The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-06
soJoURNER TRUTH.
The African sfbyl Who Received
Her Name from On High
A CentenarIan Who Played n stirring
Part in American HIstory---
Incidents In Her Remark
able Career.
TCor. Inter ocean.l

known by the association with events In
history which she remembered. She had no
record OF her birth, and popular report made
her los years old at the time Of her death;
but according to her own belief she was
much younger. She was born in Ulster
county, New York. and hor own date of thai
event was between the years 1877 and 1880.
her original name was Isabella. but, as she
herself explained, when she left the house of
bondage, she left everything connected with
that life behind. She said she wanted 10
keep nothing Of Egypt about her, and 50
asked the Lord TO give her a new name. She
believed her prayer was answered and that
the Llrd told her to take the name Of So
journer, because it should be her mission to
travel up and down the land, showing the
people their sins and being a Sign" to
them.
She afterward wanted another name, be-
cause everybody had two names, and the
Lord, she says, gave her that OF Truth, be-
cause she was TO declare the truth to the
people.
SOLD WITH THE III
The notoriety and fame which this grand
old woman obtained were not of her own
seeking. She ever sought to work CON
scientiously and do her duty and not to seek
the applause of her fellow beings. About one
OF the first things which she remembered,
prominently connected with her early life,
was the time when she was 2 years old, and
was sold on a block at auction, together with
a flock Of sheep. She and the sheep together
brought the sum of $lO4. which, she remem-
bers, was a good price. All her hardships,
she says, date from the day of this sale. She
was compelled to labor hard in the fields all
day, and, upon returning to the house at
night, doing washing and ironing for the
masters house.
After obtaining her freedom, and Eek
periencing religion" she attended camp
meetings, and at one of these near North
ampton, where only white people were in at
tendance, she hesitated at first, but de-
termined to go. A gang of roughs attacked
the camp, and raised a great disturbance.
AT first Sojourner was afraid, and hid her
self for fear that the roughs would wreak
their mischief ON her, she being the only
colored person present She afterward
reasoned that God would protect her, and
remembering the quotation,
'oNE SHALL A THOUSAND,
and two shall put ten thousand to flight"
sho offered 10 go out and quell the rioG. She
nvi tied others TO go with her, but they re-
fused, and told her she wns a fool to go. The
noise aud confusion were terrific, but So
journer left the tent, and going to a rise of
ground began to sing in her most feryid man
ner one of the camp meeting songs Begin
ming;
1t was early in the morning-it was early in
the morning,
Just at the break of day,
When He rose-when He rose-when He rose,
And went up to heaven in a cloud.
All who ever heard her sing will remember
her peculiar tunes and style, which once
heard can hardly be forgotten. As she com
menced to sing with the utmost strength of
her powerful voice, the roughs made a rush
for her, and she was Immediately surrounded
by a dense body of rioters, many OF them
armed with sticks or clubs. Her singing still
continued and seemed to thrill the young
men, as they quoted down very much in
their demonstrations. After a pause she in
quired, in her mildest tones, why do you
come about me with clubs and sticksl | am
not doing harm to any one" 1--WE amt a
goin' to hurt you, old woman they cried
simultaneously. Keep on singing and talk
ingr' The leaders of the crowd cried out for
her to mount an old wagon near by and preach
to them. She declined, fearing they would
overthrow it. But they continued to clamor
for her to do so, promising not to touch her;
and at last she acceded to their request.
They assisted her to mount the wagon, from
which she spoke to them for an hour and a half.
THE wEEvn l THE WHEAT.
Once while at a religious meeting one of
the speakers alluded to the government of the
United States, and spoke in warm terms of
the constitution. Sojourner heard, and in a
low voice said:
'Chillen, l talks to God, and God talks to
me. l goes out and talks to God in de fields
and de woods. THE weevil had destroyed
thousands of acres of wheat in the west that
ycar.l Dis morning l was walking out, and
got over de fence. | saw dc wheat a-hoid-
ing up its head, looking very big. l goes up
and takes hold of it. You believe it, dere
was no wheat dar. l says, God (speaklng
the name in a voice OF reverence peculiar to
herself, what is de matter wild dis wheatP
Su' He says TO me, 'Sojourner, dere is a little
weasel in it Now 1 hears talking about de
constitution and de rights Of man. comes
up and / takes hold of dis constitution. 1t
looks mighty big, and I feels for my rights,
but dar amt any dar. Den | says, God,
what ails dis constitution And He says,
'Sojourner, deere is a little weasel in itpn The
effect of this comparison on the multitude
was irresistible.
VISIT TO LINCOLN.
In October Of 1854 Sojourner conceived the
idea that she must visit President Lincoln. A
lady accompanied her TO the White House.
and introduced her to the president as So
journer Truth, who had come all the way
from Michigan to see him. Lincoln arose,
gave her his hand. and made a bow as he
said: 81 am pleased to see your The rest of
1 NAS afSs - SN@A SAL III ~ VI : OhNL
words, as near as possible:
81 said to him, Mr.. President, when YOU
first took your seat / feared you would be
torn to pieces, for | likened you to Daniel,
who was thrown into the lions den; and II the
lions did not tear you to pieces | knew it
would be God that would save you'll And |
said to myself, II He spared you | would come
and see you myself before your term Of
office was out; and he has done so, and here
l am to see you Mr.. Lincoln congratulated
me on my having been spared. l told him
that thought he was the best president that
had ever lived, as he emancipated the slaves.
He said that several other presidents, whom
he named over, would have done as much il
the time had come when they were required
10. He showed me several nice presents of
his; and, before l went away, be wrote in
my Book of Life in a big, bold hand, and
with the same fingers that signed the death
warrant to slavery:
"'For Aunty Sojourner Truth.
"tOct -, 1864 A. LINCOLN
Although, in Sojourner's estimation, Abra-
ham Lincoln was the foremost man of all
this world yet no idle curiosity prompted
this interview. From the head Of the nation
she sought the authority which would en-
able her to take part in the awful drama
which was being enacted in the republic;