The Sunday herald., 1886-10-17
A Nesro's Search for Freedom.

There ia . negro In Atlanta whose experiences an
BE. Sis name @ is' Is Riley. % lie !: bright moiatto,
possesses some education and great deal Of shrewd
ness. He claims TO have gypsy blood In his veins.
long been . wanderer. A few days ago Riley en-
tertaned party Of gentlemen In whitehall street
markaSs al. s wss % that Which Is here related no ''' ~
"By trade,' he said, ~ am carpenter. Ny master
lived before the war near Macon. i was Of great
would have had to pay out for carpenters work II
hadn't known how 10 use the saw and 1ack:plane:
let have deal % liberty wscs ss
lcss nature, and often thought I'd run away.
had notion that II could reach the North I'd
the depot with my master, TO meet some friends Of
his. While waiting amused myself looking at a
STS On see nov
underneath. Just about minute after felt my
heart humping against my ribs I'D found way 70
back home stole some cloth, thick and strong,
kept by master to make winter suits for slaves that
worked in the ields Out o. that cloth made four
dozen men. got q blacksmith to make me eight
strong iron hooks, which fastened securely to the
"One night slipped away from my masters home
and went TO the depot was looking for the train
to found i out in the yard waiting Se
rear car, hooked my bands to the iron rods that run
on each side and then placed myself at full length
nah without my being discovered The frat few
miles thought I'd die The dust nearly suffocated
me. But got used 10 1t, and when the train reached
Mlllen crawled ont Of the cradle, unlocked the
bands, and went over to the Augusta train, and got
| ready for another ride.
~ reached Augusta safely, but looked like q man
that had been rolled In the dust hundred yards
skuked about the outskirts OF the city ali day, OBJ
At night went TO the depot and hooked the bands
under the train for Charleston by way OF the South
Carolina Railroad. wasn't troubled with the dust
between Augusta and Charleston. because II rained
all night. But came near losing my life. I'd got:
ten 80 used to riding In the cradle that didn't feel
much Inconvenience, and about midnight went ia
sleep. Somehow or other one of my legs slipped out
| of the cradle, and when ! walked up, my foot was
bouncing along on the cross tles. didn't 60 to
| aleep any more.
"from Charleston to Washington City ! had an
| easy time. / spent each day In sone Negroes cabin
| and Travelled at night got all wanted to eat, and
to keep from dying Of thirst at night carried along
| with me bottle OF water.
| easy time under the circumstances. There were
some things about that journey that make me shud
| der even now. I've already mentioned the dust.
Resides th9t the sparks from the re.bo4 OF the en-.
gne would fly along the track, and sometimes they'd
dash all over me. Fortunately was always under
the rear car, and always managed to put out the
sparks before they dIdme any damage. When the
train rumbled over treses bridges the sound wai
| like thunder. When reached washington City
was as deaf as a post. tell you, gentleman, there
car as did,"
"At Washington City my journey In search OF free
| dom and friends came to a sudden end. was ar
| rested by q policeman and locked up. A telegram
was sent to my masier and he ordered me tS be sen
eyes on me; but when reacRed Macon al he dlt
| was to say: "A niger that can stand such ride al
you've had is too tough to be hurt by whipping"