear sopra 
 no, attracted the attention of the congregation at 
 once. As Judy's strong, rich voice fell upon the 
 ears of the music-loving people, the men's hearts 
 softened toward her, and a number of them said : 
 " Bress de Lawd." The women could not forget 
 her " 'fmement and goldid pictuahs." 
 
 At the close of his sermon Alexander called 
 upon his wife to pray, which she did in a deeply 
 spiritual manner. There were tearful eyes and 
 hearty responses during the prayer. People for 
 got her home was different from their squalid 
 cabins. They only thought of the rich blessing 
 she was asking God to give them. 
 
 She asked for herself wisdom to be a right 
 leader among the people. That she might go 
 among them as God's messenger, humble and 
 Christ-like, always manifesting the true spirit of 
 Him who had promised to be her strength and 
 support. There were tears in every word of her 
 prayer, and the people felt them. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 261 
 
 Her husband could not have taken a better way 
 to bring her in touch with the people, and when 
 the services were over the general feeling had 
 changed towards her. 
 
 It is surprising how people will talk one way 
 one day, and the next entirely different. Sis' 
 Minty Smiff was spending a few moments with 
 her dear friend Ma-anner Jonsing, the next day. 
 She had run in to talk over the services of the 
 previous Sabbath, and swap news. She made 
 these visits several times each day, Ma-anner 
 promptly returned them. 
 
 " I 'clar Ma-anner hit am des orfil de way dem 
 pussons dat go to Zoah Chu'ch am er talkin' 'bout 
 Sis' Gifford. Hit des mek ma mad ! Da say 
 'ers walkin' in proudness, dat 'er war's a red 
 wropper mawnin's ! I done tol' Unc' Pete it am 
 des imperdent. Da hain' no 'casion to open dar 
 moufs 'bout our preachah's 'oman." 
 
 " Dats so Sis' Minty, da's preconscious da hain' 
 nuffin lak 'er. Eldah Gifford done tol' ma 'issef 
 'er am 'er 'markable 'oman. An' 'e don tol' Car- 
 leener Goodwin, dat ers wouf mo'n esse'f to de 
 chu'ch." 
 
 The tide had turned. Judy had begun to win 
 her way into the hearts of the people. Step by 
 step she gained an influence over their lives. 
 
262 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Hers was the leaven that in time would leaven the 
 lump of superstition, ignorance and shiftlessness 
 in many a cabin. - 
 
 No sacrifice was too great, if a heart could be 
 won, or a life made better. She taught the chil 
 dren to sing, to make garments for their little 
 home-made dolls. She opened a Kindergarten 
 for the small children, where they could be kept, 
 instead of rolling in the dirt, or quarreling among 
 themselves, while their mothers worked in the 
 fields. Of a truth, she had given herself to her 
 husband's people. 
 
 He, in no wise behind her, was seeking to aid 
 the older children who were under his instruction, 
 and the parents as he came in contact with them 
 on the Sabbath. 
 
 They realized it was not a work to be accom 
 plished in a few months. It would require gen 
 erations. They could not expect to lay more 
 than the foundations of character, in the minds 
 of the children ; and generations to come others 
 would see the buildings of characters completed. 
 They hoped to reach individuals and bring them 
 out of their lethargy and degradation. These, in 
 turn, would rouse others to follow them. Thus 
 one becoming the inspiration to move another, 
 the latter reaching out after the third man. 
 
OR VILET S BOY 263 
 
 They had a living example of such work in 
 their midst. Tobe Washburn, the once indolent, 
 lazy young man, who as A'nt Car'line said : 
 
 " War des butterflyin' 'round," had become an 
 active Christian and business man. Tuskegee 
 Industrial School had an example of her practical 
 work, in him. 
 
 Disappointments did not discourage them. 
 That some, who bid fair to change their habits, 
 went back to their old shiftless ways, did not 
 dampen their zeal. They well knew that the ne 
 gro did not realize how far-reaching were his acts, 
 or that he was responsible for much of the dis 
 trust and prejudice that exists in the South, 
 toward him. 
 
 Of all happy women, A'nt Car'line was the 
 happiest. " Vi'let's boy," in her estimation, stood 
 above all other negroes in the world. 
 
 His knowledge, his ability to do, was wonder 
 ful to her. When he preached her cup of hap 
 piness run over. 
 
 When Alexander was called to Judy's bedside, 
 A'nt Car'line said to him : 
 
 " Honey doan y'u gib up. Gawd ain' gwinter 
 tek Judy till 'er wuk am done. 'E ain' gwinter 
 tek 'er now, caz I done azed 'im, an' 'e's gimme 
 de eb'dence," and when Alexander returned to 
 
264 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 his home, from her bedside, she met him at the 
 door and said : 
 
 " I done tol' y'u so ! I done toP y'u de Lawd's 
 gwinter gib 'er back to y'u, an' 'e's done gone an' 
 done hit, bress 'is name." 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE IMPROVEMENT CLUB 
 
 Alexander and Apollos Washington, when last 
 together had discussed the advantages that would 
 come from the organization of an Improvement 
 Club. 
 
 They had both felt the need of some such 
 agency. The negroes should be taught business 
 habits. How to plant, and how to buy and sell, 
 to gain the best results. For they well knew 
 that the negro had no practical knowledge of the 
 value of an article, and was often cheated by un 
 principled men. 
 
 They were to be taught the laws that govern 
 their bodies, and how to keep them clean and 
 healthy ; the evils of intemperance and tobacco ; 
 and to feel their responsibility to God, to their 
 neighbors and to their own souls. 
 
 They would teach them the value of home life, 
 how its influence tells in the character of their 
 children. They would rouse the parents to see 
 the importance of educating their children ; 
 
 265 
 
266 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 teaching them that though their own opportuni 
 ties for an education were gone, their children's 
 were to come. They would seek to convince 
 them of the greatness of youth, and the respon 
 sibilities that awaited the educated young men 
 and women. 
 
 The children were to be taught obedience to 
 parents, to the laws of the land, and the necessi 
 ty of forming steady habits, and saving their 
 money. 
 
 They would teach social purity, the respect due 
 womanhood and girlhood ; that "whatever or 
 whoever injures the home, or the character of 
 woman, is an enemy to the race, and should be 
 treated as such ; " that the marriage vow should 
 be kept sacredly; that uncleanness is a crime 
 against God and the whole community ; that the 
 woman is not to bear the shame and disgrace of 
 wrong doing alone, that the man is equally guilty, 
 and should be made to feel the stigma attached 
 to his sin. 
 
 They would have the colored people " respect 
 themselves, which no man can do unless he is 
 morally right. To be content to be black. Seek 
 ing only to be good black men." 
 
 They would teach them that religion means 
 more than profession or emotion, baptism or 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 267 
 
 church membership. That it is a life, a living 
 power in the soul and so influencing the charac 
 ter, that if a man had been a thief before he be 
 came a Christian he would steal no more ; if he 
 had been a liar he would tell no more lies ; if he 
 were a drunkard he would give up his drink ; if 
 he were an unclean man he would live a pure, 
 true life in the sight of God and man. 
 
 The two men had laid out their work along 
 these lines. Apollos urged that the ignorant ne 
 gro had no real mind power ; that because of his 
 ignorance he lacked the power of resistance and 
 became the victim of every contending tide. 
 
 In all their planning they showed the value of 
 their University training as well as a deep ear 
 nestness for the individual and social betterment 
 of the negro. They felt that by reason of their 
 sympathy and parallel experience, they must be 
 the most effective helpers of their own race. 
 
 When they separated at the station in Wil 
 mington, Apollos said, as he bid Alexander and 
 Judy good-bye : 
 
 " I am going home, and if possible meet the 
 personal necessities of those who live about me 
 the everyday requirements of my people ; and to 
 be more earnest in my efforts to convince them 
 that a Christian education opens the way to a 
 better life and a nobler condition." 
 
268 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " It is easy to preach love and talk about the 
 brotherhood of man. I am not going to tell them 
 I love them, I am going to live it before them and 
 convince them by my life among them that I love 
 them." 
 
 They also planned to gather the men, who 
 could not read or write, into an evening school, 
 and teach them, so they might meet the educa 
 tional requirements for citizenship. 
 
 No sooner did Alexander reach home than he 
 began to talk about his " Improvement Club " as 
 a coming fact. Tobe Washburn took hold of the 
 club heart and soul, as did many others, while an 
 other class opposed it on the ground of attempt 
 ing to take matters out of " Gawd's han's." They 
 urged that education was all wrong ! That they 
 had no right to plan about the affairs of this life, 
 for God told them to " tek no fou't o' de Mor- 
 
 ror." 
 
 Those who opposed it were either members of 
 the Hard Shell Baptist Church, or men whose 
 lives were so inconsistent that they felt the club 
 was against their habits. Its teachings and re 
 quirements were a constant rebuke to their man 
 ner of life. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy and others like-minded, soon 
 began to talk about the organization. The 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 269 
 
 " croppers " showed the influence of the club over 
 them, for they were asserting their rights. 
 
 They declared the interest charged for goods 
 sold in advance of the crop raised was too great. 
 
 Two or three times Mr. de Goochy, with oth 
 ers, had talked over the doings of the club in the 
 saloon attached to the Planters' House. They 
 urged that Gifford was a " dangerous nigger to 
 have around" and that some means should be 
 adopted to stop his influence among the croppers. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy was careful not to say he hated 
 the preacher because of his utterances on " social 
 purity." That he felt that the negroes were be 
 ing taught to despise him because of his relations 
 with his housekeeper. He meaningly sought to 
 encourage every ill feeling against the preacher, 
 whether it be found among the white or black 
 people. 
 
 One day Judy said to her husband : 
 
 " I am going to organize an Auxiliary to your 
 " Improvement Club." The men must not have 
 all the instruction and help; I am going to teach 
 the women how to economize in their cooking 
 and to make the most of their small allowance ; 
 how to make and mend their clothes and keep 
 their cabins clean." 
 
 " They ought to cultivate the little ground 
 
270 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 about their homes, raise some chickens and thus 
 employ their time to some advantage. I would 
 have them feel there are other things for them to 
 do besides washing, ironing, scrubbing and cook 
 ing. It is a shame and disgrace for them to spend 
 so much idle time, going with empty hands from 
 cabin to cabin, exchanging bits of gossip, or 
 lounging in the shade." 
 
 " I have no one to help carry on my club 
 as you have. Mr. Washburn is a host in him 
 self. Your grandmother did a great thing for 
 him when she induced him to attend the Tuske- 
 gee Industrial School. She little thought then 
 he would become a living testimony of Christian 
 ity in action." 
 
 " I shall choose my officers from the members 
 of the club and teach them how to carry on a 
 meeting. I shall have them bring their mending 
 with them, and give them instruction in darning 
 and patching.*' 
 
 The women took hold of the club with great 
 enthusiasm. After electing their officers they 
 voted to meet three afternoons each week. 
 
 It was amusing to see the dignity assumed by 
 the president. Her particular chair was of more 
 importance than all other chairs in the room. In 
 fact, the vice-president longed to fill it, and 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 271 
 
 watched for an opportunity to slip into the seat. 
 Each day she came long before the time for the 
 meeting to begin, thinking the president might be 
 late and she could get the chair. 
 
 One day Judy asked the president to make a 
 statement about a matter under consideration. 
 She attempted to do so, sitting. Being told it 
 was the proper thing for her to stand when she 
 was addressing the meeting, she said : 
 
 " I dar'sant, her'll git mah cha'r." 
 
 Being urged to make her statement correctly, 
 she rose, keeping as near the chair as possible, 
 and ready to drop into it as soon as she was 
 through with her statement. But this was not to 
 be, for the vice-president, though a very fleshy 
 woman, crowded into the chair and held it in spite 
 of everything that could be said, to the end of 
 the meeting, saying : 
 
 " Wen de presingdent am not in de cha'r, de 
 vice-presingdent am ter set dar, an' Fs gwinter do 
 hit." 
 
 This club was called by the negroes, the 
 " Women's Exhillary Club." 
 
 One day the name of a woman was proposed 
 for membership, who had not been on friendly 
 terms with several of the members of the club. 
 They had quarreled over the disagreement of 
 their children. 
 
272 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 The discussion was earnest and positive on 
 both sides, but through Judy's wise counsels, was 
 settled pleasantly. Then Judy said, " I guess we 
 are now ready to take action." 
 
 The president hesitated, not quite understand 
 ing what she was expected to say or do, when the 
 vice-president to show her superior ability poked 
 her with her elbow and said : 
 
 " W'y doan y'u move ?" 
 
 The president thus urged, said: 
 
 "Wall I raiken y'u mout move," which they did 
 by raising their right hands and the woman be 
 came a member of the club, the president declar 
 ing the vote thus : 
 
 " Bulah Sim'son am rece'bed inter de 'omans 
 Exhillary Club o' Barneyville." 
 
 The influence of these meetings was soon seen 
 and felt in the effort to keep down home expen 
 ses. Clothes were mended and clean, the cabins 
 whitewashed, and the yards well kept and planted. 
 
 Another evil had been touched with no light 
 hand. There were too many negroes who disre. 
 garded the laws of chastity and marriage. Men 
 and women had lived together as long as it 
 pleased them, and then changed partners and 
 were living in the same neighborhood. This evil 
 must be corrected. It must be made so disgrace- 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 273 
 
 ful, so sinful, that people thus living would be 
 looked down upon with scorn. 
 
 No such were to be received into either club. 
 Then the white men whose relation with negro 
 women had been winked at for years, were to be 
 considered equally guilty with the negroes. 
 
 I have already hinted that Mr. de Goochy was 
 roused to indignation because of the pronounced 
 sentiment against his life and conduct. At the 
 same time he was too sharp to make this senti 
 ment the reason of his dislike for Alexander Gif- 
 ford and his wife. He would put it on the line 
 of interference with his business methods ; claim 
 ing that they were setting the niggers against the 
 best interests of those who employed them, as 
 well as the interests of those who wished to keep 
 the negro in ignorance. 
 
 Hearing that the Hard Shell Baptists were 
 dissatisfied because some of their members had 
 joined the club and were attending the evening 
 school, he carefully sowed seeds of dislike for the 
 preacher and his wife. He urged the members 
 to take the matter into their own hands and drive 
 them out of town. In fact, he promised to give 
 them every needful aid, for he assured them that 
 Gifford and his wife were "dangerous people," 
 doing great harm to " God's elect." 
 
274 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 This had the effect of creating a more bitter 
 feeling towards them and all who thought as they 
 did. If those who were the active workers in 
 the club knew anything of the ill-feeling of de 
 Goochy, or the bitter hatred he was encouraging 
 the members of the Hard Shell Baptists to hold 
 towards the minister, it made no difference with 
 their teaching, or effort to rouse the negroes to 
 lead better lives and to be pronounced in their 
 sentiments against wrong of every kind. 
 
 Not only had the club grown, but the church 
 and school had steadily increased in power and 
 influence. Students had come from remote 
 neighborhoods, and were in large numbers attend 
 ing the school. 
 
 Milly, under Judy's tuition, was developing in 
 to a girl of womanly attainments. In the two 
 years she had received instruction from Mrs. 
 Gifford, her voice had become more flexible and 
 under good control. 
 
 In the fall she expected to go to Larimer and 
 continue her musical education. For some time 
 she had been practicing for the exhibition to be 
 held in the church, at the close of the spring 
 term. 
 
 When the evening came every seat was filled 
 with the parents and friends of the scholars. In 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 275 
 
 the back part of the house a few white young 
 men stood together, curious to see what the " nig 
 gers would do." Among the number was Abner 
 Gleason, Jr. He had grown to be a fine looking 
 young man, tall, straight and dark. 
 
 As the exercises advanced, he said, turning to 
 his companions who had thus far given little at 
 tention to the recitations, essays and songs: 
 
 " Where is the beauty you told me about ? You 
 said if I would come here you would show me 
 the handsomest nigger in Georgia." 
 
 Hardly were the words out of his mouth when 
 Milly came forward to sing. She was simply 
 dressed in white muslin. Excitement gave a tinge 
 of color to her cheeks, and as she stood before the 
 people, she was strikingly beautiful. The white 
 young men in the back part of the house were 
 now all attention. 
 
 She held the audience spell-bound as her girlish 
 voice rang through the church, for her tones were 
 clear, round and full. 
 
 She soon forgot where she was, and poured 
 forth her voice Unconscious of its power. The 
 best of it all was, she had no idea of the effect it 
 had on her hearers ; and when the last note, as 
 clear as a bell, rang through the church, there was 
 deafening applause. 
 
276 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 The young men gazed at each other in aston 
 ishment. It was no question of false sentiment 
 with them. The exquisite notes thrilled in every 
 nerve and they joined heartily in the encore. The 
 second song was sweeter than the first. Her voice 
 swayed her audience with its soul-thrilling vibra 
 tions. There was no break in the compass, for 
 every note was full and true from the lowest to 
 the highest. 
 
 As she retired from the platform one of the 
 white men turned to Gleason and said : 
 
 " What a pity such a voice and face should be 
 long to a nigger." 
 
 " I tell you she would shine if she were only a 
 white girl," said another of the young men as they 
 turned to leave the house. 
 
 " Who is she and where have they kept her out 
 of sight ? I never heard of her before," said 
 Gleason. 
 
 " Do you know all of the white niggers about 
 here ? " asked one of his companions. One thing 
 is evident, she has had her voice carefully trained. 
 I would not mind hearing her sing again." 
 
 " I am going too," was Gleason's emphatic an 
 swer. 
 
 " How are you going to do it ? Will you call 
 upon her at her summer residence and send in 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 277 
 
 your card, telling her you are the only son of the 
 Hon. Abner Gleason, and ask her to favor you 
 with another choice selection," sarcastically asked 
 Henry de Pelchin. 
 
 " Not by a d d sight," laughed John Sanders. 
 " That nigger teacher and preacher is not the kind 
 of a man to have such fellows as we are among 
 his lambs. I've heard about him. He knows and 
 talks altogether too much for a nigger." 
 
 " How are you going to hear her sing if you 
 cannot call upon her?" inquired de Pelchin. 
 
 " Any of these niggers will help me. I'll tell 
 them how much I admire her voice, that it ought 
 to be cultivated, and that I, in fact, will furnish 
 the money to send her to some good Conservatory 
 of Music." 
 
 " And you that know me understand that I am 
 just the fellow to educate the nigger," Gleason 
 said with a laugh and a wink. 
 
 " Of course I'll do it ! I'll send her to the best 
 school in New York City at my own expense. 
 That'll fetch them. They'll any of them fall into 
 my trap and help me." 
 
 " But supposing de Pelchin or I should wish to 
 know her," said Saunders. " What are you going 
 to do about that ? " 
 
 " Hands off, gentlemen ; this is my game and 
 
278 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 I'll tend to it or my name is not Abner Gleason, 
 Jr." 
 
 Thus the young men talked as they went down 
 the street toward the Planters' Hotel, where they 
 met de Goochy and laughed over the experience 
 of the evening. 
 
 It had been arranged that Alexander and Judy 
 were to go East and attend a summer school, 
 while Milly should go into the family of one of 
 the leading business men in Barneyville and care 
 for an infant child. In this way she could earn 
 something towards her expenses in the fall. Day 
 after day you would see her pushing the child's 
 carriage about the streets, or resting in the shade 
 while the child slept. 
 
 Daily young Gleason stopped as he passed to 
 admire and praise the beauty of the sleeping child. 
 Turning to Milly one day, he said : 
 
 " I heard you sing the other evening at the 
 church. You are a born artist. If you were to 
 study for two years at some good school you 
 could make your fortune with your voice as a 
 concert singer." 
 
 Milly told him of her plan to enter Larimer 
 University in the fall. 
 
 " That is not the place for you," urged Gleason, 
 " you should go to New York City, where you 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 279 
 
 can have the best of advantages. I've heard 
 hosts of singers, good ones too, but I never heard 
 a voice like yours." 
 
 Milly told him she could not, for a moment, 
 think of going to New York City, for the expense 
 would be too great. Perhaps after a few years at 
 Larimer she might do it. She could then sing 
 and pay her way. 
 
 " You do not have to wait two years. I will 
 give you the money and feel I am doing the world 
 a favor in doing it. Or still better, I know a man 
 who runs a Music Hall who will hire you to sing 
 and pay you enough to meet all your expenses at 
 a first class Conservatory of Music." 
 
 Abner Gleason, Jr., was a handsome man. His 
 hair was black, wavy and luxurious. He had a 
 broad white forehead, a well kept mustache, small 
 hands and a fine figure. Day after day he sought 
 her company. Fragment by fragment her heart 
 went out to him till she became his, body and 
 soul. 
 
 When Alexander returned in the fall, Milly 
 was gone, no one knew where. He soon learned 
 that she had been seen in the company of young 
 Abner Gleason, Jr., and that he had gone to New 
 York City to finish his medical studies. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 MR. DE GOOCHY SEEKS TO ROUSE THE NEGROES TO 
 LYNCH THE PREACHER 
 
 It was a dreary day outside, one of those blus 
 tering days in winter, when instead of snowing 
 the rain had been falling since early morning. 
 At dark the rain stopped, but the wind continued 
 to blow and the cold to increase, and by nine 
 o'clock the ground had begun to harden. It had 
 been a day calculated to give one, who is confined 
 to the house, the blues. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy had gone to the village as soon 
 as he had his tea, and with the loungers was seat 
 ed in the saloon of the Planters' House. He 
 dressed in the manner of a man of slang and vice, 
 and when drunk, which was now an every day 
 occurence, was disposed to be noisy, vulgar and 
 profane. 
 
 To-night he had been drinking more than 
 usual, and was disposed to be ugly. Then to add 
 to his ill-feelings, several young men who loafed 
 at the saloon and drank at his expense, had been 
 
 280 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 281 
 
 telling him what the nigger preacher said about 
 " Social Purity" and de Goochy in particular. 
 They liked to do this to hear him rave. They 
 told him things that were never said, then laughed 
 when he swore and threatened the nigger. 
 
 When he left the hotel for home, he was not 
 simply drunk ; he was in a fearful frenzy, border 
 ing on delirium tremens. As he came in sight of 
 his own house, the light was burning brightly on 
 the center table, and a brisk fire blazed on the 
 hearth. 
 
 Signs calculated to cheer most men when they 
 are out in the cold and darkness of night, but not 
 so de Goochy. 
 
 A woman with a slightly tinged skin, gray hair 
 and large black eyes, had been sitting alone before 
 the fire. Hearing the sound of wheels on the 
 gravelled driveway, she hurried to the window 
 and looked out into the night. 
 
 Where had she, a negro, acquired her stately 
 tread, her erect figure and regal features ? Going 
 back to the fire she waited for de Goochy to come 
 in. Not a line of her face altered, as he entered 
 the door, neither was there a word of welcome 
 from her lips. She just sat and looked at him. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy had not been of late years any 
 too kind to this woman who had been his slave, 
 body and soul, for more than thirty-five years. 
 
282 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 He had bought her in a slave market in New 
 Orleans just before the war. Bought her because 
 of her beauty, to become the mistress of his 
 house. 
 
 She had grown up in a small village in Penn 
 sylvania, near the Maryland line, supposing herself 
 to be a free negro. Her father, a large planter in 
 Lousiana, had sent her mother and two children 
 to this place, where he bought them a comfortable 
 home, and from year to year, provided for their 
 wants. 
 
 Leaving the public school, she commenced the 
 study of music, and showing so much ability, her 
 mother gave her every advantage the town offered. 
 There were few more accomplished young ladies 
 than Anna Gracy. Her sister had died soon after 
 the family had moved to Pennsylvania. 
 
 When she was nineteen a terrible evil came to 
 her mother and herself. Her father died, and 
 never having been married, his brother, an unprin 
 cipled man became his heir. Finding that his 
 brother had neglected to have free papers made 
 out for this family, he put an officer on the hunt 
 for them, and had them brought to New Orleans, 
 where the mother and daugther were sold. 
 
 Mr. de Goochy, then a comparatively young 
 man, purchased Anna. For a time he showed 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 283 
 
 her every attention. He lavished costly presents 
 upon her, and completely won her confidence and 
 love. 
 
 This state of things lasted for some time after 
 the war. Later, age and drink changed his atti 
 tude towards her, and for some time he had been 
 bitter and abusive, heaping upon her all his ill 
 feelings. 
 
 Once she had loved him with all her soul, now 
 she loathed him and longed for a way of escape 
 from his hateful presence and power ; and yet 
 knew not where to go or what to do. 
 
 To please him she had long ago given up all 
 association with her own people, and the white 
 families, of course, had nothing to do with her. 
 
 Now and then she attended a church service 
 when he was away from home, or an entertain 
 ment gotten up by the negro school. Otherwise 
 she was alone. When left to herself she had 
 found her only comfort in reading. 
 
 Years before there had been born to them a 
 daughter, which he told her had lived but a few 
 days and then died. When it was first placed in 
 her arms, she had looked upon it with a mother's 
 love and said to the old auntie who was nursing 
 her, and who had been de Goochy's mammy when 
 he was a child : 
 
284 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Call her Milly, A'nt Juliet, after my mother 
 and sister." 
 
 And then the child was taken away from her 
 to be cared for by A'nt Juliet, for Mr. de Goo- 
 chy could not be compromised by having the 
 child in the house. Later, when he told her the 
 child was dead, she believed him, and wept bitter 
 ly for her babe. 
 
 Months after, when sick almost to death, she 
 would rave about her baby. Looking at him 
 with eyes full of despair, she would ask : 
 
 " Did you say she is dead ? I don't believe it ! 
 If she is dead why don't A'nt Juliet come and 
 tell me where she buried her ? " 
 
 She would plead with de Goochy to let her 
 have her baby ! To be kind to her ! Then for 
 days she would seem to be looking for something 
 she could not find, all the time whispering to her 
 self: 
 
 " Call her Milly, A'nt Juliet. Call her Milly 
 because she's my baby." 
 
 Slowly she came to life and clearness of mind. 
 Once more she took up her duties in de Goochy's 
 house, but her cheerfulness was gone forever. 
 
 One day de Goochy, in a fit of passion, told her 
 her child was alive. That he had placed her 
 where she would never see or hear from her. And 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 285 
 
 after that he would use it as a lash to goad her 
 and then laugh at her anguish, for he knew noth 
 ing of pity. 
 
 Often she had gone down on her knees before 
 him only to be spurned with his foot and cursed. 
 
 She had appealed to his better feelings, telling 
 him the child was his as well as hers, that he 
 owed something to her for she was his own flesh 
 and blood. 
 
 She had promised him she would take the 
 child and go away where they would never trouble 
 him, but he would not tell her. He seemed to 
 take delight in torturing her. 
 
 He had never sympathized with the negroes or 
 thought of their comfort. Their bodies and souls 
 since they were free were of less concern to him 
 than the bodies of his horses, for these represent 
 ed dollars and cents. 
 
 All he wanted was to get out of them all he 
 could, and when his own profit stood in the way 
 of their comfort, his interests must be considered 
 first, if it cost the life of the black man. 
 
 It was for his comfort to have " Anna " remain 
 and keep his house, though he had long ceased to 
 care for her. She knew just how he wanted his 
 work done, and what food he especially liked and 
 how to prepare it for him. 
 
286 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Then he did not have to pay her for her ser 
 vices, for she had no other home, and the negroes 
 hated her for the old arrogance and pride she used 
 to manifest towards them in the days when she 
 was well dressed, and rejoiced in the thought that 
 she was mistress of the " big house." 
 
 For the past few months things had been get 
 ting rather mixed in his mind. He had drank as 
 never before, and the more he drank the more 
 quarrelsome he became. He talked constantly of 
 the interference of the " nigger preacher." 
 
 The state had taken the franchise from the 
 " niggers" ; now he was holding night schools and 
 trying to help them to meet the requirements of 
 the law, and have the franchise restored. 
 
 He claimed the preacher interfered with his 
 " croppers." He taught them that ignorance 
 made them the slaves to the white race, and that 
 the " niggers " believed him, and already the ban 
 dages were falling from some of their eyes. 
 
 Then he had, by his teachings, made him a 
 laughing stock in Barneyville. Even the 
 " niggers " despised him. 
 
 Failing to arouse the white people he met at 
 the saloon against the "Nigger," and in that way 
 secure revenge, he had daily grown more and 
 more morose, till his anger had burst forth in all 
 its fury toward his housekeeper. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 287 
 
 Giving the reins to a negro who had waited for 
 him to return, he rushed noisily into the house, 
 screaming and cursing as he went Seeing Anna 
 sitting by the fire, he called her every name his 
 muddled brain could conceive, and again told her 
 of the existence of her child, whose face he swore, 
 she was never to look upon. 
 
 Roused beyond fear, she stood before him and 
 gave him curse for curse. A savage cry burst 
 from his lips as he sprang upon her and grasped 
 her by the throat. She made no outcry. The 
 two struggled for a few moments in deadly si 
 lence, but it was only for a few moments. Throw 
 ing her from him, he ordered her to leave the 
 house. 
 
 Fearlessly she faced him again, her black eyes 
 blazing. Speaking with concentrated bitterness, 
 she said : 
 
 " Would you commit murder ? I need not ask 
 such a question, you have done that already ! 
 You tell me my child is alive. I do not believe 
 it ! You killed her ! 
 
 Folding her arms she added : 
 
 " You can kill me if you wish. You made me 
 what I am, an object of scorn and reproach 
 among my own race. I have drunk the last dregs 
 of sorrow ! Drunk till there is nothing left in 
 the glass ! Now kill me if you wish ! " 
 
288 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Are you one whit better than I ? It is true 
 you have a few more drops of white blood in your 
 veins. Does that make you any better ? " 
 
 Wishing to torture her all he could, he hissed : 
 
 " Your nigger brat that you make such a fuss 
 about is alive and a shameful thing like yourself. 
 You have seen her for she lived in the d d nig 
 ger preacher's family, till last summer, when she 
 ran away to New York with a white man." 
 
 " As for this preacher that is doing so much 
 talking, we are going to make this town too un 
 healthy for him to remain in much longer. He 
 will find his way out of Barneyville at the end of 
 a rope fastened around his neck, and the other 
 over the limb of a tree, before many weeks." 
 
 Staggering from the room, he sought his own 
 chamber where he soon fell into a drunken sleep. 
 Left alone, Anna sat down heavily before the fire, 
 and looked straight before her with unseeing 
 eyes. Not a sound escaped her compressed lips. 
 
 The storm without had been increasing for 
 some time and now the wind howled around the 
 house and rattled the doors and blinds, and yet 
 she heard nothing of the storm, for a fiercer one 
 raged in her bosom. 
 
 Rising to her feet she paced the floor like a 
 caged hyena. " Milly alive, and lived so near me 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 289 
 
 and I did not know her ? " she moaned. Then 
 her face softened as she thought of the beautiful 
 girl dressed in white, who sang so sweetly the 
 night of the exhibition. 
 
 Then Mr. de Goochy's words came to her : 
 " Your daughter is a shameful thing like your 
 self," and the old, hard, cold and pitiless look came 
 into her face. 
 
 She knew, as did all the negroes in Barneyville, 
 that young Abner Gleason, Jr. was the cause of 
 her ruin. Remembering this she swore a terrible 
 oath that she would be revenged, not only for her 
 own wrongs heaped upon her by the father of her 
 child, but Dr. Abner Gleason should feel a moth 
 er's vengeance. 
 
 " A shameful thing like yourself," she repeated 
 over and over again. 
 
 " Who made me the shameful thing I am, I 
 would like to know ? " Then as if a new thought 
 had entered her mind, she said : 
 
 " Going to lynch him are they ? He was kind 
 to Milly and gave her a home when no other 
 home was open to her. He educated her and 
 sought to make her life as beautiful as her face, 
 and that man enticed the poor child away." 
 Here her feelings overcame her and she wept 
 bitterly. After a few moments she controlled 
 
ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 herself while a determined look came into her 
 face. 
 
 " He was good to Milly and loved her. I'll 
 prevent the lynching! I'll watch and find out 
 their plans," she continued as she extinguished 
 the light. Then going to the window she 
 crouched down and peered out into the darkness, 
 with eyes that had that piercing look seen only 
 in the eyes of the overtaxed and despairing. Her 
 lips were tight, her thin nostrils quivered; she 
 breathed hard and her bosom heaved. Hers was 
 a face full of hate. 
 
 Thus she sat during the greater part of the 
 night, brooding over her wrongs and forming 
 plans to prevent harm to the Rev. Alexander 
 Gifford. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 MILLY BROWN'S RETURN TO BARNEYVILLE, 
 AND DEATH 
 
 April with its warmth and beauty was just 
 opening when Alexander returned from the Post 
 Office with a letter from Milly. It was written 
 from New York City, and told a story of sin, ruin 
 and desolation. 
 
 " I write to tell you of my ruin and shame. 
 When you left for the East I looked forward to 
 your return with the greatest anxiety, for I was to 
 go to Larimer University and fit myself for use 
 fulness." 
 
 " Soon after you went away Dr. Abner Glea- 
 son, Jr., met me. He praised my voice, my face 
 and figure, and painted the brightest future for 
 me and promised to help me. He was so kind 
 and thoughtful of my interest, that I learned to 
 love him." 
 
 " He urged me to go with him to New York 
 where I should have every advantage in a first 
 class Conservatory of Music, and when I proposed 
 
 391 
 
ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 to write you and get your consent, he urged me 
 not to do it. He said you would object because 
 a white man was going to help me in his own 
 way. Then he told me of your surprise and de 
 light when I should return in two years with a 
 cultivated voice and polished manners. I listened 
 because I loved him and came to New York with 
 him." 
 
 " I am now deserted and in want. But for the 
 kindness of a colored family, who took me into 
 their home, I should have starved, for I am in no 
 condition to work." 
 
 " He called me a vile, ignorant nigger," and 
 when I told him of his promises he laughed and 
 said : * I might have known he cared nothing for 
 me.' What am I to do ? He has left me here to 
 starve, while he will go back to Barneyville and 
 be respected by all. Why am I bad and he good ? 
 Why must I suffer and he escape? Is my sin 
 greater than his ? 
 
 " You cared for me when I was homeless. You 
 taught me to believe there is a God who cared 
 for me. What has become of Him that he does 
 not protect and love his black as well as his white 
 children ? I have heard you read how ' God hath 
 made of one blood all nations of men.' Is this 
 true? I have heard you say that Christianity 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 293 
 
 means the bringing in of a day when * Law shall 
 be love and love shall be law ' ; that love is the 
 tie that is to bind man to God as well as man to 
 man, whatever his color or clime." 
 
 " I heard it so often I can repeat it word for 
 word. I do not see any signs of the coming of 
 such a day ! I do see men calling themselves 
 Christians, and claiming to walk in God's statutes 
 and to keep his ordinances, and at the same time 
 hating God's children because of their color ! " 
 
 " Do not think I am ungrateful for all you have 
 done for me, for you tried to make me a good true 
 woman. That I am now bad is not your fault 
 I did try to do right, to study and make myself 
 worthy of your love; and like you and dear Judy 
 and A'nt Car'line, to be of use to my people. 
 Now it is all over ! I wish that I might die, but 
 I dare not take my own life ! What is to become 
 of me I am so bad ? " 
 
 That this letter roused the family at the par- 
 sonage need not be told. All the indignation of 
 their souls was awakened, for in the years she 
 had been with them, they had learned to love her 
 as they would a daughter. They had m urned 
 her absence and daily held her up before the 
 throne of grace. After talking the matter over 
 with Tobe Washburn and one or two others, 
 
294 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 whose advice was worth asking, it was decided 
 that she must come home at once for they saw in 
 her one who had been more sinned against than 
 sinning. 
 
 Alexander was aroused as never before, and 
 walked the floor in the greatest excitement. 
 
 " That man," he declared, " must be made to 
 feel his sin! He must share her disgrace in this 
 community ! There should be redress for a poor 
 girl, if she be * only a nigger.' ' 
 
 Judy urged him to be cautious what he said 
 and did. " Dr. Gleason is in God's hands, who 
 in his own way will bring retribution upon him." 
 
 " I am beginning to believe Apollos Washing 
 ton was right," exclaimed Alexander, " when he 
 said the greatest trouble with the negro is he 
 curls down and takes everything and anything 
 from the white people. I believe I am getting 
 something of his old spirit, and long to take mat 
 ters in my own hands ! " 
 
 " 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,'" urged Ju 
 dy. " I would rather be in her place than his! It 
 is well for us to be cautious, for I fear we are 
 bordering on dark and stormy days. Angry and 
 impetuous words or acts will only do harm and 
 hinder the work we are anxious to advance. Do 
 you remember what was said of the Master ? ' All 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 295 
 
 bare him witness and wondered at the gracious 
 words that proceeded out of his mouth.' He is 
 our example you know." 
 
 Thus they talked until the small hours of the 
 night. Alexander still urging that Milly should 
 have a home in Barneyville, as well as Dr. Glea- 
 son, and that he would take no pains to hide the 
 fact that that man was the cause of her ruin. 
 
 Two weeks later Milly reached her old home. 
 How she had changed ! Her beauty was faded 
 and her cheerful, happy spirit gone. She was a 
 woman in suffering though less than seventeen 
 years of age. 
 
 It required but a few hours for the news of her 
 return to spread among the negro cabins, and 
 many bitter things were said of the man who was 
 the author of her shame. One night after the 
 clock had struck eleven there was a knock at the 
 door. Hastily dressing Alexander answered the 
 knock and was surprised to find de Goochy's 
 housekeeper waiting to come in. 
 
 With tears she told her errand. Milly was her 
 child and she begged to be allowed to see her. 
 The meeting between mother and daughter was 
 just what we might expect. Each night these 
 visits were repeated, for she dare not leave de 
 Goochy's house until she was sure he was asleep. 
 
296 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 Milly lingered but a few weeks among them. 
 You could almost see her fade, for each day she 
 grew weaker and weaker. She made no com 
 plaint, she was just tired of walking life's crooked 
 path and wanted to rest. The end came one 
 clear bright May night when the stars were shin 
 ing brightly down upon the earth. The mother 
 was by her bedside, all solicitude and love, as were 
 A'nt Car'line, Alexander and Judy. Leaning 
 over her Judy said: 
 
 " There they never hunger no more, neither do 
 they thirst." " Come unto me all ye that are 
 weary and are heavy laden and I will give you 
 rest." " Let not your heart be troubled." 
 " Where I am there ye may be also." " I will 
 come again and receive you unto myself." 
 
 Milly looked anxiously into her face and said : 
 
 " Do you mean he will receive me just as I am, 
 to himself ? " 
 
 Judy continued to repeat God's own words: 
 
 " Though your sins be as scarlet, though they 
 be red like crimson, the blood of Jesus Christ, 
 God's son, will cleanse from all sin." 
 
 " Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast 
 out." 
 
 " Dear Jesus," whispered Milly, with fast stiffen 
 ing lips. " I come to you; I want rest. O God, 
 
OR VILET S BOY 297 
 
 dear God, I have not kept pure, but let me come 
 to you for Jesus sake." Milly had found peace 
 where Magdelene found it. 
 
 After a moment she said: " Bring my baby." 
 Looking at it she said : 
 
 " Poor baby you are not to blame for being 
 here. Mother will you take her and go away off 
 from the wicked man where you live and bring her 
 up to be a good, true woman ? And when she is 
 old enough to understand, tell her of her moth 
 er's sin. Tell her to be good and true and clean." 
 
 In a few moments she was gone, with all her 
 possibilities. The funeral was largely attended. 
 Before going to the church Judy said to Alexan 
 der: 
 
 " Had you not better go to your room and lis 
 ten, and see if you do not hear the voice of God 
 saying : * I have somewhat to say to thee,' and 
 like Simon answer: 'Master say on ' and he by 
 His spirit, he will help you to speak wisely to-day." 
 
 Going to the church he took as his theme " So 
 cial Purity." He spoke boldly against the sin of 
 uncleanliness, and declared that all men whether 
 black or white, rich or poor, were the children of 
 one father and would receive the same punish 
 ment for sin in the great day of reckoning. So 
 ciety might wink at sin, and smile upon offenders, 
 
298 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 but God was no respecter of persons, and sooner 
 or later he would settle every account and bring 
 men and women alike to judgment. 
 
 After the funeral he completely broke down 
 and had to keep his bed for a few days. Under 
 the excitement of the hour he had said more than 
 he had intended to, and manifested a spirit of 
 bitterness, hitherto unknown to him. 
 
 Turning to Judy he said, as they left the place 
 of burial: 
 
 " I am glad God has more tenderness and com 
 passion than I have for such men as Dr. Gleason 
 and de Goochy. If they were left in my hands I 
 am afraid they would fare hard." 
 
 " Who am I," was her answer, " that I should 
 judge or be merciless ? The sin that brands him, 
 was hers as well, and do we not feel and believe 
 that God forgave her and took her to himself? 
 Is he not just as ready to forgive him ? Alexan 
 der, does God need your help to regulate the do 
 ings of men, beyond the exemplary life you are 
 to lead and the kind persuasions you are to use 
 to induce them to be better ? " 
 
 A few days later Alexander was returning from 
 a visit to a sick man who lived some distance in 
 the country. When near the town he met Dr. 
 Gleason, who was on horseback, going in the op 
 posite direction. 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 299 
 
 Reining in his horse, he said: 
 
 " You are the nigger I have been waiting to 
 see for several days. You've been doing too 
 much talking of late for your own good. You'll 
 find this town will be too hot for you if you are 
 not quiet ! " 
 
 " Do you refer to what I have said about your 
 ruining the young girl I have just buried ? " 
 asked Alexander. 
 
 " I mean just that," said Gleason. 
 
 " Whatever I may have said behind your back, 
 I now repeat to your face. You deliberately 
 sought her ruin by winning her confidence and 
 love. You made her a vile thing like yourself ! 
 You drove her to the grave ! " 
 
 " You are making a great ado about nothing," 
 angrily answered Dr. Gleason. " Just as if this 
 thing had not happened before ! Then what 
 does it matter ? If I had not ruined her, as you 
 call it, some other man would ! The nigger wom 
 en are all alike, you cannot trust one of them." 
 
 " I know," said Alexander, " there is no wall of 
 defense about my race, as there is about the white 
 people. You speak ill of our women ; you sneer 
 at their virtue. Are you or your race better ? Is 
 the sin greater in a poor ignorant woman, than in 
 the educated white man who ruins her ? " 
 
30O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " You are a fine nigger to talk to a white gen 
 tleman as you are talking to me. If I served you 
 right I would blow out your brains, but shooting 
 is too good for you ! You low, dirty white nigger 
 that cannot tell who your own father was ! " 
 
 u Yes I can," fearlessly answered Alexander. 
 " My grandfather was your grandfather. Your 
 father and my father were half brothers and we, 
 though I scorn the relationship, are cousins. If 
 my slave grandmother sinned, no less did your 
 white grandfather ! " 
 
 " You will regret this insult," cried Dr. Glea- 
 son. 
 
 " 1 do not fear you in the least," responded Al 
 exander. " I here and now brand you as the 
 cause of Milly Brown's ruin and death ! " 
 
 Dr. Gleason gave whip to his horse and rode 
 away uttering threats and oaths too fearful to re 
 peat. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 THE ATTEMPTED LYNCHING 
 
 For several months there had been the great 
 est excitement in the Hard Shell Baptist Church 
 in Barneyville. Not only were the younger and 
 more progressive members attending the Im 
 provement Club, but quite a number had pro 
 fessed religion at Elder Gifford's church. 
 
 It was considered by the minister and mem 
 bers a disgrace to attend the Club, but to claim 
 conversion was a sin against the teachings and 
 belief of the church, which could not be over 
 looked. Then Mr. de Goochy had so worked 
 upon the prejudice of the members, and particu 
 larly of the Rev. Malachi Peters, the preacher, 
 that with one consent they had decided to turn 
 all those who attended the Improvement Club or 
 Evening school out of the church. 
 
 Mr. Peters had preached against such wicked 
 ness repeatedly. Particularly the sin of " p'fess- 
 ing ligon." 
 
 " De Lawd done say who 'e's gwinter sabe, an' 
 
 301 
 
302 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 'e nebber tol' 'is chil'n to hab monah's bench nor 
 to riz fo' prahs, nor hoi' up dar han's ter git 'lig- 
 on. 'E des sabes dem 'e will sabe, an' 'e won' 
 sabe no mo'." 
 
 " Dis vival at de chu'ch am de wuk o' de debbil, 
 an' de book preachah. 'E des fanked de Lawd 'e 
 war nebbet at no Varsity. Dat 'e war des as de 
 Lawd done mek 'im. Hit war des oudacious 
 'ow de debbil war wukin 'mong de 'lee chil'n o' 
 de Lawd." 
 
 " Doan y'u min' 'ow de Lawd done say, de 
 debbil am gwinter 'sebe de v'ey 'lect ? Ham' 'e 
 done hit? All dem dat's speuinced 'ligon '11 go 
 down to h-e-1-1, des shu' as y'u'r bon'd ! " 
 
 " Doan you go whar da is, f o' Gawd done say : 
 4 Come outen f'om mong dem. Wu'k no mo' wid 
 'um, coz I'll spew y'u outen mah mouf, if y'u 
 doan." 
 
 " Des t'ink o' de monstus sin fur um ter say 
 da's got 'ligon! De debbil laff ter kill w'en 'e 
 hern um say dat ! 'E know'd de Lawd done say : 
 ' I'll hab marcy on w'om I will hab marcy an' I'll 
 hab comparsum on w'om I will hab comparsum, 
 an' da des cahn't he'p umsef's fo' 'e done say, 
 4 I'll nevy cast away mah people, I hab fo'new.' ' 
 
 " Dem bad f'oks at de club an' de chu'ch, 'e 
 hab gib um er spuit o' slum'er. Da hab eyes 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 303 
 
 but um cahnt see ; da hab ears, but um cahnt 
 'ear ; da hab moufs, but um cahnt pray. Da haint 
 tained fo' dat da seeked fo'. Wile we hab tained 
 coz we's de 'lee o' Gawd." 
 
 His preaching, however, failed to influence the 
 young people to keep away from the club or even 
 ing school, so he decided to call a church meet 
 ing and turn them all out. 
 
 This step accomplished just what he desired, 
 for it strengthened a few weak members and led 
 them to be more pronounced in their expressions 
 of love for the church, than ever before ; and it 
 gave the loyal ones a chance to show their zeal 
 u fo' de faif de Lawd done gibed to 'is chu'ch." 
 
 Some of the elderly women gave up their home 
 duties and went from house to house to bewail 
 " de wuk o' de debbil," and to tell " 'Ow som' fo'ks 
 
 ac'." 
 
 Among this number was A'nt Mah-hit'ble 
 Nicholson. She was a large, fleshy woman, very 
 ignorant and positive in her opinions. She was 
 one of the kind who knew all of the backslidings 
 of her neighbors, and recounted them whenever 
 and wherever she had a chance. Like the woman 
 of Samaria, who had had five husbands, and the 
 one she then lived with was not her husband, so 
 A'nt Ma-hit'ble had called several men " husband," 
 
304 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 and yet she had never worn the sable garments of 
 a widow, neither was she living in single blessed 
 ness at the time of the church meeting. 
 
 Nothing in her life had ever brought scandal 
 upon the church. She had no sense of wrong 
 doing herself, for she was sure she was one of 
 " Gawd's 'lect chil'n." She could relate the most 
 wonderful experiences ever told in the church. 
 
 "Ow Gawd done open de do' o' hebben, an' she 
 des peep'd in, an' see'd de goden streets an' de 
 goden 'arps an' de bressed ang'ls an' heard um 
 sing. An' den she looked down-down-down w'ar 
 de debbil an' de wi'k'd pussons am." How she 
 lay two days in a trance talking " 'wid Gawd an' de 
 angels an' den corned outen o' de trance shoutin' 
 'appy." 
 
 There was not another person in the church 
 who took a deeper interest in the coming church 
 meeting. She had called upon the preacher and 
 learned his intentions concerning the rebellious 
 members. She had told him all she knew per 
 sonally and all she had been able to gather in her 
 numerous visits among her neighbors. 
 
 She also called upon several of the new con 
 verts who had joined Elder Gifford's church, 
 getting from them every point of interest she 
 could gather and now felt herself fully prepared 
 to enlighten the people. 
 
OR VI'LET'S BOY 305 
 
 One of her most intimate friends was Ticia 
 White, a tall yellow woman with protruding upper 
 jaw and thick lips. A woman who loved to hear 
 the news as well as Sis' Mah-hit'ble loved to tell 
 it. Wiping her wet hands back and forth on her 
 apron, she hurried forward to give her a warm 
 welcome. 
 
 "'Ow is y'u, A'nt Mah-hit'ble?" said Ticia 
 grinning with all her might. She prided herself 
 on her grin, and consequently grinned a great 
 deal. She also affected a snapping vivacity of 
 manner, jerking her head and crooking her eyes 
 when she talked, a habit she greatly admired in 
 herself. 
 
 A'nt Mah-hit'ble sat down with great delibera 
 tion in the best chair and then answered Ticia : 
 
 "Poo'ly Sis' Ticia, Poo'ly! I's mos' tucked 
 out!" said the old woman rocking vigorously. 
 " How is y'u, Sis' Ticia ? " 
 
 " I's des sick, A'nt Mah-hit'ble. I ain' good fo' 
 nuffin ! Dis trebble in de chu'ch mek ma feel all 
 scatterwise. Hit'll driv ma plum crazy," said 
 Ticia rolling up her eyes and jerking her head. 
 " If da doan quit mouty soon." 
 
 " Shu nuff de debbil am done broke loose ! " 
 A'nt Mah-hit'ble replied. 
 
 " I knowed hit war comin'," Ticia said with a 
 
306 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 wise nod and tone of voice. " I seed hit weeks, 
 an* weeks ergo." 
 
 " Fo' de Ian sak! Ticia White, w'y hain' y'u 
 done tole ma ? " 
 
 Ticia shuffled uneasily under the unexpected 
 question, and then said : 
 
 " I doan wanter git inter trebble, I's er close 
 moufed 'oman, an' nebber min's udder pussons 
 bus'ness. I des sees w'ats gwine on an' hoi's mah 
 mouf shut ! " Ticia simpered. 
 
 "Sich doin's am des awful," A'nt Mah-hit'ble 
 said with a great show of piety, " an' y'u may 'pen 
 on hit," the old lady continued with a knowing 
 nod. " De en' am' er comin fo' da's all gwinter 
 be turned outen de chu'ch." 
 
 " Am dat so ? " Ticia replied, rocking excitedly 
 back and forth. 
 
 " Shu's y'u's bon'd ! " A'nt Mah-hit'ble declared 
 emphatically. " Br' Peters done say 'e's 'termined 
 ter fro' em out ! " 
 
 " Fank de Lawd ! " Ticia cried with her eyes 
 rolled up to the roof of the house and hands 
 clasped reverently. 
 
 " Br' Peters done tol' ma w'at dat no count 
 Zander say 'bout 'im ! " marking the charges off 
 on her black fingers, A'nt Mah-hit'ble continued. 
 " 'E say we hain' got no spit'ulty. Dat Br' Peters 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 307 
 
 des steeped in turbaccy an' w'isky an' am too lazy 
 ter wuk ! Dat 'e doan preach de troof ! " 
 
 " De debbil'll git 'is lyin' mouf ' " snapped Ti- 
 cia forgetting to roll up her eyes or clasp her 
 hands. " 'E's done got 'yond 'is bizness, 'won'er 
 de Lawd doan strik' 'im daid talkin beginst 
 Gawd's 'lect preachah dat away ! " 
 
 " Min' w'at I toP y'u," A'nt Mah-hit'ble contin 
 ued, "de Lawd ham' got thoo wid 'im. 'E's 
 gwinter fix 'im, des min' dat, fo' 'e allus habs 'is 
 own wa' 'is won'ers ter pu'fom." 
 
 "Y'u am right, A'nt Mah-hit'ble. I'd be de 
 scair 'des pusson in de wurril ter be in his place!" 
 
 " I hearn Sa'rann Hardin got 'ligon las' nite so 
 I des drapped in dis mawnin' pertenin' I know'd 
 nuffin 'bout hit. I's kin'er cu'us ter see 'ow she 
 ac'. She des begin'd ter zort me des ez soon ez 
 I war in de 'ouse. I des looked at 'er kinner 
 solem' lak an' I don' say ter 'er mouty squar : " 
 
 " I 'spect mahse'f mo'n ter go ter dat chu'ch. 
 I goes whar 'spec'ubble pussons 7 go," A'nt Mah- 
 hit'ble declared. 
 
 This greatly pleased Ticia. Throwing up her 
 hands and eyes, she burst into a loud laugh. 
 Then looking admiringly at A'nt Mah-hit'ble she 
 said: 
 
 " Y'u am mouty cute, A'nt Ma-hit'ble," and then 
 
308 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 she went off into another fit of laughter, ducking 
 her head and throwing herself about in her chair. 
 Finally she said : 
 " W at 'er say ter dat ? " 
 
 " She des git ashyer an' ashyer, an' den she 
 say : 
 
 " We am 'spec'ubble, A'nt Mah-hit'ble, an' de 
 bes of all am, we hab 'ligon at Eldah Gifford's 
 chu'ch." 
 
 " Got 'ligon," Ticia broke in scornfully. " Hit's 
 des de' 'setfulness o' 'er own 'art, an' 'taint nuffin 
 
 mo'." 
 
 " Br. Peters say de debbil des cavortin roun' 
 seekin' w'om 'e may dewour," quoted A'nt Mah- 
 hit'ble. 
 
 " 'E hab dewoured Sa'rann y'u may pen on dat ! 
 I's mouty glad I's rizzed 'spec'ubble an' I's gwinter 
 stay wid 'spec'ubble pussons," said Ticia. 
 
 "Wall," affirmed A'nt Ma-hit'ble, "dat Zander 
 cahnt kivvah up 'is sins much longer! Da'll 
 dwap f'om undah 'im some o' dese nights, fo' de 
 w'ite f'oks am gwinter 'elp 'im outen de town. 
 Mr. de Goochy done tol' Br. Peters 'e's big sin- 
 nah an' hez ter meet 'is sins mouty soon, Sis' 
 Ticia." 
 
 "A'nt Mah-hit'ble I des mislike 'im an' wish 'e 
 war daid befo' 'e mek 'sturbance in de chu'ch," 
 said Ticia with a great show of indignation. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 309 
 
 " I hearn 'im tawk w'en mah cous'n war daid 
 an' 'e 'ad de imperdence to tol' de monahs dat she 
 war a Chris'ion, dat she got 'ligon des befo' she 
 died. Wat y'u t'ink o' dat, Ticia White ? " 
 
 " She war nebber baptised, des perten'ed ter 'pent 
 at de las'. I sortes santer'd roun, an' watched 
 'im," continued A'nt Ma-hit'ble. 
 
 " Lawdy y'u'd t'ink 'e's de feeliness an' de sorres 
 pusson in de wurril. I wanted ter riz rite up an' 
 tol' 'im 'e mek b'l'eeb 'e's good w'en 'e's nuffin but 
 er debbil ! " A'nt Ma-hit'ble said spitefully. 
 
 " Did 'e t'ink we hain' no mo' sence dan ter 
 b'leen sich stuff ? " asked Ticia. 
 
 " Lor bress y'u, Ticia, 'e's all mouf," answered 
 A'nt Mah-hit'ble. " Hit's mouty unwrong ter 
 tawk dat away. Hab y'u hearn dat Sally Buzzall 
 an' 'er man hab jined de chu'ch ? " 
 
 " Yas, an' I war dat 'stonished I des drap inter 
 mah cheer an' cri'd, w'en I hearn hit. Den I wen 
 ovah an' des hoi' outen 'er han' an' begs 'er ter 
 gib hit up !" 
 
 " She's mouty abstropulus," said Ticia. " Wat 
 did she say ? " 
 
 " She done say she doan keer ef she am foch 
 up in de chu'ch. She larn mo' truff in one sar- 
 mint at Eldah Gifford's chu'ch, dan she ev'y 
 know'd befo'. An' she call Br' Peters an oP 'ig- 
 nant." 
 
3IO ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Dat am des boudacious," cried Ticia. " I ex- 
 pissions 'e des conjure 's de fo'ks." 
 
 " Ticia W'ite I's plum sat beginst 'im an' I am' 
 gwinter bow to 'is howdy no mo'." 
 
 " I hearn 'e say de Lawd won' sabe 'er pusson 
 ef da ain' mahd ter dar husban's an' wibes. An' 
 'e tawks about de cullud pussons bein' clean an' 'e 
 doan b'leeb in 'lection, fo' 'im say we mus' be con- 
 warted befo' we kin go to hebben ! I doan b'leeb 
 hit. Do y'u, A'nt Mah-hit'ble ? " 
 
 " Naw, dar ain' one bit o' troof in hit ! Doan 
 Br' Peters unerstan dese t'ings ? " Doan de Lawd 
 evaporate de troof ter 'im ? Hit's des de tawk o' 
 de debbil, an' w'en I git near 'im I kin mos' smell 
 brimstone," affirmed A'nt Mah-hit'ble. 
 
 Thus the two congenial spirits continued to 
 talk till the short southern twilight came and night 
 settled down upon the neighborhood. The balmy 
 breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. The moon 
 rose clear and full, lighting the dusky members of 
 the Hard Shell Baptist Church on their way to 
 the church meeting. 
 
 When the services for the white worshippers 
 are about ready to close, the negroes are just be 
 ginning to gather for worship. 
 
 A colored preacher gave his people this exhor 
 tation : 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 3 1 1 
 
 W'y doan y'u com' ter chu'ch befo' dis time 
 'er nite ? De w'ite fo'ks am des gwine 'ome. Fo' 
 Gawd's sake an' fo' de massa's sake I gibed y'u 
 dis agitation." 
 
 There was no use of an agitation the night of 
 the church meeting. Long before the time set 
 for the services to begin, the people had collected 
 in the yard before the church. 
 
 The Rev. Malachi Peters was heard to say, just 
 as a number of young men came near him : " Da's 
 nuffin but howlin' wolbes cahootin' roun' de 'lect, 
 seekin' w'om da may dewour." 
 
 " If we's de 'lect chil'n," asked one of the young 
 men, who had joined the club, 'ow kin de debbil 
 dewour us ? I hearn y'u say nuffin kin cotch us 
 outen Gawd's han's. We's dar ter stay." 
 
 The other young man hearing this, burst into a 
 loud guffaw. At this the Rev. Malachi Peter's 
 temper got the better of him. Shaking his fist at 
 the young man, he said : 
 
 " I requestion y'u to prognosticate no mo' ques- 
 sons to ma. Howsomebber dis am de fatal fac ! 
 Y'u am' de 'lect, y'u's all de chil'n o' de debbil an' 
 gwinter destruchum des ez fas' ez y'u kin go ! 
 Did y'u larn to flung y'u sass at ma down among 
 de varmints at de club ? " 
 
 " Lemme ax y'u sumpin," said a fine looking 
 
312 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 young negro. " Hain' we de right ter go whar 
 we heahs de truf ? Hain' we free pussons ? Or 
 mus' we ax de chu'ch whar we ma go ? Down to 
 de club da larn us to read an' write so we kin 
 vote. Da tol' us 'bout bisness, 'ow to ac lak men 
 an' dat a Chris'ion cahn't steal, nor swear, nor lie, 
 nor drink w'isky. Wen we hab ter'vide fo' our- 
 se'ves cahnt we go whar da 1'arn us 'ow ? " 
 
 " Naw y'u cahnt," said Deacon Jefferson, who 
 had been listening to the conversation, " Y'u 
 cahnt do hit," he repeated as he shifted his quid 
 of tobacco from one cheek to the other, and sent 
 a volley of tobacco juice out of his mouth. 
 
 "Wen y'u tawk 'bout dem t'ings y'u's tawkin 
 'bout w'at y'ur'r gwinter eat, an' w'at y'u's gwinter 
 w'ar. Hain Gawd done sa y'u shant tek no 
 fought 'bout hit ?" Nods and " dats so," from the 
 faithful encouraged Deacon Jefferson to go on. 
 
 " Den y'u's larnin' book trash, dat won' do no 
 good. Des sen' y'u down to de pit." 
 
 " I's hearn nuff o' dat kin' o' tawk, an' I's gwine 
 whar I doanheah no mo'?" said the young man 
 who had asked the question of the deacon. 
 
 " De w'ite fo'ks say y'u all's er bad set." Dea 
 con Jefferson continued. 
 
 " Dat de preachah otter be scronched ! Dat 
 we otter kiver 'im wid a cote o' feddahs an' tar 
 an' rid 'im outen de town ! " 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 313 
 
 " Whar y'u hearn dat ? " asked several voices at 
 once. 
 
 " Mr. de Goochy done tole ma so, 'e'se'f," said 
 the deacon, " an' 'e say de w'ite fo'ks'll 'elp us ef 
 we wants." 
 
 " Mr. de Goochy bettah look w'at 'e say ! 'E's 
 des mad coz de preachah done say hit am er sin 
 ter lib wid er 'oman w'en y'u hain mahd to 'er." 
 
 " Y'u's done fool wid dat city long nuff," Dea 
 con Jefferson snarled, " den dat preachah done 
 say hit am er sin ter drink lickah an' smok'. 
 " W'at 'e know 'bout hit mo'n Eldah Peters ? 'E 
 am one o' de 'lect an' he drinks hit. 'E done say 
 w'isky am good fo' man ef 'e drinks hit in mod'- 
 ration. Doan de 'postle Saul o' Tarsus say hit 
 am good fo' de stummick ? Turbaccy am annud- 
 dah o' Gawd's good gifts ter 'is chil'ns. 'E gib'd 
 hit to um ter smok' an' chaw fo' dar comfo't." 
 
 " Sho nuff, an' 'e don say : " let dem dat am 
 fil'ty be fil'ty still," said one of the young men to 
 another in a low tone. 
 
 " Who axes y'u 'pinion ? " asked the deacon, 
 who heard the speech contrary to the design of 
 the speaker. " Y'u may hab ter prov' we's fil'ty." 
 
 " Do y'u dou't man varassity ? " asked the 
 young man, " coz I kin prube hit easy nuff ! De 
 Bible say so coz I hearn Eldah Gifford read hit." 
 
314 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 The several listeners, hearing the young man's 
 answer wriggled and giggled, slapping their sides 
 and bent nearly double in their glee. 
 
 Deacon Jefferson waited to hear no more but 
 wrathfully hurried into the church. As he en 
 tered, the preacher opened the services with these 
 words : 
 
 " We are met for de solem purpos' o' dealin' 
 wid dese defendahs, w'o hab fo'sooken de chu'ch 
 o' Gawd ! " 
 
 Then he prayed at the offenders, rather than 
 for them. He told them what he thought of 
 them and what he was going to do with them. 
 After the prayer he addressed the church in 
 solemn tones : 
 
 " Brudderin an' sisterin'. We cahnt wa'k no 
 mo' wid dese b-a-a-d defendahs o' dis chu'ch ! 
 Da's not ob us but o' da'r faddah de debbil ! Da's 
 shu nuff tooken dar se've's fom us!" "Y'u's 
 right" shouted deacon Jefferson. " De Lawd 
 done say," continued Eldah Peters, "fro um 
 out fom 'mong y'u an' wa'k no mo' wid de un 
 clean t'ings." 
 
 " Amen," shouted several voices in chorus. 
 
 " I draw ba'k mah han' o' fel'ship I gibed um 
 w'en da jined dis chu'ch ! Da ain' no mo' mem- 
 'ers o' dis chu'ch ! " 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 315 
 
 " Da cahnt kum no mo' to dis sanctu'y ! Fur- 
 dah mo' I p'nounce dis so eve'y body kin heah, 
 an' kno'ledge an' un'erstan' ! Da am casted outen 
 dechu'chfo'ebber!" 
 
 " Amen," shouted the whole church, lustily. 
 
 " Deacon Jefferson will lead us in prayer." 
 
 The Deacon cleared his throat, opened and 
 shut his eyes several times and then began. The 
 people were now in a responsive mood. While 
 the preacher had been preaching, there had not 
 been the usual responses, for they were anxious 
 to hear all that was said. 
 
 They fully believed the Hard Shell Baptist 
 Church was the only true church in the world, 
 and to be expelled from its membership was to be 
 shut out of heaven. Then they were awed by 
 the preacher's words. If he had withdrawn his 
 hand and would have no further fellowship with 
 them, their hands would also be withdrawn. 
 
 The deacon began his prayer by asking the 
 Lord questions and answered them as if he heard 
 the voice of God speaking to him. 
 
 " Bressed Mastah, ah ; do y'u wunner w'y dese 
 lamps am lit, ah ? Wen we ain' er' comin' 'ere 
 on des days, ah ? Do y'u wunner w'y dis meetin' 
 am called, ah ? Coz ef y'u do I'll tole y'u, ah. 
 Hit am on 'count o' dese pussons dat am makin' 
 starbance in y'u chu'ch. 
 
316 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " Des tek er long peep down hyah to dis low 
 wurril o' sin an' sorrer, ah. An' see w'at de deb- 
 bil am er doin' ter y'u 'lect chil'n, ah. Da's lead- 
 in som' o' de mem'ers o' dis chu'ch f om de trouf, 
 ah. Da's mekin em ter wa'k in de proudness o' 
 dar own 'arts, ah. De way o' sin am lookin' gor- 
 gerouser dan de narrer paff, ah. Da's been 
 'structed in de larnin' o' men outen books, ah. 
 Da's talkin' 'bout us, ah. An' parsikutin us, ah, 
 w'en we's y'u 'lect chil'n, ah ! " 
 
 " Da's all de chil'n o' de debbil, ah ! O mos' 
 mouty Marse, ah, y'u doan heah us coz we mek 
 long prayahs, ah, but 'cordin to de sincer desires 
 o' de 'arts, ah. Y'u nows we's sin'cer, w'en we 
 axes y'u ter bress us, ah. An' ter sen' 'struction 
 pon dem wo's casted outen f'om us, ah." 
 
 " Let sorrer fill dar 'arts, ah ! An' o' Lawd, 
 sen' em down whar da'll trebbel y'u 'lect chil'n no 
 mo', ah." 
 
 " Dor's whar da b'long," shouted Ticia and 
 A'nt Mah-hit'ble in one voice. 
 
 It is seldom that a meeting closes with more 
 excitement than the one described above. Every 
 man's hand seemed to be raised against his neigh 
 bor. 
 
 The same night of the church meeting, a few 
 congenial spirits met at de Goochy's house. The 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 3 1 7 
 
 real intent in de Goochy's and Dr. Gleason's 
 mind was to plan for the lynching of Rev. Alex 
 ander Gifford. With all the cunning of a friend, 
 de Goochy treated to whiskey till the men were 
 ready for any thing, then backed by Dr. Gleason, 
 he told of the impudence of the " Nigger Preach 
 er," and proposed that they give him a lift at the 
 end of a rope. 
 
 They had not been as careful. as they thought 
 in making their arrangements, for just outside 
 and underneath the window crouched a woman 
 who heard all their plans, and then hurried away 
 to tell the preacher's friends of his danger. 
 
 A few hours later there came a knock at the 
 cabin door where Alexander lived and a call for 
 him to come out. Dressing himself as quickly 
 as possible he hurried towards the door to be con 
 fronted by a number of masked men. 
 
 A'nt Car'line, seeing the danger threatening 
 her grandson, rushed between him and those who 
 would grasp him. Raising a club one of the men 
 struck her over the head and felled her to the 
 earth, saying as he did so : 
 
 " Get out of the way you black devil ! " 
 
 The same man dealt Alexander a blow laying 
 him bleeding and unconscious at his feet. 
 
 " Kill him ! Kill him ! Kill the black devil ! " 
 
31 8 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 shouted the same voice which had spoken when 
 A'nt Car'line fell, and which belonged to the 
 man who had dealt both blows. We should have 
 no difficulty in recognizing the voice had the 
 speaker been careful to keep his face covered, 
 which was not the case, for de Goochy stood tri 
 umphantly among the lynchers. 
 
 Throwing a rope over the prostrate man's 
 head and drawing it about his neck, they now 
 dragged him to the nearest tree. 
 
 " String him up," cried the same voice to the 
 drunken men, but this was not to be. Anna 
 Gracy had hurried to the homes of several young 
 negroes who belonged to the Improvement Club, 
 and sent them out to warn the better element of 
 Barneyville, of the pending danger to Rev. Mr. 
 Gifford. 
 
 Tobe Washburn met the Hon. Abner Gleason 
 and several others just as they were leaving the 
 Masonic Lodge and told them of the lynching. 
 Wishing to save the life of the negro whose in 
 fluence in the community they felt had been for 
 good, they hurried to the cabin just as the lynch 
 ers were about to draw him up. 
 
 By this time the most of the rioters had thrown 
 away their disguises and were easily recognized 
 by those who had come to the rescue of the 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 319 
 
 preacher. That there were surprises for the bet 
 ter class, and humiliated men among the lynch- 
 ers, need not be said. 
 
 Judy had been mercifully spared from witness 
 ing the terrible scene; for when she saw the aged 
 woman struck down she sank unconscious to the 
 floor, where the men found her when they carried 
 her husband and grandmother into the house. 
 
 Going to his home de Goochy met Anna Gracy 
 just returning, for she had witnessed the disgrace 
 ful scene from a distance. Entering the house 
 he angrily grasped her by the arm, hissing as he 
 did so: 
 
 " Devil, did you tell ? " 
 
 Fearlessly she looked him in the face and said : 
 
 " Yes I told ! When you choked me the other 
 night and twitted me of my shame and called me 
 vile names. When you spoke ill of my poor dead 
 child, I swore I would be revenged. Yes, I told !" 
 
 Then there was the sound of blows and there 
 rang out on the night air a shriek, a wild cry of 
 pain and despair. A few hours later a woman 
 stumbled forward, feeling her way as if she were 
 blind. It took all her strength to reach the 
 nearest negro cabin, where she fell helpless to the 
 floor, when the door was opened. 
 
 A few days later, with Milly's baby in her 
 
32O ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 arms, she sought the nearest city and commenced 
 her new life. Dark as the present was to her, it 
 held the hope of a future, which was to be made 
 bright by the young life she held in her arms. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 DEATH OF A *NT CAROLINE GIFFORD 
 
 The account of the lynching was telegraphed 
 to the Associated Press, and appeared the next 
 day in all the leading newspapers in the United 
 States. 
 
 Great headlines drew the attention of the pub 
 lic to the article. It read : 
 
 u The Negroes attempt to lynch a black preach 
 er in Barneyville, Georgia. He is rescued in an 
 unconscious condition, by the leading white citi 
 zens of the place." 
 
 Then followed an incorrect account of the pro 
 ceedings, for the negroes have no reporters to 
 give a truthful version of their wrongs. 
 
 " For the past few years, the Rev. Alexander 
 Gifford has taught a select school, and preached 
 in Barneyville, Ga. He is what would be called 
 a white negro. He is also an educated negro, 
 being graduated from Larimer University, Lari 
 mer, Mississippi. Like too many of his race ed 
 ucation has spoiled him for any practical use." 
 
 321 
 
322 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 " For some time his sermons have been of a 
 personal nature, and some of the white citizens 
 of Barney ville, as well as the negroes, have been 
 held up to ridicule and criticism. Not satisfied 
 with this, the Rev. Gifford insulted one of the 
 leading citizens of the place." 
 
 " The real trouble, however, which brought on 
 the disgraceful affair, was his criticising another 
 negro preacher and his methods of worship, and 
 meddling with his members." 
 
 " On the evening of June I5th, the negroes be 
 gan to gather, about eleven o'clock in considera 
 ble numbers near Gifford's cabin. Calling him 
 out of the house they threw a rope around his 
 neck and dragged him to a tree some little dis 
 tance from the house, where they would have 
 hung him, but for the interference of the white 
 gentlemen of the town." 
 
 " The general feeling is, he deserved the rough 
 handling he received at the hands of his own 
 
 race." 
 
 This untruthful report was read by Apollos 
 Washington in the daily paper published in the 
 city where he lived. Without delay he hastened 
 to Barneyville, where he found everything in the 
 greatest excitement. 
 
 Going to the home of his old chum and friend, 
 
OR VI LET S BOY 323 
 
 he found him still unconscious, while his grand 
 mother seemed to be nearing the end of life. Up 
 to this time Judy had moved about the house 
 caring for both, like one in a dream. To those 
 about her she seemed to be dead to feeling. 
 
 On seeing Apollos the flood gate of tears 
 seemed to be opened, and she wept bitterly. 
 Apollos was the only one that was master of him 
 self. 
 
 The once bitter, revengeful negro had become 
 the self-possessed Christian man, who moved 
 among the negroes calming their anger, and di 
 recting their offered services. 
 
 For several days Alexander and his grandmoth 
 er hovered between life and death. Then his 
 strong constitution asserted itself and he came 
 slowly back to life. The rope had cut through 
 the skin and left a deep wound which would al 
 ways leave a scar. Pointing to this, Judy said : 
 
 " I do not think anything will ever hurt me 
 again ! I have come to the end of pain and the 
 end of feeling! I have touched the bottom of 
 bitterness ! If my husband dies I have nothing 
 to live for." 
 
 " This," she said as she looked at the cruel 
 wound where the rope had cut into the flesh, " is 
 the honor of being an American citizen, born free 
 
324 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 and equal with all men ! What was the use of 
 our going to the University all the years to pre 
 pare ourselves to help our people ?" 
 
 " Is this the way God leads his children ? I 
 thought he cared for them and protected them. 
 Has he not said 'that his children shall not be 
 afraid for the terror by night nor the arrow that 
 flieth by day, that no evil shall befall them, neither 
 shall any plague come nigh their dwelling; for 
 he shall give his angels charge over them to keep 
 them in all their ways.' Has he kept his word 
 with us ? " 
 
 Apollos knew there would be nothing gained 
 by reasoning with Judy. All he could do was to 
 tell his trouble to the Father. To ask him to 
 shed his own light into her stricken heart, and 
 give peace and soul rest where grief and despair 
 now reigned. 
 
 On the morning of the fourth day, after the 
 attempted lynching, Alexander opened his eyes 
 and looked about, conscious of his surroundings. 
 He had come through the valley and shadow of 
 death. Behind him was a black cloud which he 
 could not pierce. Finally he whispered: 
 
 "What has happened? My head and throat 
 hurts ! Have I been sick ? " 
 
 Evading his question, they told him of their 
 joy at his bettered condition. 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 325 
 
 " Old fellow," said Apollos, "we'll soon have 
 you out of here and hard at work again." 
 
 " That is all right," whispered Alexander, " but 
 how much time have I wasted?" 
 
 44 Only a few days," Apollos replied. " Now 
 we want you to close your eyes and rest, so you 
 may get strong and well quickly." 
 
 Little by little, memory came back to him the 
 terrible night and its awful fear and suffering! 
 
 He saw his aged grandmother struck down, 
 because love prompted her to step between him 
 and harm. Apollos saw him shudder and has 
 tened to his side, only to see his look of horror 
 and agony. 
 
 44 What is it ? " he hastily asked. 
 
 " I see it all now, it is all before my mind's eye," 
 said the sick man. Then after a moment, as if 
 afraid to hear the truth, he asked for his grand 
 mother. Being told she still lived, he closed his 
 eyes as if in prayer and then said : 4 ' Thank God ! " 
 
 Again closing his eyes he was silent for a long 
 time. Finally he asked for his wife to whom he 
 said: 
 
 44 1 have thought it all out. Jesus, the Inter 
 cessor for me, for the whole world, had his Geth- 
 semane ! This is my Gethsemane ! Jesus loved 
 the whole world and died to save it ! I am suf- 
 
326 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 faring because I love my people and would do 
 them good! It is for them and I rejoice I am 
 counted worthy to suffer." 
 
 From this time his progress was rapid. One 
 could see the improvement from morning to 
 morning. Not so his grandmother's, for soon it 
 became apparent that she was nearing the end of 
 life. They carried Alexander on a cot to her 
 bedside. 
 
 " Honey," said the dying woman, "y'ur breaf 
 cost de lif o' y'u' muddah. Gib' y'u lif fo' de 
 brack fo'ks ef da do 'spiteful'y use y'u." Resting 
 a moment, she continued : 
 
 " Doan y'u forgit dat de eb'lastin a'ms am un- 
 dah neaf y'u. Y'u cahnt git down lower dan dem 
 a'ms. Y'u cahnt see de bressed Masse, but 'e's 
 dar, honey, all de tim' ter gib y'u 'is 'elp ! " 
 
 " I knowdy'u an' Judy's been tried. De Lawd 
 done co'ched de 'arth'y props f'om undah neaf y'u, 
 so y'u kin lean on 'im. Res' dar, honey, 'e's allus 
 dar. 'E knows wh't 'e's doin', an' will mek de waf 
 o' men ter praise 'im ! Des see 'ow 'e led Aber'- 
 ham. Doan y'u t'ink 'e kin led'er y'u ? 'E's 
 mouty good, for 'e gibed ma stren'th ter wuk, an' 
 fotch y'u fru' Larimer an' 'e's gwinter gib y'u 
 stren'th ter go fru' dis fie'y fu'nace." 
 
 " Doan y'u cry, Judy ? Y'u's a good gal to po' 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 327 
 
 ol* A'nt Car'line, y'u mek 'er an' Alexander bery 
 happy! T'ink o' de coolin' watah I's gwinter 
 drink. T'ink o' de 'ome I's gwinter hab, an' den 
 I'll see y'u muddah an' faddah an' mah man, an' 
 de chil'n da done sol'. I'll see Vi'let too, an' I'll 
 tol 'em all 'ow good y'u is fo' I's gwinter see um 
 shu'. Mah bressed Masse'll be dar, an' I's 
 gwinter be wid 'im fo'ebber." 
 
 " Sing sump'n, Apollos." 
 
 In a strong, manly voice, he sang : " There are 
 angels hovering round." 
 
 While he was singing her soul heard the rustle 
 of the angel's wings and the sound of the heaven 
 ly symphonies, and no longer content to remain 
 in her body, went to join the angel band. 
 
 They folded her hands. They were not small, 
 white, tender hands; but black hands, toil-worn 
 hands, and yet they were not the less beautiful in 
 the sight of those who remember how patiently 
 they had toiled, that " Vi'let's boy mout lif up 
 de people ter Gawd." 
 
 How loving they talked of her, for as never be 
 fore they realized that the Christian faith had 
 been the anchorage of her life ; and as they 
 looked upon her face, they saw that death had 
 softened the look of pain into a smile, as if the 
 first sight of the joys that awaited her soul, had 
 
328 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 caused a smile to pass over her face and still lin 
 gered, though the soul had entered into the full 
 joys of heaven. 
 
 Apollos remained until after the funeral, and 
 then returned to his own people. It was several 
 months before Alexander was able to resume his 
 work so hastily laid down. 
 
 His sufferings endeared him to the people as 
 nothing else could. They felt it was love for 
 them that had nearly cost his life. When he 
 once more resumed his work, instead of going 
 timidly forward, he boldly declared the truth, wil 
 ling to die, if need be, for his race. 
 
 One night the same company of white men 
 were gathered in the Planters' House Saloon, 
 that met at de Goochy's home the night of the 
 attempted lynching. 
 
 They were equally under the influence of liq 
 uor. Turning to Dr. Gleason, de Goochy said 
 with an oath : 
 
 " So the old man takes the death of that nig 
 ger wench I knocked down pretty hard, does he 
 not ? " 
 
 "Yes," said the Doctor. "She was his old 
 mammy. He was very fond of her." 
 
 " What does it matter any way, whether it be 
 one nigger or two niggers less ? They don't 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 329 
 
 count any way. If I could get rid of the whole 
 race as easily as I did the old woman, I would be 
 glad to use the club again." 
 
 " I hear the preacher is going to remain right 
 here and go on with his work," said one of the 
 other men present. 
 
 " Yes, father will back him, as will several oth 
 ers. One thing is sure, he has grit," answered 
 Dr. Gleason. 
 
 " Yes," said de Goochy, with a disagreeable leer. 
 " No doubt it is the Gleason blood that is in him 
 that makes him so fearless." 
 
 The mention of the Gleason blood roused Dr. 
 Gleason. Turning to de Goochy, he said : 
 
 " There was de Goochy blood in that nigger 
 girl that died at the preacher's ! " 
 
 The two men glared at each other. For a 
 moment it looked as if they were about to clinch 
 for a fight. Those present separated them, and 
 sought to soften their angry feelings. They were 
 both criminals and equally guilty before God. 
 
 When quiet was restored, some one said : 
 
 " It was a sharp thing to have the papers pub 
 lish the attempted lynching as if the niggers did 
 it." 
 
 This seemed to provoke a laugh and helped to 
 calm the angry men. 
 
330 ALEXANDER GIFFORD 
 
 I wish I could say Alexander and Judy lived 
 to see the negroes living in and about Barney- 
 ville redeemed, and the influence of their work 
 spreading all over the South. 
 
 It would not be true if I were to say it. This 
 I can say, they will labor till the end of life. They 
 will see many lives broadened and developed into 
 sterling Christian characters. They will see men 
 and women hard at work to make the most of 
 this life, and secure the life to come. 
 
 Homes beautified by Christian womanhood, 
 children safely guided and carefully trained. 
 They will lay a good foundation upon which 
 others, who are to come after them, may build. 
 
 Let us look into the parsonage where Rev. Al 
 exander Gifford and wife reside. He is seated 
 by the table with book in hand, the cruel scars 
 on his forehead and neck, are plainly seen. How 
 cozy everything looks. How they love their 
 work. How much they are to each other. If we 
 listen we shall hear him say : 
 
 " I am glad I have learned that success is 
 measured by the number of souls we bless and 
 comfort, and that our reward is to come by and 
 by." 
 
 We will drop the curtain and leave them in the 
 hands of Him who cares for the "sparrows that 
 fall wing-weary to earth." 
 
OR VI LETS BOY 33! 
 
 Some people see only the heroic in story 
 books, and fail to see it in real life. It is there 
 all the same ! There are men and women toiling, 
 who are poorly paid and unknown to the great, 
 busy world, who are real heroes. They make no 
 complaint just toil on, till death stills the heart 
 and quiets the brain. 
 
 There are unloved wives, giving their lives for 
 the welfare of their children. There are men 
 fighting against appetites, choosing death rather 
 than yield to that which debases and ruins life. 
 
 Among the heroes of the earth are those who 
 endure persecution, prejudice and hatred, and yet 
 give themselves for the redemption of others, who 
 like themselves are, " only niggers." 
 
 Cbe 
 
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