Three Years in Europe: Places I Have Seen and People I Have MetBrown, William Wells
History
Three Years in Europe: Places I Have Seen and People I Have Met
Brown, William Wells
Great Britain -- Description and travel
hunted with dogs, and many who were caught were burnt alive; while some
were hung, and others flogged and banished from the State.
Among those who were sentenced to be hanged, was George. He was placed
in prison to await the day of execution, which would give him ten days
to prepare for his doom. George was the son of a member of the American
Congress, his mother being a servant in the principal hotel in
Washington, where members of Congress usually put up. After the birth of
George, his mother was sold to a negro trader, and he to a Virginian,
who sent agents through the country to buy up young slaves to raise for
the market. George was only about nineteen years of age, when he
unfortunately became connected with the insurrection. Mr. Green, who
owned George, was a comparatively good master, and prided himself on
treating his slaves better than most men. This gentleman was also the
owner of a girl who was perfectly white, with straight hair and
prominent features. This girl was said to be the daughter of her own
master. A feeling of attachment sprang up between Mary and George, which
proved to be more than mere friendship, and upon which we base the
burden of this narrative.
After poor George had been sentenced to death and cast into prison, Mary
begged and obtained leave to visit George, and administer to him the
comforts of religion, as she was a member of a religious body, while
George was not. As George had been a considerable favourite with Mrs.
Green, Mary had no difficulty in obtaining permission to pay a daily
visit to him, to whom she had pledged her heart and hand. At one of
these meetings, and only four days from the time fixed for the
execution, while Mary was seated in George's cell, it occurred to her
that she might yet save him from a felon's doom. She revealed to him
the secret that was then occupying her thoughts, viz., that George
should exchange clothes with her, and thus attempt his escape in
disguise. But he would not for a single moment listen to the
proposition. Not that he feared detection; but he would not consent to
place an innocent and affectionate girl in a position where she might
have to suffer for him. Mary pleaded, but in vain--George was
inflexible. The poor girl left her lover with a heavy heart, regretting
that her scheme had proved unsuccessful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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