Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-10
The story OF Winuey.
BY LILLIAN a. FAUIKNER.

never told you her story? Well, how
soon we forget such things! 1t does not
seem possible to us now that they could
ever have happened, but then | used
often to have glimpses of the dark side
of slavery, and be indignant, as | was
pOwerless, over some dreadful injustice
of cruelty
Winney was a colored woman, not
black nor yellow, but of complexion
very much the hue of fine old mahogany.
She was about forty-five years of age,
and came to me recommended as an eX-
cellent cook and washerwoman, but
with a terrible temper of her own. The
recommendation was entirely just; our
new cook was almost perfect in her de-
partment, and she added to others the
browning virtue of punctuality. AS yet
there had been no outbreak of THAT
temper" On the contrary, Winney
seemed a pattern of good nature, gener-
ally singing about her work, particularly
at the Wash-tub, where her songs and
hymns kept up constant accOmpanl-
ment to the music of the rubbing board.
Now it seems to me that any human
being who sings over the wash-tub must
possess a tolerably good disposition.
Don't you think so, or don't you know
what it is to enjoy a sOap-suds steam
bath every Monday morning
Affairs went on quietly for four or five
weeks, when, on Monday morning, /
noticed great change in the kitchen.
The work appeared to be going on ra-
ther slowly, and in perfect silence. A
state of things so unusual seemed to re-
quire investigation, and, overcoming the
fear of encountering that dreaded . tenn
per" [ entered the kitchen. There stood
| Winney over her tub, her dark face a
| shade or two darker than usual, but
! whether with sorrow or anger | could
not well determine Seeing that she had
not observed my entrance, / said, What
is the matter, Winney? Are you sick to-
day ?"
mo, ma am, said she, turning slow
! ly around, but Pm in heap of trou-
! bic, and if you'll just wait till 1 get
| these clothes on, | will tell you all about
| it. ...... ....
I waited, as she desired, and then,
seated on a low stool. her arms folded
/ across one end of her wash bench, Win
ney told her story.
Twelve years before she and her four
! children were slaves upon plantation
in Virginia, when her master, with
whom, it seems she had many alterca-
| tions, finally told her that if she would
take herself off with her children, and
! take care Of them. she and them should
be forever free. No free papers were
| given her, but the promise was made in
the presence of a clergyman and several
/ other white witnesses. She Immediately
accepted the conditions, and proceeded
with her four children to the city of
| Washington.
There she put her three eldest out ut
service, and taking the youngest with
her, hired out herself as cook and wash
erwoman. In few years she had laid
! by enough TO purchase and furnish a
small house. And neat little tenement
it was, whitewashed within and without,
and a good garden in the rear. Her two
eldest daughters were now well married,
her oldest son apprenticed to the trade
of a stOnc-cutter, and the youngest en-
plOVPd as a porter in store. 1t seems
that her old master had lately died, and
his son and heir had come to the city
with the purpose of claiming Wmney
and her children as slaves. Only the
evening before he had been to her house
to inform her that her case was already
in court, and would he brought to trial
in a few days.
This was indeed trouble, and | had
many misgivingS as to the result; but
we talked over the matter and planned
what to do. The next day Winney came
back quite confident of success. She
had engaged the services of an excellent
lawyer, and had ascertained that two,
at least, of :he witnesses of her freedom
were living. Things remained in this
state until the next Monday night, when,
Just as she was about to leave for home,
a hackman drove rapidly to the door
with. as she said, a summons for Win
nev to attend at the court house imme-
diately. She entered the carriage and
was driven hurriedly away.
Next morning came, but not Ninney,
and as the hours went by we began tC
feel considerable anxiety ON her account,
particularly after seeing by the morning
paper that the court adjourned some
hours before she left our house, and that
her case, with some others, was put by
till next term. In the course of the
morning one Of Winney's neighbors
came to inform us that, instead of being
brought to the courthouse the evening
before, she had been taken to the pen
with her Youngest son. and kept there
until midnight, when they were put into
a carriage and driven rapidly away.
Poor Winney We heard nothing
more of her for several weeks, when,
one morning, she suddenly presented
herself at our door, and as soon as eX
carnations of surprise were over, rclat
ed what had befallen her since she last
left it. 1t seems that her young master
took her and her boy directly to Rich
mond, Va. The former he put in close
confinement, but the boy he hired out as
waiter in the hotel where he boarded
AT first the poor woman was almost il
despair. but she determined never to give
up while there was the last ray of hope
50 she commissioned her son secretly tC
write to her lawyer, and Immediately
cot reply from him, bidding her to bt
of good courage, that her case was safe
that he would be on the spot at the open
ing of the next court term to attend t
it, and moreover that her pretended mas
ter was under heavy bonds to see tina
I herself and son were safely returned
: at that time. Reassured by this ant
other letters of the same import, she re
sisted the threats and importunities Ofhel
:, master to induce her to give up thu
case.
The day before they left Richmond
he entered her room with a very tri
, umphant air and said, "Well, Winney
! you'll have to give it up now, for you
; lawyer is dead, and nobody else will
, undertake your case"
dead - said Winney in amazement
"When did he die ?"
''Oh, two or three days ago; he wa
buried day before yesterday"
Ella !" said Winney, ''then he's ~
mighty quick, for here is letter writ
T ten with his own hand yesterday morn
= ing"
IA letter." said he, snatching it ''yor
, can't read it if it is, and how came he t.
know where you were2"
'No, can't read word, or write
: thanks to your good father but my DO.
can do both, thanks to the good Lor
! above, and I tell you once for all tina
: none of your kith nor kin will eve
hold me Or mine again in bondagei no
me0er I"
!, With an imprecation the young ger
"a =