Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-10-30
LETTGR TO A YOUNG FRIEND.

heGsD
DEAR ALIcE-You ask me 10 give YOU nv
opinion OF the comparative advantages OF d
country and city residence, aud add that you
are quite sure 1t will be in favor Of a life ir
the country. | should agree with you if peace
and tranquility, and the enjoyment which be.
longs to The possession of your own time and
,horghts were the only question.
1t does seem not only as ii God made the
country and man made the town." but also as
if it must be the will of God that We should
live in the country, and as il his laws must
be violated ~ living in The town.
The discordant sounds, the ugly sights,
the fetid atmosphere Of d city, are all conlrd-
~ to the provision made by the Creator for
The happiness of his children. The unduIa-
ting hills, the waving grass, the songs Of
birds, the rich perfume OF ''ince.. Sc breathing
morn" and all the countless glories and
beauties OF the visible world all these seem
TO be, and doubtless are, the eniuyments
which The Father Of all meant for ali his chill
dren. The city does seem IA monslrous thing
that never should have been. | can never
think Of "A large city without grooming In spir-
it at the thought of its concentrated Wicked
ness and misery. Yet if | were forced TO
give up any particular portion of my expert
ence in life, that which | have met with in
the city would perhaps be The last.
Some Of these | will try to recall, and You
may perhaps tind some use in them il tney
help 10 teach the great truth that the human
soul is the mOst beautiful. as well DIS the most
precious thing in Gods world.
| begin with what first occurs TO my mind
One dull afternoon when | was in the city
Of New York, | was musing upon the dreaIy
expression of the Bit of sky ] could see from
my window, and wishing for a wider view,
when the doof-bell rang, and presently "A col
ortd man and woman entered. The man
was good looking and well dressed, and
SEEMED happy aud confident; the woman
was decenIly but meanly clad, and looked
anxious and depressed. The man spoke first,
and told me their purpose in coming. He
said that the womin was a slave, that her
master had given her leave to come to New
York for the purpose Of colt citing money
enough TO buy her freedom, and that SHE
wanted such AID as the charitable were dis
posed ~ give. | asked her how such L thing
could be.
She replied that she had always been a
god AMI faithful slave, and that once when
her master was sick he had promised her that
after severn yelrs he would give her her free
dom that when the time came, he told her
lilib hlo bhoillCoS "a OCCll . " ullUTlllIlle anu
his property So much diminished that he
could not afford to give up 81 valuable d slave,
that she was worth seven or eight hundred
dollars, but that if she would give him three
hundred she should nave her freedom. She
told him If he would let her go 10 New York,
she had friends there, who would help hrI
beg the money, and that as soon as size had
got it she would retnrn with it to him. HI
consented and she came 10 the city, ''Anc
this man." she added, ''is one of the friends
VINO | knew would help me to get the mo
ney."
l replied, - suppose you know that her,
you are Tree, that your master has no right Il
you here, that you might leave hun ii you
would"
'YeS," said she, ~ know that, but ! hav,
given my word and that is bond enough /;
Told 10Y master that ! would return as sool
% J goa the mooey, and shall"
"HtsTs you bad a hard hfei- ! sssel.