There was something in the voice, and manner of the friend that
_assured_ the stranger. His whole manner changed. A peaceful expression
stole over his dark, sad face, and the drooping limbs seemed to be
aroused by a new infusion of energy.
"Come in," said Thomas, as he reached his door, "come in, thee's welcome
to stop and rest with us."
"Anna," said Thomas,[2] his face beaming with kindness, "I've brought
thee a guest. Here is another passenger by the Underground Railroad."
"I'm sure thee's welcome," said Anna, handing him a chair, "sit down,
thee looks very tired. Where did thee come from?"
Moses, that was the fugitive's name, hesitated a moment.
"Oh, never fear, thee's among friends; thee need not be afraid to tell
all about thyself."
Moses then told them that he had come from Kentucky.
"And how did thee escape?"
He said, "I walked from Lexington to Covington."
"Why, that was almost one hundred miles, and did thee walk all that
way?"
"Yes, sir," said he, "I hid by day, and walked by night."
"Did no one interrupt?"
"Yes, one man said to me, 'Where's your pass?' I suppose I must have
grown desperate, for I raised my fists and said dem's my passes; and he
let me alone. I don't know whether he was friendly or scared, but he let
me alone."
"And how then?"
"When I come to Covington I found that I could not come across the river
without a pass, but I watched my chance, and hid myself on a boat, and I
got across. I'd heard of you down home."
"How did you?"
"Oh, we's got some few friends dere, but we allers promise not to tell."
Anna and Thomas[3] smiled at his reticence, which had grown into a
habit.
"Were you badly treated?"
"Not so bad as some, but I allers wanted my freedom, I did."
"Well, we will not talk about thee any more; if thee walked all that
distance thee must be very tired and we'll let thee rest. There's thy
bed. I hope thee'll have a good night's rest, and feel better in the
morning."
"Thankee marm," said Moses, "you's mighty good."
"Oh no, but I always like to do my duty by my fellow men! Now, be quiet,
and get a good night's sleep. Thee looks excited. Thee mustn't be
uneasy. Thee's among friends."
A flood of emotions crept over the bosom of Moses when his kind friends
left the room. Was this freedom, and was this the long wished for North?
and were these the Abolitionists of whom he had heard so much in the
South? They who would allure the colored people from their homes in the
South and then leave them to freeze and starve in the North? He had
heard all his life that the slaveholders were the friends of the South,
and the language of his soul had been, "If these are my friends, save me
from my foes." He had lived all his life among the white people of the
South, and had been owned by several masters, but he did not know that
there was so much kindness among the white race, till he had rested in a
Northern home, and among Northern people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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