The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-12-20
SAVED BY PRAYER.

| lDAVN
The Hon. Ezra l.. Stevens, noted a
one OF the conductors of the under
ground railroad, and now Chief ClerI
OF the Indian Bureau at Washington. il
authority for the following reminis
cence:
When the underground railroad wa.
IN 1ull operation, and the slave -holdine
uetectlves were most active in theil
efforts to convict and drag back tc
slavery every negro they could find
one OF the most travelled lines of escape
was through Oi 10, and one of the CHIEF
stations was at Mansfield, in the central
part OF the State. The negroes would
re run across the river at Kentucky in
70 OHIO, and north to Canada. The
confidential agent of the road at Mans
neld wa, AL old farmer of the United
Presbyterian school. know him we'll.
and he still lives in the country near
Mansfield, where he is noted for his
long prayers even unto this day. They
are not objected to, for the people re-
member how one of these long PRAYERS
saved SIX negroes from slavery and PER
maps death. One time in those DAYS n
| parry OF negro drivers came to Mans
hcld III search Of number of escaped
slaves. They were directed to 60 out
to Uncle Jchn Finney's, and, as tl.ey
mad tracked the negroes to Mansfield.
they We're pretty sure they would
find them there. But when they an
peared at the farmhouse Mr.. Fin
ney told them he knew nothing
about their negroes, and that they
might search the place. Breakfast was.
however. smoking on the table, and he
asked them to come in and take some-
thing to eat before they did SO. The
Flnneys, of Richland County, have long
been noted for their good cooking, and
the meal looked SO appetizing as it
smoked on the table, that the negro
drivers could not resist. They sat
down to the table, and Uncle John said
a long grace both before and after the
meal When at last the hot buck
wheats, cover I'd with country butter
and maple molasses, had been devoured.
and their stomachs were filled wit, good
homemade sausage, as they were r;s-
ing from the table Uncle John said
Now, friends, it IS our custom to have
family prayers after breakfast, and I
hope you will JON with me this morn
ing The kilnapers could hardly
refuse this invitation after the breakfast
they had just eaten, and with the old
man they adjourned to the sitting room
where Uncle John took seat before
the only window looking toward the
barn completely shutting out the view
in that direction, and the family Bible
was brought him. All this time the
very negroes these men were looking
for were in the barn. The moment
Uncle John had gotten their pursuers
to sit down at the table he had given a
hint to his servant. who was in his
confidence, to get the negroes off, and
he had succeeded in giving them a
start at the time Uncle John brought
the family in to prayers. It was all
important that the negroes get good
start, and Uncle John when he took
the Bible opened It at the hundred and
nineteenth psalm, which has 176 verses.
This he read through very slowly and
closing the old leather covered Bible,
he said Friends, let us pray" All
knelt and Uncle Johns face was turned
~ tANO AC NOuASl 1OOA OuC O1 Ull0
window. AS he prayed lie kept his
eyes open, and he could see the negroes
fleeing across the fields away in the
distance. AS he went on praying he
saw them grow smaller and smaller,
and he kept rp his prayer until they
were completely out Of SIGHT, and were
as he knew in new and safe hiding
place. During all this tine the unsus-
pecting Shareholders We're kept on their
knees and when at the close OF full
half hour they arose, Uncle John
cordially showed them over his farm
and through every building. OF course
they found nothing, and whether
they ever discovered how badly they
were hoaxed, history fails to say.
For the Boys.
Two men stood at the same table in
large factory in Philadelphia, working
at the same trade. Having an hour for
their nooning every day, each under
took to use it in accomplishing def
mite purpose; each persevered for
about the same number Of months, and
each won success at last. One of these
two mechanics nsed his daily leisure
hour in working ont the invention of