Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-17
THE NORTHERN SLAVE.
Old SOlOurnsr Truth In New York Telling
About "de LO'd."
New York World.

New York World.l
At s o'clock last evening, in one of
the small halls in the Cooper Institute,
very venerable looking negress sat
behind little table on raised plat
form, and from the depths of her old
fashioned poke bonnet, the foundation
of which was black, but which was
pretty effectually concealed by capa-
cious green vail, scrutinized the some
what limited audience that had as
sembled before her.
Thar don pear to be eny one heah
to int t'dooce me" she said presently,
getting on to her feet in as sprightly a
way as a girl Of sixteen, and carefully
laying aside the huge bonnet which,
when deposited in an armchair, filled
it quite full, "but | guess Is been
livin' long enuf to int dOoce myself. /
amt no way selfish, tho, chill en-, an |
don want to do all de talkin. I'd like
some un to open de meetih' wild
prayer" No one at once responding
to this invitation, the aged lecturer
raised her infrm hands, which time
has cruelty distorted, upon the ex-
treme ends of the table and bending
forward with look of much severity,
said to her hearers, the majority Of
whom were considerably past the me-
ridian of life Now, look er heah,
chill en-, L mon hundred years ole. |
don know as | ever was born and |
ain t agoin to do bofe' de prayin' an
de talkin for yer. Can't one of yer
say suf' n for de Lod2 Is had
many names of de many masters who S
owned me, but de Lo'd guv me dc
name of Sojourner Troof, an is goin'
to tell yer good deal bout de Lo'd if
one of you chill en- will lead in prayah. ="
1t was only in this attitude Of earn
estness that the great age of the lee
turer became apparent. Her face,
which was coffee -colored, was wrinkled
like garment that had been packed
with feather-bed in small barrel.
Creased as it was, a pair of coal-black
eyes that are still bright as buttons
lighted it up and made it pleasant to
look at. In place of the bonnet, a
spotless cap, with neat tabs, was tied
over her short, crisp hair, and black
bombazine dress, with prodigal apron
of still more shiny material, hung
loosely upon her long figure. In an
swer to her second appeal, lady in a
seal-skin cloak stepped forward, and,
kneeling at the opposite side of the
table, uttered brief prayer, for which
the ancient lecturer warmly thanked
her. "That's right my chile, she said to
the lady whose hair was sprinkled with
gray, but who looked mere infant by
contrast with the centenarian. Don
be 'fraid to talk to de Lo'd. | uset to
think God sot up in de skies. Inebber
knowed no better till was forty year
ole. | uset to talk to God and ask
him to guv me kind marster. / didn't
know much bout him, cause | was a
heeven, but | used to say to him if
was God and he was me, I'd do what
he asked me to do So God used to
CAV me idees. An one day God he
guy me the idee to run away. ! was
a slave den in dis State up near King
ston But says to God: What time
shall run, for if | go in de daylight
| get kotched shuah, So God he guy
me de idee to start little before
daylight, and done it. But when
II got clear gone away | forgot
lGod and | reckoned | could take
pretty good care of myself widout
| him. Suddin one day God come and
| | seen him, and ! said. % God, how
big yer are. rs a tellin' yer de som
men troof, and | wouldn't stan hear
tellin' yer dis if didn't know yer'd
all some day see God yerself. We's a
grov lin in de dark, chin. But Is a
messenger l don can read or write
and Is more n hunded yeahs ole, but
| speaks for the Lo'd He's a-comin'
child'n. He amt a-comin fyin in de
air, de way dose second advent folks
talk about. Don he say he's a-comin
like tief? Who ever heerd of a tiei
comm Ayin' froo de air? But he's a
comm in de sperit, bress de Lo'd, and
he's goin to let me stay to see it: |
was a mighty sick chile little while
ago, and de doctors guy me up, but de
Lo d sent a horse-doctnr along, and he
done cure me. My hairs turnin'
black again, and after wearin specs
5 for fifty yeah l done trow um away
Q I'm a-goin' TO stay to see de Lord
= bress his name
E Although there is no record Of the
5 age OF this remarkable old coloreC
woman, who is known throughout the
e land as " Sojourner Truth, it is yer!
f well settled that she is really more
than one hundred. Her home is nea
r Kalamazoo, Mich, aud she is at pres
: ent the guest Of Mrs, Daniel Under
: hill, Of No. 232 West Thirty-seyentl
, street.
e A German paper says that the name
r of generals connected with the mos
II ~