| Show d l 2 i t A DAUGHTERS DAUGHTER'S BURIAL A ROMANCE OF SLAVERY POST IN SOUTH CAROLINA Old Ott Servants Follow tho Dying ebest of Their Former Master faster urnS Remain on en the tho Plantation to lie Do the tho raIl Pull ers of His Ilia uh Dl er There is an interesting and a pretty story etory that comes hero horo from the tho South says tho the Washington Post and is being told by Southern people a story of a see no in South Carolina which will vill possibly never nevor bo ho w witnessed wit wit- t- t again in tho South a tale talo of slave slavo devotion and slaveholder's appreciation ap ap- ap- ap predation n which sounds almost like fiction At Edgewood At-Edgewood tho the ancestral homo home of Governor Pickens of South Carolina Carolina Carolina Caro Caro- lina there lately died his daughter Douschka who was as well vell known in the tho South at her death as was her illustrious father at the t close of his career Be Before foro the tho close of the tho war Gen Gon Pickens died Learning his approaching approaching approaching ap ap- ap- ap fate he summoned all his slaves at midnight from their cottages cot cot- and being lifted from his bed bod to the tho window around which they were gathered tho the dying governor called upon them to stand by their their- mistress and their missy Douschka no matter what tho the war mi might ht bring about or what temptations temptations might cross their path to tempt them away Ho He died as the moon moon roso rose and tho the oldest of his slaves were his pall Sinco then not ono one of tho the men whom ho he addressed that night has loft left tho service of his widow and at the tho close of tho the civil strife when ne negroes roes wore hastening to seek seck work in towns and cities the tho Pickens plantation almost alono remained remained remained re re- re- re intact It is almost tho the only plantation where tho the laborer is paid a bonus in addition to his wages according to the season or success of the crop This plan of giving iving to the tiller his percentage of the fruit of his toil was instituted by Douschka at tho the age ago of 18 She Sha was buried from Edgewood and her funeral services were without with with- out out out-a a parallel in Southern history As related by a prominent South Carolina lady who was an eye oyo witness witness witness wit wit- ness of the tho services it was a memora memorable blo ble scene Her Hel pall bearers were tho slaves the slaves ex-slaves of her father some somo of whom had borne him to his grave over a score of years ago The Tho spectacle was striking in its sis The Tho coffin was white whito velvet pr profusely covered with white flowers and around it in the palatial ballroom ballroom ballroom ball ball- room of the homestead wore grouped the white-haired white negroes Tho The scene was impressive enough in itself but was almost startling in its solemnity when Mrs Pickens the tho courtly beautiful mother stepped to the head of the casket and facing her faithful servants addressed themI themI them I 1 have havo sent for you ou to do you this honor beca because se and here there was wasa i a break in the voice I I 1 wish to tomake tomake tomake I make a public acknowledgment of your faithfulness and ana devotion through all her sweet life to this your young mistress When your master died you will remember he ho sent for you and confided to your faithful care cal and protection his wife and his little child You have havo have been faithful to that trust Jn Un all the tho dreadful times of riot and thieving you have havo stood by us usand usand usand and protected us and r I thank you now in the presence Plesence of all alk these friends for your loyalty and devotion That sweet young lifo life is over and you will carry from this room her precious precious' body Her lIeI spirit is is with God she sho is an angol angel in heaven and now v I 1 a ask k you to continue your faithful faithful faithful faith faith- ful devotion and protection to your desolate mistress and nd to these little children of young young mistress whom she loved batter than her life It was a strange sight sig-ht this little speech and appeal of a mistress t to her ex slaves at the casket of her daughter The slaves weeping and awed bore their young young- mistress to tho the family burial ground and laid her hes' herby hesby by tho the side sido of her father whom they had buried thirty years before Tho The tombstone will bear the naino naine by which sho she was known Douschka Sho She was tho the vice regent of Mount Vernon from South Carolina and enthusiastic enthusiastic enthusiastic en en- over tho the old home homo of Washington always at the tho meetings and upon all of her visits to this city had been boon received with marked social attention |
