The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-04-18
CHATS AND SKETCH Els
About Town and Elsewhere.
u. r. r.

The heading OF this article "sheds
no light upon itself" Probably few of
our readers know their Specification.
They stand for Underground Rail
Road" which was, half century and
more ago, the mysterious route by which
fugitive slaves from the South made
their way to land of liberty.
To speak more plainly, there was,
away back in the 40's, and perhaps
earlier, an organization among the
New England abolitionists, whose OBJ
iect was to aid slaves in escaping from
Southern slavery. 1t was charged by
the Southern planters that emlssaries
were sent down from the North TO en-
tice | egroes to run away from their
"owners." Severe laws were made
Furnishing with fine and imprisonment
anyone who aided or hArbored an es-
Gaping slave. II was made unlawful
to give a meal OF victuals or q nights
lodging to "fugitive". But despite
the law, slaves continued, down to the
Civil War, to make their way, mostly
to Canada, upon the "Underground
Rail Road"
Which brings us TO our story: How
q Fugitive Slave was Spirited away
from Montpelier 10 Eden and Liberty
in 1912. This Eden, it should be said,
was not the historic Garden, but
town in the northern part of Vermont.
Our informant who tells the story,
call of which he saw, and part of which
he was" is an ancient artist in shoe
leather, who is the only craftsman OF
that profession we ever knew who can
take an old shoe and make it look bet
ter after it is mended than when it
was new. (His initials ars G. b. d.
In the early 40s he was stirring
young man working at his trade in a
Montpelier shop with many other ar
tizsns. One day the hands" got into
discussion over the fugitive slave
question, when our young hero boldly
decl red that he would not hesitate to
feed and shelter runaway, claw or
no lawl" Mr.. Henry Y. Barnes,
staunch abolitionist, vas present and
overheard the dispute, and the remark
of young D****A few days after, meet
ing him on the street, he tipped him
the wink, and taking him aside where
there were no "cowands or eaves-drop-
pers," asked him if he really meant
what he said the other day. The
young man replied, "yesl and more
toop Then, almost in whisper Mr..
B. informed him, ~ have got one in
my barn that l want tolget off tonight"
His "owner" and couple of officers
are at the Pavilion 'laying low for
their property will you undertake to
drive him to Eden?"
"With the greatest pleasure in the
worldl" replied the son of St. Crispin.
"Well, them" said the other, "come
down there this evening and will, give
you the necessary directions" The
latter was on hand Sat early candle
light" when he was given charge of a
buggy and Mr.. BIS best horse, and told
where to pick up his sable passenger.
Upon the horses "head- stalP' was a
green twig, on which he was told to
flash a bull's-eye lantern when he
reached "Sandy Bottom" about mile
and half out OF the village.
He followed his directions, and a
much frightened darkey arose from a
bunch of alders not too near the road
side, and got into the wagon. 1t was
between eight and nine O'clock. Be-
fore leaving the barn, d. was told by
horse gol That's what / bought him
JOl DllNo W NOACCoICty W uhiIOI
Browns barn, where you will see 6
lantern. Stop there and change horses
Then to Morrisville, and stop at the
first house on the right hand side of the
road, below sand bank, where you
will see another lantern, and change
again. (This was at John West's)
Next stop and change at johnson in
same manner" Arriving at the first
stop he saw the lantern, drove in and
stepped from one wagon into the other
and then on as had been indicated
Arriving at Eden about midnight, Of
ter forty mile journey, he left the fu
gitive with Mr..
On the way the negro told his con
ductor something of his history il
slavedom. He had cruel master, wht
was about to sell his slaves farther
south. Dreading to be separated frou
his wife and children, he had run away
and come thus far on his journey u