Classic Audiobook Collection - Fact Stranger than Fiction by John Patterson Green ~ Full Audiobook [biography]

Episode Date: November 11, 2024

Fact Stranger than Fiction by John Patterson Green audiobook. Genre: biography In Fact Stranger than Fiction, John Patterson Green tells the story of his first seventy-five years, tracing a path from his childhood in New Bern, North Carolina, through a formative move to Cleveland, Ohio, and into a life spent fighting for education, professional standing, and public service in a country shaped by the color line. Part memoir, part social history, and part collection of vivid recollections, Green sketches the people and places that formed him, from integrated classrooms and hard early jobs to law school, the courtroom, and the rough-and-tumble world of Republican politics after the Civil War. As an African American attorney and officeholder, he confronts the daily realities of prejudice while building a career that takes him from the Reconstruction-era Carolinas back to Cleveland, where his ambition leads to the Ohio legislature and beyond. Along the way, Green offers portraits of notable acquaintances, behind-the-scenes glimpses of civic life, and reflections meant to serve as encouragement to young Black readers striving for opportunity. Frank, energetic, and often surprising, this is a firsthand account of persistence, politics, and the making of a public life. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 01 (00:37:40) Chapter 02 (01:25:21) Chapter 03 (02:03:14) Chapter 04 (02:38:39) Chapter 05 (03:18:27) Chapter 06 (04:11:43) Chapter 07 (04:55:43) Chapter 08 (05:24:56) Chapter 09 (05:38:13) Chapter 10 (06:08:13) Chapter 11 (06:29:38) Chapter 12 (07:15:56) Chapter 13 (07:38:21) Chapter 14 (08:12:27) Chapter 15 (08:42:32) Chapter 16 (09:15:04) Chapter 17 (09:46:52) Chapter 18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fact Stranger Than Fiction by John Patterson Green Origin of the family Green The Short and Simple Annals of the Poor John P. Green, the subject of this sketch, was born in the old town of New Bern, North Carolina, on the second day of April 1845. His parents were John R. Green and Temperance Green, both of whom were free-colored people of mixed blood

and highly respected by the people of both races. in that community. John R. Green, the father, was the reputed son of John Stanley, spelled by him, S-T-A-N-L-Y, of North Carolina, who was the son of John Wright Stanley of the same place, and who, during our Revolutionary War, for a long period of time, maintained a fleet of 14 privateers in the vicinity of the West India Islands, which preyed upon British commerce quite successfully until being attacked in its West Indian harbor of refuge by a portion of the British Navy. It was thoroughly destroyed, and Stanley betook himself

to commerce and merchandise in the old North Carolina town at that time, the capital of the state. This is the same John Wright Stanley upon whose head with that of William Gaston, a great revolutionary patriot of the same state and community, was placed a premium by the British military authorities during that war, and who in the darkest days of the war of independence lone general Nathaniel Green, the sum of 40,000 pounds which I may say was never repaid to him, and when we consider the scarcity of money at that time, and that 40,000 pounds was as valuable then as 200,000 pounds is now, we can form a correct estimate of the patriotism of that son of the revolution. In may interest the reader in passing to know that Gaston was murdered by

British spies for the bounty which was offered for his head, but Stanley lived to see the end of the war and enjoy the blessings of liberty for many years under our glorious stars and stripes. John Stanley, my reputed grandfather, was widely noted for his legal lore and successful practice at the bar of North Carolina. It was said of him that he never lost a case, but as to the truthfulness of this statement, I am somewhat incredulous, unless it be a fact that he had very few cases, or that he was so uniformly successful in practice that it became a proverb that he lost no cases. That he was a great orator, politician, and statesman was well known. He was for seven consecutive sessions of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Speaker of the House was in

Congress once and followed and sustained that great party of which Henry Clay was the famous leader known as the Whig Party and stood for America for Americans and the protection of of American industries. This John Stanley in the early part of the last century became involved in a quarrel with Governor Richard Dobbs' spite of North Carolina, one of the original signers of our National Constitution, and accepting a challenge sent to him by governor's spite. They fought a duel in which the governor was killed.

This was a social and political calamity in the old North State for a long time deplored and did much to bring into hatred scorn and contempt a system of so-called honor which was finally outlawed under a heavy penalty. Herein peculiarly enough lies the explanation of this writer's name being John Green rather than John Stanley. My father's mother, Sarah Rice, a woman of African descent, had for years been a good and faithful maid servant in the home of the unfortunate governor, spite, and had exercised over the little girls and maidens of that August southern family, almost maternal care. A condition of affairs which I suspect few persons in the northeast and west can adequately conceive of

unless they lived in the south during the slavery era and became familiar with it. So close was the association between the Negro and mulatto, nurses and their little wards that even down to the present day, we often hear the signs of all southern families and some of the elderly ladies from the same section referred to their old black mammies with accents of love and affection. Such was the love and affection for Sarah Rice on the part of the spite family that they set her free, manumitted, emancipated her, giving her at the same time the sum of $200 as required by the law of the state at that time. Previous to this important event in the life of this favored nurse, she had been delivered of a wee boy baby whom she had named for herself only,

Johnny Rice, not daring to disclose his true paternity, but subsequently having attained her freedom, she called him Johnny Green, for a little boy whom she had nursed, for Johnny, having been born when his mother was still in the bonds of slavery, followed his mother's slave condition, and not having been manumitted with her. He was still the slave of the spite estate, and to let it be known that he was the natural son of John Stanley, the fatal ball from whose pistol had killed the governor, would in all probability have sealed his fate adversely. So Johnny Green became in later days John R. Rice Green, and this writer his son has faunted the green flag is John P. Patterson Green ever since, sometimes really, fact is stranger than fiction. Having stated it as a matter

of fact that my father, John R. Green, was the reputed son of John Stanley, a son of the revolution. The skeptical may demand the proof of this fact. If so, I submit the following data. A. Sarah Rice, John R. Green's mother, declared that Stanley was his father. B. John Stanley on his dying bed sent for my father, and to him in person acknowledged his paternity giving him at the same time a steel engraved likeness of himself, which we still have in our family. C, my father, it was generally conceded bore a more striking resemblance to Stanley than any other of his sons except that he was a jade darker. D, it was common rumor in that community that Stanley was his father. To the best of my knowledge, the most illustrious son of my grandfather, John Stanley, was the Honorable Edward Stanley,

M.C., who was leader of the Whig Party in Congress in the 40s. This gentleman and scholar was later on the first nominee of the Republican Party for Governor of California, and afterwards during the Reconstruction period subsequent to our Civil War, was appointed by President Andrew Johnson, provisional governor of North Carolina. I've gone into this matter somewhat minutely because I am proud of the fact that I can trace my descent

from a family so distinguished in both camp and state, and also because it furnishes to the student of society and social standards in these United States a concrete example of how fearfully and wonderfully a large percentage of the colored people here are made. I shall end any further consideration of the Stanley family by submitting the following epitap from the pen of the late William Gaston of North Carolina, who was the son of that William Gaston, the friend and associate of John Wright Stanley, who died a martyr in the cause of American liberty. This William Gaston, who wrote the epitaph, was noted in his day, and down to the present as having been one of nature's nobleman and the greatest chief justice and jurist his state ever produced. He was from the first John Stanley's close personal friend, both at the bar and in the political arena, and well knew whereof he spoke. The following is the epitaph. John Stanley, eldest son of John Wright Stanley, and Anne, his wife, born 1774, died August 2, 1833, Few persons in any community have occupied a more prominent station.

Few have exercised a more powerful influence than this distinguished individual for many years held and exercised in our town and throughout our state. Long in the affectionate and grateful remembrance of all will live his genius, his learning, his courtesy, his eloquence, his virtues, his personal characteristics, and his public services. Gaston My mother, Mrs. Temperance, Durden Green, was a quadroon by and was a direct descendant on both her fathers and her mother's side from those Scottish and

Yorkshire Englishmen who followed the flag and fortunes of the last pretender, descendant of the unfortunate James II of England in 1745, and after having met disastrous defeated Darby, almost at the gates of London, were expatriated and, in large numbers, found asylum in North Carolina, notably in the counties of Cumberland and Sampson, whereby thrift and economy, they left a numerous and wealthy progeny, as may be seen by tourists and others today. In the latter part of the 18th century, 1792, to be specific, there resided near the town of Clinton in Samson County, North Carolina, about 30 miles from the city, then town of Fayette'sville, in the same state, a family containing two beautiful daughters of which a man, chestnut, or chestnut with two teeth, by name, was the head.

this pater milius was a well-to-do farmer and with his wife and daughters was known and respected far and wide by persons of his class moreover since his daughters were young and comely they were frequently favored by the calls of young gentlemen in the vicinage who socially and financially deemed themselves their superiors in the course of time the young ladies became greatly enamored of two of these young men but since they did not hasten to make to them proposals of marriage they had recourse to the advice and services of a likely young comrade but since they did not hasten to make to them proposals of marriage they had recourse to the advice and services of a likely young colored man, the slave of their father, who advised them in the premises with the result that ere long each became the mother of a little-colored girl. One of these baby girls was named Obedience, which was transformed to bead. This one was my grandmother born in the same year as my father, 1793. The child of the other girl, sister of this first mother, was named Alice, but invariably as long as she lived, called A-Lice. A glance will suggest that these two babies being the offspring of one father by two sisters were at once sisters and cousins. This condition during the womanhood of

these two colored girls was doubly complicated when each girl presented to two white brothers severally a child, one of whom was my mother. If the foregoing is proof of a low moral status amongst both white and colored persons in that portion of these United States at that time plays the podium where it belongs not at the door of the poor slaves, nor should we forget that as far back as the time of Homer, when bondsmen were of every nationality and race, it became a maxim that Jove made it certain that whatever day makes man a slave

takes half his worth away. Moreover, it seems to be a natural inclination governing dominant and oppressing men to take unjust advantages of unprotected females and others, as witnessed the Romans under Romulus taking by force the Sabine virgins and carrying them into captivity and a more recent proof of my contention may be found in the context of the German warriors

and the Reds of Russia who have disregarded every sacred right of conjugal maternal and virginal purity. Under such conditions those damnable doctrines might make right and to the victor belong to spoils are an unspeakable curse. It may interest the reader to know that both those colored girls live to a ripe old age, be it my grandmother lived to be nearly 97 years of age, and had she not yielded to dread pneumonia, she would probably have rounded out a century. Alice was almost 90 years of age when she died,

both left behind them, a numerous progeny, thus proving the fallacy of that scientific dogma that mulattoes cannot reproduce their species, for both were mulattoes having white mothers and a negro father. Granny B. was in her youth and young woman who had a very strong and active woman, as the two anecdotes which followed concerning her will abundantly prove. when she was between eighteen and twenty years of age she had to some extent the care of the cows and other cattle belonging to the farm on which she was reared on one occasion it became necessary to put a rope around the horns of a powerful steer which was confined in the pen but this being at a time remotely

a terrier to the herding of cattle on our western prairies and skilful lassoing of the same by our doughty cowboys the men failed of success and after repeated efforts and failures repealed to be their keeper hears be they said they know her let her try no sooner said than done for in a jiffy she vaulted over the fence of the pen and noose in hand dauntlessly approached confronted the steer lowering his head a beast rushed at her in this supreme moment granny did not scream and faint but grasping his horn, she held his nose to the ground until relieved. When she triumphantly climbed back over the fence, the silent shirt of all eyes, the heroine of the moment, and even down to the present day, in the estimation of this writer and others. The other incident follows in 1872 when she was in the 79th year of her age. I visited her on a farm in the suburbs of Benettsville, Marlborough County, South Carolina.

The little cabin in which she then resided was on the roadside at the edge of a 50-8. or cottonfield, and it becoming necessary to call one of the hands to his dinner. She did not ring a bell or sound a horn, but with a stentorian voice called Lewis, oh, Lewis, I can hear her to this day. Come to dinner, needless to say, Lewis heard the gladsome summons, and dropping his hoe in his tracks, ran as the crow-flowers to that refreshment which his manly labor entitled him to, and which made a mere dish of corned beef, and more palatable to him than any nectar brewed by a fabled god. My dear mother was a born Spartan with not the slightest suspicion of African blood traceable in features a complexion with brown eyes, auburn hair, high cheek, bones, high forehead,

straight nose, and thin compressed lips. She was a study for everyone who was introduced to her as a colored woman, and yet she married a colored man, not disowning her descent and to her death in her 81st year of age. She commingled with her colored friends. Some conception of my mother's energy and determined spirit may be gained from the fact that when she was about 20 years of age. She walked from Clinton-Sampson County, North Carolina, to Fayetteville, North Carolina, in less than one day, arriving in Fayette'sville in a foundered condition carrying her shoes in her hand.

When she arrived in Cleveland, she had occasion to transact some business with Mr. Blair, who owned the extensive real estate on the south side of Prospect Street, just east of 30th Street. Mr. Blair said to her, of what nationality are you? Mother answered, I am a colored woman. well replied mr blair i wouldn't tell it mother could wash an iron cook make any article of wearing apparel for either man or woman from her shirt to a prince albert coat in addition to all this she had been taught and thoroughly understood how to card wool or cotton spin with the wheel and weave at the loom she could gather the cotton from the stalk in the field with their own hands without assistance card spin weave and manufacture it into a suit of clothes she could even knit the stockings of the family the first kite ever flown by me was attached to a ball of twine which my mother had manufactured for me out of the raw cotton. When she, a comely last of 24 summers, married my father in 1837, he took her to a beautiful home, which was still standing in 1897, when I last visited old Newburn town, and was in use as a

parsonage for the Presbyterian pastor and his family. The interior decorations of this house by the carpenter in the 30s cost in cash $1,800. an amount which would purchase then what five thousand dollars would today. Having given a survey of the Stanley family and others of his ancestors, I will now proceed to give an outline of my father's brief but useful and remarkable life. And here and now, I dare assert that taking into consideration the time and place of his birth, his enslaved condition, his absolute handicap in the way of obtaining even the rudiments of an education, his was one of the most remarkable careers that stand attested by any other

colored man of his age and generation. It is a peculiar and interesting fact which I may mention in passing that my father and I together have lived in portions of three centuries, the 18th and 19th and the 20th centuries. Father was born, as I have said, in the year 1793, he lived until November 1850, while this writer, having been born in 1845, and the 19th century is still living in the 20th century. In addition to the foregoing, it may be noted that we each have lived in two centuries my father in the eighteenth and nineteenth century and this writer in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries my father having been born of a slave mother before she was manumitted his estate followed that of his unfortunate mother he was a slave ye gods fancy the son of a stanley in slavery yet stranger conditions than this have existed in the southern states of this country the natural colored sons and daughters of many slave masters have been openly sold on the auction block and the proceeds of those sales have been sold on the auction block and the proceeds of those sales have been

gone to line the pockets of their unnatural parents. Little Johnny Green was of such small and delicate frame, even up to the time when he entered his teens, that it was somewhat of a problem. What disposition should be made of him? A laborious occupation for him was out of the question, and as for a professional career, that was not to be thought of. Finally, it was determined to apprentice him to a tailor, and the resolution was no sooner adopted than executed at the age of 13 and 1806, when by reason of diminutive size. He was dubbed Jack the Weasel. He first crossed his legs on the board and commenced a career, which continued for 43 years when death ended it. Father related many instances of shameful treatment of him by some of the apprentice boys during his apprenticeship, who frequently picked on him.

But to his last day, he spoke in terms of superlative gratitude of the protection often extended to him by a Frenchman du Ronde by name whose memory I laud and magnified to this day. who can tell the limitation of little deeds of kindness, little words of love. He also often spoke of his meagre supply of food when old Aunt Hannah, his caretaker, would at times prepare and serve him, kosh a dish, which I suspect few of the present generation know anything about. Having been served with the same dish in my childhood, I hereby submit that recipe for making that inexpensive and palatable dish. Take crusts and crumbs of cold cornbread, moistened them moderately,

put them into a spider frying pan, containing a modicum of hot grease and let them fry until all are nicely browned then voila a dish for a hungry boy we think we are experiencing hard times in our day and we are in many instances but what will you say when i avow to you that the mistress of his self-gousin maria often before sending her out into the street to perform an errand would grease her lips and token of the fact that she had been eating meat father considering his direct lineal descent was in reason necessarily an apt pupil and in the course of a year or two he began to earn money by doing extra work during his spare hours and by occupying some of the hours allotted to him for sleep in this way at the age of twenty one when his apprenticeship was ended he was the proud possessor of one thousand dollars which he ultimately used in buying his freedom for he related that after he had married a free wife he could no longer endure the yoke of slavery when he attained his liberty he had already learned to read and write in fact he had to some extent mastered the three rs no school-door swung open or even a jar for him he learned the alphabet in some mysterious way for it was a crime to teach a slave to read and write in this respect he was in a sadder plight than the great frederick douglas for he before he escaped from slavery had some side instruction but father had no instructor save a copy of the then-webster's elementary spelling-book which was his inseparable companion by night and by day, and with the assistance of a blind man whom, at times he led through the street, he was gradually inducted into the mystery of reading. The method in practice between my

daddy and the blind man was as follows. Dad would call the letters of a word, and the blind men would tell him how to pronounce it, and Jack the weasel, like his forebears being naturally clever ere long was reading in the same little book, the monosyllabic sentences beginning. No man may put off the law of God. It may surprise the reader to learn that in that After years without any additional schooling, my father kept the single and double-entry books of accounts used in his business, that at the time of his death he owned a large collection of books, amongst which I can't at this late day recall, the life and speeches of Henry Clay, the church register which contained thorough accounts of nationwide transactions in the Protestant

Episcopal Church of the United States, a history of the world by Sir Walter Raleigh, Rallon's ancient history and many others, in fact so choice and in some instances rare was his collection of books that when, by order of my mother, they were sold at public auction, the bidding was spirited, and the competition noteworthy, to obtain possession of some of them, even amongst the wealthy slaveholders who were in attendance. Unquestionably, my father possessed a great desire for literary attainments, and did his utmost to reach to some excellence along that line. This talent on his part was recognized during all his life. Men of learning and discrimination sought him in his store and engaged him in conversation to such an extent that

much of his valuable time was lost in this way, and even the bishops of the Episcopal Church, of which he was a member, bishops, Ives, and Atkinson, respectively, always visited and conversed with him when they made their Episcopal visits to O Christ Church in that town. In this connection, it may not be amiss to state that, although born and reared a slave and residing in a slave-holding community my daddy so deported himself as to merit and receive kind and courteous treatment from all. He owned and occupied with his family a pew in Christ Episcopal Church, which was the most wealthy and aristocratic congregation in that part of the state, while the other members, with two exceptions, sat in the galleries and as proving how tenacious he was of what he conceived to be his rights,

it may be stated that when the Reverend Dr. Buxton White, a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, married him and my mother in Fayetteville, North Carolina. in 1837 and did not wear his clerical robe he would not give him a bill which he carried in his vest pocket for him. I may add in passing that my father, who never aspired to be called a poet in any sense, yet undoubtedly was possessed of the afflatus to some extent for he read the higher poets with avidity and had committed many excerpts to memory, which in animated conversation he often repeated. As an illustration, I will here record one which I have carried in my memory for 65 years, and during that time I've never seen it in print.

Where are those names which set the world on fire? Where does the pride of Rome and Greece retire? Caesar's dread name now marks the butcher's dog, while Cato saws wood and Scipio drives the hog. Seek ye for Pompey search the Tanner's yard, while Nero you'll find your kitchen's faithful guard. As tending to show that father was possessed of a keen sense of humor, and could on occasion extemporize a little rhyme,

I will give the following illustration. one Sunday afternoon, when he and some of his boon companions were promenading, one of the principal streets of the town, he noticed that one of them. Boston, by name, was wearing a coat which had been made in his tailor's shop, and that it had been dyed black. Like a flash, he slapped Boston on his shoulder and exclaimed, this coat I know it once was brown, and shown all o'er this new burn town, but now, alas, this coat is black, and shines upon poor Boston's back. It is needless to remark that this thrust drew forth, much merriment at the expense of poor Boston, but since it was confined to the friendly group it was taken for a joke as was intended. The following epiteph written, composed by my father, was engraved on the marble headstone placed by him at the head of his first wife's grave in grateful and loving remembrance of her. She died beloved and even revered by the whole community in which she was born and passed her useful and devout life. Sacred to the memory of Sally Green, who departed this life, March 29, 1837, 8.

age forty-five years six months a constant friend a tender loving wife prudent in all the needful cares of life and when arrested by the hand of death in faith and hope resigned her mortal breath her soul we trust to dwell with god above and there drinks on the copious dreams of love In the course of father's long experience as a tailor and merchant tailor, he had many apprentices, some of whom became quite noteworthy by reason of their attainments and mercantile successes. The most conspicuous of these was the late Reverend William J. Austin, a native Raleigh, North Carolina, who for eight years was under my father's eye and finished his apprenticeship cumma gulata. William, as he was called, was for years bubbling over with animal spirits. He was rude, boisterous, and untidy, and more than once had the same.

to be disciplined. It was the general opinion of William that he was a ne'er-do-well and that he would come to no good end. On one occasion he tied up his small wardrobe in a bandana handkerchief and ship to sail before the mast. However, he was intercepted by my father before the departure of the schooner, taken with his luggage back to his home, soundly flogged, and given some wholesome advice for his government in the future. Shortly thereafter, he was invited to participate in the exercises of a singing society which held some Sunday afternoon sessions. He accepted the invitation, became a regular and most interested member, and ultimately announced his intention to study theology for the Episcopal ministry.

This resolution, having been received with marked favor by his father, the late Oscar Austin of Raleigh, North Carolina, he was in a way matriculated in an institution at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he was prepared for college. After that, he was graduated from Oberlin, college in the later 50s, and finally at Cambier, Ohio, became a full-fledged priest in the Episcopal Church. In many years, this true and tri-servant of God as rector of both St. Phillips Church, New York City, and St. Thomas Church, Philadelphia,

preached Jesus Christ and him crucified, and his sweet exemplary life was as a beacon light to many who, perhaps, otherwise, would have been stranded and lost. The following anecdote related by Reverend Austin to my dear mother in my presence goes far to prove the almost intolerable condition which prevailed, even in religious educational institutions in the United States prior to the Civil War. Being the only colored student in Kenyon College prior to the

abolition of slavery, Austin was the sinusure of all eyes, and at times not a little at a loss for companionship and even association. To such an extent was this true that on one occasion, while taking a stroll in the suburbs of the old college town, he was confronted by a cow, who honoring him with a friendly stare turned out of of his way, gave him gangway, as the vulgar expression of our day would have it. Delighted at the unusual recognition and courtesy shown him by the humble brute, Austin saluted her and exclaimed, Good morning, Mrs. Cowell.

It goes without saying that we had a hearty laugh over the incident. Another story related by him, at the same time as recalled by the former, during a summer vacation while exerting himself to add to the contents of his meager purse, he shipped as a waiter on a steamer, plying between Cleveland, and Lake Superior Ports on arriving at Duluth, Ascanaba, or some one of the other seaport towns, he left the steamer and went in search of some other remunerative employment. The older readers of this narrative will recall that

during the later part of the 50s, the whole country was in the grip of a most trying panic, which made it almost impossible to procure remunerative labor at any price. William, in that remote section, soon made this discovery, and since the boat had gone and funds were extremely low, he was open to any job that presented itself. He soon found it in the shape of a small mountain of earth, which had been formed by the excavation of a large hole to be used as a cellar.

The owner of this mountain offered to pay him the sum of thirty-five dollars and furnish him with a shovel and wheelbarrow if he would remove it. In a jiffy, he accepted the proposition, and without delay having peeled off his coat, disregarding his flaxed muscles and tender hands he bent to his task. At the end of two weeks he had finished the undertaking and received his compensation, which he had in his pocket when the boat returned to convey him back to Cleveland. Another father's apprentices who was graduated with honor from his workshop was the late Jerry Harvey of Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Harvey near the close of his apprenticeship had the sad misfortune while playfully pointing a gun at a comrade on Christmas Day to kill him by its accidental discharge. In North Carolina, in the 30s, such an occurrence was an exceedingly grave. affair for the old criminal common law of England, with only slight modification was still in vogue, which made the condition of the offender vastly different than now under our enlightened and merciful regime. However, my father went to the front for him, and as usual he received a respectful hearing in behalf of the unfortunate young man, and the matter was compromised by allowing the defendant to leave the state not to return again. Without any delay, Mr. Harvey betook himself to Boston, where he followed the trade, which had been taught him, and

being very successful along this line. His name became well known, especially amongst colored people in all sections of New England. At that period in the history of the South, Mr. Harvey might, with propriety, have paraphrased our well-known school declamation beginning, banished from Rome, Newburn, wet Spanish, but set free from daily contact with the things I loathe. My father was a man of generous impulses he really, at times when pressed, to bestow a favor, could not say no. And since the homestead example, to heads of families in that state at that time were extremely scant the usual result followed he was compelled to meet the defaults of others by exhausting his earnings and sacrificing his properties added to this was the fact that on two several occasions his establishments were destroyed by fire on both occasions he was the victim of neighboring conflagrations it is scarcely necessary to say that the amount of insurance recovered by him at that time was of slight value hence his was an almost total loss

twice he bought some of his relatives when being sold at public auction being entreated by them to save them from the speculator note the speculator was a person who travelled from one location to another buying slaves for resale and speculation in the cotton cane and rice producing sections of the gulf states the amounts thus advanced by him it is needless to say were never returned to him being importuned by two frail mulatto youths apprentices of his for whom he entertained regard and sympathy he bought them on their promise to repay him the money advanced in installments sad to relate both these young men died of tuberculosis before they had paid to him a tenth of the money advanced one thousand dollars for each of them here again was an additional loss of two thousand dollars which we must not forget was then worth at least three times as much as at the present time ultimately of course he was stripped of all his earthly possession save his honour and broken in body bereft of his redundant humour good cheer and genial whole-souled winsome conversation he betook himself to his bed from which he was never to rise again the sheriff came levied on everything save the sad and downcast widow and three forlorn children ranging in age from eleven years to nine months this writer being second in order was five years of age small and weak for the age lift me up and let me die he said to our dear mother after a lingering illness and so died john r green of newburn north carolina of whom it may be said he loved not wisely but too well the more i reflect on the current of my father's eventful life of his early struggles of for existence his social limitations is vaulting ambitions as consuming zeal and his unspeakable disappointments the more i wonder at the phenomenal successes which attended his efforts he was broad and cosmopolitan in his views and although he was a colored american and a slave-state carrying on his shoulders all that incubus of caste prescription which characterized the time and place in which he lived yet he counted amongst his friends and quasi associates many of the wealthy as well as the poor whites in the place of his residence in his own common occurrence to meet in his place of business illiterate persons of the white race who took advantage of his literary attainments to procure begging petitions and other documents

for public use. And after his death I was accosted frequently by persons of both races who would ask me, whose boy are you? I would answer, I'm the son of John R. Green. Then invariably, the reply would be, well, son, you must be a good boy, for your father was a good man. Father was very fond of aquatic sports. If a vessel was to be launched or any race road on the river, he was sure to be one of the spectators, and as for swimming, boating, and fishing, they were the acme of his out-of-door pleasures. The town of Newburn, North Carolina is lodicated in the triangle formed by the juncture of the Noose and Trent rivers where they unite to form Pamlico Sound. These rivers, as well as the sound, are well-stocked with many species of most delicious seafood,

not omitting oysters, clams, and hard and soft-shell crabs. So fond was he of seafood that when the haggira of colored people from the south to the north was at flood-tide during the decade prior to the Civil War, and especially during the debates in Congress about the year 1850, and he was asked whether or not he intended to join in the procession. He answered that he would never leave North Carolina until he could carry the noose and Trent Rivers with him. And it is a notable fact that as long as we remained in that state, he was the only person who knowingly had ever walked over the frozen surface

of the Trent River at New Bern, where it is from a half to a mile wide. This he daringly accomplished during the winter of 1833 to 4, as my mother informed me. as a workman my father was without a superior in that section of the state he designed and executed all styles of clothing and uniforms which the trade demanded even going back to old continental styles and theatrical costumes in closing this brief sketch of the life of my dear father i shall use the lines of lord byron as dedicated to a poetic enthusiast of his time white by name only paraphrising the word or two to make them applicable an happy soul when life was in its spring and thy young muse just waved her joyous wing the spoiler swept thy soaring liar away which else had sounded an immortal lay oh what a noble life was there undone when science's self-destroyed her favourite son yes she too much indulged thy fond pursuit she sowed the seed but death has reaped the fruit twas thine own genius struck the fatal blow and helped to plant the wound that laid thee low like the struck eagle stretched upon the plain no more through rolling clouds to sore gain viewed his own feather on the fatal dart and winged the shaft that quivered in his heart keen were his pangs yet keener far to feel he nursed the pinion which dimpelled the steel while the same plumage which had warmed his nest drank the last life-drop of his bleeding breast here begins in an humble way an epic to end when and how god in his great wisdom power and mercy wills it to end we follow the little sombre hearse by twos in the direction of christ church cemetery now popularly known there as rock cemetery

mother supported on the arm of a true and trite old friend leading the cortege this writer clinging to the arm of his elder sister next a few friends following the beautiful burial services of the episcopal church having been read and the and the final earth to earth dust to dust having been pronounced forlorn and needy we turn away to confront and fight to strut and fret our more or less gloomy way widowed and fatherless for many years to come mother glum demure and determined as ever a spartan mother showed herself turns from her palatia residence of yore mahogany furniture cut-glass silver service the administration of maid-servants and hosts of friends and repairs with her little brood to a rude cottage in an obscure section of the old town, confronted on the opposite side of the narrow street by the ancient graveyard, gloomy with its weeping willows, funereal cypresses, and moss-covered cedars, and flanked on either side by dwellings, tenanted by persons the like of whom she had never known as associates and who, on occasions, would publicly proclaim in clarion tones, it makes no difference how high the eagle flies in the air. He's got to come down to get his support, as the immortal bard puts it.

what a falling off my countrymen was there end of chapter one chapter two of fact stranger than fiction by john patterson green this liberal fox recording is in the public domain childhood days is the road dreary patience yet rest will be sweeter if thou art are weary than bide a wee and din a fret In commencing the first chapter, I stated humorously that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth and rocked in the cradle of luxury, a mahogany cradle to be explicit. But now all is changed, save that mother still retains a few pieces of the furniture and broken sets of silverware, rescued from the flames, grim reminders of the fact that the beesom of destruction had passed by and the merciless hand of fate was weighing heavily upon us. In that sad predicament, some of her friends.

She, being still in comparative youth and, pleasing to look upon, did not accept several offers of marriage made to her, especially since her only means of existence for herself and three fatherless children was the use of the needle, which at that time and place was a source of very small remuneration. Her current answer was that she would not place her children under any stepfather to be treated in accordance with his whim or mood. My domestic environment was, apparently all the that could have been wished for a boy-boy.

Far better than that of Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, or Booker T. Washington, at five years of age for my food, though scant at times, was sufficient to sustain life at least. I had a feather bed still to sleep upon in cold weather, and mother, by extraordinary efforts, managed to preserve for me a Sunday suit of clothes. In addition to the support which we derived from the industrious use of the needle by our mother,

we had in our garden, which was intelligent, intelligently cultivated, a source of much assistance. In addition to a few plum trees and a large fig tree, all of which yielded abundantly in season, we raised fair crops of sweet corn collars and the medical roots and herbs, which a century ago could be found in every well-regulated truck garden. Southern people and those native to the soil will recognize in the term collard, a plant greatly resembling the cabbage down to the time when the cabbage heads. The collard is of a greener tint than the cabbage, and never heads save to the size of a small orange in the center when the frost come the leaves of the collards are streaked white and wind-boiled in a big iron pot hung on trammels placed in the big fireplace with a piece of bacon pork or corn-beef together with the well-known corn-dodgers they furnish the dish de resistance placed before a half-famished boy i can't see at this writing what on earth would have become of us had we not been in possession of that little garden and a few chickens which furnished us with an occasional egg to vary the monotony of our diet

in order to procure a piece of fresh beef or a pound of liver it was necessary to arise with the larkin high us to the market-house which with the courthouse stood at the junction of the two principal streets and formed an imposing group let it not be imagined however that our dear mother was in any sense remiss or lacks in providing for the future for denying herself fine clothing and all the adornments of the body so much coveted by many women she dedicated her whole life to the support and partial education of her children during the summer season she would save it as best she could a dollar now and then for the purpose of buying a pig for the remainder of the year and then when the weather was sufficiently cold she would purchase on the market when of the weight of a hundred or a hundred and and impose on this writer the task of wheeling at home i have a very pleasant remembrance in this connection of a friendly generous act performed in my behalf by a noble white lady during the winter of eighteen fifty five to six which goes for it to prove that neither true gentrhood nor true womanhood is always to be found in the palace nor must we search for them beneath robes and furred gowns now listen miss aret ellis a maiden lady of culture and refinement was the matron of the griffin academy an institution founded for the nurture and education of poor white girls in that section of North Carolina. She was an Episcopalian by religious faith and attended Christ Episcopal church at the head of her group every Sunday morning. She had known my father all her life and she had seen me and my elder sister in her a pew invariably every Sunday morning.

On the occasion I'm now referring to, I was wheeling in a wheelbarrow, a dressed pig weighing about 150 pounds. I was ten years of age and weighed exactly 50 pounds. placing a fifty-pound weight on one side of the old market scales i would then stand upon the other side and they would equally balance as the slang phrase of the present day would have it it was fifty fifty the day to which i have referred was one of the coldest i've ever seen or felt and i was minus an overcoat i'd stopped at about half the distance to my destination to rest my muscles and recover my breath when along came missoret elis nicely and warmly clad carrying in her hands a few parcels which she had just purchased from one of the dry goods stores where she had been shopping slackening her gate she beamed upon me a countenance full of sympathy and compassion poor little fellow she exclaimed aren't you very cold yes ma'am i answered well take my parcels and let me help you was a rejoinder suiting the action to the word she handed me the things seized the handles of the wheel-bearer and trundled it along the public street almost to my mother's door here was in very fact an angel in disguise her name was a rat a greek word which in the original Greek signifies talent, skill, fitness, courage, etc., and surely on this occasion she proved that she was worthy of the name. Miss Ellis has long since been gathered into the bosom of her lord and

master whom she loved and served. It has been 65 years since this unselfish deed was done unto one of the least of these. But her face and form and kindly act lives and blooms perennially in my mind and heart never to be forgotten, and whether there be erected monument or tablet and commemoration of her useful virtuous and noble life. I know not, but here and now. I pour out to her all the gratitude and esteem of an appreciative heart, hoping that a knowledge of her goodness may stimulate others to go and do likewise. Returning to mother and her struggles, sometimes the bacon would be exhausted before the next pig would be purchased, at other times work would be scarce in the purse would be almost depleted. On such occasions the strictest economy would be required. Once in a while,

we would put some cornmeal into a bowl, sprinkle some salt in and upon it, pour in some hot water, and stir it thoroughly. After that we would place it on the griddle, with lived coals under it. When it browned on one side, we would turn it over and brown it on the other side, then we would divide it into four equal parts of which each one was given a portion to eat or let alone as the humor moved us. Judge Don R. Donald, the widower of the late daughter of the former Governor Richard Dobbs' spite, of whom I have spoken, had a mansion about half a mile distant from the humble abode of my mother. Here were servants galore and food in abundance. Several of the servants were related by blood to my deceased father, and they sympathized with us in our forlorn condition. One of the poor slave women for whom father had done a kindness, could not endure the thought of my older sister doing the family washing,

and be it said to her everlasting honor that she came to mother by night and begged permission to do the washing rather than that my sister should do it. mother in her stern positive way said no sarah has got to work for her living and she may as well be learning now as later on that ended the matter and for years after that while mother sowed sister in her teens assisted and did the washing amongst judge donald's maid servants were two one whom redenominated little auntie and another known as aunt hannah each was domiciled on the premises in adjoining rooms of an outhouse little auntie was a cousin of my father and quite reasonably regretted the great misfortune which had befallen us, and in her poor way, she told mother to send me around there in the nighttime, and she would give me some milk to carry home, and such other little articles of food has remained over from the table of the great house. Of course, we eagerly grasp at this opportunity of satisfying the cravings of hunger, and it became my duty to go to Judge Donald's

every night in fetch home the bounty dispensed to us. This was at times a source of much assistance to us, and we made the most of it. Indeed, so jubilant was I, over the trend of affairs that I was wont to exclaim in a superlatively glee that woman that you call little auntie has a plenty that woman you call aunt Hannah has a plenty and so these poor slave women grateful for kindnesses which are big-hearted daddy had bestowed on them in the day of his abundance found now their opportunity of repaying almost in kind what their true hearts had always been grateful for in those days I was little more than seven years of age and frequently the streets through which I wended my way to judge Donald's were as dark as Egypt. However, I quailed not, and when I could not see the route, I tried to feel it as best I could. Sometimes Aunt Hannah would sigh and say, ah, air, Johnny, I haven't got nothing for you tonight. On such occasions, returning home, empty-handed mother would say, we'll go to bed and go to sleep, and you will forget your hunger. This I did on more than one occasion. We had our bright days, though, for on Christmas, Mother always secured a little turkey,

and during the summer season we more than once enjoyed a luscious watermelon. As soon as I was strong enough to use a wood saw, I was given charge of sewing and splitting the firewood, a quart of hickory, oak, or ash wood would be thrown over our fence. After that the trouble began, however, as I look back to those days and the benefit which I derive from my contact with those woodpiles in the way of developing muscles and general physique. I am persuaded that the criminal branches of our courts would have less to do, had every boy of a woodpile and buck saw in his backyard over which he could preside with honor and profit. This recalls the fact of which I'm very proud of that in the winter of 1858,

when I was 13 years of age, and weighed just 60 pounds, I raised the money to buy me a pair of skates by sewing and splitting and piling up three cords of wood, two cords I sawed into three pieces and one court I sought into two pieces. It required much walking around the streets of Cleveland in order to find the wood, and I regret to relate it after buying the skates. I used them only a few times before I was seized with pneumonia and sold them for about one-half their purchase price. What limited skating I tried to do was without pleasure, for I wore shoes while the other boers wore boots. My shoes were too low for the proper strapping of the skates on, and my ankles would ever in a non-turnover and caused me to fall.

Another task which I had imposed upon me while I was yet a little boy in Newburn was that of turning the grindstone for Uncle Balam, Jones, a Cooper, who would recompense me by supplying some portion of our firewood. Every Saturday afternoon I would go to Flanners Cooper shop, about half a mile distant from our home to perform dysfunction. I was too light and weak for the work, but Mother permitted us to eat no idle bread. At times when Uncle Balaam would bear down with considerable weight, the grindstone would cease revolving, then he would let up for a few moments and allow me to rest a little before proceeding again, and when finally the ads, the broad axe, the drawing, knives, the chisels, etc., were properly sharpened. I was well-nigh exhausted for, be it remembered that I was conditioned like hungry Jake in the minstrel show. The interlocutors said to him, brace up.

Jake answered, how can I brace up when I ain't got nothing to brace? up on. Many times I went to perform the task before I had dined, her mother was loath to lay her work down before she had accomplished a given task. The grinding being completed, then came my recompense. Uncle Balin would select some defective ash-heading, split them to convenient sizes, and fill my deep tray which I had carried there for the purpose. After this, he would assist me in placing the burden on my head. I had no little four-wheeled wagon to draw it home in. Then I would start her fore-home, half a mile distance, and I would start a In the course of four or five minutes the pressure upon the top of my 10-11-year-old cranium would cause my eyes to feel that they were beginning to bulge out, and my neck would pain me severely. In such an emergency, I would sidle up to the nearest fence and ease one end of my tray onto the top of it. Having rested a while, I would proceed on my course, repeating the act from time to time, until I reached my home.

On the route, leading from the Cooper shop to my home, resided a family by the name of Bragg, father-mother and some seven sons and daughters. The father was a tailor-by-trade carrying work to his home and performing it there, with the assistance of his good wife and other members of his family. Two of the boys, Cicero and Edwin, both of whom resembled white boys, seemed to have it in for me, and since there was no other route, I could take in returning to my home from the Cooper's job, I was compelled to pass the residence of the Braggs where these two boys switches in hand invariably weighted me. Both were my superiors in age and some, and there was no alternative for me but to grin and bear the whipping, which they administered to me as I quickened my pace with bulging eyes and aching neck. The complaints of my mother had little effect in stopping their brutal sport, for it would ever and a non-recur. The irony and cruelty of this torture which they opposed on me was all the more conspicuous from the fact that my dearest father had, to a greater degree, than anyone else in the world, been instrumental in securing Mrs. Bragg's freedom from slavery, even advancing some poor, of the purchase price, which had not been returned to him at the time of his death. Here is one sequel to what I have just recited. About twenty years after the occurrences between the two black boys and me,

Edwin and I were both residing in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, my present home. I was a lawyer and justice of the peace of the township of Cleveland while Edwin was a barber. Edwin committed a larceny and was indicted for a felony. He was without means, and I defended him gratis. I put forth every effort at my command to save him from the penitentiary but all to no purpose. He was convicted of grand larceny and sentenced to serve a term in the state prison. In sentencing him to the penitentiary, the aged and learned judge foot complimented me on the energy and interest which I had advanced in defending the young man.

I told the judge that he was the son of one of my deceased father's friends and the playmate of my childhood, whereupon the judge expressed great surprise and adamantverted on the fact that he had fallen and solo while I had followed another course. Later on in life, his form crossed my vision. After that, he was swallowed up in the human world, and was lost to me entirely. On one occasion, while I was turning

the grindstone for Uncle Balam, an incident occurred which to my dying day will haunt my memory. Mr. Hancock, the town sergeant, came into the Cooper's shop, and exclaimed, I want one of your men to make me a paddle. The men, one and all, knowing the purpose of torture that the paddle would be put to,

stoutly refused to make it. this they could do with safety at that time for they were slaves and knew that their masters would uphold and protect them in the refusal it is not so in the south now well said the official give me a drawing knife and a brace and bit and i will make it myself he was as good as his word for in a jiffy he had the instrument made him board full of holes he then took his departure carrying the paddle with him i followed him at a distance for i was curious to learn the sequel from my coin advantage i saw him go to a remote spot up the shore of the new river which coursed near the location of the Cooper shop and stop under a cypress tree which reared his head in the midst of the pure white sand. There stood a group of white men with a young negro in their midst awaiting him. As the sergeant busied himself in removing a portion of the unfortunate Negro's clothing tying his hands behind him and partially swinging him to one of the lower limbs of the tree by a rope attached to his wrists behind, I improved the opportunity in securing a position from which I could see every movement of the possible. and hear of the exclamations and groans of the tortured victim.

Tortured, yes, tortured for it be not obvious to the most casual observer that a human being suspended by a rope attached to his wrists bound behind him must sever excruciating pain, then let him try it for one minute as an experiment. By reason of the peculiar posture of the victim's body, the blows with the perforated paddle, were administered with the utmost facility and with much force, which first blistered and then wounded the body, as I afterwards ascertained by going to the spot and viewing the sand, which at first white was now crimson with the blood of the poor slave,

helpless in the hands of his tormentors. Oh, how earnestly I did plead with my dear mother on my return home to follow in the tracks of the Martins, the Hancocks, and the Stanlies, all of whom had recently left their native heath and gone in quest of a modicum of liberty into the great free north, east and west. However, the time was not yet ripe for this important undertaking, and we must need spite our time. The reason a sign for torturing this slave man

was that he and another had conspired to blow up the dwelling house of a prominent citizen of the town. The victim of the torture had confessed to placing like another guy fox, a keg of gunpowder, under the residence and laying a train for its explosion to it, but no threats or tortures could force him to incriminate anyone else. When the resounding blows of the instrument

would cause more blood to flow from the wound, he would exclaim, oh Lord, nobody but me and Jeff, but who Jeff was, if in very truth Jeff existed, no one could find out. Here perhaps is the place to give some account of the administration of justice in the old North State at that time in the history of our country. In the old courthouse, which was located in the heart of the business section of the town, was construed and to some extent applied, a modified form of the English common law, as it existed before the day's appeal and his co-adish. who pulled many of the fangs out of it. The courthouse had been there from that time where of the memory of man ran not to the contrary, and with all modesty it resembled quite closely the old courthouse, which we found standing in the southwest section of our public square on our arrival in 1857. Within this North Carolina courthouse, all the business of Craven County was transacted even to the casting of ballots

for all officials, from president down to the least delective office, to this temple of justice trudged or stalked, the grave and potent member of the bar and the honorable judges, sometimes carrying a green bag containing a volume of legal lore at other times followed by a dark huge slave carrying the same. The court being duly opened in a formal way by the sheriff of the county, who generally bearing not the faecese, but a rod or pole of authority would proceed to execute the preliminary orders of the court. Sometimes the court would say sheriff called Millie White, then that August official would raise a window or or if in the summertime stick is set out of a window,

an instantorian tones call Millie White, Millie White, Millie White, oh, yes, oh yes, oh yes, come into court, come into court, et cetera. Another name which comes down to me through the 70 years since I heard it is that of Irish Jimmy, Irish Jimmy, Irish Jimmy, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, come into court, et cetera. The oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, hear ye, which for centuries prevailed in English courts,

of common law after the conquest. It was my fortune or misfortune to be in the courtroom one morning when condone punishment was meted out to a person, white, who had been convicted of manslaughter. The sentence was that the prisoners should be branded in his right hand with a hot iron, bearing the letters M.S. signifying manslaughter. The iron not to be removed until the prisoners should exclaim three times. God save the state. God save the state. God save the state. I watched almost breathlessly the sheriff bind the right hand of the convict securely to a small column, which was one of the supports of the ceiling of the courtroom, then he drew from the stove which furnished warmth to the room, a branding iron which was

quite hot. Without delay or more ado, the official pressed the hot iron against the thick portion of the prisoner's hand. There was a sizzling sound. Smoke curled up into the air, and there was a smell of burning flesh, while the convict exclaimed in rapid succession three times, God save the state, God save the state, God save the state. Immediately the iron was withdrawn, and I departed in haste to disclose to my mother and sisters the scene which I had witnessed. It was not a common sight to witness in passing the jail yard, a man standing in the stocks with his wrists and head fastened in the holes of the same. It was fortunate for the men who were punished in the stocks that they were within the jail yard,

which had a fence around it for. The historians of England tell us that in times not so very remote, convicts in the stocks in the city of London were entirely at the mercy of heartless mobs, who would often stone them and sometimes pelt them with rotten vegetables overripe eggs and decaying cats to such an extent was this persecution carried that frequently the victim lost his life all persons convicted of capital offences were executed upon gallows which was erected when needed in an old neglected field not so very remote from our residence i saw a white man john tillman by name hale through the street in which our residence was located in a tumble or cart which was preceded and followed by an armed guard and hosts of curious people. Afterwards, standing at a respectful distance from the gallows, I witnessed the black cap drawn down over his face and his body swung into eternity.

The reader will readily infer from what I have already written that there was not much going on in that old town, on land, or on water, in those days which I did not see. If there was to be a sale or hiring of slaves on the auction block, I was near at hand to note every word, cry, or movement. if anyone was to be lashed at the whipping post there was this writer to behold it at home frequently i would meet a warm reception on my return after having neglected some domestic duty in order to keep time on the very county and municipal affairs mother was at times quite severe in her treatment of me and i've always entertained the opinion that from her lack of proper educational facilities she was not keen to discover temperamental differences and to differentiate in the treatment of persons not mother was as cold and sang foe of temperament as an escotchman of the highlands and as a matter of fact she could not or did not discover that i was a mere little bony bundle of nerves that like my dear deceased father i had to do or die

to have kept either of us still would have entailed upon us st vitus st vat's st cyr epileptic fits all the boys of the town knew me white and black the white boys scorned me because i was not white and the black boys despondy because i was not entirely black they would pick quarrels with me and i would with either my fists or weapons defend myself i had no big brother or other person to take my part and it devolved upon me to hold my own row which i may add in all truth i proceeded to do to the best of my ability on one occasion a crowd of white boys chased me like a pack of hounds baying at a stag they did not give up until they had seen me enter my mother's door in safety on another occasion that same milly white a colored woman of the town whose name was called by the count court crier assaulted me in the academy green on my way homeward carrying a tray of street potatoes on my head and it was not the first time and happening to have a small knife open in one of my hands i defended myself by letting her have it in one of her hips it was her last assault on me that was the nearest i ever came to being arrested for she made a complaint against me to the authorities who sent the same town sergeant he was our police forced to investigate he on hearing the statements of my mother and myself said the woman had received no more than she deserved and dropped the matter. The colored women of the lower class seemed to be peaked, yet my mother because she had never associated with them,

and even in her change and humble condition she carried her head high and scorned the association of all white or black, who were not congenial or fit. One of these colored amazons, who wished to make me the scapegoat once upon a time when I was about nine years old, of age, got me cornered in such a way that no choice was left to me except to fight or be soundly beaten. In that emergency I picked up a stone, closed my eyes, and like another mugged-duff, laid on when my antagonist called a halt and ceased her struggle, I opened my eyes to find her pretty thoroughly covered with blood. This struggle against great odds on my part was viewed by an old friend of my deceased father, who declared that I was the worst boy in town, a declaration which made a lasting impression on my mind and is still ringing in my ears. I've often debated the question, did Mr. Green state a fact, or was he ignorant of conditions and biased?

for some unknown reason against me. What are the characteristics of a bad boy? I assert after an experience of fifty years as an attorney at law, much of the time spent in defending persons indicted for and charged with felonies and misdemeanors, persons ranging in age from ten years of age to old age, that to be a bad boy or a bad man, one must have an evil, malicious heart,

and his deeds must be the offspring of such a heart. But if, on the contrary, a person's heart is free from envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness. He is not in any sense bad. I've known boys to lie, cheat and steel to delight in causing pain and suffering to both man and beast. I knew a boy once who derived pleasure from seeing a chicken suffer after he had cut off its feet. I saw young Southern blood on one occasion, raised his gun and shoot to death, a beautiful spaniel dog, his good friend, because he failed to obey his command and come to him directly. And I personally knew a young fellow who dared his companion to place his wrist on a block in a meat market when the youth placed it there with one forceful stroke of the cleaver he severed his hand from it the foregoing acts i regard as being malicious

but what must be said of a boy who could not look at a wound without shuddering and his every fibre was shocked at the recital of acts of cruelty and tales of woe true this writer was a live wire in the slang of the day and gloried in being conspicuous and leading a boisterous play and in performing deeds which call for more or less courage, but it is not on record, nor does the man live who can cite one instance of barbarity or destructedness on his part. He confesses to the indictment of visiting with another boy, his senior, in age, Mr. Smallwood's vineyard, on one occasion, and then, and there, without permission, indulging quite generously in the luscious Cupinang grapes, which cumbered the vines, but this was an extraordinary proceeding on his part. It was an act which was not repeated, but while the writer made a safe and speedy exit. His companion, who was less fleet of foot and expert in vaulting fences paid the penalty of being detained by a vicious dog until a goodly portion of his trousers

had been sacrificed. Hence, I deny the arraignment of my father's old friend, long since gone to join him in the great beyond. Of one fact, everyone will bear witness. I was patriotic to a fault, as the following anecdote will prove. On a certain Fourth of July, I rose betimes and hurried down to the new county wharf to participate by sight and by hearing in the firing of the daybreak national salute, only to learn that there would be none fired, and that the celebration of the glorious Fourth of July would be duly consummated at Trenton in an adjoining county 20 miles distant. Later on in the day, the monotony becoming unbearable in having no horse and saddlebags like another John Gilpin, with which to ride to Trenton, I concluded that I would walk there.

Now here is an exemplification of one of the reasons which actuated the old gentleman to dub me the worst boy in town for truly I was the only boy of all that town who dared to walk to Trenton after eight o'clock in the morning to assist in celebrating our nation's natal day. At about three o'clock in the afternoon of that day, I made my obese sense to sundry musicians, cooks and waiters who were functioning a great patriotic ball being given in honor of the day. I was tired, dusty and both hungry and thirsty. of course everyone heard with astonishment of my adventure and the successful termination of it but as the procession had long since broken ranks and the participants had tibet taken themselves to the back quentin hall and ballroom floor my efforts to view the parade were in vain abortive and i found myself in a condition closely allied to that of the king of the french who with thirty thousand men marched up the hill and then marched down again however the kind and sympathetic colored waiters would not allow the patriotic quiver of the hour to languish and to starve, for they plied him with bits of rose-pig and other delicacies, not to mention a dish of ice-cream which was, at that time, somewhat of a luxury, and seldom in evidence. To express my unbounded happiness would require a pen more facile than mine, after I had thoroughly gorge myself and let my ear to the dulcet strains of the orchestra,

proceeding from the ballroom. Air long, however, the shades of night began to fall. The merry-makers, by twos, by fours, and by sixes began to depart for their homes, then the little speck of a cloud in the distance which at an early hour had slightly dimmed my vision began to draw near and hang over me in threatening form, and ever and anon in my mind I could see the fort flash and hear the reverberations of thunder, beck tokening a coming storm on my arrival home. Moreover, how was I to get home, for the road was long, dark, and dreary? Just here, the kindly fades came to my rescue, the orchestra which hailed from Newburn, knew me, knew my mother, and had known my father, and again with that generous kind-heartedness for which all colored people are noted, they came to my assistance and invited me to return to my home with them in the bandwagon.

Praise God from whom all blessing flow. I was saved through the sands and the intervening forest, the languid horses progressed until far after the break of day, but finally they drew up in front of my mother's home. She's standing in the door, anxious and doubtful poor soul, not knowing whether the coming of that wagon was for her an omen of good or evil tidings, for more than twenty-four hours had elapsed since she had seen or heard from me, and who could say that I was not drowned in the noose or Trent River, or even had been kidnapped by vultures for the slave market.

We have brought your boy home, exclaimed the leader, and we charge you a dollar. A dollar, ye gods, a dollar from my poor, needy mother in 1855. How could she spare a dollar, as one of the results of a silly escapade on the part of a wayward boy? I have no dollar for you, mother exclaimed in her positive way, they carried conviction in their minds and hearts, nothing more was said i dismounted in the team with a steady trot departed but with me as i entered the gloomy portal of that home the thought uppermost in my mind was that one which has vexed the ages to be or not to be am i to be thrashed within an inch of my life or am i to be the subject of maternal love affection and forgiveness the latter prevailed the weight of fear doubt perplexity and grief having been removed from mother's shoulders and heart she welcomed her erring boy returning like another prodig with outstretched arms and gave him no blows there was no fatted calf killed or suckling pig put upon the spit the remains of all these were left behind at trenton it may be of interest to my readers to know that in returning from trenton after midnight for ten miles we had the association of a stalwart slave-man who walked by the side of our wagon and engaged

in the conversation. He had walked to Trenton 10 miles from the plantation where he was employed to visit his slave wife. Now he was returning, walking another 10 miles so as to be able to answer the morning bell, horn, revely, or whatnot, such as a fate. Educational opportunities for colored people in any portion of the South were very poor, as may well be imagined, when we reflect on the fact that it was made by law a felony to teach a slave how to read and write, but North Carolina was perhaps the least proscriptive of all the southern states in that behalf for many free-colored people, especially in the eastern cities of the state, enjoyed their fair educational advantages under the circumstances. There was a school at Newbern of which the late John Stuart Stanley was master.

It was famous all over the state for the reason that Mr. Stanley was thoroughly equipped for his office. He was a son of John C. Stanley, a barber, who in turn was the natural son of that John Wright Stanley, son of the Revolution mention of whom is made in the first chapter of this narrative and half-brother of that John Stanley from whom my father descended. John C. Stanley, colored, was well to do and gave to all his sons and daughters

all the education that could be obtained for them at that place, for love or money, and John Stewart, his son, was in all English studies, the peer and the superior of a majority of the white men of that section. Whether or not he had any acquaintance with the dead languages or modern tongues

besides his vernacular, I cannot say, I have never heard that phase of his education discussed. As a reader, speller, and penman, he was not surpassed, and in all the studies pertaining to a thorough English education, he was the equal of the best. I recall that in 1856, when I was 11 years of age, the books of Mr. Alexander Mitchell, the leading wholesale grocer of the town, got out of balance. Mr. Stanley was employed to audit them, a task which in a reasonable time he consummated to the entire satisfaction of his employer, after which he took charge of the,

accounts until he left the state to take up his residence in the city of Cleveland, where he died many years ago, leaving behind him here a large, intelligent and prosperous family. Mr. Stanley was a grand, good man. Colored students came to Mr. Stanley's school from all parts of the state and were well instructed for a very reasonable compensation. This writer in his sixth and seventh years was gradually inducted into the mysteries of Webster's elementary spelling book, which was at that time in use all over the eastern part of this country and elsewhere. To the best of my memory mr stanley carried me through my abc's and my abe's even to the lesson beginning with b a b a b a k er baker after that his good wife mrs fanny stanley one of the most faithful and industrious of wives and loving and affection of mothers that ever lived took me in hand she had visited ohai with one of her daughter mrs sarah stanley woodward to place her in oberland preparatory school and on returning to her home brought with her a set of the mcuffie's school-books then which it is difficult to imagine better notwithstanding the numerous changes which have taken place since their publication seated on a stool on her knees by the sight of her beautiful little daughter fanny she laid the foundation of such education as i now possess and for which in deep gratitude i shall always revere her name and memory

this branch of john c stanley's descendants was always conspicuous noteworthy their reasoning and education even in that old slave state in the midst of a slave-holding community was on a par with that of the best families of the state and in many respects the treatment accorded to them did not differentiate from that accorded to the elite of white people saving only that they were not accorded domestic social contact which i may say the stanley's never sought after since our colored social circle in newburn was satisfying and uplifting. There was not amongst us any of that, squeamishness with respect to the varying shades of of color. All that was required of a person knocking at the door of our social circle for admittance was fitness, my dear father, who was one of the leaders of the color society in the old town, always stoutly maintained that person seeking association with others should be congenial and meritorious, and this theory was acted on until the emigration of the families composing the circle annihilated it. One of the well-to-do and most highly respected of the families, which affiliated with that social circle, was Mr. Richard G. Hazel, a man of pure Negro blood and his family.

Mr. Hazel was a blacksmith by trade and also owned a small bakery which was managed by his worthy wife and daughters. One of his daughters was a student and graduated from Oberlin College during the latter years of the 50s. Color did not make the status of that social group. Fitness merit only. This, it would seem, should be the criterion the world over. During the Buchanan-Fremont campaign for the presidency in 1856, the slaveholders became greatly excited and quite fearful that if the Republican Party elected its first presidential nominee, their favorite degrading institution of slavery would be jeopardized, and probably so, for despite the fact that their smart men in Congress had run from the great northeast and west, many concessions such as the Missouri compromise, the fugitive slave law, and the Drescott decision. It was easily apparent that the twin relic of barbarism was doomed, and that with the enlisting of men, grilling of soldiers, searching of colored residences for firearms, and cruelly whipping the owner, when an old, fouling peace were found, a reign of terror seemed imminent.

Thereupon, a majority of self-respecting colored families in all parts of the south began to sell out, pack up and get out, while, as one expressed, to the getting was good. This was especially true, as regarded the colored families long resident in old Newburn. they stayed not on their going but sold their possessions and went some to new york some to philadelphia a few to boston and new haven but the majority to cleveland and obelan ohio whence they began without delay to write persuasive letters to the dear ones left behind exhorting them to follow their example my dear mother was persuaded by the late john patterson of obelan ohio to sell her little home and come with her children to a land of freedom the fact that mother feared that i would later on in life leave her there as her elder brother william chestnut had left her his mother and settled in Tara Hote, Indiana in 1835, with her he had ridden on a little clay-colored mare, had much to do with influencing her to follow Mr. Patterson's advice, but especially the petty persecutions and insults she was constantly subjected to by

her crude neighbors fully determined her to take the step. As an indication of the extent to which she was subjected to these petty annoyances, I will here record the true story of the treatment of our game, old rooster, old Dick, which I have often related in my talks to children as an example of nil desperandum, never give up, never despair. My mother, in addition to her helpful garden, had a few chickens amongst them, was a game rooster of the genus, now denominated Rhode Island Red. We called him Old Dick, for we found him on the premises when we moved in

five years prior to the incident I'm about to relate. Others of our neighbors also owned roosters, of which they were proud, and in behalf of which they were ready to contend. On Betsy, York, was one of these, and Cinser Bird Azaris, each metaphorically carried a chip on his shoulder, and frequently contended for the mastery, but with varying success, on Betsy looked with much disfavor on old Dick, and vowed vengeance on his head or body. One morning, mother, in the usual trend of her maternal duties, went to the door with some corn and other feet for the chickens and began to call them up. Chicky, chicky, chicky, she called, all answered by putting in appearance except Old Dick. again and again she reiterated the call but no old dick answered it in any manner john said mother go look for our rooster i'm afraid something has happened to him as swift as the wing of the swallow i was out in quest of our treasure-bird scanning his usual haunts peeping underneath the neighbouring cottages all of which were supported by blocks underpinning

and making frequent inquiries of persons in the vicinity gave no clue as to his whereabouts finally i looked into a tar-bearer on the premises of aunt betsy which was was partially filled with pine tar, and there, to my amazement and sorrow, I found the game and courageous old rooster, submerged as to his whole body, accepting his head and neck, and gasping for breath. In less time than it takes me to write this, I had extricated him, and was speeding to my mother's home a few doors distant. There we laid him on the ground and carefully examined him, diagnosed his case, which disclosed the fact that his bill was cut off to the quick, likewise his wing, feathers, and his spurs. His feathers, of course, were thoroughly saturated with the sticky tar, although which left him in such a deplorable condition that we despaired of his life.

However, that Scotch, English-African blood which animated my undaunted mother's being was equal to the emergency, Neil Desperandum, never give up, despair as to nothing was her motto, and she immediately set to work to save the life of her truly game bird. His bill being severed almost to his head, it was impossible for him to pick up corner any other kind of chicken, food so she made a ball of dough out of cornmeal and placed it before him he ate of it bit it up voraciously until he was satiated then he helped himself to water as best he could from a pan sat before him thus day by day his needs were met and supplied the next question was how to divest him up his thick coat of tar this was done by giving him daily baths and warm pot liquor the liquor left in the pot after boiling fat pork and collars in it it was covered with grease and was warm dick enjoyed these baths very much in air long the bill grew out again, just as a fingernail will grow out again. The spurs were as long, sharp and menacing as of yore, and instead of close, scrapped wings, old chanticlared disported himself in a new suit of feathers all over his body and crowed as lustily as ever.

He was on the job for all comers, and went a year later on. We sold him to another. He was treasured as a fighting birds ready to meet all. Another source of great annoyance to my mother at this time were the raids of the patrols who were constantly visiting residents' sections of the colored people in quest of firearms and war munitions, mentioned by me in the first chapter, they were respectors of no persons of color, and had no regard for time or conditions. In the course of their rounds, they visited our home late one night, I answered the summons on our front door.

They unceremoniously entered, not the least obeisance made they. Not a moment, stopped or stayed they. But unceremoniously, they began to rummage the drawers of the sideboard and bureau, their first exclamation of beholding this writer who wore a suit of homemade pajamas was, Hello, what a pretty boy who lives here. I told them it was the home of Mrs. Green, the widow of the late John R. Green. But come on, boys, one of them exclaimed, She's all right, and they took their departure.

Our rest was frequently broken by the bleeding of goats, which wandered into the old graveyard on the opposite side of the street. They would thrust their heads through the interstices of iron fences surrounding some of the burial lots, and nibble the grass which grew green on and between the graves enclosed both before and after midnight they would make the welcome resound with their pitiful bah as their fluke horns would prevent them from withdrawing their heads they were thus caught and held as firmly as if they had been behind prison bars john mother would exclaim i can't sleep for that noise get up and go into the graveyard and release that goat without any hesitation i would slip on my trousers run across the street vaulta board fence and follow the sound amongst the graves and tombs in the almost pitch darkness until i found the animal when having extricated him i would win my way back again safe and sound there were slave men and women in that town who declared in my presence that not for their liberty would they perform that feat so thoroughly at that time and place were they saturated with a superstitious fear of ghosts we should rejoice to know that the light of reason and educational facilities now within the grasp of many of the children of those poor deluded people is rapidly banishing this and kindred superstitions from their life and mind, the foregoing and many other

annoyances to which mother was constantly subjected finally induced her to listen to the persuasive appeals of Mr. Patterson and others of her former friends who had gone from comparative darkness and to the light of liberty and justice. Some of her friends of both races endeavored to dissuade her from the act, but once having given her ear to the siren voice, she was determined to depart with her little ones in search of a new home. The land of opportunity, not only for herself but for her whole family. In this frame of mind, she requested little auntie to ask Judge Donald the son-in-law of that deceased Governor Richard Dobbs spite, to whom my deceased father had paid the $1,000 mentioned in the first

chapter of the bare privilege of calling his life his own. If he would contribute a small sum towards the expenses of our journey, he promptly answered no. And sent this message to my mother, you had better remain here amongst your friends. Mr. Jim Green and Ben came around and created the household effects which had not been auctioned off. The premises were sold to the trustees of the cemetery to be included at a later day in the graveyard when the time was right for its extension, and then we were ready without carrying the noose and Trent Rivers with us, as my father had suggested to exclaim, in poetic phrase, my native land, good night. In leaving this shelter, which for seven long years had been a snug harbor from the sun's scorching raisin, winter stormy blasts,

my dear mother was leaning on faith and trusting in God. Her constant motto and solace was, trust in the Lord and do good, so shall thou dwell in the land and verily be fed, nor did she during her long life confided in it in vain. The manner in which mother came into the possession of this rude shelter is worthy of note and goes far towards proving that there are still in our midst, men and women who are true and worthy of all confidence and trust. When father saw the inevitable that the last vestige of his property would be taken from him to satisfy the demands of his inexorable creditors before it was too late he deeded this little cottage to a colored friend of his shade green by name after the deluge while he was

proposing in his grave shade green this honest generous friend deeded the property to my mother and the facts in the transaction were never questioned in court at least had the property been of more value and investigation perhaps would have taken place in a court of equity might have annulled the two transactions for the want of any consideration for the benefit of credit however as the sale of the premises only brought to her the sum of two hundred and twenty five dollars including some substantial improvements which have been added to the house it can be seen that to the average business man the place was well-nigh negligible this shade green was a man of means and well reputed in the community where he lived he possessed on his premises a well of crystal water with pump extending into it this water which was used grottis by every one within a half a mile who thirsted for it was to make use of a homely expression indulged in by one who knew as cool as the polar bear He left a numerous progeny, one of whom Mrs. Hattie Price, has from childhood been a resident of this city, Cleveland, Ohio, and a most excellent teacher in our mixed schools for many years. The addues and farewells were all said.

The crates and personal luggage were all safely transferred to the hold and stateroom of the good ship Laura Johnson, and now nothing remain for us to do safe to take ship ourselves. This and the afternoon of the 24th day of June, A.D. 1857 we did. The ship lay at anchor in the often partially loaded, for it was at low tide. Her y'all boat came alongside of the dock and received us, and in a few minutes we were snugly ensconced on the single deck of the staunch schooner, casting long, lingering glances back upon our former home, but none except this writer ever perhaps to be seen again. end of chapter two chapter three of fact stranger than fiction by john patterson green this livervox recording is in the public domain bittersweet twilight and evening star and after that the dark and let there be no sadness of farewell when i embark for though from out are born of time in place. The tide may bear me far. I hope to see my pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar. At the time referred to in the last chapter 1857, no ships or other vessels as we called all

seagoing craft, drawing more than about 12 feet, which visited New Bern, could enter our port, and as there was a bar in the sound which every ship was obliged to cross, either coming or going. It was necessary that our good schooner, Laura Johnson, should be lightered over the bar, that is to say, a small vessel denominated a lighter carrying her deck load should accompany her over the bar and transfer the same her load to her deck. This occupied at least a day at that time and afforded such of the passengers as inclined an opportunity of visiting some of the small rocky islands which lined the coast in that vicinity on which very many aquatic fowls were accustomed to lay their eggs and hatch out there young. On this occasion, two of the vessels grew,

and several of the passengers, including my elder sister, took advantage of the invitation and went to shore, returning after an absence of several hours, with a goodly quantity of which the cook prepared and served for us i am not certain that at this writing i should care to indulge in the eating of those legs for i was in profound ignorance as to the kind of species of birds that laid them or the length of time they had lain amongst the rocks before they were gathered and served to us of one thing i'm sure the flavor which remained in my mouth after partaking of them was not reassuring without wearying the reader with the details of of this sea voyage, which skirted the coast of North Carolina and Maryland, until we sailed serenely up New York Bay, and laid anchor snugly in the harbor on the Brooklyn side. I will remark that at times especially when we were doubling K-powderous, the so-called dread of seamen, we had excitement enough for the most exacting. The monster waves, billows, piled up like Asa on Pelian,

in poetic phrase, heaved on Olympus, tottering, Assy, stood on alsa pelion nods with all his wood since then i have crossed the atlantic ocean eight times but nothing within my own personal experiences has equalled what i then endured tumbled out of my berth upon my head with part of our luggage upon me cabined and cribbed for days within our stateroom not very stately at that terrified when the billows mountain high threatened to engulf us and when our little two-masted schooner like a cockle hung trembling on the crest of a mighty wave, I for one imagined that my end had come, and could not with the unhappy more, say, if after every tempest come such calms, may the winds blow till they have awakened death,

and let the laboring bark climb hills of seas, Olympus high, and deck again as low as hells from heaven. One thing interested me very much, even amid the thundering of the billows and the strident sounds of the winds, playing amongst the rigging that was the captain when in stentorian tones he gave his commands to the helmsman at the wheel which enabled our sturdy bark to dodge the dangers and weather the gale none the worse apparently for her perilous voyage when an extra heavy wave came thundering toward us our captain would shout right about and then after the imminence of the danger had passed his voice would ring out a hard lay and so time and again he would exert his authority and skill until after hours would seem days we were sailing gliding over comparatively smooth seas toward our sure haven of rest

who now living can vividly recall before their minds the appearance of little old new york in eighteen fifty seven sixty three years ago when by the latest census she contained within her walls about four hundred and fifty thousand souls a few less than half the number now credited to the great city of cleveland who can picture the appearance of her forest of mass and complexity of the spars and riggings like the tangles of niera's hair as one surveyed her spacious harbour in those early days vastly changed i think from their appearance in eighteen thirty seven when my dear father visited that city for the purpose of buying a stock of goods yet oh how different than she is to-day it was in the it was in the early morning of july third when our ship was moored to her brooklyn dock near washington street only a few rods distant from the brooklyn end of the first great suspension bridge within the present decade i have looked down from the great bridge and seen the identical little house in which we spent our first night in that great city nor can i ever forget the following day the first fourth of july i had ever spent in a northern city what we saw and what we heard both by day and by night almost startles me even now imagine then if you can what an impression was made on my mind when i was only twelve years of age the first fourth of july celebration i had enjoyed outside of my little native town excepting only the time when i ran away from my home and walked twenty miles to the village of trenton to hear the eagle scream and then neither saw nor heard him saw and ate fat pig instead and heard the dulcet notes of the violin and the cornet before leaving my southern home my dear mother gave me a half dollar john c said you are a big eater now when we get to new york if we are invited out to dinner by any of our old friends don't try to eat everything on the table eat a reasonable amount and if you are not satisfied go at and buy a little something to piece it out but make this half-dollar go as far as you can i fear my dear good mother lost sight of the fact that i was after all only a patriotic little boy as the sequel proved for before the glare of the rockets and roman candles became evident at the setting of the sun i had invested every cent of that half-dollar in the

a little brass pistol and suitable ammunition for it. Could I have made better use of it? Could I ever have bought more happiness in one day with it? I think not, and although the error of my conduct was called forcibly to my attention at times during many succeeding years, yet I am free to say I have never regretted my conduct in that behalf, for it stimulated my love for my country and her glorious flag, which is the only one which shelters and protects us at home, or abroad by virtue of our constitution and laws. The next day was Sunday, if I mistake not, and my baby sister seven years of age, and I attended a Sunday school in the neighborhood. It was the first time in the life of either of us that we had ever been seated with white children. Oh, how happy we were, and how lustily

we did sing for the first time those dear little nursery hymns, little drops of water, little grains of sand, etc. And that other one, I want to be an angel, and with the angel stand a crown upon my forehead, a harp within my hand. This was the beginning only of what was to follow in our little far-away, Ohio home. I had not seen, ear had not heard, neither had it entered into our infantile hearts, the joys that were laid up for us in the not-distant future. The pleasure derived from our brief sojourn in New York was greatly intensified by the association of some of our old Newborn friends, one of whom had been a fellow member with my father of Christ's Episcopal Church, down there. He guided us through the labyrinthine streets, pointed out to us objects of interest,

and explained them to us, and when our created goods were released from the hold of the good ship, Laura Johnson, he kindly saw that they were shipped on one of the canal boats of the Erie canal en route to Cleveland. His name was Mr. Richard W. Hancock, a skilled carpenter and builder who had planned and constructed some of the most ornate buildings in our hometown before he deserted it. mr hancock was the only tyler of a white masonic lodge in a slave state that i have ever heard of or seen marching with drawn sort at the head of a white masonic procession where he was made or how he won recognition in that town twenty years before the civil war is more than i can explain and what makes his treatment the more remarkable lies in the fact that though not a pure-blooded negro yet his colour was pronounced unmistakable on the afternoon of the sixth of july eighteen fifty seven accompanied and assisted by our worthy friend mr hancock we boarded a day-car of the eerie railway company and our adheres having been said we were on our way to dunkirk the western terminus of that railroad at that time i say we boarded a day-car yes for to the best of my memory and information there were no sleeping cars in existence at that time, that there were

no Wagner, Pullman, or double-day cars on bat or any other line, I am quite certain, and persons wishing to dine accommodated themselves from the hampers which they carried with them, and as for sleeping, they were restricted to doubling up on a seat or disposing their bodies in the next most convenient manner. We must not lose sight of the fact that not only the eerie but most of the other railroads in this country were at that time of recent or comparatively recent construction. It as a direct result of that fact, the roadbeds were very poorly ballasted or not at all. On the Erie Road, the writing was rough. There were sections of that thoroughfare so rough that one would almost imagine himself writing in a stagecoach. The rails were light, the springs

were poor, and the couplings between the cars were so very loose and insecure that smooth, easy writing was out of the question. Estimated the distance between New York and Cleveland by that route, to have been 600 miles, we maintained an average speed of about 25 miles an hour, for we were just 24 hours in reaching our destination. However, the whole trip was crammed full of pleasure, for this writer, whatever may be said as to the other members of our party, and when at about 5 o'clock p.m. on the 7th day of July 1857, our train drew into the first Union Depot years before our present old Union Depot was

considered or planned. Our joy exceeded expression. At last, thank God, we were on Ohio soil. Finally, we were in the beautiful Forest City of Cleveland, with its population of 36,000 souls, its grand public square, and its long, broad, ornate streets, cool and refreshing to look upon. The bluff was high and steep at the northern extremity of what is now west 9th Street, then called Water Street, and years afterwards it took a deal of grating to reduce it to its present form. As we reached the summit of the bluff, there were two objects quite conspicuous, which are no longer in existence. On the right, a few rods distance stood the government lighthouse, commanding a view of Lake Erie for many miles out, while on the left-hand side

Bethel Church raised its spire gloriously in the air. It was warm and very dusty, the lake breeze then, as now to some extent, was continually in motion and raised the dust from the unpaid streets to the great discomfort of all pedestrians, but even then the young people were in numerous instances out on the curb sprinkling the streets since the waterworks had for a year or more been established and was coming gradually into use. Superior Street from the public square to west 9th Street was covered with boards and on the south side of that chief business thoroughfare from the square to Bank Street, West 6th Street, the buildings were principally of wood. The public square was enclosed with a sort of fence on all four sides, while the interior was

carpeted with green lawns and shaded by beautiful elm and maple trees. The southwestern section of the public square contained a little antiquated courthouse, which reminded me strongly of the old courthouse which we had left behind in Newburn. I could go on and mention many of the structures existing in Cleveland at that time, but a mere enumeration of them would tire the reader, I fear. Mr. Freeman H. Morris, one of the most intelligent, conservative, and genteel colored men then residing in Cleveland or elsewhere in the United States was the proprietor of a tailoring establishment under the Bennett House, a hotel subsequently enlarged and christened the Forest City House. On the opposite corner, where now is located Marshall's drugstore, was located Rouse Block, built and owned by Deacon Rouse, one of the most prominent of the pioneers of this city ralus block was for its day large and ornamental and was greatly admired by its owner and community in general there was one theatre in the city the academy of music of which the late john a elsler was the proprietor he maintained a stock company of which he was the leading star miss effie elsler his wife and mother of the younger effie elsler who was then a baby was the leading lady there was a tragedian of much merit by the name of

McCullough, James Lewis, inimitable comedian, and Miss Anna Dickinson, Sue Brett. It was with other characters a good company and played regularly for the entertainment and instruction of this community. Occasionally, during this season, great stars would visit the city and entertain the habituees and others of that theater. I remember well the marble heart in the production of which the late John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Lincoln was the star attraction. also Edwin Booth, Cool Dock, Sutheran, father of E.H. Solon, now prominent as our interpreter,

some of Shakespeare's plays, and many others. The old building, transposed, still occupies its original site in West Sixth Street, contiguous to the old Canard House, then called the Anger House. The auditorium of the theatre was on momentous occasions, bordered over and used for balls, given in honor of distinguished personages. It was the largest public auditorium, then at the command of the citizens of Cleveland. Melodian Hall was another hall provided with the stage and scenery. It was located on the present side of Mr. Jacob B. Perkins' big building, the Wiltshire on the north side of Superior Street, near West Third Street.

It is the building used for a post office while the present post office was in course of construction. There was also another hall, a small one in a building, located on the present side of the Williamson building, called at one-time Garrett's Hall, and another on the top floor of a building. which stood where the American Trust Building is now located Chase Hall. There were no places of business on either Superior Street or Euclid Avenue, east of the public square, and on the north side of the public square, the entire space was filled with ornate residences. Prospect Street ranked second in importance as a resident street and Woodland Avenue

third. There were also beautiful residences on Lake and St. Clair Avenue, up to Erie Street, now east ninth, and also on Ontario Street from the public square to the lake. There was a pontoon bridge spanning the river at the foot of West 3rd Street, Seneca Street, and a ferry established to transport persons across the river at the foot of Superior Street Hill. The Old Stone Church stood like a grim sentinel where it stands today. The tall spire had recently been destroyed by fire. It has never been replaced. On the corner of East Fourth Sheriff Street and Euclid Avenue stood St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and in Superior Street between the public square and east 6th Street, Bond Street,

was located both Trinity Cathedral and the Second Presbyterian Church. The Second Baptist Church, now denominated Rockefeller's Church, was then located on the northeast corner of East 9th Street, Erie Street, and Central Avenue, Ohio Street, to the north of Ohio Street, and on the south side of the cemetery was a broad space of land whereon the county fair was held that year. Miss Lucy Reitman, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of the late David, L. Whiteman, one-time sheriff of Kai Yahauga County, Ohio, carried away the prize as the most

skillful equestrian of all those who contended for it. The Central High School building was located where the Citizens Loan Trust Company's building now stands in Euclid Avenue near East 9th Street, while the First Baptist Church, which had formerly occupied a building at the corner of Champlain Avenue and West Third Street was then located on the present site of the Hickokx Building, northwest corner of Euclid Avenue and East 9th Street. There was a pretty little park located on the bluff overlooking the lake at the foot of what is now East 17th Street called Clinton Park. There is now little or no reminder of the fact that it ever existed. This was at a time anterior to the establishment of Lakeview Park when the side of the hill between Lakeside Avenue and the railroad

tracks was covered with little Irish shanties. It is a curious commentary on our ephemeral existence that both the shanties and the depart have already yielded to the march of events. Much could be said of the fire department which we I say we advisedly drew to the occasional fires with our hands, the engines and trucks

and pumped with the same power. It was a slow, laborious process and often quite uncertain, but it was better than none, as well as a source of much recreation. It was midsummer, and time was winging his flight. It is a true saying, eternally true, that time,

and tied, wait for no man, and this writer was not using it wisely. On the contrary, he was scouring the city and its environs, with no useful employment, not even the woodpile to occupy his time, at the imminent risk of getting into trouble, and it was easily evident that my mother must place me under the guardian care and protection of someone who would curb and restrain me temporarily at least. After mature reflection and much anxiety, she finally determined to take me to Oberlin, oh hi, and give me to that Mr. John Patterson, for whom my father named me, and on the following day we found a hearty welcome in the home of that man to whom, of all other persons, were indebted for our presence in Oberlin at that time.

After refreshment, Mother opened up the subject foremost in her mind and disclosed to Mr. Patterson the object of her visitor Oberlin to place in his custody her only son as an apprentice to be taught his trade, that of a bricklayer and plasterer. Now Mr. Patterson already had on his hands several husky boys for whom he could hardly find employment, and he frankly stated his inability to employ another boy for any purpose. Moreover, he said his calling required a boy in his teens, strong and heavy, while I was thin and weak, for a lad of twelve years of age, for whom he could find no employment.

Under the circumstance as he advised my mother to go to the husband of one of her relatives, Mr. John H. Scott, harness-maker, Sadler, and trunk-maker, who he thought could teach me one or more of his trades, which did not call for great size or robust string. This proposition seemed quite promising to Mother, who indeed was grasping at any temporary straw in that behalf, and she stayed not on her going, but went without delay. Cousin Celia Scott, the kindly lovable spouse of John H. Scott,

received me joyously and encouraged, promoted the plan of taking me into her household, enthusiastically, and to make a long story short and oral agreement was made, between Mr. Scott and my mother by the terms of which I was to enter his employment. As an apprentice and remain with him until I attained to my 21st year, Mr. Scott agreed to treat me as his own child, to feed me at his own table, clothe me, and give me a little education. I'm not sure as to this last condition of the contract, but since both my mother and Mr. Scott had been denied an education, I infer the intention

was that I should have some opportunities, at least along that line. in pursuance of this very reasonable agreement i entered mr scott's employ and became a part of his household all of whom excepting mr scott were related to me by ties of blood and without delay he set me to work making straps with buckles sewed on one end of them and other small preliminary work not forgetting to teach me how to milk a cow which gave several gallons of milk and fetch water in a bucket from a neighboring pump for washing purposes and for cooling off a great poker which weighed between four and five hundred pounds and suffered much by reason of july heat another duty which was quite pleasing to me was to carry a basket of fruit to the railway station at least once each day and offer it for sale to passengers en route on the train i tried to milk that cow but honour bright it was for me the most onerous task i had ever undertaken not accepting that done on the wood-pile i did not have sufficient strength in my wrists and try as i would i invariably botched the job as i can now sea on one occasion after i had milked several quarts into the pail bossy put one of her feet into it and on withdrawing it she left in the pail a small lump of clay which had been sticking to it i clutched the clay and threw it out of the pail but not before it had been dissolved more or less and left a thick sediment on the bottom reason and the dictates of honesty told me to empty out of the pail that polluted milk and finished milking but i was too timid and fearful of mr scott whose commanding figure and black eagle eye at that period of his life almost made me tremble i should have stated at the outset that mother in taking leave of me after she had given me to mr scott said mr scott john is a bad boy and you must whip him a remark which to this day sixty-three years since it was uttered still rings in my ears so i carried the milk into the house and mud and all it was noticed that i did not drink any of it but this did not call forth any special comment until the bottom of the crock was reached when low and behold a sediment of clay

unmistakable. Aha! exclaimed Mr. Scott, now I know why you have not drunk any milk today. I thought it was funny you were not drinking any milk today. Now I know the reason why. Hereafter, sir, you have got to drink some of every milking. I may add he was as good as his word, and during the remainder of my sojourn with him, I was required to at least sample the result of my milkings. And so the time wore on, my mother's cousin, Mrs. Scott, was kind and affectionate towards

me, and at times when her husband seemed rather severe in his dealings with me, she expostulated with him. She also had me scrubbed the kitchen floor for her occasionally, for which she invariably gave me a dime or fifteen cents, which I religiously saved in order that I might accumulate a fund sufficient to pay my fare to Cleveland and return when I made a promised visit to my mother on the 15th of September, my elder sister's 19th birthday. In the latter part of August there came to Oberlin a trainload of boys and girls on a picnic excursion. They were Sunday school pupils from that same Bethel Church, of which I have spoken here to four. Mr. Scott permitted me to go into the grove and co-mingle with the children, but of course

he expected me to return home in time to milk the cow. However, my nostalgia, homesickness was so great that I could not withstand the temptation to visit my people. And when the train returned to Cleveland, I was one of the youthful excursionists. On reaching Cleveland, I went as the crow flies to my mother home two miles distant at the corner of pine and hudson now east thirtieth streets there were no street-cars in those days or any other means of reaching there save walking mother and sisters were surprised and overjoyed to see me and covered me with caresses but mother was quite apprehensive that i would have trouble with mr scott on my return as to this she was quite right for though i stowed away in an oil-clos on a freight train and returned to oberland by midnight of the same day he declared he would have to hand my hide if i had not carried a letter to him from my mother mother requesting him to pardon this offense. At the same time he warned me not to repeat the act, a warning which, had I been wise, I would have heeded. However, young lads at the age of 12 years are not as a rule wise and prudent, especially if, as in my case, they have spent their whole life

roaming amidst the pines and sands of North Carolina without the friendly advice and guidance of a loving father, and with none or very few examples set before him in his daily walk of life. in the course of a week or two henry o patterson a foster son of that john patterson for whom i was named a boy older and more experienced than i persuaded me to jump a freight-car with him and make a flying trip to cleveland and return and i having been so successful in escaping punishment in the first instance fell an easy victim to his wiles the trip outward was easily and successfully negotiated without mishap of any sort and we passed a very pleasant afternoon in perambulating the march of trade and the beautifully shaded boulevards of the forest city also we experienced no difficulty in snugly ensconcing ourselves in an oral closet of a freight-car en route to oberland at midnight of the same day but alas and alack when we reached eliria some eight miles from our destination to our unspeakable surprise we were discovered and rudely accosted by a gruff and heartless brakeman who flashed his light in our faces and in very plain english told us to get off our perch and leave the car what was done what to do a glance told us both and we easily recognized that we were up against a condition no theory so without parlaying we jumped off into the outer darkness for it seemed to be the darkest night we had ever seen henry o thoroughly frightened and less staring than this writer stayed off walked the remainder of the distance and put in his appearance at home early in the following morning but the writer hereof lendersome as ever vaulted on to a platform car piled high with lumber reached home and was sound asleep in the arms of Morpheus at about one o'clock a.m. To my surprise and horror at about five o'clock

in the same morning, Mr. Scott, Master, entered my bedroom carrying in his strong right hand a leather strap, resembling very closely those which I had been engaged in manufacturing, threw back-to-bed clothing with which I was covered, and proceeded to give me one of those tannings, with which he had threatened me before, for in this instance I did not return to him, armed with a supplicating letter from my mother. suffice it to state that upon the conclusion of his standing process and for several days thereafter my tawny hide presented an appearance more resembling that of a zebra than of a human being and smarting from the unmerciful castigation i had resolved to quit mr scott forever

even though in attempting escape i should imperil or even lose my life yachta est alia the die was cast the handwriting was on the wall and from that moment it was absolutely beyond the power of my cruel master to retain me in his employ, unless indeed he shackled, hobbled, or imprisoned me, which, of course, in Oberlin at that time was out of the question. The reader must not lose sight of the fact that at that time I weighed exactly fifty pines. I am constrained to confess that, in my opinion, I deserve some punishment for my misconduct in the premises, but without brutality and heartlessness. During the ensuing week, never did the fate's weave of web with more precision and certainty than did I in my determination to make my escape from Mr. Scott. The

opportunity came as I supposed in the afternoon of the following Sunday when I erroneously judged that he and his guest, a Mr. Smith fugitive slave, were conversing together in the parlor, tying up in a handkerchief my little belongings, I made a rush out of the back door for the garden. John, a voice rang in my ears, where are you going to? If a clap of thunder out of a cloudless sky had saluted me, I would not have been more surprised or shocked than when I heard that voice. Turning and looking upwards, I beheld my bet, Nowar, with his fugitive guests sitting at the rear window upstairs, then indeed I stayed not on the order of my going. I flew, bundle, discarded. I ran with might and main, in the direction of the little cemetery, then, in the heart of the town, pursued by Mr. Scott and the other person. backwards and forwards and crosswise the chase held its course with the quarry gradually widening the space between himself and his pursuers until the rider seeing the futility of running in a circle at length made for the track of the lake shore railroad and pitched his trend in the direction of cleveland thirty-three miles away with a lyria intervening eight miles distant

it was a hot september day never to be forgotten by me my thirst was great but my fear and excitement was greater mile after a mile we sped my pursuers gradually narrowing the space between us. My tongue almost literally hung out of my mouth, and my heart beat like that of a doe pursued and bade by the hunter and his hounds. At a distance of about five miles from Oberlin, I suddenly darted from the direct forthright and quickly concealed my poor dying form amidst their underbrush. They searched for me in vain.

They could not find me. Reluctantly they gave up the chase, faced homeward on the railroad track and began their retreat. Unfortunately, inexperienced and they, excited as I was, I resumed my progress on the track, too, thinking that he had abandoned the pursuit, the space between us now being so great. Not so, for a turning and getting a glimpse of my form, they renewed the pursuit and gaining on me, for I was now afflicted with serious rectal trouble, so great had been the strain, I again concealed myself in the undergrowth of a neighboring wood.

Again they were thwarted in their efforts to find me, but at the moment when they had decided to abandon the quest, the little dog which accompanied them a pet of mine dissented me and began to bark and play with me the jig was up i was seized undressed tied as to my hands and cruelly whipped with switches cut in the woods until my little thin body was well covered with purple welts my pockets were searched and all the earnings which i had received from my dear cousin celia for scrubbing the kitchen taken from me so that as mr scott declared i could not pay my fare to my home and friends then i was compelled to promise that never again would i attempt to leave his home and employ the white fugitive slave looking on the while but uttering no word of protest slowly painfully i went in my way back to oberland a forlorn well-begone little boy i wondered could my father look down from heaven upon his poor child whose birth was with acclaims of joy and satisfaction as being the only son, was this then all the result of his strenuous life in behalf of his family and humanity. Such is life. The next day I was lowered into a rain-water cister

into assisting cleaning it out. The water was cold and I was sick, hardly able to stand without support, but that same kind providence, which tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, was by my side supporting and encouraging me, was my spirit broken, had the Stanley chestnut blood quailed before that of another, never young as I was. It was another case of

Leon McDuff, and damned be he who first cries hold enough. Note, such of my relations of African descent, as I had met or heard of, were persons of mild gentle dispositions on the female side, the men I did not know. For a full week after this torture, I was not allowed to peddle fruit at the railway station. I was cabined and cribbed, watched, spied on, lest I should break my word and take French leave again. However, on one fine September afternoon, Mr. Scott said, John, if I give you a basket of apples, do you think you can go to the station and sell them and come back all right? I said yes. Well, go on, he replied, and see to it that you behave yourself and get back on time. With the basket filled with golden fruit, I sallied forth to the station.

Airlong the fast express train flew in Thunderbolt. They called it, and all was bustle and excitement but to the quiet observer there appeared the vision of a little clay-coloured boy quietly tucking himself away beneath one of those passenger cars on the brake beam to be exact hugging some portion of the truck while he inclined his head forward to escape the floor of the car above him the bell rang the whistle gave a toot and slowly that great modern miracle that locomotive puffed its way forward drawing after it the serpentine train filled with living breathing human beings and a boy underneath remember o reader this was in september eighteen fifty seven sixty three years ago when that railroad was in swaddling clothes when the track was new and well-night without ballast and the springs were crudely made and insufficient for the strain placed upon them was i the first to make the venture at first i was in glee over the thought that i had finally eluded mr scott that no speed on his part could now overtake me and that in an hour i would be once more under the same roof with my mother and sisters however a rapid change came over my mind and terror seized upon me as darkness almost egyptian enveloped me dust dust dust in my eyes in my nostrils and even in my mouth when i opened it to prevent suffocation upon my head i wore a soft green felt hat which from long use had become peaked i snatched it off and while i clung to a rod with one hand with the other i fanned for dear life in the vicinity of my nose my first thought was to try to jump from under the car but my judgment told me that i would be cut into should i attempt to do so in the course of ten or fifteen minutes the speed of the cannon-ball was so swift that the dust was drawn through by the current of air and no longer menaced me but now another danger as serious perhaps as the first succeeded to it

the speed of the train was such that the car under which i was located began to bound and rebound threatening every instant to fracture my skull or at least to stun me which would have meant speedy and certain death in this emergency i bent myself almost double in order to clear my head from the bottom of the car in which i was successful in until the train reached aliria when i crawled out and climbed into the car the conductor who was on the platform at the time did not notice me until the train was in motion again but meanwhile i was the sign and sure of all the eyes in that car i had the appearance of an animated statue carved out of clay where did you come from exclaimed the conductor from under the car i squeaked in return from under the car he repeated well i am late or i would stop and put you off this time again the fates were with me and i remained huddled in a corner until the joyful sound cleveland inspired me with new life and activity send him back mr scott wrote to my mother and i will make a man of him a feat of which he boasted in after years but after mature reflection it was decided that i should remain by at home and go to school a fact which fill me with church beyond description. I will say here and now that for many years I have entertained no hatred or malice against Mr. Scott by reason of his treatment of me. His was a hard school and he acted according to his best lights. During the six weeks I was in his care, custody, and control he fed me well, gave me a pair of shoes, allowed me to attend the picnic, and seated me at the table to dine

with himself and family, very considered indeed, but he was too harsh, severe and cruel to manage a mere child. I will add that in after years Mr. Scott was frequently my guest deny his, and further that I wrote his obituary after his death, which was in accordance with the Latin maxim de mortuotich Nil Nisci Bonin, say nothing of the dead except good. If what I have written in the foregoing seems to imply bitterness and hatred or a stern regret for having been a pretentist to Mr. Scott at that time in place let it be known that I consider the experiences which even at that tender age I passed through in dear old Oberlin outweigh in pleasure and profit all the disappointments and trial which fell to my lot and which were due in part to my intractable disposition had I never spent those six weeks in Oberlin in 1857 when the town was just 24 years of age I would not be able to carry to my grave with me the remembrance of the great Reverend Charles Finney as he appeared in the pulpit of the first church The music of his sweet-sounding earnest voice would not now be ringing at my ears as I heard it, when in those days he paced that pulpit and contended for human liberty,

women's rights, temperate, Christian lives, and all that make for civilization and ultimate salvation. I would never have seen perchance, father, keep, professors Monroe, shirt, lift, Fair, Child, Peck, Morgan, and others who did so much to place Oberlin on the proud pedestal where she stands today. I would not have met the late John Patterson for whom I was named, who wrote to my dear mother those persuasive letters, which eventuated in bringing her with her little brood to the city of Cleveland, nor could I now at this late day refer back to those early days when old Tappon Hall stood still majestic when old chapel was still in its glory, and the music of the boardwalks at its zest to the movement of the early students.

These and many other characteristics of Oberlin sixty-three years ago, past and panoramic review before my mind, a rich legacy of those of those. early times which I would not exchange for gold or silver or precious stones. End of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 of Fact Stranger Than Fiction by John Patterson Green. This Liber Vox recording is in the public domain. Mayflower Common and Sunday Schools and Troy Hill. Well, said my.

mother one morning after I'd been at home long enough to regain my composure. If you will not work, you must go to school. I'm not going to allow you to run the streets. She could not have pleased me more than she did by that declaration, for I had already become aware of the fact that all the boys with whom I had made acquaintance were schoolboys, and I longed to be one of their not so early on one september morn with face wreathed in smiles and hopes beating high i sallied forth with the gang and in the course of fifteen minutes i stood in the august presence of miss sarah a nelson teager in the intermediate department for boys of the mayflower school situated in orange street nearly opposite the south end of hudson street near east thirtieth street the principal of mayflower school at the that time was mr edwin r perkins a young gentleman recently graduated from dartmouth college to the best of my memory for whom the fates were even then spinning the thread of a long and useful life which he so richly merited as a teacher he was learned enthusiastic ambitious and he was one of those whose very presence inspired and energized for the accomplishment of worthy deeds and his long and glorious achievements along financial commercial and social lines attest all that i have said in the foregoing a good spanking which ye administered to me when i was in the second year of attendance at that now famous school did somewhat i believe to open my eyes to the verities of this life and to store me in the right way to meet them amongst the others of the teachers there at that time may be mentioned the widow of the late e r perkins who was his efficient assistant also miss laura c spellman

subsequently Mrs. John D. Rockefeller. Miss Leonard, after in Mrs. Norton, Mrs. Eliza Brinsmaid, a sister of the late Colonel Alan T. Brinsmaid, Miss White, Miss Johnson, and last, but not least Miss Sarah A. Nelson, subsequently Mrs. Rood of Calais, Spall, Minnesota. I had no books for the intermediate grade, or any other grade for that matter. Mother told me to tell Miss Nelson that she had no money to buy me books with, which I did, and Miss Nelson, from some source unknown to me, procured a set of used books, and gave them to me. That grade was then, the next grade below the grammar grade, over which the principal presided,

and I was ambitious as ever to get passed into the grammar grade. As a result, I was a hard student and an apt pupil, Miss Nelson said to Mother, John is one of my smartest pupils, and the worst. In very truth I was the incarnation of mischief, but as I vexencers, but as I've very very, view the condition from this distance, it was my all-consuming desire to be spectacular, which lay at the bottom of my misbehavior, for him playing twenty, which carried us over Hill and Dale, and frequently far away from the school building, distributing bits of paper in our course, and in running, jumping, and other athletic sports, it was ever my desire to be

foremost. And whether I accomplished it or not, I laid aside every weight, and strove right manfully for success. I was always anxious to perform some feat which no other boy would dare to do so as to be talked about. In fact, it was true, as was said of me, by a distinguished gentleman later on in life, when he characterized me as a born actor, and I could only yield to the natural impulse to act show-off, as my mother denominated it. Along this line, let this one incident be recorded.

I'd been misbehaving myself in some silly way, making grimaces, passing notes, whispering or doing some other act contrary to the rules of the school, and it was as the law of the Medes and the Persians that at the recess I would come in contact with the Black Ebony or Ligamuita, instrument of torture which our teacher was accustomed to wield in the torture chamber, so I watched my chance to defer the punishment as long as possible. The opportunity came when Miss Nelson stepped out of the room for some purpose, then regardless of life or limb, and in defiance of all rules and reason. I climbed out of a second-story window,

grasped the convenient lightning rod, and slid down to the ground. The sequel can be imagined when next I made my appearance in that school, for I received not only the deferred punishment, but with compound interest. However, in one respect I was successful for a short period,

I was the sign and sure of all eyes, the hero of the hour. With all that the foregoing implies, it is a peculiar fact that when we were taking our leave for the long summer vacation, I was apparently the only one of all who regretted it. It was said to take my leave from the first truly congenial company of boys that I had ever known, and many times during the space before the September term, I sighed and long for the return of school days. My speech at that time was a sort of patois of the English language, a southern dialect, for carry,

I said tote, nor could I pronounce our English-American, I pronounced pretty much after the manner of happy hooligan. For dirt, I said doit, and for squirt I said squirt. The boys laughed at me inordinately and constantly joked me. However, I proved to be an apt pupil, and ere long I could roll the R, almost equal to a continental. Time flew, and when the next vacation came around, I got my passport to the grammar grade,

where under the watchful eye of Mr. Perkins, the one spanking referred to above, was quite sufficient to hold me until I was transferred to the Hudson Street School, which was in our immediate neighborhood. During my tutelage at the Mayflower School, I was sent on one occasion to report to Mr. Andrew Freeze, the grand and wonderfully efficient superintendent of the Cleveland schools for the reason that I had played Truant in order that I might attend the circus which visited Cleveland. Mr. Freeze had his headquarters in the old Central High School building, at that time located on the lot of land where now stands the citizen savings and trust company in Euclid Avenue,

near East 9th Street, formerly Erie Street. Mr. Freeze was the incarnation of the educational idea. He loved his schools and was fond of the society of boys and running over with good nature. I approached this august functionary with fear and trembling. Well, sir, he claimed, what brings you here? I answered him a whining manner that I had been sent to him to report an infraction of the rules of the Mayflower School in absenting myself for a day to attend the circus. Well, he replied, in a spirited manner, did you go to the circus? I answered in the affirmative. All right, then, he said, if you went in and didn't hang around on the outside, I'll excuse you, you may go back to school, but don't do it again. Here was a man full of the milk of human kindness.

He had been a boy himself, and although well advanced in years, he had not forgotten the thrill of feeding, knick-knacks to the elephant, watching the antics of the monkeys, listening to the jokes of the clown, and witnessing Mademoiselle gracefully jumped through the balloons, while riding the fiery and untamed steed. Dear good, Mr. Freeze, was there ever another like him? Long will he live in the memory and the hearts of the boys and girls of the schools of Cleveland, who were by his learning, energy, and wisdom, encouraged and stimulated to soar to heights which might not have been attained by them in his absence. During the first winter of my attendance at Mayflower School, the writer was perilously near the grave for having no overcoat and insufficient warm underwear to protect him from the cold of this

northern climate. Newmowner got him in its grasp, and he was saved by the skillful treatment of a homeopathic physician and the good nursing of his dear mother from a premature death. So the years glided by until the spring of 1859 was at hand, when the times being hard and mother being now greatly in need of my assistance, I left the Hudson Street Grammar School and went in search of some remunerative employment, and as I was now increased in weight to about 100 pounds and evinced a redundancy of energy along other lines, it seemed but reasonable that I should, in the sweat of my face, earn my daily bread. as in evidence of my masterful energy at that time the following true anecdote is related a consuming desire to own a pair of skates seized upon me all the other boys were upon the ice having the time of their life while i would only stand and look on every evening witnessed a veritable carnival and joy reign supreme of course it was useless to ask mother for money to buy skates with for i had not even boots on my feet which in those days nearly every boy wore I was glad to be possessed of warm shoes under the circumstances.

So taking our buck or wood saw and a light buck, I solid forth in quest of firewood, two saw, and split, and after much walking I finally found a cord of hickory wood, made a bargain with its owner, and sawed, split, and piled it up, before I returned to my home, 75 cents to the good, as the boys say. On the following days I found in sawed, split, and piled, two additional piles, one of hickory and the other of oak. One of these two cords I sawed twice into three pieces. For this work, I received the sum of $1.75, making an all a total of $2.50. With this money, I bought my skates and mingled with the gay crowds on the pond. After a while, having neither time nor inclination to use them longer, I sold them for $1, which I was glad to receive for them. In the summer of 1859, I was taught the process,

or trade of caning chairs. I was 14 years of age and anxious to be earning something. The labor incidental to the repairing of the chairs was a mere bagatelle in comparison with that of finding the chairs, returning them, and walking to the chair factory, and return, then located in the town of Newburgh, and said to be eight miles from Cleveland, where I purchased a bundle of cane for the price of 50 cents. The only other means of reaching Newburgh was by the railroad or by stagecoach, the starting point of which was in the yard of the old wooden commercial hotel, located on a lot on the southwest corner of Long Avenue and west third street in the fair, one way by this conveyance, was 20 cents. About 150 feet west of this old hotel in the location

of the present central police station was the dwelling and lot of a colored man named Davis. He was of mixed blood, and so large that he could neither mount nor dismount from his buggy without a assistance. Mr. Davis was for years the city sprinkler and nois and our dusty streets under contract with the city. About the year 1858 through the courtesy of the late Miss Mary Alston, sister of the Reverend William Alston, of whom I gave an account in the first chapter, and her married sister Mrs. William Samson, who were departing for Raleigh, North Carolina, on an extended visit. We were invited to take charge of their comfortable residence in Cedar Avenue Grades until their return. This residence was cozy and home-like, and we spent a year there very

pleasantly. I'm mentioning this Cedar Avenue home, especially because it first brought me in touch with one of the leading families of the whole world, and because this family contained as a member of it, the richest man in the world, not connected with royalty in any respect, and due in his own lifetime, and through the fertility of his own brain has accumulated his fortune, now living, or who has ever lived in so far as history ancient or modern has disclosed to us and i may add that in the size a number of his gifts while living he has no peer of course references made to the great and good john de rockefella whom i rejoice to call not only an acquaintance of mine but also a friend Mr. Rockefeller was then a mere youth in 1858, and I frequently saw him leave his home in Cedar Avenue for his place of employment in the morning and also return in the evening. The residence of the Rockefeller family at that time was on the north side of Cedar Avenue and the last of three similar brick houses from Cleve, now east, 25th Street, going west. The building is still standing and maintains its appearance very well.

Mr. Frank Rockefeller, late deceased, was at that time a member of Old Mayflower School and generally led the boys in their vigorous sports, but I have no remembrance of having ever seen his august brother otherwise then engaged in going to and returning from his daily duties. Amongst other boys who were of our party in athletic sports at that time, maybe mentioned the late W.H. King, who at one time served a term as commissioner of this county. also James and Andrew Dahl, who subsequently figured conspicuously as builders of large structures in Cleveland, and Andrew Dahl with Colonel McAllister built and owned the Mohawk Building, now known as the American Trust Building near the old courthouse and the public square. Mr. George B. Christian for a longtime secretary of treasure of the Cleveland Provision Company was also a modest, lovable member of our gang, and the late Frank Chandler for many years a wholesale dealer in provisions in the downtown section.

William Whitworth and Hugh and Henry Lowry were also very much in evidence as boys. About this time, this writer was seized with a desire to become a member of the Shaker, so-called, who were followers of Mother Anne Lee, whose headquarters were in the state of New York. These religiously believed in celibacy. They were neither married nor given in marriage. and in their communal settlements occupied separate apartments in the same buildings and sat at their meals at separate tables. At the time referred to they owned a large tract of land in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland and were divided into three several communities.

The East House was in that portion of the tract which contains the present Shaker Lake or Shaker Heights, where their grist mill was located, which ground the grain produced by the Shakers. The center was presided over by Elder James. who was the ranking elder of the whole sect in that vicinity and the other group was still further removed. The religious exercises consisted in silent prayer and meditation, for the most part, and communal dancing. The tables and other furniture being drawn back, the dance would begin, the men on one side of the hall, and the women on the other side facing each other, and at times it was quite animated and exhilarating. There was no violin or other musical instrument to furnish music for the participants, singing alone, giving zest to their movements, which at times rivaled anything in that line that I had ever seen.

So interested in Enthus was the writer that he, during his grief sojourn there, became quite expert in their terp-sichorean movements, and to this day remembers two of their refrains, which he will here record for the benefit of such as may be interested, The first was as follows. Dancing is a sweet employ, fills the soul with heavenly joy, makes the love of union flow, round and round and round and round we go. La, la, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, la, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, lo, The second, as far as I can remember it, after the lapse of 62 years, was as follows, We have love, we have love, for we have love to give you. Heavenly love, heavenly love, tis from your blessed mother, and now we wave it unto you as free as we received it, and we are not going to stop until we make you feel it.

At the end of the last line, the words feel it were pronounced with much zest and with an accompanying clap of the hands as if suiting the action to the word. While the dancers were whirling and marching around, the palms of the hands extended forward were, waved upwards as if to send greeting each side to the other, finally becoming wearied or satisfied the dancing would cease, and the participants would retire each sex to its respective quarters. Before being received into full fellowship and oral examination of the candidates was made by the presiding elder and such other of the committee as were appointed for that function,

during which the applicant was required to make a full and free confession of his previous sins. this writer having complied with all the requirements along this line was received in full fellowship and then forward was treated in all respects as an equal not even the fact that he was a colored boy causing any differentiation between him and the others after worshipping with them and working in the big garden weeding a long rows of onions and riding a plough horse the time came when his mother discovered his whereabouts and her demand of his person was promptly acceded to a fact which I deeply regret it for I was being furnished sumptuous repasts, and I enjoyed the dancing very much. The shakers found a ready sale for all the products of their farms and the manufacturers of their workshops in our market, for they were strictly honest in all their representations. My next escapade was to start on a tour of the world with only a few dimes in my purse. I'd read of Captain John Smith of Pocahontas fame, who it was said to.

traveled afoot over europe when a boy of fifteen years of age and i longed to rival his achievement and with a companion of my own age and size we started on our serious undertaking after walking to barria we boarded a freight-car crawled into a threshing machine and went to sleep when we awoke next morning we found ourselves in the outskirts of toledo but on attempting to penetrate into the young city we were turned back and told to beat it which we did without protest or delay working our way homeward until we finally reached our destination on another occasion i walked in ten hours from cleveland to panesville there boarded a freight train and there long found myself in buffalo taking another car i rode to niagara falls and after walking across the great suspension bridge i barely placed my feet on canadian soy when i was turned back lockport new york was as far as i reached we are half famished and foot-sore i like another prodigal tramp, repented road on the bumper between two cars back to Buffalo, stowed away between some sacks of coffee on the deck of the great steamer city of Buffalo, and next morning found myself back again in Cleveland. This was the last attempt to rival Captain John Smith, and thenceforward I settled down to honest labor.

Knowing that the tenure of the Alston-Sampson residence by us was limited to the period of their absence, and that it was necessary for her to provide a suitable home for herself and family by the time of their return. Our mother did not allow the opportunity to slip by unimproved, and being a member of the First Baptist Church, which contained on the list of its membership to names of persons who were at once, both wealthy and generous, she made known to some of them her straitened condition. Amongst those approached was the late James Madison Hoyt, Esquire, father of the late Reverend Wayland Hoyt, for many years pastor of one of the leading Baptist churches of the city of New York, whose learning and eloquence was noted throughout the

United States. Calgate, Hoyt, Esquare well-known financier of the same place, and former president of the Ohio Society of New York, James H. Hoyt, late deceased, who was the head of one of the leading law firms of Cleveland, and one-time prominent candidate for governor of Ohio. Mr. Elton Hoyt, successful real estate dealer, and the late Mrs. Lydia Holt, farmer, popular, and influential society leader, long since deceased. As to the ancestry of Mr. Hoyt, I have no knowledge but judging him by his personal bearing, together with the high and gentle port of his family and his unselfish, generous life, I can truthfully say that he was one of nature's noblemen, a typical Christian gentleman. shortly prior to the time when mother interviewed him mr hoyt had opened the street extending from central avenue to woodland avenue and named it laurel street and when she sought to contract for a lot on that street the present name of that street is east twenty ninth street he persuaded her to take one on garden street

now called central avenue alleging as a reason that in the not distant future it would be much more valuable than the one on laurel street garden street at that time was lined on both sides with neat cosy homes shaded by attractive trees yielding to mr hoyt's good judgment and friendly consideration the contract was signed and thereby the outlook for our future home was brightened the next problem of most difficult solution was the placing of a residence on the lot but having bought an antitrust of our future home was brightened the next problem of most difficult solution was the placing of a residence on the lot but having bought an a antiquated house in the neighborhood mother had it moved thereon repaired so as to render it tenable and immediately moved into it so finally she was once more at home with her orphaned children two years flew by yet not one cent had been paid on principal or interest and when the agent demanded either or both mother answered i can't pay you anything where do you expect me to give money from thereupon one fine day came the mild genial james h when the following colloquy ensued mr hoyt now mrs green don't be discouraged only have faith and industriously work and you can accomplish much mother but mr hoight the interest accrues faster than i could pay it even if i should try to buy the lot mr hoight never mind the interest mrs green i will cancel all the interests due down to date if you will only try you have a son who will be able in a year or two to earn some something and assist you now do try and see what you can accomplish mrs green next morning mother addressing this writer said in her earnest tone of voice substantially as follows john you seem to be tired of going to school so you must go to work now go out and see if you can't find something to do never did the mother or father eagle stir up the nest more if actually the fiat had gone forth and i well understood what that meant day after day i trod the streets

of the city in quest of employment, but in vain. One would say, I want a boy, but he must be a white boy. Another would say, no, I haven't enough work for myself. A far-reaching most disastrous panic had seized the vitals of our industries and finances, and even a first-class mechanic was in luck to have a job, at one dollar for a day of 12 hours. A third said, I need a boy, but you are too small. You would not answer my purpose, and so we reached the middle of July without accomplishing anything. then mother again spartan-like as ever said john go to the post-office door every evening when gentlemen call for their mail we had no curious in those days and ask every one when he goes in or comes out for work i obeyed her implicitly and on the second day a gentleman of the cloth looked down upon me benignantly heard my plea for employment and set me to work hoeing rows of vegetables and weeding the grass from others my employer was the reverend dr biddinger pastor of the third Presbyterian Church, the big church which was located on the southeast corner of Euclid Avenue

and Brownwell Street, now east 14th Street, where the Great Hannah Building now stands. His residence was hard by east of the church. Dr. Bittinger paid me well for my half-day's work, and I carried the money to my mother, rejoicing. I might add in passing that during the previous winter, I had sold the Cleveland leader on the street's mornings, getting up before day and walking. a mile to the office to get them. Also in the afternoons I sold the evening herald through all the lower part of the city even down in Merwin Street, frequently going into the store where Mr. Rockefeller and his youth was employed. However, all things come to him who only stands and waits, and finally a job came to me or I went to it. My employer was Mr. William A. Neff, who resided in Done Street,

now east, 105th Street, between Euclid and Cedar Avenues on the east side of the street. For the consideration of $4 per month, I saw it and split all the firewood, drove the cow up on Cedar Heights to pasture and return, cared for one horse, performed all errands to and from a stone quarry upon the heights, and to the city Cleveland, and returned. Kept a very large garden, free from weeds, hoed an acre of corn and potatoes, and gathered up in the streets all the fertilizer I could find to enrich the soil of the garden. Occasionally I stood on the central market, offering some of the products of the garden for sale. Of the $40 which I received for ten months' labor,

here we paid $27.50 to $100 of it to Mr. Hoyt towards the purchase price of that little home. When winter came, a brother of my employer was given the bed upon which I had been sleeping, and I was relegated to the floor of the same room, and given a bundle of straw upon which to sleep. The bag containing the straw being too short for me, my feet were partly exposed to the cold, with the result that I was seized with a recurrence of the pneumonia which had afflicted me two years before, and I came within sight of the valley

of the shadow at my home. However, notwithstanding the foregoing hardships and discouragements, Ike, as the brother was named, and I, being temperamentally much alike, indulged in a few pastimes, which were mutually congenial to us, one of which is to this day fresh in my memory, and tends to disclose the redundancy of spirits which animate the average youth and flow on with an abandon which not even Niagara Falls can surpass. It is, as the crow flies, just five miles from Dome, east, 105th Street, where we resided, to the Wiltshire building where the old Melodian hall used to stand. Ike and I both were burning with a desire to attend a performance of one of the famous minstrel companies which was advertised to appear in that hall on a cold winter's night. there were no street cars in those days nor any means of transportation for the average man or boy except shank's mares as was the slang for walking then so having finished our evening meal we sallied forth at the expiration of about one hour and a half we found ourselves cozily seated in the gallery of the hall the programme was long and interesting the singing dancing and jokes richly repaid us for all our trouble and expense and when at midnight we reached our home we were thoroughly satisfied

One of the jokes caused us to laugh inordinately, and although it is, to my knowledge, 59 years old, I will venture to record it. Mr. Johnson, Bones, can you tell me what a focus is? Bones, ha, ha, can I tell you what a focus is? Why, of course I can. Anybody knows that? Mr. Johnson, well, since you are so sure, what is a focus? Bones, a focus is a place where they raises pigs. The whole troop, shaking with laughter and scorn, where they raise pigs, ha, ha, ha.

Bones, what then sent you all know so much about it? What is a focus? Mr. Johnson, will sir a focus as a place where the rays meet? Bones, well ain't pigs meet? With startling effect upon all present. When the spring flowers began to bloom in 1861, and the call of the birds was enchanting, I sell it forth again, and in a few days found myself in the employ of the late Robert Hanna, Esquire, brother of the late Dr. Hanna, who was the father of that noble group of sons,

of whom the late Marcus A. Hanna, great promoter, merchant, manufacturer, banker, senator, and presidentmaker, and L.C. Hanna Esquare, late deceased, big-hearted, munificent, and successful captain of industry were the most conspicuous. I must add here that it will perhaps never be, known to what a great extent Senator M.A. Hanna, and through him our moderate President McKinley and the general public were indebted to the business, sagacity, energy, and strenuous application of the late L.C. Hanna in caring for the growth and success of the great M.A. Hanna company during Senator Hanna's political activities and protracted absence from Ohio, thereby contributing

towards the grand success of the McKinley administration, which blessed us all. I remained with Mr. Robert Hannah until the summer of 1862. When getting above my business, I left his employee and took service with Mr. A. H. Harvey, the stepfather of the wife of the late Fayette Brown Esquire and mother of Harvey Brown Esquire, who conducted a large sawmill on a small island in the Allegheny River between Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, now a part of the city of Pittsburgh. Mr. Harvey had a lovely home on the summit of Troy Hill, now denominated. Mount Troy, I think, fruit, trees, strawberries, and beautiful flowers in abundance featured the place. By working industriously through the day, I found some hours for recreation which were turned to good use. My pay was $5 per month, deducting $10, which I

paid for a ticket to Pittsburgh in return, which left me an average of about $4 per month. My Christmas present from Mrs. Harvey was a red bandana handkerchief while Mr. Harvey, he gave me a quarter of a dollar contiguous to the lot of mr harvey was that occupied by the family of mr de hurst consisting of several members one of whom a noble son was at the front fighting for the life of this glorious union and liberty he gave his life which proved his love and patriotism and thereby immortalized his name a daughter fair refined and generous miss anna by name grace their household in lent warmth and cheer to all the surroundings she was ever on the alert to detect and relieve want and misery, and the sunshine of her smile and the music of her cheery voice, lifted up many a downcast, unhappy heart. Miss Anna's keen eye readily noticed that this writer was in his cabin and cribbed condition in that remote Troy Hill home, with no companion save the big dog, lonely and somewhat forlorn.

Without hesitating, she advised him to occupy his spare moments in reading and studying for the improvement of his mind, and in order to show her interest in that behalf. she furnished him with sundry school-books for the purpose during the remainder of my sojourn on troy hill and the ensuing four years i did not fail to devote all my spare time assiduously to the study of such school-books as came within my reach without the assistance of a teacher a fact which i have never found cause to regret there was another source of inspiration which i have caused to be grateful for and can never forget i refer to the late samuel h baird a young gentleman and scholar who's a young gentleman and scholar who's a man who's a man who's a man who's a man who's a man who's a man who's a man who home at that time was Duquesne Borough at the foot of the hill on which we resided along the shore of Allegheny River. Mr. Beard was the nephew of Reverend Walter Lowry, a faithful missionary to China, who in the middle of the last century was drowned in the Yellow Sea by Chinese pirates while working in the course of his duties. He was tall and slender formed with fair hair, blue eyes, and finally chiseled features. It was easily seen that he was not framed to combat the storms

and buffets of this world, and even in my inexperienced youth I feared the worst for him. He was so gentle, sympathetic, and kindly in his dealings with me, that for once and only once I felt that in him I had a brother. It was he who first opened my eyes to the rich mind and beauties of the ancient classics, and in showing me a copy of Xenophon's anna basis. In the original Greek, he lighted a flame in my brain and heart, never to be extinguished. He and Miss Dewhurst, the latter now, and for many years, Mrs. Yehu, Hayworth of Hedgworth, Pennsylvania, Sabre of Pittsburgh, were both devoted teachers in the Mission Sunday School on the Hill, where they could be found engaged in their work of love every Sunday. One of the most helpful little books which could be placed in the hands of an ambitious youth was given me as a Christmas present on Christmas Day 1862 by Miss Anna. The book is entitled The Improvement of the Mind by Isaac Watts.

d d i have it now before me christmas nineteen nineteen fifty-seven years subsequent to the day on which it was given to me and still the truths and valuable precepts contained in it are as fresh and vital as on the day when i received it my friend mr baird went to his reward a generation ago but the good lady a vigorous octogenarian surrounded by her children and grandchildren bides her time in the full assurance of a rich reward when the master gathers in his own ripened sheaves. He, they goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 1206. Upon mature consideration, I have concluded that my employment on Troy Hill was the most fortunate event for me during my boyhood days, and coming as it did when I was just in the dawn of youth, a period when the mind and character are in the formative process, and when I needed the warm sympathy and cordial advice which was lavished upon me by Miss Dewhurst and Mr. Baird, without any hope of reward, but solely in his name,

it was a veritable godsend to me and probably saved my soul alive. End of Chapter 4. Chapter 5 of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green, this Libre of Vox recording, is in the public domain. Home again. Returning to Cleveland from Troy Hill in the summer of 1862, I found employment with the East Cleveland Street Railway Company in its barn, located at Euclid and Wilson Avenue's now East 55th Street. My specific duties were to wash, comb, rub down, and harness nine streetcar horses, but for the reason that I fear the effect of the constant dust on my life, I did not remain there longer than a week or two.

To please my mother, who desired that I should follow in the footsteps of my father and learn the tailor's trade, I went into the employ of Mr. Henry Cardozo, a merchant tailor in Prospect Avenue, near its junction with Bolivar Road. Mr. Cardozo was affable and kind, and used his best endeavors to induct me into the mysteries of his useful trade. But at last I soon discovered that his efforts in that behalf were, all to no purpose, for although I proved an apt pupil during the three months which I spent in his employ, learned to make ordinary pants and vests, yet so stiffened had my joints become by reason

of the protracted labor which I had performed, that I could not bend the supple hinges of my knees and squat on the workboard when I was sewing, and in my efforts to do so the strain was so severe on both knees and back that I sowed in continual pain. The result is easily seen. I quit the services of Mr. Cardozo, and quite easily betook myself to the calling of a hotel waiter. My dear mother protested against this action on my part, but as we both well knew that the payments must be kept up on the little home, it was no time for the drawing of nice distinctions, and so I entered the old Angier house, now the canard house, and don my white jacket and apron, the pure symbols of my occupation. I was a novice at the work, and since in those days that

hotel took first rank amongst the other hostelries of the growing city, the menus were in French, a language with which I was not in the least familiar. The head waiter at that time was Mr. Enoch Gray, who resembled a white man. He understood all the duties pertaining to his responsible position and was a veritable martinet in enforcing the execution of all his rules. suspect. It was my scrutinizing of Mr. Gray, which caused me to slip and spill the consummate, which I was serving guests on the floor of the richly fresco dining room, to say nothing of my extreme chagrin at being sprawled on the same. It was frequently necessary for a waiter during the rush hour to memorize the French orders of six and seven guests at one time. I did it, but how

in the world I ever accomplished it is beyond my can at this late date. The other boys did it, and I had to follow their example or quit, which was not to be considered for a moment. In due course of time I found myself performing the same functions at the Wettle House, but for increased pay, and later on during the troubulous days of the Civil War, I strove right manfully in the labors of feeding the boys in blue on the way to the front at the call of Father Abraham, whom God had raised up for this work, in the dining-room of the First Union Depot, which gave way to the remnant of the present Union about the year eighteen sixty five there were stirring scenes witnessed in that old depot in those trying times during all hours of the day and frequently at night long serpentine trains would find their way into that shelter-house where there thousands of hungry and thirsty boys in blue who had left all that the word home means to us in order to help to save our glorious union

there's not to reason why theirs but to do and die and like brave men they did it it was one of my due to us to sound the big chinese gong upon the arrival of trains which i did with a will sometimes the racket was so great that a soldier would order me to cease it sometimes i must say while being held up by the nape of my neck by a stalwart soldier At other times there would be taken from an incoming train over the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Railroad, boxes containing the remains of brave boys who had given their all for the dear old flag. Such was the case when the remains of Colonel's Creighton and Crane were brought back to lie and stayed in the council chamber of the Old City Hall when it was located in a building still standing in the southwestern corner of the public square. Afterwards they were laid to rest with full military honors. At other times there would be a light from these strains, the halt, the lame, and the blind victims of what General Sherman not improperly denominated hell.

Another class were the almost skeletons of Union prisoners released from horrid prison pens of the Southern Confederacy. Some of these victims were so nearly starved to death and emaciated that they could not walk alone. In later years, while visiting North Baltimore, Ohio for the purpose of making a Declaration Day speech. I conversed with one of these victims who survived, and he told me that before being confined in the Andersonville prison pen, he weighed 185 pounds, but then when he was released therefrom a lady's bracelet could have been passed over his right arm, from his wrist to his shoulder, with the elbow joint left out. The dining room was owned by Monsieur Wheeler and Russell. Mr. Wheeler was in immediate charge of it, while Mr. Russell presided over the one owned by them in Crestline, Ohio. there were at that time also two coffee houses in one of which the late w j acres then a boy was employed among the colored men generally known in cleveland for many years and employed in and about the depot and dining-room may be mentioned the late george vassburg Mr. Vosberg, though a colored man was for many years one of the most respected men in the city. He owned valuable property in chestnut and Oregon streets, and was a leading member of the Wesleyan

congregation which in those days worshipped in a church located in Euclid Avenue near Sheriff East Fourth Street. The late Thorpe Holmes colored was head waiter in the dining room. He had under him a force of about 20 men, all of whom admired and respected him. This writer will always honor and revere his memory, on account of kindnesses, extended to him by Mr. Holmes, which enabled him to prosecute his studies during the intervals between the trains without interruption. On many occasions he would call a man who was killing time by playing seven-up, picking on a banjo, or cutting the pigeon wing, as the dance was called, and send him on an errand rather than interrupt the writer in the pursuit of his studies. In casting a retrospective glance over those bygone days, it is a sad commentary on the course pursued by that large group of colored men that this writer was the only one of them who systematically studied textbooks or even read history and said to relate the only one

of them, all who changed his career. Stimulated, as I have stated in the last chapter by kind friends to study for the improvement of my mind, I constantly peruse the three R's, studied English, Latin, and French grammars, as best I could without a teacher, and thereby rapidly gained the goodwill of all who knew me. My slight knowledge of the Latin language was on a very important occasion, a source of much pleasure to me, and information to a numerous group of persons who surrounded me. It was in this way. The remains of the late Abraham Lincoln were lying in state upon a catafalque near the center of our public square, and over the top of the catafalc was stretched a manner bearing the following inscription in latin extinctus ama bitur itum all were anxious to know the meaning of those words and ever and anon they would stop some important appearing man passing by and exclaim say mr tell us what that means will you

thereupon the gentleman would stop read the words and acknowledge his inability to translate the sentence this was repeated several times until finally i looked up from the grass upon which i was reclining and said that's latin i can tell you what it means, who you, someone sarcastically growled, yes, I answered, well what does it mean was the reply. It means, I said, though dead, he will be loved the same. Then for a moment I was the object of all eyes, and I felt that in the single act of translating that sentiment for the group, I'd been richly repaid for all the study and self-denial. I had endured it in order to be able to do it. It was customary with me during this period of my life to write an occasional essay on some subject, abstract, concrete, moral, religious, or whatnot, any subject that came within the scope of my young, untutored mind, claimed my attention, and occupied my time.

One of the contributing reasons for this was the fact that in those days large and attentive audiences of my own people were ready and willing to listen to the reading of them, and manifested an enthusiasm which both astonished and inspired me. My revered and kind friend and Reverend John R. Warren stood in loco parentis to me, and is was the only fatherly voice that counselled me and hand that led me through those days of mingled labours, conflicts, hopes deferred, and at times well-nigh despair. My temperament was then as now too nervous. I was willing to work incessantly to burn the midnight oil-eye, to burn the candle at both ends, if need be, in my feverish quest after knowledge, but I can see plainly now that I lacked a

pre-septor, someone who would like Philip of old, expound to me the meaning of many things which I blindly followed but did not understand. I did not know really what books do select to read, and for the lack of a well-informed educated mentor, I wasted much time in pouring over books and languages which I was not then qualified to properly read and mentally digest. However, my dear friend Elder Warren, who was then the elder in charge of this district and of St. John's African Methodist Church, but who, like me, had enjoyed only limited opportunities of gaining an education, by his high regard for me and admiration for my efforts along that line, greatly encouraged and aided me.

It was he who advised me to read Rollins' ancient history which I had not previously heard of, and which opened to my eyes so many of the mysteries of the past, and the same fatherly regard for me induced him to open wide for me the doors of his church where I read my labored essays on occasions when there were gatherings of the young therein. And my father lived to rear me and advise me in response, of these matters, I would not today be limping along the highway to knowledge when I should be running and leaping. As an illustration of the interest taken in me by one of the boys who waited

by my sight in the old dining room, I will here relate to an incident which I shall ever hold in grateful remembrance since it was the outflowing of a heart full of fraternal love and sympathy. Mr. Joseph H. Ricks, the youthful heir of a recently deceased father, had in possession the sum of $1,000, which he had received as his portion of his father's estate, and feeling that he had no present use for the money, he generously and unselfishly came to me, and tried to persuade me to accept the same as a loan, and without any security or interest whatever, to be used by me in forwarding my neglected education. To say that I was greatly surprised at this manifestation of unadulterated friendship only partly expresses my feeling at that time, and I have never ceased to wonder at the whole

sold magnanimity of this big-hearted country boy, with that there were more of his kind to make the whole world kin, and add to our mutual helpfulness and happiness. At length, after nearly seven years of yearning and toil, we saw the last payment made on our humble home, the deed executed and delivered, and the mortgage burned. Now, dear mother was assured of a comfortable home during the remainder of her life, and I was left free to shift for myself.

During all the years, while I had been working for the purchase of property, my energetic, honorable sisters, Miss Sarah Rice Green, now Skeen, and Miss Kitty, Stanley Green, were industriously engaged in supporting my mother and keeping up the home, the one working at her trait of a dressmaker, both at home and in the families of the well-to-do, and the other diligently occupying her time at home in whatever her hands could find to do. Mother two ate no idle bread for what with the transacting of her domestic affairs, and sewing on children's clothes for some of her patrons, Satan could find no mischief for her hands to do, and so she lived cozily, and for the most part happily, in that unpretentious home,

for 27 more years until she was in her 81st year of age, when she went to rest in the blessed hope of an immortal life. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. It is but fair that I should record it here that my dear sister, Mrs. Sarah Rice-Green, scheme, after the home was fully paid for, added five or $600 of her individual earnings to $135, which I contributed, and enhanced the convenience space and comfort of the old house, where they all lived in love and harmony for many years. One of my employers while I was working for the house was the late Captain J.M. Richards, who with a gentleman long since deceased by the name of Coleman,

owned and conducted a combined restaurant, saloon, the good room and cigar and confectionery stand located on the corner where now stands the American Trust Building. This place was a resort for the best class of men in the city and did a flourishing business. During the year 1864, I worked in the dining room and stalled for a while quite to my advantage, and on one occasion a humorous incident occurred in which I figured which was not entirely to my credit, as I now view it. One of the guests of the restaurant's section of the place ordered a cocktail. I went into the bar room, Captain Richards residing behind the bar, and ordered two cocktails. The captain made them as only he could make them, and gave them to me, and going into

the restaurant, I gave the guest one, and I drank the other. When the captain scrutinized the checks, he noticed that I had turned in a check for one cocktail only, coming into the room, he said to me, John, what did you do with that other cocktail? I frankly answered him, I drank it, raising his hands in astonishment, he exclaimed, well, by God, and walked away. from Captain Richards Place I took employment with J.H. DeWitt and company who carried a dual stock of dry goods and ready-made clothing, etc., etc. My business was that of janitor, and in that capacity, it was not only my duty to look after the heating of the store, but also to keep it clean, including several hundred square feet of window glass. My desire even here to study was so great that I was accustomed to arise at 3.30 and 4 o'clock a.m. in order to make time. for my books. I'd added to my studies now, osteology, hoping and expecting someday to be a physician. A friendly doctor had given me the skull of a little child. Another had contributed to that transverse section of an adult skull, and in addition to these trophies, I had obtained by various

means, almost an entire human skeleton. On one occasion, when I was deeply absorbed in my studies during the hour I'd made by sacrificing my sleep, a message was delivered to me to the effect that I must deliver a bundle somewhere in Prospect Street. I replied that it was not in the line of my employment, and that I would not deliver it. Thereupon I was summoned to the office of Mr. DeWitt, the senior member of the company. John, he said, you will deliver that bundle, or else go to the cashier and get what is due you. I said, all right, Mr. DeWitt, I will take my money and quit then. As I left the store, Mr. DeWitt raised his voice and said to me, well, I suppose after a while, you will want to have an office and sit in it and read.

This was a correct prophecy, for it was uttered in the summer of 1865, and in the fall of 1870, September, I sat in my own office in Marlborough County, South Carolina, recognized as a member of the bar of the state. Following my discharge from the employment of the J.H. DeW. Company, I entered the office of Dr. J. W. Sykes of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a compounder of his medicines for chronic diseases, with the privilege of studying between the period of my employment with the occasional assistance of the good doctor in my Latin studies. Dr. Sykes too was a self-made man with a heart overflowing with sympathy for every struggling child of God. I say child of God, yes, for Dr. Sykes was a member of the Presbyterian Church in good standing and judging him by what I saw of his daily conduct during the six months I was in

his employ. He was striving to glorify God and to enjoy him forever, which is one of the teachings of the Westminster Catechism. Dr. Sykes, when a student at Hamilton College, Rochester, New York worked his way through, and paradoxical, as it may seem, the lower he stooped in sawing wood, making fires, polishing shoes, and performing any at all menial labor,

which his hands found to do, the more honored and admired he was, until attaining his cherished gold, he was crowned victor by his fellow students and all who had watched his efforts. I soon found in the employ of Dr. sikes that my education was not such as the studying of medicine required, and this was especially true as regarded my knowledge of Latin, and the doctor, having been many years out of college,

was not then qualified to instruct me therein, so we shirkans expressed for each other gratitude and mutual respect and separated. Returning to Cleveland, I entered for a brief space, the employee of the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Railroad Company as a keeper of the castings and other materials used in the manufacture and repair of it. its locomotives and cars. Taking occasion once in a while to make trips between Cleveland and Cincinnati on a double-day sleeping car, this was before the advent of the Pullman car in 1865. The distance from Cleveland and Cincinnati in those days was given as 250 miles, and it required 12 hours to make the trip one way, but still dissatisfied with my lot. I left this employment in search of a

better one. I turned my job over to the late L.A. Wilson Esquire, afterwards a distinguished member of the Ohio Bar in Cleveland. I now began to cast about for the means of prosecuting a course of studies under competent teachers, fully determined to persevere until I had secured a thorough education for I had no trade or other definite means of living, although I'd reached this twenty-second year of my age. I conceive the idea of having printed in pamphlet form some of the essays of which I have spoken, but as I was entirely without financial means, it was necessary to find a friend in need, or I'll spend more precious time in laboriously, earning some. I was well acquainted with one man who was both wealthy and benevolent,

a true and tried friend of the youthful, and I decided that to him I would go and make known my dilemma, fully persuaded that my appeal would not be in vain, to have lived in Cleveland during the second half of the last century, and not to have been personally acquainted with the late Truman P. Handy would have been a distinctive loss to anyone, especially to a youth in search of a stimulus along moral aesthetic or even financial lines. For Mr. Handy was, above all things, the friend and promoter of boys and young men.

I first met Mr. Handy in the Mayflower Sunday School, located in Orange Street in the city of Cleveland, almost contiguous to the day school of the same name in the fall of 1857, when he was in the 51st year of his age, and from that time until his death in the winter of 1898, I knew him to love and respect him. I can see him to this day and hear his cheery voice, when, as superintendent of that Sunday school,

he would mount the platform and exclaimed, boys, what is heaven's first law? Order was the unanimous response from the mouths of about 250 boys who were about as disorderly as they could be. The girls, of course, were always orderly. Well, then, retorted Mr. Handy, let us have order, and immediately thereafter there was a delightful calm. Order, if you please.

one glance at mr handy gave assurance that he was a christian gentleman after the old school that is to say his toilet left nothing to be added to it his dress was made to fit and of the most approved style his demeanour and general bearing was that of a man unselfish altruistic he was easily approachable by the humblest boy or girl he wasted no words but gave a full hearing and thorough consideration to the one addressing him and in proper cases afforded ready assistance He was a deacon in the second Presbyterian Church of which the Reverend James Eels, was the pastor loved God and always walked up rightly. He was born in Paris, Oneita County, New York, in March 1807, and during almost the whole of his lifetime was a banker acting in some important capacity, and he owned large interests in other enterprises. At the time of Mr. Handy's death in January 1898,

he was 91 years of age and was a director of the Merchants National Bank, which was located on the northeast corner of Superior and West Sixth Street, Cleveland, he having resigned the presidency of that bank because of increasing age and failing health. He resided in transacted business in Cleveland from 1832 until 1898, 66 years. M.A. state in passing that for 10 years Mr. Handy was a member of the Cleveland Board of Education and did much towards establishing a high school for the city, and that along all educational lines from Western Reserve University down to the Humblest Cod. common school. He was a constant earnest supporter financially and otherwise. A few years before the

death of Mr. Handy, Mr. John D. Rockefeller, was visited at his own Forest Hill and East Cleveland by a number of the foremost capitalists and men of business of Cleveland who sought that method of manifesting to him their unbounded admiration and respect for him as a man and promoter of great financial affairs. Mr. Rockefeller, in replying to the address tendered to him, took occasion in his reminiscences to mention the name implodable generous characteristics of mr handy saying amongst other things that at a time in his early career as an oil dealer he found himself sorely in need of the sum of two thousand dollars and after seeking a vain to secure the loan of that amount he finally approached mr handy who loaned it to him this action on the part of the aged banker was entirely characteristic of him and was readily understood by all present quite naturally my mind turned to mr handy in my quest of a person at once willing and able to assist me in my attempt to have my essays published, gaining access to him in his private office.

In the rear of the bank, he recognized me at once as one of his boys, although he had not seen me for several years. I related to him briefly what I had been doing during the seven years previous and received his commendation. Then I unfolded to him my scheme for raising money to systematize what education I had secured inasmuch as I had no trade or other definite means of making a living. He gave my plans his hearty approval provided the essays were worthy of publication and advised me to carry them to the late Professor J. H. Thome, at that time, acting in the dual capacity of professor in Oberlin College and pastor of Trougham Congregational Church in this city. Paradoxical, as it may seem, Professor Thome, while in stature he was a small man, was yet a very large man, it is difficult to express an opinion as to whether his brain or his heart were the larger. Of one fact I am certain, however, he was a very large man. He was difficult, he was the friend of the poor and needy of every race, for he was truly cosmopolitan in his thoughts and action.

Read one of your essays, exclaimed the professor then bracing himself in his easy chair. He listened attentively while I read with all the elocutionary ability at my command, an essay entitled, We Are Never Alone. Bravo, Bravo, he almost shouted when I had concluded the reading, that will do. Then he wrote and handed to me a note addressed to Mr. Handy, in which he said, amongst other things they are well worthy of publication i immediately delivered the note to mr handy and he in turn wrote and handed me a statement on a paper containing the letterhead of his bank which ran somewhat as follows the bearer of this is an ex-member of the mayflower sunday school i've known him from boyhood and have full confidence in him he is trying to collect the means of publishing some essays which he has written in order that by the sale of them he may secure money to assist him towards obtaining an education T. P. Handy, $10. Now he said, go to Mr. Dan P. L's and others of the Sunday school, and perhaps they will also subscribe. And turning to his desk, he gave his attention to his business, while I, filled with delight, went out into the world to see how many others would do likewise. I would, but I could recall the names of all the kind-hearted men who signed that paper and subscribed sums varying from $5 to $10. I can recall that a very elderly

banker whose hand shook like an aspen and last name was Otis i think the full name was w a otis subscribe ten dollars a as gardener a quackery merchant and i baldwin large dry goods merchant each subscribed ten dollars the others i cannot now recall a total of some sixty or seventy dollars was in this way raised by me then i went to nevin a job printer of standing at that time and had the pamphlets printed they were of thirty-eight pages fine print on cheap paper with red in yellow covers, and had the title of them printed on one side, essays on miscellaneous subjects by a self-educated colored youth. These essays I offered for sale in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia, with very success, receiving for

single copies of them from five cents to five dollars. I had two experiences in the city of Philadelphia during my tour in selling my pamphlet, which were of more than ordinary interest and a lasting benefit to me. The first was that of meeting the Reverend Benjamin F. Tanner, a minister of the AME Church, who at that time was editor of the Christian recorder, and had his residence over the AME bookstore at 631 Pine Street. This was in the summer of 1866 when that Reverend gentleman was in the flower of his youth

and was winning golden laurels by his oratory in the pulpit and his vassal, trenchant pen, in his sanctum. Since then he has reared and educated his bruise. of children and grown to a ripe age as a bishop in that church. Reverend Tanner was greatly interested in me and my mission. He spoke encouraging words to me and treated me in all respects as a brother. When mutual bond which held us together was that he was very much interested in the Vulgate edition of the scriptures while I too was a student of Latin in a humble way.

Reverend Tanner opened the doors of old Alan Temple, which stood on the site of the blacksmith's shop in which the revered. Richard Allen organized the first AME church and scheduled a lecture for me on the subject. There's always room enough upstairs. The lecture room, which was large, overflowed, and many could not gain entrance to hear my lecture, which enabled me at its conclusion to sell a large number of pamphlets. The Reverend gentleman also gave me a letter of introduction to whom it concerned amongst the AME clergy, requesting them to aid and encourage me in my efforts to sell my pamphlet and to lecture. This was the open sesame to numerous churches and aided me very much.

Tanner, the great artist whose canvases hang in art galleries in Europe and America is a son of Bishop Tanner, and I doubt not he derived his afflatus, his genius, largely from his revered and honored father. The other incident was meeting for the first time Reverend Dr. Hawes of the first Congregational Church of Philadelphia and Mr. Theodore Bliss, brother of the late George Bliss of New York City, merchant, philanthropist, and one-time partner of the Governor Levi P. Morton of New York. I called on the Reverend gentleman at his home, and he granted me an interview in which I disclosed to him my plans for the future and the relation of my mission to them. He did what every true child of

God does, every great big man. He took my hand, gave expression to words of encouragement, and bade me God's speed. He did more. He mentioned me and my mission in his sermon on the following day, and invited me to meet him in his Sunday school in the afternoon. The boys and girls accepted the invitation and nearly filled the Sunday school room, listening to my plea for assistance in my chosen way for the future, and I had the pleasure of selling a large number of my little books at the conclusion of the address. Some $35, if I mistake not, was the aggregate amount received. At the conclusion of my address, which ended with a thrilling pair of race, at least that was the effect intended a large gentleman of noble mien arose in clear tones said mr superintendent will you ask that young gentleman to tell us what he thinks of jesus this came with great surprise for i had not intended to preach but simply to make an unvarnished statement of my plans and hope and expectations nevertheless i was equal to the emergency i rose again and answered briefly but forcibly that neither education money nor social place could avail a

person if he were not imbued with the spirit of Jesus Christ as manifested in his daily life. This seemed to satisfy everyone, and I left the church highly elated. The most important result for me growing out of this meeting, however, was my introduction to Mr. Theodore Bliss, as I have stated above. I was invited to meet him at his office, then in a building in Fourth Street, where he carried on the business of a publisher. Indeed, I hold in my hand now a little Greek testament from the press of Theodore Bliss. and company which i have owned ever since eighteen sixty five mr theodore bliss was what we commonly call a self-made man he was sent out into the world at an early age to shift for himself and that rich puritan blood which coursed in his arteries carried him through to the end he was large of stature with a high broad forehead and firmly set jaws which proved him to be a man of high purpose fixed resolution and great good judgment and energy his eyes looking out from under heavy brows were clear and penetrating, marking him as a man at once, judicious and practical.

Mr. Bliss said to me, in substance, go home, settle down, find some useful remunerative employment to engage your intervals between the terms. And if, by following my advice, you find yourself in need of the necessities of life, write to me, and I will help you. I thanked him and took my departure. Later on in life while attending school, I once in a while found my toes peeping out from my boots, and Jack Frost, through each crack and crevice creeping. Upon two or three occasions like this, I notified my friend, and the returning mail invariably brought me a ten-dollar bill, the exact cost-priced price of a pair of new boots. There was another good friend in Philadelphia, whose acquaintance I made through the courteousine

kindness of the Reverend William Alston, Episcopal priest of whom I've spoken at length in the first chapter, I referred to a large dealer in wooden and willow-ware, whose warehouse was located downtown in Market Street by the name of Jacobus, if I mistake not. This gentleman who was largely interested in the Pennsylvania Railroad at that time extended to me an invitation to take a theological course for the Episcopal ministry, but I declined with thanks. I have suspected since then that I made a mistake, for I fear I spoiled a good preacher as well as a good doctor in making a poor lawyer.

Subsequently, this same gentleman procure for me a clergyman's railroad ticket from Philadelphia to my Cleveland home. Arriving home, I gave my dear mother $135 of the money received in my wanderings and then began to scan the field to discover a school into which I could matriculate in order to do

the systematizing of which I spoke to Mr. Handy. I had a consuming desire to enter a class in the Central High School, but how could a waiter boy coming directly from the dining room where he had been for six or seven years expect to pass examination and enter that famous school?

i say famous yes and advisedly for then the chairs were occupied by such ripe scholars as the following dr theodore sterling principal professor sidney a norton miss mary e ingersoll miss emma g barris subsequently mrs colonel mccallister miss white professor of carl quugar professor theodore hopkins and others and amongst the students were such as charles f brush horace andrew samuel mather dr john lowman w Cushing, Harvey D. Goulder, Joseph Althwaite, Clarence Stilson, Solomon Swab, the late Mr. C.O. Bassett, afterwards well known and appreciated by me, as the president of the great Foreman Bassett Company of Cleveland, Ohio, who by his great business ability, sterling integrity, and great good humor, put his house at the head of all similar organizations in Ohio and a number of ambitious, as successful young ladies. In those days, Mr. Mather's sterling qualities as a student were already quite noticeable, and even then his generous impulses as manifested during his intercourse amongst his fellow

students, forecasted his future life of usefulness and broad humanitarianism. I saw more of Mr. Mather in the Virgil class than elsewhere, and it was then easily evident to my mind that his superior quality of intellect and his deep touch of nature were destined to stamp him as one of our nation's greatest and most useful men. I never see Mr. Mather even at this late date without recalling the manly port and dignified bearing of his distinguished father. The late deceased William E. Cushing was also one of the class of 1869, who in after years became conspicuous because of his sterling manhood and professional ability.

Will Cushing frequently invited me to visit him at the home of his late father, Dr. H. K. Cushing in Euclid Avenue near the Public Square, where we strove with varying success to unravel the mysteries of Virgil together. I mourn his laws. My old maxim was not venture, not have, or as we sometimes say, nothing venture, nothing win. So straight to the school I went and at a convenient time I stood in the August presence of Dr. Stirling, who questioned me as to the nature and extent of the studies which I had prosecuted

and accepted one of my pamphlets which I offered him and closed the conference between us by inviting me to visit him at his home the evening of that day. for a further interview. At his home, in the evening, Dr. Stirling said to me, in Substance Green, you have done well in your studies without an instructor, as I have cleaned from a hurried perusal of your little book, but your studies have not been systematically pursued, and I'm certain you could not pass an examination to enter the high school, but I will give you a list of books which you will need, and you may obtain them and come to the school tomorrow forenoon, and I will see where I can place you. I did as directed, and on the following day in the month of

October, I think I found myself duly installed in the sophomore class of the Cleveland Central High School, which was still located in Euclid Avenue near East, 9th Street, where the great citizen savings and trust company is now located. In this class, which was composed of the sons and daughters of some of the foremost citizens of Cleveland, I was the only colored pupil, but my color evidently was not considered in any way. Dr. Sterling and every member of his learning core of instructors were colorblind, and the only watchword recognized by them was married. The studies which the class was engaged in as nearly as I can recall were Cornelius, Nipos, in Latin, algebra, geometry, English history, English composition, physical geography,

calisthenics and rhetoricals later on in the course we had, I had chemistry, physics, and Greek, xenophones, Ana, Isis, and 1,000 lines of Homer's Iliad. It took me from October 1866 to July, 1869, to devour the four years course, and it was said I stood at the finish well near the head of the class, which contained some names which have since become famous, but I have never felt that I was as thoroughly grounded in my studies as the other members of the class were, for I entered the class late. I was not properly prepared for the courses which I studied. I did not have adequate time in which to prepare my lessons, and above all I felt then and still believe that some of the students were my intellectual

superiors. While I attended the high school, Dr. Sterling, permitted me to leave the room 10 minutes before the others were dismissed at noon in order that I might reach the hotel and earn my dinner in the dining room as a waiter, and during the time I was studying Greek, I slept in a garret sharing the bed of a man who had a terribly diseased scalp in order to obtain a free lodging and husband my small means. I regularly arose at 3 o'clock a.m. and by the uncertain light of a small pear-shaped oil lamp with one round wick, I studied my Greek lessons in order that I might be ready to serve in the dining room for my breakfast at the sound of the bell. During the first year of my attendance in the high school, I worked a second time in the old

Union Depot dining room for my board. I waited on 16 depot officials and clerks every morning, and when I suggested that since I've received my board, only for all this work, I ought to be allowed to sweeten my cup of coffee with white granulated sugar. The head waiter, not Thorpe homes forbade me to use it restricting me to some very dark brown sugar i appealed to mr wheeler he sustained the decision of the head-waiter and i quit him and went to the old birch house then located on the east side of west ninth street near the corner of frankford street and presided over by mrs gillette kind and generous people who i fear have long since gone to their rich reward mrs gillette's father father birch was very old and feeble i had the honor and pleasure of watching over him the whole of one night and hourly administering to him his prescribed medicine in his youth father birch had been personally acquainted with chancellor kent whose voluminous and learned commentaries were familiar to all students of law a generation ago mr byron hunt a handsome good-natured specimen of manhood later on when i was a husband and father loaned me five dollars after all our other friends had failed me in gratitude i shall carry the memory of his kindness to my grave with me during all the time of my high school experiences i devoted a number of my nights to waiting on parties and weddings. I shall never forget that when the late Senator M. A. Hanna

and his beautiful bride, the daughter of the late Dan P. Rhodes, were married. I was one of those who, in the dining room, ministered to their wants. The same is true as regards the wedding of Colonel Harris of the United States Army and a lovely daughter of the late Stillman Witt, a sister, I think, of Mrs. Dan P. Eels, of the city, by the way. When I was graduated and had four offerings literally rained down on me, i wore one of the late dan p eels discarded coats given to me by mrs eels it was a dark brown broadcloth coat end of chapter five chapter six of fact stranger than fiction by john paterson green this librivox recording is in the public domain sojourning in dixieland on the day following my graduation I found myself acclaimed in the daily newspapers and by my friends generally as being

little less than a hero for my address on the night previous had been on the subject the true hero and by all classes of our citizens without regard to race or color I was congratulated and praised for such success as I had attained to. There had been a tendency on the part of persons who were friendly to the interests of the freedmen to encourage my efforts during might course at the high school, and if I had not succeeded, it would not have been for the lack of sympathy and goodwill. A rather humorous incident occurred on an occasion when I was the invited guest of some of the colored people of Akron, Ohio as their speaker in 1867, when the late General Beers was mayor of that, now large, populous, and wealthy city. When the hall was well-filled

and the time was opportune. Mr. Morgan, one of Akron's foremost colored citizens arose and said in substance that he was happy to have present with them, a young man who was making a manful struggle to secure an education after having first bought a home for his widowed mother. A true hero, shouted Mr. Morgan, then extending his right hand and waving it in an inviting way he exclaimed, Hero, come forth. Since then I've been introduced to many audiences, but none that I can now recall, carried with it the fervor and admiration of Mr. Morgan's. In very truth, I did not feel on the day after graduation that I had accomplished much, and for the first time the true significance of the term commencement,

as applied to the graduating exercises of high schools and colleges dawned on me, for it is the commencement of a course in a college or of the studying of a profession for the future, and the individual who graduating from an institution of learning imagines that he has finished is grievously mistaken, for he is only commenced. My old and esteemed friend, the late Andrew J. Rickoff, Esquire, for many years, superintendent of the schools of Cleveland, came to me and advised me to study law.

It will be just the thing for you, he said. Also came the late Judge Jesse P. Bishop, successful and wealthy lawyer and deacon in the First Baptist Church, who extended to me an invitation to occupy a desk in his office under the immediate supervision of the late Captain Seymour F. Adams, a gentleman and scholar, for the purpose of studying law. Had I known, then what I know now that no men need expect to be a successful attorney at the bar in the full significance of that term, who has no social intercourse with the business world, I would have declined the kind offer with thanks and betaken myself to the study. of medicine or theology. By being ignorant in the premises, I jumped at the offer, entered his office, and thereby, I suspect, I spoiled a good doctor or preacher in making a poor lawyer. I literally devoured black stone-cant bishop Bows Stephen Parsons and other great commentaries

on the English and American law during the ensuing four months reading, as I truly believe by day and by night, well nigh as much as the average reader would cover in a year. One fine day in stalked a man who, from his personal appearance, proved himself to be vassal precepts, easily first amongst civilized men. He was tall and of commanding stature, with a frontal and cranium development which might have turned even Webster Green with envy. The remainder of the hair surrounded his bald dome, was thin and fair, while above his classic features peering forth from shaggy brows where his deep-set eyes, penetrating and knowing. Meet the Honorable General John Crowwell, lawyer, ex-congresman, then president and fact totem of the Union Law College, located in Rouse's Block, Top Story, Northwest Corner of Superior Avenue, and the Public Square.

Young man, he said, What are you doing? I answered, I'm reading law. Why don't you come up to the college? He replied, because I have no money. I rejoined. Thereupon, he quite generously extended to me an invitation to become one of his class. and he added, when you get into the practice you can pay me. Needless to say, I took advantage of his kind offer without delay. I joined his class in which I found already entered a number of fine young men amongst whom, I can now recall Cullen Coates, late Justice of the Peace and Lawyer of Cleveland Township, Honorable J.T. Garver, now presiding judge of the Sandusky-Fremont District, Augusta Zaring, successful lawyer, and the late R. L. Codden, who died,

in ministerial orders in C.W. Fifty-one years have elapsed since those halcyon days glided by, but I can never forgive the pleasure and profit which I derived from the fraternal intercourse, which I found in the midst of those big-hearted, kindly disposed young men. They seemed anxious and willing to aid me in every way. I love the memory of them. I'm minded of a humorous anecdote which in those days was related once in a while with the approval of General Crowell, which I will here insert for great and learned as was prexy. He was not thin-skinned. It was in this wise. Once upon a time when the general was a candidate for Congress, he was anxious to secure the friendly cooperation of an old acquaintance who was not aiding him in any respect, so he gave a dinner to which was invited as many of the independence

as he could persuade to attend. The P.E. Ste resistance on the will-filled table was a suckling pig, which the lukewarm friend ate quite ravenously. At this point the auditors were one to ask General, did he vote for you? To which the general replied, damn him, he voted against me with my pig in his belly. Judge Garver, who was elected because of his merit, as deplete at the bar and as prosecuting attorney of his county, has proven that the electors made no mistake in elevating him to that distinguished and useful position. When I visited Fremont some years ago, he met me at the station, and in his own private conveyance, showed me the town, so to speak, a rare treat indeed. Afterwards he conducted me to his own home, assigned me to his guest chamber,

seated me at his dining table with the other members of his family, and made me in other respects quite comfortable and happy. Just 50 years subsequent to our school days at the Union Law College, Judge Garver was assigned by a justice of our State Supreme Court to preside over one of the branches of our common pleas court in Cleveland to assist in cleaning up our overcrowded docket. When becoming aware of his presence in my hometown, I extended to him and our beloved Honorable Willis Vickery, one of the judges of our Court of Appeals, an invitation to visit us at our home and dine with us and several others of our intimate friends. To our very great gratification, both gentlemen accepted the invitation, and we were all honored by their presence and society

during the greater portion of one pleasant summer afternoon. To say that we were all elated, highly pleased, only partially expresses our feelings on that occasion. Speaking for the colored members of the Caya Hoga County Bar, I think I make no mistake in saying that at all times since Judge Vickory's promotion to a judicial position, he has manifested for us a friendliness which has won from us for him, not only profound respect, but feelings of gratitude bordering on love and affection,

for he has generously thrown into our hands thousands of dollars which were needed and saved for his action would never have come within our grasp in the course of a few fleeting months our course completed we received our diplomas duly signed by all the members of the faculty and carrying the seal of the college on it and almost like milton's description of the eviction of adam and eve from the garden of eden we took our leave of the general and his college the world was all before us where to change Jews, our place of rest, and providence our guide. We hand in hand with wandering steps and slow through Cleveland took our solitary way. During the time I attended the law college and read in Judge Bishop's office, I supported myself by working in the restaurant and confectionery of in Heisel and son underneath the judge's law offices and also by doing the janitor work for the late W.C. McFarland in his law office. A portion of the time I slid. I slept on a couch in the back of the bank of the late George W. Wright, banker, broker, etc.

Now I had two diplomas, but as yet no visible means of support other than that of waiting on table. I almost blush to tell it, but truth is great, etc. I married when I was in my 25th year of age, and with only $3 at my command, and the happy bride was the fortune I possessed of the sum of $3,500, but she, like me, had a place of useful employment. we were happy and hopeful in the love and confidence of each other. Before long, a dear cousin of mine residing in the Palmetto State, South Carolina, having heard of my varied successes by being ignorant of my marriage, wrote to me extending an invitation to me to come and be as guest until I could select one of three places of employment, then vacant and awaiting my arrival,

and elated by the prospect of entering upon speedy and remunerative employment. My little wife and I began to prepare to exchange our residence temporarily for that of the mild and sunny south. Some of my old schoolmates and well-wishers of both races, hearing of our proposed removal tendered us a reception in a hall near the public square, and in return for music and oratorical pyrotechnics, contributed a snug little sum which we used for the purpose of tickets as far as our route as Wilmington, North Carolina. I shall never forget the impression which the white sand,

made on my mind when in the gentle moonlight our train stopped in the suburbs of wilmington on one january eve eighteen seventy we both thought it was snow although in the car we were quite comfortable but imagine our surprise when on alighting we discover it was beautiful white sand instead as we were being driven to the residence of our hospitable friends the sampson's long-time residence of wilmington intelligent and wealthy withal we perceived that instead of being frigid as we felt 24 hours before in Cleveland, the atmosphere was delightfully balmy. These good people, former friends and associates of my deceased father and my mother tendered us a royal reception, which put us perfectly at our ease and persuaded us to believe that the longer we remained their guests, the better they would be pleased, thus manifesting the proverbial hospitality of the southern people of both races. The late Mr. James Sampson, founder of the family, was a colored man who was held in high

repute and respect even by the slaveholders before the emancipation, and they not only permitted him to walk the streets of the city after the curfew bell, but respected passes signed by him for other colored persons. He was a builder by trade and profession, and himself occupied with his family. One of the most comfortable residences there, which I am informed, is still standing. One of his sons, the late Professor Benjamin Kellogg, Samson, who was graduated from Oberlin College in the latter 50s, was a scholar and an orator of note. For several years in the 60s, he was principal of Avery Institute, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Subsequently, he took charge of the colored schools of Memphis, Tennessee, where after many years of faithful service, he died regretted and mourned by all. John P. Samson, another son, was a minister of the gospel, and served faithfully many years with honor and success at Orange, New Jersey. Then there were Joseph, who was recorder of deeds of Wilmington, during the reconstruction period, and James, George, and Nathan, all worthy men, also Susie, Fanny, Mary, and Minerva, all well and happily married.

Upon the whole, the Samson's were one of the most honorable, successful, and conspicuous families that existed in any of our slave states, before, during, and subsequent to the Civil War. Mr. Mrs. Duncan Holmes were very dear friends while we remained in Wilmington, and did all that big-hearted, generous people could do to make our visit both comfortable and pleasant, there was a gentleman long since deceased william kellogg by name the father of mr john kellogg for many years trusty and chorister in mount zion congregational church of cleveland ohio who was elected one of the aldermen of the city of wilmington which we all considered an honor for to be one of the city fathers is an honor conferred on any man now mr kellogg a colored man had for years been in the employ of o g parsley and company merchants in some subordinate capacity and when after his election, Mr. Parsley addressed him. As plain William, he took exception, saying my name

now is Mr. Kellogg. Well, then, replied his employer, if your name is Mr. Kellogg, you can get out of my place, for I don't want any Mr. doing the work which you are employed to do, and Mr. Kellogg thereupon left the store of his old employer. We colored friends considered Mr. Parsley's treatment of Mr. Kellogg, unjust and uncalled for, but I suppose when one considers that the Nell of the Southern Confederacy had so recently been sounded, the slaves manumitted, and in some instances placed in official stations, the conduct of that gentleman was quite natural. On invitation of two former associates, Monsieur Robert and Cicero Harris, who had gone from Cleveland to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where they found the state normal school, I sailed up the Cape Fear River to

that old and noted city. Fayetteville was doubly endeared to me by the dual facts that my dear parents were married there in 1837, and there were a host of good people residing there to whom I was related by ties of blood. The reception tendered me by everyone who knew me was more cordial than I had anticipated, which is saying much, and the memory of it will always remain green. When I appeared on the platform in the church where my lecture was delivered at a signal from Mr. Robert Harris, the principal, the large audience consisting in great part of the students of the school began to sing lustily. Johnny Green has come to town. Johnny Green has come to town. Ho-ho for Johnny Green. By this manifestation of regard and sympathy, I was greatly pleased and considered myself highly honored

and the result of the collection which was lifted enabled me to pay our fair the remaining distance to our South Carolina destination. Mr. Robert Harris, the principal of that noted school, married a beautiful little lady, an ex-member of the school, whose name was Mary Green. I regret to state that he died in the flower of his manhood while he was engaged in the performance of his truly valuable educational duties so essential at that time for the welfare of the colored people of that state. His brother and assistant, Mr. Cicero Harris, subsequently became a minister of the gospel, and by reason of his extraordinary intelligence and conspicuous piety, was ordained to bishop of

the A.M. E. Zion. church, which position he held and actively served until his recent death. Those who knew Bishop Harris Best, who were most closely related to him in his life work, declared that they had never heard, escaped from his lips a word which would have offended the ears of the most refined lady or gentleman. This was the testimony of Mr. Charles W. Chestnut, the famous author, who in his boyhood and youth was under the daily instruction of the two brothers, and who ultimately succeeded to the principalship of the

school and also of this writer who knew and associated with them both when they resided in ohio returning to wilmington after my delightful visit to fayetteville we speedily packed our trunk it was not large and bade farewell to all our friends who had cared for us so unselfishly and i might say lovingly we left them with genuine regret some of them never to behold again we were fortunate while in wilmington in being of the invited guests at the wedding of mr and mrs george w sampson Mr. Sampson is now for 62 years, has been a useful and respected resident of the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where he and his wife have reared and educated two sons and a daughter, the eldest is Professor George W. Sampson, Jr., an alumnus of the Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, and for many years' principle of important educational institutions in Ohio and Florida. Mr. Fred Sampson engaged in useful employment on one of our great trunk railroads, Mrs. Hattie, Sampson Dale, the beloved wife of Dr. Ellis A. Dale, one of the skilled and useful physicians of Cleveland. A slow, jolting ride of 100 miles carried us to the station

of Laurenburg's North Carolina. The only excuse for the existence of which is so far as I could see at that time was that it afforded a watering place for locomotives and a shipping and receiving station for the farmers in the neighboring territory. Here we were met by two of our numerous cousins, Mr. William R. Brewington long since deceased presided over horse and buggy, while his brother James Brewington, in his employ, curbed and restrained a mule team attached to a wagon. William R. Brewington was, in some respects, a unique personage, for since I was born, although I have come in touch with many quaint and curious people, yet have I never seen his double, either physically or temperamentally. William, when a mere child, had been bound out as the expression

was down south in those days to a carpenter and builder ostensibly to be taught the trade of his master, but practically to fill the position of a fact-totum, a do-all. My dear mother, who knew of his hardships and adversities through the eight, drying years of his apprenticeship before he reached his majority, used to tell his children of the lack of proper and sufficient clothing during the cold winter days, the cravings of hunger which every half-fed boy experiences, the undeserved floggings inflicted on. him by his cruel taskmaster, and much else until even before we ever saw him. We grieved for him

through sheer sympathy, and now here he stood in our very presence, the master of his trade, a respected contractor and builder, the owner of broad acres, as well as a residence, a little grocery store, a horse, and a mule team, to say nothing of a pretty wife, and several interesting children. Yes, here he stood his arms outstretched as he would fly to grasp in the comer and his countenance beaming with smiles welcoming us to lorenburg the gateway from north carolina to south carolina bennetsville marlborough county south carolina twenty miles distant and reached from that place by traversing a blazed way through a dense forest and thick sands soon mounted my little wife in the buggy by the sight of our dear cousin and i on the crest of a pile of bags and boxes and the wagon we rode into the town of bennetsville where along the main only

business street, the inhabitants' view and number seemed to be on the key vivor. To behold, Mr. Brewington's cousin, John, whose coming had been heralded, and his little wife, whose coming was a genuine surprise to all. Finally, we halted in front of a rudely constructed frame residence, which stood on the corner of the main street and another, which gradually merged into a country road, leading to and passing by the village blacksmith's shop and the swimming hole. Beyond these was the imposing residence of the late J.W. Weatherly, a retired speculator in slaves, built by my cousin William, under contract. Opposite the Brewington residence was a field, which, ere long, was gorgeous in its garb of beautiful cotton blooms, and later on glistened in its crop of snow-white cotton.

On another corner was the spacious field in the center of which stood the cozy home of the late Charles McCall, who in an emergency would shoot in cell, to us a nice chicken, and on a third side was the humble residence of old Mr. Whaley, the watch and jewelry repairer, who even then tremulously stood with one foot on the edge of the grave. On entering it, we discovered that our future temporary home was neither laith nor plastered. The frame of the building was weather-boarded, and this protected us from the wind and rain. Later on, during a light snowstorm remarkable for that locality, the snow filtered through the cracks and crevices of the shingled roof and lay lightly on the spread which covered us. However, we were young, and a little thing like that did not discourage us.

On the contrary, it was to us a source of much merriment. Cousin Molly, the wife and mother greeted us in a kindly way and made conditions as comfortable for us as she could, while little Nellie and Lula were a never-failing source of pleasure to us both. On the following day, I was informed by my dear cousin that two of the three remunerative positions which he had guaranteed me upon my arrival in Bennetsville had already been filled to wit the school to teach and the post-mastership in the little post-office the former by a competent young lady a protege of mr henry j maxwell the state senator representing that district and the letter by a young freedman at once ambitious and capable catered j stewart by name under the circumstances the only position left vacant for me was that of clerk in cousin's little twelveby 16 grocery store where he and Molly had been accustomed to barter, sparingly, domestic provisions for seed cotton, that is to say cotton from which the seeds had not been removed, some of which, unbound to say, came in the dark a-dab-da moon. Imagine this writer, then, in those surroundings, in the center of a cotton-producing district, removed from even a railroad station, the nearest one being at Society Hill, 14 miles distant, not a picayune to spend in his pocket fresh from the social and

educational walks of the beautiful city of Cleveland and the business and hustle of such cities as Pittsburgh, Washington, Baltimore, Moore, Philadelphia, and New York. Was I discouraged? No, I was not discouraged. I was surprised, more or less shocked. As for myself, I did not care of fig by the help of God and my determined efforts. I had won my way from hunger and want down to that moment, and I was armed not to suffer but to conquer. The little fair-haired wife, by my side, leaning upon me for support and encouragement. She it was, whose very patience and resignation to endure all things to live or die, confiding in and cheering her husband, stimulated me and nerved me to toil on and hope on until the silver lining of the cloud, which enveloped us, became visible.

No pay was given to me for my services in the grocery save our keep, which consisted of a fireless attic to sleep in, and salt mackerel, salt, park, bacon, fried, or boiled, once in a while, with collards and corn, dodgers, black coffee, be sweetened, generally with dark brown sugar or molasses. There was at that time no market in the town, and cotton being the principal product of the farms in that locality, it was extremely difficult to procure vegetables, poultry, or eggs, even had I possessed the financial means of buying the same. Later on, in that year 1870, a little baby boy came to our home, and when the mother pled for some chicken broth, I could not in any way procure the coveted luxury for her. Finally, I walked

down the road past the swimming-hole a mile from the village to the home of that same ex-slave, a speculator of whom I have spoken, Mr. Weatherly, and being received courteously by him, I pleaded with him to sell me one small chicken for my sick wife. Without hesitation, he ordered one of his servants to catch a chicken for me. He presented this bird to me, and scorn payment for it. Whatever else he may have been, his conduct on this occasion, the only time he and I ever met, face to face was that of a kindly disposed gentleman and i shall ever remember him in gratitude we could not buy a morsel of fresh beef in that little town save an except on rare occasions when some countryman would drive in with the carcass of a little butchered bullet covered with green branches true protected from the sun's rays and the flies on one occasion beef in this manner was brought into the village but before we became aware of its presence it was all sold the little baby boy had not yet arrived

and my loved one craved a piece of that beef cousin william was the proud happy possessor of a good-sized chunk of it but neither he nor cousin molly would give or sell me a piece we were not their guest then so disconsolate but not cast down i went to the home of one of the white citizens who i was informed had bought a piece of the beef and laid my condition before him his dwelling occupied a commanding position well back in the yard from the sidewalk and was guarded at night by a large fierce dog which was generally kept chained in the daytime. I, unsuspectingly and fearlessly, entered upon the premises when to my amazement and horror, that savage brute came bounding directly towards, and up to me. What defense could I make? What could I do?

I had no weapon I was empty-handed, looking the dog straight in his eyes. I snapped my fingers at him, and spoke kindly words to him when he, to my great relief, wagged his tail and trotted along by my side, until I was accosted and met by his master. with every manifestation of true gentility this southern man to the manor-born as the current phrase was at that time cut off from his portion a nice large piece of that beef and presented it to me gratis i carried it to my wife and had the pleasure of seeing tears of gratitude standing in her beautiful eyes by reason of that man's unselfish generosity i'm sorry i cannot recall his name it was fifty years ago and memory fails me on another occasion we needed a little tea black or green tea it mattered

not which, in order to procure, I was compelled to send to Wilmington, North Carolina for it, and needing a dentist later on when I had come into the possession of a little money, I was compelled to travel 130 or 40 miles and place myself under the skill for treatment of the late Dr. Rodriguez of the old regime in Charleston in order to repair the damage done to me by a native dentist, one who did the best he knew how to do, but who after seven if ineffectual attempts to draw a wisdom tooth merely broke it off and exposed them. nerve. When the fall approached and the cotton crop was laid by, cousin William suddenly discovered that my services in the little grocery store were no longer needed, that he and Molly could attend to it

until after picking time. This condition left me and my family substantially homeless, for we could not remain there pensioners on their bounty, and I was not in a financial condition to go elsewhere. There was a man in that county, John G. Grant. By name, he was the probate judge of Marburg. county, and since this term of office was nearly ended, he was seeking the Republican nomination for re-election, and knowing that I was active within the ranks of that party, he sought my friendship and assistance in that behalf. Green, he said to me, why don't you rent Brewington's corner room and open a grocery for yourself in it? I told him I had no money to rent the room with, and least of all, to stock it with groceries. Well, he replied, I have seven barrels of

spirits of turpentine, which is quite valuable. I will ship it. to Adrian and Vollers, large dealers in Wilmington, North Carolina, and you can go there and invest the proceeds of that spirits in groceries and start your store. A drowning man will grasp at a straw, and I hurried to avail myself of this opportunity, although one of the conditions was that he should be a silent partner and receive one-half of the net profits of the business. This was on Friday the next day being the day of the Republican Convention, by which he was duly nominated for a second term,

I assisting as best I could. The next day, Sunday after attending divine services and superintending the Sunday school, I began to collect money to pay my fare to Wilmington in order to collect for the spirits of turpentine buy the groceries and ship them to Laurenburg. It was not an easy matter to borrow $9 or $10. I had $3 belonging to the Sunday school. I appropriated that with a proviso, and I returned it out of my first earnings later on. Senator Henry J. Maxwell loaned me three other dollars, and I reckon I'm borrowing three others from another cousin of mine, Mr. John Brewington, on reaching the station, which, as I have said, was twenty long miles distant. at half-past seven on that Sunday evening as the shades of night were falling fast, and while the bell of the neighboring church was sweetly inviting swinners and others to come,

fondly embracing my well-nigh, disconsolate wife, who stood in the door holding little Johnny in her arms, she weighed 95 pounds. I started on my hike to Laurenburg. The intervening seven miles before reaching the forest was through thick sand, and since I wore a pair of boots, given me before leaving Cleveland by the late Frank Judd, which were snug, on my feet to say the least. They began to paint me to an uncomfortable degree, but I gave no heed to that. That last image of my wife and little one, standing in that door dependent and forlorn, and the expectancy of securing the means of making them comfortable and happy, stimulated me to such a degree that I literally devoured space, and sooner than I expected

I found myself at the beginning of the blazed way on the edge of the forest. It was now quite dark, save as the moon and stars ever and anon peeped through the foliage and reveal, and to me the ruts made by the wagons which traversed that route and some familiar objects which i had seen before the occasional hooting of an owl and the quaint noises made by other tenants of the forest lent a weird charm to all the surroundings mile after mile reeled off never weary not once complaining although by this time my heels and toes were blistered and my gait was somewhat halt and lame to add to the seriousness of my plight the sky was now overcast with heavy clouds and some big drops of rain began to fall as the rumbling of ominous thunder began to be heard in the distance. Under these conditions, I failed to discern my landmarks, and I found myself out of the direct route, and was compelled to retrace fully a mile of the distance. The night is long that never finds the day, says one poet,

while a profound philosopher, more prezé carries the same idea when he says, it's a long lane that has no turn. And so I found, in this instance, for at half past 11 o'clock, exactly four hours from the time of starting, I knocked at the door of Mr. John Brewington at the end of my first lap, and was welcomed, footsore and weary, with mingled feelings of joy and surprise. After answering many questions hurriedly asked of me, I laid myself on a rough counter with an empty raisin box for a pillow.

In the morning, when I attempted to pull all my boots, I found that my feet were too swollen to admit of success, but as time was precious, I put a little soft soap on the side of the heels, and so succeeded, pulling them on, splitting the inner side of one boot leg, however, in doing so. The blisters on my heels and toes, the swollen condition of my feet, and a pronounced pain in one hip caused me to limp along, in a very ungainly way, from the house to the train en route to Wilmington. I must not forget to state that Cousin John loaned me three dollars and thereby assured me the means of returning from Wilmington.

Arrived in a few hours in the city of Wilmington, I went as the crow flies to the wholesale house of Adrian and Vallors, and immediately introduced myself to Mr. Vallors, a quiet, appearing man of very few words, who had before that day neither seen me nor heard my voice and for aught that I know to that day had never even heard tell of me. In a few moments he made me aware of the fact that on his part he had neither seen nor heard of the seven barrels of spirits of turpentine. Thereupon, I said to Mr. Valles, I've spent my last cent for tickets to this city from Benetsville, South Carolina and returned. I left behind me a frail wife with baby in her arms, and I dare not return there without this bill of goods. I am the cousin of William Brewington, with whom you are acquainted.

Can't you let me have the goods on credit? Mr. Valles looked me straight in the eyes. How much do you want? He dryly inquired. Here is the list, I replied. In a few minutes he had made an estimate of the cost of the goods. $110 was the amount. You may have them, he said, Mr. Valles, I exclaimed, I've not a dollar with which to pay the freight on them. Well, he said, we will pay that for you. If an angel of light had spoken to me, I could not have been made more happy. Truly God was with me, truly as a reward of Barrett in return for some kindnesses, on the part of my dear, deceased father, or someone closely related to me, God was blessing me, and I silently lifted up my heart in thanksgiving to him, from whom all blessings flow. The goods

replaced on the same train which carried me back to Laurenburg on the next day and a few hours later, I again found myself on that same platform with a pile of merchandise and Veniceville 20 miles away. What was done what to do? A glance told me both. So says the poet read, when describing Sheridan's famous ride to Winchester 20 miles away, but in the case of the writer, a glance did not suffice, for I was in a semi-hostile country, a stranger to everyone and without the means of employing friends or foe to transport my merchandise for me. Let no youthful reader of this narrative forget that time honored maxim, where there is a will, there is a way, I love and confide in those old maxims, for generally they have come thundering

down the ages, and contain great truths for our guidance and encouragement in many of the perplexities of life. Inquiring of sundry persons whom I met in the one business street, I was finally directed to the home of Mr. Edward Roper, a youthful, hard-fisted good-namblesixted. a patriot, kind-hearted, negro man, a family. I have freedman, so-called, who had spent the greater part of his life in bondage, until the immortal Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation which broke his bonds asunder. Fortunately, Mr. Roper was at home and gave me a right, hearty welcome, his good wife and little ones joining him, an invitation to eat followed, which was accepted,

and then after listening to my tale of woe, he hitched his meal team to his wagon, loaded my goods into it, invited me to sit on the seat beside him, and set me with my goods down at my door in that far away Bennett's bill, and all this without exacting from me any money whatsoever, but simply relying on my individual oral promise to pay him when able to do so. Whatever may be said detrimental to the Negro race by persons who, for one reason and another, do not admire it. I, a person in whose arteries flows a modicum of that self-same blood here and now record my knowledge and belief that for love and filial affections, sympathy and generosity, patriotism, and martial heroism,

industry and a philosophical, hopeful poetic temperament. It is not surpassed by any race of people on the face of this habitable globe. And Ed Roper was one whose blood had never been tainted by an admixture with that of any other race. During my absence, Ed Sawyer, a friendly carpenter, had procured some lumber in a sort of wild west way, built me a counter and a meat stand and placed some shelving in the corner room referred to in the foregoing, where on the first day of my experience as proprietor, I sold out nearly everything except my scales, knives, and fixtures, and sent a rush order for supplies to Wilmington

together with a money order for the payment of my original order. In explanation of my rapid sale of all my small stock of groceries, I will state that it was one of the results of a hanging which took place on that day, and which attracted a large crowd of people to that town, the county seat, to witness it. This was a legal hanging, however, in accordance with the required forms of the law. The name of

the unfortunate victim was Barry McIntyre, a young and good-looking colored man who, in an evil moment, had decoyed his wife to a lonely place near a gloomy pond, and after killing her had thrown the body into the pond. For some reason, that could not be explained. One of the arms of the victim was missing, and although the defendant

finally made a full confession of the crime, yet he to the end denied the dismemberment of the body. The gallows was erected in the public square of the village, without any attempt to screen it from public view, and numbers of the onlookers stood near at the foot of the scene. When the trap was sprung, the body plunged outward, breaking the neck of the victim, I suppose, for when an attempt was made to shorten the rope

and clear his feet from the ground, it was limp and unconscious. I do not believe the man knew what killed him. after the execution the crowd thronged the groceries and their patronage was welcome and beneficial in the course of a few months my income from the grocery was such that i bought a lot on a hillside fronting on the south side of the little square and erected there on a humble residence and storeroom combined long piles from the bodies of pine trees supporting the rear of the house which was raised about ten feet from the slant of the hill while the front rested on low sills near the brow of the same the depression between the sill of the south the house in the mainland was planked over, here owing to my political activities and social endeavors, my business grew rapidly, and in the course of a year, I was well established. In the month of September 1870, the 20th day of September, to be exact, I made application to be admitted to the bar of South Carolina, Judge Day M. Rutland, a carpet beggar, presiding over

the court of common pleas of that district. There were two other applications filed on the same day by two promising white young gentlemen residents of that town, Jane Knox, Livingston, and H. Hope Newton, both of whom were admitted during the course of that day. But in my case, a committee of three lawyers consisting of Colonel J. L. Hudson, Duncan D. McColl, and Charles Townsend. By order of the committee, I visit to the office of Judge Townsend after early tea, which proved to be at 7.30 p.m., and was orally examined by those gentlemen in turn until 11.30 o'clock of the same evening. i am pleased to record the fact that i answered saxof-factory every question asked of me save one and that related to marine law which to us in benesville was not of much interest in as much as the nearest body of water to the town was the stagnant swamp at the foot of the hill in the rear of my little home

and the only running stream which i can now recall was the creek tributary to it which in its course furnished our swimming-hole in making their report to the court on the following day the committee said in part we find your applicant John B. Green not only qualified, but well qualified. I took the examination there instead of going to the state capital and being admitted on motion because I crave the respect and professional assistance of the members of the Marlborough Bar, which I cheerfully say was accorded to me as long as I practiced there. During the year and a half and more given to the practice there, I saved two lives. The third John J. McQuag, White indicted for murder. They had no varied degrees, only murder and manslaughter, made his escape from prison, plunged into the dismal swamp in the rear of the jail, and to my knowledge, was never heard of again. One of my fortunate clients was Irene McRae,

a colored girl, not yet 17 years of age, who one hot July day gave birth to a child, cut its head off, and then got into a tub of cold water. Since she had no money and the other lawyers did not care for the case, she became my client and adopting the defense of pure Pearl. Mania, I secured a verge of not guilty. Some mention of this defense was made in one of the Harper periodicals of that day. When we were impaneling the jury for the trial of that case, O. Peter McColl, clerk of the court who was nearly a hundred years of age, and shook in his voice in his hands, almost like an aspen, proceeded as follows. John W. Crossland, he called. To the front came a southern gentleman, owner of much land and erstwhile, owner of numerous slaves,

who till the soil for him. Prisoner, said the aged clerk. Look on the juror. Jura, look on the prisoner. Then we both looked. What say you? He asked. Now I was in a quandary as to whether I should say,

swear him or excused, for crossland bore the reputation of having been a very cruel driver of his slaves, and it was reported that any one of his ex-slaves could be distinguished by the white patches of hair on his head where wounds have previously been inflicted, and I feared lest he should show prejudice against this colored girl in the deliberations of the jury. On the other hand, I knew that in weighing professional and scientific questions

relating to the case he was just the man of all needed. So I said swear him, he was made foreman of that jury, and by his elucidations of the technical questions growing out of the defense, brought us safely through. The other case was that of a colored man who, in a troubled man, who in a drunken brawl severed the femoral artery of another. I was one of the three who defended Frank Cook. He was duly convicted of murder and sentenced to be hung.

After the gallows was erected at the earnest plea of his wife, who was soon to become a mother, I went to Columbus, and by a political bargain, persuaded the late Governor Scott of Henry County, Ohio, who was then governor of South Carolina, and was afterwards tried in Henry County, Ohio for murder and acquitted to commute his sentence to life imprisonment. he was subsequently pardoned after i left the state and for aught that i know is still living with that wife and his children in the year nineteen o three after having finished a term of nine-year service and the employ of the united states at washington

of which more later on i applied for admission to the bar of the district of columbia and in order to evade the requirement of a formal examination i wrote to the late duncan d mccole esqs squire of bennetsville requesting him to send me a copy of the journal entry of my admission to the bar of South Carolina in 1870. His letter breathes such a spirit of friendliness that I shall record it not more as one of the incidents of my career in South Carolina in my youth than as a testimonial of my high esteem and grateful remembrance of a Southern gentleman's scholar and man of affairs who recognized marriage and all men regardless of color or previous condition and he lived a long and useful life. The letter follows. Bank of Marlborough, penniesville south carolina may second nineteen o three honorable j p green washington d c my dear sir your favor of the twenty ninth last month's reading i am certainly glad to hear from you went to clerk's office and found the date of your admission to practice law entered on the minutes of the court had no trouble owing to your good recollection of date etc i enclose your certificate from the clerk of the court under seal showing you to be an attorney at law in this state in good standing etc and copied as

in the certificate, the order of the court admitting you. I hope it will answer your purpose and be all you desire. I paid him 50 cents for the certificate, but do not pay back to me, as I hope, some time or other, to get even in some other way. If you will notice you were admitted to practice on my motion, and I'm proud to say that while you practiced at this bar, you did great credit to yourself and the profession. I recall distinctly, although it has been 30 years, 32 years as exact, J.P.G. Your defense of Alford, Frank Cook, J.P.G. charged with murder. This was a case of infanticide. The writer now refers to the Irene McRae case mentioned above. J.P.G. And your great skill and knowledge in successfully establishing the defense of poor peril mania. Hope you are well and doing

well. Yours truly, D.D. McCall. State Senator, Henry J. Maxwell, now deceased, treated me at first with utmost contempt. He was about 15 years my senior in age, a bricklayer by trade and a politician by profession. He was a South Carolinian by birth and was evidently proud of the fact. The colored people of the county who were all active members of the Republican Party almost blindly followed his leadership, and he dictated the policies pursued in the county, which were implicitly obeyed by them. In the Senate at Columbia, he was facetiously denominated the Duke of Marlborough, and he commanded attention and exerted influence. I paid little attention to him at first, but when the fall campaign came on,

and he was a candidate for re-election, we became, well, now, chummy, and not only visited each other, but sat on the same platform and addressed the same political gatherings. Here is yet another of those wise old saws, of which I spoke in a former chapter in which, as a rule, are eternally true. Politics make strange bedfellows. This was literally verified, eventually when he and I, in Columbia, South Carolina, actually slept in the same bed together. During my brief political experience in and near Benettsville, I faced three separate contingencies in which I suspect my life was endangered. The first was went on one pretty July afternoon in a grove near the village.

I was delivering a political harangue in which I centered some of the methods resorted to by the Democratic Party, a large man John W. Harrington by name, who was made fierce-looking by bushy whiskers, rushed at me with an ugly-looking night, and attempted to cut me with it. He was intercepted, however, by several of my auditors and disarmed. They, too, had big, sharp knives. My second jeopardy was on the 4th of July. 1871, when I, as orator of the day, was literally making the eagle scream on a platform erected on our little public square in Veniceville, when Harris Covington is Esquare, Democratic nominee for Congress, rushed forward, grasped me by one of my legs,

and attempted to pull me down from the rostrum. Mr. Covington narrowly escaped being run through the body by a sword in the hands of a colored bystander, and a riot was prevented by the councils of judicious persons present. The third jeopardy was self-made, and from this point of view I can see that my conduct was unadvised and silly. The Greeley Democrats of the county had just adjourned a large meeting, which they had held on the public square, and with several of their Negro employees, were preparing to return to their homes. I therefore, in the absence of Senator Maxwell, constituted myself, Republican leader, and declared that I would mount the vacant platform and answer the statements which had been made to the colored men in attendance by the speakers. Sheriff Joel Easterling, the long-whiskered patriarchal Republican official, said to me,

Green, don't you do it? They will kill you if you persist. I, as sheriff of this county, will not guarantee you protection. Yet I mounted that platform, and for 40 minutes preached up your unadulterated. Abraham Lincoln republicanism. They did not touch me, but in the next issue of the local paper, there was a statement that after the adjournment of the Democratic meeting, a fellow by the name of Green, who came from Nobody Knows Where and lives on Nobody Knows What, got up on the stand and harangued the Negroes. Occasionally he would awake to find Ku Klux Klan literature strewn near our front doors were tacked on the trunks of the large pine trees in the public square. I have never known whether the Dodgers, which carried at the top the deathhead, and crossbones of the Ku Klux Klan

were a mere hoax or a dire threat and menace. Of one fact I am certain that caused us all to be quite apprehensive in our many nights, Maxwell William, Brewington, John Brewington, this writer, and others armed to the teeth, took turns in patrolling the streets in the vicinity of our homes in order to prevent a surprised assault, and my own doors were locked, barred, and propped as a source of protection. On one, first Monday, the day of the month when the sheriff sold lands in effects by order of court. A half-drunken fellow, McQuag, by name, started in pursuit of me, to kill me, as he said, I heard of it, and arming myself with a long, sharp knife, pursued him. He dodged me, and that ended the fiasco.

Early in 1872, I was elected delegate to the Republican State Convention, which held its sessions at Columbia, the capital of the state. They were present in the elegant hall of the House of Representatives, which have been furnished at a cost of $60,000. and contained cuspidores at a cost of $15 each, not only delegates from all parts of South Carolina, but many members of Congress, judges, public officials, and the governor of the state. During the deliberations of the Committee on Credentials on Motion of Captain Robert Smalls of the steamboat planter fame, I was unanimously invited to address the convention. It came to me like the proverbial clap of thunder.

However, I did not shrink, but on the contrary grasp the opportunity. Thomas Carlylew says occasion, Godlike, Russia's storming on swift, perilous, like a whirlwind, like a swift lightning steed, manfully thou shalt grasp him by the main, and vault into thy seat on him, and ride and guide there thou. I took his advice for nearly an hour. I addressed at August's assemblage, paying no more attention to the personnel of the assemblage or the coin of advantage from which I spoke than if I had been speaking to a jury in the courthouse. The portion of my address which attracted most attention and which was widely criticized by politicians was that wherein I declared that the people should select as public servants, men, known to be intelligent and honest, that unless this policy were speedily adopted, they would be reading the handwriting on the wall,

that the reconstruction carpet-backed governments of the southern states could exist no longer than they were sustained by the public opinion of the North, and that failing in respect of that support, they would fall to rise no more. Coming down from the rostrum, the speakers stand, Senator Allen of Greenville grasped my hand and said, Mr. Green, you have made just the speech which I have desired to make all of this session, but from policy's sake have not dared to do. I soon found that Senator Allen was correct for on return to Benettsville,

I ascertained that a carmel report of my address had outrun me. It was reported and current that I had said that none save college-bred men should be elected to office, and since there were no men of that class amongst the Republican voters of that county, I readily deciphered the handwriting on the wall for me. My political name was henceforth Dennis. This convention elected me an alternate to the Philadelphia National Convention, which re-nominated President Grant for President.

I represented the first congressional district of South Carolina, and it was my first appearance in national politics. The swamp in the rear of my little home at the foot of the hill, breathing forth poisonous mayas mater during the summer season having impaired my health and threatened the life of both my wife and our baby boy i suddenly concluded that i would pull up my stakes and return to cleveland there for better or for worse to try the fates as a member of the ohio bar in less time than it takes to record these facts i'd run over to the office of colonel c w dudley the nestor of the town surrendered to him my deed and all claim on the hillside lot of land giving to cousin william bruinton the horse which I was buying, and for the full payment of which he was surety, sold to him in bulk, the contents of the little grocery, distributed grotto some and created others of our meager household effects, and were en route towards Fayetteville, North Carolina. No tongue could never express

the joy of my wife when she clearly understood that she really and truly was, leaving Bennettsville to return no more. Her gratitude to God and her husband knew no bounds, and she referred to the event during the remainder of her life. We had some true and tried friends there, of both races who regretted to see his leave, even Colonel Dudley, who generally represented the sentiment of the white people of the county, said to me, if you had permitted the white people to take you up and fight Maxwell, you could have succeeded politically and otherwise. However, that policy was out of the question. I was colored, and I was a black, Abraham Lincoln, John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Republican, and everybody knew it. How then could I, with Democrats of

that day, join hands and fight Maxwell and his hosts, many of whom walked from Reds, bank 20 miles distant to vote for the Ulysses S. Grant as against Torres Greeley. End of Chapter 6. Chapter 7 of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Back to Cleveland. In the city of Fayetteville, we found ourselves in the midst of many relatives, and warm-hearted friends, two of whom most highly prized by us were Mr. A. J. Chestnut, father of Charles W. Chestnut,

Esquire, author, and scholar, whose name I have mentioned here before, and the other was the late Mrs. Sophia Carter, a sister, Mr. A. J. Chestnut, who temporarily, in a motherly way, received my dear wife, and made her comfortable and happy as long as we remained there. We left with Mrs. Carter a cook, stove rarer fee in that part of the country condition that when convenient she should remit to us the sum of fifteen dollars the purchase price of the same of this transaction more anon arriving in cleveland after spending a month as the guest of my dear mother and sisters we rented a suite of two rooms on the second floor of a framed dwelling-house still standing in brownell street now east fourteenth furnished it at an expense of twenty-seven dollars and moved into it he was now near winter and the remainder of cash which i had brought with me from bennetsville had dwindled down to a negligible amount and as i was not known in cleveland as a lawyer i began to have visions of the gaunt finger of want Under these conditions, the late R. L. Holden and I planned and executed a tour of some of the prominent cities of the East, including some of those which I had visited in my school days when I sold my little book and lectured. During this tour we acted in a dual capacity, I lecturing first and Holden following with some side-splitting stories, we were well-treated and received enough money to defray all expenses, but little more, and on my return to my wife and to baby. now i found myself in the most dire strait financially i had ever been in before even more so than when i took that midnight trip to lorenburg for then i had no rent to pay on the spot and i had only one baby to care for moreover i could see flitting around and past me ewes and men of my acquaintance who had never orrated in public and whose names had never been blazed forth as an orator hero lawyer and what not yet sleek and well-clad still acting in the roll

of waiters and menials while I was almost hungry and naked. I was out of coal with the mercury at almost zero when my rent was in arrears with no prospective payment, and the larder was well-nigh empty. In this plight, Mr. Cisero M. Richardson, one of the foremost and well-to-do citizens of color, kindly sent me a few bushels of coal, and none too soon. Another dear good friend, Mr. James Thompson, a Roman Catholic, small in stature and very dark, visited me and gave me a his advice and assistance, a favor which later on I repaid in kind of which he never knew. I went out into the city amongst several of my erstwhile colored friends and tried to persuade them to loan me the sum of five dollars, but in vain, I regret to say they proved to be

in a worse financial condition than I myself was, provided they told me the truth. I then went to Mr. Byron Hunt, a white man clerk at the old Birch House, where I worked for my meals during a part of my school days. He loaned to me without hesitation, and I afterwards returned it to him. I went to a grocery store around the corner of East 14th Street, Brownell, and Prospect Street, and filled my basket with groceries one morning, but not having money sufficient to pay the bill in full. I handed him back the butter. Arriving at home, we ate our bread without butter, which I had often done before. Frequently, I attended the police court, hoping against fate that somebody of all would retain me to defend him, but in vain what knowledge had they of my legal

ability or the contrary? Not at all. Some of them perchance had heard of me as being an apt and successful schoolboy, and that I had been graduated from the law college, but the report of my signal success at the South Carolina bar had not reached them, and when the life, liberty, or property of a man is at stake he wants the best and most influential lawyer he can obtain. But let her Hercules do as he may, the cat will mew, and the dog will have his day. And my day finally came when a young colored man, J. A. Hawkins, by name long since deceased, who was unjustly accused of an offense, seeing me in the courtroom, came to me and gave me a retainer of $25 to defend him.

To say I was pleased and only mildly expressed as the sensation which nearly overwhelmed me, not more, by reason of the retainer, than because it would give me an opportunity of being seen and heard in that legal arena, where I was destined for so many long years to strut and fret and contend as an advocate of justice between man and man, and the state of Ohio, and the defendant at the bar. Mr. Hawkins was speedily acquitted and went from the presence of the court without delay to blaze and forth my merits as a lawyer, and thereby assist me in securing my daily bread, butter or no butter. It was a peculiar coincidence that just before Mr. Hawkins, retained me when I was once more dead broke.

I received a letter from that dear Mrs. Sophia Carter, in closing three five-dollar bills, in payment of the little cook stove which we had placed in her possession on leaving Fayetteville. Truly for us, I could say with Romeo, nights candles are burnt out in Jokkunday, stands tipto on the misty mountain tops. We had now $40 in cash at our disposal,

and I was determined to make the most of it, and from that time down to the present day we have been above sheer want and at times able to cast a little bread on the waters the advent of the municipal election drew near a mayor was to be elected and various and sundry municipal officials including a number of justices of the peace to serve the township and city of cleveland during the ensuing three years In that contingency to my great surprise and gratification, uprose, Pard B, Smith, Sheriff of Chayaoga County, Ohio, William T. Clark, Esquire, attorney-at-law, in his office I had my desk in Johnny Francisco, highly esteemed, veteran of the Civil War, and in the convention they wrought so manfully and successfully that I received the nomination for Justice of the Peace at the hands of the Republican Party.

At the same time, John Huntington, Esquire, was nominated for, mayor. When the votes were counted on the night of the first Monday in April 1873, the results proved that Mr. Huntington was defeated by more than 1,200, while this writer was elected by more than 3,000 majority. This was the first instance within my memory of the election of a colored man to any office in the state of Ohio, and to the best of my knowledge, the first time a colored man was elected to a judicial office in the great northeast and west. In the former slave states where the colored voters assisted by a few white men were in the majority, and members of the race who could neither read nor right were, in some instances elected even to the law-making branch.

It was different. When I attended a state convention in Columbia, South Carolina, I met and associated with Justice Wright, a pure Negro, who was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of that August state, the home of the Rets, the Barnwells, and of John C. Calhoun, of Senator fame. I rented the office and succeeded to the judicial functions of the late General David L. Wood, and thereafter, for nine consecutive years by re-elections, I remained one of the justices of the peace of this populist, wealthy, and intelligent city of Cleveland, Ohio. In order that the significance of my promotion may be fully appreciated, it may be recorded that the bond required of a justice was $5,000, which would be equal to $10,000 now.

My bond was signed on the several occasions by the late W.C. McFarland, the same attorney whose office I cared for when I was in the law college in 1869, an able-kind and generous man was Mr. McFarland, and in his death, the Cleveland Bar sustained a real loss. Justices of the peace at that time had in civil cases jurisdiction to the amount of $300, exclusive jurisdiction and forcible entry in detourable entry in detail. case and examining powers in all felonies and misdemeanors from murder down, which made the Court of Justice of the Peace of more importance than that of municipal judge in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere at that time. Moreover, it was an elective office by a majority of the votes of the people which I've always considered the most honorable way of obtaining office, no matter of what importance, Amongst the conspicuous lawyers who appeared in my court and transacted legal business may be mentioned

ex-Senator E. Burton, who informed me when he was a notable candidate for the presidency that he tried his first case in my court. Mr. Andrew Squire, who at that time was a youthful practitioner, also tried cases before me, as did the late Virgil P. Klein, R. E. Mix, C.W. Noble, and Mr. John G. White, now famous as a jurist. Thomas J. Coran, John J. Coran, and Mr. William Haisley, all able attorneys gave me business and appeared in my justices court. A long list would be required to contain all the names of those attorneys, living and dead, who honored me with their business and presence.

The Honorable Myron T. Herrick, ex-Governor of Ohio, and ex-U.S. Ambassador to France, says to me, in a pro-script to a nice letter, I recall that you were one of my first friends when, as a young man, I was admitted. to the bar. Johnny McGraw, C.R. Heller, and James Sweeney, the first and third of Irish descent, were two of my constables, while Parker Hare, L.W. Turner, and J.H. Washington, all-colored men,

were at times in my office, Parker Hare, for five consecutive years. While I was serving my second term as Justice of the Peace in 1877, I was nominated by the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County for the lower branch of the, General Assembly of Ohio. The canvance was long and at times exciting. I stumped the whole

county and tried to meet the objections of a colored man, now deceased, Madison Tilly, by name, residing in the Haymarket District, who was favoring the Democratic ticket and boasted that he would defeat me. There was another man, White, Wilson Tree, by name, who resided in the old 11th ward, on the west side of the river, who quite effectively opposed me, because when he was in his cup, he squeezed one of my hands until small beads of blood oozed from the roots of two of my fingernails, and I then and there insulted him by telling him what I thought of him, which was not flattering by any means. The next morning after the election I was declared elected by a 62 majority over the late John C. Covert, at that time, one of the editors of the Cleveland leader,

the late Edwin Cowles, who, with the late Joseph Medill of the Chicago Tribunal, founded the leader and for many years made it a great power for the abolition of slavery, the preservation of our glorious union, and a true wholesome Americanism, was emeritus then while young men were at the helm. My election was blazing forth with big headlines in all the daily papers. Great was the consternation of the friends and supporters of Mr. Covert. They had run him as a champion of the demand that all church properties should be taxed thereby to inflict a tilling, if not mortal, blow on the Roman Catholic Church in Ohio. Another night passed when an alleged recount of the ballots cast for me was had in Old Ward

No. 4, which had its headquarters in the engine house, still standing in East 18th Street, then Huntington Street, near Central Avenue. The result of the recount, as announced on the following morning, was that they had thrown out 84 votes previously counted for me because they could not determined whether they were intended for me or for F.W. Green, one of the nominees on the Democratic ticket. Thus, they declared me defeated, and John C. Covert was declared elected by a small majority, and he was subsequently re-elected and served four years as a lawmaker of the great state of Ohio. But as far as I can see, the taxation of church property belonging to the Protestant or Catholic congregations remains as it was at and before the time of Mr. Covert's

election. Ex- Mayor R. R. R. Hark and Colonel Lewis Smith Knight were the bosses of that ward at that time. I'm not sure that they were cognizant of the recount which was made in the absence of myself and my political friends. I was advised by many voters of all races to go to Columbus and contest the election of Mr. Covert, but I had neither time nor money to do so, and I let it drop awaiting another opportunity to win promotion. During the nine years of my service, as justice of the peace, I also practiced law, principally in the criminal branch of the Court of Common Pleas. And in that sphere of action, it was my good fortune to be confronted by some courteous and able attorneys who prosecuted for the state of Ohio. Amongst these were the late Homer B. DeWolf, William Robinson,

S. M. Eddie Peter H. Kaiser, Alex Haddon, Edward P. Slate, and last but not least, our present, Judge W. B. Neff, who for so many years has presided with learning and dignity in our court of common pleas. The first murder case in which I defended in Cleveland was that of the state of Ohio versus Stephen Hood, charged with murder in the first degree in the premeditated killing of his foster son. Green, he was charged that early one spring morning. Hood took his two boys, Fred and Green, to the camping grounds from which a circus had just departed. ostensibly to search for lost money and other things of value, and that after searching for a short time he went into a neighboring wood,

accompanied by green, and pounded his head almost into jelly, and left the corpse there to be discovered later on by searchers for him. Hood professed innocence, and that he had no recollection of committing the deed, and the fact which was not disputed that Hood had adopted the boy, had always been kind to him, and even protected him, when his wife would chastise him, left us all. in doubt as to whether or not, if he did commit the act, he did it when in a rational condition. I adopted the defense of insanity and proved as I thought that Hood was subject to hallucinations

when his mind was unbalanced and argued that if he did kill the boy, it was done when he was under the influence of one of these spells. William T. Clark Esquare, then a young attorney, by my request, came into the case to assist me and very ably aided me in the entire defense, the late Judge R. F. Payne presided and conducted the case with his well-known judicial ability, fairness, and honor, while Mr. Homer B. DeWolf, young, energetic, learned, and able, prosecuted for the state. The trial lasted a number of days, and the courtroom was filled to the doors. Finally, the court having charged the jury, it retired in the afternoon, and remained out all night. On the following morning, the foreman handed in a sealed verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. No sooner had the verdict been read, and the jury polled then it became known that the jury, in its deliberations during the previous night, had made use of some law books, which had been negligently left in the jury room, and that one of the jurors had assumed the role of judge mounted the platform, and from the judge's bench had expounded the law.

I should have said before that the jury was locked up in the courtroom to deliberate. We obtained the affidavits of several of the jurors, establishing these facts, but owing to a decision rendered by our Supreme Court to the effect that the oath of a juror will not be received to impeach the verdict of his fellow jurors, the verdict was not set aside by Judge Payne. We took the case on error to the Supreme Court, but meth with the same refusal, and that is the law of Ohio to this day. Failing to get any relief from any legal source, I went to Chile, Coth, Ohio, where resided Governor Allen, sometimes called Foghorn, Bill Allen, in token of his stentorian voice, which wake the echoes

amongst the hills of southern Ohio when he spoke at political gatherings many, many years ago. The governor had retired from active political life, but the exigencies of the Democratic Party had called him forth from his beautiful and peaceful country home, Fruit Hill, which was nestled in the suburbs of Ohio's former capital to do valiant service and once more reinstate his party and himself in power. The governor, a gentleman of the type and character of the days of Calhoun and Clay and Stanley, received me with all the indications of good-breeding and gentility, and after thoroughly discussing the merits of the case, launched out into a sea of reminiscences of his congressional career, and did me the honor to state that he served in Congress and was well

acquainted with the late Edward Stanley mentioned in the first chapter, one of my reputed uncles. upon the whole my hour and a half was spent with pleasure and profit in the home of this distinguished statesman and i left him the wiser for my visit to him but without profit to my client hood had to die i advised him and tried to nerve him for that or ordeal and had the satisfaction of seeing him firm in step in every movement as he mounted and stood upon the trap of the gallows before he was launched into eternity after the fall a few shrugs and tremors of the swaying body where the only indications that it had any life in it, and in a few minutes the doctors pronounced him dead. I could never give from him a confession of the deed, and I believe that when he killed that unfortunate boy, he was non-composements, not of sound mind. Many other men and women indicted for murder in the first and second degree I defended while I served as justice of the peace, but to even mention the cases briefly would tire the reader of this narrative, so I

will desist. Later on, it may be necessary to make reference to one or more of my experiences in order to bring to the front some of the public actors in the dramas, but until then let the foregoing suffice. While engaged as Justice of the Peace, it was my pleasure and indirectly my prophet to make the acquaintance of a number of young gentlemen connected with the daily press of Cleveland, who afterwards become noted, and in two instances, at least famous as journalists. The first of these was the renowned Frank G. Carpenter, who has since under the patronage, more or less, of presidents and other high officials of the United States and of royalty in Europe and Asia, traveled over the whole civilized world, and as a correspondent of syndicated newspapers

and other publications, contributed much towards the enlightenment of mankind. I recall Mr. Carpenter as a freckle-faced, diminutive young gentleman with an abundance of ruddy hair. He was then connected with the News Department of the Cleveland Daily Leader, and in his quest of news items for his paper was the soul of energy and persistency. I, for a long time, looked forward to his daily calls and did my bit in securing and furnishing to him whatever of interest I thought would be of value to him, and on more than one occasion, he reciprocated the favor by making notice of me in my office in the leader in a way that was of substantial benefit to me. Another young gentleman with whom I became much more familiarly acquainted was Mr. R. F. Payne, Jr., son of Judge R. F. Paine, the learned jurist who presided on the bench during the trial of Stephen Hood, of whose unfortunate ending I have just spoken. Mr. Payne represented one of the departments of the penny press, as the Cleveland Press was then denominated, and it was largely through his indefatigable energy and skill that the press changed its name and became one of the great and influential patients. of northern ohio he too in the commencement of his journalistic career came regularly to my office in search of news items and we all justice clerk and constables were pleased to accommodate him when practicable in return for these alleged favors mr payne did us many favors in the way of advertising the office which of course meant financial profit to us i can never forget the large-heartedness of this gentleman when years afterwards as the managing and editor of the press, he ran a conspicuous portrait of this writer on the front page of the

press, Grades, which contributed substantially towards the election of the writer to a much higher and more honorable office than the one then held by him, and again after my return from a trip in Ireland, he published a lengthy letter written by me, descriptive of my tour, in the press, and paid me handsomely for it. I may be excused for recording an interesting event connected with the penny press at the inception of its publication. in Cleveland, which I think was the indirect cause of Mr. Payne's connection with that paper. There was a young man since deceased by the name of Maurice Perkins, who was connected with the news department of that paper from its inception here. Mr. Perkins was energy personified,

and he could write a story which everyone would stop to read. In one of the early editions appeared an article quite readable, which greatly displeased a member of a great business firm of the city. A day or so later on, in pursuance of an invitation extended to him, Mr. Perkins visited the place of business of the aforesaid young gentleman, and while in there alone, he received such treatment in which Tar played a conspicuous part that he subsequently was confined to his bed and his health was seriously impaired. I think it was about this time that Judge Payne was retained by the paper, and his talented son became one of its reportorial staff. mention has already been made in the foregoing of a number of prominent attorneys at law who practiced occasionally in my office but they were for the most part persons who were young in the profession at that time attention would now be called to several of riper years who were conspicuous for their learning and success and as that nestor of our bar w s carriyish esch esquire was in the same hall where my office was located and only about fifteen feet removed from it and was in the next hall where my office was located and only about fifteen feet removed from it.

I will first mention him. Mr. Carew-ish, then a man of middle age and residing with his large and interesting family in Woodland Avenue, which was then a beautiful resident street, was a very active practitioner. He spoke to German language fairly well, and by reason of this fact brought into his office a clientele largely German. In the same hall occupying an office contiguous to mine was George A. Cobble Esquire, a Justice of the Peace, of many years' experience, who with a noble band of associates had literally escaped from Germany after the collapse of their attempted revolution, finding asylum and protection here in the United States. At the same time came Carl Schurz, Franz Siegel, Jacob Mueller, August, T.M., J.M. Schmidt,

Esquare, Bone, Edward Bum, and many others. I think they are all deceased now, but in their day they were all politically influential and did much to stimulate the study. of the German language in our schools, and to foster the love of their fatherland, which during the World War made so much inconvenience and trouble for some of their successors. Squire Colby was very fond of Mr. Kerrish for the reason that he spoke German and exerted himself to add to the number of his clients in every practical way. I suspect also that there was a reciprocal feeling for the squire on the part of the able lawyer. Mr. Kerouish was cosmopolitan and his feelings in common.

conduct, he was generous and liberal and conceded to every man the right to the same enjoyment of all the constitutional rights which he and his enjoyed without regard to race or color. I recall an anecdote which he has related to me on several occasions during the past 47 years of our acquaintance, which proved plainly the characteristics of the youth as developed in the man. He with some of his classmates who were students at Western Reserve College when it was located at Hudson, Ohio in the early 50s, extended an invitation to Frederick Douglass, who was then famous throughout land for his eloquence and the strenuous fight he was making for the abolition of slavery in the United States to address them in the big tent in the campus in Hudson

on the annual occasion. The president and faculty demurred and endeavored to persuade them to cancel the invitation, but they were abduit, would not yield as a consequence at the appointed time Mr. Douglas made his appearance, and his in his own telling way addressed an immense throng which completely filled the big tent in answering an argument which was frequently put forth by the slaveholders and their northern friends that one of the proofs of the negro's inferiority was that he had a weak voice mr carrowish says that when he uttered that phrase weak voice he used the power of gargantua or roared like one of the bulls of bashan mr carrowish derives great pleasure from the telling of this anecdote of his school days. During my official career's Justice of the Peace, an incident occurred, which very forcibly displayed. This characteristic of love of fair play is developed in Mr. Carerich, which I will hear record. Not feeling in the best of health, I went to the restaurant of the late Captain J.M. Richards

on the site of the present American Trust building, of which I have already spoken, and was refused service of a meal because the enclosed stalls were occupied. I suggested to the usher that I was willing to eat at the outer table, where I saw numbers of young lawyers and others eating, the usher, harm, I think they called him, said, oh, I can't seat a colored man at that table. The captain would raise the devil if I should do that. So with my heart bowed down and my stomach empty, I left the place and betook me to the office of that grand-old patriarch, probate Judge Daniel R. Tilden, who for more than 30 years was not only probate judge of Kaya O'Hoga, but was also a father to the fatherless and a very kind friend in need to those who called on him i found sitting with him that john marshall of our ohio constitution of eighteen fifty one the late judge ruffus

rannie who as a member of the supreme court of ohio had made his name famous for all time for his legal learning as seen in the constructions placed by him on that important document i related to them my experience in the restaurant of captain ridges but greatly surprised and chagrined them both why did joe do that said judge ranny is that a fact asked judge tilden why dan said judge ranny green and my charlie used to go to school together from these good men i went to carrow ish green he said to-morrow we will go to that place and if they refuse to seat and servio we will kick the table over get arrested and let the whole thing go before the people but a justice of us of the peace of cleveland cannot buy a meal in an ordinary restaurant on the following day at noon carouish and i went side by side to the same restaurant fully determined to overturn the table if the justice were not served when we entered harm the usher looked at us drew a chair for each of us and we both were politely and satisfactorily served according to our orders My pleasure and relief were inexpressible, for as an officer of the peace, I was loath to be arrested and fine for breaking the peace. Long-lived W.S. Carroll-ish, may his posterity practice his virtues and emulate his example. Judge Stevenson Burke was another of the fearless frank practitioners at the Cleveland Bar. The judge was well a long in years in his professional career when he came to Cleveland.

in the Lorraine District he had been elected, judged on his merits, as an honorable man and good lawyer. He was serving on the bench during the exciting times precipitated by the Wellington rescue when a large number of persons citizens of Oberlin, including ministers of the gospel, professors and the college, lawyers, merchants, mechanics, and ordinary laborers rushed to Wellington, eight miles distant forcibly took a fugitive slave from the custody of a United States marshal and set him at liberty. They were arrested, brought to Cleveland, incarcerated, temporarily indicted, and ultimately brought to trial and convicted, several of them being ably defended by the late A.G. Riddell, Esquire, good lawyer, MC, and author. Then it was that the grand jury of Lorraine County, under the charge of Judge Burke, indicted the owner of the fugitive for kidnapping when becoming aware of the fact the owner returned to his Kentucky home and the prosecutions on both sides were abandoned. such was Judge Burke and much more, for during the remainder of his long life after he came to Cleveland,

he proved himself to be a great lawyer in the important affairs of big business. His name became associated with those of the great captains of industry and commerce of his day. He lived in princely style on our leading avenue, and dying left a generous competency to his sorrowing family. The late Edwin P. Slade Esquare and one-time prosecutor of Gaya Hoga County, Ohio is recalled with mingled feeling of joy and regret. Mr. Slade, brother of the late Albert T. Slate, who was noted for his legal and literary attainments, was naturally a noteworthy man, but by reason of the fascination the cup had over him, he was his own worst enemy. The name of his friends was legion, not more for the reason that at times he would make a valorous fight to withstand the temptation

than because of his high social and professional standing. As a final and last resort to help him to overcome his one seduct of fault. He was elected prosecuting attorney of this populace and wealthy county, and paradoxical, as it may seem, he prosecuted its criminal cases and conducted his business affairs in a sober, intelligent, praiseworthy manner. But once again out of office, he rapidly degenerated to his former condition. Staggering into my office, occasionally he would exclaim, O brother Green, brother Green, then lapsing him to silence for a few seconds, he would mumble out. those well-known words of Cassius drunk and speak parrot and squabble swagger and discourse fussian with one's own shadow o thou invisible spirit of wine if thou hast no name to be known by let us call thee devil

then as if to add emphasis to the last four words he would wag his head up and down sorrowfully pitifully ere long his flickering light went out we all sighed over his beer but submissively bowed to the decree of providence judge w a babcock not so long deceased was a conspicuous example of what a man naturally endowed with an active capacious brain and educationally trained for activities in the higher walk of life can do and be if he wills to conquer i met the judge when he was plain w a babcock an alumnus fresh from hiram college the very name of which linked with that of the lamented j a garfield should be an inspiration to any man the bright lights and seductive influences of the big city seemed at first to see the fate of the young man, who really deserved a warmer reception and more wholesome environment than fell to his lot. If only some kindly hand had been stretched out for Will Babcock, which would have led him up to the mount of vision, where he could have beheld the honors which the future held in store for him, how different the first years of his career on this stage of action might have been. However, some of the greatest

names that grace the pages of human endeavor have been like him, tried as by fire, and like him have come through victorious. Judge Papcock upon the whole, made an able and deficient judge. He was a voracious reader and a careful student of law, and his decisions carried weight with them wherever they were reviewed. The judge was also in almost constant demand for speeches and addresses which were not only instructive but entertaining as well. I met the judge near the middle of the public square of one occasion,

He altered me and said abruptly green. What is that quotation which you used in an argument the other day? I want to use it in an address tonight, something about making a scarecrow of the law. Oh, yes, Judge, I answered it. It runs like this. We must not make a scarecrow of the law, setting it up to fear the birds of prey, and let it keep one shape till custom make it their perch and not their terror. Measure for measure, Act 2, Scene 1.

Ah, yes, he exclaimed, Where is that found? I told him, and he thanked me. Judge Babcock was an open-minded, free-hearted man. He had his failings, some of them quite glaring, but what human being is perfect. Once, after I had finished defending a man indicted for murder in the first degree,

as soon as the jury retired, Judge Babcock leaned forward and said to me in open court, and the presence of many persons, Green, the argument you made in this case today, is the ablest i have listened to during the eight years i have been on the bench surely this was praised and the stimulus it imparted to me still impels me onward and upward i trust in the foregoing special mention has been made of the constabulary force connected with my office but this sketch would be noticeably deficient were not the clerical force gratefully acknowledged on succeeding and taking possession of the office furniture dockets and notorious seal of general david elwood i found in possession awaiting my advent a very efficient clerk in the person of mr george mender who for years had faithfully served my predecessor in that capacity i was pleased to learn from him that he was ready and willing to retain the same position and discharge the same functions as under d l wood for it must not be forgotten that when elected in eighteen seventy three i had little or no experience in practising civil law

before justices of the peace or in any other courts and since mr menger was expert in the techniologies of the business it was in the nature of a godsend that he came to me mr menger was a german by birth about twenty-five years of age and quite festive in his proclivities by which term i suppose i am fairly well understood in the office of esquire george a coby there were two young men of german birth also august keel and edward belts my name respect and they with mr munger formed a trio which in social festivities was hard to be mr keel was rather proud of his record of having drunk in one day thirty-five glasses of beer while the two others were endeavouring to emulate his example though i must state that of the three mr belts was at all times comparatively conservative one evening this writer joined them in a jolly meeting at the home of mr menger's uncle in marion street and after the feast and flow we repaired to the three street and in our meandering's ultimately found ourselves in the intersection of erie now east ninth and ohio now central avenue streets it was past midnight and we were quite hilarious though not intoxicated and we were at a loss as to how we could pass the remainder of the time agreeably as there was an old horse-straight in the street in the street we took turns and mounting him bare back for a block or two and back again at length in the wee small hours we repaired to our several homes where we for a few short hours became oblivious of the past and careless as to the future mr edward belts was a gentleman of culture and industry under the instruction of esqobey he entered upon the copying of records in the county recorder's office pertaining to real estate and continue in one phase in another of that business until he had laid the foundation of a great abstract company which i consider the most fitting monument to his industry in the industry and the other business until he had laid the foundation of a great abstract company which i consider the most fitting monument to his industry and skill during his long life. The other men died in comparative youth, and today I'm the only one of that nocturnal

quartet left to tell the tale. Mr. Lyndon C. White, a genial, efficient young man, succeeded to the duties of Mr. Menger. Mr. White's health was poor, which necessitated frequent absences from his desk. On such occasions, Mr. Lewis W. Turner, a gentleman of color, very ably filled the interim. Mr. Turner was subsequently elected one of the constables of Cleveland Townsend, which position he ably filled in my office and that of others mr white died in his youth sincerely mourned by many friends the last clerk whom it was my good fortune to employ was mr george p fibs a native of ireland who had been discovered by my colored constable mr parker hare mr fibbs gave up the business of barkeeper for a man by the name of connor or connors whose establishment was located on the northeast corner of michigan avenue and west third street his writing with was like copper plate in his spelling and diction gave evidence of the fact that he had enjoyed reasonable education facilities.

After acting as an assistant to Mr. Hare for some few months, he consented to enter my employ as clerk, and from that time on, for about ten years we were almost inseparable. He was truly my phytis Akates, and by his industry and influence amongst the Irish people, especially, along business and political lines, he added very materially to my official and political success, on one occasion when i apprehended defeat at the polls by his untiring energy and influence he caused me to run ahead of the ticket into democratic wards the bloody fifth and the rock bound eighth although i was denominated a black republican after i ceased to perform the functions of justice of the peace mr fibs and i became partners in the practising of law he having on my certificate been admitted to the bar mr fibs and i inducted squire william r r ryan subsequently sheriff of kaiyahoga county ohio into the mysteries of his office when he was elected justice of the peace of cleveland township and a little later on in life he stood his godfather to ex-sharef w g smith of the same county when an infant he was christened on one occasion while still in the employ of my office he visited his old home ireland on returning he brought and presented to me a beautiful black thorn cane and in return for the favor later on In one of my European trips I made a detour and visit to the old sod and even kissed the Blarney Stone,

through the courtesy of some tourists, who held me head downwards from the parapet until I performed the osculatory feed. From Cleveland, Mr. Phibbs went to Pomona, California, removing from there to Los Angeles, where for a time he was assistant county or city prosecutor. Later on, he became interested in the manufacture of a cereal breakfast food and became wealthy. He died a decade ago, and I have left. only the delightful memory of a man whom I consider my best friend, next to my dear mother, sisters, and my family. Speaking of my Irish friend brings to my mind the fact that Mr. Michael Gallagher,

a giant in stature and one-time marshal of the city or town of Cleveland, used often to honor us with presents, and occasionally served writs for us. Mike Gallagher was a genial whole-souled fellow full of reminiscences of the early days of the city, and withal, all, companionable and helpful. He, too, has crossed the great, divide. Looking backwards over my career is a justice of the piece, I think the most humorous episode that occurred in my office was the following. Mr. Descott Evans, who for many years was noted as

being perhaps the most skillful portrait painter in this section of the United States, and who with his beautiful and talented daughter were lost in mid-ocean when a great French liner founded on their return trip from Paris, where he had spent some time in perfecting himself in the art of delineating laces and draperies, he was also something of a wag as well. On one occasion, seeing a picturesque little-colored newsy on the avenue whose appearance attracted his notice, he offered to compensate him if he would come into his studio and not pose but submit to some decoration. The boy consented, and once in the studio Mr. Evans painted his nose a bright, familiar hue, streaked his forehead and cheeks more or less with the same and sent him into

an adjoining room tenanted by a lady lover of art to deliver to her a note which apropos the artist had written and given to him the note ran somewhat as follows dear miss knowing you to be fond of natural subjects i send you here with one on foot he has a pedigree etc etc etc center the boy instead of delivering the note as he was paid to do carried it home to his mother who being strongly saturated with indian blood went on the war-path so to speak which led to the office of the late J.B. McLaughlin, Esquire, an attorney at law, who immediately came to my office and sued the artist for $300 damage as sustained by the boy by reason of the malicious decorations which he had inflicted on him. Mr. Evans, being duly summoned, appeared in court with his lawyer John J. Curran, Asquire, and demanded a trial by jury, which being granted the case was in due course formally tried. Strange to relate, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the sum of $100. The defendant, of course, was both surprised and shocked at the result and gave notice

of appeal, but before the lapse of the ten days limit for appeal, the parties settled the case by defendant paying to plaintiff the sum of $25, and the costs of suit, all amounting to about $40. In the absence of more important news to print many papers in the United States carried a story of this case, even beyond the Mississippi River, one of them finishing its account as follows. Lawyer Mlockland, in arguing the case, created a profound sensation in court by the startling definition he gave to the term pedigree. Another case, which I've never forgotten, was one of embezzlement brought by the Wilson Sowing Machine Company, in which the complainant Mock Banele by name was declared to have appropriated to his own use the sum of $500, belonging to his employer.

This case lasted two days, and received White Esquire subsequently probate judge of the county represented the defendant. Fourteen witnesses for the state testified to the identity of the defendant, and he was bound over it to await the action of the grand jury, but he was subsequently ascertained that the defendant was not Muck Bunnell, and the company settled with him for his wrongful arrest, imprisonment, and prosecution by paying him $500 in cash. End of Chapter 7. Chapter 8 of fact, stranger than fiction.

John Patterson Green. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Making law and practicing law. In the fall of 1881, I was again nominated for the lower branch of the General Assembly of Ohio. This time, my majority was so large that I succeeded in getting my certificate, and in the early part of the month of January following I was sworn in and took my seat. My desk was immediately in the rear of a group composed of some very conspicuous and able members. Amongst two were Dr. Scott ex-consult to Honolulu from Warren County, Mr. Hathaway, learned lawyer, and very high, Masonic from Chardon, Goja County, Mr. Jones, able attorney, and ex-member of Congress from delaware county and mr freeman thorpe a courteous and dignified gentleman a portrait painter from ash tubula county all of whom treated me without discrimination and with marked consideration i may say here that without exception during the entire sessions of the general assembly i had nothing to complain of in this direction

This fact would seem somewhat remarkable from the fact that some years theretofore when a member of the house invited the late John Mercer Langston, famous for his learning, eloquence, and general utility to sit by his side on the floor of that body. Serious objection was raised on the ground that Mr. Langston was a colored man, although his father was a wealthy white Virginian who had given him a college education and a financial competency in addition thereto, And I may add, Mr. Langston a few years later, could add, after his name the significant letters, M.C. The Speaker of the House was the Honorable Orlando J. Hodge, a noted parliamentarian,

who had seen much service in legislative bodies, municipal and state, and had been a member of the Senate of Connecticut, his native state. In making his assignments for committees, he put me on corporations other than municipal, library, and insane asylums of the latter. he made me chairman, and on various occasions he honored me by calling me to the chair and allowing me to preside over that august body. I was now acting in a dual capacity being justice of the peace of the township of Cleveland and a member of the General Assembly from Cuyahoga County, which included the city of Cleveland, and also a number of towns and villages in the suburbs of Cleveland. Of course, I could attend to my magisterial duties only when at home, and since I received no salary in that office, no valid complaint could be made by reason of my frequent absence from my

office. This dual condition ceased to exist, however, after the lapse of one year when my term as justice expired after a tenure of nine consecutive years. During the existence of this assembly, I performed a mass of work in committee and on the floor of the house, but I shall notice here only two matters which the press took notice of as being of special interest. The first was my strenuous opposition to the enactment of the so-called Scott-licker taxation law, fathered by Dr. Scott, of whom I have spoken and opposed by many people throughout the state, on the ground that it was essentially a licensed law, while the constitution of the state provided substantially that no law to license the sale of intoxicating

liquors should ever be enacted. I, with many others contended that permitting the sale of such liquors on the payment of a tax was substantially a license, and therefore such a law would be unconstitutional and void. The contentions pro and con were strenuous and at times bitter, but the pros were in the majority and ultimately won the bill becoming a law. The validity of the law was speedily tested, and the Supreme Court of the state declared it unconstitutional and void. Thereupon commenced some strategic political work, log rolling during the interim between that 65th and the following 66th General Assembly, the like of which I did not suspect could be consummated, for I was young and

an experienced in legislative procedure and was quite surprised. By the time that the constitutionality of the next liquor taxation law came before our Supreme Court to be tested, the personnel of that Auguste tribunal had undergone a radical change, and a new governor was in the chair. As a matter of course, the law was upheld, and from that time down to the beginning. of our present era of prohibition, saloons were maintained, and liquor was sold without any hindrance upon the payment of the tax license. During the first session of that General Assembly,

the 65th Speaker Hodge received a letter from Honorable Oliver G. G. G. Gope of Cadiz, Ohio, who was collecting data as to the commercial status of the city of Cleveland and the reasons underlying its rapid growth. I was both surprised and pleased when he handed the letter to me and requested me to answer it. In a humble way, I attempted to comply with this request, but since I was limited in the number of words,

my answer was to contain, I will here present a copy of my answer for the inspection and criticism of such as my care to read it. Honorable Oliver G. Cope, Cadiz, Ohio, my dear sir, through the courtesy of Honorable Orlando J. Hodge, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the pleasing task of submitting to you my opinion as to the leading interests or occupations which have caused the great influx of population into the city of Cleveland

is delegated to me, permit me then to state in brief the following. First, as to our iron industries, including smelting and the manufacture bar rail and other irons as well as steel, the superior qualities pertaining to Lake Superior Iron, or have long been known, and during the last decade and a half, the iron masters of the country acting upon that knowledge have located extensive works in cleveland for the manufacture of the same and obeying a well-known law of political economy the workers in furnaces and rolling mills have flocked here followed by their army of dependence the close proximity of cleveland to the messilian briar hill and other coal and coke districts in vast limestone deposits as added materially to the deserableness of cleveland as a suitable place for the, the manufacture of iron and steel on an extended scale. Second, closely allied to our iron and steel industries and largely dependent upon them are the manufacturers of stoves, hollowware, and machinery of various kinds, to mention one

or more of them, where there are so many would be invidious. Suffice it to say their name is legion, and they are rapidly increasing in number. Third, may be mentioned the oil refining industries and those collateral industries dependent on them, such as the manufacture of acids and other chemicals, parifying, etc., all of which are handled on an immense and increasing scale, as the mere statement of the fact that the Standard Oil Company alone possesses facilities for turning out 10,000 barrels of refined oil daily will prove. Fourth, Cleveland is the Grand Distributing Port of the Northwestern Lumber Trade

for this section of the United States, a marine and railroad facilities being such as to make the transportation of lumber and its products not only practical but phenomenally cheap. Colleterally, with this industry, have sprung into existence all those industries which depend upon the lumber trade, such as the manufacture barrels and kegs on a gigantic scale, and also wouldn't wear manufacturing on a large scale. Fifth, pork packing should not escape our notice. Years ago, Cincinnati claimed and justly was acknowledged to be the Porkopolis of America,

but it is the proud boast of Cleveland today that she is not only in the line of competition but at our present rate of progress is destined in the near future to outstrip her fair sister in the race. C's statistics for 1881. Sixth, shipbuilding must not be ignored in taking a cursory glance at our leading industrial enterprises.

This interest has managed in Cleveland has acquired deserved fame throughout the lake regions and the skill of our shipbuilders is proverbial. We have recently launched an elegant and commodious steel ship, the product of one of our great shipbuilding companies, which is attracting the attention of our nautical men everywhere, and is prophetic of increased activity in this line in the near future. This ship is of 3,000 tons, berthin, and floats like a swarm upon the waters.

To attempt the statement of all our principal industries would be useless, as they are numerous and complicated. I may state in addition, however, that thousands are also, engaged in the manufacturing of beer, cigars, tobacco, and clothing, to say nothing of the myriads of mechanics and artisans who are engaged in the construction of the commodious and elegant blocks and private residences in this city. Nor can we deny that the location of our beautiful city with her miles of shaded streets and avenues or abundance of pure water and her unexcilled church and school facilities have contributed largely towards this great influx of population.

And last but not least, an able and intelligent press has exerted a wonderful influence in this direction by acquainting the people with our peculiar adaptation for commercial and manufacturing enterprises. During this session, there was a junket to Washington by the members of the House. I do not know who managed it, but of one fact I'm certain. I received no invitation to join the company, so I did not have the opportunity of seeing or interviewing, getto the assassin of the great James Agarfield before he was executed. Perhaps it was just as well, for had I accompanied them, we would have been compelled to part company in Washington by reason of the cast,

which then and now excludes persons of color from hotels and dining rooms except as menials. An incident occurred in the house during that session which enabled me to aid the late Tom L. Johnson in obtaining a sure and firm foothold as a resident. and citizen of Cleveland, and since this fact has played so important a part in the recent history of Cleveland and indirectly given to the nation our great and efficient Secretary of War, the Honorable Newton D. Baker, I shall record it in this place. When Mr. Johnson first came to Cleveland, directly from Indianapolis, where he had some experiences in the line of street railway affairs, he found all the main avenues extending from the public square

to the eastern suburbs of the city. preempted, occupied by existing companies, Broadway, Woodland Avenue, Central Avenue, Cedar Avenue, Prospect Street, Euclid Avenue, Superior Street, and St. Clair Avenue, were established and beyond his reach. He offered to pave Scoville Avenue, which was at times little more than a quagmire, if the denizens of that thoroughfare were concede to him, a franchise to build and operate a street railroad through it.

The offer was quickly accepted, but, Shortly, Mr. Johnson became aware of the fact that his conditions then existed he would be unable to run his cars beyond Scoville Avenue to the square unless he could in some way secure an easement over at least one of the old lines, which permission was refused him by the officials of each line. At that time, each car line had a separate president and board of trustees. Then there was introduced in the General Assembly, a bill known as the Whitesel Bill by Mr. Whitesel of Cincinnati, which provided amongst other, the things that no new company should operate its cars over the tracks of an existing company a greater distance than one-eighth of a mile. Immediately, the City Council of Cleveland unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the senators and representatives from this county to oppose that bill for the reason that if enacted it would prevent any competition in the street railway

business and create a monopoly in Cleveland in favor of the old companies. When this bill was split on its passage in the house I alone of the whole delegation opposed it. I read the resolution of our city council and made the fact as clear as possible that the bill was inimical to the best interests of the car riders of Cleveland, that the present management of the street railroads was not for the convenience of their patrons but for the profit of stockholders of the same. The result to the surprise of the friends of the bill was that it failed to passage. Mr. Bruner of wyan dot county who had some interest conserved by other provisions of the bill moved that it be referred to a select committee of one which was himself this course was adopted and in the course of the session he reported it back to the house when it was passed with the objectionable clause eliminated thereupon mr tom l johnson through the council or by agreement with one of the old companies obtained permission to run his cars over of the lines down to the square

and also to hand over the viaduct to the west side, and from that time forward he became an honored and useful citizen of Cleveland, serving her in Congress and as mayor. Likewise, he was here to welcome Mr. Newton D. Baker, who for years collaborated with him and others, and succeeded him as mayor of Cleveland, also Mr. Baker, by virtue of his connection with Mr. Johnson, as well as by his extraordinary ability, displayed in every position to which he was called, ultimately, headed the delegation of the Baltimore National Democratic Convention, which nominated Woodward Wilson in the first instance for president, where he showed great ability and masterly activity in contributing towards Wilson's nomination, which fact paved the way for his appointment to his present August position.

To what extent was this writer-contributory, thereto, after the defeat of the bill, L. A. Russell, Esquire, who was the able and efficient attorney of Mr. Tom L. Johnson, came to me, and thanked me for the successful fight I had made for the people of Cleveland as well as Mr. Johnson. Some criticism of my failure to introduce and secure the passage of a bill to repeal the so-called black laws, which were still standing on the statute books of Ohio, has been made. They were like the clause of our state constitution, which restricts the electoral to white male citizens, relics of the old slave regime, a menace to an abridgment of our rights as citizens, of the state of Ohio, and diametrically opposed to the 14th and 15th amendments of the Constitution

of the United States. There were several reasons why I did not prepare and introduce such a bill during that term of the Assembly, which I shall now explain. In the first place, there was considerable opposition to the passage of such a law, which was manifested when I mentioned the subject in a general way to some of the members who were quite influential and were of that lily-white faction of the Republican Party, who were led by the late Congressman C.H. Grosner of the Athens District, whose influence was still felt in the councils of the state. During the 64th General Assembly, when the general statutes of the state were revised and an effort was made to eliminate the black laws from the Code General Grosvener personally objected,

saying that the colored people of Ohio had not petitioned for their appeal and that they did not desire it. This argument was, of course, specious, but it answered the purpose of defeating action, and they were included in the revised edition. Now, this condition of affairs prevailed when I was in the Assembly, and to prevent the same objection being raised again, I endeavored to secure the assistance of my colored constituents at home in having petitions signed by colored voters, asking for the repeal of those unjust prejudicial laws, but without success. again I called attention to this necessary action but without avail, and when the Assembly adjourned, not one petition had been formulated and signed, and the matter was postponed until a later day.

Another reason why I did not then act was that the late Senator George S. Eli, who was elected from the Cleveland District, notified me that he had a bill in his pocket for the repeal of those laws, which had been given to him by some of the voters of Cleveland, and that he, too, as myself, was waiting for a petition numerously signed by colored people to file before introducing the bill. The petition never was delivered to him and the assembly adjourning.

He postponed action to its next meeting, which I am sorry to say never came, for the next assembly was Democratic on account of the anti-saloon legislation of the 65th Assembly and George Haudley, a Greeley Democrat, was elected governor. I was inclined to defer to the wishes of Senator Eli

because he was a grand good man high in financial and political circles, and I quite naturally believe that the bill would be more liberally and successfully supported under his leadership than undermined without any home support. The late Bishop B. W. Arnett, colored, a member from Greene County, fell heir to the Eli bill and carried it in his pocket until a clamor, for its introduction was heard all over the state, amongst the colored voters and others. It was said by some that as a condition to his election, he had pledged himself to the voters of Green County

not to introduce a bill of that purport and that he could not break his word. Whether that was true or not, I've never ascertained, but it is a matter of history that during the latter part of the session the bill was introduced and the repeal effected by a Democratic Assembly aided and abetted by George Haudley, an old free soil abolitionist who went wrong

under the leadership of Horace Greeley. Subsequent to the defeat of the Whitesow Bill, and before the adjournment of the General Assembly, a group of four gentlemen, each of whom was the president of one of the street-raway systems of Cleveland, came into my office in Superior Street and tried to persuade me to agree to support that bill, when reported back to the House by the Select Committee of one

in whose hands it still rested. After much talk, arguments, and mutual explanations, I wearied of it, and to cut off further discussion, I exclaimed, gentlemen, I would not vote for that bill if you would give me $10,000. One of them answered, well, you are very positive to say the least. Another remarked, well, there is one paper in Cleveland that will support you if you will support that bill. Failing to swerve me from my determination to stand by the carwriters of Cleveland, they finally left in a disappointed mood, injustice to those gentlemen, all of whom it is necessary to say were the soul of honest. I will hear state that during the whole controversy from beginning to the end,

no one of them, nor all combined, offered me any money or anything of value to secure my support of that or any other measure. That my entire course in the 65th General Assembly was endorsed by the Republican Party goes without saying, and if any proof of this statement be lacking, I will here state that I was re-nominated for a second term by acclamation, no one dissenting, but in the next general election, We not only lost the governor and assembly to the Democratic Party, but we also failed to elect a United States Senator,

the Honorable Henry B. Payne of Cleveland and O. Line Democrat being elected to that high office. In those days, the liquor interests were tried in faithful allies of the Democratic Party, and to suggest or support any legislation which could be construed as hostile to their interests, brought down speedily, condigned punishment query. In the light of the nationwide abolition of the liquor manufacturing traffic by Mr. Wilson's Democratic administration, what do they think now? And what course will they pursue to enforce their maledictions against those who have destroyed their business and in some instances confiscated their property and imprisoned them? Being a candidate again for the same position I was met in the Republican Convention by those four street railroad presidents, and to my great surprise and dismay they worked intelligence. persistently and ably to compass my defeat. Success ground their efforts. They defeated me by securing

the nomination of another colored man, a carpenter and joiner and mail carrier, the late Mr. Gere A. Brown. He served through the 67th and 68th assemblies. After that, he filled several clerical positions in Columbus, Washington, and Cleveland during the remainder of his life. During the six years which elapsed between the 65th and the 69th assemblies. I was engaged in the practice of my profession, which enabled me to buy a home and get my family comfortably settled, and I probably would have eschewed politics for all time, had not the convention plan of nominating candidates been discontinued,

and the Australian or popular vote plan been substituted for it. By this token, I knew that the influence of the boss's so-called would not be so potent as on the convention floor, and I determined to pick my flint and try again. The dry details are professional practice, whether it be along the lines of theology, medicine, or law, are of little interest of the average reader, but perhaps some reference to a few of a humorous nature will not be amiss. During the years between 1885 and 1897, the prosecuting attorneys of Cuyahoga County were far above the average in both learning and effort, although monsieur Homer B. DeWolf, Sam Eddie, Alexander Haddon, Peter H. Kaiser, and William Robinson, who antedated them, were all gentlemen of liberal education and high professional standing. Between the dates mentioned there were a large number of murder cases tried, and it so happened that this writer was defending in a number of them. In those days, attorneys were not restricted in time. On both sides, they were allowed to discuss all the evidence of libidum, especially,

in felony cases, and frequently the arguments in homicide cases occupied a day or more on both sides. I recall a case of murder in the first degree which carried with a conviction, a life penalty in which my argument for the defendant had run over into the second day, and it being then near noon, William B. Neff, Esquire, now Judge Neff, was nervously pacing the fool, what the condition of the jurors was. Depondent, say if not, someone said Neff, when are you going to make your argument? to which Mr. Neff answered, God only knows, if Green does not finish soon, my administrator will have to make it. However, before the recess, I resume my seat, and prosecutor Neff began his reply. In his gentle, suave manner, he began, now, gentlemen of the jury, don't you be swerved from

the path of rectitude by Mr. Green's tears? Gentlemen, Mr. Green is a born actor, and his proper sphere of duty is on the stage, not at the bar. Why, gentlemen, recently, after one of those copious flows of tears, I went to the trouble. and expense of having one of them analyzed by a competent chemist, and when that chemist reached the last analysis of that tier, what do you think you found, simply a dollar mark, for revenue only? The jurors and onlookers who had been absorbed for the instant gave loose rein to their feelings and laughed audibly. Such was one of the tactics of that eloquent and able gentleman. There was another case tried during that decade which caused considerable

comment and added to my reputation as a criminal attorney, although if the amount involved is not considered my civil practice far exceeded my practice in the criminal branch. The case now referred to was that of Ohio v. Clark, one of two men indicted for the murder of a poor youth who was on his way to catch a train for his school at Hudson, Ohio. There was another first-degree indictment in that case. It was that of a man by the name of Dempsey who was ably defended by the late Harrison J. Ewing, Esquire, who was assisted therein by this writer. Mr. Ewing also assisted me in the trial of the Clark case. We were engaged from first to last about 30 days on the trial of these two cases,

and the outcome was that both defendants were found guilty of murder in the second degree and received a life sentence in the penitentiary. Mr. Clark, who was tuberculosis, died after a few years' incarceration, but Mr. Dempsey, after the lapse of seven or eight years, was pardoned and being married, he is now living the life of an industrious, respected citizen. In defending Clark, this writer and others, including the late Judge Carlos M. Stone, who presided, shed a few more of those tears to which reference has been made during the delivery of my argument for the defense, whereupon prosecutor Theodore L. Strimple, now Judge Strimple, exclaimed, well, you have shed tears now, you had better offer up a prayer.

Taking him at his word, this writer immediately knelt and offered up a prayer. for wisdom, strength, and success in his undertaking. This was a decided innovation in the method of trying a lawsuit, and it attracted universal attention on the part of both the bar and the public. The newspapers contained accounts of the incident, and one of them sent a representative to interview lawyers and others as to the propriety, first of a lawyer crying in the course of his argument, and second with reference to the prayer that was offered.

The attorneys gave various answers as to the first, but fortunately for me the supreme court of tennessee had just at that time handed down a decision which involved this identical question of tears in that decision the court said in substance that a lawyer may weep in the midst of his argument if he is moved by the merits of his case to do so and doubt is expressed as to whether or not the attorney has performed his whole duty if he feels like crying and refrains from doing so this was all in my favor but as to the question relating to the prayer they shook their heads and remained silent so the time flew by for weeks and months until on one fair day i met w s kerou isch esquire here in before mentioned lawyer scholar antiquarian who stopped me in the street green he exclaimed i have a precedent for your praying in court indeed i answer please give it to me when lord brougham defended queen caroline he said measuredly he got down on his marrow bones and prayed in open court here then was a real precedent and coming from the that illustrious source I was indicated beyond all question and thenceforward the matter was allowed to sleep. There was another case of a civil nature which attracted considerable attention during that period of time, the interregnum, as I have occasionally termed it. It was the well-known

case of Florine A. Combs versus Dr. J.B. Fox and was predicated on a claim of $750, which plaintiff alleged was due her from the defendant for board and lodging and services rendered for him at his request. This case was tried before the late Judge Henry McKinney, and a jury, I appearing for plaintiff and W. S. Carroll-E. Esquire of the late Judge Henry C. White and Jeff M. Stewart Esquare, all representing the defendant, Dr. Fox, who metaphorically exclaimed millions for defense, not one sent for tribute. This case was desperately contested by the numerous and able attorneys for the defendant, but all to no purpose the jury found for my

client, Mrs. Combs, for the full amount with interest. Defendant's attorneys carried the case to the circuit court, now court of appeals, where the defendant was represented by the late L. C. Ford Esquire, who, by the way, had taught me Greek when I was a student under him in the old high school and being defeated there. It was taken to the Supreme Court at Columbus, where I regret to state it slumbered during several years, and was finally decided in favor of the plaintiff. the attorney for dr fox in the supreme court was solomon a schwaib esquire who was one of my classmates in the same old central high school eighteen sixty six to sixty nine i had the pleasure of turning over to mrs combs after a litigation of seven years the entire amount of her claim together with interest end of chapter eight chapter nine of fact stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Second term in the General Assembly.

Daddy of Labor Day. At the primaries in the fall of 1889, I was again nominated for the General Assembly and my majority exceeded by 642 votes, that of all others on the Republican ticket, being to that number in excess of the vote cast for Honorable Orlando J. Hodge, ex-speaker of the lower branch of the 65th General Assembly, and since there were 11 candidates on that ticket, my signal success was taken as a substantial vindication of my previous record. At the general election, I was duly elected by a majority of about 3,000 votes, and in due time took my seat in the 69th General Assembly.

I shall mention only a few of the measures which received my special attention during the sessions of this assembly, lest I weary the patience of the reader. The first was a bill to modify the school law of Ohio, introduced by Mr. McDermott of Muskingham County, which provided in substance that whenever 25 parents have colored pupils in the schools of any district petitioned for a separate school, for their children, it should be granted to them.

I fought this measure desperately every time it came before the House for the reason that such an amendment of the law would have been only an entering wedge for the system of separate schools, which, in my opinion, would be calamitous to the colored children of Ohio. The bill was finally defeated, and our schools are still intact. The second was the attempt on the part of the Ohio State University under the leadership of the late ex-president Rutherford B. Hayes to Hogg, the agricultural script which was given to Ohio and other states to promote higher education. This movement was ably and persistently opposed by the late Professor Mitchell,

president of Wilberforce University, for which institution he desired to secure a minor portion of that fund. Conferences were held on the floors of both houses, and on one occasion one of the chambers was given up for a general discussion of the matter in the presence of many members of both branches of the General Assembly. The entire amount was ultimately given to, the Ohio State University, although in urging the claims and necessities of Wilberforce University,

President Mitchell demonstrated his wisdom, courage, and industry to a marked degree, and evoked even from his opponents. Many encomiums had a less able and influential man than ex-president Hayes been opposed to President Mitchell. He probably would have won his point. On the day following the discomfiture of President Mitchell, I spoke before the House in open session for an increase in the tentative appropriation for the state normal and industrial department of Wilberforce. And my interest in energy was such that my argument covered a space of five hours and the proposed appropriation, which was $6,000, then printed in the appropriation bill was changed to $16,000, and the bill, as passed, carried that amount. This was the first

large appropriation which was given to the normal and industrial. and the school was so stimulated and enthused by reason of it that a steady growth set in, which has culminated in the large, handsome, and useful plant which is at Wilberforce today. As a token of regard for the interest displayed by me for the school as well as for the speech, which I delivered on the floor of the house, in behalf of the increased appropriation, the faculty of the university bestowed on me the degree of Doctor of Laws, the diploma being signed by every member. The third bill was drawn and introduced by myself entitled, as I now recall it,

a bill to create Labor Day in the state of Ohio. The law was enacted April 28, 1890, and from that date, the first Monday and September has been a legal holiday in Ohio. There were marchings and counter-marchings in various states before the enactment of that law, but closely following the legalizing of the day in Ohio, Congress took up the matter and made it national in its scope as it remains to this day. If there was any legislation concerning labor's holiday before I drew and secured the passage of that bill,

I've yet to be informed of the fact, but as to Ohio. I'm positive there was not. On the first Monday and September following the creation of the day, I was the guest of the Amalgamated Trades of Cincinnati, Ohio. I was received at the depot by Committee of the Trade's Union, and escorted to headquarters, and when the great procession moved, I was in a carriage at the head of the procession, with some of the leading officials of the organization. In the evening of the same day, a banquet was given upon one of the high hills which looked

down on a portion of the city, and I was fetid as I'd never been before, nor have I been since. Champagne and other wines and beer flowed freely, as I was hailed by those honest workmen, the daddy of the day. The Cincinnati Inquirer, and I have been, the papers gave full reports of the proceedings, nor did I hear or read them that the day had been legalized before my bill was enacted. On the following Labor Day 1891, I was again the invited guest of the same organization, and arriving in the early morning, I was escorted to the Gibson House, a hostelry which in those days was regarded as amongst the first of that city. At the breakfast table I was received and served as a gentleman, but when I presented my hat to the

at the dining-room door. At the dinner hour, he informed me that he had orders not to receive it, for the reason that I was a colored man. At the office, I was insulted by an offer made to me that they would serve me in the ordinary, a place reserved for the use of servants and children. This offer I promptly refused and immediately accepted the offer of a reporter of one of the daily papers to escort me to another hotel. Arriving at the Burnett House, a larger and better, appointed, place than the Gibson House I was received as a gentleman assigned to a front room with a bathroom attachment and served in the dining room in all respects as any other American citizen. During the course

of the day, I was honored by ex-governor Joseph B. For Raker, who paid me a formal call, and also by ex-congressman McKinley, afterwards governor of Ohio and president of the United States, who refused to be a guest of the Gibson House after he was informed of my treatment there by the managed. On a third occasion, we went to a suburban resort and celebrated the day picnicking. Governor Campbell, then governor of Ohio, headed the list of speakers, but he sent his secretary, Claude Meeker, in his stead. McKinley did not wish to precede Meeker. Thereupon, I offered to see the managers of the day and have the order changed, which I did.

McKinley, following Meeker as he desired. This writer was also one of the speakers, of which fact he was very proud, under the circumstances. Since that date, I've not been the guest of any labor organization, but their friendship for infidelity to me have been manifested in business as well as in politics. At a later day when Governor James Campbell of Ohio addressed a vast throng of workingmen at Goodale Park, Columbus,

I was honored by being on the program as one of the speakers. The governor who was not only eloquent but also humorous on this occasion said in the midst of his speech referring to laboring men that there was one position which he had always coveted but had never attained to. Then glancing at me, sitting near him, he exclaimed, that position is porter on a Pullman car. Loud laughter greeted this essay of wit and humor.

However, my opportunity finally came. When glancing at the governor, I said, gentlemen, I'm more than surprised to hear that the governor of the great state of Ohio I declare that he does now or never aspire to the position of Porter on a Pullman car. Why, gentlemen, nearly 30 years ago, I was a porter on a sleeping car which ran from Cleveland to Cincinnati, and I labored and studied to attain to a higher position. And here I am today sitting and speaking by the sight of the Governor of Ohio,

the guest of a great labor organization of the state of Ohio. The effect of this retort can be better imagined than described, but from the noise the crowd made, I imagined I had given him my Roland over his Oliver. Another bill which I drew when in the 69th General Assembly was one to exempt from garners-sheet process the wages due to a person who is the sole support of a widowed mother. It remains to this day in the statute books of Ohio and is frequently invoked to protect poor widows from want. I ought to say perhaps that during the sessions of this 69th General Assembly, I drew, introduced, and secured the passage of a bill, which added $1,000 to the salaries of our underpaid common pleas judges. In addition to this, I led the fight for the addition of a fraction of a mill to our tax assessments

to create a fund which paid for the soldiers and sailors' monument on our public square. This I did in compliance with the wishes of the late Levi T. Schofield, Esquire, a grand good, talented man, who was the architect and soul of the whole movement, and I also made special effort for legislation fathered by Councilman Curtis of Cleveland for the construction of our central viaduct. The foregoing with a mass of routine legislation to numerous dimension called for much energy and effort

until the close of that session. Having now served for eventful sessions of the General Assembly to the neglect of my professional business, I began to tire of it, for in very truth, my only reason for neglecting my law office and spending my winters and springs in Columbus came from a desire on my part to blaze the way for others of my class, who I believed would follow me, and now that the road was open and clear, I was ready to retire to my private duties. Thereupon numerous of my friends of both races began to advise me to stand for the senatorial

toga, which I must confess founded me a ready and willing listener, not more because the term senator was music in my ears than for the reason that the fact of representing such a populist wealthy and intelligent constituency as inhabited the great city of Cleveland and her environs, the first city of the great state of Ohio, would be an additional honor which few men would decline. So I yielded and therefore was recognized as a candidate for senatorial honors. The convention in due time was called to order and the contest for the place very hotly waged. time I considered that I had been defeated, and I went way back and sat down. The fact that the Hon.

William H. Clifford, a colored man, was on the floor of the convention, distributing his tickets and soliciting support for the lower house, did not aid my cause in the least. For I was certain that, with only about one colored vote in a hundred, at that time the colored people would not be given a member in each branch of the assembly, and then to those who were contesting my candidacy for the Senate, pointed to the fact that the colored voters were not united, one faction demanding representation in the House, and another seeking a footing in the Senate.

Finding the late Charles W. Snyder Esquire, who for five consecutive years, sat a desk in my office, and on my certificate took his examination for the Ohio Bar, came to me and said that if I would promise to support John Sherman's re-election to the United States Senate, he could secure for me the votes of two wards. I readily accepted the proposition because John Sherman was my choice in any event,

and another ballot being taken I was nominated by a safe plurality amidst loud acclamation on the part of my friends. One of my most earnest and energetic supporters amongst the colored people was the Honorable Harry C. Smith, then and now editor of the Gazette, the militant and unswerving advocate of the rights of the colored Americans. At the general election, I was duly elected by, a plurality of several thousand votes, and for the first and only time, thus far, Ohio, had elected a colored man, senator, a fact which I could scarcely realize. I declared before being elected to the Senate that if elected, I would never be a candidate for any other representative office. I've thus far kept my word and expect to in the future.

End of Chapter 9. Chapter 10 of fact, stranger than fiction. by John Patterson Green. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. In the Senate, sunshine and shadow. When the Senate of the 70th General Assembly was organized, I was duly sworn in and took my allotted seat, which was near the center aisle in the outer rim of the semicircle, my nearest neighbors being the senators from Hamilton County. Of course, I was easily the sun. The sun. and sure of all eyes, but that fact was not to be wondered at, for it was an historical event which marked in an unmistakable way the steady onward trend of a great people whose ancestors, for the most part, had scarcely emerged from a barbaric despotism. True it is that prior to this time,

two different colored men had been elected to the Senate of the United States, and had been sworn in as members of the same and served their term, but these men were not elected by popular vote, They were elected by members of legislatures in two of the Gulf states during the reconstruction period at a time when their respective states were dominated by the votes of the freedmen, and some of the legislators could neither read nor write. The relative strength of the respective class is white and colored in Cleveland and Kaya, Ohio County, at the time of my election, was about as one or perhaps two to a hundred, and all the functioned social, political, and educational and education.

were in the hands and under the control of white male citizens, which constituted a marked contrast between elections of colored men in Ohio and those in the lower tier of southern states. As an indication of the view taken of my election by white in Ohio, the following anecdote will be enlightening. I was sitting at my desk on the floor of the Senate when a white gentleman visitor approached me, and the following colloquy ensued. gentlemen i beg pardon but are you a member of this senate the writer yes sir i'm a member of this body gentlemen with apparent surprise where are you from the writer i'm from the twenty fifth the cleveland district gentlemen still more surprised how on earth did you ever get here i answered him by saying that the people were not only just but generous and that they had sent me to the senate partly out of compliment to the colored residents of the district and partly as a roberaliener ward of merit for my long years of fidelity and labor in behalf of the Republican Party and at the local bar. Then followed a long conversation between him and me, in which he showed his great surprise that the extraordinary progress made by the colored people since emancipation under discouraging

handicaps. The presiding officers of the Senate were the late Andrew L. Harris, president of the Senate and Albert L. L. Lampson, President Protem, both learned and able men. Mr. Harris subsequently became governor of Ohio, and Mr. Lampson was for years the honored and efficient reading clerk of the House of Representatives at Washington. On an auspicious occasion, President Lampson called me to preside over the Senate of Ohio, and I gladly and eagerly avail myself of the opportunity. For although my active experience as a parliamentarian was exceedingly limited, yet here was opportunity knocking at my door, and I dare not let it pay. asked me by. During the half-hour or more which, he lapsed while I occupied the chair, the Honorable James E. Campbell, ex-governor of Ohio, entered the Senate chamber, and I had the superlative pleasure of introducing him to the senators who stood to receive him. It is also

worthy of note, I think, that during the same period of time, I was the de facto lieutenant governor of the state of Ohio. Later on, I will include a list of all the bills which I actively supported while a member of the Senate, but at present I shall confine myself to mentioning a few to which I gave a special and energetic effort. First, the streetcar vestibule bill, which made it obligatory on the part of the owners and operators of streetcars to annex to them enclosed vestibules for the protection of motorman and conductors from the rigors of winter and inclement weather. Prior to that time, both of those employees were compelled to protect themselves from the weather as best they could, without any other than that of their wearing apparel, and since their motor power was horses, the opportunities of warming themselves were few and quite inadequate.

The bill came over to the Senate from the House, but the lobby, in opposition to it, in the upper house, was so strong and influential that it found at first little or no favor. Here I found an opportunity of repaying, to some extent, the many favors which the laboring men had conferred on me, and I lost no time in going to the front, in support of this bill. I builded more wisely than I anticipated, and ere long had the satisfaction of seeing the bill enacted into a law, still existing, which resulted in the placing of vestibules on the front and rear of every railway passenger car. It was argued that the glass windows in the front of the proposed vestibules would become frosted and covered with snow so as to obscure the vision of the motor-man, thereby increasing fatalities and other accidents.

But down to this date, the prophecy has not been fulfilled, nor does it seem likely to be in the future. Another bill which I took under my wing, metaphorically speaking, was the one which provided that the coal miners of the state should be paid by the run of the mine instead of by the screen, which was then in vogue. No, there were annually many thousands of tons of fine coal which passed through the screen and sold at a good price in the market for the mining of which the miners receive no pay. seemed only reasonable and fair that they should be recompensed for all that went into the market. The bill was bitterly stubbornly opposed by the mine owners throughout the state, and the arguments and other efforts to secure its defeat were numerous and at times interesting. I, as in the case of the vestibule bill, espoused the cause of the laborers, but as my memory now serves me, the bill could muster the support of only six votes amongst the entire

membership of the Senate, and failed a passage. However, it is still a source of great satisfaction to me to know that I strenuously supported our idea, which ultimately prevailed, and that for many years the hard workers down in the coal mines underneath the ground have been receiving their just reward in this respect, whatever else may be said, apropos of other contentions. A humorous sequel arising out of this contention over the anti-screen bill will bear repeating here, I think, and I will add, I did not become fully in fact. formed in the premises until after the lapse of a decade or more of years so well had my informant kept the secret at a time when the contest was at its topmost height a senator came to me and said senator

the so-and-so coal company has a book of abstracts of coal lands which they desire to have examined by an expert and i have referred them to you they will pay you well for your work and i hope you can accept the offer i thanked him and lost no time in coming in touch with the company and receiving from them a book of about 30 abstracts of title Two Coal Lands in the heart of the coal-producing section. I carried the book to my lodgings and from five o'clock a.m. until the breakfast bell rang. For several days I scrutinized those abstracts until the work was finished when I returned it to the office in Cleveland, duly certified in accordance with my instructions.

The gentleman who received it asked me my charge when I promptly replied $25, I shall not. never forget the blank stare, which he directed at me, but he said nothing. Going to his desk, he drew a check and handed it to me. I accepted it gratefully and took my departure. As the years passed by, the transaction passed out of my mind, until one fine day a personal friend of mine said, Senator, I have a joke on you, which I have kept for ten years, but I guess I can tell it to you now. I, of course, became curious to know the purport of it, and said to him, in substance, let me see what in thereat is and this mystery explore.

Then he made known to me the fact that the employing of me to examine the abstracts was one way of winning my vote against the run of the mine bill by giving me an opportunity of collecting from the corporation the sum of $500, more or less. I collected less, hence the blank stare, when I presented my bill for $25. The establishment of a system of parks and boulevards was a subject which, at the this time was claiming much attention in Cleveland, the munificent gift of Mr. J. H. Wade, Mr. J. W. Gordon, and Mr. Jacob B. Perkins had made this possible, but all three of the gifts being predicated to some extent on the future development and upkeep of the system, it became necessary to finance the undertaking in order to preserve them and initiate the much-needed

improvements. To that end, a bill was drawn having, as its object of a stole upon the city of Cleveland through the designated authorities, power to issue and sell bonds in the sum of one million dollars for the purpose of carrying out the conditions of the several grants and to render them to some extent adaptable to the needs of the people. This bill was placed in the hands of Senator Wilbur Parker, but after it came from the committee on his motion, it was referred to a select committee of one himself, and for some reason which I've never known he carried in his pocket for several weeks, and notwithstanding the importunities of the Cleveland friends of the bill, he failed to report it back to the Senate. Finally, one day when he appeared on the floor of the

Senate after a long absence, I moved at the select committee of one to whom was referred Senate bill number so-and-so be discharged from further consideration of the same, and the motion carrying. The bill came once more before the Senate for consideration. Thereupon at the instigation of Senator Parker, a motion was made for the reconsideration of the motion just adopted, and a battle royal ensued between the friends and foes of the bill, led by this writer, which leddened at times to eventuate in the loss of the bill for the adjournment of the Senate was near at hand, and the present opportunity was golden. The motion to reconsider was lost, and the law was enacted, which placed on a firm foundation our present elaborate, extensive, and beautiful system of parks and

boulevards, which is a source of so much pleasure and healthfulness to all classes of our people. About this time, a bill which had passed the House of which the late Senator William T. Clark was the author, came over to the Senate and was put on its passage. It was a bill which provided that the firemen of Cleveland should be allowed a few hours off duty every week, since at that time they had no time off at all for any purpose whatever. In consonants with the policy which during my entire legislative career had characterized me, my conduct. I supported the bill, in fact, took charge of it, and had the satisfaction of seeing it become a law. When the passage of this bill became known in Cleveland, there was an

immediate outburst of anger on the part of some interested persons, an indignation meeting was called and held, and Mr. Clark and I were soundly berated, for it was said that the granting of a few hours of recreation to each firemen would require an addition to the number of firemen, and thereby entailed an extra expense which the taxpayers would have to pay. I came from Columbus and confronted that boiling, bubbling meeting, and demanded to be heard. After much pounding of the stand with his gavel, the chairman secured a hearing for me,

and before I took my seat, my utterances were loudly applauded. But the general trend seemed to be averse through allowing the firemen any time off, and within a few days the Honorable Joseph C. Block, now ex-judge Block, introduced a bill to repeal the obnoxious legislation, and it was eliminated from the statutes of that general assembly. The sequel to all this tempest in a teapot is that within a year or two, there was a law enacted granting to the firemen more time off than the clerk bill provided for, and today they have still more time allowed them.

Truth, justice, crushed to earth will rise again. I recall my connection with that ill-fated bill as one of the proudest transactions of my life, and I enjoy telling about it. it is generally known that we have on the pages of our statute books a law known as the civil rights law which was followed by the hon harry c smith who for three terms represented the county of cajahoga cleveland in the house of the general assembly this law is far-reaching in its scope and includes amongst other public services barber shops though it is as regards them a dead letter since there are a few men who have the nerve to compel by law an unwilling hostile barber to shave them during the seventieth general assembly the hon george h jackson of cincinnati who was the colored member of the house from hamilton county introduced a bill to repeal that portion of the law relating to barber shops and supported it on the floor of the house with much eloquence in force so that it passed without a dissenting vote as i now recall the transaction the question now was how to pass it in the senate mr green's opposition to it non obstante for it was well known that i was fundamentally opposed to turning revolutions backwards on the contrary it was easily apparent to all the friends of the colored race in the state that what the law stood most in need of was not the elimination of any of its provisions but more thorough enforcement

it was thought that if mr jackson could make his great speech before the senate the bill would pass that body no matter whether this writer opposed it or not so a little strategy was adopted in order to enable mr jackson to address the Senate, and since by the rules of the Senate he could not be permitted to address that body, as such it was resolved into a committee of the whole Senate, and the author of the bill was permitted to make his argument for it before that body sitting as a committee. This trick seemed to be a success until after the committee rose and went back into its legitimate form of a Senate, when this writer arose at his desk and characterized the whole procedure in anything but a complimentary way, and with clenched fist which hammered the desk before him,

dared the senators to eliminate any portion of that law, and he threatened if the bill passed the Senate to go to the colored voters of the state and denounce their action. On the roll call, the bill failed to receive the required number of voters to pass it, and from that day until the present, no other effort by white or colored has been made to repeal or emasculate the law. About the year 1892, the Cleveland Railway Company, which was composed of all the law,

the street railway companies in the city of cleveland save and accept the interest represented by mr tom l johnson began to consider seriously the necessity of disposing of its horses and adopting electricity as a motor power and this made necessary an entire change in the way of trackage rolling stock power plants and employees to say nothing of the vast outlay necessitated in the erecting of poles stringing costly wires and the acquiring in some instances of additional of way and sites for the location of enlarged and costly buildings. The late Senator Mayhanna, upon whose broad shoulders rested principally, the responsibility and burden of financing these very costly projects, decided that it would be necessary to sell the paper of the company in New York in order to compass success in this behalf, and that they might get a fair consideration for the same.

It was equally essential to make a showing of a franchise adequate for the proffered security. For the foregoing reasons and as a first move towards the accomplishment of these designs, a bill was prepared commonly known as the 99-year franchise bill and given to the late Senator Franco Spencer, who introduced it in the Senate, and it was thereafter known of record as Senate Bill No. 50. The bill provided in substance that the trustees, councilmen, of any city or township should be empowered to grant to any railway corporation within its limits a franchise not to exceed 99 years in duration, provided the trustees or directors of the company

should agree to pay to the city or township a percentage of the gross earnings of the road to be fixed by and between the respective parties at the time of the granting of the franchise. At that time, the only financial benefit Cleveland was receiving from the said companies was a tax of $10 on each car in use, while a percentage of their earnings by the provisions of the Spencer bill would even then have amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and at the present day the city's income from that source would be perhaps a million or more annually provided, however, that the trustees of the city were honest and business-like

and withheld the franchise until an adequate percentage of the earnings was secured by the terms of the contract. This bill was favored by some of the leading financiers and politicians of Ohio, and it had behind it in the lobby, the influence, and professional services of one of the greatest law firms in this state. Moreover, the governor of the state and the person of the late President McKinley favored it and permitted the use of his office in which to caucus with reference to it. Dan Ryan, Secretary of State, favored and lent his great influence to secure its passage.

The Toledo-Blade, Ohio State Journal, and Cleveland World All influential newspapers spoke of it in commending terms and the entire sentiment in and about the Statehouse in so far as I could discover, favored its past siege. This narrator, too, was of opinion, that a contract between the city of Cleveland and the street railway lines could be framed by the terms of which the city would derive a substantial income, whereas under the then-existing conditions and down to the present time, little or nothing was going into our treasury. Under the circumstances, I determined to obtain the opinion of the great daily papers of Cleveland, and with that object in view, I mailed to the Cleveland plain dealer, the Cleveland Leader, the Cleveland Press, and the Cleveland World, respectively, a copy of the bill,

and enclosed with it a written request signed by me that they published the same and comment on its merits or demerits, editorially. The world was the only one of the Quartet which complied with my request in any manner, and its editorial comment was favorable. However, the fact remains that prior to its passage in the Senate, it had never been published in any paper that had come under my notice, and the people of Cleveland, to this day have never read the bill. The parties interested in the passage of the bill in the Senate insisted that I should explain and champion it on the floor of the Senate, for the reason they said

that I was more practiced as an attorney and fluent and eloquent than was its author. I objected strenuously for the reason that the Cleveland newspapers, with one exception, had remained non-committal, but day after day, time and again I was compelled to listen to arguments by its friends and I've cited to me the fact of its support by the eminent and influential men and papers outside of Cleveland mentioned above. Finally word came to me, ex-cathre, if I may use the expression in a political sense that I had better stand by my friends

and knowing who those friends were and forecasting the wonderful part some of them were to play in the great world drama of the near future, swearing I would near consented. I explained the bill, spoke in favor of it, and almost unaided, so far as it was apparent to the casual observer, secured its passage through that body. Then the Cleveland newspapers spoke out, and with no uncertain sound, to read the papers alone, see the names of Senator Spencer and myself at the head of the editorial column of the Cleveland leader in mourning, and have no other information in the premises. One would have thought that some great outrage had been perpetrated on the state, yet those same papers only a week before with a copy of that identical bill in their hands

had remained mute. Later on, however, after an indignation meeting at which I was present and explained the merits of the bill and drew from the large audience in the council chamber on course of applause, popular sentiment was mollified and modified, and another assembly actually enacted a 50-year franchise law without evoking an indignation meeting or the anathemas of the press. The men who originated and procured the passage of the first bill through the Senate were subsequently, highly honored by the state and country and properly so forth they were of nature's nobleman and dedicated their whole life to the public welfare whether negotiating along private or public lines all of which the community went adequately informed and free from blind passion readily sought and appreciated the following certificate mailed to meet by hon alex cain after i had ceased to be a member of the senate gives a detailed statement of work done by me in the senate in addition to what i have already mentioned in the foregoing i hereby certify that hon john p green supported all the following named bills in behalf of labor while a member of the senate of the seventieth general assembly a cain clerk of the senate one compelling railroad companies to equip cars with

air brakes and automatic couplers. Two, protecting lives of mechanics employed in the building trades. Three, protection of street car employees. Four, regulating competition of convict with free labor. Five, arbitration of labor troubles. Six, providing employees with attorney inaction for wages. Seven, preventing discrimination against organized labor. Eight, increasing opportunity of education for working people.

Nine, relief of overworked railroad employees. 10 increase in force of mine inspectors. 11 additional factory inspectors. 12, enlarging the power of shop inspectors. 13, imposing heavier penalties for imitation of union labels. 14, restricting manufacture of knit and woolen goods in public institutions. 15, employees, not to be intimidated in voting. 16, providing for the more distinct labeling of convict-made goods.

17 counter floors for safety of employees in construction of buildings. 18, providing for pure oils for illuminating purposes and mines. 19, preventing fraud and imposition of minor employees. 20 against seven days' work for six days' pay. Mr. Green is also author of the Labor Day law. One of the most agreeable episodes of my life occurred about this time, in connection with a grand banquet tendered to Governor McKinnell. by the Protective Tariff League of Canton, Ohio. Quite unexpectedly to me, I received an invitation

to this notable function, together with an invitation to respond to the following toast, America, the land of the free, and the home of the brave. At the appointed time, I appeared in Canton and was received in a kindly gracious way by the distinguished committee, which was made up of some of the leading gentlemen of the city. I was escorted to the first hotel where I registered and was for a day one of its guests. At the banquet I was seated at the head of the table, on the left of Governor McKinley, while at his right sat James R. Garfield, a son of ex-president James Agarfield. My response to the toast assigned to me met with a very enthusiastic reception,

and at the close of the exercises I was heartily commended by many of those present. It has often occurred to me that the climax of my political honors was reached on that occasion when I an ex-waiter, Wood Black, janitor, in fact, Duterman, General, now a member of the Senate of Ohio from the most famous district in the state, an invited guest at that very notable function, sat beside the governor of the state, then destined soon to be president of the United States, and responded to that significant toast. O ye humble, struggling, ambitious American youth, both white and black, reflect on these facts, ponder over them, take courage, and persistently press onward and upward. About this time, also, when the session of the Senate was nearing its close, I had an experience, the relating of which, prove of interest to the readers of this biographical story. During the banquet, Governor McKinley became aware of the fact that I had an increasing desire

to visit parts of Europe, including Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, and Vienna in Austria. Coming to me, he said, Senator, I think I can be of some service to you in forwarding your desire to bake a tour of Europe. I said, indeed, Governor, I'm more pleased than I can express to you to hear you say so. Yes, he replied, I'm going to New York in the near future. And while there I shall meet Colonel Elliot F. Shepard, a friend of mine, and I shall tell him of you and your plan. He is the owner of the Mail and Express, which employs correspondence in parts of Europe, and perhaps he will give you employment along that line, which will enable you

to pay your expenses while you make your tour. I thanked him profusely my heart swelling with joy and gratitude, for I had learned to know that whatever McKinley espoused was well-nigh certain of success. After the lapse of about two weeks, the governor's messenger came to my desk and said, Senator, the governor wishes your presence at your leisure. I thanked him and stayed not on the order of my going, but went. The governor informed me that he had just returned from New York where he met Colonel Shepard to whom he made known my cherished desire, and he said the Colonel will wire you

to meet him there in a few days. True to the expectation a day or two, I received a telegram from Colonel Shepard, inviting me to meet him at his home, located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street in the great metropolis, New York. When I arrived in the front of the palatial residence of the son-in-law of the late W.K. Vanderbilt, Sr., it was all aglow with light, and Leverid coachman and footmen were in attendance upon the numerous equipages, which bordered the curb in the vicinage. Nevertheless, not one whit embarrassed by the fact I pressed the button of the big front door, and my card having been delivered to the distinguished host,

was immediately ushered into the elaborate library where ere long, I met a high-born, instinctive gentleman, Colonel Elliot F. Shepard. Senator Green, he said, grasping my hand, Governor McKinley, has been telling me about you and your plan to visit Europe. I've considered the matter, and I've concluded to offer you the sum of $50 a letter, and you may mail the mail, and express one letter every week. I answered that such an arrangement would be entirely satisfactory to me, and thanked him for it.

then i said to him colonel when shall i begin to write the letters at once he answered if you wish seeing that his residence was gradually filling with the elite of social new york he noticed my apparent surprise and remarked senator this is the anniversary of my silver wedding and the invited guests are arriving i am sorry that i cannot be with you longer just then two gentlemen entered the library senator he said meet my brother and turning to the younger one he said senator green this my only son my son meet senator Green of Ohio. Then I took my departure, highly elated by my success. For now, I consider that my touring venture was predicated on a sound financial basis, and that I could cast all worry on that score behind me. As in addition to the good words which Governor McKinley had spoken of and for me, I placed in Colonel Shepard's hand a laudatory editorial, which I had clipped from the Cleveland leader, referring to the fact that I had risen from a very humble sphere in life. The colonel did not approve of the reference to my former humble station in life. This surprised me greatly.

The following week, I mailed to the Mail and Express an article one column in length on the growth of Cleveland as affected by the protective terror. It was received and published, and in a few days, I received a check for $50. The following week in return for a second letter which had been published, I received another check for the same amount, then a day or two later. I read in a newspaper that Colonel Shepherd had died on an operating table under the influence of an aesthetic while undergoing an examination for a minor trouble. I cannot say whether my surprise exceeded my grief I could not truthfully say, however thus from childhood's hour I've seen my fondest hopes decay. For in very truth my grief was not so much because of my individual loss

as for the fact that a noble, kind-hearted, generous man had been so suddenly cut off in the flower of his manhood without any notice or opportunity to take his leave of all whom he held most dear on this earth be good my friend and let who will be clever do noble things not dream them all day long and so make life death and that vast forever one grand sweet song charles kingsley in a farewell the sequel to this narrative will come in the next chapter suffice it to state here other steps had to be taken other plans formulated and consummated before the contemplated journey could be taken but in the language of one of milton's creations what though the field be lost all is not lost the unconquerable will and courage never to submit or yield in the chapter ten chapter eleven of fact stranger than fiction by john patterson green this librivox recording is in the public domain john d rockefeller i'm writing this short sketch embracing some of my personal reminiscences of mr rockefeller and members of his family for several reasons but principally because i have have always admired his sterling manhood, his exemplary life, his democratic affiliations amongst the people of his acquaintance, and his unexampled, unselfish generosity.

With all his wealth and social and financial influence, Mr. Rockefeller has come very near to leading the plain simple life, and though I have met him frequently in this, his home city, during the past 63 years, yet I have never discovered in him or his family anything of the supercilious high-brow characteristic which is so often in evidence on the part of persons who are rich in this world's goods he is always worn his heart upon his sleeve to be red of all men whether in the church the sunday school in the varied avenues of commercial life or elsewhere even the poor despised negro both in the north and the southland has basked in the light of his countenance and found in him a true open-handed friend hence i not only admire him and wonder at his unheard-of financial conquests but i hold him up to the whole world as an example of true manhood and unadulterated americanism

many years ago i noticed and was struck with the fact that whenever as a captain of industry mr rockefeller absorbed collateral branches of his own gigantic business it was to the advantage of the other part It always took on new life, which led to overwhelming success, so that in no sense even along the lines of competitive commercial transactions can he be stigmatized as a business vampire. I've already mentioned the fact of seeing Mr. Rockefeller as a young man in 1858, when the family lived in Cedar Avenue in Cleveland, at which time I paid no special attention to him, for the reason and principally that I was his junior associating with a class of boys younger than he, of whom his late brother, Frank Rockefeller, was one, and for the additional reason, that I could not then foresee what the fates held in store for him in the not distant future.

Subsequently, in 1859, when I was a student in the Hudson Street School, now Sterling School, over which Mr. Eaton, afterwards during the Civil War, General Eaton, was principal. I met a mild-mannered, quiet little lady, who taught the class of which I was a member English grammar. This young lady was none other than Miss Laura C. Spellman, the late lamented wife of the subject of this sketch, and the daughter of the Honorable H.B. Spellman, ex-member of the Ohio General Assembly, if I mistake not, a gentleman who for his social and business attainments stood high in the esteem of all Cleveland. The fact that Miss Spellman and Mr. Rockefeller,

later on became husband and wife more than any other cause kept him in the eye of some of us schoolboys for we regretted the loss of that estimable lady from the faculty so keenly that we followed her in the future with undiminished interest aside from this casual acquaintance with mr rockefeller had no knowledge of him or his growing business other than as i heard members of his sunday-school class speak of him or read of his successful transactions in the day-lawful newspapers. The years glided or flew onward in my subject, waxed fat, became immensely rich in the eyes of the world, and through competition, and in some instances jealousy was frequently unjustly criticized, until one day during a session of the 69th General Assembly, if I mistake not, a member without any apparent reason for it, digressed from the line of his argument to brutally and falsely make a verbal assault upon Mr. Rockefeller in the matter of his business transactions. When he resumed his seat, I waited for a short space to see whether any member would challenge his statements in the silence not being broken, I rose and gave expression to my views of Mr.

Rockefeller predicated on my knowledge of him from my boyhood days in no uncertain manner, and least of all, complementary to the member. Colonel Lewis Smith Knight was present during the whole transaction, and when the applause, following my short speech, had subsided he came up and congratulated me, and commended the spear which moved me, all knew that Mr. Rockerfellow did not need any apologist or champion, yet under any circumstances it is difficult to remain silent when on call for an unmerited abuse as heaped upon one's friend, especially in a legislative hall. A year or two after the incident which I have just recorded, while passing through Lower Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, I was confronted by a gentleman whose personal appearance and mean stamped him as being Fasso Prynkeps first amongst men. I knew at a glance that he was a Rockefeller, but so much time had elapsed since I had last seen him that I could not positively identify him. To my great surprise, he stopped and addressed me, calling me by name. I reciprocated the courtesy and said Mr. Rockefeller, I believe.

Yes, he answered, which one I queried. John, he replied. I was Mrs. Rockefeller. I venture to ask. She is quite well, he rejoined. Then he added, Mrs. Rockefeller and I have noted your political successes with much pleasure. And she often speaks of some of her former pupils, to which I expressed much pleasure, whereupon he said, by the way, we have a cozy home in the East End.

would be pleased to have you and Mrs. Green come out and visit us some time. I inquired as to a convenient time for them, and he suggested that we notify them, and they would send the family carriage to the terminus of the street railway line at Lakeview Cemetery to transport us the remainder of the distance to Forest Hill the cozy home. We then separated each going his respective way, he conscious, I dare say, of having stooped socially at least to lift up and encourage a fellow man, and I radiant with pleasure and expectation by reason of the unexpected invitation. In due time, a notice of our coming was mailed to Forest Hill, and at the designated hour on the appointed day, we, Mrs. Green, our daughter, Clara, and our niece,

Miss Kitty Skeen, together with this writer, alighted at the terminus of the street railway, and mounted into the carriage of John D. Rockefeller. And in a few minutes, having passed the Porter's lodge, we found ourselves upon the broad verand, of the Rockefeller mansion, the subjects of a genial and cordial welcome on the part of Mrs. Rockefeller, her aged mother, her honorable sister, and to winsome daughters. Mr. Rockefeller, we were informed, was in conference with gentlemen who had come all the way from New York for that purpose. During the half hour while the ladies were engaged in conversation, I was comparatively mute, or under existing circumstances I felt that like the moor of Venice,

i could truthfully say rude am i in my speech and little blessed with the said phrase of peace and accordingly i maintained that gold in silence which at times is most becoming ere long the touring carriage was driven up to the port gocher and at the suggestion of mrs rockefeller we all entered it for a drive through the spacious and beautiful park surrounding the residence and at the end of one hour and a quarter without repeating any of the route we declared it to have been the most enjoyable of our existence. At one point on our route, our hostess invited us to dismount, and while the driver waited for us on the opposite side of our shaded growth, we meandered through it, engaged in reminiscent conversation, and in gathering very-colored mosses and sweet wildflowers. Then it was that Mrs. Rockefeller, whose friendship and generosity for me as one of her former pupils, became apparent, addressed herself to me and called up the past, as if it were a real pleasure to live over again her girlhood days.

Forgiveful that she was now the wife of one whose name alone attracts attention, wherever it is mentioned throughout the civilized world. She spoke of her late father affectionately and remarked that her husband had named Spellman Institute at Atlanta, Georgia, for him. She further informed me that Mr. Rockefeller was metaphorically carrying it under his arm, and that during that same year he had given it $50,000. Further, she said that her, her father was a man of kindly impulses and invariably favored the underdog.

As for herself, she said when teaching in the schools of Cleveland, she had no pets but that her sympathies invariably went out to the one who needed help. It was during this conversation that I made known to her my increasing desire to make a tour of the principal states of Europe when she, with her characteristic generosity, suggested that I notify her when the time was ripe for my departure, and to anticipate by a few months i will here record the fact that upon that notification her great husband sent me his check for half enough money to defray all the expenses of my trip it was a gratuity pure and simple for i had never had the opportunity of serving either of them in any practical way during my lifetime as we neared the edge of the grove where the carriage was in waiting for us mrs rocker feller with her own hands pinned on the bosom of my wife the tuft of pretty much moss and the sweet wildflowers which she had gathered in the wood a very gracious act i must say considering the relative social standing of the hostess and her guest how thoroughly the act was appreciated may be known from the fact that until her dying day my dear deceased wife recalled the act and spoke in terms of admiration and gratitude of it

returning to the residence we were joined by mr rockefeller who being released from the conference now commanded his time a light luncheon was thereupon served on the verand of which all puttook. My feelings on that occasion can be more easily imagined than described for who was I, a poor-colored man dependent upon my daily toil for a very livelihood, and with no social recognition that I could boast of, aside from persons of my own cast, a strange word for America, that I should be sitting at luncheon with the financial leader of the whole world and his family. I recall that I had said to Mrs. Rockefeller during our stroll through the wood somewhat as follows, Mrs. Rockefeller, one of my most intelligent associates, maintains that social recognition of the color of men in the United States will begin at the top of society and progress downward, paradoxical, as it may seem.

Why so, she asked, because I replied, persons of unlimited means and fixed social status can, with impunity, afford to associate with persons of good moral character without losing their social standing, while others of small or no financial standing at who themselves are struggling for social recognition dare not take the risk well she said i had not thought of it in that light before it seems reasonable and may be a fact the time of our departure was at hand the carriage with the waiting coachman was standing in the port the adheres were pronounced when mr rockefeller and addressing himself to this writer said mr green i spend most of my time in new york and i am seldom here to make use of these grounds if at any time you wish to drive in them with your family or friends you are welcome to do so i heard him with amazement thanked him and we were whirled away by the well-groomed steeds i have never to this day availed myself of his magnanimous offer to make use of his ample and beautiful grounds though his kindly offer is graven up on the tablets of my heart never to be erased some notice of our reception at the rockefeller mansion found its way into the columns of the newspapers after which i was approached by sundry needy persons who tried to persuade me to use my influence with mr rockefeller in their behalf which of course i could not do on another occasion one of our best singers who was arranging for a public concert procured me to inquire of mrs rockefeller whether her name might be used as a patroness mrs rockefeller answered by inviting mrs green and me to call a second time and bring the singer with us which we did again we were driven through some portion of the grounds this time a slight shower of rain having previously fallen and mr Rockefeller desiring to keep his drives in good condition. He mounted his bicycle and piloted

the carriage some portion of the way. When we reached a knoll, which overlooks the lake in the neighboring country, the driver, in attempting to make a short turn, nearly overturned the carriage, and I suspect that this writer prevented our hostess from falling out. On returning to the mansion, the sweet singer sang very beautifully for Mr. Rockefeller and his family, being accompanied on the piano by Miss Edith, now Mrs. McCormick of Chicago, who translated the difficult music at sight to the astonishment of the singer and all others.

I recall that Mr. Rockefeller remarked that in his youth he took lessons on the violin and for a while practiced six hours a day, was not this prophetic of future success in any vocation in which he might embark, for whoever has the nerve and persistency to apply himself to a violin or any other musical instrument six hours a day. Will in the end say, I came, I saw, I conquered?

It was on this occasion that we saw and were introduced to Mr. Rockefeller, senior. He was a large, well-built man of ruddy complexion, and the resemblance of the two sons whom I had met was so striking us to call's remark. When we were in the act of leaving, Mrs. Rockefeller invited us to attend a church social of the Second Baptist Church, which was the scheduled to meet at their home the following week, and Mr. Rockefeller drew from one of his vest pockets a little bunch of banknotes with which deconsoled the singer for Mrs. Rockefeller's refusal to lend her name as a patroness. We attended the church social, of course, and had seated at the table with us several members of the family, in addition to a very wealthy and prominent lady friend of theirs.

On every occasion we were transported to and from the mansion in the carriage of our host and hostess, and although since then we have been entertained both at home and abroad by some very distinguished people, yet I have concluded that, in the courtesies and kindnesses showered upon us by Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller, as I have related in the foregoing, we reached the zenith of our social preferment, just as at the Canton banquet I attained to the topmost height of my political aspirations. I've searched in vain to ascertain the underlying reason for the unusual and liberal courtesies bestowed upon me, in mind by these august personages whether it was to gratify the desire of his great and good wife who was always fond of her old pupils or whether mr rockefeller had heard of my conduct in the house when a member attempted to assail his business integrity or was it the simple outflowing of two great big hearts bent on scattering sunshine in the pathway of two humble beings yearning for recognition and encouragement i shall never know perhaps but of one fact we are certain

it was a substantial uplift not only for us but for others of our class the good effects of which like the ripples on ocean or the waves in the air go onward and onward until they reach the bosom of almighty god during the first mckinley campaign for the presidency i had stumped for the republican party in ohio west virginia kentucky illinois missouri in addition to the foregoing i had written a manifest for the use of southern colored voters which Mr. Hannah and Major Dick denominated my special literature and subject to their orders. I, with assistance of two of my sons, had mailed 14,000 copies to places in that section designated by them. After the president had been inaugurated, I circulated in Cleveland a petition amongst the leading politicians and businessmen requesting the president to appoint me to an office in Washington, at once honorable and lucrative. This petition was signed by great industrial heads, bankers, and railroad presidents.

Having obtained the signatures of a goodly number of such men who collectively were said to represent more than two hundred millions of capital, I mailed the list to Mr. Rockefeller, with a request that he also signed it. I may add that I had drawn a line through the center of the page from top to bottom, and all who had there tofore received it had signed the name to the left of the line, and the occupation to the right but when mr rockefellow signed it he wrote clear across the legal cap page in bold characters john d rockefeller i am regretting to this day that i released that document to be filed in the interior department in washington for in fact i valued it more than i did the little office which i secured and though i made frequent inquiry and earnest effort to regain possession of it no one had been able to locate it for me later on in life i received another communication for

from him which contains his autograph but i mourn the loss of the first for it carried with it in the very freedom and form of the writing of it an intimation of the good-will which inspired it when i was in the employ of the united states government in washington i had occasion to write to mrs rockefeller in behalf of a poor forlorn person who was struggling against fate and i asked for an alms for her she sent the money small in amount together with a beautiful letter still in my position of which the following is a copy my dear mr green enclosed please find check for the amount desired in your letter of the fourth to aid in lifting the debt from the distressed family who find in you a friend the case is unique and sadly pathetic, and now many such there are the wrongs of crushed humanity cry aloud from the ground. I recall, with no small pleasure, my teaching days, and many of the pupils still stand before me with distinctness, and not a few with distinction. Among these are yourself who has conquered untold obstacles, and standing for God and for

truth is helping the upward progress of race and the world. Mr. Rockefeller joins in kind regards for you and your family, very sincerely yours, Mrs. John D. fellow golf house lakewood new jersey march seven nineteen o four on another occasion i enclosed to mrs rockefeller a clipping from a newspaper which complimented me in no uncertain terms the following is a copy of the letter which he sent to me acknowledging the receipt of the same i still retained the original golf house lakewood new jersey my dear mr green i'm pleased that you decided to send me the clipping that your letter of the third enclosed and i am glad to be kept in touch with one of my pupils in the public school forty or more years ago note it had been just fifty-two years j p g the time does not seem so long to me since you sat behind the desk with fabner griffin not far removed and the austin's and richardsons in the same school I'm as proud and grateful as you and your family can be of the record you have made. It is a quiet but decisive victory against fearful odds, which still beset the path of your race. I remember the pleasant call of Mrs. Green and yourself several years ago at Forest Hill.

Mr. Rockefeller joins me in kindest regards to you both. Very sincerely, Laura S. Rockefeller. April 11, 1911 Following the death of my beloved wife, I received the following telegram. To our town, New York, 2612, Mr. John P. Green. Letter, February 3rd, received the first we knew of the death of Mrs. Green. Be assured of our sympathy for you and yours in your great bereavement, John D. Rockefeller. There are other communications and transactions which I might record herein,

but what I have written is sufficient, I try to prove that in my gradual rise from penury and want, I'd gained the countenance and association of some of the greatest and most powerful of God's children, and were it possible for me to close my biographical story right here, it would spell a career at once unique, if not romantic, and at least bordering on the successful, that Mr. Rockefeller may live to see the full fruition of his wonderful benefactions is my humble prayer. End of Chapter 11. Chapter 12.

Of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green. This Liberovox recording is in the public domain. Great Britain. My senatorial term being ended, I declined to stand as a candidate for another election on the ground that it entailed too great a financial loss on me, and also that my professional business was slowly but surely diminished. for i had already found out that when a business man has a legal affair to be looked after he is apt to select a lawyer and not a politician to attend to it and besides the loss of time from my practice and the outlay of cash incidental to political campaigns my keep at columbus and incidentals such as the demands of charity and being a good fellow amounted to more than i could continue to sacrifice the following table will prove

my contention in this behalf. Five legislative campaigns at $300 each. $1,500. 24 months at Columbus lost to my business at $200 per month, $4,800. $24 months board at Columbus at $25 per month. $600. Charity and good fellowship money, $100 per year, $100. Lost to business indirect by neglect, $1,200.

total $8,700 receipts from salary six years at $600 per year, $3,600. Total loss

$5,100. The foregoing is an under rather than overestimate of my loss during the 24 months I served in the General Assembly for the sessions were held in the winter and early spring

when all of the courts were in session and my professional loss was almost total. Moreover, during that time I lost many good, valuable clients whose patronage I never recovered, and over and above all, some of my clients became offended by reason of the active part I took in opposition to their party and friends, and dropped me. But enough of this statistics are dry, complaints are unpleasant. My grip was duly packed for my European tour, the au revoir-voir were all said. The steam was up in the sails inflated, and I was on my way not for mandalay, but for sights and scenes which from my childhood had been for me pleasant dreams now to be realized. Does the reader wish to know whence I

derived the means of defraying the expenses incidental to this protracted trip after the collapse of my arrangement with Colonel Shepard due to his death? Well, I will let him into the secret. When I was fighting for the bill to finance the improvement of our system of parks and boulevards, the argument most persistently pressed, against the passage of it was, that parks and boulevards were for the rich, not for the poor, that it would be the unjust appropriation of the people's money to foster the pride and pleasure of the rich. To which I answered in substance that the rich, like Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Wade, and others had parks of their own, and many wealthy people spent their summers at seaside and mountain resorts

in their winters at Palm Beach and in California, and therefore could get along, without these so-called luxuries at home if necessary. While the poor were constrained to remain at home the year-round, and of all the inhabitants of Cleveland most needed the few luxuries. While the law having been enacted in the system now assured, some of our leading citizens said, Now Mr. Green your fight secured the passage of our park bill, and since your contract with Colonel Shepard must be abandoned,

we will pay a part of your expenses if you will visit the parks in different parts of Europe and write a series of letters to the newspapers here regarding the classes of people who most use and seem to derive the greatest pleasure from frequenting them. I readily agreed to this suggestion thereupon they contributed each a generous amount, which with the cheque sent to me by Mrs. Rockefeller through her great husband easily made me comfortable during the whole trip. The Stanch and swift Cunard ship Umbria made the run to Liverpool in seven days, and after landing I went as the crow flies to the Adelphi Hotel, the leading hotel in Liverpool, at that time.

I registered and was installed in a cozy room, where temporarily I was at home. In the dining room I was treated far differently than at the Gibson House in Cincinnati as the guest of the amalgamated trades. Not only was my silk hat taken at the door, but the waiter in his dress suit served me in a genteel way, and when I went into the barber's shop I was shaven without objection. in short i immediately forgot that i was a colored american citizen and when the united states consul called on me presto i had changed to a full-fledged citizen abroad still under the eagis of my dear native land i have made four visits to europe and on each occasion saw and experienced many things which i am sure will be of interest to the reader i shall not attempt a detailed narrative of them but we will review the principal features in a general way beginning with great britain and following the trance of my travels into other lands. The late Dr. Adnet, who had been the traveling companion of the late John Huntington,

when he made a tour of Europe, very kindly had provided me with letters of introduction to sundry persons of distinction in London and its suburbs, amongst whom were Brunner of the Tower of London, a distinguished man, by the way, who at the close of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, had been the bearer of dispatches for the Prime Minister of Great Britain, which were closely connected with the final settlement of the peace proceedings. This letter gave us the enter into the tower and the opportunity of seeing much and of hearing some of the traditionary lore which otherwise we could not have enjoyed.

My late friend Mr. Fred J. Loudon had also given us letters of introduction to some of his former friends and acquaintances, which opened doors for us which otherwise we probably would never have entered. In addition to Werner, we met many of us. other persons of social place and distinction, of whom may be mentioned the Lord Bishop of London, Canon Ferrer of West, Minster Abbey, Reverend Dr. Joseph Parker of the City Temple, Reverend John Clifford, D.D. L.L.D. L. Mennsendorf, a vital, lane, large, exporter, S.J. Celestine Edwards, Scholar, organizer, and lecturer on the Universal Brotherhood of Man,

Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Sharp, high in musical circles. Mr. Mrs. Samuel Coleridge Taylor, great musicians, Mrs. Eliza Leach, of number four, Kensington Palace Garden, and many others. Amongst the objects of special interest to us may be mentioned Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, London Bridge, Crystal Palace, the houses of Parliament, the Horse Guards, Westminster Hall, and numerous parks, great amongst which Hyde Park and Kensington Park were conspicuous. Then there were Trafalgar Square, the National Museum of Art, the Nelson monument with its heroic lines to say nothing of the

law, courts, the Bank of England, the ancient and famous sights have passed in present theaters, with Piccadilly Circus, Lester Square, with marble arch and old curiosity shop made famous by Charles Dickens. Indeed, London is such a little cosmopolitan world within itself

that the mere mention of a few of its most important personages and objects of interest would fill the pages of a little book. As an illustration of the manner in which even old residents are, at times surprised by new discoveries of old institutions, I will relate the following. One day Mrs. Green and I, strolling down Oxford Street, made a detour when we were near High Holborn, just following our noses, when, to our surprise, we found ourselves in Lincoln's

in fields of historic fame, where, if I mistake not, at one time numerous executions took place, and some other affairs of more worthy note were transacted. Quite unexpectedly, we found ourselves in front of the residence of the late Sir John Sown, wherein is now kept on exhibition, a museum of painting, statuary, and Egyptian and Oriental relics, which cannot be duplicated. Dimension only two will tend to enlighten the reader. There is an alabaster sarcophagus, nine feet, four inches in length, three feet eight inches in width, two feet eight inches in depth, and two and a half inches in thickness. The alabaster is of such purity that a lighted lamp being placed on the inside shines through the sides of the casket.

Another curio is the original paintings by Hogarth of the Rake's progress, showing the slow but sure decline of a handsome, promising youth through dissipation from good health to disease and death. We spent the remainder of our day in that one little museum of which a few hours before we had no knowledge whatsoever. Another incident, quite surprising to me, was that of the discovery of an old arcade near the heart of West London by my friend Mr. L. G. Sharp, who just prior to the World War, was the world agent of Batyruski, the unapproachable pianist. We were going down into the city from

Wandsworth Common when we ran upon this mart of trade all unknown to or forgotten by this world-traveled man. I have four men in mind now of whom I am sure my readers will be pleased to hear something, and I will speak briefly of them. The first is the Lord Bishop of London, of whose unselfish and persistent labors for the uplifting of the poor and needy in the slums of london the whole civilized world has heard even in wall street in the city of new york during his visit to this country some years ago his voice was heard in support of the golden rule i had never met the lord bishop before and my good fortune in meeting him on this occasion was due entirely to the kindly interposition of my good and helpful friend the right reverend w a leonard bishop of ohio who mailed to me while i was in london a letter of which the following is a true copy Right, Honourable A. F. Winnington Ingraham, Lord Bishop of London, my dear Lord Bishop, he gives me great pleasure to hand this letter of personal introduction to you of the Honourable J.P. Green, formerly senator from this city in our legislature, and for a number of years, identified with public interest.

He is one of our most highly esteemed citizens and represents his race with dignity and satisfaction. He is a communicant of the church and one of the vestry of St. Andrews Parish in the city, which is our only congregation amongst the colored people of Cleveland. He will greatly esteem the honor of meeting your lordship, and I will be glad to have him get the inspiration from you, which we all do, with cordial good wishes for this new year upon which we have entered. I am with respect, faithfully yours, William A. Leonard, 3054, Uclet Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. As soon as I had received the bishop's letter,

I mailed it to London House, St. James Square, Southwest, london in a due course of the mails i received the following answer john p green sq forty two walterton road paddington west dear sir the bishop of london will be pleased to see you here at eleven thirty on saturday the twentieth yours faithfully k g everett private secretary on time on the appointed day i was duly received by the great and worthy bishop and unceremoniously ushered into his cosy workshop as he was pleased to term his office there was not no sign of affectation and the demeanour of this great man no patronizing air or lifting of the brows by this well-bred english lord but grasping my hand he bade me be seated and the conversation began as though two old friends had cordially met well now he said tell me about your people in the united states when i attended the council in richmond virginia i heard one phase of the subject but i would like to hear your side of it i thanked him and did my possible as the french would say to enlighten him as regarded the negro question from the standpoint of a colored American, and was highly rewarded to discover that his views largely coincided with mine, and that he, too, like many, another great man, let his sympathies go out in favor of the underdog.

I intimated my fear that I was taking up too much of his time, to which he replied that he had no other engagement for the forenoon until his eminent bishop Matthews, the Catholic bishop of London, should call, and requested me to be quite at ease, until that time. By the way, he exclaimed in the course of our conversation, what shall I do with this beautiful letter, holding in his hand the letter of introduction from Bishop Leonard? I may lose it in the confusion of my office, and since it is of such personal concern to you, would you not like to have it? I assured him that I would be most pleased to receive it, and he gave it to me. This accounts for the

fact that I'm able to give to my readers a true copy of it as recorded in the foregoing. I discovered that the Lord Bishop has a vein of humor pervading his system, for he took occasion to refer to a humorous incident which owed its origin to the word, Ohio, during the sessions of the Ecumenical Council in Richmond, Virginia in the first decade of the present century. It was in this wise, quite a large percentage of the clergy attending the council used the continental I, pronounced he, thus pronounced Ohio, Ohio, and drew a smile from our dear Bishop Leonard, when they referred to him as the bishop of Ohio. When the presence of the Catholic bishop was announced,

he was seated in an adjoining room, while he wrote for me and my wife two passes to St. Paul's Cathedral to be used on Easter Sunday, 1909, saying, here, Senator Green, if he will present these to one of the vergers in St. Paul's Cathedral on Easter morning, he will show you and Mrs. Green to reserve seats near the chancel, and you will see that in England we make no such discriminations

as you have experienced in your south land. He also gave me a pass which entitled me to a seat in the visitors' gallery in the House of Commons, which, as the others, was duly used. Grasping my hand and thanking me for the call, we separated, I full of pleasure and enthusiasm, he be, undoubt, conscious that in having done his bit to one of the least of these he had advanced his cause on earth. The second personage to whom I shall call attention was the late Reverend Frederick William Farrar, Cannon of Westminster Abbey and rector of St. Margaret's Church, which stands near,

adjacent to the old abbey. I was enabled to meet Cannon Farrar through the courtesy of the late ex-president Fairchild of Obelham College, who quite painstakingly wrote me a beautiful letter of introduction on his little office typewriter, and after receiving it, I was loath to surrender it to the distinguished prelate, for I am unable to state to the stay whether I was prouder to meet Cannon Farrar than to receive this mark of a and esteem from so distinguished a personage as President Fairchild. There was nothing in the fact of being received by Canon Farrar, except that I was highly honored by being permitted to call on a distinguished churchman, scholar, and author in the

ancient Dean's Yard, contiguous to the sacred land on which, for centuries, has stood Westminster Abbey. After mutual greetings and a pleasant conversation, relative to the conditions in America, we separated to meet again in the near future at Westbourne, Babesiod. Church, where he delivered a learned and eloquent lecture on John Milton. To me, it was a significant fact that the canon of Westminster Abbey was in the pulpit of a Baptist Church, presided over by Dr. John Clifford, who was the incarnation of opposition to the established Church of England, and was waging persistent warfare against

it in all parts of Great Britain. But since John Milton himself belonged to the dissenters, perhaps the transaction was not remarkable. The third great man with whom I came in touch was the Reverend Dr. Joseph Parker, and I'm inclined to the belief that I scraped this acquaintance by virtue of the colored American push and persistency with which 25 years ago I was endowed. Dr. Parker, for some 30 years, have been accustomed to preach a Thursday-noon sermon, which with the beautiful singing and other attractions drew large congregations of the

literary elite of the whole civilized world to hear him. For there is not a day but that multitudes of wayfarers from all the points of the compass, find their way within the walls of the greatest city, looking for attractions of one kind and another. Dr. Parker received me in his sacristy after preaching one of his famous sermons and having in my possession the letter which the Lord Bishop had returned to me. I showed it to him. He read it with evident pleasure and invited me to call at his home on the following day and dine with him and his good wife. It is needless to say I accepted the invitation with undisguised pleasure, and spent an hour with the distinguished couple which I shall remember to the end of my life.

The conversation turned on great Americans and also on the subject of public lectures. Dr. Parker expressed the opinion that not even the Reverend Thomas de Wittalmage, with all his eloquence, could draw a large audience in London at that time to hear him lecture, so coldly were lectures then received. I asked him what he thought, and reward be. chances would be were he alive and active he was of the same mind in both cases then changing the subject somewhat abruptly he exclaimed i regard that countryman of yours a great philosopher frederick douglas i refer to i readily assented to that view with a degree of pride and said that gambetta the great french statesman had recently expressed the same opinion i heard an anecdote concerning him douglas related recently he added on one occasion as the story run subsequent to the passage of the fugitive slave law and the rendition of the Dredscott decision.

The outlook for the cause of emancipation was dark and well-nigh hopeless. There was a meeting of the Friends of Liberty and Progress. Douglas was demure and of a downcast demeanor. Oh, sojourner, truth, noticed these signs of discouragement, and at a proper time she exclaimed in her piping voice, Frederick is God dead? That exclamation, so full of truth and hope in the power of Almighty God, coming as it did from that infirm old woman rekindled the fire within them and so inspired them that from that moment onward all was vigor and determination to win

the personal of dr parker in the pulpit was reassuring so to speak one sought a glance a real man in his size form and general bearing one of nature's noble men he carried between his shoulders a large head a high expanse of forehead eyes deep set beneath the unbrageous brows and a shock of shaggy hair which caused him when animated to present that leonine appearance which was altogether unmistakable and his deep sonorous voice was quite suited to the man he was such a plebeian and approachable man that after his ponderous and entertaining sermons were delivered he took pleasure in answering questions and in conversing with any one who visited him in his sacriacrish and he was such a ponderous and entertaining sermons were delivered he took pleasure in answering questions and in conversing with any one who visited him in his sacrificial this writer had the good fortune on more than one occasion to meet him there and he condescended to spend some minutes in pleasant instructive conversation with him on one occasion he said well you heard me preach the same sermon twice i preached it last thursday and i repeated it to-day i answered that it was well worth repeating for it was replete with instruction and edification on the occasion referred to when dr parker in my presence spoke in such admiring terms of frederick douglas he expressed an ardent desire to possess a copy of the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, and on my return to our flat, I mailed one to him which I happened to carry in my luggage. The second day thereafter, I received a letter from him, enclosing a check for the sum of

one pound sterling, an equivalent at that time of about $4.83 of our money. After thanking me for my thoughtfulness and kindness and sending him the book, the letter proceeded to read, I enclosed a one-pound check for that son and heir of yours. to see what a British sovereign looks like. It is scarcely necessary to add that the son and heir, now Captain William R. Green, lost no time in making the acquaintance of that

identical sovereign, but in the language of King Richard III, on an inauspicious occasion he could have truthfully said, I'll have it, but I'll not keep it long. The last, but by no means the least of the distinguished Londoners of whom I shall now speak,

is Reverend John Clifford D.D.L.L.D. pastor emeritus of the Westbourne Baptist Church, whose name is more familiarly known than that of any other in Great Britain, save that of Floyd George, perhaps. Dr. Clifford has spoken much and written extensively in the furtherance of every good cause which has come before the British public during the last 50 years, and prior to the Great World War, it was generally believed of him that his influence for good in Great Britain was greater than that of any other man except the Prime Minister. When Dr. Parker was expressing to me his doubt as to whether Mr. Talmage or even Mr. Beecher could attract a large audience to listen to a lecture in London in 1893, he added if anyone in London can get out an audience to listen to a lecture, Dr. John Clifford is the man to do it. And he gave me a letter of introduction to him, which was the foundation of a friendly acquaintance between us, and has resulted in the mutual exchange of some interesting and valuable instruction for me to say the least. Dr. Clifford is the Bet Noir of the State Church of England. He has spoken against it, organized for warfare against it, and written volumes in opposition to it. It remains to be seen during these turbulent

times following, in the wake of the World War, what will be the fate of that relationship between the state and the church, which has subsisted for so many centuries, that the doctor is not narrow and intolerant, I feel sure, for he is constantly working for a union of all the Orthodox churches, and I have shown that by him. his invitation, Cannon-Farrar, of the State Church lectured from his pulpit on the subject, John Milton to an audience composed largely a Baptist. We had not resided in London long before we became associated with a goodly number of congenial persons, whose every effort was in behalf of our comfort and pleasure, amongst whose names those of Mr. Harry A. Williams

and his wife, Mrs. Lizette Williams, Mr. Clare's Cameron White, and his wife, Mrs. Beta, White, Mrs. Eliza Leach and her companion Miss Martino, a niece of the late distinguished authorist Harriet Martineau, Mr. L. G. Sharp and his wife, Mrs. Adele Sharp, Mr. S. Coleridge Taylor and his wife, Mr. L. Mansendorf, and his wife and his wife, Mrs. Henry J. Thrift and wife, Mrs. Maddie Lawrence, Thrift of Fairfield Lodge, Croydon, and many others, all of whom we still hold in sacred remembrance, even should we never again meet them on this earth. Scotland, through the kindly offices of Mr. S.J. Celestin Edwards, a colored man, residing at that time in London, and publishing a small periodical entitled fraternity, an arrangement was made by which I was invited to visit Scotland as the guest of the society

for the promotion of the Universal Brotherhood of Man. I had visited Scotland before, but only for a brief sojourn. Now, however, was the opportunity of becoming acquainted not only with its rocks and rills its woods and templed hills but with her lads and last seas and her home life with which through the reading of her literature i already felt almost familiar i doubt whether it comes within the realm of possibility for a person of pure african or white blood to appreciate understand the feeling of one who has a modicum of both a man who shares equally the blood of both races or who as in some instances has a preponderance of the blood of the english or scotchman leaping and bounding in his arteries and yet is ignored to some extent by both. There is a trite old saying that blood is thicker than water, and I believe it is eternally true, for he cannot hold to the one and despise the other, as in serving God and mammon,

for the negro blood is very strong and will manifest itself in some instances unto the third and fourth generation, while of the Scotch English blood it is equally true. It does not quail in the presence of man or beast. Is it any wonder, then, that constituted by blood, as this writer is he should feel in Scotland as did that famous warrior when he exclaimed he crags in cliffs i'm with you once again or as that other one john home who makes one of his characters to say my name is norville on the grampian hills my father feeds his flocks i love to gaze upon the rock-ribbed lands

as the rapid train whirled us through the grand old country in my mind i had always associated scotland and her heroes to some extent, with Switzerland and her freedom-loving sons, the islands and beautiful lakes of Scotland reminded me of the mountain declivities of the Little Republic, with her splashing, dashing waterfalls, rippling streams, and enchanting blue lakes, and who can read of Wallace and Bruce, of the former of their romantic, daring, astounding acts of heroism, for liberty and not think of William Tell and Arnold von Binkle-Reed of the latter who defied parents, and even death itself in behalf of the same. Let not my readers, however, imagine for a moment that all my race, pride is swallowed up in my

admiration of in love for England and Scotland, for unfashionable as may be. In some parts of the world at present, it is nevertheless historically and metaphysically true. The Negro is descended from an antiquity, antedating, even that of some of our most powerful and favored nations of the present day, and the continent of Africa can lay claim to a climate, in some of its parts and relics of past wealth and grandeur which fill travellers with astonishment and awe the great bishop he wrote where afric's sunny fountains rolled down their golden sands realized a part of this at least and who can doubt that when john milton wrote these ravishing words following that he too had africa in mind now gentle gales fanning their odoriferous wings dispensed native perfumes and whisper whence they stole those balmy spoils paradise lost book four page one eighteen the africans were always brave in war for we read in the records of the crusades that under one of those brave captains fighting for the holy cross valorous deeds were done by his negro troops and centuries before that in homer's time virgil speaks of them as having been in the great review before the walls of troy

In book one, line 489, Virgil says, Aos Akris at Nigri Memmum's Armam. Those eastern ranks in the black arms of Memnon, and the learned commentator, tells us that Memnon, the son of Tothonis and Aurora, and nephew of Priam, came with both Oriental and Ethiopian forces to the succor of Troy, and was slain by Achilles, and I can never forget the eloquent tribute paid

by the late Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York, when speaking in the Garfield camp, pain, he said, their fathers fought and subdued lions and tigers in the forests of Africa, when our ancestors were yet in ignorance. Of the Egyptian antiquities, the oldest monuments, show the negro and negroed features, the sphinx, the age of which is so far back that it has not as yet been ascertained, has the features of the negro, one of the modern commentators, and speaking of its nebulous age, says the priests of Nera supposed it to represent Horace to hold up its head and catch the first light of his father, Ra, the rising sun.

In my own native land, the United States of America, the success of the Negro is even now puzzling the biologists, for he not only increased numerically while for 250 years he was driven under the yoke of slavery, but since his manumission without jewels of silver or jewels of gold, he has increased in numbers at an alarming rate to some people, reduced his illiteracy to a minimum, where he has had a fair opportunity, voted for the welfare of the Republic, and heroically fought and died for democracy, save the mark. Unlike the Indian, the white man's civilization cannot kill him. On the contrary, he thrives in the midst of it.

He has followed the white man everywhere, even to the top of the earth, and it looks as if in the wisdom and mercy of Almighty God, the two races are destined side by side to work out their destiny upon this American stage of action. but let us return again to Scotland the home of brave men, Bonnie last sees, the poets, historians, philosophers, theologians, and humanitarians. Here was the home of Hume, McCauley, Livingston, Alan Ramsey, John Knox, Bobby Burns, James Boswell, Sir Walter Scott, and many others. I was met at the station by several members of the Society in Edinburgh

and escorted to No. 5 Malta Terrace where resided Mrs. Francis M. Sal Liby, the widow of a gentleman who, when teaching in Syria, fell literally from the house top and lost his life. Mrs. Salibi is the mother of two noble sons, Frank, late deceased, and Caleb W. Salibi, M.D. F.R.S. Eden, who is the author of several voluminous works on medical philosophic and biological subjects which are read around the civilized world. In the home of Mrs. Silibe, I did not lack or for any comfort.

the two sons then boys surrendered to my use during my stay their own bedroom and little frank acted as my guide to make sure that nothing worthy of notice escaped my attention in the famous city while the mother assisted by some of her many friends arranged a series of entertainments for my pleasure and profit my coming had been heralded to some extent in a meeting to be held in the co-rubers close in the high street almost contiguous to the old john knox residence had been amply advertised on the occasion of the meeting, I have the honor of addressing a large audience of Scotchmen and women for the first time on their native heath. Invitations to social functions were numerous and kept me busy. Amongst those who extended these courtesies to me were Mr. and Mrs. Sangster and family, who had recently returned to Great Britain after an absence of 35 years in government service in India. It was an intelligent and very interesting family. Another was Mr. Marshall and daughter of Fort East Castle Street who gave me a drawing room, that is to say the parlors were furnished with chairs to accommodate a numerous

audience and a personage of known prominence in the community presided. When the invited guests are all seated, the chairman in a few well-chosen words introduces the guest of the occasion, who in an address of some 30 minutes makes known his mission and the cause is sustaining it. At the conclusion of the speech, he answers such questions as may be propounded to him, then any brief comments are indulged in by individuals in the audience, which may seem apropos, and after that, light refreshments are partaken up, and the drawing-room is ended. Mrs. J. Miller of York Place, a near relative of the late John Bright, next received me. It was on the occasion of a drawing-room given in honor of Reverend

Dr. Laws, who at that time had been a missionary on the west coast of Lake Nianza for 19 years. I spoke by invitation for ten minutes on the subject, the Colored American. Mrs. Miller is or was, I know not whether she be still living, the daughter of the late Duncan McLaren, who represented Edinburgh for 15 years on the House of Parliament. His widow was a sister of the late John Bright, one of Mrs. Miller's brothers, as was a Lord Justice of Scotland, and another Walter Stowebright, McLaren, was in Parliament. Mrs. Elizabeth Pease, Nicole of Huntley Lodge, Napier Road, Manchester, Eden, Signally honored me by inviting me to call on her.

Mrs. Pease was at that time 86 years of age. She was a beautiful elderly lady with a fair complexion and silvery white hair and was totally blind, but with mental faculties quite unclouded. Her late husband, Professor John Pringle, Nicole, was associated with the University of Glasgow for many years and was famous as an astronomer. Some of the treatises written on that science being three books entitled views of the architecture of the heavens, the stellar universe, and the planetary system. Mrs. Nicole in her active life had been the intimate acquaintance and friend of the late

William Lloyd Garrison, who was her guest for two weeks on the occasion of his visit to Scotland. She had two portraits of Mr. Garrison hanging on her walls and also a marble bust of him, and even then being stone-blind in almost 90 years of age, she was in regular correspondence with his sons and kept fully advised as to public affairs. Mrs. Nicole was proud of the fact that both she and her husband had met the great Irish patriot Daniel O'Connell on several occasions and had traveled in the same railway coach with him on one occasion. She stated that O'Connell was very gallant in her company and occupied much of the time in conversing with her. She spoke of his sweet Irish accent. I suggested Broke, but she replied, no, it was not a brogue.

It was a sweet Irish accent. One statement made by O'Connell during their conversation, she said, had made a lasting impression on her mind, referring to capital punishment. O'Connell said he had always favored him, until on one occasion. Three brothers were condemned and duly executed, although protesting their innocence. At the scaffold, their mother fainted away in a dead fit. After the execution, it was discovered that they were innocent. Frederick Douglass and all the great American abolitionists were well known to her and admired by her.

She had two house servants and a maid. One of the servants had been in her employed 41 years. and was treated as one of the family, and the other had been with her 29 years, and was held in very high esteem. This grand old lady was bitterly opposed to vivis section of dumb animals and all other needless cruelties to them, and she still held in pleasant remembrance of a faithful dog, which for a 17 years was the constant companion of herself and husband, his grave was in her yard, and a headstone bore an inscription as to his friendliness and fidelity. She has long since gone to her rest where all eyes are opened, and she now sees her Lord and Master face to face. This story would be singularly imperfect, did it fail to make particular mention of Miss Eliza Wiggum of No. 4S. South Grey Street, Edom,

where she had been in that identical house from her birth at the time when I first met her, she was then 75 and well preserved in health. Miss Wiggum informed me that in 25 years she had not suffered a day's sickness. She was a member of the Society of Friends, Quakers, and in conversation she used their accustomed, thee and thou. Her sympathies for the poor, the afflicted and the oppressed were as wide and as deep as his suffering and need universal. The role of membership list of every le Masonary society and institution in Edinburgh bore her well-known name. She had, through her individual efforts, established a penny-banking and depositing institution of which she was the

sole corporate existence. And the poor of that city, both adults and children were accustomed to interest to her keeping without any security whatever. Their small earnings consisting of a few pennies each, and in some instances even a single penny, by so doing in time, each one had a small account with her, which was surrendered on demand. In a single year, Miss Wiggum had 10,000 transactions along this line, of which she kept a simple account without any assistance, often sitting up until three and four o'clock in the morning. During the anti-slavery agitations in both England and the United States, she was a great power in behalf of the oppressed, and her acquaintance with all the anti-slavery workers was very extended. Her library, which was large and well-selected,

contained in a number of books by colored authors and much information concerning Africa and its inhabitants. One of the books written by a colored man which I scanned was that of John Box Brown. I asked her why the author bore such a unique name. She answered that he was so dubbed because he had escaped from slavery, nailed up in a box so that they named him for the box. One of her dearest associates and friends was Mrs. Patterson, wife of Dr. Maurice Patterson, of Sevenhattan Place Grange added. One son of these distinguished people,

Mr. R. H. Patterson was at that time a student of law in the University of Edinburgh, and he was also the local secretary of the Society for the Recognition. of the universal brotherhood of man when i spoke of the whips and scorns of time the oppressors wronged the proud man's contumly the pangs of despised love the laws delay the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes her eyes filled with tears while the others cried oh for shame for shame i must not protract these individual sketches though the temptation to do so is great one of the dwellings i love to gaze upon at times was that of sir will the cloraphom the discovery of chloroform which all the victims of the operating table will rise up and call blessed in taking a rapid stroll through the streets and suburbs of edinburgh the objects of historic interest are so numerous and interesting as to fill one with astonishment there in the high street is the former residence of the late john knox the inflexible presbyterian preacher of eternal damnation whose denunciations of sin caused the unfortunate queen mary of scotland to tremble next door is the caruber's close of which i have spoken the people's temple built in the first instance through the efforts of the late twydel moody and afterwards enlarged, if I mistake, not through the generosity of the late Andrew Carnegie. Not far removed from here is the grand old church of St. Giles, in which John Knox, more than

three hundred years ago, preached. It has undergone changes on the interior, but it still maintained its original form and dignity on the outside. I heard an able and eloquent sermon preached in this church well in Edinburgh. In the neighborhood, not far removed stands Edinburgh Castle, now unfit for martial purposes but of absorbing interest in the light of ancestral days. What most interested me was not the tower of the keep or the antiquated big gun,

but the cunning little dog cemetery where lie the remains of a number of dogs duly marked with slabs bearing inscriptions on them. Down at the other end of the old high street is holy rude palace, once the home of royalty, but now only a curious relic of the past.

In going to the palace one passes through the canongate, so-called we are told, because as King David I in the 12th century founded the Abbey of Holy Root and gave the canons of the abbey the right to build a suburb between their church and the rock upon which stands the castle. And it is from this grant to the canons that the name of Cannon Gate is derived. Down under the high, steep rock on which stands the old castle is the grass market. Here for a long time criminals were executed, and I suspect some who were not criminals.

Many, for conscience's sake, were tortured and killed by those who verily believe, that they did God's service. It has been the way of the world. It is still the way of the world. The ruins on Colton Hill are a sight to behold. They remind one of the relics of some former Greek or Roman temple. It seems that an effort was made by a past generation of the good people of Edinburgh to build on the summit of this high hill, a monument at once great and ornamental. Before some cause which I did not ascertain, the undertaking fell through, and there the good beginnings still lie in evidence. authors seat another high rocky hill in the very shadow of which holy rude castle stands is an object of curiosity and many young tourists climb to the summit of it whence they can view not all the kingdoms of the earth but all of edinburgh and much of the surrounding country this writer mounted it and was well repaid for the effort by the beautiful and grand scenery which confronted him returning to the home of mrs salibi my hostess we were abundantly refreshed and entertained by

gentle social functions, and the hours sped rapidly and pleasantly. One of the objects attracting my attention and greatly interesting me was a fishwife, which I will hear speak of briefly. The fish wife is not attractive to the eye of the average male, though I suppose in her settlement she has those who admire Wu and marry her. She is short and stout in appearance, an effect which is not lessened by the fact that she wears from eight to ten heavy woolen skirts, as we are informed by the knowing ones. She carries fish in a basket or creole, which rests on her hips behind, the bundle of clothes

which she wears, breaks the weight on her back, and protects her kidneys. The weight of her load at times amounts to one hundred and one hundred and fifty pounds. A strap attached to the sides of the creel, passes over her forehead, and bending forward she thus sustains and carries the heavy load. These hardworking women live together in hamlets and are very exclusive. The intermarry which gives rise to physical defects and malformations to their disadvantage we are told that the weight of the loads carried by them flattens the pelvis and they are delivered with difficulty the retina of the eye is to some extent disorganized which is laid at the door of their marriage as often between blood relatives the fishermen in these settlements seem to regard their duty as being fully performed when they have landed the fish and they will stand and lean against a post while the women lug the heavy loads to the top of the bluff after that the women are obliged to peddle the fish about the town before taking leave of edinburgh it was suggested that i visit the great fourth bridge and also run up to the thrifty town of kirkcliston the home of rev r a lundrum and is talented and agreeable wife and in accordance with the suggestion i accomplished both facts the fourth bridge is one of the engineering wonders of the world and is well worth the small time and trouble required to visit and behold it it is related that during the time of its construction a town was built and inhabited in the viznage, where thousands of workmen with their families,

in some instances, resided until the great work was completed. In order that my readers may have some conception of the size and nature of this great structure, the following figures are given. It is a cantilever arch and trust bridge containing two spans. Each span is 1,710 feet in the clear or 100 feet more than the clear span of the famous bridge between New York and Brooklyn. The total length of the bridge is 8,091 feet, and the center is supported by Inch Garvey, a little island. The abutments on Garvey consist of four steel pillars, 60 feet in diameter,

and sunk down to the solid rock. The floor of the bridge is 150 feet above the water, and there is a depth of 200 feet of water under the center of the Great Spans. This wonderful bridge connects North Queens Ferry with South Queens Ferry, and is about nine miles from Edinburgh. at kirkleston i was the guest of reverend and mrs lundrum and was entertained at the manse which is the parish house of the presbyterian church of which mr lendron was the pastor reverendlendron has served a church somewhere in the united states prior to my visit to scotland and was quite familiar with conditions relating to us colored people in our native land however this fact did not prevent either him or his good wife from treating me in every respect like a gentleman mrs lendron in the course of our conversations often referred to john knox bachwe she played and sang one or more of his musical compositions and gave reminiscences of his conversation when on an occasion he too was a guest at the manse finally i asked her of what nationality is mr bachwee she informed me that he was a CAFEIR, Negro, secretary to the mission at Lovedale, Cape Colony, South Africa, imagined my surprise

from the laudations and frequent mention made of him, I concluded that he was some white man of intellection and social standing, so much for having spent my whole life in a different social sphere of action. The meeting at Kirk Cliston was a great success. The audience was large and the display of interest was reassuring. The pastor and his wife maintained two servants and kept a beautiful cozy home. Reverend and Mrs. Lundrum, to my surprise, expressed a wish that I were black. He remarked that many of the Scotch and English young men and women were preparing for the mission fields of Africa, and that they were led into the service by the love of Christ, having no further interest in the Negro. As to the numbers of candidates, I had much information, for when I visited different departments of the great University of Edinburgh,

I conversed with a goodly number of the students of both sexes, and to my agreeable surprise. I found that a large percentage of them were preparing for the African mission field. My duties being performed now in Edinburgh and vicinity. I reluctantly took my leave of the many dear friends within her walls, who had done so much for my pleasure and instruction, especially my very dear friend, Mrs. Salibi, and her two bright sons. Little did I surmise then that later on, 15 years later on, she would be domicile at Chase's side villa, Wynchmore Hill, near London. Well, this writer and his dear wife now deceased would be temporarily in London, and that the social relations between us would be renewed and continued down to the present

date, 27 years from our first acquaintance. In the Chapter 12, Chapter 13 of Fact, Stranger Than Fiction by John Patterson Green, this Librevox recording is in the public domain. Dundee, Aberdeen, Huntley, Glasgow. It was with a feeling akin to awe that I entered the ancient city of Dundee, Scotland, for I had often heard a dear old hymn called Old Dundee sung in my childhood,

and besides a few years previous to my visit, I'd read in far away America of the total collapse of a long railway bridge which spanned the Firth of Tay when a train which was crossing it disappeared from sight and not one of its human freight was left to tell the sad, sad story. James Thompson, Esquire, LLB, solicitor and notary public, a real Scotsman, a right good fellow in the fullest acceptation of the term, and as humanitarian and patriotic as any man who walks, God's green earth, met me at the station, and escorted me to his handsome residence, carrying my satchel in his hand a part of the time.

I was quite fortunate and deemed myself highly honored in meeting Mrs. Thompson, the talented and versatile wife of Mr. Thompson, and the mother of two beautiful children, James, and a sister. The day following my arrival, Mrs. Thompson suggested that we take a stroll through the business portion of the city, in the center of which I afterwards learned, by the way, her husband owned extensive holdings, so that she could point out to me the principal objects of interest, including the museum and art gallery. I suspect my enthusiasm was not in evidence to the extent that she anticipated, whereupon she exclaimed, Senator Green, I'm afraid you do not appreciate my

invitation. Of course, I assured her in most positive terms, that the contrary was true, and we sallied forth on what proved to be one of the most enjoyable urban rambles of my whole life. Here as an aside for my American readers, the social manners of Europe and especially Scotland were so at variance with what I had been accustomed to in my native land that frequently I hesitated for a moment until I could make sure that I was not obtruding myself in any respect for social intercourse is so absolutely predicated upon congeniality that to push or shove oneself into a circle where he is not wanted is to my mind

not only in bad taste but reprehensible. I found Dundee to be a large populace and wealthy city with substantial ornamental buildings for business purposes as well as for residential uses. The home of my guests, Mr. Mrs. Thompson, was no exception to the rule, and while being entertained therein, I felt that all my efforts during my efforts

during my lifetime to rise above the sad condition in which the failure and death of our dear deceased father had plunged us have been crowned with success, and that the kindly attentions of my wealthy and refined entertainers was the culmination of a full fruition in that behalf. In referring to my memorandum book, which I carried her with me at that time, 27 years ago, I find this memorandum,

James Thompson, Esquire, LLB, solicitor, etc., and his good wife of number one, Heinford Terrace, are of the elite of Dundee, and are elegantly domiciled in an imposing stone mansion, which contains all the modern improvements and many of the luxuries which wealth can afford.

Mrs. Thompson is an earnest, conscientious Christian lady, the mother of two children, a boy and a girl. The former name for his father is about three years of age, while the latter is nine months only. James is quite fleshy and handsome, but at present is cabined and cribbed, compelled to keep off his feet until his bones hardened a little more. Everything that brought minds, big hearts, great souls, and good breeding can suggest as being done for me by these kind people. I can never repay them.

I may mention here that my meeting in the evening was a marked success since it was presided over by the provost of the city and had the matchless services of Mrs. Margaret M. A. Steele of Shanghai, Victoria Place, Westbury, Dundee, in its behalf, who went so far as to distribute Dodgers, advertising the meeting in the streets of the city. Further comment would seem unnecessary. James Thompson, Jr. grew up to man's estate and was generously educated, having a diploma from one of the leading universities of Scotland. His specialty was journalism, in which sphere of action,

he was making commendable progress, as well as in that of public speaking, and he bid fair to honor not only his profession, but his family and country also. Then came that howling tempest, the so-called World War, sonorous metal-blowing martial sounds, at which the universal host of scent, a shout that tore, hell's concave, and beyond,

frightened the rain of chaos and old night. Paradise lost line 540, O dark, dark, dark amid the blaze of noon, irrevocably dark total eclipse, without all hope of day. Samson Agonistis line 80. This brave, talented son of Britain went to war for true democracy. He gave all he had after being commissioned for bravery, his life. He did his bit. At this late date, it can be said of my dear good friend Mr. Thompson and his family. Mrs. Thompson and the family are all attending university classes. The eldest boy, second son at Glasgow,

is studying for the ministry. The other two children are studying at the University College at Dundee, all busily engaged in making life worth living. Long life and abundant prosperity to them, all is my prayer. Perhaps I should mention the fact that a few rods from the location of the piers on which rest of the Long Bridge, which formerly banned the Firth of Te, is another more modern and stronger. Down to this writing, it has withstood all the storms and hurricanes, which have assailed it, nor have they been able to prevail against it. The au revoir's, having been said again, I am en route, this time for the Granite City, Aberdeen well up towards the north of Scotland.

It was a delightful ride that through that picturesque island country with its furs, covered slopes and beloved thistles, for which the land is so noted, and there were in evidence as we flew along the uncanny but comfortable Croftor's lodges with the ban in one end in the butt in the other. The inmates of which can live anywhere else in the world as well as in Scotland, for with the payment of $5 per annum for an acre of land which must be stoned, just as peaches or cheirs are stoned, before a crop of turnips or oats can be produced on it,

if they can procure the necessities of life, to say nothing of the comforts and luxuries they can live and thrive anywhere. The turnip crop ensures abundance of food for the, fine sheep to nibble at which foretales a good crop of wool for the world reputed scotch tweeds and other valuable cloths guaranteed to be all wool and a yard wide then too i am informed that occasionally the turnip is not to be despised as an article of food for the table when properly cooked and the marmalade factories which give remunerative employment to hosts a pretty last season aberdeen and elsewhere claim a goodly portion of them as for the oats who that knows scotland

can be at a loss as to the use made of them. I know of but one other staple food in the world that is served as food in as many different ways as oats are in this happy, contented land. I refer to the macaroni of the Italians, for I've eaten and seen this delicious dish, not only served as stews and fries and whatnot on the table, but also wrapped in gilded and decorated paper and exposed for sale as a delicacy on the shelves and counters of the confectioner. ere long the train which had lost no time drew into the depot and the pleasing call of aberdeen saluted our ears in waiting and expectant was dr george ferdinand

an oculist by profession and friend and adviser to the late mrs isabella five v mayo who during her lifetime under the nom de plume of edward garrett gave to the reading world a series of about thirty-five volumes of stories at the home of mrs mayo whose guest i was a hearty welcome was extended to me, and the great good cheer was my portion, while my hostess did in every consistent way what she could to make my Aberdonian visit a success, it is to Dr. Ferdinand's, my gratitude is principally due for many hours of his precious time consecrated to my happiness and benefit. Introductions to the late John Leith, Esquire, heavy manufacturer of scot and tweeds and other clothes and who, by the way, out of his abundance, financed my trip to Aberdeen, and promoted the successful meetings which I addressed, while in that beautifully quaint city, I say quaint, yes, for not only were the warehouses and dwellings built of granite, closely resembling our

quincy granite, but even the outhouses for the use of the cattle and poultry were constructed of the same, which gave to the city not only the appearance of solidity, but of thrift, both of which were in accordance with fact. Then there were Reverend Mr. Mackey, prominent in church in every helpful endeavor, and Reverend Mr. Duncan, an elderly yet very eloquent speaker, Reverend Mr. Mackie, in the course of his remarks at the drawing-room which was given in my honor at the home of Mr. John Leith, where there were many invited guests said that he had been informed that in the east, when a white woman marries a native or black man, she is socially tabooed and pricked with bodkins by her white sisters,

sent into Coventry, so to speak. This occasioned apparently considerable surprise, considering that the Orientals are so thoroughly mixed with the African blood, and so many representatives of the race are still to be found in the harems of the sultans and others, in both Turkey and Arabia, but not one word reflecting on the colored race was uttered. Mrs. Mayo proved herself to be quite a storyteller, which, by the way, I noticed to be one of the pleasing characteristics of the Scotch people, wherever I went. Here is one which I regard as being full of humor, as well as suggested of the rugged life of the remote highlander. A guest traveling in the highlands was suddenly taken seriously ill

and requested the services of a physician. Whereupon, she was informed that the nearest doctor resided at a distance of 70 miles. Why, how inconvenient and dangerous, that is, she answered, what do you do in an emergency when one's life is imperiled? Well, the maid replied, We just have to de a natural deeth. Another of Mrs. Mayo's stories which I subsequently found in Dean Ramsey's book of Scotch stories is in substance as follows. A Scottish lad experienced so much embarrassment in popping the question that he took his sweetheart to the family lot in the ancient cemetery and while standing with her by the graves of his ancestors he significantly said, Jenny, how would ye like to have the Rick to lie there? Also the following story seems quaint and full of quiet, humor. A young man went with his intended to the minister for the purpose of getting married,

but once there he refused to permit the knot to be tied because he said he had taken a scunner to his intended. Subsequently, they went again to the parson for the same purpose, but no nuptials were celebrated for the reason that she had taken a scunner to the man. A third time they appeared before the man of God, but the marriage failed because he himself had taken a scunner to both of them. Before leaving Aberdeen, Mr. John Leith invited me to speak on Sunday at the PSA, pleasant Sunday afternoon, of which he was the superintendent, and to a great extent, the soul. This was one of the most pleasing functions of my entire visit to Aberdeen, for not only large numbers of children and sweet-faced youths were in attendance, filling the big auditorium to repletion, but also there was sweet music rendered, both vocal and

instrumental which carried one's mind heavenward. I heard for the first time the musical rendition of Tennyson's beautiful verses beginning, twilight and evening star by a quartet of which Mr. Leith's talented and useful daughter was one. Her deep, rich and resonant contralto was the chief feature of the rendition, and I can never forget it. I'm loath to conclude this brief notice of Mr. Leith and his family without recording a beautiful legend of the Christ, which he related with telling effect. this legend is said to have been found amongst some ancient documents in the year nineteen o three it happened that the lord went forth and walked with his disciples over the mountains they came to a mountain and the road which led to it was steep there they found a man with a sumpt a mule that is a mule which carries necessary for a journey

but the animal had fallen for the burden was too heavy and he beat it so that it bled and jesus came to him and said man why dost thou be thy animal seeest thou not that it is too weak for its burden, and knowest thou not that it suffers pain. What is that to you? I can beat it as much as I please, seeing that I own it, and I bought it for a good sum of money. Do you not notice how it bleeds? And hear you not how it laments and cries? Replied Jesus, nay, Lord, was the answer. We hear not how it laments and cries, and the Lord was sad, and exclaimed, woe to you that ye hear not how it complains to the Creator in heaven and cries for mercy, but three times woe to him of him, it complains, and cries in distress. And he came forth and touched the animal, and it rose, and its wounds were healed.

And Jesus said to the man, now go on and beat it no more that you also may find mercy. However, my appointment for Huntley Far North in Scotland demanded my departure, and ere long with my dear new-made friend, Miss Dr. George Ferdmanz, by my side, we were en route to that ancient home of the gordon's noted in history story and song for deeds commendable and the reverse to attempt to recall any of the deeds of the earls and lords of gordon would be tiresome to the reader and reference must be made by the reader to hume macaulay frude lingard green or dickens histories of england for full information enough to say that old gordon castle imposing and strong and still standing in the suburbs of huntley which probably had its origin from the presence of the castle and its titled inmates dating from the year 1603. In Huntley, we were the guests of Reverend and Mrs. Templeton, who were both of the social elite, educated and respected.

My lecture was delivered in the Kirk, over which Mr. Templeton presided with dignity and satisfaction. The attendance was large in the spirit of liberty manifested, was in keeping with the well-known Scotch character. Amongst those present of a special note were Mr. William Simpson and his good wife, Mr. Simpson was the proprietor of the bookstore of the town, which seemed to be well-stocked with modern and rare books. A typical Scotsman, really, it is worth the price of the trip to the Highlands, if only to meet with representatives of this brave, picturesque people. I could never forget my first night spent in Edinburgh when I saw and heard in the marketplace, almost under the shadow of the Scott monument, a numerous band, or should I say clan, of bagpipers. This certainly was an experience which ought to have made the canonized bones of Sir Walter Scott, Hurst in death, burst their seramets for joy,

for the like of it I never expect to hear again. On the day following my lecture in Huntley, Dr. Ferdinand, chaperoned by Miss Annie Bennett, a pretty and lovable Scottish lassie, conducted me to the ruins of Gordon Castle, which, as regards the exterior, cannot be called ruins, as to the interior, the walls were cold and bare, no light, no fire.

Gold on the hearth, the last, faint spark had expired. Dean Ramsey tells a humorous, unsuggestive story which carries us back to the last Duke of Gordon and proves that conditions in the old castle were never comfortable in accordance with our modern civilized idea. David Tulloch, tenant in Drumbenon,

under the second and third dukes of Gordon, had been out in the 45th or the 15th or both and was a great favorite of his respective landlords. One day, David, having attended the young lady, Susan Gordon, afterwards Duchess of Manchester to the chapel atuntly, David, perceiving that her lady's ship had neither hassock or carpet to protect her garments from the earthen floor, respectfully spread his plaid for the young lady to kneel upon, and the service proceeded. But when the prayer for the king and royal family was commenced, David unceremoniously, drew or rather twitched the plaid from under the knees of the astonished lady, exclaiming the dio, a one shall pray for them, my plaid. Down by the foundation of the castle, dashes and splashes a clear, rippling brook, spanned by a stone arch over which we passed to the other side. Suddenly I missed the doctor's lively companion, but only for a moment, for quicker than I can write this story, she appeared

again, bearing in her hands a bunch of pretty wildflowers, which were growing almost on the edge of the crystal stream. With all the grace of another hebe of classic fame, she presented them to this writer as a token of the good wishes of herself and the friends for the cause which i in some sense represented for many years i kept them and it may be that to this day they are tucked in one of my packages souvenirs of that eventful trip but time and tide wait for no man we had to leave i felt sure that the doctor was counting the minutes i the hours on the day following our return to aberdeen i bade a fond and loving adieu to the good friends who had added so much of pleasure to my life, and turn my face in the direction of that great hive of industry, Glasgow, where the wonderful steel Leviathans are built, which plough the seas in all sections and climbs of the habitable globe. On route, a repetition of mountain and vale and lake and rippling stream and nibbling flocks and herds were in evidence, and old Benachi, a veritable storm king,

reared his snow-capped head to kiss the clouds, and much more of this. Finally, after hours of diversion, the tallest spires, then the highest buildings, and after that the dwelling houses of the great city could be discerned, and behold, we were in the midst of the great city on the river Clyde. At the station and waiting to receive me was Mr. William G. Schmiel of Monteth Rowe, a gentleman of culture in large means, who had, as his business, the wholesale importation of teas. Mr. Smil and his interesting family were elegantly domiciled, and in other respects gave evidence of being one of the foremost social factors of Glasgow. Mrs. Smil was somewhat deaf and expressed some fear that I would be

able to speak loud enough for her to hear me at the meeting which was scheduled for the following evening. I'm pleased to record here that after the meeting she exclaimed with every appearance of pleasure, Mr. Green, I heard every word you said. My pleasure was reciprocal, for they both exerted themselves to make my stay in the city pleasant and instructive. Mr. Smeal was thoroughly imbued with the anti-slavery spirit, and from his conversations he was a man who had drunk deep at the same fountain where our immortal Jefferson had quenched his thirst for the principles of liberty and manhood rights. Later on, after my return to the United States,

he mailed to me a little book, ancient in appearance which contained the report of the House of Commons on the African slave trade. It is the only one I've ever seen, and since it was published in the latter part of the 18th century, I suspect it is rarely met with. During the following day, Mr. Smil dedicated most of his valuable time to showing me the vast plants for the building of ocean ships and their furnishings which I viewed with a degree of astonishment akin to awe, and afterwards he escorted me to the ancient cathedral and conducting me to the basement or crypt.

He pointed out the identical pillar behind which tradition informs us Rob Roy, Sir Walter Scott's interesting border highwayman, concealed himself when he found, that discretion was the better part of valor. In passing through the humble parts of Glasgow inordinate use of spiritous liquors was easily apparent. Even the women who in some sections thronged the back streets showed unmistakable signs of intoxication.

These women, in many instances, carried babies on their back, secured by the close-drawn folds of their shawls. It was a sorry spectacle which made a lasting impression on my mind, which the lapse of 27 years has not obliterated. some of the little ones who totaled by the sight of their neglectful mothers presented a spectacle which was by no means reassuring for in numerous instances they were malformed by the ricketts or some other sign of physical degeneracy after a pleasant visit of some forty-eight hours i turned my face once more in the direction of liverpool where i duly arrived and without the loss of much time returned to the great metropolis london the capital of the great british empire the greatest empire of which we have heard or read upon the whole of which the sun never sets great in territory great in population wonderful in resources and wealth which rules on sea as well as on land and whose fault it is ever ordained to be will overwhelm many more than those now under the egos of her government end of chapter thirteen chapter fourteen of fact stranger than fiction by john patterson green this librivox recording is in the public domain

william mckinley elsewhere in this narrative i have spoken of our great and good martyr president william mckinley and my manner of speaking of him is such as to suggest that i considered him a personal friend now i would not have any one infer from any or all of my statements that the relations between either governor mccanley or president mckinley and me were other than what might reasonably be expected between two men closely allied in the political arena as for instance when mccanley was governor of ohio i was a senator consenting to and confirming all of his appointments and when he was president i was at the head of a bureau under his administration by the president by the head of a bureau under his administration by by his appointment so that great big man as he was he never dodged me or turned his back to me but on the contrary seemed to admire my efforts to rise and lent me as many another his countenance and support to know mckinley was to admire and love him he was so courteous and kind gentle unassuming sincere earnest and able with all that he won his way into the hearts of even those whom he politically opposed and it was said during his lifetime he could send a man whom he had refused away from his presence without malice towards him and cheerful here is a characteristic incident in his political career which tends to sustain my foregoing view of him walking around the north side of the Capitol building one morning during my term in the Senate. I met Governor McKinley face to face. I raised my hat and exclaimed, good morning, how is my governor this morning?

With all the urbanity of George Washington who saluted a poor Negro who bowed to him because, as he said, he would not allow a Negro slave to exceed him in politeness, the governor answered quite well, how is my senator this morning? On another occasion when he was reviewing a great torchlight procession from the upper balcony of the old Todd House of Youngstown, which was a demonstration solely in his honor. He invited me to stand by his side, while the procession was passing, and afterwards sat on the stage in the old rink in the same city, and listen to me, speak in behalf of a protective tariff. What greater condescension could there be than that? William McKinley, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and author of the great McKinley

protective tariff law, listening to an alleged argument on the same subject, proceeding from the lips of a colored man in the United States. On another occasion, while I was employed in Washington, the president was the invited guest of the late President J. E. Rankin, of Howard University of the same city, and the faculty of the same on the occasion of the graduating exercises of the class of the law department. It happened that this writer was also invited to address. It happened that this writer was also invited to address the graduating class on the same memorable occasion, and being upon the platform was seated on one side of Dr. Rankin, while the president was seated on the other side of him. The president was very gracious and kindly in his entire demeanor on this occasion, and after I finished my address

to the graduating class, he reached his right arm around the back of President Rankin, grasped my hand, and congratulated me in no uncertain manner. I'm sure that the president was a true disciple of that political school of philosophy, the underlying principle of which is always stand by your friends. During the contest for the presidency, the colored speakers were invited and sent out into the country at large by a committee of colored men at Chicago. I was well known to the chairman of that committee, between whom and me existed, as I supposed, friendly relations. Hence I was greatly surprised as the contest waxed warm to find that he had completely ignored me while he had used his station to pick and choose many persons scarcely known and had sent them out to spell bind the voters these facts coming to the attention of mr mckinley he immediately wired to mr william

at headquarters commanding him to send up mr green see that he is well cared for i had no trouble after that the eyes of the colored committee were opened and under the wing of colonel carron's at st louis i not only stumped missouri from st charles and Mowberley on the east to Kansas City on the west, but I also addressed one of the noonday business men's meetings of St. Louis and Chicago. A few stories relative to my experiences in stumping may be of interest to some of the younger portion of my readers. The first relates to my experiences in a town of Missouri during the first McKinley campaign. The National Committee assigned me to speak in a large town or small city located in central Missouri. When I read it, the place I was informed that no notice of the meeting had been given to the local Republican Committee, but that the only large hall available had been engaged for a night meeting

to be addressed by a very distinguished gentleman who was also stumping for the GOP. In this contingency I inquired of the local committee whether I might have the use of the hall during the afternoon of that day, provided I could secure the attendance of an audience and receiving an affirmative answer, I immediately began to ensure an audience. My first move was to have 500 Dodgers rushed, proclaiming the presence in the city of a colored senator from Ohio who would speak at 3 p.m. I paid two boys to leave one of these Dodgers in the hands of every person except one, which I may say was done in good faith. The next move was to have a man display a placard to the same effect through all the downtown streets, ringing a bell in the

meantime. Needless to say at my afternoon meeting, I had an attentive audience largely white, which tested the capacity of the hall, and by general request at the night meeting, I divided the time with the distinguished gentleman, much to his satisfaction. Another experience which I deem worthy of notice was incidental to my West Virginia stumping tour during the same campaign. I was en route to the pretty town of Moorfield, West Virginia, the county seat of Hardy County, nestled a amongst the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, 20 miles distant from Romney,

which was a town of some importance. Green Springs, 8 or 10 miles distant from Romney was the nearest station on the B and a railway between which and Romney ran occasionally a railway car for the accommodation of all. Sadly or late, I was compelled to wait five and a half hours at the station for the train for Romney, as I, at that time, wore a silk hat and Prince Albert coat.

I was at that place easily the sign of sure of the few eyes which beheld me. A hearty mountaine there approached me when the following colloquy ensued. Native, ain't you the man who's going to Mofield, meaning Moefield, to talk to our niggers? The writer, I'm on my way to Morfield to deliver a political address to all who wish to listen to it. Native, well, ain't you a fear to go thar and talk to our niggers? we ain't in the habit of having our niggas interfered with by strangers the writer no i'm not afraid and i am going to speak there if i am ill-treated the whole country will know about it for i am a senator of the state of ohio native all right stranger go ahead you know your business perhaps better than i do so saying we separated he to go his way i for romney and morefield twenty miles distant beyond a deep mountain gap when we with our horse and buggy which with the driver i had rehired in romney drove into morefield my silk tile was as yellow as the dust of the mountain road and as for the remainder of my apparel it was difficult to tell what it was made of

mr john in judy postmaster and so white republican in the corporate limits received me and after a short conversation he turned me over to mr george w stralther laid to see the colored teacher of the colored school of the town who escorted me to his cozy home, where he and his beautiful and intelligent wife gave me a royal welcome until I left the town on the following morning. I was informed by my host and hostess that the native white politicians of the town had threatened to give me trouble if I attempted to speak in Moorfield, but said Mrs. Strelther, don't fear Mr. Green, I will go to the courthouse where the meeting was held with you, and if they harm you, they will have to harm you.

they will have to harm me too. We sallied forth at the appointed time. The courtroom was filled, packed, galleries, and all, the whites in the colored occupying opposite sides of the large room. My address was largely on economic subjects and counseled friendly relations between the two races, which all seemed to approve. But once in a while, notwithstanding as if to punctuate the applause which was frequent and hearty, buckshot were showered on the heads of my colored auditors, who sat on the

first floor. It was sad and disgraceful to see my dear hairs rubbing their heads. Yet despite my efforts for a wonder, I did not cry, but smiled almost audibly. In the month of May, 1893, when making a brief sojourn in the city of Venice, Italy, I visited the famous piazza, St. Marco, and in addition to the great cathedral of St. Mark, the Doge's Palace and the original Campaniel Tower, now replaced by another since its collapse. I became so greatly interested, in the wonderful bric-brac establishment of the Testellini brothers that I sought a meeting with and was introduced to one of the firm. He was quite entertaining and gave me much information pertaining to their wonderful wares. Abruptly, somewhat in the course of our conversation,

for he spoke English fluently, he said to me that countryman of yours, McKinley, what means he buy Americans for Americans? Then I explained to him the difference between economic conditions in Europe and America and endeavor to get him to subscribe to our Republican policy of giving to our wage earners the full dinner pail, for which McKinley pleaded, and a chance in the sunlight. He regretted that his house had no display at the Colombian exposition for the reason he said that Italy had made no adequate appropriation to enable her great artisans to have a display. Again, during the month of August 1895, when for the third time I was sojourning in London, I read an article in the Daily News, intimating that McKinley, by reason of his protective

terrorist views, was becoming unpopular with the Republican Party. I immediately challenged the statement in a letter to the news, a brief summary of which was cabled to the United States and published by the newspapers generally, including the Cleveland leader and the Cleveland Plain Dealer of August 16, 1895. Under the caption, he tells all England, was the following in the plain dealer. London August 16, State Senator Green of Cleveland writes to the Daily News, respecting the article it published yesterday, an abstract of which was cabled to the Associated Press, in which it said that the feeling against increasing the tariff will probably induce the Republicans to drop McKinley. Senator Green says in reply that the Republican Party has not modified in the slightest degree the cardinal principles of the last convention when it endorsed the McKinley bill. He is able to assert, he says, that four-fists of the party still stand upon that platform.

The prosperity of the country he claims is not due to the mutilation of the McKinley law, but to the fact that the House of Representatives which performed the mutilation has been retired amid the anathemas of millions of injured businessmen. Certainly the foregoing evidences of my friendship for the candidacy of McKinley, coming to the notice of both himself and his great co-adjutor, the late Senator M. A. Hanna did not lower me in their estimation, but had a contrary effect, which, together with my home efforts along the same line, perhaps accounts for much of the courtesy and kindness which the great men displayed for me. When President McKinley directed Postmaster General

Gary to place me at the head of the Bureau of United States postage stamp agent, that August functionary hesitated for the reason expressed by him to the president that nearly every employee in the office was a white lady. The president answered, I know Mr. Green, he is a friend of mine. I will be responsible for his behavior. General John A. Merritt, their assistant postmaster general,

and subsequently postmaster of Washington, D.C., is my authority for this statement. Subsequently, when I had the honor to call on the president smilingly, he said to me, none of them left, did they? I answered in the negative, and he smiled again. Before being appointed to the position referred to, I was promised by Mr. Hanna, the place known as recorder of deeds of the District of Columbia, but Senator Pritchard of North Carolina demanded that office for one of his political supporters of color in that state.

Mr. John C. Dancy had been given the port of Wilmington, Honorable George H. White, had been elected to Congress, and Mr. Cheatham, the third, had to be cared for for the good of the Republican Party of North Carolina. Jadim got the place and the president requested Senator Hannah to say to me, as well as I like him, I think more of the Republican Party. It is interesting to know that since then 23 years, no one in North Carolina has been elected to the Electoral College on the Republican ticket. There was a convention of colored men held in a Baptist church in 12th Street, Washington, D.C., during President McKinley's first term, of which I was a member present.

During the proceedings of the Convention, a Resolution of Censure was suggested by someone because the President in his last annual message had remained silent as to the lynchings of colored persons without any trial in the southern states. I suggested that such action would be not only improper, but unjust to the President inasmuch as he adopted that course after conferring with some of the leading colored men of the nation. Immediately there was a great hubb. pandemonium had broken loose and mr timothy thomas fortune the founder and at the same time editor of the new york age exclaimed show us the judas's show us the judas i refused to give the names of the judas and a committee was appointed to escort me to an ante-room to persuade me to divulge the names required as a matter of fact i did not know the names of the men who had been in conference with the president but in making my statement to the convention i relied on the word of hon elmer dover secretary of the republican national committee from whom i had gotten the information subsequently i learned the name of the most influential of the coterie from the hon george a myers of cleveland ohio a very able and influential colored american high in the esteem of both the president and senator hannah who seemed to be well informed in the premises at an early hour on the following day before the white house was open to the general public i was received an audience by the president of the united states in his private chamber i stated all the facts to him as in the foregoing and was a very day before-going and was received an audience by the president of the united states in his private chamber i stated all the facts to him as in the foregoing and was asked by him my opinion as to the better course to pursue in the premises. I suggested that

to ignore the whole matter seemed proper to me, and that course was taken. I know that President McKinley's heart was bleeding by reason of the barbarities then, and now perpetrated on the poor friendless freedmen of the South, but as he said to me, so many remonstrances had been made in vain that they had become to be an old song, and he intended with the assistance of others to formulate a new plan for the elimination of that evil in the future, and I'm sure that if both he and his great advisor, Senator M. A. Hanna, had not both died. Some valid repressive legislation would have been attempted if not consummated. I'm about to relate now an incident in my official life at Washington relating to President McKinley, which I consider not only interesting but unique.

It is referenced to the assassination of the postmaster of Lake City, South Carolina. and one or more of his family during the president's first term. The whole north, the east and west was shocked at the horrible deed, and speedy and condine punishment of the murderers was generally demanded. Being admitted into the executive offices of the White House, I said, Mr. President, what are you going to do with reference to the murder of the postmaster at Lake City, South Carolina? Don't you think that the office should be closed?

He answered, I've already issued that order. I then asked him, what, if anything, will be done towards punishment? the assassins. Like a flash, he answered, Mr. Green, I'm going to do just what would be done if some fellow should come in here and kill me. He would be arrested, tried, and if convicted, executed. That old section, he added, is now bristling with secret servicemen, and when they have made arrests of the guilty ones,

they will be indicted and tried in a court of competent jurisdiction, and if they are convicted and sentenced, they will be duly executed. I can bear witness to the fact that the president kept his word, nay more he sent an able lawyer to Charleston, South Carolina, at the expense of the government to assist the district attorney there in the prosecution. But as in all other lynching cases, the jury failed to agree, and the accused went unwipped of justice. The president said to me, I was surprised to see that five of the jurors insisted on a verdict of guilty. During my nine years of service as United States postage stamp agent and acting superintendent of finance of the post office department, I heard occasionally costly criticisms of President McKinley's policy with reference to the colored people by colored men. But on such occasions, I always challenged those hostile statements and endeavored to prove to the face of the critic the falsity of his assertions, and I seldom failed in my efforts in that behalf. The following excerpt from the Washington Post, which appeared at the time of McKinley's tour of the Gulf States, goes far, in my opinion, do strengthen the goodwill of all colored Americans towards one of their best friends who ever filled the presidential chair.

Mr. McKinley, when introduced, said, my fellow citizens, I thank you for your hearty welcome. I visited a number of institutions of learning provided for your race, notably that great institution at Tuskegee in, Alabama, another in Savannah, Georgia, and recently won in the city of New Orleans, and it has given me great satisfaction to observe the advancement of your race since the immortal proclamation of liberty was made. The opportunity for learning is a great privilege. The possession of learning is an inestimable prize, and I have been glad to note that you are endeavoring wherever you live, to enlighten your minds and prepare yourselves for that responsibility of citizenship under this free government of yours. Will we want more than anything else,

whether we be white or whether we be black, what we want is to know how to do something well. If you will just learn to do one thing that is useful, better than anybody else can do that one thing, you will never be out of a job, and all employment is honorable employment. The race is moving on, and as a promising future, it has been faithful to the government of the United States.

It has been true and loyal and patriotic in law abiding. My fellow citizens always observe the law. In our recent war with Spain, race displayed distinguished qualities of gallantry on more than one field. You were in the fight at El Caney and San Juan Hill, the brave black boys, hoping to emancipate the oppressed people of Cuba, and your race is in the Philippines carrying the flag, and they have carried it stainless in its honor and in its glory. It is a very great pleasure to me to meet you all, and the last word I would leave with you

is to be true to right, to whom, to family, to yourselves, to your country, and true to God. after the President's second election in the course of a few weeks I sought a brief interview with him. The congestion in the executive offices in the White House was such that I almost despaired of even greeting him. But seeing me patiently, awaiting my opportunity, he drew near to me and said in a quick way, do you want to see me? I answered in the affirmative extending my congratulations to him on his re-election, and added, Mr. President, what are my chances under your second administration? In the twinkling of an eye, he replied, Well, you shan't be shocked.

These were the last words I ever heard him utter, before I could see him again. The assassin had done his work, which truly shocked me. My sojourn of nine and a half years in Washington was very pleasant, except that my office being for the most part a sinecure. I was compelled during the last two years of my official life there to go to Congress and lobby the appropriation for my bureau through, when finally it was merged into the third,

assistant postmasters bureau, I quit for lack of funds to carry on longer. The following letter speaks for itself, post office department office of the chief clerk Washington, Mr. John P. Green, postage stamp agent Washington, D.C., June 27, 1906. Sir, inasmuch as the act of Congress making appropriation for the maintenance of the postal service transfers the clerical force of the postage stamp agency to the office of the third assistant Postmaster General and makes no provision for the salary of the postage stamp agent. It becomes necessary to terminate your connection with the department on June the 30th, 1906, by direction of the Postmaster General, respectfully, M.O. Chance, Chief Clerk, G.G.T.

The following copy of a letter handed to me by Colonel, now General Clarence R. Edwards at a time when he was detailed to act as head of the Bureau of Vinsular Affairs at Washington is one which I prized most highly, especially since he won for himself in France during the unspeakable World War, such a warm place of love and affection in the hearts of the soldiers and all true Americans. War Department Bureau of Sinsular Affairs, Washington, February 2, 1906. My dear Mr. Postmaster General, I wonder if you would pardon me if I ventured a little bit out of my sphere as government clerk and took the liberty of commending to your personal

consideration, Mr. John P. Green, United States, Postage, agent and acting superintendent of postal finance. You are probably much more familiar with Mr. Green's qualifications and any equitable claim he has upon your party than am I. Therefore, I will make no comment of them, but state that he has recall my acquaintance with him, which dates back to my childhood when he was a strong supporter of Mr. Amos Townsend, my father's business partner, and Mr. Townsend represented my home district of Cleveland. I also know him to have been a loyal supporter of Senator John Sherman and Mr. Hanna's right-handed man in Cleveland. I haven't seen him since I was a boy, but I know he has three hard-working boys in Cleveland.

All the family have been earnest in the Republican cause, and he the only one of the family who is now holding office. He states that you are justly going to do away with the postal stamp agency, which he admits is more or less unnecessary, but he is quite anxious to be continued in his present acting capacity and believes that his work in the needs of the service would justify a compensating salary in that position on account of my former knowledge of him and from the fact that I know nothing but good of him I would consider it a personal favor if he could gain your consideration. I'm quite sure that I'm only seconding Representative Burton's estimate and desire for this man's welfare. In a sincerely yours signed C.R. Edwards, Honorable George B. C. C.T. Liu, Postmaster General.

Perhaps I should add before closing this chapter that after the advent of Theodore Roosevelt as president subsequent to McKinley's assassination being somewhat in doubt as to the tenure of my office, I called on him at the White House and while patiently waiting for an opportunity to be introduced to him by the Honorable George B. Cortellian private secretary to both McKinley and Roosevelt. I saw my chance and introduced myself for the president was very busy and my time was almost exhausted. As unoccupied, he came near me. I rose and said, Mr. President, I am John P. Green, your postage stamp agent, and my duties are to supervise the manufacture and distribution of all the postage stamps. When McKinley was governor of Ohio, I was senator from the Cleveland District. Like a flash, she exclaimed, bully for you, bully for you, shook my hand and passed to the next. This was the only time I ever met President Roosevelt. Four incidents of very pleasing nature and of more than ordinary interest to me transpired while I was a resident of Washington. The first was that of heading a delegation of most prominent colored men and introduced them to the late Archbishop Ireland, a pronounced friend of the colored American,

when on one occasion he was visiting in Washington. The learned pious and beloved prelate received us with that courtesy which is characteristic of all truly great men, and we left him with assurances of his continued friendship and influence in behalf of our oppressed people, which I'm proud to say did not abate one jot or one tittle, until his master, him to his reward. The next incident was that of presiding at a select dinner tendered to the late Dr. Booker T. Washington by Honorable R. R. R. Homer, ex-member of the Virginia legislature and a member of the District of Columbia Bar. On this occasion, I was required to deliver a brief address relative to the life and work of the distinguished guest, which he visibly appreciated. I had met Mr. Washington

several times before, and subsequent to this event, our group attending a select social or dance at Willow Beach Park in the suburb of Cleveland was honored and pleased to count him as one of our number. Mr. Washington appeared at his best on this occasion. He chatted familiarly with numbers of the guests laughed heartily at the sallies of Witt and Merth and danced like a boy. Look at Mr. Washington dancing, exclaimed one of his attendance, as if thoroughly astounded. It was the last time we were in his presence. The third incident I will call attention to was when the late Samuel Coleridge Taylor was for 20 days our guest on the occasion of his first visit to the United States for the purpose of conducting a noted rendition of his great cantata Hawortha by the Samuel Taylor Society of Washington, D.C. We became so well acquainted with Mr. Coleridge Taylor on that occasion that in after years went en route to Chicago on professional business,

he deigned to stop off at Cleveland for a day or two and be again our honored guest. and years after that when my late wife and I were visiting London, the home of this great composer and his talented family was a sort of mecca towards which we turned our faces when in need of recreation and first-class musical entertainment. This young student of music, who was the favorite pupil of one of London's most efficient teachers, was thoroughly imbued with the divine afflottis,

so to speak, music, was in his head, heart, and very soul, even his fingers seemed to tingle with it. At his suburban home, Hillcrest, Norbury, South, west england and afterwards at aldwich st leonard's road quarried in england both suburbs of london he had an orchestra organized for the rendition of approved classical music every member of which would be regarded by the general public as a star to the public concerts of this orchestra we received from him frequent invitations and we were generally accompanied to and from the town by mr clarence cameron white a colored relative of ours who was then being instructed in his studies on the violin by some of the foremost artists of London. At times when we were visiting at the home of Mr. Taylor, both he and his amiable and talented wife, would preside at the piano and interpret for our entertainment and pleasure some of his own compositions, which had set wild with enthusiasm, vast audiences of the populace, who overflowed the great Albert Hall, the pride of the world's capital. When that dread disease pneumonia

brought loath the head of Samuel Coleridge Taylor in the morning of his life before he had reached his 30th year, it deprived society of the most brilliant and promising star in the musical firmament of his day. Peace be to his ashes, his memory is consecrated by his works and will live. The fourth and last event which I shall mention has reference to this writer and would perhaps be omitted, were it not, meet in just to mention the name of the talented and friendly gentleman, to whom I am still indebted for the significant courtesy tender to me in this behalf. I refer to Dr. George H. Richardson of Washington, D.C., Dr. Lawyer, Scholar, philosopher, and all-around Goodfellow, who originated and carried to successful consummation a banquet tendered by residents of the Northeast and West in honor of this narrate earth.

It was a notable event by reason of the large number of prominent colored men of this section north of the Mason and Dixon line, who were in attendance and the additional fact that the United Sentiment was laudatory of the great and good mckinley if this writer shone at all it was as the moon shines in a light barred from the sun to be quite definite mckinley was the sun there were numerous brainy able meritorious colored men in washington at that time a mere mention of whose names is all that space will afford at present these were ex-senator blanche k bruce register of the treasury judson w lyons subsequently register of the treasury john c dancy recorder of deeds milton M. Holland, Chief of Division, decorated by Congress for Signal Bravery in the crater at Petersburg, Virginia, George H. White, M.C. from North Carolina. Captain W. Bruce Evans, principal of the Armstrong Industrial School. Daniel Murray, librarian of a branch of the Congressional Library, noted by all congressmen, for his wide and deep learning in his official sphere of action. The two sons, Lewis and Charles, of the late Frederick Douglass, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Arthur, James A. Cobb, lawyer,

W. Calvin Chase, lawyer, and editor of the B. Professor Kelly Miller, scholar and author. Reverend Owen Meredith Waller, rector of St. Luke's P.E. Church. W.A. Jorner, now superintendent of the Agriculture and Mechanical Department of Wilberforce University. Judge R. H. Terrell of the Municipal Court. Dr. Daniel H. H. H. Surgent and Chief of the Freedman's Hospital.

Dr. Purvis. Dr. Furman Shad. J. Finley Wilson, the Abelham, Successful, Editor. of the Eagle, founded by him and a host of others of great merit and high standing whose names are not at my tongue's end at this writing. I held my official station during nine consecutive years, about five years longer than I should have held it, for on my return to Cleveland after an absence extending over an entire decade, lacking a few months I was unknown professionally to litigants generally, and although I joined my two sons William R. Green, Esquire, and Theodore B. Green, Esquire, without delay, in the practice of the law. Yet it was many

months before my old clients and friends could be persuaded that I was not in jest when I made known to them the fact that I was back again and in the legal harness, and although at 61 I had not yet begun to realize that I was an old man, nor did I bend my knee or slack in my pace, in the presence of old father time, who with his wedded side now grimly awaits his opportunity to gather me in. It might be of interest to some of my readers who are religiously inclined to know that in the beginning of the year 1900, my late wife, my daughter, and myself were confirmed by Bishop Henry Y. Satterly in St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Washington, D.C. I've been through baptism, a member of the Episcopal Church from the age of one month, and during my whole boyhood had been a constant

attendant on divine services in Christ Episcopal Church of Newburgh, North Carolina, and Trinity Church of Cleveland, Ohio. In fact, in the latter 50s, I assisted the aged, colored sexton the latter church, Mr. Rigdon Green, in the performance of his functions there. But later on the lure of youthful association and the demands of practical politics estranged me from it, and I found myself with my family oscillating or gyrating around and amongst all the varied Orthodox churches, until I reached the 55th year of my life, then, as I have stated, we three cast in our lot definitely, and for all time with our ancestral apostolic church.

During the remainder of my term in Washington, I served as one of the vestrymen, and when we were ready to return to our Cleveland home, with many regrets on our part, as well as on the part of the very efficient rector, Reverend T.J. Brown, who is still in charge, and our brethren of the church generally, I handed in my resignation. On our return to Cleveland, we immediately took our place in St. Andrew's Church, where for many years now I've been serving as one of the wardens of the church and ex officio vestrymen. many occasions I've acted as lay reader, especially during our interregnum, when the church has been without a rector, the present rector Reverend B.W. Southern, who by his extraordinary

efficiency and spiritual graces, has very greatly endeared himself to us as a young man, and gives promise of being with us for many years to come. End of Chapter 14. Chapter 15 of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green. this liberovox recording is in the public domain home again and european trip it was with great pleasure that i once again found myself a bona fide resident of my own dear city of cleveland true it is that during our residence in washington i lost no opportunity of visiting our home and of remaining as long as i consistently could but that fell far short of a regular permanent abode our old friends and associates flocked around us and gave us just the hearty welcome which we expected and needed and it did not take me longer than a few days on my return to cleveland to settle down at my desk and take up the study of that jealous mistress the law where i had laid it down ten years before in fact i had kept in touch with her even while we resided in washington by aiding to some extent my son theodore b green in his studies while he was a student

in the Howard Law School, which made my return to the practice comparatively easy. That my recitals may not become monotonous or wearisome I shall make reference in this chapter to only two cases out of hundreds which engaged my attention during the early years after my return. The first was that of Ohio v. Wade Lee, a man who was indicted for murder in the first degree. It was a difficult case in which I was ably assisted by Horace Neff, Esquare, a son of Judge William B. Neff, whose name appears in a previous chapter of this story. Wade Lee and the deceased had engaged in a wordy war at an early hour, the day before Christmas and separated, breathing out mutual threats.

Later in the day, Wade, after having made some Christmas purchases entered a saloon, laid his parcels down in the bar, and bought and began to drink a glass of beer. While he was so engaged in drinking the beer, the deceased entered the barroom, presumably for the purpose of buying a drink, but seeing Wade standing at the bar, he turned and left the room through the swinging doors which were within the outer door. He was immediately followed by Wade, who shot and killed him, almost on the threshold of the door, as he stepped out upon the sidewalk. Wade thereupon returned to the bar room, picked up his packages which he had left lying on the bar,

and left the place through the back door, his glass not yet being empty. By the sight of the body of the deceased, which was still lying on the side, sidewalk, which found a dangerous-looking knife opened by a close friend of Wade. The ready inference was, of course, that the knife was the property of the deceased man, and that he had assaulted Wade with it, between the doors outer and inner, before Wade shot him in self-defense. The foregoing was the backbone of the defense, at any rate, and it succeeded the defended Wade, being found guilty of assault and battery only.

So anxious was the state's attorney that the jury should not recommend mercy in finding the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree, and thus fix his punishment at life imprisonment. And so strenuously and earnestly did he argue in that behalf that he evidently forgot that the defendant left his packages and returned for them after he had committed the murder, that he had not finished drinking in his beer when he followed deceased out of the bar room, and that he left finally through a back door. I pointed out to the Honorable Judge after the trial was ended, and the jury had been excoriated and summarily dismissed, and the defendant fined in sentence to the House of Correction,

that the defense that Wade was assaulted by the deceased with the big knife, as he Wade was leaving the premises, and that he shot him to protect his life and limbs, would have fallen to the ground, and the defendant would have been convicted of murder in the first degree, instead of assault and battery. If the prosecuting attorney had not, inadvertently forgotten, bailed to call the attention of the jury to those facts

which would have left no doubt in the minds of the jurymen, that Wade left that room for the sole purpose of killing his victim. With a look of blank amazement and disappointment, they both turned away from me, and the farce of that prosecution was ended. The daily papers carried glowing accounts of our success in that case, and it added much to our professional popularity. The other case, which I shall refer to, was of more than local interest, inasmuch as many newspapers and remote sections of the country,

noticed it in the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, subsequently cured what seemed to be a legal defect by appropriate legislation. Dr. John L. Hoyer, an aged and venerable-looking white man, who had been tried, convicted, finding committed to the House of Correction of the City of Cleveland, sent from me while incarcerated to visit him in the prison, and give him such legal advice in the premises as was needful for his welfare, and especially for the fact that a piece of jewelry of his personal belongings taken from him for safekeeping on his entering the prison was lost or stolen, and he could obtain

no satisfactory explanation as to its whereabouts. Having been personally acquainted with the patriarchal bewiskered old gentleman for many years, I hasten to his side for the purpose above-mentioned. He was brought out into the audience room, accompanied by one of the prison guards who steadfastly refused to leave his side for a moment, in order that I might confer with his prisoner professionally. I appealed to the superintendent with the result that he told me, point blank, that the rule under which the guard was acting was one of long-standing, and he would continue to enforce it. This left me no alternative except to have recourse to the director of charities and corrections. The Hon. Harris R. Cooley, a big-hearted, kindly disposed Christian gentleman,

who I may here digress to say is a true and valuable friend of all-colored people. Mr. Cooley, after conferring with the superintendent and getting the same answer in effect that he had given to me, gave me the information which I had already received. So finding, according to the slang phraseology of the time, that I was up against it with no prospect of having a private conference with my client, I determined to carry my complaint to the mayor of Cleveland, the Honorable Newton, D. Baker now, and for a long time Secretary of War at Washington. him. After a reasonable delay, I was ushered into the presence of that august, but kindly functionary, and at once made known to him my case, as I have stated it in the foregoing. Mr. Baker, lawyer and statesman, as he was and is, seemed surprised to learn the status of this affair, and immediately called up one of the attorneys for the city, and placed it in his hands

for a brief and opinion in the premises. After that, we had a short conversation which seemed mutually agreeable to us, and it took my departure. After the lapse of several days I received by mail from the distinguishing gentleman, a document of which the following is a true copy. October 8, 1914, Honorable Newton D. Baker, Mayor of Cleveland, my dear Mr. Baker, I beg leave to reply as follows to your inquiry of yesterday with reference to the right of the superintendent of the workhouse to refuse the request of a person's sentence for a misdemeanor for an opportunity to have a private conversation with his

attorney. I've examined the matter carefully and find that the law applicable to this case lays down in substance this fundamental proposition. A jailer charged with the duty of protecting and preserving the jail and of keeping the prisoners safely until he is relieved by legal authority of their custody has a large discretion in determining at what time under what circumstances and what persons he will permit to enter the jail or to have access to the prisoners, a discretion which he must exercise according to his own conscience and judgment, uncontrolled by the conscience and judgment of others. Thus it has been held that a sheriff, for instance, may require whoever may seek

admission into the jail to submit their persons to a proper orderly examination or search. If they do not consent, admission to the jail or access to the prisoners may be refused if they persist in remaining. They may be treated as trespass was undejected. Likewise, in England it was held that where a material witness for a person accused was confined in prison, the jailer should allow the attorney for the accused to see the witness in his presence, but properly refused to allow the attorney to see the witness apart. The Constitution and Statutes of Ohio are silent upon this subject,

as to the workhouses and the statutes simply vest the management and the proper city official and clothed the superintendent of the workhouse with police powers. We are therefore relegated to common law and the decision in this and other states which read as follows. It is a power inherent in a workhouse superintendent to prescribe reasonable rules for the government of the prison and to enforce obedience to them by the infliction of proper punishment. The court's opinion so far as applicable was as follows. The superintendent of the workhouse is a public officer, an executive officer or perhaps charged with the government in a great measure and the maintenance of good order in the city prison, and in the discharge of these duties he is given and must be given a wide discretion.

It is necessary that good order be preserved in these institutions, reasonable rules, and regulations must be made for the government of the inmates. The statutes provide for reasonable rules and regulations in the government and of and the punishment administered in county jails, which are to be submitted to the common pleas judges. And the necessity for such rules and regulations applies with still greater force to workhouses such as this where a large number of prisoners are confined, many of them for long periods of time where they are compelled to work under the superintendents of officers of the workhouse as punishment for criminal offenses. With such a large body of men gathered together in such a prison, reasonable rules on regulations are necessary, and it is necessary that these rules and

regulations should be enforced and that the superintendent of such an institution should have the power to punish within limitations and restrictions. It must be remembered that this is the case of a man convicted of a crime who has lost thereby his rights as a citizen. The superintendent is absolutely responsible for the custody of the accused. If it were not inherent in the official to make all reasonable rules for the government of the prisoners, it is quite obvious that he might be frequently held liable for direct consequences which his best efforts in judgment could not control. He must therefore be permitted to exercise his discretion to determine in each particular case what the extent of the restriction ye upon the prisoner should be that an attorney is concerned

in this case I conceive can give no greater rights. It is therefore my judgment that the superintendent of the workhouse was perfectly within his rights in refusing their request in this case, very truly yours, signed Arthur F. Young. assistant city solicitor my disappointment and dissatisfaction was rapidly increasing my faith in my original contention was increasing rather than diminishing and i determined to see what redress if any i could obtain at law amandemus was applied for the writ issued all parties were in court and the defendant's demand was a judge to be reasonable and lawful by the hon charles j estep one of the judges of our court of common pleas Thereupon I took my client aside, talked with him and advised him as to his legal rights in the premises,

and afterwards wrote a check for the amount of my fee which he readily signed, and the famous case was ended. I desire to record here an incident of my life which has brought to me much satisfaction, and I trust benefit to the cause of all the colored Americans. I referred to the time when I was elected to Congress, as I denominate the transaction by the colored people of Cleveland in mass, meeting assembled. It came about in this way. Senate Bill 60-60 of the 63rd Congress third session had passed the Senate and was in the hands of the Immigration Committee of the House of which Judge Burnett of Alabama was chairman. On page I have said bill beginning with line 8 were the following words that after four months from the approval of this act in addition to the aliens who are

hereby excluded from admission and to the United States, the following persons shall also be excluded from admission thereto to it. All members of the African or black race. Some very able lawyers were of opinion that the phraseology of that provision would even exclude colored citizens of the United States out of the country from re-entering the same. Quite reasonably, the colored people of Cleveland who were informed became alarmed, especially for the reason that it had gone through the Senate without opposition. A mass meeting of colored citizens was immediately called to meet in St. John's AME Church at a time specified. They crowded, packed all parts of the large structure, the number of being

estimated at 2,500. Speeches were made, a committee on resolutions appointed, of which this writer was made, Chairman, a preamble and set of resolutions which this writer had in his pocket was unanimously adopted without the changing of a syllable, and I was unanimously elected to go to Congress at Washington and use my best endeavors with our own and other delegates to have that obnoxious proviso eliminated from the bill. Also a collection was then and there taken to defray all expenses and compensate me for services to be rendered. It goes without saying that to paraphrase the language of Julius Caesar on a momentous occasion, I went, I saw, I conquered, and returning home, my report was received with acclamations of unalloyed enthusiasm and approval.

Judge Burnett of Alabama, chairman of the Immigration Committee, although a southerner, received me courteously heard my argument against the proviso and promised me that he would oppose the measure when the bell came before the house for consideration he kept his word in spirit and in truth for when the speaking commenced he divided his time amongst several of the members known to be opposed to that feature of it and thereby greatly augmented the sentiment against it needless to say the whole bill was defeated nor have the enemies of the colored american to this day been able to resurrect it jad brunette since then has gone to that bourne from which no traveller returns but let it be here recorded that while his obsequies were being conducted in far-away alabama there was at least one colored man in the bleak north on the shore washed by blue lake erie who deeply sighed and mourned his untimely end because of that humane patriotic deed in behalf of those of the african or black race thime sped rapidly by so fast indeed that it was scarcely appreciated and ere long we found ourselves as at the beginning of the year 1909. Speaking of the flight of time, I'm tempted to insert here a few lines quoted

from the improvement of the mind by Isaac Watts, mentioned in another part of this story. I reproduce these lines because they are well calculated to inspire and energize the minds of the young, one of the principal reasons I have in view in writing this book. The lines follow. No let soft slumber close your eyes before you've recollected thrice,

the train of actions through the day. Where have my feet? shows out the way what have i learnt where'er i've been from all i've heard from all i've seen what know i more that's worth the knowing what have i done that's worth the doing what have i sought that i should shun what duty have i left undone or into what new follies run these self-inquiries are the road that leads to virtue and to god my professional labours during the four preceding years having been extra exacting mrs ween and i does decided to spend a short vacation in england and on the continent so grip in hand and frugal luggage in the hold of the good ship car mania we bade adieu to our good friends mr and mrs samuel r scotron and family of brooklyn new york and sets there four far distant shores after a pleasant voyage of about three days we hove to and attempted to make a landing on one of the azor islands but the condition of the sea was such as to make it extra hazardous so we tiered in the offering for only a brief space while one or two of the most daring boatmen rode out to us then exchanged greetings to say nothing of a few bananas and oranges. Our next stop was at Funchal, the capital city of the Madeira Islands, a province of Portugal.

We were informed that we were then distant about 600 miles from the west coast of Africa, a fact which we could easily believe for the mercury, even then in the month of January, was at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the sun. and luscious strawberries were being hawked around for sale fresh from the vines after writing and mailing pictorial postal cards to our friends at home writing in the bob sleds over the damp smooth cobblestones drinking of the rich madeira wine to the health of portugal and her colony inspecting the ancient castle well up on the top of a high hill overlooking the ocean and scanning the old cathedral and the pretty little green cemetery with its sacred dead we were ready to embark again and ere long we had weighed anchor and were en route to Gibraltar, but not before a swarm of amphibious boys had earned numerous dimes and quarters by diving for them from the very high upper deck of the big ship Carmania, and recovering them under the surface of the water. A daybreak the next morning we were entering the bay or harbor of Gibraltar.

I, of all the passengers, was on the deck alone. I beheld with all, for the first time the towering, majestic mass of the rock of Gibraltar, and enthused as I was there came trooping into my mind, some lines of Virgil relating to the storm-beaten companions of Aeneas as they enter the bay where an island forms a harbor by its jutting sides whereby each wave coming from the main is broken and devised as it enters the deep creeks. On either side are huge rocks and twin cliffs which tower frowning towards the sky beneath whose peaks the water's surface far and wide lies safe and still.

I also saw in the often happy thought the huge gray hulks of our touring fleet which on its world-encercling voyage during the administration of President Roosevelt had just anchored in that bay. I saluted, O'Glory, at the masthead, as the envious streaks of the rising sun did lace the severing clouds in the east, and almost forgetting the famous rock, gazed with filial pride upon them. We spent Sunday there and attended divine service in the Episcopal Cathedral. The sermon by the learned divine was apropos to the occasion, the destructive earthquake which demolished a goodly portion of Sicily and Calabria, having scarcely ceased its ravages, the majesty of the great British Empire was easily evident in the erect forms and stern demeanor of the local

troops that look in bearing, which is equally observable in the appearance of the horse-guards, in Whitehall, the lion's couchant on the pedestal of the Nelson Monument, or the Queen's own, in the shadow of Arthur's seat. At night we were once more riding the bounding billows, and for the first time since our departure from the port of New York. old neptune asserted himself and the ladies of our set seriously complained of sea-sickness it occurred just after midnight when awaking from a sound sleep we became conscious of the fact that our huge ship was rolling in troublous seas our captain called it a fresh gale which was no stranger to the gulf of nion off the south coast of france through which we were then passing quite a bit of patience and some care on the part of the ship's surgeon were necessary before we were all again in normal condition but in the course of a day or so landing in the safe port of genoa where christopher columbus many a year before had feasted his eyes our nausea was quickly dissipated and like most of our transient ills forgotten the great cathedral the camp o santa with its unapproachable sculpture sacred to the dead the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and the many quaint and interesting objects which met our eager gaze

made our short stay there long to be remembered. Our destination, however, earthquake or no earthquake, was Naples, Narpoly, as the natives euphoniously called it, and went on the following day, our ship anchored at a dock, and we stood upon the pier, to my unutterable astonishment, a voice rang out in very good English. Hello, Senator Green, I exclaimed, for God's sake, who are you? Why don't you know me? He replied, I'm Nick. who used to peddle fish in cleveland sure enough it was not sufficient to be saluted by name in vienna paris and on ludgate hill even here on the shores of the bay of naples i could not escape them fortunate for us all however that nick discovered us for his knowledge of all things pertaining to naples added twofold to our amusement and instruction while we remained there if i were writing a book of travels i could finish it by plunging into the details of this visit but such is not the case and i must hasten on however i must state that at the Museum of Curios from the exhumed city of Pompeii,

the aquarium with wonders of the sea which we had never dreamed of, the great cathedral, the ruins of Pompeii, and the volcano of Vesuvius are a few of the sites which everyone must search out and see. I will transcribe here an account of my ascent of Mount Vesuvius, which I wrote immediately after while the facts refreshed in my mind, and the inspiration still actuated me. The description follows. Especially interesting at the present time are my brief,

notes on my visit to an ascension of Mount Vesuvius in view of the delightful, but I must confess, somewhat arduous ascent of this wonderful volcano which I made in company with the linguistic German Vémecum, who was to me a source not more of convenience than of diversion and amusement. I regret now that I did not note the name of the town or village at which we hired our carriage for the first part of our trip. I know, however, that we paid each 11 shillings for room in the carriage and a saddle horse and guides. Then we began to Mount Pesu, as our experiment was euphoniously called. A drive from three to five miles brought us to our first station or halting place. Here we discarded our carriage laid aside all unnecessary clothing and appendages and stimulated

ourselves with a potation of some mild but invigorating wine, wine which our guides denominated Nika the suave wine, wine which in very fact was pressed from grapes which had grown in the language of Macaulay on the soil which had been fertilized by the fiery deluge of a volcano. The foregoing preliminaries having been arranged, we each mounted his saddle horse, and with bated breath proceeded onward and upward. To properly appreciate the romantic novelty of our position, one must not forget that neither of us had ridden horseback for many years, at least this writer can aver that it was the first time in some twenty-five years that he had bestridden a horse or any other quadruped and his awkward.

on this occasion is more easily imagined than described. To add to the embarrassment and discomfort of our condition, the guys who clung each to the tail of the horse ridden by his respective traveler had a way of cuddling the horse into a brisk trot, followed by a wild gallop at intervals of every half-mile when we would be borne as by the wind through space at the imminent risk of being thrown over the horse's head and injured. As it was, we each rode during those spurts more on the neck than on the back of a horse,

clinging with might and mane like another John Gilpin to the neck and mane of the horse for safety. We shall never forget those spurts. Strange to relate when the horses slowed up and we summon courage to look sheepishly behind, expecting to discover the gods in the dim distance there they were at the very heels of our fiery steeds, still clinging to the tails, cudgel in hand, but no longer shouting, their ouch, out, out, which had served to spur the horses to that velocity, will nigh fatal to us. upon the whole i am not sure that i would not as willingly take my chances with the present eruption as with the hearty mountaineers and their horses under similar conditions from time to time during our ascent through ashes ankle deep and fine cinders we would come to little isolated circular enclosures constructed of the slag which was omnipresent and tenanted by a lonely dago who offered us still more and more of the nice vesuv wine the main of the wine merchants met under the

these circumstances was such as their bearing was at once so imperious and persuasive that we never refused to patronize them, with the result that our spirits never once flagged, and we felt that we were all jolly goodfellows as we climbed higher and higher. There came a time, however, when our horses refused to go another inch, they would not budge, or was done what to do, a glance told us both. They confronted us as if genie of the lava beds, four other stalwart guides to carrying a leather strap looped at both ends, which being thrown over one of their shoulders they clung to it in front while we tenaciously hung on behind. The two other gods each grasped his traveller near his hips and boosted him upwards while we all climbed. Although we were climbing mountain heights yet it seemed to me as though I were in a veritable hell where all the fires had gone out. Oh, it was dismal, serial rows of excoriah piled like Asa, umpilion, little mountains on the mountainside,

if all the cinders raked out of all the blast furnaces and the whole world from that time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary had been dumped on the sides of that mountain they would have been as nothing compared to the vast accumulation of slag which that terrible volcano had vomited forth in even our own christian era but now we come to the region of the clouds yes we are actually enveloped in a cloud and we are in danger of being drenched strange to say we encounter another group which contains in the midst a lady-and-a-land we are in danger of being drenched strange to say we encounter another group which contains in the midst a lady Nika, Italian lady, says my guide, Yes, and a very brave lady, too, if she is not literally carried. We leave them behind, goodbye, I shall always recall, with romantic interest the lady I met within the cloud. Now we are nearing the summit, already somewhat of grumbling and sputtering, are audible to us up here on the shoulder or summit of this volcano,

are to be seen here and there, small fissures out of which issues, slowly small quantities of lava. My guide would demands a copper coin of me, which I hand to him, he fuses it into some of the lava, making for me a cup or nest-like souvenir of this arduous, if not perilous trip. I have a feeling that where fish is abound the crest upon which we tread must be thin, if not friable.

Tread lightly pat, nevertheless, I approach the edge of the great smoky, steamy crater. I lie upon my stomach and peer cautiously into the boughs of this mysterious mountain, enter the jaws of death, into the mouth of hell. nothing to be seen say blackness steam condensed gloom an inferno sure enough be careful sir shouts my intelligent thoughtful guide an english gentleman did that a year or two ago the crest of the edge crumbled and he went head first down into the crater ye gods i pray thee let me go hence this writer wriggle backwards afraid even to stand up and speedily put space between him and that entrance to the worst thence to gian darkness and gloom now comes the descent farewell creator farewell white human cleesey clouds farewell vesuvius and oh you mortal engine whose rude throde the immortal jove's dread clamors counterfeit farewell down down on another side we go by leaps and bounds through the fine bee-like cinder striking in our descent at times almost up to our hips in this harmless debris down down until finally we reach vegetation reach our horses which have been brought to this point for us and soon again we are mounted in our carriage and ere long we reach our first station where we don our discarded apparel and finish our descent followed by as hungry-looking clamorous or rabble as ever one could wish to escape who pleaded for i in some instances even demanded such small coins as we could give them one little fellow not to be outdone followed our carriage on a run for at least a mile nor would he desist until he received some small token of our admiration of his courage and persistency the village next then the train after that the lovely bay of naples and narpoly naples then in mourning herself

the remains of pompey which the ashes of vesuvius completely buried and hermetically sealed up stand a stone's throw from the volcano and of course we visited them and rambled through them accompanied by our guide mrs green and mrs green and Mrs. Graham and this writer stood amidst the ruins of an ancient temple of ISIS while Dr. Graham took a snapshot of us. It still exists somewhere, I know not, in whose possession. The strange and weird scenes which confront one while strolling amidst these ruins, which carries back or bring down to us the dwellings, the commercial transactions, the frescoes, and even the petrified bodies of some of the inhabitants of this old town, as they existed in the year 79 AD, are well worthy of our consideration, and at times the writer feels like exclaiming with the psalmist, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

No brief description on passant can do justice to this subject. One must either visit the place or read accounts of it in books of travel and cyclopedias. The following morning we were en route for the eternal city, Rome, and as we were whirl through the beautiful scenery, and inhale the odoriferous atmosphere, redolent of the sweet fragments of orange blossoms and flowers of varied hues, we felt that we were indeed fortunate under circumstances and enjoyed it beyond description. End of Chapter 15. Chapter 16 of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green.

This Liber Vox recording is in the public domain. Rome, Florence, Venice, Vienna. therelong however the cross and dome of far-famed st peter's church loomed before us and the next moment the musical roma greeted our ears from the guard i knew it was rome before the announcement was made for chiseled on the end of the great depot on either side of the main entrance in bold relief were two groups one representing the fabled she-wolf discovering the abandoned babies romulus and remus who afterwards founded the city and the others showing how the wolf gave nurse to them, and thus saved their lives. From my infancy I'd had a pension to visit and view ancient ruins, to gaze upon an old relic, whether it were a deserted mansion, an old book or my grandfather's hat. It was all the same provided they were old,

and now being in ancient Rome, with its treasures antique and historical, no time was to be lost before beholding them. Imagine with what mingled feelings of pleasure and awe I traversed the Corso and other streets more or less known to the historian until at length their loomed up before me in all its magnificent proportions that famous ruin, the Coliseum. Oh, noble edifice, wonderful structure, this then is what remains of the huge pile, in the construction of which Titus that victorious Roman on his return from the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem sacrificed so many of the 70,000 young Jews whom he brought, captives.

to Rome. No wonder they sank beneath their burdens and were beaten by cruel taskmasters, until their backs were livid with torrid stripes, and they gave up the ghost. Within those triple massive walls is where the gladiators, unfortunate in war, made rude sport of human life to please the whims of a populace gone, mad with a morbid thirst for blood, but for whom the handwriting on the wall was even then visible, and you, O Coliseum, could you but speak what son, and groans and shrieks wrung from that noble army of martyrs would you not tell of they who were laying deep at the foundation of our christian religion while the madden throng not yet content were howling christagnonus the christians to the lions i enter into the inner circles there in the centre of the great arena stood the well-trained powerful gladiator sword in hand awaiting the onrush of the savage beasts from the cells surrounding him here are the passages of the leading to the vaults beneath, whence issued the wild beasts and the human victims,

and over there the passages through which the dead bodies were born, to be entombed perchance in the catacombs nearby. Would you have a description of this most wonderful ruin? Turn to some cyclopedia or guidebook. It is not mine to give any adequate account of it. The learned and famous French lady, Madame de Stahl, whom even Napoleon feared and detested, in a great work of fiction, Corinne,

has given such vivid. and instructive word-pictures of Rome and Venice that it would richly repay the interested to read the story, if indeed there be at hand any English translation of it. We clamour up into the galleries where once the beauty and fashion of Rome could be seen, and from which the pitiless mockeries and jibes and railleries

answered back the sobs of anguish and the choirs of agony. The heart sickens, let us go and look upon some object less suggestive of a human misfortune. Now we tread the Appian way, along which victorious generals trod returned from scenes of conquest in foreign lands cluttered with blood, rich with booty and captives. Yes, there stands to this day in a state of almost perfect preservation, the Arch of Constantine, erected by the emperor to commemorate his victory over Maxentius, A.D. 312, spanning this historic road. Nearby and in front of the Colosseum are the ruins of the Mettus,

sudans where it is said the glad-eaters were accustomed to bathe after the bloody contests of the arena but what is the name of this narrow way along which we now tread hedged on either side by the crumbled ruins of once majestic structures where this is the wia sacra the principal street of ancient rome which ran from the valley between the cilion and equiline hills through the arch of titus and past the roman form to the capital here on the right were the palaces of the caesar's not now remains but a mass of indistinguishable ruins. These in the rear were the royal stables, presenting somewhat of their former appearance. Think of this. Here is the identical arch which Titus erected during the first century of our Christian era to commemorate the victories of his father and himself at Jerusalem. On the inner face may still plainly be seen, representations of the golden candlesticks and other sacred articles taken from the temple. However, let me quote, where the Wea Sacchar crosses the form, close to the temple of Antoninus,

a mound of earth may be seen, evidently the remains of the temple tomb of Julius Caesar, built by Augustus in 29 BC. Here also stood the arches of Fabius and Augustus, and between this part of the form, and the temple of Castor and Pollux was the quagmire, into which Medius-Curdius is said to have been plunged. The temple of Pan, or Pantheon, further along is almost perfect, although it was built 8027 by Agrippa, son-in-law of Caesar Augustus. The portico of this temple is 110 feet in length and 44 in width, and contains 16 granite columns. The height from the pavement to the summit is 143 feet. The pantheon, though not at first intended for religious rights, yet it was used for such purposes down to AD3.92,

when the last sacrifice was offered on its altar. under the cupola in a bronze sarcophagus the mortal remains of Victor Emmanuel lie in state for whom a grand commemoration is celebrated in the church with military pomp once a year during the month of January. I might add that the government has constructed nearby a monument to the honor and memory of Victor Emmanuel, which is perhaps the most costly and august of any in that city of costly monuments. I visited and inspected also the catacombs of St. Calyxtus, within which we were told fourteen popes and one hundred and seventy thousand christians were at one time entombed the remains of st teresa it is said were discovered in these catacombs in six o nine when pope boniface the fourth consecrated the pantheum to christian worship he hauled away twenty-eight wagon loads of bones and deposited them under the high altar in that building and in eight seventeen pascal the first removed two thousand three hundred bodies and placed the relics in the church of san

prescetta this practice of carrying away bones continued until all the bones except a few fragmentary pieces were gone these catacombs are supposed to be connected with the great system of catacombs to be seen under rome and in a vicinity in which the early christians sought refuge and worshipped it is estimated by those who have made the subject of study that the length of the united passages of all these catacombs would equal five hundred and fifty english miles i searched out the old ghetto of unhollowed repute the district of rome within which the persecuted jews were restricted before a present humane era but the progress of civilization has swept the ghetto out of existence it has gone like claditorial contests and burning at the stake except in some of our old slave-holding states and human misery st peter's church with its miraculous dome and the great cross which surmounts it was to me easily the object of foremost importance in rome i mounted the dome and climbed up into the transept of the cross where i looked out upon the entire enclosure of the eternal city it was a proud day for us one which we can never forget the dimensions that i alter the wonderful mosaics the separate lateral chapels and the grandeur of the sacred music which at almost any hour of the day can be heard floating in the air like sweet incense from some direction, furnish our environment, the like of which cannot be duplicated elsewhere on this earth. I loved it, I rejoiced to behold it, and drink deep the inspiration which flowed from it, albeit I was not a Roman Catholic, being a Protestant

Episcopalian, which we contend is historically also Catholic, but for the love and honor of God and his son Jesus Christ, everything I saw seemed to meet improper. The Church of St. John Lateran, not far distant from St. Peter's, while it is very much inferior. Insides to the former is yet much older. In fact, it is regarded as the first church in Rome for two reasons, because it stands on the side of the original church in which St. Peter celebrated Mass, the little table used by him still being shown, and again because it is the parochial cathedral church of the Pope, not St. Peter's, as many suppose. If the declarations of St. Peter's Church can possibly be surpassed, then they are surpassed by those of St. John Lateran, but in this matter, seeing is believing.

On Mount Pincio in the suburbs of Rome, I found the fashionable park of Rome. Here were throngs of the people and a grand procession of beautiful, rich equipages, as I was employing Shanks' mares after resting my farm climb and silently observing the novel site, I retraced my steps into my hotel room, wrote a letter to the Cleveland leader, which was duly published. Meeting the Pope Going to the Office of the American Express Company on the day of our anticipated departure for Florence, indeed, after our trunks had been checked, I was handed a letter, and upon opening it, I discovered that it was a letter of introduction from Reverend William McMain,

editor of the Catholic Universe of Cleveland, Ohio, to Reverend John P. Fairley, who was then at the head of the American College in Rome, requesting him to use the his influence to secure for me and my wife a meeting with the Pope of Rome, his holiness pious, 10th, now deceased. The courtesy of this letter of introduction was secured for me through the kindly offices of my daughter-in-law, Mrs. Agnes, Geraldine Green, the beloved wife of Captain William Roscoe Green,

my eldest living son, who was then, and still is a devoted communicant of the Catholic Church. Immediately going to the great palace of the Vatican, I easily came in touch with the private secretary of Reverend Farley, now, white Reverend John P. Fairley, Bishop of the Diocese of Ohio. After delivering my letter to the distinguished prelate, and taking his instructions in the premises, the Secretary delivered to me a note addressed to Monseigneur Bislotti, Magidomo, of the Pontifical household,

Major Domo, we call it in English. I'm presenting the note to this Auguste officially, look straight at me, smiled blandly, and extended his hand in a friendly way, I, in our raw western way, seized the hand pressed it slightly and gave it a hearty shake. Ah, exclaimed His Highness, the Major Domo, you are from America. Yes, Your Highness, I replied, I am from the United States of America, and you are not a Catholic, he added, and you wish to meet His Holiness, the Pope. I said it was true that I was not a Catholic, but that my son mentioned and his wife were faithful Catholics.

How long do you remain in Rome, he queried. Our trunks are checked for Florence, I suggested, but in order to meet the Pope, we will await. your good pleasure. After this colloquy, he presented me to his own secretary, who gave me a card of instructions, partly in the Italian language for our guidance in dressing ourselves, and bade me to be present in the courtier, St. Damasco, a large hall at the head of the Scallopeia, a grand stairway at twelve o'clock on the following day. Needless to say, we obeyed our instructions literally, and were there at the appointed time. The instructions call for a black costume with a short black veil for Mrs. Green, while this writer was required to dawn an evening costume,

the conventional dress suit with the immaculate white shirt front and tie. Since all save our traveling attire were packed in our absent trunks, we had recourse to a costumer nearby, who for a reasonable consideration furnished us nicely. However, I say it with regret I forgot when disrobing after the reception to transfer back again to my own vest pocket, a beautiful fountain pen, a Christmas present for my wife and children, which out of an abundance of precaution, I put into the pocket of my hired vest. Whether or not that polite customer is still holding that regretted pen for me, after eleven years, who can tell? Promptly, as the hour of twelve o'clock rang out, we reached the landing of the Scallopea, were courteously received and shown to seats. There were several others who were there on a similar mission, and together we expectantly awaited the summon. in the meantime however we were not in the least afflicted with enwi for there was much going on which being novel and interesting in chained our attention herein there flitted the richly attired house messengers in their beautiful brocaded crimson costumes and faithful at their post were the far-famed swiss guards wearing their party-coloured uniforms and in pike men's armour and much besides soon the signal came to us and following the usher we slowly passed through a series of richly furnished rooms

some of them thrown rooms hung with rare and costly goblin timid trees the like of which we had never before beheld i think we passed through ten different rooms counting the large reception-room in which we were at first detained finally we entered a room which adjoined the one in which pious the tenth pontifix maximus the pope of rome was awaiting our arrival in this ante chamber of honour stood several officers in waiting wearing with becoming dignity as part of their uniform gold-crested helmets and gold-crested helmets and gold-crusted belts which focused the sun's rays. Their gold epaulots gave them a grand military appearance. After the lapse of a minute or two, a noble cardinal clad in his violet-colored vestments and wearing his scarlet cap appeared, followed by Pius X, we kneel on a low velvet-covered bench as we behold the benign paternal form and features of this man of God. Every feature, every lineament of his kindly face bespeaks a benediction. Noiselessly he approaches us. extending to each one of us his hand bearing the ring with the papal seal of authority each one of us kissed the ring and he passed on however last but not least he approached a darkly bronze little man who from his apparel and demeanor convinced me that he was a humble priest of the church

one who projance had just returned from some far distant sphere of service wherein sunshine and shadow he had been for long years toiling for god and his church one kiss of the ring did not satisfy this faithful child of the church he he would see more of the holy father and he imprinted kiss after kiss not only on the ring but on the hand that wore it the pope said kind of words to him and then we all separated for i my late deceased wife mrs annie el green during this ceremony held in one of her hands three rosaries which she had bought for loved ones at home and when after the reception his holiness standing under the canopy which is above the throne pronounced the benediction in the latin tongue we felt that they would be doubly precious to our catholic children and when after the reception his holy-precious to our catholic children and mother Bolden on our return to Cleveland. In due time, she presented them, and quite naturally they were gratefully accepted. My present wife and I were solemnly impressed when a few years later we heard Reverend Friar's Malloy in pronouncing a funeral discourse over the remains of Mother Bolden characterized her as a saint, and we rejoiced to know that at least we had contributed our might towards her happiness, as stated above.

From that reception room we wended our way back again through the richly decorated, gilded, tapestied rooms, back again into the great royal court of the Vatican, the Vatican grandest and richest and treasures of all palaces in the world. Down the grand stairway we descend again, and now once more we are under the dome of heaven. The blue Italian skies look down upon us, and golden vernal sun shines upon us, while we inhale the balmy atmosphere which bewitches the birds to assert themselves in rhapsodies of song. had met the pope his great big fatherly heart could not endure the horace of that damnable world war he could not endure to see the throats of his faithful priests and children cut while precious treasures of sacred work cathedrals and altars were beaten down and desecrated and so he gave up the ghost and was gathered with those worthies who had gone before him into the heavenly fold early the next morning having been provided with the list of pensions the accepted designation of the large semi-hotails which accommodate many thousands of tourists in italy and other mediterranean states we follow our baggage to florence the beautiful famous city at the foot of the apennines

on both sides of the river arno named for her profusion of lovely flowers on our way in the taxi still accompanied by dr mrs cram our enthusiastic j who cracked his resounding whip and urged forward his steeds with well-nigh electrical rapidity and suddenly a halt so forceful and pronounced that it almost piled us up in a heap warned us of our danger investigation proved to us that we were right up against the forward wheels of a tram-cart and our lives have been saved as by a miracle barely in the midst of life we are in death we cross the famous arno river over one of several long bridges and in a few minutes we were snugly ensconced in a comfortable suite of a pension may i remark here that never in any instance since we parted from our great ship had we experienced any trouble or even inconvenience by reason of the fact that we were colored people and even our friends the grams who were well-to-do white people expressed deep regret when at florence we had reached the dividing of the road and they were from missouri too after remaining for a few days in this ancient city wandering around scanning hurriedly many great masterpieces and miles of picture galleries in the euphizian pity palaces strolling through great cathedrals and climbing to the top of the great campanile tower we began to weary of the excitement and long for a change so we gave our travelling companions our blessing bowed our heads to receive theirs and turned our faces in another direction they for cologne we for paris and back to london right here it must be stated to-auburned we for paris and back to london right here it must be stated that the following references made to Venice and Vienna relate to a prior trip made by me in 1893 when I toured all alone. In Paris I was given the address of Bamfido by the associate of young James Gordon Bennett, who had succeeded his illustrious father in the ownership of the New York Herald

and the enjoyment of the paternal legacies bequeathed to him. Mr. Bennett was just then spending a good deal of his time at Monte Carlo on his yacht and in the boulevards and palaces of Parisian amusements, so I frequently saw his alter ego and made the most of him. We arrived in Venice by moonlight, and it was, to me, a weird spectral scene that of being sculled through the labyrinthing canals in the night season, housed up in the plush-lined little cabin of the gondola. When the boatman would get to the turning of the canal, he would signal by saying, auk, which sound was echoed of re-echoed.

I before leaving home just finished reading Dickens' Little Dort, and the experiences in venice of mrs general and the general family were still in my mind i could almost hear and see them in their pleasures and perplexities and that same corin the heroine of madame distal's story of which mention has been made was ever an amount in my mind the cathedral of st mark very ancient the doge's palace equally so the bridge of size the execution chamber down in the deep dungeon with the grooves leading to the three small holes through which the blood of the executed victim escaped after decapitation the grand canal lined on both sides with the palaces of ancient days the palace in which othella wooed won and murdered desdemonam the palace in which lord byron lived and drank down inspiration for his dom and other love poems the palace of caesar borgia and others of the notorious famous borgia family the rilta which was old when shakespeare wrote of it these and many other wonderful and suggestive objects to say nothing of some of the greatest canvases by many of the most illustrious painters who have ever lived, kept me busy several days and parts of nights to my heart's content.

It was jolly and picturesque on the piazza, pronounced piazza, St. Marco at night, a large, well-trained brass band, discourse, sweet and classical music, and the beautiful Venetian and ladies with their stylish escorts promenaded, not to the lascivious pleasing of a lute, as Shakespeare puts it, but rather to the dulcid cadences of the band bathed in the silvery sheen of that Italian moonlight. It was a queer poetic experience, which I enjoyed. when i had to board a gondola and sail to the bank here again i must mourn the dear reader that for a more lucid and comprehensive description of venice as well as others of which i briefly speak he must turn to well-known and easily accessible books of travel i'm only a visitor illustrating in a humble way the depths from which a colored american has climbed in the heights to which he has attained in a short life lo we will sail back to the railway station in the morning and hence we will betake us to vienna the the most beautiful city in Europe, according to Mr. Charles F. Brasch.

Vienna, when I arrived in Beautiful Vienna on the 7th day of May 1893, a fleecy snow about six inches deep was covering the ground, to say I was surprised. Butz it mildly so far advanced was the spring season, but before night it had all disappeared before the midday sun. After registering at a reputable hotel, I sallied forth and found Cook's office or for Cook as all travelers on the continent, no, is of a very great advantage to the tourist in many respects. Going into the main reception room, where we were collected numerous persons, I exclaimed in a tone of voice, loud

enough to be heard all over the room. Is there any gentleman here who speaks English? A voice, almost familiar, answered, yes, Senator Green. I speak English, drawing mutually near to each other. I inquired of him as to his identity. Why, said he, I represent the William Edwards Company of Cleveland, and I rode in the same car with you from Columbus to Cleveland a few weeks ago. Of course, we had an interesting conversation together after that, and I look back to that incident as being one of the most enjoyable of my trip. Concluding the last chapter, I remarked the admiration of Mr. Charles F. Brush for Vienna, and indeed my visit to that capital city was due almost entirely to his wise suggestion. I've never regretted it. Here, I felt myself more at home

than in any other city visited by me, London only accepted. This feeling I attribute in great part to three circumstances which are familiar to my home life. First, the German population of Cleveland is so numerous that the people of that same race in the streets of Vienna reminded me forcibly of them. Secondly, the German language spoken by everyone there reminded me of the same tongue which is heard in the streets and marks of trade so frequently in my hometown. And thirdly, the weather on May 7th and 8th was just such cold, wet, and disagreeable weather as one frequently experiences near Lake Erie in the months of March and April. I shall spend a little more of time and space in referring to my sojourn in this city

than I have with reference to some other great cities in my route, especially because she is now the forlorn victim of her own folly, the folly of her old emperor deceased, and some of its unfortunate advisors, who still live and breathe. That once noble, rich, and influential city today cut off from her former associates, cast down from her high pedestal, her currency depreciated. Her resource is almost exhausted. The women and children in many instances starving in her streets, she sits metaphorically like another Rachel weeping for the children,

refusing to be comforted for her children or not, doing a bitter penance for the sins of others. Now here is a brief description of my Vienna, as I found her 27 years ago, set on a hill plateau, build not more for stability and business than for beauty, bountifully watered by a tributary stream of the beautiful blue danube ornamented by shade trees and shrubbery statuary squares parks and gothic cathedrals by as many roached-cheeked and healthful a population as ever one could wish to behold the streets which were all smoothly and substantially paved with cubes of granite asphalt and nicholson blocks upon a concrete foundation of foot-thick were not allowed to become filthy but a small army of men and boys with brooms and pants wherever alert to prevent accumulations. The equipages with their outriders and footmen were both numerous

and brilliant, being drawn by some of the best-looking and most spirited horses in the world. In scanning, the names of the streets I found some most suggestive of historical events, some of them sad events. There, for instance, was the street Grand Duke Maximilian. This name recalled the fact that I was in the home of that, sadly unfortunate young nobleman, who at the behest of his superior lords and Napoleon III invaded Mexico at a time of time when the fate of our glorious union and the freedom of four millions of human beings hung in the balance and attempted indifiance of our Monroe Doctrine to obtain a lodgment on these western shores for European despotism. As I traveled through some of those countries

and noted their streets, restaurants, parks, and boulevards were sprayed with military. When I considered the great wealth and aggregate resources of these monarchies, I felt like congratulating my own fellow citizens on the fact that early in our national existence we drew the line, and that to this day we have enforced our doctrine, America for Americans hands off. The K.K. Hofberg Theater is grand in its proportions, massive in its structure, and elaborate in its interior decorations. Looking at it from a distance, one is forcibly reminded of the Grand Opera House in Paris, though, of course the Paris structure is sui generous, unique, incomparable. The Parliament House is an imposing pile, semi-circular, concave in front and has wings

on either side of the central body. Groups of large Corinthian pillars give this building a truly classical appearance, at each corner on top of the structure, looking towards each of the cardinal points, are colossal groups of bronze statuary, representing peace and victory, drawn in chariots by three great horses rampant. Peace is extending the olive branch and victory, the laurel wreath.

Then there is that grand monument of pure Gothic architecture, St. Stephen's Cathedral, very old and quite unique, its central spire, almost kisses the clouds in a sense, while clustered around it as a group of small ones, and these combined produce the effect intended by the originators of Gothic architecture, that of their forest home. The gods from whom the style of architecture takes its name, and the vandals came, trooping down from their mountain fastnesses

and bleak houses into their fertile plains and flower gardens of Italy and France. They took possession of what they found, but never could efface from their memories, the scenes of their former environment. So when they began to worship our gods, and build huge temples within which to perform their devotional duties they endeavored by means of this gothic style to imitate nature as seen in the forest hence the trunks of trees imitated in the formation of the columns and the limbs twigs and buds spreading out and sustaining the roof the pointed arches combining to make the nave and transept resemble an arbor to say nothing of the niches here and there like clefts and rocks holding statuary the horrid gargolas imitating fierce animals of the forest peering over the eaves discharging the wastewater from the roof the stained-glass windows giving that twilight cathedral effect within imitating the beauties of the illumined heavens and the spires ornamented with swelling bursting buds pointing like tall pine-straight heavenward such as gothic architecture seen in some parts of europe two governmental buildings located respectively on opposite sides of a lovely garden or platts one containing the museum of fine arts and the other the museum of natural history in the

are to be seen, groups of statuary and a heroic monument, with the statue of Maria Therese, late Empress of Austria. I spent the greater part of one day rambling through the long galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts, and if you would like to know something of a very few of its famous masterpieces, I will tell you. There were two by Michael Coxie, who flourished between 1499 and 1592, representing the Garden of Eden before and after the fall, the difference between innocence and guilt, pictured in the countenances of adam and eat before and after they had sin stamps the picture as one worthy of great note some of rand's snudges paintings come next representing almost to perfection all the various fishes amphibiae and curiosities of the sea

one hangs around them a long time and reflects on the marvellous skill and patience of this great painter in another corner i came upon a neat painting by de crayes eight fifteen eighty four to sixteen sixty nine representing the removal of the saviour from the the cross. It is the most realistic picture I've ever seen. There you see the pierced side with blood and water issuing from it. Just as if one stood in the very presence, the gaping wounds in the hands, feet, and side, move to pity and begin in one, feelings of all. Around the wounds in the hands and feet, the flesh is discolored and swollen, telling the story of his agony and death, oh, so vividly. The pose, the features, the tints, and all the characteristics of this wonderful painting are, such as to suggest a better life to the one who, who, beholds and reflects. Another picture which in chains one to the spot is entitled, Saint Ignat's,

casting out devils. In this painting, Saint Ignatz stands upon an elevation in front of a great cathedral or other consecrated pile. Around him crowd a multitude of people who have come or been brought to him to have devils cast out of them. The skill of the great painter seems to have been mainly exercised in depicting the miseries of those possessed of devils. With features and limbs distorted in every possible shape they present a horrible sight one in particular is a woman who occupies a position in the foreground she is prostrated her countenance is vivid her eyeballs with a stony glare protrude from their sockets her tongue lulls out her hair is dishevelled altogether she presents an appearance which one scene can never be forgotten at a distance from st ignats making their escape as a group of horns like devils glaring backwards as they flee in another gallery of this museum tintoretto gives as a nude study in the bath. There are those who take exception to this style of pictures being too suggestive for the young, if not indeed, downright, vulgar, but as interpreted by this great master

the pose is so graceful, the execution so artistic and free from any impure suggestion that I fail to note any improper effect produced. Only feelings of admiration for the noblest, best, and most beautiful of God's creatures, the human form divine. One piece of statuary, and I will have finished, it is a group of three persons, is just dizzled out of one solid block of marble. A Roman soldier clutched in his left hand holds, aloft and innocent aged about 18 months. His right hand rests on the hilt of his sword,

while the babe, conscious of its danger, extends its little hands with supplicating cries towards his frantic mother, who, struggling half prostrated the soldier's feet, strives in vain to stay the blow. This group alone is sufficient to immortalize any artist. It is by Ingenzo van Chorelli. I've many times since that visit to Vienna

long to visit her once again and make a stay more or less protracted, but age coming on a pace, and the unspeakable ravages of the World War have put it beyond my power. However, possessing that God-given faculty, memory, I can still live over thus happy days and learn to be content with them. End of Chapter 16. Chapter 17 of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green. this librovoc's recording is in the public domain the austrian tyrol paris ireland the enormous expense of constructing railroads in southern and central europe dawns upon one as he passes through those regions the mountain ranges of the alps and apennines give a succession of heights and valleys to be negotiated which at times almost startle one

the deep cuts through rocky regions the spanning of yawning chasms and tunnelling for miles and miles through the boughs of the earth pile up the expense to fabulous proportions and did not governments at times come to the fore and assist in the consummation of these works so necessary and convenient for all the people it is questionable whether they would be accomplished as being apropos to the subject under consideration i recall some reflections made by a learned commentator on that passage of the Holy Scriptures wherein the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains. The writer referred to maintains that faith has removed mountains in the only sense practicable, for that when faith which begets and stimulates works, bores a passage way through the mountain and gives both ingress and egress, the mountain being no longer an obstacle is practically removed. one noticeable peculiarity in the construction of locomotives used on the railroads lies in the fact that they have no cow-catches attached to them not for the reason however that artemus ward gave when he was travelling in the west long ago

conductor ward exclaimed i can't see of what use these cow-catches are to any one the trains move so slowly that there is no possibility of running over a cow but if they were taken off the front of the engine and fastened to the rear of the train they might prevent some ill-mannered cow from intruding on the passengers speaking of tunnels the mount kennes tunnel between france and italy has them all beaten so to speak it took the train twenty-seven minutes to pass through it going at what seemed a high rate of speed so much has been written by tourists concerning the grandeur and beauties of alpine scenery that it seems well-nigh presumptuous for me to attempt to enlarge upon the same subject but with becoming modesty i trust i will venture a few suggestions the apennine mountains covered in the month of may with the first offerings of spring and bathed in an atmosphere laden with the orders of the sweet acacia blossoms seem to be clothed in nature's most beautiful garment but when in the midst of the snow-covered alps in that portion of switzerland watered by the beautiful river inn and the sources of the rhine i found that the half had not been told remembering the old saying poetnaascatur known fit a poet is born not made i hesitate to attempt even rhyme not to mention poetry but who that possesses a soul can be whirled through that section of switzerland between insbrook and zurich in the spring-time and restrain his muse if he has one such an one must be dull indeed imagine yourself passing over a bridge which leaps across a chasm full fifty fathoms deep in the foreground you see in the form of an ellipse a peaceful valley watered by a pretty rippling stream as pure as nectar and as blue as the cerulean sky above it ever in anon dashing over its rocky bed which imparts to it that unspeakable beauty

which no canvas has yet portrayed. While nestling within the shadow of some towering height, a little village bides its time until the return of those who till the fruitful fields or guard the fleecy flocks. Overall, some distance removed like sentinels grim and gray, Olympus' heads crowned with perennial snow, look down upon the clouds.

Small wonder, then, that the writer influenced by such surroundings should mount and give loose rain to his impetuous pegasuson for once, at least sing of those dreamy heights where nature's cradle ever rocks and verdant veils where shepherds watch their feeding flocks where waters blue with murmuring cadence never still prolong the sound of humming spindles in the mill and flowers so sweet where busy bees with ceaseless move inspire our faith and whisper in our soul that god is love it is no wonder that these swiss people are brave and honorable for reared amongst these crassies and cliffs and injurated to hardships and perils for infancy it is natural for them to be as rugged brave and free as their mountain homes and the pure atmosphere which they breathe and in the march of time they have not only achieved their own religious and political liberties but have rendered valuable assistance to others along the same lines here we learn of william tell and winkle reed the one to fight the tyrant gasler while the other, at the supreme moment of his country's peril,

converged the bristling spears of the enemy towards his own breast, and thus made way for liberty. The shores of the beautiful lake on which the city of Zurich is built present, a scene which will someday in the future be rivaled by the south shore of our Lake Erie in places. Along the whole distance, pretty towns and villas have sprung into existence, with flower gardens, green lawns, trellis, vines, and the like, which give one the impression as the train passed from one, to another that he is indeed in fairyland at last there are numerous little docks for the convenience of canoes and yachtsmen and as our train sped by we could see the numerous white-winged craft gliding over the bosom of the blue lake for the pleasure and health of their occupants snug bath-houses too were dotting the shores at convenient distances which proved that the people in that vicinity at least were taking advantage of this precious and oft-neglected privilege i would like to become ecstatic over the golden

and sun sinking behind the snow-capped mountains, etc., etc. But space forbids. Moulet, Zurich, over, au revoir. Paris and Ireland. Since making my first visit to Paris in 1893, so many changes have taken place in the appearance of the big, gay city, and so numerous have been the persons from the United States who have visited this mech of the gay and fashionable,

that what I shall say in the following may be read more as contrasting, the metropolis of the present with that of the past, then as a correct description of the city as it now appears. Nevertheless, even the contrast may appeal to those who are prone to seeking something different. When I was leaving my home for an outing on the other side of the big pond, the story entitled Trilby by Du Morier predicated on conditions and transactions amongst the arts students who have their habitat in the famous Latin Quarter of Paris was the rage, everyone who cared for the knowledge.

and spicy recitals pertaining to the grizzette and even the demi-mant of the joyful city was devouring it with avidity hence many of my genial friends said to me by way of jest i suppose be sure and write us a letter from trilby land in giving my promise to do so i little dream that i had undertaken a contract most difficult to perform the difficulty rose not so much from a scarcity of materials out of which to write such a letter as that of a superabundance of data from which I dared select. What most astonishes the average wayfarer in Paris with reference to social vices is not so much that they abound as the fact that they are patent to the casual observer, and flaunt themselves almost in the faces of passers-by on the public thoroughfares. I have no doubt that these conditions exist to the last degree of baseness in other great centers of population, but the police restrictions and repressions are such that the veil is drawn.

green is placed and doors are bolted while in Paris at that time bear in mind a man could run and see the carryings on in some parts of the great city. However, I well knew that I could write no Trilby letter unless I visited the Cartier-Latin or Latin quarter, as we call it. I and my ignorance of the French pronunciation went along inquiring for the Cartier-Latin just as though I were in the streets of London, but I received a blank stare in a negative nod of the head instead of the desired information. Finally, when my patients had been worn, Fred Baer, I wrote the name of my memorandum book and presented it to a passerby. He scanned it and exclaimed, Ah, Zie Casse, Latin, and gave me all needed information for finding it. The Latin quarter is not

remote from the heart of the city. It is just across the river sand, a mere stones throw from the ancient cathedral. Notre Dame, a few minutes walked from the Palace of Justice, and in easy communication with the public buildings of the nation and city. In this quarter, there are many stately buildings having in the center of them or at one and large, tall entrances, arched at the top, and one invariably reads on a placard nearby the inscription, allower, apartments, or a talier. That is to say, rooms for rent and brief. It was in one of these buildings, Dumorier informs us in his readable book, the taffy, little

Baleigh, Trilby, Svengali, and others of the cordyrie held their social gatherings, and beyond doubt it was in some of the numerous basere-series in the immediate vicinity where they were accustomed to resort for the purpose of securing their refreshments, both liquid and solid. These bas-errier are a species of cafe and saloon, blended having large awnings in front of them, covering the sidewalk and sheltering guests from the sun and inclement weather. Upon the sidewalk in front of the basri, were numerous small tables with chairs for the accommodation of the convivial

guests, a motley group of art students from the four corners of the earth, and their cheerful frivolous resets, young girls who, after the end of their day's work, spend the remainder of the evening in the manner which Dummarie has so vividly depicted. The time to behold them in their glory was between the hours

of eight and twelve at night, when the students relaxed from their studies and the trill bees go out for a promenade and refreshments. I would not have the reader infer that these resets are all or even principally persons of unchase character, for on the contrary, many of them are girls, poor but honest, to sometimes adopt this method of securing recreation evenings after the day's work is ended. Not far from the quarter, were the barracks where many soldiers were quartered,

and one could frequently see, mingled with the gay and lively throng, which is always to be found there, many zoos and do-dos in their bright, catchy uniforms, as in the days of little Billy and Trilby. there too were students conspicuous and long flowing gowns party-colored cloaks and mantles and peculiar shaped head-gear a smoking of their pipes in one of these large buildings i found many conveniences pertaining to a club-room such as small tables chairs desks and writing materials also cards chess and checkerboards and reading miscellany while in the hall overhead the weird and seductive sounds of stringed instruments the shuffling of feet and the boister speals of laughter were easily suggestive of the same old can which we read about in the famous novel. Well, my durian, sing of the blair d'amour, no dur con moment, chagrin d'amour dure to la vie. That is to say the pleasures of passion,

love endure only for the flitting moment, the vexations of love last all our life. Hard by, as I've said, the towers of old Notre Dame, black and gray with age, loom up towards heaven, hundreds of feet, jizzled deep in the broad bustresses of this cathedral on the facade of the same, when reads the words libidete, egalite, fraternity, as if those heroes of the French revolutioners struggle for recognition in the long ago

distrusted even heaven itself and were determined to cut the sentiment so deep in the stone that it could not be effaced. Yet I have seen words carved equally deep in the stone obliterated, has witnessed the effacement of the name of the original architect of the old courthouse on our public square which was done after he expressed joy at the assassination of the immortal Lincoln on the day on which he died. Therefore, I infer from the fact that the French inscriptions still remains intact, that the French people still endorse that grand sentiment and proclaimed to all the world, Libertere, egalite, fraternity. Also closely allied with the Latin quarter, is the Hotel Dior, which stands diagonally opposite to the old cathedral. This hospital is a large size,

solid structure, the capacity of which must be often tried, if one would judge by the large crowds which stand in waiting at its doors every morning. Men, women, and children of all ages, a motley crowd of the blind halt and afflicted, such a crowd as crowded around our Savior, when he ministered to the needs of all who in faith came to him. Perhaps it was this hotel dear in the vicinity of the Cartier-Latin, which suggested to Dumarie, those lines which he put into the mouth of Trilby, when, under the hypnotic influence of Svengali she sang at the Parisian Cirque so mournfully my chandel is mortre jeanet ne'ne plough foe uvra moire ta port for l'amore de dieu my candle is out i have no fire light open to me your door for the love of god almost directly in the rear of the old cathedral is the morgue on the bank of the seine which cuts so conspicuous a figure in the story of port trilby oh what a sombre suggestive place it is or was at listen to that arch fiend synony the galley's description of it there is a little ugly grey building there and inside are eight slanting slabs of brass all in a row like beds in a school dormitory and one fine day you shall lie asleep on one of those slabs you trill be who would not listen to spenggali and therefore lost him and over the middle of you will be a leather apron and over your head a little brass tap and all day long and all night the cold water shall trickle trickle trickle all the way down your beautiful white body to your beautiful white feet till they turn green and your poor damp muddy draggled rags will hang above you

from the ceiling for your friends to know you by drip drip drip drip but you will have no friends and people of all sorts strangers will come and stare at you through the big plate-glass windows englanders chiffonier painters and sculptors workmen plon-plomb old eggs of women and they will say ah what a beautiful woman was that "'Ughit makes one shudder to read it in the book, "'and here I stood all alone, "'s silently gazing upon the sad remains of just such a creature, "'fished out of the sin the night before, perhaps. "'On the occasion of my visit to that same morgue,

"'I found three bodies reclining on those brass slabs all of a row. "'When was that of a woman of middle age? "'There could still be traced in the even, comely features, "'superabundance of lustrous brown hair, "'which lay in rich profusion around the bare shoulders, "'long eyelashes, heavy eyebrows even, white teeth which were apparent through the slightly parted lips some of that beauty which in former days perchance made her the bell of some social circle the two others were men one far advanced in life the other passed its meridian both grey one bald the features of one were placid calm as if in sleep while those of the other were distorted the whole countenance reminding one of sir walter scott's lines nor can old age a wrinkled trace more deeply than despair there was a large bruise on the forehead

that he had met death perchance through violence those were the bodies of unknown dead exposed there to the public gaze for identification he cannot now be truthfully said in the language of svengali that the water all day long and all night shall trickle trickle trickle etc for on the contrary there is now no leather apron put on the middle of the corpse nor any little brass tap over the head but the bodies though somewhat exposed about the neck and shoulders are quite covered as to the remainder of the form and their damp clothing is cleansed and and laid on top of them the glass case within which the bodies recline on the slanting slabs is now kept cold by a refrigerating process such as is used in commercial affairs on the front wall of the morgue hung photographs of those who had been buried before identification so that a final means remains of identification long after hope has been resigned of tracing them as i turned to leave this sad place the bells in the ancient belfry of notre dame chimed out the morning hour in sad sweet cadences while in a small green park hard by, just within the shadow of the church, numerous boozy men and women courted that rest which the past night had denied them.

Oh, it was pitiful in that great city full, home they had none. The fact that those three public institutions were, so to speak, in one group is quite significant. The cathedral, a shelter for the soul, the Hotel Deer, to heal the body, and the morgue for the last remains. The book stalls on the banks of the sin

were objects of much interest to many with literary inclinations, the palace of the Luxembourg where annually the masterpieces of the students of the Latin quarter, and others are placed on exhibition, the great durable bridges which span the river, the Eiffel Tower kissing the clouds of almost, the Trocadero, remnant of a great world's fair, the invalides, sacred to the memory of France's great dead, the Louvre, mecca of those who love art, where can be seen, canvases and statuary that cannot be duplicated, the Place to La Concorde, with its Egyptian obelisk statuary,

and memories of the guillotine of the revolution, the Ark to Triumph, sacred to the memory of the great Napoleon, the Bois de Bologna, the Place de la Bastille, and last but not least for the ladies the Bonn-March, where they buy the beautiful and the useful at a reasonable price. The great opera house would have loan make any city possessing it noteworthy,

and deserves too extensive a notice to attempt it here, so I will refer the reader to some books of travels, for information in this behalf. From Paris we pass over once more into the great city of London, and while sojourning there during the following three months, I embraced the opportunity to study that great town more thoroughly before returning again to my native land. However, a description of a hurried trip which I took previous to this time to Ireland.

The beautiful Emerald Isle may be of interest to my readers Old Ireland, the mother of an unfortunate race of men and women whose deeds are involved in story and song, the cradle in which have rocked poets, statesmen, soldiers, and martyrs. Of poets, when may mention more, who wrote

Lala Rook, of statesmen and orators, Henry Gretton, Daniel O'Connell, Sheridan, Burke, and Parnell, of soldiers, the Iron Duke, Wellington, McMayon, Joe Shields, Thomas, Francis, meager, Mulligan and Corcoran of the Bloody 69th, which went into the Battle of Bull Run, stripped to the waist, and fought like brave men long and well for our glorious union, and last but not least of Gallant Phil Sheridan, who saved the day at Winchester 20 miles away.

As for a scientist, we can mention Sir Humphrey Davy, who invented the little safety lamp which miners wear to protect them from explosions when they are at work down in the coal mines underneath the ground. thereby saving the lives of many miners every year and as for martyrs to the cause of irish liberty the list may be headed by the name of that immortal robert emmett who died in his youth and fair promise for the freedom of his native land i left the great ship campagna at preenstown steamed up the beautiful bay to cork a large and populous city the principal business street of which patrick street containing a monument and statue of father matthew in the centre of it reminded me that at last i was spreading the old sod. On our way up the bay, we saw a fleet of five German men of war, no submarines at that time. They had been anchored off the port of Cork for several days, replenishing their larders and exchanging friendly greetings with the English soldiers stationed at the various barracks in and near that city. From there they went to cows on the Isle of Wright to be present in aid in honoring the festivities incident to the visit of the German emperor to his grandma, Queen Victoria.

in view of conditions which have prevailed between England and Germany since the year of which I write it seems strange to note the bonds of count sanguinity which exists between the ex-emperor and the royal family of Great Britain. After visiting various places of interest in court, including the cathedral in which Father Matthew preached to Atten the Church, the bell free of which contains the sweet bells of Shannon, which sounds so bewitching on the River Lee, I hired an Irish jaunting car and started post-aise for the village of Blarney. castle my object being of course to kiss the blarney stone there is a stone that whoe'er kisses sure he ne'er misses to become eloquent the route to blarney covering some seven miles carried me through some of the most lovely landscape seemly which i had ever seen i was prepared for it for it was one day in may and my expectation had been quickened years and years before that time going out by an ancient road known as sunday's well road named for an ancient well which was noted for the heating quality of its waters. We passed several chateaus or country residences, which might well be compared to Eden. Over our heads, at times the interlacing boughs and foliage formed a veritable arbor, and when we emerged

from it near the end of our route, we experienced the sensation of coming from a leafy, flowery tunnel, and the River Lee, winding its tortuous way through the beautiful green valley at the foot of the hill, gave to the whole scene of freshness and delight which once experience can never be forgotten. but here we are at blarney a little village a very old town nestled amongst the hills and hard by is the renowned old and grey blarney castle telling of party strife and conflicts numerous and severe in the long ago an anachronism on the face of the fruitful earth as i was entering the grounds upon which the castle stands i met sir george colthurst the present then owner of the castle a youthful good-looking man and i wondered whether he had won his spurs or had the title by inheritance or favour for we all know that in Ireland. Conditions are not always what they seem. However, we enter the ancient castle and begin climbing up, up, up a space of at least 100 feet to the parapet suspended under which and held in position by two strong iron braces is the famous stone. Just here in passing, it may not be amiss

to mention three other famous little old stones which I had encountered in my peregrinations in Great Britain. There is in Westminster Abbey a very old stone known as the stone brought from scone in Scotland, on which the Scottish kings from the time immemorial had been crowned, then in the British Museum is to be seen a little old stone known as the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered near Cairo in Egypt during Napoleon's expedition in the land. It is called Rosetta Stone for the town of Rosetta, near which it was found. It is polished on one site and contains an inscription in three different languages, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Greek and Latin.

It furnished the key for deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, and in that way has been of price. value in the difficult work of unraveling egyptian history i found another on the top of ross castle on the banks of the lakes of calarney which for the want of a better name i will term the kissing stone it is said that whoever kisses the stone can thereafter kiss any girl he wishes to kiss as i did not kiss that stone i have no means of verifying the old tradition going back to the blarney stone it is no small task to kiss the blarney stone for in order to perform the osculatory feat one must be held head downward over the parapet with a yawning chasm of not less than one hundred feet beneath him at the imminent risk of his life. This writer, however, who was suspended by his ankles by two accommodating tours, performed the feat out of consideration for a group of true and tried Irish friends in faraway America, and if in the future he should indulge in more or less Blarney, the reason therefore can be easily explained.

Here is the traditionary origin of the Blarney stone as given to me on the spot by an Irishman. once upon a time the mccarthy who founded the castle on returning from the chase with a friend heard cries of distress from the direction of the river lee nearby on an investigation they found two sisters in the extremity of drowning and thereupon they right manfully rescued them in return for this act one of the sisters told the mccarthy to go and look under the parapet on the front side of his castle and he would discover a stone about three feet in length and two in width which if he had the courage to lean over and kiss would make him thus for forward invincible against all enemies in battle. The McCarthy did as he was directed, and from that time forward no one of his neighboring foes could prevail against him, hence the Blarney stone. From Blarney I went next to Calarney, a pretty village sustained largely by the generosity of tourists, who flocked there during the summer season to enjoy the wonderfully beautiful scenery of the lakes of Calarney.

Oh, did you hear of Kate Kearney? She lived on the banks of Calerney. Believe it from me. no heart could be free if it heard the sweet sound of her blarney. I paraphrased the foregoing line somewhat as I do not remember exact words of the winsome song. I was informed by my guide, who, by the way, had resided for years in our state of New Hampshire, that Kate Clareney had such beautiful long hair that once, when following the big game, she pursued a road to the top of the Toro Mountain.

Her hair flowed down to its base. But these refreshing lakes and their surrounding scenery, oh, beauty of nature! as god made her she verily has no rival while the lakes are pure and limpid with an atmosphere full of vitality yet the scenery on their banks surpasses all here you fine mingled in rich luxuriance the oak the um and the beech-tree furly matured then we see in all their perfected beauty the holly the arbutus the ewe the rhododendron the bay the mountain ash silver fir and great beds of roses of sharon and ferns such as this writer had never seen before there too is ancient ross castle with some of the identical old bronze guns still mounted which fired upon the ludlow and his followers whom oliver cromwell had sent to reduce the castle in sixteen forty on the top of the ancient stronghold which was founded in the fourteenth centuries the kissing-stone referred to in the foregoing i found over in ireland that foreign old irish gentleman of whom i had read so much he is of verity bubbling over with wit and humour and abounding in that sweet irish brogue of which the late general scott spoke from the balcony of our american house way back in the fifties when he was a presidential candidate and was courting the irish vote my guide already referred to was full of wit and humor pointing to a high mountain near the lakes with an indentation on the top of it he said do you see that gap in the ridge of the mountain i nodded affirmatively well thin he said that little gap is called the divils bite when the odonohue held ross castle over there which was the last in ireland to surrender to the forces of cromwell the divil one day did give him some of his impertinence and donna who gave him such a whack on his devilish back with his blackthorn stick that the devil run roaring to yon mountain and bid a piece out of the hump of it and split it out in the lake just where ye see that little island and lowering his voice it's the only speck a land that the devil owns around these lakes glory be to god

pointing to another high mountain not far removed he said there's a lake upon the top of that mountain and it's the deepest in the world one day there was a yankee hero and he said they had deeper lakes in america than that one he said they had em three miles deep in the rocky mountains i told him sure that was nothing for one day an american gentleman tried to swim across it but when he got in the middle of the lake the cramps took him and he begun to sink and he didn't stop until he reached Australia when his feet hit the head of a young lady who was passing by and herded her she sued him for damages but he was a poor man in the country heaven left even his clothes behind him so they settled by marrying each other for good-looking men was amazingly scarce in Australia then on my route from Killarney to Dublin we passed through sections where a great many shanties and a tumble-down for mistaken condition could be seen i inquired the cause of this forlorn condition and was informed that the former tenants of them had left ireland had emigrated to the united states owing to the severities of the landlord's system in ireland some they said had also gone to australia and canada but by far the larger number to the great republic and one station in tripperary i bought of an elderly irish woman of black thorn cane a shalala as i received it from her she remarked with a twinkle in her eye we calls him temporary rifles over here. When the train stopped at another station, a scene occurred which filled my eyes with some of those tears

for the shedding of which, more or less, of merriment, was called forth at home. Two pretty Irish girls bound for the United States were in the act of taking leave of the old sod. The older and stronger one was using all her influence and authority to prevent a scene, but was unequal to the task, for as the train slowly pulled away from the platform, the younger one began to scream and hysterically sob out,

oh mother mother let me go to my poor old mother a ra hush now exclaimed the other none of that did not tell ye that i had none of that and she caught her by the arm and pulled her by main force from the window mother o mother persisted the younger one let me go let me go to my dear mother let me wave a handkerchief at her once more she sobbed and tearing herself from her sister's grasp she thrust her head through the window and frantically waved it a last adieu which one could plainly see carried her whole heart with it to the dear and best friend that she had on earth. Then resuming her seat, she wept as though her heart was breaking, until the train was far removed from the sad scene. Since that, sad parting in Ireland, I've never met a group of Irish immigrants on Landers Sea, without recurring to it and say what we may of the Irish in Ireland.

I shall ever believe that the ties of kinship are veritably true and binding. Air long with the companion of the trip, we were walking the streets of Dublin and doing the beauties of Phoenix Park and other lovely spots. It was then that the foundation was laid in my mind, which has enabled me to follow with increased interest, the frightful scenes which have since transpired there, incidental to the sin, feign, and other uprisings. Long live the beautiful green isle, and may God hasten the day when peace and prosperity and goodwill shall prevail throughout her

domains. In the chapter 17. Chapter 18 of fact, stranger than fiction by John. Paterson Green. This Libravox recording is in the public domain. Home again. I have a confession to make it is that for fear of being discriminated against on account of being a colored man, I had shipped both when alone and when with my family on a grunarder where I felt sure no prescription would be made, and I'm free to state that my anticipations and this behalf were fully realized. however there came a time when being a little anxious to return to our home without a necessary delay we shipped on the good united states ship new york with more or less of fear and trembling i must admit yet boldly and with the face in front of an american citizen during the entire trip from southampton to new york our treatment by every one was kindly and considerate and when it became generally known that the good people of our dear cleveland had so often and so lavishly

honored me in public ways, the committee appointed to arrange the details of the customary entertainment on the Homeward Voyage, invited me to preside as chairman of the function, which I did with pleasure and apparent satisfaction. Returning from Liverpool on the Campania in 1895, I was one of a thousand who listened with much interest to the animated, eloquent presentation of the socialist calls by J. Keir Hardy MP, who was en route to the United States for the purpose of laying the cause of British workmen before the American public. The meeting was held amid ship where all classes of passengers from the steerage to the first cabin could collect and listen.

The learned gentleman, the sea being calm, spoke for nearly an hour and was attentively listened to without interruption. Following the speech of Keir, Hardy, a disposition became manifest to have him answered, and during the same day a delegation of the passengers requested me to undertake that delicate and difficult task at the same place on the following day. I'll say I was not at all averse to attempting the task, though I fully realized that in Keir Hardy I'd found a foeman more than worthy of my steel. On the occasion of my reply, the weather and sea were again auspicious and the audience

larger, perhaps than on the day before, that I did my possible, as the French sometimes expressed it goes without saying and many compliments came to me from that portion of the audience who believed in the perpetuity of the established order of things social in england and the united states the honored and regretted late citizen judge stevenson burke went in conversation with the writer on one occasion exclaimed in substance as follows my father went into the woods and cut down the trees and pulled up the stumps and grubbed up the roots and plowed up the soil now if any man wants to get the land me, let him pay its full value, or keep silent. In my address on the compania, I consider my most telling point, if I may, so characterize it, that one where I differentiate between the status of the middle classes and a monarchy and those in our great republic, where every man is in theory and law, at least the equal of every other man, and may, if he will, aspire to any position within the gift of the people.

I strove to maintain by my arguments that socialism, anarchism, and all other doctrines of a kindred nature are exotics which should be shunned as being hostile to our well-being. I still am actuated by those and kindred feelings and have put forth every reasonable effort to instill those ideas into the minds and hearts of my colored fellow citizens. Since our last sojourn in foreign lands I've been plodding along in the humble sphere of a private citizen, busy in the private citizen, busy in the private. of the law of the land, and cultivating as best I could the friendly relations of all good people. But there is one episode of my life extending over a period of at least 20 years of which I must make mention, I might say in truth, 44 years, for the mutual acquaintance of Mr. Theodore Bliss of Philadelphia and myself came down from 1866 to the year of his death, 1910. But during the first period mentioned 20 years, we were mutual correspondence, a relationship which

only death terminated. When I say mutual correspondence, I would be understood to mean that I wrote to him, perhaps 50 letters where he favored me with one, and then only a few lines which were painfully executed by spelling the words one letter at a time and conjoining them. His talented daughter, Miss Anna, Catherine Bliss, occasionally acted as an amenuances for him, and wrote to me for him. Mr. Theodore Bliss was of old New England stock, was born in 1822, and died in 1929, and died in 1910 when he was in his 89th year of age. In the forepart of this narrative, I have made mention of this same gentleman, but this story is added as a special token of my love of his memory, and my gratitude for tokens of friendly considerations shown me by him. For 51 years, Mr. Bliss was

afflicted with a disease which I've learned physicians cannot cure. They name it rheumatoid arthritis, a disease which he first noticed in his right shoulder in 1859, but which continued to develop until his death fifty-one years afterwards some idea of his sad plight may be formed by his brief description of it herein one joint after another has been distorted and the limbs bound until i could no longer move about on cane or crutches and was forced to the continuous use of a wheelchair again he says in a little biographical sketch of himself i can honestly say that i would not wish my worst enemy to suffer as i have to have had the fate of being bound hand and foot and imprisoned within and in the invalaged chamber while the mind remained clear and active and still alert to the affairs of everyday life. Yet he says a little farther down in my extreme old age, I can say with perfect sincerity that I would live this life of mine all over again gladly, even including this long period of illness, for in this 88th year of my age, life seems to me a very little and short experience. Hours for sleep, for rest, and for refreshment, shortened these years greatly when measured by activity.

by the accomplishment of results. The late George Bliss of New York was a brother of this Theodore Bliss, and as every one of mature years will bear witness, was a great financial power in that great city. And for many years prior to the year 1868, when he united with Levi P. Morton, George Bliss was the head of the renowned importing dry goods house of George Bliss and Company,

which is of historic note amongst the dry good houses of America. During the time which elapsed between the death of Mr. Theodore Bliss's elder daughter, who was in the habit of writing a letter to him every week as he informed me, and his death more than 20 years, I did not fail in a single instant to write and mail to Mr. Bliss on the same day of the week, a letter containing 1,000 words more or less, but generally more, and even when I was on the high seas or doing political stumping, I took time to write and mail that letter on the ship or in a post office. Every Christmas he mailed me his check for $50,

company with it a request that I give $5 of it to my late beloved and regretted son, Theodore Bliss Green, named for him, and when he died by the terms of his will, I received the sum of $500. Nearly all of my most readable books are testimonials of his bounty, and in that sense he was largely instrumental in enriching my mind with English classic lore, for it is quite doubtful whether I had the talent to select me, my necessary reading matter as he skillfully did.

When I visited Philadelphia, his residence in the fashionable part of the city was my home, and although he could not even put on his eyeglasses or feed himself, yet when I visited him for a few hours, I was constrained to dine with him and his good family, when he would be brought down from his room and placed at the table, a circumstance I was informed which very seldom took place. When he died, I was duly notified of the fact by his daughter, by telegram, and at the funeral i wrote in one of the carriages with members of his and george bliss's family at the home i was treated in all respects as a gentleman and social equal to my mind the foregoing is the most remarkable instance going to prove that even in the face of race prejudice and caste which in some instances is so dense that it can almost be felt.

A colored person in the United States can make a place for himself in the hearts and homes of the foremost white citizens by modest, respectful, and honorable conduct in his daily walk in life. The foregoing is not written boastfully, but encouragingly, for the benefit of such of my classes, have the ambition and persistency to make the test. I have at my home the copy of the Holy Bible, which Mr. Bliss kept near him for his personal use,

as long as he could turn the leaves of it. It was sent to me by his children after his death and I treasure it more than I can tell. He was a good, benevolent man with a mind clear and vigorous, even in his 88th year of age, when he was utterly helpless as to all his limbs, even down to his fingers. By the assistance of others,

he could read all the current literature and reflection was always with him. He died hating, shams, and dishonesty. I consider that I am honoring my class of colored Americans and referring to the right Reverend W.A. Leonard as our friend in need, indeed. We almost crossed each other en route, he to Cleveland, to undertake his new and strenuous duties, I to Washington, where for years he had labored in the vineyard, and made his name from the White House and Capitol down to the humblest Negro, a household word. In my offices where, as United States postage stamp agent, I was in official touch with a number of most estimable ladies of his good works were frequently mentioned,

and his name was revered, so that it is not to be wondered at that on my return to Cleveland after an absence of nearly a decade, I lost no time in finding him and placing myself as well as my family under his spiritual guidance. A good bishop who is known and esteemed all over the civilized portion of the globe is regarded by those near him as a man of great executive ability, a born leader of men, a true American, yet cosmopolitan to the backbone. He is possessed of a heart so large in a spirit so expanded that his sympathies for the needy are redundant, and his generosity in behalf of the poor is unbounded, and these views are not restricted to the members and friends of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, colored of Cleveland and St. Mary's Mission colored of Washington, D.C.,

but by all colored people who know him without regard to their religious affiliations. I repeat the language of the late Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, when speaking of our husband's relation to Spelman Institute of Atlanta, Georgia. Bishop Leonard, for many years, literally, carried both of those colored churches under his arm, and even today since St. Andrews has become under the masterful guidance of Reverend B. Wilington, Paxton, and Reverend Friar B.W. Southern, her rector, self-sustaining church,

our good bishop, relaxes not one wit of his paternal loving affectionate watchfulness. When it comes to a consideration of individuals, our bishop is no respecter of persons, and has never been known as I am informed to call any man whom God hath cleansed, common or unclean. And in stating this fact, I speak entirely within my own personal observation and experience. The readers of this narrative will bear in mind the letter of introduction given to me by our bishop for presentation of the Lord Bishop of London, an august and potential personage in the personnel of the great British Empire. How respectfully it referred to me in what beautiful language it was.

couched in so much so indeed that the great prelate returned it to me after reading and admiring it to be kept as a souvenir of the memorable conference which it procured for me with him. If any further proof were needed of the disinterested and loving personality of our dear bishop the following, I'm sure would satisfy everyone. 354, Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Honorable J.P. Green, London, England, dear sir, many thanks for your kind note of March 9th just received. I trust that by this time you have met the Lord Bishop of London. You will find him certainly a very agreeable and interesting personality. You will be sorry to know that dear Mrs. Mather has departed this life and that we buried her

six weeks ago. She was a saint and universally beloved in the town which her presence has graced and her benedictions have enriched. Faithfully yours, William A. Leonard. Can the writer conceive of any sentiments pure and more abounding in that divine love and friendship which flows only from the inspired service of our blessed Father in heaven? Now here is the last one which I select from several communications with which our bishop has kindly favored me, and I include this only that I may follow it with the beautiful lines to which he refers. The Bishop of Ohio, 3054 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. Honorable John P. Green, Cleveland, Ohio.

My dear friend, it is very kind of you to send me this beautiful poem, which I hear with return, because I know you will want to keep it. surely the gift of music is in the soul of the writer what a privilege to have such friends and associates in life as you are aware the reverend mr southern has agreed to come by the fifteenth of may which i think is absolutely essential as far as our work is concerned with all good wishes i am faithful yours will you may lennard the poem referred to follows to-night an evening prayer for all who watch to-night whate'er the dread may be we ask for them the perfect peace of hearts that rest in thee. For all who weep tonight, the hearts that cannot rest, reveal thy love,

that wondrous love, which gave for us thy best. For all who wake tonight, loves tender watch to keep, watcher divine, thyself draw nigh, thou who dost never sleep. For all who fear tonight, whate'er the dread may be,

we ask for them thy perfect peace of hearts that rest in thee. Our own beloved tonight, O father, keep in where, our love and sacchar cannot reach. Now bless them through our prayer. And all who pray tonight, thy wrestling hosts, O Lord,

make weakness strong. Let them prevail, according to thy word. It may not be amiss to state in this connection that inspired by the guardian, care, and the spiritual example of Bishop Leonard and the faithful pastors whom he has placed over us, I've added to the six years of unveiling attendance at St. Luke's Church in Washington, D.C.,

14 other years since I returned to Cleveland, making 20 years in all, since I have missed a morning service when in Cleveland, and that during the same period of time I have not been one minute late. By the courtesy of our rectors, I officiate as lay reader during their absence or sickness, and during one interregnum or spring and summer. I discharged the duties of a lay reader until a rector was obtained. It is unnecessary, perhaps, to say, I love thy church, O Lord. bearing my long residence of sixty-three years in the city of Cleveland, accepting several periods of time, when absent on business or pleasure bent, it has been my good fortune to become acquainted to a greater or less degree with a large number of very prominent gentlemen and ladies of both races, some of whom I have already referred to in a casual way. And since some of these have in many ways contributed largely towards such success as I have attained to, it would seem that in this my life's story I should at least,

least mention a few of them by name, nor am I quite certain that were I to acquaint them with this intention on my part, they would yield their consent, since in only a few instances have I been received by them in their homes or as personal domestic associates. However, since I've only good to speak of them, I will draw my bow at a venture in every instance where in the following I shall submit the copy of a letter I shall retain in my possession of the original for the inspection of anyone who may desire to read it. The first one is from the late President James A. Garfield, to whose residence and mentor,

I conducted a delegation of 300 colored voters at a time in his presidential campaign when it was easily apparent that he needed votes. The book to which he refers in the letter is one which I hurriedly wrote to be used to some extent in that same campaign, and while I secured a copyright in the Congressional Library, yet it was anonymously issued.

The title of the book is Reculary, of the Carolinas. Mr. J. P. Green, Mentor, Ohio, August 22, 1880. My dear sir, Mr. Sherwin, kindly, loaned me a copy of your book a few days ago, and though I did not have the time to read it in full, I looked it over carefully and was much pleased to see a subject of such importance so well handled.

Congratulations you upon your success, I'm very truly yours. J. A. Garfield. The next letter which I shall submit is from the late Senator, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State John Sherman. The last time this great statesman was elected to the United States Senate, I, as a member of the Ohio Senate, had the honor of voting for him. I have hanging near me now a portrait of him presented by him to me with his autograph subscribed. Senate Chamber Washington, D.C., December 18, 1893,

to whom it may concern, I take pleasure in commending, Honorable John P. Green, now a member of the Senate of Ohio, from the city of Cleveland to the kindly favor of Americans abroad, with whom he may come in contact. He is a man of literary attainments, a good speaker of excellent character and standing, and influential among the colored people of Ohio. Very respectfully, John Sherman.

The third letter is one recently received from ex-governor, Myron T. Herrick, more recently, ambassador to France, whose signal a very valuable service is not more to France, and the allies then to the United States, have gained for him not only universal approbation, but also the respect and love of many. Myron T. Herrick, July 22, 1919, dear Mr. Green, I was deeply touched by your most kind letter of reminiscences. I will remember you when you came to Cole's nasty old law offices long, long ago. You were a young, earnest man, and you have fulfilled the promise of those years of your adolescence

to be a valuable man for your city and your country. I congratulate you upon your anniversary, for you have been an honor to the city of your choice for 62 years, as you will be until the end of your days. Long and late may be the day. Thank you for your letter. I appreciate it deeply. Yours, Myron T. Herrick. The following letter is from the pen of the late Booker T. Washington, who needs no introduction anywhere in the civilized world. To the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, June 15, 1914, to whom it may concern. This is to state that I have known for a number of years, the Honorable John P. Green of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Green has held several important public positions, both in the state and national government.

Besides, in his profession as a lawyer, he stands eminently high, and as a public speaker, he is a man who commands the highest respect and who makes an address which is instructive, inspiring, and interesting. He knows the condition of the Negro race in this country, and can be depended upon to give interesting information concerning the project, of our race. I commend him to all into whose hands this letter may fall. Booker T. Washington. The next letter is from Mr. Daniel Murray, Assistant Librarian of the Congressional Library, who is stationed in the Capitol during the sessions of Congress where his position is absolutely unique for the reason that

he can furnish precedence and other information to senators and representatives when in the act of speaking on any reasonable subject of past legislation. of Congress, Washington, D.C., September 20, 1915, my dear friend Green, I'm very glad to receive your communication and will avail myself of the data in perfecting my sketch of you. I had already gathered much concerning your wonderful career, but am no less grateful to receive this supplementary data. I hope our friend George A., referring to Mr. George A. Myers of Cleveland, Ohio, is all right. I note what you say of the Labor Day matter. I've already given you credit for introducing and having passed their hire,

less gestilation making the day a legal holiday. The Eagle, a local published here, has an editorial on a visit made to you in Cleveland. It is well written and fully deserved, wishing you every blessing and long life to enjoy the same. I beg to remain very sincerely yours, Daniel Murray. To Honorable John Patterson Green, Cleveland, Ohio. The following is a letter from Reverend Charles F. Thwing,

D.D., President of Western Reserve University, Edelbert College, Cleveland, Ohio, and speaks for itself. May 6, 1916, my dear Mr. Green, it is kind in you to write me as you do and to let me share with you in the pleasure of these letters of Mr. Bliss and Mr. Richards. At the present moment, there is no opportunity, in fact also the larger share of our special lectures for the next college year have been arranged,

but at some time I'm sure a fitting opportunity will open for you to come to us. when this opportunity does open i shall give myself the pleasure of inviting you i wish that we might meet oftener we have so many great subjects in common to talk about believe me ever yours charles f thwing john p green esq here is another city of cleveland ohio mayor's office this is to certify that hon john p green member of the ohio senate has been for many years a resident of cleveland of good standing in the community He is a lawyer by profession, a contributor to journals and magazines, and enjoys an excellent reputation as a public speaker. He is also deservedly entitled to praise for his intelligent industry and credit for his ability. I cheerfully commend Mr. Green to the courtes of those whom he may meet.

Robert Blee Mayor I have the honor to submit the following from one of the judges of our Court of Common Pleas, County of Caya Hoga, Thomas M. Kennedy, Judge, Cleveland, Ohio, June 22, 1914, to whom it may concern. I've known Mr. John P. Green for 30 years and can certify that he has born an excellent character as a lawyer and a citizen both in private and public life during all of that time. He has been signally honored by his state and nation and has rendered distinguished services to the public for many years. He is an eloquent and graceful speaker at the bar and on the public platform, and a man of high character and unquestioned integrity. Very respectfully, Thomas M. Kennedy, Judge.

In addition to the foregoing I have letters highly complimentary from judges, governors, United States, senators, and very prominent businessmen, but I feel sure my readers will have been quite surfeited with what I have already given. I shall include two others, however, as they are from me. men of universal note, and I think will be appreciated. The first is from the late Frederick Douglas, a man born and raised, I cannot say rear of a person who, by the law of the land, and by his treatment was a mere chattel in slavery, who carried on his back the scars of the driver's whip, who had one of his eyes blinded, who never attended school a day in his old life, and yet was the associate of eminent scholars and officials, and was noted the world

over as an orator, statesman, and philosopher. The letter follows, cedar hill anacostia d c march sixth eighteen ninety three my dear mr green i'm pleased to know that you are about to treat yourself to a tour abroad there was a time when i could have assisted you in the manner you suggest but that was nearly fifty years ago i went to england in eighteen forty five then i knew john bright richard cobbden george thompson joseph sturge george w alexander many other influential men but not only other influential men but not Now all are gone, and I alone am left to tell this. You will take with you my high regards and best wishes for your safety and happiness while on sea and land and a warm welcome home, when you shall return. Though I know but few in England now, there are many who know of me, and you may perhaps use my name to some with whom you may meet.

Your friend, Frederick Douglass. The following letter from Dr. John Clifford, Dr. Vennity, Dr. of Letters, is in answer to an invitation mailed to him by me in the summer of 1911 when he made his last visit to this country asking him to spend a few days at least in our great city of cleveland beladelphia pennsylvania june 24 nineteen eleven many thanks my dear friend for your letter it is refreshing to hear from you in your own land i wish i could come and see you it would be a great joy to meet to come to cleveland but i have not a spare day nor can i make one it was a real pleasure to meet you Mr. Rockefeller, and the short chat that I had with him was most pleasant. Please remember us to Mrs. Green, and accept the assurance of my keen regret that I cannot see you. We are having a grand time here, thanks to the overflowing generosity of our American friends. I'm truly yours. John Clifford.

In closing the foregoing letter, may I not add that prior to the World War, Dr. Clifford was reputed to be the most influential man in Great Britain, the Prime Minister alone being accepted. In view of the fact that the writer of the following letter has recently been nominated by the great Republican Party as its standard-bearer for the High Office of President of the United States and the omens for his election all seem auspicious, I'm of opinion it will be read with a very great degree of interest.

The circumstances which caused Senator Harding to write me this letter as far back as the latter part of December 1918, a year and a half before his nomination are as follows. I wrote a letter to Mr. Dan R. Hanna, protesting against the apparent efforts of himself and other great men of the country looking towards the nomination of the late, lamented ex-president, Theodore Roosevelt for the presidency in 1920. A copy of which I mailed to Senator Harding at Washington,

in closing with the same letter to the senator in which I suggested that he and not the distinguished ex-president was the logical and probable nominating. for president in 1920. To this communication, I received the following letter from Senator Harding. Committee on Commerce, December 27, 1918. Mr. John P. Green, 510 Blackstone Building, Cleveland, Ohio. My dear Mr. Green, thank you very much for your note and the copy of the letter which you wrote to Mr. Hanna under recent date.

This is all very interesting to me. I know Mr. Hanna is a very great and enthusiastic supporter. of Colonel Roosevelt, and I happen to know that Roosevelt's candidacy for the Republican nomination in 1920 is being very vigorously pushed along. I do not pretend to say who will be the best standard-bearer for 1920. Many things may happen before that time arrives. It will not surprise me if we choose our standard-bearer with some very serious consideration of the conditions which obtain at that time. I think I ought to say to you that I have no ambition of my own to serve in this matter. I do hope the Republican Party will be wise enough to pursue the only course which will ensure to us the recovery of federal control.

I thank you for your interest and your friendly attitude, wishing you a very happy New Year. I am very truly yours, W.G. Harding. An incident of a political nature in which the late Tom L. Johnson was the central figure may be of interest to some of the readers of this narrative. Considerable interest centered around the congressional contest between this distinguished Clevelander and Theodore E. Burton, Esquare, now ex-Senator Burton, when they were opposed to each other for elections some 30 years ago. The late H.T. U. U. Banks then head waiter at the Waddell House, and subsequently a member of the lower house of the General Assembly, found much favor in the sight of Mr. Johnson, and even volunteered his services in assisting him in

gaining the goodwill of the colored voters of Cleveland, and as a means to that end prevailed upon Mr. Johnson to invite this writer, and the Honorable Harry C. Smith, the author of the Ohio Civil Rights Law, to debate with him all matters of interest to the colored voters involved in the pending congressional election. As a matter, of course, we accepted the invitation, and on the appointed evening, in Mr. Johnson's big tent pitched within our public square, we locked horns, I say locked horns, advisedly, for it was some contest and we fought it out to a finish. Where the victory and honor lay is not for me to say, but this much I will affirm, Mr. Johnson was defeated at the polls. In the late W.J. Acres for many years, proprietor of the Forest City

House, one of the leading hotels of Cleveland, was accustomed to say that prior to that debate, Mr. Johnson's prospects for election were good, but that from that night to those of Mr. Burton were in the ascendant. Mr. Acreus contended that in that meeting Mr. Johnson became the butt and jeer of the crowd in attendance, that the humor spread throughout the district to the discomfiture of the noted gentleman. However, Tom L. Johnson was too big a man to complain. He accepted his defeat philosophically and sought like another Alexander some new world railway to conquer. In the year 1897, before answering the call of President McKinley to take office at Washington,

I, for the first time since 1857, visited my childhood's home. Few of those whom we had left there were still living, but the New St. Trent Rivers were there. Some of the more substantial buildings were there in quite a number of the humbler homes. The old courthouse market house in Christ's Episcopal Church had been destroyed by fire, but upon the whole, the general appearance of the town denoted progress.

In Rock Cemetery, I found our lot intact. and the inscriptions on the family, tombstones, and others were still legible. I had the great pleasure of delivering an address in one of the AME churches there to a large audience of colored people and many reminiscences of the past interested and instructed me. In referring to my visit to my old Newburn home, in 1897 I moved to make reference to a grand old man, to the manner born, as the saying ghosts, who received me into his home, for an interesting and to me instructive conversation full of reminiscences of my childhood days, and who gave me the greater part of the data concerning the Stanley family,

which I have related in the beginning of the first chapter. I referred to the late Colonel John D. Whitford, who during a long, long life of usefulness, had contributed towards the growth and prosperity of his native town and state. Colonel Whitford, if I mistake not, was the first president of the Atlantic in North Carolina, road, which extended from Goldsboro to Elizabeth City, and did much towards putting Newburn on the map. Speaking of social politeness and courtesy, Colonel Whitford said to me, a young man called on me recently, and in conversation with me in answer to one of my questions, he said,

uh-huh. I said, there's my door. I'll have no one in my house, who uh-huhs me. Such was the old-time gentleman, his kind-hearted brother, the late William Whitford during mother's heroic struggle for a livelihood used to credit her for a quarter of firewood and then give her sewing to pay for it. I've written this narrative of my life down to the present date in the Blackstone Building during the months of December 1919 and January and February 1920, inclusive, during such vacant spaces of time as I have been able to snatch from the hours of my professional employment. The building in which my son, Captain William R. Green and I have our offices as the first modern building in which we have been enabled to rent a suite of offices without the intervention

of a white man, since we have been in the profession, which, in fact, inspires me with the desire to here and now express deep gratitude to Mr. Jacob B. Perkins, the owner of the group of great buildings of which this is one, and also his naval son, Captain Ralph Perkins, his father's alter ego, for their liberal, manly American treatment of us. During my long and eventful life in Cleveland, it has been my pleasure and profit, more or less, to meet in a business and political way, five members of the illustrious family. Perkins, who leaving their New England homes in the infancy of our great republic came to this Connecticut Western Reserve and have done their bit towards making it one of the most liberal, intelligent, patriotic, and wealthy sections in the United States.

I first came in contact with the late Edwin R. Perkins when in the year 1858, he was principal of the historic Mayflower School. I'm sure that the juxtaposition of his fair rule and my body had as much to do with my future development as any and all the instruction which I received from him in the classroom. This, Mr. Perkins, who is distantly related to the gentleman whose name I have mentioned was subsequently president of our Board of Education for a decade, and ultimately developed into the president of one of our great banks and a railway. My next acquaintance was that of the late Joseph Perkins, a gentleman of refinement, large means and extended business connections.

He was one of the foremost minds of the city of Cleveland during his lifetime and died regretted by the whole business community. Third, in order of my acquaintance, was the late Senator Henry B. Perkins, whom I met in the Senate of the State of Ohio, when he was an honored and very efficient member of that body. This was at a time when I was a member of the lower branch. of the General Assembly of Ohio. The Senator was held in high esteem by everyone in the State House,

from the Governor down to the pages, and was greatly missed when his business affairs would no longer admit of his attendance there. The large and substantial business block on the southeastern corner of Frankfurt Avenue and West Third Street, built and owned by him and now occupied by the foreman Bassett Company, attest how near and valuable he was to the business interests of Cleveland.

last but by no means least i mention my present benefactor mr jacobby perkins not forgetting that chip off the old block his worthy son captain ralph perkins i've only that mutual acquaintance with mr perkins which exists between a landlord and a tenant if i accept the frequent complimentary mention of him which i have read in the newspapers from time to time when under the administration of president mckinley i went to take office in washington d c my exterior wearing apparel consisted of a broad cloth, Prince Albert coat, with trousers, and vest to match, a shirt front of immaculate white, containing a conspicuous diamond stud and a silk hat. I had not been there long before I noticed that I was dressed finer and was far more conspicuous than most of the senators and cabinet officers.

It took little time for me to change my costume for one more in keeping with the prevailing style. I mentioned this fact because of the surprise which I experienced when Mr. Jacob B. Perkins was first pointed out to me from the works which he had done and the great liberality he had shown in providing the city of Cleveland, its first modern office and other buildings, with elevators and its great and beautiful Edgewater Park

located on the west side, but really impractically used and enjoyed by the whole city. I expected to see a gentleman conspicuous for his elegant and attractive attire, but what was my surprise when I beheld just a plain gentleman, reproducing in his personal appearance what I had beheld in the capital of our nation and amongst the businessmen of some of the commercial centres which I had visited, plain, practical, easily approached, and apparently oblivious to the fact that he is one of the great builders of this mart of commerce and trade known as the city of Cleveland, rightly the fifth in this great nation. Mr. Perkins, whether actuated by modesty, I cannot say, will not admit that he donated Edgewater Park to the City of Cleveland, but this I know for it all was accomplished while I was politically in the public eye. if Mr. Jacobi Perkins did not actually present to the city of Cleveland the land and beautiful lakefront which constitutes the Edgewater Park,

he did present a portion of it and made it possible for our city to obtain the remainder on terms which necessitated a great financial sacrifice on his part. And it ought, in my own estimation to be named for him, just as Wade Park, Gordon Park, and Rockefeller Park are respectively named for their donors. However, Mr. Perkins harks back to that old Simon Perkins, who, when everything here and hereabouts was young and raw, came like Moses, Cleveland as a surveyor, and by buying spacious tracts of land, laid the foundation for the future welfare and fame of his prosperity. May the name Perkins continue illustrious, and their shadows never grow less. Seventy years have elapsed since my dear father died in 1850, leaving Sarah, 11 years of age, John 5 and Kitty, nine months of age. Today we are all living and able to help ourselves,

nor have we during the 70 years last past been afflicted with any serious complaint, a record I think for which we should be praising God all the day long. My first dear wife, Annie Walker Green, the mother of all my children, with whom I lived happily and successfully for 43 years, and his memory will ever be sacredly and cherished in my heart in memory, died on the 15th day of January 1911, deeply mourned by a large circle of friends of both races. She will be remembered by many for her unselfish generosity and her cheerful disposition. When she died, my whole family was dissolved, and I was left entirely alone and lonesome in this exigency, remembering the declaration of the Almighty Father of all that it is not good that

man should be left alone. I wooed and won a most estimable and talented lady of a in the person of mrs lottie mitchell richardson with whom i am passing the evening of my life in a most happy and satisfactory manner she was the relict of the late albert richardson an educated and highly respected gentleman who cut off in the noon day of his usefulness left under the care education and control of his widow three infant children aged eleven and six years and four months two of these children are still living the boy fred a bright and promising lad when in a 17th year of age and a member of the Glenville High School was run down by an automobile in charge of a careless, reckless driver and killed when in the act of alighting from a street car. The elder of the girls, after being graduated from the Cleveland High and normal school systems, taught school in Cleveland for three years and has now engaged in social welfare work in New York City. While the youngest child, Helen, is at this writing well-advanced in the junior high school system and by her punctuality and love of letters gives promise of a bright and useful future.

Helen has adopted the family named Green, and the love between her and me is mutual. Of my children, by my first wife, three are still living. The oldest Captain William R. Green is still engaged in the practice of law, being recognized as an upright, successful practitioner, earnest and faithful, while he and his beloved wife, Mrs. Agnes Gilding Green, of whom I have spoken in the 16th chapter of this narrative, are greatly beloved by a large circle of friends of both races in the city of Cleveland. They are both devout Catholics.

Mrs. Clara Annie Johnson, the wife of Dr. C. C. Johnson, a pharmacist who is most loving and devoted to his wife and children, is my only daughter. Three little children bless this union. Phyllis aged 11. Wendell, C. aged six years, and Theodore Green Johnson aged at this writing 14 days. Little Phyllis is fond of her school and studies and gives great promise of a literary career, while the little boy who also loves his schooling is a thorough boy, as for the latest little arrival, let us say. With Wadsworth, heaven lies about us in our infancy. At length, the man perceives it die away and fade into the light of common day. Clara, my daughter,

is endowed with all those womanly graces which go to enhance the usefulness and value of true womanhood. Jesse Bishop Green is a chef, and a good one whose culinary art has brought pleasure to some of the most exacting of the land. He is fond of his profession or art, and may the future crown him with success. Of those who died in infancy, little Johnny was loving and hopeful, but death claimed him when he was eight years and seven months of age.

In this connection, perhaps the following reverence concerning one of our local artists would be of interest to a large circle of his friends and admirers. I refer to A.M. Willard, Esquire, the painter of Pluck No. 1 and Pluck No. 2, two famous sketches which a generation ago furnished much amusement to the people of this country, and also the inspiration of painter of the great canvas known the world over-entitled Yankee Doodle, first exhibited at the centennial, which was held in Philadelphia in 1876,

to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the independence of the United States. When our son Johnny died, we had no likeness of him, later than the second year of his age, and we were at a loss to know how to obtain one as he was then eight years and seven months of age. in that contingency occurred to me that if i could persuade mr willet to enter the vault and sketch his features as he lay in the casket it would supply the deficit the great artist yielded to my suggestion and got a good likeness of the little deceased boy then we were in a quandary as to how to reproduce his eyes for they were closed and could not be seen by the artist in that extremity i had recourse to a photo of the child taken when he was two years of age and with this before mr willet added the eyes to the sketch and to this day we have in our position a true likeness of johnny at the time of his death truman handy green a dear sweet little boy lived only about seven months last but not least i named my son the late theodore bliss green esquire an attorney-in-law of the ohio bar a married man a loving husband and affectionate son and brother doty as his very large circle of friends and admirers termed him was jovial good-natured faithful industrious to a fault he loved his chosen profession and courted it as lord coke's jealous mistress a year or two before his death. He came within about 100 votes of being elected to a six-year term

as a judge of our municipal court. Doty was so extremely militant in behalf of the rights and wrongs of the colored people that some regarded him as being super-sensitive and did not like him, but that did not worry him when he believed that his cause was just, he fought for it, manfully and persistently to the end. Theodore died at the age of 40 years, young in years, but old in labors and experience. He left behind him only friends, no enemies, his discontory. consulate widow, Mrs. Edna Jenkins Green, still a young woman, a teacher in our public schools, continues to mourn his loss while his father, brothers, and sister, pray for the repose of his soul. In closing this narrative, I will state that the reports which from time to time have been current

as to my acquaintance with the classical languages and literature have been much exaggerated, the fact is that I cannot even boast of Shakespeare's little Latin and less Greek. The best I can say for myself is that I have a mere smattering of the two languages. I tried to study Latin without a teacher, and thereby omitted some of the fundamental instruction at the beginning, which has handicapped me all the way through. As for Greek, I did not give enough time to the study of it to get it thoroughly within my grasp. I've tried to make up for my loss by studying during my later years, but without much success. As for French, I've found the reading of that beautiful language comparatively easy, but I'm now reading one of Emil Zola's works entitled Latere, quite bucolic in its nature, which requires much use of the lexicon. so i would advise all my young friends who may honour me by reading this story of my life to be quite thorough in their early stages of any study if they expect to be proficient therein the changes which have transformed a few comparatively ignorant-coloured people of the day of my arrival here into a multitude of cultured and refined persons of the present day have been truly marvellous certainly there were in cleveland at that time a cultured and refined society of well-to-do coloured people who owned their own homes possessed trades and definite occupations or were fairly well educated but they had not even thought of holding public offices and depended upon a decision of our state supreme court for the right to vote since the constitution of the state of ohio then is now restricted the electoral to all white male citizens but since then we have many times duplicated our numbers have grown along intellectual aesthetic and financial lines have added to our numbers many members in all the professional artistic and mercantile pursuits and have been elected to serve in some of the most honorable public offices within the

the gift of a generous people. In the General Assembly of the State we can name, in regular order of their election, the following one, the writer of this narrative, two, Honorable Jerry A. Brown, three, Honorable Harry C. Smith, four, Honorable William H. Clifford, five, Honorable Henry T. U. U. Banks. In 1873 and continuously until 1882, this writer was elected tri-annually, and for nine consecutive of years discharged the functions of justice of the peace of Cleveland Township, and during a portion of that time as Sir as Parker Hare, Lewis W. Turner, and J. H. Washington, all colored men, were elected and discharged the duties of Constable in the same township. Thomas W. Fleming,

as where a colored gentleman, a great popularity, and much executive ability has on three occasions, been elected a member of the Council of the City of Cleveland, once at large. Mr. Fleming is at this writing chairman of the Council Committee on Polaro. police, etc. Numerous men of our race class have been appointed and most of them are now serving on our splendid police force and what seems to this narrator one of the great dis achievements of our class in Cleveland is the fact that many of our educated cultured and refined daughters after strict examinations have been appointed teachers in our public schools. Along the line of journalism for many years the colored people of Cleveland have been represented by men of more or less ability,

all of whom have rung true to the interests of our race. them in order of time, I can now recall. H. C. Smith, R. A. Jones, L. W. Puleys, welcome D. Blue, Nahum, D. Brasher, Orman, A. Fort, and Professor S. William A. B. Could some of our old-colored pioneers who have gone to rest come amongst us today and note the wonderful progress which we have made since their day, notably old father John Malvin, who gave of his time, money and almost his life in the anti-slavery cause? And Ellen Medlin, J.R. Warren, Elisha Freeman, Benjamin S. Green, David Crosby, J. H. Weaver, Cicero M. Richardson, George Vosberg, elders, J. R. Warren, and J. P. Underwood. Buckner and John Simmons, E.L. Sweet,

and dear O. Centenarian, Mrs. Polly Simmons, not to mention many others who did right valiantly in the cause of liberty, good government and worthy citizenship, how surprised and happy they would be. Truly, this is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. End of fact, stranger than fiction by John Patterson Green.