Regathering of Black Diamonds in the Old Dominion [pp. 294-296]

]859.] A Be-Gathering of "Black Diamonds" in the Old Dominion.
thing of a classical scholar. His knowledge in this respect he had frequent occasion to illustrate in exhibiting to visitors the copy of Raphael's "School of
Athens," which adorned the college hall.
Big Lewis was able to designate by name
each individual figure in the groups on
the canvas; but being studiously trained
in habits of respect to his betters, hlie was
accustomed to name each philosopher
with the careful prefix of "Mister," as
"Mr. Socrates," "Mr. Plato," &c.
From the s tudents, who were gathe red
at the Unive rsit y from all parts of the
Union, Big Lewis exerted himself to collect all the information he coul d of the
country outside of Virgini a. IIe was
partic ularly ple ase d in pumping the Yankee students of al l they could tell him of
the fr ee coun try. The condition of his
black brethren in the North was an object of great solicitude to him; and when
told that the negm o,,es there seldom grew
as fat as himself, Big Lewis, who was so
proud of his own obesity, and made it
the standa rd of happiness i n others, pitied
them, I believe, from the bottom of his
heart. HIe was grieved to know that they
were, as he expressed it, "so monstrous
puny," and very natura lly conn ected in
his mind their leanness with their condition of freedom. Th e old fellow would
remark, with singular sagacity, th at as
for himself, although he should lose his
fat, lie would still be better off than his
free brethren, for "mass'r arter he got
de flesh was bound to take care of de
bones."
On Sundays Big Lewis was in his proper element as preacher to the black
folks. IIe was very fluent, but had the
singular faculty of the negro, of delivering occasional phrases of the greatest
sententiousness in his otherwise fluent
and voluble discourse. I well recollect
his f,,vourite illustration of the value of
salvation, put in the sententious form of
a rhyme:
Old Gess, Old Prof, Little Bob, Bill,
etc., all of them known to fame under
other less plebeian names, and all of
whom are now missed from "the
Chairs" of the University. lionouri
and happiness attend them in the
noble flights in which they persevere.
"Bill," perhaps, has forgotten the old
lecture room in his higher flights. But
there are many who still preserve the
recollection of him among bright college
memories, to whom lie was ever plain
Bill, while to the rest of the world he
was under the name of Professor
Rogers, a lofty and venerated light of
science.
But there is one person whom of all
others I miss from tie walksof the University, and who from the foundation of
the school until one short year ago, had
ever been a prominent figure in its daily
exercises. Retained is his memory in
thousands of hearts once beating in the
tide of youth at college, now scattered
as far as the white ships on the ocean
call carry their living freight of souls.
On the sunny savannahlis, among the hills
of the North, in the mines of California,
and far, far away across the blue sea, live
those who will remember the name of
the old negro janitor and factotum, "Big
Lewis," who so often summoned them to
recitations by the bell, now himself sumrnoned to the bar where the great lesson
of life has to be recited by all of God's
creatures.
Big Lewis was really one of the most
interesting negroes I ever knew. The
aumghhentastive in hi s name was intended
to distinguish him from "A natomical
L ewis, " a scraggy negro, who assisted in
the dissecting roonm, and who, from this
circumstance was put down by all the
negroes in the country as an intimate of
the devil. Big Lewis was wholly free
froh any diabolical circumstance attaching to himself. H le was a mild negro, of
a greasy and overfed appearance; but
most remarkable for the stores of learning he had amassed in his long famili,.rity with college life. From his long
service in "Little Bob's" laboratory he
had acquired a smart, practical knowledge of chemistry. He was also some
295
"Lose your brudder,
And get anoder:
But lose your sotil,
And you lose de hole."
Truly do I trust, that the poor old negro