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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17827-h.zip b/17827-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc19429 --- /dev/null +++ b/17827-h.zip diff --git a/17827-h/17827-h.htm b/17827-h/17827-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84aa88a --- /dev/null +++ b/17827-h/17827-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1790 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Story of Mattie J. Jackson, by L. S. Thompson. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + +a[name] {position:absolute;} + + a:link {color:#0000ff; text-decoration:none} + link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:#ff0000} + + table { width:70%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} +.tr {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: solid black 1px;} + .tocch { text-align: right; vertical-align: top;} + .tocpg {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} + +.tr1 {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: solid black 1px; text-align:center; } + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } +.sig {text-align:right; } + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Story of Mattie J. Jackson, by L. S. Thompson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of Mattie J. Jackson + Her Parentage--Experience of Eighteen years in + Slavery--Incidents during the War--Her Escape from Slavery + +Author: L. S. Thompson + +Release Date: February 22, 2006 [EBook #17827] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF MATTIE J. JACKSON *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<p class="tr1">Transcriber's Note: <br /> +The table of contents is not a part of the original book.</p> + + + + + + + +<h1>THE STORY<br /> + +OF<br /> + +<span class="smcap">Mattie J. Jackson</span>;</h1> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Her Parentage—Experience of Eighteen Years in Slavery—Incidents +During the War—Her Escape from Slavery</span>.</h3> +<p> </p> + +<h3>A TRUE STORY.</h3> +<p> </p> + + +<h4><span class="smcap">WRITTEN AND ARRANGED BY</span></h4> + +<h2>DR. L. S. THOMPSON,</h2> + +<h4>(<span class="smcap">FORMERLY MRS. SCHUYLER</span>,)</h4> + +<h3>AS GIVEN BY MATTIE.</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h4>LAWRENCE:<br /> +PRINTED AT SENTINEL OFFICE, 123 ESSEX STREET.<br /> +1866.</h4> +<hr style="width:65%; " /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<table summary="Contents"> +<tr><td ><a href="#MATTIES_STORY"><b>MATTIE'S STORY</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#THEIR_ATTEMPT_TO_MAKE_THEIR_ESCAPE"><b>THEIR ATTEMPT TO MAKE THEIR ESCAPE</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#THE_SOLDIERS_AND_OUR_TREATMENT_DURING_THE_WAR"><b>THE SOLDIERS, AND OUR TREATMENT DURING THE WAR</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#MR_LEWIS_CALLS_AT_THE_BOARDING_HOUSE"><b>MR. LEWIS CALLS AT THE BOARDING HOUSE</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#RELEASED_FROM_THE_TRADERS_YARD_AND_TAKEN_TO_HER_NEW_MASTER"><b>RELEASED FROM THE TRADER'S YARD AND TAKEN TO HER NEW MASTER</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#CAPT_TIRRELL_REMOVES_THE_FAMILY_ANOTHER_STRATEGY"><b>CAPT. TIRRELL REMOVES THE FAMILY—ANOTHER STRATEGY</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#THE_FARE_AT_THEIR_NEW_HOMES"><b>THE FARE AT THEIR NEW HOMES</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#MATTIE_IN_INDIANAPOLIS_THE_GLORY_OF_FREEDOMmdashPRESIDENT_LINCOLNS"><b>MATTIE IN INDIANAPOLIS—THE GLORY OF FREEDOM—PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#SISTER_LOST_MOTHERS_ESCAPE"><b>SISTER LOST—MOTHER'S ESCAPE</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#MOTHERS_MARRIAGE"><b>MOTHER'S MARRIAGE</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#MATTIE_MEETS_HER_OLD_MASTER_GOES_TO_SERVICEmdashIS_SENT_FOR_BY_HER"><b>MATTIE MEETS HER OLD MASTER—GOES TO SERVICE—IS SENT FOR BY HER</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td ><a href="#SUMMARY"><b>SUMMARY</b></a></td> + <td class="tocpg" > </td> + <td class="tocpg" ><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td> +</tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHRISTIANITY"><b>CHRISTIANITY</b></a></td> + <td align='left' class="tocpg"> </td> + <td align='left' class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr style="width:65%; " /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>The object in publishing this book is to gain sympathy from the +earnest friends of those who have been bound down by a dominant race +in circumstances over which they had no control—a butt of ridicule +and a mark of oppression; over whom weary ages of degradation have +passed. As the links have been broken and the shackles fallen from +them through the unwearied efforts of our beloved martyr President +Lincoln, as one I feel it a duty to improve the mind, and have ever +had a thirst for education to fill that vacuum for which the soul has +ever yearned since my earliest remembrance.</p> + +<p>Thus I ask you to buy my little book to aid me in obtaining an +education, that I may be enabled to do some good in behalf of the +elevation of my emancipated brothers and sisters. I have now arrived +at the age of twenty. As the first dawn of morning has passed, and the +meridian of life is approaching, I know of no other way to speedily +gain my object than through the aid and patronage of the friends of +humanity.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>NOTE: Miss Jackson sustains a high moral character—has been much +respected since she has been in Lawrence. She is from St. Louis, +Missouri, and arrived here on the 11th of April, 1866. To gain the +wish of the heart is utterly impossible without more means than she +can obtain otherwise. Her friends have borne her expenses to Lawrence, +and have and are still willing to render her aid as far their limited +means will allow. She was in the same condition of all the neglected +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span>and oppressed. Her personal requirements are amply supplied. She now +only craves the means to clothe and qualify the intellect. My humble +prayer is that she may meet with unlimited success.</p> + +<p>This young lady is highly worthy of all the aid our kind friends feel +a duty to bestow upon her. She purposes lecturing and relating her +story; and I trust she may render due satisfaction and bear some +humble part in removing doubts indulged by the prejudices against the +natural genius and talent of our race. May God give her grace and +speed her on her way.</p> + +<p class="sig"> +Respectfully yours,<br /> +L. S. T. +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MATTIES_STORY" id="MATTIES_STORY"></a>MATTIE'S STORY</h2> + + +<p>My ancestors were transported from Africa to America at the time the +slave trade flourished in the Eastern States. I cannot give dates, as +my progenitors, being slaves, had no means of keeping them. By all +accounts my great grandfather was captured and brought from Africa. +His original name I never learned. His master's name was Jackson, and +he resided in the State of New York. My grandfather was born in the +same State, and also remained a slave for some length of time, when he +was emancipated, his master presenting him with quite an amount of +property. He was true, honest and responsible, and this present was +given him as a reward. He was much encouraged by the cheering prospect +of better days. A better condition of things now presented itself. As +he possessed a large share of confidence, he came to the conclusion, +as he was free, that he was capable of selecting his own residence and +manage his own affairs with prudence and economy. But, alas, his hopes +were soon blighted. More heart rending sorrow and degradation awaited +him. He was earnestly invited by a white decoyer to relinquish his +former design and accompany him to Missouri and join him in +speculation and become wealthy. As partners, they embarked on board a +schooner for St. Charles, Mo. On the passage, my grandfather was +seized with a fever, and for a while was totally unconscious. When he +regained his reason he found himself, near his journey's end, divested +of his free papers and all others. On his arrival at St. Charles he +was seized by a huge, surly looking slaveholder who claimed him as +his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> property. The contract had previously been concluded by his +Judas-like friend, who had received the bounty. Oh, what a sad +disappointment. After serving for thirty years to be thrust again into +bondage where a deeper degradation and sorrow and hopeless toil were +to be his portion for the remaining years of his existence. In deep +despair and overwhelmed with grief, he made his escape to the woods, +determined to put an end to his sorrows by perishing with cold and +hunger. His master immediately pursued him, and in twenty-four hours +found him with hands and feet frost-bitten, in consequence of which he +lost the use of his fingers and toes, and was thenceforth of little +use to his new master. He remained with him, however, and married a +woman in the same station in life. They lived as happily as their +circumstances would permit. As Providence allotted, they only had one +son, which was my father, Westly Jackson. He had a deep affection for +his family, which the slave ever cherishes for his dear ones. He had +no other link to fasten him to the human family but his fervent love +for those who were bound to him by love and sympathy in their wrongs +and sufferings. My grandfather remained in the same family until his +death. My father, Westly Jackson, married, at the age of twenty-two, a +girl owned by James Harris, named Ellen Turner. Nothing of importance +occurred until three years after their marriage, when her master, +Harris failed through the extravagance and mismanagement of his wife, +who was a great spendthrift and a dreaded terror to the poor slaves +and all others with whom she associated in common circumstances, +consequently the entire stock was sold by the sheriff to a trader +residing in Virginia. On account of the good reputation my mother +sustained as a worthy servant and excellent cook, a tyrannical and +much dreaded slaveholder watched for an opportunity to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> purchase her, +but fortunately arrived a few moments too late, and she was bid off in +too poor a condition of health to remain long a subject of banter and +speculation. Her husband was allowed to carefully lift her down from +the block and accompany her to her new master's, Charles Canory, who +treated her very kindly while she remained in his family. Mr. Canory +resided in St. Charles County for five years after he purchased my +mother. During that time my father and mother were in the same +neighborhood, but a short distance from each other. But another trial +awaited them. Her master removed twenty miles away to a village called +Bremen, near St. Louis, Mo. My father, thereafter, visited my mother +once a week, walking the distance every Saturday evening and returning +on Sunday evening. But through all her trials and deprivations her +trust and confidence was in Him who rescued his faithful followers +from the fiery furnace and the lion's den, and led Moses through the +Red Sea. Her trust and confidence was in Jesus. She relied on His +precious promises, and ever found Him a present help in every time of +need. Two years after this separation my father was sold and separated +from us, but previous to his delivery to his new master he made his +escape to a free State. My mother was then left with two children. She +had three during the time they were permitted to remain together, and +buried one. Their names were Sarah Ann, Mattie Jane and Esther J. When +my father left I was about three years of age, yet I can well remember +the little kindnesses my father used to bestow upon us, and the deep +affection and fondness he manifested for us. I shall never forget the +bitter anguish of my parents' hearts, the sighs they uttered or the +profusion of tears which coursed down their sable cheeks. O, what a +horrid scene, but he was not her's, for cruel hands had separated +them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The strongest tie of earthly joy that bound the aching heart—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His love was e'er a joyous light that o'er the pathway shone—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A fountain gushing ever new amid life's desert wild—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His slightest word was a sweet tone of music round her heart—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their lives a streamlet blent in one. O, Father, must they part?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They tore him from her circling arms, her last and fond embrace—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O never again can her sad eyes gaze upon his mournful face.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It is not strange these bitter sighs are constant bursting forth.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Amid mirth and glee and revelry she never took a part,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She was a mother left alone with sorrow in her heart.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But my mother was conscious some time previous of the change that was +to take place with my father, and if he was sold in the immediate +vicinity he would be likely to be sold again at their will, and she +concluded to assist him to make his escape from bondage. Though the +parting was painful, it afforded her solace in the contemplation of +her husband becoming a free man, and cherishing a hope that her little +family, through the aid of some angel of mercy, might be enabled to +make their escape also, and meet to part no more on earth. My father +came to spend the night with us, according to his usual custom. It was +the last time, and sadness brooded upon his brow. It was the only +opportunity he had to make his escape without suspicion and detection, +as he was immediately to fall into the hands of a new master. He had +never been sold from the place of his birth before, and was determined +never to be sold again if God would verify his promise. My father was +not educated, but was a preacher, and administered the Word of God +according to the dictation and revelation of the spirit. His former +master<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> had allowed him the privilege of holding meetings in the +village within the limits of his pass on the Sundays when he visited +my mother. But on this Saturday evening he arrived and gave us all his +farewell kiss, and hurried away. My mother's people were aware of my +father's intention, but rather than spare my mother, and for fear she +might be detected, they secreted his escape. His master called a +number of times and enquired for him and strongly pressed my mother to +give him an account of my father, but she never gave it. We waited +patiently, hoping to learn if he succeeded in gaining his freedom. +Many anxious weeks and months passed before we could get any tidings +from him, until at length my mother heard that he was in Chicago, a +free man and preaching the Gospel. He made every effort to get his +family, but all in vain. The spirit of slavery so strongly existed +that letters could not reach her; they were all destroyed. My parents +had never learned the rescuing scheme of the underground railroad +which had borne so many thousands to the standard of freedom and +victories. They knew no other resource than to depend upon their own +chance in running away and secreting themselves. If caught they were +in a worse condition than before.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THEIR_ATTEMPT_TO_MAKE_THEIR_ESCAPE" id="THEIR_ATTEMPT_TO_MAKE_THEIR_ESCAPE"></a>THEIR ATTEMPT TO MAKE THEIR ESCAPE</h2> + + +<p>Two years after my father's departure, my mother, with her two +children, my sister and myself, attempted to make her escape. After +traveling two days we reached Illinois. We slept in the woods at +night. I believe my mother had food to supply us but fasted herself. +But the advertisement had reached there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> before us, and loafers were +already in search of us, and as soon as we were discovered on the +brink of the river one of the spies made enquiries respecting her +suspicious appearance. She was aware that she was arrested, +consequently she gave a true account of herself—that she was in +search of her husband. We were then destitute of any articles of +clothing excepting our wearing apparel. Mother had become so weary +that she was compelled to leave our package of clothing on the way. We +were taken back to St. Louis and committed to prison and remained +there one week, after which they put us in Linch's trader's yard, +where we remained about four weeks. We were then sold to William +Lewis. Mr. Lewis was a very severe master, and inflicted such +punishment upon us as he thought proper. However, I only remember one +severe contest Mr. Lewis had with my mother. For some slight offence +Mrs. Lewis became offended and was tartly and loudly reprimanding her, +when Mr. L. came in and rashly felled her to the floor with his fist. +But his wife was constantly pulling our ears, snapping us with her +thimble, rapping us on the head and sides of it. It appeared +impossible to please her. When we first went to Mr. L.'s they had a +cowhide which she used to inflict on a little slave girl she +previously owned, nearly every night. This was done to learn the +little girl to wake early to wait on her children. But my mother was a +cook, as I before stated, and was in the habit of roasting meats and +toasting bread. As they stinted us for food my mother roasted the +cowhide. It was rather poor picking, but it was the last cowhide my +mother ever had an opportunity to cook while we remained in his +family. Mr. L. soon moved about six miles from the city, and entered +in partnership with his brother-in-law. The servants were then divided +and distributed in both families. It unfortunately fell to my lot to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +live with Mrs. Larry, my mistress' sister, which rendered my condition +worse than the first. My master even disapproved of my ill treatment +and took me to another place; the place my mother resided before my +father's escape. After a short time Mr. Lewis again returned to the +city. My mother still remained as cook in his family. After six years' +absence of my father my mother married again a man by the name of +George Brown, and lived with her second husband about four years, and +had two children, when he was sold for requesting a different kind and +enough food. His master considered it a great insult, and declared he +would sell him. But previous to this insult, as he called it, my +step-father was foreman in Mr. L.'s tobacco factory. He was trusty and +of good moral habits, and was calculated to bring the highest price in +the human market; therefore the excuse to sell him for the above +offence was only a plot. The morning this offence occurred, Mr. L. bid +my father to remain in the kitchen till he had taken his breakfast. +After pulling his ears and slapping his face bade him come to the +factory; but instead of going to the factory he went to Canada. Thus +my poor mother was again left alone with two more children added to +her misery and sorrow to toil on her weary pilgrimage.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Racked with agony and pain she was left alone again,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With a purpose nought could move<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the zeal of woman's love,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Down she knelt in agony<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To ask the Lord to clear the way.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">True she said O gracious Lord,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">True and faithful is thy word;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But the humblest, poorest, may<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Eat the crumbs they cast away.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Though nine long years had passed<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Without one glimmering light of day<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She never did forget to pray<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And has not yet though whips and chains are cast away.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For thus said the blessed Lord,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I will verify my word;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By the faith that has not failed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thou hast asked and shall prevail.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>We remained but a short time at the same residence when Mr. Lewis +moved again to the country. Soon after, my little brother was taken +sick in consequence of being confined in a box in which my mother was +obliged to keep him. If permitted to creep around the floor her +mistress thought it would take too much time to attend to him. He was +two years old and never walked. His limbs were perfectly paralyzed for +want of exercise. We now saw him gradually failing, but was not +allowed to render him due attention. Even the morning he died she was +compelled to attend to her usual work. She watched over him for three +months by night and attended to her domestic affairs by day. The night +previous to his death we were aware he could not survive through the +approaching day, but it made no impression on my mistress until she +came into the kitchen and saw his life fast ebbing away, then she put +on a sad countenance for fear of being exposed, and told my mother to +take the child to her room, where he only lived one hour. When she +found he was dead she ordered grave clothes to be brought and gave my +mother time to bury him. O that morning, that solemn morning. It +appears to me that when that little spirit departed as though all +heaven rejoiced and angels veiled their faces.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">My mother too in concert joined,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her mingled praise with them combined.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span><span class="i0">Her little saint had gone to God<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who saved him with his precious blood.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Who said "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_SOLDIERS_AND_OUR_TREATMENT_DURING_THE_WAR" id="THE_SOLDIERS_AND_OUR_TREATMENT_DURING_THE_WAR"></a>THE SOLDIERS, AND OUR TREATMENT DURING THE WAR</h2> + + +<p>Soon after the war commenced the rebel soldiers encamped near Mr. +Lewis' residence, and remained there one week. They were then ordered +by General Lyons to surrender, but they refused. There were seven +thousand Union and seven hundred rebel soldiers. The Union soldiers +surrounded the camp and took them and exhibited them through the city +and then confined them in prison. I told my mistress that the Union +soldiers were coming to take the camp. She replied that it was false, +that it was General Kelly coming to re-enforce Gen. Frost. In a few +moments the alarm was heard. I told Mrs. L. the Unionists had fired +upon the rebels. She replied it was only the salute of Gen. Kelly. At +night her husband came home with the news that Camp Jackson was taken +and all the soldiers prisoners. Mrs. Lewis asked how the Union +soldiers could take seven hundred men when they only numbered the +same. Mr. L. replied they had seven thousand. She was much astonished, +and cast her eye around to us for fear we might hear her. Her +suspicion was correct; there was not a word passed that escaped our +listening ears. My mother and myself could read enough to make out the +news in the papers. The Union soldiers took much delight in tossing a +paper over the fence to us. It aggravated my mistress very much. My +mother used to sit up nights and read to keep posted about the war. In +a few days my mistress<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> came down to the kitchen again with another +bitter complaint that it was a sad affair that the Unionists had taken +their delicate citizens who had enlisted and made prisoners of +them—that they were babes. My mother reminded her of taking Fort +Sumpter and Major Anderson and serving them the same and that turn +about was fair play. She then hastened to her room with the speed of a +deer, nearly unhinging every door in her flight, replying as she went +that the Niggers and Yankees were seeking to take the country. One +day, after she had visited the kitchen to superintend some domestic +affairs, as she pretended, she became very angry without a word being +passed, and said—"I think it has come to a pretty pass, that old +Lincoln, with his long legs, an old rail splitter, wishes to put the +Niggers on an equality with the whites; that her children should never +be on an equal footing with a Nigger. She had rather see them dead." +As my mother made no reply to her remarks, she stopped talking, and +commenced venting her spite on my companion servant. On one occasion +Mr. Lewis searched my mother's room and found a picture of President +Lincoln, cut from a newspaper, hanging in her room. He asked her what +she was doing with old Lincoln's picture. She replied it was there +because she liked it. He then knocked her down three times, and sent +her to the trader's yard for a month as punishment. My mistress +indulged some hopes till the victory of New Orleans, when she heard +the famous Union song sang to the tune of Yankee Doodle:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The rebels swore that New Orleans never should be taken,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But if the Yankees came so near they should not save their bacon.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That's the way they blustered when they thought they were so handy,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But Farragut steamed up one day and gave them Doodle Dandy.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Ben Butler then was ordered down to regulate the city;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He made the rebels walk a chalk, and was not that a pity?<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span><span class="i0">That's the way to serve them out—that's the way to treat them,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They must not go and put on airs after we have beat them.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">He made the rebel banks shell out and pay the loyal people,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He made them keep the city clean from pig's sty to church steeple.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That's the way Columbia speaks, let all men believe her;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That's the way Columbia speaks instead of yellow fever.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">He sent the saucy women up and made them treat us well<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He helped the poor and snubbed the rich; they thought he was the devil,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bully for Ben. Butler, then, they thought he was so handy;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bully for Ben Butler then,—Yankee Doodle Dandy.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The days of sadness for mistress were days of joy for us. We shouted +and laughed to the top of our voices. My mistress was more enraged +than ever—nothing pleased her. One evening, after I had attended to +my usual duties, and I supposed all was complete, she, in a terrible +range, declared I should be punished that night. I did not know the +cause, neither did she. She went immediately and selected a switch. +She placed it in the corner of the room to await the return of her +husband at night for him to whip me. As I was not pleased with the +idea of a whipping I bent the switch in the shape of W, which was the +first letter of his name, and after I had attended to the dining room +my fellow servant and myself walked away and stopped with an aunt of +mine during the night. In the morning we made our way to the Arsenal, +but could gain no admission. While we were wandering about seeking +protection, the girl's father overtook us and persuaded us to return +home. We finally complied. All was quiet. Not a word was spoken +respecting our sudden departure. All went on as usual. I was permitted +to attend to my work without interruption until three weeks after. One +morning I entered Mrs. Lewis' room, and she was in a room adjoining, +com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>plaining of something I had neglected. Mr. L. then enquired if I +had done my work. I told him I had. She then flew into a rage and told +him I was saucy, and to strike me, and he immediately gave me a severe +blow with a stick of wood, which inflicted a deep wound upon my head. +The blood ran over my clothing, which gave me a frightful appearance. +Mr. Lewis then ordered me to change my clothing immediately. As I did +not obey he became more enraged, and pulled me into another room and +threw me on the floor, placed his knee on my stomach, slapped me on +the face and beat me with his fist, and would have punished me more +had not my mother interfered. He then told her to go away or he would +compel her to, but she remained until he left me. I struggled +mightily, and stood him a good test for a while, but he was fast +conquering me when my mother came. He was aware my mother could +usually defend herself against one man, and both of us would overpower +him, so after giving his wife strict orders to take me up stairs and +keep me there, he took his carriage and drove away. But she forgot it, +as usual. She was highly gratified with my appropriate treatment, as +she called it, and retired to her room, leaving me to myself. I then +went to my mother and told her I was going away. She bid me go, and +added "May the Lord help you." I started for the Arsenal again and +succeeded in gaining admittance and seeing the Adjutant. He ordered me +to go to another tent, where there was a woman in similar +circumstances, cooking. When the General found I was there he sent me +to the boarding house. I remained there three weeks, and when I went I +wore the same stained clothing as when I was so severely punished, +which has left a mark on my head which will ever remind me of my +treatment while in slavery. Thanks be to God, though tortured by wrong +and goaded by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> oppression, the hearts that would madden with misery +have broken the iron yoke.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MR_LEWIS_CALLS_AT_THE_BOARDING_HOUSE" id="MR_LEWIS_CALLS_AT_THE_BOARDING_HOUSE"></a>MR. LEWIS CALLS AT THE BOARDING HOUSE</h2> + + +<p>At the expiration of three weeks Mr. Lewis called at my boarding +house, accompanied by his brother-in-law, and enquired for me, and the +General informed him where I was. He then told me my mother was very +anxious for me to come home, and I returned. The General had ordered +Mr. Lewis to call at headquarters, when he told him if he had treated +me right I would not have been compelled to seek protection of him; +that my first appearance was sufficient proof of his cruelty. Mr. L. +promised to take me home and treat me kindly. Instead of fulfilling +his promise he carried me to the trader's yard, where, to my great +surprise, I found my mother. She had been there during my absence, +where she was kept for fear she would find me and take my brother and +sister and make her escape. There was so much excitement at that time, +(1861), by the Union soldiers rendering the fugitives shelter and +protection, he was aware that if she applied to them, as he did not +fulfill his promise in my case, he would stand a poor chance. If my +mother made application to them for protection they would learn that +he did not return me home, and immediately detect the intrigue. After +I was safely secured in the trader's yard, Mr. L. took my mother home. +I remained in the yard three months. Near the termination of the time +of my confinement I was passing by the office when the cook of the +Arsenal saw and recognized me and informed the General that Mr. L. had +disobeyed his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> orders, and had put me in the trader's yard instead of +taking me home. The General immediately arrested Mr. L. and gave him +one hundred lashes with the cowhide, so that they might identify him +by a scarred back, as well as his slaves. My mother had the pleasure +of washing his stained clothes, otherwise it would not have been +known. My master was compelled to pay three thousand dollars and let +me out. He then put me to service, where I remained seven months, +after which he came in great haste and took me into the city and put +me into the trader's yard again. After he received the punishment he +treated my mother and the children worse than ever, which caused her +to take her children and secrete themselves in the city, and would +have remained undetected had it not been for a traitor who pledged +himself to keep the secret. But King Whiskey fired up his brain one +evening, and out popped the secret. My mother and sister were +consequently taken and committed to the trader's yard. My little +brother was then eight years of age, my sister sixteen, and myself +eighteen. We remained there two weeks, when a rough looking man, +called Capt. Tirrell, came to the yard and enquired for our family. +After he had examined us he remarked that we were a fine looking +family, and bid us retire. In about two hours he returned, at the edge +of the evening, with a covered wagon, and took my mother and brother +and sister and left me. My mother refused to go without me, and told +him she would raise an alarm. He advised her to remain as quiet as +possible. At length she was compelled to go. When she entered the +wagon there was a man standing behind with his hands on each side of +the wagon to prevent her from making her escape. She sprang to her +feet and gave this man a desperate blow, and leaping to the ground she +made an alarm. The watchmen came to her assistance immediately, and +there was quite a number of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> Union policemen guarding the city at that +time, who rendered her due justice as far as possible. This was before +the emancipation proclamation was issued. After she leaped from the +wagon they drove on, taking her children to the boat. The police +questioned my mother. She told them that Capt. Tirrell had put her +children on board the boat, and was going to take them to Memphis and +sell them into hard slavery. They accompanied her to the boat, and +arrived just as they were casting off. The police ordered them to stop +and immediately deliver up the children, who had been secreted in the +Captain's private apartment. They were brought forth and returned. +Slave speculation was forbidden in St. Louis at that time. The Union +soldiers had possession of the city, but their power was limited to +the suppression of the selling of slaves to got out of the city. +Considerable smuggling was done, however, by pretending Unionism, +which was the case with our family.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="RELEASED_FROM_THE_TRADERS_YARD_AND_TAKEN_TO_HER_NEW_MASTER" id="RELEASED_FROM_THE_TRADERS_YARD_AND_TAKEN_TO_HER_NEW_MASTER"></a>RELEASED FROM THE TRADER'S YARD AND TAKEN TO HER NEW MASTER</h2> + + +<p>Immediately after dinner my mother called for me to accompany her to +our new home, the residence of the Captain, together with my brother +and sister. We fared very well while we were there. Mrs. Tirrell was +insane, and my mother had charge of the house. We remained there four +months. The Captain came home only once a week and he never troubled +us for fear we might desert him. His intention was to smuggle us away +before the State became free. That was the understanding when he +bought us of Mr. Lewis, as it was not much of an object to purchase +slaves while the proclamation was pending, and they likely to lose all +their property; but they would, for a trifle purchase a whole family<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +of four or five persons to send out of the State. Kentucky paid as +much, or more than ever, for slaves. As they pretended to take no part +in the rebellion they supposed they would be allowed to keep them +without interference. Consequently the Captain's intention was to keep +as quiet as possible till the excitement concerning us was over, and +he could get us off without detection. Mr. Lewis would rather have +disposed of us for nothing than have seen us free. He hated my mother +in consequence of her desire for freedom, and her endeavors to teach +her children the right way as far as her ability would allow. He also +held a charge against her for reading the papers and understanding +political affairs. When he found he was to lose his slaves he could +not bear the idea of her being free. He thought it too hard, as she +had raised so many tempests for him, to see her free and under her own +control. He had tantalized her in every possible way to humiliate and +annoy her; yet while he could demand her services he appreciated and +placed perfect confidence in mother and family. None but a fiendish +slaveholder could have rended an honest Christian heart in such a +manner as this.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Though it was her sad and weary lot to toil in slavery<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But one thing cheered her weary soul<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When almost in despair<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That she could gain a sure relief in attitude of prayer<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CAPT_TIRRELL_REMOVES_THE_FAMILY_ANOTHER_STRATEGY" id="CAPT_TIRRELL_REMOVES_THE_FAMILY_ANOTHER_STRATEGY"></a>CAPT. TIRRELL REMOVES THE FAMILY—ANOTHER STRATEGY</h2> + + +<p>One day the Captain commenced complaining of the expense of so large a +family, and proposed to my mother that we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> should work out and he take +part of the pay. My mother told him she would need what she earned for +my little brother's support. Finally the Captain consented, and I was +the first to be disposed of. The Captain took me in his buggy and +carried me to the Depot, and I was put into a Union family, where I +remained five months. Previous to my leaving, however, my mother and +the Captain entered into a contract—he agreeing not to sell us, and +mother agreeing not to make her escape. While she was carrying out her +promise in good faith, he was plotting to separate us. We were all +divided except mother and my little brother, who remained together. My +sister remained with one of the rebels, but was tolerably treated. We +all fared very well; but it was only the calm before the rending +tornado. Captain T. was Captain of the boat to Memphis, from which the +Union soldiers had rescued us. He commenced as a deck hand on the +boat, then attained a higher position, and continued to advance until +he became her Captain. At length he came in possession of slaves. Then +his accomplishments were complete. He was a very severe slave master. +Those mushroom slaveholders are much dreaded, as their severity knows +no bounds</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Bondage and torture, scourges and chains<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Placed on our backs indelible stains.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>I stated previously, in relating a sketch of my mother's history, that +she was married twice, and both husbands were to be sold and made +their escape. They both gained their freedom. One was living,—the +other died before the war. Both made every effort to find us, but to +no purpose. It was some years before we got a correct account of her +second husband, and he had no account of her, except once he heard +that mother and children had perished in the woods while<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> endeavoring +to make their escape. In a few years after his arrival in the free +States he married again.</p> + +<p>When about sixteen years of age, while residing with her original +master, my mother became acquainted with a young man, Mr. Adams, +residing in a neighboring family, whom she much respected; but he was +soon sold, and she lost trace of him entirely, as was the common +occurrence with friends and companions though united by the nearest +ties. When my mother arrived at Captain Tirrell's, after leaving the +boat, in her excitement she scarce observed anything except her little +group so miraculously saved from perhaps a final separation in this +world. She at length observed that the servant who was waiting to take +her to the Captain's residence in the country was the same man with +whom she formed the acquaintance when sixteen years old, and they +again renewed their acquaintance. He had been married and buried his +wife. It appeared that his wife had been in Captain Tirrell's family +many years, and he also, for some time. They had a number of children, +and Capt. Tirrell had sold them down South. This cruel blow, assisted +by severe flogging and other ill treatment, rendered the mother +insane, and finally caused her death.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">In agony close to her bosom she pressed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The life of her heart, the child of her breast—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh love from its tenderness gathering might<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Had strengthed her soul for declining age.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">But she is free. Yes, she has gone from the land of the slave;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The hand of oppression must rest in the grave.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The blood hounds have missed the scent of her way,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The hunter is rifled and foiled of his prey.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After my mother had left the Captain to take care of herself and +child, according to agreement with the Captain, she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> became engaged to +Mr. Adams. He had bought himself previously for a large price. After +they became acquainted, the Captain had an excellent opportunity of +carrying out his stratagem. He commenced bestowing charity upon Mr. +Adams. As he had purchased himself, and Capt. T. had agreed not to +sell my mother, they had decided to marry at an early day. They hired +a house in the city and were to commence housekeeping immediately. The +Captain made him a number of presents and seemed much pleased with the +arrangement. The day previous to the one set for the marriage, while +they were setting their house in order, a man called and enquired for +a nurse, pretending he wanted one of us. Mother was absent; he said he +would call again, but he never came. On Wednesday evening we attended +a protracted meeting. After we had returned home and retired, a loud +rap was heard at the door. My Aunt enquired who was there. The reply +was, "Open the door or I will break it down." In a moment in rushed +seven men, four watchmen and three traders, and ordered mother to take +my brother and me and follow them, which she hastened to do as fast as +possible, but we were not allowed time to put on our usual attire. +They thrust us into a close carriage. For fear of my mother alarming +the citizens they threw her to the ground and choked her until she was +nearly strangled, then pushed her into a coach. The night was dark and +dreary; the stars refused to shine, the moon to shed her light.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Tis not strange the heavenly orbs<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In silence blushed neath Nature's sable garb<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When woman's gagged and rashly torn away<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Without blemish and without crime.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unheeded by God's holy word:—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Unloose the fetters, break the chain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And make my people free again,<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +<span class="i0">And let them breath pure freedom's air<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And her rich bounty freely share.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Let Eutopia stretch her bleeding hands abroad;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her cry of anguish finds redress from God.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>We were hurried along the streets. The inhabitants heard our cries and +rushed to their doors, but our carriage being perfectly tight, and the +alarm so sudden, that we were at the jail before they could give us +any relief. There were strong Union men and officers in the city, and +if they could have been informed of the human smuggling they would +have released us. But oh, that horrid, dilapidated prison, with its +dim lights and dingy walls, again presented itself to our view. My +sister was there first, and we were thrust in and remained there until +three o'clock the following afternoon. Could we have notified the +police we should have been released, but no opportunity was given us. +It appears that this kidnapping had been in contemplation from the +time we were before taken and returned; and Captain Tirrell's kindness +to mother,—his benevolence towards Mr. Adams in assisting him to +furnish his house,—his generosity in letting us work for +ourselves,—his approbation in regard to the contemplated marriage was +only a trap. Thus instead of a wedding Thursday evening, we were +hurled across the ferry to Albany Court House and to Kentucky through +the rain and without our outer garments. My mother had lost her bonnet +and shawl in the struggle while being thrust in the coach, +consequently she had no protection from the storm, and the rest of us +were in similar circumstances. I believe we passed through +Springfield. I think it was the first stopping place after we left +East St. Louis, and we were put on board the cars and secreted in the +gentlemen's smoking car, in which there were only a few rebels. We +arrived in Springfield about twelve o'clock at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> night. When we took +the cars it was dark, bleak and cold. It was the 18th of March, and as +we were without bonnets and clothing to shield us from the sleet and +wind, we suffered intensely. The old trader, for fear that mother +might make her escape, carried my brother, nine years of age, from one +train to the other. We then took the cars for Albany, and arrived at +eight o'clock in the morning. We were then carried on the ferry in a +wagon. There was another family in the wagon, in the same condition. +We landed at Portland, from thence to Louisville, and were put into +John Clark's trader's yard, and sold out separately, except my mother +and little brother, who were sold together. Mother remained in the +trader's yard two weeks, my sister six, myself four.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="THE_FARE_AT_THEIR_NEW_HOMES" id="THE_FARE_AT_THEIR_NEW_HOMES"></a>THE FARE AT THEIR NEW HOMES</h2> + + +<p>Mother was sold to Captain Plasio. My sister to Benj. Board, and +myself to Capt. Ephraim Frisbee. The man who bought my mother was a +Spaniard. After she had been there a short time he tried to have my +mother let my brother stop at his saloon, a very dissipated place, to +wait upon his miserable crew, but my mother objected. In spite of her +objections he took him down to try him, but some Union soldiers called +at the saloon, and noticing that he was very small, they questioned +him, and my brother, child like, divulged the whole matter. The +Captain, fearful of being betrayed and losing his property, let him +continue with my mother. The Captain paid eight hundred dollars for my +mother and brother. We were all sold for extravagant prices. My +sister, aged sixteen, was sold for eight hundred and fifty dollars; I +was sold for nine hundred dollars. This was in 1863. My mother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> was +cook and fared very well. My sister was sold to a single gentleman, +whose intended took charge of her until they were married, after which +they took her to her home. She was her waiter, and fared as well as +could be expected. I fared worse than either of the family. I was not +allowed enough to eat, exposed to the cold, and not allowed through +the cold winter to thoroughly warm myself once a month. The house was +very large, and I could gain no access to the fire. I was kept +constantly at work of the heaviest kind,—compelled to move heavy +trunks and boxes,—many times to wash till ten and twelve o'clock at +night. There were three deaths in the family while I remained there, +and the entire burden was put upon me. I often felt to exclaim as the +Children of Israel did: "O Lord, my burden is greater than I can +bear." I was then seventeen years of age. My health has been impaired +from that time to the present. I have a severe pain in my side by the +slightest over exertion. In the Winter I suffer intensely with cold, +and cannot get warm unless in a room heated to eighty degrees. I am +infirm and burdened with the influence of slavery, whose impress will +ever remain on my mind and body. For six months I tried to make my +escape. I used to rise at four o'clock in the morning to find some one +to assist me, and at last I succeeded. I was allowed two hours once in +two weeks to go and return three miles. I could contrive no other way +than to improve one of these opportunities, in which I was finally +successful. I became acquainted with some persons who assisted slaves +to escape by the underground railroad. They were colored people. I was +to pretend going to church, and the man who was to assist and +introduce me to the proper parties was to linger on the street +opposite the house, and I was to follow at a short distance. On Sunday +evening I begged leave to attend church, which was reluc<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span>tantly +granted if I completed all my work, which was no easy task. It +appeared as if my mistress used every possible exertion to delay me +from church, and I concluded that her old cloven-footed companion had +impressed his intentions on her mind. Finally, when I was ready to +start, my mistress took a notion to go out to ride, and desired me to +dress her little boy, and then get ready for church. Extensive hoops +were then worn, and as I had attached my whole wardrobe under mine by +a cord around my waist, it required considerable dexterity and no +small amount of maneuvering to hide the fact from my mistress. While +attending to the child I had managed to stand in one corner of the +room, for fear she might come in contact with me and thus discover +that my hoops were not so elastic as they usually are. I endeavored to +conceal my excitement by backing and edging very genteelly out of the +door. I had nine pieces of clothing thus concealed on my person, and +as the string which fastened them was small it caused me considerable +discomfort. To my great satisfaction I at last passed into the street, +and my master and mistress drove down the street in great haste and +were soon out of sight. I saw my guide patiently awaiting me. I +followed him at a distance until we arrived at the church, and there +met two young ladies, one of whom handed me a pass and told me to +follow them at a square's distance. It was now twilight. There was a +company of soldiers about to take passage across the ferry, and I +followed. I showed my pass, and proceeded up the stairs on the boat. +While thus ascending the stairs, the cord which held my bundle of +clothing broke, and my feet became entangled in my wardrobe, but by +proceeding, the first step released one foot and the next the other. +This was observed only by a few soldiers, who were too deeply engaged +in their own affairs to interfere with mine. I seated myself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> in a +remote corner of the boat, and in a few moments I landed on free soil +for the first time in my life, except when hurled through Albany and +Springfield at the time of our capture. I was now under my own +control. The cars were waiting in Jefferson City for the passengers +for Indianapolis, where we arrived about nine o'clock.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MATTIE_IN_INDIANAPOLIS_THE_GLORY_OF_FREEDOMmdashPRESIDENT_LINCOLNS" id="MATTIE_IN_INDIANAPOLIS_THE_GLORY_OF_FREEDOMmdashPRESIDENT_LINCOLNS"></a>MATTIE IN INDIANAPOLIS—THE GLORY OF FREEDOM—PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S +REMAINS EXHIBITED</h2> + + +<p>My first business, after my arrival at Indianapolis was to find a +boarding place in which I at once succeeded, and in a few hours +thereafter was at a place of service of my own choice. I had always +been under the yoke of oppression, compelled to submit to its laws, +and not allowed to advance a rod from the house, or even out of call, +without a severe punishment. Now this constant fear and restless +yearning was over. It appeared as though I had emerged into a new +world, or had never lived in the old one before. The people I lived +with were Unionists, and became immediately interested in teaching and +encouraging me in my literary advancement and all other important +improvements, which precisely met the natural desires for which my +soul had ever yearned since my earliest recollection. I could read a +little, but was not allowed to learn in slavery. I was obliged to pay +twenty-five cents for every letter written for me. I now began to feel +that as I was free I could learn to write, as well as others; +consequently Mrs. Harris, the lady with whom I lived, volunteered to +assist<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> me. I was soon enabled to write quite a legible hand, which I +find a great convenience. I would advise all, young, middle aged or +old, in a free country to learn to read and write. If this little book +should fall into the hands of one deficient of the important knowledge +of writing, I hope they will remember the old maxim:—"Never too old +to learn." Manage your own secrets, and divulge them by the silent +language of your own pen. Had our blessed President considered it too +humiliating to learn in advanced years, our race would yet have +remained under the galling yoke of oppression. After I had been with +Mrs. Harris seven months, the joyful news came of the surrender of +Lee's army and the capture of Richmond.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Whilst the country's hearts were throbbing,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Filled with joy for victories won;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whilst the stars and stripes were waving<br /></span> +<span class="i2">O'er each cottage, ship and dome,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Came upon like winged lightning<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Words that turned each joy to dread,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Froze with horror as we listened:<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Our beloved chieftain, Lincoln's dead<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">War's dark clouds has long held o'er us,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">They have rolled their gloomy fold's away,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And all the world is anxious, waiting<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For that promised peaceful day.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But that fearful blow inflicted,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Fell on his devoted head,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And from every town and hamlet<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Came the cry our Chieftain's dead.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Weep, weep, O bleeding nation<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For the patriot spirit fled,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All untold our country's future—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Buried with the silent dead.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span><span class="i0">God of battles, God of nations to our country send relief<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Turn each lamentation into joy whilst we mourn our murdered chief.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>On the Saturday after the assassination of the President there was a +meeting held on the Common, and a vote taken to have the President's +body brought through Indianapolis, for the people to see his dear dead +face. The vote was taken by raising the hands, and when the question +was put in favor of it a thousand black hands were extended in the +air, seemingly higher and more visible than all the rest. Nor were +their hands alone raised, for in their deep sorrow and gloom they +raised their hearts to God, for well they knew that He, through +martyred blood, had made them free. It was some time before the +remains reached Indianapolis, as it was near the last of the route. +The body was placed in the centre of the hall of the State House, and +we marched in by fours, and divided into two on each side of the +casket, and passed directly through the hall. It was very +rainy,—nothing but umbrellas were to be seen in any direction. The +multitude were passing in and out from eight o'clock in the morning +till four o'clock in the afternoon. His body remained until twelve +o'clock in the evening, many distinguished persons visiting it, when +amid the booming of cannon, it moved on its way to Springfield, its +final resting-place. The death of the President was like an electric +shock to my soul. I could not feel convinced of his death until I +gazed upon his remains, and heard the last roll of the muffled drum +and the farewell boom of the cannon. I was then convinced that though +we were left to the tender mercies of God, we were without a leader.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Gone, gone is our chieftain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The tried and the true;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The grief of our nation the world never knew.<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span><span class="i0">We mourn as a nation has never yet mourned;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The foe to our freedom more deeply has scorned.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">In the height of his glory in manhood's full prime,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our country's preserver through darkest of time;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A merciful being, whose kindness all shared<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shown mercy to others. Why was he not spared?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The lover of Justice, the friend of the slave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He struck at oppression and made it a grave;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He spoke for our bond-men, and chains from them fell,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By making them soldiers they served our land well.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Because he had spoken from sea unto sea<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Glad tidings go heavenward, our country is free,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And angels I'm thinking looked down from above,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With sweet smiles approving his great works of love.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">His name with the honor forever will live,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And time to his laurels new lustre will give;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He lived so unselfish, so loyal and true,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That his deeds will shine brighter at every view.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Then honor and cherish the name of the brave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The champion of freedom, the friend to the slave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The far-sighted statesman who saw a fair end,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When north land and south land one flag shall defend.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Rest, rest, fallen chieftain, thy labors are o'er,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For thee mourns a nation as never before;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Farewell honored chieftain whom millions adore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Farewell gentle spirit, whom heaven has won.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SISTER_LOST_MOTHERS_ESCAPE" id="SISTER_LOST_MOTHERS_ESCAPE"></a>SISTER LOST—MOTHER'S ESCAPE</h2> + + +<p>In two or three weeks after the body of the President was carried +through, my sister made her escape, but by some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> means we entirely +lost trace of her. We heard she was in a free State. In three months +my mother also escaped. She rose quite early in the morning, took my +little brother, and arrived at my place of service in the afternoon. I +was much surprised, and asked my mother how she came there. She could +scarcely tell me for weeping, but I soon found out the mystery. After +so many long years and so many attempts, for this was her seventh, she +at last succeeded, and we were now all free. My mother had been a +slave for more than forty-three years, and liberty was very sweet to +her. The sound of freedom was music in our ears; the air was pure and +fragrant; the genial rays of the glorious sun burst forth with a new +lustre upon us, and all creation resounded in responses of praise to +the author and creator of him who proclaimed life and freedom to the +slave. I was overjoyed with my personal freedom, but the joy at my +mother's escape was greater than anything I had ever known. It was a +joy that reaches beyond the tide and anchors in the harbor of eternal +rest. While in oppression, this eternal life-preserver had continually +wafted her toward the land of freedom, which she was confident of +gaining, whatever might betide. Our joy that we were permitted to +mingle together our earthly bliss in glorious strains of freedom was +indescribable. My mother responded with the children of Israel,—"The +Lord is my strength and my song. The Lord is a man of war, and the +Lord is his name." We left Indianapolis the day after my mother +arrived, and took the cars at eleven o'clock the following evening for +St. Louis, my native State. We were then free, and instead of being +hurried along, bare headed and half naked, through cars and boats, by +a brutal master with a bill of sale in his pocket, we were our own, +comfortably clothed, and having the true emblems of freedom.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MOTHERS_MARRIAGE" id="MOTHERS_MARRIAGE"></a>MOTHER'S MARRIAGE</h2> + + +<p>It appeared to me that the city presented an entirely new aspect. The +reader will remember that my mother was engaged to be married on the +evening after we were kidnapped, and that Mr. Adams, her intended, had +prepared the house for the occasion. We now went in search of him. He +had moved about five miles into the country. He had carefully +preserved his furniture and was patiently awaiting our return. We were +gone two years and four months. The clothing and furniture which we +had collected were all destroyed. It was over a year after we left St. +Louis before we heard from there. We went immediately from the cars to +my aunt's, and from there went to Mr. Adams' residence and took him by +surprise. They were married in a week after our return. My mother is +comfortably situated on a small farm with a kind and affectionate +companion, with whom she had formed an early acquaintance, and from +whom she had been severed by the ruthless hand of Wrong; but by the +divine hand of Justice they were now reunited forever.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="MATTIE_MEETS_HER_OLD_MASTER_GOES_TO_SERVICEmdashIS_SENT_FOR_BY_HER" id="MATTIE_MEETS_HER_OLD_MASTER_GOES_TO_SERVICEmdashIS_SENT_FOR_BY_HER"></a>MATTIE MEETS HER OLD MASTER—GOES TO SERVICE—IS SENT FOR BY HER +STEP-FATHER IN LAWRENCE, MASS.</h2> + + +<p>In a short time I had selected a place of service, and was improving +my studies in a small way. The place I engaged was in the family where +I was born, where my mother lived when my father Jackson made his +escape. Although Mr.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> Canory's family were always kind to us, I felt a +great difference between freedom and slavery. After I had been there a +short time my step-father sent for me and my half brother to come to +Lawrence. He had been waiting ever since the State was free, hoping to +get some account of us. He had been informed, previously, that mother, +in trying to make her escape, had perished by the way, and the +children also, but he was never satisfied. He was aware that my aunt +was permanently in St. Louis, as her master had given her family their +freedom twenty years previous. She was formerly owned by Major Howe, +harness and leather dealer, yet residing in St. Louis. And long may he +live and his good works follow him and his posterity forever. My +father well knew the deception of the rebels, and was determined to +persevere until he had obtained a satisfactory account of his family. +A gentleman moved directly from Lawrence to St. Louis, who made +particular enquiries for us, and even called at my aunt's. We then +heard directly from my father, and commenced correspondence. He had +not heard directly from us since he made his escape, which was nine +years. He had never heard of his little son who my mother was +compelled by Mrs. Lewis to confine in a box. He was born eight months +after he left. As soon as possible after my mother consented to let my +little brother go to his father he sent means to assist us to make +preparations for our journey to the North. At first he only sent for +his little son. My mother was anxious about sending him alone. He was +only eleven years old, and perfectly unused to traveling, and had +never been away from his mother. Finally my father came to the +conclusion that, as my mother had endured such extreme hardships and +sufferings during the nine years he was not permitted to participate +or render her any assistance, that it would afford him much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> pleasure +in sending for us both, bearing our expenses and making us as +comfortable as his means would allow. Money was sent us, and our kind +friend, Mr. Howe, obtained our tickets and voluntarily assisted us in +starting. We left for the North on Monday, April 9th, and arrived safe +and sound, on the 11th. We found my step-father's residence about six +o'clock in the evening. He was not expecting us till the next day. Our +meeting is better imagined than told. I cannot describe it. His little +son was only two years old when he left, and I was eleven, and we +never expected to meet him again this side of eternity. It was Freedom +that brought us together. My father was comfortably situated in a nice +white cottage, containing some eight rooms, all well furnished, and +attached to it was a fine garden. His wife, who is a physician, was +absent, but returned on the following day. The people were kind and +friendly. They informed me there was no other colored family in the +city, but my step-mother was continually crowded with friends and +customers without distinction. My step-mother had buried her only son, +who returned from the war in a decline. The white friends were all in +deep sympathy with them. I felt immediately at home among such kind +and friendly people, and have never felt homesick, except when I think +of my poor mother's farewell embrace when she accompanied us to the +cars. As soon as my step-mother had arrived, and our excitement was +over, they commenced calculating upon placing me in the Sabbath school +at the church where my mother belonged. On the next Sabbath I +accompanied her and joined the Sabbath school, she occupying a side +seat about middle way up the house. I was not reminded of my color +except by an occasional loafer or the Irish, usually the colored man's +enemy. I was never permitted to attend a white church before, or ride +in any public<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> conveyance without being placed in a car for the +especial purpose; and in the street cars we were not permitted to ride +at all, either South or West. Here I ride where I please, without the +slightest remark, except from the ignorant. Many ask me if I am +contented. They can imagine by the above contrast. My brother and +myself entered the public school, and found a host of interested +friends and formed many dear acquaintances whom I shall never forget. +After attending school a month the term closed. I advanced in my +studies as fast as could be expected. I never attended school but one +month before. I needed more attention than my kind teacher could +possibly bestow upon me, encumbered as she was by so many small +children. Mother then proposed my entering some select school and +placing myself entirely under its discipline and influence. I was much +pleased with the idea, but as they had already been to so much expense +for me, I could not wish to place them under any heavier contribution. +I had previously told my step-mother my story, and how often my own +mother had wished she could have it published. I did not imagine she +could find time to write and arrange it, but she immediately proposed +writing and publishing the entire story, by the sale of which I might +obtain the aid towards completing my studies. I am glad I came to the +old Bay State, the people of which the rebels hate with an extreme +hatred. I found it just such a place as I had imagined by the +appearance of the soldiers and the kindness they manifested.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">New England, that blessed land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All in a happy Union band;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They with the needy share their bread<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And teach the weak the Word of God.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>We never heard from my sister Hester, who made her escape from +Kentucky, except when she was on the cars,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> though we have no doubt +she succeeded in gaining her freedom.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="SUMMARY" id="SUMMARY"></a>SUMMARY</h2> + + +<p>On my return to St. Louis I met my old master, Lewis, who strove so +hard to sell us away that he might avoid seeing us free, on the +street. He was so surprised that before he was aware of it he dropped +a bow. My mother met Mrs. Lewis, her old mistress, with a large basket +on her arm, trudging to market. It appeared she had lived to see the +day when her children had to wait upon themselves, and she likewise. +The Yankees had taken possession, and her posterity were on an +equality with the black man. Mr. Lewis despised the Irish, and often +declared he would board at the hotel before he would employ Irish +help, but he now has a dissipated Irish cook. When I was his slave I +was obliged to keep away every fly from the table, and not allow one +to light on a person. They are now compelled to brush their own flies +and dress themselves and children. Mr. Lewis' brother Benjamin was a +more severe slave master than the one who owned me. He was a +tobacconist and very wealthy. As soon as the war commenced he turned +Unionist to save his property. He was very severe in his punishments. +He used to extend his victim, fastened to a beam, with hands and feet +tied, and inflict from fifty to three hundred lashes, laying their +flesh entirely open, then bathe their quivering wounds with brine, +and, through his nose, in a slow rebel tone he would tell them "You'd +better walk a fair chalk line or else I'll give yer twice as much." +His former friends, the guerrillas, were aware he only turned Union to +save his cash, and they gave those persons he had abused a large share +of his luxury. They then,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> in the presence of his wife and another +distinguished lady, tortured him in a most inhuman manner. For +pretending Unionism they placed him on a table and threatened to +dissect him alive if he did not tell them where he kept his gold. He +immediately informed them. They then stood him against the house and +fired over his head. From that, they changed his position by turning +him upside down, and raising him two feet from the floor, letting him +dash his head against the floor until his skull was fractured, after +which he lingered awhile and finally died. There was a long piece +published in the paper respecting his repentance, benevolence, & c. +All the slaves who ever lived in his family admit the Lord is able to +save to the uttermost. He saved the thief on the cross, and perhaps he +saved him.</p> + +<p>When I made my escape from slavery I was in a query how I was to raise +funds to bear my expenses. I finally came to the conclusion that as +the laborer was worthy of his hire, I thought my wages should come +from my master's pocket. Accordingly I took twenty-five dollars. After +I was safe and had learned to write, I sent him a nice letter, +thanking him for the kindness his pocket bestowed to me in time of +need. I have never received any answer to it.</p> + +<p>When I complete my education, if my life is spared, I shall endeavor +to publish further details of our history in another volume from my +own pen.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHRISTIANITY" id="CHRISTIANITY"></a>CHRISTIANITY</h2> + + +<p>Christianity is a system claiming God for its author, and the welfare +of man for its object. It is a system so uniform, exalted and pure, +that the loftiest intellects have acknowledged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> its influence, and +acquiesced in the justness of its claims. Genius has bent from his +erratic course to gather fire from her altars, and pathos from the +agony of Gethsemane and the sufferings of Calvary. Philosophy and +science have paused amid their speculative researches and wonderous +revelations, to gain wisdom from her teachings and knowledge from her +precepts. Poetry has culled her fairest flowers and wreathed her +softest, to bind her Author's "bleeding brow." Music has strung her +sweetest lyres and breathed her noblest strains to celebrate His fame; +whilst Learning has bent from her lofty heights to bow at the lowly +cross. The constant friend of man, she has stood by him in his hour of +greatest need. She has cheered the prisoner in his cell, and +strengthened the martyr at the stake. She has nerved the frail and +sinking heart of woman for high and holy deeds. The worn and weary +have rested their fainting heads upon her bosom, and gathered strength +from her words and courage from her counsels. She has been the staff +of decrepit age, and the joy of manhood in its strength. She has bent +over the form of lovely childhood, and suffered it to have a place in +the Redeemer's arms. She has stood by the bed of the dying, and +unveiled the glories of eternal life; gilding the darkness of the tomb +with the glory of the resurrection.</p> + +<p>Christianity has changed the moral aspect of nations. Idolatrous +temples have crumbled at her touch, and guilt owned its deformity in +her presence. The darkest habitations of earth have been irradiated +with heavenly light, and the death shriek of immolated victims changed +for ascriptions of praise to God and the Lamb. Envy and Malice have +been rebuked by her contented look, and fretful Impatience by her +gentle and resigned manner.</p> + +<p>At her approach, fetters have been broken, and men have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> risen +redeemed from dust, and freed from chains. Manhood has learned its +dignity and worth, its kindred with angels, and alliance to God.</p> + +<p>To man, guilty, fallen and degraded man, she shows a fountain drawn +from the Redeemer's veins; there she bids him wash and be clean. She +points him to "Mount Zion, the city of the living God, to an +innumerable company of angels, to the spirits of just men made +perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant," and urges him +to rise from the degradation of sin, renew his nature and join with +them. She shows a pattern so spotless and holy, so elevated and pure, +that he might shrink from it discouraged, did she not bring with her a +promise from the lips of Jehovah, that he would give power to the +faint, and might to those who have no strength. Learning may bring her +ample pages and her ponderous records, rich with the spoils of every +age, gathered from every land, and gleaned from every source. +Philosophy and science may bring their abstruse researches and +wonderous revelations—Literature her elegance, with the toils of the +pen, and the labors of the pencil—but they are idle tales compared to +the truths of Christianity. They may cultivate the intellect, +enlighten the understanding, give scope to the imagination, and refine +the sensibilities; but they open not, to our dim eyes and longing +vision, the land of crystal founts and deathless flowers. Philosophy +searches earth; Religion opens heaven. Philosophy doubts and trembles +at the portals of eternity; Religion lifts the veil, and shows us +golden streets, lit by the Redeemer's countenance, and irradiated by +his smile. Philosophy strives to reconcile us to death; Religion +triumphs over it. Philosophy treads amid the pathway of stars, and +stands a delighted listener to the music of the spheres; but Religion +gazes on the glorious palaces of God,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> while the harpings of the +blood-washed, and the songs of the redeemed, fall upon her ravished +ear. Philosophy has her place; Religion her important sphere; one is +of importance here, the other of infinite and vital importance both +here and hereafter.</p> + +<p>Amid ancient lore the Word of God stands unique and pre-eminent. +Wonderful in its construction, admirable in its adaptation, it +contains truths that a child may comprehend, and mysteries into which +angels desire to look. It is in harmony with that adaptation of means +to ends which pervades creation, from the polypus tribes, elaborating +their coral homes, to man, the wonderous work of God. It forms the +brightest link of that glorious chain which unites the humblest work +of creation with the throne of the infinite and eternal Jehovah. As +light, with its infinite particles and curiously blended colors, is +suited to an eye prepared for the alterations of day; as air, with its +subtle and invisible essence, is fitted for the delicate organs of +respiration; and, in a word, as this material world is adapted to +man's physical nature; so the word of eternal truth is adapted to his +moral nature and mental constitution. It finds him wounded, sick and +suffering, and points him to the balm of Gilead and the Physician of +souls. It finds him stained by transgressions and defiled with guilt, +and directs him to the "blood that cleanseth from all unrighteousness +and sin." It finds him athirst and faint, pining amid the deserts of +life, and shows him the wells of salvation and the rivers of life. It +addresses itself to his moral and spiritual nature, makes provision +for his wants and weaknesses, and meets his yearnings and aspirations. +It is adapted to his mind in its earliest stages of progression, and +its highest state of intellectuality. It provides light for his +darkness, joy for his anguish, a solace for his woes, balm for his +wounds,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> and heaven for his hopes. It unveils the unseen world, and +reveals him who is the light of creation, and the joy of the universe, +reconciled through the death of His Son. It promises the faithful a +blessed re-union in a land undimmed with tears, undarkened by sorrow. +It affords a truth for the living and a refuge for the dying. Aided by +the Holy Spirit, it guides us through life, points out the shoals, the +quicksands and hidden rocks which endanger our path, and at last +leaves us with the eternal God for our refuge, and his everlasting +arms for our protection.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Story of Mattie J. Jackson, by L. S. Thompson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF MATTIE J. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of Mattie J. Jackson + Her Parentage--Experience of Eighteen years in + Slavery--Incidents during the War--Her Escape from Slavery + +Author: L. S. Thompson + +Release Date: February 22, 2006 [EBook #17827] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF MATTIE J. JACKSON *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE STORY + + OF + + MATTIE J. JACKSON; + + HER PARENTAGE--EXPERIENCE OF EIGHTEEN YEARS IN SLAVERY--INCIDENTS + DURING THE WAR--HER ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY. + + + A TRUE STORY. + + + + WRITTEN AND ARRANGED BY + + DR. L. S. THOMPSON, + + (FORMERLY MRS. SCHUYLER,) + + AS GIVEN BY MATTIE. + + + + LAWRENCE: + PRINTED AT SENTINEL OFFICE, 123 ESSEX STREET. + 1866. + + + + +PREFACE + + +The object in publishing this book is to gain sympathy from the +earnest friends of those who have been bound down by a dominant race +in circumstances over which they had no control--a butt of ridicule +and a mark of oppression; over whom weary ages of degradation have +passed. As the links have been broken and the shackles fallen from +them through the unwearied efforts of our beloved martyr President +Lincoln, as one I feel it a duty to improve the mind, and have ever +had a thirst for education to fill that vacuum for which the soul has +ever yearned since my earliest remembrance. + +Thus I ask you to buy my little book to aid me in obtaining an +education, that I may be enabled to do some good in behalf of the +elevation of my emancipated brothers and sisters. I have now arrived +at the age of twenty. As the first dawn of morning has passed, and the +meridian of life is approaching, I know of no other way to speedily +gain my object than through the aid and patronage of the friends of +humanity. + + * * * * * + +NOTE: Miss Jackson sustains a high moral character--has been much +respected since she has been in Lawrence. She is from St. Louis, +Missouri, and arrived here on the 11th of April, 1866. To gain the +wish of the heart is utterly impossible without more means than she +can obtain otherwise. Her friends have borne her expenses to Lawrence, +and have and are still willing to render her aid as far their limited +means will allow. She was in the same condition of all the neglected +and oppressed. Her personal requirements are amply supplied. She now +only craves the means to clothe and qualify the intellect. My humble +prayer is that she may meet with unlimited success. + +This young lady is highly worthy of all the aid our kind friends feel +a duty to bestow upon her. She purposes lecturing and relating her +story; and I trust she may render due satisfaction and bear some +humble part in removing doubts indulged by the prejudices against the +natural genius and talent of our race. May God give her grace and +speed her on her way. + +Respectfully yours, +L. S. T. + + + + +MATTIE'S STORY + + +My ancestors were transported from Africa to America at the time the +slave trade flourished in the Eastern States. I cannot give dates, as +my progenitors, being slaves, had no means of keeping them. By all +accounts my great grandfather was captured and brought from Africa. +His original name I never learned. His master's name was Jackson, and +he resided in the State of New York. My grandfather was born in the +same State, and also remained a slave for some length of time, when he +was emancipated, his master presenting him with quite an amount of +property. He was true, honest and responsible, and this present was +given him as a reward. He was much encouraged by the cheering prospect +of better days. A better condition of things now presented itself. As +he possessed a large share of confidence, he came to the conclusion, +as he was free, that he was capable of selecting his own residence and +manage his own affairs with prudence and economy. But, alas, his hopes +were soon blighted. More heart rending sorrow and degradation awaited +him. He was earnestly invited by a white decoyer to relinquish his +former design and accompany him to Missouri and join him in +speculation and become wealthy. As partners, they embarked on board a +schooner for St. Charles, Mo. On the passage, my grandfather was +seized with a fever, and for a while was totally unconscious. When he +regained his reason he found himself, near his journey's end, divested +of his free papers and all others. On his arrival at St. Charles he +was seized by a huge, surly looking slaveholder who claimed him as +his property. The contract had previously been concluded by his +Judas-like friend, who had received the bounty. Oh, what a sad +disappointment. After serving for thirty years to be thrust again into +bondage where a deeper degradation and sorrow and hopeless toil were +to be his portion for the remaining years of his existence. In deep +despair and overwhelmed with grief, he made his escape to the woods, +determined to put an end to his sorrows by perishing with cold and +hunger. His master immediately pursued him, and in twenty-four hours +found him with hands and feet frost-bitten, in consequence of which he +lost the use of his fingers and toes, and was thenceforth of little +use to his new master. He remained with him, however, and married a +woman in the same station in life. They lived as happily as their +circumstances would permit. As Providence allotted, they only had one +son, which was my father, Westly Jackson. He had a deep affection for +his family, which the slave ever cherishes for his dear ones. He had +no other link to fasten him to the human family but his fervent love +for those who were bound to him by love and sympathy in their wrongs +and sufferings. My grandfather remained in the same family until his +death. My father, Westly Jackson, married, at the age of twenty-two, a +girl owned by James Harris, named Ellen Turner. Nothing of importance +occurred until three years after their marriage, when her master, +Harris failed through the extravagance and mismanagement of his wife, +who was a great spendthrift and a dreaded terror to the poor slaves +and all others with whom she associated in common circumstances, +consequently the entire stock was sold by the sheriff to a trader +residing in Virginia. On account of the good reputation my mother +sustained as a worthy servant and excellent cook, a tyrannical and +much dreaded slaveholder watched for an opportunity to purchase her, +but fortunately arrived a few moments too late, and she was bid off in +too poor a condition of health to remain long a subject of banter and +speculation. Her husband was allowed to carefully lift her down from +the block and accompany her to her new master's, Charles Canory, who +treated her very kindly while she remained in his family. Mr. Canory +resided in St. Charles County for five years after he purchased my +mother. During that time my father and mother were in the same +neighborhood, but a short distance from each other. But another trial +awaited them. Her master removed twenty miles away to a village called +Bremen, near St. Louis, Mo. My father, thereafter, visited my mother +once a week, walking the distance every Saturday evening and returning +on Sunday evening. But through all her trials and deprivations her +trust and confidence was in Him who rescued his faithful followers +from the fiery furnace and the lion's den, and led Moses through the +Red Sea. Her trust and confidence was in Jesus. She relied on His +precious promises, and ever found Him a present help in every time of +need. Two years after this separation my father was sold and separated +from us, but previous to his delivery to his new master he made his +escape to a free State. My mother was then left with two children. She +had three during the time they were permitted to remain together, and +buried one. Their names were Sarah Ann, Mattie Jane and Esther J. When +my father left I was about three years of age, yet I can well remember +the little kindnesses my father used to bestow upon us, and the deep +affection and fondness he manifested for us. I shall never forget the +bitter anguish of my parents' hearts, the sighs they uttered or the +profusion of tears which coursed down their sable cheeks. O, what a +horrid scene, but he was not her's, for cruel hands had separated +them. + + The strongest tie of earthly joy that bound the aching heart-- + His love was e'er a joyous light that o'er the pathway shone-- + A fountain gushing ever new amid life's desert wild-- + His slightest word was a sweet tone of music round her heart-- + Their lives a streamlet blent in one. O, Father, must they part? + They tore him from her circling arms, her last and fond embrace-- + O never again can her sad eyes gaze upon his mournful face. + It is not strange these bitter sighs are constant bursting forth. + Amid mirth and glee and revelry she never took a part, + She was a mother left alone with sorrow in her heart. + +But my mother was conscious some time previous of the change that was +to take place with my father, and if he was sold in the immediate +vicinity he would be likely to be sold again at their will, and she +concluded to assist him to make his escape from bondage. Though the +parting was painful, it afforded her solace in the contemplation of +her husband becoming a free man, and cherishing a hope that her little +family, through the aid of some angel of mercy, might be enabled to +make their escape also, and meet to part no more on earth. My father +came to spend the night with us, according to his usual custom. It was +the last time, and sadness brooded upon his brow. It was the only +opportunity he had to make his escape without suspicion and detection, +as he was immediately to fall into the hands of a new master. He had +never been sold from the place of his birth before, and was determined +never to be sold again if God would verify his promise. My father was +not educated, but was a preacher, and administered the Word of God +according to the dictation and revelation of the spirit. His former +master had allowed him the privilege of holding meetings in the +village within the limits of his pass on the Sundays when he visited +my mother. But on this Saturday evening he arrived and gave us all his +farewell kiss, and hurried away. My mother's people were aware of my +father's intention, but rather than spare my mother, and for fear she +might be detected, they secreted his escape. His master called a +number of times and enquired for him and strongly pressed my mother to +give him an account of my father, but she never gave it. We waited +patiently, hoping to learn if he succeeded in gaining his freedom. +Many anxious weeks and months passed before we could get any tidings +from him, until at length my mother heard that he was in Chicago, a +free man and preaching the Gospel. He made every effort to get his +family, but all in vain. The spirit of slavery so strongly existed +that letters could not reach her; they were all destroyed. My parents +had never learned the rescuing scheme of the underground railroad +which had borne so many thousands to the standard of freedom and +victories. They knew no other resource than to depend upon their own +chance in running away and secreting themselves. If caught they were +in a worse condition than before. + + + + +THEIR ATTEMPT TO MAKE THEIR ESCAPE + + +Two years after my father's departure, my mother, with her two +children, my sister and myself, attempted to make her escape. After +traveling two days we reached Illinois. We slept in the woods at +night. I believe my mother had food to supply us but fasted herself. +But the advertisement had reached there before us, and loafers were +already in search of us, and as soon as we were discovered on the +brink of the river one of the spies made enquiries respecting her +suspicious appearance. She was aware that she was arrested, +consequently she gave a true account of herself--that she was in +search of her husband. We were then destitute of any articles of +clothing excepting our wearing apparel. Mother had become so weary +that she was compelled to leave our package of clothing on the way. We +were taken back to St. Louis and committed to prison and remained +there one week, after which they put us in Linch's trader's yard, +where we remained about four weeks. We were then sold to William +Lewis. Mr. Lewis was a very severe master, and inflicted such +punishment upon us as he thought proper. However, I only remember one +severe contest Mr. Lewis had with my mother. For some slight offence +Mrs. Lewis became offended and was tartly and loudly reprimanding her, +when Mr. L. came in and rashly felled her to the floor with his fist. +But his wife was constantly pulling our ears, snapping us with her +thimble, rapping us on the head and sides of it. It appeared +impossible to please her. When we first went to Mr. L.'s they had a +cowhide which she used to inflict on a little slave girl she +previously owned, nearly every night. This was done to learn the +little girl to wake early to wait on her children. But my mother was a +cook, as I before stated, and was in the habit of roasting meats and +toasting bread. As they stinted us for food my mother roasted the +cowhide. It was rather poor picking, but it was the last cowhide my +mother ever had an opportunity to cook while we remained in his +family. Mr. L. soon moved about six miles from the city, and entered +in partnership with his brother-in-law. The servants were then divided +and distributed in both families. It unfortunately fell to my lot to +live with Mrs. Larry, my mistress' sister, which rendered my condition +worse than the first. My master even disapproved of my ill treatment +and took me to another place; the place my mother resided before my +father's escape. After a short time Mr. Lewis again returned to the +city. My mother still remained as cook in his family. After six years' +absence of my father my mother married again a man by the name of +George Brown, and lived with her second husband about four years, and +had two children, when he was sold for requesting a different kind and +enough food. His master considered it a great insult, and declared he +would sell him. But previous to this insult, as he called it, my +step-father was foreman in Mr. L.'s tobacco factory. He was trusty and +of good moral habits, and was calculated to bring the highest price in +the human market; therefore the excuse to sell him for the above +offence was only a plot. The morning this offence occurred, Mr. L. bid +my father to remain in the kitchen till he had taken his breakfast. +After pulling his ears and slapping his face bade him come to the +factory; but instead of going to the factory he went to Canada. Thus +my poor mother was again left alone with two more children added to +her misery and sorrow to toil on her weary pilgrimage. + + Racked with agony and pain she was left alone again, + With a purpose nought could move + And the zeal of woman's love, + Down she knelt in agony + To ask the Lord to clear the way. + + True she said O gracious Lord, + True and faithful is thy word; + But the humblest, poorest, may + Eat the crumbs they cast away. + + Though nine long years had passed + Without one glimmering light of day + She never did forget to pray + And has not yet though whips and chains are cast away. + + For thus said the blessed Lord, + I will verify my word; + By the faith that has not failed, + Thou hast asked and shall prevail. + +We remained but a short time at the same residence when Mr. Lewis +moved again to the country. Soon after, my little brother was taken +sick in consequence of being confined in a box in which my mother was +obliged to keep him. If permitted to creep around the floor her +mistress thought it would take too much time to attend to him. He was +two years old and never walked. His limbs were perfectly paralyzed for +want of exercise. We now saw him gradually failing, but was not +allowed to render him due attention. Even the morning he died she was +compelled to attend to her usual work. She watched over him for three +months by night and attended to her domestic affairs by day. The night +previous to his death we were aware he could not survive through the +approaching day, but it made no impression on my mistress until she +came into the kitchen and saw his life fast ebbing away, then she put +on a sad countenance for fear of being exposed, and told my mother to +take the child to her room, where he only lived one hour. When she +found he was dead she ordered grave clothes to be brought and gave my +mother time to bury him. O that morning, that solemn morning. It +appears to me that when that little spirit departed as though all +heaven rejoiced and angels veiled their faces. + + My mother too in concert joined,-- + Her mingled praise with them combined. + Her little saint had gone to God + Who saved him with his precious blood. + +Who said "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not." + + + + +THE SOLDIERS, AND OUR TREATMENT DURING THE WAR + + +Soon after the war commenced the rebel soldiers encamped near Mr. +Lewis' residence, and remained there one week. They were then ordered +by General Lyons to surrender, but they refused. There were seven +thousand Union and seven hundred rebel soldiers. The Union soldiers +surrounded the camp and took them and exhibited them through the city +and then confined them in prison. I told my mistress that the Union +soldiers were coming to take the camp. She replied that it was false, +that it was General Kelly coming to re-enforce Gen. Frost. In a few +moments the alarm was heard. I told Mrs. L. the Unionists had fired +upon the rebels. She replied it was only the salute of Gen. Kelly. At +night her husband came home with the news that Camp Jackson was taken +and all the soldiers prisoners. Mrs. Lewis asked how the Union +soldiers could take seven hundred men when they only numbered the +same. Mr. L. replied they had seven thousand. She was much astonished, +and cast her eye around to us for fear we might hear her. Her +suspicion was correct; there was not a word passed that escaped our +listening ears. My mother and myself could read enough to make out the +news in the papers. The Union soldiers took much delight in tossing a +paper over the fence to us. It aggravated my mistress very much. My +mother used to sit up nights and read to keep posted about the war. In +a few days my mistress came down to the kitchen again with another +bitter complaint that it was a sad affair that the Unionists had taken +their delicate citizens who had enlisted and made prisoners of +them--that they were babes. My mother reminded her of taking Fort +Sumpter and Major Anderson and serving them the same and that turn +about was fair play. She then hastened to her room with the speed of a +deer, nearly unhinging every door in her flight, replying as she went +that the Niggers and Yankees were seeking to take the country. One +day, after she had visited the kitchen to superintend some domestic +affairs, as she pretended, she became very angry without a word being +passed, and said--"I think it has come to a pretty pass, that old +Lincoln, with his long legs, an old rail splitter, wishes to put the +Niggers on an equality with the whites; that her children should never +be on an equal footing with a Nigger. She had rather see them dead." +As my mother made no reply to her remarks, she stopped talking, and +commenced venting her spite on my companion servant. On one occasion +Mr. Lewis searched my mother's room and found a picture of President +Lincoln, cut from a newspaper, hanging in her room. He asked her what +she was doing with old Lincoln's picture. She replied it was there +because she liked it. He then knocked her down three times, and sent +her to the trader's yard for a month as punishment. My mistress +indulged some hopes till the victory of New Orleans, when she heard +the famous Union song sang to the tune of Yankee Doodle: + + The rebels swore that New Orleans never should be taken, + But if the Yankees came so near they should not save their bacon. + That's the way they blustered when they thought they were so handy, + But Farragut steamed up one day and gave them Doodle Dandy. + + Ben Butler then was ordered down to regulate the city; + He made the rebels walk a chalk, and was not that a pity? + That's the way to serve them out--that's the way to treat them, + They must not go and put on airs after we have beat them. + + He made the rebel banks shell out and pay the loyal people, + He made them keep the city clean from pig's sty to church steeple. + That's the way Columbia speaks, let all men believe her; + That's the way Columbia speaks instead of yellow fever. + + He sent the saucy women up and made them treat us well + He helped the poor and snubbed the rich; they thought he was the devil, + Bully for Ben. Butler, then, they thought he was so handy; + Bully for Ben Butler then,--Yankee Doodle Dandy. + +The days of sadness for mistress were days of joy for us. We shouted +and laughed to the top of our voices. My mistress was more enraged +than ever--nothing pleased her. One evening, after I had attended to +my usual duties, and I supposed all was complete, she, in a terrible +range, declared I should be punished that night. I did not know the +cause, neither did she. She went immediately and selected a switch. +She placed it in the corner of the room to await the return of her +husband at night for him to whip me. As I was not pleased with the +idea of a whipping I bent the switch in the shape of W, which was the +first letter of his name, and after I had attended to the dining room +my fellow servant and myself walked away and stopped with an aunt of +mine during the night. In the morning we made our way to the Arsenal, +but could gain no admission. While we were wandering about seeking +protection, the girl's father overtook us and persuaded us to return +home. We finally complied. All was quiet. Not a word was spoken +respecting our sudden departure. All went on as usual. I was permitted +to attend to my work without interruption until three weeks after. One +morning I entered Mrs. Lewis' room, and she was in a room adjoining, +complaining of something I had neglected. Mr. L. then enquired if I +had done my work. I told him I had. She then flew into a rage and told +him I was saucy, and to strike me, and he immediately gave me a severe +blow with a stick of wood, which inflicted a deep wound upon my head. +The blood ran over my clothing, which gave me a frightful appearance. +Mr. Lewis then ordered me to change my clothing immediately. As I did +not obey he became more enraged, and pulled me into another room and +threw me on the floor, placed his knee on my stomach, slapped me on +the face and beat me with his fist, and would have punished me more +had not my mother interfered. He then told her to go away or he would +compel her to, but she remained until he left me. I struggled +mightily, and stood him a good test for a while, but he was fast +conquering me when my mother came. He was aware my mother could +usually defend herself against one man, and both of us would overpower +him, so after giving his wife strict orders to take me up stairs and +keep me there, he took his carriage and drove away. But she forgot it, +as usual. She was highly gratified with my appropriate treatment, as +she called it, and retired to her room, leaving me to myself. I then +went to my mother and told her I was going away. She bid me go, and +added "May the Lord help you." I started for the Arsenal again and +succeeded in gaining admittance and seeing the Adjutant. He ordered me +to go to another tent, where there was a woman in similar +circumstances, cooking. When the General found I was there he sent me +to the boarding house. I remained there three weeks, and when I went I +wore the same stained clothing as when I was so severely punished, +which has left a mark on my head which will ever remind me of my +treatment while in slavery. Thanks be to God, though tortured by wrong +and goaded by oppression, the hearts that would madden with misery +have broken the iron yoke. + + + + +MR. LEWIS CALLS AT THE BOARDING HOUSE + + +At the expiration of three weeks Mr. Lewis called at my boarding +house, accompanied by his brother-in-law, and enquired for me, and the +General informed him where I was. He then told me my mother was very +anxious for me to come home, and I returned. The General had ordered +Mr. Lewis to call at headquarters, when he told him if he had treated +me right I would not have been compelled to seek protection of him; +that my first appearance was sufficient proof of his cruelty. Mr. L. +promised to take me home and treat me kindly. Instead of fulfilling +his promise he carried me to the trader's yard, where, to my great +surprise, I found my mother. She had been there during my absence, +where she was kept for fear she would find me and take my brother and +sister and make her escape. There was so much excitement at that time, +(1861), by the Union soldiers rendering the fugitives shelter and +protection, he was aware that if she applied to them, as he did not +fulfill his promise in my case, he would stand a poor chance. If my +mother made application to them for protection they would learn that +he did not return me home, and immediately detect the intrigue. After +I was safely secured in the trader's yard, Mr. L. took my mother home. +I remained in the yard three months. Near the termination of the time +of my confinement I was passing by the office when the cook of the +Arsenal saw and recognized me and informed the General that Mr. L. had +disobeyed his orders, and had put me in the trader's yard instead of +taking me home. The General immediately arrested Mr. L. and gave him +one hundred lashes with the cowhide, so that they might identify him +by a scarred back, as well as his slaves. My mother had the pleasure +of washing his stained clothes, otherwise it would not have been +known. My master was compelled to pay three thousand dollars and let +me out. He then put me to service, where I remained seven months, +after which he came in great haste and took me into the city and put +me into the trader's yard again. After he received the punishment he +treated my mother and the children worse than ever, which caused her +to take her children and secrete themselves in the city, and would +have remained undetected had it not been for a traitor who pledged +himself to keep the secret. But King Whiskey fired up his brain one +evening, and out popped the secret. My mother and sister were +consequently taken and committed to the trader's yard. My little +brother was then eight years of age, my sister sixteen, and myself +eighteen. We remained there two weeks, when a rough looking man, +called Capt. Tirrell, came to the yard and enquired for our family. +After he had examined us he remarked that we were a fine looking +family, and bid us retire. In about two hours he returned, at the edge +of the evening, with a covered wagon, and took my mother and brother +and sister and left me. My mother refused to go without me, and told +him she would raise an alarm. He advised her to remain as quiet as +possible. At length she was compelled to go. When she entered the +wagon there was a man standing behind with his hands on each side of +the wagon to prevent her from making her escape. She sprang to her +feet and gave this man a desperate blow, and leaping to the ground she +made an alarm. The watchmen came to her assistance immediately, and +there was quite a number of Union policemen guarding the city at that +time, who rendered her due justice as far as possible. This was before +the emancipation proclamation was issued. After she leaped from the +wagon they drove on, taking her children to the boat. The police +questioned my mother. She told them that Capt. Tirrell had put her +children on board the boat, and was going to take them to Memphis and +sell them into hard slavery. They accompanied her to the boat, and +arrived just as they were casting off. The police ordered them to stop +and immediately deliver up the children, who had been secreted in the +Captain's private apartment. They were brought forth and returned. +Slave speculation was forbidden in St. Louis at that time. The Union +soldiers had possession of the city, but their power was limited to +the suppression of the selling of slaves to got out of the city. +Considerable smuggling was done, however, by pretending Unionism, +which was the case with our family. + + + + +RELEASED FROM THE TRADER'S YARD AND TAKEN TO HER NEW MASTER + + +Immediately after dinner my mother called for me to accompany her to +our new home, the residence of the Captain, together with my brother +and sister. We fared very well while we were there. Mrs. Tirrell was +insane, and my mother had charge of the house. We remained there four +months. The Captain came home only once a week and he never troubled +us for fear we might desert him. His intention was to smuggle us away +before the State became free. That was the understanding when he +bought us of Mr. Lewis, as it was not much of an object to purchase +slaves while the proclamation was pending, and they likely to lose all +their property; but they would, for a trifle purchase a whole family +of four or five persons to send out of the State. Kentucky paid as +much, or more than ever, for slaves. As they pretended to take no part +in the rebellion they supposed they would be allowed to keep them +without interference. Consequently the Captain's intention was to keep +as quiet as possible till the excitement concerning us was over, and +he could get us off without detection. Mr. Lewis would rather have +disposed of us for nothing than have seen us free. He hated my mother +in consequence of her desire for freedom, and her endeavors to teach +her children the right way as far as her ability would allow. He also +held a charge against her for reading the papers and understanding +political affairs. When he found he was to lose his slaves he could +not bear the idea of her being free. He thought it too hard, as she +had raised so many tempests for him, to see her free and under her own +control. He had tantalized her in every possible way to humiliate and +annoy her; yet while he could demand her services he appreciated and +placed perfect confidence in mother and family. None but a fiendish +slaveholder could have rended an honest Christian heart in such a +manner as this. + + Though it was her sad and weary lot to toil in slavery + But one thing cheered her weary soul + When almost in despair + That she could gain a sure relief in attitude of prayer + + + + +CAPT. TIRRELL REMOVES THE FAMILY--ANOTHER STRATEGY + + +One day the Captain commenced complaining of the expense of so large a +family, and proposed to my mother that we should work out and he take +part of the pay. My mother told him she would need what she earned for +my little brother's support. Finally the Captain consented, and I was +the first to be disposed of. The Captain took me in his buggy and +carried me to the Depot, and I was put into a Union family, where I +remained five months. Previous to my leaving, however, my mother and +the Captain entered into a contract--he agreeing not to sell us, and +mother agreeing not to make her escape. While she was carrying out her +promise in good faith, he was plotting to separate us. We were all +divided except mother and my little brother, who remained together. My +sister remained with one of the rebels, but was tolerably treated. We +all fared very well; but it was only the calm before the rending +tornado. Captain T. was Captain of the boat to Memphis, from which the +Union soldiers had rescued us. He commenced as a deck hand on the +boat, then attained a higher position, and continued to advance until +he became her Captain. At length he came in possession of slaves. Then +his accomplishments were complete. He was a very severe slave master. +Those mushroom slaveholders are much dreaded, as their severity knows +no bounds + + Bondage and torture, scourges and chains + Placed on our backs indelible stains. + +I stated previously, in relating a sketch of my mother's history, that +she was married twice, and both husbands were to be sold and made +their escape. They both gained their freedom. One was living,--the +other died before the war. Both made every effort to find us, but to +no purpose. It was some years before we got a correct account of her +second husband, and he had no account of her, except once he heard +that mother and children had perished in the woods while endeavoring +to make their escape. In a few years after his arrival in the free +States he married again. + +When about sixteen years of age, while residing with her original +master, my mother became acquainted with a young man, Mr. Adams, +residing in a neighboring family, whom she much respected; but he was +soon sold, and she lost trace of him entirely, as was the common +occurrence with friends and companions though united by the nearest +ties. When my mother arrived at Captain Tirrell's, after leaving the +boat, in her excitement she scarce observed anything except her little +group so miraculously saved from perhaps a final separation in this +world. She at length observed that the servant who was waiting to take +her to the Captain's residence in the country was the same man with +whom she formed the acquaintance when sixteen years old, and they +again renewed their acquaintance. He had been married and buried his +wife. It appeared that his wife had been in Captain Tirrell's family +many years, and he also, for some time. They had a number of children, +and Capt. Tirrell had sold them down South. This cruel blow, assisted +by severe flogging and other ill treatment, rendered the mother +insane, and finally caused her death. + + In agony close to her bosom she pressed, + The life of her heart, the child of her breast-- + Oh love from its tenderness gathering might + Had strengthed her soul for declining age. + + But she is free. Yes, she has gone from the land of the slave; + The hand of oppression must rest in the grave. + The blood hounds have missed the scent of her way, + The hunter is rifled and foiled of his prey. + +After my mother had left the Captain to take care of herself and +child, according to agreement with the Captain, she became engaged to +Mr. Adams. He had bought himself previously for a large price. After +they became acquainted, the Captain had an excellent opportunity of +carrying out his stratagem. He commenced bestowing charity upon Mr. +Adams. As he had purchased himself, and Capt. T. had agreed not to +sell my mother, they had decided to marry at an early day. They hired +a house in the city and were to commence housekeeping immediately. The +Captain made him a number of presents and seemed much pleased with the +arrangement. The day previous to the one set for the marriage, while +they were setting their house in order, a man called and enquired for +a nurse, pretending he wanted one of us. Mother was absent; he said he +would call again, but he never came. On Wednesday evening we attended +a protracted meeting. After we had returned home and retired, a loud +rap was heard at the door. My Aunt enquired who was there. The reply +was, "Open the door or I will break it down." In a moment in rushed +seven men, four watchmen and three traders, and ordered mother to take +my brother and me and follow them, which she hastened to do as fast as +possible, but we were not allowed time to put on our usual attire. +They thrust us into a close carriage. For fear of my mother alarming +the citizens they threw her to the ground and choked her until she was +nearly strangled, then pushed her into a coach. The night was dark and +dreary; the stars refused to shine, the moon to shed her light. + + 'Tis not strange the heavenly orbs + In silence blushed neath Nature's sable garb + When woman's gagged and rashly torn away + Without blemish and without crime. + Unheeded by God's holy word:-- + Unloose the fetters, break the chain, + And make my people free again, + And let them breath pure freedom's air + And her rich bounty freely share. + Let Eutopia stretch her bleeding hands abroad; + Her cry of anguish finds redress from God. + +We were hurried along the streets. The inhabitants heard our cries and +rushed to their doors, but our carriage being perfectly tight, and the +alarm so sudden, that we were at the jail before they could give us +any relief. There were strong Union men and officers in the city, and +if they could have been informed of the human smuggling they would +have released us. But oh, that horrid, dilapidated prison, with its +dim lights and dingy walls, again presented itself to our view. My +sister was there first, and we were thrust in and remained there until +three o'clock the following afternoon. Could we have notified the +police we should have been released, but no opportunity was given us. +It appears that this kidnapping had been in contemplation from the +time we were before taken and returned; and Captain Tirrell's kindness +to mother,--his benevolence towards Mr. Adams in assisting him to +furnish his house,--his generosity in letting us work for +ourselves,--his approbation in regard to the contemplated marriage was +only a trap. Thus instead of a wedding Thursday evening, we were +hurled across the ferry to Albany Court House and to Kentucky through +the rain and without our outer garments. My mother had lost her bonnet +and shawl in the struggle while being thrust in the coach, +consequently she had no protection from the storm, and the rest of us +were in similar circumstances. I believe we passed through +Springfield. I think it was the first stopping place after we left +East St. Louis, and we were put on board the cars and secreted in the +gentlemen's smoking car, in which there were only a few rebels. We +arrived in Springfield about twelve o'clock at night. When we took +the cars it was dark, bleak and cold. It was the 18th of March, and as +we were without bonnets and clothing to shield us from the sleet and +wind, we suffered intensely. The old trader, for fear that mother +might make her escape, carried my brother, nine years of age, from one +train to the other. We then took the cars for Albany, and arrived at +eight o'clock in the morning. We were then carried on the ferry in a +wagon. There was another family in the wagon, in the same condition. +We landed at Portland, from thence to Louisville, and were put into +John Clark's trader's yard, and sold out separately, except my mother +and little brother, who were sold together. Mother remained in the +trader's yard two weeks, my sister six, myself four. + + + + +THE FARE AT THEIR NEW HOMES + + +Mother was sold to Captain Plasio. My sister to Benj. Board, and +myself to Capt. Ephraim Frisbee. The man who bought my mother was a +Spaniard. After she had been there a short time he tried to have my +mother let my brother stop at his saloon, a very dissipated place, to +wait upon his miserable crew, but my mother objected. In spite of her +objections he took him down to try him, but some Union soldiers called +at the saloon, and noticing that he was very small, they questioned +him, and my brother, child like, divulged the whole matter. The +Captain, fearful of being betrayed and losing his property, let him +continue with my mother. The Captain paid eight hundred dollars for my +mother and brother. We were all sold for extravagant prices. My +sister, aged sixteen, was sold for eight hundred and fifty dollars; I +was sold for nine hundred dollars. This was in 1863. My mother was +cook and fared very well. My sister was sold to a single gentleman, +whose intended took charge of her until they were married, after which +they took her to her home. She was her waiter, and fared as well as +could be expected. I fared worse than either of the family. I was not +allowed enough to eat, exposed to the cold, and not allowed through +the cold winter to thoroughly warm myself once a month. The house was +very large, and I could gain no access to the fire. I was kept +constantly at work of the heaviest kind,--compelled to move heavy +trunks and boxes,--many times to wash till ten and twelve o'clock at +night. There were three deaths in the family while I remained there, +and the entire burden was put upon me. I often felt to exclaim as the +Children of Israel did: "O Lord, my burden is greater than I can +bear." I was then seventeen years of age. My health has been impaired +from that time to the present. I have a severe pain in my side by the +slightest over exertion. In the Winter I suffer intensely with cold, +and cannot get warm unless in a room heated to eighty degrees. I am +infirm and burdened with the influence of slavery, whose impress will +ever remain on my mind and body. For six months I tried to make my +escape. I used to rise at four o'clock in the morning to find some one +to assist me, and at last I succeeded. I was allowed two hours once in +two weeks to go and return three miles. I could contrive no other way +than to improve one of these opportunities, in which I was finally +successful. I became acquainted with some persons who assisted slaves +to escape by the underground railroad. They were colored people. I was +to pretend going to church, and the man who was to assist and +introduce me to the proper parties was to linger on the street +opposite the house, and I was to follow at a short distance. On Sunday +evening I begged leave to attend church, which was reluctantly +granted if I completed all my work, which was no easy task. It +appeared as if my mistress used every possible exertion to delay me +from church, and I concluded that her old cloven-footed companion had +impressed his intentions on her mind. Finally, when I was ready to +start, my mistress took a notion to go out to ride, and desired me to +dress her little boy, and then get ready for church. Extensive hoops +were then worn, and as I had attached my whole wardrobe under mine by +a cord around my waist, it required considerable dexterity and no +small amount of maneuvering to hide the fact from my mistress. While +attending to the child I had managed to stand in one corner of the +room, for fear she might come in contact with me and thus discover +that my hoops were not so elastic as they usually are. I endeavored to +conceal my excitement by backing and edging very genteelly out of the +door. I had nine pieces of clothing thus concealed on my person, and +as the string which fastened them was small it caused me considerable +discomfort. To my great satisfaction I at last passed into the street, +and my master and mistress drove down the street in great haste and +were soon out of sight. I saw my guide patiently awaiting me. I +followed him at a distance until we arrived at the church, and there +met two young ladies, one of whom handed me a pass and told me to +follow them at a square's distance. It was now twilight. There was a +company of soldiers about to take passage across the ferry, and I +followed. I showed my pass, and proceeded up the stairs on the boat. +While thus ascending the stairs, the cord which held my bundle of +clothing broke, and my feet became entangled in my wardrobe, but by +proceeding, the first step released one foot and the next the other. +This was observed only by a few soldiers, who were too deeply engaged +in their own affairs to interfere with mine. I seated myself in a +remote corner of the boat, and in a few moments I landed on free soil +for the first time in my life, except when hurled through Albany and +Springfield at the time of our capture. I was now under my own +control. The cars were waiting in Jefferson City for the passengers +for Indianapolis, where we arrived about nine o'clock. + + + + +MATTIE IN INDIANAPOLIS--THE GLORY OF FREEDOM--PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S +REMAINS EXHIBITED + + +My first business, after my arrival at Indianapolis was to find a +boarding place in which I at once succeeded, and in a few hours +thereafter was at a place of service of my own choice. I had always +been under the yoke of oppression, compelled to submit to its laws, +and not allowed to advance a rod from the house, or even out of call, +without a severe punishment. Now this constant fear and restless +yearning was over. It appeared as though I had emerged into a new +world, or had never lived in the old one before. The people I lived +with were Unionists, and became immediately interested in teaching and +encouraging me in my literary advancement and all other important +improvements, which precisely met the natural desires for which my +soul had ever yearned since my earliest recollection. I could read a +little, but was not allowed to learn in slavery. I was obliged to pay +twenty-five cents for every letter written for me. I now began to feel +that as I was free I could learn to write, as well as others; +consequently Mrs. Harris, the lady with whom I lived, volunteered to +assist me. I was soon enabled to write quite a legible hand, which I +find a great convenience. I would advise all, young, middle aged or +old, in a free country to learn to read and write. If this little book +should fall into the hands of one deficient of the important knowledge +of writing, I hope they will remember the old maxim:--"Never too old +to learn." Manage your own secrets, and divulge them by the silent +language of your own pen. Had our blessed President considered it too +humiliating to learn in advanced years, our race would yet have +remained under the galling yoke of oppression. After I had been with +Mrs. Harris seven months, the joyful news came of the surrender of +Lee's army and the capture of Richmond. + + Whilst the country's hearts were throbbing, + Filled with joy for victories won; + Whilst the stars and stripes were waving + O'er each cottage, ship and dome, + Came upon like winged lightning + Words that turned each joy to dread, + Froze with horror as we listened: + Our beloved chieftain, Lincoln's dead + + War's dark clouds has long held o'er us, + They have rolled their gloomy fold's away, + And all the world is anxious, waiting + For that promised peaceful day. + But that fearful blow inflicted, + Fell on his devoted head, + And from every town and hamlet + Came the cry our Chieftain's dead. + + Weep, weep, O bleeding nation + For the patriot spirit fled, + All untold our country's future-- + Buried with the silent dead. + God of battles, God of nations to our country send relief + Turn each lamentation into joy whilst we mourn our murdered chief. + +On the Saturday after the assassination of the President there was a +meeting held on the Common, and a vote taken to have the President's +body brought through Indianapolis, for the people to see his dear dead +face. The vote was taken by raising the hands, and when the question +was put in favor of it a thousand black hands were extended in the +air, seemingly higher and more visible than all the rest. Nor were +their hands alone raised, for in their deep sorrow and gloom they +raised their hearts to God, for well they knew that He, through +martyred blood, had made them free. It was some time before the +remains reached Indianapolis, as it was near the last of the route. +The body was placed in the centre of the hall of the State House, and +we marched in by fours, and divided into two on each side of the +casket, and passed directly through the hall. It was very +rainy,--nothing but umbrellas were to be seen in any direction. The +multitude were passing in and out from eight o'clock in the morning +till four o'clock in the afternoon. His body remained until twelve +o'clock in the evening, many distinguished persons visiting it, when +amid the booming of cannon, it moved on its way to Springfield, its +final resting-place. The death of the President was like an electric +shock to my soul. I could not feel convinced of his death until I +gazed upon his remains, and heard the last roll of the muffled drum +and the farewell boom of the cannon. I was then convinced that though +we were left to the tender mercies of God, we were without a leader. + + Gone, gone is our chieftain, + The tried and the true; + The grief of our nation the world never knew. + We mourn as a nation has never yet mourned; + The foe to our freedom more deeply has scorned. + + In the height of his glory in manhood's full prime, + Our country's preserver through darkest of time; + A merciful being, whose kindness all shared + Shown mercy to others. Why was he not spared? + + The lover of Justice, the friend of the slave, + He struck at oppression and made it a grave; + He spoke for our bond-men, and chains from them fell, + By making them soldiers they served our land well. + + Because he had spoken from sea unto sea + Glad tidings go heavenward, our country is free, + And angels I'm thinking looked down from above, + With sweet smiles approving his great works of love. + + His name with the honor forever will live, + And time to his laurels new lustre will give; + He lived so unselfish, so loyal and true, + That his deeds will shine brighter at every view. + + Then honor and cherish the name of the brave, + The champion of freedom, the friend to the slave, + The far-sighted statesman who saw a fair end, + When north land and south land one flag shall defend. + + Rest, rest, fallen chieftain, thy labors are o'er, + For thee mourns a nation as never before; + Farewell honored chieftain whom millions adore, + Farewell gentle spirit, whom heaven has won. + + + + +SISTER LOST--MOTHER'S ESCAPE + + +In two or three weeks after the body of the President was carried +through, my sister made her escape, but by some means we entirely +lost trace of her. We heard she was in a free State. In three months +my mother also escaped. She rose quite early in the morning, took my +little brother, and arrived at my place of service in the afternoon. I +was much surprised, and asked my mother how she came there. She could +scarcely tell me for weeping, but I soon found out the mystery. After +so many long years and so many attempts, for this was her seventh, she +at last succeeded, and we were now all free. My mother had been a +slave for more than forty-three years, and liberty was very sweet to +her. The sound of freedom was music in our ears; the air was pure and +fragrant; the genial rays of the glorious sun burst forth with a new +lustre upon us, and all creation resounded in responses of praise to +the author and creator of him who proclaimed life and freedom to the +slave. I was overjoyed with my personal freedom, but the joy at my +mother's escape was greater than anything I had ever known. It was a +joy that reaches beyond the tide and anchors in the harbor of eternal +rest. While in oppression, this eternal life-preserver had continually +wafted her toward the land of freedom, which she was confident of +gaining, whatever might betide. Our joy that we were permitted to +mingle together our earthly bliss in glorious strains of freedom was +indescribable. My mother responded with the children of Israel,--"The +Lord is my strength and my song. The Lord is a man of war, and the +Lord is his name." We left Indianapolis the day after my mother +arrived, and took the cars at eleven o'clock the following evening for +St. Louis, my native State. We were then free, and instead of being +hurried along, bare headed and half naked, through cars and boats, by +a brutal master with a bill of sale in his pocket, we were our own, +comfortably clothed, and having the true emblems of freedom. + + + + +MOTHER'S MARRIAGE + + +It appeared to me that the city presented an entirely new aspect. The +reader will remember that my mother was engaged to be married on the +evening after we were kidnapped, and that Mr. Adams, her intended, had +prepared the house for the occasion. We now went in search of him. He +had moved about five miles into the country. He had carefully +preserved his furniture and was patiently awaiting our return. We were +gone two years and four months. The clothing and furniture which we +had collected were all destroyed. It was over a year after we left St. +Louis before we heard from there. We went immediately from the cars to +my aunt's, and from there went to Mr. Adams' residence and took him by +surprise. They were married in a week after our return. My mother is +comfortably situated on a small farm with a kind and affectionate +companion, with whom she had formed an early acquaintance, and from +whom she had been severed by the ruthless hand of Wrong; but by the +divine hand of Justice they were now reunited forever. + + + + +MATTIE MEETS HER OLD MASTER--GOES TO SERVICE--IS SENT FOR BY HER +STEP-FATHER IN LAWRENCE, MASS. + + +In a short time I had selected a place of service, and was improving +my studies in a small way. The place I engaged was in the family where +I was born, where my mother lived when my father Jackson made his +escape. Although Mr. Canory's family were always kind to us, I felt a +great difference between freedom and slavery. After I had been there a +short time my step-father sent for me and my half brother to come to +Lawrence. He had been waiting ever since the State was free, hoping to +get some account of us. He had been informed, previously, that mother, +in trying to make her escape, had perished by the way, and the +children also, but he was never satisfied. He was aware that my aunt +was permanently in St. Louis, as her master had given her family their +freedom twenty years previous. She was formerly owned by Major Howe, +harness and leather dealer, yet residing in St. Louis. And long may he +live and his good works follow him and his posterity forever. My +father well knew the deception of the rebels, and was determined to +persevere until he had obtained a satisfactory account of his family. +A gentleman moved directly from Lawrence to St. Louis, who made +particular enquiries for us, and even called at my aunt's. We then +heard directly from my father, and commenced correspondence. He had +not heard directly from us since he made his escape, which was nine +years. He had never heard of his little son who my mother was +compelled by Mrs. Lewis to confine in a box. He was born eight months +after he left. As soon as possible after my mother consented to let my +little brother go to his father he sent means to assist us to make +preparations for our journey to the North. At first he only sent for +his little son. My mother was anxious about sending him alone. He was +only eleven years old, and perfectly unused to traveling, and had +never been away from his mother. Finally my father came to the +conclusion that, as my mother had endured such extreme hardships and +sufferings during the nine years he was not permitted to participate +or render her any assistance, that it would afford him much pleasure +in sending for us both, bearing our expenses and making us as +comfortable as his means would allow. Money was sent us, and our kind +friend, Mr. Howe, obtained our tickets and voluntarily assisted us in +starting. We left for the North on Monday, April 9th, and arrived safe +and sound, on the 11th. We found my step-father's residence about six +o'clock in the evening. He was not expecting us till the next day. Our +meeting is better imagined than told. I cannot describe it. His little +son was only two years old when he left, and I was eleven, and we +never expected to meet him again this side of eternity. It was Freedom +that brought us together. My father was comfortably situated in a nice +white cottage, containing some eight rooms, all well furnished, and +attached to it was a fine garden. His wife, who is a physician, was +absent, but returned on the following day. The people were kind and +friendly. They informed me there was no other colored family in the +city, but my step-mother was continually crowded with friends and +customers without distinction. My step-mother had buried her only son, +who returned from the war in a decline. The white friends were all in +deep sympathy with them. I felt immediately at home among such kind +and friendly people, and have never felt homesick, except when I think +of my poor mother's farewell embrace when she accompanied us to the +cars. As soon as my step-mother had arrived, and our excitement was +over, they commenced calculating upon placing me in the Sabbath school +at the church where my mother belonged. On the next Sabbath I +accompanied her and joined the Sabbath school, she occupying a side +seat about middle way up the house. I was not reminded of my color +except by an occasional loafer or the Irish, usually the colored man's +enemy. I was never permitted to attend a white church before, or ride +in any public conveyance without being placed in a car for the +especial purpose; and in the street cars we were not permitted to ride +at all, either South or West. Here I ride where I please, without the +slightest remark, except from the ignorant. Many ask me if I am +contented. They can imagine by the above contrast. My brother and +myself entered the public school, and found a host of interested +friends and formed many dear acquaintances whom I shall never forget. +After attending school a month the term closed. I advanced in my +studies as fast as could be expected. I never attended school but one +month before. I needed more attention than my kind teacher could +possibly bestow upon me, encumbered as she was by so many small +children. Mother then proposed my entering some select school and +placing myself entirely under its discipline and influence. I was much +pleased with the idea, but as they had already been to so much expense +for me, I could not wish to place them under any heavier contribution. +I had previously told my step-mother my story, and how often my own +mother had wished she could have it published. I did not imagine she +could find time to write and arrange it, but she immediately proposed +writing and publishing the entire story, by the sale of which I might +obtain the aid towards completing my studies. I am glad I came to the +old Bay State, the people of which the rebels hate with an extreme +hatred. I found it just such a place as I had imagined by the +appearance of the soldiers and the kindness they manifested. + + New England, that blessed land, + All in a happy Union band; + They with the needy share their bread + And teach the weak the Word of God. + +We never heard from my sister Hester, who made her escape from +Kentucky, except when she was on the cars, though we have no doubt +she succeeded in gaining her freedom. + + + + +SUMMARY + + +On my return to St. Louis I met my old master, Lewis, who strove so +hard to sell us away that he might avoid seeing us free, on the +street. He was so surprised that before he was aware of it he dropped +a bow. My mother met Mrs. Lewis, her old mistress, with a large basket +on her arm, trudging to market. It appeared she had lived to see the +day when her children had to wait upon themselves, and she likewise. +The Yankees had taken possession, and her posterity were on an +equality with the black man. Mr. Lewis despised the Irish, and often +declared he would board at the hotel before he would employ Irish +help, but he now has a dissipated Irish cook. When I was his slave I +was obliged to keep away every fly from the table, and not allow one +to light on a person. They are now compelled to brush their own flies +and dress themselves and children. Mr. Lewis' brother Benjamin was a +more severe slave master than the one who owned me. He was a +tobacconist and very wealthy. As soon as the war commenced he turned +Unionist to save his property. He was very severe in his punishments. +He used to extend his victim, fastened to a beam, with hands and feet +tied, and inflict from fifty to three hundred lashes, laying their +flesh entirely open, then bathe their quivering wounds with brine, +and, through his nose, in a slow rebel tone he would tell them "You'd +better walk a fair chalk line or else I'll give yer twice as much." +His former friends, the guerrillas, were aware he only turned Union to +save his cash, and they gave those persons he had abused a large share +of his luxury. They then, in the presence of his wife and another +distinguished lady, tortured him in a most inhuman manner. For +pretending Unionism they placed him on a table and threatened to +dissect him alive if he did not tell them where he kept his gold. He +immediately informed them. They then stood him against the house and +fired over his head. From that, they changed his position by turning +him upside down, and raising him two feet from the floor, letting him +dash his head against the floor until his skull was fractured, after +which he lingered awhile and finally died. There was a long piece +published in the paper respecting his repentance, benevolence, & c. +All the slaves who ever lived in his family admit the Lord is able to +save to the uttermost. He saved the thief on the cross, and perhaps he +saved him. + +When I made my escape from slavery I was in a query how I was to raise +funds to bear my expenses. I finally came to the conclusion that as +the laborer was worthy of his hire, I thought my wages should come +from my master's pocket. Accordingly I took twenty-five dollars. After +I was safe and had learned to write, I sent him a nice letter, +thanking him for the kindness his pocket bestowed to me in time of +need. I have never received any answer to it. + +When I complete my education, if my life is spared, I shall endeavor +to publish further details of our history in another volume from my +own pen. + + + + +CHRISTIANITY + + +Christianity is a system claiming God for its author, and the welfare +of man for its object. It is a system so uniform, exalted and pure, +that the loftiest intellects have acknowledged its influence, and +acquiesced in the justness of its claims. Genius has bent from his +erratic course to gather fire from her altars, and pathos from the +agony of Gethsemane and the sufferings of Calvary. Philosophy and +science have paused amid their speculative researches and wonderous +revelations, to gain wisdom from her teachings and knowledge from her +precepts. Poetry has culled her fairest flowers and wreathed her +softest, to bind her Author's "bleeding brow." Music has strung her +sweetest lyres and breathed her noblest strains to celebrate His fame; +whilst Learning has bent from her lofty heights to bow at the lowly +cross. The constant friend of man, she has stood by him in his hour of +greatest need. She has cheered the prisoner in his cell, and +strengthened the martyr at the stake. She has nerved the frail and +sinking heart of woman for high and holy deeds. The worn and weary +have rested their fainting heads upon her bosom, and gathered strength +from her words and courage from her counsels. She has been the staff +of decrepit age, and the joy of manhood in its strength. She has bent +over the form of lovely childhood, and suffered it to have a place in +the Redeemer's arms. She has stood by the bed of the dying, and +unveiled the glories of eternal life; gilding the darkness of the tomb +with the glory of the resurrection. + +Christianity has changed the moral aspect of nations. Idolatrous +temples have crumbled at her touch, and guilt owned its deformity in +her presence. The darkest habitations of earth have been irradiated +with heavenly light, and the death shriek of immolated victims changed +for ascriptions of praise to God and the Lamb. Envy and Malice have +been rebuked by her contented look, and fretful Impatience by her +gentle and resigned manner. + +At her approach, fetters have been broken, and men have risen +redeemed from dust, and freed from chains. Manhood has learned its +dignity and worth, its kindred with angels, and alliance to God. + +To man, guilty, fallen and degraded man, she shows a fountain drawn +from the Redeemer's veins; there she bids him wash and be clean. She +points him to "Mount Zion, the city of the living God, to an +innumerable company of angels, to the spirits of just men made +perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant," and urges him +to rise from the degradation of sin, renew his nature and join with +them. She shows a pattern so spotless and holy, so elevated and pure, +that he might shrink from it discouraged, did she not bring with her a +promise from the lips of Jehovah, that he would give power to the +faint, and might to those who have no strength. Learning may bring her +ample pages and her ponderous records, rich with the spoils of every +age, gathered from every land, and gleaned from every source. +Philosophy and science may bring their abstruse researches and +wonderous revelations--Literature her elegance, with the toils of the +pen, and the labors of the pencil--but they are idle tales compared to +the truths of Christianity. They may cultivate the intellect, +enlighten the understanding, give scope to the imagination, and refine +the sensibilities; but they open not, to our dim eyes and longing +vision, the land of crystal founts and deathless flowers. Philosophy +searches earth; Religion opens heaven. Philosophy doubts and trembles +at the portals of eternity; Religion lifts the veil, and shows us +golden streets, lit by the Redeemer's countenance, and irradiated by +his smile. Philosophy strives to reconcile us to death; Religion +triumphs over it. Philosophy treads amid the pathway of stars, and +stands a delighted listener to the music of the spheres; but Religion +gazes on the glorious palaces of God, while the harpings of the +blood-washed, and the songs of the redeemed, fall upon her ravished +ear. Philosophy has her place; Religion her important sphere; one is +of importance here, the other of infinite and vital importance both +here and hereafter. + +Amid ancient lore the Word of God stands unique and pre-eminent. +Wonderful in its construction, admirable in its adaptation, it +contains truths that a child may comprehend, and mysteries into which +angels desire to look. It is in harmony with that adaptation of means +to ends which pervades creation, from the polypus tribes, elaborating +their coral homes, to man, the wonderous work of God. It forms the +brightest link of that glorious chain which unites the humblest work +of creation with the throne of the infinite and eternal Jehovah. As +light, with its infinite particles and curiously blended colors, is +suited to an eye prepared for the alterations of day; as air, with its +subtle and invisible essence, is fitted for the delicate organs of +respiration; and, in a word, as this material world is adapted to +man's physical nature; so the word of eternal truth is adapted to his +moral nature and mental constitution. It finds him wounded, sick and +suffering, and points him to the balm of Gilead and the Physician of +souls. It finds him stained by transgressions and defiled with guilt, +and directs him to the "blood that cleanseth from all unrighteousness +and sin." It finds him athirst and faint, pining amid the deserts of +life, and shows him the wells of salvation and the rivers of life. It +addresses itself to his moral and spiritual nature, makes provision +for his wants and weaknesses, and meets his yearnings and aspirations. +It is adapted to his mind in its earliest stages of progression, and +its highest state of intellectuality. It provides light for his +darkness, joy for his anguish, a solace for his woes, balm for his +wounds, and heaven for his hopes. It unveils the unseen world, and +reveals him who is the light of creation, and the joy of the universe, +reconciled through the death of His Son. It promises the faithful a +blessed re-union in a land undimmed with tears, undarkened by sorrow. +It affords a truth for the living and a refuge for the dying. Aided by +the Holy Spirit, it guides us through life, points out the shoals, the +quicksands and hidden rocks which endanger our path, and at last +leaves us with the eternal God for our refuge, and his everlasting +arms for our protection. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Story of Mattie J. 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