Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-21
A Negroes search, for Freedom,

{ a saeGrosSs search JOE Freedom.
There is negro in Atlanta whose
experiences as q traveller have been
both interesting and remarkable. His
name is Riley. He IS d bright mulat.
Ito, possesses some educ - on and =
great deal Of shrewdness. Rs claims
to have gypsy blood in his ems. This
claim is, perhaps, we'll founded, for he
baslong been wanderer. "A few DAYS
ago Riley entertained party OF gen.
tlemen in q Whitehall Street store
with some account of his wanderinps.
The most remarkable was that which
is here related:
by trade he said III am q cas-
penter. My master lived before the
war near Macon, was OF great val
ne to him; because saved him MANY !
dollar he would have had to par
out for carpenters work Ii / hadn't
known how to use the saw and
the jack-pIane. He let me have q
good deal Of liberty. which fused pref
ty much as ] pleased. | was always
of a restless nature, and / often
thought I'd run away. had q notion
that if / could reach the North, I'd
find both freedom and friends. 0na
day / went to the depot with my mas
ter. to meet some friends of his. While
waiting amused myself looking at
passenger car, trying to see how It
was put together. / got down on NV
knees to examine the timbers UNDER
meath. Just about a minute after. l
felt my heart humping against INV
ribs. I'd found way to go North
without having TO walk. When / got
back home, / stole some cloth, thick
and strong, kept by my master to
make winter suits for slaves that
worked nj the fields. Out of that cloth
made four broad bands, strong
enough TO sustain the weight of 4
dozen men. / got a blacksmith to
make me eight strong iron hooks,
which fastened securely to theends OF
the bands. ] was then ready to start
North.
"One night I slipped away from my
masters home and went to the depot.
/ was looking for the train to Savan<
nah. / found it out in the yard,
waiting the signal to back into the
depot. ! crawled under the rear car,
hooked my bands to the iron rods
that run on each side, and then placed
myself at full length upon the cradle
the bands formed. The train backed
into the depot and then started on
a : c. I, h.,
ing discovered. The first few miles 1
thought I'd die. Thedust nearly sufio-
Gated me. But got used to. it, and
when the train reached Millen ] crawled
out of the cradle, unlocked the bands
and went over to the Augusta train
and got ready for another ride.
81 reached Augusta safely, but
j looked like man that had
been rolled in the dust hundred
yards. / skulked about the outskirts
of the city all day, obtaining some
thing to eat from old negro women.
At night went to the depot and hook
ed the bands under the train for
Charleston by way OF the South Caro-
lima Railroad. WASH ttroubled with
the dust between Augusta and Charles
ton, because it rained all night. But
came near losing my life, I'd gotten
so used to riding in the cradle that
didn't feel much inconvenience. and
about midnight Invent to sleep. Some
how or other ene OF my legs slipped out
of the cradle, and when / walked up
my loot was bouncing along on the
cross ties. didn't go to sleep any
more.
aFrom Charleston to Washington
city had an easy time. ispent each
day in some negro's cabin, and travel.
ed at night got all / wanted to eat,
and, Co keep from dying of thirst at
night, | carried along with me a bottle
of water.
Z t.When say had an easy time, |
mean had an easy time under the
circumstances. There were some
things about that journey that make
me shudder even now. I've already
mentioned the dust. Besides that tho
sparks from the firebox of the engine
would fly along the track, and some
times they'd dash all over me. For
tuaately / was always under the rear
car, and always managed to put out
the spark before they did me any
damage When the train rumbled
over the trestles OF bridges the sound
was like thunder. When / reached
Washington city was as deal as g
post. tell you, gentlemen, there are
plenty of pleasanter things than riding
under car as did.
cat Washington city my Journey in
search of freedom and friends came to
sudden end. / was arrested by
policeman and locked up. A telegram
was sent TO my master, and he order
ed me to be sent back ! expected
he'd whip me the minute he laid his
eyes on me; but when / reached Ma
con, all he did was to say: A Niger
that can stand such ride as you've
had is too tough TO be hurt by whip
ping Atlanta tGa.l Constitution.