running a thousand miles for freedom-第4部分

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ins　fell　from　his　fingers；　and　in　attempting　to　catch　them　he　tumbled　out　of　the　vehicle；　and　was　unable　to　get　up。　　Frank　and　Mary　there　and　then　contrived　a　plan　by　which　to　escape。　　As　they　were　still　handcuffed　by　one　wrist　each；　they　alighted；　took　from　the　drunken　assassin's　pocket　the　key；　undid　the　iron　bracelets；　and　placed　them　upon　Slator；　who　was　better　fitted　to　wear　such　ornaments。　　As　the　demon　lay　unconscious　of　what　was　taking　place；　Frank　and　Mary　took　from　him　the　large　sum　of　money　that　was　realized　at　the　sale；　as　well　as　that　which　Slator　had　so　very　meanly　obtained　from　their　poor　mother。　　They　then　dragged　him　into　the　woods；　tied　him　to　a　tree；　and　left　the　inebriated　robber　to　shift　for　himself；　while　they　made　good　their　escape　to　Savannah。　　The　fugitives　being　white；　of　course　no　one　suspected　that　they　were　slaves。

Slator　was　not　able　to　call　any　one　to　his　rescue　till　late　the　next　day；　and　as　there　were　no　rail…　roads　in　that　part　of　the　country　at　that　time；　it　was　not　until　late　the　following　day　that　Slator　was　able　to　get　a　party　to　join　him　for　the　chase。　　A　person　informed　Slator　that　he　had　met　a　man　and　woman；　in　a　trap；　answering　to　the　description　of　those　whom　he　had　lost；　driving　furiously　towards　Savannah。　　So　Slator　and　several　slavehunters　on　horseback　started　off　in　full　tilt；　with　their　blood…　hounds；　in　pursuit　of　Frank　and　Mary。

On　arriving　at　Savannah；　the　hunters　found　that　the　fugitives　had　sold　the　horses　and　trap；　and　embarked　as　free　white　persons；　for　New　York。　Slator's　disappointment　and　rascality　so　preyed　upon　his　base　mind；　that　he；　like　Judas；　went　and　hanged　himself。

As　soon　as　Frank　and　Mary　were　safe；　they　endeavoured　to　redeem　their　good　mother。　　But；　alas！　she　was　gone；　she　had　passed　on　to　the　realm　of　spirit　life。

In　due　time　Frank　learned　from　his　friends　in　Georgia　where　his　little　brother　and　sister　dwelt。　So　he　wrote　at　once　to　purchase　them；　but　the　persons　with　whom　they　lived　would　not　sell　them。　After　failing　in　several　attempts　to　buy　them；　Frank　cultivated　large　whiskers　and　moustachios；　cut　off　his　hair；　put　on　a　wig　and　glasses；　and　went　down　as　a　white　man；　and　stopped　in　the　neighbourhood　where　his　sister　was；　and　after　see…　ing　her　and　also　his　little　brother；　arrangements　were　made　for　them　to　meet　at　a　particular　place　on　a　Sunday；　which　they　did；　and　got　safely　off。

I　saw　Frank　myself；　when　he　came　for　the　little　twins。　　Though　I　was　then　quite　a　lad；　I　well　remember　being　highly　delighted　by　hearing　him　tell　how　nicely　he　and　Mary　had　served　Slator。

Frank　had　so　completely　disguised　or　changed　his　appearance　that　his　little　sister　did　not　know　him；　and　would　not　speak　till　he　showed　their　mother's　likeness；　the　sight　of　which　melted　her　to　tears；for　she　knew　the　face。　　Frank　might　have　said　to　her



〃'O；　Emma！　　O；　my　sister；　speak　to　me！　　Dost　thou　not　know　me；　that　I　am　thy　brother？　　Come　to　me；　little　Emma；　thou　shalt　dwell　　With　me　henceforth；　and　know　no　care　or　want。'　　Emma　was　silent　for　a　space；　as　if　　'Twere　hard　to　summon　up　a　human　voice。〃　Frank　and　Mary's　mother　was　my　wife's　own　dear　aunt。

After　this　great　diversion　from　our　narrative；　which　I　hope　dear　reader；　you　will　excuse；　I　shall　return　at　once　to　it。

My　wife　was　torn　from　her　mother's　embrace　in　childhood；　and　taken　to　a　distant　part　of　the　country。　　She　had　seen　so　many　other　children　separated　from　their　parents　in　this　cruel　man…　ner；　that　the　mere　thought　of　her　ever　becoming　the　mother　of　a　child；　to　linger　out　a　miserable　existence　under　the　wretched　system　of　American　slavery；　appeared　to　fill　her　very　soul　with　horror；　and　as　she　had　taken　what　I　felt　to　be　an　important　view　of　her　condition；　I　did　not；　at　first；　press　the　marriage；　but　agreed　to　assist　her　in　trying　to　devise　some　plan　by　which　we　might　escape　from　our　unhappy　condition；　and　then　be　married。

We　thought　of　plan　after　plan；　but　they　all　seemed　crowded　with　insurmountable　difficulties。　We　knew　it　was　unlawful　for　any　public　convey…　ance　to　take　us　as　passengers；　without　our　master's　consent。　　We　were　also　perfectly　aware　of　the　startling　fact；　that　had　we　left　without　this　consent　the　professional　slave…hunters　would　have　soon　had　their　ferocious　bloodhounds　baying　on　our　track；　and　in　a　short　time　we　should　have　been　dragged　back　to　slavery；　not　to　fill　the　more　favour…　able　situations　which　we　had　just　left；　but　to　be　separated　for　life；　and　put　to　the　very　meanest　and　most　laborious　drudgery；　or　else　have　been　tortured　to　death　as　examples；　in　order　to　strike　terror　into　the　hearts　of　others；　and　thereby　pre…　vent　them　from　even　attempting　to　escape　from　their　cruel　taskmasters。　　It　is　a　fact　worthy　of　remark；　that　nothing　seems　to　give　the　slaveholders　so　much　pleasure　as　the　catching　and　torturing　of　fugitives。　　They　had　much　rather　take　the　keen　and　poisonous　lash；　and　with　it　cut　their　poor　trembling　victims　to　atoms；　than　allow　one　of　them　to　escape　to　a　free　country；　and　expose　the　infamous　system　from　which　he　fled。

The　greatest　excitement　prevails　at　a　slave…hunt。　The　slaveholders　and　their　hired　ruffians　appear　to　take　more　pleasure　in　this　inhuman　pursuit　than　English　sportsmen　do　in　chasing　a　fox　or　a　stag。　Therefore；　knowing　what　we　should　have　been　compelled　to　suffer；　if　caught　and　taken　back；　we　were　more　than　anxious　to　hit　upon　a　plan　that　would　lead　us　safely　to　a　land　of　liberty。

But；　after　puzzling　our　brains　for　years；　we　were　reluctantly　driven　to　the　sad　conclusion；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　escape　from　slavery　in　Georgia；　and　travel　1；000　miles　across　the　slave　States。　　We　therefore　resolved　to　get　the　consent　of　our　owners；　be　married；　settle　down　in　slavery；　and　endeavour　to　make　ourselves　as　comfortable　as　possible　under　that　system；　but　at　the　same　time　ever　to　keep　our　dim　eyes　steadily　fixed　upon　the　glimmering　hope　of　liberty；　and　earnestly　pray　God　mercifully　to　assist　us　to　escape　from　our　unjust　thraldom。

We　were　married；　and　prayed　and　toiled　on　till　December；　1848；　at　which　time　（as　I　have　stated）　a　plan　suggested　itself　that　proved　quite　success…　ful；　and　in　eight　days　after　it　was　first　thought　of　we　were　free　from　the　horrible　trammels　of　slavery；　and　glorifying　God　who　had　brought　us　safely　out　of　a　land　of　bondage。

Knowing　that　slaveholders　have　the　privilege　of　taking　their　slaves　to　any　part　of　the　country　they　think　proper；　it　occurred　to　me　that；　as　my　wife　was　nearly　white；　I　might　get　her　to　disguise　herself　as　an　invalid　gentleman；　and　assume　to　be　my　master；　while　I　could　attend　as　his　slave；　and　that　in　this　manner　we　might　effect　our　escape。　　After　I　thought　of　the　plan；　I　sug…　gested　it　to　my　wife；　but　at　first　she　shrank　from　the　idea。　　She　thought　it　was　almost　impossible　for　her　to　assume　that　disguise；　and　travel　a　dis…　tance　of　1；000　miles　across　the　slave　States。　　How…　ever；　on　the　other　hand；　she　also　thought　of　her　condition。　　She　saw　that　the　laws　under　which　we　lived　did　not　recognize　her　to　be　a　woman；　but　a　mere　chattel；　to　be　bought　and　sold；　or　otherwise　dealt　with　as　her　owner　might　see　fit。　　Therefore　the　more　she　contemplated　her　helpless　condition；　the　more　anxious　she　was　to　escape　from　it。　　So　she　said；　〃I　think　it　is　almost　too　much　for　us　to　undertake；　however；　I　feel　that　God　is　on　our　side；　and　with　his　assistance；　notwithstanding　all　the　difficulties；　we　shall　be　able　to　succeed。　　There…　fore；　if　you　will　purchase　the　disguise；　I　will　try　to　carry　out　the　plan。〃

But　after　I　concluded　to　purchase　the　disguise；　I　was　afraid　to　go　to　any　one　to　ask　him　to　sell　me　the　articles。　　It　is　unlawful　in　Georgia　for　a　white　man　to　trade　with　slaves　without　the　master's　con…　sent。　　But；　notwithstanding　this；　many　persons　will　sell　a　slave　any　article　that　he　can　get　the　money　to　buy。　　Not　that　they　sympathize　with　the　slave；　but　merely　because　his　testimony　is　not　admitted　in　court　against　a　free　white　person。

Therefore；　with　little　difficulty　I　went　to　dif…　ferent　parts　of　the　town；　at　odd　times；　and　purchased　things　piece　by　piece；　（except　the　trowsers　which　she　found　necessary　to　make；）　and　took　them　home　to　the　house　where　my　wife　resided。　　She　being　a　ladies'　maid；　and　a　favourite　slave　in　the　family；　was　allowed　a　little　room　to　herself；　and　amongst　other　pieces　of　furniture　which　I　had　made　in　my　overtime；　was　a　chest　of　drawers；　so　when　I　took　the　articles　home；　she　locked　them　up　carefully　in　these　drawers。　　No　one　about　the　premises　knew　that　she　had　anything　of　the　kind。　　So　when　we　fancied　we　had　everything　ready　the　time　was　fixed　for　the　flight。　　But　we　knew　it　would　not　do　to　start　off　without　first　getting　our　master's　con…　sent　to　be　away　for　a　few　days。　　Had　we　left　with…　out　this；　they　would　soon　have　had　us　back　into　slavery；　and　probably　we　should　never　have　got　another　fair　opportunity　of　even　attempting　to　escape。

Some　of　the　best　slaveholders　will　sometimes　give　their　favourite　slaves　a　few　days'　holiday　at　Christmas　time；　so；　after　no　little　amount　of　per…　severance　on　my　wife's　part；　she　obtained　a　pass　from　her　mistress；　allowing　her　to　be　away　for　a　few　days。　　The　cabinet…maker　with　whom　I　worked　gave　me　a　similar　paper；　but　said　that　he　needed　my　services　very　much；　and　wished　me　to　return　as　soon　as　the　time　granted　was　up。　　I　thanked　him　kindly；　but　somehow　I　have　not　been　able　to　make　it　convenient　to　return　yet；　and；　as　the　free　air　of　good　old　England　agrees　so　well　with　my　wife　and　our　dear　little　ones；　as　well　as　with　myself；　it　is　not　at　all　likely　we　shall　return　at　present　to　the　〃peculiar　in…　stitution〃　of　chains　and　stripes。

On　reaching　my　wife's　cottage　she　handed　me　her　pass；　and　I　showed　mine；　but　at　that　time　neither　of　us　were　able　to　read　them。　　It　is　not　only　unlawful　for　slaves　to　be　taught　to　read；　but　in　some　of　the　States　there　are　heavy　penalties　at…　tached；　such　as　fines　and　imprisonment；　which　will　be　vigorously　enforced　upon　any　one　who　is　humane　enough　to　violate　the　so…called　law。

The　following　case　will　serve　to　show　how　per…　sons　are　treated　in　the　most　enlightened　slavehold…　ing　community。

〃INDICTMENT。

COMMONWEALTH　OF　VIRGINIA；　　　｝　In　the　Circuit

　　　　NORFOLK　COUNTY；　ss。｝　Court。　　The　Grand　Jurors　empannelled　in　the　b