Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-12-04

to recover me and my children, pretending she had
no right to sell me, as was the property Of her
son, l then bad seven children. and lived not ma
ny miles from Washington City. Ny husband
had. in the meanwhile, bought his own freedom,
and we labored day and night. How hard We
worked God only knows. / can truly say not a
hundred nights in the year did I have my fair al
lowance of sleep and when III, unable to sit up,
with n young infant to care Tor, | have had work
brought to my bedside, aud plated fills, by the
hour. This work brought in money money which
was to help us keep our rights. This suit Of my
mistress brought US a great deal Of ~vexntion and
anxiety, for the law was not so clear for us as her,
and our friends warned me that she was about to
put me and my children into Jail for saie.kceping
until the decision was made, though ! had been
legally emanclpated. My friends aed me TO get
away to Pennsylvania With my children, and the
law yer We employed commenced a suit nga:ns. my
mistress Tor my housekeeping expenses and ply
~sirian's fees. The xIense Of this cost us over a
thousand dollars.
Gould my mistress have got hold Of me ahd my
children, we would bave been sold, rs ty sister
ard hers were to 60 TO a cotton plantation near
New Orleans. 1t makes me stiudder when | think
Of them, handcuGed, the little children, too, and
sent so far away ftoh hoihe."
Lefty has been in this city twelve years for
eight she has been laboring for o house mud lot
price 1850, and owes for it SO only. She is the
mother of nine living children, four of them girls
all these children are well brought up. intelligent
and Industrious, all honest and correct in conduct
and Of good principles-a credit are they to her,
II i L.. - .:.lrt a. -. Ill 49,
her sons is in California he has sent his thothci
drafts sometimes. and he lost $500 when some oil
those express cothpahids there failed. Letty's hus
| and works at the South, aids bor ms much as ht
can, but the brunt of all comes upon her. Day af
ter day she works; always cheerful, and until re
Gently she has attended the winter evening schoo
to learn to read and write, and she is over fit,
years old. But" says Lefty, 81 must give ~
this desire Of my heart, for my eyes fail, and spec
tacles will not help me-" Now, l have nolhin,
to say gen the slaveholders," remarks she, 80,
they don't know any better they are brought "
to think they can't help themselves, and they won
try but | dOn't believe in slavery nOhow, no wo
man or man has a right to another's liberty.
hold it no disgrace to servo any one, to wait up0i
them, OF to help them but when they deny m,
my liberty, they sin against me, and wrong m,
cruelty" Did my mistress come to ne to.mor
row, | and mine would cheerfully work for her.
Il count all honest labor an honor, and 80 ! tell
my children, and if they want q thing to work ant
earn il, and never run in debt or get trusted TO
the least tri6e, and that they must never do any
thing 10 make me ashamed Of being their mother
If | am sick, l have as good a bed to lay my OLE
body upon as any one and comfortable clothes t
cover me, and these two poor hands won i. all, an,
| thank the Lord who gave me strength to work
and a will to do all in my power"
For many years Lefty has been a communion
in the Baptist Church, and during this period he
life and conduct have been exemplary, and il
speaking of others she shows that true chari,,
which comes from q divine faith and hope.
r Letty's is not not an isolated case. A visit t
our winter evening schools would surprise thos
who MAINTAIN the absolute inferiority Of the colore
race; their dooility and perseverance in many ir
stances outrival the white race.
Truly does Theodore Parker say, the negro
enslaved through his gentler traits.