The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-10-30

o America" dreamed not at this time of th
cause; but the truth dawned upon me after
2 wards.
9 It was on delightful evening, after on
t of the most sultry days in this climate,
had wandered into the garden to enjoy tn
D evening breeze, with which nothing in thes
j northern climates will bear comparison; tn
: tire-fiies sported in myriads around, ant
D gave animation to the scene; the fragrance
( Of plants and the melody Of birds oiled tn
) senses to repletion. | wanted only the pre-
. sence of Mary to be completely happy.
) heard a low warbling at . short distance
! from a bow covered with clustering vines
: 1t was Mary's voice ! stood overpowereC
J with pleasure-she sung agsi1 one OF ouI
Scottish tunes
As the last faint cadence died away, en-
tered the a7bor; the noise Of my approach
made her start from her seat; she was hur-
rying away in confusion, when L gently
seized her hand, and requested her to re
main, il it were only for few moments, as
| had something to impart Of the utmost i'm
portancs to US bnth. She stood; her face
was averted from nv gaze; | felt her hand
tremble in mine. Now that the opportunity
| SO much desired bad been Obtained, my
resolution began to fail me. We had stood
thus for some time.
'Sir, ! must not stay here longer, she
said. &c ,oi evening!
MARY" said |, 81 love you. May | hope
to obtain your regard b. any length of ser
vicel Allow me to hope, and I shall 6e
content"
81 must not listen to this language, she
replied. "DO not hope. There is . barrier
bstween US that cannot be removed. can
not be yours. | am unworthy Of your re-
gard Alas am a child Of misfortune" /"
"Then," said ], my hopes Of happiness
are fed ior ever. s. young, so beautiful,
with soul so elevated as know yours to
be, you can have nothing to render you un-
worthy of me. For heavens sake, tell me
what that fatal barrier is. Is = love -
81 thank you," she replied. "You do me
but justice. A thought has never dwelt
upon my mind for which I have cause to
blush; but nature has placed gulf between
you and me, you will not pass" She
paused, and the tears swan in her eyes,"
"For mercy's sake, proceed - | said.
"Ihere is black blood in these UeinS," she
cried, in agony.
A load was ut once removed from my
mind. | raised her hand to my lips
''Mary, my love, this is no bar. come
from a country where the sristocracy Of
blood is unknown, where nothing degrades
man in the eyes of his felow-man bat vice."
Why more? Mary consented to be mine,
and we were shortly after wed. | was
blessed in the possession OF one Of the most
gentle Of beings.
We had been married about six or seven
weeks, when business called me from Char
lesion to one Of the Northern States. re-
solved to take Mary with me, as was to 20
by sea; and our arrangements were compile
ted. The vessel was to sail on the following
day. | was sested with her, enjoying the
cool Of the evening, when a stranger called
and requested to see me on business of i'm
portance. | Immediately went to him, and
was struck with the coarseness Of his man
ners, and his vulgar Importance. bowed,
and asked bis business.
"You have O weman in this house." SAID
he, SCALED Mary De Lyle, guess"
81 do not understand the purport of your
question:" SAID l. "What do you mean ?"
"My meaning is pretty clear" said be.
"Mary De Lyle is in this house, and she is
my property. II you offer to carry her out
of the State, | will have her sent to Jail, and
you fined. That is right ahead, guess"
"Wretch," said /, in q voice hoarse with
rage, "get out of my house, or will crush
you to death. BegoneG"
believe l would have done him some
fearful injury. had be not precipltately made
his escape. In a frame of mind | want
words to express, | hurried to Mary, and
sank upon a seat, with my face buried in
my hands. She, poor thing, came trembling
to my side, and implored me to tell hsr what
was the matter. | could only answer by my
groans. At length, | looked imploringly in
her face
"Mary, is it possible that you are slsve?"
said I.
She uttered a piercing shrek, and sank
\ inanimate at my feet lifted her upon the
sofa; but it was long before she gave symp-
toms Of returning life.
As soon as could leave her, | went to q
friend to ask his advice and assistance.
Through him, learned that vhat feared
was but too true. By the usages and laws
of the State, she was still slave, and liable
to be hurried from me and sold to the high
! est bidder, or doomed to any drudgery her
master might put her to, and even fogged ct
will. There was only one remedy that
could be applied; and the specific was dol
lars. Ny friend was so kind as to negotiate
with the ruffian. One thousand was de-
manded, and cheerfully paid. | carried the
manumission home to my sorrowing Mary
From her learned, as she lay in bed-her
beautiful face buried in the clothes, and her
voice choked by Sobs-that the wretch who
had called on me was her own father, whose
avarice could not let slip this opportunity Of
extorting money. With an inconsistency
often found in man, he had given Mary one
Of the best Of educations, and for long treated
her as a favored child, during the life of her
mother, who was one Of his slaves, q woman
Of color, and with some accomplishments,
which she had acquired in a genteel family.
At her death, Mary had gone as governess
to my landlady; but, until the cay Of her fa-
theirs claim, she had never dreamed of be-
ing a slave. | allowed the vessel to sail
without me, wound up my affairs, and bade
adIeu for ever to tia slave States. lis now
twenty years since purchased a wifo after
had won her love, and | bless the day she
was made mine; for have had uninterrupted
happiness in her and her offspring. The
slave is now the happy wife and mother Of
five lovely children, who rejoice in their
mother. After remaining some years ~
Leeds, | returned to Edinburgh. WidoS
Neil was dead; but one day discovered, by
mere chance, that tho murder | committed
in her house was on a sheep
A Railroad Engineers Heroic Act.
While we are prone TO speak severely OF
the occasional carelessness of railroad en-
gi1eers, by which human lives are sacrificed.
we think that many serious accidents are
averted by acts of shrewdness and heroism
that never find record in the newspapers
But the following is an instance which has
come to light:
A few months ago an engineer Of an ex'
press train on the Pennsylvania Central rail
, road going West, discovered an engine ap'
preaching him at such a rate Of speed, tha
} he was at once convinced that it was with
! out an engineer. He instantly whistled hi
brakes down, at the same time sending hi
, fireman back to uncouple his tender
; from the train, while be at the same tim