Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-12-09
II An WILLING TO PUMP AS LONG AS
I CAN WORK MY ARMS"

4 writer in y late Frederick Douglass Paper
pays n tribute to Mrs. Anna Downer, the
colored stewardess of the Arctic. lie says
There was young Holland on deck, who went
down with the wreaths Of the signal gun circiing
Lis brow, performed his ~seli-imposed duty TO the
last; and there was below, as Capt. Luce tells us.
Amy Downer, alone, working at the pumps, and
exclaiming' - Captain, ! am piHing 10 pump as
long as lean woyh, my arms"
Young Holland will probably have n monument
ut Washington he was white as well as brave.
Mrs. DOwner, beautiful and prepossessing, was
brave but she was II roman, and a cOOred wo.
man. Who would think of erecting II monument
to her? 1t is true she kept at the pump, when
there was no hope of relief th~eretorm but in this
she did the best duty She knew of, and acted as
intelligently as Holland and as wisely as did the
Captain himself, whose views Of responsibility
aud duty were summed up in his often repeated
determination to sink with the ship.
Mrs. Anna Downer, was carefully brought MP
and fairly educated in Connecticut where she was
born she was married early, and, it was thought,
well after several years Of prosperity in welded
life. she was suddenly thrown upon TIE world
pcnniless and with an aged mother to support, by
the misconduct of her husband. Young and in
the midst of this great Babylon, she went bravely
TO work, sought employment, and secured a berth
as under stewardess of the Attic.
On the retirement of her senior three years age,
she succeeded to the chief office, by virtue of the
energy of character she had displayed as subordi.
nate. And now it was the Joy of her heart, and
aim of her being to make her aged mother comlor.
Portable and hap7y-and each return voyage of
the Arctic found her adding something new to ac-
complish this purpose. One day last Winter, |
asked her p~layfully, what she such a little body,
would do il her big ship were wrecked" She re-
piled, energeticaliy, work at the pumps as hard
rs could
The last time | saw her, was at my door, when
] gave her a sad, sad message to take to a mutual
friend in Liyerdool. The next day she sailed to
return no more and others too have since gone
from that door, 10 return no more.
And Mrs. Anna powner has left a word worth re-
membcring by all, and especially by those with
whom oppression identified her. The Arctic was
sinking her machinery was no longer able to
pump strong men had wrought at the brakes and
given up in despair; she had" said Mr.. Raehlam
20 her mother, ran from pump to pump cheering
the workers and lending a hand every body had
run to the upper deck n few frantic with fear
all paralyzed one or two folding their clothes de
Gently TO die the Captain stepped below and
found her alone at the pump, with a resolute anc
aforethought purpose there she labored and wher
told to desist. exclaimed, Captain lam riHihg 4
pump as long as I can work my arms"
Adversely overcome, il the brightest glory; anC
Willingly undergone the greatest virtue. Suffering
are hut tho trials of valiant spirits.
What men want of reason for their opinions
ttNr nse Ally alnDly 1rt make up In rage,