Excerpts From History

Vintage excerpts, from mostly black newspapers, on various topics. We are more than our struggles.

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Death of Mrs. Hettie T. Russell.

Mrs. Hettie T. Russell died in Washington, D.C., Friday, August 6, at 1:30 p.m. Mrs. Hettie T. Russell was the mother-in-law of Mr. E. H. Hunter. The deceased was a lady of refined taste, Christian character and queenly dignity. She leaved a host of warm friends who deeply sympathize with the bereaved family.

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The incident in the Spanish Cortes in which the Duke of Tetuan boxed the ears of Senator Comas, and which was followed by the former resigning from the Ministry, now has a sequel in the withdrawal of the resignation. It is also said that no duel will follow, the affair having been arranged. The Spanish sense of honor is certainly not what it once was or this commonplace ending would be impossible. But then again, a liberal Senator may consider it a privilege to have his ears boxed by a duke.

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The Steer “Jumbo”

The famous steer Jumbo, which attained the enormous weight of 5000 pounds and was still growing, was killed recently at Wichita, Kan. Jumbo was four years old and measured eight feet tall and twelve feet long. He has massive horns, fifteen inched in circumference and six feet across with perfect curves. Mr. Payne decided to kill him and have him mounted while his hide was in good condition.

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Gen. Maximo Gomez, of Cuba, says: “There is absolutely no distinction made in either the civil or military branches of our government. I have Negro generals, colonels, commandants, and captains. They have all won their ranks and titles, and are among my bravest and most trusted followers. The proportion of white and colored men in the army is about the same, and they mingle together as brother and patriot should do. The colored man in Cuba has no love for the Spaniards, and our Negro brethren are aware of the fact that but for then ten years’ war they, in all probability would be slaves today. As I have already said, there is no distinction made in the civil branch of the government. President Cisneros has appointed more than 200 colored men as prefectos and sub-prefectos out of about, I believe 650. They are the best tax collectors in Santiago province.” Gen. Gomez then related what he termed “an amusing feature.” A colored prefecto near Guantanamo had collected taxes amounting to over $6,000 from his former master and owner, a wealthy Spaniard of the name Rodriguez. The telling of this story pleased Gomez, and he laughed as he ended it saying, “and Rodriguez did not dare to refuse to pay, either.” – The Gazette

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We get real sick sometime when we hear preachers trying to tell how the original Hebrew and Greek text of the Scriptures read who could not, if their right arm was at stake, write a sentence of twenty words in the English correctly. These men should try to make themselves good English scholars. If they did, their pretended knowledge of the dead languages would have more weight with the people. Get a knowledge of the English language, brethren. –George Baptist

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Among the successful miners returned from Klondlike is a colored man, once a plantation slave. Now he has come back rich, and proposes to buy the old plantation. The family which once owned him is now poor. and he proposes to make them a present of it in gratitude for kind treatment when he was a chattel. Every successful colored man contributes by his success to the betterment of the colored race and the removal of the racial prejudice which makes it hard for a man of color to rise in this country. - Chicago InterOcean

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The Negro or Negroes who will sacrifice the just cause of the race on the mean and vile alters of the prejudiced for any consideration is a traitor and is more dangerous to the success of the race than all the plagues and poisons of our enemies. -The Galveston Times.

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Shot at the Preacher. A report from Mintonville, Ky., states that Rev. Mr. Gilham, of the Christian Church, preached a sermon there in which he told there no devil. The congregation took offense, and when the reverend gentleman attempted to speak again he was ejected from the house and about went pistol shot were fired after him

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Dual With Cane-Knives 

Farmers Hack Each Other to Pieces in Kentucky. 

A special from Owensboro, KY., says: John Over and John Smith, both prominent farmers of this county, got into a difficulty while cutting cane together in a field, and fought a duel with the cane knives. They fought for some time, and literally hacked each other to pieces. Both will die. There are quite aged, being nearly seventy years old. 

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“After Many Years” 

Mr. Alfred Christian, son of Mrs. Marthena Nichols, returned to North Carolina September 1st, after an absence of nearly fifty years. Mrs. Nichols and two younger children were sold as slaves nearly fifty years ago, leaving Alfred, who was taken a small child, in Louisburg, N.C., with her former owner. 

In a few years after she left him, he was carried to Fayetteville, and from there to Alabama. During the civil war he was in the army with his master. As the close of the war, he returned to Ala with his family. 

He had heard nothing of his mother and family since he was carried to Fayetteville, until last March when he found out she was still living and in reasonable health. 

Last Wednesday morning he arrived in Raleigh on a visit to his mother and family. Those who have absent children can imagine the joy it gave the dear mother to clasp her son in her arms once more as she did fifty years ago. 

There was a joyful home gathering after he came. Mrs Louisa Nichols, Miss Tena, Mrs. Susie Nichols, McRae and her two sons, Master Garland and Leon, hastened from Carthage to see and welcome the long lost uncle. 

This is another example of God’s goodness to those who trust in Him.  

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Here is a good field for some young colored doctor: At Scotland Neck, the colored people have a society named “The Benevolent Companionship.”. This society was organized in 1890, and now numbers 250 members. They pay 25 cents to join, and 10 cents monthly. Each member when sick gets 50 cents per week and some one to wait upon them; and the society pays all doctor bills. At the death of a member the society pays all expenses of burial. We are informed by Mr. R.C. Baker that the society would like to employ a physician by the year to attend their members. With the work of the society and other practice, he could get all the practice he could do. 

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Colored men, be not discouraged. Look a while on the bright side and keep up your spirits. The work of securing equality before the law cannot be done in a day. It must be the work of years. -- The Dallas Express 

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We regard that class of Negroes who are continually whining about what the white folks wont let the Negro do, always complaining for the want of a chance, as a hindrance to race advancement. The Negro must make well of his present opportunities. He must cease throwing his money away on useless frolics and carousals. The white people claim, and justly, that the Negro laborer does not need as much money as a white one; because the Negro will spend what he earns foolishly, while the white laborer will wisely save something of his earnings, be it ever so little.  –The Light.

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The Emancipation Proclamation was a “measure of war.” No party can claim the honor of freeing the Negro. It was the hand of God. 

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If you are milking cows and feel that you know all that there is to be known about it, you have simply reached the point where you are useless and unfitted for the work.

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Get hold of the spirit of helping somebody else. Seek every opportunity to make somebody happier and more comfortable. Never get to the point where you will be ashamed to ask anybody for information. The ignorant will always be ignorant if he fears that by asking another for information he will display ignorance. Better once display your ignorance of a certain subject, than always know nothing of it. 

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It is a good practice for a person to get in the habit of making an examination of himself day by day, to see to what extent his thoughts have dwelt on those things which are high and to what extent he has permitted himself to yield to the temptation of being low, in his thoughts and imaginations.