Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1886 — Saw His Freedom. [ARTICLE]

Saw His Freedom.

Old Randsom had been blind during many years. He had heard the guns of the war, had heard the shouts of his emancipated brethren, but had never seen his freedom. He continued to live in his cabin, surrounded by his wife and children, who supported him. His wife died, and his heartless children, one by one, deserted him. After this he contrived to make a living by bottoming chairs. Several months ago he became too feeble to work. About that time a young man whom the old negro had nursed came home. “ You needn’t try to work any more, Uncle Randsom,” said the young man. “I have bought the plantation, and a part of what I make shall be yours. ” “Thankee, Mars Bob; thankee, sah, ’Twon’t be fur long, sah, fur de ole man is gettin’ putty close to de eend o’ de row.” It was not for long. One night, after a storm, when the wind was sinking to rest, the young man stood by the bedside of the old negro. “Are you suffering much pain, Uncle Randsom?” . “No?honey, nuthin’ hu’ts me er tall; de diffikilty is dat my bref is sorter wraung.” “You are dying, old man.” “Yes, sah, an’ thank do Lawd fur it. I’se been in de dark er mighty laung time, Mars Bob, er mighty Jaung time, an’ now I’se gwine out inter de h'ght. Dese ole eyes o’ de body ain’ no count, but de eyes o’ de soul ken look at de glories o’ de udder wort’. ” “Do you wish to leave any word for your children, in the event that I should ever see any of them?” “No, sah, nothin’ in purtic’let, only dat I forgibs ’em. Sorter prop me up, es yer please, sah. Dar, dat’ll do.” “You are happy in the belief of a future life, are you not ?” “Oh, yes, sah; oh, yes. Es dar wa’n’t no life arter dis, de worl’ would be er failure. De Lawd wpuldn’ wanter create me ter be a slabe ha’f my life, an’ blin’ de udder ha’f, if it wa’n’t ter teach me er gre’t lesson. Wbar dat light come from ?” he said, raising his hands. “Mars Bob, Mars Bob, I kin see—l kin see! Look at de light. Tildy,” referring to his wife, long since dead, “yer’s fotch er lamp "to light de ole man er way. I’se gwine—I’se gwine! De light gits brighter an’ brighter. Hol’ it up, hoi’ it up. Thank de Lawd dar ain’ no mo’ night. Thank——” The young man eased him down. At last the old man had seen his freedom. Arkansaw Traveler. Pbof. W. F. Babb att, F. R. 8. E., of the Royal College of Sciences, Dublin, comparing the different illuminating agents in use at the present moment, claims that for the same, amount of light gas costs 12 cents, the glow electric 12 cents, and the arc 6 cents. Paraffine oil occupied a very high position as an illuminant in cheapness and undeleterious nature of waste pro-

ducts, but its disagreeable smell and the danger attending its use were against it Electricity .gave rise to no deleterious products at all, but the arc lamp gave « dazzling light, throwing intense shadows. In calculating the cost of providing the electric light for a house the chief item was the interest on capital laid down in plant; the actual supply of electric energy was the least of the items. For 2GO lamps lighted 500 hours a year it was cheaper to have gas than the arc electric light.