The guardian., 1952-02-09

knowledge Of reading and writing and
every day he got lesson from them.
His mistress caught him one day
trying to read n newspaper, and
rushed at him with a face OF fury,
tore up the paper and thereafter
watched him like a cat But 1t was
too late; the boy had glimpse OF
the light and he hated darkness.
lie was getting on to twelve years
old. He got hold OF book called THE
Columbian Orator" In it was a dia-
logue between master and slave. He
read it and stored knowledge in his
head. He also read in that book one
OF Sheridan's Speeches on Catholic
Emancipation, and Sheridan denounc-
ed slavery. 1t was just as Mr.. Ould
had told his wife! To be able to read
would make a slave unhappy and
miserable. Frederick became unhappy
| He realized his wretched lot, the
horrible pit in which he was cast.
He heard the word 'abolitionist"
spoken from time to time, but did not
| know what it meant. 1t took him
some time to find out and when he
did, he always drew near to hear
what was said. His little master,
Thomas was going to school and laid
his copy books around; and when left
alone in. the house, Frederick used
to copy the exercises so that he learn
ed to write hand just like Thomas
| Death came into that family and
the property was divided and Fred
erick found himself once more back
on the plantation after seven years
of comparatively easy life. He did
not seem to suit his new master, SO
he was put to a poor white man who
had only one slave Of his own and
that one he bought for breeder.
So Frederick, for the first time in
his life became a field hand, and an
awkward one at that. He had lived
in the city and had become a fairly
intelligent young fellow. But now,
he worked early and late, and was
whipped till the blood ran. Nearly
every week for six months he had
whipping, and he was really broken
in body and spirit. He lost his ambi-
tion to read any more, He was hard
to manage, but the driver managed
him for six months.
One day he fell with exhaustion
while at work and the man (Covey
| was his name) told him TO get up.
He could not rise and fell again in
the attempt. Covey hit him on the
head with a shat and again told him
to get up Frederick had made up
his mind to let him do his worst. In
stead, the man went off and left him.
He got up, bloody and weak, and
walked seven miles to his masters
house to complain Of the slayebreaker.
The master sent him back. He arriv-
ed on Sunday morning. Covey was
going to Church. He was great
Church member and did not molest
him. But the next morning he sud
denly came upon him and attempted
to throw him and tie his legs. Fred
erick resolved to fight. They had q
terrible fight for nearly two hours.
The boy fought like a demon and
choked the man until he was forced
to give up.
In the next six months Covey never
whipped him again. At the end OF
that time he went back to his mas
ter. But Freedom was kindled in
him and he was resolved to make
dash for Freedom. II took another
year before he could make up his
mind decidedly. During that year he
held Sabbath school on Sundays at
the house Of a free eolored man, and
at one time had forty scholars of all
ages. Some of them learned to read
and write.
It was in 1895 that he laid plans for
a get away. He was about is years
! old. There were five others to go
with him. He wrote the projections
| sort of passes for each with per-
mission to go to Baltimore for Easter
| holidays. and signed the masters
| name. They meant to go to Chesa-
peake Bay in q canoe and paddle to-
ward the North. But some one be-
trayed them. They were seized, tied
behind horses tails, and put in jail.
While one Of them was scuftling with
constable Frederick threw his
pass in the fire. The others ate
| theirs with the biscuits they carried.
It turned out that Capt. Aud, his
master, got him out and sent him
back to Baltimore to live with his
brother and to learn q trade. He was
hired with a ship builder He worked
with white men and many fights en-
sued so the master took him in the
shop yard where he was foreman
and set him eaulking. He earned
money which Of course he turned
/ over TO his master. 1t was now 1888.
He was tVenty-one and on the look
out to escape.
Everything must have been intend
| ed. Divine Providence must have
guided him, for ii reads like novel
his borrowed sailors protection"
papers from a sailor who wished to
aid him; his disguise in sailor uni
| form; going to the train in a hack
and backing up and jumping on just
as the train was about to pull out;
| the careless examination of the
papers by the conductor; the change
! from Wilmington to steamboat for
Philadelphia, then to New York. OF
course he was in a terrible mental
state OF fear and anxiety but he con-
cealed it. In New York he met a
Colored man who advised him to
spend the night with him, and he in
turn introduced him to, Mr.. David
Ruggles, secretary OF the New York
/ Vigilance Committee.
| While here he sent for the free
Colored lady to whom he was engag-
ed, Miss Anna Murray Of Baltimore.
She came Immediately and they were
married upon her arrival by Rev.
J.W.C. Pennington.
Mr.. Ruggles advised that he go to
/ New Bedford where whaiers came In
ana SHIPS were llLlSa OUT. ne etSfpcu
with a Mr.. Nathan johnson. He was
called Frederick Bailey down South,
but at New York changed his name
| to JOHNSON, but Mr.. Nathan Jehnsen
/ thought there were too many john
sons already in New Bedford, and as
he had 6een reading Scett's Lady
Of the Lake, he chese the name Of
| Douglass" for him.
So now we have before us Frederick
Douglass, who was destined 10 be-
! come one Of the greatest men Of the
| times. After doing odd jobs in New
/ Bedford. in a few months he came
upon a copy Of The Liberstor, edited
by VIM. Lloyd Garrison. in Boston.
/ He subscribed for IL, then attended
] all the anti-slavery meetings in New
Bedford. when Garrison spoke. Doug
lass used to speak to Colored people
RIAA NAR -