Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1853-09-28
A TALE OF TRUTH.

"THERE are two things" said the young and beau.
tiful Mrs Lily, which constitutionally born to
hate; Slavery and intemperance / was born in a
slave State, and reared amid all its influences, but
never for hour since my earliest recollection have
felt aueht else than utter repugnauce the whole
system, to its injustice and wrong don't believe any
person thinks it right. They only defend it because
they cannot be consistent with themselves and their
interest (they think it is their interes condemn
it. So they rack their brains to find for their
folly. o! wish there were a thousand Mrs
Stoves TO shake the world"
"Why," said |, "you quite surprise me- did not
expect to hear a native born Mssouran give vent to
such feelings against the peculiar institution So you
dissent from the opinion that Uncle Tom is an ex-
aggeraton p
Exaggeration !" she exclaimed, rising from her re-
clinng posture, Exaggeration Can there be exag-
geration of slauery' Can human thought imagine any
cruelty injustice that human thought has not mag
ined and carried out Talk of the lash and chain
they are nothing when compared to the soul torture
that the creatures groan under for years. Let tell
you story-fresh and new. had an old coored
woman washing for for four or five years-she was
one of the most faithful, truthful and pous women /
ever knew-black white. She was once slave
belonging to -- Davenport. But he was a kinder
master than other men, and gave her the privilege of
buying her freedom for thousand dollars This
sum that old and faithful creature earned and paid her
SELF Only think of it !-one thousand dollars for the
privilege OF what wise statesmen call the inaen-
able right OF man., bestowed by the Creator. When
Free she stipulated for the freedom of her son. in the
like sum- and this with years of toll, she earned and
when he came 10 manhoods years, he too was free"
Think of this, fair mothers of land !-Ye who
hug to your hearts the children of your love, and
feel mothers JOY and sympathy. Could your love
do more than this for them? You work TO clohe, to
school and make comfortable those dependent upon
your care; but which of you measure the toll that
this poor stricken mother had TO bear, ere she filed
away the CALLING chains from the limbs of her child.
swell" continued Mrs Lily (and she grew more
beautiful with every word) when the mother and son
were free, they pledged themselves to the owner of
another plantation to pay another thousand for the
wife and child of the ransomed SON. The mastsr al
lowed the woman TO to the city and live with
her husband, and work her hook, paying him so
much per month. Three hundred dollars had been
paid Some time in April, this oppressed class had
public teaparty and fair to gather funds to finish their
church, neat edifce -St. The mother, son,
and wife were there, returned home started home
about midnight-the horses away, and George,
attempting get out Of the carriage to assist the driver
fell, and his head dashed against the corner of
curb-stone.
He died instantly and the morning papers announced
the facts, and spoke of him a highly worthy and
respectable member Of Church. But no sooner
had the of Susan, the wife, heard of Georges
DEATH than he hurried to the city, posthaste and took
the afflicted wife from their house. drove her to the
Slave auction and sold her 10 southern traders
Thus the three hundred dollars lost to those
.pho toiIinn loft
the young wife but yesterday rejoicing in the strength
and hope of freedom and love- suddenly turned into
a chatte, and sold "away down SOUTH" to be beast
of burden-perchance for Legree."
"When did this happen'" cried, almost gasp
ing for breath
"Why, here lately. | met the old mother as came
from our " Glorious Fourth" Picnic-She was dressed
in deep mourning Il had not her for long time,
for they had got them a home, and she did not wash
any more. asked her what had happened and she
told me all. o! Mr. G., how it made me feel |
celebrated our liberty; she woman-a wife, mother
mourning enslaved, and doubly wronged chill
dren.
90 know there is God Mrs. Lily" the poor,
bowed creature said to me, know there is a good
God, and Jesus, or should give up in despair, and
sometimes do; look up and down and all round,
and there is no iight"'
And is there none to defend you ?" asked indig-
nantly.
90 1t seems not, for the deed done" But said
she, rising to CO. upon seeing my Mortified look, 9"
should not have told you this" Il have slept qui-
city since met this poor oppressed mother, and her
words ring in my {" there is light" 1t seems
even so-but what do
My friend passed out and left me, while continued
TO pace the floor utering those ominous words there
is no light" Hope seemed for little while to veil
the radiance of her face with her pnons, and weep
and then she opened her wings again, and her beam
ing eyes looked full upon me. | thought of the past
the present and the future The beacon light blazed
up from affair." and saw in the dim distance, by its far
reaching light, the shaekles fall off the limbs of the
slave unrivetted by the hands of heard her
words of pleading and of prayer; | saw her acts Of
Kindness and love; and voice came to "Wo-
man must do this work" Let the mother plead for
the motheri the wife for the wife the sister fol-
the sister, the daughter for the daughter Let them
plead as woman only can, with abiding faith, an
ardent hope, an enduring charity; and there trH BE-
"g@t Tor the slave mother, aud the slave WIFE