of his interment, and prepare of his son's health; stating the every thing for his burial. manner in which he passed his "The admiral left him upon his time in the country, and giving melancholy errand, fearing at the great reason to hope that he same time, as he himself informed would recover from the disorder me, that the people would believe with which he was afflicted.* him crazy, to solicit a burying- His servant read this letter aloud; ground for a man who was then and when he had concluded, Mr. living, and whom no person yet Howard turned his head towards knew to be indisposed. How-him, saying, "Is not this comfort ever, he accomplished Mr. How- for a dying father?" He expressard's wishes, and returned to him ed great repugnance against be, with the intelligence: at this his ing buried according to the rites countenance brightened, a gleam of the Greek Church; and begof evident satisfaction came over ging Admiral Priestman to prehis face, and he prepared to go vent any interference with his to bed. Soon after, he made his interment on the part of the Ruswill, leaving as his executor asian priests, made him also protrusty follower, who had lived mise, that he would read the serwith him more in the capacity of vice of the Church of England a friend than of a servant, and over his grave, and bury him in whom he charged with the com- all respects according to the forms mission of bearing his will to of his country. Soon after this England. It was not until after last request he ceased to speak. he had finished his will, that any Admiral Mordvinof came in, and symptoms of delirium appeared. found him dying very fast. They Admiral Priestman, who had left had in vain besought him to alhim for a short time, returned low a physician to be sent for; and found him sitting up in his but Admiral Mordvinof renewing bed, adding what he believed to this solicitation with great earn. be a codicil to his will; but this estness, Mr. Howard assent. consisted of several unconnected ed by nodding his head. The words, the chief part of which physician came, but was too late were illegible, and all without to be of any service. A rattling any meaning. This strange com- in the throat had commenced; position he desired Admiral and the physician administered Priestman to witness and sign; what is called the Musk-draught, and, in order to please him, the a medicine used only in Russia, Admiral consented: but wrote in the last extremity. It was givhis name, as he bluntly said, in en to the patient by Admiral Russian characters, lest any of his Mordvinof, who prevailed on him friends in England, reading his to swallow a little; but he endeasignature to such a codicil, should voured to avoid the rest, and gave think he was also delirious. Af-evident signs of disapprobation. ter Mr. Howard had made what He was then entirely given over; he conceived to be an addition to and shortly after breathed his his will, he became more com- last. posed. A letter was brought to him from England, containing in *Mr. Howard's son laboured under an telligence of the improved state attack of insanity. "He had always refused to allow when Mr. Heber visited the spot, any portrait of himself to be not a vestige of them was to be made; but after his death Admi-seen; there remained only the ral Mordvinof caused a plaster-obelisk, in the midst of a bleak mould to be formed upon his and desolate plain, before which face, which was sent to Mr. Wil-a couple of dogs were gnawing berforce. A cast from this mould the bones of a dead horse, whose was in the Admiral's possession putrifying carcass added to the when we were in Cherson, and disgust and horror of the scene. presented a very striking resem-A circumstance came to our blance of his features. knowledge before we left Russia, "He was buried near the village concerning Howard's remains, of Dauphigny, about five versts which it is painful to relate; from Cherson, on the road to namely, that Count Vincent PoNicholaef, in the spot he had tocki, a Polish nobleman of the himself chosen; and his friend, highest taste and talents, whose Admiral Priestman, read the magnificent library and museum English burial service, according would do honour to any country, to his desire. The rest of his through a mistaken design of teswishes were not exactly fulfilled; tifying his respect for the memofor the concourse of spectators ry of Howard, had signified his were immense, and the order of intention of taking up the body, his funeral was more magnificent that it might be conveyed to his than would have met with his ap-country seat, where a sumptuous probation. It was as follows: 1. The Body, on a bier, drawn by six horses, with trappings. 2. The Prince of Moldavia, in a sumptuous carriage, drawn by six horses, covered with scarlet cloth. 3. Admirals Mordvinof and Priestman, in a carriage drawn by six horses. 4. The Generals and Staff-Officers of the Garrison, in their respective carriages. 5. The Magistrates and Merchants of Cherson, in their respective carriages. 6. A large party of Cavalry. 7. Other persons on horseback. 3. An immense concourse of spectators and people on foot, amounting to two or three thousand. monument has been prepared for its reception, upon a small island in the midst of a lake. His countess, being a romantic lady, wishes to have an annual fète, consecrated to benevolence; at which the nymphs of the country are to attend and strew the place with flowers. This design is so contrary to the earnest request of Mr. Howard, and, at the same time, so derogatory to the dignity due to his remains, that every friend to his memory will join in wishing it may never be fulfilled. "A monument was afterward Count Potocki was absent during erected over him, which, instead the time we remained in that part of the sun dial he had requested, of the world, or we should have consisted of a brick pyramid, or ventured to remonstrate; we obelisk, surrounded by stone could only, therefore, entrust posts with chains. This, of our petitions to a third person, course, will not long survive the who promised to convey them to general destruction of whatsoever him after our departure. is interesting in the country. "The distance from Cherson to The posts and chains began to Nicholaef is only sixty-two versts, disappear before our arrival; and or rather more than forty-one miles. At the distance of five and often gets laughed at for his versts from the former place, the pains; but he takes it all very road passes close to the tomb of patiently." Howard. It may be supposed we "Does he behave well as your servant?" "Yes, that he does he is as did not halt with indifference to view the hallowed spot. To abstract the mind from all local honest, and civil a fellow as ever emotion would be impossible if it came aboard a ship, or lived in a were endeavoured, and it would house." be foolish if it were possible. "Was he always so well beWhatever withdraws us from the haved?" power of our senses; whatever No," said the Officer;'makes the past, the distant, or the" when I first had him, he was future predominate over the pre- often very unruly, and deceitful; sent, advances us in the dignity but, for the last two years, he of thinking beings. Far be from has been quite like another me, and from my friends, that fri- creature." gid philosophy which might con- "Well, Sir, I shall be very duct us indifferent or unmoved glad to see him, and think it proover any ground that has been bable I shall wish to go through dignified by wisdom, bravery, or a course of instruction and examivirtue.' So spake the sage, in nation; during which I shall be words never to be forgotten; un- able to form a judgment how far envied be the man who has not it will be right to admit him to the felt their force; lamented he who sacrament of baptism. Can he does not know their author!" read ?" THE NEGRO SERVANT. "Yes," replied his master; "he has been taking great pains to learn to read for some time past, and can make out a chapter DURING a residence of some in the Bible pretty well, as my years continuance in the neigh- maid-servant informs me. He bourhood of the sea, an officer in speaks English better than many the navy called upon me, and of his countrymen, but you will stated, that he had just taken a find it a little broken. When will lodging in the parish for his wife it be convenient that I should and children; and, that he had a send him over to you?" negro, whom he had kept three "To-morrow afternoon, Sir, if years in his service. "The lad you please. is a handy fellow," said the officer, "and he has a great desire to be baptized; I have promised him to ask you to do it for him, if you have not any objections." "Does he know any thing," Itunity of instructing a native of replied, "of the principles of the that land whose wrongs and inChristian religion?" juries had often caused me to sigh and mourn; the more so, when I reflected who had been the aggressors. O yes, I am sure he does," answered the Captain; "for he talks a deal about it in the kitchen, "He shall come to you about four o'clock, and you shall see what you can make of him." With this promise he took his leave. I felt glad of an oppor At the appointed hour my negro "Me no care for my soul at all disciple arrived. He was a very before then. No man teach me young looking man, with a sensi- a word about my soul." ble, lively, and pleasing turn of countenance. I desired him to sit down, and said, "Your master informs me, that you wish to have some conversation with me, respecting Christian baptism?" 66 Yes, Sir, me very much wish to be a Christian," said he. "Because, Why do you wish so?" me know, that Christian go to heaven, when he die." "How long have you had that wish?" I said. "Ever since me bear one goot minister preach in America; two years ago." "Where were you' born?" "In Africa. Me was very little boy, when me was made slave by the white men." "How was that?" "Me left father and mother one day at home, to go get shells by the sea shore; and, as I was stooping down to gather them up, some white sailors came out of a boat, and took me away. Me never see father nor mother again." "And what became of you then ?" "Me was put into ship, and brought to Jamaica, and sold to a master, who keep me in his house to serve him some years; when, about three years ago, captain W -, my master that spoke to you, bought me to be his servant, on board his ship. And he be goot master; he gave me my liberty, and made me free, and me live with him ever since." "And what thoughts had you about your soul, all that time before you went to America." I asked him. 66 "Well, now tell me farther about what happened to you in America. How came you there?" My master take me there in his ship, and he stop there one month, and then me hear the goot minister." "And what did that minister "What, did he speak to you in particular?" "Yes; me think so; for there was great many to hear him, but he tell them all about me." "What did he say?" "He say, about all the things that were in my heart." "What things?' "My sin, my ignorance, my know nothing, my believe nothing. The goot minister made me see, that me think nothing goot, nor do nothing goot." "And what else did he tell you?" "He sometime look me in the face, and say, that Jesus Christ came to die for sinners, poor black sinners, as well as white sinners. Me thought this was very goot, very goot indeed to do so for wicked sinners." "And what made you think this was all spoken to you in particular?" "Because me sure, no such wicked sinner as me in all the place. The goot minister must know me was there." "And what did you think about yourself, while he preached about Jesus Christ?" "Sir, me was very much afraid, when he said, the wicked must be turned into hell fire. For me felt, that me was very wicked "O! me read all about Jesus sinner, and that make me cry. Christ, and how he loved sinners; And then he talk much about the and wicked men killed him, and love of Christ to sinners, and he died, and came again from the that make me cry more. And grave, and all this for poor negro. me thought me must love Jesus And it sometime make me cry, Christ; but, me not know how, to think that Christ love so poor and that make me cry again." negro." "Did you hear more sermons than one, during that month?" "Yes, Sir; master give me leave to go three times, and all the times me wanted to love Jesus more, and do what Jesus said? but my heart seem sometime hard, like a stone." "Have you ever heard any preaching since that time?" And what do the people say about your reading and praying, and attention to the things of God?" "Some wicked people that do not love Jesus Christ, call me great fool, and negro dog, and black hypocrite. And that make me sometime feel angry: but, then me remember, Christian "Never; till me hear sermon must not be angry for that. Jesus at this church last Sunday, and Christ was called ugly black then me long to be baptized in names, and be was quiet as a Jesus' name; for me had no lamb; and so then me remember Christian friends to baptize me, Jesus Christ, and me say nothing when little child." again to them." "And what have been your] I was much delighted with the thoughts all the time since you simplicity and apparent sincerity first heard these sermons in Ame-of this poor negro; and wished rica; did you tell any body then to ascertain what measure of light what you felt?" and feeling he possessed on a few "No; me speak to nobody, leading points. St. Paul's sumbut to God then. The goot minis-mary of religion* occurring to ter say, that God hear the cry of me, I said, "Tell me, what is the poor; so me cry to God, and faith? What is your own faith? he hear me. And me often think What do you believe about Jesus about Jesus Christ, and wish to Christ, and your own soul?" be like him." "Can you read ?” "A little." "Who taught you to read?" "God teach me to read." "What do you mean by saying so?" "Me believe," said he, "that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; and though me be chief of sinners, yet Jesus will save me, though me be only poor black negro.' "What is your hope? What "God give me desire to read, do you hope for, both as to this and that make reading easy.-life, and that which is to come ?” Master give me Bible, and one sailor show me the letters; and so me learn to read by myself, with God's goot help." "And what do you read in the Bible!" "Me hope, Christ Jesus will take good care of me, and keep * Now abideth faith, hope, charity; thes three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Cor. iii. 13. |