New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-19
STORY OF An EMANCIPATED .SLAVE.
Corresrondercs Of Tb. N. Y. Tribune.

Corresroreercs Of The n. Y. Tribune.
NEw.BEDFoRD, Nov. IL, 1853.
Whatever may be said Fl the poverty or vices Of
"colored people there is not town or city, in which
ANY considerable number of them reside, that does
mot contain larger nun Der OF white people who,
taken body are in every respect morally, intel
"lectually and pscuniany, far below them" This
remark is very true and could Mr. Cobb visit city
and examine into the condition Of cOlored popula-
ton and listen to the histories Of many and shut his
eyes while lstenirg lie wou 4 say. Among what he
roic people am ~ What wonderful perseverance,,
what selfreance, what Christian faith characserises
there narratives!
Twill sketch one, the heroine Of which has proved
her rgh; to the respect OF all who know her. and whose
industry upnghtDoss perseverance and true Christian
feeling, only equaled by her patience, cheefuness
and good sense.
Lefty wss born in the District OF Columbia and
when young was taken to Alexandria by her mistress.
Twice she came Moth with her, and she had opportu.
nifty to become free but, says she, ~ was young
thing and thought it wonld be wrongiog my mistress
t. take my liberty"
cater l was married, and had one child, my
mistress offered to sell to myself, who ought to
have had the only right myself for $780, and $50 for
my baby-my own little one, three months old. She
want, and she had raised me. Ny husband found
friend who advanced TIE money, and We earned, by
our daily labor the sum to repay him. Eight years
alter my mistress commenced suit to recover me
and my children, pretending she had TO right to sell
me, as l was the properly of her son. l then had
seven Children and lived not many miles from
Washington City. My husband had, in the mean
while, bought bis own freedom and we labored day
,.f, ha~l rt-a1 Gn1 p1,
can truly say not hundred nights in the year did
have my fair allowance of sleep; and when i'll, unable
to cit up, with young infant TO for, have had
work brought TO my bedsde, ard plated frlls by the
hour. This work brought in money-money which
to help us keep our rights This suit Of my mistress
brought us great deal of yexson and anxiety for the
law was not go clear for us Gs her, and our friends
warne me tha, she was about to put and my chill
dren into jail for safe keeping until the decision was
made, though l had been legally emancipsted. Ny
friends aided me to get away to Pennsylvania with
my children, and the lawyer employed commenced
suit sgainst my mistress for my housekeeping ex-
penses and ply sican's fees. The expenses of this
cost us over a thousand dollars.
Gould my mistress have got hold Of me and my
children we would have been sold, as my sister and
hers were to 60 to a cotton plantation near New
Orleans. 1t makes NE shuider when think Of them,
haIdcued the little children, too, and sent far
swsy from home"
Lefty has been in this city twelve years for eight
she has been sborng for house and lot price $780, aud
owes for il so only. She the mother of living
children four of them girls; all these children well
brought up, intelligent and industrious, all honest and
correct in conduct and of good prncples-a credit
they TO her. and obedient and mindful of her advice.
One of her is in California; be has sent his mother
drafts sometimes aud he lost 400 when Of those
express companies there failed. Lettys husbandworks
at the South aids her much he can but the brunt
of all comes upon her. Day after day she works;
always cheerful and until recently she has attended
the Winter evening school TO learn TO read and write.
ard she is fifty years OLD. But, rays Lefty,
"nust give up this desire Of my heart, for my eyes
I" fail, and spectacles will not help me-. Now have
" moth ug to say gen the saveholders remarks she,
I" for they don't know any better, they brought up
"to think they can't help themselves, and they woRt
"try; but don't believe in Slavery nohow, no man
"or woman has night 10 anothers liberty.
"hold il no disgrace TO serve any one, 70 wait upon
them or TO help them but when they dehy me my
Liberty they Sin ssinst me- and wrong me cruelty
"Did NV mistress come to me tomorrow, and mine
"wou'd cheerfuly work for her" " l count all
hone,t labor honor, and 50 l tells my children,
" and if they want thing TO work snd earn 1t, and
"peyer % iun into debt or get trusted for the least
trife, and that they mc. never do anything TO make
"me ashamed of being their mother" If am sick
I have as good bed TO l.y my old body upon as
any one and comfortable clothes to cover me, and
these two poor hands it al, and thank the
Lord who gave strength to work, and VIII to
DO all in my power.
For many years Lefty has been comm unieant IN
the B,pft Church, and darirg this period her lie
and conduct have been exemplary and IN speaking OF
others she shows that true charity which Comes IRON
Dvire faith and hope.
Letiy's not an isolated case. visit to our Win
ter evening schools would surprise those who MAINTAIN
TIE absolute infe rty OF the colored race their doc
iiy and perseverance in many instances ou.rval the
white race.
Truly does Theodore Parker s,y, tie negro is en-
s,ayea through LA gertIer traits.