The Cecil Whig., 1881-11-12


New Bedford. he took our baggage, in
GLIDING three music books, two of them
collections by Dyer, and one by Shaw
and held them until was able to redeem
them by paying to him the amount due
for our rides. This was soon done, for
Mr.. Nathan Johnson not only received
me kindly and Hospitality, but, on being
Informed about our baggage. at once
loaned me two dollars with which to
square accounts with the stage driver
Mr.. and Mrs. Nathan johnson reached a
good Old age, and now rest from their
| labors. | am under many grateful obli-
cations 10 them. They not only took
me in when a stranger and fed me
when hungry, but taught me how to
make an honest living. Thus, in fort
night after my flight from Maryland, /
was safe in New Bedford. a citizen of the
grand Old commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts.
Once initiated into my new life of free
dom and assured by Mr.. Johnson that |
need not fear capture in that city. com
| paratively unimportant question arose as
to the name by which | should be known
thereafter, i'll my new relation as free
man. The name given me by my dear
mother. was no less pretentious and long
than Frederick Augustus Washington
Bailey. ! had. however. while living in
| Maryland, dispensed with the Augustus
| Washington and retained only Frederick
Bailey Between Baltimore and New
| Bedford, the better to conceal myself
| from the slave hunters, | had parted with
| Bailey and called myself johnson: but
! in New Bedford | found that the John
| son family was already so numerous as
to cause some confusion in distinguish
ing them hence a change in this name
seemed desirable. Nathan Johnson, mine
host. placed great emphasis upon this
| necessity, and wished me to allow him
to select name for me. | consented.
and he called me by my present name
| the one by which have been known for
| three and forty years-Frederick Doug
lass. Mr.. johnson had Just been read
ing the Lady of the Lake" and so
pleased was he with it's great character
that he wished me to bear his name.
Since reading that charming poem my
self, | have often thought that, consider
ing the noble hospitality and manly char
| acter of Nathan Johnson-black man
though he was-he, far more than I.
illustrated the virtues of the Douglass of
Scotland. Sure am that, if any slave
catcher. had entered his domicile with a
view to my recapture, johnson would
have shown himself like him of the "stal-
wart hand.
The reader may be surprised at the
Impressions | had in some way conceived
of the social and material condition of
people of the North. | had no proper
idea Of the wealth. refinement. enter
prise, and high civilization of this sec
ton of the country. My Columbian Ora
tor, almost my only book. had done moth
ing to enlighten me concerning Northern
society. | had been taught that slavery
was the bottom of all wealth. With this
foundation idea, came naturally to the
conclusion that poverty must be the gen.
eral condition of the people of the free
came. white man holding no slaves,
was usually an ignorant and poverty
stricken man, and men of this class
were cnntemptuously called "poor white
trash" Hence. supposed that. since
the nnn-slave holders at the South were
ignorant. poor. and degraded as class
the slave holders at the North must
be in a similar condition. l could have
landed in no part of the United States
where l should have found more strik-
ing and gratifying contrast, not only to
life generally in the South, but in the
condition of the colored people there
than in New Bedford. I was amazed
when Mr. johnson told me that there
was nothing in the laws or constitution
of Massachusetts that would prevent a
colored man from being Governor of the
State, if the people should see fit to elect
him. There too. the black mans chill
iren attended the public schools with
the" white mans children. and appar-
emily without objection from any quar-
ter. To impress me W til my security
from recapture and return to slavery,
Mr. johnson assured me that no slave
holder could take 4 slave out of New
Bedford: that there were men there who
would lay down their lives to save me
from such fate.
The fifth day after my arrival | put on
the clothes of a common laborer, and
went upon the wharves in search of work.
On my way down Union street saw a
large pile OF coal in front of the house
of Rev. Ephraim Peabody, the Unitarian
minister ! went to the kitchen door
and asked the privilege of bringing in
and putting away this coal. "What will
you charge p" said the lady. - will
ltdNC tliat " N'u. iou
put it away" she said. l was not long
in accomplishing this job, when the dear
lady put into my hand two silver half
dollars To understand the emotion
which swelled my heart as clasped this
money. realizing that | had no master
that would take it from me-that it was
mine-that my hands were my own, and
could earn more of the precious coin
one must have been in some sense. him
self a slave. Ny next Job was slowing a
sloop at Uncle Gid Towland's wharf.
with cargo of oil for New York. l
was not only free man, but free work
ingman, and no master" stood ready
at the end Of the week to seize my hard
earnings.
The season was growing late and work
was plenty. Ships We're being fitted out
for whaling, and much wood was used in
storing them. The saving this wood was
considered a good job. With the help
of old friend johnson BLESSINGS on his
memory got a saw and buck. and went
at it. When | went into store to buy
| a cord with which to brace my saw in
the frame asked for "tip's' worth of
| cord The man behind the counter looked
rather sharply at me, and said with equal
sharpness, "lo lou don't belong here" |
was alarmed. and thought | had be
trayed myself. a ftp in Maryland was
civ and a nuartpr cputS called fourDapcp