Step by Step; Or, Tidy's Way to Freedom — John Shaqi
Step by Step; Or, Tidy's Way to FreedomAmerican Tract Society
General
Step by Step; Or, Tidy's Way to Freedom
American Tract Society
Enslaved persons -- United States -- Religious life; Slavery -- United States -- Religious aspects
"Laws, no,--course not, chile; ye's noffin but a chile, ye know; but
some folks does orful tings. But ye needn't be afeard, honey; he's
a good Lord, and lubs us all; and ef ye tries to be good, and 'beys
missus, and neber lies, nor steals, nor swars, he'll be a good friend to
ye. He'll make de sun to shine on yer, and de rain to fall; and when ye
dies, he'll take yer right up dar, to lib wid him allus. There now, jest
hark,--dat's old Si comin' up de lane. Don' ye h'ar him singin'? He lubs
de Lord, he does, and he's allus a-singin'. Hark, now! a'n't it pooty?
Guess de pone's done by dis time;" and she shuffled to the fireplace, to
look after her cake.
Tidy, almost overwhelmed with the weight of knowledge that had been
poured in upon her inquiring spirit, and hardly knowing whether what
she had heard should make her glad or sorry, leaned back against the
door-post, and carelessly listened to the voice, as it came nearer and
nearer. In a minute the words fell with pleasing distinctness upon the
ear.
"Dear sister, didn't you promise me
To help me shout and praise him?
Den come and jine your voice to mine,
And sing his lub amazin'.
I tink I hear de trumpet sound,
About de break of day;
Good Lord, we'll rise in de mornin',
And fly, and fly away,
On de mornin's wings, to Canaan's land,
To heaben, our happy home,
Bright angels shall convey our souls
To de new Jerusalem."
"Hallelujah, amen, bress de Lord. How is ye dis night, Mammy Grace?"
said a cheerful voice at the cabin-door.
"Ho! go 'long, Simon,--I knowed ye was comin'. Ye allus blows yer
trumpet 'fore yer gits here. Come in, help yerse'f to a cha'r. Here,
chile," addressing Tidy, "here's yer supper,--eat it now; and don' ye
neber let what I's telled ye slip out of yer 'membrance."
Which Tidy was not at all likely to do. She picked up the bread which
was thrown to her, and, munching it as she went along, walked away to
the pump to get a drink of water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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