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Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902

"By Sheer Pluck, a Tale of the Ashanti War"

De young massa not like him father.
Me tink de ole gentleman make mistake wid him when him chile, let
him hab too much his own way. I bery fond ob him because I had
been wid him so much, but I often shake my head when I tink de time
come dat he be massa ob de plantation. It was not dat his nature
was bad; he get in rage sometime, but dat all ober in no time, but
he lub pleasure too much; go to de races and 'top at de town weeks
together, and play too much wid de cards. Dere were two boys and
two girls; de second boy, he go to West Point and become officer
in de army.
"After de death ob de ole people de house change bery much. Before
dat time we keep good company, gib sometimes grand balls, and all
de fust families ob Virginia in dat part visit dar. After dat always
people in de house. De young massa, when he go to Richmond, bring
back six or eight young men wid him, and dey laugh and drink and
play cards half de night. I tink de young missys speak to him about
his ways. Anyhow, one day dere great row, and dey off to lib wid
an aunt in de city. After dat tings get worse. One day missy come
back from town and she gib my wife her papers of freedom. You see,
my wife was giben by de ole man to missy when her war a little
girl, and fortunate it was dat he had made out de papers all right
and presented dem to her.


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