The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-05-18

Nt4lC1A % SoAA1O AASA ~
you were rough and cruel to the
negroes. Afterward I found out that
you were more rough than cruel; and
still later, have known YOU for q
good friend"
Eyes; that's pretty near the truth.
Before tell you my plan, want you
to know enough about me to under
stand that ! am not coming to your.
help blindfolded know the risk, and
I'll face it; and you must knowit. |
told you I was born in Pennsylvania.
Ten years and more, I've been in
Louisiana. came down here with
head full of the horrors Of slavery, as it
had been pictured to me. suppose
the real thing strikes different people
from the north in different ways;
some might have seen all that I've
seen, and be confirmed in their notions
of the institution. j haven't been.
Contact with the negro in this state,
| where there are as many OF him as
there is of the white man, has made mo
believe that condition of slavery is u
good thing, the only thing for him
''But Coralie-" ~ ...s 4
"Hold on; I'm coming to her. Such
has been my opinion. In a single day
I am brought face to face with the ug-
lest aspect of the whole problem. I've
heard of such things as this. never
knew any such personally. have
supposed that the facts must be dis
torted and exaggerated. Now, there is
no mistake. We Amow what has hap
pened on this plantation. I won't
sicken you by reminding you of what
may happen. You'd say, would say,
almost every planter in the La Fourche
would agree, that the treatment which
that beautiful achate girl tell you it
just as it isis likely to receive at the
hands of her own kin, her half-broth-
er, just as you heard him threaten it
is more than brutal Sir, it is damna-
blen'
He stamped his foot in his excite
ment.
'And the law would permit it?''
"The law would ask just one ques-
ton: Was her mother a slave? We
know what the answer would be in
this case. Nothing else would be re-
garded."
''Must we submit to such mon
strous condition of law?" cried
He looked fxedly at me.
''Boy, you've got spirit; you need to
be guided, but you've the true stuff.
The girls safety and deliverance are a
thousand times more to you than to
me; yet hang me if the fix she's in
don't appeal to me in way that can't
stand. And if you ask me if we shall
submit to have Coralie sent to New Or
leans and sold like horse to condi-
ton worse than death l say no! by the
good mother that bore Inc, won't!'
pass the words l said to him, the
thanks I tried to give him. He cut
them all short.
"Never mind that, Dorr. I'm with
you, heart and hand; you be guided by
me, and we'll save her Or"
He stopped.
"Perhaps you didn't know that if
you are caught trying to abducta slave
in Louisiana they'll send you to the
Baton Rouge penitentiary for a term
of years" .......
II did not know it, and don't care for
it. Tell me what we shall do
His own excited feelings found re.
lief in a laugh at my eager reckless
ness. Rapidly he laid his plans before
me. l considered it as he spoke, and
saw that it offered chance of success
| He said that men of the class of Con
rad Bostock and his companions, upon
7 such an occasion as this, would be
: very sure to spend the night over the
l wine bottle and cards. He proposed
5 to communicate stealthily with Coralie
through the faithful house servants
| and after midnight get her quietly ou
l of the house and drive to Donaldson
. vile, taking carriage and ponies from
l the place. He knew that the Cotton
>. Queen stopped at Donaldsonville abou
/. row was her day. We would go ia
enough to reach the vicinity of rail
road short of any of the cities wher
we might be overtaken by telegraph
n and there go ashore.
u Eve can throw off the pursuit i
K this way he said. t'We can land a
some obscure wood station. It mus
T. be this side of Baton Rouge, if tn
Z Queen stops there, for there the tel@
graph can overhaul us, and we wi
o strike across the country to som
:, equally obscure railroad station. T.
defy them to find us when we ar
T.: clear of the river. I have plenty {
Il money; that and a little adroitnes
e will carry us safe through to Canad
p within a week."
"Le Fevre, you're noble fellow. !
II l ever"
. "Don't bother YOURSELF he laughe,
~ "We're not there yet" T.
IT, A CONFUSION of mirth seized hin
~ He sat down in the grass and shoe
le with laughter. - y
o. "You needn't fear I'm going Graz
So Dorr. But suppose anyone had said
Y me three days ago: Wash LIE Fevr
70 you think you're a good deal of
southern man, now, don't you? Ar
70 you think slavery is about the thi1
le for the niger, don't you? Well, ne,
s. week you'll be trying to run off sla,
~ to Canada Suppose any man had sa
as that to me! I'd a struck him, if
III ,4ns