The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1890-08-02
The Woman and the Negro,

|
A little paper published in Boston
Mass entitled "Womans Column" con-
tanned in it's issue of July 10 under the
above caption the following:
Sehome, Washington, July 10, 1890.
In the Journal of May II read 'sThe
Lighthouse Heroine with deep inter.
| est. Once more the thought came to
me which I have openly expressed
when speaking, and for which some
have censured me "How like in many
respects is the condition of women to
that of the Negro slav of the South!''
have been made strong sufragist by
the very surroundings in which I was
reared.
How little we know of the heroines of
the sex or of the race. The same mail
that brought your paper brought this
letter in answer to my inquiry, as was
arranging paper on unknown
Heroes"
Marion, Ala, May %, 1890.
On the 18th of October, 1854, ere
morning had fully dawned, Howard
College in this city was discovered to be
on fire. When discovered, the fire had
made considerable Roadway. The
building was of brick, three stories high
the bedrooms were in the second and
third stories. The fire seemed to have
had it's origin near the stairway on the
first floor, and it was evident that COM
munication between the first and Sec
ond stories at this point would soon be
destroyed. In the employ of the COL
lege was a servant boy just grown
Harry Talbird-whose duty it was to
wait upon the students. He was owned
by Rev. H. G. Talbird. now living in
Switzerland, st. John County, Florida.
The students were very partial to Harry
and he was especially fond of "our
boys" When the building was dis
covered to be on fire, Harry, who was
sleeping on the first floor, was among
the first to be reused. His first thought
seemed to be of the students who were
asleep up stairs. Several voices outside
called to him to come out. mot while
the boys up stairs are aslep. I mus
wake up the boys." He bounded up
the burning stairway and along the halls,
knocking at door after door, calling to
the boys "Wake up! Wake up! The
house is on fre!'' On be rushed
through smoke and flames. All the
students save one escaped with his life,
though some we're injured by being
compelled to jump from the windows.
Harry made his escape by rushing
through the flames. He was badly
burned and was soon delirious. In his
delirium he was continually saying:
II can get out, but I must wake up the
boys" He died from his burns, He
was buried in the public cemetery at
Marion, and his grave is now marked
with a tall marble shaft which bears his
name and gives the simple statement of
the heroic act which cost him his life.
The shaft was placed over his grave by
the Howard boys of "a, an expression
of gratitude on their part. The Baptist
Convention met in Marion that summer.
Harry's heroisn was recognized by
fitting tribute from that body, and the
minutes contain q full account of the
whole affair. B. A.
The women of the South owe lasting
obligation to the Negroes. We were at
their mercy for four years. They loved
US and lived for us, and we loved them.
No outrages we're perpetrated. They
were our truest friends. Remembering
all this, I believe that if let alone things
will adjust themselves i'm the South.
ELIZABETH LYLE SAXON.