Hanover; Or The Persecution of the Lowly: A Story of the Wilmington Massacre.Thorne, Jack
History
Hanover; Or The Persecution of the Lowly: A Story of the Wilmington Massacre.
Thorne, Jack
African Americans -- North Carolina -- Wilmington -- Fiction; Wilmington (N.C.) -- History -- Fiction
Chorus: "Git on board, children," etc.
These great men are gone into the spirit world, but George Howe still
lives. Banks was the last to go, and when that coffined clay was being
borne from old Ebenezer, where for sixteen years he had labored, George
Howe was one of that multitude of bleeding hearts who followed his
precious bones to the burying ground. He stood and looked on until the
last spadeful of earth was thrown upon the coffin and the mound shaped
above it. After the death of the Rev. Banks George Howe became very much
attached to his eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth, and he could often be
seen leisurely strolling down Seventh street in the direction of Banks'
residence, playing his jewsharp and singing the praises of "Sister Mary
Lizzie" between the twanks.
"I'm er goin' down to Sister Mary Lizzie Banksies;
Sister Mary Lizzie is the daughter of Brother Banks,
An' I think er great 'eal of Sister Mary Lizzie;
Sister Lizzie, I've got ter tell you-u-u."
Pausing in front of the door, he would roll up his sleeves, stretch his
mouth, roll his eyes and make all kinds of comical expressions. "Sister
Mary Lizzie, I'm jus' out er jail-l-l, I'm full er lice-e-e; but jus' as
soon as I take er bath I'm comin' back to see you-u-u, for I have
news-s-s-s to tell you-u-u." The young lady would often have to run in
and lock her doors when she'd see this harmless nuisance approaching.
George Howe was one of the few that listened to the Colonel and Teck
Pervis in the Wigwam on this particular night in October. Even when the
ghastly plans of the murderous clan were being discussed, no one thought
of excluding the town fool, who stood gaping around taking it all in.
Schults, the German, was arranging things in and about his well-filled
and well-patronized grocery store on Castle street on the following
morning, when George Howe entered. Grabbing a handful of dried apples
from a tray which sat upon the counter, he stuffed them into his mouth,
threw his long legs across a flour barrel and momentarily watched the
German as he busied himself about the store. "You didn't git out las'
night, Schults," said he to the German, gulping the apples down to clear
his throat for conversation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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