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house;” and the leader of the meeting, a venerable black man, was known as “the praise man.”
On a certain day, when there was quite a large gathering of the people, considerable confusion was created by different persons attempting to tell who and what “Massa Linkum” was. In the midst of the excitement the white-headed leader commanded silence.
“Brederin,” said he, “you don't know nosen‘ what you'se talkin‘ ‘bout.
Now, you just listen to me. Massa Linkum, he eberywhar.
He know eberyting.”
Then, solemnly looking up, he added,--“He walk de earf like de Lord!”
Colonel McMaye told me that Mr. Lincoln seemed much affected by this account.
He did not smile, as another man might have done, but got up from his chair, and walked in silence two or three times across the floor.
As he resumed his seat, he said, very impressively: “It is a momentous thing to be the instrument, under Providence, of the liberation of a race.”
1 My “six months” proper, at the White House, terminated, as will be seen, the last week in July, 1864. February and a part of March following I passed in Washington, and was privileged with a renewal of my previous intercourse with Mr. Lincoln.
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