The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-03-11
ROMANCES OF NEGRO HISTORY

mean to Sandy, If were found out,
severe whipping, perhaps an even
crueller punishment. But he took the
boy in, gave him supper shelter
/ and good advice. Sandy was a native
African and deeply religious. But he
had brought with him from Africa a
stock Of magic lore, and he impaired
some of his Information to the bow,
There was in the woods n magical
herb, easily found in the early morn
lnss; Accordingly to Sandy, if a bit
| Of this root was taken and worn on
the right side no white man could
whip the wearer He, himself. had
/ carried it for years, and had fully
tested its virtues. He had never re-
celVed blow from a STAKEHOLDER since
he had worn it,
but he took Sandy's advice, and put
on his little protector Thereupon he
went his way, back to the Covey
farm; an back to the punishment
which he knew awaited him
1t was on, a Sunday and Covey
went to church and none so loud as
he in his praises and psalm singing,
But on the day following, the Mon
gay morning he was ready for the
torture, But on that Sunday, while
he was praising the Lord. Frederick
was thinking. His master Captain
Aud, was a religious man, and so
was his employer. Yet his master
was worse than death. simply to save
himself money, and Covey had tor
I mented body and soul beyond en-
urance. and was about to begin again
If this then, was religious, Frederick
would have none of It, He would de-
fend himself from the savage perse-
cution. Whether Sands root had or
mad not any occult virtue he did not
know; but he did know that new
and savage resolve had stirred the
SHOULD EVER WHIP HIM AGAIN.
The struggle between him and
Convey is too brutal to be re-told.
When the slave breaker realized that
sixteen meant not to be whipped or
tied or slugged: when he realized that
he was in for a free-for-all. rough
and tumble fight and let the best
man win. he was aghast at the auda
city. His astonished, His astonished."
Are you going to resist you scoun-
! drel?' was answered by a polite, but
! firm. yes sir" Then Convey cried
was soon kicked into a discreet re-
treat by the now furious Frederick.
and Bill Smith, the Colored hired man.
and Caroline, Covey's own slave wo-
man, seemed to be in sympathy with
the slave who dared to strike for him
self. So. though Convey did not adj
init, even to himself, perhaps, that
he was whipped, after two hours of
the contest, he gave up, with great
putting and blowing, and the adjura-
! ton. Nov. YOU scoundrel, go to your
work: l would not have whipped you
/ half so hard had you not resisted"
He had not whipped the boy at all,
hut had himself bleeding and exhaust
cd, During the rest of the six months
that Frederick lived with Covey, he
never again laid the weight of his
. finger on him. And not only Convey
but no other man ever again raised
his hand against Frederick.
/ This was the turning point in the
, life of Frederick Douglass. 1t re-
kindled in his breast the smouldering
dreams of liberty; it brought up his
dreams, which he had INDUCED in
while in Baltimore; 1t revived sense
Of his own manhood; II RECALLED
his crushed self-respect, his self-con-
dence, and inspired him with a re-
newed determination to be a free
man. 1t was a resurrection from the
dark tomb of slavery to the Heaven
! Of freedom.
And as this incident was the turn
! ing point in the career of the boy.
| Frederick Douglass, so II was the
turning point in the history of the
race. For as the knowledge that he
who would be free. must himself
strike the blow, became an integral
/ part of the mans life, he made 1t
part of the life OF the race. His es-
cape from slavery was the direct re-
suit of this experience. the lesson he
preached ever after to his people
the man who is whipped easiest is the
man who is whipped oftenest.
! Reference: Life and Times of Fred
erick Douglass.
! Continued next issue).