The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-12-25
CCombrian.1
The Underground Railroad;
"REMINISCENCES OF SLAVERY TIMES.
BY THE LATE LEVI COFFIN.
THE STORY OF JANE.

ID
THE STORY OF JANE.
Jane was handsome slave girl
who lived in Covington, Kentucky,
her old master and mistress having
moved from Virginia and settled IN
that place some years before the time
our story opens. She was kindly treat
ed bv her owners, and her old mistress,
who was very fond Of her, taught her
to sew and do housework, and took
such pains in teaching her that she
became quite skillful in needlework
and everything pertaining to house
keeping. James lot was a pleasant
one, and until she reached the age OF
sixteen none of the evils of slavery
shadowed her life. Then her old mas
ter died and she became the property
of the son, who took possession Of the
premises and assumed the care Of
James old mistress. This son was a
wicked, thoughtless man, and poor
Jane was completely under his con-
troll. After living with him some
time, she became the mother of a
beautiful little girl, who was almost
as white as her father, James master.
Those who have seen quadroons and
octoroons will remember their pecu-
liar style of beauty, the rich olive tint
of the complexion, the large bright
eyes, the perfect features, and the
long wavy black hair. A hundred ro-
mantle associations and mysterious
fancies cluster around that class in
the South, owned, as they often were,
by their own fathers, and sold by
them.
Jane was a house-servant, and did
not have to work under the lash or
toll in the fields, as many slave-women
were compelled to do, but she felt
keenly the degradation Of her position
and longed to be free, that she might
live a purer life. She had experienced
a change Of heart and become Chris
tian, and this offended her master. He
decided to sell her, when her little girl
was about three years old. The old
mistress was opposed to it, but her
words had no effect; the master de-
clared that he would sell Jane to the
LII Sb I'll duCl dhC .
mistress informed her Of the fate in
store for her, and said that she longed
to save her from it, but was powerless.
Jane was greatly alarmed, and in her
distress went to tell her grief to an
English family, who lived near by,
kind-hearted people. who were opposed
to slavery. They were much attached
to Jenny, as they called her, and felt
great sympathy with her in her dis
tress. The old gentleman went to see
her master, and tried to dissuade him
from his purpose Of selling Jane, but
he could not be moved. Nothing was
said about the child. The old gentle
man told me afterward that he had
no thought that the brute would sell
his own child. Next day the old En-
glishman and his son-in-laW conclud-
ed that BY their united efforts they
could raise a sum sufficient to pnr=
chase Jane. supposing that her master
would sell her at a fair price. They
went to him and offered him five hum
dred dollars for her. intending to Sc
cere her freedom and to allow her Hea-
sonable wages until she paid back the
amount. But the master refused to
take it. He said Jane was a handsome
girl and would bring a high price
down South; he would not take less
than eight hundred dollars for her.
and thought perhaps he might get a
thousand. This was more money than
James friends were able to give; they
thought it was an unreasonable price,
and gave up the idea of buying her,
A few days afterward the master sold
Jane and her beautiful child to a
Southern negro-trader, receiving elev-
en- hundred dollars for them both
nine hundred for the mother and two
hundred for the child.
When Jane learned that she was
sold, to be taken to the far South, her
distress was indescribable. She and
her little girl were to go together, but
she knew not how soon they would be
separated. She slipped into the house
Of her English friends, almost oyer.
whelmed with grief, and begged them
to help her in some way, to save her
from being sent away. They felt
deeply for her distress, but what could
they dop Jane was to have one day
in which to wash and iron her clothes
then she must start away with he1
new master, the slave-trader.
The old Englishman concluded to
go over to Cincinnati that day and see
Wi liom Casey, worthy eoloEed man
Of his acquaintance. and counsel with
him about Jane. Casey soon suggest
ed plan to get her over the river and
put her on the Underground Railroad
for Canada The old man knew very
little about the Underground Railroad
but he had full confidence in William
Casey, knowing him to be true and
reliable man, and agreed to carry out
his suggestions if possible. Casey
said he would get a skif and go across
the river in the early part of the night
to wood-boat that lay at the bank in
the lower part of Covington. The
nights were then dark, and he thought
he could carry out his plan unmolest-
ed. The old Englishman was to ap-
prise Jane of the plan, and tell her te
watch for an opportunity to slip out
into a certain dark alley. where he
would be in waiting. He would
then conduct her to the wood-boa;
where Casey agreed to be, and she
could be rowed across to the city un-
der cover Of darkness, and secreted in
some safe place.
Her English friend managed te
communicate the plan to Jane, and
she watched diligently for an oppor,
tunity to escape, but she was KEPT
busy, till late, washing and fixing hel
clothes preparatory to starting on hel
journey next day, and her mistress Oh
Somo ono else staid in the room tr