OLIVER OTIS HOWARD, EXCERPT...

"Before I was six years old my father, having some business in the valley of Hudson, made quite a long visit among his mother's relatives, living there. My grandmother's name was Desire Bailey, a sister of Dr. Rowland Bailey. On my father's return, he passed through Troy. For some benevolent reason he there befriended a little Negro lad and brought him to our house in Leeds, Maine. I remember well the night the boy first made his appearance in the household. His large eyes, white teeth, woolly head, and dark skin kept my eyes fixed on him for some time. while my father was telling the story of his advent. This boy lived with us for four years. As he was vigorous and strong, we had our plays together. The coasting, the skating, the ball playing, the games with marbles and with kites--all such things found us adepts. Also in work, such as comes to every New England farm lad, we toiled side by side, or at our respective stints in which we competed for success and finish. Edward Johnson, for that was his name, was always kind to me and helpful, but he was never cringing or slavish. I have always believed it was a providential circumstance that I had that early experience with a Negro lad..." p.12, "Autobiography of Gen. O. O. Howard," SCHOLAR'S CHOICE