Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-22

TIREPLAcR WHERE ELIZA WAS HIDDEN.
girls, recorded as those Of one person, .
thing that was necessary to avoid CUM
bering the story with confusion OF
characters.
The young girl who furnished the
name Of Eliza Harris to the character
was slave from Kentucky, the property
OF q man who lived few miles back
from the Ohio river, below Ripley, o.
Her master and mistress were kind to
her and she had comfortable home.
But financial embarrassment forced the
master to sell his slaves. When Eliza
learned that she and her only living child
were to be separated, she resolved to
make her escape that night. When
darkness settled and the family had
retired, she started with her child in her
arms for the Ohio river, expecting to be
able to cross on the ice, but when she
reached its banks, at daybreak, she was
appalled, to find the ice broken up and
drifting in large cakes. She ventured
to house near by, where she was given
permission to remain during the day,
hoping to find some way to cross be-
fore night. But her absence had been
quickly noted by her master, ard before
nightfall rursuers appeared at the house.
With the courage Of desperation she
seized her child and darted out through
. back door, resolved to cross the river
or perish in the attempt. The men fol.
lowed in close pursuit, congratulating
themselves that the chase was nearly
ended. But they stood appalled, when
they saw their victim spring upon the
ice anC make for the Ohio shore, spring.
ing from cake to cake with marvellous
agility. Sometimes the cake would sink
: beneath lsw weight, and she would slide
her child on to the next cake and pull
herself on with her hands. and thus con.
tinued her hazardous journey. She be-
came wet to the waist with ice water and
benumbed with cold when she reached
the Ohio shore, and was % exhausted
that she would have drowned on the bor-
der Of liberty had not Q man who had
watt he'd her daring feat assisted her up
the bank. She was taken to the house
OF Rev. John Rankin, o Presbyterian
niinpter, whose family still lives at Rip
kyfand cared for. Thence she was for
wf,ded through Cincinnati to the house
Of Levi Coffin, then living at Newport.
Ind, just over the Ohio line, and from
there was sent to Canada.
The young girl who was rescued
through the daring of Professor Stowe and
the sacrifice of John Van Zandt was Eliza
Cox, who also came from Kentucky,
and was for some time in the service
ct Mrs. Stowe as seamstress. She came
Into Ohio by consent Of her mistress, with
the understanding that her brother wau
to stand as hostage for her return.
Slaves in Kentucky were treated with
much humanity. and visits to friends
across the river were frequent indul-
gences Mrs. Stowe met the young girl
and her sympathies were excited. Hav-
ing come into the state by consent OF her
mistress she was, by the laws Of Ohio,
entitled to her freedom. and she resolved
not to return to slavery, a resolution In
which she was encouraged by Mrs.
Stowe. Professor Stowe went before the
proper authorities, secured papers attest
ing her freedom, and all danger Of pur
. nuit swas snppoaed 70 b over.
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