From Dixie to Canada: Romances and Realities of the Underground RailroadJohnson, H. U. (Homer Uri)
History
From Dixie to Canada: Romances and Realities of the Underground Railroad
Johnson, H. U. (Homer Uri)
Fugitive slaves -- United States; Underground Railroad
Immediately on receiving Jack into the house, the good landlady supplied
him with an ample dish of provisions and removing the dye tub and other
obstructions from the pot-hole pointed him to her bed-room for “zingle
shentelmens,” and when he had disappeared, she replaced her pots and
kettles, taking care to place the dye tub in which the yarn for family
stockings were receiving its finishing tint of blue, in the very mouth
of the hole. This done she went about her morning duties and was thus
busily engaged when the two horsemen rode up, dismounted and came in.
After paying the compliments of the morning and taking a drink, the
constable inquired, “Has Mr. Young been here this morning?”
“Mister Yoong, vat Yoong you means?”
“John Young.”
“Vat, dot Shon Yoong fon town in Merzer gounty?”
“Yes.”
“O ya, er trive up unt vater ees team.”
“Was there anybody with him?”
“O ya, dot black Alec alvays goes mit him.”
“Did you see anybody get out?”
“Nein.”
“And he didn’t leave anyone here?”
“Vell, shentelmens, dot is von great kweschon. You tinks I have von of
tem niggers pout here. You shall zee. Now, shentelmens, you looks all
apout; you shall shust go in te barn and dru dis house shust as you
blese. Den you knows if Shon Young leaves von black mans here.”
So saying the old lady led them through the barn and all parts of the
house until the kitchen was reached. Here she bade them look into the
oven, and then that they might peer into the pot-hole she began removing
the dye tub, but in so doing was careful to spill a little of the
liquid. As the fumes spread through the room the catcher exclaimed as
they reached his olfactories, “O the d—l.”
“Yes, der toiful, shentelmens, der toiful; you comes to mine house as if
de Aughfeultwangher wo’dt keep ein runavay nigger; you go dru, you go
unter mine parn; you goes indo mine pet rooms; you climps down into mine
shamber, unt you goes up indo mine seller, and now der toiful! You peest
tswi tam deeps, unt if you no go so gwick as von leetel minit, I sets
mine tok on you unt er makes you into sausage meat fore von hour.
Pounce! here Pounce, here!” and a great house dog came rushing into the
back door as the two runaway-seekers beat a hasty retreat, each catching
a glimpse, as he passed out, of the huge animal called to act as
judgment executioner upon them. Though foiled, they were not
discouraged, but transferred their place of watching to other parts.
VIII.
Reaching home, Mr. Young immediately wrote Mr. Bishop, as follows:—
“—o— —56—10—28—81.
Dear—— ——,
Piratical craft square rigged, but our wind was good and we _holed_
the duck. (— — —) ‘Mine Got, mine Got, mine Got——for XXX——’
Greeley’s advice. Day and night; day and night; day and night. With
an eye to foxes, let ’er slide.
Yours,
o——o”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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