Trotwood's Monthly, Vol. II, No. 3, June, 1906 — John Shaqi
Trotwood's Monthly, Vol. II, No. 3, June, 1906Various
History
Trotwood's Monthly, Vol. II, No. 3, June, 1906
Various
Agriculture -- Southern States -- Periodicals; Horses -- Periodicals; Southern States -- Periodicals
Manager’s Note—There has not been a week since we commenced to
publish Trotwood’s Monthly that we have not received one or
more letters asking us to reproduce “Tom’s Last Furage,” it
never having been published in any of Mr. Moore’s books; hence
is not in permanent form. In compliance with these requests, we
reproduce the story together with a note by the author as it
appeared in the Olympian Magazine, in October, 1903. Since that
publication, the old Judge after serving a quarter of a century
as Judge of the Black Belt Circuit, died in harness, while
holding court in Greensboro, Alabama, April 27, 1904. It is
said that no judge ever lived in Alabama, who held so generally
the love and affection of all the people, white and black, as
did Judge Moore. It seems almost incredible to relate that the
last time he was re-elected to office, in a general election,
in which all parties were represented and all classes of men
voted, out of 9,500 votes cast, Judge Moore received all of
them but one.
Speaking of his death the Birmingham News said: “In his death,
the last link of the old leaders of just after the war, passed
away, honored, loved, lamented sorely; not only by his home and
district, but by the South. As his pastor said at the funeral,
‘let us pray God’s guidance to fill his place; not only as a
jurist, but in the hearts of his people.’”
A few years ago William Jennings Bryan related the story of
“Tom’s Last Furage,” in an after dinner speech, and said it
expressed more clearly the relationship existing between the
old Southern gentleman and his slaves than any story ever
written.
Peace to the ashes of so noble a man. The old Judge has passed
into the beyond. May he meet and know all whom he loved here,
even old Tom.
E. E. SWEETLAND,
Business Manager.
* * * * *
Author’s Note.—This story was first published in the Horse
Review of Chicago, December, 1897, but in December, 1899, it
was plagiarized by some writer whose name, I am glad to say,
I have forgotten, and published in Munsey’s Magazine under
the title of “Jim’s Defense.” Mrs. Frances Herrick Fowler,
the gifted California writer, called Mr. Frank A. Munsey’s
attention to the plagiarism and he very promptly wrote me a
letter of apology. Since then, so many public readers and even
negro minstrel companies have used the story, giving credit
to the plagiarized form, that, at the earnest request of the
editor of The Olympian, I am permitting it to appear again in
its true form.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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