^^0^ ^^'^■ 5- ° A^*^ \' -e, 'o.. o V .°-; ^ V*-'-^: 4 O 0" o ^ s ^ . A. ^°-;^ .0^ c ° " " -r 'O ,-J^ 'Jy' .;%- o > ^^ .0^ ^P. * = « 0 ^ <^ ^' ^^ 0^ c""'^^^'^© ,-Jy'^ ,-^"- ^^ .0^ ^" = B5 '-^^ cT. -y^ ^^ ^ .. '-^^ C" '^0' \v, .0 '-^0' V \ • i:,^ * . V^c .,^ :gim> '^v^ ,-J> 0' ;^ A ^' 'C' .^* / \ 'A * * ° - c> < 0 % ' * ' ' •?• S^-vr ^ A \ qV , 0 -. a ^-^. •^ "'■ ^^ % "- ^° "^^0^ 4 O ■0? ^ 0' .4 o. ,r SOJOURNER TRUTH'S NARRATIVE AND BOOK OF LIFE. Sojourner Tmutm, "THE LIBYAN SIBYL." NARRATIVE OF r\ T PR TRUTH; 31 §0nijstooman at §lku %m, Emancipated by the New York Legislature in the Early Part oi the Present Century ; WITH A HISTORY OF HER LABOES AND CORRESPONDENCE DRAWN FROM HER ''(BOOK OF LIFE." — ♦•^- BATTLE CREEK, MICH.: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. 187S. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, By Mrs. FRANCES VV. TITUS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. American Unive.-srty A PREFACE ■WHICH WAS INTENDED FOR A POSTSCRIPT. Sojourner Truth once remarked, in reply to an allusion to the late Horace Greeley, " You call him a self-made man ; well, I am a self-made woman." The world is ever ready to sound the praises of the so- called self-made men ; i. e., those men who in the full possession of freedom, lacking nothing but wealth, achieve distinction and success. It is now asked to accord a modicum of honor to a woman who labored forty long and weary years a slave; to whom the paths of literature and science were forever closed ; one who bore the double burdens of poverty and the ban of caste, yet who, despite all these disabilities, has acquired fame, and gained hosts of friends among the noblest and best of the dominant race. The reasons for presenting the history of this remarkable woman to the public are twofold. First, that the world, and more especially the young, may be benefited by the wisdom of one who escaped unscathed from the consuming fires of slavery, as did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the flames of the fiery furnace. .\ eldest child, a good, kind-hearted gu'l of ten years, who pitied Isabel sincerely,) when she heard them all blame her so vmsparingly, came forward, offering her sympathy and assistance ; and when about to retire to bed, on the night of Isabella's humiliation, she advanced to Isabel, and told her, if she would wake her early next morning, she would get up and attend to her potatoes for her, while she (Isabella) went to milking, and they would see if they could not have them nice, and not have ' Poppee,' hei word for father, and ' Matty,' her word for mother, and all of 'em, scolding so terribly. Isabella gladly availed herself of this kindness, which touched her to the heart, amid so much of an opposit, spirit. When Isabella had put the potatoes over to boil 32 NARRATIVE OF Getty told her she would herself tend the fire, while Is» bel milked. She had not long been seated by the fire, in performance of her promise, when Kate entered, and requested Gertrude to go out of the room and do some- thing for her, Trnich she refused, still keeping her place in the corner. While there, Kate came sweeping about the fire, caught up a chip, lifted some ashes with it, and dash ed them into the kettle. Now the mystery was solved, the plot discovered ! Kate was working a little too fast at making her mistress's words good, at showing that Mrs. Dumont and herself were on the right side of the dispute, and consequently at gaining power over Isabella. Yes, she was quite too fast, inasmuch as she had over- looked the little figure of justice, which sat in the corner, with scales nicely balanced, waiting to give all their dues. But the time had come when she was to be overlooked no longer. It was Getty's turn to speak now. ' Oh, Poppee ! oh, Poppee !' said she, ' Kate has been putting ashes in among the potatoes ! I saw her do it ! Look at those that fell on the outside of the kettle ! You can now see what made the potatoes so dingy every morning, though Bell -washed them clean !' And she repeated her story to every new comer, till the fraud was made as public as the censure of Isabella had been. Her mistress looked blank, and remained dumb — her master muttered some- thing which sounded very like an oath — and poor Kate was so chop-fallen, she looked like a convicted criminal, who would gladly have hid herself, (now that the base- ness was out,) to conceal her mortified pride and deep chagrin. It was a fine triumph for Isabella and her master, and she became more ambitious than ever to please him ; %nd he stimulated her ambition by his commendation, and SOJOURNER TRUTH. 33 by boasting of her to his fi-iends, telling them that Hhat wench ' (pointing to Isabel) ' is better to me than a man — for she will do a good family's washing in the night, and be ready in the morning to go into the field, where she will do as much at raking and binding as my best hands.' Her ambition and desire to please were sc great, that she often worked several nights in succession, sleep- ing only short snatches, as she sat in her chair ; and some nights she would not allow herself to take any sleep, save what she could get resting herself against the wall, fear- ing that if she sat down, she would sleep too long. These extra exertions to please, and the praises conse- quent upon them, brought upon her head the envy of her fellow-slaves, and they taunted her with being the ' white folks' nigijer.'' On the other hand, she receiv- ed a larger share of the confidence of her master, and many small favors that were by them vmattain- able. I asked her if her master, Dumont, ever whipped her ? She answered, ' Oh yes, he sometimes whipped me soundly, though never cioielly. And the most severe whipping he ever give me was because / was cruel to a cat.' At this time she looked upon her master as a God ; and believed that he knew of and could see her at all times, even as God himself. And she used sometimes to confess her delinquencies, from the conviction that he al- ready knew them, and that she should fare better if she confessed voluntarily : and if any one talked to her of the 'injustice of her being a slave, she answered them w ith contempt and immediately told her master. She then firmly believed that slavery was right and honora- ble. Yet she now sees very clearly the false position they were all in, both masters and slaves ; and she looks back, with utter astoi ishment, at the absurdity of the 3 34 NARRATIVE OF daims so arrogantly set up by the masters, over beings designed by God to be as free as kings ; and at the per- feci stupidity of the slave, in admitting for onp. moment the validity of these claims. In obedience to her mother's instructions, she had edu- cated herself to "^uch a sense of honesty, that, when she had become a mother, she would sometimes whip her cMld when it cried to her for bread, rather than give it a piece secretly, lest it should learn to take what was not its own ! And the writer of this knows, from personal observation, that the slaveholders of the South feel it to be a religious duty to teach their slaves to be honest, and never to take what is not their own ! Oh consistency, art thou not a jewel % Yet Isabella glories in the fact that she was faithful and true to her master ; she says, ' It made me true to my God' — meaning, that it helped to form in her a character that loved truth, and hated a lie, and had saved her from the bitter pains and fears that are sure to follow in the wake of insincerity and hypocrisy. As she advanced in years, an attachment sprung up between herself and a slave named Robert. But his master, an Englishman by the name of Catlin, anxious that no one's property but his own should be enhanced by the increase of his slaves, forbade Robert's visits to Isabella, and commanded him to take a wife among his fellow-servants. Notwithstanding this interdiction, Rob- ert, following the bent of his inclinations, continued his visits to Isabel, though very stealthily, and, as he believ- ed, without exciting the suspicion of his master ; but one Saturday aftcrnocm, hearing that Bell was ill, he took the liberty to go and see her. The first intimation she had of his visit was the appearance of her master, inquiring ' if she had seen Bob.' On her answering in the negative, SOJOURNER TRUTH. 35 he said to her, ' If you see him, tell him to take care of himself, for the Catliiis are after him,' Almost at that instant, Bob made his appearance ; and the first people he met were his old and his young masters. They -were terribly enraged at finding him there, and the eldest be- gan cursing, and calling upon his son to ' Knock dowr, the d d black rascal ;' at the same time, they both fell upon him like tigers, beating him with the heavy ends of their canes, bruising and mangling his head and face in the most awful manner, and causing the blood, which streamed from his wounds, to cover him like a slaughtered beast, constituting him a most shocking spec- tacle. Mr. Dumont interposed at this point, telling the rufiians they could no longer thus spill human blood on his premises — he would have ' no niggers killed there.' The Catlins then took a rope they had taken with them for the purpose, and tied Bob's hands behind him in such a manner, that Mr. Dumont insisted on loosening the cord, declaring that no brute should be tied in tlvat man- ner, where he was. And as they led him away, like the greatest of criminals, the more humane Dumont followed them to their homes, as Robert's protector ; and when he returned, he kindly went to Bell, as he called her, tell- mg her he did not think they would strike him any more, as their wrath had greatly cooled before he left them. Isa- bella had witnessed this scene from her window, and was greatly shocked at the murderous treatment of poor Robert, whom she truly loved, and whose only crime, in the eye of his persecutors, was his affection for her. This beating, and we know not what after treatment, com- pletely subdued the spirit of its victim, for Robert ven- tured no more to visit Isabella, but like an obedient and faithful chattel, took himself a wife from the house of Q 6 NARRATIVE OF his master. Robert did not live many years after his last visit to Isabel, but took his departure to that coun- try, where ' they neither marry nor are given in marriage,' and where the oppressor cannot molest. ISABELLA'S MARRIAGE. Subsequently, Isabella was married to a fellow-slave, named Thomas, who had previously had two wives, one of whom, if not both, had been torn from him and sold far away. And it is more than probable, that he was not only allowed but encouraged to take another at each successive sale. I say it is probable, because the writer of this knows from personal observation, that such is the custom among slaveholders at the present day ; and that in a tw^enty months' residence among them, we never knew any one to open the lip against the practice ; and when we severely censured it, the slaveholder had nothing to say ; and the slave pleaded that, under existing cir- cumstances, he could do no better. Such an abominable state of things is silently tolerated, to say the least, by slaveholders — deny it who may. And what is that religion that sanctions, even by its silence, all that is embraced in the ' Peculiar Institution V If there can be any thing more diametrically opposed to the religion of Jesus, than the working of this soul-kill- ing system — which is as truly sanctioned by the religion of America as are her ministers and churches — we wdsh to be shown where it can be found. We have said, Isabella was married to Tliomas — she was, after the fashion of slavery, one of the slaves per- forming the ceremony for them ; as no true minister of SOJOURNER TRUTH. 37 Christ can perform, as in the presence of God, what he knows to be a mere farce, a mock marriage, unrecognized by any civil hiw, and liable to be annulled any moment, when the interest or caprice of the master should dictate. With what feelings must slaveholders expect us to listen to their horror of amalgamation in prospect, while they are well aware that we know how calmly and qui- etly they contemplate the present state of licentiousness their own wicked laws have created, not only as it regards the slave, but as it regards the more privileged portion of the population of the South ? Slaveholders appear to me to take the same notice of the vices of the slave, as one does of the vicious disposi- tion of his horse. They are often an inconvenience ; fur- ther than that, they care not to trouble themselves about the matter. ISABELLA AS A MOTHER. In process of time, Isabella found herself the mother of five children, and she rejoiced in being permitted to be the instrument of increasing the property of her oppres- sors ! Think, dear reader, without a blush, if you can, for one moment, of a mother thus willingly, and with pride, laying her own children, the ' flesh of her flesh,' on the altar of slavery — a sacrifice to the bloody Moloch ! But we nuist remember that beings capable of such sacrifices are not mothers ; they are only ' things,' ' chattels,' ' pro- perty.' But since that time, the subject of this narrative has made some advances from a state of chattelism towards that of a woman and a mother ; and she now looks back upon her thoughts and feelings there, in her state of igno- 38 NARRATIVE OF ranee and degradation, as one does on the dark imagery of a fitful dream. One moment it seems but a frightfiil illusion ; again it appears a teiTible reality. I would to God it were but a dreamy myth, and not, as it now stands, a horrid reality to some three millions of chattelized hu- man beings. I have already alluded to her care not to teach her chil- dren to steal, by her example ; and she says, with groan- ings that cannot be written, ' The Lord only knows how many times I let my children go hungry, rather than take secretly the bread I liked not to ask for.' All parents who annul their preceptive teachings by their daily prac- tices would do well to profit by her example. Another proof of her master's kindness of heart is found in the following fact. If her master came into the house and found her infant crying, (as she could not always at- tend to its wants and the commands of her mistress at the same time,) he would turn to his wife with a look of reproof, and ask her why she did not see the child taken care of; saying, most earnestly, ' I will not hear this cry- ing ; I can 't bear it, and I will not hear any child cry so. Here, Bell, take care of this child, if no more work is done for a week.' And he would linger to see if his or- ders were obeyed, and not countermanded. When Isabella went to the field to work, she used to put her infant in a basket, tying a rope to each handle, and suspending the basket to a branch of a tree, set ano- ther small child to swing it. It was thus secure from rep- tiles, and was easily administered to, and even lulled to sleep, by a child too young for other labors. I was quite struck with the ingenuity of such a baby-tender, as I have sometimes been with the swinging hammock the native mother prepares for her sick infant — apparently so much SOJOURNER TRUTH. 39 easier than aught we have in our more civilized homes; easier for the child, because it gets the motion without the least jar ; and easier for the nurse, because the ham- mock is strung so high as to supersede the necessity of stooping. slaveholder's promises. After emancipation had been decreed by the State, some years before the time fixed for its consummation, Isabella's master told her if she would do well, and be faithful, he would give her ' free papers,' one year before she was legally free by statute. In the year 1826, she had a b adiy diseased hand, which greatly diminished her usefiilness ; but on the arrival of July 4, 1827, the time specified for her receiving her 'free papers,' she claimed the fulfilment of her master's promise ; but he refused grant- ing it, on account (as he alleged) of the loss he had sus- tained by her hand. She plead that she had worked all the time, and done many things she was not wholly able to do, although she kn'^w she had been less useful than formerly; but her master remained inflexible. Her very faithfiilness probably operated against her now, and he found it less easy than he thought to give up the profits of his faithful Bell, who had so long done him efficient service. But Isabella inwardly determined tha<- she would re. main quietly with him only until she had spun his wool — about one hundred pounds — and then she would leave him, taking the rest of the time to herself. ' Ah!' sh"! says, with emphasis that cannot be written, ' the slave- holders are terrible for promising to give you this or 40 XARRATIVE OF that, or such and such a privilege, if you will do thus and so ; and when the time of fulfilment comes, and one claims the promise, they, forsooth, recollect nothing of the kind ; and you are, like as not, taunted with being a LIAR ; or, at best, the slave is accused of not having per- formed his part or condition of the contract.' ' Oh !' said she, ' I have felt as if I could not live through the opera- tion sometimes. Just think of us ! so eager for our plea- sures, and just foolish enough to keep feeding and feeding ourselves up with the idea that we should get what had been thus fairly promised ; and when we think it is almost in our hands, find ourselves flatly denied ! Just think ! how could we bear it ? Why, there was Charles Brodhead promised his slave Ned, that when harvesting was over, he might go and see his wife, who lived some twenty or thirty miles off. So Ned worked early and late, and as soon as the harvest was all in, he claimed the promised boon. His master said, he had merely told him he ' would see if he could go, when the harvest was over; but now he saw that he could not go.'' But Ned, who still claimed a positive promise, on which he had fully depended, went on cleaning his shoes. His master asked him if he intended going, and on his replying 'yes ,' took up a sled-stick that lay near him, and gave him such a blow on the head as broke his skull, killing him dead on the spot. The poor colored people all felt struck down by the blow.' Ah ! and well they might. Yet it was but one of a long series of bloody, and other most effectual blows, struck against their liberty and their lives.* But to return from our digression. The subject of this narrative was to have been free • Yet no official notice was taken of his more than brutal mai- der. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 4-1 July 4, 1827, but she continued with her master till the wool was spun, and the heaviest of the 'fall's work' closed up, when she concluded to take her freedom into her own hands, and seek her fortune in some other place. HER ESCAPE. The question m her mind, and one not easily solved, now was, ' How can 1 get away V So, as was her usual custom, she ' told God she was afraid to go in the night and in the day every body would see her.' At length, the thought came to her that she could leave just before the day dawned, and get out of the neighborhood where she was known before the people were much astir. ' Yes,' said she, fervently, ' that's a good thought ! Thank you, God, for that thought !' So, receiving it as coming direct from God, she acted upon it, and one fine morning, a little before day-break, she might have been seen step- ping stealthily away from the rear of Master Dumont's house, her infant on one arm and her wardrobe on the other ; the bulk and weight of which, probably, she never found so convenient as on the present occasion, a cotton handkerchief containing both her clothes and her pro- visions. As she gained the summit of a high hill, a considerable distance from her master's, the sun offended her by com- ing forth in all his pristine splendor. She thought it never was so light before ; indeed, she thought it much too light. She stopped to look about her, and ascertain if her pursuers were yet in sight. No one appeared, and, for the first time, the question came up for settlement, ' Where, and to whom, shall I go V In all her thoughts of getting away, she had not once asked herself whither 42 NARRATIVE OF she should direct her steps. She sat down, fed her infant, and again turning her thoughts to God, her only help, she prayed him to direct her to some safe asylum. And soon it occurred to her, that tht-re was a man living some- where in the direction she had been pursuing, by the name of Levi Rowe, whom she had known, and who, she thought, would be likely to befriend her. She accord- ingly pursued her way to his house, where she found him ready to entertain and assist her, though he was then on his death-bed. He bade her partake of the hospitalities of his house, said he knew of two good places where she might get in, and requested his wife to show her where they were to be found. As soon as she came in sight of the first house, she recollected having seen it and its inhab- itants before, and instantly exclaimed, 'That's the place for me ; I shall stop there.' She went there, and found the good people of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Van Wage- ner, absent, but was kindly received and hospitably en- tertained by their excellent mother, till the return of her children. When they arrived, she made her case known to them. They listened to her story, assuring her they never turned the needy away, and willingly gave her employment. She had not been there long before her old master, Du- mont, appeared, as she had anticipated ; for when she took French leave of him, she resolved not to go too far from him, and not put him to as much trouble in looking her up — for the latter he was sure to do — as Torn and Jack had done when they ran away from him, a short time before. This was very considerate in her, to say the least, and a proof that ' like begets like.' He had oflen considered her feelings, though not always, and she was equally considerate. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 43 When her master saw her, he said, ' Well, Bell, so you've run away from me.' ' No, I did not run emaj ; I walked away by day-light, and all because you had pro- mised me a year of my time.' His reply was, 'You must go back with me.' Her decisive answer was, ' No, I wo7iH go back with you.' He said, ' Well, I shall take the child.^ This also was as stoutly negatived. Mr. Isaac S. Van Wagener then interposed, saying, he had never been in the practice of buying and selling slaves ; he did not believe in slavery ; but, rather than have Isar bella taken back by force, he would buy her services for the balance of the year — for which her master charged twenty dollars, and five in addition for the child. The sum was paid, and her master Dumont departed ; but not till he had heard Mr. Van Wagener tell her not to call him master, — adding, ' there is but one master ; and he who is your master is my master.' Isabella inquired what she should call him ? He answered, ' Call me Isaac Van Wagener, and my wife is Maria Van Wagener.' Isa- bella could not understand this, and thought it a mighty change, as it most truly was from a master whose word was law, to simple Isaac S. Van Wage- ner, who was master to no one. With these noble people, who, though they could not be the masters of slaves, were undoubtedly a portion of God's nobility, she resided one year, and from them she derived the name of Van Wagener ; he being her last master in the eye of the law, and a slave's surname is ever the same as his master ; that is, if he is allowed to have any other name than Tom, Jack, or Guffin. Slaves have sometimes been severely punished for adding their master's name to their own. But when they have no particular title to it, it is no particular offence. 4-1 NARRATIVE OF ILLEGAL SALE OF HER SON. A little previous to Isabel's leaving her old master, he had sold her child, a hoy of five years, to a Dr. Ged- ney, who took him with him as far as New York city, on his way to England ; but finding the boy too small for nis service, he sent him back to his brother, Solomon Gedney. This man disposed of him to liis sister's hus- oand, a wealthy planter, by the name of Fowler, who took him to his own home in Alabama. This illegal and fraudulent transaction had been perpe- trated some months before Isabella knew of it, as she was now living at Mr. Van Wagener's. Tlie law expressly prohibited the sale of any slave out of the State, — and all minors were to be free at twenty-one years of age ; and Mr. Dumont had sold Peter with the express under- standing, that he was soon to return to the State of New York, and be emancipated at the specified time. When Isabel heard that her son had been sold South, she immediately started on foot and alone, to find the man who had thus dared, in the face of all law, human and divine, to sell her child out of the State ; and if pos- sible, to bring him to account for the deed. Arriving at New Paltz, she went directly to her former mistress, Dumont, complaining bitterly of the removal ijf her son. Her mistress heard her through, and then re- plied— '■Ugh! -A fine fuss to make about a little nigger! Why, have n't you as many of 'em left as you can see to and take care of? A pity 'tis, the niggers are not all in Guinea ! ! Makuig such a halloo-balloo about the neigh- borhood ; and all for a paltry nigger ! ! ! ' Isabella heard her through, and afler a moment's hesitation, answered, in SOJOURNER TRUTH, 15 tones of deep determination — ' Fll have my child again? ' Have your child again ! ' repeated her mistress — her tonet big with contempt, and seorinng the absurd idea of her getting him. ' How can you get him ? And what have you to support him with, if you could ? Have you any money ? ' ' No,' answered Bell, ' I have no money, but God has enough, or what's better ! And I'll have my child again.' These words were pronounced in the most slow, solemn and determined measure and manner. And in speaking of it, she says, ' Oh, my God ! I know'd I'd have him agin. I was sure God would help me to get him. Why, I felt so tall within — I felt as if the power of a nation was with me ! ' The impressions made by Isabella on her auditors, when moved by lofty or deep feeling, can never be transmitted to paper, (to use the words of another,) till by some Da- guerrian art, we are enabled to transfer the look, the ges- ture, the tones of voice, in connection with the quaint, yet fit expressions used, and the spirit-stirring animation that, at such a time, pervades all she says. After leaving her mistress, she called on Mrs. Gedney, mother of him who had sold her boy ; who, after listening to her lamentations, her grief being mingled with indigna- tion at the sale of her son, and her declaration that she would have him again — said, ' Dear me ! What a disturb- ance to make about your child ! What, is your child bet- ter than my child % My cliild is gone out there, and yours is gone to live with her, to have enough of everything, and to be treated like a gentleman ! ' And here she laugh- ed at Isabel's absurd fears, as she would represent them to be. 'Yes,' said Isabel, '■your child has gone there, but she is married and my boy has gone as a slave, and he is too little to go so far fi-om his mother. Oh, I must have 46 NARRATIVE OF my chad.' And here the continued laugh of Mrs. G. seemed to Isabel, in this time of anguish and distress, al- most demoniacal. And well it was for Mrs. Gedney, that, at that time, she could not even dream ot tne awful fate awaiting her own beloved daughter, at the hands of him whom she had chosen as worthy the wealth of her love and confidence, and m whose society her young heart had calculated on a happiness, purer and more elevated than was ever conferred by a kingly crown. But, alas ! she was doomed to disappointment, as we shall relate by and by. At this pomt, Isabella earnestly begged of God that he would show to those about her that He was her helper ; and she adds, in narrating, ' And He did ; or, if He did not show them, he did me.' IT IS OFTEN DARKEST JUST BEFORE DAWN. This homely proverb was illustrated in the case of our sufferer ; for, at the period at which we have arrived in our narrative, to her the darkness seemed palpable, and the waters of affliction covered her soul ; yet light was about to break in upon her. Soon after the scenes related in our last chapter, which had harrowed up her very soul to agony, she met a man, (we would like to tell you who, dear reader, but it would ! le doing him no kindness, even at the present day, to do so,) who evidently sympatliized with her, and counselled her to go to the Quakers, telling her they were already feeling very indignant at the fraudulent sale of her son, and assuring her that they would readily assist her, and direct her what to do. He pointed out to her two houses, where lived some of those people, who formerly, more SOJOURNER TRUTH. 47 than any other sect, perhaps, lived out the principles of the gospel o^ Christ. She wended her way to their dwell- ings, was listened to, unknown as she personally was to them, with patience, and soon gained their sympathies and active co-operation. They gave her lodgings for the night ; and it is very amusing to hear her tell of the ' nice, high, clean, white, beautiful bed ' assigned her to sleep in, which contrasted so strangely with her former pallets, that she sat down and contemplated it, perfectly absorbed in wonder that such a bed should have been appropriated to one like herself. For some time she thought that she would lie down be- neath it, on her usual bedstead, the floor. ' I did, indeed,' says she, laughing heartily at her fonner self However, she finally concluded to make use of the bed, for fear that not to do so might mjure the feelings of her good hostess. In the morning, the Quaker saw that she was taken and set down near Kingston, with directions to go to the Court House, and enter complamt to the Grand Jury. By a little inquiry, she found which was the building she sought, ^\ent into the door, and takmg tiie first man she saw of i]Qposing appearance for the grand jury, she com- menced her complaint. But he very civilly mformed her there was no Grand Jury there ; slie must go up stairs. When she had with some difficulty ascended the flight through the crowd that filled them, she again turned to the '■ (jrandesV lookmg man she could select, telling Mm she . had come to enter a complaint to the Grand Jury. For his own amusement, he mquired what her complaint was ; but, when he saw it was a serious matter, he said to her, ' This is no place to enter a complamt — go hi there, pointing in a particular direction. She then went in, where she foimd the Grand Jurors 48 NARRATIVE OF indeed sitting, and again commenced to relate her injuries. After holding some conversation among themselves, one of them rose, and bidding her follow him, led the way to a side office, where he heard her story, and asked her ' it she could sweai- that the cliUd she spoke of was her son 'i ' 'Yes,' she answered, 'I stoear it's my son.' 'Stop, stop !' said the lawyer, ' you must swear by this book' — giving her a book, which she thinks must have been the Bil>le. She took it, and putting it to her lips, began again to swear it was her child. The clerks, unable to preserve their grav- ity any longer, burst into an uproarious laugh ; and one of them inquired of lawyer Chip of what use it could bi.' to make her swear. ' It will answer the law,' replied the officer. He then made her comprehend just what he wished her to do, and she took a lawful oath, as far as the outward ceremony could make it one. All can judge how far she understood its spirit and meaning. He now gave her a writ, directing her to take it to the constable of New Paltz, and have him serve it on Solomon Gedney. She obeyed, walking, or rather trotting, in her haste, some eight or nine miles. But while the constable, through mistake, served the writ on a brother of the real culprit, Solomon Gedney slipped into a boat, and was nearly across the North River, on whose banks they were standing, before the dull Dutch constable was aware of his mistake. Solomon Gedney, meanwhile, consulted a lawyer, who advised him to go to Alabama and bring back the boy, otherwise it might cost him fourteen years' imprisonment, and a thousand dollars in cash. By this time, it is hoped he began to feel that selling slaves unlawfully was not so good a business as he had wisher) to find it. He secreted hinii;elf till due preparations i;om1<1 be made, and soon set SOJOURNER TRUTH, 49 sail for Alabama. Steamboats and railroads had not then annihilated distance to the extent they now 'have, and although he letl in the fall of the year, spring came ere he returned, bringing the boy with him — but holding on to him as his property. It had ever been Isabella's prayer, not only that her son might be returned, but that he should be delivered from bondage, and into her own hands, lest he should be punished out of mere spite to her, who was so greatly annoying and irritating to her oppressors ; and if her suit was gained, her very triumph would add vastly to their irritation. She again sought advice of Esquire Chip, whose counsel was, that the aforesaid constable serve the before- mentioned writ upon the right person. This being done, soon brought Solomon Gedney up to Kingston, where he gave bonds for his appearance at court, in the sum of $600. Esquire Chip next informed his client, that her case must now lie over till the next session of the court, some months in the future. 'The law must take its course,' said he. 'What ! wait another court ! wait months V said the persevering mother. ' Why, long before that time, he can go clear off, and take my child with him — no one knows where. I cannot wait; I must have him now, whilst he is to be had.' 'Well,' said the lawyer, very coolly, 'if he puts the boy out of the way, he must pay the .$000 — one half of which will be yours ;' supposing, perhaps, that $300 would pay for a 'heap of children,' in the eye of a slave who never, in all her life, called a dol- lar her own. But in this instance, he was mistaken in his reckoning. She assured him, that she had not been seek- ing money, neither would money satisfy her ; it was her 4 50 NARRATIVE OF son, and her son alone she wanted, and her son she must have. Neither could she wait court, not she. The law- yer used his every argument to convince her, that she ought to be very thankful for what they had done for her ; that it was a great deal, and it was but reasonable that she should now wait patiently the time of the court. Yet she never felt, for a moment, like being influenced by these suggestions. She felt confident she was to receive a full and literal answer to her prayer, the burden of which had been — ' O Lord, give my son into my hands, and that speedily ! Let not the spoilers have him any longer.' Notwithstanding, she very distinctly saw that those who had thus far helped her on so kindly were wearied of her, and she feared God was wearied also. She had a short time previous leai'ned that Jesus was a Saviour, and an intercessor ; and she thought that if Jesus could but Ije induced to plead for her in the present trial, God would listen to him, though he were wearied of her importunities. To him, of course, she applied. As she was walking about, scarcely knowing whither she went, asking within herself, ' Who will show me any good, and lend a helping hand in this matter,' she was accosted by a perfect stranger, and one whose name she has never learned, in the following terms: 'Halloo, there; how do you get along with your boyl do they give him up to you?' She told him all, adding that now every body was tired, and she had none to help her. He said, 'Look here! I'll tell you what you'd better do. Do you see that stone house yonder?' pointing in a particular direc- tion. 'Well, lawyer Demain lives there, and do you go to him, and lay your case before him; I think he'll help you. Stick to him. Don't give him peace till he does. I feel sure if you press him, he'll do it for you.' She SOJOURNER TRUTH. 51 needed no further urging, but trotted off at her peculiar gait in the direction of his house, as fast as possible, — and she was not encumbered with stockings, shoes, or any other heavy article of dress. When she had told him her story, in her impassioned manner, he looked at her a few moments, as if to ascertam if he were contemplating a new variety of the genus homo, and then told her, if she would give him five dollars, he would get her son for her, in twenty-four hours. 'Why,' she replied, '7 have no money ^ and never had a dollar in my life ! ' Said he, ' If you will go to those Quakers in Poppletown, who carried you to court, they will help you to five dollars in cash, I have no doubt ; and you shall have your son in twenty-four hom-s, from the time you bring me that sum.' She performed the journey to Poppletown, a distance of some ten miles, very expeditiously ; collected consid- erable more than the sum specified by the barrister; then, shutting the money tightly in her hand, she trotted back, and paid the lawyer a larger fee than he had demanded. When inquired of by people what she had done with the overplus, she answered, ' Oh, I got it for lawyer Demain, and I gave it to him.' They assured her she was a fool to do so ; that she should have kept all over five dollars, and purchased herself shoes with it. ' Oh, I do not want money or clothes now, I only want my son ; and if five dollars will get him, more will surely get him.' And if the lawyer had returned it to her, she avers she would not have accepted it. She was perfectly willing he should have every coin she could raise, if he would but restore her lost son to her. Moreover, the five dollars he required were for the remuneration of him who should go after her son and his master, and not for his own services. The lawyer now renewed his promise, that she should 52 NARRATIVE OF have her son in twenty-four hours. But Isabella, having no idea of this spate of time, went several times in a day, to ascertain if her son had come. Once, when the servant opened the door and saw her, she said, m a tone expressive of much surprise, ' Why, this woman's come asain !' She then wondered if she went too often. When the lawyer appeared, he told her the twenty-four hours would not expire till the next morning ; if she would call then, she would see her son. The next morning saw Isabel at the lawyer's door, while he was yet in his bed. He now assured her it was morning till noon ; and that before noon her son would be there, for he had sent the famous 'Matty Styles' after him, who would not fail to have the boy and his master on hand in due season, either dead or alive ; of that he was sure. Telling her she need not come again ; he would himself inform her of tlieir arrival. After dinner, he appeared at Mr. Rutzer's, (a place the lawyer had procured for her, while she awaited the arrival of her boy,) assuring her, her son had come ; but that he stoutly denied having any mother, or any relatives in that place ; and said, ' she must go over and identify him.' She went to the office, but at sight of her the boy cried aloud, and regarded her as some terrible being, who was about to take him away from a kind and loving friend. He knelt, even, and begged them, with tears, not to take him away from his dear master, who had brought him from the dreadful South, and been so kuid to him. When he was questioned relative to the bad scar on his forehead, he said, ' Fowler's horse hove him.' And of the one on his cheek, 'That was done by running against the carriage.' In answeruig these questions he SOJOUENER TRUTH. 63 looked imploringly at his master, as much as to say, ' If they are falsehoods, you bade me say them ; may they be satisfactory to you, at least.' The justice, noting his appearance, bade him forget his master and attend only to him. But the boy persisted in denying his mother, and clinging to his master, saying his mother did not live in such a place as that. How- ever, they allowed the mother to identify her son ; and Esquire Demain pleaded that he claimed the boy for her, on the ground that he had been sold out of the State, contrary to the laws in such cases made and provided — spoke of the penalties annexed to said crime, and of the sum of money the delinquent was to pay, in case any one chose to prosecute him for the offence he had committed. Isabella, who was sitting in a corner, scarcely daring to breathe, thought within herself, ' If I can but get the boy, the $200 may riinain for whoever else chooses to prose- cute— / have doUL' enough to make myself enemies al- ready'— and she trembled at the thought of the formida^ ble enemies she had probably arrayed against herself — helpless and despised as she was. When the pleading was at an end, Isabella understood the Judge to declare, as the sentence of the Court, that the ' boy be delivered into the hands of the mother — having no other master, no other controller, no other conductor, but his mother.' This sentence was obeyed; he was delivered into her hands, the boy meanwhile begging, most piteously, not to be taken from his dear master, saying she was not his mother, and that his mother did not live in such a place as that. And it was some time before lawyer Demain the clerks, and Isabella, could collectively succeed in calming the child's fears, and in convincing him that Isa- bella was not some terrible monster, as he had for tixQ 64 NARRATIVE OF last months, probably, been trained to believe ; and who, in taking him away from his master, was taking him from all good, and consigning him to all evil. When at last kind words and hon bom had quieted his fears, and he could listen to their explanations, he said to Isabella — ' Well, you do look like my mother used to ;' and she was soon able to make him comprehend some of the obligations he was under, and the relation he stood in, both to herself and his master. She commenced as soon as practicable to examine the boy, and found, to her utter astonishment, that from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, the callosities and indurations on his entire body were most frightful to behold. His back she de- scribed as being like her fingers, as she laid them side by side. 'Heavens ! what is all thisP said Isabel. He answer- ed, ' It is where Fowler whipped, kicked, and beat me.' She exclaimed, ' Oh, Lord Jesus, look ! see my poor child ! Oh Lord, " render unto them double" for all this ! Oh my God ! Pete, how did you bear it V ' Oh, this is nothing, mammy — if you should see Phil- h's, I guess you'd scare ! She had a little baby, and Fowler cut her till the milk as well as blood ran down her body. You would scare to see Phillis, mammy.' When Isabella inquired, ' What did Miss Eliza* say, I'fite, when you were treated so badly ?' he replied, ' Oh, mammy, she said she wished I was with Bell. Some- times I crawled under the stoop, mammy, the blood run- ning all about me, and my back would stick to the boards; and sometimes Miss Eliza would come and grease my Bores, when all were abed and asleep.' * Moaning Mrs. Eliza Fowler. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 55 DEATH OF MRS. ELIZA FOWLER. As soon as possible she procured a place for Peter, as tender of locks, at a place called Wahkendall, near Green- kills. After he was thus disposed of, she visited her sister Sophia, who resided at Newburg, and spent the winter ui several different fomilies where she was acquainted. She remained some time in the family of a Mr. Latin, who was a visitmg relative of Solomon Gedney ; and the latter, when he found Isabel with his cousin, used all his mfluence to persuade him she was a great mischief maker and a very troublesome person, — that she had put him to some hun dreds of dollars expense, by fabricating lies about him, and especially his sister and her family, concernmg her boy, when the latter was living so like a gentleman with them ; and, for his part, he would not advise his friends to harbor or encourage her. However, his cousins, the Latins, could not see with the eyes of his feelings, and consequently his words fell powerless on them, and they retained her in their service as long as they had aught for her to do. She then went to visit her former master, Dumont. She had scarcely arrived there, when Mr. Fred. Warmg en- tered, and seeing Isabel, pleasantly accosted her, and asked her ' what she was drivnng at now-a-days.' On her an- swering ' nothing particular,' he requested her to go over to his place, and assist his folks, as some of them were sick, and they needed an extra hand. She very gladly assented. When Mr. W. retired, her master wanted to know why she wished to help people, that called her the ' worst of devils,' as Mr. Waring had done in the court- house— for he was the uncle of Solomon Gedney, and at- tended the trial we have described — and declared 'that she 56 NARRATIVE OF was a fool to ; he wouldn't do it.' ' Oh,' she told him, ' she would not mind that, but was very glad to have people for- get their anger towards her.' She went over, but too h appy to feel that their resentment was passed, and commenced her work with a light heart and a strong will. She had not worked long in this frame of mmd, before a yoimg da igh- ter of Mr. Waring rushed into the room, exclaiming, \-r\\X\ uplifted hands — 'Heavens and earth, Isabella ! FowL'x's murdered Cousin Eliza !' ' Ho,' said Isabel, ' thaC& noth'ng — he liked to have killed m^ child ; nothing saved him but God.' Meaning, that she was not at all surprised at it, for a man whose heart was sufficiently hardened to treat a mere child as hers had been treated, was, in her opinion , more fiend than human, and prepared for, the commission of any crime that his passions might prompt him to. The child further uiformed her, that a letter had arrived by mail bringing the news. Immediately after this announcement, Solomon Gedney and his mother came in, going direct to Mrs. Waring's room, where she soon heard tones as of some one reading. She thought something said to her inwardly, ' Go up stairs and hear.' At first she hesitated, but it seemed to press her the more — ' Go up and hear ! ' She went up, unusual as it is for slaves to leave their work and enter unbidden their mistress's room, for the sole purpose of seeing or hearing what may be seen or heard there. But on this occasion, Isabella says, she walked in at the door, shut it, placed her back against it, and listened. She saw them and heard them read — ' He knocked her down with his fist, jumped on her with his knees, broke her collar bone, and tore out her wind-pipe ! He then attempted his escape, but was pursued and arrested, and put in an iron bank for safe-keeping ! ' And the fi-iends were re- SOJOURNER TRUTH. 57 quested to go down and take away the poor innocent children who had thus been made in one short day more than orphans. If this narrative should ever meet the eye of those innocent sufferers for another's guilt, let them not be too deeply affected by the relation ; but, placing their confi- dence in Him who sees the end from the beginning, and controls the results, rest secure in the faith, that, although they may physically suffer for the sins of others, if they re- main but true to themselves, their highest and more en- during interests can never sutler from such a cause. This relation should be suppressed for their sakes, were it not even now so often denied, that slavery is fast under- mining all true regard for human life. We know this one instance is not a demonstration to the contrary ; but, adding this to the lists of tragedies that weekly come up to us through the Southern mails, may we not admit them as proofs irrefragable 1 The newspapers confirm this account of the terrible affair. When Isabella had heard the letter, all being too much absorbed in their own feelings to take note of her, she returned to her work, her heart swelling with conflicting emotions. She was awed at the dreadful deed ; she mourned the fate of the loved Eliza, who had in such an undeserved and barbarous manner been put away fi'om her labors and watchings as a tender mother ; and, ' last though not least,' in the development of her character and spirit, her heart bled for the afflicted relatives ; even those of them who ' laughed at her calamity, and mock- ed when her fear came. ' Her thoughts dwelt long and intently on the subject, and the wonderfiil chain of events that had conspired to bring her that day to that house, to listen to that piece of intelligence — to that house, where 58 NARRATiv'E Olf she never was before or afterwards in her life, and invit- ed there by people who had so lately been hotly incensed against her. It all seemed very remarkable to her, and she viewed it as flowing from a special providence of God. She thought she saw clearly, that their unnatu- ral bereavement was a blow dealt in retributive justice : but she found it not in her heart to exult or rejoice over them. She felt as if God had more than answered her petition, when she ejaculated, in her anguish of mind, ' Oh, Lord, render unto them double ! ' She said, ' I dared not find fault with God, exactly ; but the language of my heart was, ' Oh. my God ! that's too much— I did not mean quite so much, God ! ' It was a terrible blow to the friends of the deceased ; and her selfish mother (who, said Isabella, made such a ' to-do about her boy, not from affection, ' but to have her own will and way') went deranged, and walking to and fro in her delirium, called aloud for her poor murdered daughter — ' Eliza ! Eliza!' The derangement of Mrs. G. was a matter of hearsay, as Isabella saw her not after the trial ; but she has no reason to doubt the truth of what she heard. Isabel could never learn the subsequent fate of Fowler, but heard in the spring of '49 that his children had been seen in Kingston — one of whom was spoken of as a fine, interesting girl, albeit a halo of sadness fell like a veil about her. ISABELLA'S RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. We will now turn from the outward and temporal to the inward and spiritual life of our subject. It is ever both interesting and instructive to trace the exercises o SOJOURNER TRUTH. 59 a human mind, through the trials and mysteries of life ; and especially a naturally powerful mind, left as hers was almost entirely to its own workings, and the chance in- fluences it met on its way ; and especially to note its reception of that divine ' light, that lighteth every man that Cometh into the world.' We see, as knowledge dawns upon it, truth and error strangely commingled ; here, a bright spot illuminated by truth — and there, one darkened and distorted by error ; and the state of such a soul may be compared to a landscape at early dawn, where the sun is seen superbly gilding some objects, arid causing others to send forth their lengthened, distorted, and sometimes hideous shad- ows. Her mother, as we have already said, talked to her of God. From these conversations, her incipient mind drew the conclusion, that God was ' a great man ; ' greatly su- perior to other men in power ; and being located ' high in the sky,' could see all that transpired on the earth. She believed he not only saw, but noted down all her ac- tions in a great book, even as her master kept a record of whatever he wished not to forget. But she had no idea that God knew a thought of hers till she had uttered it aloud. As we have before mentioned, she had ever been mind- ful of her mother's injunctions, spreading out in detail all her troubles before God, imploring and firmly trusting him to send her deliverance from them. Whilst yet a child, she listened to a story of a wounded soldier, left alone in the trail of a flying army, helpless and starving, who hardened the very ground about him with kneeling in his supplications to God for relief, until it arrived. From this narrat've, she was deeply impressed with the 60 MARK ATI VE OF idea, that if she also were to present her petitions under the open canopy of heaven, speaking very loud, she should the more readily be heard ; consequently, she sought a fitting spot for this, her rural sanctuary. The place she selected, in which to offer up her daily orisons, was a small island in a small stream, covered with large willow shrubbery, , beneath which the sheep had made their pleasant winding paths ; and sheltering themselves from the scorching rays of a noon-tide sun, luxuriated in the cool shadows of the graceful willows, as they listened to the tiny falls of the silver waters. It was a lonely spot, and chosen by her for its beauty, its retirement, and because she thought that there, in the noise of those waters, she could speak louder to God, without being overheard by any who might pass that way. When she had made choice of her sanctum, at a point of the island where the stream met, after having been separated, she improved it by pulling away the branches of the shrubs from the centre, and weaving them together for a wall on the outside, forming a circular arched alcove, made entirely of the graceful willow. To this place she re- sorted daily, and in pressing times much more frequently. At this time, her prayers, or, more appropriately, * talks with God,' were perfectly original and unique, and would be well worth preserving, were it possible to give the tones and manner with the words ; but no adequate idea of them can be written while the tones and manner remain inexpressible. She would sometimes repeat, ' Our Father in heaven,' in her Low Dutch, as taught her by her mother , after that, all was from the suggestions of her own rude mind. She related to God, in minute detail, all her troubles and sufferings, inquiring, a= she proceeded, ' Do you think SOJOURNER TRUTH. 61 that's right, God 1 ' and closed by begging to be delivered from the evil, whatever it might be. She talked to God as familiarly as if he had been a creature like herself; and a thousand times more so, than if she had been in the presence of some earthly p®tentate She demanded, with little expenditure of reverence or fear, a supply of all her more pressing wants, and at times her demands approached very near to commands. She felt as if God was under obligation to her, much more than she was to him. He seemed to her benighte-d vision in some manner bound to do her bidding. Her heart recoils now, with very dread, when she re calls these shocking, almost blasphemous conversations with the great Jehovah. And well for herself did she deem it, that, unlike earthly potentates, his infinite cha^ racter combined the tender father with the omniscient and omnipotent Creator of the um'verse. She at first commenced promising God, that if he would help her out of all her difiiculties, she would pay him by being very good ; and this goodness she intended as a re- numeration to God. She could thhik of no benefit that was to accrue to herself or her fellow-creatures, from her leading a life of purity and generous self-sacrifice for the good of others ; as far as any but God was concerned, she saw nothing in it but heart-trying penance, sustained by the sternest exertion ; and this she soon found much more easily promised than performed. . Days wore away — new trials came — God's aid was in- voked, and the same promises repeated ; and every suc- cessive night found her part of the contract unfulfilled. She now began to excuse herself, by telling God she could not be good in her present circumstances ; but if he would give her a new plnop. nnd a froorl master and mi* 62 NARRATIVE OF txess, she could and would be good ; and she expressly stipulated, that she would be good one day to show Goo how good she would be all of the time, when he should surround her with the right influences, and she should be delivered from the temptations that then so sorely beset her. But, alas ! when night came, and she became con- scious that she had yielded to all her temptations, and entirely faUed of keeping her word with God, having prayed and promised one hour, and fallen into the sins of anger and profanity the next, the mortifying reflection weighed on her mind, and blunted her enjoyment. Still, she did not lay it deeply to heart, but continued to repeat her demands for aid, and her promises of pay, with full purpose of heart, at each particular tinie, that that day she would not fail to keep her plighted word. Thus perished the inward spark, like a flame just ignit- ing, when one waits to see whether it will burn on or die out, till the long desired change came, and she found her- self in a new place, with a good mistress, and one who never instigated an otherwise kind master to be unkind to her ; in short, a place where she had literally nothing to complain of, and where, for a time, she was more hap- py than she could well express. ' Oh, every thing there was so pleasant, and kind, and good, and all so comforta- ble ; enough of every thing; indeed, it was beautiful!' she exclaimed. Here, at Mr. Van Wagener's, — as the reader will read- ily perceive she must have been, — she was so happy and satisfied, that God was entirely forgotten. Why should her thoughts turn to Him, who was only known to her as a help in trouble 1 She had no trouble now ; her every prayer had been answered in every mmute particular. She had been delivered from her persecutors and temp- SOJOUENER TRUTH. 63 tations, her youngest child had been given her, and the others she knew she had no means of sustaining if she had them with her, and was content to leave them behind. Their father, who was much older than Isabel, and who preferred serving his time out in slavery, to the trouble and dangers of the course she pursued, remamed with and could keep an eye on them — though it is comparatively little that they can do for each other while they remain in slavery ; and this little the slave, like persons in every other situation of life, is not always disposed to perform. , There are slaves, who, copying the selfishness of their su- periors in power, m their conduct towards their fellows who may be thrown upon their mercy, by infirmity or illness, allow them to suffer for want of that kindness and care wliich it is fully in their power to render them. The slaves iji this country have ever been allowed to celebrate the principal, if not some of the lesser festivals observed by the Catholics and Church of England ; many of them not being required to do the least service for several days, and at Christmas they have almost univer- sally an entire week to themselves, except, perhaps, the attending to a few duties, which are absolutely required for the comfort of the families they belong to. If much service is desired, they are hired to do it, and paid for it as if they were free. The more sober portion of them spend these holidays in earning a little money. Most of them visit and attend parties and balls, and not a i%^ of them spend it m the lowest dissipation. This respite from toil is granted them by all religiom'sts, of whatever per- suasion, and probably originated from the fact that many of the first slaveholders were members of the Church of England. Frederick Douglass, who has devoted his great heart ^ NARRATIVE OF and noble talents entirely to the furtherance of the cause of his down-trodden race, has said— 'From what I know of the effect of their holidays upon the slave, I believe them to be among the most etfective means, in the hands of the slaveholder, in keeping down the spirit of insur- rection. Were the slaveholders at once to abandon this practice, I have not the slightest doubt it would lead to ail immediate insurrection among the slaves. These hol- idays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved hum anity . But for these, the slave would be forced up to the wildest desperation ; and woe betide the slaveholder, the day he ventures to remove or hinder the operation of those conductors ! ^ I ■ warn him that, in such an event, a spirit will go forth in their midst, more to be dreaded than the most appalling earthquake.' When Isabella had been at Mr. Van Wagener's a few months, she saw in prospect one of the festivals approach- uig. She Imows it by none but the Dutch name, Pingster, as she calls it— but I think it must have been Whit- suntide, in English. She says she ' looked back into Egypt,' and everything looked 'so pleasant there,' as she saw ret- respectively all her former companions enjoymg their freedom for at least a little space, as well as their wonted convivialities, and in her heart she longed to be with them. With this picture before her mind's eye, she contrasted the quiet, peaceful lifo she was living with the excellent people of Wahkendall, and it seemed so dull and void ot incident, that the very contrast served but to heighten her desire to return, that, at least, she might enjoy with them, once more, the coming festivities. These feelmgs had oc- cupied a secret corner of her breast for some time, when, one morning, she told Mrs. Van Wager.er that her old SOJOIKXER TRUTH, 65 master Dumont would come that day, and that she should go home with him on liis return. They expressed some sur- prise, and asked her where she obtamed her information. She replied, that no one had told her, but she felt that he would come. It seemed to have been one of those ' events that cast their shadows before;' for, before night, Mr. Dumont made his appearance. She mformed him of her mten- tion to accompany him home. He answered, with a smile, ' I shall not take you back again ; you ran away fi-om me.' Thinking liis manner contradicted his words, she did not feel repulsed, but made herself and cluld ready ; and when her former master had seated himself in the open dearborn, she walked towards it, intending to place herself and child in the rear, and go with him. But, ere she reached the vehicle, she says that God revealed himself to her, with all the suddemiess of a flash of light- ning, showmg her, ' in the twmkling of an eye, that he was all over'' — that he pervaded the universe — 'and that there was no place where God was not.' She became instantly conscious of her great sin in forgetting her almighty Friend and ' ever-present help m time of trouble.' All her unfulfilled promises arose before her, like a vexed sea whose waves run mountains laigh ; and her soul, which seemed but one mass of lies, shrunk back aghast fropi the 'awful look' of Him whom she had formerly talked R», as if he had been a bemg lilce herself; and she would now fain have hid herself in the bowels of the earth, to have escaped his dread presence. But she plainly saw tiiere was no place, not even in hell, where he was not : and where could she flee ? Another such 'a look,' as she expressed it, and she feU that she must be extinguished 5 66 NARRATIVE OF forever, even as one, with the breath of his mouth, ' blows out a lamp,' so that no spark remains. A dire di-ead of amiihilation now seized her, and she waited to see if, hy ' another look,' she was to be stricken from existence,— swallowed up, even as the fire licketh up the oil with which it comes m contact. When at last the second look came not, and her atten- tion was once more called to outward things, she obser- ved her master had left, and exclaiming aloud, ' Oh, God, I did not Imow you were so big,' walked into the house, and made an effort to resume her work. But the work- ings of the inward man were too absorbmg to admit of much attention to her avocations. She desired to talk to God, but her vileness utterly forbade it, and she was not able' to prefer a petition. 'What !' said she, ' shall I lie again to God? I have told him nothing but lies; and shaUIspeak agam, and tell another lie to God r She could not; and now she began to wish for some one to speak to God for her. Then a space seemed opening be- tween her and God, and she felt that if some one, who was worthy m the sight of heaven, would but plead /or her in their own name, and not let God know it came from her, who was so unworthy, God might grant it. At length a friend appeared to stand between herself and an insSted Deity ; and she felt as sensibly refreshed as when, on a hot day, an umbrella had been interposed between her scorching head and a burning svm. But who was this friend % became the next inquiry. Was it Deencia, who had so often befriended her 1 She looked at her with hei new power of sight— and, lo ! she, too, seemed all ' bruises and putrifying sores,' like herself No, it was some one very different from Deencia. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 67 ' Who are you ?' she exclaimed, as the vision brightened mto a form distinct, bejiming with the beauty of holiness, and radiant with love. She then said, audibly address- ing the mysterious visitant—' I know you, and I dmi't know you.' Meaning, ' You seem perfectly familiar ; I feel that you not only love me, but that you always have loved me — yet I know you not— I cannot call you by name.' When she said, ' I know you,' the subject of the vision remained distinct and quiet. When she said, ' I don't know you,' it moved restlessly about, like agitated waters. So while she repeated, wthout intermission, 'I know you, I know you,' that the vision might remain — ' Who are you f was the cry of her heart, and her whole soul was m one deep prayer that this heavenly personage might be revealed to her, and remaua with her. At length, after bending both soul and body with the inten- sity of this desire, till breath and strength seemed failing, and she could maintain her position no longer, an answer came to her, sayuig distmctly, ' It is Jesus.' ' Yes,' she responded, ' it is JesusJ Previous to these exercises of mind, she heard Jesus mentioned in reading or speakmg, but had received from what she heard no impression that he was any other than an eminent man, like a Washington or a Lafayette. Now he appeared to her delighted mental vision as so mild, so good, and so every way lovely, and he loved her so much ! And, how strange that he had always loved her, and she had never known it ! . And how great a blessing he con- ferred, m that he should stand between her and God ! And God was no longer a terror and a dread to her. She stopped not to argue the point, even in her own mind, whether he had reconciled her to God, or God to herself, (though she thinks the former now,) being but 68 NARRATIVE OF too happy that God was no longer to her as a consunung fire, and Jesus was ' altogether lovely.' Her heart was now full of joy and gladness, as it had been of terror, and at one "time of despair. In the light of her great happiness, the world was clad in new beauty, the very air sparkled as with diamonds, and was redolent of heaven. She contemplated the unapprojw:-hable barriers that exist- ed between herself and the great of this world, as the world calls greatness, and made surprising comparisons between them, and the union existing between herself and Jesus,— Jesus, the transcendently lovely as well as great and powerful ; for so he appeared to her, though he seem- ed but human ; and she watched for his bodily appearance, feeluig that she should know lum, if she saw him ; and when he came, she should go and dwell with him, as with a dear fiiend. It was not given her to see that he loved any other ; Mid she thought if others came to know and love him, as she did, she should be thrust aside and forgotten, being herself but a poor ignorant slave, with little to recom- mend her to his notice. And when she heard him spoken of, she said mentally— 'What! others know Jesus! 1 thought no one knew Jesus but me !' and she felt a sort of jetalousy, lest she should be robbed of her newly found treasure. She conceived, one day, as she listened to readbg, that she heard an intimation that Jesus was married, and has- tily inquired if Jesus had a wife. ' What !' said the read- er, ' God have a wife ?' ' Is Jesus God T inquired Isabella. ' Yes, to be sure he is,' was the answer returned. From this time, her conceptions of Jesus became more elevar ted and spiritual ; and she sometimes spoke of him as God, in accordance with th^. teaching she had received. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 69 But when she was simply told, that the Christian world was much divided on the subject of Christ's nature — some believing him to be coequal with the Father — to be God in and of himself, ' very God, of very God ;' — some, that he is the ' well-beloved,' ' only begotten Son of God ;' — and others, that he is, or was, rather, but a mere man — she said, ' Of that I only know as I saw. I did not see him to be God ; else, how could he stand between me and God ? I saw him as a friend, standing between me and God, through whom, love flowed as from a fountain.' Now, so far from expressing her views of Christ's char- acter and office in accordance with any system of theolo- gy extant, she says she believes Jesus is the same spirit that was in our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the be- ginning, when they came from the hand of their Creator. When they sinned through disobedience, this pure spirit forsook them, and fled to heaven; that there it remained, until it returned again in the person of Jesus ; and that, previous to a personal union with him, man is but a brute, possessing only the spirit of an animal. She avers that, in her Jiirkest hours, she had no fear of any worse hell than the one she then carried m her bosom ; though it had ever been pictured to her in its deepest colors, and threatened her as a reward for all her misde- meanors. Her vileness and God's holmess and all-per- vading presence, which filled immensity, and threatened her with instant annihilation, composed the burden of hei vision of terror. Her fiiith in prayer is equal to her faith in the love of Jesus, Her language is, ' Let others say what they will of the efficacy of prayer, /believe in it, and/ shall pray. Thank God ! Yes^Ishalla/wai/sprai/,'' she exclahnSy putting her hands together with the greatest enthusiasm. For some time subsequent to the happy change we 70 NARRATIVE OF have spoken of, Isabella's prayers partook largely of their former character ; and while, in deep affliction, she labored for the recovery of her son, she prayed with constancy and fervor ; and the following may be taken as a specimen : — ' Oh, God, you know how much I am distressed, for I have told you again and again. Now, God, help me get my son. If you were in trouble, as I aia, and I could help you, as you can me, think I would n't do it? Yes, God, you know I would do it.' ' Oh, God, you know I have no inoney, but you can make the peo- ple do for me, and you must make the people do for me. I will never give you peace till you do, God.' ' Oh, God, make the people hear me — don't let them turn nie off, without hearing and helping me.' And she has not a particle of doubt, that God heard her, and especially dis- posed the hearts of thoughtless clerks, eminent lawyers, and grave judges and others — ^between whom and herself there seemed to her almost an infinite remove- — to listen to her suit with patient and respectful attention, backing it up with all needed aid. The sense of her nothingness, in the eyes of those .vith M'hom she contended for her rights, sometimes fell on her like a heavy weight, which nothing but her unwavering confidence in an arm which she believed to be stronger than all others combined could have raised from her sinking spiiit. ' Oh ! how little 1 did feel,' she repeated, with a powerful emphasis. ' Neither would you wonder, if you could have seen me, in my ignorance and destitution, trotting about the sti'cets, meanly clad, bare-headed, and bare-footed ! Oh, God only could have made such people hear me; and he did it in answer to my prayers.' And this perfect trust, based on the rock of Deity, was a soul-protecting fortress, which, raising her above the battlements of fear, and "SOJOURNER TRUTH. 71 shielding her from the • machinations of the enemy, im- pelled her onward in the struggle, till the foe was van quished, and the victory gained. We have now seen Isabella, her youngest daughter, and her only son, in possession of, at least, their nomi- nal freedom. It has been said that the fi*eedom of the most free of the colored people of this country is but nominal ; but stinted and limited as it is, at best, it is an immense remove from chattel slavery. This fact is disputed, I know ; but I have no confidence in the honesty of such questionings. If they are made in sincerity, I honor not the judgment that thus decides. Her husband, quite advanced in age, and infirm of health, was emancipated, with the balance of the adult slaves of the State, according to law, the following sum- mer, July 4, 182S. For a few years after this event, he was able to earn a scanty living, and when he failed to do that, he was de- pendent on the ' world's cold charity,' and died in a poor- house. Isabella had herself and two children to provide for ; her wages were trifling, for at that time the wages of females were at a small advance from nothing ; and she doubtless had to learn the first elements of economy — for what slaves, that were never allowed to make any stipulations or calculations for themselves, ever possess- ed an adequate idea of the true value of time, or, in flxct, of any material thing in the universe? To such, 'pru- dent using ' is meanness — and ' saving' is a word to be sneered at. Of course, it was not in her power to make to herself a home, around whose sacred hearth- stone she could collect her family, as they gradually emerged from their prison-house of bondage ; a home, where she could cultivate their affection, administer to 72 NARRATIVE OF their wants, and instil into the opening minds of her chil- dren those principles of virtue, and that love of purity, truth and benevolence, wliich must ever form the foun- dation of a life of usefulness and happiness. No — all this was far beyond her power or means, in more senses than one; and it should be taken into the account, whenever a Q^H^ipon is instituted between the progress made by iier^Btdren in virtue and goodness, and the progress of those who have been nurtured in the genial warmth of a sunny home, where good influences cluster, and bad ones are carefully excluded — where ' line upon line, and precept upon precept,' are daily brought to their quoti- dian tasks — and where, in short, every appliance is brought hi requisition, that self-denying parents can bring to bear on one of the dearest objects of a parent's life, the promotion of the welfare of their children. But God forbid that this suggestion should be wrested fi'om its original intent, and made to shield any one from merit- ed rebuke! Isabella's children are now of an age to know good from evil, and may easily inform themselves on any point where they may yet be in doubt ; and if they now suf- fer themselves to be drawn by temptation into the paths of the destrover. or forget what is due lo the mother who has done and suffered so much for them, and who, now that she is descending into thf vale of years, and feels her healtn and strength decluiing, will turn her expect- ing eyes to th^m for aid and comfort, just as instinctively as the child turns its confiding eye to its fond parent, when it sf ek;s for succor or for sympathy — (for it is now their turn to do the work, and bear the burdens of life, as all mu'^r oeiJT them in turn, as the wheel of life rolls on) — if, I sav. they forget this, theii- duty and their happi- ness, and pursue an opposite course of sin and folly, they SOJOURNER TRUTH. 73 must lose the respect of the wise and good, and find, when too late, that ' the way of the transgressor is hard.* NEW TRIALS. The reader will pardon this passing homily, while we return to our narrative. We were saying that the day-dreams of Isabella and her husband — the plan they drew of what they would do, and the comforts they thought to have, when they should obtain their freedom, and a little home of their own — had all turned to ' tliin air,' by the postponement of their fn-cdum to so late a day. These delusive hopes were never to Ije realized, and a new set of trials was gradually to open before her. These were the heart-wasting trials of watch- ing over her children, scattered, and imminently exposed to the temptations of the adversary, with few, if any, fixed prmciples to sustain them. ' Oh,' she says, ' how little did I know myself of the best way to instruct and counsel them ! Yet I did the l»est 1 then knew, when with them. I took them to the religious meetings ; I talked to, and prayed for and with them ; when they did wi'ong, I scolded at and whipped them.' Isabella and her son had been free about a year, when they went to reside in the city of New York ; a place which she would doubtless have avoided, could she have seen what was there in store for her ; for this view into the future would have taught her what she only learned by bitter ex perience, that the baneful mfluences going up fi'om such a city were not the best helps to education, commenced as the education of her children had been. Her son Peter was, at the time of which we are speak- 74 NARRATIVE DF ing, just at that a^e when no lad should be subjected to the temptations of such a place, unprotected as he was, save by the feeble arm of a mother, herself a servant there. He was growing up to be a tall, well-formed, ac- tive lad, of quick perceptions, mild and cheerful m his dis- position, with much that was open, generous and wimiing about him, but with little power to withstand temptation, and a ready ingenuity to provide himself with ways and means to carry out his plans, and conceal from his mother and her friends, all such as he knew would not meet their approbation. As will be readily believed, he was soon drawn into a circle of associates who did not improve either his habits or his morals. Two years passed before Isabella knew what character Peter was establishing for himself among his low and worthless comrades — passing under the assumed name of Peter Williams ; and she began to feel a parent's pride in the promising appearance of her only son. But, alas ! this pride and pleasure were shortly dissipated, as distressing facts relative to him came one by one to her astonished ear. A friend of Isabella's, a lady, who was much pleased with the good humor, iagenuity, and open confessions of Peter, when driven into a corner, and who, she said, 'was so smart, he ought to have an education, if any one ought,' — paid ten dollars, as tuitioc fee, for hiin to attend a naviga- tion school. But Peter, little inclined to spend his leisure hours in study, when he might be enjoying himself in the dance, or otherwise, with his boon companions, went regu- larly and made some plausible excuses to the teacher, who received theta as genuine, along with the ten dollars of Mrs. , and while his mother and her friend believed him improving at school, he was, to their latent sorrow, im- proving ui a very different place or places, and on entirely SOJOURNER TRUTH. 75 opposite principles. They also procured hiin an excellent place as a coackman. But, wanting money, he sold hi* livery, and other tilings belonging to his master ; who, hav mg conceived a kmd regard for him, considered his youth, and prevented the law from falluig, with all its I'igor, upor his head. Still he continued to abuse his privileges, and to involve himself in repeated difficulties, from which his mother as often extricated him. At each time, she talked much, and reasoned arid remonstrated with him ; and he would, ^vith such perfect frankness, lay open his whole souj to her, telling her he had never intended doing harm, — how he had been led along, little by little, till, before he was aware, he found himself in trouble — how he had tried to be good — and how, when he would have been so, 'evil was present with him,' — indeed he knew not how it was. His mother, beginning to feel that the city was no place for him, urged his going to sea, and would have shipped him on board a man-of-war ; but Peter was not disposed to consent to that proposition, wliile the city and its plea sures were accessible to him. Isabella now became a prey to distressing fears, dreading lest the next day or hour come fraught with the report of some dreadliii crime, committed or abetted by her son. She thanks the Lord for sparing her that giant sorrow, as all his wron^i doings never ranked higher, in the eye of the law, than misdemeanors. But as she could see no improvement m Peter, as a last resort, she resolved to leave him, for a time, unassisted, to bear the penalty of his conduct, ana see what effect that would have on him. In the trial hour, she remained firm in her resolution. Peter again fell into the hands of the police, and sent for his mother, as usual ; but she went not to his relief. In his extremity, he sent for Peter Williams, a respectable colored barber, whoso 76 NARRATIVE OF name he had been wearing, and who sometimes helped young culprits out of their troubles, and sent them from city dangers, by shipping them on board of whaling vessels. The curiosity of this man was awakened by the cul- prit's bearing his own name. He went to the Tombs and inquired into h'.s case, but could not believe what Peter told him respecting his mother and family. Yet he re- deemed him, and Peter promised to leave New York in a vessel that was to sail in the course of a week. He went to see his mother, and informed her of what had happened to him. She listened incredulously, as to an idle tale. He asked her to go with him and see for her- self. She went, giving no credence to his story till she found herself in the presence of Mr. Williams, and heard him saying to her, ' I am very glad I have assisted your son ; he stood in great need of sympathy and assistance ; but I could not think he had such a mother here, although he assured me he had.' Isabella's great trouble now was, a fear lest her son should deceive his benefactor, and be missing when the vessel sailed ; but he begged her earnestly to trust him, for he said he had resolved to do better, and .meant to abide by the resolve. Isabella's heart gave her no peace till the time of sailing, when Peter sent Mr. Williams and another messenger whom she knew, to tell her he had sailed. But for a month afterwards, she looked to see him emerging from some by-place in the city, and appearing before her ; so afraid was she that he was still unfaithful, and doing wrong. But he did not appear, and at length she "believed him really gone. He left in the summer of 1839, and his friends heard nothing further from him till his motlier received the followmg letter, dated ' October 17 1840' — SOJOURNER TRUTH. 77 My Dear and Beloved Mother : ' I take this opportunity to write to you and inform you that I am well, and in hopes for to find you the same. I am got on board the same unlucky ship Done, of Nan- tucket. I am sorry for to say, that I have been punished once severely, by shoving my head in the fire for other folks. We have had bad luck, but in hopes to have bet- ter. We have about 230 on board, but in hopes, if do n't kave good luck, that my parents will receive me with thanks. I would like to know how my sisters are. Does my cousins live in New York yet 1 Have you got my letter ? If not, inquire to Mr. Pierce Whiting's. I wish you would write me an answer as soon as possible. I am your only son, that is so far fi'om your home, in the wide, briny ocean. I have seen more of the world than ever I expected, and if I ever should return home safe, 1 will tell you all my troubles and hardships. Mother, I hope you do not forget me, your dear and only son. 1 should like to know how Sophia, and Betsey, and Hannah, come on. 1 hope you all will forgive me for all that I have done. ' Your son, PETER VAN WAGENER.' Another letter reads as follows, dated 'March 22, 1841':— ' My Dear Mother : • ' I take this opportunity to write to you, and inform you that I have been well and in good health. I have wrote you a letter before, but have received no answer from you, and was very anxious to see you. I hope to see you in a short time. I have had very hard luck, but are in hopes to have better in time to come. I should 78 NARRATIVE OF like if my sisters are well, and all the people round the neighborhood. I expect to be home in twenty-two months or thereabouts. 1 have seen Samuel Laterett. Beware ! There has happened very bad news to tell you. that Peter Jackson is dead. He died within two days' sail of Otaheite, one of the Society Islands. The Peter Jackson that used to live at Laterett's ; he died on board the ship Done, of Nantucket, Captain Miller, in the latitude 15 53, and longitude 148 30 W. I have no more to say at present, but write as soon as possible. ' Your only son, 'PETER VAN WAGENER.' Another, contaming the last intelligence she has had from her son, reads as follows, and was dated ' Sept. 19, 1841 ' :— ' Dear Mother : ' 1 take this opportunity to write to you and inform you that I am well and in good health, and in hopes to find you in the same. This is the fifth letter that I have wrote to you, and have received no answer, and it makes me very uneasy. So pray write as quick as you can, and tell me how all the people is about the neighborhood. We are out from home twenty-three months, and in hopes to be home in fifteen months. I have not much to say ; but tell me if you have been up home since I left or not. I want to know what sort of a time is at home. We had very bad luck when we first came out, but since we have had very good ; so I am in hopes to do well yet ; but if I do n't do well, you need not expect me home these five years. So write as quick as you can, won't you 1 So now I am going to put an end to my writing, at present. SOJOURNER TRUTH. 79 Notice — when thi • yen see -emember me, and place me in your mind. Get me to my noma, tiiai r; in the far distant west, To the scenes of my childhood, that I hke the best; There the tall cedars grow, and the bright waters flow, Where my parents will greet me, white man, let me go! Let me go to the spot where the cateract plays, Where oft I have sported in my boyish days ; And there is my poor mother, whose heart ever flows. At the sight of her poor child, to her let me go, let me go! ' Your only son, 'Peter Van Wagener.' Since the date of the last letter, Isabella has heard no tidings from her long-absent son, though ardently does her mother's heart long for such tidmgs, as her thoughts follow him around the world, in his perilous vocation, saying within herself — ' He is good now, I have no doubt ; I feel sure that he has persevered, and kept the resolve he made before he left home ; — he seemed so different before he went, so determined to do better.' His letters are inserted here for preservation, in case they prove the last she ever hears from him in tliis world. FINDING A BROTHER AND SISTER. ■When Isabella had obtained the freedom of her son, she remained in Kingston, where she had been drawn by the judicial process, about a year, during which time she became a member of the Methodist Church there : and when she went to New York, she took a letter missive from that church to the iMethodist Church in John street 80 NARRATIVE OP Afterwai'ds, sh<^ ■'Withdrew her connection with that church, and joined Zion's Churcl m Church street, composed entirely of colored pei.-ple. With the latter church she remauied until she went to reside with Mr. Pierson, after which, she was gradually dra^vn into the 'kuigdom' .s«;t up by the prophet Matthias, in the name of God the Father ; for he said tne spirit of God the Father dwelt m him. While Isabella was in New York, her sister Sophia came from Newburg to reside in the former place. Isabel had been favored with occasional interviews -n^'th this sister, although at one time she lost sight of her for the space of seventeen years — almost the entire period of of her bemg at Mr. Dumont's — and when she appeared before her agaui, handsomely dressed, she did not recog nize hex-, till informed who she was. Sophia informed her that her brother Michael — a brother she had nevei seen— was in the city ; and when she introduced him to Isabella, he informed her that their sister Nancy had been living in the city, and had deceased a few months before. He described her features, her dress, her manner, and said she had for some time been a member ui Zion's Church, naming the class she belonged to. Isabella almost instantly recognized her as a sister in the church, with whom she had knelt at the altar, and with whom she had exchanged the speaking pressure of the hand, in recognition of their spii'itual sisterhood ; little thinking, at the time, that they were also children of the same earthly parents — ^even Bomefree and Mau-mau Bett. As inquiries and answers rapidly passed, and the conviction deepened that this was their sister, the very sister they had heard so much of, but had never seen, (for she was the self-same sister that had beei^ locked in tin- gi-eat old SOJOURNER TRUTH, 81 fashioned sleigh-box, when she was taken away, never to behold her mother's face again this side the spirit-land, and Michael, the narrator, was the brother who had shared her fate,) Isabella thought, ' D h ! here she was ; we met ; and was I not, at the time, struck with the peculiar feeling of her hand — the bony hardness so just like mine ? and yet I could not know she was my sister; and now I see she looked so like my mother'' And Isabella wept, and not alone ; Sophia wept, and the strong man, Michael, mmgled his tears with theirs, ' Oh Lord,' inquired Isabella, ' what is this slavery, that it cai» do such dreadful things 1 what evil can it not do 1' Well may she ask ; for surely the evils it can and does da daily and hourly, can never be summed up, till we can see them as they are recorded by him who writes no errors, and reckons without mistake. This account, which now varies so widely in the estimate of different mmds, will be viewed alike by all. Think you, dear reader, when that day comes, the most ' rabid abolitionist ' will say — ' Behold, I saw all tliis whil(^ on the earth?' Will he not rather say, ' Oh, who has conceived the breadth and depth of this moral malaria, this putrescent plague-spot?' Perhaps the pioneers in the slave's cause will be as much surprised as any to find that with all their looking, there remained so much unseen. GLEANINGS, There are some hard things that crossed Isabella's life while in slavery, that she has no desire to publish, for va. rious reasons. First, because the parties from whose hands she suffered them have rendered up their account 6 82 NARRATIVE OF to a higher trib mal, and their innocent friends alone are living, to have their feelings injured by the recital ; sec- ondly, because they are not all for the public ear, from their very nature ; thirdly, and not least, because, she says, were she to tell all that happened to her as a slave —all that she knows is 'God's truth' — it would seem to others, especially the uninitiated, so unaccountable, so un- reasonable, and what is usually called so unnatural, (though it may be questioned whether people do not always act naturally,) they would not easily believe it. ' Why, no !' she says, 'they'd call me a liar ! they would, mdeed ! and I do not wish to say anything to destroy my own character for veracity, though what I say is strictly true.' Some things have been omitted through forget- fulness, which not having been mentioned in their places, can only be briefly spoken of here ; — such as, that her father Bomefree had had two wives before he took Mau mau Bett ; one of whom, if not both, were torn from him by the iron hand of the ruthless traflicker in human flesh ; — that her husband, Thomas, after one of his wives had been sold away from him, ran away to New York City, where he remained a year or two, before he was dis- covered and taken back to the prison-house of slavery ; — that her master Dumont, when he promised Isabella one year of her time, before the State should make her free, made the same promise to her husband, and in ad- dition to freedom, they were promised a log cabin for a home of their own ; all of which, with the one-thousand- and-one day-dreams resulting therefrom, went into the re- pository of unfulfilled promises and unrealized hopes ; — that she had often heard her father repeat a thrilling story of a little slave-child, which, because it annoyed the family with its cries, was caught up by a white man, SOJOURNER TRUTH. 83 who dashed its brains out against the wall. An Indian (for Indians were plenty in that region then) passed along as the bereaved mother washed the bloody corpse of her murdered child, and learning the cause of its death, said, with characteristic vehemence, 'If I had been here, I would have put my tomahawk in his head ! ' meaning the murderer's. Of the cruelty of one Hasbrouck. — He had a sick slave- woman, who was lingering with a slow consumption, whom he made to spin, regardless of her weakness and suffering ; and this woman had a child, that was unable to walk or talk, at the age of five years, neither could it cry like other children, but made a constant, piteous, moan- ing sound. This exhibition of helplessness and imbecil- ity, instead of excithig the master's pity, stung his cupid- ity, and so eni'aged him, that he would kick the poor thing about like a foot-ball. Isabella's informant had seen this brute of a man, when the child was curled up under a chair, innocently amusing itself with a few sticks, drag it thence, that he might have the pleasure of tormenting it. She had seen him, with one blow of his foot, send it rolling quite across the room, and down the steps at the door. Oh, how she wished it might instantly die ! ' But,' she said, ' it seemed as tough as a moccasin.' Though it did die at last, and made glad the heart of its friends ; and its persecutor, no doubt, rejoiced with them, but from very difterent motives. But the day of his retribution was not far off^ — for he sickened, and his reason fled. It was feai'ful to hear his old slave soon tell how, in the day of his calamity, she treated hirn. She was very strong, and was therefore selected to sup- port her master, as he sat up in bed, by putting her arms around, while she stood behmd him. It was then that she 84 NARRATIVE OF did her best to wreak her vengeance on him. She would clutch his feeble frame in her iron grasp, as in a vice ; and, when her mistress did not see, would give him a squeeze, a shake, and lifting him up, set him down again, as hard as possible. If his breathing betrayed too tight a grasp, and her mistress said, ' Be careful, don't hurt him, Soan !' her ever-ready answer was, ' Oh no, Missus, no,' in her most pleasant tone — and then, as soon as Missus's eyes and ears were engaged away, another grasp — another shake — another bounce. She was afraid the disease alone would let him recover, — an event she dreaded more than to do wrong herself Isabella asked her, if she were not afraid his spirit would haunt her. ' Oh, no,' says Soan ; ' he was so wicked, the devil will never let him out of hell long enough for that.' Many slaveholders boast of the love of their slaves. How would it freeze the blood of some of them to know what kind of love rankles in the bosoms of slaves for them ! Witness the attempt to poison Mrs. Calhoun, and hundreds of similar cases. Most ' surprising ' to every body, because committed by slaves supposed to be so grateful for their chains. These reflections bring to mind a discussion on this point, between the writer and a slaveholding friend in Kentucky, on Christmas morning, 1846. We had as- serted, that until mankind were far in advance of what they now are, irresponsible power over our fellow-beings would be, as it is, abused. Our friend declared it his conviction, that the cruelties of slavery existed chiefly in imagination, and that no person in D County, where we then were, but would be above ill-treating a helpless slave. We answered, that if his belief was well-founded, the peo- ple in Kentucky were great! v in advance of the people of SOJOURN KB TRUTH, 86 New England — for we would not dare say as much as that of any school-district there, letting alone counties. No, we would not answer for our own conduct even on so delicate a point. The next evening, he very magnanimously overthrew his own position and established ours, by informing us that, on the morning previous, and as near as we could learn, at the very hour in which we were earnestly dis- cussing the probabilities of the case, a young woman of fine appearance, and high standing in society, the pride of her husband, and the mother of an infant daughter, only a few miles from us, ay, in D County, too, was actually beating in the skull of a slave-woman called Tabby ; and not content with that, had her tied up and whipped, after her skull was broken, and she died hanging to the bedstead, to which she had been fastened. When informed that Tabby was dead, she answered, ' I am glad of it, for she has worried my life out of me.' But Tab- by's highest good was probably not the end proposed by Mrs. M , for no one supposed she meant to kill her. Tabby was considered quite lacking in good sense, and no doubt belonged to that class at the South, that are silly enough to 'die of moderate correction.' A mob collected around the house for an hour or two, in that manner expressing a momentary indignation. But was she treated as a murderess ? Not at all ! She was allowed to take boat (for her residence was near the beau- tiful Ohio) that evening, to spend a few months with her absent friends, after which she returned and remained with her husband, no one to ' molest or make her afraid.' Had she been left to the punishment of an outraged con- science from right motives, I would have ' rejoiced with exceeding joy.' But to see the life of one woman, and she 86 NARRATIVE OF a murderess, put in the balance against the lives of three millions of innocent slaves, and to contrast her punish- ment with what I felt would be the punishment of one who was merely suspected of being an equal fi-iend of all mankind, regardless of color or condition, caused my blood to stir within me, and my hea,rt to sicken at the thought. The husband of Mrs. M was absent from home, at the time alluded to ; and when he arrived, some weeks afterwards, bringing beautiful presents to his cher- ished companion, he beheld his once happy home deserted. Tabby murdered and buried in the garden, and the wife of his bosom, and the mother of his child, the doer of the dreadful deed, a murderess ! When Isabella went to New York city, she went in company with a Miss Grear, who introduced her to the family of Mr. James Latourette, a wealthy merchant, and a Methodist in religion ; but who, the latter part of his life, felt that he had outgrown ordinances, and advocated free meetings, holding them at his own dwelling-house for several years previous to his death. She worked for them, and they generously gave her a home while she labored for others, and in their kindness made her as one of their own. At that time, the 'moral reform' movement was awakening the attention of the benevolent in that city. Many women, among whom were Mrs. Latourette and Miss Grear, became deeply interested in making an at- tempt to reform their fallen sisters, even the most de- graded of them ; and in this enterprise of labor and dan- ger, they enlisted Isabella and others, who for a time put forth their most zealous efforts, and performed the work of missionaries with much apparent success. Isabella accompanied those ladies to the most wretched abodes of SOJOURNER TRUTH. 87 vice and misery, and sometimes she went where they dared not follow. They even succeeded in eatablishing prayer-meetings in several places, where such a thing might least have been expected. But these meetings soon became the most noisy, shouting, ranting, and boisterous of gatherings; where they became delirious with excitement, and then exhausted from over- action. Such meetings Isabel had not much sympathy with, at best. But one evenmg she attended one of them, where the members of it, in a fit of ecstasy, jumped upon her cloak in such a manner as to drag her to the floor — and then, thinking she had fallen in a spiritual trance, they increased their glorifications on her account, — jumping, shoutmg, stamping, and clapping of hands ; rejoicing so much over her spirit, and so entirely overlooking her body, that she suffered much, both from fear and bruises ; and ever after refused to attend any more such meetings, doubt- ing much whether God had any thing to do with such worsliip. THE MATTHIAS DELUSION. We now come to an eventfiil period in the life of Isar bella, as identified with one of the most extraordinary re- ligious delusions of modern times; but the limits pre- scribed for the present work forbid a minute narration of all the occurrences that transpired in relation to it. •After she had joined the African Church in Church street, and during her membership there, she frequently attended Mr. Latourette's meetings, at one of which, Mr. Smith mvited her to go to a prayer-meeting, or to instruct the girls at the Magdalene Asylum, Bowery Hill, then un- der the protection of Mr, Pierson, and some othei- persons, 88 NARRATIVE OF chiefly respectable females. To reach the Asylum, Isa- bella called on Katy, Mr. Pierson's colored servant, of whom she had some knowledge. Mr. PiBrson saw her there, conversed with her, asked her if she had been bap- tized, and was answered, characteristically, ' by the Holy Ghost.' After this, Isabella saw Katy several times, and occasionally Mr. Pierson, who engaged her to keep his house while Katy went to Virginia to see her children. This engagement was considered an answer to prayer by Mr. Pierson, who had both fasted and prayed on the sub- ject, while Katy and Isabella appeared to see in it the hand of God. Mr. Pierson was characterized by a strong devotional spirit, which finally became highly fanatical. He assumed the title of Prophet, asserting that God had called him in an omnibus, in these words : — ' Thou art Elijah, the Tish- bite. Gather unto me all the members of Israel at the foot of Mount Carmel' ; which he understood as meaning the gathering of his friends at Bowery Hill. Not long afterward, he became acquainted with the notorious Mat- thias, whose career was as extraordinary as it was brief. Robert Matthews, or Matthias, (as he was usually called,) was of Scotch extraction, but a native of Washington county, New York, and at that time about forty-seven yean^ of age. He was religiously brought up, among the Anti- Burghers, a sect of Presbyterians ; the clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Bevridge, visiting the family after the manner of the church, and being pleased with Robert, put his hand on his head, when a boy, and pronounced a blessing, and this blessing, with his natural qualities, determined his charac ter ; for he ever after thought he should be a distinguished man. Matthias was brought up a farmer till nearly eigh- teen years of age, but acquired indirectly the art of a car- SOJOURNER TRUTH. 89 penter, without any regular apprenticeship, and showed considerable mechanical skill. He obtained property from his uncle, Robert Thompson, and then he went into busi- ness as a store-keeper, was considered respectable, and became a member of the Scotch Presbyterian Church. He married in 1813, and continued in business in Cambridge. In 1816, he ruined himself by a building speculation, and the derangement of the currency which denied bank facili- ties, and soon after he came to New York with his family, and worked at his trade. He afterwards removed to Al- bany, and became a hearer at the Dutch Reformed Church, then under Dr. Ludlow's charge. He was frequently much excited on religious subjects. In 1829, he was well known, if not for street preachuag, for loud discussions and pavement exhortations, but he did not make set sermons. In the begmning of 1830, he was only considered zealous ; but in the same year he prophesied the destruction of the Albanians and their capital, and while preparing to shave, with the Bible be- fore him, he suddenly put down the soap and exclaimed, ' I have found it ! I have found a text which proves that no man who shaves his beard can be a true Chiistian ; ' and shortly afterwards, without shaving, he went to the Mission House to deliver an address which he had prom- ised, and in this address he proclaimed his new character, pronounced vengeance on the land, and that the law of God was the only rule of government, and that he was commanded to take possession of the world in the name of the King of kings. His harangue was cut short by the trustees putting out the lights. About this time, Mat- thias laid by his implements of industry, and in June, he advised his wife to fly with him from the destruction which awaited them in the city ; and on her reftisal, 90 NAKRATIVE OF partly on account of Matthias calling himself a Jew, whom she was unwilling to retain as a husband, he left her, taking some of the children to his sister in Argyle» forty miles from Albany. At Argyle he entered the church and interrupted the minister, declaring the con- gregation in darkness, and warning them to repentance. He was, of course, taken out of the church, and as he was advertised in the Albany papers, he was sent back to his family. His beard had now obtained a respectable length, and thus he attracted attention, and easily ob- tained an audience in the streets. For this he was some- times arrested, once by mistake for Adam Paine, who collected the crowd, and then left Matthias with it on the approach of the officers. He repeatedly urged his wife to accompany him on a mission to convert the world, de- clarmg that food could be obtained from the roots of the forest, if not administered otherwise. At this time he assumed the name of Mattliias, called himself a Jew, and set ^ut on a mission, taking a western course, and visit- ing a brother at Rochester, a skilful mechanic, since dead. Leaving his brother, he proceeded on his mission over the Northern States, occasionally returning to Albany. After visiting Washington, and passing through Penn- sylvania, he came to New York. His appearance at that time was mean, but grotesque, and his sentiments were but little known. On May the 5th, 1832, he first called on Mr. Pierson, in Fourth street, in his absence. Isabella was alone in the house, in which she had lived since the previous au- tumn. On opening the door, she, for the first time, be- held Matthias, and her early impression of seeing Jesus in the flesh rushed into her mind. She heard his inquii-y, and invited him into the parlor; and being naturally cu- SOJOURNER TRUTH. 91 rious, and much excited, and possessing a good deal of tact, she drew him into conversation, stated her own opinions, and heard his replies and explanations. Her faith was at first staggered by his declaring himself a Jew ; but on this point she was relieved by his saying, ' Do you not remember how Jesus prayed ? ' and re- peated part of the Lord's prayer, in proof that the Father's kingdom was to come, and not the Son's. She then understood him to be a converted Jew, and in the conclusion she says she ^felt as if God had sent him to set up the kingdom.' Thus Matthias at once secured the good will of Isabella, and we may suppose obtained from her some information in relation to Mr. Pierson, espe- cially that Mrs. Pierson declared there was no true church, and approved of Mr. Pierson's preaching. Mat- thias left the house, promising to return on Saturday evening. Mr. P. at this time had not seen Matthias. Isabella, desirous of hearing the expected conversation between Matthias and Mr. Pierson on Saturday, hurried her work, got it finished, and was permitted to be present. Indeed, the sameness of belief made her familiar with her employer, while her attention to her work, and char racteristic faithfulness, increased his confidence. This in- timacy, the result of holding the same faith, and the principle afterwards adopted of having but one table, and all things in common, made her at once the domestic and the equal, and the depositary of very curious, if not valua ble information. To this object, even her color assisted. Persons who have travelled in the South know the man- ner in which the colored people, and especially slaves, are treated ; they are scarcely regarded as being present. This trait in our American character has been frequently noticed by foreign travellers. One English lady remarks 92 NAKRATIVE OF that she discovered, in course of conversation with a Southern married gentleman, that a colored girl slept in his ])edroom, in which also was his wife ; and when he saw that it occasioned some surprise, he remarked, ' What would he do if he wanted a glass of water in the night 1 ' Other travellers have remarked that the presence of colored people never seemed to interrupt conversation of any kind for one moment. Isabella, then, was present at the first interview between Matthias and Pierson. At this interview, Mr. Pierson asked Matthias if he had a family, to which he replied in the affirmative ; he asked him about his beard^ and he gave a scriptural reason, as- serting also that the Jews did not shave, and that Adam had a beard. Mr. Pierson detailed to Matthias his ex- perience, and Matthias gave his, and they mutually dis- covered that they held the same sentiments, both admit- ting the direct influence of the Spirit, and the transmission of spirits from one body to another. Matthias admitted the call Of Mr. Pierson, in the omnibus in Wall street, which, on this occasion, he gave in these words : — ' Thou art Elijah the Tishbite, and thou shalt go before me in the spirit and power of Elias, to prepare my way before me.' And Mr. Pierson admitted Matthias' call, who completed his declaration on the 20th of June, in Argyle, which, by a curious coincidence, was the very day on which Pierson had received his call in the omnibus. Such singular coincidences have a powerful effect on ex~ cited minds. From that discovery, Pierson and Matthias rejoiced in each other, and became kindred spirits — Mat- thias, however, claiming to be the Father, or to possess the spirit of the Father — he was God upon earth, because the spirit of God dwelt in him ; while Pierson then un- derstood that his mission was like that of Jolm the Bap- SOJOURNER TRUTH. 93 tist, which the name Elias meant. This conference ended with an invitation to supper, and Matthias and Pierson washing each other's feet. Mr. Pierson preached on the following Sunday, but after which, he declined in favor of Matthias, and some of the party believed that the 'king- dom had then come.' As a specimen of Matthias' preaching and sentiments, the following is said to be reliable : ' The spirit that built the Tower of Babel is now in the world — it is the spirit of the devil. The spirit of man never goes upon the clouds; all who think so are Babylo- nians. The only heaven is on the earth. All who are ignorant of truth are Ninevites. The Jews did not cru- cify Christ — it was the Gentiles. Every Jew has his guardian angel attending him in this world. God don't speak through preachers ; he speaks through me, his prophet. '"John the Baptist," (addressing Mr. Pierson,) "read the tenth chapter of Revelations." After the reading of the chapter, the prophet resumed speaking, as follows : — ' Ours is the mustard-seed kingdom which is to spread all over the earth. Our creed is truth, and no man can find truth unless he obeys Jorui the Baptist, and comes clean into the church. ' AM real men will be saved ; all mock men will be damned. When a person has the Holy Ghost, then he is a man, and not till then. They who teach women are of the. wicked. The communion is all nonsense; so is prayer. Eating a nip of bread and drinking a little wine won't do any good. All who admit members into their church, and suffer them to hold their lands and houses, their sentence is, "Depart, ye wicked, I know you not." All females who lecture their husbands, their sentence is 94 NARRATIVE OF the same. Tlie sons of truth are to enjoy all the good things of this world, and must use their means to bring it about. Every thing that has the smell of woman will be destroyed. Woman is the capsheaf of the abomina- tion of desolation — full of all deviltry. In a short time, the world will take fire and dissolve ; it is combustible already. All women,. not obedient, had better become so as soon as possible, and let the wicked spirit depart, and become temples of truth. Praying is all mocking. When you see any one wring the neck of a fowl, instead of cutting off its head, he has not got the Holy Ghost. (Cutting gives the least pain.) ' All who eat swine's flesh are of the devil ; and just as certain as he eats it, he will tell a He in less than half an hour. If you eat a piece of pork, it will go crooked through you, and the Holy Ghost will not stay in you, but one or the other must leave the house pretty soon. The pork will be as crooked in you as rams' horns, and as great a nuisance as the hogs in the street. ' The cholera is not the right word ; it is choler, which means God's wrath. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now in this world ; they did not go up in the clouds, as some believe — why should they go there 1 They don't want to go there to box the compass from one place to another. The Christians now-a-days are for setting up the Son's kingdom. It is not his ; it is the Father's kingdom. It puts me in mind of the man in the country, who took his son in business, and had his sign made, " Hitchcock & Son ;" but the son wanted it " Hitchcock & Father " — and that is the way with your Christians. They talk of the Son's kingdom fii'st, and not the Father's kingdom.' Matthias and his disciples at this time did not believe in a resurrection of the body, but that the spirits of the SOJOURNER TRUTH. 95 former saints would enter the bodies of the present gen- eration, and thus begin heaven upon earth, of which he and Mr. Pierson were the first fruits. Matthias made the residence of Mr. Pierson his own ; but the latter^ being apprehensive of popular violence in his house, if Matthias remained there, proposed a monthly allowance to him, and advised him to occupy another dwelling. Matthias accordingly took a house in Clark- son street, and then sent for his family at Albany, but they declined coming to the city. However, his bro- ther George complied with a similar oflfer, bringing his family with him, where they found very comfortable quarters. Isabella was employed to do the housework. In May,1833, Matthias left his house, and placed the fur- niture, part of which was Isabella's, elsewhere, living him- self at the hotel corner of Marketfield and West streets. Isabella found employment at Mr, Whiting's, Canal street, and did the washing for Matthias by Mrs, Whit- ing's permission. Of the subsequent removal of Matthias to the farm and residence of Mr, B. Folger, at Sing Sing, where he was joined by Mr. Pierson, and others laboring under a simi- lar religious delusion — the sudden, melancholy and somewhat suspicious death of Mr, Pierson, and the arrest of Matthias on the charge of his murder, ending in a verdict of not guilty — the cruninal connection that sub- sisted between Matthias, Mrs, Folger, and other mem- bes.of the ' Kingdom,' as ' match-spirits '—the final dis- person of this deluded company, and the voluntary exilement of Matthias in the far West, after his release— &c. (fee, we do not deem it useful or necessary to give any particulars. Those who are curious to know what there transpired are referred to a work published in New 96 NAKKATlVJli OF York in 1835, entitled ' Fanaticism ; its Sources and In- fluence ; illustrated by the simple Narrative of Isabella, in the case of Matthias, Mr. and Mrs. B. Folger, Mr. Pierson, Mr. Mills, Catharine, Isabella, &c. &c. By G. Vale, 84 Roosevelt street.' Suffice it to say, that while Isabella was a member of the household at Sing Sing, doing much laborious service in the spirit of religi- ous disinterestedness, and gradually getting her vision purged and her mind cured of its illusions, she happily escaped the contamination that surrounded her, — assid uously endeavoring to discharge all her duties in a be- coming manner. FASTING. When Isabella resided with Mr. Pierson, he was in the habit of fasting every Friday ; not eating or drinking anything from Thursday evening to six o'clock on Friday evening. Then, again, he would fast two nights and three days, neither eating nor drinking ; refusing himself even a cup of cold water till the third day at night, when he took supper again, as usual. Isabella asked him why he fasted. He answered, that fasting gave him great light in the things of God ; which answer gave birth to the following train of thought in the mind of his auditor: — ' Well, if fasting will give light inwardly and spiritually, I need it as much as any body, — and I'll fast too. If Mr. Pierson needs to fast two nights and three days, then 1, who need light more than he does, ought to fast more, and I will fast three nights and three days. ' This resolution she carried out to the letter, putting SOJOURNER TRUTH. 97 not so much as a dJ-op of water in her mouth for three whole days and nights. The fourth morning, as she arose to her feet, not having power to stand, she fell to the floor; but recovering herself sufficiently, she made her way to the pantry, and feeling herself quite voracious, and fearing that she might now offend God by her vora- city, compelled herself to breakfast on dry bread and water — eating a large six-penny loaf before she felt at all stay- ed or satisfied. She says she did get light, but it was all in her body and none in her mind — and this lightness of body lasted a long time. Oh ! she was so light, and felt so well, she could ' skim around like a gull. ' THE CAUSE OF HER LEAVING THE CITY. The first years spent by Isabella in the city, she accu- mulated more than enough to supply all her wants, and she placed all the overplus in the Savings' Bank. After- wards, while living with Mr. Pierson, he prevailed on her to take it thence, and invest it in a common fund which he was about establishing, as a fiind to be drawn from by all the faithful; the faithful, of course, were the handful that should subscribe to his peculiar creed. This fiind, commenced by Mr. Pierson, afterwards became part and parcel of the kingdom of which Matthias assumed to be head ; and at the breaking up of the kingdom, her little property was merged in the general ruin — or went to eii- rich those who profited by the loss of others, if any such there were. Mr. Pierson and others had so assured her, that the fund would supply all her wants, at all times, and in all emergencies, and to the end of life, that she became perfectly careless on the subject — asking for no interest when she drew her money from the bank, and 7 98 ■ NARRATIVE OF taking no account of the sum she placed in the fiind She recovered a few articles of furniture from the wreck of the kingdom, and received a small sum of money from Mr. B. Folger, as the price of Mrs. Folger's attempt to convict her of murder. With this to start upon, she commenced anew her labors, in the hope of yet being able to accumulate a sufficiency to make a little home for herself, in her advancing age. With this stimulus before her, she toiled hard, working early and late, doing a great deal for a little money, and turning her hand to almost any thing that promised good pay. Still, she did not prosper ; and somehow, could not contrive to lay by a smgle dollar for a ' rainy day.' When this had been the state of her affairs some time, she suddenly paused, and taking a retrospective view of what had passed, inquired within herself, why it was that, for all her unwearied labors, she had nothing to show ; why it was that others, with much less care and labor, could hoard up treasures for themselves and children 1 She became more and more convinced, as she reasoned, that every thing she had undertaken in the city of New York had finally proved a failure ; and where ner hopes had been raised the highest, there she felt the failure had been the greatest, and the disappointment most severe. After turning it in her mind for some time, she came to the conclusion, that she had been taking part in a great drama, which was, in itself, but one great system of rob- bery and wrong. . ' Yes,' she said, ' the rich rob the poor, and the poor rob one anothei-.' True, she had not receiv- ed labor from others, and stinted their pay, as she fell had been practised against her ; but she had taken their work from them, which was their only' means to get money, and was the same to them in the end. For in SOJOURNER TRUTH. 99 stance — agent leinan where she lived wouid give her a half dollar to hire a poor man to clear the new-fallen snow from the steps and side-walks. She would arise early, and oerform the labor herself, putting the money into her own pocket. A poor man would come along, saying she ought to have let him have the job ; he was poor, and needed the pay for his family. She would har- den her heart against him, and answer — ' I am poor too, and I need it for mine.' But, in her retrospection, she thought of all the misery she might have been adding to, in her selfish grasping, and it troubled her conscience sorely ; and this insensibility to the claims of human brotherhood, and the wants of the destitute and wretched poor, she now saw, as she never had done before, to be unfeeling, selfish and wicked. These reflections and con- victions gave rise to a sudden revulsion of feeling ui the heart of Isabella, and she began to look upon money and property with great indifference, if not contempt — being at that time unable, probably, to discern any difference between a miserly grasping at and hoarding of money and means, and a true use of the good thuigs of this life for one's own comfort, and the relief of such as she might be enabled to befriend and assist. One tiling she was sure of — that the precepts, ' Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you,' ' Love your ne^h- bor as yourself,' and so forth, were maxims that had been but little thought of by herself, or practised by those about her. Her next decision was, that she must leave the city ; it was no place for her ; yea, she felt called m spirit to leave it, and to travel east and lecture. She had never been further east than the city, neither had she any friends there of whom she had particular reason to expect any 100 NARRATIVE OF thing; yet to her i^, was plain lhf»(. her m5ssion lay in tho east, and that she would nnd li-iends there. She deter- mined on leaving ; but these determinations and convic- tions she kept close locked in her own breast, hnowing that if her children and friends were aware of it, they would make such an ado about it as would render it very un- pleasant, if not distressing to all parties. Having made what preparations for leavmg she deemed necessary, — which was, to put up a few articles of clothing in a pil- low-case, all else being deemed an unnecessary incum- brance,— about an hour before she left, she infonnedMrs. Whiting, the woman of the house where she was stopping, that her name was no longer Isabella, but Sojourner ; and that she was going east. And to her inquiry, 'What are you going east for?' her answer was, ' The Spirit calls me there, and I must go.' She left the city on the morning of the 1st of June, 1843, crossing over to Brooklyn, L. I. ; and takmg the rising sun for her only compass and guide, she ' remem- bered Lot's wife,' and hoping to avoid her fate, she re- solved not to look back till she felt sure the wicked city from which she was fleeing was left too far behind to be visi- ble in the distance ; and when she first ventured to look back, she could just discern the blue cloud of smoke that hung over it, and she thanked the Lord that she was thus far removed from what seemed to her a second Sodom. She was now fairly started on her pilgrimage ; her bundle in one hand, and a little basket of provisions in the other, and two York shillings in her purse — her heart strong in the faith that her true work lay before her, and that the Lord was her director ; and she doubted not he would provide for and protect her, and that it would be very censurable in her to burden herself with any thing SOJOURNER TRUTH. 101 more than a moderate supply for her then present needs. Her mission was not merely to travel east, but to ' lec- ture,' as she designated it ; ' testifying of the hope that was in her' — exhorting the people to embrace Jesus, and refi-am from sin, the nature and origin of which she ex- plained to them in accordance with her own most curious and original views. Tlirough her life, and all its chequer- ed changes, she has ever clung fast to her first permanent impressions on religious subjects. Wherever night overtook her, there she sought foi lodgings — free, if she might — if not, she paid ; at a tavern, if she chanced to be at one — if not, at a private dwelling ; with the rich, if they would receive her — if not, with the poor. But she soon discovered that the largest houses were nearly always full ; if not quite full, company was soon expected ; and that it was much easier to find an unoc- cupied corner in a small house than in a large one ; and if a person possessed but a miserable roof over his head, you might be sure of a welcome to part of it. But this, she had penetration enough to see, was quite as much the effect of a want of sympathy as of benevo- lence ; and this was also very apparent m her religious conversations with people who were strangers to her. She said, ' she never could find out that the rich had any re- ligion. If /had been rich and accomplished, I could ; for the rich could always find religion in the rich, and / could find it among the poor.' At first, she attended such meetings as she heard of, in the vicinity of her travels, and spoke to the people as she found them assembled. Afterwards, she advertised meet- ings of her own, and held forth to large audiences, hav- ing, as she said, ' a good time.' 102 NARRATIVE OF When she became weary of travelling, and wished a pla ing, and repeated some conversations, by which she re- cognized him again. He soon proposed having a meeting that evening, went out and notified his friends and neigh- bors, who came together, and she once more held forth to them in her peculiar style. Through the agency of this meeting, she became acquainted with several peoplo residing in Springfield, to whose houses she was cordially invited, and with whom she spent some pleasant time. One of these friends, writing of her arrival there, speaks as follows. After saying that she and her people be- longed to that class of persons who believed m the second advent doctrines; and that this class, believing also in freedom of speech and action, often found at their meet- ings many singular people, who did not agree with them in their principal doctrine ; and that, being thus prepared to hear new and strange things, ' They listened eagerly to Sojourner, and drank in all she said ;'— and also, that she 'soon became a favorite among them; that when she 8 114 NARRATIVE OF arose to speak in their assemblies, her commanding figure and dignified manner hushed every trifler into silence, and her singular and sometimes uncouth modes of expression nevei provoked a laugh, but often were the whole audi- ence melted into tears by her touching stories.' She also adds, ' Many were the lessons of wisdom and faith I have delighted to learn from her.' , . . . ' She continued a great favorite in our meetings, both on account of her remarka- ble gift in prayer, and still more remarkable talent for singing, . , . and the aptness and point of her remarks, frequently illustrated by figures the most original and ex- pressive. ' As we were walking the other day, she said she had often thought what a beautiful world this would be, when we should see every thing right side up. Now, we see every thing topsy-turvy, and all is conftision.' For a per- son who knows nothing of this fact in the science of op- tics, this seemed quite a remarkable idea. ' We also loved her for her sincere and ardent piety. her unwavering faith in God, and her contempt of what the world calls fashion, and what we call folly. ' She was in search of a quiet place, where a way-worn traveller might rest. She had heard of Fruitlands, and was inclined to go there ; but the friends she found here thought it best for her to visit Northampton. She passed her time, while with us, working wherever her work was needed, and talking where work was not needed. ' She would not receive money for her work, saying she worked for the Lord ; and if her wants were sup- plied, she received it as from the Lord. ' She remained with us till far into winter, when we in- troduced her at the Northampton Association.' . . . . ' She wrote to me from thence, that she had found the quiet SOJOURNER TRUTH. 115 resting place she had so long desired. A.nd she has re mained there ever since.' ANOTHER CAMP-MEETING. When Sojourner had been at Northampton a few months, she attended another camp-meeting, at wluch she performed a very important part. A party of ^vild young men, with no motive but that of entertaining themselves by annoying and injuring the feelings of others, had assembled at the meeting, hooting and yelling, and in various ways interrupting the services, and causing much disturbance. Those who had the charge of the meeting, having tried their persuasive powers in vain, grew impatient and tried threatening. The young men, considering themselves insulted, col- lected their friends, to the number of a hundred or more, dispersed themselves through the grounds, making the most frightful noises, and threatenmg to fire the tents. It was said the authorities of the meeting sat in grave con- sultation, decided to have the ring-leaders arrested, and sent for the constable, to the gi-eat displeasure of some of the company, who were opposed to such an appeal to force and arms. Be that as it may, Sojotrner, seeing great consternation depicted in every countenance, caught the contagion, and, ere she was aware, found herself quaking with fear. Under the impulse of this sudden emotion, she fled to the most retired corner of a tent, and secreted herself be- hind a trunk, saying to herself, ' I am the only colored person here, and on me, probably, their wicked miscliief will fall first, and perhaps fatally.' But feeling how great was her insecurity even there, as the very tent began to 116 XAKKATlVfi OF shake from its foundations, she began to soliloquize as fol- lows : — ' Shall I run away and hide from the Devil 1 Me, a servant of the living God ? Have I not faith enough to go out and quell that mob, when I know it is written — " One shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight'"? I know there are not a thousand h^e ; and I know I am a servant of the living God. I'll go to the rescue, and the Lord shall go with and protect me. ' Oh,' said she, ' I felt as if I had three hearts ! and that they were so large, my body could hardly hold them ! ' She now came forth from her hiding-place, and invited several to go with her and see what they could do to stUl the raging of the moral elements. They declined, and considered her wild to think of it. The meeting was in the open fields — the full moon shed its saddened light over all — and the woman who was that evenuig to address them was trembling on the preachers' stand. The noise and confusion were now terrific. So- journer left the tent alone and unaided, and walking some thirty rods to the top of a small rise of ground, com- menced to sing, in her most fervid manner, with all the strength of her most powerful voice, the hymn on the resurrection off Christ — • It was early in the morning — it was early in the morning, Just at the break of day — When he rose — when he rose — when he rose, And went to heaven on a cloud.' All who have ever heard her sing this hymn will proba- bly remember it as long as they remember her. The hymn, the tune, the style, are each too closely associjited with to be easily separated from herself, and when sung SOJOURNER TRUTH. 117 ID one of her most animated moods, in the open air, with the utmost strength of her most powerful voice, must have been truly thrilling. As she commenced to sing, the yount men made a rush towards her, and she was immediately encircled by a dense body of the rioters, many of them armed with sticks or clubs as their weapons of defence, if not of attack. As the circle narrowed around her, she ceased singing, and after a short pause, inquired, in a gentle but firm tone, ' Why do you come about me with clubs and sticks 1 I am not doing harm to any one.' ' We ar'n't a going to hurt you, old woman ; we came to hear you sing,' cried many voices, simultaneously. 'Sing to us, old woman,' cries one. ' Talk to us, old woman,' says another. ' Pray, old woman,' says a third. ' Tell us your experience,' says a fourth. ' You stand and smoke so near me, I cannot sing or talk,' she answered. ' Stand back,' saitl several authoritative voices, with not the most gentle or courteous accompaniments, raising their rude weapons in the air. The crowd suddenly gave back, the circle became lai-njer, as many voices again called for singing, talking, or praying, backed by assurances that no one should be allowed to hurt her — the speakers de- claring with an oath, that they would ' knock down any person who should offer her the least indignity. She looked about her, and with her usual discrimination, said inwardly — ' Here must be many young men in all this assemblage, bearing within them hearts susceptible of good impressions. I will speak to them.' She did speak ; they silently heard, and civilly asked her many questions. It seemed to her to be given her at the time to answer them with truth and wisdom beyond herself. Her speech had operated on the roused passions of the 118 NARRATIVE OP Laob like oil on agitated waters ; they were, as a whole, entirely subdued, and only clamored when she ceased to speak or sing. Those who stood in the background, after the circle was enlarged, cried out, 'Sing aloud, old woman, we can't hear.' Those who held the sceptre ot power among them requested that she should make a pulpit of a neighboring wagon. She said, ' If I do, they'll overthrow it.' ' No, they sha'n't — he who dares hurt you, we'll knock him down instantly, d — n him,' cried the chiefs. 'No we won't, no we won't, nobody shall hurt you,' answered the many voices of the mob. They kindly assisted her to mount the wagon, from which she spoke and sung to them about an hour. Of all she said to them on the occasion, she remembers only the follow- ing:— 'Well, there are two congregations on this ground. It is written that there shall be a separation, and the sheep shall be separated from the goats. The other preachers have the sheep, / have the goats. And I have a few sheep among my goats, but they are very ragged.' This exordium produced great laughter. When she became wearied with talking, she began to cast about her to con- trive some way to induce them to disperse. While she paused, they loudly clamored for ' more,' ' more,' — ' sing,' ' smg more.' She motioned them to be quiet, and called out to them : ' Children, I have talked and sung to you, as you asked me ; and now I have a request to make of you : will you grant it V ' Yes, yes, yes,' resounded from every quarter. ' Well, it is this,' she answered : ' if I will sing one more hymn for you, will you then go away, and leave us this night in peace f ' Yes, yes,' came faintly, feebly from a few. ' I repeat it,' says Sojourner, • and I want an answer from you all, as of one acicord. SOJOURNER TRUTH. Il9 If I will sing you one more, you will go away, and leave us this night in peace f ' Yes, yes, yes,' shouted many voices, with hearty emphasis, ' I repeat my request once more,' said she, ' and I want you all to answer.' And she reiterated the words again. This time a longj loud ' Yes — yes — yes,' came up, as from the multitudi nous mouth of the entire mob. ' Amen ! it is sealed, repeated Sojourner, in the deepest and most solemn toness of her powerful and sonorous voice. Its effect ran through the multitude, like an electric shock; and the most of them considered themselves bound by their promise, as they might have failed to do under less imposing circumstances. Some of them began instantly to leave ; others said, ' Are we not to have one more hymn ? ' ' Yes,' answered their entertainer, and she commenced to sing : ' I bless the Lord I've got my seal — to-day and to-day — To slay Goliath in the field — to-day and to-day ; The good old way is a righteous way, I mean to take the kingdom in the good old way.' While singing, she heard some enforcing obedience to their promise, while a few seemed refusmg to abide by it. But before she had quite concluded, she saw them turn from her, and in the course of a few minutes, they were runniijg as fast as they well could in a solid body ; and she says she can compare them to nothing but a swarm of bees, so dense was their phalanx, so straight their course, so hurried their march. As they passed with a rush very near the stand of the other preachers, the hearts of the people were smitten with fear, thinking that their entertainer had failed to enchain them longer with her spell, and that they wf re roming upon them with re- doubled and remorseless fury. But they found they were 120 NARRATIVE OF mistaken, and that their fears were groundless; for, before they could well recover from their surprise, every rioter was gone, and not one was left on the grounds, or seen there again during the meeting. Sojourner was informed that as her audience reached the main road, some distance from the tents, a few of the rebellious spirits refused to go on, and proposed returning ; but their leaders said, ' No — we have promised to leave — all promised, and we must go, all go, and you shall none of you return again.' She did not fall in love at first sight with the Northamp- ton Association, for she arrived there at a time when ap- pearances did not correspond with the ideas of associa- tionists, as they had been spread out in their wi-itings ; for their phalanx was a factory, and they were wanting in means to carry out their ideas of beauty and elegance, as they would have done in different circumstances. But she thought she would make an effort to tarry with them one night, though that seemed to her no desirable affair. But as soon as she saw that accomplished, literary and refined persons were living m that plain and simple man- ner, and submitting to the labors and privations incident to such an infant institution, she said, ' Well, if these can live here, / can.' Afterwards, she gradually became pleased with, and attached to, the place and the people, as well she might ; for it must have been no small thmg to have found a home in a ' Community composed of some of the choicest spirits of the age,' where all was characterized by an equality of feeling, a liberty of thought and speech, and a largeness of. soul, she could not have before met with, to the same extent, in any of her wanderings. Our first knowledge of her was derived from a friend SOJOURNER TRUTH. 121 who had resided for a time in the ' Community,' and who, after describmg her, and singing one of her hymns, wished that we might see her. But we little thought, at that time, that we should ever pen these ' simple annals' of this child of nature. When we first saw her, she was working with a hearty good will ; saying she would not be mduced to take reg- ular wages, believing, as once before, that now Provi- dence had provided her with a never- failing fount, from which her every want might be perpetually supplied through her mortal life. In this, she had calculated too fast. For the Associationists found, that, taking every thing into consideration, they would find it most expe- dient to act individually ; and again, the subject of this sketch found her dreams unreal, and herself flung back upon her own resources for the supply of her needs. This she might have found more inconvenient at her time of life — for labor, exposure and hardship had made sad inroads upon her iron constitution, by inducing chronic disease and premature old age — had she not remained under the shadow of one,* who never wearies in doing good, giving to the needy, and supplying the wants of the destitute. She has now set her heart upon having a little home of her own, even at this late hour of life, where she may feel a greater freedom than she can in the house of another, and where she can repose a little, after her day of action has passed by. And for such a ' home ' she is now dependent on the charities of the benevolent, and to them we appeal with confidence. Through all the scenes of her eventful life may be traced the energy of a naturally powerful mind — the fear- lessness and child-like simplicity of one unti'ammelled by * George W. Benson. 122 NARRATIVE OF education or conventional customs — purity of character — an unflinching adherence to principle — and a native en- thusiasm, wliich, under different circumstances, might easily have produced another Joan of Arc. With all her fervor, and enthusiasm, and speculation, her religion is not tinctured m the least with gloom. No doubt, no hesitation, no despondency, spreads a cloud over her soul ; but all is bright, clear, positive, and at times ecstatic. Her trust is in God, and from him she looks for good, and not evil. She feels that ' perfect love casteth out fear.' Having more than once found herself awaking from a mortifying delusion, — as in the case of the Sing-Sing king- dom,— and resolving not to be thus deluded again, she has set suspicion to guard the door of her heart, and al- lows it perhaps to be aroused by too slight causes, on certain subjects — her vivid imagination assisting to mag- nify the phantoms of her fears into gigantic proportions, much beyond their real size ; instead of resolutely adher- ing to the rule we all like best, when it is to be applied to ourselves — that of placing every thing we see to the account of the best possible motive, until time and cir- cumstance prove that we were wrong. Where no good motive can be assigned, it may become our duty to sus- pend our judgment till evidence can be had. In the application of this rule, it is an undoubted duty to exercise a commendable prudence, by refusing to re- pose any important trust to the keeping of persons who may be strangers to us, and whose trustworthiness we have never seen tried. But no possible good, but incal- culable evil may and does arise from the too common practice of placing all conduct, the source of which we do not fully understand, to the worst of intentions. How SOJOURNEE TRUTH. 123 often is the gentle, timid soul discouraged, and driven perhaps to despondency, by finding its ' good evil spoken of;' and a well-meant but mistaken action loaded with an evU design ! If the world would but sedulously set about reforming itself on this one point, who can calculate the change it would produce — the evil it would annihilate, and the hap- piness it would confer ! None but an all-seeing eye could at once embrace so vast a result. A result, how desira- ble ! and one that can be brought about only by the most simple process — that of every individual seeing to it that he commit not this sin himself. For why should we all low in ourselves, the very fault we most dislike, when committed against us 1 Shall we not at least aim at consistency ? Had she possessed less generous self-sacrifice, more knowledge of the world and of business matters in gene- ral, and had she failed to take it for granted that others were like herself, and would, when her turn came to need, do as she had done, and find it ' more blessed to give than to receive,' she might have laid by something for the fu- ture. For few, perhaps, have ever possessed the power and inclination, in the same degree, at one and the same time, to labor as she has done, both day and night, for so long a period of time. And had these energies been well- directed, and the proceeds well husbanded, since she has been her own mistress, they would have given her an in- dependence during her natural life. But her constitu- tional biases, and her early training, or rather want of training, prevented this result ; and it is too late now to remedy the great mistake. Shall she then be left to want 1 Who will not answer, ' No !' 124 NARRATIVE OF LAST INTERVIEW WITH HER MASTER, In the spring of 1849, Sojourner made a visit to her eld- est daughter, Diana, who has ever suffered from ill health, and remained with Mr. Dumont, Isabelhi's humane master. She found him still living, though advanced in age, and reduced in property, (as he had been for a number of years,) but greatly enlightened on the subject of slavery. He said he could then see, that ' slavery was the wicked- 3st thing in the world, the greatest curse the earth had ever felt — that it was then very clear to his mind that it was so, though, while he was a slaveholder himself, he did not see it so, and thought it was as right as holding any other property.' Sojourner remarked to him, that it might be the same with those who are now slaveholders. ' O, no,' replied he, with warmth, ' it cannot be. For, now, the sin of slavery is so clearly written out, and so much talked against, — (why, the whole world cries out against it !) — that if any one says he don't know, and has not heard, he must, I think, be a liar. In my slaveholding days, there were few that spoke against it, and these few made little impression on any one. Had it been as it is now, think you I could have held slaves 1 No ! I should not have dared to do it, but should have emancipated every one of them. Now, it is very different ; all may hear if they will.' Yes, reader, if any one feels that the tocsin of alarm, or the anti-slavery trump, must sound a louder note be- fore they can hear it, one would think they must be very haxd of hearing — yea, that the}- belong to that class, of whom it may be truly said, ' they have stopped their ears that they may not hear.' SOJOURNER TRUTH. 125 She received a letter from her daughter Diana, dated Hyde Park, December 19, 1849, which informed her that Mr. Dumont had 'gone West' with some of his sons — that he had taken along with him, probably through mis- take, the few articles of furniture she had left with him. ' Never mind,' says Sojourner, ' what we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord.' She thanked the Lord with fervor, that she had lived to hear her master say such blessed things ! She recalled the lectures he used to give his slaves, on speaking the truth and being honest, and laugh- ing, she says he taught us not to lie and steal, when he was stealina; all the time himself and did not know it ! Oh ! how sweet to my mmd was thiii confession ! And what a confession for a master to make to a slave ! A slaveholding master turned to a brother ! Poor old man, may the Lord bless him. and all slaveholders partake of his spirit ' THE VALIANT SOLDIERS. Tdnk.— "John Brown." The following song, written for tlie first Michigan Regiment of colored soldiers, was composed by Sojourner Truth during the war, and was sung hy her in Detroit and Washington. We are the valiant soldiers who've 'listed for the war; We aj-e fighting for the Union, we are fighting for the law ; We can shoot a rebel farther than a white man ever saw, As we go marching on. Chonis. — Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah, as we go marching on. Look there above the center, where the flag is waving bright ; We are going out of slavery, we are bound for freedom's light; We mean to show Jeff Davis how the Africans can fight, As we go marching on. — Cho. We are done with hoeing cotton, we are done with hoeing corn ; We are colored Yankee soldiers as sure as you are born. When raassa hears us shouting, he will think 'tis Gabriel's horn. As we go marching on. — Cho. They will have to pay us wages, the wages of their sin; They will have to bow their foreheads to their colored kith and kin; They will have to give us house-room, or the roof will tumble in. As we go marching on. — Cho. We hear the proclamation, massa, hush it as you will ; The birds will sing it to us, hopping on the cotton hill ; The possum up the gum tree couldn't keep it still. As he went climbing on. — Cho. Father Abraham has spoken, and the message has been sent; The prison doors have opened, and out the prisoners went To join the sable army of African descent, As we go marching on. — Cho. (126) cc BOOK OF LIFE." SOJOURNER TRUTH. A Picture toi.en In the days of her Physical Strength FART SECOND, J300K OF LIFE. The preceding narrative has given us a partial hia- tory of Sojourner Truth. Tliis biography was pub- lislied nut many years after her freedom had been se- cured to her. Having but recently emerged from the gloomy night of slavery, ignorant and untaught in all that gives value to human existence, she was still suf- fering from the burden of acquired and transmitted habits incidental to her past condition of servitude. Yet she was one whose life forces and moral percep- tions were so powerful and clear cut that she not only came out from this moral gutter herself, but largely assisted in elevating others of her race from a similar state of degradation. It was the " oil of divine ori- gin " which (juickened her soul and fed the vital spark, that her own indomitable courage f\\nned to an undy- ing flame. She was one of the first to enlist in the war against slavery, and fought the battles for free- dom by the side of its noble leaders. A true sentinel, she slumbered not at her f)ost. To hasten the enfranchisement of Iier own people was the great work to which she cousecmttd her liib; yei, A (12'J) 130 "BOOK OF LIFE. ever responsive to tlie calls of liumanitj^, she cheer- fully lent her aid to the advancement of other reforms, especially woman's rights and temperance. During the last twenty-five years, she has traveled thousands of miles, lectured in many States of tbe Union, spoken in Congress, and has received tokens of friendship such as few can produce. The following article was published in a Washington Sunday paper during the administration of President Lincoln : — " It was our good fortune to be in the marble room of the senate chamber, a few days ago, when that old land-mark of the past — the representative of the for- ever-gone age — Sojourner Truth, made her ap])ear- ance. It was an hour not soon to be forgotten ; ft)r it is not often, even in this magnanimous age of prog- ress, that we see reverend senators — even him that holds the second chair in the gift of the Republic — vacate their seats in the hall of State, to extend the hand of welcome, the meed of praise, and substantial blessings, to a poor negro woman, whose poor old form, bending under the burden of nearly four-score and ten years, tells but too plainly that liQr marvelously strange life is drawing to a close. But it was as re- freshing as it was strange to see her who had served in the shackles of slaveiy in the gi-eat State of New York for nearly a quarter of a century before a majority of these senators were born now holding a levee with them in the marble room, where legs than a decade ago she Vould have been spumed from its outer cor- ridor by the lowest numial, much less cuvdd slic luive t^dven the \umd of a S(;nator. Truly, the spirit of prog- ress is abroad in the land, and the leaven of love is A LECTURlNa TOUR. 131 working in the hearts of the people, pointing with un- erring certainty to the not far distant future, when the ties of affection shall cement all nations, kindreds and tongues into one common brotherhood." 8he carries with her a book that she calls the Book of Life, which contains the aiitographs of many distin- guished personages — the good and great of the land. No better idea can be given of the estimation in which she is held than by transcribing these testimonials and giving them to the public. It will be difficult to arrange these accounts in the chronological order of e\'ents, but no effort has been spared to furnish cor- rect dates. In the year 1 851 she left her home in Northampton, Mass., for a lecturing tour in Western New York, ac- companied by the Hon. George Thompson of England, and other distinguished abolitionists. To advocate the cause of the enslaved at this period was both unpopu- lar and unsafe. Their meetings were frequently dis- turbed or broken up by the pro-slavery mob, and their lives imperiled. At such times, Sojourner fearlessly maintained her grovmd, and by her dignified manner and opportune remarks would disperse the rabble and restore order. She s}»ent several months in Western New York, making llochester her head-quarters. Leaving this State, she traveled westward, and the next glinqise we get of her is in a Woman's Rights Convention at Akron, Ohio. JMrs. Frances 1). Gage, v/ho presidcil at that meeting, relates the following : — " The cause was unpopular then. The leaders of the movement trembled on seeing a tidl, gaunt black 132 "BOOK Ui'' LIFE." woman, in a gray dress and white turban, surmounted by an iincoutli sun-bonnet, march deliberately into the church, walk with the air of a queen up the aisle, and take her seat upon the pulpit steps. A buzz of dis- approbation was heard all over the house, and such words as these fell upon listening ears : — " ' An abolition affair ! ' ' AVoman's rights and nig- gers I ' ' We told you so ! ' 'Go it, old darkey ! ' "I chanced upon that occasion to wear my fiist laurels in public life as president of the meeting. At my request, order was restored and the business of the hour went on. The morning session Avas held ; the evening exercises came and went. Old Sojourner, quiet and reticent as the ' Libyan Statue,' sat crouched against the wall on the corner of the ])ulpit staii's, her sun-bonnet shading her eyes, her elbow.s on her knees, and her chin resting upon her broad, hard palm. At intermission she was busy, selling ' The Life of Sojourner Truth,' a narrative of her own strange and adventurous life. Again and again timorous and ti'embling ones came to me and said with eai'nestness, ' Do n't let her speak, Mrs. Gage, it will ruin us. Every newspaj^er in the land will have our cause mixed with abolition and niggers, and we shall be ut- terly denounced.' My only answer was, 'We shall see when tlie time comes.' "The second day the work waxed warm. Metho- dist, Baptist, Episcopal, Presljyterian, and Universal- ist jiiinisters came in to hear and discuss the resolu- tions presented. One claimed superior rightn and jirivilcges for man on the ground of superior intellect j iinothcr. becxtuso of tlio uiuiihoocl of Clniyt. 'Jf God SOMETHINa OUT V) KILTER. 18:1 hail desired the equality of woman, Iio would lia-\e given some, token of his will through the birth, life, and death of the Saviour.' Another gave us a theo- losical view of the sin of our first mother. There were few women in those days that dared to ' speak in meeting,' and the august teachers of the people were seeming to get the better of us, vshile the boys in the galleries and the sneerers among the pews were hugely enjoying the discomfiture, as they supposed, of the ' stronsr minded.' Some of the tender-skinned friends were on the point of losing dignity, and the atmosphere of the convention betokened a storm. " Slowly from her seat in the corner rose Sojoiu-ner Truth, who, till now, had scarcely lifted her head. ' Do n't let her speak ! ' gasped half a dozen in my ear. She moved slowly and solemidy to the front, laid her old bonnet at her feet, and turned her great, speaking eyes to me. There was a' hissing sound of disappro- bation above and below. I rose and announced ' So- journer Truth,' and begged the audience to keep si- lence for a few moments. The tumult subsided at once, and every eye was fixed on this almost Amazon form, which stood nearly six feet high, head erect, and eye piercing the upper air, like one in a dream. At her first word, there was a profound hiish. She spoke in deep tones, which, though not loud, reached every ear in the house, and away through the throng at the doors and windows : — " ' Well, chilern, whar dar is so much racket dar must be something out o' kilter. I tink dat 'twixt de niggers of de Souf and de women at de Norf all a talkin' 'bout rights, de white men will be in a fix 134- "KOOTv OF T,1FE." pretty soon. ]»nt wiiat's all dis liere talkin' 'bout? Dat man ober tlar say dat women needs to be heljted into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to have de best place every v/har. Nobody eber hel}) me into carriages, or ober mud puddles, or gives me any best place [and raising herself to her full hight and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked], and ar'n't I a woman 1 Look at me ! Look at my arm ! [And she bared her right arm to the shoulder, show- ing her tremendous muscular power.] I have plowed, and planted, an^l gathered into barns, and no man could head me — and ar'n't I a vi^oman ] I could work as much and eat as much as a man (when I could get it), and bear de lash as >^11 — and ar'n't I a woman ? I have borne ■^^ffieaochilern and seen 'em mos' all sold off into slavery, and when I cried out v/itli a mother's grief, none but Jesus heaixl — and ar'n't I a woman 1 Den dey talks 'bout dis ting in de head — what dis dey call it 1 ' ' Intellect,' whispered some one neai". ' Dat's it honey. What's dat got to do with women's rights or niggers' rights ? If my cup won't hold but a pint and yourn holds a quart, would n't ye be mean not to let me have ni}^ little half-measure full 1 ' And she pointed her significant finger and sent a keen glance at the minister who had made the argument. The cheering was long and loud. " ' Den dat little man in black dar, he say women can't have as much rights as man, cause Christ want a woman. Whar did your Christ come from ] ' Iloll- ing thunder could not have stilled that crowd as did those deep, wonderful tones, as she stood there with outstretched arms and eye of fire. Raising her voice TflE TIDE Ttrp.NS. 135 still lon.lor, slfe ropoatrd, ' WJiar did your C'lirist come from ? From Clod and a woman. Man had nothing to do witli h.im.' Oh ! wliat a rebuke she gave the little man. '"Tiiniing again to another objector, she took up the defense of mother Eve. I cannot follow her through it all. It was pointed, and witty, and sol- emn, eliciting at almost every sentence deafening ap- plause ; and she ended by asserting that ' if de fust woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, all 'lone, dese togedder [and she glanced her eye over ns], ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again, and now dey is asking to do it, de men better let em.' Long-contin- ued cheering. ' Lleeged to ye for hcarin' on me, and now ole Sojourner ha'n't got nothing more to say.' " Amid roars of applause, she turned to lier corner, leaving more than one of us with streaming eyes and hearts beating with gratitude. She had taken us up m her strong arms and carried us safely over the slough of difficulty, turning the whole tide in our fa- vor. ^ I liave never in my life seen anything like the magical influence that subdued the mobbish spirit of the day and turned the jibes and sneers of an excited crowd into notes of respect and admiration. Hun- dreds rushed up to shake hands, and congratulate the glorious old mother and bid her God speed on her mission of ' testifying again concerning the wickedness of this 'ere people.'" Mrs. Gage also in the same article relates the fol- owmg :- " Once upon a Sabbath in Michigan an abolition IVyC) " BOOK OF LIFE." mooting was lielil. Parker Pili.slnuy was spoakor, and criticized freely tlie conduct of tlio churches regarding slavery. While he was speaking there came np a fearful thunder storm. A young Methodist arose, and interrupting the speaker, said he felt-alarmed; he felt as if Clod's judgment was about to fall on him for dar- ing to sit and hear such Llapphemy ; that it iiuade his hair almost rise with terror. Hero a ^'oice, sounding al)ove the rrdfi that beat iipon the roof, the swee}>ing STirge of the winds, the crashing of the "limbs of trees, the swaying of branches, and the rolling of thunder, spoke out : ' Chile, do n't be skeered ; you are not go- ing to be harmed, I do n't speck God's ever heai"n tell on ye.' It was fill she said, but it was enough," She remained two years in the State of Ohio, going from town to town, attending conventions, and holding meetings of her own. Marius Robinson, of Salem, Ohio, editor of the Anti-Slavery Jhiglc, whose clarion notes never faltered in freedom's cause, was her friend and co-laborer. She toiled on in this field perse veringly, sov/ing the seeds of truth in the hearts of the people, and patiently awaiting the time when she should help gather in the sheaves of a ripened harvest. At this time she attracted but little atten- tion outside a charmed circle of reformers whoso mighty moral power was the lever Avhich eventually overthrev/ the institution of American slavery. About the year ISoO, she came to Battle Creek and bought a house and lot, since which time her home has been in Michigan. She still continued her itiner- ant life, spending mncli of her time in the neighboring States, cs})ccially in Indiana, which she felt needed mo- SLAVERY IJs INDIANA. 1S7 hnr missionary efforts. An account of ono of liov meetings held in tlie northern part of tliat State has been kindly fni'nished ns by her friend, Parker Pills- l)ury, accompanied by a note from himself. " I inclose a communication from the Boston Liber- ator, of Oct. 5, 1858, relating to Sojourner Truth. The wondrous experiences of that most remarkable woman would make a library, if not indeed a litera- ture, could they all be gathered and spread before the world. I was much in her company for several years in the anti-slavery conflict, and have often seen her engaged in what seemed most unequal combat with the defenders of slavery and foes of freedom ; but I never saw her when she did not, as in the instance given below, scatter her enemies with dismny and confusion, winning more than victory in every bat- tle, p. p." "PRO-SLAVEEY IN INDIANA. "Silver Lake, Kosciusko Co., Intl., ] "October 1, 1S5S. ) " FraEND W. L. GarFvISON : — Sojourner Truth, an elderly colored woman, well knovv'n thi'oughout the Eastenr States, is now holding a series of an ti slavery meetings in Northern Indiana. Sojourner comes well recommended by H. B. Stowe, yourself, and others, and was gladly received and welcomed by the friends of the slave in this locality. Her progress in knowl- edge, truth, and righteousness is very remarkable, es- pecially when we consider her former low estate as a slave. The border-rufiian Democracy of Indiana, however, appear to be jealous and suspicious of every 138 "BOOK OF LTFE." aiiLi Hhnory movement. A niinoi^ was immediatolj circulated tliafc Sojourner v/as an impostov; that ahv, was, indtied, a man disguised in women's clothing. It ai)pears, too, from what has since transpired, that they suspected her to ]>e a mercenary hireling of the Ee- puhlican party. "At her third appointed meeting in this vicinity, which was held in the meeting-house of the United TJrethren, a large number of democrats and other pro-slavery persons were present. At the close of the meeting, Dr. T. W. Strain, the mout])})iece of the slave Democracy, requested the large congregation to ' hold on,' and stated that a douht existed in the minds of many i)ersons present i-especting the sex of the speaker, and that it was his impression that a major- ity of them helieved the speaker to he a man. The doctor also affirmed, (which, was not believed by the friends of the slave) that it was for the speaker's spe- cial benefit that he now demanded that Sojourner submit her breast to the inspection of some of the la- dies present, that the doubt might be removed by their testimony. There were a large number of ladies ])resent, who appeared to be ashamed, and indignant at such a proposition. Sojourner's friends, some ot whom had not heard the rumor, were surprised and indignant at such ruffianly surmises and treatment. " Confusion and uproar ensiied, which was soon sup- pressed by Sojoixrnei", who, immediately rising, asked them why they suspected her to be a man. The De- mocracy answered, ' Your voice is not the voice of a woman, it is the voice of a man, and we believe vou arc a man.' Dr. Strain called for a vote, and a bois- PtlO-SLAVERY TN INDIANA. 139 terons ' Ayo,' was the result. A negative vote was not called for. Sojourner told them that her l)reasts had suckled many a white bahe, to the exclusion of her own offspring; that some of those white babies had grown to man's estate ; that, although they had sucked her colored breasts, they were, in her estima- tion, far more manly than they (her persecutors) ap- peared to be ; and she quietly asked them, as she dis- robed her bosom, if they, too, wished to sxick ! In vindication of her truthfulness, she told them that she would show her breast to the whole congregation ; that it was not to her shame that she uncovered her breast before them, but to their shame. Two yoinig men (A. Badgely and J. Horner) stepped forward while Sojourner exposed her naked breast to the au- dience. I heard a democrat say, as we were return- ing home from meeting, that Dr. Strain had, previous to the examination, oftered to bet forty dollars that Sojourner was a man ! So much for the physiological acumen of a western physician. " As ' agitation of thought is the beginning of wis- dom,' we hope that Indiana will yet be redeemed. " Youi's, truly, for the slave, "William Hayward." The late lamented Josephine GrifBng, whose loyal services in support of the Union, and untiring labors Tor the colored race, entitles her to a monument at the nation's cost, was often associated with Sojourner in anti-slavery times, and was invited to hold meet- ings with her in Angola and vicinity in the autumn of 18G2. The slave-holding spirit 'was now fully 140 " BOOK OF LIFE." aroused in Indiana, and vcvy Litter toward llie nogvo. A law had recently been passed foiliidding tlieir enter- ing the State or remaining in it. This law was nncon- stitational, nevertheless the democrats had enforced it and endeavored to enforce it in Sojourner's case. A warrant^ was made out and she was arrested for both offenses. Mrs. Griffing undertook her defense alone, outwitted and beat the enemy. Sojourner, nothing daunted, determined to remain and carry out the programme. For a time her meetings were much disturbed. When she arose to speak, the democrats would cry, " Down with you ! AVe think the niggers have done enough ! We will not hear you speak ! Stop your mouth ! &c., &c." She told them that the Union people would soon make them stop their mouths. The Union home guard took her into custody to protect her from being thx-own into jail by the rebels. A meeting was appointed at the town-bouse in An- gola, but the democrats threatened to burn the build- ing if she attempted to speak in it. To this she made answer, " Then I will speak upon the ashes." Describing this meeting, she says : — " The ladies thought I should be dressed in uniform as well as the captain of the home guard, whose pris- oner I was and who was to go with me to the meet- ing. So they put upon me a red, white, and blue shawl, a sash and apron to match, a cap on my head with a star in front, and a star on each shoulder. When I was dressed I looked in the glass and was fairly frightened." Said I, " It seems I am going to battle," My friends advised me to take a sword or pistol. I rejdied, " I carry no weapon ; the Lord will I'llO-SL AVERY IN INDIANA, 141 resei've [preserve] me without weapons. I feel safe even in the raicist of my enemies j for the truth is powerful and v/ill prevail." " When we were ready to go, iliej put nie into a large, lieautiful carriage Vt^ith the captain and other gentlemen, all of whom were armed. The soldiers walked by our side and a long procession followed. As we neared the court-house, looking out of the win- dow, I saw that the building was surrounded by a great crowd. I felt as I was going against the Philistines and I prayed the Lord to reliver [deliver] me out of their hands. Bat when the rebels saw such a mighty army coming, they fled, and by the tiuie we arrived they were scattered over the fields, looking like a flock of frightened crows, and not one was left but a small boy, who sat upon the fence, cry- ing, 'Nigger, nigger !' " We now marched into the court-house, escorted by double files of soldiers with presented arms. The band struck up the ' Star Spangled Banner,' in which 1 joined and sang with all my might, while amid flashing bayonets and waving banners our }>arty made its way to the platform upon which I went and advo- cated free speech with more zeal than ever befttre, and withoiit interruption. At the close of the meeting, I was conducted to the house of the esquire for safety, as my friends feared the mob might return and make' 'us trouble ; but the day passed without fiirther an- noyance, " I S{)ent gome of the time at Pleasant Lake with Mr. Itoby'tj family; but Mr. Roby was arrested for en- iei'hiiuing me, tried and acquittod. Anotlior iVieiid, 142 "BOOK OF LIFE." Mr. Fox, was taken up for encuiunging me t(» remain in the State and summoned to aj)[)ear at the district court, but was found 'not guilty.' "One day whilst I was at Mr. Roby's, two ladies drove up in haste and earnestly desired me to leave, saying the rebels were near by — coming to take me — whei'eupon I went home with them. But they, be- coming more alarmed, advised me to seek safety in some woods not far away, by offering to go with me. This I positively refused to do, and told them I would sooner go to jail. I stood my ground and the rebel constable came with a warrant to take me ; but a Un- ion officer, following closely behind him, stepped up and read some papei's showing tliat I was his prisonei'. At this turn of affairs the rebel officer looked very much disgusted, and turning to go, said, ' I ain't go- ing to bother my head with niggers, I'll resign my of- fice first.' Then the home guard marched up to our house, playing upon the fife and drum, and gave loud cheers for Sojourner, Fi-ee Speech, and the Union. " The last time I was arrested, the constable asked if I would appear at court, or if he should take rnc along with him. INIy friends assured him that they would be responsible for my appearance. When the day for my trial came, a great many went with me, some of the best families in the county, among whom ' were Dr. Gale, Dr. Moss and family, Thomas Moss and family, Mr. Pvoby, Mrs. Griffing, and many other noble people whose names I cannot now recall, but tlie memory of whose friendshi}) will be cherished whilst memory remains. "INIy enemies, thinking I would itrobably run PRO- SLAVERY IN INDIANA. 143 away, had made no preparation for the trial; but when they saw us come, hunted around and procured a shabby room into which I went with a few friends and waited for some one to appear against me. After a while, two half-drunken lawyers, who looked like the scrapings of the Democratic party, made their ap- pearance, eyed us for a few moments, then left. Pres- ently we saw them enter a tavern across the way, and this ended the trial. " We now went to the house of a friend and had a gr?aid picnic. I returned home after a month of hard labor in Indiana, which I believe did much for the cause of human freedom." Mrs. Griffing, writing to the Anti-Slavery Standard, says, " Our meetings are largely attended by persons from every part of the county ; especially by the most noble-hearted women, whose presence has produced a marked impression and has done more toward estab- lishing a free government than would the killing of a hundred of Ellsworth's Zouaves. The lines are now being drawn as they never were by political maneuver, and as they cannot be by the cold steel alone, because it is a blow at slavery. ' Cannon balls may aid the truth, but thought's a weapon stronger.' " Slavery has made a conquest in this county by the sup})ression of free speech, and freedom must make her conquest l»y the steadfast support of fx-ee speech^ ■ There was not manhood enough in the county last fall to protect an aati-slavery meeting at the county- seat; now there are a hundred -incn who would spill their Itlood sooner than surrender the right of even Sojourner. At all of our meetings we have been 14 i "BOOK OF LIFE." told that armed men were in our midst and liad de- clared tliey would blow out our brains." In tlie winter and spring of 1863, Sojourner was ill for many weeks and lier finances becoming exhausted, she prayed the Lord to send an angel to relieve her wants. Soon aft ;r, q friend called bringing all need- ful supplies, to whom she said, "I just asked the Lord to send one of his chosen angels to me," and smiling added, " I knew he would think of you first." Her case was made known to the public through the columns of the Anti-Slavery Standard and gener- ous donations were forwarded to her. The following articles were published at the time : — "SOJOURNER TRUTH. " Oliveu Johnson : — " Bear Friend — Again 1 would ask permission, through your paper, to return tlianks to friends whose hearts have been moved to give aid and comfort to our 'venerable friend and teacher,' So- journer Truth. She desires me to say that she cannot rest until all know how truly grateful she is for their kind assistance. She says her heart is full of praises and prayer, and sometimes she thinks her cup of hap- piness is about to run over, and she prays de Lord to pour it on to some of her friends. Would that some people had the power and goodness of lieart to extnict hai'piness from material surroundings in proportion to tlieir i)ossesBious, as Sojourner has. A much but- ter world would thia be. "Wlicn ilio kind and excolleut lutter reached her SOJOURNER TRUTH. 145 from Samuel May and wifo, of Leicester, Mass., ac- companied witli donations from Ireland, she was greatly surprised, and expressions of deep gratitxide came in rapid succession. Finally, she concluded that no mortal on earth was ever so blessed before, and she was quite sure ' do Lord never sent his angels from so great a distance, even in 'Lijah's day.' .She won- dei'cd wlio ever hoard of Sojourner way in Ireland, and when she thought that they were friends whom she had never seen, she was quite overcome with joy, and thought the iroodness of the I^ord was greater than she coidd understand. " She wishes you to pi'int the name of her gi'andson, James Caldwell, of the 5ith, thinking that some one may go and see him, " She wishes her friends to know tliat her health is better than it was some time since. She says she has ' budded out wid de trees, but may fall wid de au- tumn leaves.' "PlIKliE II. M. STrCKNEY." "najirs of donors. " Mrs. Edmundson, Dublin, Ireland, Mrs. Anne Allen, (( a Ilichard I). Webb, a ii Sarah R. May, Leicester, JMass. Samuel May, Jr., i( a Mrs. Ctoss, New York, W. H. Burleigh, a (I George W. Bungay, (( li Oliver Johnson, a 11 Theodore Tilton, (c a B 14G "BOOK OF LIFE." ' Freedman's Roliof Society,' Worcestei', Mass. Miss Ladd, Mrs. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Twam, Dr. Church and wife, Mrs. John Hull, Mrs. Maria Brown and Stillman, Miss Laui'a Stebbins, Mrs. Charles Hastings, Mrs. Griffing, Mrs. Samson and Mrs. Eliot, Mrs. John Hamilton." "To the Editor of the National Anti-Rlarory Standard : "This extraordinary woman still lives. When the letter of Phebe M. Sfcickney came to lis at our home on the prairies in Iowa, suggesting pecuniary comfort for the blessed old saint in the sunset of her remarka- ble and useful life, I never remember to have regretted more that I had so little at command to bestow. The, Standard, however, reports the names of a number ot friends who were ready and willing to minister to her necessities. I hope others will do likewise. Few, if any, in tlie land are more worthy. Hers has been a life of ])re-eminent devotion to the sacred cause oi liberty and purity. " The graphic sketch of her by the author of ' Uncle Tom's Cabin ' has doubtless been read witli interest by thousands. No pen, however, can give an ade- quate idea of Sojourner Truth. This unlearned Afri- can woman, with her deep religious and trustful nat- ure burning in her soiil like (ire, lias a mngnetic power SOJOURNER TRUTH. 147 over an audience perfectly astonnding. I was once present in a religious meeting where some speaker had alluded to the government of the United Stales, and had uttered sentiments in favor of its Constitu- tion. Sojourner stood, erect and tall, with her white turl)an on her head, and in a low and subdued tone of voice began by saying : ' Children, I talks to God and God talks to me. I goes out and talks to God in de fields and de woods. [The v/eevil had destroyed tliou- sands of acres of wheat in the West that year.] Dis morning I was walking out, and I got over de fence. I saw de wheat a holding up its head, looking very big. I goes up and takes holt ob it. You b'lieve it, dere was no wheat dare ? I says, God [speaking the name in a voice of reverence peculiar to herself], what is de matter wid dis wheat ? and he says to me, " So- journer, dere is a little weasel in it." Now I hears talkin' about de Constitution and de ri^dits of man. I comes up and I takes hold of dis Constitution. It looks tnighty hig, and I feels for my rights, but der aint any dare. Den I says, God, what ails dis Con- stitution 1 lie says to me, " Sojourner, dere is a lit- tle weasel in it." ' The effect upon the multitude was irresistible. " On a dark, cloiidy moraing, while she was our guest, she was sitting, as she often was wont to do, with her cheeks upon her palms, her elbows on her knees; she lifted up her head as though she had just wakened from a dream, and said, ' Friend Dngdale, poor old Sojourner can't read a word, will you git me de Bible and read me a little of de Scripter?' Oh, yes, Sojourner, gladly, said I. I opened to Isaiah, 148 " P.OOK OF LIFE." tlie 59th chapter. She listened as thoiigli an oracle was speaking. When I came to the words, None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for trxith ; your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity ; they conceive mischief, and biing forth in- iquity ; they hatch cockatrice's eggs, and weave the spider's web ; he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that wliich is crushed breaketh out into a viper, she could restrain herself no longer, and, bringing her great palms together with an emphasis that I shall never forget, she exclaimed, ' Is dat thare ? "It shall break out into a viper." Yes, God told me dat. I never heard it read afore, nov> I know it double P Of course her mind was directed to the heinous institu- tion of American slavery, and she regarded these terrible words of the seer as prophetic concerning its fearful consequences. " On one occasion, in a large reform meeting, where many able and efficient public speakers were present, Sojourner sat in the midst. One man, in defiance of pi'opriety, was wasting the time of the meeting by distasteful and indelicate declamation. Some, in de- spair of his ending, were leaving the meeting. Oth- ers, mortified and distressed, were silently enduring, while the * flea of the Convention,' continiied to bore it, nothing daunted. Just at a point where he was forced to suspend long enough to take in a long breath, Sojourner, who had been sitting in the back part of the house with her head bowed, and groaning in s[)irit, raised up her tall figiire befoi'e him, and, putting her eyes upon him, said, ' Child, if de people has no whar to put it, what is de use*? Sit down, SOJOURNEll TRUTH. 140 cliild, sit duii:n!' The man dropped as it" he had been shot, and not another word was heard from him. " A friend rehxted the following anecdote to me : In that period of the anti-slavery movement when mobocratic violence was often resorted to, one of its W most talented and devoted advocates, after an able ad- dress, was followed by a lawyer, who appealed to the lowest sentiments — was scurrilous and abusive in the sup>8rlative degree. Alluding to the colored race, he compared them, to monkeys, baboons, and ourang- outangs. When he was about closing his inflamma- tory speech, Sojoui-ner quietly drew near to the i)lat- form and whispei'ed in the ear of the advocate of her people, ' Do n't dirty your hands v/id dat critter ; let me 'tend to him !' The speaker knew it was safe to trust her. ' Children,' said she, straightening herself to her full hight, ' I am one of dem monkey tribes. I was born a slave. I had de dirty work to do — de scullion work. Now I am going to 'ply to dis critter ' — pointing her long, bony finger with withering scorn at the petty lawj^er. ' Now in de course of my time I has done a great deal of dirty scullion work, but of all de dirty work I ever done, dis is de scullionist and de dirtiest.' Peering into the eyes of the auditory with just such a look as she could give, and that no one could imitate, she continued : ' Now, children, don't you jylty meV She had taken the citadel by storm. The whole audience shouted applause, and the negro-haters as heartily as any. " I was present at a lai'go religious convention. Love in the family had been portrayed in a manner to touch the better nature of the auditor v. Just as 150 " BOOK OF LIFE," the meeting was about to close, Sojourner stood up. Tears were coursing down her furrowed cheeks. 8he said : ' We has heerd a great deal about love at home in de family. Now, children, I was a slave, and my husband and my children was sold from me.' The pathos with which she uttered these words made a deep impression upon the meeting. Pausing a mo- ment, she added : ' Now, husband and children is all "one, and what has ^come of de affection I had for dem? Dat is de question before de housed The peo- ple smiled amidst a baptism of tears. " Let food and raiment be given her. There are many in the land who will be made richer by seeing that this noble woman shares their bounty ; and then, when her Lord shall come to talk with her, and take her into his presence chamber, and shall say, ' So- journer, lacked thou anything?-' she may answer, ' Nothing, Lord, either for body or soul.' "J. A. D. ^^ Near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, 1803." In April, 1863, a lengthy account of Sojourner's life was published in the Atlantic Monthly, entitled, "So- journer Truth, the Libyan Sibyl," written by JNIrs. II. B. Stowe. This graphic sketch not only gave Sojourner greater notoriety, but added fresh laurels to Mrs. Stowe's increasing fame as an authoress. The description of her person and the portrayal of her char- acter are so vivid that it linds a iitting place in her Look of Life, and is here fully given. THE LIBYAN SIBYL. . 151 SOJOURNER TRUTIP, THE LIBYAN SIBYL. j\laiiy years ago, the few readers of radical abo- litionist papers must often have seen tlie singular name of Sojourner Truth, announced as a frecpient speaker at anti-slavery meetings, and as traveling on a sort of self-appointed agency througli the country. I had myself often remarked the name, but never met the individual. On one occasion, when our house was filled with company, several eminent clergymen being our guests, notice vv^as brought up to me that Sojourner Truth was below, and requested an interview. Know- ing nothing of her but her singular name, I went down, })repared to make the interview short, as the press- ure of many other engagements demanded. When I went into the room, a tall, spare form arose to meet me. She was evidently a full-blooded Afri- can, and though now aged and v^^orn with many hard- ships, still gave the impression of a physical dc\-elop- ment which in early yoiith must have been as line a specimen of the torrid zone as Cumberworth's cele- brated statuette of the Negro Woman at the Fount- ain. Indeed, she so strongly reminded me of that Ijgure, that, when I recall the events of her life, as she narrated them to nie, I imagine her as a living, breath- ing impersonation of that work of art. I do not recollect ever to have been conversant with any one who had more of that silent and subtle power which we call personal presence than this woman. In the modern spiritualistic jihrascology, she would be described as having a strong sphere. Her tall form, as she rose up before me, is still vivid to my mind. 152 . "BOOK OF LIFE." She was dressed in some stout, grayish stuff, neat and clean, tliougli dusty from travel. On her head she Avore a bright Madras handkerchief, an-anged as a turban, after the manner of her race. She seemed perfectly self-possessed and at her ease ; in fact, there was almost an unconscious superiority, not unmixed with a solemn twinkle of humor, in the odd, com- posed manner in which she looked down on me. Her whole air had at times a gloomy sort of drollery which impressed one strangely. " So this is you" she said. " Yes," I answered. " Well, honey, de Lord bless yc ! I jes' thought I'd like to come an' have a look at ye. You's heerd o' mo, I reckon] " she added. " Yes, I think I have. You go about lecturing, do you not?' " Yes, honey, that's what I do. The Lord has made me a sign iinto this nation, an' I go round a-testifyin,' an' showiu' on em' their sins agin my j'eople." So saying, she took a seat, and, stooping over and crossing her arms on her knees, she looked down on the floor, and appeared to fall into a sort of reverie. Her great, gloomy eyes and her dark face seemed to work with some undercurrent of feeling ; she sighed deeply, and occasionally broke out, " 0 Lord ! 0 Loixl ! Oh, the tears, an' the groans, an' the moans, O Lord ! " I should liavo said that she Avas accompanied by a little gnuidson of ten years — the fattest, jollicst wool- ly-headed little specimen of Africa that one can im- agine, Ho was grinning and showing his glistening THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 153 white teeth in a state of perpetual merriment, and at this moment broke out into an audible giggle, which disturbed the reverie into which his relative was fall- ing. She looked at him with an indulgent sadness, and then at me. " Laws, ma'am, he don't know nothin' about it, he don't. Why, I've seen them poor critters beat an' 'bused an' hunted, brought in all torn- — cars hangin' all in rags, where the dogs been a bitin' of 'em ! " This set oil' o\ir little African Puck into another giggle, in which he seemed perfectly convulsed. She surveyed him soberly, without the slightest irritation. " Well, you may bless the Lord, you can laugh ; but I tell you, 't wa'n't no laughin' matter. By this time I thought her manner so original that it might be vrorth while to call down my friends ; and she seemed perfectly well pleased with the idea. An audience was what she wanted — it mattered not whether high or low, learned or ignorant. She had things to say, and was ready to say them at all times, and to any one. I called down Dr. Beecher, Professor Allen, and two or three other clergymen, v/ho, together with my husband and family, made a roomful. No princess could have received a drawing-room with more com- posed dignity than Sojourner her audience. She stood among them, calm and erect, as one of her own native pidm-trees waving alone in the desert. I presented one after another to her, and at last said — " Sojourner, this is Di'. Beecher. lie is a Acry cel- ebrated preacher," 154 "BOOK OF LIFE." '*' Is lie 1 " she said, offering her hand in a conde- sccmling manner, and looking down on his -white head. " Ye dear himb, I 'm ghid to see ye ! De Lord Ijless ye ! I loves pi'eachei's. I 'm a kind o' preacher my- self." " You are 1 " i-aid Dr. Beecher. " Do you preach from the Bible r' " No, honey, can't preach from de Bible^ — can't read a letter." " Why, Sojourner, what do you i)reach from, then 1 " Her answer was given with a solemn power of voice, peculiar to herself, that hushed every one in the room. "When I })reaches, I has jest one text to preach from, an' I always preaches from this one. Mi/ text is, ' When I found Jesus ! ' " Well, you could n't have a better one," said one of the ministers. She paid no attention to him, but stood and seemed swelling with her own thoughts, and then began this narration : — " Well, now, I 'II jest have to go back an' tell ye all about it. Ye see we was all brought over from Africa, father, an' mother an' I, an' a lot more of us ; an' we v/as sold up an' down, an' hither an' yon ; an' I can 'juember, Avhen I Avas a little thing, not bigger than this 'ere,' pointing to her grandson, ' how my ole nunnmy would sit out o' doors in the eveniu,' an' look up at the stars an' groan. She'd groan, an groan, an' says I to her, '• * Mammy, what makes you groan so 'i ' " An' she 'd sav, THE LIBYAN SIBYL, 155 " ' Matter enongli, chile ! I'm groanm' to tliink o' my poor children : they don't know v/here I be, an' I don't know whore they be ; they looks up at the stars, an' I looks up at the stars, but I can't tell where they be. "'Now,' she said, 'chile, when you're grown up, vou may be sold away from your mother an' all your old friends, an' have great troubles come on ye ; an' when you has these troubles come on ye, ye jes' go to God, an' he'll help ye.' " An says I to her, " ' Who is God, anyhow, mammy 1 ' " An' says she, " ' Why, chile, you jes' look up dar. It'.s him that made all dem ? ' "Well, I did n't mind much 'bout God iii them days. I grev/ up pretty lively an' strong, an' could row a boat, or ride a horse, or work round, an' do 'most any- thing. " At last I got sold away to a real hard massa an' missis. Oh, I tell you they ivas hard ! 'Feared like I couldn't please 'em nohow. An' then I thought o' what my old mammy told me about God ; an' I thought I 'd got into trouble, sure enough, an' I wanted to find God, an' I heerd some one tell a story about a man that met God on a threshin'-lloor, an' I thought, well •an' good, I '11 have a threshin'-floor, too. So I went down in the lot, and I threshed down a i)lace real hard, an' I used to go down there every day, an' pray an' cry with all my might, a-[)rayin' to the Lord to make my massa an' missis better, but it didn't seem to do no good ; and so says I, one day. 156 " J'.OOK OF Lib'E." " ' O God, I been a-askin' ye, an' askin' ye, an uskiu' ye, for all this long time, to make my raassa an' mis- sis better, an' you do n't do it, an' what can be (be reason 1 Why, maybe you cant. AVell, I sliould n't wonder if you could n't. Well, now, I tell you, I '11 make a bargain with you, Ef you '11 help me to git away from my massa an' missis, I '11 agree to be good ; but ef you do n't help me, I really do n't think I can be. Now,' says I, ' I want to git av/ay ; but the trouble's jest here ; ef I try to git away in the night, I can't see ; an' ef I try to git away in the day-time, they'll see me an' be after me.' " Then the Lord said to me, ' Git up two or three hours afore daylight, an' start oil'.' "An' says I, 'Thank'ee Lord ! that's a good thought.' " So up I got about three o'clock in the mornin', an' I started an' traveled pretty fast, till, when the sun rose, I was clear away from our place an' our folks, an' out o' sight. An' then I begun to think I did n't know nothin' where to go. So I kneeled down, and says I, '"Well, Lord, you've started me out, an' now please to show me where to go.' " Then the Lord made a house appear to me, an' he said to me that I was to walk on till I saw that house, an' then go in an' ask the people to take me. An' I traveled all day, an' did n't come to the house till late at night ; but when I saw it, sure enough, I went in, an' I told the folks that the Lord sent me ; an' they was Quakers, an' real kind they was to me. They jes' took me in an' did for me as kind as ef I 'd been one of 'em ; an' after they 'd giv ms supper, they THE LIBYAN STEYL. 157 hook mc ill to a room where tliore was a groat, taU, white bed ; an' they tokl me to sleep there. Well, honey, I was kind o' skeered when they left me ajono with that great white bed ; 'cause I never had been in a bed in my life. It never came into my mind they could mean me to sleep in it. An' so I jcs' camped down under it, on the floor, an' then I slep' pi'ctty well. In the mornin', when they came in, tliey asked me ef I had n't been asleep ; an' I said, 'Yes, I never slep' better,' An' they said, 'Why, you hav n't been in the bed ! ' An' says I, ' Laws, you did n't think o' sech a thing as my sleepin' in dat 'ar' bed, did you 1 I never heered o' sech a thing in my life.' " Well, ye see, honey, I stayed an' lived with 'em. An' now jes' look here : instead o' keepin' my pi'om- ise an' bein' good, as I told the Lord I wo\ald, jest as soon as everything got agoin' easy, I forgot all ahovf God. " Pretty well do n't need no help ; an' I gin up pray in.' I lived there two or three years, an' then the slaves in New York were all set free, 'an ole massa came to our house to make a visit, an' he asked me ef I did n't want to go 1 jack an' see the folks on the ole place. An' I told him I did. 8o he said, ef I 'd jes' git into the wagon with him, he 'd carry me over. Well, jest as I was goin' out to get into the wagon, I met God! an' says I, 'O God, I didn't know as you was so great !' An' I turned right round an' come into the house, an' set down in my room ; for 'twas God all around me. I could feel it burnin', biirnin', burnin' all around me, an' goin' throiigh me ; 158 "BOOK OF LIFE." an' I saw I was so wicked, it seemed as of it wonld l)iu"n me up. An' I said, ' O somebody, somebody, stand between God an' me ! for it burns me !' Then, honey, wlien I said so, I felt as it were somethin' like an amheriU [umbrella] that came between me an' the light, an' I felt it was somehody — somebody that stood between me an' God ; an' it felt cool, like a shade ; an' says I, ' Who's this that stands between me an' God ] Is it old C:.ito 1 ' He was a pious old preacher ; but then I seemed to see Cato in the light, an' he was all polluted an' vile, like me ; an' I said, ' Is It old Sally]' an' then I saw her, an' she seemed jes' so. An' then says I, ' If Via is this?' An' then, honey, for awhile it was like the sun shinin' in a pail o' water, when it moves up and down ; for I begun to feel t' was somebody that loved me ; an' I tried to know him. An' I said, 'I know you ! I know you ! I know you !' An' then I said, ' I don 't know you ! I don 't know you ! I don 't know yoix ! ' An' when I said, 'I know you, I know you' the light came; an' when I said, 'I don't know you, I don't know you,' it went jes' like the sun in a pail o' water. An' finally somethin' spoke out in me an' said, 'This is Jesus I' An' I spoke out witli all my might, an' says I, 'This is Jesus! Glory be to God!' An' then the whole world grew briglxt, an' the trees they waved an' waved in glory, an' every little bit o' stone on the groimd shone like glass; and I shouted an' said, 'Praise, praise, praise to the Lord!' An' I begun to feel sech a love in my soul as I never felt before — love to all creatures. An' then, all of a sud- den, it stojjped, an' I ^aid, ' Dar 's de white folks that TTIE LIBYAN SIBYL. 159 have abused yon, an' beat yon, an' almsecl yonr people — think o' them !' But tJien there came another rusli of love through my soiil, an' I cried out loud — 'Lord, Lord, I can love even de v)liite folks /' " Honey, I jes' walked round an' round in a dream. Jesus loved me ! I knowed it — I felt it. Jesus was my Jesus. Jesus would love me always. I did n't dare tell nobody; 'twas a great secret. Everything had been got away from me that I ever had ; an' I thought that ef I let white folks know about this, maybe they'd get lllm away — ^so I said, 'I'll keep this close. I wont let any one know,'" "Bat, Sojourner, had you never been told about Jesus Christ?" "No, honey. I hadn't heerd no preachin' — betfci to no meetin.' Nobody hadn't told me. I'd kind o' heerd of Jesus, but thought he was like Gineral Lafayette, or some o' them. Bat one night there was a Methodist meetin' somewhere in our parts, an' I went; an' they got up an' begun for to tell der 'speriences: an' de fust one began to speak. I started, 'cause he told about Jesus. ' Why,' .says I to myself, ' dat man's foiind him, too !' An' another got up an' spoke, an' I said, 'He's found him, too !' An' finally I said, ' Why, they all know him !' I was so happy ! An' then they sung this hymn " (Here Sojourner sang, in a strange, cracked voice, but evidently with all her soul and might, mispronouncing the English, bat seeming to derive as much elevation and comfort from bad English as from good) : — 1 C,{) " r.OOK OF T,TFE." "There is a holy city, A world of light above, Above the stairs and regions,* Built by the (!od of love. "An everlasting temple. And saints arrayed in white, There serve their great liedeeiiier And dwell with him in light. "The meanest child of glory Outshines the radiant siin ; But who can speak the splendor Of Jesus on liis throne ? "Is this the Man of Sorrows Who stood at Pilate's bar, Condemned by haughty ITerod And ])y his men of war I "He seems a mighty conqueror, Who spoiled the powers below, And ransomed many captives From everlasting Avoe. ' ' The hosts of saints around him Proclaim his work of grace, The patriarchs and prophets. And all the godly race, "Who speak of fiery trials And tortures on their way ; They came from tribulation To everlasting day. "And what shall be my journey, How long I '11 stay below, '^' Ptiirry regions. THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 161 Or what shall be my trials, Are not for me to know. "In every day of trouble I '11 raise my thoughts on high, I '11 think of that bright temple And crowns above the sky." I put in this whole hymn, because Sojourner, car- ried away with her own feeling, sang it from begin- ning to end with a tx'iumphant energy that held the whole circle around her intently listening. She sang with the sti-ong barbaric accent of the native African, and witli those indescribable upward turns and those deep gutturals which give such a wild, peculiar povrer to the negro singing — but above all, with such an- overwhelming energy of personal ajipropriation tliat the hymn seemed to be fused in the furnace of her feelings and come out recrystalHzed as a production of her own. It is said that Rachel was wont to chant the " Mar- seillaise " in a manner that made her seem, for the time, the very spii-it and impersonation of the gaunt, wild, hungry, avenging mob which rose against aristo- cratic opi)re6sion ; and in like manner, Sojourner, sing- ing this hymn, seemed to impersonate the fervor of Ethioi)ia, wild, savage, hunted of all nations, but burning after God in her tropic heart, and stretching her scarred hands towai'd the glory to be revealed. " Well, den ye see, after a while I thought 1\\ i-o back an' see de folks on de ole place. Well, you know de law had passed dat de culled folks was all free ; an' C 162 "BOOK OF LIFE." my old missis, slie had a dauglitex' married about dis timo who went to live in Alabama — an' what did she do but give her my son, a boy about de age of dis yer, for her to take doAvn to Alabama 1 When I got back to de ole place, they told me about it, an' I went right up to see ole missis, an' says I, " ' Missis, have you been an' sent my son away down to Alabama 1 ' " ' Yes, I have,' says she ; ' he's gone to live witli your young missis.' '' ' Oh, Missis,' says I, ' how could you do it 1 ' " ' Poh ! ' says she, ' what a fuss you make about a little nigger ! Got more of 'em now than you know what to do with,' <* I tell you, I stretched up. I felt as tall as the world ! " ' Missis,' says I, ' I'll have iny sun hack agin ! ' " She laughed. " ' You will, you nigger? How you goin' to do iti You ha'n't got no money.' " ' No, Missis — but God has — an' you'll see he'll help me ! — an' I turned round an' went out. " Oh, but I tvas angry to have her speak to me so haughty an' so scornful, as ef my chile was n't worth anything. I said to God, ' 0 Lord, render unto her double ! ' It was a dreadful prayer, an' I did n't know how true it would come. " Well, I did n't rightly know which way to turn ; but I went to the Lord, an' I said to him, * O Lord, ef I was as rich as you be, an' you was as poor as I be, I'd help you — you knotv I wotild ; and, oh, do lu;]p me ! ' An' I felt sure then that he would. THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 163 " Well, I talked with people, an' they said I must git the case before a grand jnry. So I went into the town when they was holdin' a court, to see ef I could find any grand jmy. An' I stood round the court- house, an' when they was a-comin' out, I walked right up to the grandest lookin' one I could see, an' says I to him : — " ' Sir, be you a grand jury 1 ' " An' then he wanted to know why I asked, an' I told him all about it ; an' he asked me all sorts of questions, an' finally he says to me : — '* ' I think, ef you pay me ten dollars, that I'd agree to git your son for you.' An' says he, pointin' to a house over the way, * You go 'long an' tell your story to the folks in that house, an' I guess they'll give you the money.' " Well, I went, an' I told them, an' they gave me twenty dollars ; an' then I thought to myself, ' Ef ten dollars will git him, twenty dollars will git him mar- tin.' So I cai'ried it to the man all out, an' said, " ' Take it all — only be sure an' git him.' " Well, finally they got the boy brought back ; an' then they tried to frighten him, an' to make him say that I was n't his mammy, an' that he did n't know me ; but they could n't make it out. They gave hiai to me, an' I took him and carried hiui home ; an' when I came to take off his clothes, there was his poor little back all covered with scars an' hard lumps, where they'd flogged him. " Well, you see, honey, I told you how I pi-ayedthe Lord to render unto her double. Well, it came true ; for I was up at ole missis' hous^ not long after, an' 1 164) "BOOK OF LIFE." heerd 'em readin' a letter to her how her daiighter's husband had murdered her — how he'd thrown her down an' stamped the life out of her, when he was in liqtior ; an' my ole missis, she giv a screech, an fell flat on the floor. Then says I, ' O Lord, I did n't mean all that ! You took me up too quick.' " Well, I went in an' tended that poor critter all night. She was out of her mind — a cryin', an' callin' for her daughter ; an' I held her poor ole head on my arm, an' watched for her as ef she'd been my babby. An' I watched by her, an' took care on her all through her sickness after that, an' she died in my arms, poor thing ! " " Well, Sojourner, did you always go by this name ?" " No, 'deed ! My name was Isabella ; but when I left the house of bondage, I left everything behind. I wa'n't goin' to keep nothin' of Eg}^pt on me, an' so I went to the Lord an' asked him to give me a new name. And the Lord gave me Sojourner, because I was to travel up an' down the land, showin' the peo- ple their sins, an' bein' a sign unto them. Afterward I told the Lord I wanted another name, 'cause every- body else had two names; and the Lord gave me Truth, because I was to declare the truth to the people. " Ye see some ladies have given me a white satin banner," she said, pulling out of her pocket and un- folding a white banner, printed with many texts, such as, " Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," and others of like nature. " Well," she said, " I journeys round to camp-meetin's, an' wherever folks is, an' I sets up my banner, an' then I sings, an' then folks always comes up round THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 165 me, an' tlien I preaches to 'em. I tells 'em about Je- sus, an' I tells 'em about the sins of this people. A great many always comes to hear me j an' they're right good to me, too, an' say they want to hear me agin." We all thought it likely ; and as the company left her, they shook hands with her, and thanked her for her very original sermon ; and one of the ministers was overheard to say to another, " There's more of the gospel in that story than in most sermons." Sojourner staid several days with us, a welcome guest. Her convei-sation was so strong, simple, shrewd, and with such a droll flavoring of humor, that the Professor was wont to &ay of an evening, " Come, I am dull, can't you get Sojourner up here to talk a little 1 " She would come up into the parlor, and sit among pictures and ornaments, in her simple stuff gown, with her heavy traveling shoes, the central ob- ject of attention both to parents and children, always ready to talk or to sing, and putting into the common flow of convex'sation the keen edge of some shrewd re- mark. " Sojourner, what do you think of women's Eights 1 " " Well, honey, I 's ben to der meetins, an' harked a good deal. Dey wanted me fur to speak. So I got up. Says I, ' Sisters, I a'n't clear what you'd be after. Ef women want any rights more'n dey's got, why don't dey jes' take 'em^ an' not be talkin' about if?' Some on 'em came round me, an' asked why I did n't wear bloomers. An' I told 'em I had bloomers enoui^h when I was in bondage. You see," she said, "dey used to weave what dey called nigger cloth, an' each one of 16C "BOOK OF LIFE." ns got jes' sech a strip, an' had to wear it widtli-wise. Them that was short got along pretty well, but as for me " She gave an indescribably droll glance at her long limbs and then at us, and added, "Tell yoti, I had enough of bloomers in them days." Sojourner then proceeded to give her views of the relative capacity of the sexes, in her own way. " S'pose a man's mind holds a quart, an a woman's do n't hold but a pint ; ef her pint is full, it's as good as his quart." Sojourner was fond of singing an extraordinary lyi'ic, commencing, " I'm on my way to Canada, That cold, but happy, land ; The dire efl'ects of slavery I can no longer stand. 0 righteous Father, Do look down on me, And help me on to Canada, Where colored folks are free ! " The lyric ran on to state that, when the fugitive crosses the Canada line, ' ' The qvieen comes down imto the shore, With arms extended wide, To welcome the poor fugitive Safe onto freedom's side." In the truth thus set forth she seemed to have the most simple faith. But her chief delight was to talk of " glory," and to sing hymns whose burden was, THE LIBYAN SIBYT,. TG7 "() glory, glory, glory, Won't you come along with me 1 " and when left to herself, she would often hum these with great delight, nodding her head. On one occasion, I remember her sitting at a win- dow singing and fervently keeping time with her head, the little black Puck of a grandson meanwhile amus- ing himself with ornamenting her red-and-yellow tur- ban with green dandelion curls, which shook and trembled with her emotions, causing him perfect con- vulsions of delight. " Sojourner," said the Professor to her, one day, when he heard her singing, "you seem to be very sure about Heaven." " Well, I be," she answered, triumphantly. " What makes you so sure there is any Heaven 1 " " Well, 'cause I got such a hankerin' arter it in here," she said — giving a thump on her breast with her usual energy. There was at the time an invalid in the house, and Sojourner, on learning it, felt a mission to go and comfort her. It was curious to see the tall, gaunt, dusky figure stalk up to the bed with svxch an air of conscious authority, and take on herself the office of consoler with such a mixture of authority and tender- ness. She talked as from above — and at the same time, if a pillow needed changing or any office to be rendered, she did it with a strength and handiness that inspired trust. One felt as if the dark, strange woman were quite able to take up the invalid in her bosom, and bear her as a lamb, both physically and IGS "r.OOK OF LIFE." spiritually. There was both power and sweetness in that great warm soul and that vigorous frame. At length, Sojourner, true to her name, departed. She had her mission elsewhere. Where now she is I know not ; but she left deep memories behind her. To these recollections of my own I will add one more anecdote, related by Wendell Phillips. Speaking of the power of Rachel to move and l)ear down a whole audience by a few simple words, he said he never knew but one other human being that liad that power, and that other was Sojourner Truth. He related a scene of which he was witness. It was at a crowded piiblic meeting in Faneuil Hall, where Frederick Douglas was one of the chief speak- ers. Douglas had been describing the wrongs of the black race, and as he proceeded, he grew more and more excited, and finally ended by saying that they had no hope of justice from the whites, no possible hope except in their own right arms. It must come to blood ; they must fight for themselves and redeem themselves, or it would never be done. Sojoui'ner was sitting, tall and dark, on the very front seat, facing the platform; and in the hush ot deep feeling, after Douglas sat down, she spoke out in her deep, peculiar voice, heard all over the house, "Frederick, is Cod dead ?" The effect was perfectly electrical, and thrilled through the whole house, changing as by a flash the whole feeling of the ai;dience. Not another word she said or needed to say ; it was enough. It is with a sad feeling that one contemplates noble minds and bddios, nobly and grandly fovincd human THE LIBYAN Sir.YL. 109 lieings, that have come to us cramped, scarred, maimed, out of the prisou-liouse of bondage. One longs to know what snch beings might have become, if sulFered to unfold and expand under the kindly developing in- fluences of education. It is the theory of some writers that to the African is reserved, in the later and palmier days of the earth, the full and harmonious development of the religious element in man. The African seems to seize on the tropical fervor and luxuriance of Scripture im- agery as something native ; he appears to feel himself to be of the same blood with those old burning, sim- ple souls, the patriarchs, prophets, and seers, whose impassioned words seem only grafted as foreign plants on the cooler stock of the occidental mind. I cannot but think that Sojourner with the same culture might have spoken words as eloquent and x\n- dying as those of the African Saint Augustine or Ter- tullian. How grand and queenly a woman she might have been, with her wonderful physical vigor, her great heaving sea of emotion, her power of spiritual conception, her quick penetration, and her boundless energy ! We might conceive an African type of wom- an so largely made and moulded, so much fuller in all the elements of life, physical and spiritual, that the dark hue of the skin should seem only to add an ap- propriate charm — as Milton says of his Penseroso, whom he imagines " Black, but such as in esteem Prince Memnon's sister might beseem, Or that starred Ethiop queen that strove To set her beauty's praise above The sea- nymph's." 170 "BOOK OF LIFE." But tliougli Sojoiu-ncr Truth liiis [)asscd away fi'om among us as a wave of the sea, her memory still lives in one of the loftiest and most original works of modern art, the Libyan Sibyl, by Mr. Story, which attracted so much attention in the late World's Exhibition, Some years ago, when visiting Rome, I related Sojourner's history to Mr, Story at a breakfast at his house. Al- ready had his mind begun to turn to Egypt in search of a type of art which should represent a larger and more vigorous development of nature than the cold elegance of Greek lines. His glorious Cleopatra was then in process of evolution, and his mind was work- ing out the problem of her broadly developed nature, of all that slumbering weight and fullness of passion with which this statue seems charged, as a heavy thunder-cloud is charged with electricity. The history of Sojoui-ner Truth worked in his mind and led him into the deeper recesses of the African nature — those unexplored depths of being and feeling, mighty and dark as the gigantic depths of tropical forests, mysterious as the hidden rivers and mines of that burning continent whose life-history is yet to be. A few days after, he told me that he had conceived the idea of a statue which he should call the Libyan Sibyl. Two years subsequently, I revisited Eome, and found the gorgeous Cleopatra finished, a thing to marvel at, as the creation of a new style of beauty, a new manner of art. Mr, Story recjuested me to come and repeat to him the history of Sojourner Truth, saying that the conception had never left him. I did so ; and a day or two after, he showed me the clay model of the Libyan Sibyl, I have never seen the THE LIBYAN SIFA'T,. 171 marble statue ; but am told by those wlio have, that it was by far the most impressive work of art at the Exhibition, A notice of the two statues from the London Athe- nceuj7i must supply a description which I cannot give. " The Cleopatra and the Sibyl are seated, partly draped, with the characteristic Egyptian gown, that gathers about the torso and falls freely around the limbs ; the first is covered to the bosom, the second bare to the hips. Queenly Cleopatra rests back against her chair in meditative ease, leaning her cheek against one hand, whose elbow the rail of the seat sustains ; the other is outstretched upon her knee, nip[)ing its forefinger upon the thumb thoughtfully, as though some firm, willfid purpose filled her brain, as it seems to set those luxurious features to a smile as if the whole woman 'woidd.' Upon her head is the coif, bearing in front the mystic urceus, or twining basilisk of sovereignty, while from its sides depend the wide Egyptian lappels, or wings, that fall upon her shoul- ders. The Sibilla Lihica has crossed her knees — an action universally held amongst the ancients as indica- tive of reticence or secrecy, and of power to bind. A secret-keeping looking dame she is, in the full-bloom proportions of ripe womanhood, wherein choosing to place his figure the sculptor has deftly gone between the disputed point whether these women were blooming and wise in youth, or deeply furrowed with age and burdened with the knowledge of centuries, as Virgil, Livy, and Gellius say. Good artistic example might be quoted on both sides. Her forward elbow is propped upon one knee; and to keep her secrets closer, for 172 " BOOK OF TJFE." this Libyan woman is the closest of all the sibyls, she rests her shut mouth upon one closed palm, as if holding the African mystery deep in the brooding brain that looks out through mournful, warning eyes, seen under the wide shade of the strange horned (Am- monite) crest, that bears the mystery of the Tetra- grammaton upon its upturned fi'ont. Over her full bosom, mother of myriads as she was, hangs the same symbol. Her face has a Nubian cast, her hair wavy and plaited, as is meet." We hope to see the day when copies both of the Cleopatra and the Libyan Sibyl shall adorn the Capi- tol at Washington. Near the close of the article Mrs. Stowe said, " So- journer has passed away from among lis as a wave of the sea." But as the wave describes larger circles in its outward bound course, so has her life become more significant as she has been borne forth into the ocean of life. Her work was then but just begun, and her record since that time shows a faith in the power of truth, a devotion in the cause of humanity, and a perseverance in the accomplishment of her p\;rposes which command attention and resi)ect. She had been around "a testifying," but now other duties were superadded. To the great work being done for the soldiers, she lent a helping hand, seeking every op- portunity to aid them. The first colored troops that enlisted from Battle Creek encamped in Detroit. As the thanksgiving season ap])roached. Sojourner pro- posed that the citizens of that city should send the *' boys " a dinner, to which they cordially re- sponded. Tn her soliciting rounds, she met a gentle- DAY AT CAMP WARD. 173 man whom slie invited to donate for the entertaLiiment. He refused to do so, and made some severe remarks about the war, the nigger, &c. Much surprised, she asked him who he was. He replied, " I am the only son of my mother." " I am glad there are no more," said she, and passed on. Several large boxes, con- taining the luxuries of the season, not forgetting the fattened turkey, were dispatched by the generous peo- ple of the town with Sojourner as distributor, De- troit papers spoke of her efforts commendingly. "GALA DAY AT CAMP WARD. "Address by Sojourner Truth. — The colored sol- diers at Camp Ward had a regular jubilee last Friday. About eleven o'clock a can-iage drove up before Col. Bennett's quarters laden with boxes and packages containing all manner of delicacies for ' the boys ', sent from Battle Creek. Sojourner Truth, who car- ries not only a tongue of fire, but a heart of love, was the bearer of these offerings. The Colonel ordered the i-egiment into line ' in their best ' for the presenta- tion, which was made by Sojourner, accompanied by a speech glowing with patriotism, exhortation, and good wishes, which was responded to by I'ounds of enthusiastic cheers. At the close of the ceremony, Sojourner spent an hour or two among the soldiers in motherly conversation, and assisting in opening the boxes and distributing ^their contents, which the re- cipients diaposed of with hearty good-will. " Sunday afternoon, according to appointment, So- journer went up to the camp to deliver another ad- 174 " BOOK OF LIFE." dress to the soldiers, but so large a crowd of white citizens were gathered to hear that her inspirations were devoted almost exclusively to their ears, with a promise of a future discourse for the soldiers. At the close of the lecture, a handsome collection was volun- teered for the benefit of the speaker. — Advertiser and Tribune." In the spring of 1864, a brief article in the same journal mentioned her having gone to Washington to see Mr Lincoln. "To the Editor of the Advertiser and Tribune. " Many of our citizens are doubtless acquainted with the name of Sojourner Truth, have seen racy anecdotes of her from time to time in the newspai)ers, read Harriet Beecher Stowe's narrative of her in the Atlantic Monthly, and remember her stay of several months in this city five or six years ago. Those who called upon her at that time, were richly entertained by her original remarks, her ready wit, and the sto- ries of her wonderful life. She was then full of in- tense interest in the war, and foresaw its i-esult in the emancipation of her race. It was touching to see her eager face when the newspapers were read in her [)resence. She would never listen to Mrs. Stowe's 'Libyan Sibyl'. 'Oh!' she would say, 'I don't want to hear about that old symbol ; read me some- thing that is going on noio, something aboxit this great war.' She had utter faith in Abraham Lincoln. To a friend who was impatient with his slow move- ments she said, ' Oh, wait, chile ! have patience ! It takes a great while to turn about this great ship of State.' Toward spring she made ready for a journey VISIT TO BROOKLYN. 175 to Washington, to see Mr. Lincoln. ' I shall surely go,' she said, ' I never determined to do anything and failed.' And she did go — the brave-hearted, indomit- able old woman — despite her light purse and heavy burden of seventy-seven years." 8he left Battle Creek in June, but did not immedi- ately go to Washington. A New York paper says of her : — " Sojourner has been some months in New York, speaking in many places with great acceptance, and is now in this city, where she will speak this evening in the lecture room of the Unitarian Church, corner of Lafayette Avenue and Shelby Street. Let those who enjoy an original entei'tainment hear her. She is trying to pay off a mortgage on her little house in Battle Creek. Give her a full house, and a generous contribution, liemember that here in the North, in the State of New York, she was robbed, by our race and by our laws, of forty years of her life. Do we not owe her, from abundant fullness, some compensa- tion for those years with their entailed sorrow 1 " ' There is that scattereth and yet increaseth.' " ' The soul of the liberal man waxeth fat.' " ' The Lord lovetli the cheerful giver.' "c. E. c. From New York she v.^ent to Brooklyn, and spoke in Plymouth Church, where a collection of $100 was taken up for her. A Brooklyn paper speaks of her as follows : — " Sojourner Truth, whom the newspapei's lately described as dying, reported herself in person to us last week, a living contradiction of the falwc ruuiur. 17G "BOOK OF LIFE, )> The old lady says that, so far from being at the point of death, she has not experienced for many months any symptom of sickness. Her age is now eighty, but her spirit continues as youthful as ever. On Sunday morning she heard Mr. Beecher's opening ser- mon of the season, which she called ' a feast for her poor old soul.' Sojourner's conversation is witty, sarcastic, sensible, and oftentimes profound. Her varied experience during a long life gives her a rich and deep fountain to draw upon for the entertainment and instruction of her friends, and her reminiscences and comments are equally interesting both to grown folks and children. She looks and acts as if she might live to be a hundred years old. She has up- lifted her voice to two generations of mankind, and may yet become sibyl and prophetess to a third." Sojourner reached Washington during the autumn, and in due time made her long-contemplated visit to the president. THE STORY OF HER INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. The following letter from Sojourner Truth, writ- ten by a friend at her dictation, was addressed to Rowland Johnson, who has kindly handed it to us for publication. Our readers will be glad to see So- journer's own account of her visit to the president. " Fiieedman's ViLLAGii, Va., Nov. 17, ISIil. " Deau Fjubnd : — " I am at Freednum's Village. After visiting the president, I spent three weeks at Mrs. Svvisshelm's^ INTEBVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 177 and held two meetings in Washington, at llev. Mr, Garnet's Presl>yterian Church, for the benefit of the Coloi'cd Sokliers' Aid Society. These meetings were successful in raising funds. One week after that I went to Mason's Island, and saw the freedmen there, and held several meetings, remained a week and was present at the celebration of the emancipation of the slaves of Maryland, and spoke on that occasion. " It was about 8 o'clock a. m., when I called on the president. Upon entering his reception room we found about a dozen persons in waiting, among them two colored women. I had quite a pleasant time ■waiting until he was disengaged, and enjoyed his con- versation with others ; he showed as much kindness and consideration to the colored persons as to the whites — if there was any difference, more. One case was that of a colored woman who was sick and likely to 1)0 turned out of her house on account of her in- ability to pay her rent. The president listened to her with much attention, and spoke to her with kind- ness and tenderness. He said he had given so much he could give no more, but told her where to go and get the money, and asked Mrs. C -n to assist her, which she did. "The president was seated at his desk. ]\Irs. C. said to liim, 'This is 8ojoui-ner Truth, who has come all the way from Michigan to see you.' He then arose, gave me his hand, made a l)0w, and said, ' I am pleased to see you.' " I said to him, Mr. President, when you first took your seat I feared you would be torn to pieces, for I D 178 "BOOK OF LIFE }> likoned yon unto Daniel, who was thrown into the lion's den; and if the lions did not tear you into pieces I knew that it would be God that had saved you ; and I said if he spared me I would see you be- fore the foiir years expired, and he has done so, and now I am here to see you for myself. "He then congratulated me on my having been spared. Then I said, I appreciate you, for you are the best president who has ever taken the seat. He replied : * I expect you have reference to my hav- ing emancipated the slaves in my proclamation. But,' said he, mentioning the names of several of his prede- cessors (and among them emphatically that of Wash- ington), 'they were all just as good, and would have done just as I have done if the time had come. If the people over the river [pointing across the Poto- mac] had behaved themselves, I could not have done what I have ; but they did not, which gave me the opportunity to do these things.' I then said, I thank God that you were the instrument selected by him and the people to do it. I told him that I had never heard of him before he was talked of for president. He smilingly replied, ' I had heard of you many times before that.' " He then showed me the Bible presented to him by the colored people of Baltimore, of which you have no doubt seen a description. I have seen it for my- self, and it is beautiful beyond description. After I had looked it over, I said to him, This is beautiful in- deed ; the colored people have given this to the head of the government, and that government once sanc- tioned laws that would not permit its people to learn INTEBVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 170 enotigh to enable them to read this l)Ook. And for what 1 Let them answer who can, " I must say, and I am proud to say, that I never was treated by any one with more kindness and cor- diality than were shown to me by that great and good man, Abraham Lincoln, by the grace of God president of the United States for four years more. He took my little book, and with the same hand that signed the death-warrant of slavery, he wrote as follows : " 'For Aimty Sojourner Truth, ■ " 'Oct. 29, 18G4. A. Lincoln.' "As I was taking my leave, he arose and took my hand, and said he would be pleased to have me call again. I felt that I was in the presence of a friend, and I now thank God from the bottom of my heart that I always have advocated his cause, and have done it openly and boldly. I shall feel still more in duty boimd to do so in time to come. May God assist me. " Now I must tell you something of this place. I found things quite as well as I expected. I think I can be useful and will stay. The captain in command of the guard has given me his assistance, and by his aid I have obtained a little house, and will move into it to-morrow. Will you ask Mrs. P., or any of my friends, to send me a couple of sheets and a pillow 1 I find many of the women very ignorant in relation • to house-keeping, as most of them were instructed in field labor, but not in household duties. They all seem to think a great deal of me, and want to learn the way we live in the North. I am listened to with attention and respect, and from all things, I judge it is ISO "P.OOK OF LIFE." tlie will of both Clod and the people tliat I slionld re- main. " Now when you come to Washington, do n't forget to call ai.d see me. You may publish my wherea- bouts, and anything in this letter you think would in- terest the friends of Freedom, Justice, and Truth, in the Sicmdard and Anglo-African, and any other paper you may see fit. "Enclosed please find four shadows [carte de visites]. The two dollars came safely. Anytliing in the way of nourishment you may feel like sending, send it along. The captain sends to Washington every day. Give my love to all v.'ho inquire for me, and tell my friends to direct all things for me to the care of Capt. George B. Carse, Freed man's Village, Va. Ask Mr. Oliver Johnson to please send me the Standard while I am here, as many of the colored people like to hear what is going on, and to know what is being done for them. Sammy, my 'grandsoD, reads for thtm. We are both well, and happy, and feel that we are in good employment. I find plenty of friends. "Your friend, Sojourner Truth." " The colored population of Baltimore have procured the most beautiful Bible ever manufactured in this country, to be presented to the President of the United States. The cover bears a large plate of gold, repre- senting a slave with his shackles falling from him in a cotton field, stretching out his hands in gratitude to President Lincoln for the freedom of the slave. At the feet of the freedman there is a scroll bearing upon its face the word ' Emancipation,' in large letters. On the reverse cover is another gold plate containing the INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 181 following inscription : * To Abraham Lincoln, Presi- dent of the United States, the friend of universal freedom, by the loyal colored people of Baltimore, as a token of respect and gratitude. Baltimore, July 4th, 1864.' The book is enclosed in a walnut silver- mounted box. The entii-e affair cost $5,800." Although in Sojourner's estimation Abraham Lin- coln was the " foremost man of all this world," yet no idle curiosity prompted her to ask this interview. "--^ From the head of the nation she sought that author- ity which would enable her to take part in the awful drama which was enacting in this Republic, and that being obtained, she at once entered upon her work. When we follow her from one field of labor to an- other, her time being divided between teaching, preaching, nursing, watching, and praying, ever ready to counsel, comfort, and assist, we feel that, for one who is noljody but a Avoman, an unlettered woman, a black woman, and an old woman, a woman bom and bred a slave, nothing short of the Divine incarnated in the human, could have wroiight out such grand results. In December she received the following commission from the National Freedman's Belief Association : — ■ "New York, Dec. 1, 1864. " This certifies that The National Freedman's Be- lief Association has appointed Sojourner Truth to be a counselor to the freed people at Arlington Heights, Va., and hereby commends her to the favor and confi- dence of the officei's of government, and of all persons vf\}0 take an interest in relieving the condition of the 182 "BOOK OF LIFE. freedmen, or in promoting their intellectual, moral, and i-eligious instruction. " On belialf of the N. F. E. Association, "E. G. Shaw, President, " Charles C. Lkigh, " Chairman of Home Com." Sojourner spent more than a year at Arlington Heights, instructing the women in domestic duties, and doing much to promote the general welfiire. She especially deprecated their filthy habits, and strove t<) inspire them with a love of neatness and order. On the Sabbath she preached to large and attentive con- crecations, and was once heard to exclaim, "Be clean ! be clean ! for cleanliness is godliness." Liberty was a stranger to these poor people. Hav- ing but lately been introduced to the goddess, they had never yet so much as touched the tips of her lovely fingers, and dared not raise their bowed heads to steal even a sidelong glance at her radiant face. Thus, being wholly unfamiliar with her divine attri- butes, they often submitted to grievous wrongs from their old oppressors, not presuming to expostulate. The Marylanders tormented them by coming over, seizing, and carrying away their children. If the mothers made a "fuss," as these heartless wretches called those natural expressions of grief in which be- reaved mothers are apt to indulge, they were thrust into the guard- house. When this was made known to Sojourner, she told them they must not permit such outrages, that they were free, and had rights which would be recognized and maintained by the AT WOllK IN TiiE HOSPITAL. 183 laws, and that they could bring these robbers to justice. Tiiis was a revelation indeed, for they had never known that freedom meant anything more to them than being no longer obliged to serve a master, and at liberty to lounge about in idleness. But her elec- trifying v/ords seemed to inspire them with new life and to awaken the latent spirit within them which, like fire in flint, had lain torpid for ages, but, unextin- guished and unextinguishable, awaited only favorable conditions to escape in freedom. The manhood and womanhood of these crushed people now assei-ted it- self, and the exasperated Marylanders threatened to put Sojourner into the guard-house. She told them that if they attempted to put her into the guard- house, she '' would make the United States rock like a cradle." Soon after the Freedmen's Bureau vras established, Sojourner was appointed to assist in the hospital, as the following letter will show : — " WAR DEPARTMENT, " Bureau of Refugees, Frhedmen, axd Abandoxed Laxds. " Washington, Septemiei' 13, 1SG5. '• Sojourner Truth has good ideas about the indus- try and virtue of the colored people. I commend her energetic and faithful efforts to Surgeon Gluman, in charge of Freedmen's Hospital, and shall be happy to have him give her all facilities and authority so far as she can aid him in promoting order, cleanliness, industry, and virtue among the patients. '•John Eaton, Jii., " (JoL and Assistant Commissioner.^' 184 "BOOK OF LIFE." ■ While Sojourner was engaged in the hospital, she often had occasion to procure articles from various l»arts of the city for the sick soldiers, and would some- times be obliged to walk a long distance, carrying her burdens upon her arm. She would gladly have availed herself of the street cars ; but, although there was on each track one car called the Jim Crow car, nominally for the accommodation of colored peo})lo, yet should they succeed in getting on at all they would seldom have more than the privilege of standing, as the seats were iisually filled with white folks. Un- willing to submit to this state of things, she com- plained to the president of the street railroad, who ordered the Jim Crow car to be taken off. A law was now passed giving the colored people equal car privileges with the white. Not long after this, Sojourner, having occasion to ride, signaled the car, but neither conductor nor driver noticed her. Soon another followed, and she raised her hand again, but they also turned away. She then gave three tremendous yelps, "I want to ride ! / want to ride I ! I want to ride ! ! ! Con- sternation seized the passing crowd — })eoplc, carriages, go-carts of every description stood still. The car was effectually blocked up, and before it could move on, Sojourner had jumped aboard. Then there arose a great shout from the crowd, " lla ! ha ! ha ! ! She has beaten him," &c. The angry conductor told her to go forward where the horses were, or he would put her out. Quietly seating herself, she informed him that she was a passejiger. " Go forward wliere tlie horses are^ or I will throw you out," said ho in !x men- INCIDENT AT GEORGETOWN. 185 acini,' voice. She told him that she was neither a Mai-ylander nor a Virginian to fear his threats ; but was from the Empire State of New York, and knew the laws as well as he did. Several soldiers were in the car, and Mdien other passengers came in, they related the circumstance and said, " You ought to have heard that old woman talk to the conductor." Sojourner rode farther than she needed to go ; for a ride w;ig so rare a privilege that she detei-mined to make the most of it. She left the car feeling very happy, and said, " Bless God ! I hav^e had a ride." Returning one day from the ( )rphan's Ilon)e at Georgetown, she hastened to reach a car; but they paid no attention to her signal, and kept ringing a bell that they might not hear her. She ran after it, and when it stopped to take olflier passengers, she suc- ceeded in overtaking it and, getting in, said to the conductor, " It is a shame to make a lady run so," He told her if she said another word, he would put her off the car, and came forward as if to execute his threat. She replied, " If you attempt that, it will cost you more than your car and horses are worth." A gentleman of dignified and commanding manner, Avearing a general's uniform, intei'fei'ed in her behalf, and the conductor gave her no further trouble. • At another time, she was sent to Georgetown to obtain a nurse for the hospital, which being accom- plished, they went to the station and took seats in an empty cai', but had not proceeded far before two la- dies came in, and seating themselves o})posite the col- ored woman began a whispered conversation, fre- 18G " iiOUK OF LIFE." quently casting scornful glances at the latter. The nurse, for the first time in her life finding herself in one sense on a level with white folks and being much abashed, hung her poor old head nearly down to her lap ; but Sojourner, nothing daunted, looked fearlessly about. At length one of the ladies called out, in a weak, faint voice, " Conductor, conductor, does nig- gers ride in these cars 1" He hesitatingly answered, " Ye yea-yes," to which she responded, " 'T is a shame and a disgrace. They ought to have a nigger car on the track." Sojourner remarked, " Of course colored people ride in the cars. Street cars are designed for poor white, and colored, folks. Carriages are for la- 1 dies and gentlemen. There are carriages [pointing out of the window], standing ready to take you three or four miles for sixpence, and then you talk of a nig- ger car 1 ! ! " Promptly acting upon this hint, they arose to leave. " Ah ! " said Sojourner, " now they are going to take a carriage. Good by, ladies." Mrs. Laura Haviland, a widely known philanthro- l)ist, spent several months in the same hospital and sometimes went about the city with Sojourner to pro- cure necessaries for the invalids. Returning one day, being much fatigued, jMrs. Haviland proposed to take a car although she was well aware that a white })er- son was seldom allowed to ride if accompanied by a black one. " As Mrs. Haviland signaled the car," says Sojourner, " I step])ed one side as if to continue my walk and when it stopped I ran and jumped aboard. The conductor pushed me back, saying, ' Get out of the way and let this lady come in.' Whoop ! said I, I am a lady too. We met with no further opposition SCENE IN A STREET CAR. 187 till we were obliged to change cars. A man coming out as we were going into the next car, asked the conductor if 'niggers were allowed to ride.' The conductor grabbed me by the shoulder and jerking me around, ordered me to get out. I told him I would not. Mrs. Haviland took hold of my other arm and said, 'Don't put her out.' The conductor asked if I belonged to her. ' No,' replied Mrs. Haviland, ' She belongs to humanity.' ' Then take her and go,' said he, and giving me another push slammed me against the door. I told him I would let him know whether he coxild shove me about like a dog, and said to Mrs. Haviland, Take the number of this car. " At this, the man looked alarmed, and gave us no more trouble. When we arrived at the hospital, the surgeons were called in to examine my shoulder and found that a bone was misplaced. I complained to the pi-esident of the road, who advised me to arrest the man for assault and battery. The Bureau fur- nished me a lawyer, and the fellow lost his situation. It created a great sensation, and before the trial was ended, the inside of the cars looked like pepper and salt; and I felt, like Poll Parrot, 'Jack, I am riding.' A little cii'cumstance will show how great a change a few weeks had produced : A lady saw some colored women looking wistfully toward a car, when the con- ductor, halting, said, ' Walk in, ladies.' Now they who had so lately cursed me for wanting to ride, could stop for black as well as white, and could even condescend to say, 'Walk in, ladies.'" The city of Washington was now literally swarming with a class of people who had by the war been 188 " BOOK OF LIFE." thrown upon tlie surface of society like mud from a volcano, and who were not unlike that article in respect to being dirty and entirely unfitted by a want of con- tact with refining and favorable influences to obtain and maintain a hold upon civilization. A report from the superintendent of police will help to explain their condition :■ — - "CONDITION OF THE DESTITUTI^: COLORED I'EOrLE OF THE DISTRICT. " In the Senate, on Tuesday, while the bill reported by Senator Morrill appropriating $25,000 for the re- lief of destitute colored people of the District was un- der consideration, the following letter from Superin- tendent of Police Richards was read : — "DEPARTMENT OF METROPOLITAN POLICE. "Office of Sup't, 483 Tenth st., west, " Washington; March G, 1866. " Gentlemen : — " I have the honor at this time to submit a report, based mainly upon personal insi)ection, of the sanitary condition of certain localities in the city of Washing- ton, inhabited by colored people, mostly known as ' contrabands,' together with certain other facts con- nected with the condition of these people. "The first locality visited is known as 'Murder Bay,' and is situated between Thirteenth and Fif- teenth Streets west, below Ohio Avenue, and bordering on the Washington Canal. Here crime, filth, and i)OV- erfy seem to vie with each other in a career of degrada- tion and death. Whole families^ consisting of fatliers, THE COLORED TEOrLE, ISO raothei's, children, uncles, and aunts, according to their own statements, are crowded into mere apologies for shanties, which are without light or ventilation. Durinir the storms of rain or snow their roofs alford but slight protection, while from beneath a few rough boards used for floors the miasmatic eflluvia from the most disgustingly filthy and stagnant water, mingled with the exhalations from the uncleanscd bodies of numerous inmates, render the atmosjdiei'e within these hovels stifling and sickening in the extreme. Their rooms are usually not more than six or eight feet square^ with not a window or even an o})ening (except a door) for the admission of light. Some of the rooms are entirely surrounded by other rooms, so that no light at all reaches where persons live and spend their days and nights. In a space about fifty yards square I found about one hundred families, composed of from three to ten persons each, living in shanties one story in hight, except in a few instances where tenements ai'e actually built on the tops of oth- ers. There is a distance of only three or four feet separating these buildings from each other — not even as convenient as an ordinary three-feet alley. These openings lead in so devious a course that one with dilficulty finds his way out again. Thus pent up, not even tliese })aths are purified by currents of fresh air. In one building visited, seventeen families were found upon the ground floor, consisting of from two to seven persons' each, one restaurant, and one boarding-house. The second story is a large dance hall, where these people nightly congregate for amusement. " Kearly all of these people came from Virginia 190 "BOOK OF LIFE." during the rebellion, and some of them propose to re- turn v/henever they are assured that they can find work to do there, and will be well treated. It was found that from five to eight dollars per month are paid for the rent of these misei'able shanties, except in some instances, where a ground rent of three dol- lars per month is paid for a little spot covering a few square feet— there some of the more enterprising haA^e erected cabins of their own. These, also, are in equally close proximity to each other, so that it is with diffi- culty that one can ci-owd between them. " On the west side of Fourteenth Street near the same locality, are a large number of small buildings, which, however, are kept in a somewhat more cleanly condition, and are opened to light and ventilation. Here some of the occupants of houses boast of small back yards, but so low and wet are their surfaces that they are a curse rather than a benefit. Filthy water here accumulates, from which, with the advent of warm weather, the seeds of disease must spread among and destroy these wretched people. " In each of these localities there are no proper privy accomodations, and those that exist are in a leaky and filthy condition generally. Nor can the sanitary laws be properly enfoi'ced against delinquents, for they have no means wherev/ith to pay fines, and a commitment to the work-house is no punishment. I can see no efficient mode of remedying this evil ex- cept that scavengers be employed at the public ex- pense, to visit these localities ; though by far the best remedy would be to require that these buildings be razed to the ground. THE COLORED PEOPLE. 101 " Under tlie best sanitary laws that can be enacted, and stringently enforced, these places can be considered as nothing better than propagating grounds of crime, disease, and death ; and in the case of a prevailing epidemic, the condition of these localities would be horrible to contemplate. "A similarly crowded lot of shanties exists on Rhode Island Avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh Streets, though as to fresh air and cleanliness, a some- what better condition of things exists. Here, in a space some two hundred feet square, two hundred and thirteen persons reside, mostly known as 'contra- bands.' There are several other places equally crowded within the city limits, wliicli I have not yet had time to visit and inspect personally ; for which purpose I respectfully ask for further time. " A. C. Richards, Suj^'L " To the Board of Police." Sojournei', witnessing the afflictions of her people, and desiring to mitigate their sufferings, found homes and employment for many in the Northern States, government furnishing transportation for all. In the winter of 18G7, she made three trips from Rochester to a town about 200 miles south of Rich- mond, to obtain laborers for those localities left desti- tute by the war ; but she soon came to see that this was not the best mode of procedure, as it cost a gi-eat amount of labor, time, and money to locate the young and strong, leaving the oged and little children still uncared for. The imagination can scarcely conceive a more har- rowing spectacle than the vast multitude, composed 102 " V.OOK OF T,TFE." of both sexes, unci all ages fioiii liel})less infiiiicy to tremulous senility, roaming al)ont, having no posses- sions but the bodies wliich had recently been given them by a dash of Abraham lancoln's pen. Miuging to and fro, tliis motley crowd coiild claim no more of mother earth than sufliced for standing room, and were liable at any time to be ordered, like Joo, " to move on." Thus they wei-e borne upon the waves of society as a wrecked ship npon the sea, stri})ped of spar and sail, rudder and -compass, tempest tossed upon the black and sullen deep, with no ray of light to illumine its pathway of gloom. The heads of government, seeing and commiserating their liapless state, established what was called the Freedman's Bureau as a measure of relief, and by its orders each ward daily furnished to the refugees 700 loaves of bread, which served to sustain life, but was inadequate to meet the emer- gency ; for civilization has needs which cannot be supplied by bread alone. It was sad to see the hungry mass stretch forth its hand, seize the proffered loaf, seek a spot where it might be devoured, and idle away the time till another loaf was due. And could the ]>ui'eau have ministered to all their wants, would not this mode of life Ijeoomc productive of enormous evils, since the habits it ft)s- tered, having been engendered by the system of slav- ery, needed no such encouragement 1 This institution was emphatically the necessity of the hour, but neither wisdom nor prvidence would advise its continuance. The race was increasing at a rapid rate, and the drain upon the national ti-easuvy would become ex- THE COLORED PEOPLE. 193 haustive. Still, justice demanded that government take efficient legislative action in the interest of these people, whom the genius of General Butler had de- nominated contrabands, as some reward for years of uncompensated services. Nations anxiously watching the scales in which this government and its dependent millions must be weighed, waited to render their ver- dict. Advancement moves v.nth slow and feeble pace. The new hinges ujion the old. In obtaining freedom, these people were separated from many things, for which, as yet, they had received no equivalent. Those who had not where to lay their heads thought of the rude cabin once their home, in pleasant contrast with the present couch of earth, canopied by the over-arch- ing sky. Languishing with homesickness, the worst of ailments, they were a striking counterpart of those sorrowing captives who, sitting by the rivers of Bab- ylon, hung their harps upon the willows and wept for remembered joys. Their coarse food and clothing cost them no thought while in slavery. But in a moment comes a change. Now, all thought and action must be bent upon self sup})ort. But from transmitted habits many were powerless to exercise the functions of the brain in planning for the future, and, though they had arrived at man's estate, must be cared for like children. As Sojourner went about the city, she soon came to dis- tinguish these contrabands. They had a dreamy look, taking no note of time ; it seemed as if a pause had come in their lives — an abyss, over whose brink they dared not look. With so few resources, with be- clouded minds, with no education from books or con- E 194 "BOOK OF LIFE." tact with the world, aside from plantation life — stran- gers in a strange land, hungiy, thirsty, ragged, home- less, they were the very impersonation of Despair, humbly holding out her hands in supplication. Sojourner had known the joys of motherhood — brief joys, for she had been cruelly separated from her babes, and her mistress' children given to occupy tlio place which nature designed for her own. She had tasted its sorrows, too — such sorrows as Rachel, weep- ing for her childi-en because they were not, could never feel. She had drained the cup of woe to the very dregs, and its fumes, like liquid fires, had dried the fountain of tears till there were none to flow. But many years had passed since that season of affliction. The shackles had been removed from her body, and si)irit also. Time dissolves the hardest sub- stance—'tis called the great destroyer— it reconstructs as well. As the divine auroi'a of a broader culture dispelled the mists of ignorance, love, the most pre- cious gift of God to mortals, permeated her soul, and her too-long-suppressed affections giished from the sealed fountains as the waters of an obstructed river, to make new channels, bursts its embankments and rushes on its headlong course, powerful for weal or woe. Sojourner, I'obbed of her own offspring, adopted her race. Happy for the individual, good for human- ity, when high aspirations emanate from sad experi- ences ! The forlorn and neglected children who j)rowled about the city excited her commiseration ; for tliey had neither homes nor emi)loyment, and as idleness is the parent of crime, they were becoming exceedingly THE COLORED PEOPLE. 195 vicious. As a punishment for misdemeanors, they were sent to the station house, from which, after serv- ing their time, they were released, only to continue the same destructive course. Slavery's teachings had bedimmed their perceptions of right, and rendered them incapable of continued moral effort; for her blighting influence, worse than a millstone about their necks, tended to drag them downward forever and forevermore. Intelligently appreciating the law of transmitted tendencies. Sojourner looked upon them as sinned against as well as sinning. Knowing that the children were the future nation, and that those of her I'aco would play no unimportant part in that future, she felt the need of enlisting sympathy, either human or superhuman, in their behalf Aided by Gen. How- ard, she held meetings in one of the largest churches of the city, to urge the establishment of industrial schools, remote from the city, where they might be placed and taught to become useful members of com- miiuity. Had she possessed the power and influence of the hiunane and philanthropic Gov. Bagley, insti- tutions such as he has recently been instrumental in establishing would have sprung into being, till home- less, neglected children would have been no more. The past she abhorred, with its coffles, its loaded whips, auction blocks, brutal masters, overseers, and all the fearful horrors accruing from the ownership of man by his fellow-man ; the sufferings of the present called out her dce})cst sympathies ; but as she peered toward the future with sibyl eyes, her heart beat loud and fast ; for she saw in it all grand possibilities. 19G "BOOK OF LIFE." The angel of emancipation had rolled the stone away from the door of the sepulcher of slavery, and the res- urrected ruillions, bound hand and foot in the grave- clothes of ignorance, bewildered and uncertain, awaited guidance in this transition hour. Would a Moses appear to remove the bands from wrist and ankle, and with uplifted finger pointing to the pillar of cloud and of promise, lead them forth from this sea of troubles and plant their weary feet upon the Canaan of their desires 1 Would manna descend from heaven to feed this multitude, who were morally, physically, and intellectually destitute? As neither man nor miracle appeared. Sojourner said, " Lord, let me labor in this vineyard." But how begin the work of establishing right rela- tions where chaos reigns 1 Justice must constitute the bottom round in this ladder of progress, up which the race must mount in the struggle to reach liigher con- ditions. How can justice be secured? As she looked about upon the imposing public edi- fices that grace the J)isti'ict of Columbia, all built at the nation's expense, she said, " Wc helped to pay this cost. We have been a source of wealth to this repub- lic. Our labor supplied the country with cotton, until villages and cities dotted the enterprising North for its manufacture, and furnished employment and sup- port for a multitude, thereby becoming a revenue to the government. Beneath a burning southern sun have we toiled, in the canebrakc and the rice swamp, urged on by the merciless driver's lash, earning mill- ions of money ; and so highly were we valued there, that should one poor wretch venture to escape from SAGACIOUS PPvEDICTION. 197 this hell of slavery, no exertion of man or trained blood-hound was spared to seize and return him to his field of unrequited labor. "The overseer's horn awoke us at the dawning of day from our half-finished slumbers to pick the disgust- ing worm from the tobacco plant, which was an added source of wealth. Our nerves and sinews, our tears and blood, have been sacrificed on the altar of this na- tion's avarice. Our unpaid labor has been a stepping- stone to its financial success. Some of its dividends must surely be ours." Who can deny the logic of her reasoning^ The prophet* of the nineteenth century said, many years ago, that " our nation will yet be obliged to pay sigh for sigh, groan for groan, and dollar for dollar, to this wronged and outi-aged race." Ah, me ! what an aw- ful debt when we consider that every mill of interest will surely be added ! Did mothei's and wives whose husbands and sons languished and died in Libby and Andersonville ever think of that prophecy? Does this nation realize that the debt is still unpaid 1 the note not taken up yet 1 She knew that the United States owned countless acres of unoccupied land, which by ciiltivation would become a source of wealth to it. She also saw that it was given to build railroads, and that large reserva- .tions were apportioned to the Indians. Why not give a tract of land to those colored people who would rather become independent through their own exei'- tions than longer clog the wheels of government ? It seemed to Sojourner that the money expended * Parker Pillsbury. 198 "BOOK OF LIFE." upon officials, in jiist this District alone, to convict and punish these vagabond children, would be amjde to provide for them homes with the accessories of cliurch and school-house and all the necessaiy require- ments of civilization. With God's blessing, they might yet become an honor to the country which had so cruelly wronged them. This scheme presented itself to her mind as a divine I'evelation, and she made haste to lay her plan before the leading men of the govern- ment. They heard her patiently, expressed them- selves willing to do the peojjle's bidding ; but mani- fested no enthusiasm. She regretted now, as ever, that women had no political rights under government ; for she knew that could the voice of maternity be heard in the advocacy of this measure, the welfai'o, not only of the present genei'ation, but of future ones, would be assured. As it requires Ijoth the male and female element to propagate and successfully rear a family, so the State, being only the larger family, demands l)oth for its life and proper development. As those who had the power to legislate for the carrying out of this measure, regarded it indiiferently, and those who would gladly work for its accomplishment lacked political oppor- tunity, some other measure must be adopted. She thought that whatever else had been denied to woman, she had ever been allowed to stand on praying ground, and that through petition she might be able to i-each the head and heart of the government, or rather half the head and half the heart, as only in this proportion have they ever been re])resented in our country's legis- lation. She therefore dictated the following petition : — TETITION TO CONGRESS. 199 "To THE Senate and House of Representatives, in Congi-ess assembled : — " Whereas, From tlie faithful and earnest represen- tations of Sojourner Truth (who has personally inves- tigated the matter), we believe that the freed colored people in and about Washington, dependent upon government for support, would be greatly benefited and might become useful citizens by being placed in a position to support themselves : We, the undersigned, therefore earnestly request your honorable body to set apart for them a portion of the public land in the West, and erect buildings thereon for the aged and in- firm, and otherwise legislate so as to secure the de- sired results." The vitalizing forces of her nature were now fully aroused and deeply earnest. Slie felt that her life culminated at this point, and that all her previous ex- periences had been needful to prepare her for this crowning work. Being convinced of the feasibility and justice of this plan, she hastened to present her petition to the public, and solicit signatiires. Her first lecture for this object was delivered in Provi- dence, R. I., in Feb., 1870, to a large and apprecia- tive audience. THE VOICE OF THE PRESS. " The renowned Sojourner Truth spoke in the town hall last evening, and gave one of her peculiar and forcible appeals, distinguished for native wit, elo- quence, and religioiis pathos. The burden of her message was the urgent necessity for colonizing in the 200 " BOOK OF LIFE." West, on land whicli she calls u^ion government to give them, the large number of freed people collected in and around Washington. During the war, at the request of President Lincoln, Sojourner spent much time among these people to do them good. With that clear insight and native good sense for which she is remarkable, she saw that the course pursued by gov- ernment, in supporting them by charity instead of putting them in the way of sustaining themselves, was working immense mischief. True statesmanship demands that govei'nment give them lands in the West, thus paying a little of the great debt we owe this long- oppi-essed people, while at the same time leading them to support themselves, to enrich the nation, and be- come useful citizens. Sojourner wants the people to petition Congress to do this work at once. At this very time, as appears by a letter read at the meeting last evening, some of the freedmen are dying of star- vation, right in sight of our national capitol. Peti- tions have been placed in the hands of friends of this movement, and it is hoped every person will sign as soon as opportunity is oftered." — s. n., in Northamp- ton (JlFass.) 2Mpcr. FROM FALL RIVER PAPERS. " Sojourner Truth— the colored American Sibyl — is spending a few days in our city, and will gladly welcome any of her old or new friends at the house of Robert Adams, Esq., on Pock Street. She bears her foui'-score years with ease, showing no signs of decay, but conversing on all familiar topics with a clearness of apprehension that would hardly be expected of one THE FALL RIVER TAPERS. 201 wlio has passed throngli the varied unpleasant experi- ences which have fallen to her lot. Give her a call, and enjoy a half hour with a ripe understanding, and don't forget to purchase her photograph." " Sojourner Truth — the colored American Sibyl — will speak in the vestry of the Franklin Street Church, on Monday evening. Come and hear an oriyinal." " Sojourner Truth. — Sojourner Truth had a good audience at the Christian Church, last evening, and delivered a very unique and interesting address. IVIany more would have attended had they been aware how pleasantly the evening would have been spent in comjjany with the aged philosopher. Her theme was the duty of the North to the emancipated negroes. Many of her photogi-aphs were purchased. It is not impossible that she may speak again during her stay here." " Sojourner Trxith will speak at the vestry of the First M. E. Church, to-morrow evening, Friday, Oct. 14th, at a quarter before 8 o'clock. This will proba- l)ly be the last opportunity, at least for some time, that our citizens will have of hearing this interesting and decidedly original character." " Sojourner Truth had a large audience in the ves- try of the First M. E. Church, last evening, and was listened to with intei*est for somewhat more than an hour. She will remain here a few days longer, at Mr. Robert Adams'." "Sojourner Truth. — Your readers will notice that this eminent coloi-ed lady will discourse this 202 "BOOK OF LIFE." evening, at the vestry of the Eirst Methodist Church, on Main Street, on various topics. Her utterances at the Franklin Street Church, on Monday evening last, drew out quite an audience, wliich was exceed- ingly entertained hy her instructive remarks ; but as very limited notice was previously given, thei'e was not the attendance from the male sex which she wished to see, as her talk is on a matter that pecul- iarly interests tax-payers. This ancient saint has given largely of her time to the Lettering of the con- dition of the freedmen at Washington, and in that capacity has discovered certain abuses which should be rectified. All who come to listen will learn how some of the public money goes that is nominally ap- propriated to feed the black paupers in Washington. Her scheme for their improvement is practical, and shoidd be put in ojieration at once. "We hope onr friend James Buffington, who has a voice in the administration of the money of the peo- ple, will be present and take note of her points on this matter. As a nomination here amounts to an election, he may consider himself in for the next two years, and can aid immensely in straightening out this abuse. No gang of paupers should be allowed to huddle together like pigs anywhere, and be fed out of the public funds. Go and hear on the subject. "Everybody, of course, knows of Sojourner Truth, of her sad early life as an abject slave under the old laws of New York, until she was forty years old ; of her growth in wisdom which seemed born in her as an inheritance ; of her active benevolences in all di- rections; of her shrewd repartees and wise sayings THE FALL RIVER PAPERS. 203 wliicli will go down as proverbs among the intelligent for coming ages ; of her goodness as a nnrse to onr sick and wounded soldiers when at an advanced age ; of her sharp logic and pointed satire when warmed up on subjects of interest. " All these have been set forth by pens of power in description, and will live in story for coming genera- tions. 'The Lord never hearn tell on ye,' was her comforting remark to a young clergyman very much atllicted for fear the wouicn would get their rights. 'Is God dead, Frederick]' to Douglas, when fore- casting the sad ftite of his race in the old slave days. Don't come expecting fine rhetoric, finished grammar, or dictionary pronunciation ; but if you want to hear an earnest soul of eighty or more years, on the bor- ders of the coming world, still young in the graces of Christian charity, and ardent in the work assigned her, talk of right and justice, and set them forth with a spirit and skill that learned men might well envy, turn out to-night. Do n't forget that she has photo- graphs of herself for sale — her only means of support for expenses of travel, livelihood, and a humble home in Michigan — and that while she ' sells the shadow to suppoi"t the substance/ it will probably be the last time we shall see the lady among its. Don't forget the hour — one-quarter before 8 o'clock this evening." FROM NEW JERSEY RATERS. " Springfield, Union County, New Jersey, and its Presbyterian Church were honored on Wednesday night by the presence of that lively old negro mummy, whose age ranges among the hundreds — Sojourner 204 "BOOK OF LIFE." Tratli — who fifty years ago was considered a crazy woman ; wlio was wont to address street meetings and Garrison abolition conventicles. She was smiiggled into the church by some pions radical to give her re- ligions experience ; and she did it — rather to the confusion and disgust of the audience. AVhen re- spectable churches consent to admit to the houses opened for the worship of God every wandering negro minstrel or street spouter who may profess to have a peculiar religious experience, or some grievance to re- dress, they render themselves justly liable to public ridicule. The effects of our late civil war, which brought many of our divines upon the political ros- trum, and converted many of our pulpits into recmiit- ing stations, we fear will not soon be I'emoved. " Our Springfield correspondent writes .of the visit of Sojourner Truth : — " ' Mislike me not for my complexion. The shadowed liv'ry of the burnished sun. ' " ' Thus Shakespeare. But we do most decidedly dis- like the complexion and everything else appertaining to Mrs. Truth, the radical— the renowned, saintly, liberat- ed, oratorical, pious slave. The supeiintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday-school, hearing such glowing accounts of her, invited her to speak to his charge. She spoke on the 1st inst., not on religion, but at ran- dom, on copperhead Jersey, hypocrites, freemen, wom- an's rights, etc., till the superintendent was forced to call her to order. She is a crazy, ignoi'ant, repell- ing negress, and her guardians would do a Christian act to restrict her entirely to private life.'" THE NEW JEKSEY PAPEKS. 205 "Sojourner Truth Defended. — Whenever I have heard the State of New Jersey stigmatized, I have al- ways resented its being used as a mark of derision and a jest for scoffers ; but a circumstance that occurred last week has proved it a fit land for missionaries to enter with books to enlighten the inhabitants, and purifiers with scourges to correct the people. The village of Springfield, that prides itself on its great age, had the honor of a visitor (no less a personage than Sojourner Truth) — a dear creature, one of the Lord's true servants, who has worked in his vineyard for forty years, and who, at the great age of eighty, instead of taking her ease during the infirmities of old age, feels that as long as the Lord gives her the breath of life she must work for his glory. Her lame went through all the land many years ago, and she numbers among her dearest friends the most in- tellectual, renowned, and gifted men and women of our land, and many are the weeks she has spent in the homes of those dear to our people. She has held happy converse with our lamented ])resident, and our present one ; has spoken in Beecher's Church to thou- sands, in many of our State capitol buildings, and our nation's senate chamber. Tvirn from these happy greetings and behold her welcome in New Jersey ! — no, not there, but in a small, benighted corner, where the people pride themselves on their being and re- maining as a century ago. They were so ignorant a people tlicy knew not they had a great guest, and many had not even heard of Sojourner Truth. Then they had so little good breeding they left during her remarks, interrupting and showing disrespect to old 206 "BOOK OF LIFE." age, which always commands respect. Then to show their ignorance, their lilliptitian minds, they write of her as being a crazy woman, an old mummy that ought to be enclosed in an asylum. That is the testimony of Springfield, N. J., to be placed by the side of beau- tiful letters of cheer, volumes full of well- wishes and blessings from such personages as Lincoln, Gen. Grant, Henry Ward Beecher, Gen. Howard, Sumner, Phillips, Anna Dickinson, Lucretia Mott, &c., etc., — men and women we all long to meet and take by the hand, and would be rejoiced to call our friends. ' ' ' By ignorance is pride increased ; Those most assume who know the least ; Their own self-balance gives them weight, 13ut every other fiinds them light.' — Gaifs Fahlcs. "A New Springfield Correspondent." " Sojourner Truth. — Sojouintr Truth, now about fourscore yeai-s, who has devoted the whole of her time during the last twenty yeais of her life to the interests of the colored race, and during the late re- bellion gave her personal service to the important work of educating the freed men and women in the moral, social, and domestic duties of life, without fee or reward, is now engaged in getting signatures to a })etition to Congress for the benefit of a large class of dependent freedmen who may be found around Wash- ington and other places in the South. " Sojourner M'ruth is now at her home at Battle Creek, in Michigan, and writes us a letter under date of November 2'J, She has just returned from an ex- tensive tour through Oliio, Indiana, Illinois, INlichi- THE NEW JEESEY PAPERS. 207 gan, "Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and wishes to carry lier petition, to wliicli she has obtained many signatures, to Washington this winter, and pre- sent it personally to Congress. She makes an appeal for a little pecuniary aid to defray the expenses of her journey, and gives information that a narrative of her life will soon be published which will undoubtedly be full of interest, as her life has been an eventful one. R. J. "Orange, N. J." " Sojourner Truth addressed a good-sized audience at the Unitarian Church on Wednesday evening, Jan. 1 2. Mr. Clute, in introducing her, said that he had a three-fold pleasure in doing so. First, he was sure the audience would be entertained by her varied ex- perience of more than eighty years. Secondly, the lectui'er was a negro, and her presence on the platfoi'm Avas a living argument for the admission of her race to all the privileges of society. Thii'dly, the lecturer was a woman who has for many years affirmed that woman's humanity gives her claim to education, la- bor, and the ballot. " The lecturer spoke for moi-e than an hoar in her usual, humorous, common-sense style. She gave some account of her thoughts when she was a heathen, and said there was no little heathenism in the very heart of the churches to-day. She spoke of the Fatherhood of God, and of his loving care for all his children ; of the brothei'hood of man and of the duty of men to la- bor for each other. Her remarks were interspersed Avith anecdotes fitly illustrating the subject, and had such point and pungency as carried the truth home." » 208 "BOOK OF LIFE. FROM A WILLIAMSBURGH {L. I.) PAPER. " Lecture of a Colored Woman. — The female lec- turer, styling herself 'Sojourner Truth,' who was for many years a slave, delivered a lecture last evening in the Congregational Church, corner of South Third and Eleventh Streets, WiHiamsburgh. The lecturer, who is quite aged, commenced by saying that she was born a slave in this State, and resided on the banks of the North Pdver, near Albany, until the time of her eman- cipation, which took place when she was — twenty- five years of age. During that time she had five dif- ferent masters, some of whom were very severe, and she related with tears in her eyes the manner in which she had been tied up in the barn, with her clothes stripped from her back, and whijjped iintil the blood stood in pools upon the floor ; and scars upon her back were undeniable proofs of her assertion. She had been twice married, and had five children, the oldest being forty years of age. Her husbands and children were torn from her and sold into bondage, the youngest at the age of five years having been tak- en to Alabama. She said that she never had any learning, and while in bondage was not allowed to hear the Bible or any other books read. Her mother often told her of God, and her impressions were that God was a very large human being, who sat in the skies. " 'About a year previous to my emancipation, I ran away from my master, and went to live with Mr. Wagner ; it was here that a change first came over my heart, and I felt that I was a sinner. I prayed to God, and he answered my prayers, and 1 have ex- THE BOSTON TAPERS. 200 pei'ionceil liis Idoasings. I said, I i-eally believe I am a sinner, and that Jesus died for me, I had never been to church, and never heard any one say this. I believe my only sin consisted in wishing harm to tlie white folks ; biit now I love everybody.' " After speaking of the condition of the colored race, she spoke of the white people, and their holding human lieings in bondage, and asked how it would be with them when summoned before the bar of Judgment to answer for their deeds u2:)on earth. The speaker also narrated the history of her mother-in-law, who was stolen from her native land in Africa and brought to this country and sold into bondage. The lecture was delivered in a simple yet affecting mannei\" FROM BOSTOX PArEIiS. " EMANCIPATION MEKTING. " Commemoration of the Eiyhth Anniversary of Negro Freedom in the United States — A Large Gathering and Eluqnod Speeches in Trcmont Temple, Jan. 1, 1871. "The eighth anniversary of the emancipation of negro slaves in the United States was commemorated in Tremont Temple last evening by a large gathering and eloquent speeches, under the auspices of the Na- tional Association for the Spread of Temperance and Night Schools among the Freed People of the South. The admission was free, and at a comparatively early hour the Temi)le began to be filled, for 7 o'clock was the time announced for the services to commence, and seldom ia there an occasion of more attraction" or F 210 "BOOK OF LTFE." greater general interest. Every available space of sitting or standing i-oom was crowded. Professor Gai'diner was present. "The platform was occupied by the Treraont Tem- ple choir, the distinguished pei'sonages of the evening, such as Ilev. J. D. Fulton, Rev. Gilbert Haven, and Rev. L. A. Grimes, and many others, not omitting to mention Sojourner Truth, of Jersey, and William Wells Brown, M. D., who has in numerous instances taken a leading position among New England's ora- tors, and who has done a great deal to elevate the colored race a grade higher in the strata of civiliza- tion. Mr. Brown is president of the National Asso- ciation above alluded to, and as a matter of course he officiated as chairman of the meeting. The services were opened with the singing of a hymn by the choir, after which INIr Brown read a portion of the Scriptures. Prayer was then offered by Rev. Mr. Grimes, the choir sang another hvmn, and Mr. Brown made a half-hour's address. " The Rev. J. D. Fulton was the next speaker. He congratul ited the meeting upon the work of ennobling and elevating the black race, but while he did so he could not forget the perils which surroiindcd it in a city like Boston. This emancijiation was but the be- ginning of a big job. Mental emancipation frcm the chains of ignorance was a felt necessity, and education must be given the black men now. The freedmen of the South without education will be cursed rather than blessed by the ballot. ' I do not believe,' he said, ' in anybody casting a vote in this land that cannot read and write.' (The mceling applauded.) THE BOSTON PAPERS. 211 * Now do n't you cheer me/ said Mr. Fulton, ' this is God's uiglit, and I don't want to be cheered.' " At tLis juncture there was a movement at tlie left end of the platform, and Rev. Gilbert Haven and So- journer Truth appeared. Mr. Fulton turned around to the good old lady and said, indicating the seat he had occupied previous to taking the floor, ' Now, Aunty, you take this easy chair.' (Laughter and ap- plause.) Mr. Fuiton^ — ■' Now I do wish you would n't do that.' The speaker then concluded his remarks by an earnest advocacy of temperance, and further obser- vations upon education ; and at a q^uarter before eight o'clock left the Temple to take the train for New York." "remarks by EEV. gilbert HAVEJf. " A collection was then taken up, a hymn sung by the choir, and Rev. Gilbert Haven introduced. He had the misfortune, he said, of coming after the king (referring to Mr. Fulton) and before the queen (re- ferring to Sojourner Truth), and of course a person in that position was of very little account except to get out of the way. But such things were matters of necessity, and he would endeavor to do bis best. He dwelt at some length upon the emancipation jirocla- mation and spoke particularly of the happiness mani- fested by Frederick Douglass upon the occasion of its declaration. The time of this anniversary meeting had been most appropriately chosen. It was fitting that we celebi'ate this great event upon a Sabbath evening, for in the Bible itself we find that the most sacred festival was on account of the deliverance from 212 "BOOK OF LIFE." tlie land of bondage. The i>resent situation of aflairs must 1)6 acce})ted witli all our hearts. If we do not so accept it, there is more danger in ourselves than we are aware of. As to our duty to the South and to the colored people, Mr. Haven said there must be a brotherly feeling everywhere. First, we must assist in Christianizing our emancipated brethren, both white and black, in the South. By so doing we shall be disarmed of our predjudice and hostility. Sec- ondly, we must give them education. There is a pas- sion of thirst for it there, and there are a great many ways of working it out. There's the Institute of In- struction in Washington, and freedmen's societies. But, some way or other, we must put ourselves in connection with the teacher of the South. We need the school system. Thirdly, we must add to churches and schools prohibition. Mr. Haven spoke of the terrible system of intemperance which prevails, and called for the immediate and unconditional extirpation of it by a x'igid prohibitory law. They have got to have prohibition down South. The black men are becoming terribly demoralized by rum ; and America has got to meet this issue or America goes to ruin. Boston is fast becoming a Sodom and a hell ; on every side this demoralization is occurring. There is also work to be done in Boston. We must have a national education and a national prohibitioji ; and one thing more we need, and that is homes, lands for the freed- men. That I shall let my good friend chiefly dwell upon. " Thus introduced. Sojourner Truth took the stand. She spoke about half an hour, substantially as follows, TRUTHS FROJiI SOJOURNER TRUTH. 21 o the piquancy of her remarks being greatly higlitened by the inimitable patois, if it may be so called, of her expression : — "truths from sojourner TRUTn. " ' Well, chilern, I'm glad to see so many together. Ef I am eighty-three years old, I only count my age from de time dat I was 'mancipated. Then I 'gun tor live. God is a fulfillin', an' my lost time dat I lost bein' a slave was made up. Wen I was a slave I hated de w'ite pepul. ]My mother said to me when I was to be sole from her, " I want to tole ye dese tings dat you Avill allers know dat I have tole you, for dar will be a great many tings tole you after I sta't out ob dis life inter de world to come." An' I say dis to you all, for here is a great many pepul dat when I step out ob dis existence, dat you will know what you heered ole Sojourn' Truth tell you. I was boun' a slave in the State of JSToo Yo'k, Ulster County, 'mong de low Dutch. Wen I was "ten years old, I could n't speak a word of Inglish, an' hab no eddicati'n at all. Dere's wonder what dey has done fur me. As I tole you w'en I was sole, my master died, an' we was goin' to hab a auction. We was all brought up to be sole. My mother, my fader was very ole, my brudder younger 'en myself, an' my mother took my han'. Dey opened a canoby ob ebben, an' she sat down an' I an' my brudder sat down by her, en she says, " Look up to de moon an' stars dat shine upon you father an' u})on you mother when you sole far away, an' upon you brudders an' sisters, dat is sole away," for dere was a great number ob us, an' was all sole away be- 214 "BOOK OF LIFE." for' my membrance. I asked her who had made de moon an' de stars, an' she says, " God," an' says I, Where is God 1 " Oh ! " says she, " chile, he sits in de sky, an' he hears you w'en you ax him w'en you are away from tis to make your marster an' misteress good, an' he will do it." " < When we were sole, I did what my mother told me ; I said, 0 God, my mother tole me ef I asked you to make my marster an' misteress good, you'd do it, an' dey did n't get good. [Laughter.] Why, says I, God, mebbe you can't do it. Kill 'em. [Laughter and applause.] I didn't tink he could make dem good. Dat was de idee I had. After I made such wishes my conscience burned me. Then I wvid say, O God, don't be mad. My marster make me wick- ed ; an' I of'm thought how pepul can do such 'bom- inable wdcked things an' dere conscience not burn dem. Now I only made wishes, I used to tell God this — I would say, ' Now, God, ef I was you, an' you was me [laughter], and you wanted any help I'd help ye ;■ — why done you help mel [Laughter and applause.] Well, ye see I was in want, an' I felt dat dere was no help. I know what it is to be taken in the barn an' tied up an' de blood drawled out ob yere bare back, an' I tell you it would make you think 'bout God. Yes, an' den I felfc, O God, ef I was you an' you felt like I do, an' asked me for help I would help you — now why won't you help me 1 Trooly I done know but God has helped me. But I got no good marster ontil de las' time I was sole, an' den I found one an' his name was Jesus. Oh, I tell ye, did n't I fine a good marster when I use to feel so bad, when 1 iise to TEUTHS FPtOM SOJOURNEli TRUTH. 215 say, O God, how ken I libe 1 I'm sorely 'prest botlj widin and widout, W'en God gi' me dat marster be liealed all de wounds up. My soul rejoiced. I used to hate de -vv'ite pepul so, an' I tell ye w'en de lobe come in me I had so much lobe I did n't know what to lobe. Den de w'ite pepul come, an' I thought dat lobe was too good fur dem. Den I said, Yea, God, I'll lobe ev'ybuddy an' de w'ite pepul too. Ever since dat, dat lobe has continued an' kep' me 'mong de w'ite pepul. AVell, 'mancipation came ; we all know ; can't stop to go troo de hull. I go fur adgitatin'. But I believe dere m works belong wid adgitatin', too. On'y think ob it ! Ain't it wonderful dat God gives lobe enough to de Ethiopins to lobe youl " ' Now, here is de question dat I am here to-night to say. I been to Washin'ton, an' I fine out dis, dat de colud pepul dat is in Washin'tun libin on de gobern- ment dat de United Staas ort to gi' 'em Ian' an' move 'em on i^. Day are libin on de gov'ment, an' dere is pt-pul takin' care of 'em costin' you so much, an' it don't benefit him 'tall. It degrades him wuss an' wuss. Therefo' I say dat these people, take an' put 'cm in de West where you ken enrich 'em. I know de good pepul in de South can't take cai-e of de ne- groes as dey ort to, case de ribils won't let 'em. How much better will it be for to take them culud pepul an' give 'em land? Yv^e've airnt Ian' enough for a home, an' it would be a benefit for you all an' God would bless de hull ob ye for doin' it. Dey say, Let 'cm take keer of derselves. AYhy, you've taken dat all away from 'em. Ain't got nufiin lef. Get deee culud pepul out of \Yashin'tun elf ob de gov'ment, an' 216 "BOOK OF LIFE." get cle ole pepul out and build dem homos in de West, where dey can feed themselves, and dey would soon be abel to be a pcpvd among you. Dat is my com- mission. Now adgitate them pepul an' i)ut 'em dere ; learn 'em to read one part of de time an' learn 'cm to work de udder part ob de time.' " At this moment a member in the audience arose and left, greatly to the disturbance of the lady, who could with difficvdty make herself heard. " ' I'll hole on a while,' she said. ' Whoever is agoin' let him go. When you tell about work here, den you have to scud. [Laughter and applause.] I tell you I can't read a book, but I can read de people. [Applause.] I speak dese tings so dat when you have a paper come for you to sign, you ken sign it.' "This was the last speech, and the services of tlic eighth anniversary concluded at half-past nine o'clock with the pronouncing of the benediction by Ivcv. Mr. Haven, a general hand-shaking and congratulating on the platform, and a discussion with Sojourner Truth, whom her questioners found as apt and keen at i-eji- artee as she had proved herself to be while in attend- ance upon the Woman's Bazar last week." — Boston Post. For many years she has been blessed with tlie friendship and sympathy of the widely known and justly revered Rev. Gilbert Haven, whom she met dur- ing her last visit in jjoston. At this time he made her a present of ZiofCs Herald, a paper of extensive circulation, to the reading of which she listens with great pleasure. THE BOSTON PAPERS. 217 "Woman's 8uffrag33 Associatiox. — This morn- ing's session of the "Woman's Right's Convention was f)penotl at t-en o'clock. After the transaction of some business, Col. T. W. lligginson, of Newport, was in- troduced to the audience, mostly composed of ladies, whose number increased as the hour advanced. The main object of the speaker was to rally the women of our State and induce them to come forward in the de- fense of their own rights. As one result of female eiofjuence, he said, IMrs. Lucy Stone had succeeded in melting the heart of the chairman of the judiciaiy committee in our general assembly. At the conclu- sion of Col. Iligginson's address a string of resolu- tions was introduced bearing on the question of AVom- an's Suffrage. Sojourner Truth, who was sitting on the r)latform, was invited to speak, and made one of her characteristic addresses, favoring a grant of land to the freedmen of Washington, and such a provision of educational privileges as will tend to the elevation of this unfortimate class. " The great speech of the morniiig was made by 31 IS. Livermore, of Boston, whose statement of facts was l^ctter than any labored argument. Her account of the restricted female suffrage in Kansas wsjs highly interesting and instructive. The women in that State are allowed to vote in matters pertaining to pul)lic schools, and they tise their privileges for the promo- tion of good education, and really out-wit the men in carrying their points. In the territory of AYyoming, Avhere female suflragc is secured, the women have joined en tnasse in favor of temperance and morality, defeating the vile demagogues who strove for office, and electing persons whoso character and juinciples are a guaranty of public order and security." 218 " BOOK OF LIFE. Another jovirnal speaks of S journer Truth's pres- ence ;it this mectiRg thus : — - "Mrs. Paulina ^Y. Da^is said they had a venera- ble hidy on the platform who commenced her life a slave, was forty years in that condition, and since that time had labored for the emancipation of her race. "Sojourner Truth, who seems to carry her weight of yeai-s very heartily, said she was somewhat pleated to come before them to bear testimony, although she had a limited time — only a few minutes — but as many f fiends wanted to hear Sojourner's voice, she thought she would accept the offer. She spoke when the spirit moved her — not when the people moved her, but when the spirit moved her — -for when she was limited to a few minutes, the people moved her. She was in the woman movement, for she was a woman herself. The Friend said that woman ought to have her rights for her own benefit, she ought to have them, not only for her own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole creation, not only the women, but all the men on the face of the earth, for they were the mothers of them. Therefore she ought to have her God-given right, and be the equal of men, for she was the resurrection of them. There was another question which lay near her heart, and that was the condition of the poor col- ored people around Washington, remnants of the slav- ery which was ended by the war. Sojourner ear- nestly urged that land be given to these poor people in order that they might be made self supporting, and concluded her remarks by saying, in her naive way, that she would stop before she was stopped." THE BOSTON PAPERS. 219 " The American Sibyl.— Sojourner Truth, whom Mrs. Sfcowe has honored with the title of ' The Amer- ican Sibyl,' is spending a few days in onr city, and we hope our citizens will have the pleasure of listening to her graphic desci'iptions of the condition of the freed- men of the city of Washington, where she spent three years during the war in nursing and teaching the poor soldiers and the emancipated people who followed the army. She has been there again recently, endeavor- ing in her zeal and goodness of heart to help the aged colored people to find comfortable homes in some rural district. She has spoken in nearly all the cities, and has just come from Fall River, where she spoke in two of the churches to large and enthusiastic audi- ences, who listened with delight to the words of wit and wisdom which fell from the lips of the ancient colored philosopher. She was, as is well known, a slave in New York the first forty years of her life, and since her emancipation and remarkable conversion to Christianity, she has labored unceasingly for the good of her race and for oppressed humanity every- where." "Personal. — ' Sister Sojourner Truth' was in town yesterday and visited the Woman Suffrage Bazaar, where she could not resist the movings of the spirit to say a few words upon her ' great mission,' which now is to * stir up the United States to give the colored people about Washington, and who are largely sup- })orted by charity, a tract of land down South, where they can sui)port themselves.' She don't believe in keeping them paupers, and thinks they have earned land enough for white people in past days to be enti- 220 "BOOK OF LIFE." tied to a small farm apiece themselves. 8he aays she is going to accomplish her mission in this respect be- fore she dies, and she wants an opportunity to address the people of Boston and to get up petitions to Con- gress in its favor. She means to ' send tons of paper down to Washington for them spouters to chaw on.' Sojourner believes in women's voting, and thinks the men are very pretentious in denying them the right. Still she thinks there has been a great change for the better in this respect the last few years. She is rather severe on the sterner sex, and asks, by way of capping her arirument in favor of her sex : ' Did Jesus ever say anything against women 1 Not a word. But he did speak awful hard things against the men. You know what they were. And he knew them to be true. But he didn't say nothing 'gainst de women.' And solacing herself with this reflection the old heroine re- tired to admire the beautiful bouquets in the flower department of the Fair." "Sojourner Truth, now in her eighty- third year, gave a thrilling address at the Fair — in the Phillips' St] eet Church (Rev. Mr. Grime's) on INlonday evening. It was unique, witty, pathetic, sensible; and, aged as she is, was delivered with a voice that, in volume and tone, was e(|ually remarkable and sti-iking. " IJcv. Norwood Damon succeeded her in a speech of great elo(|uence and power. The subject was the dependent condition and the hinderances to education of the blacks in Washington and the South, and tJie duty of tlie government to open avenues and furnish inducements to a better civilization and manhood. The venerable Sojourner will renew the sidtjcct at a THE NEW YORK TArERS. 221 public meeting in Eev. Mr. Grime's cliiircli this oven- • J) mg. " The first forty years of lier life were spent in slav- ery in the State of New York. She became free when slaveiy was abolished in that State, and has devoted the remainder of her life to the cause of the freedom of her race. She is now at this advanced age engaged in a mission for their welfare. She wants the gov- ei-nment, instead of feeding them as now, to put them on land of their own, as it does the Indians, and teach them to woi-k for themselves. Unless this be done, she thinks the jails and penitentiaries will have to be increased. It is the only way to prevent a large amount of misery, degradation and crime in the pres- ent and future generations. She carries with her three small books in which she has inscribed the auto- graphs of nearly all the eminent people in America. This she proposes sometime to have printed in fac similes. She calls them the ' Book of Life.' I >) FnoM n: y. axd Philadelphia papehs. " Sojourner Truth. — Sojourner Truth was born a slave in the family of Colonel Hardenburgh, near Swatakill, in Ulster County, New York, and sold away from her family when about ten years old. She remained in Ulster County forty years, a slave, •and had, during that time, numerous owners. She obtained her freedom under the Act of Emancipation in the State of New York. After her freedom she lived in the city of New York a number of years, and in Massachusetts, at Northampton, about twenty years. During all this time she traveled through ev- 222 "BOOK OF LIFK." ery section of the country, laboring to promote the welfare of her race. She worked witho\it fee or re- ward. She then went to INIichigan, where she has re- sided since that time, >She has devoted her life to the interest of her suffering race. During the war, under President Lincoha's administration, she spent her time among the freedmen in and around ^Yash- ington, teaching the women how to perform their do- mestic duties. She is now over eighty years, and has secured a little home at Battle Creek, in Michigan. The past summer she purchased a barn, and had it converted into a comfortable dwelling-house..- It is encumbered with a mortgage of nine hundred dollars, and to clear this place of debt, she is now on a visit to her friends, and proposes to visit President Grant, at Washington. Sojoiirner is remarkably active and bright for a person of her age. She has endured much hai-dship, and deserves the aid of her friends." — Frank Leslies Illustrated Paper. " Sojourner Truth. — This remarkable colored lady addressed rather a small audience in the Methodist Chui-ch on Tuesday evening. It was small because it had not been sufficiently advertised ; hence, compara- tively few knew of her presence. Sojourner is a per- fect type of her race, uneducated, but possessed of strong common sense. She was a slave forty years of her life, and when liberated, and an attempt was made to educate her, she declares she could never get beyond her a, b, abs. She is now eighty-three years old, and has been a public speaker for a great many many years. She spoke in Phoenixville some twenty years ago, in the old M. E. Church, and has ever since THE PHILADELPHIA PAPERS. 223 been anxious to do so again. In her address that evening she stated tliat she had in her wanderings in- quired now and then concerning her friend Elijah F. Pennypacker, because she knew so long as he lived she would if she visited this section have a place wherever she could ' put the sole of her foot.' She spoke in high terms of the Methodist people of West Chester, and especially of their minister, the Rev. Mr. Best, and said he wasn't like the majority of preach- ers, who was n't in their element unless they were ' spouting,' but he was satisfied to sit at her feet and to learn the truth as she knew it. Snjourner was in the anti-slavery movement in its palmiest days, and was associated with the shining lights of that struggle, and now that the wildest dreams of those she consid- ered enthusiastic have been abundantly realized, she has turned her attention to the amelioration of her race, and considers her mission to be the establish- ment of a home for old and feeble colored jieople in the far West, for which pui-pose she is endeavoring to arouse public sentiment and to interest the govern- ment, " On Thursday afternoon she addressed the ladies of the neighborhood in the Friends' meeting-house, at the corner stores." " Sojourner Truth. — Earnest, self-sacrificing devo- tion to principle, especially when its scope is to bene- fit humanity, is always an object of the deepest inter- est, whatever the race, color or condition of the indi- vidual exemplifying it. This fact explains why a large and highly respectable audience assembled last night in the Friends' Meeting House, on Lombard 224 ''r.ooK or ijfe." Street, and listened witli tlie deepest attention to tlie utterances of an old coloi'cd woman, who was a slave for forty years. I'liat old colored woman was so ear- nest, so fearless and untiring a laborer for lier race during the long contest Ijetween freedom and slavery that she is known and loved by thousands in every State in the Union. Very black, and without much education, she has remai-kable faith in God, wonder- fully clear perceptions of moral right and wrong, the most devoted love for the poor and needy, and the most untiring determination to carry forward i)lans for the amelioration of the condition of her race. " She last night gave startling pictures of the deg- radation and suffering among the colored people at Washington and elsewhere ; showed that it would pay the nation to transform those paupers into indus- trious, moral citizens, and concluded by detailing her plan for doing that work, and stating the objections made to it. She stated that she desired to hold a number of meetings her£ to induce the colored peo|»le who are in better circumstances to do something to further the best interests of the unfortunate of their race. " When she had concluded, Mr. John Needles stated that the old lady paid her expenses in her pi'esent work by selling her photograph, whereupon a number of persons went forward and bought copies. "Sojourner Truth jocularly denies that she ever nursed General Washington, but she says she ' has done quit ' telling peo[)le how old she is. ' Sometimes folks just (piit growing aad stop as they is, and I specs that I has jis quit growing old and keeps on do same all de time.' This is Sojourner's explanation of her remarkable longevity." THE ROCHESTER TAl'ERS. 225 A Pennsylvania paper thus mentions another of her meetings : — ■ " Old Sojourner Truth was here last Thursday night and preached a good sermon in the IMethodist Church. A tremendous crowd assembled to hear and see her, and were all pleased with her address and the manner in which it was delivered," FROM ROCHESTER PA PERU. "A Lecture by Sojourner Truth,— This aged negress lectured in Rochester, N. Y., recently, and the Democrat and Chronicle gives this account of her effort : — - " ' Her ajipearance reminds one vividly of JJinah in " Uncle Tom's Cabin." A white handkerchief was tied closely about her head and she wore spectacles, but this was the only indication of her extreme age. Her voice is strong, has no toucli of shrillness, and she walked about as hale and hearty as a person of half her years. She said her object was to arouse at- tvjntion to the wants of the freedmen. Their condition at Washington was pitiful. No work could be found for them, and their children were grov/ing up in igno- rance. She described the treatment they had received during the war, even after they were freed. "The poor crceters were heaped together " M'ith no food Imt a ration of bread. C-hiklren were taken away from their mothers, and when the latter complained, they were thrust into the guard-house. She went among them, and when kIio told them tliey were free, they did not understand her. After drawing a vivid })ic- G 226 "BOOK OF LIFE." ture of the siiffermgs of the freedmen and their un- fortunate condition, even at the j^resent time, she said : " You ask me what to do for dem 1 Do you want a poor okl creeter who do' no how to read to tell edc- cated people what to do] I give you de hint, and you ought to know what to do. But if you do n't, I kin tell you. De government hab given land to de railroads in de West ; can't it do as much for these poor creeters 1 Let 'em give 'em land and an outset, and hab teachers learn 'em to read. Den they can be somebody. Dat's what I want. You owe it to dem, because you took away from dem all dey earned and made 'em what they are. You take no interest in de colored people. I was forty years a slave in de State of New York, and was 'mancipated 'long wid de odder culered people of the State. " ' You are de cause of de bruta'ity of these poor creeters. For you're de children of those who enslaved dem. Dat's what I want to say. 1 wish dis hall was full to hare me. I don't want to say anything agin Anna Dickinsin because she is my friend, but if she come to talk here about a woman you know nothing about, and no one knows whether there was such a woman* or not, you would fill dis })lace. You want to hear nonsense. I come to tell something wliich you ought to listen to. You are ready to help do heathen in foreign lands, but don't care for the hea- then right about you. I want you to sign petitions to send to Washington. Dey say there dey will do what de people want. The majority rules. If dey want anything good dey git it. If dey want anything not right dey git it too. You send these petitions, and *Miss Dickinson's lecfiue njion'.Ioan of Arc. THE ROCHESTER PAPERS. 227 those men in Congress will have something to spout ahout. I bin to hear 'em ; could make nothing out of what cley said, but if dey talk about do colored pco- }tlc I will know what dey say. 8ond a good man wid dc petitions, one dat will not turn do other side out when he gits to Washington. Let dc freedinen Irc enqitied out in do West ; gib 'em land an' an outset ; teach 'em to read, an' den dey will be somebody, Dat's wat I want to say.' " "Sojourner Truth. — Lot no one fail to hear tlic lecture of this remarkable woman in Corinthian Jfall, on Thursday evening of this week. Her subject is tlie condition of the freed colored people dependent on the government. Having spent several years among them, she knows whereof she speaks. She was for forty years a slave in the State of New York. Wholly un- educated, her elof][uence is that of nature, inspired by earnest zeal in her Heaven-appointed mission. She S})eaks to crowded houses everywhere ; let IlfjclRottr give her a cordial reception." "Sojourner Trutu. — The lecture of this rcmark:i.- ble colored woman comes off at Corinthian Hall, on Tliursd.'iy evening, 4th inst. The lecturer is a child of nature, gifted beyond the common meji.sure, witty, shrewd, sarcastic, with an open, broad honesty of heart, and unbounded kindness. ' " Wholly untaught in the schools, she is herself a study for the iihiloso[>liers, and a wonder to all. Her natural powers of observation, discrimination, compar- ison, and intuition are rare indeed, and only equaled by her straightforward common sense and earnest practical benevolence. She is always sensible, always 228 "BOOK OF LIFE." suggestive, always original, earnest, and practical, often eloquent and profound. Her lecture will be in behalf of her people, and whoever would be edified, entertained, and even amused, without frivolity, would do well to be present." "Sojourner Truth. — This celebrated colored w^oman spoke at Lyceum Hall, Sunday evening, to an audience of several hundred people. Her subject was her own experience, more particularly her religious ex})erience. She is now about eighty-three years old, though she looks much younger. -She is unable to read or write, and in her manner and style is per- fectly natural and original. She acts and speaks with the simplicity and innocence of a child, and seems to have nothing to conceal. Her motives she speaks out without hesitation. Her religious experience was very beautiful, and was told in a style that defies im- itation. To be ajipreciatcd it must be heard, for no- Ijody can repeat it. Her religion is of an exceedingly practical character, and consists in doing good to oth- ers. ' How can you expect to do good to God,' she asked, ' unless you first learn to do good to each other "? In regard to God, she says she feels that he is all around her ; that we live in him as the fishes live in the sea. " Speaking of dcatli, she com})ared it — her counte- nance fairly ligliting up with emotion — to stepping out of one room into another, step])ing oiit into the light. ' Oh,' said she, ' won't that l>e glorious ! ' A SYRACUSE PAPER. 229 "SO.TOURNEK Tr.UTTT TALKS TO LADIES. " Sojournei' .spoke to a company of ladies at Asso- ciation Hall, on Wednesday afternoon. She poi'- ti-ayed in forcible language the vice and degradation in wliich the war has left the poor blacks. Ignorant and debased, they cannot be made to understand tliat they are responsible human beings, but continue the debased practices that marked their slave life. 8he endeavored to enlist the sympathies of her hearei\s in behalf of the black women of the South, and related many incidents connected with her efforts to find homes for them in the West. She had succeeded in ]>roviding for a hundred in this manner. At the con- clusion of her address the ladies present took So- journer })y the hand and gave her pecuniary aid an well as words of encouragement." FROM A STRACUSE PAPER. "To the Editor of the Byracusc Journal :-- " It affords me great pleasure to announce to the Christian people of Syracuse that Sojourner Truth is in this city, and will address the [)eople u})on the 'Condition of the South,' to-morrow (Friday) even- ing, at 7i o'olock. " This remai'kable woman at the age of eighty years is as eloquent as ever, and all who desire to see and hear her should take this opportunity, which will probably be the last one alTorded in this city. **The officers and pastor of the Fourth Pi-esbyte- 230 "BOOK OF LIFE." rian Clmrch havo kindly proircred thoiv fine audience room, wliicli is so central that it will doubtless l)e iilh^l very early in the evening. " Sojourner Truth is too well known to need any endorsements, but I was greatly pleased yesterday to read that of the martyr pi-esident — so characteristic of lancoln — * For Aunty.' " Sojourner Truth — let the Cliristian people liear her. Yours, truly, A. F. r." FROM BATTLE CREEK PATEnS. " First op August. — The colored people of Battle Creek and vicinity will observe the 39th anniversary of the emancipation of the slaves of the British West Indies by a picnic at St. Mary's Lake, intersitersed with boat riding, 'swinging in the lane,' kc. W. Sweeney has been invited to deliver the oration of the day, followed by * Aunt Sojourner Truth' and others. The festivities of the day will be concluded by a grand Grant and Wilson club ball, at Stuart Hall, under the immediate supervision of the officers of the clul*. CI. Long is the chairman of the committee of arrange- ments. " Sojourner Ti-uth asserts that if ever the Augean stables of our political temple are to be cleai-ed, it must be done by woman, and that it never will be clean \\\\i\\ she is admitted to full fellowshii) therein. " This well-known and venerable old lady called to see us Thursday afternoon and to subscribe for the Journal. She leaves for Ohio in a few days to lec- ture upon her favorite topic, that of providing a home for the colored people in and about Washington by THE BATTLE CREEK TAPERS. 231 granting them a tract of land in tlie West. Sojourner has been stum])ing for Grant, and says that if such a strange occnrrcnco as the eh^ction of Greeley should happen, she will remove to Canada." — Batlh Creeh, Journal. "republican meeting — SOJOURNER TRUTH. " On Tuesday evening. Sojourner Truth addressed the people of ifillsdale upon political topics at the court-house. The attendance was immense, not half the throng were ahle to get seats, and hundreds went away without even gaining admittance. The old lady was somewhat ' scattei"ing ' in her remarks hut she kept firing away, and occasionally a winged duck went out of the crowd, shrieking. The principal points touched were the slanders against President Grant, the inconsistent relations assumed by Greeley, Sum- ner, Blair, and others, and the duties of the colored voters. The audience, in the l)cst humoi', applauded and cheered the speaker. " Sojourner Truth, on the Saturday befoi-e the re- cent election, appeared before the Board of Registra- tion, in the third ward whei-e she resides, and claimed the right to have her name entered upon the list of electors. Upon being refused, she repaired to the polls on election day in the same ward and again as- serted her right to the ballot. She was politely re- ceived by the authorities in both instances, but did not succeed in her effort, though she sustained her claim by many original and quaintly put arguments. Sojourner states that she learned one thing by her visit to the polls on the 5th inst. She verily thought 232 "EOOK or life." before that day that a literal pole was erected to des- ignate the voting place, and she ashed the bystanders to ))oint it out. Her astonishment on being unde- ceived, as described to us by her own lips and in her characteristic style, is peculiarly amusing, it is So- journer's determination to continiie the assertion of her right, until she gains it." — Battle Crech Journal. FROM DETROIT PAPERS. " SOJOURNRR TRUTH. "A veteran worker — her 'mission^ — the colorcJ paiipers about Wasld'iajton and what to do ivith them, " For several days past. Sojourner Truth — the ' Lib- yan Sibyl/ as Mrs. Stowe has aptly termed hei* — has been the guest of Mrs. Nanette B. Clardner, on How- ard Street, where many friends, and strangers as well, have called to see and converse with this veteran worker in the cause of her own race. Already past foiirscore years and ten, she yet maintains a constitu- tion and mind unimpaired, and has an amount of vigor that betokens a ' green old age ' indeed. Those who have before heard her lectiires, will doubtless remem- ber well the strong, and yet well-modulated voice, and the characteristic expressions in which she delivers her addresses, as well as the pith and point of her Bpi(5y sentences. ♦'To all calling upon her, she asks the question, ' Do n't you want to write your name in de Book of Life 1 ' to which query, the counter one in relation to the same ' Book of Life,' is generally put, and So- journer is usually gratified by the chirography of THE DETROIT PAPERS. 233 hor ^'initor, in somo manner, according to the [tleas- ui-e of the writer. Tlie l^ook in question contains ncores on scores of names, of diflerent individuals throughout the country, including many persons of note, senators, authors, politicians, etc. Foremost in tliedist is Lucretia jVIott's, avIio signs herself a 'co- laborer in the cause of our race.' Also that of Sena- tor Revel, of IMississippi, of Senators Morrill, Pome- roy, ITenry Wilson, of Massachusetts, Patterson, of Nov/ liampshire, and numerous others. " Among the first and most treasured is that of the late President Lincoln, who has inscribed in his hui'- ried style, ' For Aunty Sojourner Tnith. A. Lincoln, October 29, 18GL' From President Grant, who, she declares, * was in a most dreflul huny to put down his name,' on being asked to write in the * Book of Life ;' written in his hurried manner, are the lines, ' So- journer Truth. U. S. Grant, March 31, 1870.' There arc letters from Gerritt Smith, Wm. Lloyd Garrison, et id genus omne, and also a few lines each from Vice President Colfax, Theodore Til ton, Mrs. Elizabeth Til ton, and many othei's. Sojourner has 'views' as well as others, and does not hesitate to promulgate them. She is in most respects radical, and believes in the temperance movement, woman suffrage, and has no faith whatever in the ' New Departure ' move- ment, as announced of late in the main plank in the Democratic platform. The constant and repeated in- quiry made by visitors, as to her age, she considers as somevr'hat trying, as it is what she has done and is to do, that she considers of the most importance. In connection with this, she mentions that when in 234 "BOOK OF LIFE." Brooklyn last spring Theodore Tilton called Tipon hev, and in the co\irse of conversation proposed that ho should write her life, a proposition which did not meet her views, and which she did not accordingly a'3coi)t, hut replied in effect that she expected to live a long time yet, and was going to accomplish ' lots ' before she died, and did n't wan't to he ' written up ' at present. " Sojourner calls Battle Creek her home, but as she is constantly on the move, she visits that ]»lace l)ut seldom. Her great ohject, she says, in visiting this city and othei's, is to ' stir up * the people and interest them in her long-desired object of pi'ocuring a homo for the aged and infirm — particularly colored people — who are now in and around Washington, and wholly dependent upon the goverment for support. " Sojourner is to remain a short time only in Do- ti'oit, going from here westward on the same mission which induced her to come here. In the course of hor travels she intends visiting Kansas, in order to prospect the land." " About a year ago, Sojourner commenced her lect- ures in behalf of this object, in Providence, since which time she has lectured in many towns and cities throughout the country. Concerning this, she says that not much encouragement is given her, except the constant adjuration to talk to the people, and ' stir 'em uj),' and adds, ' why don't you stir 'em up 1 as tlio' an old body like myself could do all the stirring.' " In relation to the subject, she states that there are hundreds of colored people in the city of Washington, who, from being cared for, and clotlied, and fed by the » TTIE DETROIT PAPEKS. 235 government, have become apatlietic and indifferent, ano no wider possible gulf between Dives and Lazarus, in the day when the impover- ished and despised craved the cnimbs which Ml from the rich man'a table, than here this very day in tlio court center of the republic, where women are starv- ing for bread, while after all the regular nourishing meals of the day, evening tables are heaped high with luxuries from every clime, and hundreds ai"e invited to share, but they are the hundreds who have plenty upon their ov>ti boards at home " ' I am thankful, dear Standard, that I do not be- lieve the Dives of Washington city will ever go to the l)urning gulf as did Dives in the parable ; or that they will ever lack for a kind and tender hand to administer the cup of cold water in the future world j but I can- not say, in the turning and constant revolutions of the wheel, that I believe all will be so fortimate in this, for experience in the valley of humility saves, no doiibt, some bitter regret, and necessitates reflections on wasted opportunities which may leac^ to the realiza- tion that all are brothers, and human wants are ever the same.' " Sojourner proposes to solicit government aid, in the way of having some portion of the as yet unoccu- pied lands of the West donated for the pur})Ose as set forth in the petition first mentioned, and there to have suitable buildings erected, and schools estab- lished where the now dependent thousands of colored peojde may go, and not only attain an independence for themselves, but become educated and respectable citizens, instead of the ' ti-ash ' — as she denominates THE DETEOIT PAPERS. 237 the humbug idlers in "Washington — which their de- pendence on government aid and bounty renders them. " Sojourner intends remaining in Detroit several days longer, during which time, if a hall or suitable })lacc can be provided, she will give a lecture on the subject described, and will doubtless attract even more than on the occasion of her last appearance in Detroit, in '()S."—J)ctroii Post. " SOJOUrvNEE. TEUTII. " This remarkable woman, born a slave in the State of New York more than eighty years ago, and cman- ci[>atcd in 1827, will speak in the lecture room of the Unitarian Church, corner of Shelby Street and La- fayette Avenue, on Monday evening, to any who will choose to hear her. Her lecture will be highly entertaining and impressive. She is a woman of strong religious nature, with an entirely original elo- quence and humor, possessed of a weird imagination, of most grotesque but strong, clear mind, and one who, without the aid of reading or writing, is strangely sus- C(!|)tiblc to all that in thought and action is now cur- rent in the world. At the antislavery and women's- riglits meetings she has been one of tlie chief attrac- tions, and her shrewd good sense, mixed with oddities of sjieech and whimsical illustrations, never fail of producing a sympathetic interest as well as exciting the curiosity of the audience. Iler life has been one of extreme vicissitudes, and a great portion of it full uf hardship. She has been a true and eloquent friend of her race, and a practical and eilicient counselor and assistant in their moral and religious training. Her 238 "EOOK OF LIFE." work in the freedmen's camps at Washington and in Virginia, during the war, was very valuable and much esteemed. She was a staunch friend of Mr. Lincoln, and he gave her many words of encouragement and l)raisc. "VVe advise our friends to attend her ' lecture,' at the Unitarian Church, if they desire to be in- strucled, amused, and gratified by one of the most original, if, indeed, not one of the most marvelous, persons of the time. All she docs and says is, as she believes, inspired by the Almighty, and she connects witli Ids direct agency the events and circumstances which surround and control her. She now resides at Battle Creek, ]\lichigan." — Detroit Post. J n a notice of the lectui'e the Fust said : — " ►Sojourner mentioned tliat the Hev. Gilbert Ha- Aen, of Boston, had volunteered to take charge of all the petitions signed and forward them to Congress in due form, that they might Ik; }»resented before Con- gress in such a way as to demand both attention and action. She hoped to iind some one, among those as- sembled to hear lier lecture, who would also aid her in this respect. Tlie llev. Charles Foote, chaplain of the House of Correction, thereupon oflfered to collect and forward all petitions which should be signed, to AVashington, which ollbr was thankfully accejited liy the lecturer. "After the ](;cture several of those interested went iijion the platform and interviewed Sojourner, to all of whom she gave a cordial welcome, and conversed in her characteristic stjle." THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 239 fmom the iv. y. tribune. "sojourner truth at work, " To the Editor of the Tribune :— " Sir : Seeing an item in your jtuper about me, I thought I would give you the particulars of what I am trying to do, in hopes that you would print a let- ter about it and so help on the good cause. I am urg- ing the i)eoplc to sign petitions to Congress to have a giaiit of land set apart for the freed peo{)le to earn their living on, and not bo dependent on the gi/l,' in the Atlan- tic some years ago, will be interested to see and hear THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 241 her. She is now visiting at Dr. Church's on Elm Street, for a few days, and will address an audience at Institute Hall, to-night, on her chosen sultject, the sufferings of the old colored people and children in Washington, and how to relieve them. She is one of the most original and effective speakers, though an un- lettered woman, and all her early life a slave in New Yoik. She is now between seventy and eighty years old, and has outlived many of her thirteen children, but her eye is not dim nor her natural force abated in proportion to her years, and her deep, powerful voice has the same effect as formerly in moving an audience. She says, however, that this is the last time she shall speak in Massachusetts ; she is now on her way to a friend of hers and her cause in Kansas, and at her age she never expects to return here. Her object in hold- ing meetings is, not to i-aise money, but to stir up the people to petition Congress to show humanity to the old and helpless of her race. She has spent much time in Washington, and knows by observation the misery of the colored people there, and she wants Congress to provide a tract of land for them in some Western State and remove them to it, where they can live frugally and support themselves, instead of de- pending upon charity at Washington. We hope our citizens will avail themselves of this opportunity to see and hear one of the most remarkable women of our time- -a true sibyl, as Mi's. Stowe calls her, but a Chris- tian sibyl, and more devoted to good words and works than to obscure predictions. Her book of autographs contains those of Abraham Lincoln, Gen. Grant, Mr. H 242 "BOOK OF LIFE." Gan-ison, antl a gi'oat many otlier eminent men and women, living or dead, and is a cnrious memento of her life." "sojourner tsitth's lecture " At Franklin Hall, last evening, was in the main an exhortation to all interested in the elevation of the blacks to petition the authorities at Washington for land out West whereon to locate the surplus freedmen, and let them earn their own living, which she argued would be cheaper and better for the government than to care for them in any other way. Her matter and manner were simply indescribable, often straying far away from the starting point ; but each digression was fraught with telling logic, rough humor, or effective sarcasm. She thought she had a work to do, and had considerable faith in what she was accomplishing ; but she said to her audience, ' With all your opportunities for readin' and writin,' you do n't take hold and do anything. My God, I wonder what you are in the world for !' She had infinite faith in the influence which tlie majority had with Congress and believed that whatever they demanded, good or bad. Congress wouM grant ; hence she was working to make majori- ties. She leaves the East soon never to return, and goes to Kansas where the Lord had i)lainly called her by pi'ompting a man whom she had never seen or heard of to invite her and pay her expenses. Her enthusiasm over the prospect was unbounded, and she said that, like the New Jerusalem, if she didn't find the West all she had expected, she would have a good time thinking about it. A good deal of sound ortho- TITE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 243 (lox theology was mingled with her discourse, as well as a descrii)tion of her visit to the White House, and the reformation she effected in the Washington horse- car system. Tlio whole was followed by a valedictory song in true plantation style. A large and interested audience was present to get the benefit of her re- marks." " Her views on the question of woman's dress and the prevailing fashions are interesting. They are sub- stantially these : ' I'm awful hard on dress, you know. Women, you foiget that you are the mothers of crea- tion ; you forget your sons were cut off like grass by the war, and the land was covered with their blood ; you rig yoiirselves up in panniers and Grecian-bend backs and flummeries ; yes, and mothers and gray- haired grandmothers wear high-heeled shoes and humps on their heads, and pxit them on their babies, and stuff them out so that they keel over when the wind blows. O mothers, I'm ashamed of ye ! What will such lives as you live do for humanity 1 When I saw them women on the stage at the Woman's Suf- frage Convention, the other day, I thought. What kind of reformers be you, with goose- wings on your heads, as if you were going to fly, and dressed in such ridic- ulous fashion, talking about reform and women's rights 1- 'Pears to me, you had better reform youi'- selves first. But Sojourner is an old body, and will soon get out of this world into another, and wants to say when she gets there. Lord, I have done my duty, I have told the whole ti'uth and kept nothing back.'" In another issue the Tribune says :— • 244 "BOOK OF LIFE." " Mrs. Sojoixrncr Trutli, a venerable colored woman, who has been heard before, gave her testimony the other day, in Providence, against the fliimmery and folly of ' feminine vestments,' and specially did she rebuke the ' women on the stage at the Woman's Suf- frage Convention.' Hark to her ! " ' When I saw them women on the stage at the Woman's Suffrage Convention, the other day, I thought, What kind of reformers be you, with goose wings on your heads, as if you were going to fly, and dresses in such ridiculous fashion, talking about re- form and women's rights 1 'Pears to me you had bet- ter reform youi-selves first.' " " Just before this, Mrs. Sojourner had freed her mind respecting ' panniers and Grecian-bend backs, high -heeled shoes, and humps on the head.' We should earnestly join in Mrs. Truth's protest against the manifold absurdities of woman's clothing, if we thought reform possible ; but we do n't. There has been no simplicity of attire since o;ir grandmother Eve made her first apron of fig leaves." "the fashions. " Sojourner says that 'the women wear two heads on their shoulders with but little if any brains in eithei".' She knew of a young woman who had her hair cut on account of an impotency in her head and eyes. After the hair was cut, she put it into a net and wore it for a waterfall — getting rest for the head only dur» ing the night. Her hair grew again but still she con- tinued to wear the extra hair with the addition of several skeins of stocking or other sort of yarn. Her THE KANSAS PAPERS. 245 impotencies of course ' grew no better ' very fast. Per- haps there is no truer saying than that 'folly is a fund that will never lose ground while fools are so rife in the nation.' The trouble of the thing is, or the reason why we have the trouble is, that the priests are dumb dogs and dare not bark or bring out the truths of the gospel against such gigantic evils, as war, slavery, and the 2)rided fashions. We leave So- journer Truth with her intuitiveness and without the letter, to battle almost alone these world-wide e\dls. May Heaven bless and sustain her in her humanitarian work and ' God-like mission.' Selahommaii." Accompanied by her grandson, Samuel Banks, she left Battle Creek in Sept., 1871, for her western trip to Kansas. Frequently stopping by the way to hold meetings, they at length reached Kansas, where she was cordially received by her new friend, Mr. Smith, as well as by friends of earlier date, whom she had known in Massachusetts and Michigan. Her stay in this State was rendered most agreeable by the atten- tions of kind and sympathizing people, who spared no pains to make her visit both pleasant and profitable. The newspaper reporters did not neglect her, as the fuUowing extracts will show : — FJiOM KAiXSAS PAPEUS. " ' Sojourner Truth ' is the name of a man now lec- turing in Kansas City. He could only be called a 'sojourner' there, for truth could not abide in that place long as a permanent resident." — >St. Louis Uis- ■patch. 246 "BOOK OF LIFE." " Considerable ignorance is displayed in the first sentence, and an unusual regard for truth in tlie last." — Leavenworth Times, Jan. 18, 1872. " Ignorance of the sex of this noted personage, So- journer Truth, by the Avriter of the aljove, is proof of wonderful lack of general information. Certainly, knowledge does not sojourn in that head, and truth Avithout knowledge has but poor dispatch in the af- fairs of men and women." — Kansas City Journal, Jan. 10, 1872. " Sojourner Truth's Talk. — There was a large at- tendance at the Opera House last night to listen to Sojourner Truth. Her mission, although not very intelligently stated by her, is to secure petitions to Congress to set a})art a portion of the public domain for the occupation of such of the blacks as are still living on the bounty of the government in and around Washington. Sojourner's plan seems to be to have this class of ' contrabands ' dealt with much in the same way as are the various tril^es of Indians who occupy reservations and are being langlit to sujiport themselves. " As the lecturer announced her intention of sjjcak- ing again and again in Topeka, we will not prcstalo her arguments but permit them to be brought out by her in her own way. " That she is a remarkable Avoman, all who have kept pace with the history of the past thirty years know, and being known, her jjorsistent ellbrts will undoubtedly secure thousands of names to her pet pe. tition. THE KANSAS PAPERS. 247 " She also gave her views upon tciiiperancc, favor- ing pi'ohibition. As to woman suffrage she declared that the world would never be correctly governed un- til c({ual rights were declared, and that as men have been endeavoring for years to govern alone, and have not yet succeeded in perfecting any system, it is about time the women should take the matter in hand." A Topeka, Kansas, paper says : — " Sojourner Truth :— The Temperance Society of this village have secured this remarkable colored wom- an to lecture here on Monday evening, Feb. 21, 1872. None should fail to hear her. For years she has been widely kno\\Ti. As the companion and peer of the great antislavery leaders during the dark days of the nation's struggle for freedom, she has made for herself a national reputation. Born in slavery, with no o{»- portunities for improvement save those which come of poverty and wretchedness, she is with her rich imag- ination and shrewd good sense but what the oppressed race miixht become under circumstances fitted to de- velop their peculiar gifts. The music which greeted her childish ears was the imperious voice of her pre- tended master and the crack of the driver's whip ; but it failed to crush out the spirit of eloquence and po- etry with which nature had endowed her. Says Har- riet Beccher Stowe concerning her : ' I never knew a person who possessed so much of that subtle, controll- ing personal power, called presence, as she.' Wendell Phillips says of her that he has known a few words from her to electrify an audience and aflect them as he never saw persons affected by another party. 248 "BOOK OF LIFE." <' Come and see and hear tliis peculiar, imaginative, yet strong and stalwart, daughter of the tropics, The lecture will be given in the Congregational Church, and upon the subject of temperance. We hope to seo a full house." She left Kansas in Feb., 1873, and traveled through Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, making many friends, from whom she received tokens of respect and afiec- tion. Her " Book of Life," which she alv/aya carries with her, contains autograph letters from the most influential and intelligent people residing in those places thi'ough which she journeyed. She returned to Michigan with scrolls of signatures as trophies of success, over which she felt as jubilant as "great Csesar bringing captives home to Rome." The time was nearing when these petitions might be presented in due form to Congress ; accordingly, she left Battle Creek in the spring of 1874, and joining her grandson in Ohio, i)roceeded once more toward our national capital. They stopped on their way thither in Orange, New Jersey, being entertained in the beauti- ful home of her much-endeared friends, Rowland John- son and wife. There she met the jiromincnt and highly gifted preacher, George Truman, with whom she held meetings. One meeting is thus noticed by one of the New Jersey papci-s : — "GEORGE TRUMAN AND SOJOURNER TRUTH IN ORANGE. " The little company of Friends in Orange held a very intei-esting meeting yesterday morning in Asso- ciation llall, where they Avere addressed by two noted MEETING AT ORANGE. 249 preacliers, one a man, the otlier a woman, the former Avhite and the latter colored. These were George Truman and Sojourner Truth. The former was the first speaker. "At the conclusion of Mr. Truman's address there was a short interval of silent meditation, after which Sojourner Truth, the venerable preacher and mission- ary, rose to speak. Her tall foi-m was slightly bent with age, and as she faced her audience, clad in the simple garb of a Quakeress, she looked like an aged sibyl pleading the cause of her people. At first her voice was somewhat husky, and a few words were scarcely intelligible at the other end of the room, but as she warmed up with her subject all signs of weak- ness disappeared. She said that she felt that she was called to her work, and that if we are inheritors of the kingdom of God there must be some work that is to be done by us. That A\'as what she had been try- ing to do for twenty or thirty years. When she was enlightened by God's love and truth she wanted to know, ' Lord, what wUt thou have me to do ] Now I want to go to work. Well, it came to me in the antislavery cause. I knew slavery was a cui'se. I had been a slave and a chattel, and I Avent to work then. After that there seemed to be a call for mo to go to work for the poor and outcast, for they are as poor as any one on God's foot stool.' She said she had tried for years to got the government to help her and give the old destitute people, left destitute by the war, and the young growing up in wickedness, a home. " She spoke of the misery a,nd degradation she had seen among the colored people in the South, of the 250 "BOOK OF LIFE." Black Maria full of them driving up to the Washing- ton police court, of their being throAvn into jails, and of their children growing up in vice and ignorance, and said that it was a shame and an abomination, and that the people did not know these things simply be- cause they did not see them. She had heard it said that these evils would die out in time, but they would not die out, * they must be learned out.' God looks down on these things and sees them, and we all ought to feel that the world shoiild be better because we are in it. She believed in being doers of the word, not hearers only, and in doing something to show we are Avorkers in the vineyard. She lectured four years on this matter, and had got up a petition to Congress to set aside a portion of the public lands in the West, and put buildings thereon for a home for the destitute. People would sign her petition, but they would say that the plan could not be carried out. It was not so, it can be carried out. She said she wished the women of the place would get up a meeting and give her a hearing, as she wanted to tell them things she could not tell the men. The venerable preacher then wandered from sacred to secular matters, stating her opinion that the national government needed the ad- ministration of women to become cleaner. In conclu- sion she spoke of the aid she had received from Gen- eral O. O. Howard, and caused her grandson to read a letter written l)y the general favoring the object she was working for. *' Sojourner Truth Avill address a woman's meeting in i\ssociation Hall, on Wednesday afternoon at .3 o'clock. It is hoped that there will be a large attend- LETTEB OF GENERAL HOWARD, 251 tince, as she proposes to fully present the condition and needs of Iier race at the South to the ladies of Orange." " WAsniNGTOx, June 3, 1874. " Gen. B, F. Butler, M. C, " Washington, D. C. " My Dear Sir :— Sojourner Truth began her la- bors for her people many years ago. Under the oper- ations of our laws with reference to the indigent there is constant change. The government did lend a help- ing hand for a time, and many think no more should be done by the general government for the classes rendered hel})less by the war and by slavery. " Sojourner finds many people living in compara- tive beggary, and many children growing up witlunit education in either books, or industiy, or honesty, whom she believes can be properly aided by the gen- eral government into better conditions. It struck me that the number of totally disabled soldiers, &c., would grow less as time goes on, and that possibly the income for your Asylum would soon render it ])racticable to try an experiment in the direction that Sojourner indicates. Without much thought and Avithout consulting with any one, I have indicated by the enclosed papers what you may be able to put into some good, practical shape. " It is hard to steer clear of very serious objections which arise against the exercise of benevolence or charity by the general government. Yet, as in cases of sudden overflow or famine, I believe the exercise 252 "KOOK OF LIFE." deepens this feeling of regard for our already I'enova- ted Ptepublic. Yours truly, " (Signed,) O. O. Howard," The year '74 brought many vicissitudes to So- journer. Sammie Banks, her dutiful and beloved grandson, began to decline in health soon after they reached "Washington, which obliged them to leave that city and return to Battle Creek, where he lin- gered till Feb., 1875; when he passed away from amongst us. Sojourner also suffered from serious ill- ness during that winter, and her life was despaired of for many long weeks. But her friends now rejoice to see her convalescincr. She feels that for some special purpose her life has been spared, comparative health restored, and her mind brought back from the shad- owy realm where it wandered during the days and nights when that red-lipped demon, Fever, with in- satiate thii-st, sucked the juices from life's fountain. She says, *'My good Master kept me, for he had something for me to do," She has no means of support. The ulcer upon her limb, from which she has so severely suffered, is par- tially healed. She says the " Lord has i)ut new flesh on to old bones," which is proof to her mind that he re- (piires more work of her. She hopes to go to Washing- ton again and get her petition before Congress. Anna Dickinson says, " I hope every one will buy the pic- tures I gave her, and do all they can to help the woman, poor and old, who in her prime and strength helped so many." Another earnest woman asks the ])eoi)lc to buy her book, and by so doing make her in- A CENTURY OF TOIL, 253 dependent in her last days. No faithful servant of the divine INEaster should be accounted a burden while on earth, for the earth is the Lord's and the products are doubtless designed to sustain the creatures ho has placed upon it. Especially should those who have borne the burden and heat of the day of life triistfully receive every comfort. A frieiid not long ago offered to write her life. She told hinishev/as " not ready to bo writ up yet, for she had lots to accomplish first." She is now ready to be written up to this date, hoping thereby to com- plete the great enterprise she has undertaken. Born fiir back in the eighteenth century, and working for nearly a hundred years for the good of humanity, we see her ready to enter the last quarter of the nineteenth century with eye of faith undimmed and strength of sjjirit unabated. She has sought to promote every reform that has been agitated during this century. Most of those who were associated with her have gone from " works to rewards." But few survive to wit- ness the flowering of those free institutions which they labored so industriously to plant. Sojourner yet lingers on the verge of time, present- ing to the world the extraordinary spectacle of a woman who, by native force, ai'ose from the dregs of social life, like a phenix from its ashes, to become the defender of her race ; and she has for years struggled faithfully to extricate it from the doom of perpetual slavery, to which it seemed to have been committed by the despotism of a gi-eat nation, the gigantic atro- ciousness of whose laws surpassed any other in the annals of the ages. Her parallel exipits not in histoiy. 254 "BOOK OF LIFE." She stands by the closing century like a twin sister. Bom and reared by its side, what it knows she knows, what it has seen, she has seen. Her memory is a vast storehouse of knowledge, the shelves of which contain a history of the revolutions, progressions, and cul- mination of the great ideas which have been a part of her life piirpose. She continvies to keep guard over the rights of her race, to the interests of which slie has so long been devoted. True to the character of sibyl, which genius has awarded her, she, while work- ing in the present, points to the future for the fulfill- raent of her longings and her hopes. Cosmopolitan in her nature, she calls the world her home, and says she could never apply to a town for aid, but would sooner appeal to the whole United States, for the welfare of which she has labored and which is more her home than any single locality of town or State. She loves her country with truest love. After the emancipation of her people, when passing the capitol buildings, she would often pause to contemplate the ensigns of liberty displayed upon them, which then admitted a new interpretation. She devoutly thanked her God that the flag proudly floating over the dome at last aflbrded protection to such as she, and that the stars and stripes no longer symbolized the " scars and stripes " upon the negro's back. Instinctively her soul claimed kinshij) with the emblematic eagle, whose glittering eye seemed to pierce the clouds, and the span of whose wings was am- ple to hover over four million freemen, iipon whose limbs the clanking chain would drag no more. And when her free black hands were x'aised to heaven, invoking THE NTNETEENTII (!ENTITRY. 255 blessings upon lier country, it was a fairer sight to see and a surer guarantee of its permanence anil glory than was the imposing spectacle of that beauteous " queen of the East," upon whose snowy, perfect hands the golden chains of slavery shone, as she entered the gates of the eternal city, leading the triumjthant pro- cession of a Cajsar. The nineteel^th century towers ahove all preceding ones. Numberless inventions and improvements are embraced within its circle. Mechanics, agriculture, commerce, science, and arts, the world of matter and the world of mind, have budded and blossomed, so to speak, as never before. The contemplation of its achievements is at once sublime and overwhelming, and not alone for what it has done, but for what it prophecies of the coming time. The century is a sibyl, too. Upon the foundation it has laid, a superstruct- ui'e may arise more symmetrical than pi'ophet has yet dared foretell. "It builded better than it knew," can truly be averred of it. But the centnry has near- ly run its course. Already are the " fateful Spin- ners " coiling the strands with which to ring its fu- neral knell. Its plumed hearse and sable mourners loom up like ghosts in the dim horizon of the near future. The grave-digger, sharpening spade and pick, prepares to do his part. Representatives from many nations and races hasten to join the pageant, to pay the last honors in the " City of Brotherly Love," where the obseqities are to be celebrated. Let us accept the name as a happy omen, foi-eshad- owing the time when brotherly love shall so abound that the relation of each to all will be so plain that 256 " BOOK OF LIFE." " he who runs may read." Tlie centiii'y's history is nearly written up, and Sojourner's hxcks but another chapter in which she hopes to chronicle the accom- plishment of her heart's desire. May her longevity transcend the century with which she has so long kept pace. She has ever listened to the still, small voice within her soul, and followed where it led. She has clothed the naked, and fed the hungiy ; been bound with those in bondage, and remembered her less fortunate brother when released from chains herself. She has uphold the right and true, denouncing wrong in high places as well as low. Her barque has been carried far out to sea, and now it nears the port. ]May she encounter no more storms upon her homeward course, but, wafted by soft, sweet winds through placid waters, peacefully enter the harbor of the " Iving Eternal." And when she glides from ship to shore, may she hear the wel- come, " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and / will give you rest." SOJOURNER TRUTH'S CORRESPONDENCE. But few of the autograph letters contained in her " Book of Life " will be published, as it is beyond her limited means to give all to the public. She trixsts her scribe to make the selections. She holds all in dear and precious remembrance. The light emanating from their true friendship pierces the darkest clouds that obscure her horizon, and sheds its blessed rays across the path she ti-eada. She hopes and believes CORRESPONDENCE. 257 tliat all their names are written in the '•'• LamVs Book of Life," and that the sweet communion begun in time will continue when time shall be no more. lETTEES AND SIGNATURES. "Boston, Aug. 6, 1870. " Having been long acquainted with Sojourner Truth, and familiar with her eventful life and mar- velous experience, I heartily commend her to the re- spect, hospitality, and generous good-v/ill of those among whom her lot may be cast for the time being : first, because of the cruel wrongs and sufferings en- dured by her while held for so many years in slavery ; secondly, because of her disinterested, timely, and self-sacrificing labors among the wounded colored soldiers and destitute freedmen at the national capitol during the late rebellion; thirdly, because of her worthy character, and her many inspirational juiblic testimonies in the cause of truth and righteousness ; and, fourthly, because of her venerable age and nec- essarily increasing infirmities. "W.M. Lloyd Garrison." " Sojourner Truth, with the best v/ishes of her friend, Helen E. Garrlson." "About twenty years ago my ac(juaintance began with this great and truly estimable woman. Sojourner Truth, since which time I have never ceased to feel myself stronger in spirit, and more earnest for justice and right for knowing her. We have dwelt together 258 ■ "BOOK OF LIFE." under the same roof weeks at a time ; we have traveled together, holding meetings, myself a silent companion, and to-day I rejoice to subscribe my name with her chosen friends, in her ' Book of Life.' " Amy Post. "Rochester, N. Y., May 3, 1871." " May God bless, elevate, and enlighten the colored race, is the humble wish of their friend. We have met and conversed with their representative. Sojourner Truth, and are very much struck with her experience, as proving the principle that God reveals himself in other ways excepting that of his word. "James E. Wallace. "Rochester, N. Y." " God speed thee in the right, Sojourner. "Thy friend, Stephen Arciieu. " Dohh's Ferry, N. Y." "Anti-Slavery Office, Nbw York, July 2'.t, 18G^.. " Dear Sojourner : — "Yours by the hand of J. M. Peebles came pi-omptly. I thank you fur the phcjto- graphs, though they are poor compared with the one you sent me iirst. It is a pity you did not preserve the negative of that instead of this. Not only is the likeness better, but the work also. The mob did not disturb the Anti Slavery office, nor me. The fact is, the Standard is scarcely known to the vjlo dafjs composing tlie mob, having but a .siiiall CORRESPONDENCE. 259 circulation in the city. But it would have taken only a hint to direct their attention to us, and then my life would have been in danger, and the office would probably have been destroyed. A good Providence seems to have watched over us. Mr. Leonard, the colored clerk, was obliged to hide, but no hai-m came to him. Many of the colored people were dreadfully abused, but a very healthful reaction has already set in; and I believe the condition in this city will be better than it was before. Upwards of $30,000 has been raised for the relief of the sufferers, and they will get pay from the city government for the property they lost. I shall send the Standard as yon request. "With sincere regard for you, and earnest prayers for your welfare, I subscribe myself, " Yours faithfully, Oliver Johnson." " Boston, Oct. 21, 1807. " Dear Madam :— " I inclose my check for ten dollars (.$10), a donation from the Rev. Photius Piske, for Sojourner Truth. Please acknowledge the receipt of same. Yours very triily, Wendell Phillips." '•The first time that Sojourner addressed a public meeting in Orange, some years since, she said that the first shall be last and tlie last first, and that she believed the colored race would yet lead the people out of darkness and ignorance. It now seems likely that the colored voters of Nevy Jersey will redeem the Htate from tlie gi'asp of the igno?;ant ancl deprp,yed 2G0 " BOOK OF LIFE." democratic party. Sojourner is now laboring to con- summate that glorious work. May Heaven grant her success. Rowland Johnson. " Orange, N. J., 1870." A LETTER OF INTKODUCTION. " Syracuse, Oct. 9, 1SG3. " Dear Friends : — *' The bearer of this note will be So- journer Truth, a worthy and remarkable woman. She is going to Courtland, to visit INIiss Mary E. Mudge and other friends. I shall be obliged to any persons who, on the arrival of the train at the Court- land depot, will help her to tind her friend's house. " Samuel J. May." "Washington, D. C, March 22, ISGo. " My Dear Sojourner : — • " I have made an arrangement for a meeting at the Union Baptist C'hurch for next Sunday evening. I want you to come, if possible. Let me know if you can. '' Yours truly, John Dudley." "To my Friend, Sojourner Truth : — "The nearly thirty years' acquaintance I have had with you, all confirm your title to the name you have chosen, and its record in humanity's ' Book of Life.' "Yours, Samuel L. Hill. " Florence, Mans., Feb. L'l, ISU." CORRESPONDENCE. 261 " After a wearied pilgi-image of over eighty years, she is a sojoui-ner among \is, witnessing the cuhnina- tion and fiilfilhnent of those great truths wliicli she has humbly foretokl oft-times within the hist four decades. Her pilgrimage is nearly over. Sojourner Truth is resting. She quietly and proudly awaits her time to pass over among those who have performed their part. Good-by, aged friend. " Richard Lamberth, of San Francisco. " Washington, I). C, ISTOr "Philadelphia, Tenth Month, 21st, 1869. " I hope people will buy her pictui-es, which I have given to Aunt Sojoiirner, and so help her. And in- deed I hope every one will do all they can to help the woman, poor and old, who in her })rime and strength has helped so many. I will waite for you, aunty, the Arabic blessing, ' May jow live to be a thousand years old, and may your shadow never grow less.' "Anna E. Dickinson," '* A men to all dear Anna has said. *' A. C. Harris." " I have very pleasant memoi'ies of Sojourner Truth. She has been a faithful worker in the cause of freedom and of right. She can truly say, with Paul, ' I have fought a good fight, ... I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous- ness, which the Lord, the righteoiis Judge shall give me.' With my sincerest good wishes, '' Egbert F, AValcut." 2(j2 " r.OOK OF LTFE, >) "Tlie wisest, wittiest woman I know is Sojourner Truth. Wiser and wittier, of course, lb an any man. I am glad to have enjoyed many years of acquaintance with her. I hope to enjoy many ages. IMay she and all her friends believe on her divine Jesus, and he with him wliere he is. Gilbert Haven." " Dear Sojourner : — " Love is the light, life, and central attraction of the universe, and will, if men yield to it, bring selfishness and misrule into harmony and law. May you ever feel its blessing. " C. A. F. Stebbins. " Wai!hingto7i, D. C." " With earnest best wishes, your friend, " Giles B. Stebbins." " May the Lord Jesus, who met you in the way, ever be your friend, companion, and guide. « Your friend, Henry Foster." " Sojourner, as you are crowning earth's children with bright and beautiful truths, so the angels will crown you, when you enter the bright Spirit Land. " Eenino, the little Indian squaw." "Anthony Village, K. I., Ninth Month, 10th, 1870. " God hath many aims to compass, Many messages to send, And his instruments are fitted Each to some distinctive end. *' Perks Peciiv. Aged 81 years." OOHRESPOXDENCE. 263 " Arisen from tlie dogfadation of slavery to be one of tJie most noble reformers of the age. Long may her star illumine the pathway of the progressive world. Mrs. M. Gale. ''East Medway, Mass.'" " May the Lord bless and preserve you through life. Yours, J. McMillen. ''Brvokhja, N. T." " That Sojourner Truth has ennobled human nature by her life, is the firm conviction of her friend, "Alfred E. Giles. " Boston , Mass" ". Syracuse, N. Y., March 25, 1871. " Sojourner Truth was in Syracuse, laboring in the cause of Christ and humanity. Although over eighty, she still has plans for future usefulness which she seems happy to contemplate. Her life testifies to her faith in God's words that ' no man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom oi God.' J. S. Leonard." "With ever kind and ever loving remembrance of my dear old friend of more than thirty years' ac- quaintance. James Boyle, M. D. " No. 20 W. Broadway, N. Y., July 13, 1870." li P. S. All the years during which we have known each other, we were co-laborers in the anti-slavery 264 " BOOK OF LIFE." movement, and now we see our wislics accom])lisliod in tlie overthrow of tliat horrid wall of crimes and cruelties which Chnrch and State combined to perpct- nate. The great God is leading the bordmen and bondwomen through a Tfed Sea to their freedom, and writing their deed of enfranchisement Avith the ])oir!t of the sword, in the blood of their oppressors North and South. j. b." James Boyle made Sojourner a present of ilie stere- otype portion of her '' Narrative," which includes the first 128 pages of this volume. " I have conversed with Aunt Sojournei', and be- lieve her to be a child of God. <' Mrs. Lewis Fairbrotheu. ''PawtucM, n. I." *' Dear Aunt Sojourner : — '' I thank the ' King Eter- nal' that he is no respecter of persons, and that we are all his children. Henry C, L. Dorsey. 'Tmdncket, Se}>t. G, 1S70." " Slavery has gone over the battlements, thanks be to God. Joseph A. Ducdale. " Mt. Pleasant, Iowa." "Dear Sojourner Truth, a holy woman doing a godlike work — May she prosper in her noble under- takings. M. L. TvRS. "Jhfn/if, Mirh." f'OrvRESPONDENCE. 265 "IlocnESTER, X. Y., Way S, ISTl. " My Deau Sojoukxer Tiiutii : — " I rejoice to find yon strong in health, vigorous in mind, warm in heart, and, as usual, full of noble purposes, looking to the welfare of suffering men and women. May you long live to bless, cheer, and enlighten, and to lift up the oppressed, and smooth the pathway of the lowly, and may you see the fruit of your labors multiply more than sixty or an hiindred fold. " Frederic Douglas." " Dear Mother in Israel : — • " You are called of the Lord and anointed by his Holy Spirit to bind up the broken-hearted, and to sway the hearts of men by a power gi-eater than that which resides in thrones and scepters. ]May God bless you, and give you suc- cess in your divine mission. Daniel Steele. " Genesee College, Lima, iY. F., May 12, 1871.'' "loLA, Kan., Nov. 5, 1S71. " How easy it is to detect the spirit, however hum., ble its garb, freed from the trammels of the world, party, or sectarianism. In you, good old Sojoiirner, we see it far removed abo^e all clogs. Once a slave, now, in the highest sense a freedwoman; desiring nothing, hoping for nothing, but the truth as revealed by the Spirit, not killed by formalism. We thought we saw afar off a true spirit, and desii-ed to meet you. At our request and invitation, you honored us with your presence at our house. We hope you have en- 266 "r.OOK OF LIFE." joyed tlio visit as well as ourselves. The best room, the best bed, and the best seat, we have intended to reserve for yon, hoping to make yon feel free and at home. Be assnred, good friend, we feel giatefnl to you, and l)3nefited by your connsel, and words of wis- dom and truth. Mixj your labors for the in-omotion of your race and our common humanity meet with abundant success, and, finally, great reward, is the earnest desire of your fiiends and well-wishers, "Byron M. Smith, '•Eliza S. Smith."' " May God's blessing rest on thy labors for the ele- vation of thy race and the general good of mankind. "G. Knowles. " Leavenworth, Kan." " Dear Friend Sojourner : — " I hope that you will live to see the day when the people of this land shall be wise, and through their government care for the poor and ignorant, both black and white, as a wise parent cares for his children. Eliza R. Morgan. " Leavenwurtli, Kav." "53 Broadwai-, Niiw York, Jan. 17, 1SG8. " Sojourner Truth : — ^^ Bear Mailain — I had the pleas- ure of meeting you several yeax'S ago, at my uncle's, Mr. Richard Mott's, in Toledo. I saw Mr. Mott a few days ago, and he told me where you reside. I send one dollar, inclosed, for which j.lease send me, by CORRESPONDENCE. 2G7 mail, as many of your photographs as the money will pay for. If you have two or three diflerent ones, please send one of each. Perhaps yon may have hoard of the death of Uncle James Mott, brother of Richard Mott and husband of Lucretia Mott. He died last Sunday. Mrs. Mott is quite feeble and feels her great loss very much. I shall be glad to see you again when yoii come to New York, and shall try to do so. " Very truly yours, Walter Brown." "Brooklyn, Sept. S, 1SG9. " Your letter of the 12th inst. has just reached me. I take pleasure in seconding my husband's invitation to you for a visit at our hoi;se. He will, no doubt, be away most of the winter, therefore, if your health will permit, as soon as you can come it will be best. We live at 136 Livingstone St., Brooklyn. Write to Mr. Tilton the day of your arrival, and he will meet you at the depot. " I am yours sincerely, " Elizabeth Pt. Tilton." " Providence, R. I., Sept. 14, 1870. " To Sojourner Truth ; — " May your last days be your best. JNIay your sun set in glory. Having followed in the footsteps of Jesus all the way, he will now guide your feeble steps up the mount of ascension, and when the opening heavens receive you, you shall hear his sweet voice saying, ' Well done, good and faithful servant.' Rachel C. Mather, " Teacher of Freedmen in Beauforf, S. C" 268 "BOOK OF LIFE.' " To Sojourner Truth, the Libyan Sybil : — " I give thee joy, my noble friend and true, Thou who, but yesterday, a scorned slave, Bearing the cross within thy great, brave heart, Wert scourged and scoffed at by the heartless crew, And only pitied by the Christ-like few Who seek — like Christ — the sorrowing to save, To-day, forevermore enshrined in art ! Honor and joy be thine ! How few like thee Wear the saints' aureole on an earthly brow. So thy wronged race, long trodden beneath the feet Of tyrant lords, and wearing the brand of shame, Shall yet in manhood's majesty complete Stand proudly in the sacred halls of fame. " Mks. C. L. Moegan. "ML Pleasant, Wis., May 2, 1803." "Again are we privileged in having Sojourner with us. 'Tis very pleasant for us that she feels our house is her home. She speaks this evening in the Congre- gational Church. Mrs. A. Montague. "Kalamazoo, Mkh., Aug. 2G, 1871." *' That the evening of your life may be as calm and peaceful as the morning was dark and stormy, is tlie earnest wish of your sincere friend, " LuciNDA Walling. "ML Pleasant, Wis., SepL, 1871." " May our friendship of many years continue for is short life. " Thomas Chandler. long ages after the close of this short life, " Ramn, Mich., 1871." CORRESPONDENCE. 269 " My Dear Grandmother : — "As the present is your first visit to INIissouri, I want to put it on record in your ' Book of Life,' that there is at least one native Missourian who entertains no prejudice against col- ored people, but, on the contrary, values all alike ac- cording to their worthiness. Your noble labors for the freedom of the colored race are among my earliest remembrances, and your beautiful ideas of life, death, and God, will he among the last things I shall forget. "W. H. Miller, Journal of Commetxe. "Kansas City, Mo., June 15, 1S72." "Our Veteran Friend, Sojourner Truth — We have known thee for a quarter of a century, heard thy clarion voice in the day when the slave power rioted in the land and trod with its iron heel upon the hearts of its victims. God has blessed the labors of his servants in a signal manner, and slavery by his mighty power has gone over the battlements and is destroyed. May thy old age be crowned by his pres- ence, and thy trumpet join with Gabriel's in the jubi- lee, when the countless multitudes shall surround the throne of God. Joseph A. Dugdale. " 3It, Pleasant, lutva, Second Month 7th, 1872." " Nov. ir, 18«8. " Sojourner Truth commenced her advocacy of the rights of her race during our war with Mexico, since Avhich her travels and labors have been wide-spread, constant, and arduous. God has givtm her remarkable 270 "BOOK OF LIFE." native sagacity, a ready command of strong, express- ive language, and a vein of sharp wit and ricli humor with which to combat the falsities and delusions among the people of her time. May Clod give her length of days, and free utterance on the side of right and justice. W. L. Chaplin." " To Sojourner Truth :— "You say you wish to leave the world better than you found it. Posterity will give you the credit of having done so. " R. B. Taylor, Editor Gazette. " Wyandotte, Kansas, Dec. 25, 1S71." " Aunty : — "Accept this book to collect the sci'aps of your eventful life, which has accomplished so much, and is now so entirely devoted to the interests of the poor colored people in Washington and elsewhere. "Robert Adams. " Fall River, Oct. 16, 1S70." " Mendota, III., April 22, 1872. "To the Methodist Ministry of the Park River Conference : — '■'■Dear Brethrea — Allow me to introduce to you Sojourner Truth, and bespeak for her your friendly at- tentions. If her religious experience, as narrated a few years ago in the Atlantic Monthly, by Mrs. H. B. Stowe, affected you as it did mo, you will feel it an honor to receive her in the liord with all gladness. " Your brother in Christ, JJ, F, Holmk^^." COmiESPONDENCE. 271 A short sermon inserted in Sojourner's ' Book of Life,' and one whicli she appreciates : — " Our ingress in life is marked and bare, Our progress through life is trouble and care, Our egress out of it we know not where, But doing well here, we shall do well there. "C. P. MOKGAN. ''Leavenworth, Kan., Jan. 31, 1873." "Springfield, Mass., Feb. 28, 1871. " SojouRXER Truth : — ''Dear Friend — In writing my name in your ' Book of Life,' it gives me great pleas- ure to say that our acqviaintance of some twenty years has made me largely your debtor. Your steady devo- tion to the cause of suffering humanity has always commanded my esteem, admiration, and reverence. As you have spent a long and laborious life for the good of others, may you always find troops of friends to minister to your comfort whUe you sojourn among mortals. And when at last you pass on to the higher life, I trust you will be met by a host of immortal friends on the shores of the summer land, who will welcome you to the blest abodes. E. W. Turing." " Your life, commencing in the depths of slavery, opens grandly and brightly even there, and who can tell of the glorious angelhood into which it is unfold- ing] The ' Well done ' awaits you, Sojourner, and all earnest workers for humanity. " Martha L. Gale. " Ea^t Mcdwau, Mass., 1S71." 272 '-'UOOK OF LIFE." " Aunty Sojourner Truth : — " We have been greatly pleased and edified by a visit from jon. Having known you for aboixt thii-ty years, it is with pleasure we add our testitaony to your self sacrificing labors in behalf of your despised and oppressed race, and the cause of humanity everywhere. Although far ad- vanced in years, may you be spared to see your efforts for the elevation of your people crowned with success. "N. B. Spooner, " L. H. SrooNER. "Plymouth, Mass., ISri." "May she who patiently hath wrought Through years of earnest toil and thought, Find her best hopes fulfilled at last. And when her wanderings are past, • To crown her work of love be given Sweet peace on earth and rest in Heaven. "J. Walter Spooner. '' Phjmonth, 3f««." " James N. Buffiim, Ruth Buffum, Abby B. Buf- fum — all good friends of Sojourner Truth. "■Lynn, Mass., ISru." "Go on. Sojourner, God speed you. "J. A. B. Stone. " Kalamazuo, Mkli.'' " Blessings on thee, my good old friend. " Wendell'Philj.u's. ^' JJustun, 3J[ass.' CORRESPONDENCE. 273 VISIT,^ PKESIDENT GRANT — LETTER OP INTRODUCTION FROM GEN. HOWARD. " Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen% and Abandoned Lands. " WasMiHjtoii, D. C, Mairh 17, ISTO. " Gen. U. S. Grant :— " President U. S. — Sojoui'ner Truth, quite an aged and distinguished colored woman, earn- estly working for years for her people, desires to see the president. She will pray for him surely; but more heartily if she sees him. " Yours respectfully, 0. 0. Howard." Sojourner says : "I went in company with several ladies and gentlemen to see the president. While waiting in the ante-room with other visitors, a gentle- man called, to whom I was introduced. During a short conversation with him, he said, ' I recollect hav- ing seen you at Arlington Heights. How old do you call yourself now V I had felt veiy much annoyed by people's calling to me in the street and asking that question. I mentioned it to Dr. Howland, and he ad- vised ice to charge five dollars for answei-ing that question ; so I said to the gentleman, A friend told me to ask five dollars for telling my age. He smiled pleasantly, and invited me to call upon him at the city hall. After he left, my friends told me that that gen- tleman was Mayor Bo wen, one of the best men in the city. Presently, a man came in, a free-and-easy sort of fellow, and asked to see the president. We were now ushered into the presence room. A very elegant lady and gentleman shook hands with the president, and after a few pleasant words were passed, took their leave. 274 "BOOK OF LTFE." " TIiPU tlio ' hail follow ' stopped np and ofToi-ed liig hand, saying, 'This is Presidont Grant, is it? Yon ain't as old as I tlionglit yon was. I've seen yonr pictor, and yoiiv picter looks older than yoii do.' The pi'esident smilingly said, ' I am not so very old.' 'Wall, liow old do yon call yonrself, anyhow f The president replied that he was 49 years of age, 'Ain't yon no older than that?' said the fellow. ' No, sir,' patiently answered the president. ' Yon look older than that,' said he, and waited to see if the president had anything more to say, but, finding that the in- terview was ended, turned to go, saying, ' Good -by.' ' Good-by, sir,' said the president, and the fellow walked off. " I felt very much mortified because I had asked Mayor Bowen five dollars for inquiring of me how old I was, when I saw how kindly and politely the president treated that clownish fellow. I will here add that I subsequently called upon the mayor and apologized for my rudeness to liim. He said he ought to be the one to ask an apology, for it was improper to ask a lady her age. He invited me to spend a day with his family, whicli invitation I accepted and was cordially entertained by his lovely wife and interesting family. It was now our turn to be presented to the president. He shook my hand, and said he was pleased to see me. After a little pleasant conversa- tion, I expressed my gratification that the colored people had gained the right of suffrage. This he cor- dially indorsed. I now showed him my ' Book of Life,' which contains the autographs of Lincoln and other distinguished persons. He took the book and C'ORnESPONDEXCE. 275 wrote his name in it. ' To Sojourner Tmtli. IT. S. Grant, March 31, 1870.' I then handed him two of my photographs, which he took, and putting one in his pocket-book, he laid the other on the table and gave me a five dollar bill, for which I thanked him. " We now left, carrying with us a ])leasant impression of the president, and the memory of a delightful hour spent in the White House." " Washington, April 14, 18G7. " My Dear Sojourner : — " I am so thronged with work, and applications for colored people, from all parts, that I cannot finish any day's work. I always go to bed tired, leaving much work undone. As to sending you people, it is impossible to promise anything. We have been trying to get some people to go the last ■week, but all who go incline to go to Providence, Battle Creek, or some place where already several have gone. " One thing now you may do — send the names and residences of those who have applied to you for help, and we will make one desperate effort. We send our men to Brockpoi-t this coming week. The Bureau re- quires that the names of employers be sent ; so if you send on the names, I will do the best I can. You need not promise any till you see whether they can be obtained. I wish much we could send a hundred men, they stand idle everywhere and will not go in any considerable numbers till after the fii'st of Jiine, when they will vote. With love and best wishes, "Your friend, Josephike S. Griffing." 276 " BOOK OF LIFE. "Oct. ir,, 1874. " Mrs. F. W. Titus :— " Can you inform me who wrote out (or otlierwise compiled) and edited the narrative of Sojourner Truth's life 1 I shall be much obliged to you if you can give me this information ; it is desired for the library of a public institution. If you can tell me where Sojourner Truth is now, and as to her health and circumstances, I shall be glad and further obliged to you. " Respectfully, "Samuel May. "Leicester, Mass." EXTRACT FROM A LETTER. "Leeds, M.\.ss., Jax. 17, 1870. " Sojourner Truth : — " 3fy Dear Friend — A line from my brother received this afternoon, speaks of your being at Vineland, so I must send you a few lines to say how much pleased I was to hear from you through friend Amy Post, of Rochester, New York. Hope you have been successful in your present journey with such kind and efficient friends as Mr. and Mrs. Theo- dore Tilton to help you. Was very glad your mind was set at rest about your son Peter. How strange are the events of our lives. How little we know of the world we live in, especially of the spiritual world by which we are surrounded. But we may see enough to know that it is at least marvelously inter- esting. You and I seem to move around as easily as soap bubbles — now here — now there — making our mark, I suppose, everywhere, though uiine is a very COKREBPONDENCE. 277 quiet mark compared to yours. ' I get a glimpse of you often through the papers, which falls upon my spirit like bright rays from the sim. There is a wee bit of a chapel here, pu]i)it supplied by a Mr. Merritt, and one evening last fall he repeated something that 'Sojourner Ti-uth' had said. I was not there, so I cannot tell what it was. I did not think you were laying the foundation of sixch an almost world-wide reputation when I wrote that little book for ytu, but I rejoice and am proud that you can make your power felt with so little book-education. " Olive Gilbert." ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE SAME PERSON. " My Dear Friend : — "I may not be able to make you sensible of the heart-felt pleasure I experienced on receiving your kindly greetings once more, but hasten to thank you sincerely for them, and for your address which I have long wished for ; and I assure you I am most happy in thus being enabled to return you my own greeting, fervent, fresh, and warm from the heart. It is a very long time since we have had any oiiportunity of communicating with each other directly, though I have been enabled to find traces of you and your labors, from time to time, which was more, I think, than you have been able to do of your old friend ; for I am not so public a pci'sonage as yourself. '• Your call upon Mrs. Stowe, and our dear, sainted president, and your labors connected with the army, and the Freedmen's Bureau, gave you a publicity that on- 278 " BOOK OF LIFE." abled me to observe yoii at your old vocation of help- ing on and doing good to your fellow-creatures, both physically and mentally. I was much pleased with Mrs. Stowe's enthusiasm over you. You really al- most received your apotheosis from her. She proposed, I think, that you should have a statue and symbolize our American Sibyl. I have written more than a sheet, and have not spoken of what has been in my mind all the time, of the gi-eat deliverance of your people from the house of bondage, the wonderful work of the Lord, accom- plished only through a cruel and bloody war, as was so often predicted by friend Garrison and others in days gone by. You may have witnessed many of its terrors. And oh ! it makes me almost speechless when I contemplate the hosts of men, and these the llower of their country, that were thus sacrificed to Moloch. There is but one reconciling thought, and that is, The Lord is all-wise and reigneth over all. He sees and knows what we observe, and not a spar- row falls to the ground without his notice. Of the little book I wrote for your benefit, some of the cojues I took are sold ; others I gave to my friends as keep- sakes, &C. " Get some one to write for you soon, and believe me to be your true friend and well-Avisher, now and forevermore. o. g." " The company of our estimable friend, Sojourner Truth, Avill ever be cherished with feelings of love. "Sakah T. Rogers. '']^o. 3^S, Nurth Eleventh St., Philaddphia." COHRESPONDENCE. 279 " 3 Exeter Street, Boston, Mass., Apr. 25, 1S75. " Dear Friend : — " We ax'e sorry to hear that you are suffering from ill health, and hope you may be getting better by this time. INly mother, Mary May, who was one of the earliest abolitionists, with Mr, Garrison and "Wendell Phillips, wishes me to send her remembran- ces to you, and her best wishes, and wants you to ac- cept ten dollars from her. Perhaps you have seen her, either here in Boston, or at the house of my brother, Samuel May, in Leicester. She is eighty- seven years of age and rather feeble, though her mind is bright, and she is able to read a little and knit a good deal. I inclose a post-office order for fifteen dol- lars. Please accept five from me, " I should be glad to hear that the money reaches you safely, so I inclose a card addressed to us, for re- ply. I am, with very great respect, dear madam, " Yours, Abby W. May," "EicHMOXD, Ind., April 15, 1S75. " Sojourner Truth : — " My Good Sister— Mrs. Dr. Thomp- son and myself, on hearing of your afflictions in the death of your grandson and your own sickness, have been trying to raise some funds for you, but I am sor- ry to be obliged, after waiting so long, to send you so small a sum as two dollars. For this you will find inclosed a money order. In reply I wish you would tell me all about your situation and wants, and if pos- sible I will send you more. Have you received any- thing from the Julians ? Have your wants been sup- 280 "BOOK OF LIFE. plied 1 Tell me all tlie facts. How are you getting along with your sickness 1 " Mrs. Dudley sends with me our hearty good wish- es, and we only regret that we cannot send you some- thing more substantial to supply your needs. You are remembered in our poor prayers in our family. We shall never forget the light and cheer which your presence and words gave us when here. The good Lord, whom you have so faithfully served in labor for your poor race, will take you through and give you, a weary old pilgrim, a home of I'est and reward. Let me hear from you soon. " Yoiar fellow-pilgrim and sojourner, " Joim Dudley." " With earnest respect for your constant effort to help humanity, and. to make the world better for your being in it, I want you, dear friend, to think of me in this life and the higher one as your friend and sympathizer. J*]liza S. Leggett. "Detroit, Mkh., June 20, 1871." "Gkand Rapids, Marcu, 18T3. " God bless Sojourner Truth, wlio spoke so grandly at the Second Street M. E. Church, last night, and who has been our honored guest for a few days. " L. IL Peauce." " ]C(piality of rights is the fust of rights. " Charles Sumneu. " hieiude Chamber, April 26, 1S70." CORRESPONDENCE. 281 " Or.vxge, Feb. 10, 1875. " Aunt Sojourner :— " Dear Friend — I learned last evening that tliee is dangerously ill, and that it is par- alysis which has prostrated thee. I spent the even- ing with Mrs. McKinn and learned it from her. Most sincerely do I hope she has been misinformed, and that thy illness is something from which thee may recover, and that we may see thee again in the flesh ; but if this cannot be I know that thee is prepared to enter that beautiful world of spirits which has seemed so near thee while hei'e. " Dear Aunt Sojourner, may I among the many who love thee here, be remembered by thee on that beautiful shore of the river of everlasting life, and if thee is permitted to return to the children of earth, receive from thee some token of thy presence and con- tiniTcd affection. "Thee left a trunk here which we will fill and send thee as soon as wc learn what will be most useful. I do not doubt Itut that thee has kind friends who are not only willing but anxious to make thee comforta- ble in every respect, I mean in Battle Creek. But those of thy friends who have not the privilege of re- lieving thy wants in person, would like to add their mite toward returning the kindness which thee, for so many years, has shown others. May the Infinite Love sustain thee, and that faith which has ever been thy support in the trials of life become stronger and purer as thee nears the golden gates, is the prayer of thy loving friends, "11. W. Johnson & Rowland Johnson." 282 ■ "BOOK OF LIFE." "Staxdard Office, New York, Jan. 13, 1866. "My Dear Friend : — " I know you v/ill be glad to put your mark to the inclosed petition, and get a good many to join it, and send or take it to some member of Congress to present. Do you know there are three men, Schench, Jenkes, and Broomall, who have dared to propose to amend the United States Constitution by inserting in it the word ' male,' thus shutting all women out by constitution from voting for president, vice-president, and congressmen, even though they may have the right to vote in the State for State of- ficei's. It is a most atrocious proposition, and I know Sojourner Truth will say, No, to it. God bless you, and help you to do the good work before you, is the wish of your friend, SuSAN^B. Antuoxy." " BiDDLE House, Detroit, Jan. 29, 1869. " Sojourner Truth : — " My dear Grandmother in Is- raelii am sorry I cannot get time to take you once again by the hand before I leave Detroit, but I heie- with inclose to you a five dollar bill to keep you in mind of '• Your dutiful grandson, "Theodore TiLTON." " My Dear Friend, Sojourner Truth : — " If we nevoi" meet on earth again my prayer is that wc may meet on the other shore. " E. Dickinson. '' JJrvdhmd, Wis," CORRESPONDENCE. 283 " SoJOURNEii Truth : — " You want the government to give land to the freed people. This would be true statesmanship, as by so doing we should be paying a little of the great debt we owe the freedmen, and at the same time putting them in the way of supporting and educating themselves, and enriching the nation. " Seth Hunt. " Northamptun, Mass., ISH." " Boston, March 18, 1875. " Mrs. F. W. Titus :— *^ Dear Madam — I have your prompt reply to my note of inquiry, and hasten to in- close a check for twenty -five dollars for the benefit of Sojourner Truth. It is the contribution of Mr. Phillips, father, and myself. "W. L. Garrison, Jun." " Sojourner Truth : — " Dear Friend — Your life is a liv- ing epistle known and read of all men. You surely are a sojourner, laboring for the truth. Your life has been one of sorrow and toil, bearing in your own body and your own family the bitter injustice and cruelty that has sent you a missionary to the learned and un- • learned alike for many years. You and I have cause of sympathy, each with the other. God bless and keep you ever. Calvin Fairbanks.* ''Florence, Mass., March 20, ISri" * Calvin P'airbanks was confined for 12 years in Frankfort prison, Kentucky, for aiding a slave to escape. 284 " BOOK OF LIFE." "North Topeka, Kan., Nov. 20, IBIl. " It has gratified me mucli, Sojovirner, to see your face once more, and welcome you to my home and my church. It is a dozen years since we first met, and, possibly, we may meet again in this world ; if not, we will in the next. Our meeting in this far West has broiight to my mind the beautiful words of Phcebe Carey : — ■ ' As ships from far and distant ports To distant harbors hurrying on, Meet with each other on the deep, And hail, and answer, and are gone, ' So we upon the sea of life, Have met as mortals often will, One from the prairies of the West, One from the land of rock and rill. ' So we shall pass on separate ways, As vessels parting on the main. And in the years to come, our paths May never meet or cross again. ' Yet when life's voyage all is done, Where'er apart our paths may tend, We'll drop our anchors sidfc by side In the sauie harbor at the end.' " Thomas W. Jones. " Pastor of Cong. Church.'''' " SOJOUKNEU : "The words of my husband are wanuly echoed from my heart, and I feel more than gratified to have had tlie opportunity of entertaining you in my own home. Be sure you will always be held in loving I'emembrance by us alh ]Iklen M. Jonks." CORRESPONDENCE. 285 " Dear Sojourner : — " At your request I record the fact tliat I succeeded in registering my name in the First Precinct of the Ninth Ward, and on Tuesday, tlie 4th of April, cast the first vote for a state officer deposited in an American ballot-box by a woman for the last half century. After the vote was deposited, I present- ed a vase of flowers to the inspectors, and also handed them a large pictiire representing a large crowd of women in darkness, just entering the portals of an arch, which were inscribed, ' Liberty,' and upon which an eagle was perched. The gates were held open by Columbia and the Goddess of Justice. The foremost woman held in her hands a scroll, inscribed, ' The Fourteenth Amendment.' To the right were imps of darkness fleeing av/ay, some with barrels of whiskey. On the left was pictured the Capitol of Washington, with men crowding its steps, cheering, etc. Streams of light flowed upon them, while, with the exception of this and the foreground, the picture was darkness inten- sified. The following lines appeared underneath : — " 'We come, free America, five millions strong, In darkness and bondage for many years long. We've marched in deep silence, but now we miroll The Fourteenth Amendment, which gives us a soul. Glory, glory, hallelujuh, glory, etc., As we go marching on.' " Kannette B, Gardner. " Detroit, Mich., June 30, 1S71." " With a great deal of esteem, " Your friend, John R. French." 286 "BOOK OF LIFE." " Sojourner Truth loctnrod before the Pewnuio Teui- perance Society hxst evening. She held the aitdience in breathless attention for one hour. May the T^ord guide and pi'otect her in her errands of mercy, and may her days be multiplied. One great desire of my heart has been gratified, which was to meet Sojourner and converse witli her face to face. " Mrs. E. a, Chaddook, " President Pewamo Temperance Society." "Bristol, Cox.v., 1840. " Sister Dean : — " I send yoi; this living messenger, as I believe her to be one that God loves. Ethiopia is stretching forth her hands unto God. You can see by this sister that God does, by his Spirit alone, teach his own children things to come. Please receive her, and she will tell you some new things. I^et her tell her story without interruption, give close attention, and you will see that she has the leaven of truth, and that God helps her to see where but few can. She can not read or write, but the law is in her heart. Send her to brother Rice's, brother (Jlapp's, and where she can do most good. " From your brother in looking for the speedy com- ing of Christ, Henry L. Bradley." "May the God of truth sojourn with you through this world, and then give you an abundant entrance into mansions prejiared for yo\i in Heaven. " T. B. Welch. *' Vitieland, N. J., Dec. en, JSGO." CORRESPONDEIST'E. 28? " HoPEDALE, Mass., July 28, 1870. " Faithful mother in Israel, Raised up to bless thy people, Fearless for God's righteousness, Witness for Triith's alniightiness, Scourge of scornful oppression, Shanier of vain profession, Tender nurse of feebleness, Helper of sad neediness. Friend of all humanity. And practical Christianity, Wondrous age of thy sojournment. Passing strange thy life's concernment, Stranger than the tales of fiction. Full of woe and benediction, But crowned with rich fruition, May thy Heavenly Father bless thee, And guardian angels oft caress thee, Till all thy toils are ended, And thy spirit has ascended, To be with Jesus mansioned, Among his countless ransomed. " Adin Ballou, "Lucy H. Ballou." " Sojourner Truth is the most marvelous person we have ever had the j^leasure of meeting. May God spare her, to see her heart's desire accomplished. " Mrs. L. H. Pearce." "ViXELAND, Jan. 4, 1870. " The Lord and good angels have blest you and your work, and will bless you in that better world where I hope to meet Sojourner Truth. John Gage." 288 " BOOTv OF LIFE," "NiLES, Mich., Oct. 0, 1S73. "This neigliborliood has been favored with the pi'esence of Hojoixrnei' Truth among us. She dined yesterday at S. A. Gardiner's, took tea with Mrs. Henry Moore, and spent the niglit at M F. Reed's. The Lord has blessed us with this angel in disguise, which has made our hearts very glad. May he bless lier most abundantly. Mrs. H. Moore." " West Medwat, Dec. 21st, ]8T0. " Dear Aunty Sojourner Truth : — " We intended to ride down to see you before you left Dr. Gale's, but shall not be able, for Mi\ Ray has been to Woonsocket twice this week, and the rest of the week he is so much engaged that we cannot come. I am rather dis- appointed, for I wanted to see your dear face once more. Mr. Ray wishes me to tell you that he saw brother Gilbert Haven on Monday, and he said that he had been looking for news from you for some time, but did n't know your whereabouts. When Mr. Ray told him that you would spend Christmas with him, ' God willing,' he said, ' That's good. Now toe'll have a big time.' Mr. Haven is anticipating your visit with a great deal of pleasure, and I know you will have a nice time. We are all well. Our circle met this week, P. M. and there were many kind inquiries for you. I am sorry you could not have stayed longer with us. May God bless you. I feel that the con- versations we had, did me a great deal of good, partic- ularly the relation of your experience on Sunday even- ing after meeting. " Yours in Christian love, Justina B. Ray." CORRESPONDENCE. 289 " Philadelphia, MAr 9, 1870. '' Mrs. Titus :— " We were made glad last evening by the return of our old friend, Sojourner, from Washington, where she has been for two months. She looks very- well and bright, and is in her very best spirits as you will see by the following statement : — " She has received from the government, through the influence of Gen. Howard, three hundred and ninety dollars, being fifteen dollars per month for twenty-six months. She has collected other funds to the amount of four hundred arid fifty dollars, for which I send my check payable to your order, which you will please to pay to William Merritt on acc't of her mort- gage, and get him to send the receipt to me with a statement of her accounts. " She has lived to see her people delivered, and we may all rejoice with her. " Yours truly, " Henry T. Child, M. D. *' tioJf. Race SV "Floeence, Mass., JMarch S, IbTl. " Sojourner Truth : — " Bear Friend — Mr. Hunt informs me to-day that Mr. Wheedon, Methodist minister in Northampton, will appoint a meeting for you in his .church, next week Tuesday evening, and will himself cause notice thereof to be given next Sunday in all the churches in town, or in such of them as will give the notice. Mr. Hunt will also have the notice in the -Free Fress printed next Friday, and in the Ga::.eUe K 290 • "BOOK OF LIFE." printed next week, Tuesday. Now if yon will inform me on what evening next week you wish to have a meeting in Florence, I will also have notice given here next Sunday, by the Methodists, the Congrega- tionalists, and in our meeting. Will also have the notice given in the Free Press of next Friday (if I get your i^eply in season), and in the Gazette of next week, Tuesday. You will be welcome to the use of our hall next week, either AVednesday, Thursday, or Friday evening. Please send me word to-morrow, if you can, which evening you will occupy. If not to-morrow, send word the next day, and oblige, " Yours truly, Samuel L. Hill." "On Saturday, Jan. 1st, 1870, our house received a new baptism, through Sojourner Truth, whose voice is continually praising God for the blessings bestowed upon her, and never murmuring because of hardships endured, ^^he has been a wonderful teacher to me. I thank my God that I have met Sojourner Truth. " Portia Gage." "Washington, Apbil 10, 1807. " Isaac Post, Esq. : — '■'■Dear Sir — Inclosed find a post- office money order for $20, which is intended for So- joui-ner Truth, it being the amount due her from the New York Freedmen's Commission for December last. Please assure her of my regards, and that we shall be glad to see her when she returns. <' Yours truly, A. E. Newton, ^'Siqi't of Schools, d-c" CORRESPONDENCE. 291 " Sojourner Truth has been very acceptably received by the people of Vineland, and I trust that the many earnest words she has uttei-ed, both in public and pri- vate, for the cause of woman and the abolition of the death penalty, will be like seed cast upon good ground. " Deborah L. Butler. "Jan. 17, 1870." Sojoui'ner was most cordially and hospitably enter- tained whilst in Lawi-ence, Kansas, by a family of the name of Simpson, bankers in that place. The following testimonials of their respect are transcribed from her " Book of Life" : — "May your future. Sojourner, be ever brighter than your faith. W. A. Simpson." '' I wish you the same, Sojourner. " Laura B. Simpson." " Sojourner : — " May ovir faith be like thine, and our duty as well done. Kate L. Simpson." "The Lord bless you, Sojourner, and may your im- mortal crown be studded with many stars. " Hannah P. Simpson." " The Lord bless you, sister Sojourner, I believe yovx ai'e endued by the Spirit of the Lord in your ef- forts for the elevation of your race. " Samuel Simpson. '^ Laiorence, Kansas, Dec, 1, 1S71." 292 "BOOK or life." " Petekborough, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1868. " My Dear Sojourner Truth : — " I cannot let you go with- out telling you on paper liow highly we have prized your visit to us. We have enjoyed your wit and powers of description, we have been instrvTcted by your wisdom, and we have welcomed your religion. I trust that this is not your last visit to Peterborovxgh, and that the good Lord and Father will spare you to come again to us. Wherever you shall go, there will, I trust, be good friends to receive you, to bless you, and to be blessed by you. I know that wherever you go you will be useful, for the head and heart that you carry with you are continually doing good. " With much love to you from my dear wife and myself, your friend, Gerritt Smith." " Sojourner Truth : — " With weary hand, yet steadfast will. In old age as in youth, Thy Master found thee, sowing still The good seed of his truth. " Rev. E. Marble. '^ Schovlcraff, Mich. Conference." " Friend Sojourner :— " It would be folly in me to ask the Great Spirit to bless that which he has already so abundantly blessed. Why should I invoke him to shower blessings upon thy head, or strew thy pathway with ilowers ? Do not all these jewels naturally be- long to ^nd sparkle around the footprints of those CORRESPONDENCE. 293 who, like you, go about doing tlieiv Master's business 1 'T is not race, profession, or position, but knowing the right and doing it, which shall entitle an individual to a safe passport to the home of the angels. " Warren Hamson. " Hammonton, N. J., LS^'o.'" "Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 12, 18G0.> "Sister Sojourner: — "I have received my commis- sion to return to Washington and Richmond as soon as I can possibly get ready, i. e., collect about |300 more to go with. I want to be ready the latter part of next week. Oh, how I want to know how you are getting along. I have not been to Battle Creek, and hai-dly think I can reach it ; but I have written them and hope they will send money and clothes by me to you. I cannot set precise date, but may, in a week or ten days, see Washington. " Our Home is getting along finely. The colored people of Adrian placed $40 in my hands to buy a cow for the little folks at the Home. I have bought a good cow for them, which gives eleven quarts of milk per day, and Mr. Don gave them another, so they are nicely provided for. The colored people also gave us a Christmas donation for the Haviland Home, valued at $113.84, mostly in provisions and clothing, with some money to purchase hens for the Home. " I must close with earnest desire for your prosper- ity in all things. " Yours for the poor and needy, "Laura S. Haviland," 294 "BOOK OF LIFE." " WAsniNCTON, March 18, 1874. " Dear, Blessed Sojourner Truth : — ■ " I must address yoii from the heart, mother of love and trixth as you are. I am blest and thankful that I have held your hand in mine, been greeted by you, and heard your voice, which, longer years than I have known, has been lifted up throughout the land against oppression and sin, say to me, ' I know your soul !' Blessed words ! Cheering me on my path and to be proved thrice blessed in the spirit world, where you and I will learn the deep import of your greeting, ' I know your soul.' God grant me strength also to 'be faithful xmto the end,' even as you have been. " When Christ the Lord makes up his jewels, you then exalted will receive the crown eternal, and clothed in white rise upward in joy unspeakable and full of glory. Thanks be unto God who giveth us the vic- tory. Reverently and lovingly, " Your child and sistei', " Jennie Leys." "Pawtucket, Nov. 10, 1870. " Dear Sojourner : — " I hope there yet may be found ten righteous people to save us this way. At any rate, perhaps you'll help us to hunt them up when you come. There is a nice little hall here which the temperance people occupy only "Wednesday evenings. In applying for it, I found old friends of yours who knew you in Bensonville, and it was at once tendered to you in your behalf, free of any expense whatevei'. " Yours in haste, J, Adams." CORRESPONDENCE. 295 "Benzonia, Mich., Nov.'S, 18G4. " Dear Mother, Sojourner Truth :— " "We have received your ' sliadow ' all right — very beautiful. We esteem it very much. May Grod bless you and make you very useful, and prepare you for your higher life, and rest, and glory. To day we suppose Father Abraham is again elected. May God bless him and give him all needed wisdom and grace. " We all unite in much love to yoix. " Yours for the good cause, " George Thompson." " Fkom the Lion's Den, Mount Glendel." " He who feedeth the ravens, careth for thee, true Sojourner, and blesses all thy labors of love abundantly. Go on proclaiming glad tidings. Preach the true gos- pel, and curse the follies and sins of this world. " Your Old Lion S, Dollie Lion." " ScauTLKiLL, Chestek Co., Pa. "April 5, 1863. " To Sojourner Truth : — " Dear Sister — I saw, this morn- ing, in the Anti-slavery Standard, an extract from a letter written by Mrs. Stickney to our mutual friend, ' Uncle ' Joseph Dugdale. I was glad to learn that you are among kind friends. Although my sympa- thies were moved at the thought of your poverty and bodily atHictions, yet it was not with feelings of sor- row or regret. I rather rejoiced that your needs should have been the medium through which I learned vour whereabouts, and that you still breathe in the 20G " EOOIv OF LIFE." atmosphere of truth, rvud feel an interest in tlie wel- fare of your race and all mankind. That notice will unquestionably bring you all needed temporal help as far as pecuniary aid can supply your wants. I will inclose a mite in this letter for you. It would be more only I that feel assured it will not be needed, as, no doubt, hundreds will feel glad of the opportunity of contributing to your needs. " Let U3 bless and praise God for his manifold goo.l- ness. God's goodness is none the less displayed in his abused mercies turned into curses by a wicked people than in tlie fruition of divine joy by his obedierit children. May his spirit in such fullness as thy ves- sel can contain and enjoy, ever be with thee. With fond Christian affection, "Fare^-ell. Isaac Price." "PeTERUO ROUGH, May 4, 1809. '•' My Dear Sojourner : — " I was very glad to receive a letter from you, but sorry to learn that you ai'e suf- fering from indisposition. I hope you will soon be well enough to go to Brooklyn and call here on your way. We very often talk of the pleasant visit we had from you, and when I am alone I frequently recall the words you si)oke to us and feel refreshed and strengthened by them. I send you ten dollars, for food and fire as far as it will go. Wish it were more, but it must suffice now. " God bless you always, and keep you in his own peace. In much love, " Ann C. Smith." CORRESPONDENCE. 297 " Ai.KxANDRiA, May C, ISGd. " SoJOURXER Truth : — ^^ Dear Fr'tnul — The bearer of this note is desirous of going North and taking thence his family, consisting of wife and dangliter. I have known him since my stay here, and recommend hiin to yoiir consideration. If anything can be done as regards transportation, &c., it will be thankfully re- ceived by him. " Very respectfully, your obedient servant, " A. W. Tucker, ''A. A. Surgeon, U. S. A." " Glad to see our dear co-laborer, Sojourner Truth, again. Lucretia Mott. EoadSich, Philadelphia, Eleventh Month, ISGOr "Ever yours, Henry Wilson, " Senator, Mass. " April 20, ISrO." " This is my first interview with Abraham Lin- coln's 'Aunty ' Sojourner Truth. A pleasant season. " George Truman. '' Fhiladelphia, Eleventh Month, 1869." " I hope, dear Sojourner, that you will be enfran- chised before you leave iis for the better land. " Your true friend, " Elizabeth Cady Stanton. "Neio York, May 4, 1870." a Very truly yours, "Mary A. Dodge — Gail Hamilton." 298 " BOOK OF LIFE." "My friend, Sojourner Truth, the friend of the human race — God bless you. "Jacob Walton. "Adrian, Mu^i., ISri." " Your brother in the hope of glory, "B. Sunderland, '^ Pres. Minister, Wash. D. C." " May God bless and giiide you ! " Anne G. Phillips. ''Aug, i." " Your true friend and co-worker, " Lucy N. Coleman. "/Sj/rac«se, N. Y." " Your old young friend, W. F. Morgan. " Leavenworth, Kan." "S. C. Pomeroy, Senator, Kan. " April SO, 1870." "J. M. Thayer, Senator, Neb. "April SO, 1S70." 'A. McDonald, Arkansas." *' Most sincerely your friend, " Georce W. Julian." " Henry E. Benson, Laicrence, Kansas." "Jacob M. Howai-d, Ilichiyan Senator." T. M. Morrell, Illinois Senator." " Yours truly, J. W. Patterson." IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 299 "J. M. BowEN, Mayw of Washington." '* George E. Spencer, Seiuitor, Ala" "D. D. Pratt, U. S. Senator, Ind" " H. Pv. Revels, Seiiator, Miss., Colored." " J. S. Adams, Louisiana." " Z. Chandler, Mich.' " R. E. Fenton, N. Y." " Jas. S. Fowler, Senator, Tenn." VISITS WESTERN NEW YORK. " We met Sojourner at Angola Station, stopped at Joseph Linton's to dinner, then took her to Alonzo Hawley's, a few rods distant, where she spent the night. The next afternoon Mrs. Hawley brought her to our house. Sunday, the 6th, called a meeting for her at Hemlock Hall, where, at 10 o'clock A. M. she addressed an appreciative audience of four hundred people. Wednesday morning we cari'ied her to George W. Taylor's, distant six miles. The afternoon of the same day, IMr. Taylor and wife carried her five miles farther into the town of Collins, to the comforta- ble home of Isaac and Lydia Allen, aged people like her- self, who extended to her a hearty welcome. In the evening she spoke to a good audience in the Rosen- burgh school- house near by. The following day, Thursday, was spent by Sojourner with the family of 300 " BOOK OF LIFE." Mrs. Cook, wlio arc relatives of tlic Aliens. The next night, Mr. Cook took her four miles, to Collins Center', There she addressed a large andience in the new Free Church, and felt that her labors were not in vain. Returned with Mr. Cook to the house of Isaac Allen. " Friday night, Mr. Allen and wife went with her to Mr, Rosenburgh's, who took her to Gowanda, where she addressed an intensely interested audience. Sat- urday she was conveyed to G. W. Taylor's, and Sun- day brought to Kerr's Corners, to the home of Lewis Baldwin, where she remained until the 14th, and then spoke to a large gathering in the Methodist Church. After the meeting she came home with us once moi"e. " She seems very quiet and happy here, and we are enjoying a feast which we may never be privileged to enjoy again. It is a blessing to ba with her and re- ceive her experience from her own lips. Wednesday night, James Varney carried her to Bront Center, where was assembled an appreciative audience in the new Methodist Church. On Friday night, the school- house in Pontiac was filled with people eager to listen to her teachings. Since that time she has been very quiet until the 2 2d, when she accompanied us to a political picnic at Hemlock Hall, where was convened an audience of probably three thousand people to lis- ten to able speakers. I have endeavored in a hurried manner to write a little diary for Sojourner, to show to such of her friends as are anxious to know whei-e she has been and what has been her success, " Phebk jNIerhttt Varney." IN AVESTERN NEW YORK. 301 " James Varney conveyed Sojourner Truth to our house fourth clay, the 23d of ninth month, 1868, where she remained till the following sixth day, when we car- ried her to the house of our son-in-law, P. Paxton, where she remained till seventh day evening, when she went to Potter's Corners to attend a large repub- lican meeting in which she made a few remarks. This caused such enthusiasm among the people that it opened the way for a very large meeting the next evening. The large hall was nearly filled with an at- tentive audience, which she addressed for moi-e than an hour, in her usually impressive and sarcastic man- ner, much to the satisfaction of the majoi-ity present. From thence, she went home with Alfred Moore and wife, with whom she spent several days, to the edifi- cation of the neighboring people who came to see her. In conclusion, we rejoice in the opportunity of becom- ing partially acquainted with Sojourner Truth. May she yet survive long to combat in her peculiar and impressive manner the errors with which this nation is enthralled. Isaac Baker. "East Hamburg, Erie Co., N. F." " On the 29fch of ninth month, 1868, J. B. C. Eddy went to Harry Abbot's after Sojourner Truth to at- tend a meeting held in Dr. Dolin's neighborhood, which was very well attended, and to good satisfaction to those in favor of liberty. On the first day of tenth month, she held a meeting at Griflin's Mills, in the lecture room, speaking to a good and attentive audi- ence, telling them many truths. Friend Sandford took up a collection for her. I can say on our part that her company has been very acceptable, and I hope 302 "BOOK OF LIFE." she may live to have her wishes gratified in seeing Grant sit in the presidential chair. "J. B. C. Eddy." "On Monday, Oct. 19, 18G8, Sojourner Truth, be- ing in Coiirtland village, was sent for by C. P. Gros- venor, and brought to Mr. Granville's. Tuesday eve she addressed a crowded assembly in the Methodist Church with good effect. She had been several days at Courtland, and lectured to a multitude, having her home at the house of the younger Dr. Goodyear, who was happy to have her company and make her ac- quaintance. Here she was visited by many ladies and gentlemen. Cyrus P. Grosvenor. ''McamnviUe, N. F." MEETING IN NEW LISBON. "Sojourner Truth interested an audience in New Lisbon, Ohio, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, for nearly an hour, talking of slavery in this country, and the suffering and injustice inseparable from it. If earnestness is eloquence, she has a just claim to that appellation; for she makes some powerful appeals, which cannot but strike a chord of sympathy in every human heart. " She sang the following original song at the close of the meeting :— *'I am pleading for my people — A poor, down-trodden race, Who dwell in froedoiu's boasted land, With no abiding place. MEETING IN NEW LISBON. 30 " I am pleading that my people May have their rights astored [restored] ; For they have long been toiling, And yet had no reward. " Tliey are forced the crops to culture, But not for them they yield, Although both late and early They labor in the field. " Whilst I bear upon my body The scars of many a gash, I am pleading for my people Who groan beneath the lash. o o*- " I am pleading for the mothers Who gaze in wild despair Upon the hated auction-block, And see their children there. " I feel for those in bondage — Well may I feel for them ; I know how fiendish hearts can be That sell their fellow-men. " Yet those oppressors steeped in guilt - I still would have them live ; For I have learned of Jesus To sufi"er and forgive. (( I want no carnal weapons. No enginery of death ; For I love not to hear the sound Of war's tempestuous breath. " I do not ask you to engage In death and bloody strife, I do not dare insult my God By asking for their life. 304 "BOOK OF LIFE." " But while your kindest sympathies To foreign lands do roam, I would ask you to remember Your own oppressed at home. " I plead with you to sympathize With sighs and groans and scars, And note how base the tyranny Beneath the stripes and stars." TOBACCO VICTORY— THE BRANDED HAND. The habit of smoking was contracted by Sojourner in early youth. Not many years since, whilst travel- ing in Iowa, a gentleman asked her if she believed the Bible, to which she readily assented. Her friend said, " The Bible tells us that ' no unclean thing can enter the kingdom of Heaven.' Now what can be more filthy than the breath of a smoker 1 " " Yes, child," she answered, "but when I goes to Heaven I spects to leave my breff behind me." But as time passed on she became convinced that the habit was wrong. She had not courage to chide people for us- ing spirituous liquors while indulging in the use of tobacco, herself. Accordingly she discontinued the habit. She was told it would affect her health. She said, '' I'll quit if I die." She did quit and lived ! * "Rochester, . I AX. 11, 18(J9. " Dear Friend Sojourner : — " The announcement in tlic Anti-slavery Standard oi thy having laid aside the pipe, is receiving considerable attention, I re- A TOBACCO VICTORY. 305 ceived a letter from Dr. Trask, of Fitchljurg, Mass., who rejoices greatly over thy grand and triumphant effort, and says, ' It ought to be proclaimed far and near to strengthen others to cast aside the abomina- tion.' _ " Also a letter has just come to me from our old and highly esteemed friend, Jonathan Walker, the original of ' The Branded Hand.' Thou wilt probably remember him. ' He was captain of a small vessel run- ning from New York to the Gulf States. He secreted several slaves and brought them to the free States, was taken and imprisoned, and the letters S S branded on his right hand, signifying slave stealer ; but in our vernacular we should interpret it slave savior. This vessel with its entire cargo was confiscated, and he lay in a filthy jail in Florida for several months. "Amy Post." "MusKEGox, Mich., Jan. 1, 1860. " My Dear Aged and Venerated Friend : — " Your earnest and effect- ual devotion, for so long a time, to the cause of hu- man redemption, has, from my first knowledge of your missionary services to the present time, im- pressed me (as well as many others) with the warmest fraternal regard for your welfare and usefulness. •When I saw it announced by Amy Post, in the Anti- slavenj Standard, that you had abandoned the pipe at your advanced age, I could form no other conclusion than that you had done it under the influence of the keenest moral and religious sensibilities, ' I have known ministers and many professors of 306 "BOOK OF LIFE." roligion, as well as othei' good people, who ti-iecl hard and long to abandon the use of tohacco, yet made a failure, and confessed that they could not conquer the liabit. I distinctly remember, also, the tedious and desperate struggle I had to emancipate myself from twenty years' slavery to the foul weed. Considering the effect its long use has upon the nem'ous system, I could hardly suppose you could have achieved so great a victory at your age without a break-down ; nor do I look upon so heroic an act as much short of a miracle. May the example of such self-sacrifice in you, indeed stimulate and encourage {as Amy says) ' others to do likewise,' is the earnest desire of joxiv " Sincere friend, "Jonathan Walker." "P. S. I am not sure, but I think I met you twenty-five years ago at Bronsonville, North Hanston, Mass., soon after my return from imprisonment in Florida. J. w." The heroic deeds of Jonathan Walker have ren- dered his name immortal ; and our prince of song has paid them a just and noble tribute in the exquisite poem entitled, " The Branded Hand," from which the following is an extract : — " Why, that brand is highest honor ! than its traces never yet On old armorial hatchments was a prouder blazon set ; And thy unborn generations, as they tread our rocky strand, Shall tell with pride the story of their father's branded hand ! <' Then lift that manly right hand, bold ploughman of the wave! Its branded palm shall prophesy, ' Salvation to the Slave.' SOJOURNER truth's AGE. 307 Hold up its fire-wrought language, that whoso reads may feel His heart swell strong within him, his sinews change to sleel. " Hold it up before our sunshine, up against our northern air. Ho ! men of Massachusetts, for the love of God, look there ! Take it henceforth for your standard — like the Bruce's heart of yore. In the dark strife closing round ye, let that hand be seen before! " And the tyrante of the slave-land shall tremble at that sign. When it points its finger southward along the Puritan line : Woe to the State-gorged leeches, and the church's locust band, When they look from slavery's ramparts on the coming of that hand." SOJOURNER TRUTH'S AGE, Sojourner is often asked her age. She is as igno- rant of its date as is the fossil found in the limestone rock, or the polished pebble upon the sea-shore, which has been scoured by the waves ever since the sea was born. It was the diabolical scheme of those dealers in human flesh to so stultify the brain of the slave that it might become incapable of reason, reflection, or memory. The slave child followed the condition of its mother, and seldom had any knowledge of father, or date of birth. They were Pompey or Cuffee, Dinah or Chloe, as the case might be, having no permanent sec- ond name, but taking the sui-name of the master ; con- sequently they received a new cognomen with each new owner. Sojourner counts her years from the time she was emancipated — says she began to live then. She 308 "BOOK OF LIFE." thinks it is what we accomplish that makes life long or short, and says that some have been on earth scores of years, yet die in infancy. The following account is well authenticated : — The act of 1817 in the State of New York emanci- pated all slaves of the age of 40 years. From this time all became free as fast as they arrived at the age of 25 years, till 1827, when all were free. Sojourner became free in 1817. This statement is corroborated by an old gentleman by the name of Miller, who was brought up in the vicinity of Sojourner's birthplace. He recently died in Green Co., Wisconsin. HER PARENTAGE. Mrs. Stowe was mistaken in regard to Sojourner's ancestry. Her mother's parents came from the Coast of Guinea, but her paternal grandmother was a Mo- hawk squaw. The " whoop " Sojourner gave in the horse-car at Washington was probably a legacy from her Mohawk ancestor. EXTENT OF HER LABORS. Sojourner Truth has traveled and lectured in the following States : — New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, jMinnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Connecti- cut, Vermont, New Hampshire, llhode Island, Dela- ware, Maiyland, Virginia, and the District of Colum- bia. ANECDOTES. 309 ANECDOTES. SOJOURNER TRUTH AT ABINGTON. About 20 years ago Sojourner attended a grove- meeting at Abington, Mass., to celebrate negro emancipation in the "West Indies. INIany of tlie old line abolitionists were there, — Pillsbiiry, Garrison, Phillips, Stephen and Abby Foster, Henry C. Wright, Charles Lenox Rimond, and a host of others. Two fugitives from southern slavery, who were traveling over the underground railroad to Canada, stopped off a train to enjoy a day with friends before going to that " cold but happy land." They sat upon the platform with the speakers. One, a very large man, was squeezed into a coat much too small for him. The other, a diminutive man, wore a coat of such ample proportions that it hung in folds about his liliputian form. But as these garments had been given them by employees on the underground express, and were the first of the kind they had ever owned, the fit did not appear to disturb them, judging by the pleased look upon their faces. The contrast between their present condition and what might have been, had they been overtaken in theii* flight and dragged back into slavery, filled them with bliss. They were compara- . tively happy. These coat collars were nicer than the iron collars which might now have been on their necks ; and the cuffs, softer than the iron cuffs which they knew the captured fugitive was made to wear. The voice of blood-hounds baying in the distance, was superseded 810 "BOOK OF LIFE." by kindly human voices. Traveling toward the North Star by night, they had hidden in dark caves and un- derbrush during the day, avoiding the light of the sun. Now, streams of golden sunlight flowed around them. Surely, they were receiving " beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning." One of them arose, and in a brief manner expressed his appreciation of this mighty change, and his deep gratitude to the people of Massachusetts for their kindness and generosity. At the close of his re- marks, which were received with applause, Mr. Gar- rison said, " Sojourner Truth will now address you in her peculiar manner, and Wendell Phillips will fol- low." Sojourner began by improvising a song, com- mencing, " Hail ! ye abolitionists." Her voice was both sweet and powerful, and as her notes floated away through the tree-tops, reaching the outermost circle of that vast multitude, it elicited cheer after cheer. She then made some spicy remarks, occasion- ally referring to her fugitive brethren on the platform beside her. At the close of her address, in which by witty sallies and pathetic appeals, she had moved the audience to laughter and tears, she looked about the assemblage and said, " I will now close, for he that Cometh after me is gi-eater than I," and took her seat. Mr. Phillips came forv,^ard holding a paper in his hand containing notes of Sojourner's speech, which he used as texts for a powerful and eloquent appeal in behalf of human freedom. Sojourner says, " I was utterly astonished to hear him say, ' Well has So- journer said so and so ' ; and I said to myself. Lord, did I say that 1 How differently it sounded coming ANECDOTES. 311 from liis J.ips ! He th-e.ssed my poor, bare s})ecch in such beautiful garments that I scarcely recognized it myself." As Sojourner was returning to the home of Amy Post in Rochester, one evening, after having delivered a lecture in Corinthian Hall, a little policeman stepped up to her and demanded her name. She paused, struck her cane firmly upon the ground, drew herself up to her greatest hight, and in a loud, deep, voice deliberately answered " I am that I am." The fright- ened policeman vanished, and she concluded her walk v.'ithout further questioning. During the war. Sojourner met one of her demo- cratic friends, who asked her, " What business are you now following 1" She quickly replied, "Years ago, when I lived in the city of New York, my occupation was scouring brass door knobs ; but noio I go about scouring copperheads." At a temperance meeting in one of the towns of Kansas, Sojourner, whilst addressing the audience, was mucli annoyed by frequent expectorations of to- bacco juice upon the fioui-. Pausing and contemplat- ing the pools of liquid filth, with a look of disgust u})on her face, she remarked that it had been the custom for her Methodist brethren to kneel in the house of God during prayers, and asked how. they could kneel upon these floors? Said she, speaking 312 " BOOK OF LIFE." with empliasis, " If Jesus was hei'e he would scourge you from this place," Previous to the war, Sojourner hold a sei'ies of meet- ings in northern Ohio. She sometimes made very- strong points in the course of her speech, which she knew hit the apologist of slavery pretty hard. At the close of one of these meetings, a man came up to her and said, •' Old woman, do you think that your talk about slavery does any good ? Do yoii suppose people care what you say 1 " " Why," continued ho, '* I do n't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea," " Perhaps not," she responded, *'but, the Lord willing, I'll keep you scratching." Sojourner was invited to sjieak at a meeting in Florence, Mass. She had just returned from a fa- tiguing trip, and not having thought of anything in particular to say, arose and said, " Children, I have come here to-night like the rest of you to hear what I have got to say." Wendell Phillips was one of her audience. Soon after this he was invited to address a lyceum, and being unprepared for the occasion, as he thought, began by saying, " I shall have to tell you as my friend Sojourner Truth told an audience vindcr similar circumstances, I have come here like the rest of you to hear what I have to say." AUTOGKAPHS. 313 Autographs of Distinguished Persons, WHO HAVE BBFRIEXDED SOJOURNER TRUTH BY WORDS or SYMPATHY AND MATERIAL AID. fr-^-jLy/- 1. Ouf-yXji^-V'n^' %^w^^, -^c Os^^^^i^ dO . u^. (^oj^ (i^Oy^ <^<:L.ry^ K 314 " liOuK OF LIFE,' 'c,^!-lr^ '^^^<^L^^t^ AUTOGRAPHS, Sli ^^^^p?^t^^^5^^ "T^^^/Aa Z>L-v^ ^-jn^^c— 1 o 16 "BOOK OF LIFE." NOTES ON THE AUTOGKAPHS. In Sojourner's correspondence are found names of such weight and power that it seemed fitting to have them engraven for her " Book of Life. " Here are names that are indelibly stamped upon the pages of their coun- try's history, and inseparably connected with it — names which will reverberate adown the centuries, and the echoes be caught by the genei'ations in the coming time — " immortal names that were not bom to die," but which are synonyms of all that is most exalted in human life and chai-acter — names of men and women, the luster of whose lives shed a light on humanity's page, pure and sparkling as the shimmer of a white wing flashing through the yellow sunlight — names of those who manifested their love to God by tender compassion for the lowliest of his children. The name of one who was dragged through the streets of a populous city with a halter about his neck, will be remembered when that city which permitted the outrage, would be forgotten but for the immortality attained through his sublime hei'oism. Boston with its moving atoms will fade away, but the waves of progress received an impetus from the breath of this true devotee of freedom which will help to cleanse and purify the streams of life till they are engulfed in the ocean of eternity. The name of one is written who onl}'- ** awaited the opporttinity to enfranchise millions." NOTES* ON THE AUTOGRAPHS. 817 I read the name of one who traveled many winters among the hills of New England, braving its snow drifts and piercing winds, to preach the gospel of free- dom to those whose hearts were harder than the gran- ite rocks over which he toiled, and chillier than the snows and breath of winter. Abandoning a situation of honor and profit, he consecrated his giant intellect, and the best years of his life, to a cause that brought neither honor nor profit, despised by mammon wor- shipers and all who seek the applause of such. Be- yond the turmoil of the present hour, when its noise and uproar have died away, the refined and polished future will render his verdict. He can afford to wait. The present never knows its saviors; retrospection clears the vision. The influence of another, who labors with deep earnestness in the Master's vineyard, confined to no locality, knowing neither North nor South, but im- parting his loving spirit to all races and conditions of society, will be felt upon the tide of civilization whilst its waves break upon the shores of time. Here is the name of a noble woman who has gone up Calvary bearing the cross, and gained the mount of ascension with bleeding feet ; who has labored for the rights of her race and for the rights of her sex, braving the scorn and obloquy of conservatism. Bold iconoclast ! endure a little longer. " The hour for your ideas has not yet struck." 318 "BOOK OF LIFE." ()no, languisliiii!^ twelve years in prison, found com- pensation for his sufferings in tlie wonls of tlic cli\ ine Master, " Sick and in prison ye ministered unto me." One of these, a world-renowned orator, said, " The age of reading men has come. The age of thinking men has come. The age of the masses has come." •t? One of fSojourner's friends, h\ her genius in the delineation of character, oi)ened the world's eyes to perceive that ii-responsible power vested in a Legree was a dangerous thing, and that Uncle Toms and Topsies were human beings after all. Another inscribes this formula in Sojourner's " Book of life " : " Equality of rights is the fii-st of rights." A woman whose four-score years are so replete with good words and deeds that the name falls like a ben- ediction upon the listening ear, has taught her sex that old age need not be desolate, but may be fragrant as a garden of roses. White hairs, like a saint's aure- ole, encircle her brow. "We involuntarily l)ow oi;r hearts in worship when the honored name of Lucretia Mott is pronounced. Another is the name of Lydia INIaria Child, the key note of whose usefixl life and brilliant intellect has ever been attuned to freedom's cause. One crossed and recrossed the Atlantic, to blend his efforts with the little band of reformers which NOTES ON THE ATtTOGRAPHS. 319 eventually slew the giant, Slavery, with a pehl)le of truth, and demolished his castle, the corner stone of which was lies, and its superstructure the bleeding hearts of crushed humanity. Landing upon our shores he was pursued by the hooting mob, as if the Plutonian regions had been emptied at his heels. G. S., meaning "Great Soul," gave farms to poor blacks and whites, canning out Sojourner's idea of encouraging industiy, and making wild lands a source of revenue to the government. In Congress he said, " Tnith lives and reigns forever. In pro- portion as we obey the truth, are we able to discern the truth." If all that is wi-ong within us was made right, not only woidd our darkness give place to a cloudless light, but like the angel of the Apocalypse we should " stand in the sun." Another could l^ear the torture of the branding iron rather than be false to his convictions of duty. Josephine S. Griffing labored for yeara to amel- iorate the condition of the black race, and in her system were sown, by overwork, the seeds of con- sumption which boi-e speedy fruit. Another in the sacred desk ever insisted that hu- manity was of all things under heaven the most sa- cred. A marble bust of this good man adorns the city of Syi-acuse, and a friend writing of it says, " It is eminently fitting that one of the purest of the once 320 "BOOK OF LIFE. proscribed abolitionists should now be thus publicly honored." Another, who holds a high position under the gov- ernment, is Sojourner's friend, and unites his efibrts with hers to promote the welfare of the race which has been so mercilessly tossed about by our Ship of State. He encourages her to persevere in her efforts to obtain a grant of land for the freed men, and lends his influence to the cause. And last but not least ai-e those royal souls who sheltered and comforted the flying fugitive, who fed and clothed him, who warmed him by the sacred fires of their own domestic hearth-stones. The money they have so freely given to the poor and needy, is out at an interest whose profits are beyond the power of arithmetic to calculate. Theii' names are engraven upon human hearts as with a pen of fire; and to them will the beatitude apply, " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 0 ^ * ' 'V 0 • U A^ *j A 3 V .• /' --^^ °.'f ."^^ - /\ - ^' 3-7- <^. *^o -.r^,.x * - "^ G^ O^ 'o . . >> A. ^^ "^ . \5 4 ^/^