The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-10-30
STORY OF soJURRER TRUTH.

Mrs. Helen c. Weeks writes for the
Independent an account of a recent in
terview, at Washington, with Sojurner
Truth, who, she says, is as ''tall and
straight as a pine tree" 81 can never
give you," Mrs. Weeks adds, ''the power
and energy of the thin black face, a lit
tie braid of gray wool on either side, and
n white muslin handkerchief crowning
the whole, instead of the gay turban
oftner seen"
Sojurner said, in giving the history of
her life, that she was married and had a
child almost a year old when she ''spe-
rienced a change" She meant a relig-
ious change. She was named Bell Har-
denburg then. ''Oh! yes" she said,
'I've had heap of names. New one
every time l got sold. Bell Schriver,
an Bell Van Wagener, an Bell this and
Bell that-seven or eight altogether"
Her account of her conversation by the
Methodists is very graphic. Her opin-
ions in regard to slavery were not formed
while she was a very young woman.
No, didn't mind so much about
slavery then, said poor slaves now an
then, but it wasn't ground in like it got
to be afterward. Then come 'mancipa-
ton. This was all in New York State
Didn't l tell you / was born in Ulster
County, up the Hudson! 1t came slow
an graduel, though. De old ones was
freed; but de chillens was to keep on till
they come of age, an start of them
selves. They wasn't turned tOpsy-turvey
into the world, like the slaves with Lin
coins Emancipation, with nobody to look
out for 'em."
She thinks she spiritually com
manded to take the name Sojurner
Truth. She told Mrs. Weeks how she
resolved, when working in New York,
to leave her old name, get away from
herself, an begin all new" Her master
allowed her to go, and she started out
to preach against slavery.
$50 went from Maine to Wisconsin
an back again, always agoing, thirty
five or forty year, till de war; an den
I'd a call to see to de freed people.
How dey come pourin' in, pourin' in
over the back of Arlington Heights
women an chillen, hungry an naked,
gettin' into freedom, an no man to
think about 'em or tell 'em what to do.
OH my heart was torn for 'em.
''They herded in barns an all ways.
Good folks tried to help 'em; but they
was too thick an they wouldn't go back
They was afraid to. Feared dey'd be
whipped TO death or worse.
''Oh! de masters was mad. Down in
Maryland dey shut some of 'em up in
got out an away all full o'bullets an
soldier brought him in en- his back.
OH de Lord marked him. There was
many a one the Lord won't forget.
had meetin's all round, an tole 'em to
work; that they'd got to earn their own
liven's now an train their own chilIen.
/ preached to 'em gOdliness an claani-
ness. Dey was so dirty-an' no wonder:
but i said they'd got to clean 'emselves
up an go out to work. give it to dem
Marylanders. They wanted to put me
in de guard-house, an the black folks
would sneak out o. my meetin's when /
give it to 'em. Holerin' sounds louder
when you're skeered, and l hollered
right out. Wasn't skeered of one of
'em.
''Well, chile, dat's over. lin most
done with earth, but I'm going to try
for one thing more before l die. Out
West, on the big prairies, there's room
for every one, an there's no call for my
folks to pack in here like they do, an
steal an lie an forgit how to be decent.
Now, I've mOrtgaged my little house to
come on here an beg Congress to give
some land for big farm, where de poor
old people can GO the young ones git
some trainin'. Let all desc wicked lit
tie niggers, that go to school few hours
an steal everything they can lay their
hands on-Iet 'em be sent out dere,
where they amt no chance to steal, an
be trained into farmers an workers.
Reform schools pay. De Government
can't lose, an it'll do heap of good.
Here I've been workin' five years for
this thing. / want a trainin'. Train
BOYS a year or two, an the farmers all
around would hire 'em an be glad TO
get 'eIn.
'Oh! dear chile, maybe l kant make
it plain; but every friend of de black
folks ought to pray for it. How dey
are tryin' to learn. They aint't fit to
be anything till they've learned some
thin more'n they know now. Here
they feed de injuns, an give 'em guns
too, to kill de white folks with don't
ask for guns. / only want a chance.
We black folks earned a right TO some
land. It's wet with our blood in places.
Amt that earned it, Chile, I'm goin'
to have meetin's, an you must tell folks,
an help all you kin. want a start
that'Il last for the black folks as long as
God does. Mr.. Sumner said he'd help
me. but de Lord took him. Do you
suppose there's any Senator any where's
near like him? Do you think they'll
helpm
SAYS the Shelby, KY, COurdRt: We
notice that many farmers of this county
are turning their attention to the raising
of sheep. and numbers of them have
been brought into the country. Nothing
has proved so profitable to the farmers
as wintering a lot of ewes. Enough
lambs may be sold the next season TO
paw for the ewes, and the wool will about
pay the cost of keeping, leaving the ewes
as profit.
As consequence of the yellow fever
in Pensacola, the citizens in the stricken
place have called upon the citizens of
New Orleans for aid.
THE petition of the Catholics of Allan