Prattsburgh Central High School - Franklinite Yearbook (Prattsburgh, NY)

Page 16 text:

12 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL parlor in which the guests Were assembled. He saw the quick glance of admiration given her by the stranger from Boston, he also saw that young Carter noticed the glance, and that for a second a very unpleasant expression came over his face. Massa Carter doan' like Missy Aileen to have no more beaus but him, Ah reckon, Sanibo had said to Miranda and Miranda had answered with a squeeze of his hand, being entirely too much engrossed with admiring the costumes of the ladies to put her answer into words. Oh! if Miranda were only here to talk to him now! How well Aileen and the young Northerner had looked as they danced together ! And how often they did dance ! The darkies talked about the dance for months afterward and they always seemed to dwell most, in their conversation, upon Aileen and the Northerner. It was not a very long time after the dance before Mr. Finley came to visit the home of Aileen's parents. Although this first visit was short, the succeeding ones grew longer and the intervening time shorter. He soon became a general favorite with the entire household and with everyone else except young Carter, whose intense jealousy and hatred of Finley knew no bounds. At last came the day when the engagement of Aileen to Mr. Finley was announced. Sambo had taken the announcement to the home of General Carter, and having been in the service of Colonel Harding for so many years, was accorded the privilege of remaining in the room while the message was read. They shall never be married while Iam alive, Carter cried out in his anger. She was mine until he came and took her away from me. Oh, Robert, renionstrated Mrs. Carter, If Aileen had really loved you, she would never have cared for Mr. Finley. It was simply true friendship that she felt toward you, and it is wrong for you to say that. Aileen would have loved me if he hadn't come. They shall never be married while I am alive, he answered doggedly. Sambo heard the threat with fear and trembling and tried to dissuade him, but to no avail. Robert would not be persuaded, but before he could carry out his threat, war was declared between the North and South and both men were called away to fight---the one for the North and the other for the South. During the first year of the war, the plantation of Colonel Harding was not molested by soldiers from either side, but during the second year skirmishes took place frequently in the near neighborhood, terrifying all the negroes and whites who could not be assured of their safety in any way. Aileen's father and the majority ofthe negroes on his plantation were, of course, in the army fighting for their cause, and so the management of the home fell upon Aileen

Page 15 text:

FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 11 Lord a-massyll' exclaimed Sambo, Ah shore thought that was lil' Missy Aileen, bless 'er heart. Pray tell me, who was Miss Aileen, Uncle? Sambo, frightened at this unexpected remark, turned around to face the very person who had reminded him of Aileen. She was slim, tall, and as graceful as the slender sapling in the woods: her large, dark eyes, the delicate features of her face, her smile, and the pretty little turn of her head as she spoke, all reminded him more forcefully of Aileen. Laws, Missy, if yo' was a lil' older I'd say that she was you. Missy Aileen was the lil' darter of mah old master, Colonel Hardin', of old Virginnyf' Why, then she was my mother, she cried out. My name is Alice Finley. Perhaps you remember my father, too? Yes, indeed, missy, 1 remember yore father when he was a courtin' lil' Miss Aileen. Ah! How well I remember those bright days on the old plantation! and here Sambo, forgetting his company, allowed his mind to wander back to the courtship of lil' Missy Aileen. He saw Aileen, a slender slip of a girl, even as her daughter was, growing up in her father's house, a sweet, lovable girl, almost worshipped by all the slaves and also by Robert Carter, the son of General Carter, a very good friend and neighbor of Colonel Harding. Carter was a typical southern youth, hot-headed and very strong in his hates and loves. He had loved Aileen beyond measure, ever since she was a mere girl and they had played games together with the little pickaninnies. Nothing had as yet happened to break in upon his dreams, he had no rival as far as he could lind out, for Aileen seemed to care more for him than for any one else among their acquaintances, and he was confident that when she was a little older, should he ask her to marry him, she would do so. Upon Aileen's seventeenth birthday a dance was given in her honor to which, of course, all the aristocrats of the county were invited. It so happened that at this particular time, Harold Finley, a young lawyer, whose home was in Boston, was visiting at the Carter home. Although his visit was primarily a business one, in accordance with true Southern courtesy, which rarely drew the line between pure business and pure social relations, he was invited to the dance. Contrary to the present custom of coming fashionably late to an affair of this kind, everyone came fashionably early. Sambo could see in memory how all the pickaninnies stood around to watch the guests arrive and could again hear the long drawn-out expression of admiration as Miss Aileen came down the broad stairway to greet her guests. Sambo with Miranda, who. dressed in a bright yellow dress trimmed with green, had seemed to him to be second only to Aileen in beauty, stood near the large

Page 17 text:

FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 13 and Sambo, to whom the Colonel had entrusted the care and safety of the plantation. Sambo recalled clearly how proud he felt as the Colonel gave the plantation over to him, and how he could scarcely say, Thank you, massa, Missy Aileen will be safe with me, and how, with tears in his eyes, the Colonel had grasped his hand and told him that he trusted him beyond measure, and that Aileen's mother in heaven would protect them. Sambo had faithfully lived up to his trust, he watched Aileen when she was unaware of it, he took every precaution he could to insure her safety. Aileen would frequently laugh at him for being such an old fussy, but he could not be laughed out of his determination. Frequently he remembered the threat of Robert Carter and wondered what would happen if he and Finley should ever meet on the field of battle. The skirmishes around the plantation soon became more numerous and Sambo's mind was not a little disturbed when he discovered that Finley and Carter were the opposing leaders. Aileen, of course, knew nothing of Carter's threat against Finley, but nevertheless was greatly alarmed whenever any new skirmish took place, for although she loved Finley, she also felt a warm feeling of friendship toward Carter, with whom she had spent all her girlhood days. Her heart, too, was divided, for her desires and hopes were all with the South, but her love was- with Finley. How could she help both and be loyal to both? She knew that the slaves left on the plantation were carrying food to the Southcrners and were helping them in any way they could while everything was being done to hinder the Northerners. One day an unusually severe skirmish took place on the Harding plantation. Sanibo recalled how he had summoned all the slaves into the house, had barricaded the doors, and had stood ready to defend the house against the enemy. After a few hours of anxious waiting a loud knock was heard at the door, and entrance was demanded. Pushing Aileen behind the draperies, Sambo cautiously opened the door, but before he had a chance to open it very far, it was forcibly pushed open, and Carter and another man strode in, knocking Sambo to one side as they did so. After again securing the door, Carter faced Sambo. Now, you, tell me where she is,'l he demanded. Who? answered Sambo, fencing for time. She, Aileen. She is going to marry me now. Where have you hidden her ? My massa left me to protect lil' Missy Aileen, and I will. You'll have to kill me before you touch her. I will, if necessary, you nigger, and at that he sprang at Sambo