Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/85

 Campbell county plantation. They seized his hands and laughed and cried and pleaded for recognition like a crowd of children. Most of them he knew. Some of their faces he had forgotten.

"Hi dar, Marse Dan'l, you knows me! Lordy, I'se your boy Joe dat used ter ketch yo hoss down at the plantation!"

"Of course, Joe! Of course."

"I know Marse Dan'l aint forget old Uncle Rube," said an aged negro pushing his way to the front.

"That I haven't Reuben! and how's Aunt Julie Ann?"

"She des tollable, Marse Dan'l. We'se bof un us had de plumbago. How is you all sence de wah?"

"Oh! first rate, Reuben. We manage somehow to get enough to eat and if we do that nowadays we can't complain."

"Dats de God's truf, Marster sho! En now Marse Dan'l, we all wants you ter make us er speech en 'splain erbout dis freedom ter us. Dey's so many dese yere Buroers en Leaguers round here tellin' us niggers what's er coming', twell we des doan know nuttin' fur sho."

"Yassir dat's hit! You tell us er speech Marse Dan'l!"

The white men crowded up nearer and joined in the cry. There was no escape. In a few moments the court house was filled with a crowd.

When he arose a cheer shook the building, and strange as it may seem to-day, it came with almost equal enthusiasm from white and black.

"I thank you, my friends," said the General, "for this evidence of your confidence. I was a Whig in politics. I reckon I hated a Democrat as God hates sin. I was a Union man and fought Secession. My opponents won. My state asked me to defend her soil. As an obedient son I gave my life in loyal service.

"I need not tell you as a Union man that I am glad