,a ,,woman',s ,,life-,,work3 ,,labors ,,and ,,experiences ,,of ,,laura ,s4 ,,haviland4 ,,dedication to ,my two sons1 and four daughters1 and families2 also to the ,home and ,foreign ,missionary ,society1 are these pages dedicated4 ,the ,author ,,preface4 ,in presenting the following pages to the public1 without the trace of an excellent scholar or eloquent orator1 ,i fully realize my inability to compete with writers of the nineteenth century4 ,with this incompetency in view1 ,i have hesitated and delayed until three-score and thirteen years are closing over me4 ,yet as ,i am still spared to toil on a little longer in the great field so white to harvest1 praying the ,lord of the harvest to arm and send forth more laborers1 because they are too few1 ,i ask an indulgent public to allow my deep and abiding sympathies for the oppressed and sorrowing of every nation1 class1 or color1 to plead my excuse for sending forth simple1 unvarnished facts and experiences1 hoping they may increase an aspiration for the active doing1 instead of saying what ought to be done1 with excusing self for want of ability1 when it is to be found in ,him who is saying1 ,my grace is sufficient for thee1 for my strength is perfect in weakness4 ,,laura ,s4 ,,haviland4 ,,october1 #ahha4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i4 ,,early ,,life4 ,parentage--,early ,impressions--,childhood ,skepticism--,religious ,experience--,the ,great ,leveler--,marriage--,removal to ,michigan--,the ,semi-,christian--,the ,despairing ,backslider ,restored--,proscription--,withdrawal from the ,society of ,friends--,founded ,raisin ,institute1 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,bereavements4 ,dream--,bereavements--,early ,widowhood--,trials--,dreamy--,victory by ,faith--,a ,fugitive ,slave ,escapes--,marriage of two ,older ,children1 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,anti-,,slavery ,,experiences4 ,baptist ,deacon ,convicted of the ,sin of ,slavery by his ,slave--,willis ,hamilton's ,escape with his ,slave-wife1 ,elsie1 to ,canada--,removal to ,michigan--,whereabouts ,discovered by ,elsie's ,master--,deeply ,laid ,scheme to ,capture the ,hamilton ,family--,threats of ,violence--,second ,attempt and ,defeat--,death of the two ,slave-holders1 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,an ,,ohio ,,school-,,teacher4 ,a ,traveling ,agent--,slave ,claimant--,john ,white--,threats--,visit to ,jane ,white--,interview with ,william ,allen--,escape of ,slaves--,in ,suspense--,death of ,first-born--,comforting ,dream--,john ,white a ,prisoner--,his ,release and ,subsequent ,history1 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,underground ,,railway4 ,two ,slave ,families ,escape--,story of ,george and ,james--,a ,mother and ,daughter ,leave a ,boat bound for the ,lower ,market--,sarah and two ,young ,men join our ,party--,seven are ,conducted to ,canada--,raisin ,institute ,suspended for an ,academic ,year--,return to ,cincinnati--,maria--,threats of her ,master--,the ,escape of two ,young ,men ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,fugitive ,,slaves ,,assisted4 ,clara and ,three ,children ,rescued--,jack ,betrayed and ,returned to ,bondage--,a ,little ,nurse ,girl taken from her ,owners in ,cincinnati--,how ,zack was ,saved--,calvin ,fairbanks ,visited in ,prison--,fugitive ,slaves ,forwarded ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,christian ,,and ,,educational ,,work4 ,visiting and ,nursing the ,sick--,nine ,slaves ,arrive from ,kentucky--,richard ,dillingham ,dies in ,tennessee ,penitentiary--,seven ,slaves ,conducted to ,freedom--,teach ,six ,months in ,toledo ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,fugitives ,,in ,,canada4 ,mission ,among the ,fugitives in ,canada--,religious ,revival--,organization of a ,christian ,union ,church--,efforts of ,missourians to ,retake the ,fugitive ,slave1 ,william ,anderson1 from ,canada--,the ,kentucky ,slave-owner ,whipped in the ,old ,barracks in ,windsor in his ,effort to ,decoy ,three ,young ,men back to ,slavery--,reopening ,school ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,rescue ,,of ,,slaves4 ,escape of a ,slave ,family of ,six--,a ,slave ,man ,travels for a ,white ,man and ,succeeds--,trip to ,arkansas--,the ,story of ,george ,wilson--,the ,slave-daughter under ,mortgage ,released by her ,mother--,mintie ,berry ,purchases her ,husband--,john ,brown ,hanged--,the ,war ,opens and takes ,seventeen ,students of ,raisin ,institute--,first ,trip to the ,front with ,supplies ,,chapter ,x4 ,,hospital ,,work4 ,cairo--,incidents ,preparatory to ,removing ,freedmen's ,camp to ,island ,no4 #aj--;,death of a ,child--,disbursing ,supplies and other ,mission ,work on the ,island--,story of ,uncle ,stephen--,hospital ,visiting in ,memphis1 ,tennessee--,surgeon ,powers ,reported--,forty ,slaves come into ,camp ,shiloh--,seven ,slaves come from a ,plantation seven miles below ,memphis--,first ,enlistment of ,colored ,soldiers--,mission ,work in ,columbus1 ,kentucky--,young ,colored ,man ,shot by his ,young ,master--,turning of ,tables--,return ,home--,our ,principal1 ,e4 ,a4 ,haight1 ,enlisted ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,sanitary ,,work4 ,organized ,freedmen's ,relief ,association--,solicit ,supplies--,academic ,year ,opened for #ahfc-d--,sister ,backus and ,self leave for ,fields of ,suffering--,incidents on the ,way--,mission ,work in ,natchez1 ,mississippi--,four ,hundred ,slaves ,hanged and otherwise ,tortured--,visit to the ,calaboose--,mission ,work in ,baton ,rouge--,arrival at ,new ,orleans--,sketch of ,persecutions ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,mission ,,work ,,in ,,new ,,orleans4 ,mission ,work in ,new ,orleans--,soldiers and ,prisoners ,visited on ,ship ,island--,petition of ,seventy ,soldier ,prisoners in behalf of ,three ,thousand of their ,fellow ,prisoners--,appeal in behalf of ,ship ,island and ,tortugas ,prisoners--,mission ,work at ,plaquemine--,natchez--,capture of a ,rebel steamer--,arrival at ,home--,release of the ,three ,thousand ,banished ,union ,soldiers ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,freedmen',s ,,aid ,,commission4 ,refugees in ,kansas--,children of ,want--,afflicted ,family--,scenes of ,distress--,agnes ,everett--,quantrell's ,raid--,poor ,white ,trash--,hospitals--,supplies ,distributed--,refugee ,buildings--,orphan ,children--,haviland ,home--,thomas ,dean a ,prisoner--,petition for ,pardon--,pardon ,granted--,a ,southern ,clergyman--,mission ,school--,at ,harper's ,ferry and ,washington4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,home ,,mission ,,work4 ,mission ,work and ,incidents in ,washington--,murders--,alexandria--,ric hmond1 ,virginia--,williamsburg--,fort ,magruder--,yorktown--,suicide--,glouces ter ,court-house--,fortress ,monroe--,norfolk--,return to ,washington--,white ,woman ,whipped4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,experiences ,,among ,,freedmen4 ,a ,soldier ,prisoner--,interesting ,statistics--,schools--,plantations--,in cidents--,return to ,washington--,return ,home with ,fifteen ,orphans and ,fifty ,laborers--,change in ,orphan ,asylum--,mission ,work in ,covington and ,newport1 ,kentucky--,mission ,work in ,memphis1 ,tennessee--,uncle ,philip a ,remarkable ,man--,return ,home4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,state ,,public ,,school4 ,board of ,directors ,arrange for ,closing the ,home--,discouragements--,relief ,comes by ,sleigh-loads--,encouragements--,petitio ns to the ,state ,legislature to make the ,home a ,state ,institution--,petitions ,granted1 and the ,orphan's ,home becomes the ,state ,public ,school1 located at ,coldwater--,work in ,state ,public ,school4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,christian ,,labor ,,and ,,results4 ,work for the ,asylum--,again in ,washington--,mission ,work--,trial of ,henry ,wirtz--,inspecting ,soup-houses--,incidents connected with ,kendal ,green ,camp--,peremptory ,order of ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd ,closing ,asylum--,children ,scattered--,returned ,home with ,authority from ,american ,missionary ,association to ,reopen ,asylum--,dangerous ,fall--,restored to ,asylum ,work--,overtaken with ,convulsions--,answer to ,prayer in being ,restored4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,present ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,freedmen4 ,kansas ,freedmen's ,relief ,association--,testimony of ,perry ,bradley--,incidents--,persecutions--,pr of4 ,greener--,colored ,republicans--,further ,testimony--,negro ,woman ,killed--,letter from the ,south--,atrocities--,refugees in ,kansas--,bull-dosing--,kansas ,overfull--,protection ,needed--,michael ,walsh--,silver ,linings4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,prospects ,,of ,,the ,,freedmen4 ,supplies ,furnished--,relief ,association at ,work--,northern ,outrages--,prudence ,crandall--,colored ,schools--,freedmen's ,aid ,schools--,industrial and ,agricultural ,institute4 ,,illustrations4 ,,steel ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,author ,,the ,,slaveholders' ,,threats4 ,,slave ,,irons4 ,,clark ,,university ,,for ,,freedmen 7,,chrisman ,,hall74 ,,meharry ,,medical ,,college4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,early ,,life4 ,at the earnest solicitation of many dear friends ,i have consented to leave on record some of the incidents that have fallen under my personal observation during three-score and ten years4 ,my father1 ,daniel ,smith1 was a native of ,eastern ,new ,york1 and for many years an approved minister in the ,society of ,friends4 ,he was a man of ability and influence1 of clear perceptions1 and strong reasoning powers4 ,my mother1 ,sene ,blancher1 was from ,vermont2 was of a gentler turn1 and of a quiet spirit1 benevolent and kind to all1 and much beloved by all who knew her1 and was for many years an elder in the same ,society4 ,it is due to my parents to say1 if ,i have been instrumental1 through the grace of ,god1 to bless his poor and lowly of earth1 by adapting means to ends in relieving suffering humanity1 it is largely owing to their influence4 ,soon after their marriage1 they removed to ,kitley ,township1 county of ,leeds1 ,canada ,west 7now known as ,ontario71 where ,i was born1 ,december #bj1 #ahjh4 ,i well remember the perplexities and doubts that troubled my young mind in trying to find the whys and wherefores of existing facts2 yet ,i was naturally a happy and playful child4 ,some remarks made by my parents over a portion of ,scripture father was reading1 in which was the sentence1 and they are no more twain1 but one flesh--that is a close relationship2 twain is two1 no more two but one flesh--struck me with wonder and amazement4 ,yes1 replied mother1 that is a oneness that is not to be separated1 a near relation between husband and wife2 'no more twain1 but one flesh4' ',what ,god has joined together let not man put asunder4' ,it seemed as if every word fastened upon my mind a feeling of awe at the new thought1 that father and mother were one person4 ,then they think just alike1 and know all about the other1 if true2 father and mother believe it1 and they found it in the ,bible1 and that1 ,i thought1 must be true4 ,now for the test--,if father and mother are one1 they must know each other's thoughts and whereabouts4 ,after father had been out a few minutes ,i asked mother where he was4 ,not far off2 may be he's gone to the barn4 ,but he was not there4 ,at my report she said1 ,perhaps he's gone to ,david ,coleman's1 or some of the neighbors4 ,this settled the matter in my mind1 that they were not one4 ,but ,i gave the same test to try father1 which also proved a failure4 ,but not quite satisfied without further investigation1 ,i asked mother for permission to go to ,david ,coleman's to play an hour with his little girls4 ,little did she know that the object of her little five-year-old skeptic was to present the test to their father and mother1 to see whether they were one1 and found the same result each time4 ,this settled the question in my mind that one thing in the ,bible was untrue4 ,father and mother were mistaken in that part of the ,bible that said husband and wife were no more two1 but one4 ,for a long time after this1 whenever the ,bible was referred to as authority1 ,i would think1 ,it may be true1 and may not1 because ,i tried one thing it said that was not true4 ,another mystery was hard for me to solve4 ,in asking mother where we should go if we should jump off the edge of the world1 she replied1 ,there is no jumping off place1 because our world is round1 like a ball1 and takes one day and night to roll around1 and that makes day and night4 ,after the little child of six years had studied over this mysterious problem a short time1 she returned with the query1 ,why don't we drop off while underside8 and why don't the water spill out off ,bates's creek and our well8 ,she replied1 ,water1 as well as every thing else1 is always kept in place by a great law1 called gravitation1 that our ,heavenly ,father made when he made the world1 and she said ,i would understand more about it when older4 ,but this did not satisfy me2 ,i wanted to know all about it then4 ,as soon as father came in queries were repeated1 but he closed as mother did1 that ,i must wait until ,i was older1 which made me almost impatient to be old enough to know how these things could be4 ,another subject occupied my childish mind a long time1 and was investigated to the extent of the miniature ability ,i possessed4 ,and that was the interesting fact that ,i discovered one bright evening while looking at the stars1 that our house was just in the middle of the world2 and when we went to grandfather's 7a distance of seven miles71 as soon as it was night1 ,i was out in the yard measuring the distance by stars1 but to my surprise1 grandfather's house was just in the middle4 ,for ,i tried it all around the house1 and went to the barn with my uncles1 and could discover no variation4 ,consequently ,i must have been mistaken at home4 ,but on our return ,i could not find by the stars but that we were just in the center of creation4 ,whenever ,i went with my parents to a neighbor's for an evening's visit1 my first and foremost thought was to see how far to one side they were4 ,but ,i always found myself just in the center of this great world2 just as grown-up children are prone to think their own nation is ahead in arts and sciences1 of all other nations--their own ,state ahead of all other ,states in moral and intellectual improvements--their own town or city1 like ,boston1 the hub of the universe4 ,in fact1 we are about the center2 our pets more knowing1 and our children smarter1 than can be found elsewhere4 ,but as the study of astronomy gives ability to look upon the vast universe of thousands of worlds much larger than our own1 revolving in their orbits1 it develops our intellectual faculties1 and enables us to view the concave appearance of the ethereal blue from a standpoint widely differing from the occupancy of the center4 ,and when supreme self is melted away by faith in the blood of the covenant1 our spiritual vision becomes clearer and our miniature minds are expanding1 and we learn to make due allowances for the acts and opinions of others1 that we have called peculiar1 because they do not quite accord with our own usages and tastes4 ,in #ahae my father removed with his family to ,cambria1 ,niagara ,county1 ,western ,new ,york1 then a wilderness4 ,soon after we were settled in our new home1 we lost my baby brother ,joseph1 which made a deep impression upon my young heart1 and gave me great uneasiness in regard to my own future happiness1 should ,i be taken away4 ,i found great relief1 one day1 while listening to a conversation between father and grandfather1 as to what age children were responsible to their ,creator4 ,father gave his opinion that ten years1 in the generality of children1 is the age that ,god would call them to an account for sin4 ,grandfather said that was about the age he thought children were accountable1 and all children that die previous to that age are happily saved in heaven4 ,yes1 said father2 where there is no law there is no transgression4 ,at this great relief to my troubled heart1 ,i ran out to play with my brother ,harvey1 to tell him how long we would be safe1 if we should die1 for father and grandfather said children that died before they were ten years old would go to heaven1 and ,i would be safe almost two years1 and he would be safe a good while longer 7as he was two years and a half younger than myself74 ,oh1 yes1 said he2 and ,ira will be safe a great many years1 'cause he's little1 if he should die as little ,josie did4 ,this earliest conviction of sin vanished like the morning cloud4 ,this idea was so deeply embedded in my young mind1 that whenever ,i heard of a child's death1 my first inquiry was for its age4 ,if under ten1 ,i was at ease over its safety2 but if over ten years1 ,i was distressed unless ,i could hear of some words from the one taken away1 that would indicate a preparation for the change of worlds4 ,the vividness of those early childhood impressions are frequent reminders of the importance of giving clear explanations to children1 in regard to important religious truths1 as their young hearts are much more impressible than is generally conceded4 ,,early ,,impressions ,,of ,,slavery ,,and ,,religion4 ,during the first six years in our new home1 there was no school within three miles of us1 and all the privilege we enjoyed of this kind was a spelling lesson given daily to three of us1 the two little girls of our nearest neighbor and myself4 ,our mothers pronounced the words for us alternately1 at their house and ours4 ,in this way we spelled our book through a number of times4 ,this privilege1 with four months in school previous to leaving ,canada1 proved a great blessing4 ,as ,i possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge1 ,i borrowed all the easy readers ,i could find in the neighborhood4 ,i was especially interested in memoirs of children and youth1 which increased my frequent desire to become a ,christian4 ,i wished to read every book that came within my reach4 ,i read a few of father's books1 designed for more mature minds4 ,i became deeply interested in ,john ,woolman's history of the slave-trade1 of the capture and cruel middle passage of negroes1 and of the thousands who died on their voyage and were thrown into the sea to be devoured by sharks1 that followed the slave-ship day after day4 ,the pictures of these crowded slave-ships1 with the cruelties of the slave system after they were brought to our country1 often affected me to tears2 and ,i often read until the midnight hour1 and could not rest until ,i had read it twice through4 ,my sympathies became too deeply enlisted for the poor negroes who were thus enslaved for time to efface4 ,the third or fourth ,i had ever seen of that race was an old man called ,uncle ,jeff4 ,he seemed to serve any one who called upon him for chores1 in our little village of ,lockport1 that grew up as by magic upon the ,erie ,canal4 ,uncle ,jeff was frequently employed by merchants to cry off their stale articles on the street4 ,at one time the old man1 whose head was almost as white as wool1 was crying1 ,gentlemen and ladies' black silk stockin's of all colors for sale1 holding them up to view as he passed along the street1 followed by a group of boys crying out1 ,nigger1 nigger1 and throwing grass and clay at him4 ,at length he turned to these half-grown boys1 looking very sad1 as he said1 ,boys1 ,i am just as ,god made me1 an' so is a toad4 ,at this the boys slunk away2 and ,i felt very indignant in seeing the men who were standing near only laugh1 instead of sharply reproving those ill-behaved children4 ,another colored man1 named ,ben1 came to our town with a family who opened an inn4 ,he was employed mostly in the kitchen1 and while ,ben was asleep on the kitchen floor1 some rude boys put a quantity of powder in the back of his pants1 and placing a slow match to it left the room1 but watched the process of their diabolical sport through a window1 and soon saw their victim blown up1 it was said1 nearly to the ceiling4 ,his hips and body were so badly burned that he was never able to sit or stoop after this wicked act4 ,he always had to walk with a cane1 and whenever too weary to stand1 was compelled to lie down1 as his right hip and lower limb were stiffened4 ,yet little notice was taken of this reckless act1 but to feed and poorly clothe this life-long cripple1 as he went from house to house1 because he was of that crushed and neglected race4 ,,religious ,,impressions ,,and ,,experience4 ,in the ,autumn of my thirteenth year1 with our parents' permission1 brother ,harvey and ,i attended a little prayer-meeting at our ,uncle ,ira ,smith's house1 near by4 ,here was singing1 experiences given1 with prayer and exhortations1 in which young people1 as well as those more advanced in years1 took part4 ,all this was new to me1 having never attended any other meeting than of ,friends1 usually called ,quakers4 ,my father being a minister and mother an elder in that denomination1 they were very conscientious in training their children in all the usages1 as well as principles1 of that sect4 ,at this ,methodist prayer-meeting a young girl1 but little older than myself1 related her experience1 and prayed so earnestly for her young associates1 that it took a deep hold on my mind2 and on my way home1 on that beautiful evening1 ,i resolved to seek the ,lord until ,i could know for myself that my sins were forgiven4 ,oh1 how ,i wished ,i was a ,christian1 as was ,hannah ,bosworth4 ,she was so young1 and yet she told us how earnestly she sought the ,lord1 and found ,jesus so precious in the forgiveness of her sins4 ,it was said in that meeting that ,god was no respecter of persons1 and that ,i had read in the ,bible2 and then ,jesus had said1 ,suffer little children to come unto me1 and forbid them not2 and now1 this very night1 ,i will begin to seek the ,lord1 and ,i never will give up trying1 if it takes as long as ,i live1 until ,i receive an evidence that ,i am the ,lord's child4 ,i want to realize that peace and joy those men and women expressed in that meeting4 ,as all had retired1 ,i placed a candle in my brother's hand1 and hurried him to bed1 that ,i might know positively that no human ear could listen to my first attempt to address my ,heavenly ,father4 ,i knelt for the first time in my life1 in the rear of our corn crib1 but no words could ,i find for prayer1 and a feeling of fear came over me1 and ,i arose to my feet4 ,i looked all around me1 but no one was in sight2 naught but trees and shrubs of the garden below1 and the ethereal blue1 bedecked with the beautiful moon and sparkling stars1 above4 ,is it possible that ,he who created this beautiful world can notice a little girl like me8 ,and the thought occurred that ,i had better wait until ,i was older4 ,but the remarks to which ,i had just listened came vividly before me1 and ,i renewed my resolve to pray to ,him who had said1 ,suffer little children to come unto me1 and again knelt for prayer2 but that feeling of fear increased1 until it seemed as if some one was about to place a hand upon my shoulder1 and ,i again found myself on my feet4 ,but as no one was in sight1 ,i queried whether this was not the enemy of my soul1 to keep me from prayer1 and fell upon my knees a third time1 determined to remain in the position of prayer until my first petition to my ,heavenly ,father was presented4 ,and the prayer of the publican was repeated over and over again1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner4 ,these words above all others seemed just for me4 ,i was a sinner1 and mercy was what ,i wanted4 ,i returned to the house with a still more fixed resolve to continue asking1 with a firmer purpose never to give over until the evidence of pardoning love was mine4 ,as ,i retired1 ,i knelt by my bedside1 and repeated the same prayer1 with a few additional words1 imploring the aid of the ,holy ,spirit to teach me the way of life1 and penitential tears began to flow4 ,before ,i slept my pillow was wet with tears1 and was turned for a dry place4 ,as ,i was reading the ,bible through by course1 it became more of a companion than ever before4 ,the next prayer-meeting was attended1 and as they knelt during the season of prayer ,i felt an impression to kneel with them4 ,but the cross was very great and ,i did not yield4 ,i thought if ,i did so it would be reported to my parents1 and they would probably forbid my coming to these little meetings1 which ,i so highly prized4 ,but this was unprofitable reasoning1 increasing the burden instead of bringing the relief sought4 ,i wept on my way home1 and in my evening supplication renewed my promise to be more faithful1 let others do or say what they would1 if the like impression was ever again experienced4 ,with permission ,i attended the next prayer-meeting at my uncle's1 and1 as if to test my faithfulness1 two young women of my intimate associates came in1 and sat one on each side of me4 ,at the first season of prayer1 as ,i did not have that impression1 ,i felt quite at ease1 and thankful to my ,father in heaven for excusing me4 ,but the next united supplication1 ,i felt that ,i must unite with them in kneeling1 and while one tried to pull me up by the arm1 with saying ,i'd be a little dunce if ,i was in thy place1 the other sister pinched the other arm1 ,now1 ,laura ,smith1 be a little ,methodist1 will thee8 ,i'd be ashamed if ,i was thee2 every body will make fun of thee4 ,but ,i kept my position and made no reply1 but secretly prayed for strength in my great weakness4 ,but my fears were fully realized4 ,it was at once reported that ,laura ,smith would be a ,methodist if allowed by her parents4 ,and for a long time no permission was given to attend those little prayer-meetings1 my parents assigning this reason3 ,this ,methodist excitement is unprofitable1 especially for children4 ,they have an overheated zeal1 that is not according to knowledge1 and we do not think it best for thee to attend2 we want our children at a suitable age to be actuated by settled principle1 not mere excitement4 ,this reasoning by my dear father strongly tempted me to give up my resolutions altogether4 ,until ,i was eighteen ,i felt no liberty whatever in unburdening my troubled heart to my dear parents4 ,they were unacquainted with the longings of my poor soul4 ,like the lone sparrow upon the house-top1 ,i mourned many weeks1 sought the solitary place for reading my ,bible1 and prayer2 often watered my pillow with tears1 and longed for the day1 and during the day longed for the night1 in which ,i might pour out my sorrows to my ,heavenly ,father out of sight of human eye4 ,i was conscious that my sadness was troubling my dear parents4 ,oh6 how ,i prayed for light to dispel this darkness and doubt--sometimes ready to conclude that1 as it was my duty to obey my parents1 the ,lord would excuse me in waiting until ,i was of age4 ,yet in reading the many precious promises of the ,lord ,jesus1 ,come unto me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest2 ,seek1 and ye shall find1 ,i found fresh courage4 ,but why do ,i not find this rest for this weary heart8 ,why do ,i not find the way to seek for the hidden treasure ,i so much longed for8 ,these queries were continually revolving in my mind1 without a satisfactory solution4 ,sometimes ,i almost concluded that ,god was too good to send the beings he created for his own glory to perdition to all eternity1 and all would ultimately be saved2 at other times1 ,i could not reconcile universal salvation with the parable of ,lazarus and the rich man1 and was ready to conclude that salvation was for the elected few1 and there were those who could not be saved1 and ,i was among the lost4 ,in one of these seasons1 of almost despair1 ,i ventured to attend a ,methodist meeting held in a private house1 in company with my uncle4 ,being at his house1 ,i did not go home for permission4 ,the minister was a plainly dressed man2 the opening hymn was new to me1 but every line seemed especially for me3 ,god moves in a mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform ,it was read and sung in an impressive manner4 ,the fourth stanza seemed specially suited to my case3 ,judge not the ,lord by feeble sense1 ,but trust him for his grace2 ,behind a frowning providence ,he bides a smiling face4 ,this gave new light1 new courage1 and fresh hope sprang up1 like streaks of the morning sunbeam in the ,eastern sky1 preluding the full blaze of the orb of day4 ,the prayer and the text upon which he based his remarks were all flowing in the same channel4 ,the exhortation was to the discouraged and despairing soul to remember that the darkest time of night was just before the break of day1 a remark ,i had never before heard4 ,i returned home stronger than ever before1 and ventured to tell mother of the good sermon preached by ,isaac ,puffer4 ,but she was again troubled1 and reminded me of those we read of in ,scripture1 who would compass sea and land to gain one proselyte1 that when gained1 were twofold more the child of hell than themselves4 ,she also said that my uncles would be well pleased to have me go with them4 ,i assured her that neither of my four ,methodist uncles had ever intimated a word to me on the subject4 ,but1 said she1 actions sometimes speak louder than words4 ,this was not designed to discourage me1 but darker than ever was the cloud of unbelief that filled my heart4 ,was ,isaac ,puffer a child of hell8 then there is nothing in religion1 with any body4 ,it was all a farce--all mere overheated zeal1 not according to knowledge4 ,all mere religious excitement4 ,i well-nigh distrusted all religion1 and father's and mother's religion was the same as others1 of no value4 ,i had groped my way in midnight darkness1 trying to find the true way1 when there was none4 ,in this despairing state1 while on my way to my grandfather's on an errand1 ,i halted to listen to the mournful notes of the forest birds at my left2 ,i looked upon the field of waving grain at my right1 and burst into a flood of tears as ,i exclaimed1 ,oh1 what a sin-stricken world is this6 ,every head of wheat is bowed in mourning with poor me6 ,is there no balm in ,gilead8 is there no physician there to heal this sin-stricken world1 this sin-sick soul of mine8 ,like a flash the answer came1 ,yes1 ,jesus is that balm2 he shed his own precious blood for me on ,calvary1 that ,i might live now1 and for evermore6 ,yes1 the healing balm is applied1 and ,i am saved6 ,oh1 what a fountain is opened for cleansing6 ,my peace was like an overflowing river4 ,it seemed as if ,i could almost live without breathing--my tears were brushed away by the breath of heaven4 ,i stood a monument of amazing mercy1 praising ,god with every breath4 ,all nature praising1 instead of mourning as it did a few moments before4 ,o1 how changed the scene6 ,the birds now sent forth their notes of praise6 ,the leaves of the forest clapped their hands for joy1 and the branches waved with praise6 ,every head of wheat was now bowed in sweet submission4 ,o1 what a leveling of all nations of the earth was this baptism4 ,i had been prejudiced against the ,irish people1 as ,i never had seen one of that nation until they came to our town1 ,lockport 7as it was then called71 by hundreds1 to work on the ,erie canal1 that ran through a part of father's farm2 and as they were frequently passing our house drunk1 ,i was afraid of them4 ,but now every soul seemed so precious1 ,i thought ,i could toil all my life long if ,i could become instrumental in bringing one soul to the ,savior who died to save sinners1 though they might be the greatest drunkards in that or any other nation4 ,jesus shed his blood to redeem all who would by faith accept salvation so freely offered4 ,the ,african and ,indian races were alike objects of redeeming love4 ,that was a fathomless fountain4 ,after spending a little time in this reverie1 ,i went from this hallowed place to accomplish my errand1 and met a neighbor1 who looked at me earnestly and said1 ,laura1 what's the matter8 are you sick8 ,o1 no2 ,i'm not sick1 and hurried on4 ,and the first greeting ,i received from grandfather was the same query1 who received the same reply4 ,i left for home as soon as the errand was accomplished1 but as ,i was passing out of the door ,i met my ,uncle ,americus with the same query1 who also received the same answer4 ,oh1 how ,i wished father and mother could understand me1 and the overwhelming sorrow ,i had waded through in search of this satisfying portion4 ,if any little differences arose among my younger brothers and sister1 all melted away with a word from me4 ,this unalloyed peace remained with me a number of days1 and when the time arrived for the appointed prayer-meeting at ,uncle ,ira's1 ,i had a great desire to attend it1 and ,i hoped1 by asking for permission to go1 mother might ask for my reason4 ,in this ,i was disappointed with a denial4 ,however1 ,i continued to pray to ,him who owned me as his child1 to prepare the way in his own time4 ,my anxiety increased to do something for my dear ,savior1 who indeed was chief among ten thousand4 ,i could drop a few words here and there1 but with great timidity1 but nothing of my experience in this new life2 that was hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,i was anxious to attend that little prayer-meeting1 where my mind first was arrested on the subject of my soul's best interests4 ,i often dreamed of earnestly praying or exhorting in that prayer-meeting1 and would awaken myself in the exercise4 ,i had a longing desire to invite to this gospel feast others1 especially my young associates4 ,as ,isaac ,puffer had an appointed meeting at a brother ,crane's1 half a mile distant1 on ,sabbath at four o'clock ,p4 ,m41 ,i asked father for permission to attend1 hoping thereby to find liberty to open my pent-up feelings to my dear parents1 who so little understood me4 ,but my hopes were vain4 ,father said1 in reply1 ,laura1 ,i want thee never to ask me to go to a ,methodist meeting again4 ,o1 what a blow was this for my trembling frame6 ,the door closed more tightly than ever before4 ,not one word could ,i utter4 ,i left the room1 to find my old resort in the grove1 to weep bitter tears of disappointment4 ,but widely different was this burden1 now resting upon my heart1 from that mountain weight of sin and transgression borne a few weeks previously4 ,i read a few days before of the baptism of the ,lord ,jesus1 our perfect pattern4 ,but he came to fulfill4 ,then ,i read of ,philip and the apostles who baptized after his ascension2 and to my young and limited understanding ,i accepted the water baptism as an outward acknowledgment of the saving baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i fully believed ,i had received the spiritual baptism1 but ,i greatly desired to follow the ,lord ,jesus wherever he might lead4 ,i read ,barclay's ,apology on that subject2 yet my childhood mind dwelt much on what ,i read in these ,bible examples4 ,but to no human being did ,i present these impressions4 ,and ,i also found the example of singing1 that ,i believed was vocal1 as ,i read1 ,and they sang a hymn and went out4 ,and it seemed right1 for the present1 for me to unite with the ,methodists1 were it not for the opposition of my parents1 that ,i felt sure would not exist could they but understand me4 ,it also seemed clearly impressed upon my mind that1 if my mind should become clear to unite with that branch of the ,christian ,church1 it would be for eighteen or twenty years at longest4 ,but why not always be my place1 if it is my duty now8 was a query that ,i much dwelt upon4 ,i earnestly prayed that ,god would send ,caleb ,mc,comber to us1 an intimate friend of my parents1 and a noted minister among ,friends4 ,within a week my heart leaped for joy at the announcement by my father that ,caleb ,mc,comber was in the neighborhood4 ,what has brought him here at this time8 ,his brother 7,dr4 ,smith7 is all right2 he has made no trouble of late in drinking1 responded mother4 ,i do not know1 ,i am sure1 what has induced him to come here at this time1 as there is no meeting of business on hand1 for him to take this journey of nearly a hundred miles to attend1 rejoined father4 ,ah1 the ,lord has heard and answered prayer6 ,he has heard the cry of this poor child ,bless the ,lord1 ,o my soul1 and forget not all his benefits4 ,i could1 with ,david1 praise him with a full heart1 and sought a lone place to return thanksgiving and praise to him who had so signally answered my petition1 and was confident that the same ,all-seeing ,eye and ,directing ,hand would prepare the way for the desired interview4 ,the following day being the ,sabbath1 we listened to a sermon by ,caleb ,mc,comber that was thought very singular at that day for a ,friend4 ,his text was #a ,corinthians xii1 #f and #g2 ,and there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,he referred to the diversities of denominations1 that were as families composing the one true ,church4 ,and in this diversity of operations there were those whose impressions of duty were clearly given in regard to complying with outward ordinances1 water baptism and the ,lord's-supper2 and if these impressions were not complied with1 a loss would be sustained in spiritual life4 ,and he exhorted to faithfulness in obeying our ,lord and ,master4 ,this discourse appeared as directly addressed to this trembling child as did that of ,isaac ,puffer4 ,at the close of the meeting1 said one of the elders to another1 ,did thou ever hear just such a sermon from a ,friend8 ,i thought it sounded like a ,presbyterian discourse4 ,said another3 ,what ails ,caleb to-day4 ,i thought he preached like a ,methodist4 ,while these remarks were made ,i felt confident we had listened to a message from the ,great ,head of the true ,church by his servant4 ,as he dined with our nearest neighbor1 in company with his half-brother1 ,dr4 ,isaac ,smith1 and wife1 we all walked in company nearly to our home1 and the two young women invited me to call4 ,i accepted1 with the excuse1 for a drink of water 7hoping for an opportunity of telling that good man that ,i desired to have a talk with him1 and for that purpose would call after dinner74 ,but while waiting for the glass of water1 said ,caleb ,mc,comber1 ,child1 how old art thou8 ,the reply was1 ,thirteen4 ,i want thee to tell thy father and mother to come ,i here at three o'clock this afternoon1 and ,i want thee to come with them4 ,i gladly performed my errand1 and at three ,p4 ,m4 we were there4 ,after a little space of silence he addressed the heads of families present1 then directed his remarks to us 7the two young women and myself71 at first rather general4 ,then he said3 ,i want to say to one of you that thou hast passed through an experience far beyond thy years2 thou hast known what it was to ask for deliverance from sorrow and darkness1 and thou hast also known what it was to receive the answer of peace from thy ,heavenly ,father that the world knows not of4 ,hold fast that thou hast received1 that no man take thy crown4 ,be faithful in the little1 and more will be given4 ,bear in mind that little things are little things1 but to be faithful in little things is something great4 ,with exhortations to faithfulness and encouragement1 this was to me an undoubted evidence that ,he whose ear is ever open to the cry of his children had most signally answered prayer in this clear and definite searching of my heart4 ,very near and dear was that faithful nursing-father brought to this little child's heart4 ,with all freedom1 ,i could have related to him the obstacles that appeared in the way of duty with me4 ,but at that hour my feelings were too deep for utterance4 ,instead of remaining longer1 as was my impression1 ,i returned home with my parents1 with the view of returning for a more private interview when ,i could better command my feelings4 ,when about to return1 ,i began to reason over the propriety of going back4 ,certainly that good man had said all ,i could ask1 both in his sermon and in the religious opportunity in the family4 ,and now there might be danger of going too far4 ,and there are those two young women1 who made sport of me in that prayer-meeting1 where ,i knelt while others led in prayer4 ,now they would make more sport than ever1 as there are so many there ,i could not speak to him without their knowing it1 and ,i shrank from going4 ,i feared ,john ,bunyan's lions in the way2 but if ,i had been faithful ,i would have found them chained1 as were his4 ,for it was hard for me to give up the more private interview1 as ,i was very anxious to secure an interview between that minister and my dear parents1 as ,i was sure he understood me much better than they4 ,but ,i neglected my duty in this4 ,o1 how weak was human nature6 ,i had previously thought ,i would never again offend my loving ,savior1 but would follow him through evil as well as good report4 ,o1 how precious his cleansing blood appeared to me6 ,it seemed as if the drops that fell in his agony in the ,garden of ,gethsemane possessed power to cleanse a world of sin and pollution4 ,yet ,i was not faithful in the little4 ,although my parents never after forbade my going to a ,methodist or any other meeting1 yet ,i saw it grieved them as ,i frequently attended those prayer-meetings1 but never to the neglect of our own1 and was often impressed to speak or offer prayer1 but did not yield4 ,i found1 to my sorrow1 that these omissions produced poverty of soul1 and often cried1 ,o1 my leanness6 my leanness6 ,in secret many tears were shed over the loss of that joy that had been my experience4 ,little by little the candle of the ,lord that shone so brightly became dim1 and at the close of one year ,i sought the society of the gay and mirthful1 more effectually to drown my bitter regrets for having turned aside from the path so clearly marked out for me4 ,i fully realized that the dark cloud overshadowing me was the result of disobedience4 ,in company with a few of my companions1 ,i attended the funeral of an infant in our town4 ,the service was conducted by a ,baptist minister1 who had just come into the place4 ,there was nothing in his remarks that attracted my special attention4 ,after the meeting closed1 and people were leaving1 the minister passed on a little distance1 and turned back1 as if something had been forgotten4 ,pressing through the crowd1 he ascended the porch1 and came directly to me1 looking earnestly at me1 as he reached his hand for mine1 saying3 ,i felt as if ,i could not leave this place without asking this young woman a few questions4 ,have you ever experienced religion8 ,this came upon me like a clap of thunder1 he1 being an entire stranger1 asking a question ,i never had occasion to answer4 ,i hesitated1 as ,i had never intimated a word of my experience to any human being4 ,my first thought was to deny1 but like a flash came the words of ,jesus1 ,he that denieth me before men1 him will ,i also deny before my ,father and his holy angels4 ,no2 ,i can not--,i will not1 though ,i die4 ,with this thought ,i frankly replied3 ,i think ,i have4 ,do you now enjoy it8 ,i do not ,this relieved me from the dilemma of being a disgrace to the cause of ,christ1 as a number of my gay companions were with me1 also those ,christian young people to whom ,i had listened with interest in prayer and exhortations4 ,but searching remarks from him followed4 ,still holding my hand1 he said3 ,you have known of earnest pleading for the pardon of sin2 and you have known what it was to rejoice1 as your prayers were answered4 ,you have known your duty1 and did it not1 and have brought yourself into darkness4 ,do not occupy this dangerous ground longer4 ,return to jour first love4 ,do your first work over2 and ,he who is abundant in mercy will again accept you4 ,may ,god grant his blessing upon you6 ,good bye4 ,and he left me bathed in tears4 ,these earnest words reopened the many wounds that many neglected duties had made4 ,i could not doubt but ,elder ,winchell was as truly sent from ,god to deliver this message as was ,caleb ,mc,comber1 for whom ,i prayed in my distress4 ,but now the ,holy ,spirit had sought me out1 unasked for1 to warn me of the danger in the effort to occupy neutral ground1 as ,i had concluded to do until ,i was of age4 ,i saw more clearly that ,i was responsible to my ,savior1 who had done great things for me1 whereof ,i did rejoice with exceeding great joy4 ,again my ,bible became my daily companion1 with prayer for my ,savior's directing hand4 ,but my parents were again troubled1 as those first impressions returned in full force4 ,i intimated my condition of mind to my parents1 but1 with my natural timidity1 not as freely as ,i ought4 ,they still attributed these impressions to the influence of my ,methodist uncles1 and considered their duty was to place these restraints upon their child4 ,father and mother had requested to become members of the ,friends' ,society while three of their children were under seven years1 and requested for us1 making us equivalent to birthright members1 according to the usage of our ,society4 ,from the time of my ,christian experience1 ,i was never in sympathy with the system of birthright membership4 ,i believed it to be a source of weakness1 instead of spiritual life in this or any other ,christian body1 and that all members of the ,church militant should become united by a heart-felt experience4 ,i fully realized the loss ,i was warned to shun by yielding to the earnest desires of my dear parents1 who were conscientious in their restraint4 ,they said1 in after years1 that they were laboring under a mistake1 as was their timid child1 in not more faithfully following those early impressions of duty4 ,i was not faithful in the little1 consequently more was withheld4 ,my great mistake was the lack of faith1 in not fully returning to my ,father's house1 where the little wandering prodigal would have been received1 and the new best robe again granted1 and the rough way would have been made smooth1 and the impassable mountain that seemed to rise so high would have melted away before the life-giving beams of the ,sun of righteousness4 ,but ,i yielded to my timidity1 and the conclusion was reached to live a quiet ,christian life1 with my ,bible and secret communing with my dear ,lord and ,savior in secret prayer1 as ,i could not give up a strictly religious life4 ,but dimly did die lamp of life burn1 compared with its former brightness4 ,the greatest source of retrograding in the divine life is unfaithfulness in the performance of known duty4 ,many of the clouds that overshadow us we bring by withholding more than is meet1 and it tends to poverty of soul4 ,the talent committed to our charge is to be occupied1 and is always doubled when occupied by its possessor2 but1 as ,i saw many1 in whom ,i had confidence as living a quiet ,christian life--and this was more congenial to my natural feeling--,i reached the conclusion to make my ,bible and secret prayer my companions as long as ,i lived1 and a ,christian life in the ,society of my parents' choice4 ,at the early age of sixteen ,i became acquainted with ,charles ,haviland1 ,jr41 a young man who was acquainted with the ,savior's pardoning love1 whose father and mother were both acknowledged ministers in the ,society of ,friends4 ,from him ,i accepted a proposition of marriage1 and on the #c;d of #aath month1 #ahbe1 our marriage was consummated at ,friends' ,meeting1 in ,lockport1 ,niagara ,county1 ,new ,york1 according to the usage of ,friends4 ,the following ,spring we commenced housekeeping in our own home1 in ,boyalton ,township1 nine miles east of ,lockport1 and my dear parents and family removed to ,michigan ,territory4 ,although parting from them was severe1 yet with my young and devoted husband ,i was contented and happy as was possible to be1 with so many reminders of the cloud that rested over me in my spiritual horizon1 with all my constant striving for its removal4 ,phoebe ,field1 an eminent minister among ,friends1 appointed a meeting in our neighborhood1 in which she dwelt upon the necessity of receiving daily nourishment from the true and living ,vine to become fruit-bearing branches1 and remarked that there were those whose religious experience seemed divergent from the manner in which they were brought up1 and through unfaithfulness had well-nigh lost sight of the highway of holiness1 in the mistaken view of neutrality1 when there was not an inch of such ground all the way from years of responsibility to the grave4 ,we are gathering with ,christ or scattering abroad4 ,this earnest discourse so clearly defined my own condition1 that ,i renewed my many broken vows1 and was almost persuaded to yield the unsubdued will1 and hope was indulged that the ,father of unbounded mercy1 in his illimitable love1 would again reveal himself in breaking the bread of life4 ,september1 #ahbi1 we removed to ,michigan ,territory1 and settled in ,raisin1 ,lenawee ,county1 within three miles of my parents1 brothers1 and sister1 with our two little sons1 to share with others the privations of a new country1 as well as advantages of cheap land4 ,as there were a number of our ,society in this vicinity1 a ,friends' ,meeting was organized1 in which we all had an interest1 and endeavored to maintain it in the usual order of our ,society4 ,but no true peace was mine1 ,i was still a wanderer from the true ,church militant4 ,i once knew the good ,shepherd's voice1 but was now too far away to recognize it4 ,in these sad remembrances ,i sought a subterfuge behind which to hide in a false rest4 ,eagerly ,i read a book on that subject1 and drank its plausible arguments without stint4 ,it was a panacea1 a temporary opiate to quiet the vacillating condition of a restless mind2 yet my ,bible was not laid aside1 and many portions of ,scripture were vigilantly brought to prove this specious error to be a radical truth2 and two years in this dead faith ,i lived a dying life4 ,but ,i found my investigations were not for the whole truth1 but was dwelling upon the love and benevolence of ,god to the exclusion of justice as an attribute of the ,lord1 as well as mercy1 and decided to accept the whole truth1 and abide its searchings2 and sought for it in the written ,word diligently1 as for hidden treasures ,in reading ,paul's epistle to the ,hebrews1 chapter vi1 ,i found1 ,it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift1 and were made partakers of the ,holy ,ghost1 and have tasted of the good ,word of ,god1 and the powers of the world to come1 if they shall fall away1 to renew them again to repentance1 seeing they crucify to themselves the ,son of ,god afresh1 and put him to an open shame4 ,oh1 how these words thrilled my whole being6 ,again and again they were reviewed4 ,no ,hope6 no hope for a lost soul like mine6 were like burning coals upon my poor heart4 ,i was once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift2 but how dark have been these years4 ,oh6 how soon did the lamp of life become dim through disobedience4 ,i can never again drink of that fountain of love that once filled my soul to overflowing4 ,but ,i had fallen away1 and could never again be renewed1 having crucified to myself the ,son of ,god afresh1 and put him to an open shame1 by not honoring such a glorious ,redeemer1 as was my own personal ,savior4 ,o1 what delusion to have indulged in the vain hope that ,i was serving him in a silent1 quiet life1 and then cover over all this unrest with the idea that ,god was too abundant in mercy to cast off any for whom he died to save4 ,day and night this terrible thought followed me for months1 ,i am a lost soul6 irretrievably lost4 ,no hope6 ,eternally lost6 ,as ,i had never intimated to my dear companion the vacillating condition of mind1 and the effort in finding rest1 neither should he be troubled with the knowledge that his wife was a lost soul2 neither should our little ones on arriving to years of religious understanding ever know that their mother was a lost soul4 ,the midnight hour often witnessed many bitter tears of regret over the awful thought4 ,so near perfect despair1 ,i looked upon beast1 bird1 or even the most loathsome reptile1 and grudged their happiness of living and dying without responsibility4 ,these sad forebodings seriously affected my health1 and my anxious husband and parents feared some serious disease was preying upon me4 ,i sometimes thought the sooner ,i sank into the grave the better1 as my doom must be met4 ,o1 that ,i could but claim the privilege of the prodigal1 in returning to the ,father's house1 and of being accepted1 though a great way off4 ,o that ,i never had been born6 ,o that ,i had followed that loving ,savior's voice1 so often clearly heard4 ,it is now too late1 too late6 ,o that ,i had returned to my first love when within my reach4 ,but ,i rejected the teaching of the ,holy ,spirit1 and justly am ,i now rejected4 ,in this distressing despair ,i opened a little book--the ,christian experience of one whose exercises of the mind traced through my own experience1 even to my present despairing state1 as nearly as ,i could have related it in my own words4 ,through the instrumentality of a similar experience in another1 who was restored and was long a useful ,christian1 ,i was encouraged to return1 and found the healing balm4 ,never can ,i forget the thrill of joy that ran through my whole being as ,i laid aside that little book4 ,i saw that ,i had misapprehended the meaning of the passages of ,scripture that seemed to describe my condition1 and that served to confirm my despair4 ,i saw that those referred to1 had so far fallen1 and so often rejected the ,holy ,spirit's teachings1 as not to realize their condition1 and therefore lost sight of the necessity of a ,redeemer4 ,this was not1 nor ever had been1 my condition4 ,then ,i read ,esau's seeking the blessing1 carefully with tears1 that ,i had also long dwelt upon as my condition4 ,here1 too1 was a vivid thought1 that he sought the lost blessing to subserve self1 instead of glorifying ,god4 ,here the bright star of hope pierced through the cloud4 ,is it possible that ,i can go with confidence to that ,father who has so long borne with this unbelieving1 doubting1 rebellious child8 ,why has he not cut off this cumberer of the ground long ago8 ,his long-suffering and unbounded mercy1 ,o how free6 how unfathomable6 ,with many tears of gratitude1 mingled with new hope1 new aspirations1 the bright beam of day radiating from every promise1 ,i could now fully accept the ,lord ,jesus as my mediator and restorer4 ,by faith1 ,i could fully trust the poor prodigal in his hand4 ,o1 what losses we sustain through unbelief4 ,i have felt most easy in leaving my experience on record1 as a warning to young ,christians to shun the depth of despair into which ,i tank through unfaithfulness and unbelief4 ,by grace ye are saved1 through faith4 ,increasing faith1 strength1 and peace1 with restored health1 was my rich experience4 ,,anti-,,slavery ,,work4 ,our family1 with others1 united with ,elizabeth ,margaret ,chandler1 who organized in our neighborhood the first anti-slavery society in our ,state4 ,this was unsatisfactory to the ruling portion of our ,society1 as it had cleared its skirts many years ago by emancipating all slaves within its pale4 ,elizabeth ,m4 ,chandler was of the ,hicksite division of ,friends1 and as ,presbyterians and other religious denominations came into our anti-slavery society1 meetings were frequently opened with prayer1 and that was thought to be letting down the principles of ancient ,friends4 ,and the subject of slavery was considered too exciting for ,friends to engage in1 by many ,friends of that day4 ,i began to query whether it would not be a relief to me1 and also to my friends1 to become disconnected with that body1 as ,i saw clearly my path of duty would not be in accordance with the generality of our ,society4 ,after making it a subject of earnest prayer1 ,i became settled as to the course to pursue1 and concluded to unburden my heavy heart to my parents as ,i had done1 to my beloved companion1 which ,i did after our ,sabbath meeting4 ,we mingled our tears together4 ,father referred1 to the same proscribing spirit they exercised over me in my early experience1 that was now exercised over them4 ,father and mother wished me to defer sending in my request to become disconnected with our ,society1 as they1 too1 might think best to pursue the same course4 ,this was a severe trial for each of us4 ,father had been an acknowledged minister of the ,gospel nearly thirty years1 and mother occupied the station of an elder nearly the same time4 ,we1 too1 had become active members in this branch of the ,christian ,church4 ,but the conclusion was fully reached within two months after our little conference over this important step1 and the following letter of resignation was sent to our business meeting3 ,we1 the undersigned1 do say there is a diversity of sentiment existing in the ,society on the divine authority of the ,holy ,scriptures1 the resurrection of the dead1 and day of judgment1 justification by faith1 the effect of ,adam's fall upon his posterity1 and the abolition of slavery1 which has caused a disunity amongst us2 and there being no hope of a reconciliation by investigation1 ministers being told by ruling members that there is to be no other test of the soundness of their ministry but something in their own breasts1 thus virtually denying the ,holy ,scriptures to be the test of doctrine2--we1 therefore1 do wish quietly to withdraw from the ,monthly ,meeting1 and thus resign our right of membership with the ,society of ,friends4 ,this resignation was signed by ,daniel ,smith1 ,sene ,smith1 ,charles ,haviland1 ,jun41 ,laura ,s4 ,haviland1 ,ezekiel ,webb1 ,sala ,smith1 and fourteen others4 ,a few returned1 but the greater united with other ,christian bodies1 ,a few months after this there was a division in the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 on account of slavery4 ,they were called ,wesleyan ,methodists4 ,as this branch of our ,father's family was the nearest our own views1 we were soon united with them4 ,our testifications from ,friends were said by other denominations to be sufficient to be accepted as ,church letters1 as our offenses named therein were non-attendance of meetings for discipline1 and attending meetings not in accordance with the order of our ,society4 ,this was the import of nearly or quite all who were disowned of our company4 ,at that day1 all were dealt with as offenders1 and were regularly disowned1 as our discipline at that time made no provisions for withdrawals4 ,about a year after this1 the yearly meeting of ,friends in ,indiana divided on the subject of slavery4 ,no slavery existed in the society2 yet its discussion was deemed improper1 and created disunity sufficient for severing that body for a number of years1 when they were invited to return1 without the necessity of acknowledgments4 ,about this time we opened a manual labor school on our premises1 designed for indigent children4 ,with that object in view1 we took nine children from our county house 7,lenawee71 and ,i taught them1 with our four children of school age1 four hours each day4 ,the balance of the day was divided for work and play4 ,the girls ,i taught house-work1 sewing1 and knitting4 ,the boys were taken into the farm work by my husband and brother ,harvey ,smith4 ,as our county superintendents of the poor gave us no aid1 we found our means insufficient to continue our work on this plane4 ,after one year of this work we secured homes for the nine children1 except two invalids1 who were returned to the county house4 ,we then placed our school on a higher plane1 on the ,oberlin plan of opening the school for all of good moral character1 regardless of sex or color4 ,at that day 7#ahcg7 there was not a school in our young ,state that would open its door to a colored person4 ,and as my brother1 ,harvey ,smith1 had attended the ,oberlin ,institute1 he united with us in this enterprise1 and sold his new farm of one hundred and sixty acres1 and expended what he had in erecting temporary buildings to accommodate about fifty students4 ,the class of students was mostly of those designing to teach4 ,our principals were from ,oberlin during the first twelve years of the ,raisin ,institute4 ,the first three years it was conducted by ,p4 ,p4 ,roots and his wife1 ,anna ,b41 who were excellent ,christians4 ,when they left1 to open a similar institution at ,west ,point1 ,lee ,county1 ,iowa1 ,john ,patchin became their successor1 and conducted the school with equal ability three years4 ,after uniting in marriage with a teacher in ,oberlin1 he was assisted by his wife4 ,these thorough teachers earned for our institute the name of being one of the best in our ,state4 ,students were sought for teachers in our own and adjoining counties4 ,although our abolition principles were very unpopular at that day1 as we generally had from one to three colored students in our school1 yet the thorough discipline given in the studies drew the young people of the best intellect from the surrounding country4 ,there were those who came from fifty to one hundred miles to prepare for teaching or for a collegiate course4 ,hundreds of young people who enjoyed the privileges our school afforded came to us with their prejudices against colored people and our position in regard to them2 but they soon melted away1 and went they knew not where4 ,it was frequently said if we would give up the vexed abolition question1 and let the negroes alone1 ,raisin ,institute would become the most popular school in the ,state4 ,as a sample of many others1 ,i will notice a young lady from ,jackson ,county1 who was brought to us by her father to become qualified for teaching4 ,but her sensibilities were so shocked at meeting in her grammar-class a colored man that she returned to her room weeping over her disgrace1 and resolved to write her father to come and take her home immediately4 ,but the other young women persuaded her to attend the recitations assigned her1 when to her surprise the same young colored man was in the advanced arithmetic class4 ,and while impatiently waiting for her father to come and take her from this nigger school 7as she and many others called it71 a letter came from him advising her to remain1 as he had expended so much in fitting her for two or three terms there2 although if he had known that a negro would have been allowed to attend her class he would not have taken her there4 ,she soon became reconciled1 and before a half-term closed1 when she threatened to leave at all events 7as she read her father's letter71 she came to that colored man to assist her in intricate parsing lessons4 ,before the close of the first term she as frequently applied to ,james ,martin1 her colored classmate1 for assistance in solving difficult problems in mathematics as to any of the others4 ,she was one of our best students2 but this deep-rooted prejudice went1 she knew not how1 as with very many others4 ,as to religious privileges in our school1 our prayer-meetings were held bi-weekly1 ,sabbath and ,wednesday evenings1 and ministers of various denominations frequently appointed meetings in our school on the ,sabbath4 ,while the ,rev4 ,john ,patchin had charge of the institution he generally preached ,sabbath evening1 instead of the prayer-meeting4 ,in the third year of our school our two older sons made a profession of religion1 with a number of other students1 which was cause of great rejoicing4 ,surely1 we were blessed above measure4 ,within two years after we were blessed with another shower of divine favor in the conversion of our two older daughters4 ,not unfrequently were these four children's voices uplifted in vocal supplication at the family altar4 ,we were surely repaid more than a hundred-fold for all our toiling1 and heavy burdens borne in founding ,raisin ,institute4 ,as the fleeing fugitive ever found a resting-place and cheer in our home1 we richly earned the cognomen of nigger den2 yet ,heaven smiled and blessed our work4 ,we had many sympathizing friends in the ,society from which we were disconnected as members1 even with those who had deemed us too radical4 ,there was unity with us in our work that brought us together in after years4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,bereavements4 ,our last chapter left us rejoicing in success1 but how soon did deepest sorrow take its place4 ,a dream seemed sent to prepare me for the severe ordeal so near at hand4 ,i thought ,i was standing in our front yard looking eastward and an angel sitting on a bay horse appeared in the place of the sun's rising1 coming to earth on some mission1 gliding over the tree tops toward our house1 where were father1 mother1 my sister ,phoebe1 and my husband1 who held in his arms our little babe4 ,i started to inform them that an angel was coming to earth on some errand1 when his advance was so rapid ,i was likely to lose sight of him1 and halted to watch his flight4 ,he seemed to alight in our yard near me1 and smiled as he said1 ,follow thou me4 ,i will1 ,i responded1 as soon as ,i bid ,charles and our folks farewell4 ,the beautiful personage assumed a firmer tone1 as he said1 ,let the dead bury their dead1 but follow thou me4 ,at this command ,i responded1 ,i will1 and followed him to the graveyard1 where he left me4 ,and ,i awoke with that angelic figure1 with that sweet1 yet solemn1 voice ringing in my ear4 ,i related the dream1 with its clear impression in my mind1 to my husband1 who replied1 ,that is a significant dream1 and ,i think indicates death4 ,i think we shall be called to part with our infant daughter ,lavina2 and it is quite evident that consumption is fast hastening our sister ,phoebe to her long home4 ,she was my own sister1 who married my husband's brother1 ,daniel ,haviland4 ,he continued his remarks1 by making suggestions as to the course we would feel it best to pursue about a burying-place for our little daughter1 in case of a refusal of ,friends to allow a plain marble slab1 with her name and date of birth and death in their burying-ground2 and suggested the corner of our orchard as a pleasant place1 to which ,i assented4 ,after spending half an hour in this conversation1 he went out to his work4 ,i prayed for my ,savior's hand to lead me in whatever trial it was necessary for me to pass through4 ,little did ,i think of the heavier stroke which was first to fall4 ,a few days after this dream ,i was charging myself with being visionary2 yet a few of these most impressive dreams1 ,i believe1 have been designed for our instruction4 ,my husband was seized with a heavy cold1 accompanied by a severe cough1 that was increasing2 yet he was able to be about the house and barn1 giving directions1 as to outdoor work1 but nothing appeared alarming1 when ,i was aroused by a startling dream of a coffin being brought into our front room by four men1 of whom ,i inquired who was dead4 ,the answer was1 ,a connection of yours4 ,i want to see him1 for that coffin appears to be for a small man1 was my reply4 ,he is a small man1 was the rejoinder1 and you shall see him4 ,upon this1 the closed coffin was brought to me1 and ,i arose and followed the pall-bearers to the graveyard4 ,as the people were standing around the open grave to see the coffin lowered1 ,i saw a little child standing on the very edge of the grave opposite to me4 ,i exclaimed1 ,do take that child away1 for it will cave into the grave after its father6 ,at that instant the light sand under its feet gave way1 and1 as it struck the coffin1 the loud1 hollow sound awoke me1 trembling as with a fit of ague1 and with the strong impression that ,i was soon to part with my beloved companion and infant daughter1 although both were sweetly sleeping by my side4 ,with this thrill through my whole being1 ,i resorted to prayer for their restoration to health1 if consistent with the divine will4 ,although my husband had enjoyed good health a number of years1 and had not for seven years previously called upon a physician1 yet ,i now resolved to persuade him to call for one at once4 ,as the clock struck four1 and as ,i was leaving the bed to light the fire1 my husband awoke1 and said he had enjoyed the most refreshing sleep he had had since taking this cold1 and felt so well he thought he soon should be rid of it4 ,whenever ,i spoke the chattering of my teeth revealed my agitation1 and he expressed fear lest ,i should be ill from the hard chill4 ,but little did he understand the upheavings of my troubled heart4 ,soon a severe paroxysm of coughing gave the opportunity to suggest the idea of sending for a physician4 ,at length he consented1 as he said1 to please me1 as he thought this cough would soon give way4 ,but while ,i went to our boy's study room to awaken our son ,harvey to go for the doctor1 a severe pain in the region of the lungs was cutting every breath4 ,the doctor was soon with us1 but he thought there were no discouraging symptoms apparent4 ,i seat for ,father ,haviland1 who also thought1 as did the doctor1 that ,i was unreasonably troubled2 but during the following night he expressed doubts of recovery himself1 and requested his will to be written1 which was done4 ,as his fever increased1 great effort was made to control our feelings in his presence4 ,at one time1 as he awoke1 he discovered fast-falling tears1 and said3 ,do not weep for me1 my dear wife2 remember those beautiful lines3 ',god moves in mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform4' ,we are not to ',judge the ,lord by feeble sense1 ,but trust him for his grace2 ,behind a frowning providence ,he hides a smiling face' ,our separation will be short at longest4 ,then we shall be reunited where there is no sorrow--no more dying--in that glorious home4 ,two days ago there seemed a little cloud2 but prayer was answered1 and the cloud was all removed4 ,the overshadowing now is that of peace and love4 ,he called for the children4 ,looking upon us all1 he said1 ,o1 how dear you all are to me6 ,calling each by name1 he gave advice and exhortations as none but a departing husband and father could leave with his family--a legacy more precious than all the golden treasures of earth4 ,then he added3 ,i want you1 my dear children1 to promise me that you will meet your father in heaven4 ,will you meet me there8 ,taking our little babe in his hands1 he kissed it and said1 ,dear little ,lavina will soon be with her father1 and closed with the prayer3 ,o ,lord1 ,i commit my dear wife and children into thy bands4 ,thou art the widow's ,god1 and a loving ,father to fatherless children4 ,the words of the dying ,christian1 beginning ,what's that steals1 that steals upon my frame8 ,is it death-is it death8 were sung by his bedside1 and as the last line1 ,all is well-all is well1 was reached1 he raised his hands1 and repeated1 ,o1 hallelujah to the ,lamb6 ,then1 turning to me1 he added1 ,my dear1 ,i want these lines sung at my funeral4 ,his last words were1 ,come1 ,lord ,jesus1 thy servant is ready1 and with a sweet smile his happy spirit was wafted home1 ,march #ac1 #ahde4 ,his disease was inflammatory erysipelas1 at that time entirely new1 and not understood by our physicians4 ,it passed through our portion of the ,state1 a sweeping epidemic1 in the ,spring of #ahde1 and proved fatal in most cases4 ,my dear mother1 who was with us during this week of sorrow1 was taken home with the same disease1 and in one week her happy spirit took its flight to ,god who gave it4 ,she1 too1 left us hi the triumphs of faith4 ,she had not left us an hour before brother ,daniel came for me to go to his dying wife1 as she was calling for mother1 and he did not dare inform her that mother was dangerously ill4 ,i took my little emaciated babe upon a pillow1 and went to my dear sister1 who was so soon to leave us4 ,her first query was1 ,how is our dear mother8 ,mother is a happy spirit in heaven1 was the reply1 and sister ,phoebe will soon meet her there4 ,her reply was3 ,it is well2 but ,i had hoped to meet her once more in this world--yet we'll soon meet1 to part no more forever4 ,she soon followed brother ,charles2 but ,i trust we will all meet one day1 an unbroken band4 ,o how ,i wish ,i could see brother ,ira6 an absent brother for whom she had often expressed great anxiety in regard to his spiritual and everlasting welfare4 ,the same burden of soul for the same brother had also rested on the heart of our sainted mother1 whose funeral took place two days later4 ,within one week sister ,phoebe died in peace4 ,here was the third wave of sorrow rolling over us4 ,from this house of mourning ,i was removed to my home with the same disease that had taken my husband and mother2 and a number of our neighbors ,were going the same way4 ,my father and father-in-law thought me dangerously ill-chills and fever1 with stricture of the lungs1 that made respiration painful4 ,they were very anxious to have the best help that could be obtained at once2 for1 said father1 what is done for thee must be done quickly ,i told him that every one who had been taken with this disease had died1 as physicians of each school did not understand it4 ,but ,i would return to my home1 as they suggested2 but felt most easy to trust myself with water treatment1 and would like to take a shower-bath every two hours1 and try that treatment twelve hours4 ,this was done1 and every bath brought relief to respiration1 and my lungs became entirely free1 though my neck and throat were still badly swollen and inflamed4 ,cold applications1 frequently applied1 soon overcame that difficulty1 and in three days the disease seemed entirely conquered4 ,a relapse from taking cold1 however1 threw me into a stupor2 but ,i was aroused by an expression of a neighbor1 as he said3 ,she is not conscious1 and never will be1 unless something is done2 and if she were a sister of mine a doctor would be here as soon as ,i could bring him4 ,i will see if ,i can get an expression from her1 said my brother ,harvey4 ,if we can only learn mother's wish it shall be granted1 said my anxious son ,harvey4 ,as ,i heard their remarks a strong impression came over me that if ,i were placed in charge of a physician ,i should not live two days1 but if ,i could tell them to shower my head and neck often ,i would recover4 ,as ,i looked upon my anxious fatherless children around my bed ,i made an effort to speak1 but my parched and swollen tongue could not for some time utter a word4 ,the answer to earnest prayer came from ,him who numbers even the very hairs of our head4 ,as my brother took my hand1 saying1 ,if you wish a physician press my hand1 or if you wish water treatment move your head on the pillow1 ,i could not move my head in the least1 and my only hope was to say no4 ,when asked if ,i wished a doctor sent for1 ,i prayed that my tongue might utter words of direction for the sake of my fatherless children1 and said1 ,no4 ,do you want cold compresses1 or shall we gently shower over a thin cloth on the swollen and inflamed portion of your neck and head8 ,shower4 ,cold or tepid8 ,well4 ,if you mean well-water1 how much8 ,big pitcher4 ,how often8 ,twenty minutes4 ,said my son ,harvey1 ,it shall be done1 if ,i sit by her every minute to-night4 ,i felt a positive impression that my ,heavenly ,father had answered my prayer directly1 and granted an assurance1 in the token of recovery1 and ,i praised the ,lord for his loving kindness1 ,o1 how free4 ,with this assurance ,i fell back in a stupor1 except a dreamy consciousness of their showering1 which was faithfully done1 with the assistance of my brother4 ,at twelve o'clock ,i awoke1 and inquired where all the people were that filled the room a little while before1 and was surprised to learn the hour of night4 ,they said1 as my breathing became more natural1 the neighbors had left and the children retired4 ,i could speak easily1 and the purple appearance of the skin had disappeared4 ,in the morning the pain was entirely gone1 but the soreness was still severe4 ,but with frequent changes of compresses during the day1 the swelling very much subsided4 ,i wondered why father did not come1 as he had not been to see me since sister ,phoebe's funeral4 ,my brother informed me that he had a chill during the funeral1 and had not been able to leave4 ,as he had a few fits of the ague some weeks previously1 ,i supposed it was a return of that disease4 ,the day following brother ,sala came1 and in reply to my inquiry after my father1 said he was no better1 but sent me a request to be very careful of myself1 and hoped ,i would soon recover1 and left in seeming haste to see brother ,patchin4 ,but ,i sent for him to come and tell me more about father4 ,he soon came with brother ,patchin and brother ,dolbeare4 ,he then told me that father had the same disease that had taken my husband and our mother1 and he also said that it was father's request that for the sake of my large family of children1 who were recently bereft of their father1 that ,i would give up the idea of coming to see him4 ,but ,i could not be satisfied without going to see my dear father once more1 and yet1 the pleading of my dear children was almost too much to forego4 ,we have just lost our father2 now what should we do if our mother should be taken from us8 ,but if ,i am rolled in quilts and laid on a bed in the wagon1 ,i am confident ,i can be taken to father's house safely--distant nearly three miles4 ,in this way ,i was taken to my dying father1 though unable to walk across the room without assistance4 ,as soon as he learned of my coming1 he directed them to lay me on the bed until ,i was rested4 ,in a few minutes he sent them to bring me to him4 ,as my son and brother led me to his bedside1 he placed the cold purple fingers over my pulse1 and said1 ,i am so glad to see thee1 but ,i feared it would be too much for thee to bear4 ,there is a little feverish excitement about thee yet4 ,i am more concerned for thee than for the rest of my children1 on account of thy large family1 that will so much need their mother's counsel and care4 ,i want to say to thee1 ,look up to the widow's ,god for guidance1 for wisdom from him is so much needed1 with the heavy responsibilities now resting upon thee4 ,do not allow these bereavements to crush thy feeble frame4 ,i have feared they had already seriously affected thy health4 ,i know thy anxiety to bring up thy children in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 ,and he will grant ability to lead them to the ,lamb of ,god1 who shed his precious blood for us all4 ,with other advice1 he became weary1 and said1 ,now take her back to the other room1 and lay her on the bed until rested4 ,and during the few hours he lived he frequently sent for me to talk a few minutes at a time1 watching my pulse each time1 until within a few moments of the last farewell to earth4 ,there were six of his children present1 to whom he gave his farewell blessing1 leaving a bright evidence that all was well with him4 ,in me there is no merit4 ,i am fully trusting in the merit of my crucified ,savior1 who shed his own precious blood for my redemption4 ,i can say with ,job1 ',i know that my ,redeemer lives1' and because he lives ,i shall live also4 ,his last words1 almost with his last breath1 were1 ,here she comes1 and left this tabernacle for the building not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,father and mother were lovely in their lives1 and in their death were only two weeks divided4 ,it seemed that my last earthly prop was gone4 ,three weeks later my youngest child followed her father and grandparents to the spirit home4 ,within six weeks1 five of my nearest and dearest ones were taken from me4 ,there was hardly a family within two miles of us but was bereft of one or two loved ones by this epidemic4 ,five widows 7myself included7 at one time were standing around the death-bed of a near neighbor4 ,our female principal at that time1 ,emily ,galpin1 was taken with this epidemic1 and died after three days' illness4 ,a few hours previous to her death she requested a season of prayer1 in which her husband1 ,rev4 ,charles ,galpin1 led4 ,her prospect was bright1 and1 clearly foreseeing the ransomed throng she was soon to join1 said she1 ,oh6 how vain1 how transitory1 does all earthly treasure appear at this hour--a mere bubble upon the water4 ,about a half an hour before she left us1 she said1 ,hark6 don't you hear that beautiful music8 ,oh6 what music2 ,i never heard anything like it6 ,don't you hear it8 ,no1 we do not hear it4 ,being in an ecstasy1 she exclaimed1 ,look at that heavenly choir4 ,don't you see them8 ,don't you hear that sweetest of all music8 ,we do not see them nor hear them4 ,there--they have left4 ,a few minutes before her happy spirit took its flight1 she again looked up very earnestly4 ,there they are again4 ,oh1 how sweet6 how beautiful6 ,and taking leave of her husband and two children1 sister and brother-in-law1 and of all present1 committing her dear ones to the keeping of the ,lord ,jesus1 with the request that the two lines1 ,rock of ,ages1 cleft for me1 ,let me hide myself in thee1 be placed upon the marble slab to mark her resting place1 she fell asleep in ,jesus4 ,such fatality never before1 nor since1 visited ,raisin as is #ahde4 ,in those days of sorrow commingled with the rest of faith1 that brought peace and joy even in affliction1 my only reliance was the widow's ,god1 for wisdom ,i so much needed in the double responsibilities now resting upon me4 ,after the death of my sweet babe1 twenty-two months of age1 and my restoration to health1 ,i looked over amounts of indebtedness with dates when due4 ,i made an estimate of costs of harvesting and marketing the twenty acres of wheat and other grains1 and what must be retained for family use2 and found ,i would be able to reach only about half the amount due the following ,autumn4 ,i called on all our creditors within reach to inform them of probabilities1 unless ,i could find sale for a portion of the stock4 ,but none of the creditors wanted any of it4 ,said one1 to whom the largest amount was due1 ,you do not think of taking your husband's business and carrying it forward1 do you8 ,i replied1 ,i thought of trying to do the best ,i could with it4 ,with a look of surprise1 he said firmly1 ,you are very much mistaken1 ,mrs4 ,haviland2 you can not do any such thing2 you had much better appoint some man in whom you have confidence to transact your business for you4 ,i informed him ,i had seven minor children left me1 and ,i found seven hundred dollars of indebtedness1 and it would cost money to hire an agent ,then1 ,i ought to know just where ,i stand1 to enable me to look closely to expenditures4 ,well1 you can try it1 but you'll find your mistake before six months have passed1 and you'll see you had better have taken my advice4 ,i knew ,i was not accustomed to business of this sort4 ,all the other creditors whom ,i had seen spoke very kindly4 ,although these words were not unkindly spoken1 yet they were saddening to my already sad heart4 ,i was too timid to go to the probate judge with any sort of ease for instruction4 ,in looking around me for some female friend to accompany me1 ,i could find but very few who were not undergoing like trials with myself1 consequently ,i must submit to these new experiences1 as whatever was right for me to do was proper4 ,i depended upon an all wise guiding ,hand1 who is ever ready to reach it forth to the trusting child4 ,i wrote to one1 a few miles distant1 to whom was due eighty dollars the ensuing ,fall1 that forty dollars would be all ,i should be able to meet4 ,he called in a few days1 and introduced himself saying that he had received a statement from me that ,i could only pay him the coming ,fall fifty per cent on the eighty-dollar note he held against my husband4 ,said he1 in a hurried manner1 ,i called to let you know that ,i must have it all when it is due1 as ,i have a payment to make on my farm at that time1 and ,i have depended on that ,i told him ,i would gladly pay him every penny of it the coming ,fall1 but it would be impossible1 as there were other demands equally pressing4 ,very well1 that is all ,i have to say1 madam2 ,i can not accept any such arrangement2 ,i shall put in a way to bring it4 ,good-by4 ,he left in haste for me to ponder all these things over1 in doubts as to my ability to meet all these rough places of outside life4 ,perhaps ,i had better leave this business with some man to deal with men4 ,but prayer to the widow's ,god and comforting promises were my companions4 ,here was my only refuge and shelter in these storms4 ,as ,i retired with a burdened heart1 that ,i was endeavoring to cast at the feet of my ,savior1 the widow's burden-bearer1 ,i had a sweet dream of an angelic host1 that filled my room with a halo of glory1 settled on every face1 and those nearest my bed appeared in the form of persons dressed in beautiful attire2 others were sweet faces that looked upon me with smiles of peace4 ,as one took my hand1 a familiar feeling sprang up1 that gave me confidence to ask for the name4 ,my name is ,supporter4 ,and looking at the one standing near1 ,and what is his name8 ,that is a woman1 and her name is ,influencer-of-hearts4 ,pointing to another still more glorious in appearance1 ,and who is that one8 ,that is ,searcher-of-hearts4 ,then you all bear the name of your missions to earth1 do you8 ,we do1 replied ,supporter4 ,as ,i looked over this host that filled my room ,i burst into a flood of tears for joy4 ,i exclaimed1 ,oh6 what missions are yours6 so many wayward hearts to influence1 so much of sin and wickedness that reigns in this world to search out4 ,at this said ,searcher of hearts1 ,support her1 for she needs it ,i do1 and he reached for my other hand1 and as both of my hands were held by ,supporter1 ,i realized a wave of strength to pass over me1 filling my soul4 ,i awoke in an ecstacy4 ,yea1 ,i will cast my care on ,jesus and not forget to pray4 ,calm and sweet was this confidence in being cared for1 and supported by an almighty arm4 ,a few days after ,i saw the exacting man coming through my gate1 which1 for a moment1 caused a dread2 but the second thought was1 all1 all is with my ,savior4 ,i met him with the usual greeting1 and said1 ,you have called to see about that claim you have against me4 ,yes1 ,i have called to inform you that ,i shall not want any thing from you next ,fall1 and perhaps shall not want more than half next year1 as ,i have received one hundred dollars that ,i had supposed was lost1 and as ,i was coming within two miles ,i thought ,i would call and let you know of my conclusion4 ,while ,i thanked him for the favor1 secret praise ascended to ,him who melts away the mountain that seems impassable1 making a way where there seemed no way4 ,this may seem a small matter1 but for me at that time it was a reason for rejoicing at this unexpected turn of affairs4 ,it was but one of many similar cases1 and none can more fully realize the blessing of these reliefs than the widow of nearly two-score years1 who never previous to widowhood knew the burden of outside work in providing for a large family1 which was now added to continued care of the ,raisin ,institute4 ,many night plans1 for day execution1 were made4 ,i soon found sale for forty acres of the one hundred and sixty1 which relieved me of the most pressing demands4 ,at times responsibilities were so great1 and burdens so crushing1 that ,i was almost ready to falter4 ,my greatest anxiety was to guide my dear children aright4 ,the four older ones had resolved to follow the dear ,redeemer1 but the slippery paths of youth were theirs to walk in4 ,the consideration of these multiform cares at one time seemed of crushing weight4 ,i questioned whether the burden ,i had so often left at the foot of the cross ,i had not taken up again1 and whether ,i had as fully consecrated self1 with my dear children1 to the ,lord as he required4 ,i was endeavoring fully to yield all into my ,redeemer's hands for safe-keeping4 ,this was my constant prayer1 yet this heavy burden during a few days seemed unfitting me for the every-day duties devolving upon me4 ,in family devotion ,i opened to the fifty-fourth chapter of ,isaiah1 where ,i found precious promises that ,i accepted for my own1 and the heavy burden for my children was uplifted4 ,never did ,i experience greater liberty in prayer1 or exercise a stronger faith4 ,surely the silver lining to this cloud appears4 ,all thy children shall be taught of the ,lord were precious words4 ,i was afflicted and tossed with tempest1 but a sweet promise followed4 ,all the way through that chapter the ,comforter appeared with rich promises4 ,with these before me ,i could freely leave all my burden with the ,lord4 ,i saw by the eye of faith all my seven children made acquainted with their ,creator in the days of their youth4 ,although ,i never ceased asking1 yet there has seemed an accompanying assurance4 ,when from ten to sixteen years of age1 my seven children yielded by living experience to the ,savior's loving invitation1 ,come unto me1 that hour and day was victorious through faith4 ,that weight of burden never again returned6 ,the entire yielding all into the care and keeping power of ,him who doeth all things well1 at that hour was complete4 ,i could say1 ,he leadeth me1 without a shadow of doubt4 ,as fugitive-slaves were still making their resting-place with us1 ,i hired one of them1 named ,george ,taylor1 a few months through hay-making and harvest4 ,he had made his escape from a ,southern master who was about to sell him farther south4 ,once before he had made an unsuccessful attempt at freedom1 but was captured and placed in irons1 until they made deep sores around his ankles4 ,as he appeared very submissive1 the sorest ankle was relieved4 ,being so badly crippled1 he was thought safe4 ,but supplying himself with asafetida1 which he occasionally rubbed over the soles of his shoes1 to elude the scent of bloodhounds1 he again followed the north star1 and finally reached our home4 ,his ankles were still unhealed4 ,he had succeeded in breaking the iron with a stone1 during the first and second days of his hiding in the woods4 ,he was an honest ,christian man of the ,baptist persuasion4 ,,marriage ,,of ,,two ,,children4 ,on ,june #f1 #ahdf1 my oldest son1 ,harvey ,s41 was married to ,huldah ,west1 of ,adrian1 and my oldest daughter1 ,esther ,m41 was at the same hour married to ,almon ,camburn1 of ,franklin1 both of our own county4 ,the mother's earnest prayer was1 that these children might prove each other's burden-sharers1 thereby doubling the joys1 as well as dividing the sorrows1 of life4 ,my daughter's husband was one of our students1 and in some of her studies a classmate4 ,we were fortunate in again securing brother ,patchin to finish the academic year in our institution4 ,though the cloud looked dark that overhung our institution1 by the sudden deaths of my husband1 and sister ,emily ,galpin1 which caused her bereaved husband to leave as soon as his place could be filled by a successor1 we had the consciousness that our school was taking a deep hold on the minds of the community at large1 as well as exercising a marked influence upon the young people who were enjoying its privileges4 ,we found an increasing interest in abolition principles throughout our community4 ,in this we praised ,god and took courage4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,anti-,,slavery ,,experiences4 ,this chapter introduces the reader to representatives of a large proportion of slave-owners of the ,southern ,states1 who were perverted by a system well-named the sum of all villainies4 ,willis ,hamilton1 an emancipated slave1 the hero of this narrative1 who fled to ,canada with his slave wife1 ,elsie1 to seek for her the protection of the ,british lion from the merciless talons of the freedom-shrieking ,american eagle1 was emancipated three years previous to the date of this chapter1 together with nineteen others 7the reputed goods and chattels of ,john ,bayliss1 a ,baptist deacon1 near ,jonesborough1 ,tennessee74 ,slaveholder though he was1 ,john ,bayliss evidently thought his black people had souls as well as those of white skins1 for he allowed his house servants to remain in the dining-room during evening family worship1 thus giving them instruction which1 as the sequel will show1 made the slave the teacher of the master2 for one morning1 as ,aunt ,lucy1 an old and privileged servant1 was passing through his room1 she said3 ,massa ,john1 ,i's bin thinkin' a heap o' dat ar what you read in the ,bible t' other night4 ,ah1 what's that1 ,aunt ,lucy8 said the deacon4 ,it's to do oder folks as you'd want 'em to do to you1 or somehow dat fashion4 ,i tell you1 ,massa ,john1 't would be mighty hard for you white folks to work great many years and get noffin'4 ,den1 if you dies1 whar'd we go to8 ,i specks we'd go down de riber1 like ,jones's poor people did las' week4 ,well1 well1 ,aunt ,lucy1 that was too bad2 but ,jones was in debt1 and ,i suppose they had to be sold4 ,o yes1 ,i s'pose so2 but dat you read in de ,bible sort o' sticks to me--,i can't help it1 said this faithful old mother in ,israel1 as she went out to her work4 ,in a moment or two ,mrs4 ,bayliss entered the room1 and the deacon said3 ,wife1 what kind of a text do you think ,aunt ,lucy has just given me8 ,text8 ,yes1 text4 ,what's got into her head now8 ,she says she's been thinking about what ,i read in prayer-time the other evening1 referring to the golden rule1 and that it sort o' sticks to her4 ,she spoke1 of the excitement over ,jones's black people who were sent down the river the other day2 and ,i tell you1 the way she applied her text1 it 'sort o' sticks' to me4 ,o hush6 indignantly exclaimed ,mrs4 ,bayliss4 ,aunt ,lucy's mighty religious1 and has so many notions of her own she's not worth minding1 any how4 ,but she asked me what would become of my black people if ,i should die1 and if ,i thought they would ever be torn apart as ,jones's were4 ,i tell you1 wife1 ,i have witnessed such scenes too often to feel right in risking a contingency of that kind1 said the deacon1 gravely4 ,don't be a fool1 now1 ,john ,baybss1 angrily exclaimed his wife1 about ,aunt ,lucy's fuss over ,jones's niggers4 ,well1 said the deacon1 ,i don't wonder at her feeling grieved2 they belonged to her ,church1 and many of them were her relatives4 ,here1 for the time being1 the conversation ended2 but the soul of ,john ,bayliss1 awakened by the simple1 straight-forward speech of his bond-woman1 refused to be quieted1 and he made this the subject of earnest prayer until the path of duty became so clear before him that he could not do otherwise than manumit his twenty slaves1 although bitterly opposed by his wife 7who refused to free the three held in her own right74 ,elsie1 the wife of ,willis ,hamilton1 belonged to a neighboring planter4 ,she was sold to a drover for the ,southern market1 and was being torn from her husband and two little daughters4 ,willis1 in his agony1 went from house to house1 imploring some one to buy her1 so that she might remain near her family4 ,finally one ,dr4 ,john ,p4 ,chester1 who was about opening a hotel1 agreed to purchase ,elsie for #hjj1 if ,willis would pay #cjj in work in the house1 and fare the same as the other servants in board and clothing4 ,with these conditions ,willis gladly complied2 but after they had spent a few months in their new home ,deacon ,bayliss examined their article of agreement and found it to be illegal4 ,he told ,willis that ,dr4 ,chester could sell ,elsie at any time1 and he could establish no claim to her1 even had he paid the #cjj1 which1 at the wages he was receiving1 would take him nearly nine years to earn1 with the interest1 and advised him to leave ,dr4 ,chester and work for wages1 as he had done since his manumission4 ,this advice was immediately acted upon1 ,willis being permitted to spend his nights with his wife4 ,every thing passed off pleasantly for a few weeks1 until one of the house-servants told ,elsie that she overheard ,master ,john sell both her and ,willis to a slave-trader1 who would the following night convey them to the river with a drove ready for ,new ,orleans4 ,frantic as the poor woman was with terror and grief at this information1 she managed to perform her duties as usual until supper-time2 and when all were seated at the table she slipped out unobserved1 ran through a corn-field into the woods1 sending word to ,willis by a fellow-servant to meet her at a certain log4 ,the moment ,willis received the message he hastened to her with flying feet2 and here the wretched husband and wife1 but a few days before so full of plans for a pleasant future1 held their council in tears4 ,willis1 in his sudden fright and excitement1 could only exclaim3 ,what shall we do8 ,where shall we go8 ,elsie1 cooler and more composed1 suggested going to ,deacon ,bayliss for advice4 ,this ,willis quickly did1 and soon returned1 it having been arranged that he should bring ,elsie there and secrete her in the attic until the excitement of the hunt was over4 ,after this they assumed the names of ,bill and ,jane1 a brother and sister who answered to their own description of color and size on ,willia's free papers--the whole list of the twenty slaves emancipated by ,deacon ,bayliss being recorded on each paper4 ,after five weeks hiding at the southern terminus of the ,underground ,railroad1 they took up their line of march for ,canada4 ,in a ,quaker settlement in ,indiana they found friends to whom they revealed their true relationship1 and here they spent a year with a ,quaker family named ,shugart4 ,but the slight protection afforded by the laws of ,indiana did not tend to give them a feeling of security1 and so they started again for the promised land with their infant daughter ,louisa4 ,on this journey they were assisted on their way1 and made easy and comfortable compared with their hasty flight from ,tennessee1 from whence they walked with swollen and blistered feet1 and every nerve strung to its utmost tension from the fear of pursuit by their ,southern persecutors4 ,as times were hard in ,canada1 ,elsie consented to come to ,michigan with her husband if he could find a ,quaker neighborhood4 ,in their search they found our house1 and my husband1 ,charles ,haviland1 ,jr41 after learning their condition1 leased ,willis twenty acres of ground1 mostly openings1 for ten years1 for the improvements he would make thereon4 ,here they lived for three years1 when one day ,elsie saw a strange man peering through the fence4 ,her first thought was a ,southerner1 and snatching her two ,little ones she ran for our house1 only a few rods distant4 ,the man pursued her1 and she called for help to a neighbor in sight1 at which the skulking sneak took himself off to the woods4 ,this incident so thoroughly aroused their fears that they took another farm1 a few miles distant1 for three years2 then a farm near ,ypsilanti for a few years2 from whence they removed to ,monroe1 where they induced a friend to write to ,willis's old friend and master1 ,deacon ,bayliss1 making inquiries after their two daughters1 who were left behind in slavery4 ,they received a prompt reply1 purporting to come from ,bayliss1 informing them that their daughters were still living where they left them4 ,he would see them1 he said1 by the time he received their next letter1 which he hoped would be soon1 that he might be the happy bearer of glad news to the children from their father and mother4 ,he professed great joy at hearing from them1 wished them to write all the particulars about themselves1 but cautioned them to write to no one but him1 and all would be safe4 ,he requested them to inform him in what town they were living1 as he noticed their letter was dated in one town1 mailed in another1 and he was directed to address them in a third4 ,their friend1 however1 strictly cautioned them not to reveal their definite whereabouts1 but to answer all other queries4 ,willis wrote that as his farm lease had expired there1 he would have to seek another farm1 and did not know where he would be1 but to address a letter as before and it would be forwarded to him4 ,their next move was to return to their first ,michigan home on my premises1 a few months after the death of my husband1 taking up their abode in the little log-house built for them a few years before1 and working my land on shares4 ,another letter was soon received from their friend ,deacon ,bayliss1 as they supposed1 and they urged me to reply2 but ,i firmly refused to write to any one in the land of the slaveholder1 lest the message should fall into the hands of enemies1 and advised them to leave their daughters in the hands of the ,lord1 who would yet provide a way of deliverance for them as he had for their parents4 ,in their great anxiety1 however1 to hear from their children1 from whom they had been separated so many years1 their plea was strong and persistent3 but ,i remained immovable to all their entreaties1 and told them of a slave family1 who1 after living twenty years in ,indiana1 had but recently been captured and returned to hopeless bondage4 ,upon this they yielded to me for the time being1 but in a few weeks came again with pleadings made eloquent by suffering4 ,as they had felt the vice-like grip of the peculiar system on their own hearts and lives1 they realized too keenly the fate that might any time overtake their daughters4 ,but ,i still resisted all their entreaties1 and in a few days after they applied to ,j4 ,f4 ,dolbeare1 one of the trustees of ,raisin ,institute1 who1 thinking there was no danger1 wrote all they desired1 telling the supposed ,deacon ,bayliss all their past life in the free ,states and all their plans for the future4 ,this they kept from me for a time1 but ,elsie's heart refused to be quieted1 and she finally told me about it1 first telling her husband she believed it their duty ,for1 she says1 ,i have thought more about it since ,aunt ,laura told me she dreamed of three poisonous green vipers which she poked so near the fire that their sacks were burned to a crisp and the poison all ran out1 so that she thought them powerless for harm1 but they still kept their threatening attitude2 and who knows but these vipers may be slaveholders8 ,willis said he had felt like telling me all the while1 and both came to me with their story4 ,i much regretted this unwise step1 but forbore all criticism1 and told them we would hope for the best4 ,a few days after a stranger appeared at our gate and inquired for a stray horse1 which he said left him at ,tecumseh4 ,none having been seen he made similar inquiries at ,hamilton's4 ,he also asked for a glass of water1 and while receiving it1 says to ,elsie3 ,auntie1 where does this road lead to1 that crosses the river east8 ,to ,palmyra1 she replied1 and frightened at being addressed as ,auntie1 in the ,southern style1 hastened into her house4 ,the second night after this1 at eleven o'clock1 a carriage drove up to a log-house on one of the cross roads1 and three men appeared simultaneously1 two at the front and one at the rear window1 but quickly disappeared4 ,they had evidently mistaken their place1 as it was a white family up with a sick child4 ,it was a dark night1 and there was a dug way ten feet deep perpendicular1 near the fence to which their team was hitched1 which the valiant and mysterious trio did not discover1 and when they re-entered their carriage and attempted to turn around they tumbled into it1 horses1 carriage1 and all4 ,this little incident so disarranged their plans that they were until daylight returning to ,adrian 7only six miles distant71 with their broken trappings and bruised horses4 ,they told the liveryman1 ,mr4 ,hurlburt1 that their horses took fright and ran off a steep bank1 and begged him to fix the damages as low as possible1 as they were from home1 belated1 etc4 ,mr4 ,hurlburt assessed them thirty dollars2 but he afterwards said1 had he known their business he would have doubled it4 ,three days after this fortunate mishap ,willis ,hamilton received a letter inclosing three dollars1 purporting to be from ,john ,bayliss1 who had come up into ,ohio on business1 and was on his way to visit them when he was suddenly taken very ,ill1 and was pronounced by the physicians in a critical condition--in fact1 they gave him but little encouragement for recovery1 and he desired ,willis to come and visit him1 and bring his wife and children1 as he might want him for two weeks4 ,he closed by saying3 ,whether ,i get better or die1 ,i am resigned1 and can say the ,lord's will be done4 ,i shall have every train watched until you come4 ,god bless you ,respectfully yours1 ,,john ,,bayliss ,of course ,i was given this letter to read1 and ,i suggested the utmost caution in obeying this request1 for1 as the old rat in the fable said1 there might be concealed mischief in this heap of meal ,i called for the other two letters1 and found they were written by the same hand ,willis says3 ,oh6 ,i know the old boss too well1 he's true as steel2 he won't have anything to do with trap business4 ,besides1 ,i've got my free papers1 and ,i'm not afraid to go1 but ,i wont take my wife and children ,i proposed that ,mr4 ,dolbeare or some neighbor go with him ,that pleased him1 but ,mr4 ,dolbeare could not go4 ,as my son ,daniel and ,i were going to ,adrian1 ,i proposed to get either ,mr4 ,backus or ,mr4 ,peters1 both strong anti-slavery friends in the city1 to accompany him to ,toledo4 ,as we were about starting1 ,joseph ,gibbons1 a neighbor1 came with the suggestion that ,willis remain at home1 and ,james ,martin1 who was about his color and size1 go in his stead2 as ,gibbons agreed with me in believing there was a deep laid plot4 ,to this all parties agreed1 and ,willis gave me the letter and the three dollars towards the fare of whoever should go with ,james1 who was an intelligent young colored man in our institution4 ,everything being in readiness we now started for ,adrian1 where we arrived just in time to jump on board the train1 and consequently had no leisure to seek out and make the proposed arrangements with our above mentioned friends1 but sent word back to ,willis that we would return the following morning4 ,once fairly settled on our journey the responsibility so suddenly thrust upon me made me cry out in my heart for wisdom beyond my own1 and ,i prayed for a guiding hand to direct our actions in case we should find ourselves in the camp of the enemy1 face to face with traffickers in human souls and bodies1 who considered no scheme too vile or desperate for them to undertake1 the success of which would in any way subserve their own interests4 ,we arrived at ,toledo at #g ,p4 ,m41 and as we left the cars ,james was1 addressed by a man with the question3 ,is your name ,willis ,hamilton8 7and without waiting for a reply71 ,is your wife with you8 ,no1 sir1 said ,james4 ,perhaps ,i am mistaken1 said the questioner1 who was the porter of the ,toledo hotel4 ,who do you wish to see8 said ,james4 ,willis ,hamilton is the man ,i am sent for1 by his old friend ,john ,bayliss1 who is at the ,toledo hotel1 so ill that he is not expected to live4 ,where is this ,mr4 ,bayliss from8 said ,james4 ,tennessee1 ,i believe4 ,very well1 if there is such a man here ,i want to see him4 ,come with me1 and ,i'll take you to his room1 said the porter4 ,while this conversation was passing between the porter and ,james we were following in the rear1 but apparently paying no attention to them4 ,our plan was for ,daniel to keep ,james in sight if possible1 and whatever he heard of the sick man to report to me in the parlor4 ,we entered the hotel nearly together4 ,i was shown into the parlor and ,james was taken up a flight of stairs from the bar-room4 ,daniel was following1 when the porter told him the bar-room for gentlemen was below4 ,he said1 ,i am taking this man to see a friend of his who is very sick1 and no strangers are allowed to enter the room4 ,of course1 my son could do nothing but return1 so no further observations could be taken by us until the reappearance of ,james4 ,for two long hours we neither saw nor heard anything of him1 and becoming very anxious and restless ,i told ,daniel to ask for ,james ,martin1 as he had business with him4 ,twice he made this request1 but the porter only said1 ,yes1 yes1 you shall see him in a minute1 and dodged from room to room to keep out of sight4 ,growing desperate1 ,i finally told my son to tell the porter if that young colored man is not forthcoming at once1 a writ of habeas corpus will be served on him in fifteen minutes1 as we must see him immediately4 ,also tell ,mr4 ,woodward1 the proprietor1 that your mother is here with a message for ,mr4 ,john ,bayliss1 who we understand is very ill at this house4 ,mr4 ,woodward instantly summoned the porter1 and we heard him say in an excited undertone3 ,there's trouble ahead unless that young black fellow comes down immediately2 tell them to send him down at once4 ,in a moment the porter1 three gentlemen1 and ,james made their appearance1 evidently to the surprise of twenty half drunken ,irishmen who had been chattering all the evening1 but were now so still you could have heard a pin drop1 to see ,hamilton 7as the sequel shows they supposed7 brought down so publicly and without fetters4 ,it afterwards transpired that ,willis ,hamilton1 upon coming down stairs1 was to have been put into a close carriage1 sent away1 and his family then sent for under the plea that he was detained with his sick friend1 and this was the intelligent crowd who were to aid in the success of the plan4 ,i had seen a carriage stand fifteen or twenty minutes at the bar-room door and finally leave without a passenger1 and ,daniel saw the same carriage at the rear door equally long1 which also left there empty4 ,upon coming down ,james ,martin evidently took in the situation at a glance1 for1 giving my son a pinch1 he said3 ,mr4 ,haviland1 let us go into the dining-room and call for supper4 ,this was to give the drunken rabble time to leave so that he could relate his adventures with the ,southerners after supper4 ,but by this time the porter came to me to inquire if ,i wished to see ,mr4 ,bayliss1 the sick man4 ,i replied in the affirmative1 upon which he said3 ,he is very low2 no stranger has been allowed to enter his room for three days1 but his doctor is here4 ,would you like to see him8 ,i would1 ,i replied4 ,a tall gentleman now entered the room and addressed me3 ,madam1 are you the lady who wished to see me8 ,i am1 if you are the physician who has charge of ,john ,bayliss of ,tennessee1 who we learn is very ill1 by a letter which ,willis ,hamilton received yesterday4 ,i am ,dr4 ,taylor of this city1 and have the case of ,mr4 ,bayliss in my care4 ,his son-in-law is here taking care of him1 and they are all greatly disappointed at not seeing ,hamilton this evening1 as ,mr4 ,bayliss has sent for him and his family1 and they can not imagine why he does not come4 ,well1 ,i can tell you why4 ,we feared a trap1 as ,willis's wife was formerly a slave4 ,i don't see1 said the doctor1 how you could suspect any thing wrong in that letter1 as ,i understand they have written them before1 and you should have compared the letters to see if they were written by the same person4 ,we did so1 and found they were written by the same person4 ,but there are other points to consider3 #ast1 ,john ,bayliss stands somewhat in the relation of a slaveholder1 as in a former letter he spoke of three aged slaves living with him1 and wished ,hamilton and wife to stay with him two weeks if he lived1 which was doubtful1 and wished them to be sure and bring their children1 though we all know that four little noisy children are not agreeable companions in a sick-room4 ,here my learned doctor gave his head a vigorous scratch1 and said3 ,well1 madam1 ,mr4 ,bayliss is probably childish from age1 and his severe illness makes him more so4 ,a nervous temperament like his1 affected by disease1 often enfeebles the mind1 as body and mind are in close relationship philosophically4 ,now1 he is just childish enough to want to see those children playing around his room1 and he says he would make them handsome presents2 and as money seems to be plenty with him and apparently no object1 ,i judge they would be well paid for coming4 ,i did not appear to question this view of the case1 but inquired how long ,deacon ,bayliss had been ill4 ,about seven days1 madam1 replied the doctor4 ,what seems to be the nature of the disease8 ,it was at first a violent attack of bilious fever1 but for the last three days it has assumed a fearful form of typhus4 ,i told him that ,hamilton and his wife were both very anxious about their old friend1 and wished me to see him personally1 and give him their reasons for not coming4 ,i should be glad1 said the doctor1 to allow you to see him1 were it not for his extreme nervousness1 but ,i dare not risk it4 ,it seems hard to think the dying request of this poor old man can not be granted4 ,he seems to consider this family almost next to his own4 ,yes1 ,i said1 it is also hard and humiliating to humane and patriotic ,americans that a system of human bondage exists in this country which causes these horrible fears and suspicions to loom up like specters before the mental vision of this persecuted and down-trodden race4 ,that is very true1 said ,dr4 ,taylor2 slavery is the darkest spot on our national escutcheon4 ,but in this case there is no cause for suspicion2 for ,i am sure there is no plot with regard to the ,hamilton family1 and ,i call ,god to witness that every word ,i tell you is truth4 ,as to the three slaves you spoke of1 he told me during the first of his sickness that he emancipated all his slaves1 twenty in number1 but that his wife had three in her right1 which she refused to free1 and these have always remained in the family4 ,he manumitted his slaves from purely conscientious scruples2 and ,i believe that if there is a ,christian that walks ,god's earth he is one1 for he has manifested such patience and resignation during his severe illness that he has entirely won my affections4 ,now1 don't you think you can induce ,hamilton to bring his family here8 ,i do not believe he will live three days4 ,i will be honest with you1 ,i replied4 ,although you have talked like a candid man1 ,i do not believe ,i could transfer sufficient confidence to the family to induce them to come unless ,i should see him1 as they charged me over and again4 ,at this my tender-hearted ,aesculapius sighed deeply1 and said3 ,i am sorry that they or their friends should entertain any distrust1 as ,i fear he may not be conscious two days longer4 ,a council of physicians was called this afternoon1 and three out of the four gave it as their opinion that he could not survive1 at the longest1 beyond three days2 and ,i believe him liable to drop away within twenty-four hours1 although it is barely possible he may live a week4 ,well1 ,i replied1 one cause of suspicion1 both with my neighbors and myself was that1 although the letters from ,john ,bayliss were all written by the same hand1 the last one was equally well written as the others1 although he was represented as so very low1 with little hope of recovery4 ,here my ready-tongued doctor very thoughtfully placed his hand to his forehead1 but in a moment replied3 ,i will tell you how that was4 ,his fever was off at the time1 which enabled him to carry a steady hand4 ,well1 of course1 ,i replied1 we do not know that any plan exists to remand these people back to slavery1 but we only judged of the possibilities4 ,and for my part ,i do not believe in regarding the wicked enactments of men which contravene the laws of eternal right given by ,god1 who made of one blood all nations who dwell upon the face of the earth1 and of ,christ1 who left the realms of glory to bring blessings to mankind1 and a part of whose mission was to unloose the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free4 ,and in view of the golden rule given by the great ,lawgiver1 ,i would not for my right hand become instrumental in returning one escaped slave to bondage4 ,i firmly1 believe in our ,declaration of ,independence1 that all men are created free and equal1 and that no human being has a right to make merchandise of others born in humbler stations1 and place them on a level with horses1 cattle1 and sheep1 knocking them off the auction-block to the highest bidder1 sundering family ties1 and outraging the purest and tenderest feelings of human nature4 ,that is all right1 said the doctor1 and ,i understand your feelings4 ,slavery is the greatest curse upon our otherwise happy country4 ,but in this case there need be no fear of any conspiracy to injure your colored friends2 and ,i did hope1 for the sake of ,mr4 ,bayliss1 they would come and visit him1 and gratify his dying request4 ,he then gave me some of the alarming symptoms of his patient1 enlarged on the sympathy he felt for him1 and finally proposed to go up and consult with his son-in law on the propriety of allowing me to see him in his present exceedingly nervous state4 ,he said if he was not spoken to perhaps ,i might be allowed to look at him1 as he was kept under the influence of opiates1 and was to-night in a heavy stupor1 and not disposed to talk to any one4 ,would such an arrangement be any satisfaction to you8 ,i replied that1 while it was immaterial to me1 it would probably satisfy the ,hamilton family2 and1 after a few minutes' consultation in the sick-room1 he returned with the conclusion that ,i might enter the room1 but that no loud word must be spoken1 nor the sound of a footfall permitted4 ,but you can not see his face1 as it is covered with cloths wet in vinegar to draw the fever out1 and he is now in a doze1 and ,i do not wish to disturb him4 ,he then described the terrible paroxysms1 bordering on spasms1 suffered by his patient1 in which it took four men to hold him1 and was eulogizing his wonderful fortitude and ,christian patience1 when the son-in-law suddenly came rushing into the room in his shirt-sleeves and stocking-feet1 and exclaimed3 ,doctor1 doctor1 do come quick2 father's got another spasm1 and ,i don't know what to do4 ,yes1 yes1 said the doctor1 ,i'll come2 don't leave your father a moment2 and jumped up1 apparently in great excitement4 ,but at the door he halted to tell me that these spasms indicated mortification1 when the son-in-law again opened the door with a bang and the exclamation3 ,doctor1 why don't you hurry8 ,father is vomiting again1 and ,i'm afraid he is dying4 ,at this they both rushed frantically up-stairs4 ,in about fifteen minutes the doctor returned1 saying he had given his patient a double dose of an opiate1 and would let him rest awhile4 ,he then launched out into a description of his treatment of ,mr4 ,bayliss2 how he had blistered him1 and performed a surgical operation on him which had given him great pain2 said he was attending him to the neglect of his other patients1 and after exhausting a large amount of eloquence on the subject returned to the sick chamber4 ,in a few moments he came back with the information that ,i could now be admitted1 and conducted me to the room4 ,as soon as we stepped within the door the doctor halted1 but ,i stepped to the center of the room1 as if ,i had forgotten that ,i was only just to enter1 and gazed at the bed and then at the lounge opposite4 ,the doctor stepped to my side and said1 ,that is he on the bed yonder4 ,i stood a moment and took a mental inventory of the sick man1 who appeared full six feet tall and very slender1 not at all answering to the description of the short1 heavily built ,john ,bayliss1 of two hundred pounds avoirdupois4 ,of course1 a fit of sickness might reduce a man's flesh1 but it did not appear to me as especially likely to increase his height4 ,as his face was covered with wet cloths ,i could not see the round physiognomy of ,john ,bayliss1 but passing my hand over the face ,i found it long and thin featured4 ,i whispered to the doctor that ,i would like to notice his pulse4 ,he said ,i could do so on the jugular vein4 ,i did so1 and found the skin of this fever-stricken man to be the natural temperature1 but ,i whispered to the doctor that ,i was not so accustomed to noticing the pulse in that locality as at the wrist4 ,after some resistance by the sick man1 who finally yielded with a long undertone groan1 ,i found his wrist1 and the full1 strong1 regular pulse of a well man4 ,there was now no doubt in my mind that ,i was alone at this midnight hour1 far from home1 in a room with three slaveholders4 ,as ,i stepped from the bed the doctor asked me if ,i was satisfied4 ,the thought flashed through my mind that ,i had always contended that deception was lying1 and that no circumstances could justify it ,but other thoughts also came1 and ,i replied that ,i was satisfied4 ,at this the son-in-law1 who had apparently been sleeping on the lounge1 roused himself and commenced rubbing his eyes1 and looking at the doctor1 said1 ,oh1 doctor1 do you think father is any better8 ,i can not conscientiously give you any hope1 replied the doctor4 ,oh1 dear6 he exclaimed1 what shall ,i do8 ,i am almost sick myself1 taking care of him day and night4 ,if ,i had only known that they were near ,tecumseh1 where ,i lost my horse1 ,i would have seen them2 but ,i hoped to have found him better when ,i returned1 instead of which he was much worse4 ,at this ,i stepped towards him1 and said3 ,if you are the gentleman who was inquiring for a horse in our neighborhood a few days ago1 you called at ,hamilton's house and asked for a drink of water4 ,what1 that place where a black woman brought me a glass of water8 ,yes2 that was ,hamilton's wife4 ,is it possible6 that little log house where there was a pile of pumpkins in the yard8 ,yes1 ,i said4 ,oh6 if ,i had only known it1 he exclaimed1 we would have had them here to help us4 ,what trouble we have had4 ,i reckon father will die1 and ,i shall have to go home alone4 ,god knows we have had a bad trip of it4 ,the careful doctor now began to fear we would disturb the patient1 and we were about leaving the room when he suddenly exclaimed1 ,i want you to see what black bilious matter ,mr4 ,bayliss vomited a while ago2 and1 stepping back1 he brought me a white bowl two-thirds full of what might have been the contents of a coffee-pot1 with a bottle of black ink thrown in1 and a few spittles floating on top4 ,this1 he told me1 indicated mortification4 ,we now passed into the parlor1 where we could talk without disturbing the patient4 ,now1 madam1 as you are fully satisfied with regard to ,mr4 ,bayliss's illness1 can't you do something to get the ,hamiltons here8 ,i am willing1 ,i replied1 to do all in my power1 but see no better way than to inform them of the state of affairs upon my return1 and the train will leave for ,adrian at eight o'clock to-morrow morning4 ,the doctor went up stairs to see what word they wished to send1 and soon returned with the request that ,i should write to ,hamilton to come immediately1 and the porter would go with the letter for ten dollars1 and his father would send another ten dollars to ,willis4 ,i still insisted that my original plan was the best1 as the road through the cottonwood swamp was almost impassable4 ,the son-in-law now entered1 and after walking across the floor a few times1 with sighs and groans and bemoaning his dire calamities1 said his father wished the letter written4 ,he returned to his father and the doctor went for writing material4 ,they closed the door behind them for a consultation1 ,i supposed4 ,the reader will remember that during all this time ,i knew nothing of the experience of ,james ,martin with this afflicted trio1 but had been compelled to grope my way blindly4 ,as the doctor and son-in-law went out my son came in4 ,he had overheard something about the writing1 and said1 excitedly3 ,don't write1 mother2 there is no sick man here4 ,that tall man is ,elsie's master1 and they threatened ,james's life when they had him up stairs4 ,daniel1 ,i know there is no sick man here1 ,i said2 but they do not think ,i dream of any plot4 ,it is now midnight1 and it is not wise to let them know that we distrust them4 ,sit down and let us talk naturally4 ,the doctor now returned with writing material1 and ,i sat down to write while he conversed with my son on the weather and kindred topics4 ,now my intention in writing to ,hamilton was to serve these slaveholders by defeating them4 ,i knew1 too1 that disguising my hand-writing was not enough to reveal to the ,hamilton's that the letter was a sham1 and whatever ,i wrote would be subjected to the perusal of my employers before it was sent4 ,at this hour1 too1 a messenger could not probably be secured1 even for twenty dollars4 ,but as ,i seated myself at the table and took my pen in the manner in which ,i could appear to serve the slaveholders1 but in reality defeat them1 it came to me like a flash1 and ,i cheerfully wrote all they dictated1 not omitting the fact 787 that a council of physicians had decided that ,john ,bayliss could not live to exceed three days2 and after handing it to the doctor and son-in-law to read1 ,i requested permission to add a few lines on my own responsibility1 which was readily granted1 as ,i explained to them that ,elsie would not be prepared with regard to clothing1 either for herself or children1 to be away so long1 and ,i could easily loan her sufficient garments4 ,this1 of course1 was as happy a thought for them as for myself1 and was so received4 ,indeed1 madam1 said the son-in-law1 that will be very kind in you4 ,they can get ready so much quicker4 ,so ,i added to my letter to ,willis as follows3 ,tell ,elsie to take for herself the black alpaca dress in the south bed-room1 and the two pink gingham aprons and striped flannel dresses in the bureau in the west room for the little girls4 ,to come to ,adrian1 take the double team and farm wagon4 ,i signed my name and handed the letter to the delighted stranger4 ,he then gave my son a lighted sperm candle to light us over to the ,indiana ,house1 at that time the best hotel in ,toledo1 and kept by ,salter ,cleveland and wife1 anti-slavery friends of ours4 ,this light1 however1 served them to follow us1 as well as guide us to our haven of safety4 ,after settling ourselves with our friends to tell our adventures ,i had a chance to hear ,james ,martin's story4 ,after the failure of my son to follow ,james and the porter up stairs1 ,james was of course entirely in the hands of the enemy4 ,at the head of the stairs they were met by an elderly gentleman with a lamp1 who offered to conduct ,james to the sick room1 and he was told to enter the first right hand door4 ,on opening the door he found no one inside4 ,oh1 said his guide1 they have moved him to the next room1 as was suggested by the council of physicians this afternoon2 we will find him there2 and opening the door the stranger assumed an attitude of command and told him to go in4 ,james1 however1 replied3 ,i shall not go in1 sir2 you can see as well as ,i that the room is empty4 ,the stranger gave a surprised look at the interior of the room and said3 ,oh1 ,i guess they moved him to the farther room1 as some one suggested1 after all4 ,as there is no other room he can be in1 you will certainly find him there4 ,by this time1 of course1 ,james began thoroughly to distrust his conductor1 and hesitated about going farther2 but desiring to make all the discoveries possible1 and thinking if violence was attempted he could run down stairs to us1 he passed on to the third door1 and throwing it wide open found this room also empty4 ,he was about turning back when two other men suddenly appeared through a door at the left1 and the three surrounded him1 one leveling a revolver at his head1 another at his breast1 and the third pointing a dirk at his side1 all indulging in an indiscriminate volley of oaths and threats4 ,said his grey-haired guide 7who afterwards proved to be ,john ,p4 ,chester1 ,elsie's master1 the same who had enacted to me the role of the sympathetic physician71 ,if you stir or speak one word we'll kill you4 ,go into that room1 or you're a dead mail4 ,in this position they entered the room and locked the door4 ,now1 ,hamilton1 we've got you1 damn you4 ,my name is not ,hamilton1 but ,james ,martin1 was ,james' reply4 ,damn you1 rejoined ,chester1 ,i know you2 you were once a slave in ,tennessee4 ,no1 sir1 ,i never was a slave1 nor was ,i ever in a slave state4 ,i was born and brought up in the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,then you're a d----d spy1 and ,i've a great mind to shoot you this minute1 said ,chester4 ,if you call me a spy because ,i came here to see ,mr4 ,john ,bayliss for ,mr4 ,hamilton1 then you can do so1 for this is why ,i am here1 and ,i came here with no intention of harm to any one1 ,i am entirely unarmed1 ,i have not so much as a penknife with which to defend myself1 but ,i tell you1 gentlemen1 ,i have friends here in this house4 ,at this they dropped their weapons as by an electric shock1 and ,chester exclaimed1 ,you shan't be hurt6 you shan't be hurt6 ,then turning to his son3 ,tom1 put up your pistol4 ,but1 says ,tom1 ,i propose to search him and see whether he's clear of arms4 ,no6 you shan't do it4 ,i reckon it's as he says4 ,james1 seeing that they were thoroughly intimidated1 now felt at his ease4 ,the ,southerners1 of course1 did not know but a posse of armed men awaited their actions instead of one little woman and a lad of seventeen4 ,chester now addressed ,james in a subdued tone and manner1 asking him to sit down1 and ,i'll tell you all about it ,mr4 ,john ,bayliss is here and he is very sick2 he is not expected to live4 ,but ,i am ,elsie's master2 my name is ,john ,p4 ,chester1 and ,i bought her out of pure benevolence to save her from going down the river with a drove4 ,willis was going from house to house begging for some one to buy his wife1 crying and taking on like he was nearly crazy1 and ,i felt sorry for him1 and told him if he would help me buy her by paying three hundred dollars in work for me1 ,i could do it1 and he entered into a written agreement with me that ,i was to feed and clothe him the same as my other servants1 and give him a good price for his work2 but before he had been with me a year he took my property and ran away with it1 and now ,i want to get it back4 ,why don't you go and get it then8 said ,james4 ,oh1 there's such a set of d----d abolitionists there ,i can't do it1 said ,chester4 ,hamilton wrote to me that he had put in ten acres of wheat this fall on shares on a widow lady's farm1 and that he had a yoke of oxen1 two cows1 pigs and chickens4 ,yes1 said ,james1 that is all true4 ,well1 said ,chester1 you can have all he has there1 besides any amount of money you please to name1 if you will assist me in getting him and his family here4 ,will you do it8 ,james replied1 very carelessly1 ,well1 ,i don't know but ,i will for enough4 ,you see1 said ,chester1 if ,i can get them here1 ,i can get help from one place to another in ,ohio1 and when ,i strike ,kentucky ,i'd be all right4 ,in laying plans and making arrangements they consumed two hours' time1 and1 as the reader will remember1 ,i became nervous and sent for ,james1 after which ,i had my experience with the doctor and the sick man4 ,after finding ourselves quietly seated with our friends in their private parlor1 before we had fairly finished relating our adventures1 the night watch came in with the report that three men were pacing around the house at about equal distances1 whom he suspected to be burglars4 ,orders were given to keep the outside rooms lighted1 and if any attempt was made to enter to ring the alarm bell and assistance would be forthcoming4 ,morning light1 however1 revealed to the watchmen that their suspected burglars were the three ,southerners1 who had stopped at the ,indiana ,house a few days1 but not finding co-operation probable in their slave-hunting business1 had changed their quarters to the ,toledo ,hotel4 ,i recognized my doctor and the son-in-law2 and the other1 a tall1 slender young man1 of twenty-two1 was my sick and suffering deacon1 who an hour previous had been so near death's door4 ,their object1 of course1 in guarding the house1 was to see that we sent no messenger to defeat the letter ,i bad so kindly written for them4 ,but on this matter ,i gave myself no concern1 as ,elsie was as well acquainted with my wardrobe as ,i was1 and would know at once that it contained no such articles as ,i mentioned2 also1 that the house had no south bedroom1 and no bureau in the west room1 neither was there a double team nor a farm wagon on the place4 ,consequently ,i had no fears that the letter was not faithfully fulfilling its mission4 ,a few minutes before we left the hotel for the #h o'clock train to return home a colored man came to ,james1 evidently quite excited1 and said3 ,we have just heard there is a colored man here having trouble with slave-holders2 if this is true1 there are enough of us here to do whatever is necessary4 ,james did not reply1 but looked inquiringly at me4 ,i replied1 ,there is trouble1 and taking him into a back room1 gave him a brief sketch of ,james's experience4 ,i told him ,i did not think it probable that violence would be offered in daylight1 but as ,mr4 ,cleveland and son were both ill1 we would like to know who our friends were at the depot4 ,he assured me we should have all the aid we needed4 ,while at the depot1 said he1 we shall watch both you and the slave-holders1 and whatever you desire us to do1 madam1 say the word1 and it shall be done4 ,i thanked him1 but did not think there would be any difficulty4 ,the three ,southerners were at the depot as soon as we were4 ,in the ticket office ,james gave up going1 as he thought they intended going with us4 ,but this ,i did not care for1 and told ,james he must go now1 as there was no other train until night1 and there was no telling what they might do under cover of darkness4 ,when we got to the cars the doctor and son-in-law jumped aboard1 but the sick man was determined to take his seat with me1 and followed my son and myself from coach to coach1 and whenever we showed any signs of seating ourselves prepared to seat himself opposite4 ,i looked at his snakish eyes1 and concluded to leave my sick deacon to see ,james1 who still lingered in the ticket office4 ,i again urged him to go with me1 as ,i should take another coach when ,i returned and get rid of the ,southerners4 ,when ,i returned ,i ran past the coach ,i had left1 and ,daniel beckoned to me1 saying1 ,here1 mother1 this is the car we took4 ,yes1 ,i said1 but ,i see a lady ahead that ,i wish1 to sit with4 ,at this the sick man jumped up and exclaimed1 ,i'll be d----d if ,i don't take that seat then4 ,but ,daniel pressed his way past him1 and noticed his heavily-laden overcoat pocket4 ,by the time my son reached me there was no room near us for the sick deacon1 so he returned to his first seat4 ,during all this time about a dozen men1 black and white1 were watching us closely4 ,i beckoned the one who called on us at the hotel to come to our apartments1 and told him to tell ,james to come immediately to my door4 ,he came1 and ,i opened the door and told him to enter1 as the train was about moving4 ,when he was inside he says3 ,i am afraid we will have trouble4 ,just then the conductor passed1 and ,i said to him3 ,i suppose we will be perfectly safe here1 should we have trouble on our way to ,adrian4 ,most certainly1 he said 7raising his voice to the highest pitch74 ,i vouch for the perfect safety and protection of every individual on board this train4 ,near ,sylvania1 a small town ten miles from ,toledo1 the train halted to sand the track1 and our chivalrous friends got off4 ,chester and his son ,thomas1 the sick deacon1 stationed themselves about three feet from us2 and ,chester1 pointing to ,james1 said in a low1 grim voice3 ,we'll see you alone some time2 and1 turning to my son1 ,you1 too1 young man4 ,then directing his volley of wrath to me1 he roared out3 ,but that lady there--you nigger stealer--you that's got my property and the avails of it--,i'll show you1 you nigger thief2 and drawing a revolver from his pocket1 his son doing the same1 they pointed them towards my face1 ,chester again bawling out1 ,you see these tools1 do you8 ,we have more of 'em here 7holding up a traveling bag71 and we know haw to use them4 ,we shall stay about here three weeks1 and we will have that property you have in your possession yet1 you d----d nigger stealer4 ,we understand ourselves4 ,we know what we are about4 ,man1 ,i fear neither your weapons nor your threats2 they are powerless4 ,you are not at home--you are not in ,tennessee4 ,and as for your property1 ,i have none of it about me or on my premises4 ,we also know what we are about2 we also understand1 not only ourselves1 but you4 ,pale and trembling with rage they still shook their pistols in my face1 and ,chester1 in a choked voice1 exclaimed3 ,i'll--,i'll--,i won't say much more to you--you're a woman--but that young man of yours2 ,i'll give five hundred dollars if he'll go to ,kentucky with me4 ,just then the conductor appeared and cried out3 ,what are you doing here1 you villainous scoundrels8 ,we'll have you arrested in five minutes4 ,at this they fled precipitately to the woods1 and the last we saw of these tall and valiant representatives of the land of chivalry were their heels feat receding in the thicket4 ,of course1 this brave exhibition of rhetoric and valor called out innumerable questions from the passengers2 and from there on to ,adrian1 though already terribly fatigued1 we had to be continually framing replies and making explanations4 ,among the people of ,sylvania the news spread like wildfire1 and it was reported that over forty men were at the depot with hand-spikes and iron bars1 ready to tear up the track in case the ,hamilton family had been found on the train bound for ,toledo4 ,when we arrived at ,adrian my oldest son1 ,harvey1 and ,willis were there to meet us2 and when we told ,willis that ,elsie's old master and his son had but an hour previously pointed pistols at our heads and threatened our lives1 he could hardly speak from astonishment4 ,harvey said my letter arrived before sunrise1 but that no one believed ,i had any thing to do with it4 ,however1 as the porter swore he saw me write it1 ,professor ,patchin and ,j4 ,f4 ,dolbeare were sent for2 but they also distrusted its validity and the truthfulness of the bearer4 ,elsie had no faith in it at all4 ,if1 said she1 the old man is so very sick1 as he hasn't seen us for years1 they could bring him any black man and woman1 and call them ,willis and ,elsie1 and he'd never know the difference2 and as for that letter1 ,mrs4 ,haviland never saw it4 ,i believe the slave-holders wrote it themselves4 ,they thought1 as she was a widow1 she'd have a black dress1 and you know she hasn't got one in the house4 ,and where's the pink aprons and green striped dresses8 ,and there's no south bed-room in this house4 ,it's all humbug2 and ,i sha'n't stir a step until ,i see ,mrs4 ,haviland4 ,said another3 ,these things look queer4 ,there's no bureau in the west room4 ,the porter1 seeing he could not get the family1 offered ,willis ten dollars if he would go to ,palmyra with him1 but he refused4 ,he then offered it to my son ,harvey if he would take ,wills to ,palmyra4 ,no1 sir2 ,i shall take him nowhere but to ,adrian1 to meet mother1 was ,harvey's reply4 ,after their arrival in ,adrian the porter again offered the ten dollars1 and ,lawyer ,perkins and others advised ,harvey to take it and give it to ,willis1 as they would protect him from all harm4 ,but when ,i came ,i told him not to touch it2 and the porter1 drawing near1 heard my explanation of the letter1 and the threatening remarks of the people1 who declared that if slave-holders should attempt to take the ,hamilton family or any other escaped slave from our city or county they would see trouble4 ,he soon gave us the benefit of his absence1 and we went home with thankful hearts that public sentiment had made a law too strong to allow avaricious and unprincipled men to cast our persecuted neighbors back into the seething cauldron of ,american slavery4 ,all that day our house was thronged with visitors1 eager to hear the story which was agitating the whole community1 but about midnight ,i told my friends that rest was a necessity1 for never in my life was ,i so thoroughly exhausted from talking2 but1 as the next day wan-the ,sabbath1 ,i would in the evening meet all who chose to come in the ,valley ,school-house 7at that day the largest in the county7 and tell them the whole story1 and save repeating it so many times4 ,when the evening came we met a larger crowd than could find standing-room in the school-house1 and report said there was a spy for the slave-holders under a window outside4 ,i related the whole story1 omitting nothing1 and was followed by ,elijah ,brownell1 one of our ablest anti-slavery lecturers1 with a few spirited remarks4 ,he suggested that a collection should be taken up to defray our expenses to ,toledo and return1 and fourteen dollars was soon placed in my hands4 ,from a friend of our letter-carrier1 the porter of the ,toledo ,hotel1 we learned that the plans of the slave-holders accorded with those given ,james ,martin in the sick-room4 ,after getting the ,hamilton family in their clutches they intended to gag and bind--them1 and1 traveling nights1 convey them from one point to another until they reached ,kentucky4 ,this was precisely on the plan of our underground railroad1 but happily for the cause of freedom1 in this case at least1 not as successful4 ,the citizens of ,adrian appointed a meeting at the court-house1 and sent for me to again tell the story of the slaveholder who had so deeply laid his plans to capture1 not only his fugitive slave ,elsie and her four children1 but also her husband1 who was a free man4 ,other meetings were called to take measures for securing the safety of the hunted family from the iron grasp of the oppressor1 whose arm is ever strong and powerful in the cause of evil2 and so great was public excitement that the chivalrous sons of the ,south found our ,northern climate too warm for their constitutions1 and betook themselves to the milder climate of ,tennessee with as great speed as their hunted slave1 with her husband1 hastened away from there fifteen years before4 ,it may be asked how the ,chesters discovered that ,hamilton and his wife were in ,michigan4 ,we learned afterward that ,john ,p4 ,chester was the postmaster at ,jonesborough1 and receiving a letter at his office directed to ,john ,bayliss1 he suspected it to be from friends of his former slaves1 and opened it4 ,his suspicions being confirmed1 he detained the letter1 and both corresponded and came ,north in the assumed character of ,bayliss4 ,his schemes miscarried1 as we have above narrated1 and ,bayliss probably never knew of the desperate game played in his name4 ,about two weeks after the departure of this noble trio ,i received a threatening letter from ,john ,p4 ,chester1 to which ,i replied2 and this was followed by a correspondence with his son1 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester 7the sick deacon74 ,from these letters we shall give a few extracts4 ,in a letter received under the date of ,december #c2 #ahdf1 ,john ,p4 ,chester writes3 ,i presume you do not want something for nothing2 and inasmuch as you have my property in your possession1 and are so great a philanthropist1 you ,hill feel bound to remunerate me for that property4444 ,if there is any law of the land to compel you to pay for them ,i intend to have it4 ,in my reply1 ,december #bj1 #ahdf1 ,i wrote3 ,first1 convince me that you have property in my possession1 and you shall have the utmost farthing4 ,but if ,willis ,hamilton and family are property in my possession1 then are ,rev4 ,john ,patchin and wife1 principals of ,raisin ,institute1 and other neighbors1 property in my possession1 as ,i have dealing with each family1 precisely in the same manner that ,i have with ,willis ,hamilton and family1 and ,i do as truly recognize property in my other neighbors as in the ,hamilton family4 ,prove my position fallacious1 and not predicated on principles of eternal right1 and they may be blown to the four winds of heaven4 ,if carnal weapons can be brought to bear upon the spiritual you shall have the liberty to do it with the six-shooters you flourished toward my face in ,sylvania1 ,ohio4444 ,as for my being compelled to pay you for this alleged property1 to this ,i have but little to say1 as it is the least of all my troubles in this lower world4 ,i will say1 ,however1 ,i stand ready to meet whatever you may think proper to do in the case4 ,should you think best to make us another call1 ,i could not vouch for your safety4 ,the circumstances connected with this case have been such that great excitement has prevailed4 ,a4 number of my neighbors have kept arms since our return from ,toledo4 ,i can say with the ,psalmist1 ',i am for peace1 but they are for war4' ,at a public meeting called the next evening after our return from the ,toledo trip1 fourteen dollars was placed in my hands as a remuneration for the assistance ,i rendered in examining your very sick patient4 ,i found the disease truly alarming1 far beyond the reach of human aid1 much deeper than bilious fever1 although it might have assumed a typhoid grade4 ,the blister that you were immediately to apply on the back of the patient could not extract that dark1 deep plague-spot of slavery1 too apparent to be misunderstood4 ,i received a long list of epithets in a letter1 bearing date1 ,jonesboro1 ,tennessee1 ,february #g1 #ahdg1 from ,thomas ,k4 ,chester1 the sick deacon3 ,i have thought it my duty to answer your pack of balderdash1 444 that you presumed to reply to my father1 as ,i was with him on his tour to ,michigan1 and a participant in all his transactions1 even to the acting the sick man's part in ,toledo 4441 ,true it is1 by your cunning villainies you have deprived us of our just rights1 of our own property4444 ,thanks be to an all wise and provident ,god that1 my father has more of that sable kind of busy fellows1 greasy1 slick1 and fat2 and they are not cheated to death out of their hard earnings by villainous and infernal abolitionists1 whose philanthropy is interest1 and whose only desire is to swindle the slave-holder out of his own property1 and convert its labor to their own infernal aggrandizement4 ,it is exceedingly unpleasant for me to indulge in abuse1 particularly to a woman1 and ,i would not now do it1 did ,i not feel a perfect consciousness of right and duty4444 ,who do you think would parley with a thief1 a robber of man's just rights1 recognized by the glorious ,constitution of our ,union6 ,such a condescension would damn an honest man1 would put modesty to the blush4 ,what6 to engage in a contest with you8 a rogue1 a damnable thief1 a negro thief1 an outbreaker1 a criminal in the sight of all honest men2 444 the mother1 too1 of a pusillanimous son1 who permitted me to curse and damn you in ,sylvania6 ,i would rather be caught with another man's sheep on my back than to engage in such a subject1 and with such an individual as old ,laura ,haviland1 a damned nigger-stealer4444 ,you can tell ,elsie that since our return my father bought her eldest daughter2 that she is now his property1 and the mother of a likely boy1 that ,i call ,daniel ,haviland after your pretty son4 ,she has plenty to eat1 and has shoes in the ,winter1 an article ,willis's children had not when ,i was there1 although it was cold enough to freeze the horns off the cows4444 ,what do you think your portion will be at the great day of judgment8 ,i think it will be the inner temple of hell4 ,in my reply1 dated ,raisin1 ,march #af1 #ahdg1 ,i informed the sick deacon that my letter to his father had served as a moral emetic1 by the mass of black1 bilious1 and putrid matter it bad sent forth4 ,you must have been exercised with as great distress1 as extreme pain1 that was producing paroxysms and vomiting1 that you had in your sick-room in the ,toledo hotel1 when your physician was so hastily called to your relief by your son-in-law1 as the matter that lies before me in letter form is as 'black'1 and much more 'bilious1' and nearer 'mortification' than that ,i saw there4 ,we thank you for the name's sake4 ,may he possess the wisdom of a ,daniel of old1 although his lot be cast in the lions' den2 and1 like ,moses1 may he become instrumental in leading his people away from a worse bondage than that of ,egypt4 ,according to your logic1 we are not only robbing the slaveholder1 but the poor slave of his valuable home1 where he can enjoy the elevating and soul-ennobling privilege of looking 'greasy1 slick1 and fat'--can have the privilege of being forbidden the laborious task of cultivating his intellect--is forbidden to claim his wife and children as his own instead of the property of ,john ,p4 ,chester4 ,i pitied the young man1 whose bitterness of hate seemed incorrigible1 and gave advice which ,i deemed wholesome1 although ,i yielded to the temptation of dealing somewhat in irony and sarcasm4 ,but the next letter from the sick deacon was filled and running over with vulgar blackguardism1 that ,i would neither answer nor give to the public eye4 ,it was directed to ,laura ,s4 ,haviland1 ,esq41 or ,dan4 ,as it arrived in my absence1 my son ,daniel handed it to ,rev4 ,john ,patchin1 who became so indignant in reading the list of epithets that he proposed to reply4 ,the first sentence of his letter was3 ,sir1--,as ,john ,quincy ,adams and ,henry ,clay were seated in ,congress1 they saw passing on the street a drove of jackasses4 ,said ,henry ,clay1 ',there1 ,sir1 ,adams1 is a company of your constituents as they come from the ,north4' ',all right2 they are going ,south to teach yours1' was the quick reply4 ,and ,i think one of those long-eared animals has strayed down your way1 and your ma might have sent you to his school--,i think1 however1 but a few weeks1 or your epistolary correspondence with ,mrs4 ,haviland would have been vastly improved4 ,from the report my son gave me of the short epistle1 it was filled with sentenced couched in the same spirit throughout2 for1 said he1 that rabid fire-eater has been treated in a manner too mild4 ,he needs something more nearly like his own coin4 ,i shortly after received a few lines from ,thomas ,k4 ,chester1 informing me that he had my last letter struck off in hand-bills1 and circulated in a number of the ,southern ,states1 over its true signature1 ,laura ,s4 ,haviland1 as you dictated and your daughter wrote it2 for1 as strange as it may appear1 ,i have the handwriting of every one of your family1 and also of ,willis ,hamilton4 ,i distribute these hand-bills for the purpose of letting the ,south see what sort of sisters they have in the ,north4 ,we learned from a number of sources that to this circular or hand-bill was attached a reward of #c1jjj for my head4 ,as for the letter that ,chester had richly earned1 neither my daughter nor myself had the privilege of perusing it1 as it was mailed before my return home4 ,but ,i presume the indignant writer designed to close the unpleasant correspondence4 ,,second ,,effort ,,to ,,retake ,,the ,,hamilton ,,family4 ,after the passage of the famous ,fugitive-slave ,bill of #ahej1 turning the whole population of the ,north into slave-hunters1 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester1 with renewed assurance1 came to ,lawyer ,beacher's office1 in ,adrian1 and solicited his services in capturing the ,hamiltons1 as he was now prepared to take legal steps in recovering his property4 ,said he3 ,i ask no favors of ,adrian or ,raisin1 as ,i have my posse of thirty men within a stone's throw of this city4 ,all ,i ask is legal authority from you1 ,mr4 ,beacher1 and ,i can easily get them in my possession4 ,i can not aid you1 said ,mr4 ,beacher2 it would ruin my practice as a lawyer4 ,i will give you #ajj1 besides your fee1 rejoined ,chester4 ,you have not enough money in your ,state of ,tennessee to induce me to assist you in any way whatever4 ,will you direct me to a lawyer who will aid me8 ,i can not2 ,i know of none in our ,state who could be hired to assist you4 ,and ,i advise you to return to your home2 for you will lose a hundred dollars where you will gain one1 if you pursue it4 ,at this advice he became enraged1 and swore he would have them this time1 at any cost4 ,and if old ,laura ,haviland interferes ,i'll put her in prison4 ,i acknowledge she outwitted us before2 but let her dare prevent my taking them this time1 and ,i'll be avenged on her before ,i leave this ,state4 ,all the advice ,i have to give you is to abandon this scheme1 for you will find no jail in this ,state that will hold that woman4 ,and ,i request you not to enter my office again on this business1 for if it were known to the public it would injure my practice2 and ,i shall not recognize you on the street4 ,in a lower tone ,chester continued1 ,i request you1 ,mr4 ,beacher1 as a gentleman1 to keep my name and business a secret4 ,with a few imprecations he left the office4 ,my friend ,r4 ,beacher sent a dispatch to me at once by ,sheriff ,spafford1 to secure the safety of the ,hamilton family at once1 if still on my premises1 as my ,tennessee correspondents were probably in or near ,adrian4 ,i informed him they were safe in ,canada within six months after the visit from the ,chesters4 ,mr4 ,beacher also advised me to make my property safe without delay1 but this had been done two years previously4 ,on receiving this information my friend ,beacher replied1 ,had ,i known this ,i would have sent for her1 for ,i'd give ten dollars to see them meet4 ,mr4 ,chester heard that the ,hamilton family had gone to ,canada1 but he did not believe it1 as he also heard they had gone to ,ypsilanti1 in this ,state1 where he said he should follow them4 ,we learned in the sequel that he went to ,ypsilanti1 and took rooms and board in a hotel1 while calling on every colored family in town and for two or three miles around it1 sometimes as a drover1 at other times an agent to make arrangements for purchasing wood and charcoal4 ,during four weeks he found a family that answered the description of the ,hamilton family in color and number4 ,he wrote to his father that he had found them under an assumed name1 and requested him to send a man who could recognize them1 as they had been away over eighteen years4 ,the man was sent1 and two weeks more were spent in reconnoitering4 ,at length both were agreed to arrest ,david ,gordon and wife1 with their four children1 as the ,hamilton family1 and applied for a warrant to take the family as escaped slaves4 ,the ,united ,states ,judge1 ,hon4 ,ross ,wilkins1 who issued the warrant1 informed one of the most active underground railroad men1 ,george ,de ,baptist1 of this claimant's business4 ,he immediately telegraphed to a vigorous worker in ,ypsilanti1 who sent runners in every direction1 inquiring for a ,hamilton family4 ,none could be found2 and the conclusion was reached that they were newcomers and were closely concealed1 and the only safe way was to set a watch at the depot for officers and their posse1 and follow whithersoever they went1 keeping in sight4 ,this was done1 and the place they found aimed for was ,david ,gordon's4 ,on entering the house the officer placed hand-cuffs on ,david ,gordon1 who in surprise asked1 ,what does this mean8 ,said the officer1 ,i understand your name is ,willis ,hamilton1 once a slave in ,tennessee4 ,gordon replied1 ,no1 sir1 you are mistaken2 ,i never was in that ,state2 neither is my name ,hamilton1 but ,gordon1 and ,i have free papers from ,virginia4 ,where are your papers8 ,if they are good they shall save you4 ,pointing to a trunk1 ,there they are2 take that key and you'll find them4 ,while the officer was getting the papers1 ,chester went to the bed of the sick wife1 placed a six-shooter at her head1 and swore he'd blow her brains out in a moment if she did not say their name was ,hamilton4 ,no1 sir1 our name is ,gordon4 ,their little girl1 standing by1 cried out with fear4 ,he turned to her1 with pistol pointing toward her face1 and swore he'd kill her that instant if she did not say her father's name was ,willis ,hamilton4 ,at this juncture1 the officer's attention was arrested4 ,what are you about1 you villain8 ,you'll be arrested before you know it1 if you are not careful4 ,put up that pistol instantly1 and if these papers are good1 ,i shall release this man1 and return the warrant unserved4 ,he examined them and said1 ,these papers ,i find genuine4 ,he then removed the handcuffs from ,david ,gordon1 and with the discomfited ,thomas ,k4 ,chester and ,tennessee companion returned to the depot for the ,detroit train4 ,while on their way they met a colored man that ,chester swore was ,willis ,hamilton4 ,said the officer1 ,you know not what you are about2 ,i shall arrest no man at your command4 ,on returning the unserved warrant to ,judge ,wilkins1 ,chester charged him with being allied with the d----d abolitionist1 old ,laura ,haviland1 in running off that family to ,malden1 to keep me out of my property4 ,i knew nothing of the family1 or of your business1 until you came into this office yesterday1 replied the judge4 ,in a rage and with an oath1 he replied1 ,i know1 sir1 your complicity in keeping slave-holders out of their property1 and can prove it4 ,he threw his hat on the floor and gave a stamp1 as if to strengthen his oath4 ,the judge simply ordered him out of his office1 instead of committing him to prison for contempt of court2 and with his companion he went back to his ,tennessee home1 again defeated4 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester wrote and had published scurrilous articles in ,tennessee1 and in a number of other ,southern ,states4 ,they were vigorously circulated until the following ,congress1 in which the grave charge was brought against the judge1 of being allied with ,mrs4 ,haviland1 of the interior of the ,state of ,michigan1 a rabid abolitionist1 in keeping slaveholders out of their slave property4 ,a vigorous effort was made by ,southern members to impeach him1 while his friends were petitioning ,congress to raise his salary1 ,judge ,wilkins was sent for to answer to these false charges4 ,although they failed to impeach him1 yet on account of these charges the addition to his salary was lost4 ,when these false accusations were brought into ,congress1 and the judge was informed of the necessity of his presence to answer thereto1 he inquired of ,henry ,bibb and others where ,i was4 ,they informed him that ,i was absent from home4 ,on my return from ,cincinnati with a few underground railroad passengers1 ,i learned of the trouble ,judge ,wilkins met1 and ,i called on him4 ,he told me of the pile of ,southern papers he had received1 with scurrilous articles1 designed to prejudice ,southern members of ,congress against him4 ,said he1 ,although they failed in the impeachment1 they said they would come against me with double force next ,congress1 and should effect their object4 ,said the judge1 ,i want your address1 for if they do repeat their effort1 with the explanation you have now given1 ,i think ,i can save another journey to ,washington4 ,the judge was never again called upon to defend himself on this subject1 as their effort was not repeated2 neither did their oft-repeated threat to imprison me disturb us4 ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,chesters ,in the third year of the ,rebellion1 while in ,memphis1 ,tennessee1 on a mission to the perishing1 ,i found myself in the city where my ,tennessee correspondents lived a few years previous to their deaths4 ,from a minister who had long been a resident of that city1 and had also lived near ,jonesboro1 where they resided during the correspondence1 ,i learned the following facts3 ,a few years prior to the war ,john ,p4 ,chester removed with his family to ,memphis1 where he became a patroller4 ,his son ,thomas transacted business as a lawyer4 ,i was shown his residence1 and the office where ,john ,p4 ,chester was shot through the heart by a mulatto man1 whose free papers he demanded1 doubting their validity4 ,said the man1 ,i am as free as you are2 and to live a slave ,i never shall4 ,he then drew a six-shooter from its hiding-place and shot him through the heart4 ,he fell1 exclaiming1 ,o ,god1 ,i'm a dead man4 ,the man threw down the fatal weapon1 saying to the bystanders1 ,here ,i am1 gentlemen1 shoot me1 or hang me1 just as you please1 but to live a slave to any man ,i never shall4 ,he was taken by the indignant crowd1 and hung on the limb of a tree near by1 pierced with many bullets4 ,i can not describe the feeling that crept over me1 as ,i gazed upon the pavement where ,john ,p4 ,chester met his fate1 and which ,i had walked over in going to officers' head-quarters from the steamer4 ,oh6 what a life1 to close with such a tragedy6 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester being a few rods distant ran to assist his dying father1 but his life was gone ere he reached him4 ,a few months later he was brought from a boat sick with yellow fever1 and died in one week from the attack in terrible paroxysms and ravings1 frequently requiring six men to hold him on his bed4 ,he was ill the same length of time that they falsely represented a few years before in the ,toledo hotel4 ,said the narrator1 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester's death was the most awful ,i ever witnessed4 ,he cursed and swore to his last breath1 saying he saw his father standing by his bed1 with damned spirits waiting to take him away to eternal burnings4 ,after a long walk one day1 ,i called at the former residence of the ,chester family1 and was seated in the front parlor4 ,it is hard to imagine my feelings as ,i sat in the room where those two men had lain in death's cold embrace--men who had flourished toward my face the six-shooter4 ,it was by this kind of deadly weapon the life of one was taken2 and as nearly as words can describe the feigned sickness1 the last week of the life of the other was spent4 ,no wonder the blood seemed to curdle in my veins in contemplating the lives of these men1 and their end4 ,it is beyond the power of pen to describe the panorama that passed before me in these moments4 ,the proprietor of the ,toledo hotel lost custom by his complicity in their efforts to retake their alleged slave property4 ,a few months after the hotel was burned to ashes4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,an ,,ohio ,,school-,,teacher4 ,in the ,autumn of #ahdg a gentleman of evident culture called for early breakfast1 though he had passed a public house about two miles distant4 ,i mistrusted my stranger caller to be a counterfeit2 and told him1 as ,i had the care of an infant for a sick friend1 he would find better fare at the boarding hall a few rods away4 ,but introducing himself as an ,ohio school-teacher1 and accustomed to boarding around1 he had not enjoyed his favorite bread and milk for a long while1 and if ,i would be so kind as to allow him a bowl of bread and milk he would accept it as a favor4 ,he said he had heard of our excellent school1 and wished to visit it4 ,he was also acting as agent of the ,national ,era1 published at ,cincinnati1 in which he was much interested1 and solicited my subscription4 ,i told him ,i knew it to be a valuable periodical1 but1 as ,i was taking three1 abolition papers he must excuse me4 ,he was also very much interested in the underground railroad projects1 and referred to names of agents and stations1 in ,indiana and ,ohio1 in a way that ,i concluded he had been on the trail and found me1 as well as others1 and perhaps taken the assumed agency of the ,era for a covering4 ,he said it was found necessary in some places in ,ohio and ,indiana to change the routes1 as slave-holders had traced and followed them so closely that they had made trouble in many places1 and suggested a change in ,michigan1 as there were five slave-holders in ,toledo1 ,ohio1 when he came through1 in search of escaped slaves4 ,i replied that it might be a good idea1 but ,i had not considered it sufficiently to decide4 ,continuing his arguments1 he referred to a slave who was captured by ,mr4 ,b4 ,stevens1 of ,boone ,county1 ,kentucky4 ,he saw him tied on a horse standing at the door of an inn where he was teaching4 ,in surprise1 ,i inquired3 ,did that community allow that to be done in their midst without making an effort to rescue the self-made freeman8 ,o yes1 because ,stevens came with witnesses and papers1 proving that he legally owned him2 so that nothing could be done to hinder him4 ,that could never be done in this community2 and ,i doubt whether it could be done in this ,state4 ,but what could you do in a case like that8 ,let a slave-holder come and try us1 as they did six months ago in their effort to retake the ,hamilton family1 who are still living here on my premises1 and you see how they succeeded2 and ,i gave him their plans and defeat4 ,let them or any other slave-holders disturb an escaped slave1 at any time of night or day1 and the sound of a tin horn would be heard1 with a dozen more answering it in different directions1 and men enough would gather around the trembling fugitive for his rescue4 ,for women can blow horns1 and men can run4 ,bells are used in our school and neighborhood2 but if the sound of a tin horn is heard it is understood1 a few miles each way from ,raisin ,institute1 just what it means4 ,looking surprised1 he answered3 ,well1 ,i reckon you do understand yourselves here4 ,but ,i don't see how you could retain one legally if papers and witnesses were on hand4 ,hon4 ,ross ,wilkins1 ,united ,states judge1 residing in ,detroit1 can legally require any fugitive so claimed to be brought before him1 and not allow any thing to be done until the decision is reached4 ,and there are many active workers to assist escaping slaves in that city1 who would rush to their aid1 and in ten minutes see them safe in ,canada4 ,i presume if the slave claimant should come with a score of witnesses and a half-bushel of papers1 to prove his legal right1 it would avail him nothing1 as we claim a higher law than wicked enactments of men who claim the misnomer of law by which bodies and souls of men1 women1 and children are claimed as chattels4 ,the proprietor of the boarding hall desired me to allow him to inform the stranger of our suspicions1 and invite him to leave4 ,but ,i declined1 as ,i had reached the conclusion that my visitor was from ,kentucky1 and probably in search of ,john ,white1 whose master had sworn that he would send him as far as wind and water would carry him if he ever got him again4 ,professor ,patchin and ,j4 ,f4 ,dolbeare called to see him1 and conversed with him about his agency for the ,era1 etc42 and brother ,patchin invited him to attend the recitations of the classes in ,latin and geometry4 ,the second was accepted1 as mathematics1 he said1 was his favorite study4 ,by four o'clock ,p4,m41 the hour of his leaving1 the tide of excitement was fast rising1 and one of the students offered to go and inform ,john ,white of the danger we suspected1 and advise him to take refuge in ,canada until these ,kentuckians should leave our ,state4 ,we surmised that the five slave-holders he reported in ,toledo were his own company1 which was soon found to be true4 ,one of my horses was brought into requisition at once for the dispatch-bearer2 but he had not been on his journey an hour before we learned that our ,ohio teacher inquired of a boy on the road if there had been a mulatto man by the name of ,white attending school at ,raisin ,institute the past ,winter4 ,yes1 sir4 ,where is he now8 ,he hired for the season to ,mr4 ,watkins1 near ,brooklyn1 in ,jackson ,county4 ,this report brought another offer to become dispatch-bearer to the hunted man4 ,the following day found ,john ,white in ,canada4 ,two days after ,george ,w4 ,brazier1 who claimed ,john ,white as his property1 and the man who had lost the woman and five children1 with their two witnesses1 and their lawyer1 ,j4 ,l4 ,smith1 who recently made me an all-day visit1 entered the lowest type of a saloon in the town near by1 and inquired for two of the most besotted and wickedest men in town4 ,being directed according to their novel inquiry1 the men were found and hired1 making their number seven1 to capture ,john ,white4 ,the field in which he had been at work was surrounded by the seven men at equal distances4 ,but1 as they neared the supposed object of their pursuit1 lo6 a poor white man was there instead of the prize they were so sure of capturing4 ,they repaired to the house of ,mr4 ,watkins1 and inquired of him for the whereabouts of ,john ,white4 ,the frank reply was3 ,i suppose he is in ,canada1 as ,i took him1 with his trunk1 to the depot1 yesterday1 for that country4 ,at this ,brazier poured forth a volley of oaths about me1 and said he knew ,i had been there4 ,hold on1 sir1 you are laboring under a mistake4 ,we have none of us seen her2 and ,i want you to understand that there are others1 myself included1 who are ready to do as much to save a self-freed slave from being taken back to ,southern bondage as ,mrs4 ,haviland4 ,mr4 ,white is highly esteemed wherever he is known2 and we would not see him go back from whence he came without making great effort to prevent it4 ,at this ,brazier flew into a rage1 and furiously swore he would yet be avenged on me before he left the ,state4 ,i advise you to be more sparing of your threats4 ,we have a law here to arrest and take care of men who make such threats as you have here1 said ,mr4 ,watkins4 ,with this quietus they left for ,tecumseh1 four miles distant from us4 ,while at ,snell's ,hotel they displayed on the bar-room table pistols1 dirks1 and bowie-knives1 and pointing to them1 said ,brazier1 ,here is what we use1 and we'll have the life of that d--d abolitionist1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 before we leave this ,state1 or be avenged on her in some way4 ,the five men then in haste jumped aboard the stage for ,adrian4 ,as the authorities were informed of these threats1 and ,judge ,stacy was going to ,adrian on business1 he proposed to leave with a friend he was to pass the import of these threats1 fearing they might quit the stage while passing through our neighborhood1 and under cover of night commit their deeds of darkness4 ,i received the note1 and told the bearer ,i accepted this as the outburst of passion over their defeat1 and did not believe they designed to carry out these threats1 and requested the excited family to keep this as near a secret as possible1 during a day or two at least1 to save my children and the school this exciting anxiety4 ,but ,i could not appear altogether stoical1 and consulted judicious friends1 who advised me to leave my home a night or two at least4 ,this was the saddest moment ,i had seen4 ,i felt that ,i could not conscientiously leave my home4 ,if slaveholders wish to call on me they will find me here1 unless ,i have business away4 ,they insisted that ,i should keep my windows closed after dark1 and they would send four young men students1 to whom they would tell the secret1 with the charge to keep it unless disturbance should require them to reveal it4 ,we received information the following day that the five ,kentuckians took the cars for ,toledo on their arrival at ,adrian4 ,their threats increased the excitement already kindled1 and neighbors advised me not to remain in my house of nights1 as there might be hired emissaries to execute their will4 ,some even advised me to go to ,canada for safety4 ,but rest was mine in ,divine ,providence4 ,the following week ,i accompanied an insane friend with her brother to ,toledo4 ,the brother wished me to go to ,monroe on business for them4 ,he soon informed me that the five ,kentuckians were in the same hotel with us1 and he overheard one say that ,i had no doubts followed them to see whether they had found any of their runaways1 and that one of their party was going wherever ,i did to watch my movements4 ,this friend also saw them consulting with the barkeeper1 who sat opposite at breakfast table1 and introduced the defeated stratagem of the ,tennessee slave-holders at the ,toledo hotel a few months previously4 ,said he1 ,i believe you are the lady who met them there4 ,some of us heard of it soon after1 and we should have rushed there in a hurry if there had been an attempt to take a fugitive from our city4 ,they might as well attempt to eat through an iron wall as to get one from us4 ,i am an abolitionist of the ,garrison stamp1 and there are others here of the same stripe4 ,and in this familiar style he continued1 quite to my annoyance1 at the table4 ,he came to me a number of times after breakfast to find what he could do to assist me in having the hack take me to whatever point ,i wished to go4 ,are you going east1 madam8 ,not today4 ,or are you designing to go south1 or to return on the ,adrian train8 ,i shall not go in either direction today4 ,leaving me a few moments1 he returned with inquiring whether ,i was going to ,monroe1 and giving as the reason for his inquiries the wish to assist me4 ,i informed him ,i was going to take the ten o'clock boat for ,monroe4 ,i learned in the sequel that they charged me with secreting the woman and five children1 and aiding their flight to ,canada2 but of them ,i knew nothing1 until my ,ohio teacher informed me of their flight1 and while ,i was suspected and watched by their pursuers1 we had reason to believe they were placed on a boat at ,cleveland1 and were safe in ,canada4 ,we learned that their lawyer made inquiries while in my neighborhood whether my farm and ,raisin ,institute were entirely in my hands4 ,when they became satisfied of the fact they left orders for my arrest upon a ,united ,states warrant1 to be served the following ,autumn1 if they failed to recover their human property4 ,about the expiration of the time set ,george ,w4 ,brazier went with a gang of slaves for sale to ,baton ,rouge1 ,louisiana1 and died suddenly of cholera4 ,there his projects ended1 and ,john ,white soon returned to his work in ,michigan4 ,these circumstances delayed my prospect of going to ,cincinnati and ,rising ,sun to learn the condition of his family1 but as money had been raised by the anxious husband and father and his friends1 ,i went to ,cincinnati1 where ,i found my friends1 ,levi ,coffin and family4 ,the vigilant committee was called to his private parlor1 to consult as to the most prudent measure to adopt in securing an interview with ,jane ,white1 ,john's wife1 whose master1 ,benjamin ,stevens1 was her father1 and the vain hope was indulged that he would not make an effort to retake the family should they make a start for freedom4 ,the committee proposed that ,i should go to ,rising ,sun1 and1 through ,joseph ,edgerton and ,samuel ,barkshire and families1 obtain an interview with ,jane ,white1 as they were intelligent and well-to-do colored friends of ,john ,white's in ,rising ,sun4 ,accordingly ,i went1 and called on ,joseph ,edgerton's eating-house4 ,on making my errand known1 there was great rejoicing over good news from their esteemed friend ,felix ,white1 as ,john was formerly called4 ,in conferring with these friends and ,samuel ,barkshire1 they thought the errand could be taken to ,jane1 through ,stevens's foreman slave1 ,solomon1 who was frequently allowed to cross the river on business for his master1 and was looked for the following ,saturday4 ,but as we were disappointed1 ,joseph's wife1 ,mary ,edgerton1 proposed to go with me to ,benjamin ,stevens's1 ostensibly to buy plums4 ,as there was no trace of ,african blood perceivable in her1 and the ,stevens family1 both white and colored1 had seen her mother1 who was my size1 with blue eyes1 straight brown hair1 and skin as fair as mine1 there was no question as to relationship when ,mary introduced me to ,jane and her sister ,nan as ,aunt ,smith 7my maiden name74 ,it was also known to the ,stevens family that ,mary was expecting her aunt from ,georgia to spend a few weeks with her4 ,when we entered the basement1 which was the kitchen of the ,stevens house1 twelve men and women slaves just came in from the harvest-field for their dinner1 which consisted of corn dodgers placed in piles at convenient distances on the bare table1 made of two long rough boards on crossed legs4 ,a large pitcher filled as full as its broken top would allow of sour milk1 and a saucer of greens1 with a small piece of pork cut in thin slices1 were divided among the hands1 who were seated on the edge of their table1 except a few who occupied stools and broken chairs4 ,not a whole earthen dish or plate was on that table4 ,a broken knife or fork was placed by each plate1 and they used each other's knife or fork1 and ate their humble repast with apparent zest4 ,i have given this harvest dinner in detail1 as ,benjamin ,stevens was called a remarkably kind master4 ,it was frequently remarked by surrounding planters that the ,stevens niggers thought they were white4 ,as we were informed they had no plums for sale1 ,mary proposed filling our buckets with blackberries1 as there were an abundance within a short distance1 and asked ,jane if she or ,nan could not go and show us the way4 ,i'll go an' ask ,missus ,agnes1 replied ,nan1 who soon returned with the word that ,jane might go1 as she wanted to make another batch of jam4 ,but she says we must get dinner for ,mary and her aunt first4 ,a small tablecloth was placed over one end of the table1 and wheat bread1 butter1 honey1 and a cream-pitcher of sweet milk was brought down for us4 ,not a child of the nine little ones playing in the kitchen asked for a taste of anything during or after our meal4 ,all that was left was taken up stairs1 and we were invited to call on ,mrs4 ,agnes1 who received us cordially4 ,she was teaching ,jane's oldest daughter1 of seven years1 to sew4 ,after a few minutes chat with the mistress1 we left for blackberries4 ,when out of sight1 ,i told ,jane ,i was the one who wrote a letter for her husband1 ,felix ,white1 to her1 and directed it to ,samuel ,barkshire1 who told me he read it to her1 but did not dare take it from his house1 but took the braid of his hair tied with blue ribbon1 sent in the letter4 ,she looked at me in amazement for a moment1 when she burst into a flood of tears4 ,as soon as she could command her feelings she said her master had told her that he had heard from ,felix1 and that he was married again1 and was riding around with his new wife mighty happy4 ,when ,i gave her the errand from her husband she was again convulsed with weeping4 ,said she1 ,i would gladly work day and night1 until my fingers and toes are without a nail1 and willingly see my children work in the same way1 could we only be with ,felix4 ,poor heartbroken woman1 she sighed like a sobbing child4 ,but two of her children were out a few miles with one of the ,stevens married children1 to be gone two months1 and she sent a request to her husband to come on the sly to assist in bringing their children away after the return of the absent ones1 so that all might go together4 ,i assisted her in picking berries1 as she had spent so much of her time in talking and weeping her mistress might complain4 ,i gave her a little memento from her husband1 and left the poor heartstricken1 crushed spirit4 ,the daughter and grandchildren of the master withheld them from going to their natural protector1 yet he was called one of the best of slave-holders4 ,here was a woman and sister whose widowhood was more desolate than even death had made my own4 ,and her poor children were worse than fatherless4 ,i returned to my home and anxious children and friends4 ,but the grieved husband felt confident his intimate friend ,william ,allen1 who would have left for freedom long ago but for his wife and child1 would assist ,jane and the children could he know from him how many warm friends there were in the ,north to assist them4 ,his friends1 as well as himself1 were anxious to make another trial without the risk of his going into the lion's den4 ,means being provided1 three mouths later found me again in ,rising ,sun4 ,after a little waiting to see ,william ,allen1 ,i took a boat and went four miles below on the ,kentucky side1 and called at the house of his master to wait for a boat going up the river within a few hours4 ,as they were having a great excitement over counterfeiters1 and were making great efforts to find the rogues1 and looking upon every stranger with suspicion1 ,i was believed by my host to be one of them in disguise4 ,within an hour after my arrival the sheriff and a deputy were brought into an adjoining room4 ,the lady of the house appeared excited4 ,her little girl inquired who those strange gentlemen were2 she replied the sheriff and his deputy4 ,i looked up from the paper ,i was busily reading1 and entered into conversation with the lady of the house1 when ,i overhead one man say1 ,i don't think there is anything wrong about that woman4 ,this remark led me to suppose ,i might be the object of the undertone conversation among the gentlemen in the adjoining room4 ,soon after the three gentlemen came into the room1 with whom ,i passed the usual good afternoon4 ,one1 whom ,i took to be the sheriff1 made a few remarks over fine weather1 etc41 and all three returned to their room4 ,said one1 in a low voice1 ,i tell you that woman is all right2 she's no counterfeiter4 ,my excited hostess became calm1 and quite social1 and made excuses for having to look after the cooking of her turkey1 as she allowed her cook to spend this ,sabbath with her husband in visiting one of their friends4 ,and ,i always burn and blister my hands whenever ,i make an attempt at cooking4 ,but my cook is so faithful ,i thought ,i would let her go today4 ,as ,i gave up the idea of seeing ,william ,allen1 ,i was about to go to the wharf-boat and wait there for the five o'clock boat4 ,but she urged me to take dinner with them1 as ,i would have plenty of time4 ,after dinner they directed me across a pasture-field that would shorten the half-mile4 ,just out of sight of the house ,i met ,william ,allen1 with his wife and little girl of ten years4 ,as they were so well described by ,john--or ,felix1 as he was here known--,i recognized them1 and gave the message from their friend1 from whom they rejoiced to hear4 ,he said he longed to be free1 and thought two weeks from that day he could go over to ,samuel ,barkshire's to see me4 ,during this time he would deliver the message to ,jane4 ,at present1 he said1 it would be very difficult crossing1 as there was great excitement over men that passed a lot of counterfeit money in that neighborhood1 and they were watching for them4 ,i told him it was not safe for us to talk longer there1 as they were slaves1 and ,i was not free to be seen talking with them1 and gave them the parting hand1 informing them that many prayers of ,christian people of the ,north were daily ascending for the deliverance of the slave4 ,may ,god grant the answer6 was the heartfelt reply4 ,during the two weeks ,mary ,scott was introduced1 who had recently bought herself1 with her free husband's aid4 ,she related to me the sad condition of her sister1 ,rachel ,beach1 who was the slave of ,mr4 ,ray1 the brother of ,wright ,ray1 of ,madison1 ,indiana1 the noted negro catcher4 ,she was the kept mistress of her master1 who held her and her five children1 who were his own flesh and blood1 as his property4 ,after her sister ,rachel's religious experience1 she was much distressed over the life she was compelled to lead with her master4 ,she had often wept with her weeping sister4 ,when she thought of escaping1 she could not leave her five little children to her own sad fate4 ,as ,i was informed that ,mary ,scott was a reliable ,christian woman1 ,i gave her a plan1 and names of persons and places of safety1 with a charge not to stop over the second night--if possible1 to avoid it--at the first place named2 for it was too near her master's brother1 ,wright ,ray1 as he would make great efforts to retake them4 ,this plan was adopted4 ,but they were kept two days at ,luther ,donald's station1 which brought them into great difficulty4 ,he was so well known as the slave's friend it was unsafe to secrete fugitives on his own premises2 and he placed them in an out-house of one of his friends4 ,on the second night of their flight1 when they were to be taken to the next station1 ,wright ,ray was on their track1 and entered the neighborhood at dark twilight1 filling it with excitement on the part of both friends and foes4 ,the cry of a child brought a neighbor to their hiding-place1 who told her she was unsafe2 but he would take her and the children to his barn1 where they would be perfectly secure4 ,soon after her new friend left her she felt in great danger1 and when her children were asleep in their bed of stalls she ventured to place herself by the road-side4 ,here she heard horses coming1 and listened to hear the voice of their riders1 to see if she could recognize her first friends1 as they had told her they were going to take them to another place of safety that night2 but1 to her grief1 she heard the voice of ,wright ,ray1 with his posse4 ,filled with fear of capture1 she groped her way still farther back in the dark4 ,after her pursuers passed she heard two men coming1 in low conversation4 ,she prayed for direction1 and felt impressed1 as she said1 to tell these men her trouble4 ,they proved to be her friends1 who missed them as they went to take their suppers4 ,as ,ray and his company were known to be in town1 they knew not but they were captured4 ,runners were sent to the usual resorts of slave-hunters1 to see if any clew could be learned of the fate of the missing family4 ,o1 how ,i prayed ,god to deliver me in this my great distress6 she said1 in relating her flight in my interview with her in ,canada4 ,she led her two friends to the barn1 from whence her sleeping children were removed2 but by the time they reached the road they saw the lantern1 and heard rustling of stalks by her pursuers4 ,as her new friend was a well-known friend to slave-hunters1 she and her children were still in great danger4 ,she was dressed in men's clothing1 and her girls dressed like boys1 and they were taken out in different directions4 ,rachel and the youngest child her guide took to a ,quaker neighborhood1 while two men took each two girls on their horses and took different roads to other places of safety2 but no two of the three parties knew of the others' destination4 ,two days of distressing anxiety were passed before a word reached the mother from her children4 ,not knowing but they were back to their old ,kentucky home1 she could neither eat nor sleep for weeping and praying over the probable loss of her children4 ,but her joy could not find expression when two of them were brought to her4 ,at first sight of her darlings1 she cried out1 ,glory to ,god6 he has sent me two more4 ,but where1 ,o1 where are the other two8 ,the two men who brought these in their close carriage could give no tidings1 as they had heard nothing from them since leaving ,donald ,station4 ,rachel continued weeping for her children because they were not4 ,on the following day they were heard from1 and that they would be brought on the following day1 ,p4 ,m4 ,a number of the neighbors were invited to witness the meeting4 ,among them was a strong pro-slavery man and his family1 who had often said the abolitionists might as well come to his barn and steal his horse or wheat as to keep slave-holders out of their slave property2 yet he was naturally a sympathetic man4 ,this ,quaker abolitionist knew it would do him good to witness the anticipated scene4 ,the knowledge of the prospective arrival of the children was carefully kept from the mother until she saw them1 coming through the gate1 when she cried aloud1 as she sank on the floor1 ,glory2 hallelujah to the ,lamb6 ,you sent me all4 ,she sobbed as she clasped them to her bosom1 continuing1 in an ecstasy1 ,bless the ,lord forever6 ,he is so good to poor me4 ,the little girls threw their arms around their mother's neck1 and burst into a loud cry for joy4 ,but the weeping was not confined to them1 said our ,quaker sister1 who was present4 ,there was not a dry eye in that house2 and our pro-slavery neighbor cried as hard as any of us4 ,after the excitement died away a little1 said one1 ,now1 we must adopt a plan to take this family on to ,canada4 ,the pro-slavery man was the first to say1 ,i'll take my team1 and take them where they'll be safe1 if ,i have to take them all the way4 ,another said1 ,it is cold weather1 and we see these children have bare feet2 and we must see about getting them stockings and shoes and warm clothing4 ,and the little daughter of him who had so generously offered his services in aiding this family beyond the reach1 of danger sat down on the carpet and commenced taking off hers1 saying1 ,she can have mine4 ,but1 ,lotty1 what will you do8 said the mother4 ,o1 papa can get me some more4 ,yes1 papa will get you some more1 said her father1 wiping his eyes2 and your shoes and stockings will just fit that little girl4 ,and the mother could hardly keep her from leaving them4 ,but she told her to wear them home and put others on1 then bring them back4 ,said our informant1 ,i will warrant that man will hereafter become a stockholder4 ,but the rescue of the ,beach family cost ,luther ,donald his farm4 ,he was sued and found guilty of harboring runaway slaves and assisting them to escape4 ,but not one sentence of truthful evidence was brought against him in court2 although he did aid the ,beach family when a stay of three minutes longer in their dangerous hiding-place would have secured their return to a life of degradation4 ,friends of the fugitive made up the loss in part1 and the ,god of the oppressed blessed him still more abundantly4 ,he was diligent in business1 serving the ,lord4 ,while rejoicing over the safe arrival of the ,beach family in ,canada1 heavy tidings reached me from home4 ,in a letter ,i was informed of the illness of my eldest son4 ,before the boat arrived that was to bear me homeward a second letter came with the sad intelligence of the death of my first-born4 ,oh1 how my poor heart was wrung with anxiety to learn the state of his mind as he left the shores of time4 ,why did not the writer relieve me by giving the information ,i most needed8 ,and yet ,i was advised to remain until the weather became more mild4 ,i had a severe cough that followed an attack of pneumonia1 and physicians had advised me to spend the ,winter in a milder climate4 ,but this bereavement seemed impelling me to return to my afflicted children4 ,but more than all other considerations was to learn the state of that dear child's mind as he was about leaving the land of the dying for the spirit world of the living4 ,he had been a living ,christian1 but during the year past had become more inactive1 and in a conversation on the subject a few days previous to my leaving1 he expressed regrets in not being more faithful4 ,he urged me to take this trip1 yet ,i could not but regret leaving home4 ,oh my son1 my son ,harvey would to ,god ,i had died for thee6 ,in this distress1 bordering upon agony of soul1 ,i walked my room to and fro1 praying for an evidence of his condition4 ,in the conversation above alluded to he expressed a sincere desire to return4 ,said he1 ,i am too much like the prodigal1 too far away from my ,savior4 ,how vividly did his words come before me6 ,oh1 how these words ran through my mind in this hour of sore trial4 ,is this the ,isaac1 ,i dwelt upon as ,i was leaving my home1 that ,i may be called to sacrifice8 ,i had in mind my son ,daniel1 who was fearful ,i would meet trouble from slave-holders1 as he remarked to his brother ,harvey1 ,mother is a stranger to fear1 though she might be in great danger4 ,that fact1 seems to me1 secures her safety1 replied ,harvey4 ,as ,i overheard this conversation ,i shrank from the trial of leaving my home circle1 in which death had made such inroads1 and for the time being doubted whether ,i was called upon to make the sacrifice4 ,but prayer was now constant for an evidence of my son's condition1 whether prepared for exchange of worlds4 ,he who spake peace to the troubled sea granted the answer of peace1 with an assurance that my prayer was answered1 and that in his own good time he would make it manifest4 ,i took the boat for ,cincinnati1 and on the morning after my arrival at the home of my valued friends1 ,levi ,coffin and wife1 ,i awoke with a comforting dream1 which but for the circumstances ,i would not record4 ,i find in the written ,word of divine truth that ,god1 at sundry times1 made himself known to his faithful servants in dreams4 ,and he is the same in all ages1 in answering their petitions and meeting their wants4 ,in the dream ,i thought ,i was living in the basement of a beautiful mansion4 ,being rather dark1 damp1 and cool1 ,i looked for some means of warming my apartments1 when ,i discovered the windows conveyed beautiful rays of sunlight sufficient to dry and warm apartments designed for only a temporary residence1 as my future home was to be in the splendid apartments above1 which ,i was not to be permitted to enter until the work assigned me in the basement was done4 ,while busily engaged in sweeping my room1 and arranging my work1 ,i saw my son ,harvey1 descending from the upper portion of this limitless mansion1 which ,i thought was now his home4 ,i hastened to the door to meet him4 ,as the thought struck me that he had been a slave1 ,i cried out1 ,my son ,harvey1 art thou free8 ,oh yes1 mother1 ,i am free2 and ,i knew your anxiety1 and ,i came on purpose to tell you that ,i went to my ,master and asked if he would grant my pardon8 ,and he looked upon me and saw me in my blood as ,i plowed in the field1 and he said ,i should be free and live4 ,oh1 what a relief is this glad news1 ,i replied4 ,i knew you desired me to go for my freedom long ago1 but ,i did not know that my liberty would be so easily granted--just for asking4 ,i am now free1 indeed4 ,this message delivered1 he ascended to his glorious home above4 ,i awoke with the words of this message as clearly impressed upon my mind as if vocally spoken4 ,i opened the ,bible at the head of my bed1 and the first words that met my eye were these3 ,i saw ,ephraim cast out in the open field2 ,i saw him in his blood1 and ,i said live2 and he shall live4 ,with promises given by him with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning1 my heart was filled with praise and thanksgiving for the ,comforter who grants peace such as the world knows not of4 ,very soon a letter came with the detailed account of the last hours of my son ,harvey1 in which he left a bright evidence of his preparation for the future life4 ,he sent for ,rev4 ,john ,patchin1 of ,raisin ,institute1 of whom he requested prayer2 at the close of which he followed in fervent prayer for himself and loved ones4 ,then brother ,patchin inquired if perfect peace was his at this hour8 ,it is1 he answered2 ,i am ready to go1 and he soon fell asleep in ,jesus4 ,i remained a few weeks longer2 but the close search for counterfeiters made it difficult for ,william ,allen to cross4 ,the request was repeated by ,john ,white's wife for him to come for them4 ,i returned home with the consciousness of having done all that ,i could in delivering the messages as requested4 ,the husband and father could not feel reconciled to give up his family to a life of slavery1 and went for them1 and brought them a few miles on the ,indiana side1 above ,rising ,sun4 ,they secreted themselves during the day in the woods1 and with the aid of his friend and ,solomon ,stevens's slave1 previously alluded to1 who was also attempting to escape with the family1 he made a raft upon which they were about to cross a creek to reach the team on the opposite side4 ,suddenly six armed men pounced upon them1 and captured the family1 with ,solomon4 ,to save ,john from the hazardous attempt to defend his family1 his friend held him back in the thicket1 knowing the effort must fail4 ,as he was not allowed to move he sank back in despair in the arms of his friend4 ,he had risked his own life and liberty in his attempt to rescue them4 ,he learned that ,george ,w4 ,brazier swore he would chop him into inches if he ever got possession of him again4 ,after his unsuccessful effort in ,michigan he offered six hundred dollars for his head1 dead or alive4 ,benjamin ,stevens also offered six hundred dollars reward for his daughter and his five grandchildren1 with ,solomon4 ,he afterwards sold them all for the very low price of one thousand dollars1 with the proviso that they were not to be sold apart4 ,but poor ,jane was not left long to grieve over her disappointed hopes4 ,she died of cholera4 ,we heard she went rejoicing in that hope that reaches beyond the vale4 ,they were taken to ,lexington1 ,kentucky1 but the grieved husband and father again made his way northward4 ,he was two weeks in reaching a settlement that was said to be friendly to fugitive slaves4 ,forty miles distant from his old ,kentucky home he assumed the name of ,james ,armstrong4 ,the family upon whom he ventured to call appeared very kind1 and the man told him he would take him the next day to a ,quaker settlement1 but he suspected he was reported to ,wright ,ray and posse1 who came into the house and bound him4 ,placing him on one of their horses1 they took him through fields and back roads until they crossed the ,ohio river1 and lodged him in the ,woodford jail1 a short distance from the river1 nearly opposite ,madison1 ,indiana4 ,wright ,ray had no idea of having in his possession ,john ,white1 who had so recently eluded his grasp in his unsuccessful trip with ,brazier in ,michigan4 ,he found among his papers in which were advertisements of escaped slaves1 ,henry ,armstrong advertised as belonging to the widow ,armstrong1 of ,maysville1 ,kentucky4 ,with her ,wright ,ray had an interview1 hoping to arrange for the reward1 which she refused to give1 for he had been away so long1 he would be of little use1 as ,henry was willed free at her death4 ,but she told him if he could get enough from him to pay him for his trouble1 he might do so4 ,consequently he made him an offer to release him for four hundred dollars1 and encouraged him to write to his friends in ,michigan to aid him to that amount4 ,he wrote to a son-in-law of ,mr4 ,watkins1 so as not to mention a name of persons the men had to do with in ,michigan1 and the letter was brought to us4 ,we all understood the writer to be our friend ,john ,white4 ,a few friends were consulted as to the measures to be adopted4 ,it was proposed that ,i should go to ,cincinnati1 and there make such arrangements as the friends might think proper4 ,as they proposed to bear my expenses1 ,i said1 ,if you send me1 ,i shall go to-morrow morning4 ,but1 replied the bearer of the letter1 as it is the ,sabbath1 ,i suppose ,i should hesitate4 ,it was lawful on the ,sabbath to lift a sheep out of the ditch in the days of ,moses1 and is not a man better than a sheep8 ,i can not answer you4 ,all ,i have to say is1 follow the dictates of your own conscience4 ,i took the stage at ,toledo1 and in three days ,i was consulting the vigilance committee in ,levi ,coffin's council chamber4 ,as it would not do for me to transact business with ,wright ,ray1 ,micajah ,white1 nephew of ,catherine ,coffin1 offered to go as soon as the money was obtained4 ,levi ,coffin introduced me to ,dr4 ,judkins1 of whom ,i hired the money1 but hoped to lessen the amount if possible1 in the arrangement with ,wright ,ray4 ,i urged on the nephew the necessity of taking the first boat for ,madison1 as every hour endangered the safety of ,john ,white4 ,whatever was done for him must be done quickly4 ,wright ,ray was found very willing to accept three hundred and fifty dollars1 which was placed in the hands of the clerk of the boat until his prisoner was delivered to his friends in ,cincinnati1 when ,micajah ,white agreed to see the money paid to ,wright ,ray4 ,this was done1 and within three weeks from the time ,i left home ,i returned with ,john ,white4 ,the day after ,john's release ,brazier appeared at the jail1 having heard that he was there4 ,but he was too late4 ,a few months after ,john ,white's release from ,woodford jail ,george ,w4 ,brazier went to ,baton ,rouge1 ,louisiana1 with a gang of slaves for sale1 and suddenly died of cholera1 just before the time fixed for his return4 ,it was said he intended to make a second effort to capture ,john ,white1 or to arrest me with ,united ,states warrant4 ,time rolled on1 and ,john ,f4 ,white married a young woman in ,canada1 his home a number of years4 ,after the late war he removed to ,ann ,arbor1 ,michigan1 to educate his children4 ,when we last heard of his first children1 his oldest daughter was married to ,solomon1 the ex-slave of ,benjamin ,stevens4 ,we rejoice that brighter days are dawning4 ,ethiopia is stretching out her hands to ,god4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,underground ,,railway4 ,as my married children had charge of the farm1 and the younger ones were in school1 and well provided for1 ,i spent a few months in mission work and nursing the sick4 ,my dear friends1 ,levi and ,catherine ,coffin1 had given me a very cordial invitation to make their house my home whenever ,i was in ,cincinnati4 ,soon after my arrival1 at early dawn1 nine slaves crossed the river1 and were conducted to one of our friends on ,walnut ,hills for safety1 until arrangements could be made to forward them to ,victoria's domain4 ,i called on them to see what was needed for their ,northern march1 and found them filled with fear lest they should be overtaken4 ,as there was a prospect before them of being taken down the river1 they concluded to paddle their own canoe4 ,they had with them their five little folks1 that seemed as full of fear as were their trembling parents4 ,a little girl of five years raised the window-shade to look out4 ,when her mother discovered her she exclaimed1 in a half-smothered voice1 ,why1 ,em6 you'll have us all kotched1 if you don't mind2 and the little thing dropped behind a chair like a frightened young partridge hiding under a leaf at the mother's alarm of danger4 ,while making our plans1 we were greatly relieved1 to find that the well known ,quaker conductor1 ,william ,beard1 was in the city1 with a load of produce from his farm4 ,this covered market-wagon was a safe car1 that had borne many hundreds to his own depot1 and was now ready for more valuable freight before the city should be filled with slave-hunters4 ,but few weeks elapsed before we learned of the safe arrival of these two families that we fitted for their journey to ,canada4 ,one of our vigilance committee came early one morning to inform us that there were two young men just arrived1 who were secreted in the basement of ,zion ,baptist ,church 7colored74 ,as their home was only twenty-five miles from the river1 it was necessary to make all possible speed in removing them before ,kentucky slave-hunters should block our track4 ,i took their measures1 to procure for each a ,summer suit1 and went to our store of new and second-hand clothing1 at ,levi ,coffin's1 where anti-slavery women met tri-monthly1 to spend a day in making and repairing clothing for fugitive slaves4 ,in early evening ,i took a large market-basket1 with a suit for each1 and had them conducted to a safer hiding-place1 until a way opened for them to go to a ,friends' settlement1 about eighty miles distant1 where ,george chose to remain and work a few months4 ,but ,james would not risk his liberty by tarrying1 and censured ,george for running such a risk4 ,you needn't think your new name's gwine to save you when ole massa comes4 ,but little did ,james understand the deep-hidden reason that kept his friend ,george behind4 ,he worked faithfully nearly a year1 kept the suit ,i gave him for his ,sunday suit1 and used his old ,kentucky suit for his work1 patching them himself1 until patch upon patch nearly covered the old brown jeans of his plantation wear4 ,when warm weather again returned1 without revealing his design of going back to his master in ,kentucky1 for he knew his abolition friends would discourage his project1 he took the eighty dollars he had earned since he left his master1 and wore the suit of clothes he brought away1 and in the darkness of night went to his wife's cabin4 ,here he gave a full history of the kind friends who had paid good wages for his work1 and said he was going to take all to his master1 and tell him he was sick of freedom2 and you mus' be mighty mad1 he went on1 'case ,i come back2 and say1 ',if he's a mind to make sich a fool of his self1 as to be so jubus1 'case ,i talked leetle while wid ,jake1 long time ago1 as to run off an' leave me1 he may go4 ,he needn't think ,i'll take 'im back2 ,i won't have nothin' to say to 'im1 never6' ,ad' ,i'll quarrel 'bout you too2 an' when all ov 'em is done fussin' 'bout me comin' back1 ,i'll steal to you in a dark night1 an' lay a plan to meet on ,lickin' ,river2 an' we'll take a skiff an' muffle oars till we get to the ,ohio2 an' ,i knows jus' whar to go in any dark night1 an' we 'll be free together4 ,i didn't tell ,jim ,i's gwine to make massa b'leve all my lies to get you2 for ,i tell you1 ,liz1 ,i ain't got whole freedom without you4 ,before eight o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,george stood before his master1 with his old name and old plantation suit1 presenting him with the eighty dollars he had earned for his master since he had left his home1 that he never wanted to leave again4 ,for he had found abolitioners the greates' rascals ,i ever seen4 ,i wants no more ov' em4 ,they tried hard to git me to ,canada2 but ,i got all ,i wants of ,canada1 ,an' ,i tell you1 ,massa ,carpenter1 all ,i wants is one good stiddy home4 ,i don't want this money2 it's yourn4 ,his master was well pleased1 and told all his neighbors how happy his ,tom was to get back again1 and gave all the money he had earned since he had been gone4 ,it was a long time before neighboring planters had the confidence in ,tom that his master had1 and they told him that ,tom should never step his foot on their plantations2 but he told them all that he had perfect confidence in ,tom's honesty4 ,he came back perfectly disgusted with abolitionists2 he said they will work a fellow half to death for low wages4 ,and he even patched his old suit1 himself1 that he wore off4 ,and ,i have found the reason why he left4 ,he and ,liz had a quarrel1 and now he don't care a fig about her2 and ,i heard yesterday that her master says he'll shoot him if he dares to come on his plantation4 ,but he needn't worry2 for you couldn't hire ,tom to go near ,liz4 ,tom's master told him all the planters were afraid of him1 and said he would play a trick on him yet4 ,i'll stay at home1 then1 and won't even go out to meetin's1 till all ov 'em will see ,i means what ,i says4 ,that's right1 ,tom2 they don't know you like ,i do4 ,bat ,i told them 't would do all the niggers good just to hear your story about the meanness of abolitionists4 ,you know1 ,tom1 that was just what ,i told you1 that they pretended to be your friends1 but they were your worst enemies4 ,yes1 massa1 ,i al'us bleved you2 and if ,liz hadn't cut up the way she did ,i never'd tried 'em4 ,all things went on smoothly with ,tom4 ,he was never more trusty1 diligent1 and faithful in all that pertained to his master's interest4 ,three months still found him contented and happy1 and the constant praise he received from his master to his neighbors began to inspire them with sufficient confidence to permit him to attend their meetings occasionally1 though he did not appear anxious to enjoy that privilege until his master proposed his going1 and then he was careful to attend only day meetings4 ,neighboring white people often talked with him about his ,northern trip1 and all got the story he had told his master1 until ,tom became quite a pet missionary1 as his reports went far and near1 among both whites and blacks4 ,after ,lizzie's master became quite satisfied with her hatred toward ,tom1 he allowed the hound1 which he kept over two months to watch for ,tom1 to go back to the keeper4 ,though ,tom and ,lizzie lived eight miles apart1 they had a secret dispatch-bearer1 by whom they reported to each other2 but visits were very few and far between4 ,one day1 in her clarin-up time1 ,lizzie came across a bundle containing a ,sunday suit1 placed in her cabin when ,tom left for the ,north1 which she took occasion to have a good quarrel over4 ,taking them into her mistress1 the master being present1 she said1 ,missus1 that'll ,i do wid dese ole close ,tom lef1 when he get mad an' run'd off to spite me2 now ,i'll burn 'em up or giv' 'em to de pigs for nes'1 ,i ain't gwine to hav' 'em in my way any longer4 ,oh1 don't burn 'em up1 can't you send 'im word to come and get 'em8 ,i sends 'im no word1 if he never gets 'em2 ,i'd heap better giv' 'em to de hogs4 ,turning to another house servant1 her mistress said1 ,dil1 you tell ,page's ,jim when he goes to that big meeting your people are going to have next week1 to tell ,tom to come and take his truck away1 or ,liz will pitch 'em in the fire for 'im4 ,but there was no hurry manifest1 after he got the word4 ,tom's master told him he had better go and get his clothes or ,liz might destroy them4 ,said our ,george1 ,one ,saturday evenin' ,i went to have my las' quarrel with ,lizzie4 ,i called her bad names1 an' she flung back mean names1 an' twitted me with runnin' away to make her feel bad1 when she didn't care a picayune for me2 an' ,i tole her ,i never wanted to see her face agin1 an' we almos' cum to blows4 ,a few months after this there was a holiday1 and ,tom was so faithful1 his master gave him permission to visit his aunt1 six miles distant in an opposite direction from ,lizzie's home1 and she too got permission to visit her friends five miles away1 but not towards ,tom's master4 ,the plan laid in his midnight visit was to start after sundown1 and go until dark in the direction of the place each had their permission to go1 and then go for ,licking ,river2 and she was to go up the river1 while he was to go down1 until they met4 ,he was to secure the first skiff with oars he could find to aid them down the river with all possible speed to the ,ohio4 ,they succeeded in making good time after they met1 until day dawn overtook them1 when they hid the skiff under a clump of bushes1 and the oars they took the precaution to hide some distance away in case the skiff was discovered and taken away4 ,they secreted themselves still further in the woods1 but not so far but they could watch their tiny craft through the thicket4 ,much to their discomfiture a number of boys found their skiff1 and had a long hunt for the oars1 but not succeeding1 furnished themselves with poles and pushed out of sight to the great relief of the temporary owners1 so near being discovered during the hunt for the oars4 ,at ten o'clock1 when all was still1 they crept out of their hiding-place1 took their oars1 and hunted two hours before they found another skiff4 ,though smaller and harder to manage than the one they lost1 yet they reached the ,ohio just at sunrise4 ,two men on the opposite side of ,licking ,river hallooed1 ,where are you going8 ,to market1 sir4 ,what have you got8 ,butter an' eggs1 sir4 ,as he saw them in the skiff and pushing toward them1 he expected every moment to be overhauled1 but he pulled with all his might for the opposite shore1 and did not dare look back until they had reached the middle of the river1 when1 to their great relief1 the two men had given up the chase and turned back1 and had almost reached the place of their starting4 ,he said ,lizzie trembled so hard that the coat over her shook1 so great was her fear4 ,said ,lizzie1 ,i reckon the owner of the coat shook as hard as ,i did when you was pullin' for life4 ,i specs you sent fear clare down into them paddles you's sweattin' over2 and they had a good laugh over fright and success4 ,with ,george there was no fear after entering the basement of ,zion ,baptist ,church1 his old hiding-place4 ,as soon as the report came to us that a man and his wife had just arrived1 ,i called to learn their condition and needs1 and asked the woman who had charge of the basement to tell them a friend would call to see them1 as new-comers were always so timid4 ,a voice from the adjoining room was heard to say1 ,come right in1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 we are not afraid of you2 and as the fugitive clasped my hand in both of his1 ,i exclaimed1 ,where have you seen me8 ,don't you mind ,jim and ,george you giv' a basket full of close to las' ,summer8 ,you giv' me the linen pants an' blue checked gingham coat and straw hat1 an' you giv' ,jim thin pants and coat and palm-leaf hat2 and don't you mind we went out in a market-wagon to a ,quaker settlement8 ,yes1 but how came you here again8 ,it was for this little woman ,i went back4 ,then he went over his managing process1 as above related4 ,as ,i was soon to go to my home in ,michigan1 it was proposed by our vigilance committee that this couple1 with ,sarah1 who made her escape over a year previously1 should go with me4 ,sarah was to be sold away from her little boy of three years for a fancy girl1 as she was a beautiful octoroon and attractive in person4 ,she knew full well the fate that awaited her1 and succeeded in escaping4 ,she was an excellent house servant1 and highly respected by all who made her acquaintance for her sterling ,christian character and general intelligence4 ,she had lived in a quiet ,christian family1 who gave her good wages1 but she did not dare to risk her liberty within one hundred miles of her former home4 ,a few days after the arrival of ,george and wife a mulatto woman and her daughter of sixteen1 bound ,south from ,virginia1 left a steamer and joined our company4 ,while waiting for a certain canal-boat1 the owner and captain being friendly to our work1 another young man joined us4 ,these we received at different points to avoid suspicion4 ,before we reached the third bridge we were overtaken by ,levi ,coffin with another young man1 whom he had instructed implicitly to regard all the lessons ,i might give him4 ,i gave them all a charge to say nothing of going farther than ,toledo1 ,ohio1 and talk of no farther back than ,cincinnati4 ,while on our way ,george pointed at a wire1 and told his wife it was a telegraph-wire1 at which she dodged back1 and for a moment seemed as badly frightened as though her master had been in sight4 ,it was a lucky thing for us that no stranger happened to be in sight1 as her fright would have betrayed them4 ,even an assurance from ,george that the wires could do no harm1 could hardly satisfy her1 until he appealed to me to confirm his statement1 that it was the operators at each end of the wires that gave information4 ,the day before we reached ,toledo one of the drivers left1 and the steersman employed our boy ,william1 with the consent of the captain4 ,i told ,george to tell ,william ,i wanted to see him at the expiration of the time set for him to drive4 ,he came into the cabin1 while the other passengers were on deck1 and told me all the hands seemed very clever1 and the steersman told him he would find a good place for him to work in ,toledo1 and that he would see that he had good wages4 ,he asked him various questions1 that led him to disclose his starting point1 ,vicksburg1 ,mississippi4 ,as he was so very friendly he answered all his queries1 even to his master's name4 ,this ,i had charged him not to give4 ,as ,george and the other colored man saw the steersman and another man employed on the boat so very intimate1 and careful to keep ,william with them1 they began to fear for their own safety4 ,there came up a sudden shower during ,william's time to drive1 and he got thoroughly drenched2 and as he had no change of garments1 the steersman and the other boys of the boat furnished him out of their own wardrobe4 ,it had now become difficult for me to secure an interview with ,william1 on account of his close friends1 and ,i became as fearful of the telegraph wires as was ,mary1 over whom we had a little sport4 ,but ,william began to fear all was not right1 and regretted having told this man of his condition1 and made an errand on deck1 as he saw me sitting alone4 ,he told me all he had said to the steersman4 ,i told him to appear very careless1 and say nothing1 but to appear as if he was going with the steersman1 as he had suggested4 ,as we should be in ,toledo in three hours1 ,i would go into the city1 and the women and ,george would follow me to a place of safety4 ,then ,i would return for my shawl1 that ,i should leave on the boat4 ,by that time1 the passengers would all have left1 and he and the other young man must remain about the boat4 ,then ,i would watch the opportunity1 and when ,i went out1 ,i should turn short corners1 but give them time to keep me in sight4 ,accordingly1 ,i returned for my shawl1 but made no haste to leave until those close friends entered a saloon2 then was our time2 ,i gave them the wink and left for a place of safety4 ,after ,i had put one and two in a place1 my next work was to solicit money to pay our fare to ,canada1 on a boat that was to leave at #i ,a4 ,m4 the next day4 ,here were six fares to pay to ,detroit1 as ,sarah had sufficient to pay her own4 ,the friends in ,cincinnati had paid their fare to ,toledo4 ,it was now nearly night1 and ,i had but little time2 but ,i succeeded by nine o'clock the next morning1 leaving a colored man to conduct them to the boat2 with hardly five minutes to spare ,i reached the boat1 with my living freight4 ,once out in the lake we felt quite secure4 ,yet there was a possibility of a telegram being sent to ,william's master1 and danger of being overtaken by officers in ,detroit4 ,knowing of their anxiety to see ,canada1 ,i waited until we were near enough to see carriages and persons on the road on the other side4 ,when ,i said to ,george's wife ,there is ,canada4 ,it ain't1 is it8 ,it is1 certainly4 ,it is where no slave-owner can claim his slave4 ,she ran to her husband to tell the good news4 ,but neither he nor the balance of them believed her1 and all came running to me4 ,that ain't ,canada1 is it8 ,being assured that the land of freedom was in full view1 with tears of joy they gazed upon their ,house of ,refuge1 and within forty minutes we were there4 ,and to see them leap for joy was rich pay for all my care in their behalf4 ,george and ,jake had both armed themselves with deadly weapons1 in case of an attempt to capture them1 resolving on liberty or death4 ,i left each with fifty cents and returned to my own sweet home4 ,i found the large building unfinished4 ,as the first buildings were temporary1 they were unsuitable for students to occupy another ,winter1 which would be the eleventh ,winter our school had been in successful operation4 ,brother ,patchin1 our principal1 was called to another field as pastor and teacher1 and would go if the new building was not ready for use by the following academic year4 ,while these probabilities were under consideration1 brother ,j4 ,f4 ,dolbeare was taken from us1 after a short illness4 ,as he was an important trustee1 and an active ,christian worker1 his loss was severely felt4 ,we had a few months previously met with a similar loss in the death of another trustee1 our valued friend and brother1 ,elijah ,brownell1 a minister of the ,society of ,friends4 ,surely dark clouds again overhung our favorite institution1 in which many of our students were taught in the school of ,christ1 before they came to us1 and many out of the hundreds who had enjoyed the privileges of our school1 we had good reasons for believing1 yielded their young hearts to the loving ,savior's invitation while with us4 ,with the undying interests of the youth so near my heart1 it was a trial to have our school suspended a year2 but what could ,i do8 ,i must keep up the ten per cent interest on three hundred dollars of my indebtedness1 and could not contract five hundred dollars more to finish the institution building erected on the acre of ground ,i had given for that object4 ,it was enclosed1 and a portion of the floors laid1 and doors and windows cased4 ,this had cost over one thousand dollars for a building thirty by fifty-six feet4 ,as the farm was still carried on by my married children1 ,i concluded to return to ,cincinnati and engage in nursing the sick during the cold season1 as the cough to which ,i was subject was returning4 ,all things considered1 the conclusion was reached to suspend ,raisin ,institute one year at least4 ,an ,oberlin scholarship was presented me for my daughter ,laura ,jane1 who decided to take a gentleman's collegiate course4 ,not only my financial pressure seemed to direct toward that more southern field1 but the cause of those who were thirsting for liberty1 and were almost daily leaving boats or crossing the river1 was also a strong incentive to occupy a post near the ,southern end of the road whose ,northern terminus was in ,queen ,victoria's dominions4 ,many of my friends thought me presuming to venture so near those who had threatened my life repeatedly1 and in the hand-bills of the ,tennesseans 7report said7 there was offered #c1jjj reward for my head4 ,thomas ,k4 ,chester stated in a letter that he had sent them to a number of the ,southern ,states1 to let them know what sort of sisters they had in the ,north4 ,but ,j4 ,f4 ,dolbeare1 on the night before his death1 called me to his bedside1 and1 taking my hand in his1 said1 ,sister ,haviland1 you have passed through close and trying places in your work1 and your anti-slavery mission is not yet finished4 ,your trials are not over4 ,greater dangers are for you to pass through--,i see it4 ,o1 may the ,lord prepare you for the work he has for you to accomplish6 ,he has sustained you thus far4 ,he will grant you his protecting arm4 ,i know it4 ,i have often had occasion to remember the words ,i listened to in that solemn hour1 during thirty years that have since passed4 ,a slave-owner from ,new ,orleans1 with his wife1 three children1 and their nurse1 ,maria1 were bound for ,cincinnati4 ,when at ,louisville1 he was told if he was going to spend the ,summer in ,cincinnati he'd be sure to lose his servant-girl1 as that city is cursed with free negroes and abolitionists4 ,at this unpleasant information1 ,champlin and his wife concluded to make their temporary home in ,covington1 instead of ,cincinnati1 to the great disappointment of ,maria1 as she and her husband had been over two years in saving all their little silver pieces1 until the amount was one hundred dollars1 which was to be used in taking her to ,canada4 ,as this ,northern trip had been calculated two or three years before1 and as they went to no place without their faithful nurse1 the slave couple also made their plans4 ,her husband told her1 as she would have a good opportunity to secure her freedom1 he would manage to secrete himself on some through boat1 and meet her in ,canada2 and he could go with less money than she could1 and insisted upon her taking all they had saved4 ,but after ,maria found they were going to hire rooms and board in a hotel in ,covington1 she went to the trunk that contained her clothes and the children's1 and to her great disappointment her hundred dollars1 that she had so securely tied in a little rag and rolled in her garments1 was taken out by her mistress1 who never pretended to go to her trunk for any thing1 having no care whatever of her children's wardrobe4 ,but she must hide her feelings by putting on a cheerful face1 though she felt as though all her hopes of freedom1 of which she had so fondly dreamed1 were blasted forever4 ,she found her task1 as usual1 was to keep the wardrobe of her mistress and the children in order1 and care for the children day and night4 ,a few days elapsed1 and she asked her mistress if she would please give her money to purchase herself a pair of shoes1 as she heard they were cheaper here than at home4 ,she said she would either get her shoes or give her the money in a few days2 but neither shoes nor money came4 ,two and three weeks passed1 and ,maria ventured to repeat her request2 but the reply was1 ,your shoes are good enough for a while yet4 ,while her master and mistress were over the river1 she frequently took the children to the river1 to amuse them in looking at boats and in picking up pebbles on the bank1 when her longing look was noticed by a white man1 who ventured to ask her if she would like to go across the river4 ,she told him1 if she did1 she had no money to give to any one who would take her4 ,after learning that her master's residence was in ,new ,orleans1 he told her1 if she would never let any one know that he had ever said or done any thing about helping her1 let what would happen1 he would take her over without any thing1 in the night1 whenever she could get away2 but if it was ever known there it would ruin him4 ,she promised2 and as no one was near1 and the three children playing at a little distance1 he pointed her to a large root on the bank1 under which she could hide1 and there wait until she heard a low whistle near the root1 when she could come out and step into a skiff without saying a word1 and he would muffle the oars so as not to be heard1 and take her to a colored family he knew over the river1 where she would be safe until they would send her on to ,canada4 ,but how can ,i go on1 when ,i's got no money8 ,they know of a way to send such people as you without money4 ,you'll get with those over there who will see you safe2 never fear4 ,i never can tell you1 she said1 in relating her story1 how strange ,i felt about sich good news as this1 and wondered if it could be true4 ,i jus' trimbled like a popple leaf all the evenin'4 ,master and missus was over in the city to a lecture on ,fernology1 and didn't get back till twelve o'clock4 ,i kep' the chillen awake later'n common1 so they'd sleep sounder4 ,then ,i tied my clothes up in a tight bundle1 an' had my shoes an' hat whar ,i'd lay han's on 'em1 an' put out the light4 ,i was snorin'1 when missus looked in an' said1 ',all's asleep--all right2' an' ,i waited till the clock struck one1 an' all still4 ,i crep' sof'ly out on the street1 and down to the root1 an' waited for a whistle4 ,the clock struck two4 ,o1 how long6 ,will that man come8 ,chillen may cry1 an' missus fin' me gone4 ,had ,i better wait till it's three o'clock8 ,may be he can't come4 ,he said1 if any thing happen he couldn't come to-night1 ,i mus' go back1 an' try another night4 ,an' 'bout as ,i began to think ,i better go back come the whistle4 ,i stepped in1 an' we went over2 but the clock struck three before we got half across1 an' he was mighty fear'd he couldn't get back afore daybreak4 ,news reached us during the day that a woman crossed the river early1 and was so near it as to be dangerous for a hiding-place2 and it fell to my lot to see her in a safe place as soon as the darkness of night would shield us from being detected by ,champlin and his aids1 who were already seen at street corners4 ,i took a black ,quaker bonnet and a drab shawl and a plain dress-skirt in a market-basket1 with which to disguise our fugitive4 ,i found her in a dark room1 where ,i fixed her up for a walk2 and she told me of her loss of the hundred dollars1 but ,i told her all would be well without it4 ,i instructed her to take my arm as we went1 and take good care to limp all the way1 for we should pass plenty of ,kentuckians4 ,thickly veiled1 we walked half a mile1 turning short corners to elude watchers1 if any1 from our starting-point4 ,as we went up ,central ,avenue to ,longworth1 we passed through a crowd1 one of whom said3 ,i'm going to line my pockets to-night4 ,thar's five hundred dollars reward out4 ,said another1 in a low tone1 ,when did she cross8 ,last night some time1 they say4 ,my ,quaker sister1 limping at my side1 was trembling1 ,i sensibly felt1 as she hung upon my arm1 as we listened to these remarks from her pursuers4 ,i took her to a very intelligent colored family on ,longworth ,street1 who were well known to us as true friends4 ,although ,i had passed her pursuers without fear1 yet when ,levi ,coffin informed me that ,ruffin1 the greatest slave-hunter in the city1 had just moved next door to ,burgess1 where ,i left ,maria1 my fears were almost equal to ,maria's4 ,laura1 thou hast left thy fugitive with a good family1 but in a poor place1 said our venerable friend4 ,but wait until to-morrow evening1 when thou hadst better give her another move1 as ,i know they will use all possible care4 ,the following evening ,levi and friend ,hughes were to be on ,central ,avenue near ,longworth ,street1 and as ,i came out with my ,quaker woman1 they were to walk half a block ahead and turn on ,ninth ,street to his house1 and if sister ,catherine's sign appeared on the balcony of the second story1 we were to ascend the outside flight of steps1 and take her up to the attic in the fourth story4 ,champlin had doubled the reward1 and was raving with rage over the loss of their nurse4 ,he said he would have her if he had to set one foot in hell after her1 cursing and swearing in a perfect foam2 and said a thousand dollars should be doubled but what he would have her4 ,as the streets were too well lighted1 to give her the appearance of a white person through the veil1 ,i called for a saucer of flour1 with which ,i thoroughly powdered her face4 ,before her veil was adjusted she happened to look up and saw herself in the large mirror before her1 and burst into a laugh over her white face and ,quaker bonnet4 ,i gave her a shake as ,i placed my hands over her shoulders3 ,don't laugh loud1 for your liberty's sake4 ,remember the next door neighbor would get his thousand dollars reward from ,champlin1 if he could know you are here4 ,i won't look at that glass ag'in1 ,i looks so quare4 ,i took her on the front walk1 and following our previous plans1 at the invitation of the white cloth on the balustrade1 we soon found ourselves in the attic4 ,she remained here two weeks1 not daring to move in any direction1 as the wealthy ,new ,orleans planter's biped bloodhounds were seen and heard from in almost every direction through the city4 ,as there was in this case an unusual excitement1 the editor of the ,cincinnati ,commercial inserted a little note in his paper1 of the escape of the ,new ,orleans nurse from her owners1 who were boarding at ,white ,hall ,hotel in ,covington2 and that the mistress had taken one hundred dollars from the nurse previous to their arrival at their destination4 ,the day following this notice ,champlin came to the ,commercial office and demanded the authority the editor had for charging his wife with stealing from their servant4 ,for whether it was he or any one else1 it would prove a dear job to vilify his wife like this1 for he'd have their life or #c1jjj2 and swore nothing short would settle it4 ,he told the editor he would give him till ten o'clock the next morning1 when he should come prepared for the settlement 7referring to his pistols1 which he knew how to use74 ,at once ,levi ,coffin received a call from the editor for advice1 as he was his informant4 ,during this interview1 ,catherine came into our room1 saying1 ,laura1 they are in a tangle with that ,new ,orleans slave-holder1 and they want thee to help straighten it4 ,going in1 ,i was introduced to the editor1 and main proprietor of the ,commercial1 and they related the difficulty4 ,now1 said ,levi1 this young man has invested in this firm all he is worth1 and ,champlin will probably ruin his business if he fails to give his authority for stating ,maria's loss of her hundred dollars2 and as ,i gave him these facts1 in case he gives my name as authority1 he will then come upon me1 and make trouble1 as ,champlin seemed determined upon vengeance4 ,after a little reflection over these statements and threats ,i told them ,i did not see but ,i came next1 as ,i told ,levi these facts1 which ,i took from ,maria and the family where she was first secreted4 ,and as ,i had no property in ,ohio1 and the little ,i owned in ,michigan ,i had arranged to keep from slave-holders1 ,i would stand in the gap and our young friend might refer to me as authority1 if compelled to give it1 rather than lose his life1 or property even4 ,said ,levi1 ,this is liable to terminate in a serious affair4 ,it would lay thee liable to imprisonment if he is so disposed1 and thy children in ,michigan would feel very sad over such an event4 ,i replied that ,i did not fear of remaining long in prison1 neither did ,i believe he was going to be permitted to put me there1 but at all events ,i was fully prepared to allow my name to be given4 ,with this conclusion our young friend left us1 saying that if he could manage that exasperated man without naming me1 he would do so4 ,we were all anxiously waiting to see the result of the fearful meeting at the hour of ten the following day4 ,champlin was there at the hour1 with the stern query1 ,are you ready1 sir1 to give me your authority1 or abide the consequences8 ,i am1 sir4 ,the colored family where she first stopped informed us4 ,do you take a nigger's testimony8 ,certainly ,i do4 ,they are respectable and honest1 though poor4 ,after pouring forth a volley of oaths1 and saying he wouldn't stoop so low as to notice what a nigger would say1 for they were all a pack of liars1 he left the office1 to the great relief both of the editor and ourselves4 ,very soon he came to us with the pleasing report1 how those pistols1 so full of powder1 flashed in the pan4 ,but the slave-hunters were still so numerous1 it was thought best to dress her up for another walk1 and ,i took her to a family near ,fourteenth ,street1 and wrote a letter in ,maria's name to her master1 dated it ahead1 and from ,windsor1 ,canada ,west1 and sent it enclosed in a letter to a friend at that place1 with directions to mail it to the master at the date ,i had given4 ,maria informed her master ,champlin that ,canada was not the cold barren country he had always told her it was1 for they raised great fields of corn1 and potatoes1 peas and beans1 and everything she saw in ,kentucky2 and that she had found the best of friends ever since she left home1 and signed her name4 ,in less than two weeks ,kitty ,darun's niece came in great haste to inform us that ,champlin had got poor ,maria1 and ,aunt ,kitty is nearly crying her eyes out over the sad news that a colored man brought over last night4 ,that is all a mistake4 ,oh1 no1 it's no mistake1 for that colored man worked near ,white ,hall yesterday1 and he said the report was just flying4 ,i hushed her loud words1 and whispered1 ,i can take you to ,maria in ten minutes1 ,i know just where she is4 ,are you sure1 and may ,i go tell ,aunt ,kitty8 ,go and whisper it1 for there are but few friends who know she is still in the city1 because of the close search made for her1 that is still kept up4 ,the next day she came to us with another story1 ,that he didn't get ,maria1 but got a letter from her in ,canada4 ,and that was the current report4 ,i told her1 ,i understood that too1 and would tell her all within a few weeks4 ,the result of this letter was a withdrawal of all the hired hunters within twenty-four hours1 and during three days' quiet two young men came from a few miles distant across the river1 who got the privilege of a holiday1 and of spending it nearly ten miles farther from the river than was their home4 ,as they left the night before1 they would have until the next morning before being missed4 ,as ,cazy 7one of our vigilance committee7 came before sunrise to inform us of the new arrival1 ,catharine ,coffin came to my bed-room and gave me a call3 ,come1 ,laura1 here are more runaways2 ,cazy is here and they want thee4 ,in less than five minutes there were four of us to decide on the plan of securing the newcomers and the one on our hands4 ,what shall we do8 ,our funds are out1 we haven't a dime in our treasury1 said ,cozy4 ,we must get enough to take then2 two young men and ,maria out as far as the ,stubbs settlement to-night1 ,i replied2 for you see all is quiet now over ,maria1 and by to-morrow the city will fill up again with slave-hunters4 ,that is what ,i told ,cazy before thou came in2 but he says he has a job on his hands he can not leave1 said ,levi4 ,where ,is ,hughes8 ,i don't believe ,i could get him to leave his work to see to it2 but may be he'll go for you1 wild ,cazy4 ,i'll try4 ,and throwing on my shawl and bonnet1 called on ,hughes1 and told him he must go and take ,maria and two young men who had just arrived this morning4 ,but what can we do without money8 ,i'll get it to-day4 ,what amount is wanting8 ,it will take eight dollars to hire a close carriage and team to go thirty miles to-night1 and ,i must be back to my work by eight o'clock tomorrow morning4 ,i'll have that ready before night4 ,then ,i'll call at ,uncle ,levis's at noon1 and see whether you are sure of success in getting the money2 then ,i will call at the livery on my return to my work and engage the carriage and team1 to be ready by seven and a half o'clock this evening4 ,when he called at noon ,i had four dollars in money and a traveling suit for ,maria1 and knew just where ,i could get the balance4 ,now for the plan of starting4 ,i told him he must manage the two men and ,i would manage for ,maria4 ,but there are two toll-gates that are closely watched for colored people1 and ,i want you to go with us past those gates1 as two white persons in front would pass the load2 not seeing any colored people1 they would make no inquiries4 ,as ,catherine's health was poor1 and cholera was raging in the city1 she was not willing ,i should remain away over night1 and ,levi secured ,william ,beckley to follow us a little distance behind until we had passed those gates1 when ,i was to return with him4 ,the carriage1 with our company1 was to be driven up ,central ,avenue as far as the orphan asylum1 and halt for ,maria and myself2 and as he passed the street she was on1 ,hughes was to take out his white pocket handkerchief and wipe his face1 while ,william ,fuller1 at whose house ,maria was secreted1 was to walk on the street at the time appointed to watch for the signal2 when discovered1 as he turned toward the house1 we were to step out on the street1 and walk the half block where our carriage was in waiting4 ,but in this we found it necessary to adopt my old rule of being carelessly careful1 as there were ,kentuckians in their rented houses each side of ,william ,fuller's1 and they were overheard to say three days before1 that they believed they had niggers hid at ,fuller's1 for the blinds in the second story hadn't been opened in two weeks4 ,the weather being warm1 and the rising of the full moon1 and their next door neighbors sitting on their front porches1 all combined to bring us into full view4 ,as we were watching for the moment to start ,maria took up her bundle of clothes2 but ,i told her the least appearance1 aside from common callers1 would create suspicion1 and we must send them after her4 ,but they's all ,i got1 an' ,i will never see 'em ag'in1 said ,maria1 sorrowfully4 ,but your liberty is of more value than a cart load of clothes4 ,oh1 yes1 ,i knows it2 but ,i can't even change4 ,hand them to me1 and they were opened and tightly rolled into the shape of a six months' baby in a trice2 and1 as ,i rolled it in a shawl1 ,i said1 ,i'll carry the baby myself4 ,the watchful wife says1 ,william is turning back1 and ,i will walk to the corner with you4 ,as we reached the gate1 the neighbors in full view1 sister ,fuller's little girl called1 ,mamma1 ,i want to see the baby2 ,i didn't know that woman had a baby4 ,the frightened mother tried to hush her in a smothered voice1 that ,i feared would betray her excitement4 ,let her go with us1 mother1 said ,i4 ,but auntie hasn't time now to let little sis see the baby2 wait till next time we call1 because we are late1 and our folks will be waiting for us4 ,and as we leisurely walked along1 sister ,fuller invited us to come another time to make a longer call4 ,after turning the corner1 our sister and little girl left us1 and we quickened our pace to the carriage we saw in waiting4 ,friend ,hughes stood by the hitching-post1 but looked wild with excitement when he saw me turn to the carriage1 as he knew there was no baby aboard2 and as he had hitched in a darker place than near the entrance1 he did not recognize us4 ,but as ,i gave my baby a toss in the carriage1 saying1 ,this is part of our company2 take care of my baby1 he recognized my voice4 ,o1 yes2 this is one of your tricks4 ,soon we were seated1 and on our way4 ,we passed the two fearful gates with a sharp look by each keeper1 and half a mile beyond ,i proposed to return2 but friend ,hughes said there was a short piece of woods ahead to pass through1 then the coast would be clear the balance of the way1 and he would rather ,i would go through the woods with them4 ,just before entering the grove we heard the loud talking1 singing1 and laughing of ten or a dozen men we were going to meet4 ,as this boisterous company appeared before us1 ,hughes turned to the two men behind us1 and said1 ,are your pistols ready8 ,yes1 sah2 and each took from his own pocket a six-shooter4 ,boys1 if those men attempt to take our horses by the bits1 and ,i say1 ,fire6 will you do it8 ,yes1 sah4 ,said ,i1 ,hughes1 be careful1 be careful4 ,your excitement will betray us if you are not very careful4 ,we don't know what rabble we are going to meet1 and ,i propose to be ready fur 'em4 ,there is nothing known of this company1 and ,i know we are safe4 ,i don't know it2 and if they make the first move to stop us1 be ready1 boys4 ,all ready4 ,there were two six-shooters behind me1 and one in the hand of ,hughes1 that ,i feared much more than all the slave-holders in ,kentucky4 ,but we were soon relieved by the remark of one1 as we were passing1 ,it was well we stopped that bent from falling1 or't would have killed ,smith as dead as a hammer4 ,we found by this that they had been to the raising of a building1 and a number of them were more than half drunk4 ,after going a mile or two farther1 and our excitement was over1 ,i took leave of our company1 with a charge to keep quiet and all would be well1 and returned to ,levi ,coffin's by twelve o'clock4 ,the following morning we received a good report from our conductor1 ,hughes1 of the safe delivery of this valuable freight in the ,quaker settlement depot1 where they were forwarded to ,canada4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,fugitive ,,slaves ,,assisted4 ,the exciting intelligence reached us that ,clara and her three little ones were about to be captured by slave-holders in the city1 on ,pearl ,street4 ,i called on her at once1 and found the house was surrounded the night before by strangers1 who were followed to a hotel1 and on the record the name of her master's son was found4 ,poor woman6 ,she had passed through great suffering in making her escape with her two children2 a third was born in ,cincinnati--yet it too must share the anticipated fate of its mother4 ,she had always been a house-servant1 but found the death of her master was about to make great changes1 he being deeply in debt4 ,by the aid of a chambermaid she was secreted on a boat1 and kept the two children drugged with opiates until she feared they would never come to life4 ,but after her arrival1 under the care of a skillful physician1 they survived4 ,she had found good friends among her own people and ,church two years4 ,i found her weeping1 with the two youngest in her arms1 the oldest sitting on a stool at her feet4 ,with fast-falling tears she kissed her babes4 ,o ma's precious darlings1 how can ,i spare you6 ,i told her if her master did not come for her until it was dark enough to conceal her1 arrangements were made to come for her with a close carriage1 to take them out of the city to a place of safety4 ,i reckon you can't save us1 she sobbed4 ,i told her we would pray the ,lord1 who knew all her deep sorrow1 to open the way for us4 ,yes1 ,i cried mightily to him to help me out o' that dark land back yonder1 and it 'peared like he did bring me out2 but if ,i had stuck closer to him ,i reckon he'd kep' me from this hard trial2 and fresh tears freely flowed4 ,with my hands on her shoulders1 my tears mingled with hers4 ,in broken sentences1 she referred to the separation of her husband when he was sold and taken down the river4 ,i left her1 with a heavy heart1 yet strong hope that her young master 7as she called him7 would be defeated4 ,at twilight1 ,i called to assist in getting them ready to jump into the carriage that our friend ,william ,fuller would drive to the door within fifteen minutes2 and being ready1 we were in the carriage turning the first corner within a minute1 and left them in charge of an underground railway agent1 who took them on his train as soon as their clothing and pocket-money were forwarded to them1 to the great relief of many anxious hearts4 ,a little past nine o'clock1 her master and his posse surrounded the house1 and lay in wait until the stillness of the midnight hour was thought most favorable to pounce upon their prey and hurry them to the river1 where they had a boat in waiting for them4 ,then their force was increased1 and an entrance demanded4 ,the owner of the house 7a colored man7 refused admittance without legal authority1 although threats of breaking down the door or windows were made2 but they were resisted with returning threats of shooting the first man that dared to enter without proper authority4 ,as they were expecting an attack1 the women had left their home for the night4 ,the watch was kept around the house until morning approached1 when the marshal1 with his official papers1 was brought to claim ,clara and three children4 ,but to their great disappointment1 in searching the house1 no ,clara or children were there4 ,in great rage her master left1 swearing vengeance upon him who had kept them in suspense all night when he had spirited them away1 for he knew he had harbored his property in his house2 but all the reply he received was1 ,prove it1 if you wish4 ,they got no track of them until they heard from them in ,canada4 ,a fugitive by the name of ,jack secreted himself on a large steamer from the lower ,mississippi1 and left it on landing in ,cincinnati4 ,being so far from his old home1 he hired himself as a barber1 in which business he was very successful about two years1 when his master learned of his whereabouts4 ,he made the acquaintance of a free colored man by the name of ,robert ,russel1 who was an idle1 loafish mulatto1 sometimes working at little jobs in ,cincinnati1 and also in ,covington4 ,in the latter place he fell in with the slave-holder1 who was watching for an opportunity to secure the aid of some one who would induce ,jack to come to the river1 where he would hurry him onto the ferry1 and get him on the ,kentucky side1 when he could easily return him to the far ,south4 ,as he found ,robert ,russel a man of no principle1 he gave him ten dollars if he would decoy ,jack to the wharf of ,walnut ,street landing about noon1 when men were generally at dinner4 ,he succeeded1 when the master with his ,kentucky friends slipped hand-cuffs on poor ,jack1 and took him on the ferry for a thief4 ,the more ,jack protested1 denying the charge1 the louder they cried thief6 thief6 ,some of his colored friends consulted their favorite lawyer1 ,john ,jolliffe1 about arresting ,jack's master for kidnapping1 as he had taken him illegally1 but they were told they could do nothing with him in ,kentucky4 ,they were compelled to leave their friend to his fate4 ,but the ,judas who betrayed ,jack ought to be brought to justice2 but how could they do it8 ,as ,i was at that time teaching a school of colored girls1 in the basement of ,zion ,baptist ,church1 a number of colored men came to consult with me4 ,i told them as ,robert ,russel was a renegade he was as liable to serve one side of the river as the other1 and would as readily bring a slave to the ,ohio side for ten dollars1 as to decoy him back into the hands of his master for that money4 ,they said ,robert did not dare come into ,cincinnati1 fearing that justice would be dealt out in tar and feathers by the colored people4 ,they learned soon after he came to the city that he ran away from ,ripley to avoid being arrested for stealing4 ,i advised them not to take the law of tar and feathers1 as they had indicated1 in their own hands2 but to spoil the petting he was getting from the slave-holders across the river1 by warning them against ,robert ,russel1 for he would as readily play the rogue one side as the other2 and this they could do in a little printed card that might be dropped on the sidewalk through a few streets in ,covington1 and they would run him out of their town in a hurry4 ,this idea pleased them1 and they wished me to draft the card1 and they would print and circulate it4 ,i told them ,i would take my noon recess to prepare it1 and at #d o'clock my school would be out1 and they might come for it4 ,i gave it as follows3 ,slave-,holders of ,kentucky6 ,,beware ,,of ,,the ,,rogue1 ,,robert ,,russel6 ,who absconded from ,ripley1 ,ohio1 to evade the strong arm of the law he richly deserved for misdemeanors in that town4 ,this man is a light mulatto1 and betrayed one of his race for ten dollars1 in ,cincinnati1 bringing him into life-long trouble4 ,he will as readily take ten dollars from any of your slaves to bring them to ,cincinnati1 and again take ten dollars to return them to you1 as he has no higher purpose to serve than paltry self4 ,a ,,lover ,,of ,,right4 ,this was printed on a placard of ten by twelve inches4 ,they procured two hundred for distribution1 but found it more difficult to get a distributor than they anticipated4 ,i told one of them to go to ,levi ,coffin's and inform him and his wife where ,i was going after my school was dismissed1 and that ,i would distribute them through ,covington1 but to let no one else know of it1 except their committee who secured the printing1 as it would produce increased excitement4 ,i went a mile from the river before commencing my work1 and left one or two in every yard1 when no eye seemed directed toward me1 ,i dropped them by the street side until ,i reached the ferry that returned me to my anxious friends in ,cincinnati1 just as the sun dropped behind the ,western hills4 ,the following day report gave an account of the evening's excitement in ,covington4 ,a company of slave-holders met to consult over this placard1 and the conclusion was reached to give ,bob ,russel until nine o'clock the following morning to leave the ,state or take the consequences4 ,two slaves had left them within a couple of months1 and they charged him with taking them over the river4 ,some of the more excitable were for hauling him out of bed at the close of their meeting 7ten o'clock71 and dealing summary vengeance for their recent losses1 but as he pledged himself to leave their ,state the next morning never to return1 they left him to his own uncomfortable reflections4 ,a party consisting of four1 from ,new ,orleans1 came to ,cincinnati to spend the ,summer1 and made their home at a hotel4 ,it was soon ascertained by the colored people that their little nurse girl of about nine years of age1 was a slave1 and as the master and mistress had brought her there1 she was by the laws of ,ohio free4 ,they took the opportunity to coax her away and place her among their white friends1 who they knew would take good care of her4 ,very soon there was great inquiry for ,lavina4 ,they said she was just a little pet they brought with them to play with and mind the baby1 and they knew she was stolen from them against her will2 but that if they could get sight at her1 she would run to them1 unless she was forcibly held back by some mean person4 ,diligent search was made among the colored people whom they suspected1 but no clew could be found of her whereabouts4 ,they were then advised to visit some prominent abolitionists1 where they were satisfied she had been taken4 ,so close to ,elizabeth ,coleman's were they watching1 that she felt unsafe1 fearing they might come in and find her alone with her little pet fugitive1 so she took her to ,samuel ,reynold's by night4 ,the search continued4 ,samuel met the master on the street in front of his house1 but had left orders to dress ,lavina in his little boy's suit2 and holding the master in conversation awhile1 he said he would call for ,jim1 to bring them a glass and pitcher of water1 having already told his wife to give ,jim a few necessary instructions hew to appear very smart and active4 ,as she came out to give them drink1 ,samuel gave the master and his two friends a few lessons in ,ohio law1 informing him that all slaves brought into the ,state by their owners were free4 ,the master contended that it would be very cruel to keep ,lavina from her mother 7who belonged to him71 and he knew if he could be allowed to see her it would be sufficient to convince them of her attachment to him1 and promised to leave the child to her own choice4 ,but1 said ,samuel1 ,lavina is on our underground railroad4 ,this was as new to the ,new ,orleans slave-holder as were the ,ohio laws he had been explaining4 ,after discussing the right and wrong of his claim1 ,samuel called to his wife to send ,jim with a pitcher of water2 and out came the little fellow4 ,pour a glass of water for this gentleman1 ,jim2 and their heated discussion continued4 ,the master took the glass from ,jim1 who looked him full in the face1 with one hand in his pocket1 while ,samuel was serving the other two gentlemen with a glass of water4 ,the women in the house were filled with fear1 as they deemed ,samuel rather imprudent4 ,but ,jim returned with pitcher and glass1 and the master and his friends went back to the hotel none the wiser1 either of ,lavina's whereabouts or of the operation of this new kind of railroad4 ,lavina was well cared for1 and her master and mistress returned to ,new ,orleans with a new experience1 minus a nurse girl4 ,another fugitive1 by the name of ,zack1 came across the river from ,virginia into ,ohio4 ,he had lain in the woods by day1 and traveled by the ,north ,star at night1 when it was clear1 but in rainy or cloudy weather he found he was as liable to go ,south as ,north4 ,there had been much rain to impede his progress1 and he suffered much from hunger4 ,he had advanced only a few miles from the river1 when he found a family of true friends1 who replenished his clothing1 and was preparing food for his journey1 when his master1 with eight other men1 found out where he was1 and came with officers to search the house and take their prey4 ,they came in the night and demanded entrance4 ,wife1 what shall we do8 ,there are men under every window4 ,let them search the two lower rooms first1 and while you go with them you tell ,zack to slip into my room while you are with them1 and ,i'll see to him4 ,but ,i tell you he can't be got out of this house without being caught4 ,go on2 ,i know that4 ,and he left her and gave the frightened man his orders4 ,but before he reached her room she rolled up the feather-bed and drew the straw mattress to the front side of the bedstead1 and told ,zack to jump in4 ,her oder obeyed1 she threw back the feather-bed1 and before the master and officer entered her room she was occupying the front side of the bed4 ,the clothes-press1 wardrobe1 and under the bed were all closely scrutinized4 ,the husband1 pale with excitement1 was expecting1 in every place they searched1 that poor ,zack would be found4 ,but they all left satisfied that he was not in that house1 though so very sure they had found the right place4 ,the noble woman said he shook with fear1 so as to make the bed tremble during the search1 knowing but too well his sad fate if he should again fall into the hands of his master4 ,every necessary measure was taken to hasten his progress to ,canada4 ,in ,december1 #aheb1 ,calvin ,fairbanks1 who had served a term of three years in the ,kentucky penitentiary for aiding slaves to escape1 called at ,levi ,coffin's and informed me of a letter he had received1 giving information that an interesting slave woman in ,louisville1 ,kentucky1 could cross the river1 if a friend would meet her at ,jeffersonville1 ,indiana1 and take her to a place of safety2 and he proposed to be the conductor4 ,i advised him1 by all means1 not to go so near ,kentucky1 as he was so well known through that ,state4 ,he said he expected we would oppose him4 ,i advised him to consult with ,dr4 ,brisbane1 as ,levi was absent4 ,but he chose to keep the matter quiet1 and went on his dangerous expedition4 ,i was called away to ,college ,hill as nurse1 and in three weeks1 when ,i returned to ,levi's1 he called me into the store1 saying1 ,we have a letter for thee to read2 somebody is in trouble1 and ,samuel ,lewis1 ,dr4 ,brisbane and myself have been trying to find out who it is1 but can make out nothing by the letter4 ,the signature is of stars1 that he says is the number of letters in the name1 but we can make nothing of it2 and he handed me the letter1 dated from ,louisville jail4 ,as soon as ,i counted the six stars in the first name1 ,i said1 ,levi1 it is ,calvin ,fairbanks6 ,read out the last line of stars1 and we'll find ,fairbanks4 ,at this point ,dr4 ,brisbane entered the store4 ,doctor1 said ,levi1 ,laura has found our riddle2 she says it is ,calvin ,fairbanks4 ,both were astonished1 not knowing he was down the river4 ,i told them of his call in ,levi's absence1 and of his errand4 ,poor man1 how he will suffer1 for they will soon find him out1 and they are so very bitter against him1 ,i fear he will die in their penitentiary1 for they will have no mercy on him1 said the doctor4 ,he sends us an appeal for help1 but ,i see no way we can render him assistance1 responded ,levi4 ,a few weeks later a colored man1 who had been mistaken for a slave1 was released from that jail4 ,he came to us telling of the suffering the prisoners endured1 having no bed but a pile of filthy straw in their cells2 and that ,calvin requested him to see his friends1 and tell us he must perish unless a quilt and flannel underclothing were furnished him2 and he also needed a little pocket money4 ,no one dared to take these articles to him1 for only two weeks previously a man by the name of ,conklin had brought the wife and four children of an escaped slave into ,indiana1 and was captured in the night4 ,all were taken to the river1 and the poor woman and her children returned to their owner1 without her meeting the husband and father1 who had sent for them4 ,conklin was bound with ropes and thrown into the river1 where he was found a few days after4 ,four weeks before ,williams1 from ,massachusetts1 followed two little mulatto girls who were stolen from their free-born parents by a peddler1 and found them near ,baltimore1 ,maryland4 ,as soon as his errand was made known a baud of ruffians lynched him4 ,these two cases of murder1 without the semblance of law1 had produced much excitement in the ,north1 and now the ,fairbanks case was increasing the exasperation of the ,south4 ,but here was a suffering brother in prison4 ,a few days of earnest prayer determined me to go to ,louisville jail with a trunk of bed clothes and under flannels4 ,i looked for strong opposition from my friends1 but to my surprise when ,i proposed the plan to my friends ,levi and ,catherine ,coffin1 they favored my project4 ,catherine did her full share in furnishing a trunk1 a thick comfortable and pillow2 others soon brought a change of flannels2 and as ,levi met friends and made known my project of going to ,louisville1 the mites were brought to the amount of fourteen dollars for ,calvin1 and enough to bear my expenses4 ,levi saw ,captain ,barker1 who possessed an interest in the line of packets running to ,louisville1 and he offered half fare1 and promised to send for me in time for the ,ben ,franklin1 ,no4 #b1 to leave for ,louisville the next day at #b ,p4 ,m4 ,dr4 ,brisbane1 on returning from an absence of a few days1 told ,levi not to allow so rash a move1 and said that ,i must not go to ,louisville in this excitement1 for it was dangerous in the extreme2 and he referred to ,conklin's fate1 that was just as likely to be mine4 ,this so discouraged ,levi1 that he said1 ,it may be we have been too fast in giving thee words of encouragement4 ,my reply was1 ,i find no geographical lines drawn by our ,savior in visiting the sick and in prison4 ,here was a suffering brother1 who had fallen among thieves1 and ,i felt it my duty to go to his relief4 ,there seemed also a clear answer to prayer that ,i should be protected2 and if time would allow me to call on ,dr4 ,brisbane before ,i left for the boat1 ,i would do so1 as ,i desired to see him4 ,if thou art going1 ,i advise thee not to call on the doctor1 as ,i know how he feels about thy going1 and all thy reasons will not satisfy him in the least4 ,i told him if the doctor or any one else would go1 ,i should feel easy to give it up1 but otherwise ,i could not4 ,during this conversation ,melancthon ,henry came in1 as he said1 with his mite of three silver dollars for brother ,fairbanks4 ,he said1 ,you are going into the lion's den1 and my prayer is that you may be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove4 ,i know the venom of the serpent is there in power1 but ,god will give his children the wisdom without the poison4 ,melancthon was a son of ,patrick ,henry1 who had emancipated him with his slave mother4 ,he was a member of the ,wesleyan ,methodist ,church1 to which ,i was at that time attached4 ,soon after ,captain ,barker sent for me1 and told me to refer ,colonel ,buckner to him in presenting my note of introduction1 as he was favorably acquainted with the colonel and he should mention me as one of his friends4 ,arrived at ,louisville about day-dawn1 ,i took a hack1 and ordered the hackman to place the trunk on the porch of the front entrance of the jailor's residence4 ,as the colonel's wife answered the door-bell1 ,i inquired for ,colonel ,buckner4 ,she stepped back to call him1 when in an undertone ,i heard1 ,who is it8 ,i don't know2 she came in the hack and is genteelly dressed1 and ,i think came from the boat4 ,he genteelly met me1 took ,captain ,barker's letter of introduction1 and then introduced me to his wife and daughter1 and to his wife's sister from ,boston1 who was there on a visit with her daughter1 making quite a lively social circle4 ,my errand was immediately made known1 and the colonel excused himself for overhauling the trunk to take its contents to ,calvin at once1 as it was in the line of his duty as keeper of the prison to examine every thing brought in for prisoners2 not that he expected to find anything improper for ,fairbanks to receive4 ,i told him ,i designed returning to ,cincinnati on the same boat ,i came on1 and it was going out at #d ,p4 ,m4 ,why go so soon8 he asked4 ,i replied1 ,my errand here is accomplished1 when ,i see that these things are delivered to ,calvin ,fairbanks2 and as ,i have a little pocket change1 sent by his friends in ,cincinnati1 ,i would like to see ,calvin1 as ,i shall write his mother after my return4 ,i will see if the sheriff thinks it best4 ,there was a great excitement in the city when ,fairbanks was arrested and brought here1 and ,shotwell1 the injured man who lost his servant ,tamor and her child1 is very much enraged1 and being a man of wealth and influence here1 ,i dare not take you in to see ,fairbanks on my own responsibility2 but ,i'll see the sheriff1 and if he says you can see him it is all right4 ,with a little note from me he took the trunk of things to ,calvin1 and brought back a receipt4 ,as he handed it to me he said1 ,i suppose you will recognize his handwriting1 so you'll know it's from him8 ,i replied that ,i had seen a note of his writing1 but was not familiarly acquainted with it1 but was perfectly satisfied with the receipt4 ,he said he had been to see the sheriff1 but he was absent1 and would not return for two or three days1 and ,i think you had better wait1 he continued1 and see him1 as you can remain with us2 it shall not cost you a cent4 ,i told him my friends in ,cincinnati would be at the wharf to meet me the following morning2 and as ,i had nothing further to accomplish1 being satisfied that the things and money had been received by ,calvin ,fairbanks1 ,i felt free to return4 ,but he urged still harder4 ,it will be too bad for you to return without seeing him1 as you are the only friend that has called to see him since he has been here2 and ,i know he wants to see you1 for he asked if you were not coming in to see him1 and ,i told him ,i was waiting to see the sheriff2 and ,i think you had better wait till the boat makes another trip1 as your stay here is as free as air1 and we would like you to stop over2 then you can see the sheriff1 and ,i reckon he will not object to your going in to see ,fairbanks1 and yet ,i dare not take you in without his approval4 ,i at length consented4 ,they were all very polite1 and ,i rested as sweetly that night as if in my own room at ,levi ,coffin's1 or in my own ,michigan home4 ,the next day the colonel was very free to talk of the false ideas of ,northern people about slavery2 spoke of ,elizabeth ,margaret ,chandler's work on slavery1 that ,i took from their center table2 said his wife's ,boston friends sent it her1 but it was nothing but a pack of lies4 ,i told him that she lived and died neighbor to me1 and ,i esteemed her as a noble woman4 ,but she never lived in the ,south1 and had no right to judge of their condition without the knowledge of it4 ,i was introduced to a young man who he said had been suffering a few days' imprisonment under false charges1 but on the examination1 had that day1 was found not guilty4 ,as the family withdrew from the parlor1 this young man seemed very anxious to deliver a secret message from ,fairbanks to me2 he said he had made a confidant of him1 and told him to request me to see to forwarding ,tamor's trunk of valuable clothing to a place of safety4 ,he then told me the mark on the trunk1 and the place in ,louisville where it was waiting to be forwarded4 ,i said that ,i had told the colonel ,i had no idea of ,tamor's whereabouts1 as ,i had supposed she was taken with ,fairbanks until informed to the contrary2 and that ,i had no business here whatever1 aside from bringing a few articles for his present relief4 ,after being absent awhile1 he returned with a note purporting to be from ,calvin1 inquiring whether ,i had made the acquaintance of persons therein named4 ,i told the bearer ,i had not1 and if he saw ,calvin he could tell him so4 ,he urged me to send ,fairbanks a note1 as the colonel or any one else should know nothing of it2 but ,i refused1 becoming satisfied that he was more of a dispatch-bearer for the colonel than for ,calvin ,fairbanks4 ,i learned afterwards that this was true1 and that he was released for the purpose of getting hold of additional evidence with which to convict him1 and perhaps convict myself also4 ,in the evening a gentleman of their city made a call on the family1 and to him ,i was introduced4 ,he spent an hour or two in conversation with myself and the others4 ,the jailer1 ,colonel ,buckner1 told me just before ,i left that their city papers--,louisville ,courier and ,louisville ,commercial--inserted a notice to the effect that ,delia ,webster1 from ,cincinnati1 is here1 and is quartered for a few days in the city4 ,this little notice created much excitement2 and as the gentleman alluded to knew ,delia ,webster personally1 the colonel brought him in to make my acquaintance and report accordingly4 ,as he passed out of the parlor1 he told the colonel he might rest assured that lady was not ,delia ,webster1 and they had nothing to fear from this ,cincinnati lady1 and he should set the editors right4 ,all this excitement was carefully kept from me1 as they wished to keep me as long as they possibly could1 hoping to glean some additional evidence against ,fairbanks1 although the jailer told me they had sufficient evidence to convict ,fairbanks for a term of twenty-five or thirty years at least1 as this was the second offense1 and he had no doubt but that he had been guilty of many others4 ,the papers next day came out with a correction1 that it was not ,delia ,webster1 but ,mrs4 ,haviland1 from ,cincinnati2 and1 as abolitionists generally went in pairs1 she had better keep a lookout1 or she1 too1 would find an apartment in ,colonel ,buckner's castle4 ,delia ,webster was arrested near the time of ,calvin ,fairbanks's first arrest1 and for the same offense1 and sentenced to the same penitentiary1 but in six weeks was pardoned4 ,the colonel was disposed to spend much time in discussing the merits1 or rather demerits1 of abolition principles1 which seemed to be a new theme for this ,methodist class-leader and jailor4 ,he said3 ,i want to convince you that you abolitioners are all wrong1 for you go against colonization1 and you can't deny it2 and if there was ever a heaven-born institution it is colonization4 ,do you claim that ,god has conferred the prerogative to a man or set of men to draw a line1 and say to you or me4 ',you shall go the other side of that line1 never to return8'4 ,o no1 that is a different thing4 ,we belong to a different race4 ,whatever privilege you claim for yourself or ,i claim for myself1 ,i claim for every other human being in the universe1 of whatever nation or color4 ,if the colored people choose to go to ,africa4 ,i have no word to say against their removal2 it is their right and their privilege to go4 ,and if they wish to go to any other part of our world they have the same right with me to go4 ,o no1 not to ,canada2 for you have no idea of the trouble it makes us4 ,we expend thousands of dollars in preventing our slaves from going there4 ,that is the defect in your policy4 ,it is the existence of your system of slavery that makes you all this trouble4 ,as ,i told you of ,miss ,chandler1 so it is with you1 because you never lived in a slave ,state1 and know nothing of their contented and happy condition4 ,they have no care2 if they are sick the doctor is sent for1 and they are as tenderly cared for as our own children1 and their doctor's bills are paid4 ,i know if you would live here a few months you'd see these things very differently4 ,you would see our slaves marching out to their work1 singing their songs and hymns as merrily as if they'd never had a troubled thought in their heads4 ,here's my wife1 born and raised in ,massachusetts1 and now she thinks as much of our institution of slavery as any of us who are raised here4 ,if your slaves are so happy and contented1 why do they make you so much trouble in their effort to reach ,canada8 ,o1 there's free niggers enough to be stirring up the devil in their heads2 for their notions are not fit to mingle with our servants4 ,and there's the good the colonization of these free negroes is doing4 ,i know of one man that manumitted two of his slaves on purpose to have them go to ,africa as missionaries2 and there is the design of ,providence in bringing those heathen negroes here to learn the ,gospel plan by ,christ1 to save the dark and benighted heathen of their own country4 ,we have reports from the two missionaries that ,i told you were set free for that object1 and their master sent them off to school a year or more to fit them for their work4 ,but why not give them all an opportunity of educacation1 to enable them to read the ,bible and books and papers4 ,that would improve the race at home2 and instead of sending them off1 as you say1 they would be preachers here among their people4 ,i tell you that wouldn't amount to any thing1 as there are but few that can learn any thing but work1 and that they are made for4 ,their thick skulls show that they can't learn books2 and if you knew as much about them as ,i do you'd see it too1 but you are such an abolitioner you won't see it4 ,i told him ,i had seen colored people in the ,north who were well educated and intelligent4 ,o yes1 there are a few who can learn1 but ,i speak of the race4 ,they are different from us1 you know4 ,not only their skin is black and hair curled and noses flat1 but they stink so4 ,but here is your house-servant1 ,mary1 preparing your meals1 setting in order your parlor and private rooms1 and waiting on the persons of your wife and daughter--and her hair is as short and skin as black and nose as flat as any you'll find2 and yet this disagreeable smell only troubles you in connection with the principle of freedom and liberty4 ,you are such an abolitioner there's no doing any thing with you1 he rejoined1 and left the room4 ,he soon returned1 and said3 ,there's another thing ,i want to talk with you about1 and that is amalgamation4 ,if you carry out your principles1 your children would intermarry with negroes2 and how would you feel to see your daughter marry a great black buck nigger8 ,that is the least of my troubles in this lower world1 said ,i4 ,but as far as amalgamation is concerned1 you have twenty cases of amalgamation in the ,south to one in the ,north4 ,i say this fearless of contradiction2 it is a fruitful product of slavery4 ,there are hundreds of slaves held as property by their own fathers4 ,you'll find it wherever slavery exists4 ,you find it here in your own city1 ,louisville4 ,giving a shrug of his shoulders1 he replied1 ,i will acknowledge this is a sorrowful fact that can not be denied4 ,this ended his talk on that subject4 ,after supper we were all enjoying a social chat before a blazing grate in the dining-room1 and ,i was sitting near the kitchen door1 that was ajar1 where were their slaves in hearing4 ,in their presence ,i had avoided answering some of his questions1 but now a question was put within their hearing1 which seemed to demand a square reply1 and ,i gave it4 ,i would like to know1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 where you abolitioners get your principles of equal rights4 ,i'd like to know where you find them4 ,we find them between the lids of the ,bible4 ,god created man in his own image--in his own likeness4 ,from a single pair sprang all the inhabitants of the whole earth4 ,god created of one blood all the nations that dwell upon the whole earth2 and when the ,savior left his abode with the ,father1 to dwell a season upon our earthly ball1 to suffer and die the ignominious death of the cross1 he shed his precious blood for the whole human family1 irrespective of nation or color4 ,we believe all are alike objects of redeeming love4 ,we believe our ,heavenly ,father gave the power of choice to beings he created for his own glory2 and this power to choose or refuse good or evil is a truth co-existent with man's creation4 ,this1 at least1 is my firm conviction4 ,no reply was made1 but1 at his suggestion1 we repaired to the parlor1 where other conversation was introduced1 but no reference made to ,bible arguments4 ,during the time of waiting to see the sheriff the jailer's wife frequently spent an hour or two in social conversation4 ,she said they never bought or sold a slave but at the earnest solicitation of the slave4 ,our black ,mary was one of the most pitiable objects you ever saw4 ,she was treated shamefully1 and was put here in jail1 where she lay three months1 and was so sick and thin there wouldn't any body buy her4 ,i felt so sorry for her ,i used to take her something she could eat1 and ,i had her clothes changed and washed1 or ,i reckon she would have died4 ,she begged me to buy her1 and ,i told ,mr4 ,buckner that if she was treated half decent ,i believed she would get well4 ,so ,i bought her and paid only four hundred dollars2 and now you see she looks hale and hearty1 and ,i wouldn't take double that for her4 ,but there is poor black ,sally1 just four weeks ago today she was sold to go down the river in a gang1 and ,i never saw any poor thing so near crazy as she was4 ,she was sold away from her seven children4 ,as ,i heard her screams ,i threw my bonnet and shawl on and followed her to the river1 and she threw herself down on her face and poured out her whole soul to ,god to relieve her great distress1 and save her poor children4 ,oh how she cried and prayed4 ,i tell you no heart1 not made of stone1 could witness that scene and not melt4 ,many shed tears over poor ,sally's prayer4 ,a man standing by went to the trader and bought her1 and went and told her that he lived only eight miles away1 and had bought her1 and she should come and see her children occasionally4 ,she thanked him as he helped her to stand up1 for she seemed weak4 ,but in just two weeks from that day she died1 and the doctors examined her1 and said she died of a broken heart4 ,they said there was no disease about her1 but that she seemed to sink from that day1 growing weaker and weaker until she died4 ,that was just two weeks ago to-day4 ,her eyes frequently filled with tears as she related this sad incident1 and yet she could cheerfully say1 ,oh1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 go with me into the kitchen to see my nigger baby4 ,as we entered the kitchen there stood the mother by her fat1 laughing baby1 bolstered up in his rude cradle of rough boards4 ,there1 isn't that a fine boy8 he's worth one hundred dollars4 ,i could get that to-day for him1 and he's only eight months old2 isn't be bright8 ,he is certainly a bright little fellow4 ,as ,i looked at the mother ,i saw the downcast look1 and noticed the sigh that escaped a heavy heart1 as she listened to the claim and price set upon her little darling4 ,it's mother1 ,mary1 was ebony black1 her child was a light mulatto1 which was in keeping with the story of abuse to which she was compelled to submit1 or else lay in jail4 ,during the afternoon of ,friday a ,mr4 ,adams1 from ,south ,carolina1 came to recognize and take his slave ,jack4 ,said the colonel3 ,he was decoyed by an abolitioner1 and now you can see what your principles lead to4 ,there's ,jack in the yard 7pointing toward the man74 ,his master has just been in jail with me and talked with ,jack1 and ,i let him out1 and he's going around town with him to see if he can get his eye on the rogue that enticed him away4 ,you see he's a great1 stout1 smart-looking fellow1 and the rascal got sight at him1 and saw him alone1 and asked him if he wouldn't like to be free1 and be his own master4 ,he said he would4 ',then meet me at eleven o'clock by that big tree near the road yonder1 and ,i'll take you with me to ,canada1 where you'll be a free man4' ,jack met him at the place appointed1 and they vent on till daylight1 then hid till night1 and traveled on4 ',now1' said this abolitioner if you will let me sell you in this little town ahead1 ,i'll be around here till near night1 then ,i'll go on to the next tavern 7or ,i'll tell them so71 but ,i'll stop in a little wood this side1 and wait for you till eleven or twelve o'clock1 and you can meet me1 and ,i'll give you half ,i get for you1 then well travel all night again1 when we'll be out of reach of their hunting for you4 ,then we can travel by day-time1 as you can call me master1 and ,i'll call you my body-servant4' ,jack was now fairly in his hands1 and did as he directed4 ,as he had divided the money with ,jack he had confidence in this mean fellow1 and thought he would take him on to ,canada4 ,he met him according to the plan1 and1 after traveling all night again1 another proposition was made to sell him again1 and he would again divide and give him half1 which now amounted to a large sum for ,jack4 ,but this was not the end of sales2 for he played the same game over and ewer1 until they reached this city1 when ,jack was caught and put in jail4 ,after he'd been here three days he told me all about it1 and ,i took the money and wrote to ,mr4 ,adams to come and get him4 ,by the time that abolitioner got here he had sold ,jack seven times1 and divided with him every time4 ,so1 you see1 that is just the fruit of your principles4 ,i patiently waited until he finished his story1 with its charges1 when it was my time4 ,colonel ,buckner1 ,i do not acknowledge this to be the work of an abolitionist1 ,this was a selfish1 unprincipled man2 he was making himself rich1 and probably was taking ,jack down the river1 and would have kept on selling him1 and dividing1 until he would have sold him for the last time1 and then have taken from ,jack all the money he had given him from these clandestine sales4 ,i have no word of sanction to give to work like this2 ,i should say his place was here in jail instead of ,jack4 ,if ,jack had come to us hungry and naked1 we should have fed and clothed him2 and if sick with fatigue and footsore1 we should have given him a ride toward ,canada1 if he wished to go there2 but as for this man1 ,i will not own him as an abolitionist4 ,i repudiate his work altogether4 ,oh1 yes1 he told ,jack he was an abolitioner4 ,then he was a hypocrite4 ,i want to suppose a case for you to consider4 ,perhaps a fine appearing man comes into your city1 attends your ,methodist meetings1 and calls himself a ,methodist4 ,he speaks well in your class meetings1 speaks1 prays1 and sings in your prayer-meetings1 and you became very favorably impressed with him as a ,christian4 ,he engages1 perhaps1 as clerk or bookkeeper in one of your large business houses across the street1 and during three or six months appears so candid and punctual in all business transactions1 that they confide to his care important business4 ,but the opportunity arrives when he takes advantage of this confidence1 and forges a draft of #c1jjj1 and it is cashed1 and he is off1 never to be heard from again4 ,now as you learn of this dark deed1 you have no idea of acknowledging that man as a ,christian brother1 have you8 ,oh1 no1 certainly not2 we expect and know there are hypocrites4 ,so do we expect hypocrites in our abolition ranks2 but because of counterfeit money we would not reject the true coin4 ,in the evening ,i was introduced to ,mr4 ,adams1 of ,south ,carolina1 with whom we all seemed to enjoy free and easy conversation4 ,he was quite pleased to find his servant ,jack1 and a secret thought stole over me that he was also pleased to get with him two or three times his value in gold4 ,sabbath morning ,ben ,franklin ,no4 #b packet came in1 and ,i prepared to go to the boat1 as the jailor said the sheriff had not yet returned from the country4 ,said the jailor3 ,i don't like to have you leave without seeing ,fairbanks1 as you are the only friend who has called on him4 ,i have a great mind to assume the responsibility of just taking you into the jail a few minutes before you go4 ,i would thank you very kindly1 ,i said1 if you think it prudent2 but if not1 ,i shall not urge you in the least4 ,i reckon there can be no harm done4 ,come on1 we'll go1 and ,i followed him into the jail1 and he called for ,fairbanks4 ,i met him under circumstances that had caused such bitter prejudices against him that there was no shadow of probability that any thing like justice would be shown him4 ,besides1 there were forty sad faces before me1 of persons who1 the jailer told me1 had committed no crime1 but were placed there for safe keeping1 as they had been purchased in different places for the lower market4 ,a gang was being prepared by a trader1 and these were all shades1 from the ebony black to those with fair skin1 straight hair1 and blue eyes1 with hardly a vestige of ,african descent4 ,with this scene before me1 ,i could not restrain tears1 neither were ,calvin's eyes dry4 ,as he held my hand in both of his1 he said3 ,let us keep good courage4 ,i think ,i shall be released after my trial4 ,i want you to see my lawyer1 ,mr4 ,thruston2 he says he will take my case through for six hundred dollars4 ,i told him ,i had no power to indemnify a lawyer4 ,and after ,i received his note urging me to see him1 ,i sent a note back by the keeper to that effect4 ,but if you can see him1 he may fall in his price two hundred or three hundred dollars4 ,don't leave without seeing him4 ,i told him ,i would have seen him if he had been in town on receiving his note1 and yet ,i could see no important benefit in securing an interview with the lawyer1 as his figures1 unless greatly reduced1 were beyond our reach in ,cincinnati4 ,perhaps he may reduce them if you see him4 ,with these beseeching words1 with tearful eyes that brought tears to the eyes of the colonel as well1 the colonel said at once3 ,i think you ought to comply with ,fairbanks's request1 and stay over one more trip4 ,you can stop with us and be welcome4 ,if you choose to call on ,dr4 ,field1 as ,fairbanks has suggested1 you can do so2 but ,i reckon it's your duty to see his lawyer4 ,dr4 ,field was a practical abolitionist4 ,like ,dr4 ,brisbane and ,james ,g4 ,birney1 he emancipated his own slaves1 and left ,louisville on account of slavery1 and made a home in ,jeffersonville1 on the ,indiana side of the river4 ,as it was now ten minutes1 double the time suggested by the jailer while we were on our way to the jail1 ,i turned to the keeper1 and told him as my interview was prolonged beyond its limit1 ,i would go2 and on taking leave of ,calvin he pointed to four men standing a few feet from him1 and said1 ,do you know those men8 ,i looked up and nodded to them a recognition4 ,they were fugitives who had been recaptured by virtue of the fugitive slave law passed in #ahej1 some of whom had made their escape from slavery many years before4 ,one1 whose name was ,baker1 with whom ,i was well acquainted1 had hair straighter and skin fairer than very many of our ,anglo-,saxon race4 ,these four answered to the nod1 smiling through their tears4 ,they had enjoyed a taste of freedom1 and now were to be hurled back to a dark life of bondage more bitter to them than ever before4 ,but not a word could ,i utter to them4 ,the slight bow1 as ,i was turning away1 was all2 and yet that was sufficient to set on fire a world of iniquity in the four officers in front of the iron grates through which we conversed with ,calvin ,fairbanks4 ,these officers beckoned to the jailer as we were passing through to the outer gate1 and upon his opening it1 he said1 ,will you please pass through the yard into our apartments alone8 ,certainly1 ,i responded2 and turning to me1 he remarked1 ,those officers beckoned to see me a moment4 ,i drew my arm from his1 that he had so politely tendered in going to and from ,calvin4 ,in passing through the yard ,i met their slave man1 who said1 in a low tone1 ,did you see ,fairbanks8 ,i answered1 in a like tone1 ,i did4 ,glory6 he cried1 just loud enough for me to hear4 ,near the door ,i was met by ,mary1 who said but little above a whisper1 ,did you see him8 ,as ,i gave a nod1 she said1 ,good1 good6 clapping her hands for joy4 ,i waited in the parlor for the return of the jailer1 as he had said he would go to the river with me4 ,he soon came in1 pale and trembling with excitement4 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 those officers are all boiling over with excitement4 ,they wanted to know if ,i didn't see how just the sight of you was like an electric shock all over that crowd of slaves4 ,didn't you see those four runaways cry at the sight of her8 said one of the officers4 ,i told them my attention was all taken up with your conversation with ,fairbanks1 and noticed nothing of others4 ,they say it is very evident that you are a dangerous person1 and deserve to be here in this jail just as much as ,fairbanks1 and they are for arresting you at once2 and ,i don't know1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 that it will be in my power to protect you4 ,there have been threats in the papers every day since you've been here2 and ,shotwell has had his officers out hunting in every hotel for you2 but we have kept it carefully from the public that you were with me1 until now these officers are determined to arrest you4 ,said ,i3 ,colonel ,buckner1 should your officers come in this moment ,i have nothing to fear4 ,the ,god of ,daniel is here at this hour4 ,should ,i be arrested1 you wouldn't keep me in your jail three days4 ,i have no more fear than if ,i were in my own room in ,cincinnati4 ,his trembling voice became quiet2 and more calmly he said3 ,well1 it is a glorious thing to feel like you do2 but ,i reckon you'd better go over the river to ,dr4 ,field's1 and when ,mr4 ,thruston comes into the city ,i'll send him over to see you4 ,i advise you not to set foot on the ,kentucky shore again1 as ,i know it will not be safe4 ,there is this morning a great excitement jail over town about you4 ,so one of the officers told me4 ,but ,i'll go to the river with you right soon4 ,we started for the door1 when he halted3 ,i don't think ,i had better go with you now1 as these officers may come out and make trouble1 and ,i reckon you'd be safer alone4 ,very well1 ,i have no hesitancy whatever in going alone2 and ,i bode him good-bye4 ,as ,i was opening the door he reached his hand to return the ,good-bye--,god bless you6 and ,i left the jail and jailer4 ,i passed a large hotel1 with perhaps fifteen or twenty men standing on the sidewalk in front4 ,all seemed in a perfect buzz of excitement1--,when ,i saw this company of men1 the first thought was to pass over on the other side4 ,but ,i will neither turn to the right nor the left1 but pass through their midst1 was an impression that ,i followed2 and so busily engaged were they in their excited conversation that they hardly looked to see the little passer-by1 the subject of their thoughts and words4 ,said one3 ,great excitement in town to-day4 ,yes1 sir2 you can see a group of men at every street corner4 ,i smiled to myself1 as ,i thought1 ,little do you think this is the little old woman you are troubling yourselves over4 ,i soon was in ,jeffersonville inquiring for ,dr4 ,field's residence1 and was shown the house across the street1 and upon its front porch stood a little group--the doctor and family1 with two ministers--watching me2 and as ,i opened the gate and inquired if this was ,dr4 ,field's residence3 ,yes1 ,i am the ,jason1 said the doctor4 ,we're been looking for you1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 every day since you've been in ,louisville4 ,this was an unexpected salutation1 and ,i felt at home again as ,i clasped their warm hands of friendship4 ,how is it that you have knowledge of me8 ,just walk in1 and ,i'll show you the papers2 haven't you seen them8 ,i told him ,i had not1 and knew nothing of it until just as ,i was leaving2 the jailer told me there had been threats in the daily papers to arrest me4 ,when ,i read these little scurrilous articles1 calculated to inflame an already inflamed public1 ,i wondered1 as well as the doctor1 that they had not found my whereabouts and made trouble4 ,i hoped my ,cincinnati friends had not seen this1 as ,i had written them the reason of my delay1 and sent the letter by the same boat that brought me to ,louisville4 ,i enjoyed sweet rest with these ,christian friends1 and attended with them their afternoon meeting4 ,the minister who preached was as earnest an abolitionist as the doctor1 and brother ,proctor preached as radical an abolition sermon as ,i ever listened to2 it seemed like an oasis in a desert4 ,the day following ,i sent a note to ,lawyer ,thruston's office1 and received in reply the statement that his illness had prevented his leaving his room during two weeks past1 and urged me to come and see him without delay1 and he would stand between me and all harm4 ,the doctor said1 as he was a lawyer of influence in their city1 he advised me to go2 and as it was snowing a little1 he gave me an umbrella1 with which ,i might screen myself while passing the jail1 as well as be sheltered from the snow4 ,i found the lawyer very affable in his manners1 and he said they would do the best they could for ,fairbanks1 and we might pay what we could4 ,i returned without difficulty to our ,jason4 ,i wrote a little article under the caption of ,correction1 and sent it to both the ,commercial and ,louisville ,courier4 ,it was inserted1 with the following editorial note3 ,notwithstanding the pretended laudability of her errand to our city1 we are still satisfied it was out of no good motive1 as birds of a feather will flock together4 ,most assuredly ,i was thankful to see the return of ,ben ,franklin1 ,no4 #b1 which took me from that nest of unclean birds to those of more congenial and harmless habits4 ,my anxious friends in ,cincinnati had not received either of any letters1 and had read only these threatening cards in the ,cincinnati ,commercial1 copied from ,louisville dailies1 that caused great anxiety4 ,i sent a letter by both trips that this boat made during the week ,i was in ,louisville1 and ,colonel ,buckner took both and said he would sec them delivered at the boat4 ,while on the boat a gentleman and his wife among the passengers were returning to their ,eastern home1 with whom ,i formed a pleasant acquaintance4 ,among other topics of discussion was the value of hygiene and hydropathy1 in which a ,louisville physician joined1 narrating his observations of the system during a practice of fifteen years in ,louisville4 ,as he seemed to be an intelligent and social gentleman1 we all seemed to enjoy our new acquaintances4 ,i remarked to him that there seemed to exist quite an excitement in his city during the week past1 over an old lady who took a few articles of under-clothes and a quilt or two to ,fairbanks4 ,o1 yes2 were you in the city8 ,i was1 and was surprised at the excitement produced by her presence4 ,well1 ,i suppose ,shotwell did make a great stir over his loss of a house-servant4 ,i understand be spent three hundred dollars in his effort to find that woman1 as he thought she knew where his slave was4 ,i have forgotten her name4 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 from ,cincinnati1 was the one threatened in your dailies1 ,i replied4 ,ob1 yes1 that was the name4 ,i heard you say you are going to ,cincinnati2 do you know any thing of that lady8 ,i do2 ,i have been acquainted with her from childhood4 ,you have6 ,what sort of a lady is she8 ,well1 if you should see her1 you wouldn't think it worth while to raise all this breeze over her1 or any thing she could do4 ,she is a little1 insignificant looking woman1 anyhow2 and yet ,i think she is conscientious in what she does4 ,there wouldn't have been such a stir but for ,mr4 ,shotwell1 who felt himself wronged in the loss of his house servant2 ,but he is considered one of your most influential citizens1 ,i am told4 ,yes1 madam2 ,i reckon we'll have to excuse him1 for he is quite nervous and angry over ,fairbanks4 ,after quite a lengthy conversation on this subject1 my new lady friend1 to whom ,i had related a portion of my ,louisville experience1 was waiting for an opportunity to put a joke on the ,louisville doctor1 and called me by name4 ,at this the astonished doctor said3 ,i reckon this is not ,mrs4 ,haviland1 is it8 ,that is the name by which ,i am called4 ,is this indeed the lady we've been talking about1 and of whose appearance you gave such a brilliant description8 ,and he laughed heartily4 ,well1 well1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 don't judge our city by this little flurry of excitement2 for we have good1 substantial people in our town1 and ,i hope you'll visit our city again sometime1 and you'll find it's true4 ,i reckon if those excited men had arrested you1 there would have rallied to your aid a different class of men2 for your errand was perfectly proper1 and you would have been borne out in it1 too1 by the more sensible people of our city4 ,but my ,cincinnati friends were not so confident of my safety4 ,said ,levi ,coffin1 as ,i met him1 ,dr4 ,brisbane has said it was most likely that we should find thee in prison2 and our friend1 ,james ,g4 ,birney1 is also very much discouraged1 and said he was sorry thou went at this time of excitement1 of both ,north and ,south1 over the lynching of ,williams near ,baltimore1 the binding of ,conklin and throwing him into the river1 and now the illegal capture of ,calvin ,fairbanks in ,indiana1 and taking him over into ,kentucky and lodging him in jail there4 ,but they have no regard or respect for law4 ,as we knew all this1 we have all been exceedingly anxious for thy safety4 ,it was a season of rejoicing with us all that our suffering brother in prison had received present relief2 and no threats were put in execution in regard to myself4 ,i realized an answer to prayer before ,i left for that prison1 and not a moment while in ,louisville did ,i in the least doubt the keeping power to be stronger than the power of darkness4 ,our friend1 ,james ,g4 ,birney1 being feeble in health1 sent for me to spend a day in his family2 and a rich feast ,i enjoyed in listening to the experience of that noble ,christian man4 ,worthy was he to have presided over our nation4 ,excitement does not cease1 though the base is changed4 ,tidings came to us that fourteen newly-arrived fugitives were housed in the basement of ,zion ,baptist ,church4 ,i repaired at once to see what was needed for their journey1 and found a very sick babe1 two months old4 ,the mother said it was very sick before they left1 and she did not expect it to live1 but their arrangements were made to go for freedom1 and she would rather bury her child on the way than to stay behind till it left her4 ,it died that night1 and they were provided with a respectable coffin1 and the company1 with others1 formed a funeral procession to the burying-ground4 ,after the burial the thirteen fugitives were taken to the ,quaker settlement1 twenty-five miles distant1 and from thence were forwarded to ,canada4 ,the colored members of our vigilance committee informed me that an infant died in that basement once before1 and they took up a part of the floor and buried the child in the grave prepared for it1 to avoid suspicion2 for its parents were the slaves of a wealthy ,kentuckian1 who was making great efforts to capture the family4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,christian ,,and ,,educational ,,work4 ,very many incidents of interest we must pass over2 but1 suffice to say1 there was seldom a week passed without a slave or slaves leaving a boat or otherwise crossing the river in quest of freedom4 ,i met on the street a sister ,white1 who was much distressed about her son1 who was almost gone with consumption1 and yet was unwilling to see any minister or religious person1 to say any thing to him about a preparation for the change4 ,do1 please1 go with me now to see my dying son ,harvey4 ,may he'll listen to you4 ,i went to her house1 and found him too weak to talk much4 ,the mother introduced me as her friend who had called on her4 ,i took his emaciated hand1 and said1 ,i see you are very low and weak1 and ,i do not wish to worry you with talking1 but you have but little hope of being restored to health ,i should judge from your appearance4 ,he turned his head on his pillow as he said1 ,i can never be any better--,i can't live4 ,then your mind has been turned toward the future1 and may the enlightening influence of the ,holy ,spirit lead you to the ,great ,physician of souls1 who knows every desire of the heart1 and is able to save to the uttermost1 even at the eleventh hour4 ,i saw the starting tear as he looked earnestly at me1 while ,i was still holding his feverish hand in mine4 ,will it be too much for you1 in your weak condition1 if ,i should read to you a few of the words of our ,lord and ,savior8 ,o no1 ,i'd like to hear you4 ,i opened to ,john xiv2 and upon reading a few verses ,i saw that the impression made was deepening1 and asked if it would worry him too much if ,i should spend a few moments in prayer4 ,o no1 ,i'd like to hear you pray4 ,placing my hand on his forehead1 ,i implored divine aid in leading this precious soul to the cleansing fountain1 and that his faith might increase1 and in its exercise be enabled to secure the pearl of great price4 ,as ,i arose from his bedside1 he reached out both hands for mine1 and said1 ,i want you to come to-morrow4 ,he wept freely2 and ,i left with the burden of that precious soul upon my heart4 ,the mother and sister1 who were both professors of religion1 stood near the door weeping for joy over the consent of the dear son and brother to listen to the few words of reading and prayer4 ,the day following ,i met the sick man again1 and as soon as ,i entered his mother's room she said1 ,o1 how thankful we are to ,god for this visit to my poor boy6 ,he seems in almost constant prayer for mercy4 ,early this morning he spoke of your coming to-day4 ,as ,i entered his room he threw up both hands1 saying1 ,god will have mercy on poor me1 won't he8 ,most certainly1 ,i responded2 his word is nigh thee1 even in thy heart1 and in thy mouth4 ,do pray for me1 he requested4 ,i read a few words from the ,bible1 and followed with prayer1 in which he joined with a few ejaculations4 ,i left him much more hopeful than on the previous day4 ,the next morning his sister came for me in great haste1 saying1 ,brother ,harvey wants to see you1 quick4 ,it was not yet sunrise2 but ,i hastened to obey the message1 as ,i supposed he was dying4 ,not a word passed between us until we reached her brother's room4 ,upon opening his door he exclaimed1 ,glory1 glory to ,god1 ,mrs4 ,haviland6 ,come to me quick1 ,i want to kiss you2 for ,god brought me out of darkness this morning about the break of day4 ,o hallelujah6 ,glory to ,jesus6 ,he shed his blood for poor me2 and ,i shouted louder than ,i could talk for a good many days4 ,o1 how ,i wish ,i had strength to tell every body that ,i am happier in one minute than ,i ever knew in all my life put together6 ,he became quite exhausted in shouting and talking1 and ,i advised him to rest now in the arms of the beloved ,savior4 ,yes1 ,i am in his arms4 ,glory to his name for what he has done for me6 ,i want you to see my cousin ,george2 he is sick1 and not able to come to see me to-day4 ,i told him ,i would within a few days1 and left him1 with his cup of salvation overflowing4 ,about two hours before he died he looked at his mother1 smiling1 and said1 ,there's ,mary2 don't you see her1 standing at the foot of my bed8 ,no1 my son1 mother don't see her4 ,o1 how beautiful she looks6 ,it seems as if you must see her1 and he looked very earnestly at the object4 ,there1 she's gone now4 ,fifteen minutes before he breathed his last he said1 ,here she is again1 and so beautiful6 ,mother1 can't you see her8 ,no1 son1 ,i can't see her4 ,beautiful1 beautiful she is4 ,there1 she's gone again4 ,just as the soul took its flight1 he upraised both hands1 with a smile1 and said1 ,here she is1 with two angels with her4 ,they've come for me2 and the hands dropped as the breath left him1 with the smile retained1 on his countenance4 ,the sister ,mary1 that died a number of years previously1 was about four years old2 and his mother told me she had not heard her name mentioned in the family for months before ,harvey's death4 ,my time was fully occupied in caring for the sick and dying1 as cholera had become very prevalent and fatal4 ,among the many who died with that disease were ,levi and ,catherine ,coffin's daughter ,anna1 about ten years of age1 and a lady1 the mother of three children1 whose dying request was that ,i should take charge of her children until the return of their father1 who was in ,california4 ,a few weeks passed1 and my promise to ,harvey ,white was forgotten1 until one morning it rushed upon me with such force that ,i trembled4 ,i hastened to see him1 and1 to my surprise1 he too was very near to death with consumption1 and without hope4 ,his mother was a widow1 also an earnest ,christian2 but her son ,george would not allow her or any of the ministers of her acquaintance to talk with him on the subject of religion4 ,but he was glad to hear that his cousin ,harvey had died so happy2 and she thought if ,i should tell him about ,harvey he would listen to me4 ,he could speak but little above a whisper1 ,i told him of my reading to ,harvey1 and asked if he would like to hear me read the same to him4 ,he said he would2 and ,i read the same words1 and told him how earnestly his cousin ,harvey had prayed1 and ,god1 who hears and answers prayer1 answered him1 and he died a happy ,christian4 ,his feelings became tender1 and ,i knelt by his bedside in supplication4 ,as ,i was about to leave1 he said3 ,there is a difficulty in my way1 and ,i think you can remove it2 but ,i am more rested early in the morning1 and if you can come to-morrow morning ,i will tell you what it is4 ,i told him ,i would be there if life and health were spared4 ,the following morning ,i met him more rested4 ,he said3 ,i have tried to pray to ,god2 then it seems as if ,jesus ,christ stands there1 and if ,i pray to ,jesus it don't feel quite clear1 because ,i want to go to head-quarters1 and ,i am confused1 and don't know where to go or what to do1 and so ,i've given it all up2 for it's all dark before me1 and ,i've concluded to die in the dark4 ,this sorrowful condition of unbelief brought secret prayer for divine guidance in words to place the divinity of the ,lord ,jesus as clearly as possible before him4 ,i read a few passages where he manifested his power by miracles1 that ye may know that the ,son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins4 ,he heard me attentively1 and suddenly exclaimed3 ,now ,i see it2 now ,i see it2 now ,i've got a foothold4 ,now ,i can pray4 ,i want you to pray for me4 ,he followed in earnest prayer4 ,at the close he raised his clasped hands3 ,i've found him2 ,i've got him4 ,o1 how ,i wish ,i could have voice and strength to tell you how happy ,i am6 ,i want to go to my ,savior2 he is my all4 ,but ,i can not tell it here2 ,i will tell it in glory4 ,it's all light now2 the darkness1 is all gone4 ,he seemed much exhausted1 and took leave of his mother and mister1 and sank into a stupor1 and quietly passed away that afternoon4 ,i felt under renewed obligations to praise ,him for his loving kindness in reminding me1 so vividly of the promise ,i made to that dying young man1 ,harvey ,white4 ,how careful we should be to attend1 to every little errand as we are passing through our life-work4 ,i felt to upbraid myself for being so inattentive to that request4 ,had that precious soul left the shores of time without hope in ,christ1 ,i could never have forgiven myself for my neglect4 ,there are neglected duties that dot my life here and there with regrets1 that have been lessons to teach the necessity of greater faithfulness in the ,master's work4 ,the daughter of ,john ,hatfield came to me with the word that there was a woman at their house who wished to see me4 ,her father being a member of the vigilance committee ,i went without delay1 and found the woman in great distress of mind4 ,she said she was a slave1 but had the privilege of working in ,cincinnati at house-cleaning1 washing1 or any jobs she could get1 by paying her mistress three dollars per week4 ,in this way she had managed to lay aside for herself over twenty dollars during nearly two years4 ,she had a husband and nine children1 ,an' las' year1 said she1 missus was gwine to sell my oldes' gal an' her baby to get money to keep her two gals in school ,norf somewhars1 an' she tuck her baby an' run off for ,canada1 an' now she says she's got to sell my ,mary2 and her tears came as from a fountain4 ,why don't she come away as your other daughter did8 ,i asked4 ,oh1 she can't2 missus won't let one o' my family come but me4 ,she let's me come an' do all her marketin' arter ,i gets all her work a-goin'1 so my man an' chillen goes on wid it2 she lets me come to de city to work1 an' ,i pays her three dollars every week4 ,now ,i'se full o' trouble over my ,mary2 and she wept so freely that it was some time before she could give me this little sketch4 ,i found they lived fifteen miles from the river1 and she had placed her money in the hands of a colored man by the name of ,bailey1 to keep for her to use at some future time in going to ,canada with her family4 ,he had told her when the right time came he would have her money ready for her1 and would help her4 ,i told her ,i would gladly relieve her were it in my power2 but all ,i could do was to advise her to bring her family in the covered market wagon1 and throw a quilt or blanket over them2 then the hay she always put in for her team over that1 and a bag of apples1 and another of potatoes1 or any thing she generally brought into market1 placed in front so as to present the appearance of a load of marketing4 ,as she had been over so often1 she said1 the ferryman hardly ever asked her for her pass1 for he knew her so well4 ,don't you see you are the very one to bring yourself and family here8 ,you could drive over and take your family to either of three places3 to a colored family on ,macallister ,street1 by the name of ,hall2 or to ,levi ,coffin's1 on the corner of ,ninth and ,walnut ,streets2 or bring them here to ,john ,hatfield's4 ,at either of these places you are as sure of going through safe as if you were already in ,canada4 ,she listened with great attention1 and her tears dried away as she looked up1 with her face shining with hope1 and said1 ,i do b'leve ,i can do it2 ,i never thought o' that4 ,i'll go to ,bailey for my money fus thing1 an' ,i'll go mighty soon4 ,i charged her not to name to ,bailey or any other human being this side or the other1 the plan ,i had given her1 except to her own family4 ,she promised1 and left with a much lighter heart4 ,a few days later ,i was requested to meet ,mary ,french1 who would be at ,john ,hatfield's house at twelve o'clock4 ,her friend said1 ,she is nearly crazy1 an' ,i coaxed her to see you4 ,she's los' faith in every body ,i reckon1 for 't was a good bit afore ,i could get her to see you agin4 ,she said she did see you wonst1 an' you couldn't do nothin' for her4 ,she's bin house-cleanin' wid me1 an' it 'pears like she's 'cryin' all the time1 day an' night1 an' me an' another woman got her to see you1 if ,i'd git you to come to ,mr4 ,hatfield's at noon4 ,i found her wringing her hands and weeping bitterly4 ,as ,i looked upon that poor1 despairing woman that ,i had left so hopeful a few days previously1 ,i felt that ,i could say or do nothing for her but to point her to the ,god of ,israel1 who is able and willing to lead his oppressed children4 ,i said1 ,were you ever a ,christian8 ,i was three years ago1 an' ,i lived a prayin' life a year2 then the white folks did so bad1 it 'peared like ,i couldn't live 'ligion1 an' ,i giv' it all up4 ,missus sole my poor gal down de river1 to sen' her two gals to de ,norf to school now she's gwine to sell my ,mary1 kase they's runnin' short o' money2 an' she missed sellin' my gal las' year4 ,if ,i hadn't lef de ,lord maybe dis hard trouble wouldn't come 'pon me4 ,and again she began to wring her hands with convulsive weeping4 ,as ,i looked upon that poor1 crushed spirit1 the most frantic with grief of any person ,i ever saw1 a feeling of confidence sprang up in me that she would become free4 ,said ,i1 ,you have known what it was to ask ,god to give you freedom from sin1 and make you free from the bondage of ,satan4 ,now go to him with full purpose of heart1 and he will restore the joys of his salvation and again will set you free in soul4 ,then1 ,i feel confident that the ,captain of the soul's freedom will open the way for freedom from this chain of slavery that now binds you as a family4 ,now go to ,jesus2 he will do great things for you4 ,you lose confidence in your friends1 you lose confidence in yourself2 but go to the ,lord ,jesus1 and believe he will direct you1 and he will do it4 ,let prayer be thy constant work1 then faith will increase--that will not fail4 ,at these few words she became calm1 and said1 as she looked up1 ,can you tell me where my daughter is8 ,certainly1 ,i said1 ,i heard from her yesterday2 she is in ,carthaginia1 ,indiana4 ,i had supposed she went directly to ,canada1 and ,i was sorry she stopped so near to the line--not more than one hundred miles off4 ,i was tole she went through this city with her baby4 ,it was true1 ,i answered4 ,i was astonished to see her wipe her tears away and become calm so soon1 and converse with so much composure4 ,if we come soon can you go a piece wid us8 ,it will make no difference whether ,i am here or not1 if you go to either of the places ,i told you of4 ,there are a great many safe places here1 but ,i gave those places you know so well1 and can find day or night ,i shall probably go to my home in ,michigan next week1 and it is uncertain when ,i return2 but don't forget to carry your burden to the ,lord by constant prayer for his directing hand2 and whatever way he opens1 take it2 if it should be any other way than the plan ,i suggested1 take it1 regardless of what ,i have said1 except to mind closely the impressions you feel confident come from an ,all-wise ,director4 ,do this1 and ,i have great faith in your success4 ,never have ,i had the strong faith that ,i have at this moment1 that if you go to the ,savior for his help in this time of your great need1 he will lead you out of slavery4 ,i advise you not to wait for ,bailey4 ,if you come here you can all be taken to ,canada without a dollar4 ,this seemed to surprise her4 ,she said she could get a few dollars1 as she was earning good day wages4 ,one thing more ,i would say1 ,i went on1 and that is1 wherever ,i may be1 whether in my ,michigan home1 or here in this city1 ,i shall not forget to implore divine aid in the deliverance of this family from slavery4 ,with this solemn interview we parted1 and the burden of prayer followed me to my home4 ,hardly a day passed without presenting that poor family at a throne of grace for their preservation4 ,two months later found me again in the exciting scenes of ,cincinnati4 ,my first inquiry was for ,mary ,french4 ,yes1 ,i heard a few days ago that her mistress had forbidden her ever to come to this city again1 and had threatened to sell the whole family down the river1 and ,i suppose they are all sold by this time1 said ,john ,hatfield4 ,he said she remained in the city three or four weeks after ,i saw her1 to get money to start with1 but she was too late4 ,her ,mary was sold just before she returned home1 and the poor woman grieved so for her poor girl1 that he heard her mistress abused her1 and threatened to sell them all4 ,it seemed as if ,i could hardly endure the thought1 when ,i had indulged such strong hope of her success1 but ,i could not yet give her up1 though ,i regretted exceedingly her delay1 as ,i felt great confidence that ,he who notes the falling sparrow1 and hears the young ravens cry1 would have brought that family out of bondage4 ,while in charge of the sick1 word was brought by a workman in a shop that there was an exciting report in town that a market wagon brought over a load of nine slaves early that morning1 and that a reward of five hundred dollars was offered for information of their whereabouts4 ,while my heart leaped for joy1 hoping it might be ,mary ,french and family1 yet as ,i was in a pro-slavery family1 my feelings were kept to myself4 ,the man of the house said3 ,what a pity to lose that amount of property6 ,but according to your principles1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 ,i suppose you are glad of it4 ,certainly4 ,as ,i told you the other day1 the negroes have the same rights from their ,creator that we have1 and no man or class of men has the right to take them away4 ,now can't you set aside these notions of yours8 ,you can easily find out where they are1 and slyly report them1 and here's your five hundred dollars4 ,i would not for ten times that amount4 ,would you do it8 ,certainly ,i would1 and should think it my duty4 ,i am astonished to hear this from one who professes to be a follower of the ,lord ,jesus1 a part of whose mission was to unbind the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free4 ,it is pain to me to hear you advance the sentiments you do in the presence of your children2 and a class-leader in the ,methodist ,protestant ,church4 ,i can not henceforward acknowledge you as a brother in ,christ4 ,why1 ,mrs4 ,haviland6 ,you are the most uncharitable person ,i ever met4 ,this hurts my feelings more than anything you have said in presenting your radical position4 ,i do hope and pray that the enlightening influences of the ,holy ,spirit may lead to a far different view from your present one4 ,i am grieved to hear this from one who is looked upon as a leader to the ,lamb of ,god1 who shed his blood for the whole universe of man1 regardless of color or nation4 ,his reply was1 ,i want to refer you to a few more ,scripture arguments that ,i have not mentioned4 ,to-night1 from seven o'clock till nine1 ,i want to talk with you on this subject4 ,i told him ,i would be ready1 but ,i had one request1 and that was to make this a subject of prayer1 as ,i should myself1 during the day4 ,he said he would seriously look it over1 and left for his business4 ,at nine o'clock my patient was comfortably cared for1 and ,i had been talking of going to ,levi ,coffin's on an errand for a number of days4 ,i asked permission of her to be absent an hour for that purpose1 and her consent for two hours was given4 ,on my way ,i called on ,john ,hatfield1 to know whether this company of slaves was not the ,mary ,french family4 ,oh1 no1 that poor family has gone down the river4 ,i heard some days ago that they were sold to a trader4 ,the market-wagon was the plan ,i gave ,mary1 and ,i hoped so much that it was her family4 ,yes1 but we should be just as glad for other slaves panting for liberty1 as for her1 and ,i accepted the remark as almost a half reproof for being more anxious for her than for other slaves4 ,as ,i entered ,catherine ,coffin's room ,i inquired whether she knew this morning's company of the nine slaves to be ,mary ,french and family4 ,i know nothing of the name1 but a woman and little child are up in our attic2 but nobody knows it about this house but ,levi and ,i4 ,please go up and tell her a friend is going to call on her1 so as not to frighten her4 ,go on2 she'll know we would let no one but a friend go up4 ,i walked slowly up to the fourth story1 and lo6 on a box in the corner sat ,mary ,french with her little grandchild sitting at her feet4 ,is it possible that is ,mary ,french8 ,i exclaimed4 ,she sprang to me with outstretched arms1 clasped me with tears of joy and leaning her head on my shoulder sobbed4 ,o1 my ,god has saved me so far1 but my pore ,mary was sole down de ribber1 when ,i is here in de city to git a little money to start wid4 ,when ,i gets into missus' door1 ,i sort o' felt somethin' wrong1 an' axt her1 ',whar's ,mary8'1 ,she say1 ',i sole her las' week1' an' ,i cried1 ',o my ,god6 save my pore chile ,mary6' an' she kotched up de tongs an' beat me on my head 'til ,i loss my min'1 and when ,i come to ,i was layin' on de floor bleedin'4 ,you see here is a sore yit 7pointing to her head74 ,there was a gash that must have been three inches long by the appearance of the scar and sore1 yet unhealed4 ,missus said ,i never1 the longes' day ,i live1 should set foot in ,cincinnati1 'case free niggers ruin me1 an' afore she have such a fuss as dis1 she put de hull of us in her pocket4 ,i knowd what dis mean1 and ,i tried mighty hard to cheer up afore her4 ,but my tears was my meat and drink a few days4 ,i 'membered your word to go to de ,lord day an' night1 'case ,i couldn't come to you no mo'e4 ,in three days he answered my prayer1 an' jus' tole me ,i's gwine to be free1 an' ,i tole my husban' so1 but he couldn't git faith in me4 ,i tole 'im to put faith in ,god1 as ,i did now4 ,but ,i did lose faith in my bes' frien' when ,bailey tole me you an' ,hatfiel' betrayed my gal ,mary1 an' got a hundred dollars reward2 den ,i was mos' crazy4 ,and when dat 'oman tole me to go to you1 an' ,i tole her ,i did talk to you1 and tole her what ,bailey said 'bout you an' ,hatfiel'1 she said he was a bad man1 an' lied only to keep my mouey4 ,she begged me so hard ,i tole her if you'd tell me whar ,mary is1 ,i'd have faith in you1 an' when you tole me so quick1 all my faith in you come back4 ,how ,i wish you could see my man1 for he's so sure they'll cotch us4 ,i don't know whar he is1 for we's scattered among de good people4 ,o1 what a time ,i had wid 'im to git 'im started4 ,i loaded an' unloaded four times afore he'd come4 ,at las' a pore white man tole me he hear missus say she gwine to sell us all to de firs' trader come along4 ,i say1 ',what shall ,i do8' ,he say1 ',if ,i was you1 ,i'd run away4' ,i say ',here's my man an' chillen1 can't go widout 'em4' ,he say ',all go1 an' if dey cotch you 'twon't be no wuss dan to go to de trader1 and if ,i can do any way to help you ,i will1 for ,i feels sorry for you4' ,when ,i tole my man1 he was so skeered he didn't know hisself scarcely4 ,he was ready to do anyhow ,i wants 'im1 au' ,i went to dis white man1 an' ax 'im for his boy ten year ole1 to go wid me to market1 an' take all my family1 an' ,i'd cover 'em up in de market wagon4 ',an' ,i'll tell your boy ,i wants 'im to watch my team for me1 an' ,i'll gib 'im a dollar4' ',all right1 only tell 'im what you'll do1 an' tell 'im to come an' ax me an' he musn't know ,i knows about it4' ,an' ,i tuk missus' young hosses1 an' put my man an' chillen in1 cover 'em up1 den put a bag o' taters an' apples an' a basket o' chickens in front4 ,an' ,i had dis little boy by de chickens1 so if he cry or make a noise ,i shake de basket an' de noise of de chickens kill de noise of de boy4 ,an' ,i drove de fifteen miles to de ribber by daylight1 and drove back of ,covin'ton till de smoke of de ferry boat rise2 den ,i prayed ,god to keep de ferryman from axin' me for my pass4 ,for ,i's mighty feared he would1 'case ,i hadn't been here in so long4 ,an' jus' afore sun up my man crawled out de back of de wagon4 ,i told de boy to hol' de hosses till ,i fix somethin'4 ,i whispered1 ',get back quick1 for ,gods sake1' an' he whispered1 ',let's go back1 ,i knows dey'll cotch us4' ',go back6 ,man1 its death to go back2 we'd be in jail in no time waitin' for de trader4' ,an' he crawl back an' ,i tuck 'im up agin1 an' we trimble like a popple leaf4 ,den de smoke jus' rise on de ferry-beat1 an' ,i drove on wid de white boy by my side4 ,i prayed dat de ,lord wouldn't let de ferryman ax me for my pass4 ,if he did ,i's gwine to say1 ',dis white boy my pass2' but he didn't say a word1 an' ,i praise ,god for answerin' my prayer4 ,i told her she had nothing to fear from the five hundred dollars reward2 she was in good hands2 all she had to do was to go when they were ready to take them2 but ,i would write a few lines for her to take to the first stopping place after leaving the city1 advising to go by way of ,carthaginia4 ,write me from that town1 and tell your daughter to go on to ,canada with you without fail4 ,i left her with a lighter heart1 rejoicing with that rejoicing family1 though yet trembling with fear4 ,the time appointed for the two hours' discussion on the subject of slavery arrived4 ,my pro-slavery friend was not disposed to open the conversation he desired in the morning4 ,after waiting until one hour had elapsed1 ,i asked if he was prepared to bring the ,scripture arguments he had for my consideration at this hour4 ,he replied that he had thought of but little else during the whole day2 but on the whole doubted whether his reasons would stand the test1 and declined saying any thing farther in defense of the position he had advanced4 ,a few weeks later he died of cholera4 ,i called on his widow1 who said he died a happy soul1 and often spoke of his confidence in me as an honest-hearted ,christian1 and she never heard him speak disparagingly of the colored people after the long conversation we had on that subject4 ,i regretted the loss of an opportunity of seeing him after ,mary ,french and family were safe in ,canada4 ,i wished to give him their history1 as ,i felt sure it would have been like a nail driven in a sure place4 ,he had lived in the ,south1 and the subject of slavery had never been placed before him in this way4 ,the reward for the nine slaves was doubled on the second day of their exodus4 ,all the clew the hunters got of their whereabouts was from the boy they met at the ferry4 ,he could not read the names on the streets1 and could only point as near as he knew in the direction where they all left4 ,he told them he didn't know there were any in the wagon but black ,mary1 till they all got out2 then she told him to go to ,walnut ,street ferry1 and he drove two or three blocks when he stopped and cried1 because he didn't know where to find ,walnut ,street4 ,then a man came and told him to stop crying and he'd drive him to the ferry4 ,they went to ,hall's1 on ,macallister ,street1 but not one was left there five minutes4 ,they were conducted to different hiding-places1 and not one was left within a half a mile to a mile from that part of the city4 ,slave-hunters were paid from three dollars to seven dollars a day for watching around those suspected streets and those leading northward4 ,the family were dressed in disguise and taken out in three carriages1 closed1 and two white men in front1 that gave an impression at sight of a load of white people4 ,at noon-day1 in this manner1 they rounded the corners1 where were standing some of their hunters who were receiving their seven dollars a day1 as was ascertained by a scheme gotten up by the colored people4 ,the next evening after the nine fugitives were taken northward1 they drove a double carriage into an alley near ,north ,street1 and the same number of colored people1 so closely watched for1 were hustled in with haste1 and driven off with speed4 ,the call to ,stop1 ,,halt1 was not heeded1 until the police rushed at the increased cry1 ,stop thief1 ,,stop ,,thief1 and slackened their pace4 ,but while the excited crowd gathered to see the police arrest the thieves1 the colored man beside the driver demanded the reason why he and his ladies should receive this insult to hinder their pleasure ride4 ,by throwing a light from their dark lantern in the faces of their pursuers1 the hunters they had suspected were recognized1 to their great annoyance4 ,there were those among them who would not have been exposed1 perhaps1 for half the amount of the reward4 ,a few days subsequent to this little episode ,i received a letter from ,mary1 after their arrival at ,carthaginia1 where she met her daughter1 who1 with her child1 made their party number eleven4 ,they very soon reached the land of the free4 ,nothing further was heard from them until ,i went with my two daughters to ,windsor1 ,canada ,west1 to attend their first of ,august celebration1 in commemoration of ,west ,india emancipation4 ,there were gathered a very large congregation in a grove1 of both colored and white people4 ,while listening to an eloquent oration delivered by ,samuel ,j4 ,may1 of ,boston1 ,i was taken from my seat and borne away a few rods1 hardly touching the tops of the bushes with my feet4 ,i turned first one way and then the other1 until ,i discovered the sable face of ,mary ,french1 with big tears rolling down her cheeks4 ,not a word was spoken until we were entirely away from the congregation1 and ,i said1 ,mary1 haven't we gone far enough8 when she let me down1 and caught bold of my bands and kissed them1 while tears of joy were still falling4 ,o1 how happy we is to be all free4 ,can't you go to ,malden an' see all my family8 ,i knows my man would come all dis way afoot if he knowed you's here4 ,i told her ,i could not1 as ,i must return the next day with my two daughters4 ,is dey heah8 ,they were sitting by my side1 said ,i2 those two girls dressed in white are my daughters4 ,sweet creturs6 de little angels2 ,i mus' go see 'em4 ,i's got two gals here1 too1 an' ,i'll bring 'em to see you4 ,and soon her hands were placed on the shoulder of each1 still weeping for joy as she said3 ,god bless you6 ,you tinks it strange to see an old black 'oman come to you like dis1 but you wouldn't if you know'd what your mother has done for me an' my family4 ,if it hadn't been for her we should all been in slavery to dis day4 ,i wants you to go out dar whar you see your mother standin' afore a great while4 ,i'm gwine back to her now4 ,she came with her two girls1 who were also very demonstrative in shaking and kissing my hands2 but they laughed instead of weeping as did their overjoyed mother4 ,by the time my daughters came to us we were served with cake and ice cream4 ,as she and her daughters had on the ground a little stand from which they made sales1 their favors in this line were repeated4 ,instead of one year's suspension1 as we designed1 we had deferred finishing our institute building in ,michigan from time to time1 until four years had elapsed4 ,as the ,ohio school law made provision to support a colored school in any town or place where there were as many as fifteen regular scholars1 my daughter ,anna and myself taught a school for them of one hundred scholars one term1 in the basement of ,zion ,church1 ,toledo4 ,the expenses were paid from the school fund4 ,with several fugitives1 ,i started on my way to ,toledo from ,cincinnati1 and spent a day at our friend ,william ,beard's4 ,from thence we were taken to ,newport1 ,indiana1 where was a meeting appointed in behalf of ,calvin ,fairbanks1 in which ,i gave a sketch of my visit to ,louisville jail in his behalf4 ,i read the letter ,i had received from his lawyer on leaving ,cincinnati1 containing a proposition to do the best he could for him1 and with that object in view he staved off the case to the next session of their court4 ,at the close of the meeting fifteen dollars were raised1 ,bishop ,quinn1 of the ,african ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 giving one-third of it4 ,as there was a fall of snow a foot deep1 the friends concluded to take us across a swamp1 which would save a number of miles2 and as there were indications of a thaw1 one man offered his team and double sleigh if a certain colored man would go that night and drive it4 ,we were soon well protected from the prospective inclement weather1 with the buffalo-robe presented to me1 and quilts around the balance of our load4 ,the shifting wind brought quite a snow-storm1 that covered us over about three inches deep4 ,my company being very cold1 ,i advised to stop at a house1 the dim light of which was so tempting to the shivering company4 ,i went to the door and asked permission to enter1 giving our number1 and our object in going through the swamp before a break-up4 ,the two old people granted the favor2 but when the old lady saw the color of my company she became rather suspicious4 ,said she1 ,if these are slaves we don't want any trouble1 because you know the ,fugitive-slave ,law makes a deal of trouble in some places4 ,i assured her they would have none of that character on our account1 for these young people were going with me to attend my school4 ,when we were warmed and the horses fed1 we left our kind friends to borrow no more trouble for fear of being disturbed with slave-hunters4 ,about three o'clock we came to a large half-finished frame house1 brilliantly lighted1 and the man seemed to be preparing his team for leaving4 ,i called with our driver to see if we could warm ourselves and feed the team1 giving our reason for crossing the swamp to save distance1 and as there were indications of a thaw in the afternoon1 we chose to come through that night4 ,the man said that was his reason for going for a load of lumber so early--he fearing a break-up4 ,they were very kind1 and insisted on our resting till daylight1 and taking a warm breakfast4 ,the invitation was accepted with gratitude4 ,i spent my time in conversing with our kind hostess1 while my company slept an hour4 ,at nine o'clock we reached ,carthaginia4 ,the first one we met was a colored woman1 of whom ,i inquired where we could find a place to tarry for a night1 and find provender for our horses4 ,she took in our situation at once1 and pointed to a large frame house in sight1 the house of ,samuel ,jones1 half a mile distant4 ,while she was giving this information1 a man ahead of us1 with his carriage1 stopped and turned back1 saying1 ,there is ,mr4 ,jones now1 coming to see you1 ,i reckon4 ,as he came to us1 ,i told him of the inquiry ,i made for a resting-place4 ,and that is my house for you and barn for your horses1 he said4 ,after giving each of us a shake of the hand1 he said1 turning to me1 ,i know you1 though ,i never saw you before1 and ,i will tell you of a circumstance1 after we get home1 whereby you will recognize me4 ,we followed him to his very comfortable home4 ,we were soon seated at a luxurious table4 ,breakfast being over1 he related a circumstance in which ,i had taken a deep interest1 and by corresponding1 the release from slavery of his relative was effected4 ,brother ,jones gave me ten dollars for brother ,fairbanks1 in the ,kentucky prison4 ,here we took leave of our conductor1 ,henry ,marshal1 and a team and teamster were provided to take us on by way of ,bellefontaine4 ,the anticipated warmer weather overtook us1 and with a wagon we left ,carthaginia4 ,streams with floating ice made fording difficult1 especially ,mosquito ,creek2 but our driver and ,simon measured the depth of water1 and with rails pushed the floating ice from the ford1 to enable me to drive through4 ,working as they did with all their might to keep the cakes of ice from running against the horses and from impeding the wheels1 when we reached the swift current of the stream a cake blocked the wagon so as to stop the horses a few moments4 ,one horse became discouraged and began to lie down4 ,at this the three women jumped upon a large floating cake1 from which they reached the shore with the help of the men4 ,our teamster found his way into the wagon2 and by pushing and crowding this way and that he loosened the wheel1 and with continued urging and ,simon's wading to the horses' heads1 they finally pulled through4 ,we drove to a house1 where the men changed their socks1 and rubbed their horses with straw1 they said1 two hours1 and then fed them4 ,we pursued our journey without further difficulties to our school in ,toledo4 ,often did my whilom slave scholars refer to the excitement at ,mosquito ,creek ford4 ,i found the prejudice here very bitter against a colored school2 but the colored people had combined their weak forces and built a church1 designed for school1 as well as their occasional meetings4 ,my school averaged nearly twenty scholars during the term1 at the close of which we put in a petition for a support from the school fund4 ,but a majority of two ruled against us2 for1 although the ,state law required them to support this school1 they had already complied with the requirement4 ,although ,i had designed to return home and re-open ,raisin ,institute1 yet to press the board of education into its duty ,i reopened their school for the second term2 and every time that board met ,i met with them with my petition1 informing them1 at their first refusal to adopt the school1 that this petition of the importunate widow would stand before them until it was granted4 ,they frequently inquired of the colored people how long ,i was going to teach for them4 ,the answer every time was1 as ,i told them1 until the board of education took it4 ,in their discussions in the board ,i understood it was frequently remarked by our opposers that the end of that negro school would be when ,mrs4 ,haviland left1 and that wouldn't be long1 for the negroes were too poor to pay her4 ,but it was not for money that ,i taught their school1 but to see justice meted out to them4 ,there were fifteen families of the lower class of ,irish who lived in shanties near the canal that ran within a few rods of our school-house1 and as the most of our school passed them1 or would have to go half a mile farther1 we got from one man in particular a systematic cursing2 beginning with cursing my feet1 and cursing every toe on them1 and cursing every nail on every toe1 and so on1 to cursing my head1 and cursing every hair on it4 ,this regular set of curses were for me every time ,i passed when he was in his cabin1 and frequently a number of others standing by would join him4 ,but as he or some of the others were so often drunk1 it was a long time before ,i could find the suitable opportunity to go to their cabins and have a talk with them1 as ,i desired4 ,as some of their company were so boisterously furious1 the children did not dare pass them unless ,i was with them1 for in addition to cursing they were stoned4 ,when the second term was two-thirds through ,i proposed a picnic for the school and its friends1 and had the scholars declaim a few pieces4 ,an eloquent speech delivered in the ,house of ,lords1 when immediate emancipation was discussed in the ,english parliament1 was well committed and declaimed by one of the young men4 ,a number of the colored people feared a mob1 but the majority were willing to risk any measure ,i thought best to adopt4 ,i trained them thoroughly in speaking1 and they trained themselves in singing1 and the school selected a little girl to be crowned as their queen of ,may1 and on the #beth of ,may we marched through town to a grove1 with two beautiful banners4 ,the one borne by the young woman who walked by my side bore the motto1 ,god is love1 and next to it all the girls followed in couples4 ,then followed the young men and boys in the same manner1 headed by the banner1 upon which was inscribed1 ,knowledge is power4 ,i instructed the children and young people to walk straight forward1 and not even turn their heads to the right or left1 and not to notice by look or word any remark that might be made1 not even to talk to each other until we reached our little stand in the woods4 ,not a word of disrespect was heard1 and some of the white people who drove out with their carriages told me they had not seen such order in marching in any of the ,may picnics that the white schools had had that ,spring4 ,they were highly delighted with our exercises4 ,at the next session of the board my school was recognized as a public one1 and the chairman1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,smyth1 was authorized to hire me to teach the next term4 ,he met me on the street and said1 ,mrs4 ,havilland1 the importunate widow's prayer is answered2 your petition is granted at last1 and ,i am instructed to hire you for the next term4 ,then my work is finished with this term1 said ,i4 ,my object is accomplished4 ,i have business at home that ,i hoped to have entered upon when ,i closed last term2 but as your board refused to do its duty ,i continued1 although ,i have not averaged twenty-five cents a week during the six months1 as a large majority of the colored people here are very poor4 ,i know that1 and ,i have contended from the first that they ought to have a school2 but ,i am surprised at your not remaining in the school1 as you shall have a fair compensation now4 ,i told him ,i would give him the name of a competent teacher1 who was now working himself through college at ,oberlin--,john ,mitchel--a worthy ,christian young man of their own color1 with whom they could correspond and secure his services4 ,his parents were living in ,toledo1 and he would be pleased to accept the position4 ,i thanked the board through their chairman for the favor they had granted in behalf of the colored people in ,toledo4 ,it being the seventh day of the week1 as ,i was passing my ,irish friends1 and all quiet1 and a company sitting on the grass in the shade of their cabins1 ,i accepted this as my long-sought opportunity to talk with them4 ,addressing a group of half a dozen women1 ,i said3 ,i have long desired to talk with you1 as ,i am confident you do not understand me in teaching this colored school4 ,i have felt it my duty to aid the most neglected class of people4 ,we are apt to indulge in prejudices against certain classes or nations of people4 ,some people are prejudiced against the ,german people4 ,they'll say he's nobody but a ,dutchman1 he's not worth noticing2 and others are prejudiced against the ,irish1 and will say1 ',they are nobody but ,irish people1 they are not worth noticing2' and others are prejudiced against black people3 ',they are nobody but negroes1 and they are not worth noticing4 ,and then there are some who are prejudiced against soldiers1 or sailors1 as classes of men4 ,people are too apt to despise other nations and classes of men4 ,all this is wrong2 ,god made us all as it pleased him1 and it is not for us to find fault with our ,heavenly ,father1 who loves all the human family alike4 ,as we acknowledge the fatherhood of ,god1 we should also acknowledge the brotherhood of man in all nations and classes4 ,said one man to his friend sitting by1 ,in faith1 ,pat1 that's good doctrine4 ,yes1 indade1 that's the doctrine ,father ,mathew prached1 ye know4 ,jamie1 that's all right1 said another4 ,one of the women concluded she would know the truth of the reports they had gotten up among themselves4 ,an' did ye not marry a nagur8 ,why1 no6 my husband was a white man1 who died a number of years ago4 ,and was he a black man8 ,he was a white man1 and he left me with eight children1 all under age1 and the youngest and the oldest have followed their father4 ,in fath1 ye've seen a dale of trouble1 ,i'm sure2 and we heard that black man we often saw comin' from schule with ye an' that yellow lass an' boy was your chilther4 ,that mulatto girl and boy live near my boarding-place1 and they generally come and go with me to school and return2 and that black man is a young man who has never had the privilege of going to school and learning to read and write and the use of figures1 until ,i opened this school4 ,now he can read1 write1 and can use figures to good advantage4 ,but it's a pity we didn't know ye before4 ,we've been hearin' all this about ye1 an' not a bit of it true4 ,our people was about to set fire to your schule-house--in faith1 they said they'd give ye a dressin' of tar an' fithers1 an' our praste forbid it4 ,i knew nothing of that1 said ,i2 but ,i wanted you to understand me before ,i left1 which will be in four weeks4 ,then they will have a fine young colored man from ,oberlin ,college to teach their school4 ,but what a pity that is1 for ,i'm sure they'll not get another such a tacher as you4 ,indade1 ,i'm sorry to hear you're to lave us2 ,i'd like to have my little gal go to your schule1 if ye'll take 'er4 ,the man who was the systematic curser came to his door3 ,indade1 missus1 we didn't know ye2 an' now we'll fight for ye1 an' we are sorry we didn't know ye for so long4 ,when ,i left them ,i shook hands with them all1 for by the time our conversation closed about all their little community had convened1 and ,i took occasion to speak highly of ,father ,mathew1 the great temperance reformer of ,ireland2 and my little congregation pronounced as strong blessings upon me as they had curses4 ,even my systematic curser was among my best friends after that1 and my scholars1 as well as myself1 were treated with the utmost respect ever after1 and two of them sent for me when very sick and not expected to live1 one of whom died a few days after4 ,as she was in great distress of mind1 ,i read to her some of those precious promises of our ,savior1 from which she drew great consolation4 ,it would seem to many like casting pearls before swine to turn aside to present the truth to such ignorant and disliking people1 but it is ours to obey these little impressions1 and leave the result with the ,all-wise ,director4 ,during my work in ,toledo ,i called on a colored woman to solicit a little change for a very sick man who was very low with consumption1 and was being cared for by a very poor family1 and as she gave me twenty-five cents a beautiful white girl was sitting by1 who gave another quarter4 ,after school ,i called again and inquired for that young woman who gave for that sick man1 without giving me time to ask for her mite1 and to my surprise1 found she was an inmate of a house of ill-fame1 and tried to make ,mrs4 ,buck promise not to tell me where she was living2 for if ,i knew it ,i would never speak to her4 ,i sent for her to meet me the following day after school1 at her house4 ,i found her sitting in the parlor waiting for me4 ,as ,i took her by the hand1 placing the other on her head1 ,i said1 ,my dear girl1 you are an unhappy child4 ,and she burst into a flood of tears1 and as soon as she could sufficiently command her feelings to relate her history ,i found she was compelled by her stepfather to live away from home4 ,she had lived a year or more with a worthy woman1 who kept a boarding-house in ,cleveland2 and there came to board a few weeks a fine appearing young man1 who professed great affection for her1 and proposed marriage4 ,he told her his father was a very wealthy merchant in ,toledo1 and he was there on business for his father4 ,after he had won her affections he proposed to take her to ,toledo1 and place her in a boarding-house until she could make up two rich silk dresses and other clothing suitable for her1 as he was not willing his folks should know he was marrying a poor girl4 ,he could easily take a dress pattern from each bolt of silk and his father never know it1 and any other goods she needed4 ,as his father was going to ,new ,york for a new supply of goods1 he would supply her with other goods to make up until his father's new goods came1 then he would hire a dressmaker to make up her silk dresses4 ,all this she fully believed1 as from a true and faithful lover1 to whom she had given her heart's best and purest affections4 ,she said1 ,a number of days ,i hesitated1 because ,i wanted to tell my mother all about it1 but he persisted in leaving ,cleveland secretly1 and return on our bridal trip to surprise my mother and that cruel stepfather4 ,at last ,i foolishly consented1 to my ruin and sorrow1 for ,i haven't seen one moment of peace since ,i was deserted by that man2 and again bathed herself in tears4 ,recovering herself1 she continued1 ,i wouldn't have my mother know this for the world4 ,she is a good ,christian woman4 ,she's a ,methodist1 and has seen a sight of trouble with my stepfather2 and1 if she knew this1 it would break her heart4 ,on further inquiry ,i found he brought her to this house as an excuse to keep her secluded until they were about to be married1 when he would pay her board a few days in the finest hotel in the city4 ,the next day after our arrival he brought me a beautiful lawn dress-pattern and a package of other material for me to make up while waiting for his father's goods4 ,and not till then had he offered in word or act any thing amiss from a perfect gentleman4 ,it was the next day after our arrival in this city1 and to this house1 that he proposed to live two weeks as if we were married1 as it would be about a week or two at longest when the goods would be here1 and he would get one of two dressmakers to prepare me for my wedding4 ,i cried two days over this proposition1 and by this time ,i had learned the character of this house4 ,here ,i was1 a stranger to every body1 but still had confidence in my new friend2 and again1 to my bitter sorrow1 ,i yielded4 ,but day after day of anxious waiting passed until two weeks expired1 and no new goods yet1 but another lawn dress-pattern came for me to make for myself1 and another two weeks rolled away with only hearing 7he said7 that the goods were on the way4 ,but at the close of the third two weeks he was missing4 ,daily ,i waited his coming4 ,at length ,i went on the street4 ,i inquired for his name and the name of his father's store1 when1 to my utter astonishment1 no such store or names were found in the city4 ,here in a strange place1 deserted1 ruined1 and filled with shame1 ,i had no heart to go to my friends4 ,she had been here six months4 ,i advised her not to remain in this house another twenty-four hours4 ,but what shall ,i do8 ,mrs4 ,cassaday will lock me up if she knows ,i am going to leave her4 ,she called me a fool for giving you that quarter2 she says these ,christians are down on us2 and if any of us should die1 there wouldn't one of them come to pray for us4 ,i told her ,i believed you would1 ,i told her to pack her trunk1 and if she was down town near the time for the boat to leave for ,cleveland1 to call a drayman to take her trunk to the boat and follow it1 if possible1 before ,mrs4 ,cassaday came in4 ,i told her how to manage in going to her old employer1 and to tell her you were deceived by that young man1 but you found him untruthful4 ,as you say ,mrs4 ,cassaday kept you sewing most of the time1 you can tell her you were employed most of time in sewing2 but do not1 at present1 tell her or your mother of the life you have lived1 and place of your residence while here4 ,she promised she would gladly take my advice1 and leave for ,cleveland the first opportunity4 ,as we parted she leaned her head upon my shoulder1 with fast dropping tears1 and said1 ,i shall always thank you for acting the part of a mother in helping me away from this horrible place4 ,the following morning she called to leave word with ,mrs4 ,buck1 that fortunately for her ,mrs4 ,cassaday was out just in time for her to call a drayman1 that had just gone with her trunk to the boat1 and she was now on her way to ,cleveland1 happier than she had been in six months1 and that she should do1 in all respects1 as ,i had advised4 ,here was a beautiful girl decoyed and led from the paths of virtue by an artful1 designing1 and licentious young man1 who basely sought her ruin by winning the affections of an innocent girl4 ,hundreds and thousands of these girls are in like manner led astray1 and might be saved if mothers in ,israel would take them by the hand of sympathy and lift them from the mire of this moral pollution4 ,at another time a request was left with my hostess to go to see a very sick woman1 who was thought nigh unto death2 but for a little girl that heard the request ,i should not have received it4 ,she said1 these poor white trash would curse me in health1 and when they thought they were going to die1 they were ready then to send for me to pray for them2 and1 as ,i was tired enough to rest after teaching all day1 she did not think ,i ought to go for their calls4 ,i told her if she would be so kind as to deliver all errands of that character ,i would be very thankful1 and hastened to the bedside of an old soldier of the cross1 who1 with her aged companion1 were visiting their children4 ,she said she did not expect to remain much longer in this world of checkered scenes2 but her son had been here a short time only1 and had not formed any acquaintances among ,christian people1 and their hired girl said she was passing your school-house one morning and heard you opening your school with prayer1 and ,i told her to find your boarding-place1 and leave word for you to come after your school closed1 as ,i wanted to hear the voice of prayer once more4 ,i read a chapter and offered prayer by her bedside4 ,she and her weeping husband and children thanked me for the call1 and desired me to call the day following1 after school4 ,i found her somewhat improved1 and the next door neighbor said ,dutch ,mary was in the adjoining room1 and seemed much affected1 and said that was the first she heard read from the ,bible in seven years1 and the first prayer she had heard in that time1 and she would be glad to see me1 but she would not disgrace me by coming to her house4 ,then the woman told her she would ask me to see her in her room1 and send for her when ,i came to see the sick woman4 ,i met her in great distress of mind4 ,she told me of the wicked life she had spent during the last seven years of her widowhood1 and wanted to know if ,i thought there was any hope whatever for her4 ,do you think ,god can forgive me8 ,i have never so much as opened my ,bible that lies in the bottom of my chest all these seven years1 until yesterday ,i went home and took my ,bible for the first time to read in these years2 and ,i felt so condemned after ,i read awhile that ,i laid it back1 and didn't know whether it was of any use2 for ,i have lived such a wretched life so long ,i doubt whether ,god can forgive me1 for ,i feel worse and worse4 ,do you believe he can8 ,certainly he is able to save to the uttermost4 ,it is the enlightening influence of ,god's ,holy ,spirit that is showing you the exceeding sinfulness of sin4 ,i read to her the readiness of the ,lord ,jesus to forgive sin4 ,how ready to bless the humble and contrite heart6 ,only believe this with all thy heart1 and the blood of ,jesus is sufficient to wash away every stain that sin has made4 ,though they be as scarlet1 he will make them white as snow4 ,we knelt together1 and she too offered earnest prayer for strength to live the new life1 which she firmly resolved to do4 ,i saw her a week later1 and she said she informed those men with whom she had committed those darkest of sins of her firm resolution to live a virtuous life1 and she locked her door2 but they persisted in troubling her through the night1 threatening to tear her house down or burn it4 ,three nights ,i suffered from them4 ,but by constant prayer1 believing ,god would take care of me1 ,i was delivered from them4 ,and ,i have plenty of washing1 ironing1 and house-cleaning to do2 and ,i get along so much better than ,i expected ,i could4 ,i do want to go to meeting2 but so many know of my wicked life ,i am afraid to go inside of a church4 ,i told her to go to whichever ,church she felt most at home1 and the ,lord would open the way for her1 and enable her to bring up her little girl of eight years in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 ,at the close of my school ,i left this field1 so white to the harvest1 to enter1 as ,i supposed1 upon a field of home missions4 ,at the expiration of a year ,i visited ,toledo1 and inquired of one who occasionally employed ,dutch ,mary1 but knew nothing of my experience with her1 how she was prospering4 ,the cheering reply was1 ,splendidly2 ,i haven't heard a disparaging word of her for months1 and there used to be hard stories about her4 ,i heard she had united with the ,baptist ,church1 and ,i think she is trying to live a ,christian4 ,if she had not left town on a visit to her friends ,i should have seen her1 but the report ,i heard of her was heart-cheering4 ,may ,god bless her1 and all who are receiving life-giving power who were dead in trespasses and sin4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,fugitives ,,in ,,canada4 ,while visiting friends in ,detroit and ,canada previous to reopening ,raisin ,institute1 as ,i designed1 ,i was earnestly solicited by ,henry ,bibb1 ,horace ,hallack1 and ,rev4 ,chas4 ,c4 ,foote1 the committee authorized to employ a teacher1 to open a school in a new settlement of fugitives1 eight miles back of ,windsor1 where the ,refugee ,association had purchased government land1 on long and easy terms1 for fugitive slaves4 ,they had erected a frame house for school and meeting purposes4 ,the settlers had built for themselves small log-houses1 and cleared from one to five acres each on their heavily timbered land1 and raised corn1 potatoes1 and other garden vegetables4 ,a few had put in two and three acres of wheat1 and were doing well for their first year4 ,after prayerful consideration1 ,i reached the conclusion to defer for another year my home work1 and enter this new field4 ,in the ,autumn of #aheb ,i opened school1 and gave notice that at eleven o'clock the following ,sunday there would be a ,sabbath-school for parents and children1 after which a little time would be spent in other religious exercises1 pursuing the same course ,i did in ,toledo1 ,ohio4 ,this drew a number of callers who had no children to see if any could come to my ,sabbath-school2 and when ,i told them it was for every body of any age who desired to come1 my school-house was filled to its utmost capacity4 ,many frequently came five or six miles with their ox-teams to attend these meetings1 with their families4 ,every man1 woman1 and child who could read a verse in the ,testament1 even with assistance1 took part in reading the lesson1 and liberty was given to ask questions4 ,it was not strange to listen to many crude ideas1 but a more earnest1 truth seeking congregation we seldom find4 ,an aged couple1 past eighty1 missed very few ,sabbaths during the year ,i spent there4 ,the man was a fugitive slave1 and his companion was an ,indian woman1 converted under the preaching of a missionary among the ,indians4 ,she had taken great pains to talk and understand the ,english language1 and was an interesting woman4 ,as there was an increasing interest both in day and ,sabbath schools1 ,i give liberty for all who wished to enjoy a sort of class or inquiry meeting1 following half an hour's service for exhortation after ,sabbath school4 ,one couple desired a private interview with me1 as they had been married only after slave fashion4 ,they said ,it is not right to live this way in a free country4 ,now we wants you to marry us4 ,i am not legally authorized1 ,i said1 but ,i will send a note to brother ,foote1 and he will come at once and marry you legally4 ,we thought you preached1 an' made notes for us1 an' could help us out in dis matter too4 ,charles ,c4 ,foote came1 and we called at their house at the appointed time1 with a few neighbors1 to witness the solemnization of the marriage that would have been accomplished three years before had they looked at these things from the same stand point they now did4 ,a few days after another couple came on the same errand4 ,said this man ,we wants you an' ,mr4 ,foote to marry us1 case we's bin troubled 'bout dis many days1 case we wa'nt gwine to let nobody know it1 but ,god knows all 'bout us1 an' now we's free indeed1 we wants every thing straight4 ,but why do you put me with ,mr4 ,foote1 ,i asked1 to marry you8 ,didn't you an' ,mr4 ,foote marry dat brother an sister week afore las'8 ,no2 only brother ,foote4 ,brother ,foote repeated the questions1 they answered2 then he pronounced them husband and wife2 then they were married according to law4 ,but he axt you to pray after he said dem words4 ,in all this ignorance they were like confiding grown-up children1 patiently listening to every explanation4 ,the unbounded confidence they placed in me was surprising2 for they often brought their business papers for me to examine1 to see whether they were right4 ,one man brought me a note1 as the employer could not pay him for his work in money4 ,he said it was a note for groceries2 but the grocer refused to take it1 and said it was not good4 ,i told him there was neither date nor name to it4 ,i wrote the man a letter1 asking him to rectify the mistake1 which he did2 but he gave his employee credit for only half the days he had worked4 ,they were so often deceived and cheated in many ways1 because of their extreme ignorance1 that ,i did not wonder at the conclusion one escaped fugitive had reached4 ,his master was a ,presbyterian minister1 but he had known him to whip his sister1 the cook1 after coming home from ,church2 and he said then he never would have faith in white folks' religion4 ,since coming to this colony he watched me a long while before he made up his mind that white people could have a pure religion4 ,but now he believed that the ,lord hid his ,spirit in the hearts of white people at the ,north2 but it was a make-believe in slaveholders4 ,i was surprised one day to meet the mother of three of my scholars1 who gave her thrilling experience in her escape from slavery2 but she had little more than commenced her story before ,i found her to be one for whom ,i laid a plan with her sister1 who had bought herself4 ,as ,i named a circumstance1 she exclaimed in surprise1 ,why honey6 is dis possible8 ,god sent you here to larn my gals to read1 an' we didn't know you1 and tears began to drop thicker and faster1 as she recounted the blessings that had multiplied since her arrival in ,canada4 ,she had in the three years worked for a little home4 ,her two older girls were at work1 and they were all so happy in their freedom4 ,these fugitives often came five or six miles for me to write letters to their friends in the ,south1 with whom they left a secret arrangement very frequently with white people who were their friends1 but secretly1 for fear of the ruling power1 as were the disciples of ,christ who feared the ,jews4 ,their notes1 or articles of agreement1 were generally brought to me to draft for them4 ,in six weeks of steady attendance fifteen young men and women could read the second reader1 and write a legible hand1 and draft a negotiable note4 ,i took a specimen of a number of my scholars' hand-writing to an anti-slavery convention in ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 and left a few with the ,rev4 ,john ,g4 ,fee1 whose life had been threatened if he did not desist from preaching a free gospel in his home ,state--,kentucky4 ,but the brave ,cassius ,m4 ,clay told him to go on1 and he would go with him4 ,he went to one place from whence he had received repeated threats1 and trouble was anticipated2 but ,cassius walked into the church by his side1 and placed the ,constitution of the ,united ,states on the ,bible1 and over both his brace of pistols1 with which he informed the audience he should protect free speech4 ,at the same time he cast a glance at the threatening group in a farther corner1 who left one by one1 until the church was cleared of all but eager listeners4 ,brother ,fee said his object in requesting these specimens of the fugitives writing was to exhibit to those who were constantly asserting that negroes could not learn4 ,he wished them to see the legible hand-writing of those who had only six weeks' training from their alphabet4 ,after spending a few days' vacation1 ,i returned to the toiling day and night in my school4 ,as there were twelve heads of families anxious to read the ,bible and hymn-book1 and this seemed to be the height of their ambition1 ,i opened an evening school for that class4 ,it was steadily attended four evenings in each week1 and this1 with one evening devoted to prayer-meeting1 filled the week1 leaving only one evening free2 and frequently they came with their ox-teams to take me three miles to lead a prayer-meeting for them in an adjoining settlement4 ,the ,winter was quite severe1 and ,i frequently was awakened with the snow sifting in my face1 and not unfrequently found the snow half an inch or more deep over my bed on rising in the morning2 but my health was firm1 and ,i often thought ,i never enjoyed a year of toiling better than the one ,i spent here4 ,there were in this colony a mixed religious element--,baptist1 ,methodist1 ,presbyterian1 and ,free-will ,baptist--deeply interested in ,sabbath schools and class-meetings1 open to all who wished to enjoy them4 ,an organization was proposed4 ,the proposition came from the ,methodist element1 but ,i did not deem it wise to organize from any one denomination1 as divergent opinions would create controversy that would bring harm to many tender minds4 ,consequently ,i proposed to organize a ,christian ,union ,church1 without disturbing the ,church relationship of any one4 ,i prepared an extract from ,gerrit ,smith's concise plan of organizing1 on a liberal-scale1 a ,christian ,union ,church1 with but little change1 and read it to them2 and1 after a little discussion and explanation it was readily adopted4 ,i think the number of new converts was thirteen1 who expressed a desire to be baptized by immersion4 ,i exhorted them to attend to their own religious impressions1 as ,i was not there to present particular religious tenets1 but to present the crucified1 risen1 and glorified ,savior4 ,brother ,foote came and complied with their wish4 ,i closed my evening school two weeks to hold a series of meetings1 in which a young ,baptist brother assisted4 ,we all continued to work together for the highest good of all around us4 ,i noticed a settled sadness in the countenance of a young man of twenty-five years1 recently from ,missouri4 ,during recess he took but little interest in any thing outside of his book or writing lesson4 ,after attending my school a few days he invited me to go to his boarding-place to spend the night1 as he wished me to write a letter for him4 ,i found his history was a sad one4 ,he was sold from his wife and four little children to satisfy a heavy debt4 ,the master tried to reason with him1 and the man he owed would not take any of his slaves but him4 ,he called him aside to have further conversation concerning the proposed sale2 his wife presented herself also to plead that they might not be separated4 ,both knelt before him1 beseeching with tears to allow them to remain together4 ,said he1 ,i tole 'im ,i'd serve 'im faithfully all the days of my life1 if he'd only let us live together2 and he seemed to give way a little1 and said he did not want to sell me1 as ,i was his foreman1 and he thought he would make other arrangements4 ,i watched him closely as ,i had but little confidence in his words1 and armed myself with a dirk4 ,one day he called me to go to the woods with him1 to show me the trees he wanted chopped4 ,as ,i was going ,i saw the end of a rope under his coat-skirt4 ,i kept at a reasonable distance all the way1 and when we came to the tree he wanted ,i should chop1 he attempted to come near me and ,i stood back2 then he told me plainly ,i must yield4 ,i said ,i never would permit myself to leave my family1 and1 if he was so determined1 ,i should never be of any use to any one1 for life to me was of no value if ,i am to be taken from my wife and four little children4 ,at this he1 with the other man1 who came out of the bushes1 ran towards me1 but ,i outran them4 ,about seven miles distant he overtook me with a number of his slave men1 and told me ,i had to give up4 ,i flourished my dirk and told them that ,i would kill the first man that touched me1 or they should kill me4 ,at this they all stood back except the master himself4 ,he flourished his bowie-knife and ,i my dirk1 for the space of a few minutes1 when he made a rush upon me1 and he met my dirk before ,i met his bowie-knife4 ,as he fell back ,i ran for the woods4 ,in the darkness of the night ,i made my last visit to my wife and little children4 ,here he became convulsed with weeping4 ,when he could command his feelings to pursue the sad story1 he said3 ,oh1 that was an awful parting6 ,the moment ,i entered my wife's cabin she threw her arms around my neck1 exclaiming1 ',oh1 my dear ,bill1 don't stay a minute1 for they say you've killed ,master ,riggs4 ,they say he was dyin' this evenin'1 and he's dead afore this time1 ,i reckon1 an' they swear vengeance on you4 ,some said they'd chop you in pieces--some said they'd burn you alive4' ,i told her if ,god would help me to ,canada ,i would write after awhile to her father 7he was free1 having bought himself71 and may be he could manage to send her and our children to me2 and ,i tore her arms from my neck4 ,again he was overcome with grief4 ,i advised him not to write at present4 ,i never saw a more grief-stricken man4 ,he was boarding with ,henry ,bibb's mother1 who said she knew he was a man of deep trouble1 for he looked so sad and groaned so much nights2 but ,i couldn't bear to ask him1 because ,i thought it would be harder for him to forget it4 ,having been a slave herself1 she could easily anticipate the cause of his sadness4 ,notwithstanding this1 he made fair progress in reading1 writing1 and arithmetic in one term4 ,during this time vigorous efforts were put forth for his capture4 ,while ,i enjoyed my work so much with these people in the woods1 in schools1 in meetings1 and in their improvements generally1 ,i do not say ,i found with them perfection4 ,there were causes for reproof as well as of encouragement4 ,they made great effort to improve their homes by taking trees from their woods to the saw mills to be cut up into boards for better floors than split logs1 and for partitions to make their little houses more comfortable4 ,perhaps their improvements could not find better expression than the report of one of our neighbors1 in reply to an inquiry of a friend in ,detroit1 as to how they were prospering in their refugee colony1 ,fine fine we've all come to life1 an' are in a state to see who'll make the bes' house4 ,frequent arrivals of their friends from slavery often produced much excitement4 ,at one time a company of twenty seven arrived1 brought by ,john ,fairfield1 a ,virginian4 ,he often went into the heart of slave holding ,states and brought companies away1 passing himself as their owner until they reached a free ,state4 ,he telegraphed some friends in ,windsor1 and a dinner of reception was provided in one of the colored churches1 and a great jubilee meeting was held4 ,one very old woman1 between eighty and ninety years old1 shouted as she jumped around among the people1 ,i's young again4 ,glory6 glory6 ,jesus is our ,master for evermore1 honey1 shaking hands with the new-comers4 ,glory to ,jesus6 ,i's sixteen1 and she clapped her hands as she gave another leap4 ,said ,john ,fairfield1 ,this pays me for all dangers1 ,i have faced in bringing this company1 just to see these old friends meet4 ,our young brother ,campbell1 the literate ,baptist minister who had labored with us in our series of meetings a few months previously1 returned1 and with the three ,baptist families in that community conceived the idea that as ,i was soon to leave1 they could organize a ,baptist ,church1 and induce nearly all in that colony to unite1 and they went to work industriously to secure the individual consent of our ,christian ,union members2 but the plan was1 with one accord1 rejected1 except by our ,baptist friends4 ,as they said nothing to me concerning it1 each day brought some complaints about their organising a ,baptist ,church over our heads1 as a number expressed themselves4 ,but ,i told them not to feel hurt over their desire to organize a ,baptist ,church4 ,we will give way for them to occupy half the time4 ,brother ,maglothin1 who had just come with his family from ,virginia1 was an earnest ,christian man and a licensed ,wesleyan minister1 and he was ready to take my place in keeping up our ,sabbath-schools and meetings4 ,rev4 ,n4 ,p4 ,colver1 of ,detroit1 had appointed the ,sabbath to meet the friends in our school-house1 for the purpose of organizing a ,baptist ,church and of ordaining brother ,campbell to take charge of it4 ,i told all of our people to be sure and attend it with me4 ,as ,i retired on the night previous to the proposed meeting1 ,i read the sweet promise of the loving ,savior1 ,i will be with you to the end1 with an assurance of entire trust4 ,the hour arrived1 and our house was well filled1 but with many saddened faces4 ,brother ,colver gave a short discourse1 and ordained brother ,campbell1 who was left in charge of the ,baptist branch of the little flock4 ,at the close of the exercises ,i remarked that ,i hoped we would all manifest the same abiding interest in each other's spiritual and temporal well-being as we had heretofore done2 that there was a fair understanding between the brethren and sisters that every other ,sabbath was to be occupied by brother ,maglothin1 thus alternating with brother ,campbell2 and as the next ,sabbath would be my last for the present with them1 it would be my duty to explain the basis upon which our ,christian ,union ,church was organized4 ,my earnest and constant prayer was and ever would be1 whether present or absent1 that the love of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ would ever dwell richly in each heart of his followers in that community1 with whom ,i had spent a year that ,i could class with the most pleasant of my life4 ,the following-,sabbath found our house well filled4 ,after singing an appropriate hymn1 and prayer1 ,i read #a ,corinthians iii1 with remarks2 after which ,i read the license from the ,wesleyan ,methodist ,conference1 acknowledging a qualification to preach the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,in it was granted liberty to organize a company of believers into a ,church2 and ,i presented our articles of agreement to build each other up in the unity of the ,spirit and in the bonds of peace1 regardless of name1 in this ,christian ,union ,church4 ,to this we all assented without a jar1 and some of our ,baptist brethren present voted in favor4 ,at this their minister1 arose with an acknowledgment that he had not understood the foundation of this organization before1 and regretted very much what he had said against it1 and would ask pardon of all these brethren and sisters and of myself4 ,before ,i had an opportunity to reply their deacon and another followed1 asking pardon for what they had said1 for now they saw the wrong4 ,i replied that if feelings had been hurt by whatever had seemed unkind1 they were now healed by the same love and unity that had so universally prevailed in our little band1 that had given courage and strength all through the year4 ,here were sad faces brightened2 and others followed me1 manifesting the healing power of love4 ,the ,lord was in our minds reconciling to himself1 and melting away every apparent root of bitterness4 ,i left them again united1 but our little ,baptist organization lived only till their fourth meeting4 ,from their own choice it was discontinued2 and1 as the majority in that community were of ,methodist proclivities1 it has never ceased to be of that family name1 being a few months after reorganized under the auspices of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,i had1 previous to leaving this field1 written to ,william ,anderson's wife1 ,maria1 directed to her father1 and dated in ,adrian1 ,michigan1 and ,i instructed letters from her to be sent to that city in my care4 ,soon after my return a letter came from her father1 as ,william had directed4 ,i opened it1 and found the very plausible plan of bringing ,william's wife and four children to him4 ,her father wrote of the loss of his own wife2 and as the size and color of ,maria answered to the description of his own wife1 as recorded on his manumission papers1 he proposed to take ,maria and the children a few miles away in the night1 where they would be kept secreted until the excitement of hunting for them was over1 when he proposed to take them a night's journey northward4 ,by that time he hoped that he could travel openly1 with his free papers4 ,i replied as ,william requested1 in his name1 and forwarded both the letter and a copy of my reply to him1 with a renewed caution for him not to cross the ,detroit ,river1 as it was possible that all these plans were devised by his enemies1 instead of the father-in-law and his wife4 ,they had desired him to meet them on their way1 and also inquired for names of places and persons who aided him1 for the purpose of passing through safely to some point where they could meet to part no more until death itself should separate them4 ,i wrote him to wait patiently the result1 and not allow himself to become too much elated over this plausible plan1 for ,i had written that there were many friends who assisted him1 whose names he had forgotten1 neither could he call to mind the names of the many places he passed through1 for he was taken from place to place in haste4 ,they1 too1 would find no lack of friends2 and if they brought his family to ,adrian1 ,michigan1 and inquired for ,mrs4 ,laura ,s4 ,haviland1 a widow1 they would learn where he could be found4 ,not many days elapsed before the answer came in the person of a ,southerner1 accompanied by ,mr4 ,warren1 of ,detroit1 with my letter in his hand and with the statement that ,i would know the where abouts of ,william ,anderson4 ,he said his family had arrived in ,detroit with his wife's father and that they were in the family of a colored minister by the name of ,williams4 ,i told him ,i was acquainted with the ,williams family1 and was very glad to hear of the arrival of ,william ,anderson's family1 over whom he had been very anxious1 and inquired when they came4 ,yesterday1 about four o'clock1 was the reply4 ,there seems to be quite an interest in the family by the white people4 ,mr4 ,hallack gave me five dollars to pay ,william's fare to ,detroit to meet his family1 as ,i volunteered to come for him4 ,and here's a letter he sent to his father in law1 you can read for yourself4 ,i took it1 and as ,i opened it recognized the letter ,i wrote for him4 ,yes1 this is all right1 it is the letter ,i wrote for ,william4 ,beginning to appear quite nervous1 he said ,you see in that there is a statement that you would know where he's at work1 and1 taking out his watch1 ,i see we'll have to hurry to get to ,adrian by train time and if you'll be so kind as to tell me where to find him as they are very anxiously waiting for us1 ,i shall be obliged to you4 ,it would be a great disappointment if we should fail to reach ,detroit when the next train goes in4 ,he walked to and fro across the room1 first to the door1 then to the window1 in a hurried1 excited manner1 while ,i was purposely detaining him to see him tremble4 ,i was quite satisfied that he was a bogus coin by the index of his face4 ,when ,i told him1 at length1 that he was working in ,chatham1 ,canada ,west1 and that ,i wrote this direction to avoid any possible scheme or plot to return him to hopeless bondage1 his face reddened and voice trembled as he replied ,i don't know any thing about it1 only what ,mr4 ,hallack told me4 ,that is every thing that ,i know in this matter4 ,i told him what ,mr4 ,hallack had informed him was all right1 and he could tell him to send the family on the first train from ,windsor to ,chatham1 and they would meet ,william there4 ,he bowed1 ,i thank you2 but looked as if his words very much misrepresented him4 ,by the time he was out of sight ,i had my horse and buggy ready1 to follow him to ,adrian1 to telegraph ,horace ,hallack and ,george ,de ,baptist to forward a dispatch to ,william ,anderson1 ,chatham1 ,canada ,west1 to leave that city without an hour's delay1 as ,i was satisfied his enemies from ,missouri were after him1 and probably would take him as a murderer4 ,the telegram was sent1 and he obeyed its request4 ,within two days my caller was there1 inquiring for ,william1 and was told by a number that he had been at work in town some time1 but left a couple of days before1 but knew not where he went4 ,after a few days' search and inquiries in that town1 he returned to ,detroit1 and for the first time called on ,horace ,hallack to inform him that he was in search of a colored man by the name of ,william ,anderson1 who was a free man1 that had committed in the ,state of ,missouri a cold-blooded murder of a ,baptist deacon1 for the paltry sum of five dollars1 and he understood he had been quite recently in ,chatham1 ,canada1 but had left that city4 ,he1 would like advice as to what course to pursue to ascertain his whereabouts4 ,horace ,hallack referred him to ,george ,de ,baptist1 who was well acquainted with leading colored men in many localities both in ,canada and this side the river4 ,our ,missourian was now in good hands1 as ,i followed my dispatch to them with a long letter1 giving ,william ,anderson's experience in detail4 ,george ,de ,baptist told him if he had been a slave1 he would have taken every measure within his reach to protect him in his freedom4 ,but as he said he was always free1 and such a high-handed murderer as he represented1 he would go just as far to bring him to justice4 ,i will tell you what ,i will do2 ,i will write to an intelligent colored man in each of the largest settlements of colored people1 ,chatham1 ,amhurstburg1 and ,sandwich1 and will receive replies from each within four days1 and ,i will give you the result of their inquiries4 ,at the time appointed the ,missourian returned for tidings4 ,said ,george1 ,i have received answers from each letter1 and from ,amhurstburg and ,sandwich they write they have known or heard nothing of a man by that name2 but the man to whom ,i wrote in ,chatham has known all about him1 being well acquainted with him1 and he writes that ,william ,anderson had been talking of going to ,sault ,st4 ,marys1 and that he left two weeks ago1 rather mysteriously1 without telling him or any one else where he was going2 but the greater probability was he went there4 ,he gave the letters to him1 to read for himself4 ,consequently he hired ,mr4 ,warren and another man1 and took the trip to ,sault ,st4 ,marys1 where he spent a week inquiring for ,william ,anderson2 but he failed to get the least clew to his whereabouts1 and returned to ,detroit4 ,he left a power of attorney with his friend ,warren to arrest him in case he could be decoyed over the ,detroit river2 if that plan did not succeed1 he was to telegraph him if he found his whereabouts in ,canada4 ,if these plans failed1 he left directions to arrest me with a ,united ,states warrant4 ,but about the time ,i was to have been arrested ,mr4 ,warren1 the man who was empowered to arrest me1 died with cholera--a singular coincidence4 ,mr4 ,warren's brother expressed deep sorrow and regret to find the papers granting legal authority to transact such business in his brother's possession at the time of his death4 ,he allowed ,george ,de ,baptist to see them before they were destroyed4 ,this was the second time cholera defeated my arrest4 ,pursuit was still continued for ,william ,anderson4 ,three years after ,i fell in company with ,d4 ,l4 ,ward1 attorney of ,new ,orleans1 in a stage between ,ypsilanti and ,clinton1 ,michigan4 ,he was making some complaints about the ,north1 which drew forth a few remarks from me4 ,oh1 ,i am glad ,i've got hold of an abolitionist4 ,it is just what ,i have wished for ever since ,i left my home in ,new ,orleans4 ,now ,i want to give you a little advice1 and1 as it will cost you nothing1 you may accept it freely1 and ,i hope you will profit by it2 and that is1 when you abolitionists have another ,sims case1 call on ,southern legal gentlemen1 and we will help you through4 ,we would have cleared ,sims1 for that ,fugitive slave ,law is defective1 and we know it1 and we know just how to handle it4 ,why did you introduce a defective bill8 ,because we made up our minds to bring you ,northerners to our terms1 whether it was constitutional or not1 and we have done it1 because we knew we could do it2 not because we cared for a few niggers2 for ,i say1 if a nigger cares enough for freedom to run for it1 he ought to have it4 ,now we knew that was an unconstitutional thing before we put it before ,congress2 but we put it there to let you know we could drive it down ,northern throats1 and we did it1 too4 ,i acknowledge1 ,i replied1 that there is too much servility in our ,north2 there is too much crouching and cringing1 but ,i am prepared to say there are more than seven thousand that have never bowed the knee to your ,baal of slavery1 and never will4 ,we never shall do homage to your ,southern goddess1 though you may cry loud and long in demanding its worship4 ,you say if we have another slave case1 if we come to you to help us through1 you will do it1 and that if a slave wants his freedom bad enough to run for it1 you think he ought to have it8 ,yes1 madam1 we will aid you1 for we know just how to handle that thing4 ,supposing a man is about to be sold from his family1 and he falls at his master's feet1 and pleads in tears to remain with his family1 and promises to serve him faithfully all the days of his life1 if he will only permit them to remain together2 but the master persists in the sale2 the slave makes his escape2 is overtaken by his master1 yet1 severely wounding him1 he succeeds in gaining his liberty4 ,now what do you say in regard to this supposed case8 ,looking me full in the face1 he asked my name1 which was given4 ,said he1 ,i think ,i am acquainted with that case4 ,is it not ,william ,anderson1 a runaway from ,missouri8 ,william ,anderson's case is very similar to the one ,i have described4 ,oh yes1 madam1 and you are implicated in that affair1 but as you are a lady ,i will not disturb you2 but you are liable to great difficulty in that case1 and ,i will tell you we are going to have ,anderson by hook or by crook2 we will have him by fair means or foul2 the ,south is determined to have that man1 and you'll find your ,house of ,refuge will not protect him either4 ,this is the way ,i perceive you ,southern legal gentlemen will help us4 ,but you will never get ,anderson from ,canada4 ,your determination will fail4 ,we shall not fail1 but ,i will tell you after ,i return from our filibustering tour1 as we am going out next month4 ,we are confident of success in that1 too1 for our fleet is in good condition4 ,we shall then take ,anderson1 if not before1 and let you see how much your ,house of ,refuge will do to hold that man from the ,south4 ,i never heard from ,d4 ,l4 ,ward from that day4 ,i had written previous to this interview to the governor-general1 ,lord ,elgin1 of the first effort to retake him as a murderer4 ,he replied that1 in case of a demand for ,william ,anderson1 he should require the case to be tried in their ,british court2 and if twelve freeholders should testify that he had been a man of integrity since his arrival in their dominion1 it should clear him4 ,this information1 however1 ,i did not reveal to our ,southern lawyer4 ,three years later1 in which time ,i had succeeded in finishing my ,raisin ,institute building1 and reopened the institution in charge of a principal from ,oberlin ,college1 the sad tidings reached me that ,william ,anderson was lodged in jail in the city of ,toronto1 under charge of murder committed in the ,state of ,missouri4 ,he was awaiting his trial1 and ,gerrit ,smith was one of his legal advisers4 ,i wrote immediately informing him of the previous efforts to search out his whereabouts1 and that his pursuers at that date 7#ahec7 alleged that he was a free man1 and had never been a slave4 ,in reply1 ,gerrit ,smith wrote3 ,i am glad you have given me so much of his history4 ,poor ,anderson6 ,i visited him in jail4 ,i will send you my speech in his behalf4 ,i hope the friends will purchase his family4 ,i have volunteered to do all ,i can for the poor man4 ,lord ,elgin is removed2 the present governor-general is a stranger to this case4 ,god bless you4 ,i am truly your friend1 ,,gerrit ,,smith4 ,a few days later1 ,i received the thrilling speech of ,gerrit ,smith1 like the man1 full of pure and soul-inspiring thought2 but ,i trembled with fear when two of the three judges were in favor of returning ,william ,anderson to the ,state of ,missouri1 and that ,riggs the claimant was liable to succeed2 but through the efforts of his friends1 and the opposing judge1 the case was appealed to a higher court1 and ,william ,anderson was sent to ,england1 where he remained in safety until the war opened1 in which time the case was adjusted in his favor4 ,the ,missouri agent1 ,riggs1 failed1 and the friends of liberty rejoiced4 ,three young men fled from ,daniel ,payne1 ,kentucky1 and succeeded in reaching ,canada1 where they had proven themselves worthy of their hard-earned freedom4 ,a few months elapsed1 and their master came for them1 and tried to hire them to go back with him1 promising to make over to them manumission papers as soon as they returned4 ,but he failed to inspire ,alfred and his two brothers with confidence in his promise of freedom and fair wages for their work4 ,he then secured the aid of a colored man to invite them to a dancing party in ,detroit a few days after1 but the boys mistrusted that their old master had the handling of this invitation1 and did not accept it4 ,as they had been annoyed two weeks by the various plans of ,master ,dan ,payne1 they concluded the next time he gave them a call to appear more social1 and gave their plan to forty or fifty of their friends1 who were to lie in ambush near the old barracks1 where one of the brothers was to have a chill1 and appear too sick to go over the river4 ,but two days passed before the opportunity arrived that enabled them to carry out their plan4 ,when ,alfred informed the ex-master of the illness of his brother1 of course he must hasten to the sick boy with a nice brandy-sling for the chills1 and he purchased a good quantity for them all4 ,while he was handing a glass of sweetened brandy to the sick man1 a company of men rushed in and held him1 while ,alfred and two brothers stripped him of his coat1 vest1 boots1 socks1 and pants1 and tied him with a rope in the same way the master had tied their mother1 when he compelled her to be stripped1 and tied her with his own hands1 and whipped her until the blood ran to the ground4 ,alfred and his brothers applied dexterously the slave-whip1 which they had provided for the occasion by borrowing a plantation slave-whip kept by ,henry ,bibb as a reminder of his slave life4 ,daniel ,payne begged heartily for mercy4 ,alfred replied3 ,yes1 this is just the way my mother begged for mercy2 but you had no mercy for her1 and this is to show what she received at your cruel hands4 ,they applied the lash until the forty stripes their mother had received at his hands had been given4 ,then they unbound him and gave him fifteen minutes to dress and leave ,canada1 and gave him a quarter to go with1 keeping his watch and purse1 which contained about forty dollars4 ,he crossed the river within the given time1 and sent an agent to call on the authorities1 to whom he entered a complaint of being robbed of a gold watch and one hundred dollars1 but made no complaint of the whipping4 ,he affected to be too lame with rheumatism to return to his ,kentucky home for a number of days1 in which time the boys returned his watch1 but kept the money4 ,alfred and his brothers said ,mr4 ,payne was as untruthful about the amount of money as he was in calling his old silver watch gold4 ,suffice it to say1 the young men were never after troubled or annoyed by ,daniel ,payne1 of ,kentucky4 ,although it was a course ,i would never have inaugurated1 yet it was largely in human nature to requite the cruelties heaped upon their mother when it was beyond their power to protect her4 ,with very many pleasant remembrances1 ,i left this laborious field of labor for home work1 where ,i spent nearly three years looking after the best interests of my children1 and making preparations to reopen ,raisin ,institute1 for the moral1 intellectual1 and spiritual improvement of our youth4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,rescue ,,of ,,slaves4 ,a family of six left their old ,kentucky home in search of freedom4 ,a young wife who was sold had made her escape three years previously4 ,i noticed a stranger passing through my gate1 and as he was a mulatto1 ,i went out to see where he had gone4 ,i found him sitting in the porch1 waiting to see some one of whom to inquire whether he was at the right place4 ,he handed a paper directed to me by an under-ground railroad ticket agent1 who informed me there were six fugitives in his company4 ,then there are six of you8 ,i asked2 and where are the balance8 ,my two brothers are back a-ways1 he replied1 'cause we's feared it wasn't the right place4 ,being assured all was right1 he went back for them4 ,they had left their mother1 with her two little grandchildren1 in ,carthaginia1 until the boys could find a safe home for them1 but they knew not whether they should go on to ,canada or find the object of their search short of that place4 ,they heard in ,carthaginia that ,michigan was the last place she had been heard from1 and that was a short time after passing through that town4 ,they were directed to me as being most likely to know the whereabouts of the young wife4 ,they had been in my home a number of hours before the elder brother dared make the inquiry4 ,i noticed the frequent heavy sigh and sad countenance1 and ,i thought he was probably very anxious over the safety of his mother1 and ,i assured him that she was in good hands1 for ,i knew them to be true friends4 ,while he assented1 yet all my words of encouragement did not seem to cheer him1 while the two younger brothers were happy4 ,i went through my usual course of giving them new names4 ,as they left that entirely with me1 ,i gave as the family name ,koss1 and their given names ,benjamin1 ,richard1 and ,daniel4 ,but ,i came to the conclusion that the older brother was troubled over some friends he had left behind4 ,at length1 in a half hesitating and trembling manner1 he ventured to ask if ,i knew any thing of a colored girl by the name of ,mary ,todd4 ,certainly ,i do1 said ,i2 and did you know her8 ,yes1 ma'am1 was his reply4 ,do you know whether her husband was sold8 ,she worried a great deal about him4 ,no1 they talked of selling him lately4 ,then1 after a pause1 ,she isn't married again1 is she8 ,why1 no1 she is a very steady1 nice young woman4 ,every one in the neighborhood where she lives takes a great interest in her4 ,perhaps you are acquainted with her husband2 why don't he come8 ,he promised to follow her as soon as he could4 ,while his countenance lit up with joy1 ,i had no suspicion of who he was until he said1 ,i am the man4 ,i am her husband4 ,why didn't you tell me that before8 ,i was 'fraid of bad news if ,i got any4 ,afraid she was married8 ,well1 it's been mighty nigh three years1 an' ,i couldn't go for a long time off the plantation1 after she left4 ,as she was twelve miles from our school1 and by this time it was nearly night1 ,i hastened to inform brother ,canfield1 a ,wesleyan minister1 that the older brother of these fugitives was ,mary ,todd's husband4 ,is it possible1 he asked1 that ,mary's husband has come at last8 ,soon1 quite an excitement was produced in our neighborhood over the arrival of ,mary ,todd's husband4 ,the next morning brother ,canfield took him in his buggy to meet his wife and little son he had never seen2 and a time of great rejoicing was in the whole neighborhood4 ,as they were married after slave style1 brother ,canfield solemnized the marriage legally4 ,the minister said we all forgot the black skin1 when we saw that couple fly to each other's arms4 ,surely1 ,skins may differ1 but affection ,dwells in black and white the same4 ,mary had lived most of the time in the family of ,fitch ,reed1 of ,cambridge4 ,they soon had a home for their mother1 with her two little granddaughters1 and were all happy1 industrious1 and highly respected4 ,one of the common trials of life1 to mar our happiness in our family-like institution 7,february #bc;d7 was the listless waywardness of some of our dear students1 in a determined purpose to attend a dancing party under the guise of an oyster supper4 ,how many delusive snares are laid to entrap and turn aside the youth into divergent paths4 ,we found it necessary to suspend eight of our students for the remainder of the term4 ,it is a painful duty of the surgeon to amputate a limb1 yet it may be an imperative duty1 in order to save the life of the patient1 and restore the body to health4 ,this evening a very remarkable fugitive slave came from ,tennessee4 ,he had been five weeks on the way1 in which time he had slept but one night1 having traveled at night and buried himself in hay and straw in barns in the day-time to keep from perishing with cold1 and to avoid detection4 ,he says six years ago his wife and child were sold from him1 which caused him days and nights of bitter tears4 ,he then firmly resolved to make an attempt to gain his freedom by flight4 ,he was captured in ,illinois after a severe struggle4 ,he showed us four pistol-ball holes in the arm he was most dexterously using in his own defense1 and two large scars which he said were gashes made at the same time with a ,bowie-knife1 which enabled his enemies to capture him4 ,after they secured him in jail he was advertised in papers1 which his master saw1 and came and took him back1 and caused him to be whipped on the bare back until the flesh was so badly torn that he was compelled to lie on his stomach four weeks4 ,during this time he was not able to turn himself4 ,after recovering his master put him in the iron works1 of which he was proprietor4 ,if ,i hadn't been one of his engineers he would have sold me instead of giving me that awful whipping that he thought conquered me2 but he was mightily mistaken2 for it only imbedded in my heart a more bitter hate than ever4 ,i appeared contented and performed my work well4 ,after a few months1 he said one day1 ',i've made you a good boy1 ,jim1 and now ,i'll let you go to the big city with me4' ,i was very obedient1 but he little knew of my determination to leave him as soon as ,i could make sure work of it4 ,that is the reason ,i would not make friends with white people till ,i found ,michigan1 for we have heard that people in this ,state are friendly to us1 and that it is next to ,canada4 ,as this man was above mediocrity as to intelligence1 his two days stay with us had a salutary influence over our school4 ,he could not be prevailed upon to rest longer1 as he could not be easy until he reached ,victoria's dominions4 ,his clothes were made comfortable1 and ,i called on a few friends for a little pocket change1 and sent by him a little note to the next station1 where he was aided on to ,canada4 ,our ,spring term opened with fair prospects4 ,a number of our students who were suspended last term returned to us1 they said1 to redeem themselves1 and they were as good as their word4 ,during our long vacation ,i attended an anti-slavery convention in ,cincinnati1 where ,i met a white slave man from ,little ,rock1 ,arkansas1 who left his home in the night and by morning took public conveyance as any other white man would4 ,on reaching ,cincinnati he found friends of the slave to whom he revealed his condition4 ,levi ,coffin advised him to go with me to ,michigan4 ,as he was in greater haste than ,i was1 he proposed to go on at once4 ,consequently ,i wrote a letter of introduction to my friends1 requesting them to furnish him with work4 ,in two weeks ,i returned and found my young friend1 ,charles ,mc,clain1 7for that was the name ,i gave him in ,cincinnati7 at work with a friend1 who said it was a pity that ,i had introduced him as a fugitive slave1 for they would not have believed it if the statement had not come from me4 ,he came to our school and improved very much upon what he had picked up from the white children who were going to school1 and by the aid of a colored minister who could read and write1 and by that means could read in the second reader and write a little4 ,he was often seen in tears1 and was very anxious to have his sister with him1 who was as white as himself and1 like him1 had straight auburn hair1 blue eyes1 and perfect ,caucasian features1 without a vestige of ,african descent that could be detected4 ,a deep sympathy was enlisted in his behalf4 ,he was very anxious to convey intelligence to that sister of the ease with which he effected his escape1 and that she too could free herself as easily4 ,a number of the friends offered to aid1 and one friend placed thirty dollars in my hands to bring about this result4 ,i wrote to a colored minister in ,little ,rock1 who replied1 with a graphic account of their rejoicing at his success1 and of his sister ,ann's anxiety to come to him1 but that she had no means4 ,charles wrote to her that he would send means with instructions4 ,as ,i had for many years had a great desire to see more of the system of slavery in its own territory1 as so many people of the ,north were insisting upon our exaggerations1 and that we were judging the majority of slave-holders by the few unprincipled men we had seen1 ,i concluded to become the bearer of this message4 ,with a well-defined plan of the streets and houses ,i left my home1 in confidence that the ,god of ,daniel would return me unharmed4 ,after a little visit with my dear friends1 ,levi and ,catharine ,coffin1 in ,cincinnati1 ,i resumed my journey4 ,i felt a little disappointed at the leaving of a through boat an hour earlier than reported4 ,levi said1 ,perhaps thou'lt find it's all for the best1 and so it was4 ,for the second day after leaving ,cincinnati the vessel was burned and sunk1 with great loss of property1 and many of the passengers were seriously injured1 and some fatally4 ,as ,i soon after passed the wreck of partially burned furniture floating near the shore1 and some hauled out lying on the bank1 ,i was thankful for the disappointment4 ,at ,napoleon ,i left the boat for another to go up the ,arkansas river1 and waited at the best hotel in the place1 kept by the widow ,reeves4 ,she was probably a fair specimen of ,southern women4 ,the appearance of the people made me feel as if ,i was out of these ,united ,states4 ,there was quite a company waiting to go up or down the river4 ,among them were six or eight young people--,colonel ,thompson with his son and daughter1 whom he was taking home from their school in ,helena1 ,arkansas1 and a young ,dr4 ,jackson1 who was very talkative and filled to over-flowing with affectation4 ,with a twirl of his little cane1 and half-bent bow1 in a simpering manner he addressed the four young ladies sitting on the sofa before him3 ,how did you rest last night1 ladies8 ,quite well1 ,i thank you4 ,indeed1 ,i am very happy to hear it1 for ,i did not4 ,i was dreaming all night of shooting and stabbing1 and ,i had an awful time4 ,i suppose it was owing to the awful time we had when ,i was here last over a nigger fight1 or rather a fight over a nigger4 ,it seems he had started to run away and they overtook him here1 and he fought like a tiger4 ,he had armed himself with a six-shooter1 and ,i tell you he made the bullets fly lively1 and they shot him before they could catch him4 ,he shot one man dead and wounded two or three others1 and ,i was called upon to extract a ball from the shoulder of one man4 ,during this conversation1 and much more not recorded1 ,i was writing a letter home1 directed to a friend in ,covington1 ,kentucky4 ,there was an understanding1 while in ,cincinnati1 that ,levi ,coffin was to take my letters from our ,covington friends1 and mail them home4 ,to my great relief1 the small boat1 ,rough and ,ready1 came in1 and was to leave for ,indian ,territory1 up the ,arkansas ,river1 in two hours2 but a large boat was going up the next day4 ,i went on both to see what they were1 and ,i found the large boat looked more like an old slaver than a civilized craft1 and made my choice without making known the reason4 ,there was in the hotel an old lady going on the large boat1 and she urged me to accompany her1 and a young woman was going on the ,rough and ,ready1 who was anxious ,i should go with her1 as she was alone1 and going to her mother in ,little ,rock4 ,the old lady said she was alone1 and was going to her daughter1 and asked ,mrs4 ,reeves to intercede in her behalf4 ,now1 ,mrs4 ,smith1 ,i'll make a bargain with you4 ,there is a rich widower on the big boat1 and he's got lots of niggers and money4 ,i'll give him to you if you'll go on that boat2 and1 ,i tell you1 he's rich as ,croesus4 ,i had to enter somewhat into these familiarities1 and told her ,i would not think of being so selfish as to take him from her4 ,i finished my letter-writing1 and her ,pomp was told to take my satchel to the boat with the young woman4 ,there were ,colonel ,thompson and son and daughter1 who made themselves quite too familiar to be comfortable4 ,i soon noticed the captain seemed quite disconcerted1 and made many excuses4 ,his cabin help were set to cleaning and setting things in order1 and his cook sent ashore for nuts1 candies1 and fruits4 ,we hardly had started when ,colonel ,thompson charged me with being a reporter for some periodical4 ,i assured him of his mistake4 ,said he1 ,i knew you were a reporter2 and when ,mrs4 ,reeves was urging so persistently to have a dance1 ,i whispered to my young folks not to have any thing to do with it1 for you'd have us all in some newspaper4 ,i told him ,i was writing a letter to my folks4 ,said he1 ,you need not think you are going to fool us in that way4 ,i saw you write a few minutes1 then stop1 and listen awhile to ,dr4 ,jackson and those young ladies1 and then write again1 then stop to listen to ,mrs4 ,reeves1 and then write again4 ,i told my children they could see you had five or six pages for some paper2 and you can never make me believe that was all for a letter4 ,now1 if you will answer one question ,i'll release you4 ,haven't you written an article for a paper some time8 ,i hesitated1 for the next query would be1 ,what paper8 ,at length ,i thought of the note of correction ,i wrote for the ,louisville ,courier1 while in that city1 in behalf of ,calvin ,fairbanks1 while he was there in prison4 ,i finally told him ,i would not say ,i had never written any thing for a paper4 ,now1 if you will pardon me1 just one more question1 and if you will answer that ,i will be as good as my word1 and trouble you no more on that score4 ,what paper have you written for8 ,i would like to know whether it was a ,helena paper or any one in our ,state4 ,no1 not in this ,state1 said ,i2 ,i did write a little card for the ,louisville ,courier4 ,ah1 yes1 that's it2 that is a good ,democratic paper4 ,i am acquainted with the editor4 ,i knew you were trying to cheat us all the while4 ,i wish you would write an article for the ,little ,rock ,democrat1 ,if you will ,i will send the editor a letter of introduction2 and ,i know he will pay you well for it4 ,but ,i declined1 and was very much relieved when the ,thompson family reached their home in ,pine ,bluff4 ,here ,i saw their slaves come to meet them for their baggage4 ,they urged me to stop with them and spend a week or two1 and they would take me out into the country to see some beautiful plantations1 as they had an excellent carriage driver4 ,the young woman said ,pa has owned him a number of years1 and could always risk us with him anywhere4 ,our plantation is not a very large one1 as pa has always had a store on his hands1 but there are some very large and beautiful ones beyond us4 ,a sense of relief came over me as ,i saw them leave the boat1 and we were the next day landed in ,little ,rock4 ,being after dark1 ,i spent the night at the ,anthony ,house4 ,before sunrise ,i was at the house of our friends1 who were greatly rejoiced1 and sent for the minister1 with whom we consulted4 ,after making all necessary arrangements1 with the signs fixed upon whereby ,i might understand when the expected boat would arrive1 whether any unfavorable indications were noticed1 etc ,i inquired for a private and convenient boarding house where ,i could remain a few days waiting for tidings from a through boat4 ,the family they named happened to be where the young woman who came on the same boat with me was boarding1 with her mother and brother in law1 who was keeping a tailor's shop4 ,i inquired of this young woman and her mother if they thought ,i could secure board there a few days1 while waiting for tidings from a brother4 ,they thought ,mrs4 ,shears might not have a convenient room for me but they would be glad to have me in their room4 ,soon the matter was settled4 ,the son in law brought in sewing for his mother and sister in law1 and ,i made myself useful by assisting them4 ,the mother1 ,mrs4 ,springer1 had a nice shally dress for me to make1 that she said she couldn't have got made to suit her as well for eight dollars1 and urged me quite hard to go in with herself and daughter in opening a shop for dress-making4 ,i also did some sewing for ,mrs4 ,shears1 who also became quite social4 ,mrs4 ,shears was very cruel to her slaves1 and complained of the indolence of ,jack1 a boy of twelve years4 ,but ,i haven't got him fairly broke in yet4 ,don't you think1 after ,i paid eight hundred dollars in gold for that nigger1 and set him to shell a barrel of corn1 he spent all that day in doing nothing8 ,i was just ready to go away1 when a nigger-drover brought a few he had left1 and said he'd sell cheap1 as it was the last he had on hand4 ,he wanted nine hundred2 but ,i told him ,i'd give him eight hundred in gold1 and at last he concluded to take it4 ,well1 as ,i told you1 ,i set him to shelling on that barrel of corn1 and ,i don't s'pose he shelled a dozen ears after ,i was gone4 ,don't you think1 that nigger spent all that day in bawling after his mother--a great booby1 twelve years old6 ,he might have some sense in his head4 ,i gave him one dressing1 to begin with2 for ,i found he'd got to know who was master4 ,i've had him six weeks1 and he isn't hardly broke in yet4 ,poor motherless child6 ,no doubt she too wept bitterly over the separation2 but no word of pity1 or even a sigh of sympathy1 must be allowed here4 ,i must listen to this1 and a great deal more1 with stoical indifference4 ,as ,mrs4 ,shears had more company than usual1 she came to me one evening1 and asked if ,i would take her daughter's bed in her room1 shielded with curtains1 for the night4 ,this was satisfactory to me4 ,the following morning1 at gray dawn1 the two little boys1 ,jack and ,jim1 came in with fire from the kitchen1 with kindling4 ,the mistress rolled out of bed1 and took her heavy-heeled shoe1 dealing blows upon their heads and shoulders1 and said3 ,how come you niggers till this time o' day in here to build fires8 ,aunt ,winnie didn't wake us4 ,i'll wake you up2 here almost daylight1 and not a fire built yet1 when these four fires ought to have been built an hour ago4 ,and didn't wake up1 ha8 ,i'll teach you to wake up4 ,and so she kept up the heavy blows1 chasing them round and round the chairs1 and the boys crying1 ,i will get up early1 missus2 ,i will get up early1 till it seemed to me an unreasonable punishment4 ,just as the two fires were going1 and the little fellows went to light the other two1 the son1 ,joe ,shears1 came in4 ,what are these niggers about1 that these fires are not all going long ago8 ,o1 they had to sleep this mornin'2 they say ,aunt ,winnie didn't wake 'em4 ,i'll wake the young devils2 ,i'll see whether they'll sleep till broad daylight4 ,it's their business to have these fires going an hour ago2 and out he went4 ,at breakfast1 ,i noticed ,jim1 the waiter1 was missing1 and ,jack was not at his wood-chopping as usual4 ,soon after1 as ,i passed through the rear porch1 ,i saw the two little boys hanging1 as ,i supposed1 by their wrists1 to a pole over the bay in the barn4 ,the door was just opened by ,joe ,shears1 to commence his day's work of whipping1 as ,i soon heard the cries of one1 then the other1 alternating in stripes heard with their cries1 by spells1 until noon4 ,during this time ,joe ,shears was sitting before the fire1 playing cards and sipping his brandy between the whippings4 ,whenever he was out the whipping and cries were heard4 ,at noon little ,jim was let down1 very hoarse from crying1 and his eyes red and swollen4 ,by his walk ,i knew the little fellow had suffered intensely4 ,but the little wood-chopper was not at his post4 ,soon after dinner the lash was again heard1 with the hoarse cry of little ,jack2 and each time ,joe ,shears sat down to his card-table ,i looked for ,jack1 but after a game or two of cards he was out again1 and the lash and cries resumed4 ,i became so distressed that at four o'clock ,i took a walk on the street1 ostensibly to rest by exercise after a day of sewing1 but really to give vent to tears that had been all day pent up1 for all appearance of sympathy must here be restrained4 ,on my return ,i heard the battling of the paddle1 with the cries of poor ,jack1 so hoarse that ,i could hardly have recognized it as a human voice had ,i not known what it was4 ,i got no glimpse of the poor child until the next morning4 ,as the tailor1 ,joseph ,brink1 came in1 the sister-in-law said1 ,we ought to have a lamp or candle lit before this time4 ,said the mother1 ,we don't feel half thankful enough for this grate-fire4 ,just think1 ,joe ,shears has been whipping those two little boys all this blessed day1 and ,i should think they must be half dead to-night4 ,what have they done8 said ,joseph4 ,i don't know2 do you1 ,mrs4 ,smith8 ,yes2 you know ,i slept in ,mrs4 ,shears's room last night2 and the boys came in at nearly daylight with their pan of fire and kindling1 and the mistress wanted to know why their fires were not all built before1 and they said ,aunt ,winnie didn't wake them4 ,and she whipped them with her shoe quite a while2 then ,joe ,shears came in1 and swore at them1 and said he would wake them4 ,and that was it8 ,only think1 said ,mrs4 ,springer2 you know ,aunt ,winnie was sick yesterday4 ,and just because they hadn't these fires all built before daylight they've had them tied up in the barn all day2 that cowhide ,mrs4 ,shears keeps hung on her door-knob her ,joe has swung over those two little niggers all day4 ,i tell you1 if the devil don't catch such people there's no use of having a devil4 ,her son-in-law1 in an undertone1 said1 ,be careful2 don't talk so loud1 or it will make a fuss here4 ,well1 ,i don't care1 ,i am mad4 ,i tell you1 ,joe1 hell is lined this very minute with just such folks as these4 ,well1 ,i think they are more cruel here than they are in ,georgia4 ,i've seen just such work in ,georgia and in ,alabama1 and it's all over4 ,i tell you1 there's more in hell to-night for treating niggers this way than for all other sins put together1 and ,i know it4 ,be careful2 they'll hear you1 and it will make trouble4 ,it's their property2 it's none of ours4 ,i don't care for that2 they are human beings1 and have feelings as well as other folks4 ,there's that little nigger1 ,bob1 they've hired of ,dr4 ,webb1 down street2 they whip him and pound him about1 and they'll kill him some day4 ,and ,i think somebody ought to report to ,dr4 ,webb how they are treating that young nigger4 ,he is a mighty nice-looking boy4 ,he is almost white1 and they've got him all scarred up4 ,well1 what of that8 ,the doctor himself is no better4 ,about three months ago his boy ,tom was throwing wood in his cellar1 and he did something he didn't like1 and he kicked him down the cellar1 then jumped down after him and took a billet of wood and was pounding ,tom over his head when two white men were passing by and saw the whole affair2 and as ,tom fell the doctor came up out of the cellar and went down town and reported his ,tom had a fit4 ,but the two men went into the cellar after the doctor left and found him dead and his skull broken in4 ,they reported what they saw and had a coroner's inquest over him1 who found that ,tom came to his death by too severe punishment4 ,they arrested the doctor and put him in jail a few days1 when his trial came off4 ,the doctor was fined five hundred dollars1 and he paid it and went free4 ,yes1 that is the doctor we've been sewing for1 is it8 ,certainly4 ,i tell you1 hell is heaped with just such people4 ,she went on in that strain that reminded me of ,st4 ,clair's cursing up hill and down that almost frightened the ,new ,england old maid of ,uncle ,tom's ,cabin4 ,i trembled myself1 expecting every moment that some member of the family would hear her4 ,two days later was washing-day1 and the cook1 ,aunt ,winnie1 told her mistress she was too sick to do the very large washing for three boarders besides the family4 ,i heard the mistress cursing her1 and telling her she could if she had a mind to1 and charged her with being lazy4 ,in came her son ,joe4 ,what's all this fuss8 ,o1 it's ,winnie says she's sick and can't do the washing this week4 ,sick6 ,i'll see how sick she is1 and he took up a billet of stove wood and commenced beating her over her head and shoulders1 and swearing that he would give her something to be sick for4 ,mrs4 ,springer called my attention to the quarrel of ,mrs4 ,shears with her cook before ,joe ,shears came in4 ,then said she1 ,poor ,aunt ,winnie will catch it now1 ,i'll warrant4 ,there1 just hear those blows2 they sound like beating the table2 he'll kill her4 ,and table1 stools1 and tin-pans or pails made racket enough for the whole kitchen to be falling down4 ,the struggle with a volley of oaths lasted a few minutes4 ,mrs4 ,springer1 up to boiling rage again1 ,hear that2 what devils they are2 don't you believe ,aunt ,winnie will die8 ,why1 ,i can't hold still4 ,in as careless a manner as ,i could command ,i said1 ,we can do no good by saying any thing4 ,you know what your son said the other night4 ,i know it2 but there isn't a particle of humanity about them4 ,i feel as if ,i want to pitch into the whole ,shears family4 ,soon all was quiet4 ,i believe ,aunt ,winnie is dead1 don't you8 ,i think not4 ,i am going in there to see4 ,as she got up to go to the kitchen she took the pitcher for water4 ,while she was pumping the water near the kitchen-door1 ,aunt ,winnie staggered to the door trying to wind a cloth around her bleeding head1 and one eye was swollen shut4 ,as she came in and reported how badly she was bruised up1 she wanted me to take the pitcher and go to the pump for water2 but ,i told her ,i would wait a little1 for they might think we went on purpose to see ,winnie4 ,poor thing1 ,i know she came to the door on purpose to let me see her4 ,and ,mrs4 ,springer could not rest satisfied until ,i drew the next pitcher of water1 when the poor woman reeled to the door with her hand on her head and the cloth around it saturated with blood4 ,i could not sleep a wink after the day of the unmerciful whipping of those two little boys4 ,again the night after this unmerciful beating of this poor woman was spent in weeping1 and prayer to ,him who hears the cries of his oppressed children4 ,a few days after ,aunt ,winnie came to ,mrs4 ,springer and asked her if she would cut and make a green delaine sacque for her1 and cut a calico skirt1 as she could make that in the night1 and charged her not to let her mistress see it or let her know she had it1 because her husband got it for her and gave her seventy-five cents to get ,mrs4 ,springer to cut it2 for he is going to take me away three weeks from next ,saturday night1 'cause the people are so hard here2 he says ,i shan't stay here any longer4 ,i am so sorry for her1 ,i told her to come in when her mistress and ,joe ,shears's wife are away making calls1 and ,i would take her measure and cut and baste it3 then for her to come in after they are all in bed and ,i would fit it and make it any time1 keeping it under a sheet ,i've got to make1 and in that way ,i can keep it out of sight2 and ,i told her you and my daughter will say nothing about it4 ,said ,winnie1 ',i knows that by her face4' ,do you know how quick these black people read faces8 ,while she was sewing on ,aunt ,winnie's sacque1 ,joe ,shears's wife came into our room a little while1 and the daughter looked out the back window1 where ,jack was chopping1 and said1 ,i don't think your ,jack is going to live long4 ,why8 ,i'm sure he eats hearty4 ,he looks so bad out of his eyes2 ,i've noticed it a few days past1 and ,i've noticed he sort o' staggers sometimes1 and he don't talk natural4 ,she jumped up and looked at him and hastened to her mother in law's room4 ,mother1 ,miss ,springer says ,jack is going to die4 ,what makes her think ,jack is going to die8 ,i don't see any thing ails ,jack1 he eats hearty4 ,miss ,springer 7laughing73 ,i thought ,i'd scare her out4 ,i wish ,i could scare them to death1 so they would treat their niggers like human beings4 ,well1 you've got her out of the way long enough to get ,winnie's sacque out of sight before our ,joe comes in1 for he's so mighty careful for fear we'll get into trouble2 ,i know he'd scold if he knew it4 ,strange position ,i was occupying1 here among the most cruel of slave-holders4 ,and they were calling me a superintendent of the underground railroad at home2 and here was the starting-point on our underground railway1 but a silent listener1 and in surprise1 ,i said1 ,where can ,aunt ,winnie and her husband go8 ,as you say1 he is a slave4 ,i don't know1 but they do go somewhere out of the way of their owners1 though they keep up a mighty hunt for a long time2 yet a good many of 'em are never heard from2 and ,i don't know where in creation they do go1 and ,i don't care1 so they get away from these hyenas that have no more feelings for their niggers than a wild animal1 nor half as much4 ,i just wonder sometimes that the niggers don't turn upon 'em and kill such devils4 ,i know ,i would if ,i were in their places4 ,yet there are those who treat their servants kindly1 ,i replied4 ,i felt sometimes as if ,i was compelled to be indifferent4 ,my friend passed the window at which ,i was engaged in sewing4 ,after a few moments ,i made an excuse to rest myself by taking a little walk1 as each of us frequently did4 ,i soon overtook this friend who informed me that ,ann wished to see me after her tea was over1 when she would be released for a half hour to walk out on the back way with a free mulatto girl1 who was her intimate and confidential friend1 and ,i was to go in a large yard of shrubs and fruit trees where ,i was to meet this friend who would call for ,ann1 with whom we were to take the proposed walk4 ,at the appointed time and place ,i met the friend1 who directed me to stand in a place out of sight of the street1 or little cabin1 the home of her very aged and decrepit parents1 who were worn-out slaves1 and as ,i understood were given their freedom4 ,their slave-daughter was permitted to step in and do little chores for them after her day's work was done4 ,while waiting in this lonely and solitary nook1 three large bloodhounds came in sight4 ,i remembered of hearing about their being let loose after sunset1 to reconnoiter the premises1 and ,i called to mind what ,i had heard and read in history1 that however ferocious an animal is1 a stern and steady gaze in the eye1 by a human being1 would disarm it of ferocity1 and cause it to leave4 ,this course ,i resolved to pursue with these three formidable enemies1 that were already assuming a threatening attitude1 with a low growl1 showing their teeth1 with hair on end--the leader as large as a yearling calf1 the two following him slightly smaller4 ,i fixed my eyes upon the sparkling eyes of the leader1 that came within six feet and stopped2 soon the growl ceased1 the lips dropped over the long tusks1 the hair smoothed back1 and he quietly walked off with his companions4 ,soon came the girl1 all out of breath3 ,did the hounds come to you8 ,they did4 ,oh1 dear6 what did you do8 ,i stood perfectly still1 ,i answered1 and looked in the eyes of the leader1 and they soon became quiet and walked away4 ,oh1 dear1 that was the only thing that saved your life4 ,if you had stirred a particle they would have torn you in pieces4 ,i was so anxious to have ,ann see you1 ,i forgot the hounds until ,i started back1 and ,i liked to have fainted1 for ,i know they were awful4 ,i liked to have screamed out ',god have mercy on that dear friend1' for ,i was 'most sure ,i'd find you killed4 ,oh1 no1 the ,lord has preserved me1 and ,i am not harmed4 ,she was so badly frightened that it was some time before her voice ceased trembling2 but ,he who is ever present with his trusting children was there4 ,arrangements were made for ,ann to go ,north1 but if a word of suspicion was heard1 ,i told her she must defer going to a future time2 that she must go as her brother went1 perfectly independent of any one1 which she was confident of doing2 but she wished to go on the same boat with me1 if no one else was going from their city4 ,i learned through her friend that she was overheard to ask a friend of hers for a shawl for a journey4 ,i sent her word to abandon the idea of going then at once2 that ,i should take the first boat for home4 ,she did not obtain her freedom until after her mother's death1 two or three years later4 ,i did not regard the trip lost1 painful as it was4 ,there was on the boat a sad couple1 taken from a number of their children by a young beardless boy1 perhaps eighteen or twenty1 small and slender4 ,i noticed them frequently in tears4 ,they were noticed by a few of the passengers1 who made remarks about the sad faces of those negroes4 ,said one heartless woman1 ,look at that nigger cryin'4 ,i don't see what she's cryin' about2 she's got her young one and man to her heels4 ,i carelessly watched for an opportunity to speak with one or both of these children of sorrow4 ,as they sat on a pile of cable on the rear deck ,i caught the opportunity to inquire where they were going4 ,we don't know2 our young massa got to frettin'1 an' ole massa gib us to him and some money1 an' tole him to go4 ,we lef' three bigger chillun behin'2 never 'spects to see 'em ag'in2 ,i wish he'd buy a plantation somewhar1 so we could go to work2 'pears like thar's no comfort for us poor people1 only when we's got work1 an' stops studyin' so much4 ,as the tears began to fall thick and fast1 ,i took them by the hand and told them ,jesus was the friend of the poor1 and he had many followers who also remembered them in prayer4 ,and he knew of their sorrow1 and as they went to him he would comfort their sorrowing hearts4 ,pointing to his wife1 he said1 ,she knows that1 and ,i wish ,i did4 ,i charged them to make no mention of my having spoken to them4 ,for while they were slaves1 ,i was not free4 ,this young man with his heavy-hearted couple left our boat at ,pine ,bluff4 ,surely ,i had seen enough of slavery in its own household4 ,three weeks was long enough to see and feel its virus4 ,i met my old friends in ,cincinnati with a glad heart1 where ,i could draw a free breath4 ,i could visit them but two days before ,i was on my way home1 where were many glad hearts to listen in private circles to my experience in a slave ,state4 ,more than ever they were convinced that the cannon and sword would1 at no very distant day1 destroy the monster4 ,our institution was now in its second academic year1 in charge of ,joseph ,d4 ,millard1 of ,oberlin ,college4 ,the stockholders had turned it over into my hands1 making me sole-proprietor of the institution1 with all its multiform cares and responsibilities4 ,i had also frequent calls from fugitives in flight for freedom1 whose claims were second to none other4 ,but to see prejudice in our students melt away by an acquaintance with our work1 richly repaid me for all my day and night toiling and cares1 that seemed almost crushing at times4 ,i purchased for the young men's hall a building that was erected for a water cure4 ,that project failed1 and the building that cost #b1jjj to erect1 was offered for three hundred dollars for my institution4 ,i moved it one mile1 and repaired it with fifteen rooms2 and it was well filled the first year4 ,this academic year of our usual three terms our students numbered over two hundred1 mostly of those who had been teaching1 or preparing themselves for teachers1 or for a collegiate course4 ,i served as preceptress1 and was closely confined in school work4 ,realizing in a great measure the importance of molding the mind of youth for usefulness1 these years of constant care passed pleasantly with the hundreds of young people of our own and adjoining counties4 ,a colored man1 with a farmer's bag swung over his shoulder1 approached two men at work on the railroad between ,palmyra and ,adrian1 and inquired how far it was to ,michigan4 ,you are in ,michigan1 you fool you1 was their reply4 ,then1 will you please tell me how far it is to ,canada8 ,you go to ,adrian1 about a mile ahead1 and take the cars1 and they'll take you to ,canada in two hours2 or1 if you haven't money to go that way1 you can go up that road till you come to the ,quaker meeting-house1 and go direct east two miles to the ,widow ,haviland's school1 and she will tell you how to go to ,canada1 and it won't cost you any thing4' ,she is a great friend to your people4 ,he soon found me4 ,i got my supper out of the way1 and my men folks out again at their work4 ,i then inquired who directed him to me1 and he told me two men six miles from this school said you was a frien' to my people2 an' ,i thought if folks knew you six miles off ,i would be safe to come to you1 'case ,i wants to go to ,canada right soon4 ,i started once before1 and traveled three nights by the ,north star2 and as ,indiana was a free ,state ,i thought ,i would stop and buy me some broad1 an' the people was mighty kind1 and said ,i could rest a week1 and they would pay me for the work ,i did1 to help me on to ,canada4 ,but firs' ,i knew my master come for me1 an' ,i seed him pay them money--s'pose 't was reward4 ,this time he was so cautious that he would make a friend of no one until he reached ,michigan4 ,they had always heard people were friends to colored people in this ,state4 ,he was six weeks from ,kentucky1 and had not dared to make his condition known to any one1 white or black1 until he saw a colored man in the yard at ,dr ,bailey's1 of whom he inquired for my house4 ,i told him that his coat and pants were too ragged1 and that ,i must repair them4 ,as he had not a second shirt1 ,i took one of my son's1 and gave him a couple of towels1 soap1 and a pail of warm water1 and told him to take off his coat for me to mend1 while he went up stairs to the room over the kitchen to change his shirt4 ,he hesitated about taking off his coat1 until ,i told him he must4 ,i am not your mistress1 said ,i1 and yet you must mind me4 ,tears started as he slowly drew it off1 when the torn and bloody shirtsleeves revealed the long sears1 and a few unhealed sores on his arms4 ,said ,i1 ,are these the marks of the slave whip8 ,he nodded assent1 while tears were falling4 ,when was this done8 ,two nights afore ,i lef'4 ,what was jour offence8 ,dis was what ,i got for runnin' off1 an' ,i fainted1 an' master dragged me in my cabin1 and didn't lock me in1 'case ,i's so weak4 ,i reckon he thought ,i's safe4 ,but ,i got an ing'on to rub over the bottoms of my shoes so dogs couldn't foller me1 an' ,i got four loaves o' bread and a big piece o' boiled meat1 an' crawled into de barn an' tuck dis bag an' buffalo-robe for my bed1 an' dragged it into de woods1 and tuck my bes' frien'1 de ,norf star1 an' follered clean to dis place4 ,what did you do for something to eat8 ,i tuck corn in de fiel'4 ,when ,i foun' log heaps an' brush burnin' ,i roasted a heap to las' a few days2 but ,i was weak an' trimbly to start1 an' kep' so all de way4 ,after this little history ,i made him take off his vest1 which was also very reluctantly done4 ,but what a sight6 ,the back of his shirt was like one solid scab6 ,i made him open his collar1 and ,i drew the shirt off from his shoulders and from the appearance of the shoulders and back it must have been cut to one mass of raw flesh six weeks before1 as there were still large unhealed sores4 ,i told him he must sit here until ,i called in my son and son-in-law to see it4 ,as they looked upon that man's back and arms1 and walked around him1 said ,levi ,camburn1 my son-in-law3 ,mother1 ,i would shoot the villain that did that as quick as ,i could get sight at him4 ,but1 ,levi1 ,i replied1 he is not fit to die4 ,no1 and he never will be2 and the quicker he goes to the place where he belongs the better4 ,indeed1 ,i would shoot him as quick as ,i would a squirrel if ,i could see him4 ,joseph1 my son1 responded3 ,i think ,levi is about right1 mother2 the quicker such a demon is out of the world the better4 ,i know this is a sad sight for us to look upon2 but ,i did not call you in to set you to fighting4 ,many of my friends1 and my son-in-law ,levi1 had thought me rather severe in judging the mass of slaveholders by the few unprincipled men who had fallen under my special notice2 but ,i never heard of any remark whatever from my son-in-law or neighbors1 after this incident1 that charged me with being too severe in judging slaveholders4 ,i furnished the poor man with healing salve1 and tried to persuade him to rest a few days until he would be able to work2 but no1 he must see ,canada before he could feel safe4 ,he was very loath to sleep in any bed1 and urged me to allow him to lie on the floor in the kitchen1 but ,i insisted on his occupying the bed over the kitchen4 ,i gave him a note of introduction to the next station agent1 with a little change2 and a few weeks after ,i heard from my friend1 whose name was ,george ,wilson4 ,the reporter said3 ,the first two weeks he seemed to have no energy for any thing4 ,but then he went to work1 and quite disappointed us4 ,he is getting to be one of the best hands to hire in ,windsor4 ,this was the second fugitive from slavery who slept in my home--mine being the first house they had dared to sleep in since leaving their old home4 ,a few days later another fugitive came from ,louisiana4 ,he was a black-smith4 ,i wrote to a wealthy farmer in ,napoleon1 ,michigan1 to learn whether he could not furnish business for one or the other of two new arrivals from slavery4 ,to show the feelings of thousands of our citizens at this date1 ,i will extract a portion of his letter3 ,there are constantly in our moral horizon threatenings of strife1 discontent1 and outbreaks between liberty and slavery4 ,the martyrdom of ,john ,brown only whets the appetite of the monster for greater sacrifice of life4 ,the continued imprisonment of ,calvin ,fairbanks and others are not satisfying portions4 ,i read your letter to our ,arkansas friend1 and we are glad to learn that another has escaped from the land of bondage1 whips1 and chains4 ,in view of the wrongs and cruelty of slavery1 how truly may it be said3 ',there is no flesh in man's obdurate heart2 ,it does not feel for man4' ,the natural bond of brotherhood is severed as flax that falls asunder at the touch of fire4 ,let the lot of bitter poverty be mine1 and the hand of man blight every hope of earthly enjoyment1 and ,i would prefer it to the condition of any man who lives at ease1 and shares in every fancied pleasure1 that the toil1 the sweat1 and blood of slaves can procure4 ,alas for the tyrant slave-holder when ,god shall make his award to his poor1 oppressed1 and despised children1 and to those who seek a transient and yet delusive means of present happiness by trampling his fellow and brother in the dust1 and appropriating the soul and body of his own crushed victim to the gratification of his depraved appetites and passions4 ,i would rather enter the gloomy cell of your friend ,fairbanks1 and spend every hour of this brief existence in all the bitterness that the hand of tyrants can inflict1 than live in all pomp and splendor that the unpaid toil of slaves could lavish upon man4 ,yours1 etc41 ,july #bgth1 #ahfj4 ,r4,b4 ,,rexford4 ,our blacksmith1 whom we called ,charles ,williams1 proved to be an honest and industrious man4 ,we solicited over seventy dollars for a poor woman by the name of ,jackson1 from ,marseilles1 ,kentucky1 who had bought herself by washing and ironing of nights1 after her mistress's work was done4 ,during seven long years she did not allow herself to undress except to change4 ,her sleep was little naps over her ironing board4 ,seven years of night work brought the money that procured her freedom4 ,she had a son and daughter nearly grow up1 and to purchase their freedom she was now bending her day and night energies4 ,her first object was to purchase the son1 as his wages would aid her to accumulate more readily the amount required for the daughter1 as she had the promise of both of her children4 ,but her economizing to purchase the son first for the sake of his help failed1 as the master's indebtness compelled him to sell one of them1 and market was found for the girl of sixteen4 ,nine hundred dollars was offered1 and the distressed mother had but four hundred dollars to pay4 ,she had trusted in her ,lord and ,savior in all these years of toiling1 and now must she see that daughter sold down the river8 ,in her distress she went from house to house1 to plead for a buyer who would advance the five hundred dollars1 and take a mortgage on her until she could make it4 ,at length she found a ,baptist deacon who purchased her daughter1 and she paid him the four hundred dollars4 ,he was to keep her until the mortgage was redeemed by the mother1 who was compelled to abandon her first project1 and bend her energies toward making the five hundred dollars4 ,after working very hard one year1 she was able to pay but one hundred and fifty dollars to ward the mortgage1 when her health began to fail4 ,the deacon told her the money was coming too slowly1 and that he could not wait longer than another year1 before he would have to sell her to get his money back4 ,weeping and prayer was my meat and drink day and night4 ,oh6 must ,i see my poor chile' go after all my hope to save her8 ,a merchant in that town by whom she had been employed1 told her he would give her a little secret advice1 which was1 to go to ,louisville as she had done before1 but not to stop there1 but to go on to ,cincinnati1 and he would give her a good recommendation to his brother1 ,mr4 ,ketcham1 who was a merchant and knew the abolitionists4 ,they would aid her in raising the three hundred and fifty dollars2 but she must not let it be known that he had advised her1 or that she was going ,north4 ,mr4 ,ketcham introduced her to ,levi ,coffin and lawyer ,john ,jolliffe1 who gave her letters of introduction to friends at ,oberlin1 and other places1 and by the time she was sent to me she had over two hundred dollars toward the release of the mortgage on the daughter4 ,as her health was poor from constant overwork and troubles incident to slave life1 to give her rest ,i took her papers1 and while calling on the friends of humanity1 did not slight some of my ,democratic friends1 some of whom had some years previously told me if ,i would go to work and purchase the slaves they would aid me4 ,consequently ,i called on one who was living in splendor within his massive pile of brick1 and reminded him of the promise he made me on a certain occasion4 ,now was his opportunity1 as ,i was assisting a mother to purchase her daughter4 ,i gave him the line through which ,i had received the best of endorsements as to her industrious and honest ,christian character1 and what the friends had done for her upon whom ,i had called1 and but for her poor health would have brought her with me4 ,after listening attentively to all my statements1 he arose from his chair1 walked nervously to and fro across his room1 as if striving to his utmost to brace against sympathy1 and said1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 ,i'll not give a penny to any one who will steal slaves2 for you might just as well come to my barn and steal my horse or wheat as to help slaves to ,canada1 out of the reach of their owners4 ,did ,i do right1 ,i asked1 in rescuing that ,hamilton family from the grasp of those ,tennessee slave-holders8 ,if ,i had taken a family under my wing1 of course1 ,i should calculate to protect them4 ,that is not the answer ,i call for4 ,i want from you a direct reply2 did ,i do right1 or wrong1 in that case8 ,you remember all the circumstances4 ,oh1 yes1 ,i remember it well1 and as ,i tell you1 if ,i had undertaken to protect a family ,i should do it4 ,i shall accept no prevarication whatever1 said ,i2 ,i demand a square answer1 and it is your duty to give it2 did ,i do right or wrong in that case8 ,he drew out his pocket-book1 and emptied it in my lap4 ,there is hardly a dollar1 and if ,i had more you should have it2 of course you are right1 and every sane man or woman knows it2 but my political relations are such ,i wish you wouldn't say anything about it4 ,it is no new thing for politics to stand in the way of humanity4 ,a few weeks later the glad mother returned and redeemed her daughter4 ,i saw them together at ,levi ,coffin's1 in ,cincinnati1 happy in their freedom4 ,another woman was directed to me by ,william ,king1 who1 with ,rev4 ,c4 ,c4 ,foote1 had founded a colony a few miles from ,chatham1 ,ontario1 for fugitives from slavery4 ,she managed to escape with seven children1 and her husband's master offered him to her for six hundred dollars1 two hundred dollars less than the market price4 ,i went with her a few days1 and received from the friends one hundred and thirteen dollars4 ,then the sight of one whom she recognized hastened her back to ,canada1 a proceeding which probably saved us the fate of the ,oberlin or ,wellington rescuers1 who spent a few weeks in jail4 ,a year after we heard the husband and father was with his family in ,canada4 ,a few weeks elapsed when another woman from ,cincinnati learned that her husband could be bought for a low figure because of a rheumatic difficulty4 ,she had been freed three years previously1 and by industry had accumulated three hundred dollars4 ,she came well recommended by ,levi ,coffin and others4 ,while making calls in her behalf in a store owned by a ,democratic friend1 upon presenting her claim to the proprietor and a few bystanders1 a gentleman stepped into the door with1 ,i see you come to ,democrats for aid4 ,she knows her best friends1 said our merchant4 ,i slight no one1 ,i answered4 ,i call upon my acquaintances regardless of politics4 ,i will give you five dollars for every one you'll get from an abolitionist in this place1 said the sparkling1 black-eyed stranger4 ,at this quite a shout arose in the store4 ,that speaks well for your abolition friends1 was the ironical retort of another bystander4 ,who is that gentleman8 ,i inquired4 ,mr4 ,lyons1 the banker on ,main ,street1 was the reply4 ,all right1 ,i said1 ,i shall remember him4 ,i stepped into ,edwin ,comstock's and mentioned this proposition4 ,very well2 ,i will give five dollars for the sake of twenty-five dollars from ,mr4 ,lyons1 and ,i placed that in my book4 ,i next met ,stephen ,allen on the street and ,i told him ,mr4 ,lyons's pledge4 ,all right1 he said2 ,i will give four dollars1 and that takes all ,i have in my purse to-day2 but ,i am glad to give it for the twenty dollars we are to get from ,mr4 ,lyons4 ,i called upon ,anson ,backus with my report and he said3 ,here is five dollars for the twenty-five from ,mr4 ,lyons4 ,i then stepped into the ,lyons's bank4 ,this1 ,i believe1 is ,mr4 ,lyons1 the proprietor1 who pledged a few minutes ago five dollars for every one dollar ,i would get from an abolitionist in this place4 ,his face flushed in reading the names with the fives and four dollar bills in the book ,i handed him4 ,there is no abolitionist's name here4 ,isn't ,edwin ,comstock an abolitionist8 ,no1 he isn't4 ,isn't ,stephen ,allen an abolitionist8 ,no1 he isn't8 ,isn't ,anson ,backus an abolitionist8 ,no1 he isn't4 ,then ,i ask you to define an abolitionist1 for ,i call these men as radical abolitionists as we have in our country4 ,well1 they are not4 ,please define them that ,i may know who they are4 ,they are those who go down ,south and steal slaves away from their owners and report that they whip men and women and sell husbands and wives apart1 and separate children from their mothers1 and all that sort of thing1 when it's all an arrant black-hearted lie4 ,mr4 ,lyons1 you know all these flat denials are substantial truths4 ,as you say you have lived in the ,south1 you know in your own heart that men and women are cruelly whipped1 and that families are separated1 and these cases of cruelty are neither few nor far between4 ,i will tell you what ,i have done for a woman who was a slave in ,kentucky when she came to me for advice in ,cincinnati1 as she had a daughter to be sold1 and her mistress was going to sell the whole family down the river4 ,she was permitted to do her mistress's marketing in ,cincinnati because she had confidence that she would not leave her family4 ,i advised her to put her husband and children in that market-wagon and cover them with hay and bring them to a certain place ,i designated1 and she would be aided in her flight to ,canada4 ,she took the plan ,i suggested1 and her whole remaining family1 nine in number1 found themselves free in ,canada4 ,was that the work of an abolitionist8 ,no1 it isn't4 ,then ,i know not where to find one1 for ,i see ,i too am out of the catalogue4 ,while this conversation was in progress he took three dollars from his desk and handed it to me2 but as much as ever1 ,i stopped to thank him1 and told him the worst wish ,i had for him was that he would repent of his wicked position before the hour of death overtook him1 and that he might find peace and pardon for these ,satanic assertions he had made4 ,he sat quietly listening while ,i gave out my indignation without stint4 ,hand me back that three dollars1 and it was as freely returned as ,i received it4 ,he put it back in his drawer1 took out five dollars and handed it to me1 and hardly took time to nod ,i thank you for finishing my speech1 which was not in the least interrupted1 even with the increased subscription4 ,poor man1 ,i pitied him1 for it was more than a year before ,i could get another opportunity to speak to him4 ,his clerk left the bank as soon as he commenced his tirade4 ,although it is unpleasant to meet with such spirits1 yet ,i never flee from them4 ,if my cause is owned by the author of the ,higher ,law1 none of these things move me4 ,a few months after this we received a letter from ,mintie ,berry1 the anxious wife1 for whom we succeeded in raising enough to reunite the long separated couple1 saying that their happy reunion was the result of favors from their many friends1 to whom they returned grateful thanks1 while they praised the ,lord for the blessing4 ,i received a letter1 ,july #d1 #ahei1 from poor ,calvin ,fairbanks4 ,eight long years of the fifteen he had suffered in a ,kentucky penitentiary4 ,how sad are these lines1 containing some of his prison reflections6 ,he says3 ,speak kindly1 ye muses1 my spirit inspire1 ,breathe softly and sweetly1 sweep gently my lyre2 ,there's gloom in my harp-string's low murmuring tone1 ,speak kindly1 speak gently1 to me here alone4 ,my spirit all broken--no soul-cheering ray ,to warm1 and illumine my cold dreary way1 ,no kind and beloved ones of days that are gone-- ,there's no one to cheer me1 ,i'm alone1 all alone4 ,from friends fondly cherished ,i'm severed away1 ,from the hills where ,i laughed at the bright early day2 ,and the morning of life like an arrow is gone1 ,like a shadow1 a moment1 and here ,i'm alone4 ,the guardians of childhood1 like the bright early flower4 ,have blossomed with fragrance1 and are lost in an hour2 ,and the cycle that brought them has eddied and gone1 ,and left me behind them1 alone1 all alone4 ,how solemn and dreary1 how somber with gloom1 ,are my lonely reflections1 of the cold silent tomb1 ,the abode of a father once fearless and bold1 ,of a sister once lovely1 now silent and cold2 ,of a mother lamenting her lost1 lonely son1 ,awaiting awhile1 but a day to be gone1 ,and to mingle with spirits of blest early love1 ,and to rest in the bosom of ,jesus above4 ,the thought of these loved ones1 now silent for aye1 ,or lingering and trembling1 and passing away4 ,breathes sadness on nature1 most cheerful and gay1 ,and traces these numbers--we're passing away4 ,but cease my complaining1 we'll soon be at peace1 ,we'll rest from our labors1 forever at ease2 ,there's rest for the weary and joy for our gloom1 ,for ,god is our refuge1 in heaven our home4 ,yes1 earth with her pleasures1 and all that we love1 ,we shall leave for the land of bright spirits above2 ,no blasting nor mildew1 nor soul-blighting care1 ,no sorrow1 no dying1 no sin shall reign there4 ,the year #ahfa opened full of excitement4 ,both ,north and ,south assumed threatening attitudes4 ,raisin ,institute was affected by it2 yet the work of the ,lord prospered with us4 ,within three weeks fourteen of our students experienced the new spiritual life4 ,but soon our ranks were broken4 ,the seventy-five thousand men in arms called for at the first by ,president ,lincoln were not sufficient to suppress the slave-holders' rebellion4 ,seventeen of our students enlisted for the bloody conflicts of civil war4 ,our principal1 ,f4 ,m4 ,olcott1 had purchased my institution1 and ,i looked forward to a happy release of the #ae1jjj indebtedness that was resting over ,raisin ,institute4 ,the room-rent was not sufficient to meet the interest and other incidental expenses1 and the tuition fees were required to pay the teachers4 ,this indebtedness rested upon my shoulders4 ,but for the salutary influence it exerted in molding the characters of our youth1 ,i should have failed4 ,the declining health of our dear brother ,f4 ,m4 ,olcott brought increasing darkness over our future prospects1 and the memorable battle of ,bull ,run increased the shock that startled the liberty lovers of our nation at the firing upon ,fort ,sumter4 ,the cloud that hung over our nation also overshadowed our beloved institution4 ,we closed this year with sad forebodings4 ,our beloved principal was fast hastening to his reward4 ,he suggested a friend of his to fill his position the ensuing year1 and died of consumption within six weeks of our vacation4 ,he was a noble ,christian man1 and had endeared himself to all who enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance4 ,his loss was severely felt by his students1 who enjoyed his faithful teaching1 and especially by myself1 as ,i had indulged the fond hope that he would become the efficient permanent principal4 ,the following year the institute opened with as fair prospects as could be expected1 in charge of ,edward ,a4 ,haight4 ,until the third year of the war our school was continued in successful operation4 ,but during the last term of #ahfc-d1 when the war had taken seventeen of our noble young men into the field1 and the condition of our soldiers1 daily reported as suffering and dying in camp and hospital1 called for tender nursing1 ,i offered myself for that work4 ,leaving an excellent young woman as preceptress in my stead1 ,i gathered from eighteen hundred to two thousand garments for freedmen1 and hospital supplies for soldiers1 and with papers from ,austin ,blair1 governor of our ,state1 from ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 member of ,congress1 and from others1 ,i left my sweet home and the loved ones who still clustered around it4 ,on my way to the depot ,i was met by ,rev4 ,p4 ,powell1 who inquired how much money ,i had4 ,fifteen dollars1 was my answer4 ,why1 ,mother ,haviland1 he exclaimed1 you can never go with only that4 ,stop a day or two1 and ,i'll get up eighty or a hundred dollars for you4 ,but ,i have arranged for all my supplies to go on today4 ,there are three or four boxes waiting for me at ,hillsdale1 and ,i wrote them ,i would be there to-night4 ,i have not asked for money1 but for supplies4 ,i have a free pass to ,chicago and return1 and if ,i can get a pass free to ,cairo and return1 ,i think ,i can get along1 and perhaps lives may be in peril in the twenty-four hours ,i might be waiting here for money4 ,will you telegraph me if you do not succeed in getting the passes in ,chicago8 ,i will1 ,i said1 and went forward4 ,as ,i was taking leave of my son ,joseph1 and was about to enter the car1 he held me by the hand1 and said3 ,one promise ,i want you to make me1 and make it so strong that your conscience will come in for a share2 and that is1 that you will stop1 once in a while1 to think whether you are tired or not4 ,you are going among the suffering and dying1 and ,i know you so well that you will go and go and do and do1 until you will drop before you will think of yourself4 ,if you will make me this promise ,i will feel a great deal better about you4 ,joseph1 ,i said1 ,i will promise to do this1 and we parted4 ,on visiting the sanitary rooms in ,chicago ,i met ,mrs4 ,hague1 ,mrs4 ,livermore1 and others1 who thought it very doubtful whether ,i could secure a fare free to ,cairo1 as ,president ,arthur had shut down the gate on free1 or even half-fare1 passes4 ,he had told them that associations might pay their agents enough to pay their fare4 ,but ,i was under the auspices of no association4 ,i was only a self-constituted agent1 and ,i must try4 ,leaning on the arm of my guide1 ,i went to ,president ,arthur1 and introduced myself by handing him my papers4 ,on reading them he asked1 rather sharply1 ,what do you want8 ,i am hoping to obtain a free pass to ,cairo and return1 ,i replied1 and free transportation for the supplies referred to in those papers4 ,are you alone1 madam8 ,i am alone4 ,well1 ,i think this is a heavy responsibility for a lady of your age4 ,are you aware of the responsibility you assume in this8 holding the paper up4 ,i think ,i am aware of the responsibility4 ,i do not know but the experience of age1 however1 may somewhat make up for the strength of youth4 ,well1 ,i guess it will4 ,settling himself back in his easy arm chair1 he said again1 ,how long a time do you want it for8 ,i can not answer intelligently1 ,i said1 ,i may wish to return for more supplies1 within two or three months1 and ,i can not say how long it will take to disburse these supplies judiciously4 ,very well1 and he took my papers to his chief clerk1 and soon brought me back passes1 saying1 ,there are your passes1 and they'll bring you back any time this year4 ,he gave me also an order for free transportation4 ,i left his office praising ,god for another victory4 ,i was met in the door of the sanitary rooms with ,did you succeed in getting a half-fare pass8 ,a free pass to ,cairo and return1 ,i said1 and free transportation for all my supplies from ,president ,arthur4 ,the clerk clapped his hands1 cheering3 ,you are a favored one2 not one of us would have got that favor4 ,not till then did they know of my leaving home with only fifteen dollars2 yet it was sufficient4 ,a few hours more landed me in ,cairo1 where the wharf was lined with cannon1 and piles of shells and balls4 ,my first work was to find a soldiers' home1 and visit hospitals4 ,oh1 what scenes at once were presented to my view6 ,here were the groans of the wounded and dying soldiers4 ,some were praying--a few were swearing2 and yet even these would patiently listen to reading the promises of ,jesus and his loving invitations1 and become calm4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,hospital ,,work4 ,our last chapter left us in hospital world at ,cairo4 ,a portion of the freedmen's camp of three thousand the officers proposed to remove to ,island ,no4 #aj1 and wished me to take most of my supplies to that place4 ,while waiting for their arrival ,i visited the ,united ,states ,hospital at ,mound ,city1 a few miles up the ,ohio ,river4 ,here1 too1 were dying soldiers1 one of whom especially attracted my attention1 as he was perfectly sane and rather unusually intelligent4 ,i immediately addressed him3 ,my son1 are you prepared to go hence8 ,mother1 he said1 that is a matter which ,i ought to have attended to long ago1 but ,i did not1 and now it is too late6 ,i am dying4 ,oh1 do not say too late6 ,remember the condition is1 ',believe and thou shalt be saved2' ',as thou hast believed1 so shall it be unto thee4' ,these are the sure promises of our merciful ,redeemer4 ,remember the thief on the cross looked at him with repenting spirit and living faith1 and said1 ',lord1 remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom2' and the quick reply was1 ',this day thou shalt be with me in ,paradise4' ,can you not trust such a ,redeemer8--such a loving ,father as is our ,god1 who saves to the uttermost all who ask with believing hearts8 ,he firmly held my hand and said1 ,i will try4 ,our prayers were mingled in asking for the enlightening of the ,holy ,spirit1 and while he was asking for the forgiveness of all his sins1 that he might receive an evidence of acceptance1 he seemed encouraged and gave me the names and address of his parents1 for me to write them of his hope1 in departing1 of a better future4 ,there was also great suffering in the camp of freedmen4 ,the officers wished me to aid them in persuading these people to go down to the island1 as they were afraid of being returned to slavery at the close of the war1 and desired to push as far into the free ,states as possible1 and very loath to go back an inch1 as one of the officers expressed it4 ,i took the names of these almost nude people1 whom ,i instructed to come to my tent2 as the officers said ,i should have one for the purpose of giving out clothing to the most needy among them4 ,they assured them that their freedom was a fixed fact2 that they would never see the day again when they would be separated by being sold apart4 ,this1 ,i found1 has a greater inducement for them to consent to the request of the officers to go to the island than all the clothing ,i could promise4 ,but one poor woman came to the captain weeping1 saying1 ,my poor baby is dying' an' ,i can't leave him4 ,he is my only child left me4 ,in the great hurry and bustle of business the quick reply was1 ,go back and ,i'll see to it4 ,as she left the office he turned to me and said1 ,i don't know whether it is so or not2 they get up all sorts of excuses4 ,as she was not yet out of sight1 ,i followed her to the slab hut and found it true4 ,an hour later and the baby of eight years was in the spirit world4 ,now1 missus1 ,i can't go an' leave my dead baby for de wharf-rats to eat1 an' de boat goes out at three o'clock4 ,i reported the death of the child and of the distress of the mother4 ,tell her1 said the officer1 we will see that her child is buried this afternoon1 and ,i want her to go on this boat4 ,i told the mother of the captain's wish1 and that ,i would see that her child was buried4 ,ob1 missus1 it 'pears like ,i can't leave him so2 they'll leave him here to-night1 an' dese wharf-rats are awful4 ,da eat one dead chile's face all one side off1 an' one of its feet was all gnawed off4 ,i don't want to leave my chile on dis bare groun'4 ,the grief of this poor mother was distressing in the extreme4 ,she knew not whether her husband and three older children1 sold away two years previously1 were still slaves or living1 as she had never heard a word from them since they were taken from her4 ,those sad separations1 she said1 were much harder to bear than the death of this child4 ,but she consented to go1 on my promise to see that her child was buried before night4 ,after she left for the boat ,i went to the captain to see his promise performed4 ,he seemed very indifferent4 ,what is the difference if that child shouldn't be buried this afternoon or whether wharf-rats eat it or not8 ,you promised to have it buried this afternoon1 ,i said1 and ,i told that poor woman ,i would see that it was done2 and ,i see no other way than to hold you to that promise1 for ,i shall meet her on the island1 and ,i must report to her4 ,said the captain1 ,you won't allow such things as these to break your heart1 after being in the army a little while and seeing our soldiers buried in a ditch1 with no other coffin or winding sheet than the soldier's dress4 ,for the time being we bury hundreds just in that way2 and when from five to fifteen die in one day1 as sometimes is the case in these large camps1 we can not make coffins for them1 but we roll them up in whatever they have4 ,if we can get a piece of board to lay them on when we put them in their graves we do well4 ,but here you have lumber and plenty of carpenters1 and you can have a plain coffin for the dead1 and ,i do hope one will be made for this child4 ,as ,i told the mother ,i would see that a coffin was made for her child and have it buried this afternoon1 ,i will do it4 ,he called the sergeant and gave the order for a carpenter among the soldiers to make it1 and ,i saw the pine board coffin go to the burying ground with the child just before sunset4 ,colonel ,thomas and the captain doubted whether ,i could secure transportation from ,general ,taliaferro1 who was in charge of that post4 ,they said he was a cross old bachelor1 and had said he would not give another woman transportation to go into the army4 ,but1 said ,colonel ,thomas to the captain1 she will be more likely to succeed if she goes herself without any word from us4 ,on the following day my car-load of supplies arrived1 and ,i began to regret that ,i had not waited a day or two longer at home for the one hundred dollars that could have been placed in my hands1 so that ,i could use it in an emergency if ,i should be refused transportation4 ,with some misgivings ,i entered the general's office and requested an interview4 ,i introduced myself by handing him my papers1 which he looked over1 and pleasantly asked what ,i wished4 ,i am hoping1 ,i said1 to secure transportation to ,island ,no4 #aj1 and to ,memphis1 ,tennessee1 for myself and the supplies referred to in those papers4 ,well1 madam1 ,i think your papers are worthy of attention1 and ,i will grant your request4 ,this was said in such a pleasant manner ,i almost concluded the general had been misrepresented1 but how changed his tone when he called his adjutant1 who in an instant stood before him4 ,go tell my clerk to come in4 ,he hurried to obey his command1 and returned with the report1 ,he is gone4 ,gone6 where has he gone8 ,he went a few minutes ago to ,church4 ,gone to ,church6 ,he has no business to go to ,church1 or anywhere else1 without my permission2 he has no right to leave his office without my order4 ,this he said in such a stern1 vociferous manner that ,i wished myself out of his presence4 ,but turning to me1 in a mild tone1 he said3 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 you don't want transportation tonight4 ,you come to-morrow morning at nine o'clock1 and you shall have the papers4 ,with heartfelt thanks ,i left his office4 ,on my return ,i found ,colonel ,thomas and the captain anxiously waiting to learn the result of my call on the general4 ,they met me at the door of their office1 and asked3 ,what is the news8 ,the general grants transportation for myself and supplies to ,island ,no4 #aj and to ,memphis1 ,i said4 ,by their clapping of hands one would have thought they had got cheering news from the army4 ,i found they too felt the weight of responsibility in this1 as they had solicited my aid in getting these freed people to go to the island4 ,the following morning ,i found a boat was going to leave at half-past eight o'clock1 but too early for the promised transportation1 ,i told the captain of the boat of my wish to go with supplies to ,island ,no4 #aj and to ,memphis1 but had the promise from the general to have the papers at nine o'clock4 ,a captain in the army1 standing by1 told him he could take me with supplies with all safety2 for if ,general ,taliaferro had promised transportation he could rest assured the general at ,columbus1 ,kentucky1 would be sure to give it4 ,very well1 he said2 where are your supplies8 ,they were pointed out1 and he ordered them to be put on board at once4 ,on landing at ,columbus ,i called on the general1 and secured transportation from ,cairo to places of destination4 ,now ,i thought all was straight2 but as ,i handed my paper to the captain he said3 ,this is an order for transportation4 ,the captain-quartermaster is to fill it out1 to be good for any thing4 ,i confessed my ignorance of army red-tape1 and took back the papers to have them finished4 ,he inquired for my pass from the provost-marshal4 ,that1 too1 ,i knew nothing about2 but the army captain came to my relief1 taking my papers and getting the transportation filled1 with a pass from the provost-marshal4 ,these lessons ,i found important in all my after work4 ,we soon landed at ,island ,no4 #aj1 the area of which was two hundred and fifty acres of available plow land1 with an excellent orchard of three hundred bearing apple and peach trees4 ,upon this island were seven hundred freedmen1 who were making good use of the rich donations of twenty-five plows1 with harrows1 hoes1 axes1 rakes1 and garden and field seeds1 from ,indiana and ,ohio4 ,their superintendent1 ,chaplain ,thomas1 told me that he never saw a more willing and obedient people4 ,they mostly lived in tents4 ,government had furnished lumber to erect a few temporary buildings4 ,an old dilapidated farmhouse1 and a few log-huts formerly occupied by the overseer and slaves1 were the homes of ,captain ,gordon and ,surgeon ,ransom1 with their families1 who seemed to enjoy camp life as well as any ,i had seen4 ,they had in charge four companies of soldiers4 ,their hospital assumed an air of neatness and comfort4 ,we took a stroll over the battle-ground1 and saw the deep furrows plowed by the terrible shells1 in which a horse might be buried4 ,here and there were interspersed rebel rat-holes1 as they were called1 dug seven or eight feet deep1 and nearly covered with planks and two or three feet of earth1 in which they dropped themselves1 after firing1 to reload and be secure from flying shot and shell4 ,i picked up a couple of cannon-balls about the size of a small tea-cup1 of which a peck is used for a load4 ,an officer told me that he saw twenty-five rebels killed with one discharge of these balls4 ,o1 what slaughter of human life6 ,government provided a physician and dispensary for the freed people4 ,their hospital was a tent1 like the majority of the regimental hospitals in the army4 ,the first tent ,i visited was occupied by an aged pair1 with two grown children1 who appeared quite intelligent4 ,hard treatment and cruel separations had filled the greater portion of their lives4 ,as ,i was making remarks on the wickedness of slavery1 said the old man1 with tearful eyes1 ,please stop till ,i bring in my daughter and family from the next tent4 ,they soon entered4 ,please go on1 said the father4 ,while tears were coursing down the old man's furrowed cheeks1 in undertone he ejaculated1 ,o ,lord1 ,i did not expect to live to see this day4 ,at the close of my remarks he arose to his feet1 and in the most pathetic manner addressed his family as follows3 ,my wife and children1 have you thought we should ever see this8 ,i fear we are not thankful enough to ,god4 ,do we prize this precious privilege as we ought8 ,that dear wife was sold from me nearly twenty years ago2 soon after my children were sold1 and ,i thought my heart was broke4 ,they punished me because ,i grieved so much1 and then sold me to be taken another way4 ,o1 how ,i prayed for death to hide me from my troubles1 for ,i thought none could see as much as ,i did4 ,many gloomy nights and days of sorrow ,i spent4 ,i could hear no word from my wife1 and nothing from my children4 ,my master told me ,i should never hear from them again1 because ,i made so much trouble over it2 he would send me as far as wind and water would carry me1 so ,i would never hear from them again4 ,i remembered the words of my poor old father upon his death-bed1 when he gave me this ,bible3 ',my son1 the same ,god that made that ,bible learned me to read it1 and learned me to endure hard trials patiently4 ,remember1 my son1 the same ,god will do the same for you if you go to him for help2' and so he has4 ,praise be to the ,lord forever6 ,he took from a box a ,bible1 all spotted over with mold1 without and within3 ,this ,bible has been manna to my soul for many years4 ,god has learned me to read1 as he did my poor father4 ,he has been my support4 ,i have prayed these many years for deliverance from bondage1 and my faith told me it would come2 but ,i didn't know it would come in my time4 ,o1 what a ,savior is our ,jesus6 ,that dear wife was compelled to marry another man in these long years of separation4 ,he was taken into the rebel army1 and she came to the ,union camp4 ,a few days ago we met at ,fort ,pillow2 and there we met our two long lost children2 and here we found this daughter and family4 ,o1 how wonderful are ,god's ways6 ,o1 my wife1 my children6 let us live nearer that ,almighty ,deliverer than ever before1 and praise his holy name forever4 ,and the tall figure sat down1 amid sobs and tears4 ,the spirit of that family sermon ,i can never forget4 ,this noble man1 ,uncle ,stephen1 was but a few days before a slave2 yet with the dignity of a patriarch he assumed his new relation4 ,he was evidently a self-taught man1 more intelligent1 and using more correct language1 than any ,i had met on the island4 ,on leaving my tent1 tickets were given with explanations of my mission1 which was both new and strange to them4 ,in another tent ,i found a young man who had attempted to escape to our lines more than a year before1 but was overtaken and shot by his master1 shivering the bones six inches above the ankle1 making amputation necessary4 ,he was beginning to use his wooden leg4 ,his master was taken prisoner by our men a few days before1 and he1 with one hundred fellow-slaves1 fell into the hands of the ,union army4 ,he was fitted with a whole suit4 ,this was done in but few instances1 the general destitution forbidding it4 ,it would have pleased the donors to see me with open boxes1 taking out garment after garment1 measuring and delivering1 upon presentation of tickets previously given1 to fifty or a hundred at a time2 and to listen to the many thanks and hearty ,god bless you6 as each garment was taken4 ,at breakfast the adjutant told me of five little boys belonging to some of the ,fort ,pillow families that were almost naked1 and that he had given one little fellow a pair of his own pants4 ,i told him to bring them to the commissary tent any time from nine to twelve o'clock1 as ,i had arranged to meet the children to whom ,i had given tickets2 and if he brought them or gave them a slip of paper with his name1 it would serve the same purpose4 ,soon we were beside the boxes in our commissary tent measuring1 fitting1 and handing out1 when up stepped the little fellow of eight summers with the tall man's pants1 rolled over and over at the bottom1 with one suspender tied around him1 the other placed over his shoulder to hold them on4 ,his eyes sparkled as a new suit was thrown over his arm2 calling out1 ,see here1 ,johnnie1 what ,i got6 ,yes1 look at mine6 was the quick reply1 while on the other side stood a little girl who exclaimed1 in surprise1 ,oh1 ,milla1 my dress has a pocket1 and see what ,i found1 as she drew out a rag doll two inches long4 ,then a dozen other little girls instituted a search and found similar treasures1 which ,i recognized as coming from certain little girls in ,hudson1 ,michigan4 ,all were on tip-toe with excitement1 and these remarks were flying through this crowd of little folks when the adjutant came to the tent door4 ,laughing through tears1 he said1 ,have you ever thought of the ,savior's words1 ',inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these1 ye have done it unto me8' ,that thought had come to my mind before engaging in this mission1 and it is that which drew me from my ,michigan home4 ,doesn't this pay you1 he continued1 for coming all this distance1 to see those sparkling eyes and light hearts dancing with joy8 ,here is verified the declaration that it is more blessed to give than to receive1 was my reply4 ,a woman came one evening with the following queries3 ,missus1 whar all dese clo'es come from8 ,does gov'ment send 'em to us8 ,on listening to my explanation1 ,an' don't gov'ment pay you for bringin' 'em to us8 ,after all her questions had been disposed of she sat for a moment in a deep study2 then said in surprise1 ,de ,norf mus' be mighty1 mighty rich to send so much money down here to carry on de war and send so much to eat1 and den da send so many clo'es an' keep so many men here too2 indeed da mus' be mighty rich4 ,they were preparing to open a school for them4 ,henry ,roundtree1 a missionary1 was laboring among them1 and would disburse clothing sent to that point4 ,after spending over a week on this beautiful island1 on my way to the steamer1 ,i was hailed by a female voice calling out1 ,missus1 missus1 don't pass by dis yere way4 ,turning in the direction of the call1 ,i saw a very old woman sitting on a log1 clad in a man's coat1 hat1 and shoes1 with an old patched negro cotton skirt4 ,on approaching her ,i remarked1 as ,i took the bony hand1 ,you are very old4 ,can't tell how ole ,i is1 only ,i knows ,i's been here great while4 ,you see dat white house over de river dar8 ,dat's been my home great many year1 but massa drove me off1 he say1 'case ,i's no 'count1 gwine round wheezin' like an ole hoss1 an' snap a gun at me an' say he shoot my brain out if ,i didn't go to de ,yankees4 ,an' missus come out an' say she set fire to my cabin some night an' burn me up in it4 ',go 'long to de ,yankees2 da wants niggers1 an' you ain't no 'count no how4' ,an' ,i tole 'em1 ',wa'n't ,i 'count good many years ago8' ,but da say1 ',clar out wid you4' ,an' ,i seed some boys fishing' on de bank1 an' da fetch me over4 ,looking down at her stockingless feet she said1 ,missus1 ,i ain't had a suit o' clo'es in seven years4 ,i told her if there was a woman's garment left she should have it4 ,and ,i would tell the good people about her1 and they would send her a suit of clothes4 ,tank you1 missus2 ,god bless you6 ,and ,i left the giant-like old woman1 whose head was bleached by the fronts of eighty or ninety ,winters4 ,while waiting on the gunboat for the steamer1 ,i referred to the old woman ,i had seen1 when one of the men turned to his comrade and said1 ,that's the same strange-appearing old woman we brought over1 and he repeated the same story she related to me4 ,said one1 ,such people ought to be made to bite the dust4 ,her master took the oath of allegiance to save his property2 but he has no more principle than a hyena to turn out such an old white-headed woman as that to die like a brute4 ,such are some of the incidents that gradually changed the politics of the army4 ,they made our ,butlers and ,hunters by scores4 ,they saw that man's inhumanity to man was the outgrowth of slavery4 ,they clearly perceived that the iron rod of oppression must be broken1 or the unholy rebellion would succeed4 ,at four ,p4 ,m4 ,i embarked for another field4 ,on board the steamer were a number of officers and soldiers1 and three women who were ex-slave owners4 ,they had quietly listened to the conversation of the officers on establishing schools among the freed men1 and taking them into the army as soldiers4 ,i1 too1 had been a silent listener4 ,after the officers had left the cabin1 one of the women drew her chair near me1 and in a subdued tone said3 ,do you believe it is right to set up schools among niggers8 ,certainly ,i do1 was my reply1 as they have as good a right to become intelligent as any other class of people4 ,do you think that it is right to make soldiers out of niggers8 ,certainly1 if it is right for any class of people4 ,after looking around to see whether any officer was in hearing1 she added3 ,and do you think it right to rob us of our niggers1 as the ,yankees are doing8 ,certainly1 if you call it robbery to allow the negroes to go where they please4 ,my replies were in my common tone of voice1 yet it seemed to frighten her4 ,she would take a look to see whether an officer was near4 ,then would go on with her queries in an undertone4 ,i tell you it is mighty hard1 for my pa paid his own money for our niggers2 and that's not all they've robbed us of4 ,they have taken our horses and cattle and sheep and every thing4 ,as ,i had my little ,bible in my hand1 ,i turned to the predicted destruction of ,babylon in ,revelation1 and read1 ,fine flour1 and wheat1 and beasts1 and sheep1 and horses1 and chariots1 and slaves1 and souls of men4 ,you see here1 ,i said1 are the very articles you have named4 ,and ,god is the same unchanging ,lord to-day4 ,but ,i tell you1 madam1 its mighty1 mighty hard4 ,in all this conversation she closely watched the officers1 and often raised her handkerchief to her face while talking with me1 as if to check the sound of her already stifled voice4 ,how widely different were our positions1 compared with six years before1 when going down this river on an errand for a white fugitive from slavery4 ,then my thoughts could find no place even in a whisper1 and slave-holders were cursing and threatening abolitionists4 ,what a turning of tables6 ,now ,i could say all that was in my heart on the sin of slavery1 and the slave-holder was now hushed4 ,the coal-barge ,l4 ,s4 ,haviland1 that ,i saw on my other trip tied up a little way above ,memphis1 was not now to be seen4 ,i had not yet learned the fate of those ,tennessee slave-holders who had so often threatened my life1 and a number of my friends had advised me to keep a proper distance from them1 as this might be the time for their opportunity4 ,when ,i left my home ,i had no idea of going as far as ,tennessee1 or my children and friends would have feared for my safety2 but1 as for myself1 ,i knew no fear4 ,in ,memphis ,i found many hospitals filled with sick1 wounded1 and dying soldiers2 and in better condition than ,i had anticipated1 except the ,jackson ,hospital1 which was one of the largest in the city4 ,i asked permission of the guards to enter1 but was informed their orders were very strict to allow no one to go in without permission4 ,very well1 said ,i1 please inform me where ,i can find the clerk1 and ,i will secure a permit4 ,the surgeon in charge was just passing out of the main entrance1 and the guard introduced me4 ,i informed him of my wish to visit his hospital4 ,in a very surly manner he inquired3 ,have you a son here8 ,i have not1 ,i answered4 ,then what do you want to go in here for8 ,it is no place for a lady to step her foot over the threshold of a hospital4 ,i perceive you and ,i differ widely in that2 but if you doubt my fitness to visit your patients1 you can examine my papers from the governor of my ,state and a member of ,congress and others4 ,if you have no son here1 ,i don't see that you have any business here4 ,every soldier is some mother's son1 and ,i wish to visit them1 and here are my papers2 you can read them if you wish4 ,throwing out his hand angrily1 he said3 ,go along1 then2 go along4 ,i went1 but he took good care to bear me company4 ,as we entered each ward1 every soldier who was able to bear his weight sprang to his feet1 and stood by his cot during our stay in the ward4 ,i saw at once that it was in pursuance of an order4 ,i had made it a point to shake hands with every soldier that was awake and conscious1 but the surgeon hurried through without giving an opportunity to speak to a half-dozen in the whole hospital4 ,one poor skeleton of a man sat bolstered on his cot1 eating his dinner1 and had on his plate a spoonful of cooked onion4 ,where did you get that onion8 cried the surgeon4 ,i paid my own money for it1 doctor4 ,who said you might have it8' ,dr4 ,spears4 ,very well1 then2 and passed on4 ,here my disgust filled up to the brim4 ,i cared but little for his attempt to browbeat me2 but when he treated a helpless soldier like this ,i could hardly keep my indignation from boiling over4 ,the first words spoken to me after entering the hospital were3 ,do you want to go into the kitchen8 ,i would like to pass through your kitchen1 was my reply4 ,very unfavorable time1 madam--very unfavorable2 about dinner-time4 ,very favorable1 thought ,i1 and went in4 ,i could see at a glance that the large caldron of potatoes was boiled half an hour too long4 ,their bread looked well1 and ,i suppose it was good4 ,as we passed out1 taking memoranda and pencil1 ,i said3 ,you have a very large hospital4 ,how many will it accommodate8 ,fifteen hundred1 madam4 ,very few1 very few at present1 only four hundred and eighty-four4 ,how many nurses have you8 ,twenty-three4 ,no female nurses8 ,no1 madam4 ,as ,i told you1 a woman has no business to step inside of a hospital4 ,as ,i told you1 we evidently differ in that respect4 ,where ,i have found judicious female nurses it seems more home-like1 and our soldiers feel more contented4 ,very few1 very few judicious female nurses4 ,they exist1 notwithstanding4 ,how many surgeons have you8 ,only four at present4 ,you are the surgeon in charge2 please give me your name4 ,my name is ,surgeon ,powers1 of the ,seventh ,missouri ,regiment4 ,his name and figures were too plainly recorded to be effaced4 ,here he turned a perfect somersault1 if words could perform the feat4 ,with an affected politeness1 bowing himself almost double3 ,madam1 ,i hope you will call again some time2 call in the middle of the forenoon or afternoon--very unfavorable about meal-time4 ,if ,i remain a week or ten days longer in the city1 ,i replied1 ,i shall do so4 ,i would be very happy to have you call again1 madam2 very happy to see you again4 ,i left with a heavy heart1 and called at the sanitary rooms to ascertain the location of five unvisited hospitals4 ,i found the room filled with officers and a few generals of high rank4 ,i introduced myself1 as usual1 by handing ,dr4 ,warrener1 sanitary agent1 my papers4 ,then you are visiting the hospitals1 with supplies1 etc41 are you8 ,i am glad to see you1 as we have had no visitor from so far ,north4 ,how do you find them8 ,i have found them1 ,i answered1 more satisfactorily conducted than ,i anticipated1 with but one exception4 ,have you visited the ,jackson8 ,i have just come from there4 ,to-day is not the visiting day4 ,did you see ,surgeon ,powers8 ,i did4 ,did you get into that hospital without trouble8 ,we had a parley4 ,what did he say to you8 ,i gave his objection and my reply in a low tone4 ,to my annoyance1 the doctor repeated it in a loud voice1 and continued3 ,you certainly could have given no better reason than that every soldier is some mother's son4 ,what do you think of ,surgeon ,powers8 ,i hesitated in view of all these officers2 but my second thought was1 no matter whether the ,president himself were present2 and ,i frankly replied3 ,i think he is a tyrant brandy-cask4 ,why do you allow such a man to occupy the responsible position of surgeon in charge of hundreds of the sick and wounded soldiers8 ,we tried once to get him out1 and failed4 ,you ought to see the medical director1 who is in the city4 ,he gave me the location of the hospitals ,i desired1 and ,i left4 ,remembering the promise ,i made my son ,joseph1 ,i returned to head-quarters1 and spent the balance of the day in writing for soldiers and for myself4 ,the following morning ,i resumed hospital visiting4 ,on the street ,i met an officer1 who reached his hand with a smile1 saying1 ,you do not recognize me1 but ,i recognize you as being the lady in ,dr4 ,warrener's office yesterday1 after visiting the ,jackson ,hospital4 ,i do not know but you thought me severe in my remarks concerning ,surgeon ,powers4 ,not at all--not by any means1 for ,i had two sons under him six weeks1 and they both declared they would rather die in the open field than be under the care of that drunken tyrant again4 ,why do you permit such a surgeon to have the care of the sick1 wounded1 and dying soldiers8 ,well1 it is difficult for us to do much with each other1 but there is the medical director just ahead of us2 you ought to see him2 ,i'll introduce you4 ,he is very much of a gentleman4 ,the first query of the medical director1 after reading my papers1 was ,have you visited the ,jackson ,hospital8 ,and did you see ,surgeon ,powers8 ,i undertook to visit it yesterday1 ,i said1 but was hurried through in such haste1 by ,surgeon ,powers1 that ,i could not speak to any of the soldiers1 or stop to write for them to their home friends1 if they desired4 ,what do you think of ,surgeon ,powers8 ,i think he is an unfeeling tyrant4 ,the white of his eyes had the color of red flannel1 and the unmistakable brandy breath made standing near him very unpleasant4 ,besides1 his ungentlemanly1 morose treatment of helpless soldiers indicates his entire unfitness for the position he occupies4 ,if the milk of human kindness is more loudly called for in one position than another1 it is in the surgeon in charge of sick1 wounded1 and dying soldiers4 ,we know1 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 this is true1 and we made an effort to displace him once and failed1 because the medical director over the whole of us in this division1 next in rank to ,grant himself1 is determined to hold him here4 ,but if you will make out your report1 with the recommendations from your governor and ,congressman backing it1 we can make that efficient4 ,you may make your report as strong as you please4 ,i left him with cordial thanks1 and soon the report was handed him4 ,i visited all the hospitals in that post1 and on my second visit to the ,jackson found ,surgeon ,powers filled to overflowing with affected politeness2 but it did not brighten the bleared eye1 or straighten the zigzag gait of the surgeon4 ,a few weeks after ,i met a ,memphis officer1 who informed me that ,surgeon ,powers was relieved of hospital work altogether very soon after ,i left the city4 ,a few months later he filled a drunkard's grave4 ,in one hospital in ,memphis ,i found in one corner a female soldier1 ,charlie4 ,she was in both ,bull ,run battles1 and four others she named2 besides1 she had endured long marches4 ,here she was taken violently ill with typhoid fever1 and for the first time her sex became known4 ,she was large and rather coarse-featured1 and of indomitable will4 ,she said the cause of her enlistment did not now exist1 and she wanted to go home as soon as able4 ,she intimated that her betrothed had recently died1 and she had no desire to remain in the army4 ,while in ,memphis a telegram came from ,president ,lincoln ordering four hundred colored men to be enlisted1 and no more1 until further orders4 ,colonel ,eaton took this work for his breakfast spell4 ,as he came in rather late for his morning meal he said1 ,i have enlisted the required number1 and quite a company went away crying because they could not enlist4 ,i comforted them by telling them that ,i presumed there would be another call soon4 ,i had built a bed for myself in one corner of the commissary building1 and as we were occupying the weakest point at the post1 we were ordered to have no light in our tents1 but before dark to have every needed article at our bedside1 ready at a moment's warning to be conducted to ,fort ,pickering4 ,soldiers were kept in readiness for action1 as the enemy was threatening to retake ,memphis4 ,at two1 o'clock ,a4 ,m4 the loud cry1 ,halt6 at the corner where ,i was sleeping1 aroused me4 ,this was quickly followed by a still louder ,halt6 ,may be you don't know who ,i is2 ,i holds a gun1 an' her's off4 ,well-well1 ,i only want to come to you2 ,i don't want to go farther4 ,the officer approached1 saying1 ,that is right2 if ,i had taken one step after you cried halt the third time1 you should have shot me through1 no matter who ,i am1 if it was the ,president himself4 ,at the breakfast table ,colonel ,eaton remarked3 ,a number of our new colored soldiers were put on picket guard last night on trial1 and not one sleepy head was found among them4 ,since we accept these men as soldiers ,i am confident it will do away the necessity of drafting men1 as some think must soon be done4 ,i spent a few days in visiting hospitals1 often reading portions of ,scripture1 and kneeling by the cot of the suffering and dying soldiers1 imploring the ,great ,physician to heal the sin-sick soul4 ,for some ,i wrote letters to their home friends1 which ,i found was often very gratifying to poor homesick boys4 ,one very sick with pneumonia wished me to write to his folks in ,kent ,county1 ,michigan1 that he was in the hospital from a little cold1 but would soon be able to join his regiment again4 ,i dared not write according to his directions1 and told him ,i would finish his letter at head-quarters4 ,when he asked my name1 he wanted to know if ,i was a relative of ,rev4 ,d4 ,s4 ,haviland1 in ,kent ,county1 ,michigan4 ,when ,i told him he was my son1 he held my hand in both of his and burst into a flood of tears1 and said he had heard him preach many times1 and thought he was such a good man4 ,i saw his feelings were deeply affected1 and ,i feared it would increase the fever1 and ,i promised to come and see him again in a day or two4 ,i sat by him with my hand upon his head and consoled him as best ,i could4 ,when he became calm ,i left1 and called on his physician for his opinion concerning him4 ,he said he was still in a critical condition1 but thought the disease was turning in his favor1 and advised me not to write to his friends until two days more had passed1 as he would then be able to judge better of his case4 ,two days later ,i called again and found him much better1 but the doctor thought the excitement of my leaving him increased the fever during the afternoon4 ,he was now a little stronger1 and he said ,i had better not let him know that ,i designed leaving the city4 ,i finished the letter with greater encouragement than ,i could have done conscientiously on my first visit4 ,as ,i was passing out one of the convalescents said1 ,frank1 here is that woman you wanted to see2 and he came on a run4 ,are you from ,michigan8 ,i asked4 ,not quite1 he said2 but ,i've been in ,michigan4 ,i am from ,ohio1 and that is its next neighbor2 and he seemed as glad as if he was meeting his mother4 ,o1 how much you remind me of my mother6 ,your advice to us boys is almost in the same words my mother gave me when ,i left her2 and tears spoke louder than words of his appreciation of visits from his mother's representative4 ,i visited many camps of the freedmen1 where there were two thousand1 with daily additions4 ,forty came into ,bethel ,camp one afternoon4 ,i went among them1 and said to the man ,i met first3 ,you concluded to use your freedom in coming into the ,union camps8 ,freedom6 looking up in surprise4 ,yes2 you know ,president ,lincoln has proclaimed all slaves free4 ,is dat so8 ,certainly2 you have heard about it1 ,i suppose4 ,no1 missus1 we never hear nothing like it4 ,we's starvin'1 and we come to get somfin' to eat4 ,dat's what we come for4 ,our people home tell us ,yankees want niggers to kill2 an' da boils 'em up in great caldrons to eat1 'case da's starvin'4 ,but all de white men gone into de army1 an' lef' us all wid missus1 an' da locks de bacon up for de sojers1 an' gib us little han'ful o' meal a day1 an' we's got weak an' trimbly4 ,an' ,i tole my people we's gwine to die anyhow1 an' we'd try de ,yankees4 ,they were all so surprised at the idea of freedom that they could hardly credit the fact until their own people confirmed what ,i had told them4 ,rations were given to that hungry company at once4 ,i told them this did not look like killing off colored people4 ,no1 missus1 dis 'pears like makin' alive1 instead of killin'4 ,god bless sich people as dese1 if dis be ,yankees4 ,a couple of young men followed me from tent to tent1 as ,i was reading portions of ,scripture1 and advising them how to live in their new relation as a free people4 ,i advised them to live soberly and honestly in the sight of all men2 that our ,heavenly ,father looks upon all his children alike1 and that our ,lord and ,savior died upon the cross for all alike1 because he is no respecter of persons4 ,the young men1 asked to be excused for following me2 for1 they said1 we never heard1 white folks talk like you talks in our life4 ,da never talks fur our own good1 an' dis is so new we wants to ax you please excuse us4 ,our head-quarters were most of the time at ,camp ,bethel2 but ,i spent a portion of my time in ,camp ,shiloh1 which was in sight4 ,on the ,sabbath ,i attended a very large meeting in a grove of pecans1 oaks1 and magnolias4 ,the minister was a colored man of considerable intelligence1 could read quite well2 and perhaps there were nearly or quite one hundred of our soldiers in attendance4 ,i spoke to one man near the stand while they were singing1 informing him that ,i would like to make a few remarks if their minister was willing4 ,the minister said1 before dismissing the congregation1 he would give liberty for a white lady present to speak4 ,i do not know who she is4 ,she may be here inquiring for some of her people2 but we can tell better as to her object when we hear her2 and he invited me forward4 ,i saw at once the minister took me to be one of those slave-holders who were coming into their camp almost daily to persuade their slaves back1 though not one of them ever succeeded4 ,i told them my object was to inquire after the health of this people1 body1 soul1 and spirit--and my people were all who accept salvation through our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ2 that our ,heavenly ,father made all the nations of the whole earth of one blood1 and never designed that one race should hold another in bondage4 ,i had hardly finished my first sentence before the minister and those near him were urging me to step to the top of their platform1 as ,i had only taken one or two steps forward4 ,come up here2 our people all want to see you4 ,i had to obey4 ,ten minutes' talk did not satisfy4 ,the minister and others in that large congregation bade me go on2 and ten or fifteen minutes more were occupied4 ,at the close a few hundred of those whose families had been broken up by cruel separations came to me1 and many tears were coursing down the sable cheeks of many gathered around me to shake my hands1 which were actually lame and swollen for three days after4 ,said the disappointed minister1 ,it 'pears like an angel dropped down 'mongst us1 in place of the slave-missus come for her people4 ,said one woman3 ,my ole missus come las' week to get all fifty-five of us back again1 and she tried mighty hard to get us to go back wid her4 ,den she went to ,general ,grant1 an' he say1 ',if your people want to go back they may4' ,den she try us again2 but not one would go1 'case we knows her too well--she's mighty hard on us4 ,den she went back to the general1 an' begged an' cried1 and held out her han's1 and say1 ',general1 dese han's never was in dough--,i never made a cake o' bread in my life2 please let me have my cook4' ,an' she tuck on so ,i jus' trimble2 ,i's feared he'd tell me to go wid her4 ,but all her cryin' didn't help her4 ,general say1 ',i can't help you1 madam2 if your cook wants to go wid you she can2 but she is free1 an' can do as she likes about it4' ,an' she went off cryin'2 an' we could jus' kiss de groun' ,general ,grant walks on ever since4 ,among the most affecting scenes were meetings of members of families long separated4 ,in passing out of this multitude my attention was attracted to a group who were singing1 shaking hands1 shouting1 and reciting their afflictions and sore trials since they were parted4 ,one woman found her sister1 who was sold from her fifteen years before4 ,they had not heard from each other till just here they met4 ,o sis' ,susie1 you know my two nice boys was sole from me two year afore ,i was sole off dat plantation down de river1 an' it 'peared like my heart was broke2 an' missus had me hit fifty lashes 'case ,i cried so much4 ,an' de ,lo'd has been my sun an shiel' all dis time4 ,an' here ,i foun' my two boys2 da's heap bigger1 but da's my own dear boys4 ,i's prayed long for freedom1 an' ,god did come down and make us free4 ,glory1 ,,glory be to his name6 ,and they embraced each other in wild excitement during some minutes4 ,then they went to another part of the camp to meet some of their friends ,susie told her of4 ,i hastened back 'to ,camp ,bethel1 to witness the marriage of twenty couples that ,colonel ,eaton1 who was a chaplain among them1 was to marry with one ceremony4 ,many of the men were of the newly-enlisted soldiers1 and the officers thought they had better be legally married1 although many of them had been married a number of years1 but only according to slave law1 which recognized no legal marriage among slaves4 ,at the appointed hour the twenty couples stood in a row1 each couple with right hands clasped2 and among them one young couple1 that being their first marriage4 ,all gave affirmative answers at the same time2 first the men1 then the women4 ,after the ceremony ,chaplain ,eaton offered an earnest prayer2 all kneeling4 ,then he shook hands with them to signify his congratulations1 and ,i followed him in like manner4 ,it was a novel scene1 and yet solemn4 ,on the morning ,i was to leave ,memphis ,i saw an old woman wringing the bottom of her cotton dress a few rods from the door4 ,i inquired how her dress came so wet half a yard deep4 ,i come up in a leaky skiff las' night wid six boys dat do oberseer whip de ,yankee out1 he say2 an' da say da go to ,yankees now any how1 an' ,i begged 'em to let me come1 for da knows ,i has sich hard times4 ,but da say1 ',aunt ,peggy1 de skiff leak so bad4' ,but ,i tole 'em ,i's comin' wid a basin1 an' ,i reckon ,i dip fas' enough to keep us 'bove water4 ,an' da let me come1 an' it tuck all night to come seven miles up de river4 ,dar was forty of us on dis plantation4 ,massa is a big man in ,secesh army1 an' sent more'n a hundred of our people 'way off to de big plantation3 an'1 missus1 da all wants to come mighty bad1 an' begged us to go see de big man right soon1 an' tell him da wants to do any thing he wants 'em to do1 if he will only let 'em come4 ,for missus is mighty rich1 an' don't need us1 'case she's got barrels of meal1 an' flour1 an' plenty bacon in de smoke-house1 da keeps locked up1 da say for de ,secesh sojers4 ,an' missus had us put a tin trunk of gole an' silver money1 an' a big ches' of all her silver plate way up in de lof' few days ago4 ,missus1 do please go tell de big man how da all begged us so hard to ax him1 soon as we got here1 if he 'll let 'em come4 ,i told her ,i would see the colonel1 and inquired for the boys who came with her4 ,she pointed to the six young men standing outside our door4 ,i approached the young men1 who were between twenty and thirty years of age1 and shook hands with them1 saying1 ,it seems your overseer didn't succeed in whipping the ,yankee out of you night before last4 ,no1 indeed1 said one2 he drove in the ,yankee deeper every lick2 and another said1 ,i reckon he'll find out this mornin' how much ,yankee he whipped out4 ,i informed ,colonel ,eaton of his new comers2 and of the earnest appeal of the old woman in behalf of the remaining thirty-three1 and how she backed her pleading1 with enumerating the abundance of every thing her mistress possessed4 ,he said he would see ,general ,veach1 and he might conclude to send a gun-boat for them4 ,on ,may #ag1 #ahfc1 ,i called at ,dr4 ,warrener's office on my way to ,general ,veach's office for transportation to ,cairo1 but designed calling at ,island ,no4 #aj and ,columbus1 ,kentucky4 ,the doctor kindly offered to take my papers and get transportation and pass from the provost marshal for me1 and allow me to rest the while4 ,i was glad to accept the favor2 but he soon returned1 rather discouraged1 and said1 ,i think the general rather cross today1 and ,i don't know whether you'll get transportation or not4 ,after reading your papers he asked where you were1 and ,i told him you looked tired and were resting in my office1 and ,i offered to do this errand for her1 as it would save her a mile of walk4 ',i'd like to see the lady1' he said1 as he handed back your papers2 and you'll have to go and see him4 ,here was another narrow place4 ,i took my papers to ,general ,veach in haste1 as there was a boat which ,i was anxious to take going up the river that afternoon4 ,i entered his office and handed him my papers1 telling him ,i hoped to receive the favor of an order for transportation to ,cairo1 with the privilege of stopping at ,island ,no4 #aj and ,columbus4 ,he neither asked me a question nor opened my papers1 but threw them to his clerk1 with directions to give the order4 ,then he sent it to the quartermaster to fill4 ,on my return ,i called on the provost-marshal and secured my pass4 ,said the doctor1 ,what did the general say8 ,nothing1 ,i answered2 he only looked at me when ,i gave him my papers1 and passed them over to his clerk to make the order4 ,i think he might just as well have sent them by me2 but the general hadn't seen a ,union woman for so long1 he just wanted to take a look at one4 ,i was soon on the steamer that took me from this city of many exciting scenes4 ,here ,i learned the sequel of my ,tennessee correspondents1 formerly mentioned1 and was shown the house where they had both lain dead men4 ,i found on the island many waiting for the remainder of my supplies4 ,the number in camp had now reached about #c1jjj4 ,i also spent a little time at ,fort ,pillow1 where a company of ex-slaves1 thirty-seven in number1 had just made their escape from their old home4 ,they had traveled all night to get to our lines4 ,they took two mules and two carts to bring their bundles and little folks4 ,men1 women1 and larger children walked twenty-five miles1 to get to ,fort ,pillow4 ,what time did you start8 ,i asked one of the tired women4 ,early moonrise1 was the reply4 ,that was about #aa o'clock ,p4 ,m41 and they had made all possible speed to get to our lines1 and seemed very much pleased to get clear of pursuers1 as some in their neighborhood had been shot and killed in their attempt to come4 ,the officers took charge of the mules and carts1 and sent the people to ,island ,no4 #aj4 ,here ,i took a steamer for ,columbus4 ,after landing ,i saw a funeral procession of colored people1 and a number of officers and soldiers4 ,i joined the procession1 and learned it was the only son of a slave mother who1 two days previously1 had left their plantation4 ,he had heard that colored men were accepted as soldiers1 and was exceedingly anxious to enlist4 ,when they were nearly half across the river their young master reached the bank and bade them return or he'd shoot them2 but the son pulled for the opposite shore1 when a ball passed through his right arm1 breaking the bone above the elbow4 ,the mother took the oars and pulled with all her might1 when a second ball entered the lungs of the son4 ,they were met by a few of our soldiers1 who took him from the skiff to the hospital1 where he received the best surgical attendance1 but without avail4 ,much sympathy was manifested in behalf of the bereaved mother1 who was left with two little girls4 ,bereavement was no new trial for her4 ,her husband had been sold from her a few years before4 ,i asked her if these three children were all her family4 ,o1 no1 honey2 ,i had two big boys sold jus' afore the war4 ,don't know whar they went4 ,an' now my poor boy is shot dead by that young massa ,i nussed with my own boy4 ,they was both babies together4 ,missus made me nuss her baby1 an' set her little girl to watch me1 fur fear ,i'd give my baby too much1 no matter how hard he cried4 ,many times ,i wasn't allowed to take him up1 an' now that same boy has killed mine1 and she buried her face in her faded calico apron until it was wet with tears4 ,a soldier told me a large company of them were only waiting permission from their commander to go to that plantation and strip it4 ,he said she seemed to be such a nice woman2 that they all felt so indignant they hardly knew how to wait for orders4 ,from this sad scene1 walking to the ,soldier's ,home1 my attention was arrested on seeing a white man with a ball and chain attached to his ankle1 with brick and his ball in the wheelbarrow1 wheeling toward the soldier's camp1 guarded by a black soldier4 ,as ,i stood looking at the black soldier walking leisurely beside the white man in irons1 an officer accosted me with1 ,madam1 that prisoner you see wheeling brick to our camp is a strong secessionist1 and was a hard master over a large plantation with more than one hundred slaves1 and he was taken prisoner1 and all his slaves came into our camp4 ,the younger men enlisted as soldiers1 and that man made an attempt to escape and we put him in irons and set a black soldier1 who had been his own slave1 to guard him4 ,what a turning of tables6 ,i said4 ,yes1 you will find the same turning of tables within our lines all over the ,south4 ,at the door of a tent ,i saw a large1 square block of iron1 weighing sixty or eighty pounds1 to which was attached a ring4 ,i inquired of a colored man what it was for4 ,that belonged to our plantation1 and when master had a mind to punish us he ordered us locked to that block1 and from one to a dozen of us sometimes were locked to it with a long chain2 and when we hoed corn we'd hoe the chain's length1 then the one next the block had it to tote the length of the chain1 and so on till we did our day's work4 ,since we've been here we've seen nine of our masters chained to that same block and made to shovel sand on that fortification yonder4 ,there were forty of us that belonged to our plantation standing in this yard looking on4 ,how did you feel to witness such a scene8 ,o1 ,i can't tell you1 madam2 but ,i cried like a baby4 ,why did you cry8 ,o1 to think what great things ,god is doing4 ,man could never1 never do it4 ,did the others feel as you did8 ,o no1 some laughed1 and one man said1 ',ah ha1 you see now how sweet 'tis to tote the old block1 don't you8' ,did he say that in his hearing8 ,o no1 we's five rods off4 ,there were a number of houses burned down1 ,may #bhth1 three miles beyond our lines4 ,mrs4 ,samantha ,plumer inquired of ,curlie1 one of our boys of the home1 if he would take us to that biggest house burning on the ,moss plantation4 ,no sooner was the suggestion made than ,curlie got his ambulance ready for us1 and we were soon in front of the smoldering mansion4 ,the proprietor was raking over the debris for gold and silver or other imperishable treasure4 ,among the ashes2 were hand-cuffs1 chains1 shackles1 and other slave-irons4 ,he was occupying one of his slave cabins1 as the long row was vacated by seventy of his former slaves4 ,he was said to be one of the wealthiest planters in ,kentucky4 ,one year previous to the war1 report said he lost seven valuable slaves1 and one from each of three adjoining plantations escaped at the same time4 ,after a consultation over their loss they placed the blame of their escape on a carpenter from ,illinois1 who had been a few weeks working at his trade in their midst4 ,to be avenged on the poor carpenter1 a band of men came upon him in the night1 took him out of bed1 gave him a coat of tar and feathers1 and treated him to a ride on a rail-horse4 ,then they furnished him with soap and lard with which to disrobe himself1 and charged him to leave the ,state within twelve hours1 never to be seen there again1 or a calamity far exceeding this would be his portion4 ,all his assertions that he knew nothing whatever of their slaves were of no avail4 ,he left the ,state as requested1 but wrote back to the chief leader1 ,moss1 that if an opportunity ever presented he would be avenged on those who had heaped upon him these abuses4 ,mr4 ,moss said he saw that same carpenter a few days previous to the house-burning1 with three other men1 in soldier's dress1 but he did not believe he was a soldier1 but only in borrowed clothes1 as he did not think a ,union soldier would do so mean a thing4 ,an officer remarked1 however1 that he was a hard master and a firm secessionist1 but was now very tame4 ,on our way back ,curlie informed us that he had taken us three miles beyond our lines1 and we were very near being caught just opposite the line at the firing of the sundown gun4 ,but with ,curlie's earnest pleading the guards consented to allow us to cross the line4 ,in one cabin there were two quite intelligent mulatto women1 better clad than any ,i had met in the camp1 one of whom was the mother of three fine-looking children4 ,i remarked to one of them that they had a better chance for life than others ,i had seen1 and inquired how long they had been within our lines4 ,one of them answered1 ,only ten days4 ,thar was thirty-three when we left our plantation seven miles below ,memphis1 'bout three weeks ago1 but some of our people stopped at ,memphis when we came up the river4 ,as ,i was interested in her recital1 she became more excited in giving details1 and said3 ,mistess got mighty feared of black smoke1 an' watched boats mighty close4 ,one day as she was settin' on the sofa she say1 ,mill1 ,i reckon thar's a gunboat comin'2 see de black smoke1 an if they do come1 ,i reckon they won't fin' that trunk o' money1 an' ches' of silver plate you put up in the lof t'other day4' ,lookin' out for the boat1 ',yes that's a gunboat sure4 ,now1 if the ,yankees do stop1 you all run and hide1 won't you8' ,i looked too1 but didn't answer till ,i see the big rope flung on the bank4 ,an' mistess got wild-like4 ',yes1 they are stoppin'4 ,mill an' ,jule run1 tell all the niggers in the quarters to run to the woods an' hide2 quick1 for they kills niggers4 ,mill1 why don't you go8 ,i said1 ',i ain't feared the ,yankees4' ',jule1 you run and tell all the niggers to run to the woods1 quick4 ,yes1 here they are coming1 right up to the house4 ,now1 ,mill1 you won't go with them1 will you8' ,as the men had started for the house ,i felt safe1 and said1 ',i'll go if ,i have a chance4' ',jule1 you won't go1 will you8' ',i shall go if ,mill goes4' ,she began to wring her hands and cry4 ',now1 'member ,i brought you up4 ,you won't take your children away from me1 will you1 ,mill8' ',mistess1 ,i shall take what childern ,i've got lef4' ',if they fine that trunk o' money or silver plate you'll say it's your'n1 won't you8' ',mistess1 ,i can't lie over that2 you bo't that silver plate when you sole my three children4' ',now1 ,jule1 you'll say it's yourn1 won't you8' ',i can't lie over that either4' ,an' she was cryin' an' wringin' her han's1 an' weavin' to an' fro as she set thar4 ',yes1 here they come1 an' they'll rob me of every thing4 ,now1 'member ,i brought you up4' ,here come in four sojers with swords hangin' to their sides1 an' never looked at mistess1 but said to me1 ',auntie1 you want to go with us8' ',yes1 sir1' ,i said1 an' they look to ,jule an' say1 ',you want to go8' ',yes1 sir4' ',well1 you can all go2 an' hurry1 for we shall stay but a little while4' ,an' ,jule jus' flew to the quarters1 an' they all tied up beds an' every thing1 an' tote 'em down1 to the gunboats in a hurry4 ,an' two sojers went up-stairs an' wa'n't gone but a few minutes1 an' don't you think here they come1 with that tin trunk o' money an' ches' of silver plate1 an' broke 'em open an' tuck out a big platter an' water-pitcher an' a few other pieces an' say1 ',see here1 ,tom1 haven't we foun' a prize of solid silver for gov'ment1' an' he put it all back4 ,an' another open the trunk1' ,o1 see here1 ,jim2 see what a mine of money we foun' for ,general ,veach1' as he tuck up a han'ful of gole an' silver money an' sif it through his fingers1 droppin' in the trunk1 sayin'1 ',ain't we got a pile o' money for gov'ment4' ,an' he han' it over to a sojer to tote to the gunboat4 ,an' two ov 'em went down cellar an' come back with stone jars of butter1 an' pezerves1 an' opened 'em4 ',tom1 see here1 what a lot of goodies we got2 won't we live well8' ,an' he cover'd 'em up agin an' toted 'em to the gunboat4 ,then they broke open the meal-room1 an' rolled out barrels of meal and flour1 saved for secesh sojers1 an' rolled 'em down to the gunboat4 ,an'1 last of all1 they went to the smoke house1 an' broke it open an' got a lot of bacon4 ',now1 auntie1 you all ready1' they say8 ',yes1 sir1' ,i tell 'em4 ',here's a roll of linsey for our cloze1 shall we take it8' ',certainly1 an' any thing else you'r a mine to4' ,as we started for the door mistess followed us cryin' an' wringin' her han's4 ',now1 ,mill an' ,jule1 ,i know you'll suffer when you leave me4' ,one o' the sojers turn to her and said1 ',they won't suffer again as they have done with you4' ,an' this was the firs' words she spoke after they come in1 an' the firs' they said to her4 ,an' we all got on the boat in a hurry2 an' when we's fairly out in the middle' of the river1 we all give three times three cheers for the gunboat boys1 and three times three cheers for big ,yankee sojers1 an' three times three cheers for gov'ment2 an' ,i tell you every one of us1 big and little1 cheered loud and long and strong1 an' made the old river just ring ag'in4 ,she became so excited she acted the part of her mistress admirably in the half-bent1 whining1 crying1 and wringing of hands1 as she followed them to the door4 ,how did you feel about that silver plate that was bought with the price of your three children8 ,didn't you think you ought to have it8 ,o'no1 ,i couldn't touch it4 ,it was part o' my poor dear childern2 but ,i didn't want mistess to keep it4 ,i was glad to see it go to gov'ment4 ,the tears coursed down her care-worn cheeks as she related the sale of her three older children4 ,i fell upon my knees afore master an' mistess1 an' begged 'em not to sell my poor childern down the river1 whar ,i could never see or hear from 'em any more4 ,but master say it's none o' my business1 an' ,i should stop my noise1 or he'd have me punished4 ,an' mistess say she won't have all this cryin' round her4 ',your childern belongs to us1 an' you know it2 an' it's not for you to make all this fuss over it1 either4' ,i said1 ',mistess1 wouldn't you grieve over your childern1 if somebody take 'em from you8' ',you hush your sauce1 or ,i'll have you punished4 ,that's another thing2 my childern's white4' ,an' then they had me punished4 ,her husband was sent1 with many others1 to what they called the big plantation1 in the interior4 ,she said her master was a big man in the secesh army4 ,i found they called all officers big men4 ,after she finished her story ,i told her ,i saw the seven she said went to ,memphis1 a few days before they left1 and how ,aunt ,peggy begged me so hard to tell the big man that they all wanted to come4 ,and to impress me with the idea that the mistress could do without slaves1 she told me about the trunk of money and chest of silver plate2 but ,i had no more idea of its being confiscated than had ,aunt ,peggy in her appeal4 ,my attention from this episode was arrested by another scene of a different character1 but truly revolting--a young mother of only fourteen years1 with a very sick infant1 pale and emaciated herself2 the grandmother of a very light complexion1 and the great-grandmother a mulatto4 ,all these four generations were the children of their old master1 whose hair was white with age4 ,he was the father of the great-grandmother1 and of each generation to the fourth1 and master1 all in one4 ,as revolting as this fact was1 ,i was compelled to believe it1 as his former slaves told me of his licentious character from his early youth to eighty years6 ,he was never married1 and was the owner of a large plantation1 and his many slaves sought the first opportunity to make their escape4 ,the condition of these women was truly appalling1 and the history of their base and degraded master and father too revolting for the public eye or ear6 ,i turned away with utter disgust at their recitals4 ,the child soon died1 and ,i thought it seemed a pity that its demented mother could not have gone with it2 but ,i did what ,i could to relieve their wants4 ,the hospitals at this post were tolerably well cared for1 except one regimental hospital1 where were a number of sick and emaciated soldiers1 who had no pillows but their haversacks1 and no covering but their overcoats1 and they piteously begged for milk4 ,i went to their surgeon1 and inquired whether boiled milk would not be allowed for those men who were so low with camp diarrhea1 and whether ,i could not bring them quilts and pillows4 ,madam1 you can bring them milk1 or any thing you've named2 but ,i tell you1 if you undertake to listen to all these soldiers' teasing1 you'll have your hands full4 ,as like as not1 any way1 they'll trade whatever you give them for whisky the first chance they have4 ,i could not sleep until ,i secured the aid of two soldiers to go with me to carry milk1 pillows1 and quilts for those sick men4 ,their tears of gratitude1 as ,i handed each his bottle of milk1 and placed a pillow under their heads1 and a quilt for those who had only an overcoat for a covering1 paid me well4 ,i returned to the ,soldiers' ,home quite relieved1 but wearied and sick1 with a severe cough1 that had followed me for more than a month4 ,i found it necessary to hasten home to rest4 ,i left this field of suffering and constant excitement ,may #cjth1 for dear home and anxious children and friends4 ,a few days' rest restored health and strength1 but we were not relieved from excitement4 ,our principal1 ,e ,a4 ,haight1 enlisted soon after closing the ,spring term of our school4 ,preparation for another school-year was before me1 beside the necessity of calling on friends in various places for supplies4 ,i was informed by officers that ,i could now secure passes and transportation for an assistant as readily as for myself alone4 ,my school vacation was fully occupied in preparing for the following academic year1 and in looking for a congenial companion to share with me in this work1--one who was willing to sacrifice all upon our country's altar4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,sanitary ,,work4 ,we found a necessity for organized work1 and formed a ,freedmen's ,relief ,association1 in ,detroit1 with ,captain ,e4 ,b4 ,ward1 president2 ,rev4 ,william ,webb1 vice-president2 ,benjamin ,c4 ,durfee1 secretary2 and ,francis ,raymond1 treasurer4 ,these did what they could in gathering supplies in that city for me to take ,south the coming ,autumn4 ,brother ,aldrich was engaged to act as principal of ,raisin ,institute1 and this gave me leisure to hold meetings in towns and county school-houses for soliciting help for my ,southern work4 ,during vacation our two halls were made ready for opening the ,academic ,year1 as usual1 on the first ,wednesday in ,september1 #ahfc-d4 ,the school1 though smaller than before the war1 opened with fair prospects1 and ,i felt at liberty to leave4 ,the institution1 being in competent hands1 ,i obtained as a companion in labor one of the most devoted of ,christian woman1 my dear sister1 ,letitia ,backus1 of ,pittsford1 ,michigan4 ,with a car-load of supplies we left our homes for fields of greatest suffering1 where least help was found4 ,well furnished with documents from our governor1 ,austin ,p4 ,blair1 and two members of ,congress1 we secured passes to ,chicago and return1 then to ,cairo and return1 and from thence to ,vicksburg1 ,mississippi4 ,waiting a few days at ,cairo1 for our supplies to reach us1 we visited the hospitals and camps4 ,here we met a company of men who were called ,jay-hawkers4 ,they were all tall1 large men4 ,one of these carried the treasure-bag1 but ,i do not think he was a ,judas to the government4 ,a pillow-case was nearly half full of gold and silver watches1 diamonds1 and gold jewelry1 which they said was confiscated for the government4 ,they said wealth gave the rebellion strength1 no matter in what it consisted4 ,after the arrival of our supplies we took a steamer down the ,mississippi1 and stopped a short time at ,columbus4 ,a little before landing ,i discovered an ,irish woman had in her possession a six-quart tin pail of whisky1 and a gallon jug that she seemed very careful to keep out of sight under the sofa2 ,i took a seat by her side1 and knew ,i could not be mistaken as to the contents of her pail and jug1 and as ,i understood it was a forbidden article1 ,i penciled on the margin of my official paper to the inspector to look well to the whisky the woman at my side had in her possession4 ,as he came to inquire for my baggage to inspect1 ,i told him where he would find it1 and he would see by my papers what were their probable contents4 ,taking a look at the lady by my side1 as he handed back my papers he remarked1 ,i think ,i'll not take the trouble to inspect your baggage1 as ,i see you are all right4 ,as we were going ashore1 my red-shawled companion carefully gathered her pail and jug under her shawl at each side of her1 and hurried to bury herself in the crowd4 ,the inspector followed closely1 and as he took hold of the pail to see what she had hanging on her arm1 in her effort to get away from him it fell on the cabin carpet4 ,as the cover came off we had quite a shower of whisky about our feet4 ,at this the jug was seized by the inspector1 amid shouts of ,good1 good1 and the laughter of the crowd1 with muttering and swearing by the ,irish woman4 ,she hastened out of the crowd1 leaving her pail and jug behind her4 ,at the ,soldiers' ,home we found ,samantha ,plummer and her excellent assistant4 ,the following three days we spent in visiting hospitals4 ,hospital ,no4 #b was miserably cared for4 ,the matron was a ,southern woman1 who had lost her husband in the ,confederate army1 but she professed to be a ,union woman1 and said her husband would never have gone on that side but for compulsion4 ,our officers seemed to pity her and her two daughters1 and gave them a home in the hospital4 ,the mother held the position of nurse1 but not one of the three was a suitable person to be there4 ,the sick and wounded soldiers did not look as if their beds or apparel had been changed in two weeks4 ,the floor was filthy1 and the scent was sufficient to sicken well people4 ,from the appearance of the wash-boiler1 running over with dried apples that were being boiled without care1 ,i judged every thing to be done after the same style4 ,i inquired of one of the convalescents in the yard when their supper hour was1 and proposed to return to see how the brethren fared4 ,sister ,backus was rather fearful ,i might make matters worse1 as they might suspect we had an object in revisiting the hospital so soon2 but we were on hand to see the burned and sour biscuits dealt out to those sick and wounded soldiers1 with the half-stewed apples1 and a choice given between rancid butter and a poor quality of black molasses4 ,i hoped to see something better when the pail with a spout appeared1 out of which was turned a substance half way between pudding and porridge1 ,i asked if it was farina4 ,it's corn meal mush1 and mush it was1 running all through whatever was on the plate4 ,i passed from one plate to another1 tasting the biscuits and cutting pieces of apple to see if ,i could find one without an uncooked center1 but with little success4 ,in going around ,i came to half a dozen of the boys trying to while the time away with a pack of cards4 ,having an armful of ,testaments1 ,i proposed to make an exchange4 ,this was readily agreed to1 as each of them had left his home with one1 but had lost it in battle or storm4 ,i gave them advice to commit at least one verse from their ,testaments daily while in the army1 and each promised to do so4 ,all this time of investigating their supper and making this bargain1 sister ,backus was busily engaging the attention of the matron4 ,i left that hospital with a heavy heart1 and spent a sleepless night4 ,i told sister ,backus ,i must remain there until that hospital was renovated4 ,i wanted to go into it and make things fly1 right and left1 if there was no other way4 ,in the morning ,i found the medical director1 and asked if he had visited ,hospital ,no4 #b recently4 ,he said he had not1 but thought the surgeon having charge of that hospital a very clever sort of a man4 ,i think there is not a single officer in that establishment1 said ,i1 that is at all suitable to be there4 ,perhaps that surgeon is too clever4 ,i tell you he is defective1 or he would not allow such a hospital as that under his charge4 ,but ,i find ,i am ahead of myself4 ,you may take me to be some nervous mother1 but ,i only claim to be a representative of common-sense women4 ,here are papers from the governor of my ,state1 and from two members of ,congress4 ,after reading them he said1 ,i will take up that hospital within two weeks1 ,i think4 ,two weeks6 ,i exclaimed2 many of those soldiers will die before that time4 ,i can not leave them for two weeks4 ,then ,i will tell you what ,i will do2 ,i will bring the sickest ones here to this hospital1 and put the rest on a boat and take them to ,mound ,city1 to the ,united ,states ,hospital1 and take up ,no4 #b within three days4 ,that will do1 ,i said2 ,i am satisfied with ,mound ,city ,hospital1 and with this one4 ,if you will do this ,i will go on to-day with our supplies for ,vicksburg1 ,mississippi4 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 it shall be done within three days1 he replied1 and ,i left him with a lighter heart4 ,we went on our way with a number of officers and soldiers on board4 ,as we were on the boat over ,sunday1 ,i asked permission of the captain to talk to the soldiers4 ,he gave me leave1 saying it was a very unsuitable place for ladies on the rear deck1 over cattle1 sheep1 and hogs1 but they would prepare a place as soon as possible4 ,while preparation was being made1 a young man who had been studying for the ministry of the ,cumberland ,presbyterian ,church1 proposed to the captain to address the soldiers4 ,as he was a minister the captain came and informed me that he had granted his request4 ,i told him ,i supposed we could attend4 ,certainly1 certainly1 if you like1 only as ,i told you1 it is an unpleasant place for ladies4 ,unpleasant as it was1 we listened to a long sermon1 and remained a few minutes longer to give the boys a mother's advice1 as they were leaving their ,northern homes1 not to allow themselves to become demoralized by the many dangers and hardships they would have to endure4 ,about #h o'clock the boat stopped a little below ,napoleon1 ,arkansas1 to wood4 ,as it was very dark1 our torches were lighted1 and we saw a light advancing so fast on the bank that ,i thought it must be borne on horseback4 ,no1 it's too low1 said a woman standing near me4 ,but it went out as soon as it came to the landing1 and our light was immediately extinguished1 the cable was drawn back1 the men leaped aboard1 and the boat was wheeled so suddenly into the stream that there was great danger of bursting the boiler4 ,we heard many inquiries as to what was the matter4 ,but the fact ran quickly over the boat that there were guerrillas after us4 ,the running lantern we saw was carried by an old white man1 who overheard the talk of more than forty men1 who were secreted in a clump of trees and bushes near the landing4 ,they had planned to capture the first steamer that stopped to wood at that place1 to take all on the boat as prisoners1 strip it of everything on board1 and let it float down the river4 ,the old man told the men not to let it be known1 if we were captured1 that he had informed them of this1 as it would cost him his life4 ,such a scene of excitement ,i never witnessed2 men1 as well as women1 turned pale1 and their voices trembled4 ,yet many of them flew to their card tables1 expecting every moment to be shot into1 and trembling with fear so as hardly to be able to hold their cards4 ,the captain said if pouring tar into the furnace would send us beyond a bayou near by before they could overtake us1 he thought we should escape4 ,after passing that point our colonel came to me and asked after my companion4 ,i told him as she was not well she had retired very early1 and ,i thought she had better not know any thing of this excitement until morning1 ,if we should escape2 if not1 it was time for her to become excited when we were taken4 ,how do you feel in such an hour as this8 he asked4 ,the ,god of ,daniel lives at this hour1 ,i answered1 and in him ,i trust4 ,i see1 you take it coolly1 he replied1 and looked surprised4 ,i told him ,i pitied those card-players1 for it was a hard play for them1 while standing face to face with danger4 ,you see it is an effort1 he replied1 to keep danger out of mind as much as possible4 ,but see their pale faces and trembling hands4 ,o1 what a poor substitute they have for substantial trust in an ,almighty ,power6 ,you see that gentleman and his wife sitting on the other side of the cabin4 ,they are calm and perfectly composed2 they1 too1 have their pocket ,bible in hand4 ,they are trusting children of the ,most ,high1 no doubt4 ,he thoughtfully looked over that crowded cabin a moment1 and walked away4 ,very few retired before #ab o'clock1 and those men and women were all that time making an effort to quiet their nerves at their card-table4 ,the next morning our colonel called again with a little joke3 ,you meet danger so coolly1 ,i think we had better take you with us to ,texas for a general4 ,i was thankful for the improvement in sister ,backus's health by a good night's rest1 and that we had escaped4 ,without further trouble we reached ,vicksburg1 but learned that the loudest cry for aid was in ,natchez1 and we hastened there with our supplies4 ,we were offered a home with ,lieutenant ,thirds and family1 who had been invited to occupy rooms at ,judge ,bullock's4 ,the judge was too strong a secessionist to take the iron-clad oath of allegiance1 though solicited by his wife2 for she feared they might lose their property by confiscation4 ,to save it1 he very blandly offered his parlor and best rooms in his large three-story brick house1 where we found very comfortable quarters4 ,through ,colonel ,young1 we obtained the use of a good-sized store on ,main ,street for our goods1 and the surgeon of the freedmen's camp provided for us a small room near the camp1 where were congregated four thousand freedmen in condemned tents4 ,these tents were so leaky that1 from exposure1 after heavy rains and wind1 we had from five to fifteen deaths in a day4 ,here we found constant work for head1 heart1 hands1 and feet4 ,but few days elapsed at any time without hearing the roar of battle near by1 and sometimes the cloud of blue smoke met our eye4 ,one battle was fought within two miles by the negro soldiers1 only a few days after the terrible ,fort ,pillow massacre4 ,they fought desperately4 ,one of their officers told me they had to command their soldiers to stop1 and they obeyed only at the point of the bayonet2 for they mowed the enemy down like grass1 although they lowered their colors and began to stack their arms4 ,their officers told them to stop firing2 but a number of soldiers replied1 while reloading1 ,they hear no cry for quarter at ,fort ,pillow1 and fired again4 ,but when the enemy stacked their arms they were peremptorily ordered to stop4 ,i didn't blame the boys for feeling as they did over that awful massacre4 ,but strange as it seems1 not one of our soldiers was killed1 or even wounded4 ,there was a white regiment in reserve1 if needed2 and the colored soldiers almost resented the idea that they needed any assistance whatever4 ,there was great excitement in the freedmen's camp that day over their victory4 ,said one woman1 whose husband and two sons were soldiers in this battle3 ,why didn't you shoot away as long as one was lef'8 ,our officers compelled us to stop4 ,i don't care for that2 they need killin'1 every one4 ,said ,i1 ,you wouldn't kill the women1 would you8 ,yes1 ,i would1 she answered2 for they's wusser'n the men4 ,well1 there are the innocent little children--you wouldn't kill them1 would you8 ,hesitating a little1 she said3 ,yes1 ,i would1 madam2 for ,i tell you nits make vermin4 ,she and all her family had belonged to ,judge ,bullock's wife1 and she was still living in her little cabin and doing the work for the family1 as she had done heretofore1 though she did not work so hard4 ,she would take the time to do our washing for us4 ,she said ,judge ,bullock was harder to please than her mistress2 but he was afraid of our soldiers1 and when ,natchez was taken he kept hid in a thicket of bushes in the garden a number of days4 ,they took his meals to him when no one was in sight1 expecting the ,yankees would kill every man they met2 but as he found it otherwise he came into the house1 and now he talked with us quite freely4 ,their slaves were mostly house-servants1 and better treated than many others4 ,judge ,bullock was formerly from the ,north1 and married in the ,south1 and his wife inherited the slaves4 ,their cook was a mulatto1 of more than ordinary intelligence1 and she told me of the most terrible scenes of barbarity that she had witnessed4 ,the marks of cruelty were in that camp so frequently seen--men with broken shoulders and limbs--that it was heart-sickening to listen to the recital of their wrongs4 ,one man ,i saw with a shred of an ear1 and ,i inquired how his ear became torn like that4 ,he hesitated to tell me1 but one of his fellow-slaves said it was done by order of their master2 that he was stripped and fastened by a large nail driven through his ear to a tree1 and the overseer was directed to whip him on his naked body until his writhings tore his ear out1 and that only ended the punishment4 ,one man by the name of ,matthew ,lasley1 living within two miles of this city1 owned one hundred slaves1 and was his own overseer4 ,he worked his slaves early and late1 and was proverbial for cruelty to them4 ,they were not half fed or clothed4 ,a few days after he had sold the wife and child of his slave ,jack1 they were burning log heaps and clearing off a few acres of new ground4 ,they had worked until about midnight1 and were preparing to turn in4 ,jack had split an armful of kindling-wood1 and was now ready to go to his lonely hut4 ,then his utter desolation rolled in upon his mind4 ,when his master stooped over to light his cigar1 the thought came to him like a flash to kill him1 and then he too would die1 and so would end his bitter days4 ,no sooner was the thought conceived than the act was done4 ,the ax was buried in ,lasley's head2 and he sank1 a dead man1 without uttering a word4 ,jack came immediately to the city1 tapped on the window of ,dr4 ,smith's sleeping apartment1 the son-in-law of ,lasley1 and told him he wanted him to go at once to the new clearing with him4 ,when the doctor went out ,jack told him that he had killed his master4 ,what did you do it for8 ,master sole my wife and chile1 an' ,i don't want to live any longer4 ,now1 master1 you may shoot me1 or take me to jail1 or do any thing you're a min' to4 ,well1 ,jack1 ,i know you've had a hard time2 but ,i shall have to take you to jail1 any how1 and see what the court will do4 ,after ordering ,lasley's body to be taken care of1 he returned to his wife and told her all1 and added that he wondered he had not been killed long before1 as it was what he had looked for4 ,dr4 ,smith employed one of the best lawyers in the city to plead ,jack's case1 and had all the ,lasley slaves brought into court1 not one of whom was without marks of cruelty--a broken arm or leg1 an ear cut off1 or an eye out4 ,they were all in a nearly nude condition1 three children under ten years of age entirely so4 ,the daughter begged her husband to allow better clothes for them2 but the doctor and the lawyer insisted upon their coming into court with just the clothing provided for them by their master ,the lawyer made an eloquent plea for ,jack1 and pointed to the hundred slaves1 maimed and crippled and almost naked1 and ,jack was acquitted4 ,lasley's extreme cruelty had created a public sentiment in ,jack's favor1 so that unexpectedly to himself his life was saved4 ,jack was hunting for his wife and child among the multitude1 but had not yet succeeded in finding them4 ,week after week was spent in making personal investigations1 measuring and preparing bundles for those nearly naked4 ,as new refugees were daily coming in1 the officers found it necessary to organize a new camp over the river1 in the rear of ,vidalia1 ,louisiana1 on the ,ralston plantation4 ,as a few hundred were gathered there we went over and found them exceedingly destitute4 ,there were twenty families1 mostly of those recently enlisted as soldiers4 ,some of them were almost ready to desert4 ,said one1 ,they say we are free1 and what sort of freedom is this1 for us to see our families without a board1 shingle1 or canvas to cover their heads8 ,we are concluding to leave our regiment and build something to shelter our wives and children4 ,they haven't got a place to sleep at night except in the open field4 ,we told them we would make their families our first care1 and advised them not to leave4 ,upon this they became more calm1 and concluded to wait armpits1 as ,i chose to keep my arms out in case of tipping over4 ,here came brother ,reed1 one of the teachers1 offering to aid me2 but he had no pass or transportation1 and no time to get it4 ,i called the attention of a passing general to my necessity for help1 to be able to return before the firing of the sundown gun4 ,he said if he was in command he would allow him to go with my load1 and advised him to try it4 ,on we hastened1 but met an ambulance that ,captain ,howe had sent to the new camp for a sick woman with two small children4 ,it was obliged to return1 not being able to pass through the lines1 as the provost marshal was not to be found4 ,the supposition was very strong that the lines were closed1 as it was the weakest point in the post1 and the smoke of rebel fires was in sight on ,lake ,concordia4 ,a battle had been fought a few days before1 and another attack was-daily threatened4 ,the driver and brother ,reed were doubting the propriety of crossing the river4 ,for if the lines are closed1 they said1 the ,president himself would not be permitted to pass4 ,but ,i told them as they did not positively know that the lines were closed1 we had better cross4 ,it is your load1 and if you say go we shall go1 said brother ,reed4 ,i say go1 was my decision4 ,soon we were in front of the provost marshal's office4 ,but he was not there1 and no one knew where he was4 ,after a long search1 in accordance with my plea1 some of the guards discovered and brought him back1 reeling1 with his head of long hair thoroughly decorated with feathers and straws4 ,i met him in his office and read to him my papers1 holding1 them before his face as ,i would exhibit a picture to a two-year old baby4 ,after explaining all1 ,i made my request to pass his lines with my load of supplies4 ,who--who's there8 ,i told him who he was that so kindly offered to aid me in disbursing these supplies just as ,i was starting2 and that a general advised me to take him with my load1 as he would pass him1 if in command4 ,well1 well1 ,i don'--don't--li-like--this--whole--whole -sa-sale business4 ,but ,i pleaded for those suffering women and children with all the politeness ,i was capable of mastering1 with disgust boiling over4 ,with stuttering and mumbling his dislikes1 and shaking his head1 with the feathers and straws waving and nodding in every direction1 he took his pen and scribbled a pass that was difficult to decipher4 ,the next line of guards hardly knew what to do with it until ,i told them the provost marshal was drunk4 ,o1 yes1 and it's no new trick2 go on4 ,and without further difficulty we reached the group of sufferers1 who were shivering as if in an ague fit4 ,i threw to each family two blankets or quilts1 and more than forty children were crawling between them within three minutes4 ,i gave to each of those twenty women a suit of men's clothing that day to help them out of this intense suffering4 ,i gave them also three rag-carpet blankets out of the four that were sent me by a woman who took up a new rag-carpet she had just put down1 and cut it into four pieces after listening to the recital of the great suffering in these camps4 ,she said she should put no more carpets on her floor as long as the war lasted4 ,although ,i had seen so many marks of cruelty among these people1 yet ,i said to myself1 ,o that these poor people had remained in their old homes a little longer6 ,surely they can not suffer there like this4 ,a little girl came for me to go to the old blacksmith-shop used as a temporary hospital1 as her mother thought her brother was dying1 and another brother was very sick4 ,i entered that shop1 and listened to the groans of the dying4 ,i repeated to myself1 ,o that they had waited a little longer6 ,four men and the little son of the distressed mother that sent for me were evidently dying1 and four others were sick with pneumonia4 ,the mother of these two sick boys was doing all she could for them all4 ,i gave her ground mustard to make poultices1 and ginger for those who had chills1 and told her how to use them4 ,i had a few pounds of each1 and generally took a little package with me1 especially after a storm4 ,this miserable shelter leaked but little1 but one side and one end were so open that we could throw a hat through the wall4 ,i saw a pile of irons by the door4 ,placing my foot on a queer double jointed ring1 ,i said3 ,i wonder what that queer sort of a ring could have been used for1 looking toward the old dilapidated cotton-gin near by4 ,that's a neck iron1 said an old woman standing near me4 ,a neck-iron6 ,what do you mean8 ,why1 it's an iron collar to wear on the neck4 ,but you are certainly mistaken1 said ,i1 picking it up2 you see these joints are riveted with iron as large as my finger1 and it could never be taken off over one's head4 ,but we knows2 dat's ,uncle ,tim's collar4 ,an' he crawled off in dat fence-corner1 pointing to the spot1 an' died thar1 an' ,massa ,george had his head cut off to get de iron off4 ,is it possible for a human being to become so brutal as to cut a man's head off when he is dead8 ,she looked as if she thought ,i doubted her word1 and said3 ,it didn't hurt ,uncle ,tim when he was dead as it did when de iron wore big sores way down to de bone1 and da got full o' worms afore he died4 ,his neck an' head all swell up1 an' he prayed many1 many prayers to ,god to come and take him out his misery4 ,how long did he wear it8 ',bout two years4 ,two years6 ,it is impossible for any one to live that length of time with this rough heavy iron4 ,illustration3 ,,slave ,,irons ,,in ,,possession ,,of ,,the ,,author ,we work two seasons1 any how1 over in dat cotton-fiel'1 pointing to the two-hundred-acre cotton-field at our right4 ,i took up another iron1 and inquired1 ,what sort of an iron is this8 ,a knee-stiffener1 to w'ar on de leg to keep 'em from runnin' off in dat swamp1 pointing to the dark swamp bordering ,lake ,concordia1 so fully draped with long ,southern moss that in many places in it nothing could be discovered three feet in the thicket4 ,i went to the rear of the shop1 with the ring under my shawl4 ,here stood a dozen or more of old and crippled men and women4 ,did any of this company1 ,i asked1 live on this plantation before the war8 ,yes1 missus1 six of us live here4 ,i live here seven year4 ,i drew out the collar1 and asked if any one could tell me what that was4 ,one looked at another1 and asked where ,i found it4 ,in that pile of irons by the door1 ,i replied4 ,one said1 in a low tone1 ,dat's ,uncle ,tim's collar4 ,yes1 missus1 dat is iron collar to wear on de neck4 ,but you see it is fastened with heavy iron rivets4 ,yes1 de way you see it is 'case ,massa ,george ,ralston order ,uncle ,tim's head cut off to get de collar4 ,i want this collar1 ,i said1 and another heavy iron a woman called a knee-stiffener4 ,this plantation is confiscated1 and these irons belong to you as much as to any body4 ,will you give them to me8 ,each seemed to wait for the others to speak1 but the one to whom ,i had mostly directed my conversation at length replied3 ,i reckon you can have 'em2 for we's had all we wants ov 'em4 ,i thank you2 and if you can find any other slave-irons in that pile ,i wish you would pick them out for me to take home to ,michigan1 to show what sort of jewelry the colored people had to wear down here4 ,they turned over the heap1 and found iron horns1 hand-cuffs1 etc41 and explained how they were worn4 ,they showed me also where the iron rod upon which was suspended a bell was cut off of ,uncle ,tim's collar4 ,among the group was a crippled man walking with two canes1 clad in tattered cotton clothes1 that were hanging in frozen strings from his arms like icicles4 ,i selected a whole suit for him1 and a soldier's overcoat4 ,he stepped in the rear of a cabin and changed1 and came to me weeping4 ,i come to show you1 he said2 dis is de best dressin' ,i's ever had in my life4 ,an' ,i thanks you1 an' praise ,god4 ,as we were standing on the bank of the river waiting for the return of the ferry on her last trip that day1 there were thirty or forty men waiting1 who by their favorite gray appeared to be rebel citizens2 but our many bristling bayonets kept them in subjection4 ,the ferry soon took us over the river1 and we were within our post before the sundown gun was fired4 ,as ,i had brought the sick woman and two little children that ,captain ,howe had sent his ambulance for in the morning1 in one wagon1 ,i must go to his hospital with them4 ,this made us so late that the guard said ,i could not be allowed to enter the camp without a permit from the officer of the night4 ,i told him where ,i had been all day without a fire2 and as he knew the storm had continued until late in the afternoon1 and this sick woman whom the captain had sent for could not get through the lines in the morning1 ,i hoped he would read my papers4 ,he held up his lantern to see them2 but as soon as he caught sight of my old portfolio he said1 ,go on1 ,i know who you are2 ,i've seen that before4 ,i was permitted to leave my sick family in the hospital1 and drove the two miles to our head-quarters by eight o'clock4 ,although very much chilled1 ,i felt relieved1 notwithstanding ,i had witnessed such scenes of suffering and dying during that eventful day4 ,one morning the little drummer-boy of twelve years of age marched into camp with seven men that he had taken prisoners1 ragged and almost barefooted4 ,the suffering men were glad to find comfortable quarters4 ,occasionally we found them tamely submitting to be taken1 on account of their sufferings for want of food and clothing4 ,one entire company1 who suffered themselves to be captured1 told our officers if they would allow them to wear out of sight some sort of a ,union mark1 so as not to meet with trouble from our soldiers1 they would go and bring in their entire regiment1 as they all wanted to come into our lines4 ,they were furnished with a badge of national colors to wear under their coats4 ,soon the whole regiment were with us4 ,one of our officers said they were among our most efficient helps4 ,one of them told me if they had known the real object of the war they would never have gone into it2 for more than half of them had never owned a slave1 and those who did were better off without them4 ,they were surprised to find an attendance of supplies4 ,they had always been told that all the difference between the ,northern people and their slaves was the color of their skin4 ,there was great excitement during the last presidential campaign4 ,the slave passed through terrible experiences during #ahfj-fa4 ,it seemed to be accepted as a settled fact1 that if ,lincoln was elected it would result in war2 and in many places regular drills were instituted4 ,in ,natchez the half-grown slave boys got together on ,sunday afternoons1 and drilled with sticks for guns4 ,at first it attracted no particular attention1 and the boys became as expert in handling their stick guns as were their masters4 ,two slave men were overheard repeating what their master said1 that if ,lincoln was elected he would free all the slaves1 for he was a ,black ,republican2 and they declared that if this was true they would go to the ,yankees and help to free their nation4 ,this talk was sufficient to raise the report of an insurrection throughout all that part of the ,state1 and a large vigilance committee was organized to meet once a week and report what they might hear by listening outside the negro cabins4 ,all slave men or boys who were overheard to pray for freedom1 or to say any thing indicating a desire to be free1 were marked2 and in the discussions of this large committee of a hundred men1 every thing that had occurred during a few years past1 in efforts among the slaves to learn to read and write1 was magnified and construed as pointing toward a long and settled purpose among the slaves to rise in insurrection4 ,a majority of this committee decided by whipping and other torture to compel confessions from all these marked slaves1 and then to hang them4 ,a number of the committee resigned because they would not consent to these severe measures4 ,many negroes were dragged out of their cabins or yards without knowing the cause1 stripped1 tied to the whipping-post or taken to the calaboose1 and given as many lashes as could be endured4 ,at the close of each whipping the sufferer was called upon to make a full revelation of every sentence that he or she had heard in favor of liberty1 or of the ,yankees1 among their people1 either in conversation or prayer1 and by whom1 with a promise to be released from further punishment4 ,never was one released1 but on ,saturday generally ten or twelve of these sufferers were thrown into a wagon and conveyed to the gallows1 where they were placed in a row1 and all were hanged at the same instant4 ,some hundreds were thus hanged in the edge of the city1 and on an adjoining plantation4 ,i carefully investigated the facts1 and gathered the following statement from both white and colored citizens4 ,i have good reasons for placing entire confidence in its correctness4 ,a large number of slaves were hanged1 owned by the following persons3 ,frank ,susetts1 #bf2 ,james ,susetts1 #g2 ,dr4 ,stanton1 #h2 ,dr4 ,moseby1 #bf2 widow ,albert ,dunbar1 #dh2 ,mrs4 ,brady1 #ab2 widow ,e4 ,baker1 #bh2 ,mrs4 ,alexander1 #af2 ,dr4 ,george ,baldwin1 #h2 ,stephen ,odell1 #e2 ,g4 ,grafton1 #e2 ,james ,brown1 #c2 ,mr4 ,marshall1 #a2 ,mr4 ,robinson1 #b2 ,melon ,davis1 #a2 widow ,absalom ,sharp1 #c2 ,miss ,mary ,dunbar1 #c2 ,joseph ,reynolds1 #b2 ,baker ,robinson1 #c2 ,lee ,marshall1 whipped to death #a2 ,mrs4 ,chase1 whipped to death #a2 a total of #bji4 ,i was told by a number of persons1 both white and colored1 that there were over four hundred tortured to death in this reign of terror1 before ,natchez fell into ,union hands1 but ,i put in my diary only such as ,i found were proven to be facts4 ,miss ,mary ,dunbar was very much distressed over the loss of one of her three slaves who were hanged1 and offered the vigilance committee ten thousand dollars for his release1 but to no purpose4 ,joseph ,reynolds also offered the committee #ajj1jjj for the release of his two1 but was denied4 ,one little boy of twelve years of age was taken to the calaboose and whipped1 then taken with the wagon-load of other victims of their unrelenting cruelty to the scaffold1 followed by his mother in wild despair1 praying as she went through the streets1 tossing her hands upward3 ,o1 ,god1 save my poor boy6 ,o1 ,jesus ,master1 pity my poor child6 ,o1 ,savior1 look down upon my poor baby6 ,the woman who went with her to the scaffold said she cried these words over and over2 and when we got there1 she said1 she fell on her knees before the head man1 and begged for the life of her baby4 ,but he kicked her on her head1 and cursed her1 and told her the boy had got to die4 ,the boy exhorted his mother not to grieve so for him1 'for ,i'm going to ,jesus2 meet me in heaven2' and he1 with eleven others1 were swung off4 ,the mother cried out1 ',oh1 my ,god6 my poor son6' and feinted4 ,so perfect was this reign of terror that not even slave-owners1 in many cases1 dared to protest against this wholesale butchery4 ,the repeated whippings mangled the bodies of many so badly that they were taken to the gallows in a dying state4 ,one man died while being taken upon the scaffold2 his sides were cut through to the entrails1 and even a part of them protruded4 ,i visited the calaboose1 which had two apartments4 ,the first entrance was large enough for two persons to be fastened to the strong iron staples4 ,there was room for two men to each victim1 one on each side1 who1 seated on a stool1 could alternate the strokes upon the writhing sufferer4 ,the floor of this calaboose was of hard wood1 but it was so thoroughly stained with human gore that the grain of the wood could not be distinguished4 ,into the second room not a ray of light entered except on opening the middle door4 ,frank ,susetts was a millionaire in the city of ,baton ,rouge1 ,louisiana1 and made his boast that he had no fear of ,yankees1 for he had gold enough to cover his front walk from the door to the gate1 and could buy up any ,yankee who might attempt to trouble him4 ,there are two things1 he said1 they can never do3 ,first1 make me poor2 second1 make me take the oath of allegiance4 ,he owned nine plantations1 besides very much city property4 ,though hundreds of his slaves had left him1 he felt himself secure in the abundance of his wealth4 ,the government engineer1 who had been casting about for the best place to locate a fort1 had been looking over ,frank ,susetts's place and said it was the most elevated and desirable location he had found in the city1 but he rather hesitated because of the magnificent buildings it would destroy4 ,when ,susetts's independent words reached his ear he at once decided1 and took his men the second time to look over the ground4 ,standing near the palatial mansion1 and within hearing of the owner1 he said to his men1 ,yes1 yes1 this is the place for our fort4 ,frank ,susetts approached him with the offer of thirty thousand dollars in gold if he would spare his place4 ,i can not accept it1 sir1 said the engineer4 ,i will give you fifty thousand dollars in gold if you will save it4 ,it cost me one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars to build this house and the out-houses4 ,should you offer all that you say it cost you1 it would be of no consequence4 ,we give you ten days to take away every thing movable from your premises1 for this house will then be destroyed to make room for the fort4 ,this is the site we have selected4 ,at the expiration of the time set1 it was in flames4 ,frank ,susetts and wife stood a block distant weeping4 ,two of their former slaves were looking at the conflagration4 ,ah1 said one1 a little while ago it was massa ,susetts's time1 when he had so many of our people hung2 now it is ,god's time4 ,praise de ,lo'd1 he's here to-day for sure4 ,glory to ,jesus1 massa ,susetts's day is over2 he can never have any more of our people hung4 ,it was now the #bast day of ,march1 #ahfd4 ,many complained of these turned tables4 ,judge ,bullock remarked that he couldn't even go to meeting without a pass2 just what used to be required of the six thousand freed slaves who were then in this city of refuge4 ,painters were seen in various parts of the city dexterously using their brushes in wiping out standing advertisements for the sales of slaves4 ,i saw a number of these whitewashed signs4 ,in some cases the paint was too thin to hide them4 ,slaves1 horses1 mules1 cattle1 plantation utensils sold on reasonable terms4 ,they knew these advertisements were not agreeable to ,northern eyes4 ,but ,i fear the covering of many of these hearts was as frail as the thin whitewashing over these advertisements4 ,on the ,ralston plantation we visited families1 gave tickets1 and directed them to meet us at the place and hour appointed4 ,hundreds in squalid wretchedness were supplied4 ,the following day1 in the afternoon1 all orphan children were to meet us4 ,one hundred and twenty-two ragged children came4 ,we placed them in two rows1 the boys on one side and the girls on the other4 ,selecting each an assistant1 we commenced measuring and distributing1 keeping them all standing in their respective places until we had given every one something1 but yet too little to meet their necessary wants4 ,there were at that time twenty-seven teachers and missionaries in the city representing nine ,states4 ,six day-schools and three night-schools were established by them4 ,two other schools were taught by colored teachers2 one of these was a slave woman1 who had taught a midnight school for years4 ,it was opened at eleven or twelve o'clock at night1 and closed at two o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,every window and door was carefully closed to prevent discovery4 ,in that little school hundreds of slaves learned to read and write a legible hand4 ,after toiling all day for their masters they crept stealthily into this back alley1 each with a bundle of pitch-pine splinters for lights4 ,milla ,granson1 the teacher1 learned to read and write from the children of her indulgent master in her old ,kentucky home4 ,her number of scholars was twelve at a time1 and when she had taught these to read and write she dismissed them1 and again took her apostolic number and brought them up to the extent of her ability1 until she had graduated hundreds4 ,a number of them wrote their own passes and started for ,canada1 and she supposes succeeded1 as they were never heard from4 ,she was sold after her master's death1 and brought to ,mississippi1 and placed on a plantation as a field-hand2 but1 not being used to field-work1 she found it impossible to keep up with the old hands1 and the overseer whipped her severely4 ,o1 how ,i longed to die6 she told me2 and sometimes ,i thought ,i would die from such cruel whippings upon my bared body4 ,o1 what a vale of tears this was for poor me6 ,but one thing kept me from sinking1 and that was the presence of my dear ,savior4 ,her health so far gave way that she reeled with weakness as she went to and from her work2 and her master saw she was failing1 and gave her permission1 to go into the kitchen a part of the time4 ,o1 how thankful ,i was1 she went on1 for this promotion6 and ,i worked as hard to keep it as any ,congressman could work for some high office4 ,at length her night-school project leaked out1 and was for a time suspended2 but it was not known that seven of the twelve years since leaving ,kentucky had been spent in this work4 ,much excitement over her night-school was produced4 ,the subject was discussed in their legislature1 and a bill was passed1 that it should not be held illegal for a slave to teach a slave4 ,all this time1 said this dear woman1 ,i constantly prayed that ,god would overrule this to his own glory1 and not allow those ,i had taught to read his ,word to suffer1 as we had been threatened4 ,i can not tell you how my heart leaped with praise to ,god when a gentleman called to me one day on the street1 and said he would inform me that ,i could teach my midnight school if ,i chose1 as they found1 no law against a slave teaching a slave4 ,this was accepted by that trembling teacher and scholars as a direct answer to prayer4 ,she not only opened her night-school1 but a ,sabbath-school4 ,i found more intelligence among the colored residents of this city than any other ,southern city ,i had visited4 ,milla ,granson used as good language as any of the white people4 ,we found many little incidents to cheer in all our rounds of pitiable scenes of sorrow4 ,we sometimes met men and women among these ,southerners of correct views on secession4 ,one man said he never believed that slavery was right2 all the arguments brought forward in its favor never convinced him4 ,although he held a few slaves by inheritance1 he never could buy or sell one4 ,his black people remained with him1 and he paid them wages now that they were free by law1 and he was glad of it4 ,as he was nearly sixty years of age he had managed to keep out of the army1 but had to keep quiet on the subject of secession4 ,from the first he thought it the height of folly to resort to arms1 as the ,lord could not prosper their undertaking4 ,i believe that man was a conscientious ,christian2 very different in spirit from ,judge ,bullock1 who said one day in rather a careless mood1 ,i think you have one class of men in your ,north the most despicable ,i ever knew4 ,now1 thought ,i1 we abolitionists are going to take a blessing4 ,who are they8 ,i asked4 ,they are that class you call ,copperheads4 ,they are too dastardly to come down here and help us fight1 and they are too pusillanimous to fight for their own side4 ,our daily work was very wearisome1 having to walk from four to six miles each day4 ,fresh arrivals daily required our attention1 and after wind or rain pneumonia and deaths were frequent4 ,bible-reading and prayer were also a part of our mission4 ,one day1 while sister ,backus was opening barrels and boxes1 and sorting and arranging their contents in our store1 ,i went with a load1 in a recently confiscated stage-coach drawn by mules4 ,one of the mules the colonel said he was afraid to allow me to ride after2 but ,i thought a little mule could do but little harm with the experienced driver1 and ,i ventured the ride1 taking in a poor crippled man on the way1 who was just coming into camp4 ,he was clad in a few cotton rags that he had patched with old stocking-tops and bits of old tent-cloth1 to hold them together1 and it was impossible to detect the original fabric4 ,in passing down the ,paradise ,road to the camp in ,natchez-under-the-,hill1 the unruly mule pranced1 kicked1 and reared1 until both of them became unmanageable1 and the dust rolled up a thick cloud1 hiding the way before us1 as well as the galloping mules4 ,i believed that we should turn over at the short curve near the base of the hill1 where was a number of large stumps2 and that if we should strike one of them we should be dashed in pieces4 ,but prayer for a guiding hand seemed in a moment to bring relief4 ,we were overturned amid stumps1 and were dragged a few rods on the side of the coach1 when the canvas covering was detached from the wheels4 ,our driver was dragged a few rods farther1 while the crippled man and myself were doing our best to crawl from under the canvas4 ,by this time fifteen or twenty men reached us4 ,i was out and hauling the canvas off the groaning man1 whose head and face were covered with blood4 ,i told one of the men to run for a pail of water1 for ,i thought the poor man must be dying4 ,o1 no1 it's all right1--it'll make me a better man1 said he1 while catching his breath1 and wiping the blood from his mouth4 ,you had better sit down yourself2 you are badly hurt1 said one of the men4 ,o no1 ,i am not hurt1 was my reply4 ,but as ,i was getting a little child's shirt ready for the men to wash the crippled man's head1 ,i found the front breadth of my dress torn across1 and ,i had to throw back my bonnet to see2 but ,i knew my limbs were all sound4 ,although it seemed as if we had turned many somersaults in a second1 yet ,i never felt more vigorous4 ,i knew the surgeon of that camp was within a few rods of us1 and requested some one to go for him to care for my comrade4 ,i saw a man carefully washing out the large gashes on his head1 and ,i left for the surgeon1 holding my torn dress-skirt in my hand4 ,just as ,i reached his office he was jumping on his horse1 starting for me4 ,he exclaimed in surprise1 ,why1 ,mrs4 ,haviland6 ,i've just this moment got the word that you were nearly killed1 and ,i was going to see you4 ,i am all right1 ,i said2 but ,i wish you would go and see to that crippled man1 for ,i am afraid he is nearly killed4 ,very well1 but ,i shall look after you first4 ,by this time he was handling my arms1 and pressing here and there on my body1 ,i thought pretty harshly2 for he either found or made some sore places4 ,he ordered his ambulance1 in which ,i was taken to head-quarters4 ,as ,i was badly bruised1 the surgeon urged me to take morphine4 ,i was sure of not needing it1 but promised to call for it if needed1 and he allowed me to go without it4 ,i found myself too lame to resume work for a couple of days2 then ,i commenced again moderately1 but carried marks of bruised flesh for a month or more4 ,about two weeks after this1 while investigating a new arrival of a company of slaves1 ,i learned that some of them were shot by their pursuing masters1 and one woman's babe was instantly killed in its mother's arms2 but the mother succeeded in passing into our lines1 with her dead child in her arms1 to be buried1 as she said1 free4 ,a woman and a little boy of three years1 with dresses torn with briers to shreds1 and feet and limbs swollen and bleeding with scratches1 came in1 from whom ,i was getting her sad history4 ,two gentlemen passing by1 halted1 and said one3 ,this looks as if these would have been much better off at their old homes4 ,don't you think so8 ,i think this picture shows great effort in escaping from their old home1 ,i replied4 ,do you live here8 ,i am only a temporary resident here4 ,my home is in ,michigan4 ,may ,i ask your name8 ,i gave it1 and he continued3 ,and so am ,i from ,michigan4 ,i've heard of you before1 ,i thought this was some good ,samaritan1 giving his hand for a hearty shake4 ,and who is this8 ,i asked4 ,i'm ,dr4----1 from one of our ,michigan cities4 ,and what are you doing here8 ,i am doing just the work you see before us4 ,yes1 and ,i saw a span of mules trying their best to kill her two weeks ago1 when they came sailing down that ,paradise ,road up yonder2 but they couldn't do it1 said his guide4 ,i asked him what he was doing4 ,he said he had just come to see if there was any thing he could do4 ,i told him of the new camp on the ,ralston plantation1 and of this camp of four thousand4 ,i hoped he would look after these1 as we proposed to leave soon for other fields of labor below4 ,on ,march #bd1 #ahfd1 ,i took letters to post-office1 and found one from our dear friend1 ,addie ,johnson1 assistant matron of ,soldiers' ,home1 in ,columbus1 ,kentucky4 ,i went to ,general ,tuttle for an order for transportation to ,baton ,rouge1 and1 as usual1 introduced myself by handing my official papers4 ,being a very large man1 he was in proportion consequential4 ,what do you want8 ,i told him ,i would like transportation to ,baton ,rouge4 ,i don't know1 he said2 that ,i am here to make the ,government a great benevolent society1 by giving every thoroughly loyal and earnest ,christian man or woman transportation4 ,is there not an order1 ,i replied1 from ,adjutant-general ,thomas1 granting us transportation1 rations1 and quarters8 ,i have received no such order personally4 ,i bade him good morning1 and left his office1 fully determined to bring him an order1 although ,i knew he must have seen one4 ,my purpose was to take the first boat to ,vicksburg1 as ,general ,thomas was then in that city1 to see whether his order was to be honored4 ,passing ,colonel ,young's office1 ,i called to see if he could grant the favor1 and found that he could give the transportation desired1 consequently ,i left the general without troubling him further4 ,on my return ,i called at the other mission store1 and met brother ,burlingame and ,isaac ,thorne1 who also wished to go below1 but were doubtful whether ,general ,tuttle would give them transportation ,they said they were waiting to learn of my success1 and were surprised to find that ,colonel ,young had the power to grant it4 ,we took the steamer ,j4 ,h4 ,russell for ,baton ,rouge4 ,on ,march #bgth ,sunday morning1 we passed the mouth of ,red ,river1 where was a gun boat1 from which a few prisoners were taken aboard of our boat4 ,a woman named ,crosly was also taken on board1 to go to ,new ,orleans for the purpose of exposing those who had run through our lines contraband goods4 ,there was a woman of property and standing on the boat1 who still held her household servants1 and made her boast that no one could even hire her slaves to leave her4 ,i'd like to see any one offer my niggers a book1 she declared4 ,i reckon they'd take it as an insult4 ,they'd tell you mighty quick they'd no use for books or schools4 ,the niggers never will be as happy as they have been4 ,they'll soon die out4 ,it's fearful to see them die off as they do in these camps4 ,they know nothing of taking care of themselves4 ,they are cared for by us as tenderly as our own children4 ,i tell you1 they are the happiest people that live in this country4 ,if they are sick the doctor is sent for1 and they are cared for in every way1 they know nothing of care4 ,if they are such a happy class of people1 how was it that you had such a time of punishing and hanging them within the last two years8 ,i asked4 ,o1 that had to be done to save our lives1 because they were about to rise in an awful insurrection4 ,but what would induce them to rise in insurrection1 when they are so happy and contented as you have described8 ,o1 there is always somebody ready to put the devil in their heads1 was her ready reply4 ,but ,mrs4 ,crosly's report was of a very different character4 ,she said1 ,there has never been the half told of this hell upon earth--the awful wickedness on these ,red ,river plantations1 where ,i have lived ever since ,i was fifteen years old4 ,if you knew what ,i have passed through1 you would not wonder that there is nothing but a wreck left of me4 ,i married a plantation blacksmith when a young girl of fifteen1 and left my people in ,indiana1 as my husband was hired by a rich slave-holder1 ,mr4 ,samuel ,lay1 who lived on ,red ,river4 ,we lived on his plantation many years1 though he used to do a great deal in ironing negroes for neighboring planters4 ,i told her of the slave-irons ,i had found on a deserted plantation1 to take to my ,michigan home4 ,don't let the people here know it1 she said1 or they will take them from you and drop them in the river2 for they bury them1 or throw them in the river or creek1 to put them out of sight of ,yankees4 ,when the city was taken they sent painters all over the city1 with brushes and paint-buckets1 to paint over all advertising signs of slaves for sale1 and hid all slave-irons they could lay hands on4 ,i told her that was done in ,natchez1 when that city was taken4 ,and that is just what they did1 she went on1 in ,vicksburg4 ,among the slave-irons you found1 were there any of those new-fashioned gags8 ,i told her that there were not4 ,you ought to get some of them4 ,if ,i were at home ,i could get you two or three kinds2 but you ought to see the new gags anyhow4 ,they are made with barbs1 as they make on fish-hooks1 and they pierce the tongue if they attempt to speak or make a noise4 ,they can't live many hours with one of them in their mouths1 for the tongue swells up so4 ,mr4 ,lay had an old slave woman we called ,aunt ,hannah whipped1 and gagged with that new gag1 and left her all night in her cabin2 and when ,i opened her door her tongue was swollen out of her mouth and looked so awful1 ,i wouldn't have known her if she hadn't been in her own cabin4 ,i told 'em she groaned so1 ,i reckoned she was dying1 and they sent for the doctor to come and cut the barbs out1 and he told ,mr4 ,lay she would have died in an hour longer4 ,it was a long time before she recovered from it4 ,but as near as she was to dying1 the overseer left ,ben all night with that kind of a gag2 and they found him dead in the morning4 ,you of the ,north have no idea of the perfect hell upon earth we've had down here4 ,mr4 ,lay brought ,alice from ,kentucky1 and she'd been a kitchen-maid1 and never worked in the cotton-field till she came here4 ,the overseer was a mighty hard man1 and he drew that long whip of his over her shoulders so often because she couldn't keep up with the other hands1 that she ran away in the bush and was gone two days before they caught her4 ,then they whipped her awfully1 and in two or three days they drove her out in the field4 ,within a week she ran away again1 and was gone about two weeks4 ,they caught her with the help of bloodhounds2 and when she was brought in1 her arms were torn by the dogs1 and ,i trembled for the poor girl1 for ,i knew they'd nearly kill her4 ,sure enough1 the first ,i knew my husband had her at his shop1 to iron her with a full set4 ,there was a knee-stiffener1 an iron collar with a bell1 and a pair of handcuffs1 with a chain between to allow her to use the hoe4 ,when ,i saw the heavy irons ,i went to the shop and begged ,mr4 ,crosly not to iron ,alice like that1 for it would kill her1 as she was badly torn by the dogs4 ,but he swore at me1 and told me to go back into the house1 were ,i belonged2 this was his business4 ,i went back and cried over it till it appeared ,i couldn't live2 and ,i went out again and begged him not to put on all these irons2 for he knew they were heavier than the law allowed1 and he would commit murder1 for she could not live in this way4 ,but he only swore at me the more4 ,at this ,mrs4 ,lay came out in a rage1 and said she would see whether any one could come in and interfere with the punishment of any of her slaves1 and ordered another slave to cut across both of her feet with a pocket-knife1 through the skin1 so that blood was left in her tracks4 ,i turned away1 for ,i thought they would murder the poor girl before my eyes2 and ,i cried myself sick and couldn't sleep1 for ,i thought she must die before morning4 ,the cotton-field was opposite my window1 and after breakfast ,i watched to see the hands go to their work2 and1 sure enough1 there was poor ,alice hobbling out into the cotton-field4 ,they had been at work but a little while when a heavy blow from the whip-handle on the back of her head brought her to the ground4 ',o1 my ,god6' ,i cried1 to see that overseer hit her like that because she couldn't keep up her row4 ,i prayed ,god that ,alice might die at once and be out of her misery2 and1 sure enough1 they brought her out of that field dead6 ,i was glad of it4 ,poor girl6 she could suffer no more under their hands4 ,and did not her death call forth some action from the law8 ,i asked4 ,nothing of the kind was ever noticed on our plantation4 ,i tell you it was a perfect hell on earth down here2 you don't know anything about it2 and yet1 if these things are told1 they'll deny it1 and call them black abolition lies1 when it's ,god's truth1 and they know it4 ,there was ,uncle ,jack1 poor fellow6 ,he ran away1 and they brought him in with the bounds1 after he'd been gone a week1 and they made him strip and lie down on his face1 and fastened his hands and feet to iron rings4 ,then a man sat on each side of him to do the whipping1 alternating in their strokes from his feet to his head1 then back to his feet1 and so back and forth until they'd given him one hundred lashes4 ,i passed by them1 and saw his back cut up to a raw jelly1 and the flesh twitched as you've seen newly killed beef4 ,but this was not all4 ,they took burning pitch-pine slivers and held them over his quivering flesh1 dropping the melted blazing pitch from his head to his feet4 ,after this awful torture1 the two men carried him to his cabin1 ,i thought1 to die2 and ,i had another all-night cry over ,uncle ,jack1 ,he was not able to go out in the field again for two weeks4 ,mrs4 ,crosly related many other incidents in her own experience1 some of which are too shocking for the public eye or ear4 ,my husband1 she said1 bought two slave women1 one of whom was the mother of two illegitimate children1 that my children were compelled by their father to address as brother and sister4 ,he also brought the mother to my apartments1 and occupied my parlor bedroom with her for years--all to aggravate me4 ,i didn't blame the woman ,molly1 for she couldn't help herself4 ,she and ,i cried together over this state of things for hours1 many a time4 ,she often begged my husband to let her live a virtuous life1 but it was of no use4 ,he would only threaten to punish her4 ,poor thing6 we felt sorry for each other1 and she used to do all she could for me4 ,i am so thankful she can now go where she pleases4 ,she took her two children1 and with the other woman went as soon as they could get through the lines4 ,i am so glad all the slaves are free4 ,mr4 ,crosly has got our oldest boy with him in the army1 and threatens to take my youngest boy of fourteen4 ,but the ,union officers say they will confiscate our property and make it over to me and my boys1 so that ,mr4 ,crosly can not take it from me4 ,the terrible scenes she had passed through1 and witnessed1 substantiated our oft expressed opinion that unlimited power on the part of slave-owners was equally degrading to the slave-holder and to the slave4 ,even more3 it fostered the worst passions of a depraved nature4 ,her experience was no isolated one4 ,such cases in many localities were neither few nor far between4 ,on ,march #bhth we learned1 with surprise1 that the bright light we saw the evening before1 as we came from the soldiers' meeting1 was the steamer ,j4 ,h4 ,russell burning to the water's edge4 ,no lives were lost1 but all the baggage of passengers and many mules1 horses1 cattle1 and sheep and other government supplies were destroyed4 ,o1 how thankful we were that we exchanged boats when we did1 and were safely landed here in ,baton ,rouge4 ,bless the ,lord1 ,o my soul6 and forget not all his benefits1 was my first thought4 ,how many favors are often bestowed in disguise6 ,at three o'clock1 ,p4 ,m41 ,i attended a meeting of colored people at the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 which was built by themselves1 and upon invitation addressed them4 ,i spoke perhaps twenty minutes1 taking for my theme ,psalm cxi1 #ab3 ,i know the ,lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted1 and the right of the poor4 ,at the close of the meeting the colored people gathered around us1 and gave us such a hand-shaking and ,god bless you as we seldom find outside of this oppressed people4 ,in the evening more than a dozen came to our lodgings and spent two hours recounting the trials of their slave-life1 which were of thrilling interest4 ,o1 what a bitter draught was theirs1 even to the very dregs6 ,one poor man named ,henry1 owned by ,john ,reese1 near ,baton ,rouge1 for the crime of visiting his wife and children oftener than once a month against his master's command1 was ordered to be nailed to a tree by his ear1 and whipped until it tore out4 ,but even more awful scenes of persecution and outrage these people passed through1 which we can not record4 ,we closed our interview1 after listening to their sad recitals1 with prayer1 in which all took part4 ,a solemn season it was1 to mingle our tears and voices with those who had passed through such scenes of suffering and were now praising the ,lord for freedom4 ,on ,tuesday1 #bith1 we visited the general hospital in the noble asylum for the mute and blind4 ,of the latter there were thirty inmates4 ,they played on the piano and sang very sweetly1 and we were interested in seeing the mutes converse with each other in their sign language4 ,one little fellow was asked by the matron to give us their name for ,yankee4 ,he quickly passed his fingers through each other1 and we all laughed to see ourselves with such an unstable name4 ,all seemed much pleased to receive our visit4 ,we found here our sick and wounded soldiers with nothing but army supplies1 boiled fat pork and bread4 ,surgeon ,pole told us they were out of other supplies4 ,we sent immediately to ,new ,orleans for dried fruit1 crackers1 etc41 and within four days they came rolling in by the barrel4 ,we left this marble-faced edifice to visit a few camps surrounding the city of ,baton ,rouge4 ,by request ,i attended a six o'clock meeting in the chapel for soldiers at the general hospital1 accompanied by ,rev4 ,joel ,burlingame and ,rev4 ,mr4 ,merryfield4 ,on ,wednesday1 #cjth1 we spent some time in visiting and distributing tracts and ,testaments1 and conversing with soldiers4 ,we also visited a colored school of two hundred and twenty-four pupils4 ,all were much engaged in study4 ,we were invited to address them4 ,sister ,backus and myself complied1 and it seemed gratifying to them and satisfactory to us4 ,we returned to our pleasant boarding place1 wrote a letter1 and made a number of calls4 ,we found a woman who used to sympathise with ,eliza ,wilson in her slave-trials previous to her escape to the ,north4 ,through her we heard from ,eliza's little girl1 whom she left with her old master ,bissel4 ,a few days before she had come to her aunt1 in ,plaquemine1 about nine miles1 in the night1 she heard that ,yankee soldiers were in possession of that town4 ,she had been told that a certain road led to ,plaquemine1 and took it in a moonlight night and found her aunt4 ,although she was only about ten years of age1 and could not remember her mother1 yet this woman said the child had heard ,i was going to take her to her mother1 and that she was nearly insane over it4 ,i had previously sent word to them by a soldier who was a dispatch-bearer1 that the mother was very anxious to get her child if she was within our lines2 and when he returned to ,plaquemine he found the child and helped her to escape from ,bissel with much less trouble than her mother had had seven years before4 ,about the close of the month we took a long walk to ,fort ,williams1 where were three thousand sick and wounded soldiers4 ,the scenes here were indescribable4 ,the mingled language of acute distress1 in prayer1 groans1 and occasional oaths from the profane1 could be heard4 ,one young man seemed too near death's door to survive4 ,said he3 ,if ,i die it will be suddenly1 upon the amputation of this arm4 ,it is too late for me now2 but if ,i am spared ,i will seek an interest in ,christ4 ,but we had heard the cry of despair before1 and could not give him up4 ,the arm was taken off without causing instant death1 as he was fearing4 ,he then became an eager listener1 and said he could now pray for pardon1 and believed that the merciful ,redeemer would grant the earnest desire of his soul4 ,we found a few men1 whose lives were given up by the surgeon1 who were trusting1 and possessed the comforting assurance of a glorious future4 ,as we were about to leave1 another soldier attracted our attention1 who said he was not a ,christian1 but wished to be1 and after repeating a few promises and praying with him we left4 ,in tears1 he requested us to see him again4 ,while we were waiting for a boat for ,new ,orleans we again visited the hospital1 and found both of those who were anxious at our previous visit rejoicing ,christians4 ,i went to the office to inquire for a steamer for ,new ,orleans1 and on leaving was accosted by a young man with the query whether ,i was looking for a boat4 ,as he saw that ,i noticed the feather in his drab hat1 and star1 with stripes on the sleeves of his gray coat1 he remarked that he was an exchanged prisoner1 and was on his way to his home at ,atlanta1 ,georgia4 ,said ,i3 ,you appear like a young man of intelligence1 and ,i hope by the time you reach your home you will conclude to cast your net on the right side4 ,we've been fishing on the right side these three years1 he replied2 and we'll fight three1 ten1 or twenty years longer1 if we live so long1 but what we will have our rights--the right to hold our slave property without interference from ,northern abolitionists4 ,you need not judge of our strength because you have a little strip of this river1 and our folks are rather discouraged here1 and tired of war4 ,if you could see our troops in ,virginia1 you'd see as hopeful and jolly a set of fellows as you ever saw4 ,give up8 ,no1 never6 ,i tell you1 madam1 we are determined to have our independence if we fight till we die4 ,i am sorry1 ,i answered1 you can not be induced to adopt a course worthy of your zeal4 ,young man1 the worst wish ,i have for you is that you may be prepared to die1 for the fiat of the ,almighty is against you4 ,the sword and the boys in blue are going to bring you to terms4 ,you will never again buy and sell men1 women1 and children like horses1 cattle1 and sheep in the market4 ,the judgments of the ,lord are upon you for these things4 ,you needn't think ,god is on your side1 for you've made our niggers our masters4 ,look6 within1 four rods of us stand nigger pickets1 with their bayonets1 and we can't pass those bayonets without a pass--and our own niggers1 too4 ,i tell you1 madam1 if ,i could have my way1 ,i'd have a rope around every nigger's neck1 and hang 'em1 or dam up this ,mississippi ,river with them2 and his black eyes flashed with fury4 ,only eight or ten miles from this river slaves are working for their masters as happily as ever4 ,we know that they are remaining on many plantations2 but we know of a number of plantations that are worked by their former slaves because their former masters are paying them wages4 ,but if they are as happy and contented as you describe1 why do we see them daily coming into these camps1 frequently for twenty to fifty miles1 wading swamps and creeks1 with swollen and bleeding feet8 ,why all this painstaking to get away from their masters1 if they are so attached to them8 ,they are poisoned by the ,yankees4 ,you talk about the justness of your cause--any thing but justice to put arms in the hands of these niggers1 to be our masters--to set our slaves over us with gun and bayonet4 ,god ,almighty will never prosper you--never4 ,i see ,i can say nothing that will avail with you4 ,i perceive that it is beyond the power of man4 ,hoping that a ,higher ,power may reach you1 ,i bid you farewell4 ,with these words1 ,i turned away2 but had not advanced five feet when he called out3 ,madam1 ,i hope we'll get the same boat4 ,i'd like to see you again2 for ,i like to meet people who stand up for their own principles4 ,widely differing from this captain's spirit was another1 who was the owner of a large plantation1 with numerous slaves1 yet a strong ,union man1 and his wife and daughters sympathized with him4 ,before the fall of ,vicksburg he called all his slaves together1 and told them this war would result in the freedom of every slave in the ,united ,states1 and he wanted now to make an arrangement with them to work for him as heretofore4 ,he promised to pay all the grown hands eight dollars a month1 and board them with their families as he had done before1 and to pay them at the close of each month4 ,with tears of gratitude1 they accepted his proposition4 ,he told them that this arrangement must be kept secret1 for their safety as well as his own2 for they all knew there had always been a prejudice against him because he allowed them privileges that other planters adjoining them did not4 ,they said to him1 ,your niggers think they are white1 because he never would have an overseer on his plantation1 and would not have whipping and punishing among his grown people1 and the families among his slaves managed their own children4 ,he came into our lines as soon as he could1 to save his life2 and he told us he had not visited his home for a long time1 except at night1 as his life had been threatened1 and that his wife and daughters1 for their own protection1 kept loaded pistols at their bedside4 ,he had also armed a number of his servants1 as they were likewise exposed to an attack4 ,he was a noble-appearing man1 and said1 in conversation3 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 ,i have always held the same views on the subject of slavery that you do2 but it was against the law to free them and allow them to remain here1 and we could not send them away without breaking up some of their families4 ,but ,i rejoice that it has come to an end2 and ,i know of others who rejoice1 but they do so secretly4 ,his wife came to see him while we were there1 and seemed to be a woman of sterling principle4 ,she said they had to watch day and night1 fearing their buildings would be burned1 and perhaps some of them murdered4 ,we called on a widow and her two daughters who were in deep affliction on account of the bitterness of feeling toward them in consequence of their ,union principles4 ,they were a ,christian family1 and owned some property in the country1 besides their residence in town4 ,a number of our officers boarded with her4 ,i was in her family a day or two1 and as ,i left ,i took out my purse to pay her4 ,don't open that1 she cried2 ,i can't take a farthing4 ,you don't know what we have to endure4 ,i have two brothers in the rebel army1 and when they came home1 because ,i told them they were fighting against ,god in fighting against the ,union1 they swore at me and threatened to take my life2 they said ,i was a ,southern ,yankee1 and they were the worst of all4 ,i expect they'll burn my house some night or get some one else to do it2 and ,i know there are enough that would gladly do it4 ,o1 you can't tell how much good your prayer did us this morning4 ,i do feel a daily necessity of looking to ,god to keep us4 ,i want to make a request of you to remember us at ,god's throne1 for we know not what a day may bring forth4 ,do plead for us in prayer1 my sister4 ,i left her and her daughters bathed in tears4 ,we the took steamer ,niagara for ,new ,orleans1 ,april #b;d4 ,it being dark1 the captain concluded to wait till moonlight1 when an order came to go up the river1 near ,port ,hudson1 for twenty soldiers and thirty thousand dollars in contraband goods with two men prisoners1 who had been in charge of these goods for the rebels4 ,while they were loading the goods sister ,backus and myself took a long walk to the residence of ,john ,buhler1 aged seventy-five years1 who lost a few weeks before one hundred and thirty slaves4 ,the old man and his wife took us into their flower-garden1 where were one hundred and twenty-five varieties of roses and many kinds of shrubbery1 and the greatest variety of cactus ,i ever saw2 many of them were six and eight feet high4 ,one large pecan-tree was almost covered with a small yellow rose-climber in full bloom1 presenting a beautiful appearance4 ,they gathered nearly an armful of flowers for us1 and took us into the room in which a bursting shell made sad havoc4 ,they made many excuses for the weedy flower-beds in the yard and garden1 as they now had no servants to keep them4 ,two drunken women came aboard the boat and were put off by our captain1 but through the influence of their friends came on again4 ,we turned from this scene1 and took a stroll to another residence1 where we found the former slaves of the owner the sole occupants4 ,they had a hearty laugh when ,i asked if the smoke-house key was frowed in de well8 ,yes1 yes1 missus1 they answered2 we's got de managin'4 ,we returned to ,baton ,rouge 7the place where we halted some time is called ,west ,baton ,rouge71 arriving late in the afternoon4 ,we walked up to our old boarding-place1 and took supper with our dear friends4 ,on ,april #c;d we arrived at ,new ,orleans at nine ,a4 ,m41 in time to attend a colored ,sunday-school4 ,at its close ,i gave them a little talk4 ,from thence we were piloted to the ,bethel ,methodist ,church 7colored7 and found a quarterly meeting being held4 ,here we listened to a very interesting and intelligent discourse by ,rev4 ,william ,dove4 ,i made a few remarks on the comparison of present times with the former4 ,at the close of the service many came forward to shake hands and tell us of the time when ministers and people were hauled out of this church of their own building and taken to jail4 ,the free people were compelled to pay twenty-five dollars' fine1 and slaves were punished with twenty-five lashes on the bare back1 well laid on4 ,this persecution the authorities deemed necessary in order to keep these poor people from rising in insurrection4 ,they locked up their churches two years and a half1 until the ,union soldiers unlocked them4 ,though the authorities forbade their meeting at all1 they often stole away two and three miles and held little meetings in deep ravines and in clumps of bushes and trees1 to hide from their cruel pursuers2 but they could not even there long escape their vigilant enemies4 ,insurrection6 ,,insurrection6 was constantly inflaming the guilty multitude4 ,imprisoning1 putting into stocks1 and all sorts of punishments seemed to be the order of the day4 ,a few months after the closing of their church the spotted fever broke out1 slaying its thousands4 ,an old pious colored woman said to one who was losing all his family1 and called upon her to assist them3 ,now1 who is plotting insurrection8 ,who you gwine to take to jail now8 ,who you gwine to whip an' hang now8 ,you can't take ,god out to jail4 ,they heard that their enemies had concluded to stop their praying1 for it was thought to be through the prayers of the colored people that all this trouble was sent upon them2 for the plague was almost entirely confined to the white people4 ,this class of accusers became even more bitter than before4 ,no one can look at this volume of history without calling to mind the hardness of heart of the ancient ,egyptians4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,mission ,,work ,,in ,,new ,,orleans4 ,at ,new ,orleans1 where we arrived ,april #f1 #ahfd1 our home was a very pleasant one4 ,beneath the windows of our room was a grove of fig-trees4 ,we had the kindest of friends4 ,we visited ten colored schools in the city1 filled with eager learners4 ,one was taught by ,mrs4 ,brice1 who had in charge sixty scholars4 ,she had been teaching here three years1 under much persecution1 and stemmed the torrent of opposition1 sometimes in secret1 before the war4 ,sister ,brice and her husband had been struggling in this city nearly five years1 through this bitter hate to the ,north1 contending for ,unionism everywhere1 through civil1 religious1 and political life4 ,we called on them1 and spent two hours in eating oranges and listening to the fanaticisms and wild conceptions of this misguided people and terror-stricken multitude when the ,yankee soldiers marched up the streets from the gun-boats4 ,schools were dismissed2 the children cried as they ran home1 telling those they met that the ,yankees had come to kill them and their mothers4 ,but there were those who cried for joy at the sight of the national flag4 ,the starting tear manifested the deep feeling of these friends as they attempted to relate the scene1 but said it was impossible1 as it was beyond description4 ,it seemed like an oasis in a desert to meet such kindred spirits4 ,we left them1 with their urgent request to make1 another call before we left the city4 ,we were invited by the pastor to attend a love-feast meeting at half-past six o'clock1 ,p4 ,m41 where we met a large congregation4 ,the services were opened as usual4 ,soon they were breaking bread with each other1 shaking hands1 and singing4 ,many were weeping4 ,some broke to each other the bread1 exclaiming1 ,praise ,god for this day of liberty to worship ,god6 ,one old man said to one of the ministers1 as he placed his hand on his shoulder3 ,bless ,god1 my son1 we don't have to keep watch at that door1 pointing to it1 to tell us the patrollers are coming to take us to jail and fine us twenty-five dollars for prayin' and talkin' of the love of ,jesus4 ,o no1 we's ,,free6 ,yes1 thank ,god for freedom6 ,clapping his hands1 his shouts of ,glory1 glory1 hallelujah6 were followed by others1 until ,glory1 hallelujah to the ,lamb forever6 was heard from many voices4 ,men clasped the necks of their brethren1 and shook hands with the sisters1 singing1 weeping1 shouting1 jumping1 and whirling4 ,said one woman1 as she clasped another1 ,o sister1 don't you 'member when da tuck us over in dat jail dat night1 an' said da would whip us if we didn't stop prayin'8 and then they both jumped and shouted1 throwing up their hands in wild excitement4 ,a half-hour was spent in these outbursts of long pent-up feelings2 then they settled down into comparative quiet1 and the pastor exhorted them to be brief in their remarks4 ,perhaps an hour was spent in the relation of experiences1 and the meeting closed with singing3 ,the jubilee has come2 ,and we are free1 we are free4 ,then there was again the shaking of hands1 and another half-hour was spent in overflowing manifestations1 as at the opening of their meeting4 ,this long-oppressed people realized their great change beyond our conceptions4 ,at the ,christian ,commission rooms1 ,no4 #fi ,carondelet ,street1 ,dr4 ,f4 ,b4 ,smith1 agent1 we met brother ,merrifield1 of ,baton ,rouge1 and brother ,horton1 who took us to visit a school of sixty pupils1 taught by two colored men1 ,baptist ministers4 ,they had opened it before the government or missionaries opened a school in this city for colored children4 ,we had visited and addressed a number of other schools among these people of this city1 one of which numbered over four hundred scholars1 in a confiscated college2 but this in interest surpassed them all4 ,here in an old slave-pen1 where hundreds and thousands had been cried off to the highest bidder1 where the cries of parting mother and child had been heard and unheeded1 where the pleadings of husbands and fathers were only answered by the lash1 those many tears1 sighs1 and groans were exchanged for intellectual culture and religious instruction4 ,here were sundry ,union flags waving and a large portrait of ,abraham ,lincoln hung on the wall behind the desk4 ,the scene was inspiring4 ,after returning1 two colored women1 genteelly dressed1 and quite intelligent1 called on us and gave us a thrilling history of the past4 ,they gave us some startling facts of the efforts made to return slaves1 who had come within our lines to their masters1 by making friends of our officers and soldiers4 ,men had enlisted from this ,state 7,louisiana7 and ,mississippi as ,union soldiers from selfish motives4 ,their sole object was to assist in getting their slaves back1 by taking them out of houses when employed by colored people1 and from the street when sent to market1 and placing them in jail4 ,after orders were passed to give rations to the families of colored soldiers1 one young girl1 whose name was ,rhoda1 was doing well until she was overtaken with chills4 ,her brother gave her a paper certifying he was a soldier1 and requested rations for her1 but she was arrested on the street1 and lodged in jail1 where she remained three months1 sick with chills and fever1 and without change of clothing1 although her female friends made many efforts to get food and clothing to her4 ,at length a deliverer came1 who found three hundred miserable1 vermin-eaten prisoners1 and set them free4 ,a more grateful company was never found4 ,find fault who will with ,benjamin ,f4 ,butler1 this was just the work he did2 and many lives were saved1 and much suffering relieved1 under his administration4 ,we dined with1 a widow who had paid #a1hjj for herself1 and lived in good style by boarding her friends1 who paid her extra board-bills to assist her4 ,a ,creole lady called to see us who could converse a little in ,english4 ,the ,creoles in ,new ,orleans generally spoke ,french4 ,this madam was a woman of wealth and position1 and well pleased with the freedom of the slave4 ,we heard of a project devised by many masters to massacre all the blacks4 ,one brought in three hogsheads marked sugar4 ,a little slave girl1 hearing her master say at dinner-table1 that he had one filled with loaded pistols1 another with dirks1 and the third with bowie-knives1 went and told her mother4 ,she was directed to be careful and listen1 while busy about the room1 to all her master said1 and report to her4 ,in this way she heard the plans that her master and his friends designed to carry into execution1 and informed her mother4 ,the plan was to paint a large company of their men black1 who should assume the attitude of fight2 then all were to cry out ,insurrection6 ,,insurrection6 and fly to every negro man1 woman1 and child1 and kill them all off4 ,the mother made an errand down-town with her little girl1 and called on ,general ,butler1 to whom they told all4 ,a party of officers and soldiers were dispatched at once1 who visited that house1 demanded the keys1 and searched the premises4 ,there they found the hogsheads1 broke in the head of each1 and found all as reported4 ,the master was banished from the city1 his family sent outside the lines1 his property confiscated and his slaves set free4 ,no wonder they disliked ,general ,butler1 when he defeated their base designs4 ,the convention which met in the ,city ,hall to frame a free constitution for ,louisiana created considerable excitement4 ,many slave-owners were confident they would have all their slaves back again1 or get pay for them4 ,as there were no sanitary agents at ,brazier ,city1 and we learned of much suffering there1 we called at the ,christian ,commission ,rooms to make further inquiries1 and found brother ,diossy had just sent both an agent and a teacher to that point4 ,but if you are hunting for destitute places1 he told us1 ,i wish you would go to ,ship ,island1 in the ,gulf of ,mexico1 as there are soldiers and many prisoners there1 and they have no chaplain or agent to look after their sanitary condition ,while ,i was inclined to go1 sister ,backus thought1 in view of the very warm weather1 and because we were so nearly worn out with several months constant toiling1 we had better turn our faces homeward4 ,i knew there was but little more than shadows left of us1 yet ,i could not rid myself of the impression that it would be right to go2 but ,i told her ,i would not draft her into service1 or persuade her against her judgment4 ,i met at these rooms brother ,merrifield and brother ,horton1 and the chaplain of the ,michigan #fth ,infantry4 ,by their request we attended a soldiers' prayer-meeting4 ,near the close one soldier expressed his gratitude for the privilege of listening to the voice of mothers in counsels that reminded many of them of their own mothers far away4 ,he could say no more for a moment1 being overcome with emotion4 ,you may call me weak1 and if this be weakness1 then ,i am weak1 he said4 ,another requested prayer for his sick soldier brother1 and for the preservation of the ,northern ladies who were laboring for them4 ,after this meeting ,i called at the office for transportation2 but there was no encouragement that ,i could get it for a number of days1 perhaps two weeks1 as ,general ,banks had nearly all the boats up ,red ,river1 in his fleet4 ,but as ,i was passing the gulf office ,i called and found the steamer ,clyde going out for ,ship ,island in four hours1 and at once secured transportation for us both4 ,i returned to our boarding-house1 and reported what ,i had done1 and told sister ,backus if she was willing to go the sea-breeze might do more to rest us than the labors would add to our weariness4 ,she consented to accompany me1 and we provided ourselves with half a bushel of reading matter at ,christian ,commission ,rooms1 and secured the aid of a couple of soldiers to carry our books to the street-car1 from thence to a steam-car that landed us at the ,clyde4 ,as there was no berth for us we obtained a couple of blankets1 but there being room for only one to lie down1 we managed1 by taking turns1 to get considerable sleep4 ,on ,april #hth1 at ten ,a4 ,m41 we landed on ,ship ,island4 ,it was of white sand1 that resembled1 at a distance1 a huge snow-bank4 ,we found a little sprinkle of brown sand1 upon which grew a few scrubby trees and a species of cactus that spread out in clusters as large as a dinner-plate4 ,the island is eight miles in length1 and from one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile wide4 ,the captain told us he should not leave until four o'clock1 ,p4,m41 and we made use of our time accordingly4 ,when we landed with our large market-basket heaping full of ,testaments and other reading matter1 the gunboat boys and prisoners gathered around us like hungry children4 ,prisoners in irons came holding the iron ball in one arm1 while the other hand reached for a ,testament1 crying out1 ,please give me a ,testament1 ,i lost mine in battle2 ,please give me one1 ,i lost mine in a long march2 ,please give me something to read1 ,i lost my ,testament in a rain-storm4 ,many hands were reached over the shoulders of others1 until thirty or forty hands at a time were extended4 ,we soon exhausted our basket-supply4 ,we had a few in our satchels1 but we reserved them for the hospital and military prison4 ,as we had disposed of the most of our books in an hour1 we spent an hour on the beach gathering sea shells until noon1 then took our rations1 and spent the remainder of our time in hospital-visiting1 and in learning from the officers what was needed to be sent on our return to ,new ,orleans4 ,while engaged in other matters1 we found our boat had left us1 and was steaming away perhaps a mile from us4 ,sister ,backus was greatly disappointed at being left1 and gave way to despondency2 but ,i assured her it was all for the best1 and that as the ,lord had heretofore provided for us1 so he would provide for us now4 ,we returned to the tent of ,mrs4 ,green1 a tidy mulatto woman1 where we had left our satchels4 ,as she met us and learned of our being left1 and heard sister ,backus lament over not having where to lay our heads1 she quickly replied3 ,yes1 you shall have a place for your heads4 ,in that chest ,i have plenty of bedding1 and ,i'll dress up this bed for you two4 ,my husband can find a place with some of his comrades1 and ,i'll make a bed for myself on the floor till the boat comes back4 ,there1 sister ,backus1 ,i said1 the ,lord is providing for us already4 ,tears filled her eyes4 ,she replied1 ,i will not doubt any more4 ,mrs4 ,green had a nice dinner prepared in the best style2 table-linen of the finest damask1 chinaware and solid silver spoons1 pitcher1 forks1 and plated table knives1 etc4 ,i inquired how this came about1 as ,i had not seen a table so richly set since coming into the army4 ,her reply was1 that both of their fathers were wealthy planters1 who made them free when they died4 ,her husband received by will twenty-five thousand dollars1 and she also received from her father's estate a fine brick residence4 ,they had it nicely furnished1 and their property was valued at fifty thousand dollars4 ,her husband was making in his business from seventy-five to one hundred dollars a month1 but he was so confident that this war would result in the freedom of their race that he1 with others1 enlisted in a colored regiment for seven dollars a month1 under the rebel government1 with a secret understanding among themselves that they would all go in with the ,union army as soon as opportunity presented4 ,the opportunity was furnished on the taking of ,new ,orleans by ,union troops4 ,the regiment was officered by men of their own color1 but the indignities they received at the hands of ,union commanders caused their officers to resign their positions4 ,one of the many was on one occasion of an order by one of their captains for shoes and blankets for his destitute men4 ,it was not honored1 and he went in person to inform the commander how needy his men were4 ,the reply was that he need not expect negro regiments to be supplied the same as white soldiers4 ,this was thrown in their teeth by ,confederates3 ,you see what you get by going over to the ,yankees4 ,we never served you like that1 said a ,confederate4 ,we found ,mr4 ,green an intelligent and pleasant man4 ,just as our dinner was ready1 ,captain ,james ,noyce called to see us1 and urged us to make our home with his family during our stay on the island4 ,we told him of the kind offer of ,mrs4 ,green4 ,i know1 was his reply1 that ,mrs4 ,green has the nicest things of any one on this island1 but my wife and ,i want you with us4 ,he said he should call for us in two hours1 which he did2 and we felt that our lots were cast in a pleasant place4 ,there were two lieutenants boarding with them1 both of whom1 with the captain1 appeared like men of sterling principle4 ,while enjoying a very pleasant social visit with our new friends1 sister ,backus espied the life of ,orange ,scott on their center table 7a goods-box with a newspaper spread74 ,in surprise she exclaimed3 ,sister ,haviland1 here is the life of ,orange ,scott6 ,isn't this home-like8 away here in the ,gulf of ,mexico6 ,do you know any thing of ,orange ,scott8 inquired our hostess4 ,i guess we do4 ,we know all about him1 replied sister ,backus4 ,you are not ,wesleyan ,methodists1 are you8 ,indeed we are1 both of us4 ,she almost flew at us1 placing her hands on our shoulders4 ,i don't wonder you seemed so much like relatives4 ,orange ,scott is my father1 and ,mr4 ,noyce and ,i are ,wesleyans1 and she laughed and cried at the same time4 ,the dear little homesick woman was overjoyed4 ,she had been on the island a long time with her husband1 and in poor health1 sick and tired of army life1 and longing for her ,northern home4 ,yet she would not consent to leave her husband so long as he could stay in one place a sufficient time for her to be with him4 ,but he was fearful it was impairing her health4 ,on her account1 as well as our own1 we were thankful for the privilege of mingling with kindred spirits4 ,the two lieutenants who boarded with them brought in their new mattresses to make a double bed for the captain and his wife1 as they gave up their own bed to us during our stay4 ,this left the lieutenants to sleep on the bare tent floor1 with their blankets only4 ,but we did not know of this arrangement until the day we left4 ,april #ith was very windy4 ,we could not go out for the drifting sand1 without being thickly veiled4 ,i walked to the beach1 near the soldiers' burying-ground1 and stood two hours watching the waves as they lashed the bars of sand4 ,their briny spray bedewed the graves of soldiers1 who had fallen far away from their kindred and their loved ones1 in their ,northern homes4 ,i could not repress the tear of sympathy as these reflections came to me1 and ,i listened to the solemn moan of the ocean4 ,yet here is the ,god of peace and love4 ,he plants his footsteps in the sea1 ,and rides upon the storm4 ,this evening we listened to ,lieutenant ,kingsley's thrilling description of the cruel irons he filed off from a number of slaves1 who were too intelligent to be held without severe measures4 ,he said these men made soldiers who hesitated not to brave the greatest dangers4 ,his experience reminded us of the words of another3 ,beware the time when that chain shall break1 ,that galls the flesh and spirit2 ,when the yoke is thrown from the bended neck1 ,that is chafed too much to hear it ,there's a ,god above1 that looks with a frown1 ,to see how long you have trodden him down4 ,in distributing the remainder of our tracts and ,testaments to prisoners we met a number of very intelligent men1 who appeared to be men of ,christian principles4 ,i always made it a point to say nothing to a prisoner of the particular crime that placed him in confinement1 but directed his thoughts to the ,lord ,jesus1 the lover of sinners4 ,as my sympathies became deeply enlisted in behalf of many of the prisoners in irons1 ,i inquired of ,captain ,noyce1 in whose charge they were1 what crimes these soldiers had committed1 that they should be confined in irons4 ,no crime1 he answered4 ,then please tell me1 ,i said1 why they are here8 ,for drunkenness1 being late at roll-call1 absence without leave1 and selling government property1 mostly exchanging rations for groceries1 such as sugar and tea4 ,is this possible8 ,i exclaimed4 ,all these trivial offenses have been settled in their own regiments wherever else ,i have been4 ,so they have wherever ,i have been1 until ,i came here4 ,but you seem almost to disbelieve my word4 ,if you do1 you can step into my office and examine the record for yourself4 ,you will find these men sentenced from one year to thirty-eight for the offenses ,i have named4 ,i have no reason to doubt your word1 but ,i will thank you for the privilege of examining that record4 ,who pronounced these sentences8 ,judge ,attocha4 ,who is ,judge ,attocha8 ,he was a rebel captain1 but after ,new ,orleans fell into our hands he took the oath of allegiance1 and ,general ,banks promoted him by giving him the position of judge advocate4 ,that man is a rebel still1 ,i said4 ,he is doing for the rebel cause more than when at the head of his company1 in the rebel ranks4 ,you say a few over #c1jjj have passed through your hands here and on the ,dry ,tortugas4 ,we read in the paper1 the day we left ,new ,orleans1 an order from ,president ,lincoln to draft men1 and here are three whole regiments laid upon the shelf4 ,are all these ,union soldiers8 ,they are all ,union soldiers4 ,we had a ,confederate here for murder1 sentenced for a year4 ,he was here only three months1 when he was pardoned2 and on your return to ,new ,orleans you may see him walking the streets as independent as yourself4 ,this is a flagrant wrong in holding these #c1jjj men4 ,why don't you report ,judge ,attocha8 ,he outranks me1 and should ,i presume to do it ,i would be put into a dungeon myself1 and probably die there without an investigation4 ,sister ,backus and ,i went into the office1 and the captain brought us a great roll1 as large around as a man's hat4 ,i unrolled a few feet1 and read the name1 regiment1 company1 offense1 and penalty of each man1 thus3 ,for drunkenness1 fifteen years hard labor with ball and chain1 and all wages forfeited1 except three dollars a month2 for selling government property1 eight years hard labor1 with ball and chain1 and all wages forfeited except three dollars a month4 ,some prisoners were sentenced to longer1 others to shorter1 terms2 but upon all were imposed the same forfeitures1 and all were put in irons4 ,one man from near ,battle ,creek1 ,michigan1 was sentenced for life4 ,his offense was simply suspicious character4 ,no other reason for his sentence was given4 ,i handed this fearful record to sister ,backus1 and we both read with heavy hearts4 ,every free ,state was represented4 ,what can we do1 we asked ourselves1 for these poor men1 some of whom are sick and dying with scurvy8 ,this was a query hard to answer4 ,i retired to bed1 but not to sleep1 wrestling in prayer to ,him who hears the sighs of the prisoner to lead me to a door that would open for the #c1jjj men in irons4 ,the captain was a kind-hearted man1 and told me that he had in many cases put the irons on so loosely that they could relieve themselves when out of his sight1 but he charged them to be careful not to allow him to see them off4 ,on account of the injustice of their sentences1 he had favored them wherever he could do so1 and keep his own record clear4 ,the next day1 ,april #ajth1 was ,sunday4 ,the morning was clear and beautiful4 ,sister ,backus said3 ,you are sick1 or very weary2 for you groaned in your sleep so much last night4 ,i am not conscious of having groaned1 ,i said2 but ,i did not sleep a wink4 ,i am distressed1 and have spent the night in prayer for a guiding hand to open a door of relief for these prisoners1 and ,i must see them before ,i leave this island4 ,i am this morning bearing as heavy a heart as at any period of this deadly strife4 ,try and dismiss this subject if possible1 she returned1 as they have appointed a meeting for us in the regiment1 and ,i presume there will be an opportunity for you to see the prisoners4 ,as best ,i could1 ,i dismissed the all-absorbing theme2 and according to previous arrangement we met the regiment1 with a few gun-boat soldiers and the officers4 ,we enjoyed a favored season1 and found a liberty of spirit our dear ,redeemer only can give4 ,after closing the services to the peace of my own mind1 and to the apparent satisfaction of the large congregation1 ,captain ,james ,noyce came to me and said3 ,you are certainly too weary to visit the prisoners now4 ,o no1 was my reply1 if you will allow me that privilege4 ,they are in very large barracks1 and it is a very unpleasant place for a lady to visit2 but if it is your wish1 these gun-boat officers wanted me to ask you if you had any objections to their going4 ,not at all2 all can go who wish4 ,captain ,noyce and wife took us to the barracks1 where the prisoners were arranged in rows1 six men deep1 on both sides and at the end1 leaving an aisle three feet in width between4 ,in every berth there was a man in a horizontal position2 and all were in irons1 either in handcuffs with chain1 or in a clog for the ankle1 to which was attached the chain and ball4 ,what a scene6 ,the click of the irons at the least move greeted our ears4 ,we walked midway of the long aisle1 and looked over the sad faces before us4 ,upon the necks of those who stood near vermin were to be seen4 ,filthy and ragged were many of these poor boys4 ,some had been there a year1 without change of raiment4 ,i could say nothing of the injustice of their punishment2 but ,i exhorted them to come forth from this furnace of affliction with higher1 nobler1 and holier aspirations than ever before1 and to lift up their heads in hope of better days1 although the heavens might then seem as brass and the earth as bars of iron4 ,i spoke a few minutes1 and as ,i closed my remarks ,i turned to sister ,backus1 standing by1 and asked her to say a few words of encouragement1 but she declined4 ,she said that all she could do was to weep with those who wept4 ,i knelt to pour out the overflowings of a full heart in prayer1 and as ,i did so they all knelt with me1 amid the clank and clatter of irons that made it necessary to wait a moment to be heard4 ,as we were leaving1 two prisoners advanced a few steps toward us and said1 ,in behalf of our fellow-prisoners1 we return to you our thanks for the kind words which you have spoken to us1 and pray ,god to restore you safe to your ,northern homes4 ,we bade them adieu1 with many tears4 ,after leaving this place we visited other quarters equally large1 with similar experiences4 ,i had become very much interested in a number with whom ,i conversed1 who were very thankful for the ,testaments we gave them4 ,they gave evidence of possessing an earnest trust in ,god and of enjoying the cleansing power of the blood of his dear ,son4 ,accompanied by the captain and his wife1 on ,monday we visited the light-house1 and ascended the flight of steps of sixty-four feet4 ,the weather was clear and calm1 and we had a fine view of the ,gulf of ,mexico on one side and the grand expanse of the ocean on the other4 ,after dinner with the same party1 accompanied by ,lieutenant ,kingsley1 we took a ten-oar row-boat and went to see the burial-ground of four hundred deceased soldiers4 ,the graves were all plainly marked with head-boards4 ,these soldiers were mostly from ,maine and ,new ,york1 with a few from ,new ,jersey1 ,wisconsin1 and ,michigan4 ,this was another solemn place for reflection4 ,the soldiers' grave-yard on this island differs somewhat from all others4 ,here their funeral dirge will never cease2 the requiem of the ocean's surge will ever sound as if saying1 ,sleep on undisturbed until the last trump shall wake the nations of the dead6 ,we returned to our boat1 and pursued our way to the extremity of the island4 ,here the picket-guards were much pleased to see us4 ,they had been on the island about two years1 ever since it was taken from the ,confederates4 ,we gathered a basket of shells1 and our men gathered a quantity of crabs for breakfast4 ,we were presented with some beautiful shells by one of the pickets4 ,we returned home1 having had a ten miles' ride4 ,we passed the wreck of a ship burned many years ago1 which gave this island its name4 ,we could clearly see its charred cabin twenty or thirty feet below the surface4 ,so clear was the water it did not seem more than eight or ten feet deep over the white sand1 upon which beautiful shell-fish were crawling1 as if to beautify the grand scene so new to us4 ,in a long conversation with ,lieutenant ,kingsley concerning his religious experience1 he said he was not satisfied with his attainments in the divine life1 and very earnestly requested to be remembered at a throne of grace4 ,the moon rose full and clear on the sparkling face of the deep1 reminding us of ,david's sublime thoughts when he exclaims in the eighth ,psalm3 ,when ,i consider thy heavens1 the work of thy fingers1 the moon and the stars1 which thou hast ordained2 what is man1 that thou art mindful of him8 and the son of man1 that thou visitest him8 ,for thou hast made him a little lower than the angels1 and hast crowned him with glory and honor4 ,after our return we enjoyed a season of prayer1 in which ,lieutenant ,kingsley was earnestly remembered1 and he expressed himself greatly encouraged4 ,leaving all those burdened souls with the ,lord ,jesus1 who cares for all that he has redeemed with his own precious blood1 ,i retired to rest4 ,the next day one of the prisoners came to inform me that their keeper had granted them the privilege of asking me if ,i would take a petition from them to ,general ,weitzel1 former commander of seventy of their number4 ,they had heard he was then in ,new ,orleans1 and they thought if he could do any thing for their release he would1 as he was a very kind officer4 ,i cordially assented to his request1 of course1 and he thanked me with tears4 ,in company with the captain and wife we visited the gigantic fort that had been two years in building1 but was not yet completed4 ,it was to cost two million dollars4 ,the brick wall at the base is six feet thick1 and about two hundred and fifty men were employed on it when we were there4 ,it is constructed to mount forty cannons4 ,at supper ,i received a request from ,lieutenant ,foster1 who was sick1 to visit him4 ,i found him in low spirits4 ,he wished me to write a request to his wife to come to him1 which ,i did4 ,i read to him some extracts from an excellent little work1 ,the ,soldier's ,armor1 and a chapter in the best of all books1 closing with prayer4 ,lieutenant ,foster seemed a devout ,christian man1 and expressed great satisfaction with this interview4 ,the captain smiled on my return1 saving ,i had better remain with them and be their chaplain4 ,on ,april #acth we made a few calls1 and two of the soldiers' wives came for us to dine with them4 ,i made a copy of the record of the soldier prisoners1 as a specimen of their alleged crimes1 and the penalties imposed upon them4 ,one of the prisoners brought me their petition1 which reads as follows3 ,,ship ,,island1 ,april #ab1 #ahfd4 ,,major-,,general ,,weitzel3 ,sir1--,we whose names are affixed1 prisoners on ,ship ,island2 respectfully beg our release1 and that we be allowed to return to our respective regiments4 ,we are here for various military offenses1 and for nothing criminal4 ,nearly all of us have participated in the engagements under your lead in this department1 both on the battle-field and on the long1 wearisome marches we have been called to undergo2 and we have always followed cheerfully wherever you have led4 ,we naturally feel that you are the proper person to appeal to to give us one more chance to redeem ourselves4 ,and we solemnly assure you that we never will1 by any unsoldier-like act1 give you any occasion to regret any act of clemency that you may exercise toward us4 ,many of us have families dependent on us for support1 and are suffering for our forfeited wages4 ,many of us are already suffering from that dread scourge--the scurvy--which must increase to a fearful extent in this tropical climate as the season advances and sweep1 us away4 ,and now that the campaign is open and advancing1 and men are needed1 we hope we may be permitted to return to the field1 and by future faithfulness in our country's cause be able to return to our homes with what all good men so highly prize-untarnished characters4 ,should you exercise your influence in our favor in procuring our release1 rest assured you will ever be remembered with gratitude4 ,this petition was signed by ,moses ,fuller1 sentenced to three years' hard labor1 with belt and chain1 and forfeited wages1 except three dollars a month1 charged with selling government property1 to wit3 exchanging his surplus rations2 but ,judge ,attocha would listen to no witness in the case4 ,sixty-nine other names were appended to this petition4 ,our anxiously looked for steamer1 the ,clyde1 came in view1 but it was too windy for it to land until noon4 ,it brought about thirty prisoners1 who had come in with a flag of truce1 mostly white refugees4 ,one family was from ,mobile4 ,the woman said the suffering from the war was not much there1 and all she knew any thing about had enough to eat and wear4 ,but ,i reckon poor people suffer1 she said1 evidently wishing us to understand she was not poor4 ,she had two servants to wait on her and five children4 ,but her servants seemed to think they were free here1 and said they should leave her unless she paid them wages4 ,there were a number of slaves who came here for freedom4 ,i called on ,colonel ,grosvenor1 the commandant of the post1 who appeared like a kind-hearted officer1 and he approved of the petition4 ,the next day1 ,april #adth1 we took the ,clyde for ,new ,orleans1 after being a week on the island4 ,on our way to the boat a soldier came running to overtake us1 with a message from another soldier that he had that morning found peace in believing4 ,he would have come himself1 only that he was on picket-guard and could not leave2 but he wanted us to know that our mission was not in vain4 ,as ,ship ,island receded from view sister ,backus1 as well as myself1 felt thankful that our ,heavenly ,father had ordered all things well in regard to our having been left 'way off in the ,gulf of ,mexico4 ,we reached our pleasant ,new ,orleans home1 at ,elder ,rogers's ,april #afth1 and were as kindly received as if we had been friends of many years' standing4 ,the next day1 after a good night's rest1 we made an effort to find ,general ,weitzel1 but failed4 ,at two ,p4,m41 we attended prayer-meeting and had a rich season of communing with our ,heavenly ,father4 ,there were present two chaplains1 one of whom had been at various points in ,arkansas1 and he gave a thrilling account of some engagements his regiment had had with the enemy4 ,the other was just from the dreadful fight at ,alexandria1 up the river4 ,it is reported and believed by thousands that the rebel general came to ,general ,banks with a flag of truce and informed him that1 unless he withdrew his colored troops1 he should take no prisoners and give no quarter4 ,report said further that they were withdrawn and were not permitted to advance on the enemy1 as they desired1 and the consequence was an awful slaughter of our ,northern men4 ,the colored troops complained of inactivity in the field more than any thing else4 ,we found along the whole length of the river fortifications built1 streets in cities cleaned1 and the greater part of manual labor performed by colored soldiers4 ,we renewed our efforts to find ,general ,weitzel1 visiting all the offices of the army we could hear of4 ,some reported that he was up ,red ,river assisting ,general ,banks1 but at length1 with thoroughly blistered feet1 ,i found him4 ,i introduced myself1 as usual1 by handing him my papers from ,governor ,blair and ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 member of ,congress4 ,after looking them over1 he asked3 ,what can ,i do for you8 ,i hope you can do something1 ,i said1 toward releasing three thousand of our soldiers now confined on ,ship ,island and the ,dry ,tortugas1 seventy of whom have served under you2 and here is a petition from them4 ,he took it1 and read the petition1 and not more than a half-dozen names perhaps1 before he became too much excited to read further4 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 he said1 these are as noble soldiers as ,i ever had serve under me4 ,i don't think ,moses ,fuller1 or any of the others1 is capable of doing a wrong act4 ,they are the most conscientious men ,i ever knew4 ,judge ,attocha has no right to give these sentences2 he has no business in this department of the work4 ,can't you do something for their release8 ,i asked4 ,if ,i were in command ,i would tell you very quick2 but ,general ,banks is the one you ought to see4 ,i am aware of that2 but he is beyond my reach up ,red ,river4 ,and they told me they sent him a petition similar to this three months ago2 but they had heard nothing from it4 ,i will do what ,i can toward getting up a committee to investigate and report these facts4 ,do you think you can accomplish any thing in their favor8 ,i fear it is doubtful1 but will do what ,i can4 ,this was but little relief to me2 but what could ,i do further8 ,i called at the ,christian ,commission rooms1 discouraged and weary1 while sister ,backus returned to our quarters4 ,these rooms ,i found well filled with officers1 among whom were generals of high rank1 indicated by the eagles and stars on their shoulders4 ,here comes ,mrs4 ,haviland1 from ,ship ,island4 ,and how did you find things there8 said brother ,diossy4 ,sad enough1 was my reply2 and ,i handed him a copy of the petition that ,i gave ,general ,weitzel1 with the extract of the record of fifteen prisoners1 detailing the offense and penalty of each4 ,the officers gathered around to see and hear4 ,this is too bad1 said one4 ,can't you do something for these soldiers8 ,i inquired4 ,i wish ,i could2 but ,i can't leave my post4 ,said another1 ,it is a pity some one doesn't4 ,i turned to him with1 ,can't you do something for their release8 ,it is the same with me1 he answered2 ,i can not leave my post4 ,some one ought to see to their release4 ,can not you see to their release8 ,i tell you1 madam1 it is hard to do much for each other4 ,gentlemen1 ,i responded1 ,i have learned one thing thoroughly since being with the army1 and that is1 it is almost impossible to get one officer to touch another's red-tape4 ,but position or no position1 head or no head1 these flagrant wrongs ought to be plowed up beam deep4 ,here comes an order from ,president ,lincoln for drafting men1 and ,judge ,attocha has laid three thousand on the shelf1 when all they ask is to be permitted to return to their respective regiments4 ,that man is serving the rebel cause more effectually than when at the head of his company in the rebel ranks1 by decimating the ,union army2 and here you have it in a tangible form4 ,i am informed that ,judge ,attocha was a rebel captain4 ,he is a rebel still1 and in the exercise of this authority is banishing your soldiers for trivial military offenses1 in irons1 with forfeited wages2 for which their families are now suffering4 ,the thought struck me1 ,what will these officers think1 to see a little old woman talking to them like this8 for ,i addressed them as ,i would a group of ten-year-old boys4 ,i had lost all reverence for shoulder-straps1 and cast a glance over my audience1 when ,i saw a number in tears4 ,surely there are hearts here that feel1 ,i thought to myself4 ,i turned to brother ,diossy1 and said1 ,you can leave your position1 and get another to occupy your place here8 ,yes1 ,i could1 if it would avail any thing2 but it would be impossible for me to accomplish what you have done on ,ship ,island4 ,why8 ,the idea seems to me perfectly preposterous4 ,i will tell you why4 ,there is so much wire-pulling here in the army4 ,i would be suspected of trying to displace an officer for the position for myself1 or for a friend standing behind me4 ,consequently ,i could not have examined the record as you did4 ,that is true1 rejoined a general4 ,i presume there is not one of us that could have had access to those records that you had1 for the reason that ,mr4 ,diossy has given4 ,they know you have no such object in view1 but see you as a sort of soldiers' mother2 and records1 or any sort of investigation1 would be opened to you when it would be closed to us4 ,i told them ,i had not viewed it from that stand-point4 ,one of the officers1 a very large man1 six feet and four inches tall1 ,i should judge1 stepped up to me in officer-like style4 ,what do you propose to do with facts you gathered on ,ship ,island8 ,i looked up in his face1 a little hesitating4 ,i say1 madam1 what do you propose to do with these papers8 ,i can hardly answer intelligently1 ,i replied2 but ,i will tell you one thing ,i do propose to do1 and that is1 to take these facts from one officer to another1 over all the rounds of the ladder1 until they reach the highest official at ,washington1 but what justice shall be done to those poor soldiers in irons4 ,he settled back1 with softened tone4 ,well1 it ought to be done4 ,the commanding appearance and tone1 with the changed mellow voice1 of that officer is still vividly remembered4 ,there were two chaplains in this company who said they would unite with ,general ,weitzel on the committee he proposed1 and they could learn within a week whether they could accomplish any thing in their behalf4 ,if favorable1 ,chaplain ,conway said he would write me at ,adrian1 as we were soon to return to our homes1 and would write1 as ,i requested1 by two boats in succession1 as guerrillas were at that time frequently interrupting boats4 ,if no letter was received within two weeks ,i was to accept it as granted that nothing could be done for them in that department4 ,at #b o'clock we attended prayer-meeting1 where we met many soldiers and two chaplains4 ,i was called upon to give a sketch of our ,ship ,island visit1 and at the close a frail and spoke encouraging words to them1 in passing through this transition state4 ,from them we went to the river bank to see five hundred prisoners of war1 captured up ,red ,river4 ,many of them were citizens of ,new ,orleans4 ,on returning we went to a meeting of the colored people1 where we found ,uncle ,tom's spirit waiting confidently for the better day a-coming4 ,a number of white soldiers present encouraged us with kind words4 ,after refreshments we attended another meeting1 and listened to an instructive sermon by a colored chaplain1 of the ,second ,corps d',afrique1 as the colored regiments were called in that part of the country4 ,he was the first colored man who received an appointment from the government4 ,at #d ,p4,m4 we visited the colored ,sabbath-school of seven hundred at the ,medical ,college4 ,chaplain ,conway superintended4 ,colonel ,hanks1 ,general ,banks's wife1 and a number of other visitors were present4 ,dr4 ,john ,p4 ,newman addressed the school1 and gave a thrilling narrative of his visit to the ,holy ,land1 exhibiting the native scrip1 sandals1 girdle1 goat-skin bottle1 a ,palestine lantern1 and sundry other curiosities4 ,after a few encouraging remarks by ,col4 ,hanks1 the superintendent unexpectedly called upon me to address the school4 ,after the session closed ,i was introduced to ,mrs4 ,banks1 who wished me to write out the sketch of the facts ,i had gathered on ,ship ,island for her to send to her husband4 ,this ,i did4 ,she said that ,judge ,attocha promised ,general ,banks that he would do all in his power for the ,union cause1 and now in this way he was paying him for his promotion4 ,after giving my statements to ,mrs4 ,banks1 and the petition to ,general ,weitzel1 ,i felt that ,i could leave for home on the first boat going ,north2 yet we had but little hope of success in behalf of the #c1jjj prisoners in this department4 ,we took passage on the hospital transport ,thomas1 bound for ,cairo1 with eighty wounded soldiers from the ,red ,river expedition1 all discharged or furloughed for home4 ,medical ,inspector ,stipp kindly gave us a state-room4 ,we were grateful to our ,heavenly ,father for the many kind friends we everywhere found1 although surrounded by bitter enemies4 ,the boat did not design stopping until it reached ,baton ,rouge2 but ,i wanted to stop at ,plaquemine to get the little girl ,matilda1 previously mentioned1 to take to her mother1 who had made her escape a few years before4 ,after breakfast1 dressing wounds was the order of the day4 ,i kept off the flies during the process1 as it was very difficult otherwise to keep them away1 the stench being so great4 ,poor boys6 there were all sorts of wounds among them1--saber-cuts and bullet-wounds in the head1 neck1 shoulders1 arms1 hands1 body1 legs1 and feet1 of all shapes and sizes4 ,o what horrid mangling6 ,yet the same patience that so remarkably characterized the ,union soldier everywhere was seen here4 ,it was hard to restrain tears in their presence1 but we gave vent to them when in our state-room4 ,i was unexpectedly called for at ,plaquemine1 as ,i was informed that ,medical ,inspector ,stipp had ordered the ,thomas to stop for me4 ,they were already landing before they found me4 ,i caught up my bonnet and shawl and threw them on while hastening through the cabin4 ,sister ,backus ran with me to the plank1 where we snatched a parting kiss4 ,i jumped ashore1 sister ,backus1 surgeons1 and a few others waving good-by signals with their handkerchiefs4 ,the ,thomas pushed out into the channel1 and the next moment found me without my official papers1 pocket-book1 or portfolio2 all were gone on to ,baton ,rouge with my friend ,letitia ,backus4 ,in my haste they had been forgotten4 ,as ,i was inquiring for the name of ,eliza's sister of a colored picket1 he recognized me at once1 being from ,detroit4 ,he said he had beard me speak in the colored church in that city1 and urged me to speak for them the next evening in their confiscated ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,i consented1 and found the two sisters1 with little ,matilda1 almost wild with delight4 ,i soon had the pleasure of introducing my ,detroit acquaintance1 who called with a few other young men that knew me2 and here1 too1 ,i was surrounded by friends1 but they expressed fears of my not securing transportation to ,baton ,rouge1 because their commander was cross and was known to issue but few orders for transportation4 ,but ,i went to his office and told him what my business was in the army1 and why ,i called there2 that1 on leaving the floating hospital in haste1 ,i forgot my official papers1 and consequently had nothing by which he could judge whether my statement was correct or not4 ,i1 however1 had presumed to call on him to see if ,i could secure transportation for myself and that little girl of twelve years4 ,well1 ,i think your motherly face will take you to ,baton ,rouge1 he answered4 ,there is a regular packet running to that city1 and ,i will send a note by you to the captain that will secure your passage1 although it is not a government boat4 ,the captain has received favors from me1 and will gladly make this return4 ,he handed me a paper that requested a state-room and board for us1 for which continued thankfulness filled my heart4 ,the friends of ,eliza and of another escaped slave1 ,fleming1 came in to inquire after them1 and to tell long stories of the efforts put forth for their capture4 ,but ,bissel1 ,slaughter1 and ,old ,eaton1 as they called him1 only had the opportunity of gratifying themselves in threats4 ,the colored minister in the regiment took much pains in circulating notice of the meeting1 and the church was well filled4 ,we enjoyed the presence of the ,lord ,jesus in our midst4 ,there were those there who had felt the bitter pangs of family separations1 with cruel treatment1 who wept for joy in speaking of the precious boon of freedom4 ,some of them were fearful that it would last no longer than the war2 but ,i assured them1 as officers and soldiers had done1 that it was a fixed fact4 ,the packet ,bank came in at five o'clock1 ,p4 ,m41 ,april #bast1 when we took leave of kind friends who accompanied us to the boat4 ,after a pleasant trip1 we were received with joy on our safe arrival at ,baton ,rouge4 ,the next day we visited the ,forty-eighth ,illinois ,regiment1 and distributed a quantity of reading matter4 ,we also attended the funeral of a deceased soldier1 where the privilege was granted me of making some remarks4 ,i endeavored to enforce the solemn truth1 ,it is appointed unto man once to die1 and after this the judgment4 ,i exhorted those present to prepare to live in friendship with ,god1 as that alone would enable them to gain the victory over death4 ,on ,april #bc;d we visited the jail1 in company with brother ,merrifield1 and distributed ,testaments and tracts1 which were gladly received4 ,here we met a rebel captain1 who said he was a rebel of the strongest kind2 had been fighting to establish his government1 and should do it again if he lived to get to his regiment4 ,i told him ,i had no hope in his case1 unless he would accept the truth contained in the ,testament1 which ,i presented to him1 and said that if he would read carefully and prayerfully1 and drink in its spirit and practice its teachings1 he would find a religion pure and undefiled4 ,madam1 he answered1 if ,i thought reading that book carefully and prayerfully1 and accepting pure and undefiled religion1 would lead me to lay down arms in defense of the ,confederate ,government1 ,i would never read a word in it or take one thought of religion2 no1 not to save my soul4 ,this he uttered with a change from a flushed to a blanched countenance4 ,we afterwards learned he was a captain of a guerrilla band1 and had been sentenced to be shot1 but the sentence had been commuted4 ,a ,union man who was a citizen here knew him1 and said he ordered a ,union man out of his buggy1 and shot him dead2 then he bayoneted him through and through1 in the presence of his wife and child2 then ordered them out1 took the horse and buggy1 and left the distracted wife and child to wait by the mangled body1 until a passer by hastened to the city and sent a hearse for the body4 ,on the way to town for burial1 the same band of guerrillas captured the team and hearse1 and left again the distressed mother and child to get the mutilated body of the husband and father taken to burial as best they could4 ,such horrible deeds1 said a ,union man of this city1 will continue until government takes a more decided policy4 ,on ,sunday morning1 ,april #bdth1 we attended the sunrise prayer-meeting among the colored people1 and more earnest prayers ,i never heard for ,union soldiers3 never heard more earnest pleading for the triumph of liberty4 ,god was truly overshadowing his own4 ,before the rising of the sun1 there was a large congregation4 ,at nine o'clock we were invited to make some opening remarks in brother ,tucker's ,sabbath-school of three hundred children4 ,then we were conducted to another ,sabbath-school1 where we were invited to make a few closing remarks4 ,at #aa o'clock we attended a meeting led by ,chaplain ,berge4 ,on returning to our boarding-place1 we were called upon by brother ,merrifield1 who accompanied us into the fort to address the colored troops4 ,sister ,backus referred to the importance of making themselves intelligent1 so that when their rights were established as citizens1 they would be prepared to vote understandingly4 ,this brought smiles from the officers1 and frowns from a few of the white soldiers4 ,we also attended a meeting conducted by the chaplain of the general hospital1 who preached a very appropriate sermon for officers as well as soldiers4 ,he warned against the truckling1 time-serving1 and cotton-speculating manifestations in this war1 and also the influence of ,southern women in sympathy with the rebellion4 ,this was the sixth religious service we attended during the day1 in four of which we had taken an active part4 ,we retired to rest until the #f3cj o'clock meeting at the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 now turned over to ,chaplain ,brakeman1 who was called away the previous day4 ,he had left an urgent request for me to address the soldiers on ,sabbath evening2 but ,i told the chaplain who brought the word we could make no further engagements1 as we were waiting hourly for a boat going up the river4 ,before six1 a steamer stopped1 and we took passage for ,natchez1 as we had business to see to concerning an orphan asylum4 ,one of the chaplains said if we could realize the good it was doing the soldiers1 we would visit them oftener2 that there were more conversions during the week after we left than in many months previously4 ,an exhortation from a mother reminded the soldiers of home and home influences4 ,we had a conversation with a colored captain1 who had just resigned on account of the constant indignities heaped upon the colored troops4 ,he was a man of wealth and intelligence1 and gave us an account of a review by ,general ,sherman1 after ,general ,butler left4 ,when ,general ,sherman came to him1 he stopped to look at the bars on his shoulders1 and gruffly asked1 ,are you a captain8 ,yes1 sir1 was the reply4 ,o1 you are too black for a captain1 said the general4 ,at ,fort ,hudson1 when our troops were retreating under a galling fire1 a colored captain1 with his men1 at the risk of his life1 ran to bring out ,general ,sherman1 who was badly wounded1 and would have died but for the daring feat of the colored soldiers4 ,the colored captain lost his life1 but ,general ,sherman was rescued4 ,since then he has spoken highly of colored soldiers1 and of the brave captains that led them4 ,my informant said that after ,general ,banks assumed command they hoped for better treatment1 but their hopes were vain4 ,as the men in ,december and ,january were in want of shoes and clothing1 he told ,general ,banks that they were not in a suitable condition to work on the fortifications where the detachment was ordered1 but no attention was paid to him4 ,he inquired why his men could not be supplied the same as the white soldiers4 ,the reply he received was1 ,don't you know you are niggers1 and must not expect the same treatment8 ,from that moment1 he said1 ,i resolved to resign2 but after waiting a little1 and seeing no better prospects1 ,i did so1 and shall not resume arms until we can be treated as men4 ,in ,new ,orleans two regiments of free colored men were raised in forty-eight hours4 ,they were officered by men of their color in grades as high as major by ,general ,butler1 who said they were as good officers as he held under him4 ,we arrived in ,natchez on the #bfth1 where we met rejoicing friends4 ,we found a number of the missionaries sick1 among them sister ,burlingame4 ,the day following we spent chiefly in writing1 and distributing ,testaments and tracts among soldiers4 ,in the evening we attended a protracted meeting1 conducted by two sisters4 ,they acquitted themselves nobly1 and had three conversions4 ,they exhorted earnestly and prayed fervently4 ,they invited us to take part with them4 ,one of the ministers told me they had worked in this meeting until they were tired out1 and then gave it over to these mothers in the ,church1 whose labors the ,lord was blessing in the conversion of precious souls4 ,we made an effort to secure a house for an orphan asylum4 ,rebel sympathizers were making trouble all along the line of our work4 ,they tried every plan that could be devised to drive the refugees back to their old plantations4 ,an infamous health order was issued1 compelling every colored person1 not employed by responsible parties in the city or suburbs1 to go into the corral1 or colored camp4 ,many were employed by colored citizens1 who were doing all they could to find work for them4 ,but on the day this order took effect soldiers were sent to hunt them out of all such places1 as no colored party was deemed responsible2 and all who were not actual members of these colored families were driven out at the point of ,union bayonets4 ,they gathered two hundred and fifty1 mostly women and children1 and drove them through the streets of ,natchez on a chilly1 rainy day1 and marched them into the camp of four thousand in condemned tents4 ,one of the colored citizens told me that she was paying her woman wages1 and allowing her to have her three children with her1 but the soldiers drove her out into the rain4 ,men and women tantalized them as they were marching through the streets1 saying3 ,that's the way the ,yankees treat you1 is it8 ,you'd better come back to us2 we never treated you like that4 ,many of the women went into camp crying4 ,said an old colored man3 ,never min'1 thar's a better day a comin'4 ',twould be strange if ,uncle ,sam hadn't a few naughty boys4 ,he was one of the group that was driven in4 ,we heard1 ,april #cjth1 that there was a skirmish near our lines the evening before4 ,a party of scouts had shot into the pickets1 and they retreated2 but we did not learn whether any were killed4 ,news came to us of ,calvin ,fairbanks's release from the ,kentucky penitentiary4 ,we trusted that the same ,deliverer would open the prison-door for the three thousand soldiers on the two islands in the ,gulf4 ,at nine o'clock ,a4 ,m41 ,may #ast1 we attended the organization of the fifth colored ,sabbath-school in the city4 ,at eleven ,a4 ,m4 we went to ,wall ,street ,church1 and listened to an interesting discourse by ,chaplain ,trask1 of the ,fourth ,illinois ,regiment4 ,at two ,p4 ,m41 at the ,colored ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 we heard brother ,burlingame4 ,after a short exhortation by brother ,fitzhugh1 twelve came forward for prayer1 and some were blessed with pardon4 ,at six ,p4 ,m4 we attended a soldiers' meeting at ,wall ,street ,church1 in which we took a part2 also a number of soldiers spoke and prayed4 ,between meetings ,i wrote a letter for a colored man to his wife1 who is still a slave in ,woodville1 twenty miles distant4 ,i was sick with a chill and fever ,may #b;d1 and the nearest to being homesick since ,i left ,michigan4 ,the next day ,i was better4 ,here ,i met ,joseph ,warner1 with whom ,i had been acquainted from his childhood4 ,he was a lessee at ,waterproof4 ,he had a large plantation1 and two hundred hands employed4 ,he was twice taken by guerrillas4 ,he told them they could hang or shoot him1 but they might rest assured that forty of their men's lives would pay for his1 and forty men stood ready to take his place2 and they let him go each time4 ,a distressed mother came to us to inquire for her two daughters1 that her mistress had sent to ,texas to elude the effects of the ,proclamation of ,emancipation4 ,she had begged her mistress to allow them to remain in town1 if she could not have them with her4 ,the mistress said1 ,no you shall never have your girls with you again1 not even to give you a drink of water if you are dying4 ,this was at the retaking of ,baton ,rouge1 when the mistress considered herself again in full power2 but she was soon to suffer herself4 ,when that city was retaken by ,union men1 the only son of the mistress was burned to death in the house at which he was boarding4 ,upon this she fell into fits4 ,yet1 ,pharaoh-like1 she persisted in keeping the slave-girls in ,texas4 ,a number of missionaries called on us1 and urged me to remain with them a few weeks longer2 but for two reasons ,i had to decline3 ,first1 those three thousand soldier prisoners were daily on my mind2 and1 second1 my poor health made it a duty to return home4 ,skirmishing four miles off took place ,may #eth1 and we could see the blue smoke of battle4 ,the shooting seemed near us4 ,how little this terrible war was realized in our own free ,state homes6 ,i met on the street a mulatto girl seventeen years old1 weeping1 and inquired the cause of her grief4 ,she said her owner1 ,mrs4 ,morehead1 had been beating her4 ,why do you remain with her8 ,i asked4 ,she keeps my baby locked up1 was her reply2 and she says if ,i leave ,i shall never have him4 ,i told her that ,i could take her to the provost-marshal1 who would give her an order for her child4 ,at this she cheered up1 and went with me1 and received an order1 in case she could not get it without4 ,she said she would go back and pack her few things in her old trunk1 and then watch her opportunity when the mistress was out to bring her baby to the freedmen's store4 ,after the child was secured ,i sent a soldier with her1 who brought her trunk1 without letting any one in the hotel know of her movements4 ,only a short time elapsed before we saw ,mrs4 ,morehead in front of the hotel1 looking up and down the street for her ,delphine1 who kept herself hid in the freedmen's store with her little ,charlie1 about two years old4 ,just before the war ,mr4 ,morehead had brought her away from her mother in ,st4 ,louis1 ,missouri1 and the height of her ambition was to get back there4 ,i secured transportation for herself and child to ,cairo1 and paid her fare to ,st4 ,louis4 ,but she was in constant fear of her former owners4 ,her history was a sad one4 ,she was bought for their hotel fancy girl1 and the father of her child was her own master4 ,the child resembled his father so much that he was frequently taken by strangers to be the child of the mistress4 ,the mother was two-thirds white2 and the ,roman1 nose1 straight hair1 and white skin of the child would not give a stranger the least idea that he had even the sixteenth part of ,african blood in his veins4 ,as a boat was expected to arrive within an hour1 we took leave of the many kind friends1 and repaired to the wharf-boat4 ,soon ,mrs4 ,morehead followed1 and called for ,delphine2 but the trembling girl caught her babe and hid4 ,but as her mistress repeated the calls1 she at length came to me with the child1 asking1 ,what shall ,i do8 ,i would rather throw myself and baby into the river than go back to her4 ,said her mistress1 ,i tell you1 ,del41 ,i've got an officer to come and take you to jail for stealing4 ,i told ,delphine she could rest assured that none of the officers would trouble her1 for they informed me they should not notice her mistress's complaints1 let them be what they would1 as they had had more trouble with that rebel family than a little ever since they occupied the city4 ,i told her to leave ,charlie on the boat1 and go out on the levee and tell her mistress plainly that she was going to ,st4 ,louis to her mother1 and not be so excited4 ,she did so1 and ,mrs4 ,morehead kept her nearly an hour1 trying to coax1 hire1 and frighten her1 but without avail4 ,delphine all this while was trembling with fear4 ,i believe if she had seen an officer coming with her mistress1 she would have thrown herself and child into the river4 ,mrs4 ,morehead at length came upon the wharf-boat4 ,when ,delphine saw her coming she snatched up her child1 and ran to the rear of the boat1 and the mistress after her4 ,again she came to me with ,what shall ,i do8 ,i replied1 ,sit down here by me and hold your child1 and she will not dare touch you4 ,she trembled as if having an ague fit4 ,soon a her mistress stood before us in a rage1 and turned to me3 ,you came into my kitchen with an order1 and took her1 when she was doing better than you ever dare do4 ,i never went into your kitchen1 ,i said4 ,a soldier went with her for her trunk4 ,i understood an officer called on you and called for her child1 at her request1 before she came to me4 ,it's a lie4 ,delphine lied about me4 ,said sister ,backus1 ,i shouldn't think you would want such a person about you1 if that is true4 ,well1 the child seems so near to me4 ,i've always had the care of it4 ,she left us at length with a threat that she would bring the officers to take her to jail for stealing4 ,the ,kennet came in at #aa o'clock ,a4 ,m41 ,may #fth1 bound for ,st4 ,louis1 ,missouri1 and we went aboard4 ,as we pushed out from shore1 ,delphine clapped her hands4 ,now ,i know ,mistress ,morehead can trouble me no more2 thank ,god1 ,i've got my ,charlie too6 ,nobody knows what ,i have gone through since ,i've been in this city4 ,we arrived in ,vicksburg ,may #gth1 and took breakfast at the ,soldiers' ,home1 where we met ,ex-,governor ,harvey1 a soldiers' friend4 ,here was a lady who had charge of the body of her brother1 killed up ,red ,river1 taking the remains back to ,iowa4 ,after spending a little time in this large city of soldiers1 whose tents whitened the adjoining fields1 we left4 ,on the day this city fell into ,union hands1 report said1 there was an old man very confident of the success of the ,confederate government1 and he said that ,god could not let it fail2 if he did1 he would never believe there is a ,god4 ,when1 the gun-boats came in1 and he was told the city was taken1 he would not believe it1 until he rose up from his chair and saw marching columns of soldiers1 with their bayonets glistening in the ,fourth of ,july sun4 ,he immediately sank back in his chair in a faint1 and soon died4 ,may #hth was a sort of a war ,sabbath4 ,the night before our boat ran aground1 and it took three hours to get her off4 ,many of the passengers dressed1 and made ready to escape at the first possible chance1 in case she should become wrecked4 ,we were told that at one time the water was three feet deep in her hull4 ,by making great effort the men succeeded in pumping it out4 ,she run slowly1 being a very large boat4 ,we had a variety of passengers on board1 officers of various ranks1 soldiers1 missionaries1 preachers1 and a few secessionists4 ,major-general ,hunter remained with us two days4 ,quite an excitement arose over the arrest of a smuggler of goods through our lines4 ,he was thought to be connected with the little steamer ,baltic4 ,there was a major and a provost-marshal1 from ,baton ,rouge1 who followed up the matter4 ,when the prisoner was brought to the rear of the boat1 with his hands tied1 it created much feeling among a dozen colored people1 until they heard the major ask him if he had taken the oath of allegiance4 ,he answered gruffly1 ,no1 and ,i never will4 ,this led the major to ask other questions concerning the trade of the ,baltic4 ,i will tell you nothing about it1 if ,i stand here till ,i die1 and you may go to--4 ,this brought the sympathy of the colored people1 as well as of the rest of us1 down below zero4 ,said one colored man1 ,let him stand there1 then1 until he dies4 ,but within an hour he consented to be sworn to tell the truth1 and nothing but the truth1 and the major examined him in the presence of many witnesses1 ,major-general ,hunter one of them4 ,on ,monday ,i introduced myself to ,general ,hunter1 as usual1 by my letters4 ,how long have you been in the army1 he asked1 and how far8 ,in reply to his queries ,i gave him a sketch of our work4 ,i mentioned ,general ,tuttle's refusal to grant us transportation1 the wrongs of the colored soldiers1 and the history of the three thousand prisoners on ,ship ,island and ,dry ,tortugas1 and stated the fact that some missionaries and missionary teachers had advised me to say nothing of these wrongs1 however flagrant4 ,i also called his attention to the printed order placed in our hands1 that we were not to report any movements in the army1 either verbally or by writing1 and asked his advice whether it was wiser to report or to keep silent4 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 he replied1 ,i am glad you have been in the army so long1 and ,i am glad you went so far1 and ,i will explain that order4 ,you have observed movements of troops from one place to another just on the eve of battle4 ,these are the matters you are not to report2 but the wrongs you have met you may proclaim on your arrival at home from the house-tops4 ,i thanked him for this advice1 for it was to me a great relief4 ,it seemed to trouble him4 ,after pacing the cabin to and fro a few minutes1 he came to me and said3 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 we have had a good deal of sifting done in the army1 and more must be done yet4 ,did ,general ,tuttle see those papers you gave me8 ,he did1 ,i answered4 ,copperheads have no business in the army in the exercise of such authority as this4 ,general ,tuttle ran for governor on the ,copperhead ticket in ,iowa last year4 ,what right has a copperhead to be lifted up here1 where loyal men are needed8 ,i have never seen the least cause to abandon my first conclusion1 that the only way to crush this rebellion was to emancipate and arm the slaves2 and if ,i could have been permitted to carry out my plan of taking ,kentucky into my field1 as my rank and position entitled me to do1 ,i should have proclaimed freedom to the slaves as fast as ,i reached them4 ,the strength ,i could have gathered from the slave population would soon have been two hundred thousand men1 and that number of stand of arms was all ,i asked4 ,but the vacillating policy of the government would not permit it4 ,i saw clearly that this was the only policy that would prove successful1 and ,i thought every body else must see it when ,i first proclaimed it in ,south ,carolina4 ,it seemed there were others who took a different view1 and my order was superseded4 ,said sister ,backus1 ,you have the satisfaction of knowing that your policy had to be adopted before the nation could succeed4 ,o1 yes1 replied he reluctantly2 but it is with regret that ,i think of the drafting of thousands1 which might have been avoided just as well as not4 ,there was no necessity for the draft4 ,sister ,backus remarked1 ,as a nation1 we must suffer defeats until it reaches the right position1 not only in arming colored men1 but in paying them just wages2 for they make as good soldiers as white men4 ,a bystander said1 ,i don't know that they make as good soldiers as white men1 from the fact that they are not so intelligent4 ,here is ,general ,hunter1 and ,i presume he will say the same thing--turning to him for an answer4 ,in a decided tone the general said1 ,i shall say no such thing4 ,they make the best of soldiers2 for1 first1 they are kind and docile2 and1 second1 they are apt to learn4 ,they learn military tactics very readily1 and ought to have the same wages as any other soldier4 ,all along this river ,i find one continued series of wrongs inflicted upon the negro4 ,we told him of the infamous order by ,dr4 ,kelley1 sanctioned by ,general ,tuttle1 and published under the specious guise of ,health ,order1 to drive the slaves back to their masters4 ,he shook his head in disgust4 ,why does the head of this serpent rise up at almost every point8 ,when it appeared in the department under my command ,i crushed it at once4 ,at the mouth of ,red ,river three women came aboard1 by permission of the gunboat officers stationed there4 ,their object was to hire men1 whom they wanted to gather cane for working up into weaving reeds4 ,one of them reported to ,dr4 ,long that she had been watching a couple of ladies on our boat1 and she believed them spies1 for they seemed to have a great deal of writing to do4 ,dr4 ,long happened to know enough about the ladies reported as spies to allow sister ,backus and myself to pass unmolested4 ,but these ladies were themselves suspected of being spies4 ,we reached the city of ,memphis ,may #ajth4 ,sister ,backus had been quite sick for three days1 but was now a little better4 ,we called at the ,christian ,commission ,rooms1 and got a market-basket full of reading matter for distribution4 ,the next day was quite cold and freezing4 ,we stopped at ,columbus a short time4 ,here we secured a paper giving an account of the terrible slaughter at ,fredericksburg4 ,rumor had it that fifteen thousand were killed and wounded2 that ,lee was driven back thirty miles2 ,grant and ,butler were said to be pushing on to ,richmond1 and were now within a short day's march of the rebel capital4 ,general ,hunter was quite sanguine in hope that ,richmond would soon fall4 ,on ,may #acth we arrived at ,cairo1 and took leave of the friends whom our few days' acquaintance had made dear4 ,we reached home on the #ahth1 amid the rejoicing of dear children and friends4 ,it is no wonder the soldiers we met were delighted to see a ,northern face1 for it reminded them of their home associations4 ,intercession unceasing went up for the three thousand soldier prisoners banished to the ,gulf ,islands4 ,the mail had brought nothing from ,new ,orleans4 ,by this ,i was to understand that nothing could be done for them there4 ,congress was still in session1 and ,i immediately wrote a full account of their wrongs to congressman ,beaman1 and urged the presentation of the case to the war department4 ,without giving myself time to rest1 ,i hastened to ,detroit1 to report our work and give an account of the unjust sentences of those prisoners at ,ship ,island and the ,tortugas4 ,while making my statements in ,captain ,e4 ,b4 ,ward's office1 he took them down to forward them to ,b4 ,f4 ,wade1 chairman of the ,committee on the ,conduct of the ,war2 but he said1 ,you must go to ,washington and report these facts to the committee in person4 ,i told him ,i had written the full details to my friend1 ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 member of ,congress1 and ,i thought he would do all that could be done4 ,he answered1 ,i shall send these items to ,b4 ,f4 ,wade1 and our letters will make good entering wedges2 but the living tongue will do more than the pen4 ,i told him ,i was ready to go or do any thing ,i could for their release1 but still hoped to hear from ,new ,orleans4 ,i would wait a week longer and rest4 ,then1 if ,i had means1 ,i would go4 ,he said he would see to that1 and ,i returned to my home4 ,within a week ,i received a note from him1 stating that he had just received a letter from ,b4 ,f4 ,wade1 requesting me to come at once and bring my extracts from the record ,i had examined on ,ship ,island4 ,i was soon on my way to ,detroit1 and at nine o'clock1 ,a4 ,m41 on the following day1 ,i was in ,captain ,ward's office1 ready to take the boat for ,cleveland on my way to ,washington4 ,i waited but a few minutes when the captain came in with a letter1 which he threw in my lap1 saying1 ,there is a letter for you to read4 ,the first sentence was1 ,the exhibition of these letters before ,secretary ,stanton has proved sufficient4 ,judge ,attocha was dismissed immediately1 and a committee is to be appointed to investigate and release those prisoners at once4 ,there is therefore no necessity for ,mrs4 ,haviland's presence on that score4 ,general ,tuttle is already relieved4 ,on reading these glad words1 ,i remarked that ,i never had been a shouting ,methodist1 but ,i felt more like shouting over these glad tidings than ,i ever had done in all my life4 ,if ,i had not been spoiled for singing by being raised a ,quaker1 ,i would have sung the doxology4 ,i wrote an article for the ,detroit ,tribune containing these facts1 and stating the prospects of the immediate release of the three thousand prisoners on ,ship ,island and ,dry ,tortugas4 ,i sent the paper to ,captain ,j4 ,noyce1 and very soon received a reply that my letter1 with the ,tribune1 was the first intimation they had received of any thing being done in their behalf4 ,he said1 ,i sent the letter and paper to the prisoners1 and they eagerly read them in all their companies1 until ,i doubt whether a whole sentence can be found together4 ,a few weeks later ,i received another letter from ,captain ,noyce1 in which he stated that the committee was investigating1 and that but one person in seventy-five was found unworthy of being released at once2 but that very soon all would be restored to their regiments4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,freedmen',s ,,aid ,,commission4 ,our ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission was enlarged in ,june1 #ahfd4 ,dr4 ,george ,duffield was made president2 ,drs4 ,hogarth and ,chase1 vice-presidents2 ,david ,preston1 treasurer2 and ,b4 ,c4 ,durfee1 secretary4 ,the board of directors appointed me its agent1 and allowed me a salary of forty dollars a month4 ,this is the first remuneration ,i received for my labors2 but seeing unfaithful officers dismissed1 prisoners released1 and the suffering and dying relieved1 was a satisfaction far exceeding dollars and cents4 ,i received invitations to address congregations in large towns1 where much was done in gathering supplies4 ,at a ,union thanksgiving meeting in ,jackson1 #ig was collected1 and at a similar meeting at ,grass ,lake1 the same day1 #gj2 at ,luce's ,hall1 ,grand ,rapids1 #ee2 at ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 ,pontiac1 #dd2 and at ,leoni ,wesleyan ,methodist ,conference1 #fh4fe4 ,many other liberal donations were also received4 ,auxiliaries were organized1 and ,i prepared to return to the field of desolation1 whither duty seemed to be loudly calling me4 ,i concluded to suspend ,raisin ,institute until the close of the war4 ,i received propositions from a number of graduates of the ,michigan ,university to take it in charge2 but the care of preparing for another academic year was more than ,i could properly undertake1 and do justice to the limitless field of mission work that was open before us4 ,in ,september ,i had a car-load of supplies ready1 and #djj in money4 ,of this amount1 #bih was placed in my hands by friends at ,adrian1 with the request of the donors that it should be retained in my own hands for disbursement on reaching the scene of suffering4 ,at ,chicago appeals were made to the ,soldiers' ,aid ,society and ,christian ,commission for aid in the freedmen's department1 and also to myself personally1 on account of the great distress in ,kansas after ,general ,price's raid through ,missouri1 followed by ,colonels ,lane and ,jennison1 who drove thousands of poor whites and freedmen into that young ,state4 ,i decided to hasten thither1 with ,mrs4 ,lee1 of ,hillsdale1 as an assistant4 ,at ,leavenworth we met ,j4 ,r4 ,brown1 half-brother of ,captain ,john ,brown1 of ,ossawatomie1 who had charge of both white refugees and freedmen and a sort of soldiers' home1 under ,general ,curtis4 ,he kindly offered me headquarters in his establishment1 consisting of two large two-story frame buildings1 with one hundred occupants each4 ,i called on ,general ,curtis1 who telegraphed for my goods to be forwarded in preference to other army supplies1 and gave me passes through the ,state to ,fort ,scott4 ,my object was to investigate all intermediate towns where refugees and freedmen were congregated4 ,he also gave me liberty to use an order he had given ,j4 ,r4 ,brown1 to call upon quarter-masters for half1 whole1 or quarter rations1 wherever suffering for food existed4 ,these investigations enabled me to judge of the amount of aid needed at each point4 ,as my supplies had not reached me1 ,j4 ,r4 ,brown filled two large trunks with sanitary supplies for the greatest sufferers4 ,thus supplied1 ,i took the stage for ,fort ,scott4 ,my first halt was at ,quindaro1 a small town built on rocky bluffs and in deep ravines4 ,a few years previously it was designed by a few speculators to be an important landing on the ,mississippi2 and they built a few stone houses1 a long wood store-house1 and a number of small log-houses1 which had been left untenanted1 but were now filled with white refugees and freedmen1 ,a large majority were women and children4 ,the able-bodied men among the freedmen were in the ,union army1 but many of the men whose refugee families were here were in the ,confederate army4 ,general ,price had made terrible havoc of all who were suspected of being favorable to the ,union4 ,then followed ,colonels ,lane and ,jennison1 who made as great havoc of the remainder4 ,those who fled for their lives were crowded into every niche of available room4 ,in one open log-house ,i found twenty-three wretched inmates4 ,four of them were women1 two of whom were sick from exposure in husking corn during cold1 snowy weather4 ,eight of the children had the measles1 and three of them died2 two others seemed near death's door4 ,two women were hauling a small tree-top to their door to chop for night-wood4 ,the feet of these poor women were exposed to the mud and snow1 which was melting4 ,o1 what squalid wretchedness was here6 ,not a bed1 chair1 table1 or whole dish in this gloomy abode6 ,i inquired how they slept4 ,i was shown a rag-carpet on the fence1 which they obtained for washing for one of the neighbors4 ,this was spread before a large fire-place1 and all lay down upon that but two1 who kept up the fire1 and watched to keep those asleep from burning4 ,they said the man who owned the adjoining wood-land kindly allowed them all the wood they needed that was on the ground4 ,they borrowed an ax to chop it4 ,i found the four women had husked corn on shares until two were sick with pneumonia2 and the corn1 boiled without salt1 was all they had to eat during the five weeks they had been there4 ,now they were nearly out1 and what to do they knew not1 as they were forbidden to go into the field to husk more4 ,i made out an order for rations1 and measured their bare feet for shoes and stockings4 ,i took one of the women to the post-office1 where ,i had left my trunks1 and gave her four army-blankets1 six knit woolen socks1 six pairs of drawers1 four pairs of stockings1 and two pairs of shoes1 which were all ,i had to fit them4 ,as ,i piled the above articles upon the shoulders and arms of the poor woman she wept for joy4 ,the postmaster said1 ,is this your business here8 ,on receiving an affirmative reply1 he said1 with tearful eye3 ,to-morrow morning the ground will be frozen1 and ,i will go with you where the most of these poor people are4 ,i procured lodging with a widow ,johnson and her son1 who was with ,captain ,john ,brown's party all through the border-ruffian troubles4 ,my kind friend regretted my having made the mile and a half walk to the log-house in the field and back to the post-office before supper1 as ,i had not taken refreshments since leaving ,leavenworth1 very early4 ,but when ,i told her of the distress ,i found1 she rejoiced with me at the partial relief ,i had given them4 ,after a good rest and an early breakfast1 ,i went with the kind postmaster to visit the most wretched tenements of both white and colored1 and found eighty-one to report for rations to the commander in ,wyandotte4 ,the postmaster and ,mr4 ,johnson agreed to go with their team every week and distribute to the destitute2 and if others were found equally needy they would report them to me on my return4 ,after descending steep cliffs and climbing rugged rocks until past noon1 we returned for dinner2 but before it was finished the stage came along1 and ,i took it for ,wyandotte1 where we arrived late in the evening4 ,the weather for ,october was cold1 and freezing quite hard4 ,when ,i informed ,mrs4 ,halford1 the landlady of the ,garno ,house1 of my errand1 she was much pleased1 and said that her duties forbade her to assist me1 but she would do her part in giving me a welcome home while in their town4 ,she introduced me to a family of benevolent ladies1 who promised to aid me in my investigations1 but did not think ,i would find the suffering in their city that ,i found in ,quindaro4 ,one of my new friends went with me to a neighborhood where there were new arrivals1 and found many in a perishing condition with cold and hunger4 ,from thence we went to old stables and sheds crowded with destitute human beings1 both white and colored4 ,the dear friend who volunteered to guide to these children of want wept herself sick as we listened to the stories of their flight from homes in ,missouri and ,arkansas4 ,here was a woman1 named ,melinda ,dale1 with six small children and a sick husband1 who had to flee for their lives4 ,a few pieces of old tent-cloth1 picked up about an old camp1 made their bed4 ,children were crying for bread1 the mother was sick with grief1 and the father had a high fever4 ,a blanket was given them1 with a few loaves of bread2 and after the reading of ,scripture and prayer we left for the relief of others4 ,our next call was upon the wife and five small children of ,lieutenant ,miller1 who was supposed to be in a rebel prison4 ,the wife was in great distress1 not knowing whether her husband was living or perishing by starvation4 ,he was taken prisoner one year before and she and her children were in a starving condition4 ,they occupied an old ,sibley tent4 ,these were also1 with many others1 reported for rations1 and immediate relief was given4 ,a few weeks previously rations were withheld1 which caused great suffering with many4 ,i gave rations to ,barbara ,stewart1 with two sick children1 whose husband was murdered by guerillas because he was known to be a ,union man4 ,i next called on ,green ,f4 ,bethel1 who left his ,arkansas home with a large family1 consisting of his wife1 nine children1 and aged mother4 ,all except himself were taken down with the measles1 soon after passing through ,fort ,scott4 ,his mother soon died1 and was buried by the way-side4 ,a day later his wife and infant child died1 and were also buried by the way4 ,not long after the last three children died1 and were also buried by the road-side4 ,he said1 ,o1 what sorrow was mine6 ,one-half of my family are gone6 ,the light of my household seemed vanishing6 ,were it not for the help of my ,lord ,i should have fainted under this sweeping affliction4 ,my wife and mother were ,christians many years4 ,we were members of the ,cumberland ,presbyterian ,church4 ,we found the poor man in a hard chill4 ,it came on every third day1 and was followed with high fever4 ,the two intervening days he was able to use his team in little jobs of hauling1 and thus he kept his children and team alive4 ,i inquired why he did not make his condition known to the citizens of that town4 ,he said no one knew any thing about him1 and there were so many making pretensions to loyalty who were not loyal1 that none would know but he was of that class4 ,my wife's brother1 he said1 came with his family when we did1 and he also lost his wife on the way1 following the ,union soldiers4 ,our lives were threatened1 and the rope was placed around my neck once1 but by the entreaties of my wife and children the rebels concluded to let me go a day or two longer2 then if ,i would not join with them in supporting the ,confederate government1 ,i was to be hung or shot4 ,the same threat was made to my brother-in-law1 and we hid in the woods three weeks1 before we left in the night for the lines of the ,union soldiers4 ,we started with two wagons1 and had nine horses and three cows4 ,but they gave out one after another1 and we had to leave them all on the way1 except the youngest and best team1 which ,i have yet4 ,i have a good farm1 and so has my brother-in-law2 but if we are ever permitted to return to our homes1 it is doubtful whether we shall find a building left4 ,he wept freely1 as well as his children4 ,the oldest daughter1 ,amy1 of seventeen1 leaned her head upon my shoulder1 and wept aloud4 ,she said1 ,we could all bear this furnace of affliction much better if our dear mother had been spared us4 ,with prayer we left this house of mourning1 with a request for the afflicted brother to call at head-quarters for the rations ,i should report for the six in his family4 ,said he1 on taking the parting hand1 ,one favor ,i ask of you1 my dear sister2 and that is1 your continued prayers that the ,lord may open a way for us where there now seems to be no way4 ,my friend who served as guide said1 ,my head aches with weeping1 in witnessing these heart-rending scenes4 ,i must decline going with you farther this afternoon4 ,i shall be obliged to take my bed4 ,i do not see how you live1 as you meet similar scenes so frequently4 ,these visits made us quite late for dinner1 but my kind hostess kept it waiting for me4 ,with interest1 she sat by my side to listen to a report of my morning calls4 ,she was surprised to learn of so much suffering near them4 ,after dinner ,i resumed my work4 ,on my way ,i met a woman shivering in an ague chill1 thinly clad1 and weeping4 ,i inquired for the cause of her grief4 ,she said she had been hunting for washing or something to do1 to purchase bread for her three little children1 for they had had nothing to eat for a whole day4 ,i told her ,i would call on her before night4 ,i found a number in as great distress as in my morning calls4 ,one man1 who lost his wife1 leaving him with six small children1 had found work six miles away2 but he returned at night to care for his little ones4 ,the oldest child1 ten years of age1 was left during the day in charge of the five younger ones4 ,for the sake of furnishing bread for his children1 he walked the twelve miles back and forth daily4 ,i found the woman whom ,i had met on the street in a high fever1 with an infant of eight months in her arms1 and two of her children crying for bread4 ,i took them a few loaves1 and gave her an order for rations4 ,the husband had been pressed into service when they had been but two weeks from home1 and was not allowed to see his wife and children to say good bye4 ,she had heard nothing from him since4 ,in the corner lay a crippled discharged colored soldier1 who was also suffering for food4 ,i stepped into a grocery and purchased sugar and crackers for the sick and for the children4 ,my next call was on another woman with six children4 ,her husband had been in the army a long time1 and she had not heard from him4 ,she feared he was suffering in a rebel prison4 ,near this cabin was ,agnes ,everett1 with five children between the ages of fifteen months and twelve years4 ,her two youngest children were in a starving condition--the baby1 she said1 had been too sick to allow her to do much in procuring food4 ,her boy of twelve years was her only dependence in getting little jobs of wood-sawing or doing chores for cold victuals1 or a pint of meal which she made into porridge4 ,the little emaciated baby was fed with the porridge4 ,its face was wrinkled like an old person's of ninety years4 ,its eyes were sunken and glassy2 its hands looked more like birds' claws than like human hands4 ,don't1 ,clarkie2 poor little ,fannie is so sick she must have this1 said the mother to the little fellow who watched the mother when her attention was occupied for a chance to snatch a floating lump4 ,as ,i looked upon these famishing children ,i could not refrain from weeping4 ,her husband and grown son were in the army4 ,she had been looking for money from them for a number of months1 but had heard nothing from them4 ,i gave them two loaves of bread for their supper1 and directed them to meet me at the post-office the next day at ten o'clock ,a4 ,m41 and ,i would give her an order for six half rations until she received help from her husband4 ,this closed my day's work4 ,on my return to the ,garno ,house1 ,mrs4 ,halford informed me that the lady who went with me in the morning was sick1 for she had hardly ceased weeping over those pitiful families we visited in the morning4 ,at the time appointed ,i met a number at the post-office1 among whom was ,agnes ,everett1 to receive orders for half1 quarter1 or whole rations1 and gave out a few articles of clothing4 ,as ,i gave ,agnes the order for rations1 ,i charged her strictly to give the two younger children no strong food for a few days1 but only a little at a time and often1 especially the youngest1 as it would live but a few hours if she allowed it to eat all it craved4 ,a number of gentlemen listened to my charge1 and as the little group left the office one of them inquired where ,i was from4 ,with my reply ,i gave them my papers from the governor and members of ,congress of ,michigan4 ,after reading they introduced themselves1--,dr4 ,wood1 ,dr4 ,speck1 ,lawyer ,james1 and others4 ,dr4 ,speck informed me of a family whose youngest child actually starved to death three days before4 ,he was called when it was dying1 but too late to save it4 ,he said1 ,there were two other families who would have died soon if the citizens had not rendered the aid needed2 and there would have been another death by starvation before we should have known it1 here in our midst1 but it took you to come from ,michigan to find it out4 ,lawyer ,james said there was a family on the hill opposite the ferry he would like to see visited1 but there were so many crowding in here of late that it seemed as if they had done all they possibly could4 ,they were rejoiced to learn of the liberty granted1 by ,general ,curtis to issue orders for rations4 ,said ,dr4 ,wood1 ,the freedmen are seeking for work1 no matter what kind1 but the white refugees are the most do-nothing set ,i ever saw4 ,while ,i acknowledged his position true in most cases1 yet there were noble exceptions and ,i mentioned the ,bethel family and stated their condition4 ,one gentleman said he would look after that family4 ,in confirmation of his remarks ,i told of a family of poor whites in ,quindaro who were asked to assist a neighbor in sickness4 ,as there were the mother and two grown daughters1 it was supposed one of them could be secured a few days with the promise of provisions or money2 but the mother contemptuously tossed her head to one side and drawled out the reply1 ,i reckon we hain't come down so low yet as to work ,i told them they must come up high enough to work before ,i could do any thing for them1 and left them to sit in their own filth and rags4 ,my order from ,general ,curtis was to report none for rations who could obtain work for wages4 ,i passed on to other scenes of sorrow too numerous to narrate here4 ,one hundred and four rations ,i ordered in ,wyandotte4 ,this timely relief given1 ,i crossed the river1 and in ,kansas ,city1 ,missouri1 met brother ,copeland and wife1 who were efficient agents and teachers in that field4 ,i secured a pass to ,lawrence1 where1 late in the evening1 ,i was directed to a family that had suffered much in the ,union cause4 ,this was the important stamping ground of ,captain ,john ,brown4 ,this city had passed through two terrible raids during the war4 ,it is here that ,quantrell rushed upon the unsuspecting citizens with a host of ,confederate soldiers about daylight1 and murdered men at their own doors1 and when they could not call them out they rushed into their houses and made terrible havoc of human life4 ,there was a woman here who was a spy4 ,she had been in the city a few weeks taking horse-back rides two hours each morning1 ostensibly for her health1 but probably to report the most favorable time for attack4 ,she was never seen after the raid4 ,i attended the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 where seventy wounded1 dying1 and dead soldiers and citizens were brought in after that raid4 ,the stains of blood were still left on the floor and some of the seats4 ,the house where ,i was kindly invited to make my home was entered1 and the owner1 brother ,hockins1 was demanded4 ,his wife told them she saw him run up the hill a few moments before1 which was true2 but on seeing the ,confederate soldiers entering the town he hastened back to his house and ran down to the cellar4 ,a squad of them entered and placed the bayonet at his wife1 and threatened her life if she did not tell the whereabouts of her husband2 but she persisted in pointing up the hill4 ,they went down the cellar1 but returned without finding him1 and set the house on fire4 ,then they ran up the hill after him4 ,she succeeded in putting out the fire1 and went into the cellar and called her husband4 ,he answered from between the earth and the floor4 ,this was his hiding-place until the ,union soldiers rescued the city from further trouble4 ,a strong ,union force was now kept at this point4 ,i found fewer suffering for want of rations at this town than in other places ,i had visited1 and took the stage for ,fort ,scott4 ,we were advised to keep out of sight any appearance of watches or any sort of jewelry1 as guerrillas were sometimes lurking in the woods and attacked the stages4 ,we came in sight of ,indians on horses who darted into the woods1 fearing we were guerrillas1 who had stolen or robbed them of their ponies4 ,one man shouted1 ,we are all for the ,union4 ,this was on ,price's track1 where they lost their horses1 and did not dare come in sight4 ,late at night we reached ,fort ,scott4 ,my first call was on ,colonel ,blair1 commander of the post1 who1 with his wife1 kindly offered me a home with them while ,i remained at that point4 ,they introduced me to ,dr4 ,slocum1 who gave a sketch of the terrible destitution of the forty thousand refugees and freedmen1 who passed through this great thoroughfare4 ,many of them had stopped here4 ,he took me to a number of the destitute families1 and gave directions to others1 and left me to my work4 ,here was a great number of the poor whites1 called ,clay-eaters1 who complained about government dealing rations to colored people4 ,i heard one of them1 say that if niggers would stay where they belonged1 with their masters1 they would have more white-bread and beef4 ,i told them1 ,i had learned that many of their husbands were fighting against the government while the husbands of many of the colored women were fighting to sustain it1 and ,i should favor those who were on the side of the government4 ,i asked them why they did not themselves remain in their old homes8 ,we came 'case our men was conscripted1 they said4 ,one woman and her daughter of eighteen had each a filthy1 ragged bed quilt over her shoulders1 and their faces were so swarthy that their eyes and teeth presented as great a contrast as those whose natural skin was of darker hue4 ,as the little boy of four years had no shoes1 and ,i had a pair left that would fit him1 ,i told the mother to wash his feet and try them4 ,sal1 bring me that cup thar1 said the woman4 ,their drinking cup with water was brought4 ,han' me that rag thar1 and she wet her hand and wet the feet1 and was wiping off the mud1 when ,i told her they were not washed2 to look at the mud on the bottom of his feet and between his toes4 ,o1 yez'm1 she drawled out1 and wet one end of the rag in the cup1 and made a second effort4 ,when the shoes were put on1 he could not walk without holding to his mother or sister4 ,they were probably the first he had ever had4 ,most of the day was spent in visiting this class of persons--the most ignorant1 listless1 and degraded of any people ,i had ever met4 ,on giving a description of the ignorance and filth1 of the poor whites ,i called on1 ,colonel ,blair inquired ,what would you do with them8 ,i would keep body and soul together till ,spring opens1 ,i answered1 and then load up your great army wagons1 and take them out upon the rich prairies and dump them out1 giving them the homely adage1 ',root1 pig1 or die4' ,the greatest difficulty in managing this class was to get them to do any thing4 ,not so with colored people2 they would do any thing they could find to do4 ,i found in this camp of two thousand1 a colored woman of an earnest ,christian principle4 ,colonel ,blair gave her an excellent character4 ,he said that ,i might place implicit confidence in any statement she would make4 ,her history was a novel one4 ,she ran away from a cruel master to the ,indians1 and married an old ,indian1 and had four children4 ,she said her husband came in great excitement and asked her if she wanted to run away to the ,yankees8 ,she said no1 because she thought they were another tribe of ,indians4 ,he ran out1 and soon came back1 and said1 ,if you run1 go quick4 ,i am old2 they can't rob me of many days1 but they sha'n't have the children to punish4 ,he threw them on a horse and ran off into the woods4 ,she supposed her old master had found her out1 and ran another way4 ,then she heard that her husband was dead1 ,but the ,lord hid her from the cruel master1 though he broke up her family4 ,after spending three days in this place1 including ,sunday1 ,i took the ,monday morning stage for ,leavenworth4 ,in sending packages to all these places1 to reliable friends with whom ,i had made acquaintance1 ,i requested that no clothing be given to healthy men and women who refused to do work when they could get it4 ,in one of the hospitals at ,leavenworth were two ,confederates1 one of whom had recently become a ,christian4 ,he said when he went into this army he knew not for what they were fighting1 but when he learned the real cause1 he was for the ,union1 and should do all he could for it4 ,during the month of ,december1 we relieved four hundred and forty-four families4 ,there were thirty children in both buildings under my care4 ,by request of ,j4 ,r4 ,brown1 the ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission of ,michigan consented to allow me to take charge of white refugees in connection with the freedmen4 ,general ,curtis detailed a sergeant for my assistant4 ,another important helper was a noble young woman1 ,amanda ,a4 ,way1 who opened a school for children of inmates of the two buildings4 ,i found it difficult to bring into school the white children1 and only by a requisition could ,i accomplish it1 or induce the mothers to wash the hands and faces1 and comb the hair of their children1 to fit them for school4 ,this1 like all previous fields of army mission work1 was a laborious one4 ,our ,sundays were spent in teaching a large class in three ,sabbath-schools1 besides attending the public services and generally taking part in them4 ,at the close of one of the meetings a deacon and his wife rushed through the crowd to me1 and gave such an exhibition of joy that it drew the attention of the congregation4 ,he gave a glowing account of my visit to ,little ,rock1 ,arkansas1 and of my life-long work for their down-trodden people4 ,the hand-shaking for half an hour made my hands lame for three days4 ,the deacon bought himself when a young man1 and acquired a property worth four thousand dollars4 ,slave-holders often said that he knew too much1 and thought he was a damage to their slaves4 ,if they lost any1 they charged him with aiding them away4 ,he was often lodged in jail and fines imposed upon him4 ,at length he sold his property at half its value to come to ,kansas1 where he could breathe freely4 ,on ,new ,year's day ,i found a poor woman in the last stages of consumption4 ,she could not speak a loud word4 ,i hired another poor woman to care for her1 by giving bed and wearing clothes for herself and children4 ,i left them in tears1 saying1 ,we thank you1 honey1 and praise ,god4 ,when my poor mother died in that old out-cellar1 neither father nor one of us was permitted to give her a cup of cold water1 but the last words she was heard to say was1 ',i'm going home to die no more4' ,i visited ten families and sent four boxes more of supplies to ,fort ,scott4 ,the next day ,i took a barrel of hospital supplies to ,fort ,leavenworth4 ,my supplies were now low1 and the money nearly spent4 ,i received a letter from the chairman of the committee having charge of preparations for the ,ladies' ,state ,freedmen's ,fair1 to be held in ,detroit1 soliciting relics of the war4 ,j4 ,r4 ,brown proposed that ,i should attend the fair and take his brother's sharp-shooter1 that the captain carried through the border-ruffian conflict in ,kansas1 and during his movement at ,harper's ,ferry4 ,after a few days' reflection ,i reached the conclusion to go4 ,general ,curtis gave me a pass to ,detroit and return4 ,the ,john ,brown gun created much interest4 ,besides this relic1 the fifty pounds of slave-irons1 which we picked up on deserted plantations in the far ,south1 were exhibited in this fair4 ,a petition from ,lenawee ,county was sent to the committee having charge of the fair1 to place the avails of our county1 one thousand dollars1 in my hands for distribution4 ,this money relieved much suffering1 and no doubt saved many lives4 ,during my visit home ,i sold ,raisin ,institute and ten acres of land1 with an excellent orchard1 to the ,state ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission for an orphans' home4 ,i donated three hundred dollars of the purchase money to this enterprise1 stipulating that the premises were to be used for no other purpose4 ,in my absence the friends gave the asylum the name of ,haviland ,home for ,homeless and ,destitute ,children4 ,this home ,i intended as a nucleus for a ,state ,orphan ,asylum1 as the war had increased the necessity for such an institution4 ,after two weeks' absence ,i returned with supplies4 ,spring was lessening the suffering1 yet sickness from long exposures still prevailed4 ,miss ,fidelia ,phillips1 a teacher1 came with a letter from the ,michigan ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission1 for us to locate and secure board1 which duty fell upon me4 ,i hired a conveyance and took her to ,oskaloosa1 ,jefferson ,county1 and found board for her in the kind family of ,dr4 ,j4 ,nelson1 who proposed to assist the colored people in securing a house for the school at once4 ,i found here a poor sick woman with her five children1 who was ordered out of her cabin1 as she could no longer pay the rent4 ,dr4 ,nelson promised to see that she was not disturbed until she was able to be moved1 when he would take the family to ,leavenworth to go with me to our ,home for ,homeless ,children in ,michigan4 ,her husband was in the army1 and she had not heard from him since he enlisted4 ,on my return to ,leavenworth ,i received an order from our ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission1 to send twenty-five children with five mothers to assist in caring for them4 ,i accompanied them as far as ,quincy1 ,illinois1 with ,mrs4 ,lee and a teacher who had been in the work a few months4 ,they pursued their journey1 and ,i went back4 ,on ,april #aeth the sad news reached us of the assassination of ,president ,lincoln6 ,a nation in mourning6 ,every house of any note or size was draped with black4 ,we were now preparing to close the two refugee buildings before leaving for ,michigan4 ,i offered the women the best dresses for finding their own places for work1 and by this means many found places1 if only to work for their board till they could do better4 ,a good old woman we called ,aunt ,phoebe came to us with her four grandchildren1 and begged to go to ,michigan with me4 ,she said the father of the children ran away to enlist in the army1 and his master followed him4 ,after an absence of three days1 he returned with the report that he had got sight at him1 and ordered him to come to him1 but he refused1 and he shot him dead4 ,at this report his wife 7the daughter of ,aunt ,phoebe71 gave a scream and fainted4 ,both master and mistress were very severe1 and whipped her severely for making so much fuss1 as they called her grief4 ,she sank under their severity1 and died1 leaving her infant1 a week old1 with her mother4 ,within a few days the oldest boy was taken with small-pox1 but as he was not very near the other sick children1 ,dr4 ,carpenter thought the others would escape4 ,i rolled him in a couple of quilts and sent him to the pest-house4 ,aunt ,phoebe wept bitterly1 as she said she should probably never see ,jerry again1 and he was such a good boy to help her take care of the other children4 ,a few days later she was taken with a low type of lung fever4 ,i had one of the colored women in the place nurse her4 ,the white refugee women took but little notice of my offer of best dresses1 in finding homes for themselves4 ,i found these women of the lowest class of humanity4 ,i called on ,general ,curtis1 and told him ,i had expended my fund of lecturing material upon these white women in the refugee building1 and now ,i had come to report to him as ,i had of late threatened them1 that1 while ,i was willing to do to the extent of my ability in relieving and improving the most degraded1 ,i could not consent to keep under my charge a house of ill-fame4 ,i will give you a good honest guard day and night over that building1 said the noble general4 ,this did more than all things else to scatter them4 ,they swore they would not be tyrannized over by that ,yankee woman any longer1 and left1 very much to my relief4 ,within four weeks our little small-pox boy was returned1 but not as safe as the surgeon reported ,i took him into the wash-room and gave him a thorough cleansing1 before taking him to see his grandmother1 who wept for joy4 ,i spent a few days in revisiting ,quindaro1 ,lawrence1 ,wyandotte1 and ,kansas ,city4 ,i found seven homeless children1 and a mother of three of them who wished to go with me to ,michigan4 ,during the day and night ,i was in ,kansas ,city ,i was taken with a severe attack of pneumonia4 ,i called on an army surgeon for mustard1 of which1 ,i placed a plaster over the seat of the pain1 that had become so severe as to cut every breath4 ,i could neither lie down nor sit still1 but walked the room4 ,placing the children in charge of the mother1 ,i telegraphed my sergeant to meet me at the boat with a hack4 ,i took the boat for ,leavenworth1 where the carriage met me1 and ,i was taken to our home1 with a high fever1 but the pain not quite so severe1 as the mustard was serving its purpose4 ,dr4 ,carpenter said ,i could not go to ,michigan under a month4 ,although my side remained very sore1 yet ,i managed to sell the furniture4 ,i took a hack to ,general ,curtis's office1 and managed to secure transportation for seventy-five1 myself and ,mrs4 ,lee included4 ,there were three sick children1 and ,i very much doubted the propriety of removing them4 ,dr4 ,carpenter said they would be more likely to live than if taken to the hospital1 as ,i proposed4 ,we left the city ,may #bhth1 with a cloud resting over the nation4 ,my health was still poor1 and we had three sick children1 whose mother was with them2 three other children began to complain of chills and fever soon after leaving4 ,these cases soon developed in measles1 but my haste to reach home urged me to proceed against my better judgment4 ,while it looked like presumption in others1 ,i felt safe1 as prayer for guidance was my daily bread4 ,while waiting at ,st4 ,joseph1 ,missouri1 for the train1 ,i obtained rations for the company4 ,susan ,b4 ,anthony had provided a lunch-basket1 well filled1 for ,mrs4 ,lee and myself1 to serve for the entire journey4 ,while we were handing around rations1 various remarks were made as to what ,i was going to do with all this company4 ,said one1 ,i reckon1 she's got a big plantation to stock with a picked set of young niggers1 she's going to train to her own liking4 ,said another1 ,i am going to ask where she is going with them4 ,at length one ventured1 ,will you please excuse me1 madam1 if ,i ask you where you are taking all this company8 ,certainly1 was my answer2 ,i am glad to inform you4 ,i am taking these orphan children1 who have been picked up on the streets1 and out of freedmen's homes1 to an orphan school in ,michigan4 ,by order of the ,state ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission1 they will be sent to school until good homes can be secured for them1 where they will be taught habits of industry1 as well as to improve their intellects4 ,we of the ,north think they can learn1 if an opportunity is provided4 ,at this he was much pleased1 and1 as it was communicated to other bystanders1 a number came to congratulate me in my good work4 ,one1 who had a large number of slaves1 said he wished they were with me1 as it would be a right smart of a while before it'll be settled here to have schools for 'em4 ,all stood ready to put the sick ones on the train4 ,mrs4 ,lee took care of the sick during the night1 and ,i had them in charge during the day4 ,after our arrival at ,quincy1 ,illinois1 and our transportation papers were filled out for ,chicago1 with a little difficulty ,i secured the largest coach for the seventy-five passengers4 ,by #i ,p4 ,m4 all were in their beds4 ,a few men were disposed to trouble us1 because we did not allow them to enter4 ,i called for the night policeman1 and told him of four drunken men who were disposed to give us trouble1 and as the train was not going out until eleven o'clock ,i appealed to him for aid4 ,he assured me we should not receive further annoyance from them4 ,we arrived in ,chicago thirty minutes before the ,michigan train left for ,adrian4 ,i bought tickets for four omnibus loads1 but the drivers were determined to crowd them all into two4 ,as they were putting little folks from four to eight years old on the tops ,i ordered them down4 ,we are capable of taking care of these children1 madam1 said they2 you take that one4 ,so am ,i capable of taking care of them1 ,i replied1 and of you too2 ,i paid for four omnibuses and must have them4 ,they had their own sport over their countermanded orders4 ,we arrived at ,adrian ,june #ast1 and met the superintendent of the ,haviland ,home with teams for the women and children4 ,here my heavy burden fell off1 and ,i dropped into the home of my children to get the rest which ,i so much needed4 ,a few week's rest restored my health4 ,meanwhile ,i visited our ,state ,prison1 and one of the convicts1 ,thomas ,lean1 requested an interview with me1 which was granted by the officer4 ,he appealed to me to aid him in securing his pardon1 as he had served seven years of his term of fifteen4 ,he pleaded as earnestly in behalf of his wife and two little children as for himself4 ,i told him ,i would do what ,i could1 but as efforts had been made twice before1 ,i thought success quite doubtful4 ,i drafted a petition1 and secured a letter of recommendation from ,governor ,blair1 and a strong letter from ,judge ,ross ,wilkins1 who gave the sentence1 and from the prosecuting attorney who acted in behalf of the ,united ,states in his case1 and also secured fifty other names to the petition4 ,with six hundred dollars placed in my hands by ,mrs4 ,campbell and ,mrs4 ,pappineau1 committee who had charge of the funds of the ,freedmen's ,fair1 ,i left for ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 ,august #c;d4 ,at ,pittsburg ,i spent one night1 and on the following day visited the ,state ,prison at ,allegheny ,city4 ,the next morning ,i took the early train for ,baltimore1 and from thence to ,annapolis1 to learn the result of ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock's petition in behalf of fifteen convicts in the ,maryland ,penitentiary for aiding slaves to escape from bondage4 ,i found ten of those men had been pardoned1 but as four of them had used weapons in defending themselves1 and one had taken a span of horses which the friends engaged in their behalf deemed theft1 they were retained in prison4 ,i found another on the governor's record for the same offense4 ,i took the names of the six on my list1 as the governor thought they were as worthy of release as the others1 since the weapons were designed for self-defense1 and the horses were only used to take them to the river1 and were left to return to their owners4 ,i saw the names of the friends who co-operated with ,e4 ,l4 ,comstock on the petition1 and called on ,james ,bains1 who introduced me to ,judge ,bond4 ,the judge said he thought ,i was correct in my views as to the worthiness of the six men presented for his recommendation to the governor for clemency1 and that he would attend to it soon4 ,said the ,friend3 ,if thou feel'st easy to petition for their pardon ,i think thou hadst better remain with us until it is accomplished1 as they have such an amount of business on hand at this time4 ,the judge seemed to think himself distrusted1 and said3 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 ,i will attend to this within a week4 ,with this assurance ,i told the judge and the ,friend that ,i should feel easy to pursue my journey the first of the week4 ,from this office ,i was accompanied to the penitentiary and introduced to the warden1 who sent a guide to conduct me through the shops and granted me the privilege of addressing the sixty-eight female convicts4 ,a large majority of them were colored1 placed there by their former owners for trivial offenses1 the real cause being that of leaving them1 but ostensibly for stealing a dress1 a pair of shoes1 or a dollar or two1 etc4 ,one smart-looking octoroon girl of eighteen years was about to be whipped by her mistress1 but she had heard of the proclamation of emancipation and concluded that she had been whipped long enough1 and snatched the cowhide from the mistress and whipped her4 ,for this she was arrested1 had a sham trial1 and a sentence of nine years' imprisonment in the penitentiary4 ,one man told me that the mistress reported that the girl half killed her1 but he saw her riding out within four days after the whipping1 and she looked as well as usual4 ,i visited a very sick white woman in her cell1 to whom ,i read a portion of ,scripture1 and at her request led in prayer4 ,she said she was going to meet her ,judge1 in whom she trusted4 ,jesus hears the cry of a repentant sinner1 and she was confident4 ,the following day was the ,sabbath1 and ,i accompanied my friend to the penitentiary1 where he opened the ,sabbath-school and invited me to teach a class of thirty men4 ,there were nearly five hundred inmates in prison4 ,as we were leaving the yard a request from the warden reached me to conduct the funeral service of the woman ,i had visited4 ,she died within a few hours after ,i left4 ,three o'clock ,p4,m4 was the hour appointed4 ,i met them in their chapel1 that was well filled1 some ladies of the city being present4 ,many of the convicts were much affected4 ,they also manifested great interest at the meeting on the previous day4 ,on the following day ,i arrived at ,washington4 ,i found the ,white ,house perfectly besieged with pardon-seekers from ex-slave ,states4 ,i called on a number of the officials1 who said that the severity of ,thomas ,lean's sentence made the case look dark4 ,i told them of one who had robbed the mail of five thousand dollars and was pardoned in three years1 whose term was ten years4 ,but he had wealthy and influential friends to intercede for him1 while this man robbed the mail of forty-two dollars and had served over seven years of the fifteen1 and was poor4 ,besides1 his wife was in poor health1 and was supporting herself and two small children4 ,i was advised to take the letters1 with petition1 to ,postmaster-general ,dennison1 from whom ,i secured a recommendation for his pardon4 ,from thence ,i went to the capitol and secured the names of ,hon4 ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 ,member of ,congress1 ,senator ,z4 ,chandler1 and all other ,michigan members of both ,houses to my petition2 and through ,mr4 ,wade1 the ,president's house-keeper1 ,i secured an audience with the ,president1 who took my letters with the petition and said he would refer them to the ,attorney-general1 and do what seemed best in the case4 ,i then left him with his room crowded with ,southern pardon-seekers4 ,while in the ,postmaster-general's office the chief clerk said1 ,come into this1 office at nine ,a4,m41 next ,wednesday1 as ,i think that will be his pardoning day1 and you will learn the result4 ,i waited until eleven ,a4,m41 fearing for the worst4 ,as ,i opened the office-door the clerk threw up both hands1 crying1 ,your man is pardoned6 your man is pardoned6 ,come and see the notice in this morning's paper4 ,a hearty hand-shaking followed the good news4 ,i told him ,i did not know that he had taken such an interest in my cause4 ,he replied1 ,i have had an interest in this case from the first time you came into this office4 ,a few days after ,i received a note from the pardoned man conveying his tearful thanks4 ,here was another burden laid aside1 for which grateful thanks were tendered to the ,healer of broken hearts4 ,i received a permit from ,secretary ,stanton to trade at the government store1 where new goods were being sold at auction rates4 ,for five hundred dollars ,i purchased two thousand dollars' worth of supplies to disburse among the sick1 crippled1 and aged1 both colored and white4 ,there were many in ,washington and ,georgetown relieved from great suffering4 ,i learned of much suffering at ,harper's ,ferry1 and took four hundred dollars' worth to that point4 ,on my way ,i called at the ,baltimore penitentiary4 ,as ,i entered the warden's office he informed me that our men had been released ten days before1 except one1 who was going out within a week4 ,another burden left me4 ,these men were making efforts to free their families by flight1 and were caught and received long sentences1 according to the number in their families4 ,three men of the six had bought themselves1 and in their efforts to free their families received from ten to thirty years' sentence1 although two of these families were recovered by their owners4 ,they all looked like intelligent men4 ,i took an early train for ,harper's ,ferry4 ,in the seat opposite sat a ,presbyterian ,d4 ,d41 with his body-servant1 who was very attentive in bringing him his coffee1 books1 or roll of manuscript ,how far are you going on this road1 madam8 inquired our dignitary4 ,on informing him he inquired1 ,have you friends there8 ,i have1 ,i said1 but ,i never saw them4 ,they are the poorest of the poor1 the sick1 lame1 and blind1 of all classes1 black1 white1 red1 or yellow4 ,i draw no lines of demarcation4 ,well1 madam1 that is a noble work1 and ,god will bless you in it4 ,i am now on my way to ,vicksburg4 ,i preached in that city a number of years4 ,i own a plantation near that city1 and had forty slaves4 ,a little before ,vicksburg fell ,i moved with them to ,richmond1 ,virginia1 and when that city fell ,i set them free1 and they are now as free as myself4 ,madam1 ,i will tell you what your duty is4 ,it is to go to ,new ,york1 ,philadelphia1 and ,boston1 and gather up fifty thousand dollars1 and follow ,sherman's track through to the ,gulf4 ,you will find plenty of suffering to relieve among both white and black2 and you can do it4 ,those cities ,i have named are wealthy1 ,i have been there myself4 ,i spent a few months in ,new ,york1 and ,i know you can gather up that amount easy1 and it's your duty1 madam2 and ,god will bless you in it4 ,the consequential air be assumed would give one an impression that he1 at least1 considered himself1 inspired with power from on high4 ,he did not feel quite satisfied without repeating his command on our arrival at ,harper's ,ferry3 ,do as ,i have told you1 madam1 and ,god will bless you2 good by4 ,i found my goods had just arrived1 and the commander of the post kindly offered to store the bales of supplies and furnish an ambulance and driver whenever ,i desired4 ,my first inquiry was for a boarding place1 as the house where the colonel was boarding was full4 ,mrs4 ,johnson was about opening a boarding-house1 and ,i called on her for a few days' board4 ,where are you from8 ,from ,washington1 was my reply1 with supplies for the poor freedmen and whites who are in a suffering condition4 ,oh1 you are a ,bureau woman then4 ,we don't have nothin' to do with ,bureau folks4 ,i can't board you4 ,after being directed to two others1 who made like inquiries1 and received like replies1 ,i found ,i was going to have an all-day job on hand in feeling the public pulse at ,harper's ,ferry4 ,after making eight calls1 chatting a while at each place pleasantly1 for ,i would talk in no other way1 although ,i was told in nearly every place that no one in that town would disgrace himself by walking on the streets with a nigger teacher1 or speaking to one1 on my way to report my unsuccessful day's work to the colonel1 it being after sunset1 ,i found an army surgeon sitting on his front porch4 ,have you found no place for dinner8 he asked4 ,o no1 ,i said1 ,i have been amusing myself over ,confederate fever that ,i find runs too high for health in your town4 ,my mother-in-law is away1 he answered1 but my wife and ,i will give you our room to-night1 and we will see that you have supper at once4 ,at ,mrs4 ,bilson's 7the mother-in-law7 ,i remained during the week4 ,at the close of the week ,i attended a quarterly-meeting of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church4 ,when the minister invited all who loved the ,lord ,jesus to testify1 ,i1 with others1 accepted and took part4 ,at the close he came and inquired who ,i was4 ,i introduced myself as usual4 ,after reading my papers from the ,governor1 ,members of ,congress1 and a few ministers of ,michigan1 ,i received a number of invitations to their houses1 which gave me an opportunity to relate my first day's experience in their town4 ,they made a number of excuses4 ,among them was the fact that ,miss ,mann 7,horace ,mann's sister71 kept herself exclusively with the colored people4 ,she not only taught their school1 but boarded with them1 and made no calls on white people4 ,they acknowledged that those upon whom ,i had called were not in sympathy with the ,union4 ,here1 as in other places1 were those in extreme suffering1 both white and colored4 ,one blind man1 and an old white man and his wife1 were too sick to take care of each other4 ,one sick woman1 whose husband was in the army1 had no fire1 only as the little girl of three years old gathered old boots and shoes around an old camp with which to build it4 ,all of these cases were relieved4 ,one day it rained too hard to be out4 ,a little girl brought an umbrella with a request from her folks for me to call on them4 ,i went and met about a dozen men and women1 who wished to consult with me4 ,the troops were liable to be withdrawn4 ,if so1 their lives would not be safe an hour4 ,a few nights before a mob broke their windows and rushed into their grocery and took sacks of flour and meal1 pies1 cakes1 and crackers1 and strewed them over the street1 in front of their grocery1 and broke up their chairs and tables1 and swore that no nigger should have a business place on ,main ,street4 ,they threw stones and brickbats into their living rooms1 and the men1 women1 and children ran to the soldiers for protection1 with bleeding bruises that were bound up at the time of my call4 ,a sad picture they presented with their broken furniture and injured bodies4 ,what use is there in gathering more8 ,can you tell us what to do8 ,you see our lives are in danger as it is4 ,if the troops shall be withdrawn1 what shall we do8 ,there was a ,free-will ,baptist just arrived1 who proposed opening a mission school in that town1 and had just sent word that he wanted to meet them at their prayer-meeting4 ,of this ,i1 as well as they1 was glad to hear4 ,i met with them1 and was pleased with the ,christian spirit of this brother1 and the prospect of his school among them seemed like a silver lining in their dark cloud4 ,we learned of his success in opening and continuing that school1 which a few years after assumed the character of an academy4 ,the following day ,i took the train for ,washington1 and was accompanied to the depot by a number of the citizens1 who manifested very kindly feelings1 ,i was told by some to be sure to call on them if ,i ever visited their town again1 and they would see that a weeks or a months board should cost me nothing4 ,one man and his wife pointed to their brick house to which ,i could come1 and be more than welcome4 ,i left them1 and soon met kindred spirits in ,washington4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,home ,,mission ,,work4 ,there were many sick1 crippled1 aged1 and blind sufferers in ,washington to visit and relieve1 but the severest trial ,i endured was encountering the virus of disloyalty wherever ,i went4 ,women were more outspoken than men1 because they could dare be4 ,men were more subtle and appeared more pliant1 only to hoodwink government4 ,they said in secret1 ,we'll yet gain by the ballot1 with the help of ,northern sympathizers1 what we failed to accomplish with the bullet4 ,by order of ,president ,johnson the colored soldiers were every where discharged and withdrawn from forts and garrisons1 at the request of their former masters1 only to be left to their unrelenting hate4 ,one colored man returned to the plantation of his wife's master1 and asked him if he could take his wife and children to himself1 as he had means1 after two years of service to support them4 ,the only answer he received was the contents of a pistol1 that took his life instantly6 ,i heard of similar murders in this vicinity1 of which no notice was taken by the ,state authorities4 ,i visited a number of large schools in ,alexandria1 ,september #adth1 and was invited to address them4 ,two of these were kept in two of the largest slave-pens in the city4 ,alexandria was one of the greatest slave marts in ,virginia4 ,in the ,avery slave-pen there was a dungeon-like room1 designed for one standing1 with iron staples to which the wrists were locked1 and a sort of stocks for the feet1 when a stream of cold water was pumped over the nude form of the refractory slave1 from ten minutes to an hour or more1 according to the offense4 ,they told me they had known them taken down chilled to death4 ,it was said to be one of the most cruel punishments4 ,they showed me the stump of the whipping post1 where hundreds of writhing victims had suffered this kind of torture4 ,but it did seem as if the better day was coming1 to see a hundred and fifty-three black children here so eager to learn1 and to hear them read so well after only four months' schooling4 ,i met a woman on the street in deep mourning who was weeping4 ,i inquired the cause of her grief4 ,she said3 ,i have been to visit the grave of my only son4 ,his father died a few months ago1 and this darling son was my only child4 ,he died in the ,union army2 but what does all this terrible sacrifice amount to8 ,president ,johnson is giving strength to the rebels4 ,every rebel general has been pardoned1 and the vast amount of land restored to them is increasing their power4 ,you see1 wherever troops are withdrawn they commit murders1 and no notice is taken of it4 ,i feel as though my son's life and thousands of other precious lives have been sacrificed for nothing4 ,i could say but little to comfort that poor1 broken-hearted1 widowed1 childless mother4 ,i could only commend her to our ,heavenly ,father1 who alone can console the widow's aching heart4 ,on ,september #aeth ,i took a steamer for ,richmond1 ,virginia1 and arrived on the #afth at ,fredericksburg4 ,here were standing many chimneys1 showing us the waste places and burned houses in this small but quaint old city4 ,i called at the teachers' boarding-house1 kept by a good ,union family1 ,wm4 ,j4 ,jeffries4 ,mrs4 ,king accompanied me to the soldiers' hospital4 ,here1 as elsewhere1 the poor suffering soldier seemed rejoiced to see and hear the representative of their mothers4 ,after reading the ,scripture and prayer ,i left a number in tears4 ,here was the home of ,general ,washington's mother4 ,i visited the house1 and a feeling of solemnity came over me as we passed through her sitting room into the large bed-room1 where report said she died4 ,near by is her tomb4 ,the pedestal only stands erect1 but badly marred by the chisel in chipping off pieces1 by hundreds of visitors ,our teachers inquired if ,i would not like a chip from the tomb4 ,i told them that no chisel or hammer should be applied for me2 but ,i picked up a little piece at its base4 ,we had gone but few rods before a carriage drove to the tomb1 and the chisel and hammer were flaking off keepsakes for four men4 ,the long block of marble designed to have been placed on the pedestal lay near it half buried in the ground where it had lain nearly or quite a century4 ,after inspecting the rebel earth-works and rifle-pits1 ,i visited ,miss ,strausburg's school of #aha poor white children1 quite unlike any colored school ,i had visited any where1 as to order4 ,they commenced to sneer at me the moment ,i entered1 but their teacher invited me to speak to the school1 and they became at once quiet and respectful4 ,little ,james ,stone asked permission to sing for me1 and he sang a religious hymn in which nearly all the school joined4 ,to my surprise they sang the ,red1 ,white and ,blue and ,the ,soldier's ,farewell to his ,mother1 for which ,i thanked them4 ,in passing along the street after the school was dismissed1 many of the children came out with their mothers1 pointing toward me4 ,at two places ,i halted to speak to them and their mothers1 which pleased them very much4 ,the next day ,i visited a few ,union families1 who gave some interesting facts concerning their trials4 ,i left two dollars with one sick woman1 who wept as ,i left her4 ,i called at ,major ,johnson's headquarters4 ,he was very anxious to send on an orphan baby one year old to ,camp ,lee orphanage1 in ,richmond4 ,he gave me a paper that would secure its admission4 ,on arriving at ,richmond ,i left my charge at the orphanage4 ,as no name was on the paper1 or was given to me with the child1 the matron1 ,mrs4 ,gibbons1 named him ,haviland ,gibbons4 ,i visited the orphanage a number of times4 ,the matron said the little fellow learned his name very readily4 ,here was a pair of twin boys1 about two years old1 very black and smart4 ,as they quarreled so much of the time1 ,judge ,fitzhugh proposed to name them ,abe and ,jeff1 after the two ,presidents4 ,though a strong ,confederate1 he said they were smarter than any white children he ever saw1 and to prove his position he called them out to dance1 as he had taught them to step the figure4 ,he sang for them1 and they danced to his music4 ,there1 ,i'll venture to say1 he said1 you never saw two white children of their age do that4 ,i tell you the negro race is naturally smarter than the ,anglo-,saxon4 ,i told him ,i was surprised at this remark1 when he had told me a few minutes before that the negroes would soon die out1 because they could not take care of themselves4 ,that is true1 he rejoined1 and ,i have written a book in which ,i take the same position1 and can prove it4 ,they will do more work than white people can1 but they lack calculation2 hence the necessity of their being under the supervision of the whites4 ,we have the planning faculty1 and they have the ability to do the work4 ,there is therefore a necessity for both races to work together to be a successful people4 ,i repeat what ,i told you before1 that we never shall prosper separated4 ,the power of governing must remain with the ,anglo-,saxon race1 and ,god has so designed4 ,the ,yankees have made a sad mistake in freeing the slave1 for in time they will become extinct2 but ,god will never suffer this state of things to remain1 and you will see the ,south in power in two years1 and the ,north minus the power she now wields4 ,i cited him to black men in ,canada1 who had escaped from slavery and who had acquired wealth1 and to one of the wealthiest livery men in their own city4 ,i also referred to a shoemaker who had been free but a few months4 ,his credit was sufficient to purchase ten dollars' worth of stock1 which he made up and sold1 paying for his stock2 he then made another purchase and was hard at work to purchase a little home4 ,his wife was washing and house-cleaning1 with the same object in view4 ,they told me they allowed themselves meat but once a week1 and lived on corn-bread1 mush1 and molasses1 and that they intended to live and work in this way until they should succeed4 ,does not this look like calculation8 ,i asked4 ,i admit1 he said1 there are isolated cases1 but it is not the rule4 ,he gave me his book to read1 entitled ,sociology of the ,south1 by ,j4 ,fitzhugh1 ,att'y4 ,i found it a perfect bundle of inconsistencies4 ,he goes into a labored argument against free-labor1 free-schools1 free-press and free-speech1 as destructive to a prosperous people4 ,he claimed to be a cousin of ,gerrit ,smith's wife1 and said that they were crazy over slavery4 ,he also claimed that ,president ,johnson was doing all he could for them1 and that through him they were going to have their rights restored4 ,he knew of men who had gathered half a bushel of ,confederate money1 and said they should keep it until it would be worth as much as greenbacks4 ,he also knew men who had bills of sale of negroes1 a foot deep1 that they were keeping to recover their slaves1 or pay for them2 and he was confident that it would be accomplished within two years4 ,this ,i found to be a very general feeling among the most prominent ,confederates4 ,on ,september #bjth ,i visited a number of sick that ,i supplied with bedding and clothing4 ,i walked six miles that day1 and then went to the office of the ,freedmen's ,bureau1 where ,i was furnished with an ambulance and driver to take things to the sufferers ,i had visited4 ,after spending several days in this work1 visiting schools and giving attention to many sufferers1 ,i returned1 weary in body but restful in mind1 and thankful that the friends of humanity had made me the almoner of their gifts4 ,on ,october #b;d ,i spent some time in ,libby ,prison4 ,my sanitary goods were stored in one apartment of it4 ,the prisoners were under guards1 and were permitted to assist me in opening1 closing1 and moving barrels and boxes1 a portion of which ,i prepared to take to ,ashland4 ,one of the keepers took me to the long1 deep tunnel which the ,union prisoners had dug under the building to escape from their terrible sufferings4 ,to look at the great risk they were running in their fruitless effort to escape1 speaks loudly of the desperation to which they were driven4 ,my guide gave me a few of the hand-cuffs that our officers removed from some of the emaciated prisoners when ,richmond was taken4 ,the doors of ,castle ,thunder and ,libby were opened1 and the hand-cuffs were placed on their cruel keepers1 who had made a boast of killing as many ,yankees in these prisons as their troops were killing in battle4 ,i went out some distance1 ,october #c;d1 to an old camp1 where a school was organized in an old slave-pen4 ,here was the stump of the whipping-post cut even with the ground4 ,i was shown where stood the auction-block4 ,as ,i listened to a history of cruelties inflicted here ,i did not wonder that our nation was compelled to pass through this baptism of blood4 ,pointing to a large plantation in sight1 said one3 ,there lives my old master1 who said in the beginning of this war1 ',before my children shall ever be disgraced with work ,i will wade in blood to the horse's bridle4' ,he did fight hard as long as the war lasted4 ,but last week he told his two sons that they must go to work or die4 ,he came into my shoe-shop the other day with his feet almost bare1 and ,i took the best pair of boots ,i had and gave them to him4 ,i know he thought of old days1 for ,i did4 ,after talking to the children at school ,i visited the aged and sick4 ,anthony ,wilson1 very aged1 said1 ,dun kno' how ole ,i is4 ,white folks say ,i's more'n eighty4 ,had heaps o' ups an' downs2 good many more downs dan ups2 my big family all tore to pieces two times4 ,i gave him a whole suit of clothes4 ,bress de good ,lo'd1 he exclaimed1 dis is de best suit ,i eber had2 dis ,i reckon is my freedom suit4 ,mary ,brackson1 also very old1 had two little grandchildren with her4 ,their mother was sold down the river when the youngest was a year old4 ,her life had been a sad one4 ,she was crippled with rheumatism1 and her arm had been broken by an overseer's club4 ,i gave her a bed-tick1 quilt1 blanket1 and a few clothes for herself and grandchildren4 ,then ,i visited and relieved four other families1 to whom ,i gave advice1 and with the most ,i read and offered prayer1 which always seemed to be a great comfort to them4 ,two days after ,i took a train with supplies for ,ashland4 ,i arrived in the afternoon and met an excellent ,union family1 formerly from ,england1 ,judge ,james1 whose house was battered on each side with bullets and shells in the severe battle fought at that place4 ,this town1 the home of some strong political men1 seemed dilapidated and forsaken4 ,judge ,james's wife and daughter were noble women1 and ,i found a very pleasant home in this family4 ,they directed me to the most suffering families and individuals4 ,my first call was on ,charlotte ,boles1 whose reply to the query for her age was1 ,i dun kno'2 missus 'specks ,i's eighty1 large odd4 ,she had served three generations4 ,i's had so many children1 she said1 ,i can't tell till ,i call de names3 ,pomp1 ,jim1 ,tom1 ,sol1 ,sue1 ,dick1 an' ,dilcy2 den some babies ,i's got in heaven4 ,i seed heap o' trouble in my time4 ,i nursed at de breas' eleven of my firs' massar's chillen1 ,isaac ,wiston1 and six of his gran'-chillen4 ,i dress 'em firs'1 an' some on 'em for de grave4 ,my secon' massar1 ,william ,winfield1 ,jun41 da have six chillen1 an' ,i dress 'em all firs'1 and most all at las' for de grave4 ,o my ,god1 ,i can neber1 neber tell de trouble ,i's had4 ,o how hard ,i prayed for freedom1 an' de ,lord come at las'4 ,i's praise his name4 ,de one dat ,i nurst when a babie ordered me whipped 'case ,i cried so much when da sole my chillen down de riber4 ,but ,i hear dat de war free five of my chillen1 an' ,i's prayin' ,god to sen' 'em to poor me4 ,notwithstanding her great age her mind was unusually clear1 and the frequent starting tear manifested strong maternal affection4 ,there was not a house1 yard1 or grove but bore the mark of shell or bullet4 ,an exciting scene passed before us ,october #aeth4 ,young ,mrs4 ,pollard1 daughter of my host1 who had became the wife of the noted ,confederate editor of the most rabid paper in ,richmond1 had been forbidden to visit or even to correspond with her parents4 ,her husband said if she should attempt it1 it would be at her peril4 ,she found him to be inconstant1 as he had become the paramour of a ,cyprian in ,new ,york city1 where he spent several weeks writing a book on the bravery of ,confederate soldiers4 ,when she discovered these facts1 with her heart full of grief1 she told him the reports she had heard of his inconstancy4 ,he acknowledged all1 and entreated her pardon4 ,but he soon became as cruel as ever4 ,during his absence in ,new ,york she took her son of less than two years and came to her father's house1 a poor1 heart broken woman4 ,a divorce was immediately sued for1 and she received a summons to appear in court in ,richmond4 ,although her father was there to receive her1 she feared ,mr4 ,pollard would take her life1 also her father's1 at their parting4 ,she threw her arms around her mother's neck and wept upon her shoulders2 then1 sobbing1 said1 as she rested her head upon my shoulders3 ,mrs4 ,haviland1 you won't leave me after our arrival in ,richmond until ,i am with my father1 will you8 ,with an assurance that ,i would remain at her side until her father took her under his protection1 she left her babe with her mother and we departed for ,richmond4 ,we met her father1 with whom ,i felt she would be safe4 ,i find these extremes of love and hate more prevalent in the ,south than in the ,north4 ,on the #ahth of ,october1 after visiting fifteen suffering families1 ,i called at the office for an ambulance and driver to go to ,libby ,prison for supplies4 ,these were obtained and distributed1 and such gratitude from the recipients ,i never found elsewhere4 ,same of them wept aloud4 ,a number of the women kissed my hands as ,i left them1 and the hearty ,god bless you1 honey1 was an everyday blessing from these poor-crushed spirits4 ,one of our officers came to me with the urgent request of two women1 living in a large brick house1 to see me4 ,i obeyed the summons at once4 ,as ,i rang the door-bell1 a genteelly dressed lady in black satin met me at the door4 ,i inquired if there were two ladies here who had sent for me8 ,she replied in the affirmative4 ,by this time the other lady appeared in the hall1 also dressed in rich silk4 ,what are your greatest needs1 ,i asked1 that will come within my power to supply8 ,we want money1 madam1 they said1 and must have it4 ,are any of your family sick8 ,no1 madam1 but money we must have4 ,will rations answer your purpose8 ,no1 madam1 we want no such thing2 we want money1 and must have it4 ,i told them ,i had no money to disburse1 and only supplied food and clothing to those who were suffering from greatest destitution1 and left them without being invited inside their house4 ,i saw at once they were most accustomed to the imperative mood4 ,the captain came to me a few days after and inquired if ,i found it in the way of my duty to relieve the wants of those two ladies8 ,i told him ,i asked them a few questions and did not think it worth the money demanded4 ,he said they had sent for him1 and a number of other officers1 making the same demand1 and as they had not succeeded they sent for me1 and he was not disappointed at the result4 ,as ,i was passing their news depot1 ,i saw blazoned in red letters1 ,no ,new ,nation sold here ,i stepped in and inquired for their best paper4 ,the ,examiner was handed me1 edited by ,pollard1 the whilom son-in-law of ,judge ,james1 one of the most rabid ,confederate sheets in ,richmond4 ,i inquired where the ,new ,nation was sold4 ,they said nowhere1 unless a few niggers might be found selling it on1 the street4 ,one of them poured forth a long catalogue of epithets3 ,arrant liar1 reckless villain1 and finally a crazy scamp4 ,as ,i was passing the street one day1 and saw ,new ,nation1 ,i thought ,i would call on the insane editor1 ,mr4 ,hunnicutt4 ,i ascended to the third story1 where ,i found the busy editor and his son4 ,they were surprised to see a lady of sufficient moral courage to call on them4 ,the editor exhibited a pile of anonymous letters1 threatening his life4 ,he was an outspoken ,union man1 and had received over one hundred of these nameless letters within three months4 ,he was a native of ,virginia1 and said3 ,the ,union of the ,states is a fixed fact1 and ,i will advocate it squarely1 though it cost me my life1 but ,union principles must and will prevail4 ,i left a dollar for a subscription to the ,new ,nation for six months4 ,as ,i was about to leave1 said he1 with tearful eye3 ,a select few in this city meet once a week for a prayer-meeting1 but ,i can not attend it in the evening1 as it is unsafe for me to be out after dark4 ,i told him ,i had received a secret invitation1 and had attended each meeting since my first knowledge of this praying band4 ,i told him it was one of the most solemn meetings ,i had ever attended4 ,as in the days of the apostles1 we met in an upper room at the hour of prayer1 where ,i had heard the editor of the ,new ,nation remembered4 ,i know1 he said1 that ,i have friends in this city1 and some ,i know are secretly friends for fear of this bitter spirit that reigns to a fearful extent4 ,don't forget to pray for me and my family4 ,i dare not bring my wife and daughter to this city4 ,my work kept me here many days4 ,november #beth ,i spent mostly at the sanitary rooms in ,libby ,prison1 with ,miss ,morris1 a ,french lady1 who served as a spy for the ,union generals4 ,report had it that she was writing a book of her exploits4 ,a soldier told me he saw her a prisoner in ,southern hands before the fall of ,new ,orleans4 ,but she managed to make her escape from that city1 and in disguise revisited it1 and reported to our generals4 ,she could speak ,french and ,german better than our own language4 ,she often disguised herself most effectually4 ,her ,french politeness would have been quite annoying to me had it not been for the faithful assistance she rendered in seeking out the sick and dying1 not hesitating to enter filthy alleys1 dark1 cold cellars1 or with me to climb rickety flights of stairs into dark attics4 ,i have found in almost every place one or more ,christian women who kindly offered to assist me1 but few would dare visit those filthy places1 fearing contagious diseases4 ,having had the small pox1 and all other common contagious diseases1 with my very plain habits of living1 ,i dared to visit the sick and dying in any of these loathsome places1 many of which ,i found in ,richmond4 ,the next day1 being ,sunday1 was spent as usual in attending ,sabbath-schools4 ,i spoke in two of them1 and in one meeting4 ,at night ,i was at ,camp ,lee ,orphanage with ,annie ,gibbons1 the matron1 who had an interesting group of little folks4 ,as they gathered around the table1 at the tap of the bell1 with clasped hands and closed eyes1 they repeated the verse3 ,lord1 teach a little child to pray1 ,thy grace to me impart1 etc4 ,i met a colored man from ,raleigh1 ,north ,carolina1 who gave a few items of ,andrew ,johnson's early history1 in regard to his apprenticeship in tailoring4 ,if there was a dance within reach1 black or white1 it was all the same to ,andy1--he was sure to be there4 ,his boss1 ,mr4 ,selby1 lectured him about his late hours1 and to evade these lectures he often turned in with ,handy ,luckett1 a steady old slave man1 whose bed was in the loft of ,j4 ,o4 ,rork's carriage house4 ,at a shoe-shop1 ,i met ,john ,blevins1 a noble appearing ,john ,brown sort of man whose sentence was forty years in the ,virginia ,penitentiary in ,richmond4 ,his crime was1 aiding slaves to their ,god-given rights4 ,he had served sixteen years when ,richmond was taken4 ,the ,union soldiers opened the prison door1 and ,john ,blevins1 with four hundred other prisoners1 walked out free men4 ,his intelligence speaks of better days4 ,he is sixty years of age1 and hard treatment had added ten years to his appearance4 ,during the first few years of his prison life he could tell when a master had lost his slaves1 as they would then place him in the dungeon1 where he was kept for weeks at a time1 to compel him to give the names of other abolitionists1 but they never succeeded4 ,he was at this time teaching a colored school4 ,out of school-hours1 he worked in the shoe-shop1 and was trying to make enough to purchase for himself a suit of clothes1 when he designed returning to his home in ,philadelphia4 ,he had just heard from a family that he assisted to their liberty1 some of whom had become quite wealthy1 and were trying to find him4 ,he had written to them and was expecting to receive assistance4 ,whenever he went out on the streets he was annoyed by half-grown boys hooting after him1 ,old ,john ,brown1 nigger thief4 ,at the time he was arrested1 they took all of his money1 amounting to five hundred and fifty seven dollars4 ,i visited a ,baptist ,sabbath-school where three thousand members were enrolled4 ,over one thousand five hundred were present4 ,they were addressed by ,professor ,johnson1 who introduced and invited me to address the school4 ,they very cautiously discussed the coming holidays1 as they had never held one there on their own account4 ,they decided to observe ,thanksgiving1 ,christmas1 and celebrate the ,proclamation of ,freedom on ,new ,year's day4 ,their minister advised his people to be very careful in word and deed1 so as not to give the least occasion for misconstruing their motives4 ,some of the white people said it ought not to be allowed4 ,they feared an uprising1 but our soldiers said they should have the privilege4 ,i visited ,howard ,grove ,hospital1 under the charge of ,miss ,marcia ,colton1 matron4 ,she was a missionary among the ,choctaw ,indians nine years1 and was a noble1 self-sacrificing woman4 ,the surgeon of the hospital was ,d4 ,r4 ,browery4 ,i found a little boy of about eight years1 whose mother he said was done dead4 ,he knew nothing of his father4 ,i took him to ,camp ,lee ,orphanage4 ,here and there ,i find kindred spirits1 but none more devoted to the cause of ,christ than sister ,marcia ,colton4 ,she gave herself entirely to the advancement of his cause during nine years of labor among the poor1 despised ,indians4 ,during the terrible conflicts of the war she unreservedly gave herself to the suffering and dying soldier1 and she said that when1 no longer called for in that field her life was just as cheerfully given to uplifting the lowly among the freed slaves of the ,south4 ,on visiting the ,state ,penitentiary1 the keeper hesitated about allowing me admittance4 ,said he3 ,i am afraid you'll give a bad report of us1 as did ,miss ,dix1 who gave us a bad name1 and ,i thought of her as you entered my office4 ,you look like her1 and ,i am afraid of you4 ,you know we don't have our prisons like yours of the ,north1 like grand palaces1 with flower-yards2 and ,i reckon ,i had better not let you in4 ,i told him ,i perceived they were rebuilding the part burned awhile ago1 and would make due allowance for bad house-keeping4 ,well1 if you'll do that1 ,i reckon ,i'll have to risk you1 for you'll see we are whitewashing the old cells and other parts of the prison1 and then you must make allowance for its age4 ,it was built in #ahjj1 and is the first penitentiary in the world1 and you ,northerners have had all these sixty-five years to improve in1 and then your gardens about your prisons are all so grand that ,i am a little afraid of your report4 ,but1 steward1 you may take her through1 and well see what she'll do for us4 ,i discovered a contrast1 it is true4 ,but1 as in other places in the ,south1 they seem a century behind the times4 ,i found here1 as in our ,state prisons1 a majority of the convicts were left orphans in childhood4 ,the number of inmates was at that time two hundred and twenty-four4 ,i called on the general in command to inquire for ,oliver ,williams1 whose wife requested me to see if ,i could find him4 ,she was in ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 and had not heard from him for a long while4 ,i found he had been sentenced to three months imprisonment to hard labor1 with ball and chain1 but the time had now expired4 ,the general referred me to ,fortress ,monroe1 as the military prisoners had been removed to that prison4 ,he advised me to call on ,governor ,pierpont1 who gave the same reference1 and gave me some interesting items concerning this ,state4 ,he said that1 but for slavery1 ,virginia would have been one of the richest ,states in the ,union in mines4 ,colored men were then making a dollar a day in gathering gold dust without the facilities of enterprising men with capital4 ,there were also silver1 copper1 nickel1 and a fine quality of kaolin or porcelain clay4 ,he exhibited a specimen of each metal1 and two bowls made of the native kaolin1 a very fine material4 ,to show the absorbing interest in slave-dealing he gave the figures of income1 as shown during the discussions in their ,state ,convention in #ahfa4 ,the ,metropolitan ,press reported that the income from slaves for the last twenty years amounted to twenty millions of dollars annually1 and from all other products eight million dollars annually4 ,this ,governor ,pierpont believed to be a true estimate4 ,i called at ,sarah ,e4 ,smiley's ,teachers' ,home4 ,here ,i found ,rachel ,snell1 daughter of ,richard ,snell of ,lockport1 ,new ,york1 my old childhood home4 ,with this group of kindred spirits ,i spent a refreshing season during a hard rain4 ,new ,year's ,day1 #ahff1 was long dreaded by a large majority of the white citizens of ,richmond4 ,great excitement prevailed over its celebration by the colored people4 ,soldiers were seen in every direction4 ,a few companies of colored men went on the common to organize for the day's procession4 ,the citizens were excited over that1 and said they were preparing for insurrection4 ,they had permission from the governor to form in front of the ,state ,house4 ,in the park were rustic seats of ancient style1 chipped off and notched here and there1 yet a colored person had never been allowed inside unless as the body servant of his master4 ,but now their banners of various devices were floating1 interspersed with ,united ,states flags4 ,each society had its motto1 such as1 ,peace1 ,liberty1 and ,freedom with all ,mankind2 ,union1 ,liberty's ,protecting ,society2 ,peace1 ,good ,will to all ,mankind2 ,in ,union there is ,strength2 ,in ,god we ,trust4 ,on a blue satin banner were initials of a ,benevolent ,protective ,association4 ,the religious exercises were opened in the morning by reading the eighth chapter of ,deuteronomy and singing an appropriate hymn4 ,the text of the minister's discourse was a part of the second verse1 ,and thou shalt remember all the way which the ,lord thy ,god led thee forty years in the wilderness4 ,the minister could read quite well1 though his life had been spent in slavery4 ,he presented the past and present prospects of his people in a clear and affecting manner1 and the necessity of remembering the past1 to be fully prepared to praise ,god for the precious boon of freedom he had bestowed upon their race4 ,there were four very large congregations opened this morning in a similar manner1 and songs of praise were heard from the marching multitudes wending their way to the ,state ,house ,park4 ,there was shooting from a hotel window4 ,two of the suspected men were taken to ,libby ,prison4 ,with the soldiers on the alert1 and an increased force of policemen1 they had no further trouble4 ,at the meeting of fifteen thousand or more in the park good order prevailed4 ,i passed along through the moving masses1 a silent listener to many outburstings of joy1 contrasting with past sorrows--a great change indeed4 ,editor ,hunnicutt1 of the ,new ,nation1 was called upon to make a speech1 and he exhorted them to cultivate industry1 honesty1 and virtue4 ,he was followed by a number of others4 ,at three o'clock the crowds began to disperse1 so as to reach their homes before nightfall4 ,it is passing strange why the white people here were so much excited over this celebration4 ,there were two colored ,baptist ,churches burned two nights before1 and on the night previous threats were made that all who took part ,in the celebration would lose their places of business4 ,the ,episcopalian rector came after ten ,p4 ,m4 the same night to advise the two teachers1 ,mrs4 ,starky and ,miss ,hicks1 to continue their school1 and persuade the scholars to remain1 and take no part in it themselves whatever1 as the white people said this rejoicing was over the fall of ,richmond and the downfall of the ,confederacy4 ,this idea was dwelt upon to such an extent that the ,committee of ,arrangements printed circulars and scattered through town during the week previous1 stating their object in full1 that it was only to celebrate the day that ,god gave freedom to their race1 and nothing more4 ,but insurrection1 uprising among the negroes1 had been household words since the days of ,nat ,turner4 ,the rebel flag was carried past ,sarah ,e4 ,smiley's ,mission ,home for ,teachers twice that day4 ,had the fact been reported at head-quarters1 the bearers would have found themselves in the military prison4 ,as the army was being disbanded1 and rations curtailed1 and the suffering for want of them equaled that for clothing1 ,i was informed by the general in command that there were more calls for rations by white than the colored people since the fall of ,richmond4 ,said he3 ,i will mention a few to show the importance of investigation4 ,daniel ,lacy had nine houses and servants and applied for and drew rations for his whole family4 ,john ,kimbo had servants out at work and drew rations for all his family1 and had a number of houses4 ,mrs4 ,mary ,ann ,moseby had a grocery store well supplied1 and drew rations and sold them4 ,mrs4 ,elizabeth ,hunt also kept a full grocery1 and drew rations to sell4 ,mrs4 ,sophia ,coach1 whose husband was a plasterer1 drew rations4 ,mrs4 ,miller represented herself as a widow1 and drew rations all the season1 but ,i found out that she had a husband at home all this time4 ,mrs4 ,houston had a husband1 but represented herself a widow1 and drew rations and wood1 as did all the others4 ,the whole of two blocks drew rations1 and most of them wood4 ,joseph ,mayo1 who is mayor of the city1 and was when it fell into ,union hands1 drew rations1 and owns a number of houses1 and has servants4 ,ten years ago his slave ,margaret's babe died with the croup1 and he charged her with choking it to death1 and had her hung on the scaffold after being whipped almost to death4 ,he sent one of his slave women to the penitentiary six months ago1 for a trivial offense4 ,i heard by one of her friends1 that she said it was a relief1 for she was treated better there than at her master's4 ,she is so rejoiced to learn that when she comes out she will be a free woman1 and never again be compelled to serve that cruel master4 ,but what contrasts we find here in both races6 ,i have never found as much lying1 misrepresentation1 and cheating1 among the negroes as among the white people1 in my experience in this four years of war4 ,our records show more rations1 wood1 and coal issued to the whites than to the blacks in the ,state of ,virginia4 ,i was careful to take down these items1 in writing1 as he gave them1 in his office4 ,o1 what changes1 what reverses1 were here experienced4 ,a4 ,r4 ,brooks1 who bought himself fourteen years ago1 was now a wealthy man1 owned ten horses1 and six fine hacks and carriages1 and his former master1 by the fall of the ,confederate government1 was reduced almost to beggary4 ,a few months ago he sold his plantation of three thousand acres for ,confederate money1 and is now penniless4 ,last ,february his wife died1 and his former slave1 ,a4 ,r4 ,brooks1 bore the entire expense of her burial4 ,he said he praised the ,lord for giving him the ability to do it4 ,but how greatly was that wealthy planter1 ,henry ,a4 ,winfy1 now changed in his prospects1 when1 a few months before1 he considered himself the owner of three thousand acres1 well stocked with slaves to work it4 ,with every day come new scenes1 and yet such a similarity2 investigating1 relieving1 reading ,scriptures1 advising1 and often by the cot of the sick and dying4 ,i often felt myself a stranger in a strange land1 and yet ,i was never alone4 ,although1 boisterous waves dashed around me1 yet the dear ,savior was near at hand4 ,i learned of much suffering on the ,peninsula1 and decided to take the rest of my supplies down the ,james ,river to ,williamsburg4 ,while arranging my packages for leaving ,libby1 a multitude of people were thronging the street near the prison4 ,i inquired for the cause of this excitement1 and was informed that a ,union soldier was about to be executed for murdering a man for his money1 horse1 and buggy4 ,as he was led out of prison upon the scaffold ,i hurried away1 trembling with the terrible thought that a young life was about to be taken4 ,as it was impossible for me to speak to him ,i hastened to escape the sound of the drop1 but did not succeed4 ,the horrors of war no pen can describe1 no tongue can utter1 no pencil can paint4 ,the demoralizing influence over the soldier is dreadful4 ,no doubt desertion was this fellow's aim1 and1 to serve his purpose1 he fell into this strong temptation and crime4 ,desertion cost the life of one whom ,i saw in ,mississippi sitting on a white-pine coffin and followed by his armed comrades1 who were soon to take his life4 ,it was then as now1 too late to speak a word to that soldier-boy4 ,and ,i hastened to outdistance the report of the guns that took his life4 ,but ,i failed1 as in the present sad event4 ,i called on a number of friends and co-laborers in ,richmond2 for here1 as in every place1 ,i have found kindred spirits4 ,i spent the night with dear sisters in ,christ1 who labored in his vineyard to uplift the lowly4 ,scripture reading and prayer closed this eventful day4 ,on ,march #c;d1 at six o'clock ,a4 ,m41 ,i left ,richmond and took the steamer ,martin at the ,rockets1 followed by my friend1 ,mrs4 ,morris1 with a basket of fresh cakes1 apples1 oranges1 and a bottle of wine4 ,i asked her to excuse me for objecting to the bottle of wine1 as ,i never drank it4 ,o1 indeed1 you must take it2 your royal highness may be ill1 and you may find it quite proper to take a little wine for your 'stomach's sake4' ,don't1 my dear madam1 refuse your most humble servant the privilege of presenting this basket and its contents1 wine and all1 to my royal madam4 ,and ,i saw by the starting tear that she would feel quite hurt if ,i refused her1 and accepted her gift4 ,as we steamed down the river ,i saw many little hillocks where were buried the fallen soldiers who left their northern homes with high hopes of saving the nation's life from the hand of treason4 ,here they fell long before ,richmond was taken4 ,we passed ,burmuda ,hundred and ,city ,point1 upon which stood ,general ,grant's headquarters4 ,next came ,harrison's ,landing1 near ,president ,harrison's birth-place1 an ancient appearing building situated upon a high bluff4 ,at ,wilson's ,landing and ,clarmount ,landing there was a high bank1 upon which lived one of the wealthiest men in the ,state of ,virginia1 ,william ,allen1 who adopted the name of his father-in-law for the sake of his immense wealth4 ,william ,allen1 sen41 had no son1 but an only daughter1 and he offered his entire estate to any young man whom his daughter might be pleased to accept1 if he would assume his name2 he cared not how poor he might be1 if he was only respectable4 ,the daughter had many suitors1 but at length a young man won this bride and adopted the whole name--,william ,allen4 ,at the death of the father-in-law he came into possession of thirteen plantations and over four thousand slaves4 ,all these plantations were managed by overseers4 ,one man told me he had seen him take a keg of gold and silver coins down to the sand-bank1 with a company of his comrades1 on a holiday spree1 and when they were all thoroughly drunk he would take up a handful of gold and silver pieces1 throw them in the sand1 and tell them to scramble1 and he that got the most was the best fellow4 ,he1 with the rest1 scrambled1 as he called it4 ,william ,allen declared that the ,yankees had robbed him of fifty thousand dollars worth of negroes under ten years of age1 and more than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars' worth of slaves above that age4 ,at twelve o'clock we landed at ,jamestown4 ,in this old1 dilapidated place were yet standing brick walls of three old buildings open to the birds and the bats4 ,the brick of these half-torn down buildings were transported from ,england more than two hundred years ago4 ,i saw a piece of a marble slab from the graveyard dated #afbf1 broken in pieces by soldiers for relics4 ,we were soon met by the ambulance-driver1 and he took us through a nice field of wheat owned by ,william ,allen1 just referred to1 who was one of our passengers to the ancient city of ,williamsburg4 ,here was a large insane asylum1 built of imported bricks from ,england1 with a marble front1 erected1 by ,lord ,bottetourt1 governor of the colony4 ,it was founded in #afhh4 ,the tower was ninety-six feet high1 and the number of inmates one hundred and one1 forty-two of whom were colored4 ,robert ,m4 ,garrett was the physician and superintendent4 ,this is the oldest institution of the kind in the ,union4 ,in the front yard of this asylum stands1 in life-size1 the statue of ,lord ,bottetourt4 ,as we were passing through the apartments we listened to a very sweet voice singing a hymn4 ,said my guide1 ,mr4 ,scott is singing for you4 ,he is ,general ,winfield ,scott's nephew4 ,he bet both of his plantations that the ,confederates would succeed in this war1 and when ,richmond fell he became insane and was brought here two weeks ago4 ,i was shown an old brick church in which was a colored school of one hundred and ninety-six scholars1 taught by ,miss ,barton1 of ,connecticut1 and a gentleman from ,michigan4 ,here ,i found myself at home at once4 ,there were here1 previous to the late war1 two institutions of learning--the ,william and ,mary ,college at one end of the main street1 and at the other1 three and a quarter miles distant1 the female seminary4 ,the college was burned in the war of #aggf1 again in the war of #ahab1 and1 for the third time1 a few months before ,i was there4 ,there was no school now in the female seminary1 and it looked as if waiting for repairs4 ,here is the old ivy-bound church in which ,george ,washington was married4 ,the bricks of this building were also brought from ,england4 ,this town was the capital of tins ,state previous to its removal to ,richmond4 ,i walked nearly two miles to ,fort ,magruder1 where ,i found a colored school of one hundred and fifty-eight members1 taught by ,maggie ,thorpe and ,martha ,haines1 of ,new ,york1 under the auspices of the ,society of ,friends4 ,to accommodate men and women who could not leave their work during the day they opened a night school1 and had fifty of that class4 ,half of these did not know their letters when their school opened in ,february1 and could then read quite fluently in the second and third readers4 ,a few miles further there was another school of thirty scholars who had made commendable progress4 ,the teachers informed me that there were many very old people on the oldest plantation near ,king's ,mill1 who needed help4 ,i was furnished with an ambulance1 in which ,i took a bale of bedding and clothing1 and went from cabin to cabin to visit twenty-seven aged people1 from sixty to a hundred and five years of age4 ,after learning their most urgent needs1 ,i selected supplies for each4 ,when ,i expressed my surprise at seeing the old plantation with such a grove of woods1 ,uncle ,bob ,jones1 the oldest of them all1 said3 ,missus1 all dat woods on dat side ,i helped clar off when firs' woods was thar1 beech1 maple an' linn wood1 only now an' agin a pine4 ,den we work it till it wore out1 an' wouldn't noffin grow on it1 an' we lef it to grow up to dose pines you see4 ,is this possible8 ,i said4 ,i saw men chopping sawmill logs as ,i came through that wood4 ,yes1 missus1 he answered2 shure's you are bo'n1 my sweat lies dar under dem big tree roots4 ,my ,milla an' me was married when we's chillen1 an' we's had a good many chillen1 but de ,lo'd knows whar da's gone to2 da sole down de riber1 many1 many year ago4 ,but we prayed to ,lo'd ,jesus to take keer on 'em all dese years1 an' we'll go home to glory soon4 ,in answer to my query as to his age1 he said3 ,massa ,moses' book say ,i's a hundred an' five1 an' my ,milla's a hundred an' three4 ,i might slip count a year or two1 but ,i reckon not4 ,i never before met one couple living to this advanced age4 ,i gave them the best new quilt ,i had1 made by a class of ,sabbath-school girls1 from eight to fifteen years of age1 in ,wayne ,county1 ,michigan4 ,the names of the little girls were written on the blocks they pieced4 ,the old man was quite blind1 but he felt of it2 then he exclaimed3 ,missus1 did you say little white gals made this8 ,lo'd bless the little angels6 ,honey1 look at dis2 we's neber had sich a nice bed-kiver in all our lives4 ,to this she assented3 ,i see it's a beauty2 we's neber had sich a kiver afore1 missus2 tell de sweet little angels we'll pray for 'em as long as we live4 ,yes1 tell 'em we won't stop prayin' for 'em when we gits up yonder1 in de mansions1 rejoined the old man4 ,it seemed to them wonderful that white girls should make such a nice quilt for black folks1 and they were in an ecstasy over the surprise4 ,aunt ,milla could see to do considerable work in their little garden patch1 that some of the younger men among them had spaded for her4 ,every thing about their little cabin was neat and clean1 and their clothes were well patched4 ,uncle ,bob had been off this plantation but twice in his life2 then he went to ,williamsburg4 ,it was affecting to see these old1 worn-out slaves rejoicing over freedom1 but it seemed to be more on account of their children and of their race4 ,they had passed through many hard trial but their faith was strong that they were soon going to rest with ,jesus4 ,a colored man brought two cripples to me1 in his cart1 for relief and their wants were supplied4 ,he said he wished ,i could see two old men who were living in the mill4 ,one of them was an old soldier in the ,jackson war4 ,my ambulance friend took me to the old brick mill that was the first one built in that country1 they said more than a hundred and fifty years ago4 ,the roof was covered with thick moss4 ,the cedar shingles1 as well as bricks1 were brought from ,england4 ,i found here an intelligent mulatto man of about sixty years who had had a fever sore a little above the ankle a number of years4 ,he was the eldest of twenty seven children4 ,his mother had thirteen pairs of twins and he the only single child1 and they were all sold to slave-dealers of the lower ,states4 ,when my mother died in the cold cellar' he told me ',i begged to see her but my old master said he would shoot me if ,i dared to set foot on his plantation case ,i'd been with ,yankees and she died one year ago without a child to give her a sip of water4 ,my wife and seven children belong to another man who said he would shoot my brains out if ,i dared to come on his plantation4 ,but ,i pray ,god to help my wife to go to the soldiers before they are all gone and get them to help her to come to me with our children4 ,i was one of the slaves that master promised freedom1 at the close of ,general ,jackson's war and the general promised us ten dollars a month besides during service which was one year and eight mouths4 ,there were five regiments of colored men4 ,some got their freedom as promised but my master and many others were more severe than ever4 ,on my return home ,i reminded my master of the promise of freedom by him and ,general ,jackson but ,i found it unsafe to say any thing more about it4 ,we thought ,general ,jackson ought to have seen the promise made good1 as long as he promised freedom as well as our masters4 ,he gave us credit for being among the best soldiers he had4 ,but we never would have fought as we did had it not been for freedom ahead4 ,we pledged ourselves to each other1 that we never would fight for white folks again1 unless we knew our freedom was sure4 ,and never would our people have gone into this war had it not been for the ,proclamation of ,emancipation from the ,president of the whole ,united ,states4 ,this man was the most intelligent and used the best language of any colored person of his age ,i met in this portion of ,virginia4 ,his mother's name was ,maria ,sampson4 ,she lived and died in ,king ,william ,county1 ,virginia4 ,there were twenty sons and seven daughters of her own4 ,yet1 through wicked enactments1 her master tore from her every one1 and claimed her own body besides1 as a valuable piece of property4 ,my next visit was to an old brick kitchen4 ,in the loft1 lived two aged sisters of seventy-five and eighty years1 whose youngest brother1 of about sixty years1 was insane4 ,his sisters said about twenty years ago he lost his mind4 ,his wife and children were all sold from him down the river1 and he grieved so long over it1 he lost his mind1 and never came right since4 ,as ,i entered1 ,i took him by the hand and inquired for the aged women in that house2 he pointed to the stairway4 ,as ,i was going up the stairs1 he danced to and fro1 slapping his hands1 ,glory1 hallelujah to the ,lamb6 ,i paused to look at him4 ,his sisters met me at the head of the stairs1 and said1 ,don't mind him1 he has no mind1 and is rejoicin' to see a white woman come up these stairs1 for it's a new thing4 ,i reckon there hain't been a white woman up here more'n twenty year1 an' he don't know how to tell his gladness44 ,they said he was good to bring them wood and water1 and take care of himself in washing and patching his own clothes4 ,i presented him a suit1 and when he found they would fit him1 the dancing and singing were resumed4 ,i should judge from the history his sisters gave of him1 and from his high forehead1 that he had been a man of more than ordinary talent4 ,these sisters1 too1 had been made widows and childless by slavery's cruel hand4 ,this ,i found to be the hard lot of all these old people4 ,they told me of many cruel over-seers1 that would take the life of a slave1 to get their names up as boss overseers4 ,i told them ,i had heard of instances where an overseer was missing occasionally4 ,one old man dropped his head1 then looking up said1 in a hesitating manner1 ,i's knowed that in my time1 but massar keep it mighty still1 an' say de overseer runned away1 an' he git one right soon agin4 ,i talked and read1 and offered prayer with these stripped and lonely ones4 ,during my three weeks' stay in ,williamsburg1 ,fort ,magruder1 and vicinity1 ,i had a number of meetings with these newly freed slaves1 three of them in those old slave-pens in which were large schools taught4 ,i took a stroll through the old graveyard which surrounded the old ivy-covered church4 ,the marble slabs were mostly in a horizontal position1 with quaint inscriptions4 ,in these ,j1 or ,i1 was often found in place of the figure #a4 ,the spelling1 too1 we should call badly warped4 ,i copied a few of the epitaphs1 as follows3 ,here lyes the ,body of ,mr ,john ,collett1 who departed this life ,february #bdth1 #agid1 aged #eb years ,sacred to the memory of ,james ,nicholson1 late stuard of ,william and ,mary ,college4 ,was born in the ,town of ,invenck1 ,north ,britton1 ano #agaa1 died the #bbnd of ,january1 #aggc4 ,frugality--industry1 and simplicity of manners and independence of ,soul ,adorned his character and procured universal esteem4 ,,reader1 ,learn from this example as the most exalted ,station may be debased by vice1 so there is no situation in life on which virtue will not confer ,,dignity4 ,mrs4 ,catharine ,stephenson died ,april #bb2 born in ,nottinghamshire1 #aggh4 ,her body now slumbers along with the dead2 ,her ,savior hath called1 to him she has gone1 ,be ye also ready to follow her soon4 ,under this marble lieth the body of ,thomas ,ludwell1 ,esq41 ,secretary of ,virginia1 who was born at ,britton in of ,summerset in the kingdom of ,england1 and departed this life in the year #afgh2 and near this place lye the bodies of ,richard ,kerdp1 ,esq1 his predecessor in ye ,secretary's office and ,sr4 ,thomas ,lunsford1 ,kt41 in memory of whom this marble is placed by order of ,philip ,ludwell1 ,esq41 nephew of the said ,thomas ,ludwell1 in the year #agbg4 ,as ,yorktown was an important post1 after three weeks' work in this section1 ,i repaired to that ancient place4 ,there ,i found two large camps4 ,a few large freedmen's schools were established under the auspices of ,philadelphia ,friends1 and of these ,jacob ,vining had supervision4 ,two others were under the supervision of the ,american ,missionary ,association4 ,both were doing a noble work for these people1 who were like hungry children1 grasping at the food handed them by these ,christian teachers4 ,we had a very large meeting in the old barracks fitted up for school and meetings4 ,there were more than could get inside1 and groups stood at the door and outside the windows4 ,here ,i met two young men who had walked all the way from beyond ,fort ,magruder1 eighteen miles1 to attend this meeting4 ,they were more intelligent than the larger portion of life-long slaves4 ,they were encouraged in the future prospect of freedom4 ,they said the white people declared they would soon have all their slaves back again1 the same as they had before the war4 ,said one1 ,they talk it so strong it makes us trimble4 ,for we-uns think they'd be harder on us than ever4 ,i told them to look at that strong fort built by ,confederates1 which they had said all the ,yankees of the ,north could never take4 ,and where is it now8 ,i said4 ,you may rest assured it will be as ,i repeated to-day1 ',except the ,lord keep the city the watchman walketh but in vain2 except the ,lord build the house they labor in vain who build it4' ,the ,lord will never permit the house of bondage to be rebuilt1 for the cup of our nation's wickedness has been filled to the brim4 ,they will never again barter for paltry gold the bodies and souls of those whom ,christ died to redeem with his own precious blood4 ,no1 never4 ,they wept1 while talking over the past1 with new hopes before them of their future4 ,they said they were well paid for their long walk1 though they should work the next day with blistered feet4 ,they were working for their old owner1 as he had promised to pay them4 ,they had sometimes felt fearful as to the final result of this war4 ,if there were doubts1 they would go as far ,north as they could while they were enjoying their present liberty4 ,a number lingered to talk with me on the prospect of freedom or slavery for them1 telling me of the positive expressions of their former masters1 and of their threats of having them all back again within a few months4 ,they wanted to know what the prospect was in ,washington4 ,do you think we are sure to come out of the wilderness8 said one4 ,will this sun of freedom1 now peepin' troo de black cloud1 come cl'ar out1 an' make a bright day8 said another4 ,i found many of these people in trouble1 because they saw plainly the old slave spirit reviving1 and they were trembling with fear2 but others had stronger faith4 ,there was one poor woman1 whose husband and four children were sold to a trader1 to be taken down the river in a gang4 ,when the news came to her master's home that ,richmond had fallen1 she said3 ,missus an' all was cryin'1 and say da catch ,jeff4 ,davis4 ,an' ,i hurried de supper on de table2 an' ,i say1 ,missus1 can ,dilla wait on table till ,i go to de bush-spring an' git a bucket o' cool water8' ,she say1 ',hurry1 ,mill2 an' ,i seed 'em all down to table afore ,i starts4 ,den ,i walks slow till ,i git out o' sight1 when ,i runn'd wid all my might till ,i git to de spring1 an' look all 'round1 an' ,i jump up an' scream1 ',glory1 glory1 hallelujah to ,jesus6 ,i's free6 ,i's free6 ,glory to ,god1 you come down an' free us2 no big man could do it4' ,an' ,i got sort o' scared1 afeared somebody hear me1 an' ,i takes another good look1 an' fall on de groun'1 an' roll over1 an' kiss de groun' fo' de ,lord's sake1 ,i's so full o' praise to ,massar ,jesus4 ,he do all dis great work4 ,de soul buyers can neber take my two chillen lef' me2 no1 neber can take 'em from me no mo'2 and the tears fell thick and fast as she told me how she clung to her husband1 then to her children1 as the trader took them to the slave-pen to lock up till they were ready to start for the river4 ,her mistress ordered her to be whipped because she cried so long for her husband and children4 ,i did not wonder at her ecstasy4 ,a poor old slave1 called ,aunt ,sally1 came to me ,april #aeth2 crippled with rheumatism1 and walking as well as she could with two canes4 ,she asked for a blanket or quilt1 saying that one old blanket had been her only bed for seven years4 ,i told her ,i should pass her home the next day1 and would bring her some things4 ,she said1 ,i mus' hurry back1 or missus will fin' me out4 ,you gib 'em to the man choppin' wood in de yard2 he'll put 'em in de cellar for me4 ,missus is mighty hard on you alls2 and she hobbled back as fast as she could with two canes4 ,but her mistress found out that she had been to see me1 and told her she should never set her foot inside her yard again1 neither should a ,yankee4 ,the day following ,i took a package for ,aunt ,sally1 containing a straw bed-tick1 quilt1 blanket1 and a good suit of clothes2 for ,i had learned that ,mrs4 ,pendleton1 the daughter of ex-,president ,taylor1 was a hard mistress4 ,aunt ,sally had served her father1 and helped bring up his children1 and was now seventy-five or eighty years old4 ,from the cold1 damp cellar1 with only one blanket to cover her1 she had become badly crippled1 and was left to die1 like an old worn-out horse4 ,the colored man near the fence of the back yard told me ,i would find ,aunt ,sally in a little cabin he pointed out1 with two old colored people4 ,i found her crying4 ,she said her mistress had turned her out1 and told her she should never come inside her yard1 nor eat a kernel of the corn that she had planted in ground all spaded by herself1 and it was growing so nice4 ,the old people very kindly offered to share with her4 ,he was a cobbler1 and made all he could1 but he said they had but one bed4 ,i furnished one for her1 and gave the old people a quilt and a few needed garments for their kindness to ,aunt ,sally4 ,they1 too1 had been stripped of all their large family1 as well as ,aunt ,sally of hers4 ,as ,i passed ,mrs4 ,pendleton's front yard ,i saw a large bloodhound on the door-step as sentinel4 ,even a look at him from the street brought a threatening growl4 ,here1 too1 were ,william and ,phillis ,davis1 over eighty years of age1 they think4 ,they had fourteen children1 all sold down the river1 they said1 except those we's got in heaven4 ,we's glad they's safe1 an' we trus' de jubilee trumpet will retch their ears1 way down ,souf1 we don't know whar4 ,we's cried for freedom many years1 an' it come at last1 said the old1 tottering man4 ,eva ,mercer1 over seventy five years of age1 had a large family4 ,her husband and all her children were sold twenty years ago4 ,she has been left to perish alone1 and had had no underclothes for seven years4 ,she was supplied1 and made more comfortable than she had been for years4 ,david ,cary1 one hundred years old1 in great suffering1 was relieved4 ,he1 too1 had a large family4 ,three wives were sold from him1 and his children1 one1 two1 and three at a time1 were sent down the river1 never to be heard from again4 ,he said he forgot a great many things every day1 but ,i can never forget the grief ,i passed through in parting with my good wives and chillens4 ,pross ,tabb1 ninety years old1 was turned out of his cabin1 and came to the captain crying4 ,he said1 ,massar ,tabb turn me out to die by de roadside4 ,i begged him to let me build me a cabin in de woods1 and he say if ,i cut a stick in his woods he'll shoot me4 ,the captain informed ,j4 ,p4 ,tabb that he would violate the martial law1 and be fined and imprisoned1 if he turned that old man out of his cabin1 where he had lived and served him many years4 ,the poor lone man was permitted to remain4 ,j4 ,p4 ,tabb owned twelve thousand acres of land1 and had called himself master of one hundred and sixty slaves2 now all had left him4 ,sunday1 ,may #c;d1 was a beautiful ,sabbath4 ,in the morning ,i attended service at the school-house1 conducted by a ,baptist minister1 who examined nine new converts4 ,among them was a little girl1 ,susan ,monroe1 eight years old4 ,the preacher asked her1 ,what have you got to say 'bout ,jesus1 sis8 ,he tuck de han' cuffs off my han's1 she replied1 an' de spancels off my feet1 an' ,jesus made me free4 ,with a few other satisfactory answers he passed to the next1 a man of forty1 perhaps3 ,and what have you to tell us8 ,it 'peared1 he said1 like ,i's so heavy here1 on my heart4 ,i could do nuffin but groan1 ',massar ,jesus have pity on poor me2' an' as ,i was a walkin' 'long de road1 he cum sure1 an' poured hisself all over me1 an' cover over my han's an' my feet1 an' made me all over new4 ,i say is dis me8 ,glory1 hallalujah6 dis is me4 ,i went on an' met sis ,molly4 ',what's de matter o' me8 it's all full tide here1' ,i says4 ',why honey1' she answered1 'you's got 'ligion2 praise de ,lord6 ,now keep de pure stuff1 don't trade it off for de devil4' ,an' by de help o' de ,lord1 ,i don't do any sich tradin'4 ,the next was queried4 ,ah1 ,i's played de fool1 he said1 in jist dat kind o' tradin'4 ,i's an ole backslider4 ,ole ,satan had me1 sure1 an' ,i cried1 ',massar ,jesus1 save me from dat horrible pit1' an' he fotch me out1 an' put dese feet on de rock1 and here ,i means to stan'4 ,others were examined1 and a season of prayer followed4 ,their prayers were marked for their originality and earnestness4 ,said one woman1 ,oh ,lord1 do please hitch up your cheer a little nearer your winder--draw aside your curtain1 an' look down 'pon us poor creturs1 an' gib your table-cloth a good shake1 dat we may pick up a few crumbs4 ,there were many of these much more intelligent than ,i supposed ,i should find them1 and used as good language as the white people4 ,house-servants and body-servants were more intelligent than those who lived only in the field4 ,they were very imaginative1 and talked with ,god4 ,one woman in giving a sketch of slave life1 said a young girl went to a night meeting contrary to orders1 and for so doing was stripped naked and whipped in the presence of the other slaves1 the master himself plying the lash4 ,while she cried for mercy her master replied1 ,i'll give you mercy4 ,good ,lord do come and help me4 ,yes1 ,i'll help you 7and kept plying the lash74 ,do1 ,lord1 come now2 if you ha'n't time send ,jesus4 ,yes1 ,i'm your ,jesus1 retorted the inhuman persecutor1 and he continued to ply the lash until thirty strokes were well laid on4 ,the colonel commanding this post called on me with a request to go to ,gloucester ,court-house1 to look after the condition of the freedmen there4 ,there were several very old1 crippled people in ,gloucester1 in almost a nude condition4 ,i agreed to go1 and the colonel went to procure a buggy1 as his own was broken2 but he failed to get one1 though more than a double price was offered1 because he was a ,yankee4 ,he returned discouraged1 as he was unwilling to send me in a ,virginia cart1 the only government conveyance4 ,i told him ,i had frequently seen the wealthiest ladies sitting on straw1 with no other seat in the cart4 ,o yes1 he answered1 the ,f4 ,f4 ,v4's ride in that way here4 ,but you look too much like my mother to see you go in that style4 ,i could not bear to have your children in ,michigan know that ,i sent their mother out to ride thirty miles in that way2 and tears filled his eyes1 as he referred to his own mother in his far off ,northern home4 ,i told him if ,i could accomplish any good by going1 ,i was more than willing to take the cart-ride1 as ,i could make a seat with my bale of clothing1 and thus ,i went4 ,i crossed ,york ,river at ,gloucester ,point1 and stepped into a store to wait for our soldier driver4 ,here a ,southern brigadier-general addressed me in the following style3 ,i reckon you are from the ,north1 madam4 ,i am from the ,state of ,michigan1 ,i said1 but more directly from ,washington4 ,you ,northern people can not be satisfied with robbing us of millions of dollars in slaves1 that were just as much our property as your horses and cattle1 but you stole our sheep and horses1 or any thing else you could get hands on2 and yet that was not enough4 ,now you have a bill in ,congress to rob us of our land1 and of course it will pass4 ,then we'll go to work and mix up a little cake to bake for our families1 and you'll come and snatch even that away from us4 ,you probably refer1 ,i said1 to the bill just introduced1 to allow the leaders in this ,rebellion no more than twenty thousand dollars' worth of real estate1 confiscating the balance1 to sell in parcels to the soldiers and poor people1 black or white1 on liberal terms1 to liquidate the war debt4 ,this debt would never have been contracted1 had not the ,south brought on the war4 ,you fired upon ,sumter2 you determined to sever the ,union4 ,it was a bargain of your own making4 ,you determined to make slavery the chief corner stone of the ,republic1 but another stone1 ,liberty1 has ground it to powder4 ,we had better accept the situation as we find it1 and not call each other thieves and robbers because your chief corner-stone is no more4 ,god never designed that we should make merchandise of human beings4 ,in the written ,word we find that ,god made of one blood all the nations of the earth4 ,we find there no lines of distinction because of color or condition4 ,now let us drop slavery and hold it no longer as the bone of contention1 and live henceforward a united nation4 ,with flushed face and flashing eyes he said1 ,never1 ,,never shall we give up our rights4 ,we acknowledge you have overpowered us1 but you have not1 and never will1 conquer us2 we shall yet in some way secure our rights as ,southerners1 notwithstanding all your ,northern preaching4 ,if you carry out your position1 ,i rejoined1 you will unite with some foreign power to break up our government1 or to grind its republican form into powder and scatter it to the four winds4 ,of course we should1 and you can't blame us for doing that4 ,it is just exactly what we shall do if we have the chance4 ,after a few minutes unpleasant talk of this sort our soldier drove in front of the door for me4 ,we borrowed a little box1 upon which a coffee sack of clothing was laid1 and we thus made a comparatively comfortable seat4 ,we reached ,gloucester1 and1 on ,may #ajth1 went to the office of ,captain ,mc,connell4 ,he was engaged all the morning in hearing complaints on the part of the freedmen and in adjusting their wrongs4 ,some of them were pitiable cases of outrage1 but we can not report them here4 ,there were eight difficulties settled within the few hours that ,i remained in the office4 ,i resumed visiting and supplying the wants of the destitute as far as my means would allow4 ,there were some old and crippled people here in the same condition as those whom ,i had relieved in other places in this part of the ,state4 ,as usual1 ,i took with me my ,bible1 for these colored people had none1 because they had never been permitted to learn to read4 ,many of them gave thrilling sketches of their experiences in slave-life4 ,on ,may #acth1 at four o'clock ,p4 ,m41 ,i found myself back at ,old ,yorktown4 ,here ,i visited the cave in which ,general ,cornwallis was found4 ,the old wood house in which the treaty was signed is covered with thick moss4 ,a two-story brick building was ,washington's head-quarters after he took possession of ,yorktown4 ,it was also the head-quarters of the ,union generals after it fell into their hands4 ,here was the stamping-ground of two great armies4 ,the contention was not now with ,british red-coats1 as in the ,revolution1 but with our brethren in gray4 ,richard ,lee1 an ex-slave-holder1 undertook to whip a colored man with the help of his overseer1 after the old style1 but in the struggle he found himself cut in two or three places1 and the blood was flowing pretty freely from the overseer4 ,the colored man told them whipping days were past1 and he came out of the affray with but few scratches4 ,his offense was refusing to work on ,sunday afternoon4 ,they entered no complaint at the office of the ,freedmen's ,bureau1 and the colored man went about his business unmolested4 ,after taking leave of many dear friends at this place1 through the kindness of sister ,ailsgood1 the matron of the ,teachers' ,home1 ,i was conveyed to the boat in ,lieutenant ,massy's carriage4 ,we enjoyed a beautiful run on the ,chesapeake4 ,among our passengers for ,norfolk was a young lady who seemed bright and gay1 but had nearly spoiled herself with affectation4 ,she was going to visit her aunt previous to entering upon her new duties in teaching a school4 ,i never did do any thing of the kind1 she told me2 but pa says ,i must2 now that we have lost all our servants by this awful war4 ,but ,i don't know how ,i'll do4 ,do you think ,i can teach a small school8 ,receiving a word of encouragement1 she went on3 ,i reckon ,i'll have to try4 ,we've always had a lady preceptress at our house1 besides the nurse1 to take care of us4 ,a few minutes after ,i saw her weeping bitterly1 as if her heart was nearly broken4 ,placing my hand upon her shoulder ,i inquired if she had heard bad news that was grieving her8 ,she sobbed and sighed with quite an effort in commanding her feelings to speak4 ,no2 do you see that man yonder with a light hat on8 ,yes4 ,well1 he winked at me1 and ,i was never so insulted in my life4 ,and she burst again into tears4 ,don't grieve over that1 ,i said2 ,i wouldn't look at him4 ,but ,i never was so insulted4 ,i'm so glad my brother ain't here2 ,i tell you there'd be trouble4 ,never mind2 don't notice him4 ,won't you stand by me8 ,yes2 ,i'll stand here1 ,i answered4 ,and she soon became calm1 when ,i thought it safe to leave4 ,but a few moments later ,i saw her weeping as hard as ever4 ,i went across the cabin to her relief the third time and inquired1 ,what is the trouble now8 ,he winked at me again1 and ,i never1 never was so insulted4 ,i know if my brother was here he'd shoot him1 for he'd never stand this4 ,i stood by her this time till ,i saw her in the ladies' dressing-room1 by her request remaining between her and the object of her fears1 who was at least fifteen feet from us1 sitting in the farthest end of the cabin4 ,after she had washed and combed her hair she asked1 ,how does my hair look8 ,i never combed my hair myself4 ,our nurse did that always1 until six months ago our last servant left us1 ,i don't know if it looks well anyhow1 for ,i don't know how to dress it4 ,and do my eyes look as if ,i'd been crying8 ,not to be noticed1 ,i said4 ,you look all right4 ,will you see if that fellow has gone out8 ,on the report that he had left she returned4 ,i inquired if she was alone4 ,o1 no1 not entirely2 pa put me under the care of a splendid man2 ,i reckon he's on deck2 ,o1 he's such a beautiful gentleman2 he was pa's overseer a good many years2 pa thought he couldn't carry on our plantation without him2 when ,i see him ,i'll be all right4 ,i reckon you've heard of my pa4 ,everybody knows him--,mr4 ,hampton--in ,gloucester ,county1 one of the most splendid counties in the ,state4 ,were you ever in ,gloucester ,county8 ,i was there last week1 ,i answered4 ,isn't it the most beautiful county you ever saw8 ,i replied1 ,nature has done enough to make it so4 ,it was a grand county before the war1 she said4 ,everybody thinks it's the best county in the ,state of ,virginia4 ,but my opinion widely differed from hers4 ,it seemed to me one of the darkest and most ,god-forsaken corners of the earth4 ,but the influence of slavery had its deleterious effects upon whites as well as blacks4 ,laura ,hampton knew nothing of self-reliance4 ,all she knew was to be a consequential young lady of distinction1 full of exalted qualifying adjectives in the superlative degree4 ,but she was not so much to blame as her parents for her simpering and tossing the head with overstocked affectation4 ,she was to be pitied for her unfortunate surroundings4 ,her splendid man1 a beautiful gentleman1 was a coarse1 burly headed ,legree in appearance4 ,i arrived at ,norfolk at four o'clock ,p4 ,m41 and found a pleasant home at the ,tyler ,house4 ,here1 ,i met eighteen teachers1 with whom ,i enjoyed a refreshing prayer-meeting1 led by ,s4 ,j4 ,whiting1 a missionary1 who gave an interesting sketch of his experience in the ,meudi ,mission in ,africa4 ,i gave an account of the work accomplished through the blessing of ,god in the ,mississippi ,valley1 while ,i was accompanied by my dear sister ,backus1 and spoke of trials ,i had recently passed through4 ,here were kindred spirits1 with whom we held sweet communion1 and with our ,heavenly ,father1 who is ever near at hand4 ,while in this part of the ,state1 ,i saw a white woman who had been cruelly assaulted and beaten with a raw-hide by her sister and niece for associating with the teachers of our freedmen's schools4 ,they thought she had disgraced the family2 but she said she would not turn away from those ,christian ladies1 however her own kindred might treat her4 ,o the wrongs and outrages which the spirit of slavery inflicted not only on the blacks1 but also on the white people of the ,south6 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,experiences ,,among ,,freedmen4 ,i was told by ,general ,armstrong1 commander of the post in ,elizabeth ,city1 that twenty-five thousand inhabitants had been supplied with food1 and that more whites than blacks had called for rations4 ,there were six thousand freedmen in this district4 ,twenty-six hundred of their children were in schools2 and thirteen hundred were half or entire orphans1 that drew rations4 ,they had had no civil court here since ,march #bjth1 and no justice was shown to freedmen4 ,there was as much complaint here as elsewhere about their unwillingness to work2 but the general said it was only because they got no pay4 ,a few plantations were rented here by ,northerners2 but they made no complaint for want of hands1 and had more applications for work than they could furnish4 ,general ,armstrong secured a carriage1 ,may #ahth1 to take his wife and myself to the ,downey ,school1 a few miles distant1 to see what a noble work the two ,stewart sisters were there doing4 ,he took us to a large farm of eight hundred and six acres1 rented by a ,northern man by the name of ,jackson1 who said he had worked it three years1 and had taken it for two years longer4 ,he had no difficulty in keeping good help4 ,all these people want is fair and kind treatment he said1 to make good and faithful hands the year around4 ,i can not employ all who come for work4 ,i have seen them leave weeping over their disappointment4 ,near this place was the school conducted by the two sisters1 ,emily and ,jennie ,stewart1 of ,south ,hill1 ,steuben ,county1 ,new ,york4 ,they had one hundred and eighty-five scholars1 and were doing a grand work among the white people in that community4 ,two young men were converted through their instrumentality1 and were exerting a powerful influence over the white people4 ,they were attending the school1 to which a number of white families sent their children4 ,it widely differs from all others ,i have visited ,in the ,south4 ,these earnest ,christian girls were emphatically teaching a school of ,christ on week-days as well as on the ,sabbath4 ,the two young men referred to had the ministry in view1 and were very earnest in their exhortations4 ,i addressed the school1 and conversed with those young white men1 who seemed in a very tender frame of mind4 ,these dear sisters urged me to spend a week with them2 and ,general ,armstrong kindly offered to send his conveyance for me at the close of the week1 or whenever ,i might fix the time4 ,but as my supplies were out1 ,i wished to hasten back to ,washington4 ,during the day's ride we passed the place of a large ,sabbath school1 which was first opened by a soldier1 ,w4 ,badger1 ,jun41 a faithful laborer in this work4 ,it had flourished ever since4 ,we visited a number of plantations with which the general was unacquainted4 ,he hailed a passer-by to inquire the distance to the ,old ,brick ,church4 ,o1 you're smash up to it1 he said4 ,i looked up to see it1 when he continued1 ',t ain't but two miles ahead4 ,the general thought it was three miles1 at least1 before we reached the old colonial church1 built one hundred and twenty-five years ago1 out of brick brought from ,england4 ,we passed through1 a forest of young pines that had been rented three years to colored people in five and ten acre lots4 ,they were to receive one-fourth of all they raised1 and pay the remainder as rent4 ,said the general1 as we came opposite a ten-acre lot where a man1 his wife1 and daughter were all hard at work grubbing4 ,that man will hardly get a meager subsistence from one-fourth of that land4 ,and he inquired of the man if he expected to get his living off the fourth of that lot4 ,i reckon so1 was the answer4 ,after we gets the crop in my wife and gal can tend it1 and ,i'll get work by the day while its growin'4 ,sunday1 ,may #bjth1 was a pleasant ,sabbath4 ,i attended a large meeting1 and listened to a very interesting discourse by a freedman4 ,at the close he earnestly exhorted his hearers to purity of life in their new freedom4 ,he wanted to see all filthy habits left behind with bondage4 ,do not let us take with us1 he said1 any habit of drinking--not even using tobacco4 ,let us search ourselves1 and see if we are worshiping ,god with clean hearts and mouths4 ,opportunity being offered1 ,i made a few remarks from ,,ii ,chronicles1 xv3#ab1 ,and they entered into covenant to seek the ,lord ,god of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul4 ,after meeting1 minister and people gathered around me to shake my hands1 until they were lame a number of days4 ,said one1 ,da's took de bridle off our heads1 an' let us loose to serve ,god4 ,near the place was the ,zion ,methodist ,church1 that had been used occasionally for auction sales of slaves4 ,there were thirty acres here1 purchased by colored people1 laid out in two-acre lots4 ,most of them had built little cabins1 but others were working out by the day to earn means to pay for their lots before they built4 ,in the evening ,i visited a school of twenty-five adults1 who could not attend during the day4 ,a number of them read for me very intelligibly4 ,james ,wright did not know his letters at ,christmas1 but could now read fluently4 ,he was sixty years of age4 ,robert ,bell1 aged fifty1 who did not know his letters in ,march1 could now read in the second reader4 ,captain ,flagg and wife invited me to take another ride out in the country where colored people had rented land4 ,on our way we met five carts laden with ,f4 ,f4 ,v4's4 ,the captain inquired of one man how far it was to ,providence ,church4 ,sir1 he answered1 you are slap-jam on to it2 only a mile and a half1 sure4 ,as usual we went twice the distance2 the captain said he always calculated a ,virginia mile to be double the length of ours4 ,this church had been built one hundred years before with brick brought from ,england4 ,we called on six families4 ,said one woman1 ,i tried hard to serve ,god forty years ago1 but mighty idle2 ,massa's lash so sharp1 'peared like we poor creturs never rest till we drop in our graves4 ,we visited ,ex-,governor ,henry ,a4 ,wise's plantation of five hundred acres1 with fifty cabins in the negro quarters4 ,this was confiscated4 ,there were many of his former slaves here1 aged and helpless1 and a successful school was taught in his dwelling-house4 ,here were seventeen schools under the charge of the ,american ,missionary ,association1 which were taught by eleven lady teachers and six gentlemen4 ,h4 ,c4 ,perry was the superintendent of schools in ,norfolk ,district4 ,the ,taylor plantation was the next which we visited4 ,it contained seventeen thousand acres1 seven hundred acres of which were worked1 and ready for renting to freedmen4 ,in ,captain ,flagg's district there were three thousand four hundred and eighty-six freed children attending day-school1 and five hundred and one scholars in the night-schools4 ,one hundred and ninety-two of these were over sixteen years of age4 ,the above included seven counties3 ,norfolk1 ,princess ,ann1 ,nansemond1 ,isle of ,wight1 ,southampton1 ,accomack1 and ,northampton1 the last two on the eastern shore of ,chesapeake ,bay4 ,it is well to note the income of these confiscated plantations1 that had1 up to ,may #be1 #ahff1 been returned to original owners4 ,there had been paid over by ,captain ,flagg to government toward liquidating the war debt1 thirteen thousand dollars4 ,all of this was the avails of negro help on the government farms1 except the ,wise and ,taylor plantations1 that were still occupied for the benefit of the aged1 sick1 blind1 and crippled men1 women1 and orphans4 ,i returned to ,washington1 where ,i found a request that ,i should take fifteen colored orphans to our ,home in ,michigan4 ,the commissioners having charge of money sent here by all the ,free ,states1 for sanitary purposes1 proposed to place five hundred dollars in my hands for the two orphan asylums in ,michigan1 out of the nine hundred dollars that came from our ,state4 ,this was to be equally divided between ,detroit ,orphan ,asylum and the one in ,raisin ,institute1 known at that time as ,haviland ,home4 ,a majority of the commissioners objected to its being placed in the hands of a woman1 to select goods to be purchased at auction rates4 ,consequently1 a young man was sent with me to see that wise selections were made for the little homeless waifs for whom the relief was designed4 ,being somewhat acquainted1 with my work1 he said he was ashamed of the vote of the board1 in distrusting my ability to select goods for the little children of the asylums1 when ,i had been at this work all my life1 and constantly during three years past4 ,but ,i told him ,i was thankful to get the five hundred dollars1 and could waive their notions of woman's inability very comfortably4 ,he assented to all the selections ,i made1 and ,i arranged to return home with the fifteen orphans and forty laborers1 who wished to go to ,cleveland1 ,ohio1 where their friends had gone for work and reported to them favorably4 ,i found in these people a strong attachment to their own color2 hence the unwillingness for a few to go a great distance without a prospect of others to follow4 ,it was a heavy pressure of persecution that could drive them from their old ,southern homes to ,washington for protection1 and the heavy pressure of want staring them in the face that could induce them to leave for ,northern ,states to find work4 ,fifteen thousand were then huddled in and about ,washington4 ,hundreds could not get work at ten cents a day1 besides rations4 ,general ,o4 ,o4 ,howard gave transportation for many car-loads to go to the ,states of ,new ,york1 ,pennsylvania1 ,ohio1 and other free ,states4 ,but the freedmen could not be persuaded to go into the former slave ,states1 after having left them4 ,general ,howard said ,northern humanitarians ought to have a share in this ,christian enterprise of furnishing work for the able-bodied and assisting to care for these indigent children2 and he urged me to bring as many as practicable4 ,mrs4 ,ricks knew of fifteen who wished to follow their friends that had gone to ,ohio1 and said she would assist me in going through to ,adrian1 where ,joseph ,mc,kenzie had spoken to me for eight or ten strong men for his brickyard4 ,if they had families he said he would help them in building houses on his own land1 and if both were suited he would eventually sell lots to them4 ,while calling on ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 member of ,congress1 and wife1 ,i was urged to rest three or four days1 at least1 before leaving for home4 ,but ,i told them ,i must hasten home to rest4 ,transportation was secured for fifty-five adults and fifteen orphans4 ,before we reached ,altoona ,i found rations had not been provided for adults1 and that we must purchase at least seventy-five loaves of bread at that town4 ,as the train halted a few minutes1 ,i left for the bakery1 but found that it had been removed a block further4 ,we went on a run1 and secured the bread2 and ,i sent the men running with it1 so as to reach the cars before they should start4 ,but ,i was left behind1 with three young men who refused to desert me4 ,the men with the bread reached the cars just as they were beginning to move4 ,mrs4 ,ricks being with them1 ,i was easy as to their condition4 ,i found ,i had better keep as quiet as possible1 as ,i was threatened with an attack of dysentery4 ,but transportation1 with my official papers1 had all gone on1 and there was not a soul in ,altoona that ,i ever knew4 ,yet ,i was not discouraged1 but took the three young men with me to the railroad superintendent's office1 and told the superintendent ,i had come on a queer errand1 and told my short story4 ,and now ,i solicit the favor of a pass for myself and these three young men4 ,but you do not know whether ,i have given you a truthful representation1 for ,i have not so much as a scratch of a pen with me to prove it4 ,said he3 ,you say your name is ,laura ,s4 ,haviland4 ,did you not secure a pass to ,chicago and return1 three years ago1 of ,mr4 ,campbell1 at ,adrian8 ,i did1 was my reply1 as ,i was going ,south with sanitary supplies4 ,i thought ,i had seen you before1 he said4 ,i was his chief clerk1 and made out those passes for you2 and ,i will give you a pass1 as you request4 ,would you like to telegraph to the lady assistant8 ,i suppose1 ,i said1 she will stop over at ,pittsburg until ,i overtake them2 but it would be a favor if their baggage could be properly rechecked at ,pittsburg to stop over one train at ,cleveland1 as a portion of the adults are to stop there4 ,i will telegraph the freight agent to take special care in rechecking their baggage1 and request the operators to telegraph to railroad authorities at ,cleveland that this car-load of blacks in charge of ,mrs4 ,ricks are to wait over one train for you4 ,i told him if that could be done without fail it would be a great favor1 as ,i was sick1 and ,mrs4 ,ricks would have time to send these colored people up town to their friends4 ,he telegraphed all these directions1 and also requested the ticket agent to meet me with the passes4 ,while waiting for the train ,i was furnished with a sofa by the kind matron who kept the ladies' waiting-room4 ,i was met at the ,pittsburg depot with passes1 and conducted to the waiting-room for a few moments1 when the young man came to assist me on the right car4 ,by this time my fever ran high1 but higher still on reaching ,cleveland1 and finding that all had gone on to ,adrian4 ,here tickets to ,adrian were waiting for me4 ,i met brother ,j4 ,berry at ,adrian depot1 who informed me that all were cared for4 ,i left all with the ,lord and the good people of ,adrian1 who knew nothing of my trying experiences4 ,my children were urgent to send for the doctor at once4 ,i insisted on my water treatment1 but promised to comply with their request if not materially better in twelve hours4 ,a few days of rest and quiet restored my health4 ,although ,adrian was a little alarmed at this new experience of army stampedes1 yet in due time places were found for all to work1 and eventually many of them became owners of their own homes4 ,the children of soldiers and other homeless waifs1 needed attention1 and ,i found more than a dozen in our ,orphans' ,home without a shirt for a change4 ,but sister ,annie ,berry donated forty yards of heavy sheeting1 and within two weeks we had a hundred yards made up into substantial garments for these little homeless ones4 ,my health being still too poor for hard work1 ,i spent a few weeks with my son1 ,joseph ,b4 ,haviland1 at ,acme1 ,grand ,traverse ,county4 ,on my return home1 ,i found our commission had concluded to close the asylum work1 and expend its means in supporting schools in the ,south4 ,they had sold the ,west ,hall1 and it had been removed to ,tecumseh1 and they were about to sell the team and other property4 ,i now stated the motive ,i had when ,i gave the deed with a proviso1 and said that removing the building was a wrong step for our commission to take1 in view of the proviso4 ,i met the commission in ,detroit1 and laid before them my object1 and my desire to make it a ,state asylum1 for the children of soldiers and all others who were in our county poor-houses1 that were mere nurseries for the prison4 ,i had inquired of superintendents of penitentiaries1 how many of the convicts had been left orphans in childhood2 and the average in ,virginia1 ,maryland1 ,pennsylvania1 and our ,michigan ,state ,prison was more than three-fourths4 ,emma ,a4 ,hall1 matron of the female prisoners in the ,detroit house of correction1 informed me that every girl and woman under her care had been left an orphan in childhood4 ,in view of this record1 and of there being a greater number of that class since the war than ever before1 ,i had felt the necessity for this asylum4 ,george ,duffield1 ,d4 ,d41 the president of our commission1 replied3 ,we know not but this check is of the ,lord1 for we are finding it hard work to secure homes for the forty children now in the ,home who are under ten years of age4 ,and he moved that a month be allowed me to make satisfactory arrangements according to my design4 ,while ,i was endeavoring to secure ten-dollar subscriptions to effect this result1 ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd1 secretary1 of the ,western ,division ,american ,missionary ,association1 sent an agent to purchase the asylum and continue it in its present form4 ,he stated the ,american ,missionary ,association could not take it with the proviso1 but would pay me two hundred and fifty dollars of the five hundred dollars ,i had agreed to deduct out of the two thousand dollars purchase money1 if ,i should relinquish the proviso4 ,i feared the result1 thinking the enterprise might be only an experiment1 and might close at some future period1 leaving these children a public burden4 ,but ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd pledged his word that no child of whom the ,american ,missionary ,association should take control should become a public burden1 and would further agree to expend on the building and grounds1 at least from three thousand to five thousand dollars within a year and a half or two years at longest4 ,from the confidence ,i had in the association ,i yielded1 though reluctantly4 ,the agent desired me to take charge of the asylum as matron1 ten days or two weeks1 as ,mr4 ,shipherd could secure a matron from ,vicksburg1 ,mississippi1 in that time4 ,i agreed to do this free of charge4 ,mrs4 ,edgerton1 whom se engaged as matron1 arrived in four weeks4 ,it was now late in ,october1 and my ,winter cough began to trouble me4 ,this the ,southern ,winters had melted away during three ,winters past1 and ,i concluded to resign my agency in our ,state ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission and work under the auspices of ,american ,missionary ,association of the middle division4 ,i secured transportation from ,general ,o4 ,o4 ,howard to ,atlanta1 ,georgia1 and again left my dear ones at home for that field4 ,i spent a few days with my dear friends1 ,levi and ,catharine ,coffin1 at ,cincinnati4 ,as the secretary1 brother ,cravath1 was on an investigating tour in the ,south1 ,levi ,coffin proposed that ,i should go to work over the river1 in ,covington and ,newport1 ,kentucky1 as there were a few thousand freedmen congregated in those towns4 ,he introduced me to a lieutenant1 in whose charge the freedmen's department was left1 who took me to a number of barracks1 where the sick and suffering were occupying bunks with a bed sack that had1 when possible1 been filled with hay1 leaves1 or husks4 ,one poor woman had nothing in her sack1 and that was all she had for her bed1 aside from an old condemned blanket4 ,she was suffering intensely with rheumatism4 ,her limbs and hands were all drawn out of shape1 thus disabling her from dressing herself4 ,i purchased some hay immediately and had her moved so as to have her bed-sack filled1 and then furnished her with a warm quilt4 ,i procured quantity of thick red flannel and made her a long-sleeved garment to reach over her feet1 and made it before ,i slept4 ,the next morning ,i took it to her and saw it on her4 ,the poor woman could say nothing for weeping1 but after commanding her feelings1 she said1 ,this is more than ,i deserve4 ,all the sufferin' ,i's had all the year is nothin' compared to the sufferin' of my ,jesus for poor me4 ,the colored woman who had the care of her said she never had seen such patience in all her life4 ,the next day ,i took her another flannel garment1 and relieved many others during the month ,i spent in this field4 ,our lieutenant was an excellent man4 ,one day he wished me to go with him to see his old building that he had ordered fitted up for a school for three hundred freed children in that part of his district4 ,but he found that nothing had been done4 ,upon my word1 he exclaimed1 not a stroke1 not a stone1 not a window4 ,o1 ,i can't stand this red tape2 ,i just want to leave every other duty and pitch into this house4 ,i know ,i am too impulsive1 but that is the way of an ,irishman4 ,i have often thought ,peter was an ,irishman1 he was so impulsive4 ,i spent the greater portion of ,new-year's day1 #ahfg1 in calling upon twelve families and taking to the sick and aged ones1 blankets and clothing4 ,i walked nearly a mile to the ferry1 and called at the mission-rooms1 where ,i found the secretary1 ,e1 ,m4 ,cravath1 just returned from his ,southern tour4 ,he thought my work was most needed in ,memphis1 ,tennessee4 ,i received from him my commission for that field4 ,i met in his office ,rev4 ,a4 ,scofield and daughter1 just driven from ,camp ,nelson1 by returned secessionists4 ,after a very busy ,new-year's day1 ,i returned to ,levi ,coffin's for the night1 and the next day left for ,memphis1 which ,i reached on the #fth1 spending two days in ,cairo4 ,in the evening ,i attended a large colored church1 and at the close of the service introduced my work4 ,the meeting1 as usual1 was very demonstrative4 ,the home assigned me was a ,mission ,home1 with thirteen teachers1 ,joseph ,barnum1 formerly of ,oberlin1 ,ohio1 being superintendent4 ,it was a rich treat to meet several who had been co-workers in the field of clashing arms and roar of cannonading4 ,but few can realize the strength of the tie that binds those who have labored together in the lion's den4 ,one of the teachers being sick1 at the request of the superintendent ,i temporarily took her place4 ,on my way to school1 one morning1 ,i was conducted to the place where lay twelve dead bodies till the third day after the terrible riot which occurred a few months previously4 ,one of the bodies was half burned4 ,i was shown another corner of the streets where lay six bodies more at the same time4 ,o what horrible scenes were enacted then4 ,my conductor pointed to a charred spot of earth where had stood a cabin in which lay a very sick woman1 whose daughter of sixteen years stood in the door pleading with the infuriated mob not to burn their house for her mother was near dying1 and it was impossible for her to carry her out4 ,one fiend caught her up on his bayonet and tossed her into the midst of the flames of an adjoining cabin4 ,in a moment her screams of agony were hushed by the crackling flames4 ,fire was then thrown into the dying woman's cabin1 and both mother and daughter perished4 ,their charred bodies were taken out by their friends and buried with others slaughtered in the riot of ,may1 #ahff4 ,in that riot there were forty-six negroes killed1 seventy-five wounded1 five rapes were committed1 ten persons maltreated1 and one hundred robbed1 and ninety-one houses and cabins burned1 besides four churches and twelve school-houses reduced to ashes4 ,these facts were given me by white witnesses as well as colored1 and they probably may be found in ,general ,kiddoo's military record1 as he was one of the officers with armed soldiers who quelled the terrible riot4 ,i was soon relieved of school duty1 and as ,i received a few boxes of goods1 a portion of which were from ,england1 ,i found constant employment in the ever-varying mission work4 ,the grandmother of a little girl who had died a few days before was very sick and in great distress of mind when ,i entered her cabin1 she said imploringly1 ,o missus1 do pray for poor me4 ,can ,god forgive sich an ole sinner as me8 ,can ,i fin' ,jesus so quick as poor ,mary ,jane did afore she died8 ,i knows she went so happy2 ,i prayed all night1 but 'pears like so dark2 don't see de place o' de candle4 ,i read to her of the readiness of ,jesus to forgive1 and how he forgave the thief on the cross1 because he repented and looked to ,jesus in faith even in his last moments4 ,as ,i knelt by her cot ,i implored unbounded mercy in the ,spirit's teaching this precious soul the way to enter in through the door4 ,i left her more calm4 ,she lingered a few days1 but her mind became clear from the shadow of a cloud4 ,she died in the triumphs of faith1 leaving1 she said1 her little lambs with the dear ,shepherd1 ,dat hunted de lost sheep an' foun' her 'mid de wolves1 dat scratch her mightily4 ,the children were taken to the orphanage4 ,while pursuing this work our lives were daily threatened1 and some had fears of another riot4 ,one ,union woman on our block told me that she had often spent sleepless nights on our account4 ,she had heard such frequent threats that ,nigger teachers should be cleared out1 as well as free niggers1 that she expected every day would be our last1 and every pistol shot she heard in the night1 or the alarm of fire1 she listened and looked in the direction of our ,mission ,house4 ,but ,i told her ,i did not believe we should have another riot2 ,i believed the ,god of ,daniel was able and willing to protect us1 and that in him was my confidence4 ,but you don't know these people as ,i do1 she said1 for ,i have always lived here4 ,i have sometimes thought ,i would not tell you4 ,and then ,i made up my mind that ,i would1 so you could be more on your guard2 because they threatened1 just as they do now1 before that awful riot a few months ago4 ,the teachers who were my room-mates said they had heard of the same threats1 but there were soldiers near at hand now1 and when the riot broke out there were so few here they had to be called from other points to quell it4 ,on ,april #acth ,i visited the sick and relieved eight families4 ,then ,i went over old ,fort ,pickering and through the freedmen's hospital1 containing one hundred and eighty-eight inmates1 four of them cripples1 and fifteen very old4 ,of one ,i inquired how old she was3 ,i's goin' on two hundred1 she answered4 ,massa's book say ,i's one hundred and eight1 an' dat is eight years for another hundred1 ain't it8 ,dey name me ,esther ,jane4 ,i was sole at sheriff's sale for debt to ,massa ,sparks4 ,in de ole war ,massa ,george ,washington was a mighty kind man4 ,he boarded wid ,massa ,sparks four or five weeks4 ,he wore short breeches an' knee-buckles an' a cocked hat ,i kep' his room clar'd up4 ,she was not as blind as a number who were much younger4 ,but her skin was full of fine as well as deep wrinkles1 and of an ashen hue4 ,i gave a little sugar and some crackers to many of them4 ,i returned to find a colored man who had been directed to me4 ,he had made his escape the night before from his old master1 who seemed to have no more idea of his leaving him than if there had been no proclamation of freedom4 ,his wife had been sick a long time1 and he stayed to take care of her till she died1 then he watched an opportunity to bring his two little children with him4 ,but his master he supposed was also watching1 for he soon overtook him with help and took his children away from him1 and his bundle of clothes that he was going to put on when he got far enough from the house to feel safe with his children4 ,he said it was his best suit4 ,the shirt and drawers he had on were good1 and they constituted his entire wardrobe4 ,i laid out a number of garments1 and told him to go into the store-room and select a whole suit that would best fit him4 ,the next thing to be done was to accompany him to ,colonel ,palmer's office1 where he told his own pitiful story1 and the colonel asked him if he could take care of his children if he got them4 ,if you'll be so good as to help me get them1 these hands1 7holding them out toward the colonel7 shall take as good care of them as they do of me1 and his eyes filled with tears4 ,i left him with the colonel1 who told him he would send with him an escort of soldiers the next morning1 and the master will not dare refuse to give up the children on reading the note ,i shall send him4 ,a little excitement existed over the murder of ,mr4 ,errickson1 a ,union man1 who fled to ,memphis with his family for safety during the war4 ,a few weeks before the present time1 he returned to his home in ,summerville4 ,he had been home but a few days before he was shot dead in front of a store4 ,his poor wife and two daughters were almost insane over his untimely death4 ,he thought the country was becoming more quiet1 and he could risk going quietly to their home4 ,there was a very smart colored woman in town who witnessed his murder4 ,she was at ,memphis ostensibly to do a little trading2 but her errand was to inquire of the real friends of the colored people which man they had better vote for--,parson ,brownlow or the conservative candidate--for governor4 ,the men did not dare to come1 for fear they would be mistrusted2 and she came to learn from ,union men their choice for governor1 to take back word1 and report at ,summerville4 ,i was one day passing the old barracks of soldiers1 then occupied by freedmen4 ,i heard distressing groans1 and called to see whence they came4 ,i found an old man of ninety-seven years1 called ,uncle ,philip1 in great bodily distress4 ,how long have you been suffering like this8 ,i inquired4 ,only two years1 he said4 ,two years must seem a great while4 ,o no1 it's only a little minute1 compared with eternity of rest in glorious mansions ,jesus went to prepare for me2 for ,i knows ,i's got a home thar'1 missus1 ,i knows it1 'case ,i's seen it1 an' ,i feels it4 ,how long have you felt this evidence8 ,i seen it cl'ar as sunshine when ,i was ten year ole4 ,my massa was a mighty wicked1 swearin'1 cruel man4 ,an' his overseer was a mighty big wicked black man2 his name was ,munday4 ,an' all the seventy-five grown han's on the plantation was mighty wicked too4 ,i hear so much swearin' ,i had a bad ide' of ,god and ,jesus2 ,i reckon'd they's some great men1 that sent people to a mighty bad place4 ,one day a ,methodis' minister stop to ,massa ,malachi's for dinner4 ,when he lef' massa call me to bring his hoss to 'im4 ,an' de preacher put his han' on my head an' say1 ',philip is a smart little boy4 ,an' if you'll ask ,god to make you good he'll do it4 ,then when you die you'll go to that great1 beautiful city up yonder1 where it's all light and beautiful4 ,here little ,philip has to go 'round among stubs and stones1 barefoot2 there he'll walk the golden streets in silver slippers4 ,here he wears his slip2 there he'll be dressed in a beautiful white robe4 ,here he goes bareheaded2 there he'll wear a beautiful crown1 all glittering with stars4 ,wouldn't you like to go to such a beautiful city as that when you die8' ',yes1 sir1' ,i say4 ',well1 ask ,god to make you good1 and that will be your home2 for ,jesus loves little children4' ,an' he jump'd on his hoss and rode away1 while ,i stood thar1 wonderin' what sort of a man that could be1 that knew so much 'bout ,god and heaven4 ,now ,i must fin' ,god1 to ask 'im to make me good2 an' f'om this man's 'scription1 he must be settin' on some cloud4 ,day and night ,i watch for 'im2 an' when ,i looked upon the stars ,i wondered if these sparklin' stars was what ,god put in de crowns he put on de heads of all good people an' good chillen4 ,one day ,aunt ,milla1 the cook1 sent me to pick up an armful of wood for her4 ,while ,i stood lookin' up to de clouds1 huntin' for ,god1 ,i hear a sweet soft voice say1 ',chile1 pray4' ,i look all 'mong de tree-tops1 to see who's thar1 an' it say1 ',chile1 pray1' again4 ,an' ,i was sure somebody up in de tree-tops1 an' ,i got scared1 an' drop my armful of wood1 an' run to ,aunt ,milla1 all out o' bref4 ',what ails you1 ,phil8 ,what's the matter8' she said4 ',somebody's in de tree-tops1 an' say1 ,chile1 pray4' ',hush1 chile1' ,aunt ,milla said1 'dat's ,god talkin to you4' ',no 't ain't4 ,i's been huntin' for ,god a good many days1 an' can't fin' im4' ',honey1 you can't see ,god wid de eyes you sees ,aunt ,milla4 ,god is a great good spirit dat knows all 'bout what you want1 an' what you're thinkin' 'bout4 ,i wish ,i was a ,christian1 but ,i ain't4 ,i's hearn ,christians talk1 an' ,i knows dat ,god's talkin' to you1 honey4 ,now1 you go by yourse'f1 alone like1 an' ask ,god to make you good1 as you say you want to1 an' he'll do it1 sure4' ,here was a new thought1 dat ,i could fin' ,god1 an' not see 'im4 ,but ,i did as ,aunt ,milla tole me4 ,it 'peared like ,i must fin' ,god4 ,my heart ached like1 all thro' me1 ,i's so anxious4 ,only a few days after ,i was totin' an armful o' plates to the dinin'-room for ,aunt ,milla4 ,all at once ,i's so happy ,i didn't know myse'f4 ,i drop my plates1 an' broke ,i don't know how many4 ,but ,i didn't stop for plates2 ,i shouted1 ',bless ,massa ,jesus6 ,glory6 ,glory hallelujah to ,god6 ,i 'a foun' 'im2 ,i knows it's ,god4' ,i got hold of my papa and mamma1 an' tole 'em to ask ,god to make 'em good1 an' he'd do it2 an' took hold of my little mate ,july1 'bout my age1 an' tole 'im he mus' pray1 an' ,i'd pray for 'im4 ,in a few days he got 'ligion too4 ,an' two young white ladies1 ,massa ,malachi's nieces1 lived thar'1 an' learned us to sing the sweet hymn3 ',my ,savior1 my ,almighty ,friend1 ,when ,i begin thy praise1 ,where shall the growing numbers end1 ,the numbers of thy grace8' ,an' ,i tole ,july we'd have prayer-meetin's in our cabin of nights1 an' de ole folks gathered 'round us1 an' our cabin was full4 ,massa ,malachi ,murphy was angry 'bout it2 sometimes he'd scold1 sometimes make fun o' me1 an' call me de 'big preacher1 ,howlin' ,phil4' ,but as all dat didn't put me down1 he call me to 'im an' say1 ',you shall stop this prayin' an' singin' in your cabin1 or ,i'll whip you to death1' an' he swore ,i was ruinin' his plantation4 ,my papa an' mamma tried to get me to stop4 ,they said1 ',you know ,massa ,malachi will do jus' as he say4' ',o no1 ,i can't stop prayin' to ,jesus1 he's so good to poor me4 ,i can't stop prayin'1 ,i said4 ,but we did stop our prayer-meetin's in our cabin1 but we had our night meetin's in a deep ravine over a quarter of a mile away4 ,forty or fifty of our fellow slaves would1 meet us thar to hear us pray an' sing4 ,at las' massa set de overseer1 ,munday1 to watch us1 an' he found us out4 ,he ordered ,munday to bring ,july an' me to 'im afore sun up4 ,when we come in sight of de yard we seen two ropes hangin' to a big tree limb1 an' ,i stop an' look to ,july1 an' to de woods1 wid a half a min' to run4 ,but ,july says1 ',we knows we can't stop prayin'1 an' we knows what we'll take jus' as well firs' as las'4' ,then ,i was 'shamed to think ,i was firs' in de cause1 an' ,july stronger'n me4 ,an' we went through de gate an' stood afore massa1 settin' in de back door in his night shirt4 ,he began to swear we was ruinin' his whole plantation1 an' now he was goin' to have us whipped to death4 ',now you see you've got to die or stop prayin'2 will you stop this d----d prayin'8' ',o massa1 do please let me pray to ,god1 do please4' ',strip off your slip1 tie 'im up thar1 ,mun1 an' give 'im a full round4' ,it was done accordin' to order2 twenty lashes with the bull whip1 an' twenty strokes with the paddle4 ,turning to ,july1 he said1 ',will you stop prayin' or die8' ',massa1 do please let me pray to ,god1' said ,july4 ,with an oath1 he was bidden to take off his slip1 an' tied to the other rope with a rail at the lower end1 nearly touching the ground4 ,the paddle was an inch board four inches wide1 three or four feet long1 whittled at one end for the handle1 having six or eight inches bored full of holes1 each hole drawing a blister at every stroke4 ,the full round was given to ,july as ordered1 twenty lashes with the bull whip and twenty strokes with the paddle4 ,with an oath he turned again to me1 ',now1 have you got enough to stop your praying or will the devil die8' ',o massa1 do please let me pray to ,god1 he is so good1' ,i answered4 ',mun1 give 'im another full round1' and twenty lashes with the whip1 and twenty strokes with the paddle was again given4 ,again he queried ,july1 who gave the same reply as before1 and the full round was ordered and given again4 ,then he ordered him to be cut down1 swearing that he would whip him to death the next time he heard of his praying4 ,but he swore he'd have the little devil1 ,phil1 whipped to death now1 as he was first in this 'devilish' praying4 ,as ,i expected to die1 ,i prayed all through this terrible ordeal that ,jesus would come near to help me endure it1 in his name4 ,i felt him like he was by my side1 continued ,uncle ,philip1 as the tears dropped thick and fast1 often stopping a moment to find utterance4 ,massa bid ,july go home an' behave1 an' he order' de overseer to give me another round unless ,i'd promise to stop prayin'4 ,but it 'peared like ,i felt stronger in de ,lo'd1 an' ,i give de same answer1 and ,i can't tell how long ,i was whipped an' paddled1 for when ,i cum to1 ,i was cut down1 and layin' in de blood on de groun'--,i fainted away4 ,massa was lookin' at me thar in his night shirt2 ,i see him as cl'ar as if't was done yesterday4 ,he swore ,i should never cum in his sight again1 or cum inside dat gate1 pointing to it4 ,i prayed in my heart for ,god to give me strength to git up and walk to de quarters1 for the pain an' loss of blood made me so weak an' faint4 ,but de good ,lo'd was thar1 an' ,i presently got strong enough to get up an' took my slip in han'1 an' staggered out dat yard1 and cum up to ,july4 ,he stop on de way to see if ,i was 'live4 ,when we pass de quarters all along1 de old men an' women stood at their doors cryin'4 ,when we got out o' sight of de great house1 one ole man an' 'oman called us to 'em an' oiled our backs4 ,da said we was all cut up to a jelly1 an' put soft cloth over de gashes4 ,our people tried harder'n ever to stop our prayin' an' singin'1 caze ,massa ,malachi sure to kill us4 ,a few days after massa sent for me1 an' ,i 'spected he'd finish me dis time sure4 ,but ,i felt ,jesus was close by me2 ,i was weak in de body1 but strong in de ,lo'd4 ,i obeyed1 as ,i stood all trimbly afore 'im4 ',well1 howlin' preacher1 if you are boun' to preach you shall preach1' an' he swore ,i should have enough of it4 ',next ,sunday1 at eleven o'clock you shall preach2 ,i'm going to invite all the white folks an' black people 'round here to cum to hear de big preacher4 ,i'm going to have a pulpit built under that big tree' 7pointing to one in the yard two rods from the one the ropes were tied to when we was whipped74 ',now we'll have a big meetin' to hear de big preacher4 ,you understan'1 do you8' ',yes1 massa1' ,i say1 an' he sent me away4 ,i tol' ,july what massa said4 ',now we mus' pray to ,god to sen' a minister1 an' pray ,god to soften massa's heart1 to let 'im preach1 for you knows ,massa ,malachi mil do jus' as he says he will1 an' ,god will answer our prayer4' ,at nights ,i went to one plantation an' ,july went to another1 an' we tried to git some ,christian man or some ,christian woman to promise to preach if massa would consent4 ,but not one would promise4 ,they all knew it was just for sport4 ,sunday morning came with a great parade of hauling boards1 an' a pulpit was built4 ,uncle ,philip said it looked more terrifying to him than would a gallows if built for his own hanging4 ,people gathered from all directions1 both white and colored1 and filled the whole yard4 ,the hour of eleven brought the master to the door in his arm-chair1 with his family ,bible in his lap4 ,taking his watch from his pockets1 he called out1 ,come on1 my big preacher4 ,i obeyed the command1 said ,uncle ,philip1 as ,i stood afore 'im4 ',now we are to hear this howling preacher1' he said1 sneeringly1 'ad you can't preach without the ,bible1 an' ,i'll hold it wide open1 an' you must look right at me when you preach4 ,the time is up2 go to your pulpit4' ,i asked ,july if he would go up with me and help me sing-- ',my ,savior1 my ,almighty ,friend' ,nodding an assent1 we went on4 ,it 'peared like ,i was too weak to go up four or five steps4 ,i trimbled an' sweat all over4 ,but once ,i was up my strength cum to me1 and we sung so loud de people say da hear ev'ry word all over dat great yard4 ,by de time we got to de las' line of third verse de people was cryin' for mercy an' down on dair knees crying1 ',lo'd1 what shall ,i do to be saved8 ',lo'd have mercy on me1 a sinner6' ',be merciful to poor me1 or ,i'm lost4' ,these cries we hear'n from every side4 ,i never felt happier or bolder in my life1 while tears of joy ran down as ,i faced my ole massa4 ,he slam de door shut1 an' da said he jumped between two feather-beds to keep from hearin' de cries of de people4 ,i tell you1 honey1 de ,lo'd made dat hymn my sin-killer on dat blessed day1 long1 long to be 'membered4 ,and did you preach8 ,i asked4 ,preach1 chile2 de ,lo'd did all de preachin' dat day4 ,we finish' de hymn1 an' we went down an' talked an' prayed wid de seekers1 an' we staid dar all night1 an' afore next mornin' twenty-three was converted an' praisin' ,god4 ,massa call for me1 an' ,i 'spected my time cum now anyhow4 ,but ,i was ready for death or life4 ,i went without fear of any thing4 ,he looked at me as mile as a lamb1 an' said1 ',phil1 my boy1 you may preach1 pray1 or sing as much as you please1 an' go where you please1 an' you shall never be hit another lick as long as ,i live4' ,i bowed low an' said1 ',thanky1 ,massa ,malachi2 ,god bless you1 massa4' ,i praised ,god as ,i turned away from1 him who had caused me so much sufferin'4 ,but ,god turned it into a great blessin'4 ,he dismissed his overseer1 an' never 'lowed one of his slaves to be punish' after that great day4 ,in one year seventy-three on dat plantation was converted4 ,two nieces of massa's was 'mong 'em1 besides a few other white folks4 ,but ,massa ,malachi tried to git 'em to give up 'ligion1 an' sent 'em to dancin' frolics4 ,an' da come to me for advice as if ,i was deir brover4 ,i tole em ,massa ,malachi took keer of 'em1 'caze day was orphans1 an' de sin would res' on de uncle dat make 'em go agin deir will1 and not on dem4 ,two years after one of 'em got married an' moved thirty miles away1 an' she got leave of massa to let me go an' stay a week or two at a time4 ,at las'1 poor gal1 she died of consumption1 and sent for me a month afore she died to stay wid her1 an' she often asked me to pray wid her4 ,o how happy she died1 in full faith in de 'ligion she foun' on de blessed day massa compel me to preach1 little thinkin' he was 'pointin' a meetin' for de ,lo'd of hosts instead of little ,phil4 ,but my people on other plantations often sent for me to preach1 but ,i never call it preachin'1 only 'ligious talks4 ,da would have me help organize ,churches all 'roun' thar4 ,in four years we organized seven ,churches an' the cause prospered4 ,at las' so many persecutions an' sufferin' was goin' on ,i got disheartened4 ,i began to question whether it wan't me causin' all dis sufferin'1 an' ,i stop goin' to prayer-meetin' four months1 an' de ministers an' ,christian men an' ,christian women come to see me an' say1 ',brodder ,philip1 why don't you come to meetin'1 as you use' to8' ,i tole 'em1 'caze ,i didn't feel like it4 ,said one man1 ',i's feared de devil's got hold of you4' ,i tole 'im ,i 'spected he'd had hold o' me a long while1 for ,i felt bad enough to be his work4 ,i tole 'im ,massa ,malachi made me preach1 an' ,god didn't have nothin' to do wid it1 for he knew massa was a wicked man4 ,these doubts and fears seemed to follow ,uncle ,philip day and night1 until1 as1 he said1 his distress was great4 ,then1 he fell into an insensible1 lifeless state1 in which he lay fourteen days4 ,said he3 ,my mother dressed me for de grave2 but as my limbs did not stiffen1 ,mada ,malachi sent for a doctor who placed a glass before my face1 an' moisture gathered on it4 ,he tole 'em it was not entirely cole over de heart1 an' da mus'n't bury me until decomposition took place1 cuze it might be a trance4 ,an' da kep' me in de kitchen wid ,aunt ,milla1 de cook1 to watch me4 ,it 'peared like ,i's goin' down into a horrible place of awful soun's an' rattlin' of chains2 an' ,i prayed mightily for help1 an' ,jesus reached down an' took my han' an' lifted me up to a glorious palace so beautiful1 an' every thing was light4 ,steps seemed built out of light1 somehow made into sub'sance1 ,i can't 'escribe it4 ,my guide tole me ,i was wrong to doubt1 when ,god had been so good to me in all my hard trials4 ,he showed me de windows dat let light down to dis earth1 an' to de churches ,i helpt organize4 ,it seemed like bein' led from place to place into a mighty big country4 ,when ,i seen 'em all dress' in pure white robes an' singin' such splendid music1 ,i look at myself and see how filthy an' ragged ,i look2 ,i say to my guide1 ',i can never go in dat company4' ',yes you can when ,jesus wash you in his blood4 ,all you see was as filthy an' ragged as you4 ,but da is made clean4' ,an' we crossed over a line like1 an' firs' ,i know ,i's in de pure white robe too1 an' singin' wid all dat great company4 ,o ,i can't 'escribe1 how happy ,i felt in rangin' wid my guide de fields of light an' sich glorious visions4 ,at las' he said1 ',you mus' go back to earth an' teach your people de way to dis glorious home1 dat is your home if you be faithful in readin' dis book4' ,i said1 ',i am a slave back thar1 an' can't read4' ',but this book you can read1' an' he laid de open book on my outstretched lef' arm2 de tip of de golden leaves reach the tip of my fingers1 an' the other tip of the leaves touch my head4 ,he took me two or three little steps1 an' ,i thought ,i was back to earth1 an' ,i ask ,aunt ,milla for a drink as ,i was so thirsty4 ,and she said de bucket of water was on de bench1 an' my little cup by it4 ,when ,i cum to myse'f ,i was standin' by de bucket drinkin' out o' my cup4 ,but nobody was in de house but ,mina1 a little gal 'bout eight year ole1 massa bought out of a drove was passin' by de kitchen door1 and run to the fiel' shoutin' all de way ',phil's alive6 ,phil's alive6' ,an' all de han's on de plantation cum runnin' to de house1 an' my mother caught me firs'1 ',praise ,god1 my chile's alive4' ,de firs' ,i said1 ',i's been wrong to doubt ,god1 ,i never1 never will doubt him any more4' ,i never can1 for ,i's had a glimpse of hell1 and have been in dat beautiful world of light4 ,i have given ,uncle ,philip's narrative in his own language as ,i took it down in my note-book at the time of my interviews with him4 ,his was indeed a green old age2 his mind remarkably clear1 and his memory retentive4 ,from time to time1 as ,i read a chapter or a psalm1 he often referred to certain passages that he had dwelt upon since ,i had left him4 ,in relating his history be often shed tears2 at one time with his elbows resting upon his knees1 and face buried in the calico 'kerchief until it was wet4 ,at another time he was just raising himself up from the kneeling position--when ,i came in4 ,i's jus' bin prayin' for you1 he said4 ,i did't know as you's so near1 but ,i felt your spirit4 ,it sort o' lifs me up to talk wid you4 ,i prayed dat de good seed you's sowin' 'mong our people may lodge in good groun' an' bring a hundred fol'4 ,de men you talked to on de bridge 'bout swearin' never'll forgit your words4 ,you's doin' more for our poor1 ignorant people dan you knows on4 ,he lived about a year after ,i left ,memphis1 ,tennessee4 ,i sent him occasionally two or three dollars1 through ,superintendent ,barnum or his wife1 who often called to see his wants supplied4 ,the last words he uttered were a few lines of one of his favorite hymns1 ,give me wings1 and his happy spirit took its flight2 having faithfully read the book he said he had always kept in his heart4 ,i was often forcibly impressed while conversing with that aged saint4 ,how manifest is the power of our ,wonderful1 in his dealing with his followers1 just according to their needs4 ,that poor ignorant man could not read the written ,word1 but ,god took his own way to lead and instruct him1 to fit him for an instrument in his hand of turning many souls to the knowledge of the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,on ,may #aa1 #ahfg1 ,i took the cars for home4 ,having instructions from the ,american ,missionary ,association and transportation1 ,i took fifteen homeless orphans to our asylum in my former school1 ,raisin ,institute4 ,i left this field of arduous toiling1 often passing the former residence of ,john ,p4 and ,thomas ,k4 ,chester1 who had so often threatened my life4 ,both closed their earthly career by untimely deaths4 ,i reached home on the #adth1 praising the ,god of ,daniel for his keeping power in the lion's den4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,state ,,public ,,school4 ,after my return my health gave way1 as did also that of our worthy agent1 ,catherine ,taylor4 ,she endured great suffering from inflammation of the sciatic nerve1 and was entirely disabled from labor for months4 ,late in the ,autumn our supplies ran very low1 and our self-sacrificing president was also in poor health4 ,she1 with a few other members of the board1 visited the asylum1 and found nothing on hand but corn-meal and turnips1 which1 with a little milk that was made into a gravy1 was all there was to keep the children from starving4 ,our president ran in debt twenty-six dollars at the mill and grocery2 but on ,thanksgiving-day a collection of sixty-six dollars was taken for the asylum4 ,this liquidated the debt1 and furnished the necessary food for the time being4 ,but ,winter was approaching1 and the failing health of the workers seemed to forebode the necessity of closing our asylum work4 ,mrs4 ,catherine ,rice corresponded with friends of the work in ,grand ,rapids1 asking them to unite with us in a petition to the ,state ,legislature to establish a ,state manual labor school in ,grand ,rapids1 as the friends in that city were arranging for a local orphan asylum4 ,the subject was discussed in the board1 but a small majority voted against uniting their local interests with the ,state work4 ,during this time1 all new material sent in for clothing was exchanged for food1 and ,jane ,a4 ,smith and our faithful teacher applied to a few friends and received temporary aid4 ,on ,december #ae1 #ahgj1 we found the provisions too short to last for two weeks4 ,the question came up1 ,what shall be done for the twenty children for whom no homes are provided8 ,under the circumstances1 there seemed no alternative but to return the children to their respective county infirmaries4 ,when this decision was reached by the board of managers1 and made known to the matron and teacher1 on the evening of their week-day prayer-meeting1 the matron informed the children of it4 ,eleven of them had made a profession of religion1 and had given evidence of having found ,him who said1 ,suffer little children to come unto me1 and forbid them not ,each of these offered earnest prayer for ,god to help them live so faithfully that he would make friends for them1 to bring them something to eat1 so we won't have to go back to the county poor-house4 ,all this time my children and friends had not allowed me to know the condition of the asylum4 ,our firm friend1 ,rebecca ,bennett1 and our president called on my physician to ask permission to see me for advice as to whom they could write for aid4 ,he replied1 ,with your calm and judicious manner1 ,i can risk you4 ,but they came far short of making a full revelation of the true state of things4 ,i advised them to write the superintendent of the ,congregationalist ,sabbath-school at1 ,franklin ,center1 and to the pastor of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church in ,tecumseh4 ,they proposed that ,i should dictate to my daughter what to write4 ,this was done1 and my appeal was read in their respective congregations4 ,within a week two sleigh-loads1 containing grain1 flour1 meal1 and beef1 and a whole dressed sheep1 came from those places4 ,the drivers rolled in barrel after barrel from each of the sleighs1 and said they would bring more before this was gone4 ,one little boy of eleven years said3 ,mrs4 ,smith1 don't you think ,god sent all this 'cause we prayed so hard the other night8 ,my child1 she answered1 the ,lord has heard our prayers1 and has answered2 and1 although it is snowing hard1 yet you must hurry1 and hitch ,jack to the buggy as quick as possible1 so that we can let ,mrs4 ,haviland know this2 for ,i have been afraid she has been worse since she learned we were so nearly out4 ,soon she came into my room with the glad tidings3 ,do not take another anxious thought over our asylum4 ,we had more supplies come to us to-day than we have had for two months--two heavy sleigh-loads4 ,we clasped each others' hands and wept for joy1 and praised ,god1 from whom all blessings flow4 ,this news revived the spirits of those whose hands were hanging down1 and gave them courage to reappoint officers4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,asa ,mahan's wife served as president1 with other officers1 duly elected4 ,a petition to the ,legislature was drafted and industriously circulated1 and printed copies were sent to a number of the superintendents of counties who had favored our project4 ,though the ,legislature was in session1 and there was not time to circulate it as extensively as desirable1 yet ,dr4 ,mahan and others thought it might succeed1 although there were heavy drafts upon our ,legislature of #ahgj-ga4 ,the ,state ,prison was to be enlarged1 the ,insane ,asylum to be improved1 and additions to ,ann ,arbor ,university made1 while there were still other calls for appropriations4 ,all these made the success of our scheme look doubtful to many4 ,all ,i could do was to continue in prayer that senators and representatives might feel the importance of looking after the pressing wants of our future men and women1 soon to fill our vacated places4 ,i found many children in the county poor-house through the debauchery of their fathers1 and occasionally mothers4 ,the improvement1 both in conduct and in morals1 of the neglected little waifs whom we had gathered into our asylum1 urged us on in our work2 for we realized that our experiment was a success4 ,our friends were thus encouraged to press forward with the petition4 ,dr4 ,mahan and his wife1 our president1 went before the ,legislature with the view of pressing our claims4 ,members of the ,senate and ,house proposed to grant ,dr4 ,mahan one evening in representing the project1 and left it in the hands of the ,committee on ,petitions4 ,senator ,randall1 of ,coldwater1 put it in the form of a bill that covered the spirit and requests of the petition4 ,being chairman of the ,committee on ,bills1 he presented it in the ,senate4 ,it was passed in that body1 to our great joy1 and soon after was passed in the ,house1 and received the governor's signature1 making it a law4 ,though only thirty thousand dollars were appropriated by the ,legislature with which to commence operations1 yet ,i knew the ,state would carry on the work hereafter4 ,the site for the new asylum was to be selected at whatever desirable locality offered the most liberal donations4 ,as ,coldwater offered thirty thousand dollars toward the new enterprise1 it was located in that city4 ,while the buildings for the ,state school were being erected1 our asylum was moved into the city of ,adrian1 as at that point it was more convenient for the sisters composing the board of managers to care for it4 ,when the ,state ,public ,school should be opened1 all in our asylum not provided with homes were to be transferred to it4 ,my health improved sufficiently to enable me to make a few appeals to bring up arrears in our work4 ,the matron and myself had received but very little1 as all went to the support of the children4 ,i cared but little for myself2 but for sister ,smith1 who had been such a faithful1 mother to these poor children1 ,i was more anxious4 ,at length ,i secured permission of my tender care-takers--my two daughters--to go among my friends in ,detroit4 ,to most of them ,i appealed by letter1 and made but one personal call4 ,that was more particularly in the interest of a prisoner for whom ,i solicited a pardon4 ,this was at length granted4 ,governor ,baldwin had known of my asylum work1 and inquired after its interests4 ,he gave me twenty dollars towards it4 ,mr4 ,crapo's son gave me twenty-five dollars1 and ,captain ,e4 ,b4 ,ward fifty dollars4 ,others responded to my letters1 and ,i obtained over two hundred dollars4 ,the great fires in ,chicago and ,northern ,michigan stopped farther work of this character2 but we did what we could toward canceling arrearages1 being confident that were it not for the continued and faithful toiling of ,jane ,a4 ,smith the asylum would have died during my long and serious illness4 ,it must have died1 even after its removal to ,adrian1 had it not been for a faithful few4 ,a few months after the ,state ,public ,school was opened at ,coldwater1 in charge of ,professor ,truesdell1 superintendent1 and ,miss ,emma ,a4 ,hall1 matron4 ,i went into the school as seamstress and nurse1 and remained there nearly two years4 ,instead of overhauling1 cutting1 and making over second-hand clothes for the three hundred little homeless waifs we had cared for in our orphans' home1 we were now well supplied with bolts of substantial new material1 out of which we made comfortable bedding and clothing4 ,here we had no care about furnishing1 and no anxious fear for their support4 ,with pleasure we saw the vast contrast in conveniences and supplies compared with our little rill in which we so long paddled our own canoe1 and in which faithful laborers were still at work4 ,it matters not by whom this great work was accomplished2 it matters not by what agencies our prayer of more than four years long1 previous to the adopting of this work by the ,state1 was answered4 ,through an overruling power clouds and icebergs vanished1 and in lieu thereof the massive brick buildings of the ,state ,public ,school in ,coldwater were raised1 instead of the old ,raisin ,institute1 where it drew its first breath4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,christian ,,labor ,,and ,,results4 ,it seemed refreshing to meet with sympathizing friends after toiling for months among false brethren4 ,it was a relief to enjoy a few days of freedom from care4 ,after asking a few friends to sign an article of agreement to pay one dollar a year during five years for the orphan asylum1 and mailing a couple of letters to ,levi ,coffin and ,rev4 ,e4 ,m4 ,cravath1 of ,cincinnati1 ,i took from the office a drop-letter from ,mr4 ,burton ,kent1 ,county ,superintendent of the ,poor1 containing the following notice3 ,,mrs4 ,,laura ,s4 ,,haviland1--,many persons transported by you last year have become a county charge1 and it has become an intolerable burden to the tax-payers4 ,any person bringing a child or indigent person into this county without being legally indentured1 shall be prosecuted to the full extent of the law4 ,within five minutes after reading the above notice ,i was on my way to our ,county ,poor-house1 three miles from town4 ,to my surprise ,i found that no colored child had been there1 and of the fifty-one inmates but three were colored1 and only one man 7,mr4 ,morris ,brown7 who came with me the previous ,summer had been received4 ,he was discharged in a short time4 ,a stay at the infirmary for two months and a half was a burden1 but was it intolerable to the tax-payers of our county8 ,i felt that ,i must search diligently to discover all the facts4 ,i called on ,mr4 ,helms1 who said there was widow with four or five children that was sick a couple of weeks1 and he had supplied her with a load of wood and groceries4 ,i asked for the cost1 but as it was not convenient for him to give the figures then1 he said he would furnish them the following ,tuesday4 ,mr4 ,young had told him that he had buried a family4 ,i called to learn what family it was in his ward4 ,he gave the name of the man who died after a short illness1 and to whom he had taken a load of wood1 a small sack of flour1 and some other groceries4 ,i inquired if he had taken these things to them more than once4 ,he said he had not1 as his wife was all there was to look after1 and she took care of herself after her husband's death4 ,he gave me the expenses--eight dollars and ninety-six cents4 ,i called on ,mr4 ,helms at three appointed times1 and failed to get his precise figures1 but1 placing them at highest rates1 from all ,i could gather it could not have been more than thirty-five dollars4 ,i wrote an article for the ,adrian ,times1 in which ,i stated the figures1 and informed the citizens and tax-payers of ,lenawee ,county that this orphan asylum was under the auspices of the ,american ,missionary ,association1 which was responsible for its support4 ,i solicited some mathematician to give us the fraction of a mill to each taxpayer as his share of this intolerable burden upon the tax-payers4 ,our county superintendents of the poor1 ,burton ,kent and ,alice ,warren1 the officials from whom ,i received the notice1 were surprised to learn that the ,american ,missionary ,association was the responsible party4 ,but all these threats sprang from prejudiced parties1 and clearly indicated the necessity of a few strokes of the reconstruction brush north of ,mason and ,dixon's line1 as well as south of it1 to obliterate the color-line4 ,friends here and there paid me a dollar on their pledge of a dollar a year1 and our colored friends in the city of ,adrian--,sarah ,lewis1 with her brothers and ,mr4 ,wilson1 managers of a festival--realized thirty-two dollars and sixty-one cents1 cash1 and fifty pounds of meat1 beans1 fruit and clothing1 valued at fifty dollars4 ,july the ,fourth was a merry day for the forty little folks at the asylum4 ,at dark fire-crackers1 torpedoes and sky-rockets flew in every direction for an hour1 when all were arranged in a semicircle and sang ,john ,brown1 ,red ,white and ,blue1 ,rally ',round the ,flag1 ,boys1 and a few temperance songs1 in great glee4 ,it was a happy group4 ,we had a few visitors1 who left us the happier for seeing the children and listening to their sweet voices in song4 ,i was often engaged in procuring good homes for these orphans4 ,a few homes were found that were not suitable1 and the children were withdrawn and placed in other homes4 ,on ,september #aith ,i met ,mrs4 ,edgerton1 the matron of our asylum1 with ,t4 ,d4 ,allen1 of ,kalamazoo1 agent under ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd1 secretary of the ,american ,missionary ,association1 who were authorized to build a school-room for the asylum4 ,heretofore the children's play-room had been used for the school during the warm season4 ,as the ,american ,missionary ,association was doing a great work in the late slave ,states in maintaining freedmen's schools1 the officers concluded to solicit aid1 in the ,state of ,michigan for the building of the much needed school-room4 ,they urged me to engage in this work1 but ,i thought that ,i had done my share1 in giving the time ,i had to soliciting money for the purchase of supplies4 ,besides ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock had given one thousand dollars in money1 with which to enlarge the little farm to thirty-five acres1 buy a horse1 and furnish the little folks with hats1 etc4 ,then ,i wanted to look for a home1 as ,i was becoming rather weary of singing the old song1 ,no foot of land do ,i possess1 ,no cottage in this wilderness4 ,this had been my condition for nearly three years2 but with all my pleading1 ,i failed to be released4 ,as it was already cooler weather1 and ,winter would soon overtake us1 ,t4 ,d4 ,allen said ,i had worked long enough without reward1 save that of blessing these little homeless waifs1 and now1 if ,i would take hold of this enterprise1 ,i should be paid the same amount he was receiving4 ,at length ,i agreed to spend a week or two at least1 and took from him the bill of all the kinds of lumber needed1 and left for ,detroit4 ,judge ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman furnished me with a letter of introduction1 indorsed by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,george ,duffield1 of ,detroit4 ,i called1 as he advised1 on ,samuel ,pitts1 who subscribed one hundred dollars in lumber4 ,i selected out of my bill what was first called for to enable the carpenters already engaged to commence their work4 ,i then called on ,mr4 ,cooper1 freight agent1 to secure1 if possible1 free transportation to ,adrian2 to him ,i gave my introductory letter4 ,when he glanced at the heading1 without reading it1 he gave it a toss on his table toward me1 with a look of disgust1 saying1 ,i've seen that thing before1 and ,i've nothing to do with it4 ,that is a mistake1 said ,i2 that paper is from ,f4 ,c4 ,beaman1 and not a week old4 ,if ,i'm not very much mistaken ,i've seen it before4 ,well1 you are very much mistaken1 for ,i brought it to this city with me yesterday1 and ,i have not been in your office until this minute4 ,but ,i am not soliciting money4 ,i only called to see if ,i can secure free transportation for one hundred dollars' worth of lumber to ,adrian for an orphan school-room1 as forty little homeless waifs1 under our care1 have no school-room1 except a wood-house and play-room4 ,the cold weather will soon overtake us4 ,he listened patiently to my short speech1 and said he had no authority to grant such a favor2 that ,i would have to write to ,c4 ,h4 ,hatch1 then in ,chicago4 ,i know he would grant it1 ,i said1 for he granted this quarter pass on his road for my mission work1 showing the pass4 ,he turned it over and spent double the time in examining it that he did on my introductory letter1 and said1 slowly1 ,i think ,i will risk sending this car-load1 and wrote an order to his assistant to send it forthwith to ,adrian4 ,i thankfully returned to my duty of calling on the list of the benevolently inclined wealthy persons whose names ,dr4 ,duffield and ,j4 ,f4 ,conover had furnished4 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,hogarth1 ,mr4 ,raymond1 the book-merchant1 and ,rev4 ,dr4 ,duffield gave sufficient to pay the cartage of the lumber to the depot4 ,soon it was on its way4 ,i dined at ,moses ,sutton's1 who gave #e1 and his sister ,annie #a4 ,mr4 ,brooks gave me #be in lumber4 ,mr4 ,bronson gave five thousand shingles2 another gave #b4ej in shingles4 ,after a few days at home ,i returned1 ,october #beth1 to ,detroit1 and toiled1 like the fishermen1 nearly all day1 and caught nothing4 ,weary1 and almost discouraged1 ,i was about to retire to my resting-place at ,augustus ,leggett's1 when one gave #e1 another #b4 ,the following day ,i called on ,c4 ,merrill1 who gave #e2 another gave #e2 ,mr4 ,r4 ,c4 ,renuick gave #aj2 ,mr4 ,whitney gave #e4 ,weariness coaxed me to another sweet resting-place1 the home of my dear friends ,j4 ,f4 and ,hannah ,conover4 ,i called on a few persons whose names had been given me by ,mr4 ,palmer1 from whom ,i received #ag2 and from a few others ,i received #ae4 ,john ,bagley gave #aj2 another gave #e2 ,rev4 ,j4 ,a4 ,baughman1 #e2 and ,mr4 ,king1 his son-in-law1 #e4 ,i also called on ,governor ,crapo1 who gave #e4 ,others gave #e1 #b1 and #a1 until ,i had forty dollars more to aid in constructing our school-room4 ,we secured sufficient means to build our school-room4 ,in all1 with the favors granted by the ,michigan ,southern and ,lake ,shore ,railroad1 we received about four hundred dollars4 ,through the kindness of my friend1 ,l4 ,tabor1 ,esq41 who purchased a house and small lot for me1 ,i again had a place for my children to occupy1 which ,i could call my home2 for which ,i praised the ,lord1 from whom all blessings flow4 ,as our orphan asylum was now in a good condition1 ,mrs4 ,edgerton1 the matron1 said the secretaries of the three divisions of the ,missionary ,association1 ,chicago1 ,cincinnati1 and ,new ,york1 met and voted her one hundred dollars a month1 with which to carry forward this asylum4 ,she deemed this an ample supply1 with what had been raised on the place4 ,she said it was then on a more substantial basis than it had been during the year she had had it in charge4 ,through ,general ,o4 ,o4 ,howard ,i learned that mission work was much needed in ,charleston1 ,south ,carolina1 and received from him transportation to that city by way of ,washington1 ,district of ,columbia4 ,my health being now restored1 on ,january #bi1 #ahfi1 ,i left my sweet home and loved ones at three o'clock ,p4 ,m41 and spent the night in ,toledo1 with my old friends1 ,william ,merritt and wife4 ,i attended with them the prayer-meeting in the new colored church4 ,i arrived at ,pittsburg with but little detention4 ,passing through the mountains1 we found the snow deeper than when ,i left ,michigan4 ,at seven ,a4 ,m4 we passed the wreck of three cars which had run off the embankment and were still burning4 ,among the killed taken from the wreck was a woman partially burnt4 ,i did not learn the number of killed and injured4 ,among these dead and dying ,i should probably have been had ,i not spent the night in ,toledo1 as this was the train1 ,i would have been on had ,i remained on the one ,i left4 ,o1 how sad to look upon this smoldering wreck1 from which ,i had so narrowly escaped6 ,this was the third accident of this kind which ,i had thus providentially missed in my travels by river and rail of three thousand miles4 ,many are the dangers1 seen and unseen1 through which ,i have passed1 and the remembrance of this disaster calls forth a renewed song of deliverance and praise for the ,guiding ,hand that preserves through the vicissitudes of this ever-changing life4 ,i arrived in ,washington early in the morning1 and took breakfast with my friend ,dr4 ,glenan4 ,here ,i found my brother1 ,harvey ,smith1 and his son1 who were teaching freedmen's schools1 and with them ,i spent the ,sabbath1 ,in the evening ,i attended the ,colored ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 and was invited to address the large meeting4 ,i spoke half an hour1 and told the history of ,uncle ,philip1 and how1 amidst the persecutions and sorrows to which his slave-life subjected him1 he had kept his hand in the hand of his ,savior all these ninety-seven years4 ,while speaking of his being whipped until he fainted1 a few wept aloud1 and after meeting a number came to tell me of their being whipped for praying4 ,one woman was whipped until she fainted1 and one man was kept in the stocks all night after being whipped1 and came near dying4 ,his master told him he would whip the praying devil out of him1 using the same words that ,uncle ,philip's master used to him4 ,the surgeon-in-chief1 ,dr4 ,reynolds1 wished me to remain in ,washington another day1 and thought ,general ,howard would permit me to stay there for a time1 to engage in sanitary work4 ,i had an interview with the general1 who thought ,i was most needed in ,washington1 during the ,winter season at least4 ,he gave me authority to visit the free soup-houses1 and investigate the sanitary work generally4 ,after reading my commission1 ,i told him ,i had a request to make1 and that was that the authority with which ,i was vested1 might be kept secret4 ,to investigate to the best advantage was my object4 ,i was also appointed to examine1 as far as practicable1 the condition of applicants for charity1 and the manner in which the charity was applied4 ,my office was furnished1 and board was allowed me at the head-quarters of the freedmen's hospital in ,campbell ,camp4 ,on ,february eth ,i called at ,josephine ,griffin's relief office before #aj o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,between sixty and seventy persons called on her1 mostly for work4 ,i followed a number of the applicants for soup-tickets to their homes4 ,in visiting twenty families during the day1 ,i found a number of persona in squalid wretchedness4 ,one man was very sick with a high fever1 and unconscious4 ,he had received no help1 because unable to make personal application1 and he had no family to intercede for him4 ,his bed was a pile of rags in the corner on the floor4 ,i called for the ,bureau physician and saw that he had suitable bed-clothing and food4 ,the physician said he must have died within two or three days in that condition4 ,among the applicants for relief was an ,irishwoman1 who had a brick house she was renting1 except the back room1 which she occupied1 and had another nearly finished4 ,she and her family for whom she was begging soup1 lived in good style4 ,the fourth day of my investigations revealed great deficiency in properly looking after applicants for aid4 ,the greatest sufferers were often too diffident to ask for help4 ,the soup-houses were generally well managed4 ,i called as one whom curiosity had drawn into the motley crowd1 and was treated to a taste of fine soup1 even at the ,savage ,soup-house1 where ,i saw two caldrons of soup4 ,the one from which ,i was served might well tempt the palate of an epicure1 but the other looked too forbidding for a human stomach4 ,i soon found the good soup was being given to the white applicants1 who were first served1 while the colored people1 standing in the yard1 were waiting their time4 ,policeman ,ross told a shivering colored man to go inside and put his pail on the farther block for soup4 ,i shall be sent out1 he replied4 ,i tell you to go in1 said the policeman2 ,i'll see to that4 ,he obeyed the order1 only to receive curses3 ,you know better than to come yet2 another thing you know1 this soup is for white folks1 the other is for niggers4 ,at this1 ,policeman ,roes canoe in3 ,i have seen1 said he1 fish made of one and flesh of another long enough4 ,here are women and children standing out on the ice and snow1 waiting all this afternoon for you to serve the white people first4 ,another thing ,i'd like to know1 why is this difference in the soup8 ,that black stuff is hardly fit for pigs to eat1 ,mr4 ,savage1 and you know it4 ,our citizens furnish material for this soup1 replied he1 and our citizens shall have it4 ,doesn't ,general ,howard furnish a hundred pounds of beef and two hundred loaves of bread each day8 and on ,saturday it is double4 ,another thing ,i'd like to know--are these not our citizens8 pointing toward the yard full of colored people4 ,there are ten thousand too many of 'em1 and it's none of your business2 ,i shall do as ,i please4 ,i will let you know2 ,i shall make it my business to report you to ,general ,howard4 ,mr4 ,savage poured out a horrid volley of oaths at him1 adding that all his reporting would make no difference with him4 ,one ,irish woman received three loaves of bread1 four quarts of soup1 and a large piece of meat4 ,after nearly all1 both white and colored1 were served1 the lieutenant policeman left1 but ,mr4 ,ross remained until the end of the disbursing4 ,i was tempted to cheer the policeman for his bravery1 but thought silence the better part of valor4 ,when ,aunt ,chloe's cl'arin' up time was come1 ,i took my departure4 ,i saw the policeman standing near the gate1 and said in low tone1 as ,i passed out1 ,i thank you for your words4 ,stop2 do you live here8 he said4 ,temporarily4 ,go slowly till ,i get my club1 so ,i can catch up4 ,i want to see you4 ,he soon overtook me1 and inquired whether ,i was one of the visiting committee4 ,i told him that ,i was authorized by ,general ,howard to inspect the soup-houses4 ,he asked whether ,i was going to report ,savage ,i am on my way1 ,i said1 to the general's office for that purpose4 ,i will give you my name and number1 he replied1 and will run to see the lieutenant of police1 who will give his name and number for reference also2 ,i'll overtake you by the time you reach ,pennsylvania ,avenue ,and off he ran4 ,as ,i wished to inspect the poor soup more thoroughly1 ,i called at a cabin1 the home of the poor man that the policeman compelled to go in and demand the good soup4 ,i found his quart of excuse for soup1 on the stove to cook the half raw bits of turnips and potatoes4 ,i tasted of what the policeman said was hardly fit for pigs1 and fully agreed with his assertion1 for the man said it made them sick to eat it without cooking it over4 ,this man had been sick with pneumonia1 and his mother very sick with it at this time ,i hurried to the nearest grocery1 where ,i bought crackers1 sugar1 rice1 bread1 tea1 and mustard for a plaster to put on her side4 ,the man had received only a slice of bread with his quart of soup1 for the seven reported in his family1 four of whom were sick4 ,when ,i reached the avenue1 ,i met the policeman who had nearly run himself out of breath4 ,he was delayed in hunting for the lieutenant1 who sent word that he would call on the general to confirm my report if necessary1 and gave his name and number4 ,the result of the report was1 that a notice was sent at once to ,mr4 ,savage that there must be no difference in giving to the poor1 either in quality or quantity at his soup-house1 and that the difference mad between white and colored1 as reported to him1 could not continue4 ,in reply1 ,mr4 ,savage denied having made any difference in his soup-house1 and charged the reporter with being an arrant liar1 and he also made the same statement in the ,daily ,chronicle4 ,i wrote a confirmation of my report1 using his own words in connection with the remarks of policeman ,ross1 and took it to ,dr4 ,reyburn1 ,burgeon-in-chief in the sanitary work4 ,the doctor approved my statement1 and wrote a few lines of preface himself4 ,as ,i used ,mr4 ,boss's name1 ,i called on him1 who also approved1 and referred to the lieutenant of police1 who was present2 and both sanctioned my report4 ,this was published in the ,chronicle4 ,at this ,savage raved1 and swore he would arrest me for defamation4 ,neither did the policeman whose name ,i used as reference go unscathed4 ,the chief of the police force requested ,mr4 ,ross to see me and learn by what authority ,i was acting1 as there seemed to be none indicated in my article in the ,chronicle4 ,mr4 ,ross said the chief of police did not doubt my authority1 but would like to know1 if ,i had no objection4 ,i presented my paper1 with a request that the matter should be held as confidential1 as ,i did not wish to make it public4 ,after reading the paper he said3 ,i think you are authorized to inspect the work of the whole of us2 ,i see in this the whole field is included4 ,would you object to my taking this to the chief of police1 if ,i bring it back within1 an hour or two8 ,we may in some cases render you assistance4 ,i had no objection1 and he took it4 ,i found their assistance in a few cases very important1 as well as convenient4 ,but with all the ,savage threats1 nothing was done1 and not even a reference was made to the subject in either of the papers4 ,surgeon ,reyburn told me1 as he was passing a corner where a group of secessionists were discussing the subject quite freely1 that one man said1 ,why don't ,savage do something about that soup-house affair1 and not be a numb-head1 and let that woman wind him around her finger like that8 ,another said1 ,if ,i'd lied once over that old soup-house1 ,i'd lie again1 before ,i'd hold still and take all that ,he changed his soup-house policy for a little while2 but the complaints among secession friends and white customers caused him soon afterward to backslide4 ,mr4 ,carpenter1 treasurer of the ,provident ,aid ,society1 wrote a letter to ,george ,savage that he thought might improve him4 ,but ,surgeon ,reyburn sent for me1 and requested me to prepare for running the ,fourth ,ward soup-house1 as he had heard they were going to discharge ,george ,savage4 ,i called on ,mr4 ,shepherd1 the proper authority to discharge him4 ,he said that in a week or two all the soup-houses would close for the season1 and1 as ,savage had received letters that he thought he would improve by1 he would release me from the task of running the soup-house4 ,i therefore continued visiting and relieving the sick and suffering4 ,i met in my rounds ,dr4 ,cook1 who said there was a child frozen to death in ,kendal ,green ,barracks1 nearly two miles away4 ,neither the doctor nor myself knew who had charge there4 ,i went1 and found a child of ten months old that had chilled to death4 ,the mother said hers was the fourth child in that row of cabins that had died2 and that none of them were allowed more than two four-foot sticks of fire-wood for twenty-four hours4 ,i called at the other cabins1 and found them without fire1 and all told the same story of lack of wood and no coal4 ,there was neither bedding nor clothing enough among them all to make a single family comfortable4 ,the mother of the dead child had been to see the superintendent of the poor of the city to get a coffin4 ,with shoes but little better than none1 she had waded through melting snow until her dress was wet four inches1 at least1 around the bottom4 ,i inquired who the superintendent of this camp and barracks was1 and they said1 ,major ,thompson4 ,i went to his head-quarters1 but found that he and his family had gone to the ,capital to learn how ,president ,johnson's impeachment trial was likely to end4 ,i repaired to ,general ,c4 ,h4 ,howard's office1 and reported the condition of these families4 ,he sent me back in his ambulance1 with fifty loaves of bread1 a coffin for the dead child1 and two quilts and a few blankets for the destitute1 with instructions to give the bread1 except one loaf to each of the four families ,i had visited1 to ,major ,townsend1 a man that ,i had met in the ,sabbath-school he superintended4 ,he was surprised to find those families under his care in such a condition4 ,the general furthermore requested me to make a thorough investigation of ,kendal ,green ,barracks and camp4 ,the following day ,i visited forty families1 and found twelve sick1 and not sufficiently supplied4 ,i listened to many sad stories by a white man1 who had been one of ,major ,townsend's police guards while he had charge of ,campbell ,camp1 before ,i went to ,washington4 ,i was informed that the major had charged his two police guards to bring the woman that was interfering with his camp to his office till he returned1 if she should come again in his absence4 ,although they were quite cross1 they did not take me to the major's head-quarters1 as ,i told them ,i was calling by request4 ,the major had no more idea of who the intruder was than ,i knew who the superintendent was until ,i made my report to the general1 when he informed me that it was not ,thompson1 but ,major ,townsend1 to whom ,i had been introduced in a colored ,sabbath-school4 ,but as he knew by the supplies which ,i took to the families that they came from head-quarters1 he called on ,general ,howard1 and from him learned who the inspector was1 and he told the general he would aid me in calling on the poor who needed aid4 ,while he spent most of the day in calling at my office and going to see the general1 ,i was visiting the barracks4 ,for sundry misdemeanors while in office the major was relieved1 and another appointed in his stead4 ,though ,i did not think he was the right man for the place1 yet ,i felt sorry for his excellent family4 ,his wife and two young lady daughters ,i had called on1 and was much pleased with their self-sacrificing ,christian spirit4 ,there was much excitement in ,washington during a portion of ,may1 on account of the impeachment and trial of ,president ,johnson4 ,at length1 on the #afth of the month1 the news spread that he was acquitted of the high charges made against him by the ,house of ,representatives1 and that his power was left uncurtailed4 ,but he had turned his back upon our brave soldiers1 who bled and died to save the nation's life1 and made no serious effort to put an end to the ,kuklux outrages in the ,southern ,states4 ,for this reason many demanded that he be removed from his office4 ,with them his acquittal foreboded ill2 but we hoped for the best4 ,uncle ,dodson1 aged sixty-five years1 a plantation preacher and a resident of ,campbell ,camp1 caused great excitement when he found his long-lost wife and she found her long-lost husband4 ,twenty years before the husband and wife were torn apart by the unrelenting slave-master4 ,weeping and begging to be sold together1 while kneeling at the master's feet1 they were only answered by a kick and the lash4 ,now they met again4 ,in the front yard the wife came running to him crying out1 ,o ,ben ,dodson1 is dis you8 ,i am your own ,betty4 ,and she clasped him closely4 ,glory6 glory6 hallalujah6 ,dis is my ,betty1 shuah1 he said1 pushing her away to look at her face4 ,i foun' you at las'4 ,i's hunted an' hunted till ,i track you up here4 ,i's boun' to hunt till ,i fin' you if you's alive4 ,and they both wept tears of joy4 ,ah1 ,betty1 we cried harder'n dis when da sole us apart down dar in ,egyp'4 ,and another1 outburst of joy followed4 ,they were soon happily living together in their own little cabin4 ,the old man had some queer ,scripture quotations4 ,one he recited in meeting twice before ,i had an opportunity of correcting him1 and that was1 ,adam called his wife's name ,eve because she was the mother of all evil4 ,as ,uncle ,dodson often wished me to read a chapter in their chapel meetings an 'splain it to us1 ,i took occasion to read the third chapter of ,genesis1 and when ,i read1 ,because she was the mother of all living1 he called out ebil1 ebil1 sistah ,hab'lin4 ,uncle ,dodson was learning to read1 and could read easy words in the first reader4 ,i placed the ,bible before him and pointed to the word living4 ,dat is so in dis place1 he acknowledged1 but it's some place in de ,bible4 ,father ,dodson1 ,i said1 ,i have read every word in this ,bible a number of times1 and there is no such sentence between the two lids that ,adam called his wife's name ,eve because she was the mother of all evil1 and a smile ran through the entire congregation4 ,i added that it was not a wonder that these poor people should misquote ,scripture1 as a few years ago many of them were not allowed to learn to read4 ,at this three of that company testified to being punished severely for learning their letters of a little white boy4 ,i told them it was a greater wonder that they had passed through such privations and retained as much intelligence as they possessed4 ,o yes1 well do ,i 'member when ,i was punish' too1 said another1 for tryin' to learn to read4 ,turning to a young exhorter sitting by him1 ,uncle ,dodson said1 ,brodder ,davis1 ,i've labored in de ,gospel mor'n forty years wid de white ministers and wid de black ministers1 an' ,i neber foun' one so deep in de ,scriptur' as sistah ,hablin4 ,we continued our exercises with good satisfaction4 ,another of ,father ,dodson's comforting passages was1 ,blessed is the corpse that the rain falls on4 ,if the departed one had left no other evidence of being1 prepared for the great change1 then a rain on the day of the funeral was sufficient4 ,i found this was quite generally accepted as a sure evidence with many of them4 ,as ,i was passing through the hospital yard a number of the convalescents were in a group discussing the subject of charity1 thinking that some one had been too harshly judged4 ,said one man1 ,paul said faith1 hope1 and charity4 ,an' de greates' of 'em all was char'ty4 ,an' ,i knows what a bigger man nor ,paul said1 better man too4 ,an' who dat1 an' what he say8 rejoined another4 ,he say1 ',judge not an' ye shan't be judged4' ,an' who said dat8 ',t was ,george ,washington4 ,on inquiry ,i found his parents lived many years in the vicinity of ,mount ,vernon1 and probably the colored people heard ,george ,washington repeat that text1 and it was handed down among them as an original saying of the ,father of his ,country1 in their minds a greater and better man than ,paul4 ,while engaged in my work1 as the weather became very warm1 ,i often rested an hour or two in the capitol to listen to the many witnesses who testified to the awful condition of our soldiers at ,andersonville ,prison1 under ,henry ,wirtz4 ,at the statement made concerning his stabbing and shooting the soldiers for leaning against the dead line1 the guilty man1 ,wirtz1 shook as he arose from the sofa upon which he was reclining1 and swore that was a lie2 but ,general ,auger1 the president of the court1 told him that he had nothing to say1 and bade him sit down1 which he did with cursing in great excitement4 ,i some-times spent two or three hours in listening to the tale of the heartless cruelties that unprincipled wretch had committed4 ,one woman1 whose son died in that prison1 was listening one afternoon4 ,she stood in the corridor1 and as he passed with his guards for the ambulance1 which was to bear him back to the prison1 she followed with her best weapon1 a large umbrella4 ,this she nimbly used1 thrusting the pointed end into his side or back1 or wherever she could hit him1 saying1 ,you rascal1 you villain1 you murderer1 you murdered my son in ,andersonville4 ,her thrusts were in such quick succession that he begged the guards to protect him2 but they did not interfere with the bereaved woman until they got the prisoner into the ambulance4 ,while ,i did not feel like following her example because of his murdering my cousin1 yet ,i told ,general ,auger that it was well for ,henry ,wirtz that his case was not tried by mothers and sisters of the thousands who had suffered and died under his cruelties4 ,said the general1 ,i do not know but it would be the best thing for him if mothers and sisters were his judges4 ,but if they were the ones to give the decision1 justice and mercy would never kiss each other over him4 ,i never was an advocate of capital punishment1 but ,i must acknowledge ,i did feel at times1 while listening to ,henry ,wirtz's trial1 that ,i would like to see that tiger in human form take a hemp swing4 ,but when at last he received his sentence and swore he always thought the ,american ,eagle was a d--- buzzard1 ,i had no desire to mingle with the multitude to witness the execution1 though he well deserved the execration of all4 ,on ,may #adth ,i received a note from ,mrs4 ,edgerton1 stating that a peremptory order from ,rev4 ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd1 secretary of the ,american ,missionary ,association at ,chicago1 had been received1 to close the asylum immediately4 ,from her note ,i learned that this was the day for the auction sale of the asylum personal property4 ,i was confident that forty or fifty little folks could not at once be properly situated in compliance with such an order1 and wrote ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd a proposition1 reminding him of his verbal pledge and proposed terms on which we could reopen the asylum for all for whom no suitable homes might be found4 ,i also wrote an appeal to ,rev4 ,geo4 ,whipple1 of the ,new ,york ,division1 and sent with it a copy of the proposition ,i had made to ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd4 ,i received in reply a request to remit to that division the reply ,i should receive from ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd1 or a copy1 by the first mail1 for they thought my proposition would be accepted4 ,i wrote them they should have whatever reply ,i might receive from ,j4 ,r4 ,shipherd1 but ,i did not look for any word whatever from him4 ,in the mean time ,i received a letter from ,adrian informing me that four of the little children were already in the county poor-house1 and that others would soon be taken there1 that four of the younger ones were left in the streets of ,adrian to find their own homes among colored people1 and that four were left with a poor colored family who were promised pay for keeping them until other homes could be found4 ,four more were also left with a white family in ,palmyra1 with the promise of pay until other arrangements were made4 ,one little girl of ten years was left with a woman of ill-fame and of drinking habits1 and the little girl had been seen drunk4 ,i wrote to ,rev4 ,e4 ,m4 ,cravath1 secretary of the ,middle ,division1 at ,cincinnati1 and to ,levi ,coffin1 and learned in reply that eight of the little children were found one morning sitting on the stone steps of the office of the ,american ,missionary ,association1 with a note in the hand of the oldest1 aged ten or eleven years1 the purport of which was1 ,these children were sent by you to the asylum near ,adrian1 ,michigan4 ,it has closed4 ,you must take care of them4 ,they said that ,mrs4 ,edgerton brought them from the asylum1 and sent them here in the express wagon4 ,the office being locked1 the driver left them on the steps at #f o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,as they had eaten nothing during the night1 ,levi ,coffin furnished them with food1 while ,rev4 ,e4 ,m4 ,cravath went to the colored orphan asylum of the city1 and made arrangements by paying the board of managers one hundred dollars for their admittance4 ,the letter from ,levi ,coffin contained the following queries3 ,what ails ,michigan1 that she can not care for thirty or forty of these poor little homeless orphans1 when we have had a few thousands to look after in this great thoroughfare8 ,where is the ,christianity and philanthropy of your great ,state1 to send these children back to us1 who took them from those crowded camps1 where there was so much suffering and dying1 for the purpose of their being properly trained1 and fitted for usefulness1 amid humane surroundings8 ,they soon found the whys and wherefores in my letter and appeal to allow the asylum to be reopened4 ,after writing a number of letters to the ,new ,york ,division1 containing a full account of the condition of the children1 and sending them a copy of the letter from ,adrian1 ,i inquired whether as a ,christian body they could allow these children over whom they had assumed control1 and for whom they were responsible1 to be turned out into the streets1 to be lodged in the county poor-house1 and to be left in the house of ill-fame1 and appealed to them as ,christian men to make some suitable arrangements for them4 ,their reply was3 ,we can not afford to allow this condition of those children4 ,we have not received a communication in this office that has produced the deep feeling that your last letter has4 ,we have telegraphed ,mr4 ,shipherd to dispose of nothing more connected with that asylum4 ,how long would it be before it could he reopened1 should we replace it in the hands of its friend8 ,i answered1 ,it shall be re-opened as soon as ,i receive official authority from your association to do it1 and ,i will resign my position in this work4 ,in reply to this1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,smith1 a member of the ,new ,york ,division1 came to ,washington and authorized me to secure a part of the asylum building1 and reopen it for the children that were in improper houses4 ,i secured a pass by way of ,cincinnati1 in accordance with the request of ,levi ,coffin and ,rev4 ,e4 ,m4 ,cravath1 of the ,middle ,division4 ,they had secured good homes for two of the children4 ,i took the others home4 ,the secretaries and a few other members of the three divisions met in ,oberlin to consider further concerning the asylum that had been so unwisely closed4 ,at the close of this consultation ,i received a letter from ,mr4 ,whipple1 of ,new ,york1 in which he stated that there was much sympathy expressed for me in behalf of the asylum by all except ,mr4 ,shipherd1 who said he had done nothing of which ,i or any one else had any right to complain4 ,he was ordered to return twenty-three boxes and packages of asylum goods to me1 as ,i was acting under their orders in reopening the home2 and they sent me fifty dollars for supplies4 ,i gathered in between twenty-five and thirty children that had previously belonged to the home1 and bought back what furniture ,i could that had been sold at a great sacrifice4 ,the corporation appointed me general superintendent of the asylum1 and engaged me to devote my whole time to it4 ,although to provide means to carry it on was no small task1 yet the burden to me seemed light compared with its importance4 ,it had cost great anxiety and effort to accomplish what we had already done4 ,i secured a horse1 repaired the buggy1 and employed our soldier1 ,charlie ,taft1 whose health was much impaired from service in the army4 ,he offered to spend the ,winter with us1 and render what assistance he could1 for his board4 ,just now our prospects were brighter than at any period since ,raisin ,institute was converted into a home for harmless little people1 to train for useful citizens1 instead of tramps1 or inmates of prisons4 ,but1 alas6 we were doomed to a heavy draft upon our faith4 ,after a very busy day of measuring1 cutting1 and fitting garments for the little ones1 ,i went in haste to place a bundle of patches in the box in the hall room4 ,it was now dark twilight1 and ,i mistook the cellar door for that of the hall4 ,passing through1 ,i fell headlong seven feet against the corner of a hard-wood beam4 ,i received many bruises1 and the concussion fractured both the inner and outer layers of the left temporal bone1 and severed the temporal artery4 ,i was taken up insensible1 and it was supposed that life was extinct2 but in a few moments signs of life appeared1 and a physician was immediately sent for4 ,great consternation prevailed among the children1 and much sympathy was expressed1 as well as many prayers offered by them in my behalf4 ,brother ,smart1 pastor of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church in ,adrian1 was then holding a series of meetings2 and being told of the accident at the evening meeting1 he said3 ,elder ,jacokes informs me that sister ,haviland is supposed to be in a dying state from a dangerous fall in the orphan asylum this evening4 ,i propose to pursue my subject no further1 but to turn this meeting into a season of prayer for her restoration1 if in accordance with the ,lord's will2 if not1 that her mantle may fall upon another1 to carry forward that enterprise4 ,the ,lord can hear and answer here as readily as by her bedside4 ,he then led in fervent supplication1 followed by a few others4 ,said a friend present3 ,the announcement fell upon us like an electric shock1 and ,i never heard brother ,smart1 or those who followed1 pray with such power4 ,then brother ,bird arose and said1 ',i feel confident that we shall have an answer to our prayers1 that sister ,haviland will be restored or another take her place4' ,my dear sister in ,christ1 ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 was at that time laboring in the ,master's vineyard in ,chicago4 ,hearing of the accident by means of the telegram sent to my daughter residing in that city1 she mentioned it at the ,moody noon prayer-meeting1 and requested prayer for my restoration1 if it were the ,lord's will4 ,i was made the subject of prayer also at ,pittsford ,wesleyan ,methodist protracted meeting4 ,a letter came from ,rev4 ,e4 ,m4 ,cravath1 of ,cincinnati1 addressed to me4 ,in answer1 my daughter1 ,l4 ,j4 ,brownell1 wrote that mother is unconscious from a dangerous fall1 and we 7her children7 are earnestly praying for her restoration4 ,if our ,heavenly ,father sees meet to grant our petition1 you will receive a reply from her when practicable4 ,the immediate reply was3 ,you may rest assured our ,all-wise ,father will restore your mother if he has further work for her to do4 ,you may also be assured that her friends in this city are uniting in prayer with her children for her recovery4 ,i was so nearly conscious at one time that ,i heard some one say1 ,she will never speak again4 ,the thought struck me forcibly that ,i was going to get well1 and yet ,i had no sense of being ill4 ,but ,i reflected that my children must be very sad at the thought of giving me up1 and ,i would try to say1 ,i am going to get well4 ,with all the effort ,i could command ,i could not utter a syllable4 ,then ,i tried to see if my children were present2 but ,i seemed to be in a pure1 soft1 white cloud1 such as we sometimes see floating in the ethereal blue1 where ,i could discover no countenance of those moving around my bed4 ,consequently ,i gave over the effort1 and was again lost to all consciousness until three days and nights had passed4 ,then the first returning consciousness was the passing away of that beautiful white cloud1 and ,i recognized my three daughters standing before me4 ,one of them said1 ,mother looks as if she knew us4 ,why1 yes1 ,i thought1 they are my daughters2 but what are their names8 and what is my name8 ,then ,i surveyed the room4 ,the papered wall1 maps1 pictures1 and furniture all looked familiar2 but where am ,i8 ,am ,i in some large city1 or in a country place8 ,i am advanced in years2 and what have ,i done in all my life8 ,but ,i could recall nothing4 ,while in this mental soliloquy1 it came to me what my name was1 and that this was the orphan asylum4 ,do you know me1 mother8 said my daughter ,jane4 ,it was a matter of reflection before ,i could utter the word yes1 and then a study to give her name4 ,at length ,i pronounced it4 ,another daughter made the same query1 and ,i had the answer1 yes1 ready1 but it seemed a hard study again to recollect the name ,mira4 ,the same effort brought to my lips the name of ,esther when she addressed me4 ,don't have the least anxiety or care1 she said1 about this orphan asylum1 for the friends have brought gram1 flour1 meal1 meat1 and groceries in abundance4 ,o what a relief these words brought6 ,surely the ,lord is the ,father of the fatherless4 ,after studying for words ,i said1 ,what is the matter8 for ,i felt that my head was very sore1 and my face swollen4 ,when told that ,i had fallen down cellar and was badly hurt1 ,i was surprised1 for ,i could recall nothing of the fall4 ,after calling to mind the various residences of my daughters1 and words to inquire how they knew of the accident1 ,i was told that my son-in-law telegraphed them4 ,at length ,i reached the conclusion that ,i became stunned by the bruise on my head1 and fell asleep and slept my senses all away1 and that was the reason ,i did not know any thing4 ,i thought1 must ,i learn to read again8 ,shall ,i ever know any thing8 ,how sad it will be not to know how to read or do any thing2 but ,i will leave all in the hands of the dear ,savior4 ,they gave me medicine that ,i knew ,i had taken4 ,did ,i not take this an hour ago8 ,o no1 mother1 not since yesterday4 ,what day of the week is to-day8 ,monday4 ,then to-morrow will be ,tuesday4 ,yes4 ,i have got so far1 ,i will remember that1 thought ,i4 ,again another dose of medicine was given4 ,did ,i take this yesterday8 ,you took this two hours ago4 ,it is certain that ,i do not know any thing4 ,how sad it will be when ,i get well of this hurt 7as ,i had no doubt but ,i should7 and not know any thing4 ,but1 then1 the second thought of leaving it with the ,lord was a resting-place4 ,but consciousness was gradually restored4 ,the next day my son ,daniel came2 but he did not dare to approach the front door1 fearing that a tie of crepe on the knob would be the first to tell him the sad story of his mother's departure ,he was met at the back door by his three sisters1 one of whom informed him of a faint hope of my recovery1 as there was evidence of returning consciousness4 ,a day later the fourth daughter1 ,anna ,h4 ,camburo1 arrived4 ,i was thus permitted to meet all my children save one1 whose infant son had died the day after the news reached him of my fall4 ,but as the children daily informed their brother ,joseph of increasing hope of my recovery1 he1 of my six children1 was the only absent one4 ,through their tender care and the blessing of ,god1 in answer to many earnest prayers1 ,i was spared to toil on a few years longer4 ,to him alone be all the praise6 ,my ,savior never seemed nearer4 ,it was ,january1 #ae1 #ahfi1 when ,i fully realized that consciousness was restored4 ,i renewed my entire consecration to the service of my ,lord and ,master4 ,all was peace and quiet within4 ,the inmates of the asylum1 between twenty-five and thirty1 were so quiet that it seemed as if no more than my own children were moving around me4 ,during the second week1 through my dear friend ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 seventy-five dollars was sent to us from friends in ,chicago4 ,a few days later thirty dollars came from the same city4 ,the fourth week after the fall ,i was removed to my home in the city of ,adrian1 accompanied by my five children1 three of whom then returned to their homes4 ,in four months ,i had so far recovered as to be able to do moderate asylum work1 and in one year ,i solicited and received one thousand dollars for the asylum1 aside from the means sent during my inability to labor4 ,this kept the asylum in supplies1 we hardly knew how1 only as it came from the ,father of the fatherless4 ,within ten days after my arrival at home ,i received three checks of fifty dollars each from the ,cincinnati ,branch of the ,american ,missionary ,association1 from the ,friends' ,sabbath-school1 in ,syracuse1 ,new ,york1 and from ,john ,stanton1 ,washington1 ,d4,c4 ,in all this severe trial ,i had no regrets in making this scheme another specialty in my life-work4 ,i visited nine county poor-houses1 learning the number of children in each1 and noting their condition1 with the view of reporting to our next ,legislature4 ,in three of the county houses were girls1 half idiotic1 who had become mothers4 ,in one there were twenty children of school-age1 sent to school four hours each day4 ,as ,i followed the matron through the dormitory and other parts of the house1 ,i saw by the filthy appearance of the sheets and pillows1 as well as a want of order generally1 a great need of system4 ,as ,i was about to leave ,i remarked to the matron1 ,you have many unpleasant tasks to perform here4 ,la me1 ,i guess we do1 she said4 ,you have plenty of vermin to deal with1 ,i suppose8 ,indeed we do4 ,you can scrape up quarts of 'em4 ,i added her testimony to my report4 ,then1 after visiting many of the infirmaries on ,april #fth1 ,i attended meetings of our county supervisors and superintendent of the poor4 ,i reported our work1 and presented an order for dues for the previous month4 ,having arranged my monthly report1 ,i presented it to the monthly meeting of our asylum association4 ,i retired weary1 and awoke to see ,dr4 ,pearsall about to leave my room4 ,he was giving directions to my two anxious daughters4 ,to my surprise my son-in-law remarked1 ,mother is so much better1 ,i will return home4 ,here was a mystery ,i was unable to solve1 and ,i insisted on knowing why the doctor was there1 now nearly #b o'clock in the morning4 ,i was informed that ,i had suffered an attack of apoplexy4 ,i was not the least startled1 but told them if ,i had had a fit of that character1 ,i was liable to go at any time1 and ,i wished to say a few things and then ,i would sleep3 ,if ,i should be taken away in an unconscious state for them not to have the least uneasiness about me1 as my way was clear4 ,i wished my children to live nearer the ,savior1 and meet their mother in a fairer clime than this1 and ,i requested them to tell my dear absent children the same4 ,i then directed how my little effects should be divided among my six children1 and rested well in sleep until the usual hour of waking1 and was able to dress in the afternoon4 ,within ten days ,i rode to the asylum1 made arrangements to rent the land of the asylum farm for the coming season1 and wrote to brother ,g4 ,a4 ,olmstead to take my place in looking after its interests for a few months1 as my physicians told me it was unsafe for me to continue mental labor1 and ,i must rest at least six months4 ,this was another heavy drawback upon our faith and work1 as we had designed to circulate our petition during the remainder of the year1 so as to have it ready to present to the next ,legislature4 ,rev4 ,g4 ,a4 ,olmstead undertook the work of soliciting1 and kept the asylum comfortably supplied until his health failed4 ,then a devoted and self-sacrificing sister1 ,catharine ,taylor1 took the field1 while ,i spent six months visiting my children4 ,the severest prescription ,i ever took from physician1 was to think of nothing4 ,but ,i succeeded admirably1 and spent much time in drawing bits of clippings and rags of diverse colors through canvas1 making domestic rugs for each of my children4 ,i called upon various physicians1 who gave it as their opinion that ,i could safely accomplish one-fourth of my former work1 but ,i did not even reach that amount of labor4 ,in a little over a month's work1 with a petition to the ,legislature in my pocket1 and at the home of ,anson ,barkus and wife1 ,i was taken with another midnight fit1 and was much longer unconscious than before1 but ,i returned home the following afternoon1 accompanied by brother ,backus4 ,twenty-five miles ride on the car and a mile in the hack did not improve the strange pressure in my head4 ,within a week ,i had five terrible spasms1 lasting at times from five to twenty minutes2 during consciousness ,i was not able to speak a word4 ,when ,i appeared more comfortable1 and my head more natural1 greater hopes of my recovery were entertained by my physician and children4 ,i thought these fits were faintings2 for ,i felt as if ,i had waked out of sleep each time4 ,but the purple fingernails on the last day led me to suppose that ,i would die in one of these faints4 ,between the fits ,i most earnestly prayed that1 if it was the ,lord's will1 ,i might be restored to work for him a little longer2 but1 if otherwise1 ,i would praise him still for taking me over the beautiful river4 ,o what a mistake to call it a dark1 deep river1 when it is only a bright1 rippling stream1 just across which all is peace and joy for evermore6 ,this was the constant breathing of my soul all day2 and it vividly flashed upon my mind that fifteen years were added to ,hezekiah's life in answer to prayer4 ,this prayer1 followed by these words1 ran through my mind during all that happy day4 ,can death1 that is called the last enemy1 look pleasant8 ,it did look pleasant to me4 ,praise filled my soul4 ,that day will never be forgotten as long as memory and reason endure4 ,in the evening ,i slept three minutes1 they said1 by the watch1 and when ,i awoke ,i could talk as easily as ever4 ,from that day ,i improved in health4 ,these spasms were caused by the pressure of blood in reopening the temporal artery1 or forcing its way through a new channel4 ,i again received the tenderest of nursing on the part of my four daughters1 and praise is due only to him who is the prayer-hearing ,god4 ,with the fervent prayers of that memorable day come the words of the poet3 ',tis a glorious boon to die1 ,a favor that can't be prized too high1 because of an abundant entrance to be administered to us into the glorious mansions prepared by our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,present ,,condition ,,of ,,the ,,freedmen4 ,our investigations have proved to the friends of the former slaves that their emigration from the ,south was not instituted and put into operation by their own choice1 except as the force of circumstances1 in their surroundings1 pressed them into this remarkable movement4 ,monthly reports of the ,kansas ,freedmen's ,relief ,association have also proved satisfactory to thousands of donors toward their relief4 ,the increasing intelligence among the four millions and a half of slaves1 declared free by the nation's pen in the hand of her ,president1 ,abraham ,lincoln1 they found did not bring with it the glorious sunlight of freedom the proclamation promised in its dawn4 ,after fifteen years of patient hoping1 waiting1 and watching for the shaping of government1 they saw clearly that their future condition as a race must be submissive vassalage1 a war of races1 or emigration4 ,circulars were secretly distributed among themselves1 until the conclusion was reached to wend their way northward1 as their former masters' power had again become tyrannous4 ,this power they were and are made to see and feel most keenly in many localities1 a few incidents will show4 ,elder ,perry ,bradley left ,carthage1 ,leek ,county1 ,mississippi1 in ,january1 #ahhj1 and testifies to the following facts3 ,in ,october1 #ahgi1 twenty-five or thirty masked men went into ,peter ,watson's house1 and took him from his bed1 amid screams of 'murder' from his wife and seven children2 but the only reply the wife and children received at the hands of the desperadoes was a beating4 ,their boy of twelve years knocked one down with a chair4 ,while the fighting was going on within1 and in their efforts to hold their victim outside1 he wrenched himself from their grasp--leaving his shirt in their hands--and ran through the woods to my house1 around which colored men gathered and protected him4 ,although twelve gun-shots followed him in the chase1 yet none hit him4 ,by the aid of friends he took the first train he could reach1 which1 to his surprise1 took him twenty-five miles southward1 instead of in a northern direction4 ,at ,cassiasca1 ,attala ,county1 ,mississippi1 not knowing whether they were friends or foes1 he told them he wanted to go to ,kansas4 ,they told him he should swear that he could not make a living there1 before they would allow him to go ,north4 ,as he found they were all ,democrats at that depot1 he consented to their demand2 consequently they brought the ,bible1 and he took his oath 'that he could make a living there1 but could not get it4' ,the ,democratic 'bull-dozers1' who had sworn they would hang him if they ever caught him1 took his span of horses1 wagon1 three cows1 and his crop of cotton1 corn1 sugar-cane1 and potatoes 7all matured71 and gave his wife money with which to pay the fare for herself and seven children1 the twenty-five miles on the cars to meet her husband4 ,the colored men were told 'that if they would be ,democrats they could stay2 but ,republicans and carpet-baggers could not live there4' ,austin ,carter1 a ,methodist preacher1 was an earnest temperance worker1 and was prospering in that part of his work4 ,he was also a strong ,republican4 ,he was shot dead in ,august1 #ahgh1 near ,new ,forest ,station1 ,scott ,county1 ,mississippi1 on the railroad running east and west between ,jackson and ,meridian1 ,mississippi1 while on his way home1 between the hours of six and seven o'clock ,p4 ,m4 ,he received four shots in the back of his head1 which instantly took his life4 ,his wife and children knew nothing of it until the shocking tidings reached them the following morning4 ,thomas ,graham1 a wealthy merchant at ,forest ,station1 reported that the man who shot him had gone to ,texas and could not be found or heard from2 and nothing was done to find the murderer or to bring him to justice4 ,elder ,perry ,bradley was told by a number of this class of ,democrats1 at various places where he was accustomed to preach1 that he could not live there and preach unless he would vote the ,democratic ticket and teach his people to do the same4 ,said he1 ,in the town of ,hillsboro1 at one of my meetings1 the bulldozers came into the congregation and took me out of the meeting1 held in a school-house one mile from ,hillsboro1 on ,april #ae1 #ahgi1 at ten o'clock ,p4 ,m41 where ,i had preached during our day meetings without disturbance4 ,captain ,hardy1 leading the band1 took me into the woods to an old deserted house1 in which was their general or chief commander1 ,warsham1 who asked the following question3 ',will you stop preaching to your people that ,christ died to make you all free1 body1 soul1 and spirit8' ',i can not stop preaching ,god's truth as ,i find it in the ,bible1' was my answer4 ',i want you to understand now that you can't preach such doctrine to our niggers1' was the rejoinder4 ,he then directed them to give me two hundred lashes4 ,they took me out in the front yard and drove four stakes in the ground1 to which each wrist and foot was fastened4 ,after being disrobed of my clothing and fastened1 face downward1 two men were selected to do the whipping1 one on each side1 alternating their strokes1 while the rabble stood around until the two hundred lashes were given4 ,then they were told to stop and let me up4 ,too weak and trembling to stand1 ,i was again queried whether ,i would not now preach the ,democratic doctrine and vote that ticket8 ,i replied1 ',i can not conscientiously make such a promise4' ',why not8 ',because ,i do not believe there are ,democrats in heaven4' ,said their general1 ,warsham1 ',we'll turn him loose with this brushing2 may be he'll conclude to behave himself after this4' ,turning to me he said1 ',remember1 this is but a light brushing compared with what you'll get next time2 but well try you with this4' ,i returned to my home with my back cut in many deep gashes1 the scars of which ,i shall carry to my grave4 ,yet ,i praised ,god in remembrance that my loving ,savior suffered more than this for me1 and that this suffering was in his cause4 ,as soon as ,i was able to continue my work for my ,lord and ,master among my people ,i was again enabled to proclaim the riches of his grace4 ,a few weeks after resuming my work ,i preached on the ,dan4 ,lewis' place1 in ,scott ,county1 where ,i had held meetings undisturbed4 ,but the same company sought me out1 and took me out of an evening meeting into the woods about three miles distant to hang me4 ,after due preparations were made they passed their whisky around1 of which they all drank so freely that in their carousings they got into a fight1 and while drawing pistols at each other young ,warsham1 the acting captain1 in whose charge ,i was left1 cut the rope that bound my hands behind me1 and told me to 'go4' ,and gladly ,i obeyed the order and left them engaged in their fight and too drunk to notice my escape4 ,i left that land of darkness as soon as possible for this free ,kansas1 and ,i have my family with me1 for which ,i thank my ,deliverer from the jaws of the lion of oppression1 and praise the ,lord of hosts for a free country1 where ,i can vote as well as preach according to the dictates of my own conscience without the torturing whip or the hangman's rope4 ,professor ,t4 ,greener1 of ,howard ,university1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 who has been prominently identified in the new exodus lately returned from a trip to ,kansas1 where he visited the colored colonies1 and gathered information regarding the black emigrants4 ,he reports them as doing well1 constantly receiving accessions to their numbers1 and well treated by their white neighbors4 ,he says3 ,indications point to a continuance of emigration during the ,winter1 and increase in the ,spring1 not in consequence of any special effort on the part of those who favor this solution of the vexed ,southern question1 but because the emigrants themselves are proving the best agents and propagandists among their friends ,south4 ,professor ,greener is warm in his praise of ,governor ,john ,p4 ,st4 ,john and the people of ,kansas4 ,a staff correspondent of the ,chicago ,inter-,ocean1 writing from ,topeka1 ,kansas1 ,december #ca1 #ahgi1 says3 ,during four weeks' travel through the ,state1 ,i estimate the number of colored emigrants at fifteen1 or twenty thousand4 ,of these one-fifth probably are able to buy land1 and are making good progress at farming4 ,most of the others have found1 through the ,freedmen's ,relief ,association1 places as laborers1 and are giving good satisfaction2 and in no county are they applying for aid1 nor are burdens upon corporate charities4 ,the demand for laborers seems stretched to its fullest capacity1 as the accumulation of refugees at the barracks 7now nearly seven hundred71 for whom no places can be found1 clearly indicates4 ,judging from what ,i learn from the refugees themselves1 and from the increasing numbers1 now from twenty-five to fifty arriving every day1 we predict that the movement to ,kansas will soon assume such proportions as to astonish the country1 and unless the tide can be turned1 or the charity of the ,north be more readily bestowed1 the suffering which the relief committee1 although laboring faithfully with the means at their command1 has not been entirely sufficient to relieve during the past cold weather1 will soon be turned to general destitution and great suffering among the pauper refugees4 ,the greatest crime in many portions of the ,south is being a ,republican4 ,this has added largely to the emigration1 and the tide has reached not only ,kansas1 but the older ,states of the ,north4 ,it has entered ,indiana1 ,ohio1 and ,illinois1 and soon will find its way into ,wisconsin1 ,iowa1 and ,michigan4 ,we find no political chicanery of the ,north in this universal uprising of the colored people of the ,south in leaving the home of their birth4 ,but it is the mistaken policy of the ,south that is driving their laborers northward2 that is1 compelling them to flee to more congenial surroundings4 ,it is among the wonders that they waited so long and so patiently for the better day to come4 ,not long ago one thousand arrived in ,parsons1 ,kansas1 in the south-western part of the ,state4 ,governor ,st4 ,john gave them a temperance speech with other good advice4 ,two hundred and twenty-five arrived in ,topeka1 and while ,i was at the barracks over seventy came in from ,texas4 ,hardly a day passed while ,i was there but we heard of fresh arrivals4 ,eleven wagon-loads came into ,parsons1 and two of the men came to ,topeka and reported the condition of many of them as very poor4 ,we relieved within three weeks over one thousand persons4 ,the crime of being a ,republican1 in many portions of the ,south1 is shown by the following testimonies4 ,i interviewed an intelligent colored man1 ,john ,s4 ,scott1 of ,anderson ,county1 ,south ,carolina4 ,he came well recommended as a well qualified teacher4 ,he had taught twenty-eight terms of school in ,south ,carolina and six terms in ,georgia2 but if he succeeded in collecting half his pay he did well4 ,he handed me a package of certificates and commendations4 ,his friends were about to run him for office1 but his life was threatened1 and he was informed that they were determined to have a white man's government1 and gave him to understand that if he got the office1 his life would be worthless4 ,abbeville district1 in that ,state1 was ,republican1 and ,john ,owen was an influential colored ,republican4 ,during the election he was arrested and placed in jail1 under the charge of selling forty-eight pounds of twisted tobacco without license4 ,when arraigned before the court it was proved that he had no such article1 yet they fined him fifty dollars4 ,he had raised tobacco1 but it was still in the leaf4 ,the fine was paid1 and after the election he was released4 ,in the ,seventh ,congressional ,district1 on ,coosa ,river1 ,september #bd1 #ahgg1 a white man by the name of ,burnam offered to purchase a small cotton farm near his1 owned by a colored man1 and offered him forty dollars for it4 ,the owner replied1 ,i will sell to no man for that amount4 ,nothing more was said on the subject1 and the colored man purchased a few pounds of bacon of ,burnam and left for home4 ,as he had to pass a little skirt of woods1 ,burnam took his gun1 crossed the woods1 and came out ahead of the colored man and shot him dead6 ,he remained at his home two weeks1 when the excitement over the cold-blooded murder became unpleasant for him1 and he left the neighborhood1 and had not returned in ,march1 #ahgh1 the date my informant left the country4 ,the murdered man was a ,republican4 ,sanford ,griffin was an honorably discharged soldier1 and he testified that ,columbus ,seats was shot dead by ,frank ,phillips1 in ,clarksville1 ,tennessee4 ,griffin made an effort to have the murderer arrested1 but failed4 ,no difference was known to exist between them1 except on the subject of politics4 ,seats was a ,republican1 and could not be induced to vote the ,bourbon ticket4 ,in the autumn of #ahgh ,vincent ,andersen was brought into ,clarksville1 ,montgomery ,county1 ,tennessee1 at eleven o'clock ,a4 ,m4 ,the following night a mob took him out of jail and hanged him on a locust tree on the ,nashville ,pike1 near ,clarksville4 ,this case ,griffin made an effort to bring before the court1 but failed4 ,the jailer1 ,perkins1 said the men who brought ,anderson to the jail1 came in the night1 and having overpowered him1 forcibly took the jail key4 ,but a girl of thirteen years testified that she saw the men in conversation with the jailer1 and was confident they paid him money4 ,vincent ,anderson had purchased ten acres of land1 and had paid every installment promptly1 and was on the way to the railroad station to make his last payment1 when the mob took him to jail1 until the darkness of night favored their wicked purpose of taking his life4 ,he could not be prevailed upon to vote the ,bourbon ticket4 ,one more incident this intelligent ex-,union soldier gave to which he was a witness3 ,a young white woman1 ,miss ,smith1 purchased a pistol and remarked1 ,i am going to kill a nigger before the week is out4 ,during that week her father and ,farran1 a colored man1 had a dispute1 but ,farran had no thought of any serious result from it4 ,but as ,lydia ,farran1 the wife of the colored man1 was on her way to the field to help her husband1 ,miss ,smith1 the white girl of eighteen or twenty years of age1 took the pistol she had purchased a day or two previously1 and followed ,lydia and shot her dead6 ,she left two little children1 then a colored family got to their distracted father1 who escaped for his life4 ,he had not known of any difficulty between his wife and ,miss ,smith1 or any other of the family1 and could attribute the cool calculating murder of his wife to no other cause than the little difference of opinion that was expressed a few days previous to the fatal deed6 ,sanford ,griffin succeeded in bringing this case before the court4 ,but the charge of the judge to the jurors was1 ,you must bear in mind that ,miss ,smith was the weaker party1 and if the shooting was in self-defense1 it would be justifiable homicide4 ,the jury so returned their verdict1 and the case was dismissed4 ,the ,freedmen's ,aid ,commission in ,kansas relieved the wants of many of these refugees from the ,south2 but the number of colored people was so great that1 until they could find places to work for others or for themselves1 the ,commission had difficulty to care for them4 ,a circular letter was issued1 appealing to the friends of the cause for help4 ,to this letter1 sent out in ,december1 #ahgi1 these few telling words1 from our dear friend and ,christian philanthropist1 ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 were added3 ,the treasury is nearly empty2 city and barracks very much crowded2 refugees coming in faster than we can care for them2 money urgently needed for food1 fuel1 and medicine1 and also to provide shelter4 ,we take pleasure in announcing that our appeals from time to time met with responsive chords in many hearts1 and relief was sent to the perishing4 ,it is needless to speak further of the causes for emigration1 so clearly set forth in the foregoing facts2 but we give a late one1 which in its section of country caused considerable anxiety and stir among this oppressed people4 ,about the close of ,july an article appeared in the ,mercury1 edited by ,colonel ,a4 ,g4 ,horn1 at ,meridian1 ,mississippi1 in which occurs the following3 ,we would like to engrave a prophecy on stone1 to be read by generations in the future4 ,the negroes in these ,states will be slaves again or cease to be4 ,their sole refuge from extinction will be in slavery to the white man4 ,do not forget1 dear reader1 that though ignorant1 as a large majority of ex-slaves are1 yet their children read these sentiments1 which are more outspoken than that which characterizes ,southern ,democracy2 yet re-enlivened treason is nevertheless the true sentiment and ruling power of many places in ex-slave ,states4 ,it is so accepted by the negroes1 who1 to avoid extinction or slavery1 seek refuge amid physical and pecuniary hardships4 ,indeed1 this exodus from the ,south1 is not ended--a move for freedom is not easily extinguished4 ,to aid the reader fully to understand the needs of these poor people in the southern portion of ,kansas1 ,i insert an appeal of a constant and self-sacrificing worker for them1 ,daniel ,votaw1 of ,independence1 ,kansas3 ,it appears that the southern portion of this ,state is having a larger share of emigrants than any other part of it4 ,for this reason ,i ask the philanthropist to send aid quickly4 ,i believe clothing will come2 but who will send money to buy bread8 ,most of them say1 ',just give corn-bread1 and we are satisfied4' ,i have never seen nor heard so much gratitude come from any people as flows from the hearts of these poor colored refugees4 ,our granaries are full1 our groceries groan with the weight of provisions2 but these sufferers have nothing to buy with4 ,my blood almost runs chill when ,i remember that there are two excessive luxuries used by persons who call themselves men1 that would1 if rightly applied1 fill this crying bill of want2 namely1 tobacco and whisky4 ,come1 erring brothers1 to the rescue4 ,can you not donate these expenses to this good cause8 ,do it1 and ,heaven will bless you4 ,those who may send provisions1 clothing1 or money1 will get a correct account1 if a note of donor or shipper is found inside the package1 to enable us to respond with a correct receipt4 ,i have a letter from a colored man in ,mississippi1 addressed to ,governor ,john ,p4 ,st4 ,john1 which he turned over to me to answer4 ,i give an extract3 ,please advise me what to do4 ,the white men here say we have got to stay here1 because we have no money to go with4 ,we can organise with a little4 ,since the white people mistrust our intentions1 they hardly let us have bread to eat4 ,as soon as we can go on a cheap scale1 we are getting ready to leave4 ,some of us are almost naked and starved4 ,we are banding together without any instruction from you or any aid society4 ,we are all ,republicans1 and hard-working men1 and men of trust ,we have to keep our intention secret or be shot2 and we are not allowed to meet4 ,we want to leave before the matter is found out by the bulldozers4 ,there are forty widows in our band4 ,they are work-women and farmers also4 ,the white men here take our wives and daughters and serve them as they please1 and we are shot if we say any thing about it and if we vote any other way than their way we can not live in our ,state or county4 ,we are sure to leave1 or be killed4 ,they have driven away all ,northern whites and colored leaders4 ,a little instruction from you will aid the committee greatly in our efforts in getting away4 ,hoping to hear from you soon in regard to the request1 we remain1 ,very truly yours1 etc4 ,the foregoing from which ,i purposely omit the name and address of the writer is a sample of many hundreds of letters received by ,governor ,st ,john4 ,many of them he placed in our hands to reply4 ,but neither the governor nor our association could do any thing to bring these poor people to ,kansas4 ,our sole object is to relieve them after their arrival4 ,consequently1 it is but little encouragement we could give these sorrowing hearts as to any preparations for leaving that poisoned land4 ,one family told us ,we were compelled to lay our plans in secret1 and we left our bureau and two large pitchers standing in our cabin and took a night boat4 ,what a misnomer to call our former slave ,states free6 ,the cry has been1 ,the sooner ,northern carpet-baggers leave the ,south1 the better for them1 and the sooner the nigger finds his proper place1 and keeps it the better for him4 ,the following incidents will serve as data from which we have a right to judge of the manner used to bring the colored people into what they deem their proper place4 ,but they are becoming too intelligent to endure subjugation when they can evade it by flight4 ,robert ,robinson on the road between ,huntsville1 ,alabama1 and ,cold ,springs hired a colored man for three months1 and he called at his store for his pay ,all right1 said ,robison1 step back and we'll look over the books and pay you4 ,after entering the room the door was locked1 and ,robinson placed a pistol at his head1 while his brother beat him with a pine club1 which disabled him from labor for three weeks4 ,this was his pay4 ,giles ,lester was taken to jail1 and was in the hands of ,bailiff ,dantey4 ,a mob of fifteen or twenty men took him out on ,friday night1 to a piece of woods1 and hanged him--not so as to break his neck at once2 but they were three hours in beating him to death4 ,a white man living near by said he never heard such cries and groans of agony in all his life as during those three hours4 ,these atrocities were committed within two years past4 ,during the ,mississippi riot that fiercely raged during #ahge-f1 the object of which was to secure a solid ,democratic vote at the presidential election1 innocent men1 without the shadow of provocation1 were hauled out of their houses and shot1 or hanged2 and no legal notice was taken of the murderers1 for they were men of property and standing4 ,general ,j4,r4 ,chalmers was a leader in one band of these rioters1 and is now honored with a seat in ,congress4 ,the mob took ,henry ,alcorn out of his house to the woods and shot him1 leaving the murdered man to be buried by his friends1 who mourned over his sad fate4 ,but there is no redress where this corrupt public sentiment takes the place of law4 ,this band of rioters called up ,charlie ,green to cook for them all night at one of their places of rendezvous4 ,at early morn1 ,charlie being tired1 fell asleep sitting on a dry-goods box4 ,one of the party said he wanted to try his gun before starting1 and discharged its contents into ,green's body1 taking his life instantly6 ,one or two instances of ,southern malignity and outrage were reported to me by one of these refugees4 ,a woman residing near some of those whom ,i interviewed during my stay in ,kansas1 in #ahgi-hj1 was called out by the ,bourbons or ,regulators who were in pursuit of her husband1 and questioned as to his whereabouts4 ,suspecting that their object was to take his life she refused to tell4 ,upon this a rope was placed around her neck and tied to a horse's tail1 and she was thus dragged to the nearest wood and hanged to the limb of a tree until she was dead4 ,her husband made his escape as1 best he could with his mother-less babe4 ,there was a plantation in ,mississippi rented to six colored men1 three of them with families4 ,at ,christmas they called for a settlement4 ,morgan1 the proprietor1 brought them into his debt1 and swore every nigger had eaten his head off4 ,he took seven hundred bushels of wheat that they had raised1 and fourteen fat hogs1 the corn1 and even the team and wagon they brought on the place4 ,they concluded to resort to the civil authorities1 hoping to recover a portion of the avails of the season's hard work4 ,but ,morgan gained the suit4 ,at this the colored men told him just what they thought of this wholesale robbery4 ,within a week after the six men were taken out of their beds in the dead of night1 by a company of masked ,regulators1 who stripped the bedsteads of their cords1 with which they were hanged and then lashed to boards and sent floating down the ,mississippi ,river4 ,a white cloth was fastened over their bosoms1 upon which was written3 ,any one taking up these bodies to bury may expect the same fate4 ,they were taken out of the river one hundred miles below4 ,two of the widows sent for the bodies of their husbands1 and a number whom ,i conversed with attended the funeral and read the notice on the linen1 which had not been removed from their persons4 ,surely we have a right1 and it is our duty to ventilate these facts1 though we may be deemed sensational4 ,we can not be charged with political wire-pulling1 as they are beyond our reach4 ,but ,i ask1 in the words of ,elizabeth ,h4 ,chandler1 who has long since gone to her rest and reward-- ,shall we behold unheeding ,life's holiest feelings crushed8 ,when woman's heart is bleeding1 ,shall woman's voice be hushed8 ,is it a wonder the freedmen flee by hundreds and thousands8 ,they are still coming into ,kansas4 ,there are many sick and dying among them4 ,let every man1 woman1 and child arise and work for the refugees1 who are suffering for food1 fuel1 and clothing4 ,there is great necessity for immediate and vigorous effort1 in taking the place of the ,good ,samaritan in caring for the robbed and bruised stranger1 who find many priests and ,levites passing by4 ,during the ,winter all money and supplies for ,kansas refugees should be directed to ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 ,north ,topeka1 ,kansas4 ,our work is by every possible means aiding these poor people to help themselves1 which they are doing wherever work can be found4 ,but ,winter season overtaking them on the way to ,kansas1 and no work to be obtained1 the philanthropy of our ,north will not withhold her liberal hand4 ,it is a debt which we owe to this people4 ,comparatively few call for assistance who have been in the ,state a year1 and most of these are aged grandparents1 the sick1 and widows with large families of small children4 ,of those who came early in the ,spring of #ahgi1 many have raised from one hundred to four hundred bushels of corn each year1 but they divide with their friends and relatives who follow them4 ,some raised a few acres of cotton in their first year1 and they are jubilant over their future outlook4 ,they say1 ,kansas prairies will blossom as the rose1 and whiten her thousands of acres with their favorite staple4 ,one old man whose head was almost as white as the few acres of cotton he produced1 said1 ,we'll 'stonish the nation wid thousands of snow-white acres of cotton in dis yere free ,kansas1 raised wid black hands4 ,i find they are writing back to their relatives and friends in the far off ,south1 that they can raise cotton as successfully in ,kansas as in ,mississippi1 ,alabama1 and ,louisiana4 ,in this prospect the door of hope is opening before them1 as if by the ,almighty hand1 which they accept as having led them to the land of freedom1 as they often express themselves4 ,they are coming in larger numbers again1 notwithstanding every possible effort of planters to keep them back1 and false reports from their enemies in this ,state that the exodus had ended1 but we who are in communication with other portions of the ,state know to the contrary1 and all who come report more to follow4 ,these poor people who1 between ,march1 #ahgi1 and ,march1 #ahha1 have made their escape from an oppression that seems almost incredible1 and have come to ,kansas to live1 now number more than fifty thousand1 and still they come4 ,like a great panorama1 the scenes ,i witnessed in this ,state sixteen years ago1 amid clashing arms1 come back to me4 ,suffering and dying then seemed the order of each day4 ,true1 there is a great deal of suffering and ignorance among these field hands still1 but there is a marked improvement1 both as to the intelligence of these masses and their personal comfort4 ,are they not as intelligent as were the children of ,israel when they left ,egypt8 ,they made a golden calf to worship after ,moses had left them a few days4 ,all ignorant people are prone to depend upon leaders instead of relying on themselves4 ,joseph ,fletcher1 who came into ,kansas ,july #h1 #ahgi1 ,i found by his papers to be an honorably discharged soldier from ,mississippi4 ,he testifies to the following facts3 ,i saw one hundred men killed by shooting and hanging during the two years1 #ahgh and #ahgi2 and my brother was one of them2 ,i can point to their graves to-day in the two parishes ,i worked in4 ,this was in the ,red ,river section1 ,mississippi4 ,their crime was their persistence in voting the ,republican ticket4 ,a number of the representative men from those parishes were interviewed1 and they testified to the same things ,a number of them had been soldiers4 ,andrew ,j4 ,jackson1 directly from ,waterproof1 ,mississippi1 says3 ,fairfax was a smart1 educated man4 ,he owned his house and land1 and gave a lot to the colored ,baptist ,church and mostly built it4 ,but the bulldozers burned both house and church4 ,he rebuilt his house4 ,the ,republicans nominated him for ,senator1 and the ,bourbon ,democrats found he would be elected4 ,they threatened his life1 and as he found snares were laid to entrap him1 he made his escape to ,new ,orleans for safety4 ,when1 they learned as to his whereabouts1 a number of men wrote for him to come back1 and they would drop the matter and let the election go as it would2 but he heeded neither their letters nor telegrams4 ,one of his friends was fearful that he would heed their persuasions and went to see him1 and told him not to listen to their sweet talk1 for the bulldozers only wanted him back so that they might take his life4 ,the white ,democrats continued to write to him to come back and advise the colored people not to go ,north1 and they would promise to protect him1 for every body wanted him to return and none would molest him4 ,as he did not return for all their pledges1 one man1 who had always appeared very friendly with him1 went to see him1 and told him that all who had opposed him pledged their word and honor that he should not be disturbed in the least if he would only return and persuade the colored people not to go to ,kansas1 as he had more influence over them than any other man4 ,he assured him so confidently that he concluded to trust them1 and returned to the bosom of his family on ,saturday2 but before ,monday morning he was shot dead4 ,the heart-rending scene can better be imagined than described4 ,said one intelligent man1 ,we can do nothing to protect the virtue of our wives and daughters4 ,near ,greenville1 ,mississippi1 a colored woman was passing through a little skirt of woods1 when she was attacked by two white men1 who violated her person2 then1 to prevent exposure1 they murdered her in the most savage manner4 ,they tied her clothes over her head and hanged her by her waist to a hickory sapling1 and ripped open her bowels until a babe1 that would within a few weeks have occupied its place in its mother's arms1 fell to the ground4 ,just at that juncture two colored men came in sight1 and the white men dodged into the woods4 ,this drew attention to the awful scene of the dying woman weltering in her gore4 ,they hastened to cut her down1 and just as she was breathing her last she whispered1 ,tell my husband4 ,one watched the corpse while the other went to inform the husband4 ,this barbarous murder1 which took place in ,april1 #ahgi1 was twice related to me in the same way by different women from the same neighborhood1 who attended the funeral4 ,as ,i related this to our friend1 ,w4 ,armour and wife1 of ,kansas ,city1 he remarked that the same incident had been told to him by some of the new arrivals4 ,we repeat1 ,who can wonder at their flight8 ,on ,july #abth and #acth two boat-loads more of refugees1 numbering four hundred persons1 landed in lower ,kansas ,city4 ,i heard it again repeated1 ,what shall we do8 ,here in ,topeka are two hundred poor people waiting to go somewhere to get work1 and only two hundred dollars in our treasury6 ,what shall we send them8 ,more than fifty men and women were then out hunting work2 many found it and rented cabins4 ,we waited for a reply from the railroad authorities1 to see if they would take two hundred passengers for that money to ,colorado4 ,this association met and reached the conclusion to telegraph ,mr4 ,w4 ,armour and his co-laborers1 at ,kansas ,city1 to send the four hundred at that place to other points1 as it was impossible to receive them in ,topeka until those already there were furnished with homes1 or more money should come to our aid4 ,i returned to ,kansas ,city1 and found their hands and hearts full also1 and heard the query repeated1 ,what are we to do for these poor people8 ,we can not send them back1 and they must be fed until we hear from places to which we have telegraphed4 ,favorable replies came for seventy-five families to ,colorado4 ,the colored minister1 ,elder ,watson1 was to take them away1 and visited ,st4 ,louis to request the friends in that city to send no more in this direction for the present4 ,a white woman called to see some of these poor people1 and brought chicken broth for a very sick man4 ,she said she was born in ,virginia1 raised in ,georgia1 where she had taught school1 and also taught in ,mississippi and ,alabama4 ,because she contended for the rights of the colored people1 as they were free1 she was ostracised and compelled to leave the ,south4 ,said she1 ,i have seen them hung and shot like dogs4 ,they can not tell you the half of what they suffer4 ,i know it1 for ,i have seen it4 ,while ,i was still visiting among these people1 the steamer ,fannie ,lewis landed with one hundred and four more refugees from ,mississippi4 ,here they had nothing for their covering except the open sky4 ,we feared that1 unless other ,states should rally to the rescue1 nothing but suffering and death would be before them4 ,kansas had domiciled about what she could for the present1 unless further aid should be given from without4 ,this ,state had hardly recovered from the sweeping devastation of war when drought swept over her rich prairies1 and scarcely had she recovered from that drawback when the grasshoppers came and desolated her again4 ,then the ,macedonian cry1 ,come over and help us1 was heard and answered4 ,again we raise this cry in behalf of this oppressed people1 and it will meet a generous response4 ,when forty thousand dependents were thrown into young ,kansas by ,price's raid through ,missouri1 followed by ,colonels ,james ,lane and ,jennison1 ,i received from ,general ,curtis the report that twenty thousand poor whites and as many freedmen were here to be cared for by government and the benevolence of the ,north4 ,at that time of sore need ,michigan placed in my hands two thousand six hundred dollars in money1 and from seven thousand to eight thousand dollars in supplies to relieve the perishing and dying of that day4 ,the lesson is not forgotten1 that it is more blessed to give than to receive4 ,he alone who knows the end from the beginning can tell the future of our country1 and of the five million of its inhabitants of ,african descent4 ,yet eternal right must and will triumph4 ,the debt our nation owes to the ex-slave should be paid4 ,the hundred thousand colored soldiers who fought as bravely to save our nation's life as did their paler-faced brethren1 and faced the cannon's mouth as fearlessly for the prize above all price--liberty--are worthy of consideration4 ,they were ever true to our soldiers4 ,many of our prisoners escaping from rebel dungeons were piloted by them into our lines4 ,many black aunties took their last chicken and made broth for our sick ,union soldiers1 as did the one ,i met in ,natchez1 ,mississippi4 ,she had been free a number of years1 and had her yard full of geese1 ducks1 and chickens2 but all went for ,union soldiers4 ,she was a noble ,christian woman4 ,she said1 ,i feels so sorry for a sick soldier1 so far from their home4 ,i feels happy for all ,i kin do for 'em4 ,i knows ,jesus pay me4 ,another colored woman whom ,i met at ,gloucester ,courthouse1 in ,virginia1 did the same4 ,an ex-soldier wrote in a note1 found in a box of valuable clothing sent to the refugees in ,kansas3 ,i send this as a small token of the gratitude ,i owe to the colored people for saving my life when ,i was sick and escaping from a loathsome rebel prison4 ,they took care of me and conducted me safely to our ,union camp4 ,this goes with a prayer that ,god will bless that suffering people4 ,we have the testimony of many witnesses4 ,among them is ,j4 ,c4 ,hartzell1 ,d4 ,d41 of ,new ,orleans1 editor of the ,southwestern ,christian ,advocate4 ,he says1 ,the cruelties endured by the colored people of the ,south can not be overdrawn4 ,he knew of a number of families that took homesteads on government lands and were doing well for themselves1 but masked ,bourbons went in a company and drove them off1 telling them they had no business with homes of their own4 ,the plantation was their place1 and there they should go4 ,one man undertook to defend himself and family with his gun1 but receiving a serious wound from one of the ,bourbons1 he hid from his pursuers4 ,one of his white friends heard of what had befallen him1 and took him to ,new ,orleans for safety1 as he knew him to be an industrious and peaceable man4 ,here he employed a skillful surgeon to treat him4 ,our informant saw the bullet taken from his body1 and thought his life could be saved4 ,but he is sure to lose it if he returns to his own home4 ,rev4 ,j4 ,c4 ,hartzell said he had received letters from various places all over the ,south1 written by intelligent colored ministers1 that their ,churches were closed against them until after election4 ,the same thing was told me by many of those ,i interviewed4 ,the ,bourbons said their meetings were the hot-beds of emigration and ,republicanism4 ,in some places they were forbidden to meet in their private houses for prayer-meetings1 as their enemies said they met to make plans to go to ,kansas4 ,is there no guarantee for life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness8 ,what a state of society is this for a free country8 ,our first duty as a government is protection4 ,but if it is too weak for that1 the second duty is to welcome the fleeing refugee and point him to work1 or to the thousands of acres of good government land1 and help him where he needs help to keep body and soul together during the few months it may require to make himself self-sustaining4 ,from ,daniel ,votaw's report from ,independence1 ,kansas1 ,i extract the following3 ,thomas ,bell1 of ,dallas ,county1 ,texas1 was hanged about ,october #eth for attempting to go with his family and a few neighbors to ,kansas4 ,blood and rapine mark the fugitive4 ,after supper1 from meal furnished them for this purpose1 they gave us a history of their trials in ,texas1 which was truly sorrowful2 and with the notes1 mortgages1 and credits given--to the whole amount1 two thousand five hundred dollars--for their farms1 they were compelled to leave and flee for their lives1 as ,david did before ,saul4 ,shot-gun rule still continued4 ,philip ,fauber1 recently from near ,baton ,kouge1 ,louisiana1 testifies as follows3 ,i rented land of ,bragg and ,james ,mc,nealy1 and was to have one-third of the crop and furnish team and seed4 ,i took three bales of cotton to the weigher1 who read my contract1 and set aside one bale for me4 ,but the ,mc,nealys claimed the three bales1 and ,i referred the matter to the ,justice of the ,peace1 who1 after reading the contract1 sanctioned the decision of the weigher4 ,but the ,mc,nealys brought another officer1 who asked to see the contract ,i handed him the paper1 which he read and tore up and threw away1 and ,mc,nealy took possession of the last bale of cotton1 which ,i told them was my only dependence for my family's support for the ,winter4 ,on my way home through a little woods ,i received the contents of a shot-gun in my face1 both eyes being put out4 ,in great distress ,i felt my way home4 ,the doctor took a number of shot out of my face1 but he couldn't put my eyes back4 ,i can now do nothing but depend upon others to feed and clothe me till ,god takes me from this dark world to that glorious world of light and peace4 ,the old man1 ,mc,nealy denied shooting me1 but he never said he did not know who did4 ,but he and his two sons died within a few months after ,i was shot ,in the last sickness of ,bragg ,mc,nealy he sent for me to tell me for the last time that he did not shoot me4 ,still he would not tell who did4 ,the industrious wife of this poor man whose face is speckled with shot scars1 is anxious to get four or five acres of land to work herself1 and support herself and blind husband4 ,a4 ,a4 ,lacy1 an intelligent colored man from ,new ,orleans1 who came to us indorsed by a number of others from the same city1 testifies to the facts related by him as follows3 ,may #e1 #ahhj1 ,i called at the custom-house to report for duty to ,general ,a4 ,s4 ,badger1 collector of customs1 by whom ,i had been employed4 ,he directed me to ,captain ,l4 ,e4 ,salles1 the chief weigher1 to whom ,i had reported a number of days1 but failed to get work1 and as ,i failed this time ,i asked if ,i had better continue calling for work4 ,he replied1 ',you had better call again4' ,as ,i was passing out of the door his partner1 ,michael ,walsh1 came to me 7in a gruff1 commanding tone71 ',what is that you say1 ,lacy8' ',nothing to you1' ,i replied2 ',i was speaking to ,captain ,salles4' ,at this he gave a stab1 and as ,i turned to see what he was hitting me for1 he added two stabs more with cursing4 ,as ,i was going down the steps ,i felt the warm blood running down my side1 not yet realizing that ,i had been cut4 ,i opened my vest and saw the flowing blood4 ,i stepped into ,mr4 ,blanchard's office1 the assistant weigher1 who was a ,republican1 and showed him my side1 with clothes saturated with blood4 ,he was so shocked and excited that he was taken ill and died in just two weeks4 ,he advised me to enter a complaint against ,michael ,walsh1 which ,i did1 and he was placed in jail in default of thousand dollar bond4 ,i was sent to the hospital4 ,as there were many friends and reporters calling on me1 the surgeon forbade callers except immediate attendants and my wife4 ,he said the deepest wound reached the left lung1 and an eighth of an inch deeper would have produced instant death4 ,on the tenth day ,i was allowed to be removed to my home1 and pronounced to be convalescent4 ,michael ,walsh was released from prison with no other mark of displeasure resting upon him for this attempt at murder than a few days' imprisonment4 ,as soon as ,i was able to walk about ,i took a boat with friends whose lives had been threatened for ,kansas1 where we arrived ,july #ae1 #ahhj4 ,i am only able to light work1 for which ,i am thankful4 ,yet it seems hard to lose all this time from the assassin's stab in a custom-house that belongs to the government ,i fought two years to sustain4 ,uncle ,peter ,cox1 an aged man of eighty-eight years1 has a wen on the back of his neck1 running between his shoulders1 larger than a two-quart bowl1 that has been over thirty years coming4 ,it was caused by heavy lifting and continued hard work during his slave-life4 ,he came to ,topeka1 ,kansas1 in ,july1 #ahhj1 with his aged wife and deaf and dumb grandson of eighteen years4 ,his advanced age and deformity induced me to inquire more closely into the cause of leaving his ,state 7,louisiana74 ,after giving the sad history of his slave-life--the common lot of that class of goods and chattels--he said3 ,missus ,i stay'd thar as long as ,i could1 when ,i seed my brodder in de ,lo'd hangin' on a tree not more'n a hundred rods from my house1 near ,baton ,rouge4 ,a sistah was hanged five miles off1 on de plank road1 in ,west ,baton ,rouge1 in a little woods4 ,her sistah followed her beggin' for her life1 and tole de bulldosers she couldn't tell whar her husban' was that da's gwine to hang4 ,but da swore she should hang if she didn't tell4 ,giving his head a shake1 while tears dropped thick and fast down the deeply furrowed cheeks1 he continued3 ,o1 ,missus1 ,i couldn't live thar no longer4 ,i's so distressed day an' night4 ,de chief captain of dis ban' of murder's was ,henry ,castle1 who wid his ban' of men was supported by ,mr4 ,garrett1 ,mr4 ,fisher1 an' ,mr4 ,washington1 who were merchants in ,baton ,rouge4 ,but that poor grandfather's heart was filled with grief to overflowing when the faithful grandson was walking alone in the railroad track1 and was run over by the cars and instantly killed4 ,although the warning whistle was given the poor deaf boy heard it not4 ,as he was all the aged pair had to depend upon for their living1 it was to them a heavy stroke4 ,no one can look over these testimonies without exclaiming1 with ,david1 ,is there not a cause for the flight of this persecuted people8 ,we find many among them1 like ,lazarus1 begging for the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table2 but let us not allow them to die in this land of plenty4 ,yet1 through all these dark clouds1 we perceive the silver linings4 ,the heaven-born cause of temperance is gaining a foothold in our ,southern ,states4 ,a crusade against the liquor-traffic commenced in ,ohio1 and has swept over ,michigan and other neighboring ,states1 and is still going on conquering and to conquer4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,prospects ,,of ,,the ,,freedmen4 ,our last chapter contains the dark side of our picture4 ,in this we present the brighter prospects for a long and sorely oppressed race4 ,we first note what has been and is being done for the fifty thousand who have emigrated to ,kansas ,as ,i have been a co-laborer with ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock more than two years in rescuing the perishing in their new homes1 ,i speak from personal knowledge4 ,during the first ,winter--#ahgi-hj--;as mild as it was1 more than one hundred refugees were found with frozen feet fingers4 ,five were frozen to death coming through the ,indian ,territory with their teams4 ,through faithful agents1 with supplies forwarded from other ,states1 and even from friends in ,england in response to appeals sent out by ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 very many sufferers were relieved4 ,the goods from ,england were forwarded mostly by ,james ,clark1 of ,street4 ,over seventy thousand dollars' worth of supplies have passed through my hands for the relief of the refugees between ,september1 #ahgi1 when ,i commenced working for them1 and ,march1 #ahha ,thirteen thousand dollars of this amount came from ,england1 having been sent by ,friends or ,quakers ,besides money1 we received new goods1 as follows1 ,warm1 new blankets1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b1jjj ,new garments for women and girls1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e1jjj ,new garments for men and boys1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c1jjj ,new garments for babies and small children1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e1jjj ,new knitted socks and hose1 five hundred dozen pairs1 4 4 #f1jjj ,large quantity of sheets1 pillow-cases1 bed-quilts1 towels etc1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c1jjj ,queensware--,six large crates1 one hundred and nineteen dozen plates in each1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #h1efh ,cups and saucers1 nearly 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #f1jjj ,bowls and mugs1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #d1jjj ,platters1 pitchers1 and chamber wares1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c1ejj ,scissors1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #f1jjj ,sets of knives and forks1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #d1jjj ,spoons1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #h1jjj ,needles1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ae1jjj ,knitting needles1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b1ejj ,rags1 with sewing materials1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b1ejj ,papers of pins1 six hundred and fifty dozen1 and tape1 #cej1 #a1jjj ,tin-cups and basins1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #f1jjj ,bed-ticks1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #a1ejj ,wash-dishes and pans1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b1jjj ,woolen dresses for women and girls1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 #a1fhj ,new overcoats for men and boys1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #fej ,three whole bolts of ,welch flannel 7seventy-two yards each7 #aej ,two bolts heavy broadcloth1 for overcoats1 valued at 4 4 4 #add ,women's cloaks and shawls1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b1bej ,new red flannel1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aej ,muslins1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aej ,gray flannel and three hundred pairs mittens1 valued at 4 #ejj ,buttons1 hooks and eyes1 cotton thread1 silk1 etc41 4 4 4 #ejj ,new pieces goods1 chiefly cotton1 valued at 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e1jjj ,over ninety thousand dollars in money and supplies were distributed by the ,kansas ,relief ,association1 until it was disbanded in ,may1 #ahha1 and its head-quarters removed to ,southern ,kansas1 where thousands of these ,southern emigrants are congregated4 ,that locality is more favorable to cotton raising4 ,many of the refugees know but little of other business2 hence the necessity for an agricultural1 industrial1 and educational institute1 of which ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock is the founder4 ,at the present date 7,august1 #ahha7 eight thousand dollars are invested4 ,this includes the ,homestead ,fund4 ,to meet the crying need of this people she1 in connection with her daughter1 ,caroline ,de,green1 are untiring in their efforts to establish a permanent or systematized work4 ,they have established this much needed institution on four hundred acres of good land1 which is tilled by colored people1 who receive pay for their work in provision1 clothing1 or money until they can purchase cheap land for their own homes4 ,it has been no small task to disburse wisely the large supplies sent from every ,northern ,state and ,england in various portions of the ,state of ,kansas4 ,it has been done through the instrumentality of self-sacrificing men and women4 ,the noble women of ,topeka did their full share4 ,they districted the city1 appointed a large investigating committee1 and gave tickets calling for the articles most needed in the families found in a suffering condition4 ,by this plan impositions were avoided4 ,while we have entered bitter complaints against our ,southern ex-slave ,states1 we ought to call to mind many persecutions endured by the opponents of slavery in our own ,states of the ,north4 ,i have still in remembrance the many mobs to which abolitionists were exposed for discussing their views4 ,i have not forgotten the burning shame and disgrace upon our whole ,north because of the treatment it allowed to an earnest ,christian philanthropist1 ,prudence ,crandall1 of ,windham ,county1 ,connecticut4 ,she opened a school in ,canterbury ,green for girls1 and was patronized by the best families1 not only of that town1 but of other counties and ,states4 ,among those who sought the advantages of her school was a colored girl4 ,but ,prudence was too thorough a ,quaker to regard the request of bitter prejudice on the part of her other patrons to dismiss her colored pupil4 ,but she did not wait for them to execute their threat to withdraw their children4 ,she sent them home4 ,then she advertised her school as a boarding school for young ladies of color4 ,the people felt insulted1 and held indignation meetings and appointed committees to remonstrate with her4 ,but she stood by her principles regardless of their remonstrance4 ,the excitement in that town ran high4 ,a town meeting was called to devise means to remove the nuisance4 ,in #ahcc ,miss ,crandall opened her school against the protest of an indignant populace4 ,another town meeting was called1 at which it was resolved1 ,that the establishment of a rendezvous1 falsely denominated a school1 was designed by its projectors as the theater to promulgate their disgusting theory of amalgamation and their pernicious sentiments of subverting the ,union4 ,these pupils were to have been congregated here from all quarters under the false pretense of educating them1 but really to scatter fire-brands1 arrows1 and death among brethren of our own blood4 ,i well remember the voice of more than seven thousand1 even at that day1 who had never bowed the knee to the ,baal of slavery that was raised in favor of the course pursued by the noble woman4 ,against one of these young colored girls the people were about to enforce an old vagrant law1 requiring her to give security for her maintenance on penalty of being whipped on the naked body4 ,thus they required her to return to her home in ,providence4 ,canterbury did its best to drive ,prudence from her post4 ,her neighbors refused to give her fresh water from their wells1 though they knew their own sons had filled her well with stable refuse4 ,her father was threatened with mob-violence4 ,an appeal was sent to their ,legislature1 and that body of wise men devised a wicked enactment which they called law1 which was brought to bear upon her parents on this wise3 ,an order was sent to her father1 in substance1 as follows3 ,mr4 ,crandall1 if you go to visit your daughter you are to be fined one hundred dollars for the first offense1 two hundred dollars for the second offense1 doubling the amount every time4 ,mrs4 ,crandall1 if you go there you will be fined1 and your daughter1 ,almira1 will be fined1 and ,mr4 ,may1--and those gentlemen from ,providence ,messrs4 ,george and ,henry ,benson1 if they come here1 will be fined at the same rate4 ,and your daughter1 the one that has established the school for colored females1 will be taken up the same way as for stealing a horse or for burglary4 ,her property will not be taken1 but she will be put in jail1 not having the ,liberty of the yard4 ,there is no mercy to be shown about it4 ,soon after this ,miss ,crandall was arrested and taken to jail for an alleged offense4 ,her trial resulted in an acquittal1 but her establishment was persecuted by every conceivable insult4 ,she and her school were shut out from attendance at the ,congregational ,church1 and religious services held in her own house were interrupted by volleys of rotten eggs and other missiles4 ,at length the house was set on fire1 but the blaze was soon extinguished4 ,in #ahcd1 on ,september #ith1 just as the family was retiring for the night1 a body of men with iron bars surrounded the house1 and simultaneously beat in the windows and doors4 ,this shameful outrage was more than they could endure4 ,prudence ,crandall was driven at last to close her interesting school and send her pupils home4 ,then another town meeting was held1 a sort of glorification1 justifying themselves1 and praising their ,legislature for passing the law for which they asked4 ,all this abominable outrage ,i well remember1 and am glad to see it called up in ,scribner's ,magazine for ,december1 #ahhj4 ,a scathing denunciation of the outrage was published in the ,boston ,liberator1 edited by ,william ,lloyd ,garrison4 ,prudence ,crandall did more for the cause of freedom by her persistence in the ,higher ,law doctrine of eternal right than the most eloquent antislavery lecturer could have accomplished in molding public sentiment of the whole ,north4 ,her name became a household word in thousands of ,northern homes4 ,when we see the changes forty and fifty years have wrought in the ,north1 surely we may look forward in strong faith for like changes to take place over the ,south4 ,it may take longer1 but come it will4 ,we note with pleasure the rapid strides of education among the colored people in sixteen years4 ,in #ahfd-e ,i visited large schools in slave-pens that had become useless for the purposes for which they were designed4 ,the stumps of their whipping-posts and the place of the dreaded auction block was vacated4 ,although many of their public schools are not all that could be desired1 yet they have them1 and they are doing a good work4 ,in ,virginia1 beginning with #ahga1 the colored children enrolled for successive years numbered as follows3 #ch1eed2 #df1gcf2 #di1afi2 #ed1ide2 #fb1agh1 #fe1jdc2 #fa1ggb2 and #ce1gfh4 ,in ,south ,carolina the enrollment from #ahgj was1 #ae1hid3 #ch1fce2 #df1ece2 #ef1bdi2 #fc1dae2 #gj1hjb2 #ee1ieb2 #fb1abj2 and #fd1jie4 ,in ,mississippi1 beginning with #ahge1 the enrollment was #hi1hac2 #ij1agh2 #ajd1ggg2 and #aaa1gif4 ,at the present we foot up the astonishing number of #gch1afd pupils4 ,maryland has appropriated two thousand dollars per annum for the support of normal schools for the training of colored teachers4 ,an ex-,confederate and ex-slave-holder of high degree subscribed five thousand dollars toward a college for colored people under the patronage of one of the colored ,churches in the ,state of ,georgia4 ,all honor is due such noble deeds4 ,may there be more to follow his good example4 ,from the best authorities we have the figures of over a million communicants among the colored people in the ,united ,states4 ,of those in the ,southern ,states we have as follows1 at this date1 #ahha3 ,african ,methodists1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #bad1hjh ,methodist ,episcopal ,church 7,colored71 4 #aab1jjj ,colored ,baptist ,church1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ejj1jjj ,methodist ,episcopal ,zion ,church1 4 4 4 #aij1jjj ,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 4 4 4 4 4 4 #cjj1jjj ,almost every ,church in the ,north has contributed to educational purposes in the ,south1 but they are doing none too much4 ,the ,friends have done much toward supporting a school in ,helena1 ,arkansas1 under the supervision of ,lida ,clark1 an untiring worker for that people4 ,but we have not the figures of amounts4 ,but the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church has done1 and is still doing1 a great work1 as our figures will show1 in building commodious schoolhouses in various ,states4 ,schools of the ,freedmen's ,aid ,society of the ,methodist ,episcopal ,church for #ahhj-ha3 ,,chartered ,,institutions4 ,,teachers4 ,,pupils4 ,central ,tennessee ,college1 ,nashville1 ,tenn41 4 4 4 #ab #dcc ,clark ,university1 ,atlanta1 ,ga41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #g #agf ,chiflin ,university1 ,orangeburg1 ,s4 ,c41 4 4 4 4 4 4 #i #chh ,new ,orleans ,university4 ,new ,orleans1 ,la41 4 4 4 4 4 #d #bjj ,shaw ,university1 ,holly ,springs1 ,miss41 4 4 4 4 4 4 #h #bgg ,wiley ,university1 ,marshall1 ,texas1 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #f #cbc ,,theological ,,schools4 ,centenary ,biblical ,institute1 ,baltimore1 ,md41 4 4 4 #d #aah ,baker ,institute2 ,orangeburg1 ,s4 ,c41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 444 44444 ,footnote3 ,pupils enumerated in the other schools ,thompson ,biblical ,institute1 ,n4 ,orleans1 ,la41 4 4 4 444 44444 ,footnote3 ,pupils enumerated in the other schools ,,medical ,,college4 ,meharry ,medical ,college1 ,nashville1 ,tenn41 4 4 4 4 4 #h #ce ,institutions ,,not ,,chartered4 ,bennett ,seminary1 ,greensburg1 ,n4 ,c41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e #aej ,cookman ,institute1 ,jacksonville1 ,fla41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e #aff ,haven ,normal ,school1 ,waynesboro1 ,ga41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b #fj ,la ,grange ,seminary1 ,la ,grange1 ,ga41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b #if ,meridian ,academy1 ,meridian1 ,miss41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c #ajj ,rust ,normal ,school1 ,huntsville1 ,ala41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b #aab ,walden ,seminary1 ,little ,rock1 ,ark41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b #fj ,west ,texas ,conf4 ,seminary1 ,austin1 ,tex41 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c #aja ,la ,teche ,seminary1 ,la ,teche1 ,la41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c #ajj ,west ,tennessee ,seminary1 ,mason1 ,tenn41 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #b #ge ,we must here put in our claim for the fifty thousand emigrants in ,kansas from the ,south4 ,the ,freedmen's ,relief work in ,kansas has been thoroughly organized and officered1 and the contributions received for the refugees judiciously distributed4 ,an agricultural and industrial school was established some time ago1 and is meeting1 so far1 with good success4 ,it will1 if properly sustained1 prove to be a blessing not only to the colored race1 but to the ,state4 ,from a circular issued in ,june last1 by ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock1 one of the superintendents of this work1 ,i extract the following paragraphs3 ,our first object is to employ those who come for work or for aid4 ,we are strongly advised by their best friends1 and the kind donors both sides the ,atlantic1 not to give any thing 7except in return for labor7 to those who are able to work1 especially during the warm weather4 ,wages are paid regularly every ,saturday1 and they come with their money to buy and select from the stock on hand what will suit themselves4 ,second-hand clothing and bedding have a price affixed almost nominal4 ,coats1 #aj cents each to #a1 very few at #a2 pants1 drawers1 shirts1 and vests1 #e cents each2 shoes1 #e cents a pair2 stockings and socks1 two pairs for #e cents2 women's dresses1 #aj1 #bj1 #cj1 and #dj cents each2 children's clothes1 #e to #aj cents a garment2 bed-quilts1 comforters1 and blankets1 #bj to #ej cents2 new ones1 #a each1 if very good4 ,new shoes and other articles1 provisions1 etc41 that we have to purchase we buy at wholesale1 and try to supply them below the market price1 some of them at half the retail price4 ,thus what little is gained on the old clothes makes up in part what we lose on the new4 ,we could employ more laborers if we had more money4 ,the state of the treasury is low now4 ,it seems hard to turn away any poor people who want to work4 ,we should be very glad of help just now in the way of seed for sowing1 money to provide food and shelter1 and to finish up our buildings4 ,we greatly desire to start several industries before ,winter1 as blacksmith's shop1 carpenter's shop1 broom factory1 etc41 etc41 that they may have work during the cold weather4 ,we hope to have our school-house soon ready and to educate the children1 and have an evening school for adults4 ,an important part of our work will be to train the women and girls in the various branches of household work1 and sewing1 knitting1 etc4 ,nor do we lose sight of the spiritual garden while providing for the intellectual fields and the physical wants4 ,we greatly desire that this long-oppressed race1 who have been kept in darkness and ignorance1 should have the light of the glorious ,gospel1 and should have the ,bible put into their hands1 and be taught to read and understand it4 ,of course we meet with some opposition in our work1 as many a brave soldier has done before us1 in battling for the right and for the colored race4 ,we extract an item from the ,columbus ,courier 7,kansas73 ,we are proud of the work of the ',agricultural1 ,industrial1 and ,educational ,institute1' and earnestly desire its success1 and we feel proud of these good men and women who are led on by ,mrs4 ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock at their head1 and ,mrs4 ,laura #h4 ,haviland1 their secretary4 ,characteristic spirits of the broad philanthropy of our beloved land1 they need no commendation to sustain them4 ,this has been their life-work1 and they now select our ,state for their field of labor4 ,j4 ,e4 ,picketing was chosen from a body of eighteen directors as its president1 because of his experience in this kind of work1 having at one time been a conductor on the ',under ,ground4 ,he does not receive or ask for salary4 ,he only presides at meetings of the ,board of ,directors1 and has general oversight of the work in progress4 ,his son1 ,lindly1 was selected by the ,board according to the expressed wish of ,mrs4 ,comstock as superintendent4 ,his wife is acting in the capacity of matron1 but neither of them receives a salary1 and they are to be paid by some friends of the work when it is established4 ,but now pay is a matter of no consideration4 ,charity does not require that these people should leave their comfortable homes and devote their time and energies to the laborious duties of their positions without some reward4 ,forty acres of the four hundred upon which the institute is located was purchased of ,lindly ,m4 ,pickering1 at one hundred dollars less than he could otherwise have obtained for it4 ,it was selected for its improvements and its fine location1 unsurpassed in the country4 ,in conclusion1 we desire to refer to the good management with which without ostentation its affairs are vigorously pushed forward1 believing that the ever-living1 ever-aggressive principle of right will sustain them and secure the success which so commendable an enterprise deserves4 ,may heaven prosper the work of the nation's truest spirits and best and most respected citizens6 ,from the financial statement from ,april #aeth to ,june #ac1 #ahha1 we find that there has been received fur this industrial institute1 in cash1 #f1ica4if4 ,two large consignments of goods were received about the last date at ,columbus by ,elizabeth ,l4 ,comstock for the same object4 ,we appeal to the ,christian public to give us at least one school in ,kansas for the refugees4 ,sow thy seed in the morning1 and in the evening withhold not thy hand1 for thou knowest not whether this or that will prosper4 ,sowing the seed with an aching heart ,sowing the seed while the tear-drops start1 ,sowing in hope till the reapers come1 ,gladly to welcome the harvest home4 ,o what shall the harvest be8 ,,the ,,end