VII 

 JOHN 



A FEW days ago death came to an 

 old Negro — "John" — who for many 

 years had worked on the grounds of Drew 

 Seminary. Since his death, to relieve the 

 emptiness of the scene, I have been recon- 

 sidering my previous partial estimate ; and 

 this morning I surprised myself with the 

 conclusion that, of all the humble people 

 I have known, this obscure Negro had the 

 most pristine and almost the most inter- 

 esting individuality. The material should 

 be treated by an interpreter of human 

 nature having a particular gift for under- 

 standing and portraying inarticulate and 

 unlabeled manhood; such an interpreter 

 as Turgenieff, or Bret Harte, or the 

 author of immortal "Marse Chan." But, 

 as no such interpreter is available, I will 



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