New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-26

with them be preserved the utmost caution.
That which he had to ssy to them he was
forced to utter generally in broken sem
mfdst Of volumes Of abuse and tbreats-nOt
uumipgled with the ''cuss words" of which
Uncle Ben had spoken-sbous the girthing
of . saddle Or the carrying Of his horse, or
some other matter Of equal moment. Not
unfrequently, to give further eject to his
apparently tyranniCal manner, especially
when any white person was in sight, he
would lay his riding whip violently over
the shoulders Of the black man to whom at
that moment he would be imparting direc-
tions tor escape to the "free North"
1.-THE gentleman from Virginia" WAS but
ono of George Fairfax's many assumed
characters, and was, like all the rest, simply
perfect in its fidelity to nature.
During the two days following his de.
parture from the Witherell plantation,
Uncle Ben, Chico and Aunt Dinah held
several whispered consultations upon the
important step which the two former were
about to take. They did not dare to tell
their secret to any one else, and, although
they had no extensive preparations to
make, their hearts were go full Of the sub
ject that they must needs talk to each
other.
"But what am We to hab, for signifca.
ton like, dat may send back to yOu-like
Yaller Sans piece of silber-when nab q
place rOr you to come to, DinshW asked the
old man, as the aged couple sat together on
the last evening.
silver it am. De bestest ting: better'n
any eiiber: sufin nobody won't spect, an
You can't lose," answered Aunt Dinah tri.
umphantly, as she produced little irregu-
larry shaped piece of chene silk az big rs
the palm of ones hand. 81 picked it up
uuder young missus' winder yest'day, wha'
she'd frow'd it out"
Uncle Ben looked at its smooth. bright
surface, dotted all over with brilliantly
hued little flowers, and his natural African
love of col0rs drew from him the exclsma-
ton, as he took it tenderly in his hand,
Dress yo' heart, honey, amt it poottyH"
Jest for to think ob q whole dress like
dat" assented Dinah with sigh.
For few moments the pretty little scrap
of stuff made them both forget the impor
tant purpose it was meant to serve. Unole
Ben was first to recall his wandering atten-
ton, he having only been considering q
thing Of abstract beauty, not contemplate
ing it from the feminine point of view as o
specimen of dress goods. He made little
roll of the bit of silk, and taking from o
shelf dull table knife which he carefully
sharpened on one of the stones of the fire
place, cut the roll in slanting direction, SO
that each piece, when smoothed ont, sh0 wed
ssw-like edge, zig-zsgging through its
pretty flowers.
"Da!' said he, matching the edges. "dere
can't be NO mistake bout dat"
Dinah took the two pieces and assumed
tho task of secreting them Her needle and
thread were coarse, and . long life of hard
toll had made her poor old fingers stiff; but,
clu nsily % she worked, she managed to
turn under, for better preservation, the
saw-like edge Of each bit and sew them on
like patches. ono upon the inside of her
faded and tattered calico gown, the other
upon the lining Of Ben's ragged jacket. The
work was done in silence and slowly. for
her eyes were dimmed BY weeping, and the
This was their principal preparation for .
separation which might be forever, 30 far
a. this world was concerned; Q simple de-
vice which they hoped might somehow
bring them together again; this was the
only keepsake either could give the other,
80 little had they earned for themselves in
all their lives.
can hour afterward, when the North star
appeared above the top of the dead maple
in the meadow beyond, Uncle Ben stole out
of the little aperture, which served for .
ing to open the door for fear of being OBJ
served. Dropping softly to the earth, he
skulked along in tho shadows and soon dis
appeared in the direction of the woods,
whore he knew that ct . certain point he
would find, awaiting him, the young woman
who was to be the companion of his adven-
turous flight to the promised land Of free
dom in the far North.
Long after he was lost to sight, Aunt
Dinah still knelt Ut the window, dashing
the tears from her eyes ~ she peered
out on the way he had gone, listening with
anxious dread lest some sound might come
to tell that his flight had been intercepted,
praying with al the fervor of her earnest-
" pioue soul for his safe guidance and pro-
lection by Him who mas promised that He
will be ever nigh to those who call upon
Him.
Nine months had passed since Uncle
Ben's fight from the Witherell plantation.
Poor old Aunt Dinah had been cruelty
whipped for sup .csed completely in his es.
cape, and even little Jenny, to whom his
was greater surprise than
to any ono else, had been accorded full
credit for guilty knowledge, and received
her duo proportion of the lasb therefor.
As the old man had expected, his example
served to stimulate the courage of others,
and within two months after his departure
NO less than seven of the best slaves on the
and without leave.
During that winter of 1857 tho Ohio river
was frozen over, and the ice bridge enabled
in other seasons the greatest obstacle in
thor northward journey; for few OF them
could swim across, and without prearrange-
mont with friends ON the Ohio side, it was
exceedingly difficult for Q Col0red man to
obtain ferriage. The intelligence of the
formation Of the ice bridge was whispered
from one slave to another, passing back
through the country from plantation to
plantation with uncomfortable rapidity, un
even far down into Tennessee. Then there
was such an exodus of the children of bond
ago from many miles back of the river as
drove their masters to the verge of frenzy.
The most strenuous measures were taken
to guard against escapes. Patrols were g.
tablished, fierce dogs were turned loose At
night on every plantation, frequent noctur.
nal visits of inspection were made to the
negro quarters BY overseers and masters,
unsuccessful attempts at escape were pun
ished with the most vindictive fury, vet
still the desperate slaves risked everything
in the hope of freedom.
As spring came on this vigilance was, in
some degree, relaxed. but patrols were still
kept up along the river bank and dire
threats were made of condign punishment
of any slaves caught in endeavoring to run
away. These, with the renewed obstacle
of the open river and the fatigues incurred
in the hard labors of spring blowing, corn
planting, tobaccd-hoeing, and other occupa-
lions incident to the season, proved suff-
cient to restrain the colored people from
continuing their struggles for freedom. and
gradually matters sank into pretty much
the same easy and secure condition for the
masters Is had prevailed before Uncle Ben
started the runaway epidemic"
In the month OF June . Methodist ex-
horter, who gave his name - Brother
BlakeDship, made his appearance in the