It seems to me you hit an interesting cross section of the Plantation genre, Mr. Chesnutt.  I myself, a Northerner new to the South, find joy in the bizarre attributes of the genre. I find interest in examining the sort of benign condescension present of old plantation owners, and characters like my own Julius grotesque in their minstrelsy–of course Uncle Julius is like them in performance, but I can see (as you do) that he is just nearly human. I can see how his children and his children’s children will be closer to the humanhood of men like you and me. And may I say what a fortune for your Northern upbringing and civilized parents; not many men of your background can see this Southern performance as clearly and sympathetically as we Northern men do.

Funny how my position differs so greatly from those old masters: I am benevolent as to let Julius go on with his ways and bring joy to my Annie. It seems our small existence in North Carolina vaguely re-writes the narrative on which reminisce. We, of course, do nothing but share our spaces with him and others, make room to listen to his silly tales and comprehend the realness of your characters. I read in an issue of the Atlantic recently, Mr. William Dean Howells said of your work:

As far as his race is concerned, or his sixteenth part of a race, it does not greatly matter whether Mr. Chesnutt invented their motives, or found them, as he feigns, among his distant cousins of the Southern cabins. In either ease, the wonder of their beauty is the same; and whatever is primitive and sylvan or campestral in the reader’s heart is touched by the spells thrown on the simple black lives in these enchanting tales.

And I simply must agree! You paint such humanity in this little moment and these little humans such as those here on our vineyard.

Soon others will become sensible like me–perhaps as a result of reading your very works!–and see the opportunities waiting down South with the ready labor and Africans evolving right before our eyes. It does feel as though I am a part of a moment of change, I am glad to be witnessing it here instead of from my cool isolated perch up North. And I believe it does Annie some good to feel part of something grander, like observing the commencement in the ascension of the African race.

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