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
In a land of strangers and without protective weapons save his knife,
Jake could do nothing more than to run up to a little wagon shop by the
wayside, in the doorway of which stood an honest Pennsylvania Dutchman
named Samuel Goist, and exclaimed, “Lor’ Massa, save me from the slave
catcher.”
Now, Mr. Goist was a Democrat of the straightest sect, and had long
sworn by “Sheneral Shackson;” he had never before seen a panting
fugitive and knew nothing of secretive methods, but when he saw the
venerable, though unique form before him, his generous heart was
touched, and he replied: “Hite gwick in ter hay yonder till I cums,”
pointing at the same time to a last year’s haystack, into which the
cattle had eaten deep recesses.
It was but the work of a moment, and sable form, blue suit and plug hat
were viewless in what the winter before had often sheltered the
semi-farmer’s choicest steer from pitiless storm.
Scarcely was this feat executed when the Youngstown parties came up and
knowing the political complexion of the honest wagon-maker inquired,
“Halloo, old dad, have you seen a buggy go by here with a white man, and
a nigger dressed in blue, in it?”
“Ya, shentelmen, py shimmeny; dot puggy vent py das corner ond yonder
not more as den minit aco, unt er vas _trifing_ das horse, py shingo. I
dinks you not oferdakes him much pefore Vorren.”
With an expression of rough thanks, the men struck off under a full
gallop which carried them into Warren right speedily, but in the
meantime Barnes had watched his opportunity, turned off through Niles,
and pursued his homeward journey by way of Austintown.
Turning from his shop when his interrogators were out of sight, Mr.
Goist called his good frou and said, “Vell, Mutter, I kes I haf lite
shust a lidel.”
“Vot, you, fater, haf lite? O mine!”
“Vell, Mutter, you zee von plack man comes along unt asks me him for to
hite, unt I say in dem stock; unt den cums sum mans fon Youngstown unt
says he ‘Olt dat, you sees von puggy mit nigger unt vite man goes dis
vay?’ Unt I say, ‘Ya, dot puggy vas kon py like a shtreak.’”
“O mine, fater, das vas no liegen; you shust say dot puggy vas kon.”
“Vell, if dot mans was Sheneral Shackson, I should him tell shust der
zame.”
That evening Uncle Jake received an ample supper from the larder of good
Mother Goist, and was then placed in a wagon under a cover of straw and
conveyed close to the house of a Mr. Stewart near the corner of Vienna,
whom rumor had pointed out to the honest Dutchman as one of “dem
aperlishioners.” Here he was bidden “goot py,” and soon found his way to
the cabin indicated, whence in due time he was forwarded to General
Andrew Bushnell, a prominent anti-slavery man south of the centre of
Hartford.
II.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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