Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-02-07
Amy; Or q Thrilling Occurrence,

THAT none Of the following statements arc
exaggerated will appear Ivy reference to nr
article which was published in the Rich
mond Wing, aud Louisville Journals:
"Mammy, it's long time since I've beer
over to Richmond, 10 see aunt Hannah
Mayn't 20 this evening and stay all night
khty's at home now, and | want TO see hel
/ mighty bad"
"No, Amy" said the mother, "you'd bettel
not go to Richmond to stay all night. They
say kidnappers are mighty plenty there now
aud can't get anybody TO write pass for us
since good old Miss Edwards died. Oul
blessed master knows we have got mighty
few friends in this world, but it'll all be right
sometime"
"Well, nanny, may go in the morn
ing aud stay all day, | can get home before
the toll gate shuts, and then | won't need a
pass?"
"Yes child, You may go, and mind you
tell your aunt Hannah heard from the old
place last week, and how old Missus is dend,
aud Alassar Jim has gone off, nobody don't
now whar, and the old place is gwyne to be
sold to pay his debts. It's u mighty good
thing we was set free long ago, or we'd a
been sold along with the rest of 'em."
"Yes mu'am, I'll tell her; aud mayn't
pick some Strawberries, to carry TO little Sal
ly Fletcher? ] can't never forget how that
dear child used TO steal into her garden with
her book when she come home from school,
10 learn me my letters. I'D soon knowed how
to read if her sister Jane hadn't found her
out, and told her father. How sorry the lit
lie thing looked when she said, Amy, can't
teach you any more. Father says | mustn't,
but never mind, don't cry, and it | live TO be
n grown up woman and have home of my
own,fll learn You 10 read and give you a Bible
too o nice new one for yourself That child
ain't like the rest Of white folks-she told me
all about God and the Bible, and how must
try TO he good aud respectable, ifI am col
ored, for that makes no difference with God,
for he loves his colored children as well as
his white ones, and we'll all be alike in heav-
en-"
"WelI, Amy, the child told the truth about
i, aud that's more than some grown folks
10 but go TO work now, and mind you get
ip airly in the mornin to pick the strawber-
les they don't look nice when they are
picked in the hot sun"
Amy, little girl of fourteen, was living
With her mother, free colored woman in
Virginia. The city of Richmond
les OIL the opposite side of james River,
which is crossed by several bridges, Connect
ng the two places. COlored people, wheth-
n slaves or free, cannot safely pass, any
where from home, without written permit
,r "pass" from their owner, or some respon-
'ible white person. If they are found out
liter night without this permit, they are ia
ken up aud put in the Gage" Ia small bird
building,) where they are kept,
Il slaves, until claimed by their owners, and
If free, until bailed out by some responsible
white person. Cases have occurred in which
they have been sold to pay their Jail fees, as
in the instance we hero record, which sub
occurred within the last year at
Richmond.
Early next morning, Amy was on her way
over the bridge, with her basket of strnwber-
rics ON her arm, aud MS she passed the green
Island that lies below the falls and heard the
song Of the birds among the trees ningling
with the gentle murmur of the water, she
elt very happy, for she knew that God had
made them all, aud though known and car
,d for by few on earth, she could claim him
or her father and friend. She soon passed
he bridge, and made her way through the
'ity, not forgetting to take the Strawberries
o the good little girl who had shown her SO
much kindness.
Her AUNT and cousin were glad to see her.
md she spent the day very pleasantly in visit
ing her old friends aud buying some things
from the shops for her mother. Towards
evening she began to think of starting home.
But so pleasantly had she been employed,
that she had not observed dark cloud, which
threatened heavy storm, until, as she stood
with her bonnet in her hand, ready TO start,
her aunt said to her, "Amy, my child, YOU
better not 60 home tonight, the rain will
keich you before you get half over the
bridge, and lis gwyne TO rain powerful hard,
! reckon you'd better not co."
"But aunt Hannah, how am ! to stay, |
ain't got no pass, and nanny said | must's
say 'thout one nohow."
claw, honey, who's gwyne 10 know YOU
mint got no pass you aint told nobody has
you"
"No ma'am, but they mought find il out,
and nanny says there are heap of kidnap-
pers hanging around. ] know she won't
sleep none this night il stay here"
swell, any how, you'll have TO stay, pass
or no pass, for here comes the rain as hard
as il can pour" said her aunt, as she got up
TO shut the door. Look" she continued.
" don't you see how dark il is. The toll-gate
would be shut aiore you get there, and you
couldn't get through without a pass; so
Amy, child, you better make yourself easy,
for you can't get home tonight, nohow."
Well, aunt Hannah, reckon must, but
! don't like TO. Somehow feel like some
thing was gwyne TO happen, wish | was
home with nanny"
"Shoo child, don't be foolish, You aint the
first one dals staid all night in Richmond
'thont pass-come, get your supper, and
go TO bed II yon want to, ! reckon you's
mighty ured runnin round all day."
Poor Amy, sad at heart, sat down to eat.
aud when she had finished, nor caring TO 20
to he'd, she drew n chair into dark corner
that she might not be observed il any one
should come in. The wind howled along
the streets aud the rain fell in torrents. ac.
companied by vivid flashes of lightning, and
gradually as evening wore on, and nobody