The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-12-12

Ol WIFI pfODtt ulTtCtiOuS W eNhue
pursuit.. There were no other OF
my people in sight; and furnishing
them with money, and bidding them
take Wagon and a fresh horse,
ride till he dropped and then trust
to God, | saw them coon out OF
early reach, at least; aud then, un
seen, | re entered the wagon had
left, and drove and drove in a round
about way, to the village tavern, as
il | had just arrived from my journey
and had not visited the house at
all"
''Some hours later, while | was
calmly transacting some superdu
ous business in the village, crowd
of my neighbors and slaves came
rushing to ma, with the tidings that
the man lay murdered in my house
and that Phil aud Jessie had 40
seconded.
"The expression Of anxiety in my
face was by no means counterfeited,
as now returned home, unsus pect,
ed by any mortal; bnt my fears
were for the fugitives, not n,yself.-
The honse was soon thronged, and
by various stratsgems. I managed TO
delay pnrsuit for hours; and when
the wordy Investigations were done.
announcing mystli robbed, | led the
most eager and indignant. in the
wrong direction Of the chase.
SIN brief. the hunt proved fruit
less. Providence guided the scared
refugees, and foiled their hunters
Through many perils they continued
to escape, from county to county.
and State to State; and not many
months aiterward | received intelli
gence OF their whereabouts. and
sent them sufficient means 10 make
them comfortable for life.
"ln due time the excitement died
away; but, continually annoyed
with suspicious OF being an aboli-
ZIONIST, and thoroughly loathing a
system Of which | was an unwilling
representative, resolved to emanci.
pate all my slaves. and seek a home
fsrtNer North. | was not long in
finding a pnrcha haser for he planta
tion: it was fertile and weIl.order.
ei one. Half the proceeds divided
among my freed slaves, as their due.
the fruits Of their tolls and their
progenitors for year,; and placing
them safely aboard a ship, sailed
with them to distant parts, where
all, who work in honesty, are mas
tiers Of themselves, however humble,
Ignorant or hornely.
"Ah, my friends, /, once a slave.
holder, did indeed feel like a 'patri.
arch when | parted with those ig.
norsnts for the last time; for | ,elt
that had given them, and theirs to
come, their liberty forever; and that
the authority OF the patriarch had
been vindicated, but only by bis sur
render OF il! could but weep as |
counseled them and tore myself
from their clinging arms; and their
tears OF gratitude for release from
slavery | regarded as my absolution
tor connection with It.
"Journeying awhile, restlessly,
from place to place, at last | fixed
upon this spot for my home; but
here, for twenty years, have dwet
in peace with God and nature, my
books and thought Of her,"
is it possible tn you can still
be influenced by that singular at
tschchment T" asked nj Juntiort
wonderingly.'
sit il. | never owed bat once >
said the old man, solemnly. -
Some natures. | b,lieve, can love
many times. Mine is not one OF
them. That poor, despised. but to
me beautiful. slave, is the only
earthly idol have ever worshippei
Her image haunts me still. 1t
made me the recluse am; it con
tents me still to be SO. can glory
in the sacrifice which blasted me-
1t makes my solitude sublime.
glory in the sacrifice which fore
bore to make when would not
force her to mine, but shielded her
alike from the destroyer. from the
pangs of disappointed love. from
poverty, from myself! have grown
gray here in my solitary fortress
but not desolato. There i, a name
less happiness in virtuous melan.
choly, my friends; and the solitude
OF these long years, though always
tinged with sadness as thought Of
her, has also been glorified by the
honorable retrospection. can look
back without blush, and onward
without fear; see glory in the grass
and splendor in the lower;' 'books
in the running brooks, sermons in
stones, and good in everything-'n
Except slavery" interrupted
Mountiort with a smile.
And.all other vice." added Lone
Jack. ''For slavery is a crime,
though mayhap you do not think
so."
mot necessarily wrong" re.urn
ed Mountford, "ss look st it
Power over the feeble may be used
rightIully and to bless them"
But | deny mans riyht 10 wield