As a slave-holder.
Polk Miller, that wonderful tradacteur, whose delineations of the slave, as he knew him by association, are so readily recognizable that they have constrained the common judgment, ‘
Polk is the nigger himself!’testifies.
Mr. Miller is a deacon in the Second Presbyterian Church, and was loved by
Dr. Hoge as he is by everybody.
It should not be forgotten that
Polk, in his way, is an ‘Evangel’ himself.
In witness, we have only to state his appealing exposition of the mutual tie which bound the
Southern ‘master and slave’ provider and servitor-educator and civilized-mutually regardful.
Mr. Miller, in his broad compass of visitation of entertainment and instruction, with audiences who have been misled by mistaken
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representation, has done more, it is believed, to dispel evil fancies and idle phantasies born in misguided philanthropy, than have all the cascades of inflated oratory and the mountains of tractates shed and strewn.
He has a ‘little story’ in his mirthsome repertoire, which he had from a member of the household of
Dr. Hoge.
It is somewhat illustrative of what has been just stated, and is, furthermore, not without humor in the realization of some exemplifications of the ante-bellum slave:
Among the slaves owned by
Dr. Hoge was one who had faithfully served him as ‘carriage driver’—Ambrose.
Upon the promulgation of the proclamation of
President Lincoln, freeing the slaves,
Dr. Hoge informed Ambrose that he had no longer any right to his service.
“What for?”
earnestly asked Ambrose.
Dr. Hoge fully explained, stating that, in law, Ambrose was as a white man, and invested with all the prerogatives held by his late
master.
Ambrose appeared to be stunned by the announcement of his beloved master; gloom overspread his face, for a moment he was dumbfounded, then he stammered forth in demurrer of his cruel fate:
I'se bin free all my life; I'm gwine to stick to my white people,
—and remain he did for eighteen years. Finally, demands of blood relationship called him to the locality of his birth, in a distant county.
But, when opportunity permitted, Ambrose would come ‘home’ to see his old master and his household, and, as has been the experience with faithful ‘domestics’ of old, always returned with some gratuity bestowed.
On one occasion Ambrose came with a piteous category of calamity: ‘I's bin havina a hard time dis year anyway.
Las' Jenewary, or Febewary, I disremember which, some 'possum hunters come thu my place an' sot de woods afire, an' de fire crope upon my house an' sot dat a fire, an' when I come out from dar, I never save nothin, but a counterpina.
Den I got me a house on Briery River an' de freshet wash me out from dar. Den I had some as nice Pigs ana Chick'ns as ever you wish to see, an' de Kolry got in amongst de Pigs an' kilt 'em all, and de Chick'ns all died wid de gyarps.
And if t'warnt for de comfort I gits out'n de Bible, I couldn't stana it.’
Dr. Hoge listened patiently to the recital, and then, with a twinkle
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in his eye, asked: ‘From what portion of Scripture do you get so much comfort?’
You knows Marse Moses de Bible says, dem dat de Lord loveth, he chases, an' de way He has bin a chasin oa me for de las' year, I know I mus' be one oa He favorites.
