Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-22

! IT Lpl l"LA~~ were QulIc enough | abclitiOnists and those who went out of curiosity to fill the old Bethel to the door. I was present. and shall never forget how | the audience was stirred by Fred Doug 1 lass story of his wrongs Il slave and of | his escape from bondage. Every one was l affected. The women CriCd-sOmc of them 1 and the men were much excited. There were those among the curious who at | tempted to scUff and make trouble, but the sentiment was too strong in the | speakers favor. and they were obliged to | keep still or leave. The abolition feeling | here was greatly fSrthcrcd by that first l meeting. and when Douglass came back later to stay and started his paper, The | North Star. he found q much larger per cCntagc of followers among the pOpula- tion than when he told his story in the old 1 bethel
 It was between the time of this Bethel speech and the issuing of the first number ! uf The North StaT that Douglass made his first visit to England and Ireland. It was 1 there that he met Julia Griffith, the rich young English woman who came back to America with him and devoted much of her time and fortune to helping him. He brought with him q violin, bought in Dub lin, which he still possesses. Concerning the purchase of this violin DouA lass after i ward told T. K. Post of this city the follow ing story:
 An A nazed Son of Erin.
 T went into a music store in Dublin and asked to look nt viOlins. The prOpri | ctor handed me one with seeming rcluc- tancC. He appeared to be afraid that l would break it. His whole attitude was one of amazrmcnt. He had heard of nc grocs no doubt, but very likely was the first one he had actually seen. took the instrument from his hand and played the Rocky Road to Dublin. He was speech less for q moment or two. Then he ran to the door connecting the shop with the 1iv- ing room and called to his wife. '''NOrah. Norah,' he cried, come here! D There's a naygur here playin the fiddle. Come quick!
 So Norah came and stood by her hus- band quite as amazed aS that individual . Then I played The Irish Washerwoman,' and they danced for me. Then I asked the price of the violin, for I liked it. But the 0 dealer snatch"d it out of my hand.
 '''lt's not for sale. SOFT. Money won t ' buy it. Then he turned to his wife and |. said. The naygur played on that fiddle, and we'll kapc it..
 . He sold me another violin, though, l. really a much Letter one, for half n crown, but I did not play upon this instrument. l. I did not want him to conclude that he |. | must keep il also because n 'nayGur had played on it.
 MT. Douglass may not play the violin now, but during those times which he al- ways speaks of as trying men $ souls his violin was one of his chief solaces. He y has a grandson now. of whom he is very 2 fond, to whom has descended the musical if faculty. anGi who has shown so much talent @ as a violinist that he is to be sent abroad f in order that his musical education may be finished.
 The North Star.
 Among tloso whose memory of Freder - ick Douglass in Rochester leads him of tenest to indulge in reminiscence is Will liam Oliver. for years prominent in public affairs here. Oliver was but boy wheI q The North Star was established and wen
 to work in the office as printers devil anC
 carrier boy from the very first issue. Aft - erward he learned the printers trade anC
 finally became foreman of the composing
 room.
 ..One day." said Mr Oliver to me yes L terday, Douglass came into the office il m the morning looking unusually bright ant re cheerful He stepped into the middle O d the floor and began to whistle lively mel W ody. Then he fell to dancing. He did tn ,n double shutfle and the Sailors Horn
 pipe, he danced a breakdown and mum - Der of other steps the names of which d
 not know. Finally, when he wound u o, with the finest pigeon wing l ever saw, h S was in a dripping precipitation and entire
 Iy out of breath. In answer to my ques
 tioning he said:
 Just 2l years ago today, honey, pu 6t up my little pack. tied it on a stick, pu
 the stick on my back and started for tl
 north star. Then I was a slave and | wi
 afraid that bsforc had reached freedom
 would be killed for attempting it. Now
 am free and able to do something towaI
 bringing abouG the freedom of the rest :, my race Do you wonder that feel liI Jy dancing;'
 Douglass was quite serious by tn
 time. and his words and manner were vel r. impressive I did not wonder that he hG to danced.
 John Brown of Osawatomie.
 Tn those old days at the office of TT
 North Star I used to see many of the mC ce. whose names are now inscribed on tl pages of history by reason of their ear III identification with the abolition mov O' ment- There were Gerrit Smith and Wi
 liam Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phl
 lips and other lesser lights. Garrison ar
 Phillips disagreed in later years vii
 Douglass, but then they were among
 stanchest supporters. Another man who .e. remember very well, and who wore . long beard and had piercing eyes, came
 the office ono day. His name was Brow E John Brown of Osawatomie. His DC
 sonality was very strongly impressed upS
 me. He and Douglass had many long al
 secret talks, and finally Brown went awi
 suddenly one morning. Two or three
 us who wers h the ofice (James Wick V
 --s-ts wna while I was stiii nH npprs