running a thousand miles for freedom-第12节

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ties；　in　escaping　out　of　the　jaws　of　the　wicked。





PART　II。




AFTER　my　wife　had　a　little　recovered　herself；　she　threw　off　the　disguise　and　assumed　her　own　apparel。　　We　then　stepped　into　the　sitting…room；　and　asked　to　see　the　landlord。　　The　man　came　in；　but　he　seemed　thunderstruck　on　finding　a　fugitive　slave　and　his　wife；　instead　of　a　〃young　cotton　planter　and　his　nigger。〃　　As　his　eyes　travelled　round　the　room；　he　said　to　me；　〃Where　is　your　master？〃　　I　pointed　him　out。　　The　man　gravely　replied；　〃I　am　not　joking；　I　really　wish　to　see　your　master。〃　　I　pointed　him　out　again；　but　at　first　he　could　not　believe　his　eyes；　he　said　〃he　knew　that　was　not　the　gentleman　that　came　with　me。〃

But；　after　some　conversation；　we　satisfied　him　that　we　were　fugitive　slaves；　and　had　just　escaped　in　the　manner　I　have　described。　　We　asked　him　if　he　thought　it　would　be　safe　for　us　to　stop　in　Phila…　delphia。　　He　said　he　thought　not；　but　he　would　call　in　some　persons　who　knew　more　about　the　laws　than　himself。　　He　then　went　out；　and　kindly　brought　in　several　of　the　leading　abolitionists　of　the　city；　who　gave　us　a　most　hearty　and　friendly　welcome　amongst　them。　　As　it　was　in　December；　and　also　as　we　had　just　left　a　very　warm　climate；　they　advised　us　not　to　go　to　Canada　as　we　had　intended；　but　to　settle　at　Boston　in　the　United　States。　　It　is　true　that　the　constitution　of　the　Re…　public　has　always　guaranteed　the　slaveholders　the　right　to　come　into　any　of　the　so…called　free　States；　and　take　their　fugitives　back　to　southern　Egypt。　But　through　the　untiring；　uncompromising；　and　manly　efforts　of　Mr。　Garrison；　Wendell　Phillips；　Theodore　Parker；　and　a　host　of　other　noble　aboli…　tionists　of　Boston　and　the　neighbourhood；　public　opinion　in　Massachusetts　had　become　so　much　opposed　to　slavery　and　to　kidnapping；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　for　any　one　to　take　a　fugitive　slave　out　of　that　State。

So　we　took　the　advice　of　our　good　Philadelphia　friends；　and　settled　at　Boston。　　I　shall　have　some…　thing　to　say　about　our　sojourn　there　presently。

Among　other　friends　we　met　with　at　Philadel…　phia；　was　Robert　Purves；　Esq。；　a　well　educated　and　wealthy　coloured　gentleman；　who　introduced　us　to　Mr。　Barkley　Ivens；　a　member　of　the　Society　of　Friends；　and　a　noble　and　generous…hearted　farmer；　who　lived　at　some　distance　in　the　country。

This　good　Samaritan　at　once　invited　us　to　go　and　stop　quietly　with　his　family；　till　my　wife　could　somewhat　recover　from　the　fearful　reaction　of　the　past　journey。　　We　most　gratefully　accepted　the　invitation；　and　at　the　time　appointed　we　took　a　steamer　to　a　place　up　the　Delaware　river；　where　our　new　and　dear　friend　met　us　with　his　snug　little　cart；　and　took　us　to　his　happy　home。　　This　was　the　first　act　of　great　and　disinterested　kindness　we　had　ever　received　from　a　white　person。

The　gentleman　was　not　of　the　fairest　complexion；　and　therefore；　as　my　wife　was　not　in　the　room　when　I　received　the　information　respecting　him　and　his　anti…slavery　character；　she　thought　of　course　he　was　a　quadroon　like　herself。　　But　on　arriving　at　the　house；　and　finding　out　her　mistake；　she　became　more　nervous　and　timid　than　ever。

As　the　cart　came　into　the　yard；　the　dear　good　old　lady；　and　her　three　charming　and　affectionate　daughters；　all　came　to　the　door　to　meet　us。　　We　got　out；　and　the　gentleman　said；　〃Go　in；　and　make　yourselves　at　home；　I　will　see　after　the　baggage。〃　But　my　wife　was　afraid　to　approach　them。　　She　stopped　in　the　yard；　and　said　to　me；　〃William；　I　thought　we　were　coming　among　coloured　people？〃　　I　replied；　〃It　is　all　right；　these　are　the　same。〃　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　not　all　right；　and　I　am　not　going　to　stop　here；　I　have　no　confidence　whatever　in　white　people；　they　are　only　trying　to　get　us　back　to　slavery。〃　　She　turned　round　and　said；　〃I　am　going　right　off。〃　　The　old　lady　then　came　out；　with　her　sweet；　soft；　and　winning　smile；　shook　her　heartily　by　the　hand；　and　kindly　said；　〃How　art　thou；　my　dear？　　We　are　all　very　glad　to　see　thee　and　thy　husband。　　Come　in；　to　the　fire；　I　dare　say　thou　art　cold　and　hungry　after　thy　journey。〃

We　went　in；　and　the　young　ladies　asked　if　she　would　like　to　go　upstairs　and　〃fix〃　herself　before　tea。　　My　wife　said；　〃No；　I　thank　you；　I　shall　only　stop　a　little　while。〃　　〃But　where　art　thou　going　this　cold　night？〃　said　Mr。　Ivens；　who　had　just　stepped　in。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃Well；　then；〃　he　continued；　〃I　think　thou　hadst　better　take　off　thy　things　and　sit　near　the　fire；　tea　will　soon　be　ready。　　〃Yes；　come；　Ellen；〃　said　Mrs。　Ivens；　〃let　me　assist　thee；〃　（as　she　commenced　undoing　my　wife's　bonnet…strings；）　〃don't　be　frightened；　Ellen；　I　shall　not　hurt　a　single　hair　of　thy　head。　We　have　heard　with　much　pleasure　of　the　marvel…　lous　escape　of　thee　and　thy　husband；　and　deeply　sympathise　with　thee　in　all　that　thou　hast　under…　gone。　　I　don't　wonder　at　thee；　poor　thing；　being　timid；　but　thou　needs　not　fear　us；　we　would　as　soon　send　one　of　our　own　daughters　into　slavery　as　thee；　so　thou　mayest　make　thyself　quite　at　ease！〃　These　soft　and　soothing　words　fell　like　balm　upon　my　wife's　unstrung　nerves；　and　melted　her　to　tears；　her　fears　and　prejudices　vanished；　and　from　that　day　she　has　firmly　believed　that　there　are　good　and　bad　persons　of　every　shade　of　complexion。

After　seeing　Sally　Ann　and　Jacob；　two　coloured　domestics；　my　wife　felt　quite　at　home。　　After　par…　taking　of　what　Mrs。　Stowe's　Mose　and　Pete　called　a　〃busting　supper；〃　the　ladies　wished　to　know　whether　we　could　read。　　On　learning　we　could　not；　they　said　if　we　liked　they　would　teach　us。　　To　this　kind　offer；　of　course；　there　was　no　objection。　But　we　looked　rather　knowingly　at　each　other；　as　much　as　to　say　that　they　would　have　rather　a　hard　task　to　cram　anything　into　our　thick　and　matured　skulls。

However；　all　hands　set　to　and　quickly　cleared　away　the　tea…things；　and　the　ladies　and　their　good　brother　brought　out　the　spelling　and　copy　books　and　slates；　&c。；　and　commenced　with　their　new　and　green　pupils。　　We　had；　by　stratagem；　learned　the　alphabet　while　in　slavery；　but　not　the　writing　cha…　racters；　and；　as　we　had　been　such　a　time　learning　so　little；　we　at　first　felt　that　it　was　a　waste　of　time　for　any　one　at　our　ages　to　undertake　to　learn　to　read　and　write。　　But；　as　the　ladies　were　so　anx…　ious　that　we　should　learn；　and　so　willing　to　teach　us；　we　concluded　to　give　our　whole　minds　to　the　work；　and　see　what　could　be　done。　　By　so　doing；　at　the　end　of　the　three　weeks　we　remained　with　the　good　family　we　could　spell　and　write　our　names　quite　legibly。　　They　all　begged　us　to　stop　longer；　but；　as　we　were　not　safe　in　the　State　of　Pennsylvania；　and　also　as　we　wished　to　commence　doing　some…　thing　for　a　livelihood；　we　did　not　remain。

When　the　time　arrived　for　us　to　leave　for　Boston；　it　was　like　parting　with　our　relatives。　　We　have　since　met　with　many　very　kind　and　hospitable　friends；　both　in　America　and　England；　but　we　have　never　been　under　a　roof　where　we　were　made　to　feel　more　at　home；　or　where　the　inmates　took　a　deeper　interest　in　our　well…being；　than　Mr。　Barkley　Ivens　and　his　dear　family。　　May　God　ever　bless　them；　and　preserve　each　one　from　every　reverse　of　fortune！

We　finally；　as　I　have　stated；　settled　at　Boston；　where　we　remained　nearly　two　years；　I　employed　as　cabinet…maker　and　furniture　broker；　and　my　wife　at　her　needle；　and；　as　our　little　earnings　in　slavery　were　not　all　spent　on　the　journey；　we　were　getting　on　very　well；　and　would　have　made　money；　if　we　had　not　been　compelled　by　the　General　Government；　at　the　bidding　of　the　slaveholders；　to　break　up　busi…　ness；　and　fly　from　under　the　Stars　and　Stripes　to　save　our　liberties　and　our　lives。

In　1850；　Congress　passed　the　Fugitive　Slave　Bill；　an　enactment　too　infamous　to　have　been　thought　of　or　tolerated　by　any　people　in　the　world；　except　the　unprincipled　and　tyrannical　Yankees。　The　following　are　a　few　of　the　leading　features　of　the　above　law；　which　requires；　under　heavy　penal…　ties；　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　FREE　States　should　not　only　refuse　food　and　shelter　to　a　starving；　hunted　human　being；　but　also　should　assist；　if　called　upon　by　the　authorities；　to　seize　the　unhappy　fugitive　and　send　him　back　to　slavery。

In　no　case　is　a　person's　evidence　admitted　in　Court；　in　defence　of　his　liberty；　when　arrested　under　this　law。

If　the　judge　decides　that　the　prisoner　is　a　slave；　he　gets　ten　dollars；　but　if　he　sets　him　at　liberty；　he　only　receives　five。

After　the　prisoner　has　been　sentenced　to　slavery；　he　is　handed　over　to　the　United　States　Marshal；　who　has　the　power；　at　the　expense　of　the　General　Government；　to　summon　a　sufficient　force　to　take　the　poor　creature　back　to　slavery；　and　to　the　lash；　from　which　he　fled。

Our　old　masters　sent　agents　to　Boston　after　us。　They　took　out　warrants；　and　placed　them　in　the　hands　of　the　United　States　Marshal　to　execute。　But　the　following　letter　from　our　highly　esteemed　and　faithful　friend；　the　Rev。　Samuel　May；　of　Bos…　ton；　to　our　equally　dear　and　much　lamented　friend；　Dr。　Estlin　of　Bristol；　will　show　why　we　were　not　taken　into　custody。



〃21；　Cornhill；　Boston；　〃November　6th；　1850。

〃My　dear　Mr　Estlin；

〃I　trust　that　in　God's　good　providence　this　letter　will　be　handed　to　you　in　safety　by　our　good　friends；　William　and　Ellen　Craft。　　They　have　lived　amongst　us　about