Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1863-01-01
rom VIM. Wells Browns New Book-The Blackma
A man Without Name.

j IL Wds. III + LHet InOHiIl Oh DCVCHlDS' ,
1852, while Colonel Rice and family
were seated around bright wood fire,
whose blaze lighted up the large dining 8
room in their cid mansion, situated ten
miles from Dayton, in the State of Ohio,
that they heard a knock at the door,
which was answered by the familiar
Come in that always greets the stran-
ger in the Western States. Squire Loo
mis- walked in and tookla seat on one OF
the three rocking chairs, which had been
made vacant by the young folks, who
rose to give place to their highly intu-
ential and wealthy neighbor ltwas a
beautiful night; the sky was clear the
wind had hushed its deep meanings, the
most brilliant Of the starry throng stood
out in bold relief, despite the superior
light of the moon II see some one
standing at the gate, said Mrs. 'hlce, as
she left the window and came nearer the.
fire, "Iil 90 out and see who It IS,
exclaimed George, as he quilted his
chair and started for the door. The
latter soon returned and whispered to
his father, and both left the room5 gym
ciLg that something unusual wasgat hand;
Not many minutes elapsed, however,
before the father and son entered, accom-
panied by young man, whose com
plexion showed plainly that other than
Anglo-Saxon blood coursed through his
veins. The whole company rose, and
the stranger was invited to draw near to
the fire. Question after question was
now pressed upon the newcomer by the
colonel and the squire, but without ellc7
iting satisfactory replies.
''You need not be afraid, my friend, :
said the host, as he looked intently IN
the colored mans face, 'to tell where
yon are from and to what place you
are going. If you are 4 fugitive, as |
suspect, give US your story, and we will
protect and defend you to the last.
Taking courage from these kind re-
marks, the mulatto said, Il was born,
sir, in the State Of Kentucky, and raised
in Missouri. My master was my father
nv mother was his slave. That, sir,
accounts for the fairness Of my com
plcxion. AS soon as | was old enough
to labor [ was taken into my master s
DWELLING as a servant, to attend upon
the family. My mistress, aware OF my
near relationship to her husband, felt
humiliated, and often in her anger would
punish me severely FOR no cause what
ever. Ny near approach to the Anglo
Saxon aroused the jealousy and hatred
of the ovcrseer, ana he foggod me, as
he said, to make me know my place. Ny
fellowslavcs hated me because lwas
whittier than themselves Thusmy com-
nlcx;on was construed into q crime, and
/ was made to curse my father for the
Anrlo-Saxon blood that course through
my veins
NV master raised slaves to supply the
Southern market, and every year some
Of nlyioompanions were sold to the slave
traders ana taken further south. fius-
bands we're separated from their wives
and children torn from the arms Of their
eaconi2ina mothers Those outragos wo.o
committedby the man whom nature COM
pelled me to look upon as my father.
Nv mother and brothers were sold and
taken away from me; still | bore all,
and made no attempt to escape, for |
vet had near me an only sister, whom |
dearly loved. At last the negro driver
attempted to rob my sister of her virtne.
She appealed to me for protection. Her
innocence, beauty and tears were enough
to stir the stoutest heart My own, fired
with grief and indignation, swelled within
as though it would burst or leap from
nv bosom. My tears refused to flow:
the fever III my brain dried them up.
| could stand it no.longer. seized the
wretch by the throat and hurled him to
the ground and with this strong arm |
naid him for old and new The next
day | was triedby jury Of shareholders
for the crime of having within me the
heart Of a mann and protecting my sister
from the licentious embrace Of a hber-
tine. And-would you believe it, sir ?
that Jury Of enlightened Americans, n
yes, sir, Christian Americans, after
qyare deliberation decided that | had
broken the laws, and sentenced me to
receive FIVE hundred lashes upon my
bare back. But, sir, | escaped from
them the night before | was to have
been fogged.
Afraid Of being arrested and taken
back. / remained the following day hid
away in a secluded spot on the banks Of
the Mississippi River, protected from
the gaze Of man by the large trees and
thick cane brakes that sheltered me-. |
waited for the coming Of another night
/ All was silence around me, save the
sweet chant of the feathered songstcrs
in the forest, or the musical ripple of the
eddfing waters at my feet. | watched
the majestic bluffs as they gradually
faded away, through the gray twilight
from the faee Of, day into the darker
shades of night. [ then turned to the