Mary Gresham’s grief over invalid son’s death echoes from 1865

[LincolnToddFan]

[Leroy writes almost nonchalantly that a neighbor hung one of his slaves for insubordination and the mother decries that not one of their recently set free slaves returned to pay their respects when her son died]// quote

I swung back and forth between feeling genuine empathy for this woman's anguish at the death of her child to astonishment at her surprise and resentment that her slaves didn't choose to stay and care for him after they were free, even if they had been fond of him.

What a bubble some of the people of that time lived in. But it's absolutely pointless to try and apply 21st century sensibilities to an era long past.

On a completely different note...how articulate and witty young Leroy was. I don't think I know any teenagers today who could express themselves so well!