running a thousand miles for freedom-第4章

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　　'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　body　of　the　said　County　on　their　oath　present；　that　Margaret　Doug…　lass；　being　an　evil　disposed　person；　not　having　the　fear　of　God　before　her　eyes；　but　moved　and　insti…　gated　by　the　devil；　wickedly；　maliciously；　and　feloniously；　on　the　fourth　day　of　July；　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and　fifty…　four；　at　Norfolk；　in　said　County；　did　teach　a　certain　black　girl　named　Kate　to　read　in　the　Bible；　to　the　great　displeasure　of　Almighty　God；　to　the　per…　nicious　example　of　others　in　like　case　offending；　contrary　to　the　form　of　the　statute　in　such　case　made　and　provided；　and　against　the　peace　and　dignity　of　the　Commonwealth　of　Virginia。

〃VICTOR　VAGABOND；　Prosecuting　Attorney。〃


〃On　this　indictment　Mrs。　Douglass　was　arraigned　as　a　necessary　matter　of　form；　tried；　found　guilty　of　course；　and　Judge　Scalaway；　before　whom　she　was　tried；　having　consulted　with　Dr。　Adams；　or…　dered　the　sheriff　to　place　Mrs。　Douglass　in　the　prisoner's　box；　when　he　addressed　her　as　follows：　'Margaret　Douglass；　stand　up。　　You　are　guilty　of　one　of　the　vilest　crimes　that　ever　disgraced　society；　and　the　jury　have　found　you　so。　　You　have　taught　a　slave　girl　to　read　in　the　Bible。　　No　enlightened　society　can　exist　where　such　offences　go　unpun…　ished。　　The　Court；　in　your　case；　do　not　feel　for　you　one　solitary　ray　of　sympathy；　and　they　will　inflict　on　you　the　utmost　penalty　of　the　law。　　In　any　other　civilized　country　you　would　have　paid　the　forfeit　of　your　crime　with　your　life；　and　the　Court　have　only　to　regret　that　such　is　not　the　law　in　this　country。　　The　sentence　for　your　offence　is；　that　you　be　imprisoned　one　month　in　the　county　jail；　and　that　you　pay　the　costs　of　this　prosecution。　Sheriff；　remove　the　prisoner　to　jail。'　　On　the　pub…　lication　of　these　proceedings；　the　Doctors　of　Divinity　preached　each　a　sermon　on　the　necessity　of　obeying　the　laws；　the　New　York　Observer　noticed　with　much　pious　gladness　a　revival　of　religion　on　Dr。　Smith's　plantation　in　Georgia；　among　his　slaves；　while　the　Journal　of　Commerce　commended　this　political　preaching　of　the　Doctors　of　Divinity　because　it　favoured　slavery。　　Let　us　do　nothing　to　offend　our　Southern　brethren。〃

However；　at　first；　we　were　highly　delighted　at　the　idea　of　having　gained　permission　to　be　absent　for　a　few　days；　but　when　the　thought　flashed　across　my　wife's　mind；　that　it　was　customary　for　travellers　to　register　their　names　in　the　visitors'　book　at　hotels；　as　well　as　in　the　clearance　or　Custom…house　book　at　Charleston；　South　Carolina　it　made　our　spirits　droop　within　us。

So；　while　sitting　in　our　little　room　upon　the　verge　of　despair；　all　at　once　my　wife　raised　her　head；　and　with　a　smile　upon　her　face；　which　was　a　moment　before　bathed　in　tears；　said；　〃I　think　I　have　it！〃　　I　asked　what　it　was。　　She　said；　〃I　think　I　can　make　a　poultice　and　bind　up　my　right　hand　in　a　sling；　and　with　propriety　ask　the　officers　to　register　my　name　for　me。〃　　I　thought　that　would　do。

It　then　occurred　to　her　that　the　smoothness　of　her　face　might　betray　her；　so　she　decided　to　make　another　poultice；　and　put　it　in　a　white　handkerchief　to　be　worn　under　the　chin；　up　the　cheeks；　and　to　tie　over　the　head。　　This　nearly　hid　the　expression　of　the　countenance；　as　well　as　the　beardless　chin。

The　poultice　is　left　off　in　the　engraving；　because　the　likeness　could　not　have　been　taken　well　with　it　on。

My　wife；　knowing　that　she　would　be　thrown　a　good　deal　into　the　company　of　gentlemen；　fancied　that　she　could　get　on　better　if　she　had　something　to　go　over　the　eyes；　so　I　went　to　a　shop　and　bought　a　pair　of　green　spectacles。　　This　was　in　the　evening。

We　sat　up　all　night　discussing　the　plan；　and　making　preparations。　　Just　before　the　time　arrived；　in　the　morning；　for　us　to　leave；　I　cut　off　my　wife's　hair　square　at　the　back　of　the　head；　and　got　her　to　dress　in　the　disguise　and　stand　out　on　the　floor。　I　found　that　she　made　a　most　respectable　looking　gentleman。

My　wife　had　no　ambition　whatever　to　assume　this　disguise；　and　would　not　have　done　so　had　it　been　possible　to　have　obtained　our　liberty　by　more　simple　means；　but　we　k