up from slavery-第4部分

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　the　refuse；　which　of　course　was　the　cheapest　and　roughest　part。　I　can　scarcely　imagine　any　torture；　except；　perhaps；　the　pulling　of　a　tooth；　that　is　equal　to　that　caused　by　putting　on　a　new　flax　shirt　for　the　first　time。　It　is　almost　equal　to　the　feeling　that　one　would　experience　if　he　had　a　dozen　or　more　chestnut　burrs；　or　a　hundred　small　pin…points；　in　contact　with　his　flesh。　Even　to　this　day　I　can　recall　accurately　the　tortures　that　I　underwent　when　putting　on　one　of　these　garments。　The　fact　that　my　flesh　was　soft　and　tender　added　to　the　pain。　But　I　had　no　choice。　I　had　to　wear　the　flax　shirt　or　none；　and　had　it　been　left　to　me　to　choose；　I　should　have　chosen　to　wear　no　covering。　In　connection　with　the　flax　shirt；　my　brother　John；　who　is　several　years　older　than　I　am；　performed　one　of　the　most　generous　acts　that　I　ever　heard　of　one　slave　relative　doing　for　another。　On　several　occasions　when　I　was　being　forced　to　wear　a　new　flax　shirt；　he　generously　agreed　to　put　it　on　in　my　stead　and　wear　it　for　several　days；　till　it　was　〃broken　in。〃　Until　I　had　grown　to　be　quite　a　youth　this　single　garment　was　all　that　I　wore。

One　may　get　the　idea；　from　what　I　have　said；　that　there　was　bitter　feeling　toward　the　white　people　on　the　part　of　my　race；　because　of　the　fact　that　most　of　the　white　population　was　away　fighting　in　a　war　which　would　result　in　keeping　the　Negro　in　slavery　if　the　South　was　successful。　In　the　case　of　the　slaves　on　our　place　this　was　not　true；　and　it　was　not　true　of　any　large　portion　of　the　slave　population　in　the　South　where　the　Negro　was　treated　with　anything　like　decency。　During　the　Civil　War　one　of　my　young　masters　was　killed；　and　two　were　severely　wounded。　I　recall　the　feeling　of　sorrow　which　existed　among　the　slaves　when　they　heard　of　the　death　of　〃Mars'　Billy。〃　It　was　no　sham　sorrow；　but　real。　Some　of　the　slaves　had　nursed　〃Mars'　Billy〃；　others　had　played　with　him　when　he　was　a　child。　〃Mars'　Billy〃　had　begged　for　mercy　in　the　case　of　others　when　the　overseer　or　master　was　thrashing　them。　The　sorrow　in　the　slave　quarter　was　only　second　to　that　in　the　〃big　house。〃　When　the　two　young　masters　were　brought　home　wounded；　the　sympathy　of　the　slaves　was　shown　in　many　ways。　They　were　just　as　anxious　to　assist　in　the　nursing　as　the　family　relatives　of　the　wounded。　Some　of　the　slaves　would　even　beg　for　the　privilege　of　sitting　up　at　night　to　nurse　their　wounded　masters。　This　tenderness　and　sympathy　on　the　part　of　those　held　in　bondage　was　a　result　of　their　kindly　and　generous　nature。　In　order　to　defend　and　protect　the　women　and　children　who　were　left　on　the　plantations　when　the　white　males　went　to　war；　the　slaves　would　have　laid　down　their　lives。　The　slave　who　was　selected　to　sleep　in　the　〃big　house〃　during　the　absence　of　the　males　was　considered　to　have　the　place　of　honour。　Any　one　attempting　to　harm　〃young　Mistress〃　or　〃old　Mistress〃　during　the　night　would　have　had　to　cross　the　dead　body　of　the　slave　to　do　so。　I　do　not　know　how　many　have　noticed　it；　but　I　think　that　it　will　be　found　to　be　true　that　there　are　few　instances；　either　in　slavery　or　freedom；　in　which　a　member　of　my　race　has　been　known　to　betray　a　specific　trust。

As　a　rule；　not　only　did　the　members　of　my　race　entertain　no　feelings　of　bitterness　against　the　whites　before　and　during　the　war；　but　there　are　many　instances　of　Negroes　tenderly　carrying　for　their　former　masters　and　mistresses　who　for　some　reason　have　become　poor　and　dependent　since　the　war。　I　know　of　instances　where　the　former　masters　of　slaves　have　for　years　been　supplied　with　money　by　their　former　slaves　to　keep　them　from　suffering。　I　have　known　of　still　other　cases　in　which　the　former　slaves　have　assisted　in　the　education　of　the　descendants　of　their　former　owners。　I　know　of　a　case　on　a　large　plantation　in　the　South　in　which　a　young　white　man；　the　son　of　the　former　owner　of　the　estate；　has　become　so　reduced　in　purse　and　self…control　by　reason　of　drink　that　he　is　a　pitiable　creature；　and　yet；　notwithstanding　the　poverty　of　the　coloured　people　themselves　on　this　plantation；　they　have　for　years　supplied　this　young　white　man　with　the　necessities　of　life。　One　sends　him　a　little　coffee　or　sugar；　another　a　little　meat；　and　so　on。　Nothing　that　the　coloured　people　possess　is　too　good　for　the　son　of　〃old　Mars'　Tom；〃　who　will　perhaps　never　be　permitted　to　suffer　while　any　remain　on　the　place　who　knew　directly　or　indirectly　of　〃old　Mars'　Tom。〃

I　have　said　that　there　are　few　instances　of　a　member　of　my　race　betraying　a　specific　trust。　One　of　the　best　illustrations　of　this　which　I　know　of　is　in　the　case　of　an　ex…slave　from　Virginia　whom　I　met　not　long　ago　in　a　little　town　in　the　state　of　Ohio。　I　found　that　this　man　had　made　a　contract　with　his　master；　two　or　three　years　previous　to　the　Emancipation　Proclamation；　to　the　effect　that　the　slave　was　to　be　permitted　to　buy　himself；　by　paying　so　much　per　year　for　his　body；　and　while　he　was　paying　for　himself；　he　was　to　be　permitted　to　labour　where　and　for　whom　he　pleased。　Finding　that　he　could　secure　better　wages　in　Ohio；　he　went　there。　When　freedom　came；　he　was　still　in　debt　to　his　master　some　three　hundred　dollars。　Notwithstanding　that　the　Emancipation　Proclamation　freed　him　from　any　obligation　to　his　master；　this　black　man　walked　the　greater　portion　of　the　distance　back　to　where　his　old　master　lived　in　Virginia；　and　placed　the　last　dollar；　with　interest；　in　his　hands。　In　talking　to　me　about　this；　the　man　told　me　that　he　knew　that　he　did　not　have　to　pay　the　debt；　but　that　he　had　given　his　word　to　the　master；　and　his　word　he　had　never　broken。　He　felt　that　he　could　not　enjoy　his　freedom　till　he　had　fulfilled　his　promise。

From　some　things　that　I　have　said　one　may　get　the　idea　that　some　of　the　slaves　did　not　want　freedom。　This　is　not　true。　I　have　never　seen　one　who　did　not　want　to　be　free；　or　one　who　would　return　to　slavery。

I　pity　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart　any　nation　or　body　of　people　that　is　so　unfortunate　as　to　get　entangled　in　the　net　of　slavery。　I　have　long　since　ceased　to　cherish　any　spirit　of　bitterness　against　the　Southern　white　people　on　account　of　the　enslavement　of　my　race。　No　one　section　of　our　country　was　wholly　responsible　for　its　introduction；　and；　besides；　it　was　recognized　and　protected　for　years　by　the　General　Government。　Having　once　got　its　tentacles　fastened　on　to　the　economic　and　social　life　of　the　Republic；　it　was　no　easy　matter　for　the　country　to　relieve　itself　of　the　institution。　Then；　when　we　rid　ourselves　of　prejudice；　or　racial　feeling；　and　look　facts　in　the　face；　we　must　acknowledge　that；　notwithstanding　the　cruelty　and　moral　wrong　of　slavery；　the　ten　million　Negroes　inhabiting　this　country；　who　themselves　or　whose　ancestors　went　through　the　school　of　American　slavery；　are　in　a　stronger　and　more　hopeful　condition；　materially；　intellectually；　morally；　and　religiously；　than　is　true　of　an　equal　number　of　black　people　in　any　other　portion　of　the　globe。　This　is　so　to　such　an　extend　that　Negroes　in　this　country；　who　themselves　or　whose　forefathers　went　through　the　school　of　slavery；　are　constantly　returning　to　Africa　as　missionaries　to　enlighten　those　who　remained　in　the　fatherland。　This　I　say；　not　to　justify　slaveryon　the　other　hand；　I　condemn　it　as　an　institution；　as　we　all　know　that　in　America　it　was　established　for　selfish　and　financial　reasons；　and　not　from　a　missionary　motivebut　to　call　attention　to　a　fact；　and　to　show　how　Providence　so　often　uses　men　and　institutions　to　accomplish　a　purpose。　When　persons　ask　me　in　these　days　how；　in　the　midst　of　what　sometimes　seem　hopelessly　discouraging　conditions；　I　can　have　such　faith　in　the　future　of　my　race　in　this　country；　I　remind　them　of　the　wilderness　through　which　and　out　of　which；　a　good　Providence　has　already　led　us。

Ever　since　I　have　been　old　enough　to　think　for　myself；　I　have　entertained　the　idea　that；　notwithstanding　the　cruel　wrongs　inflicted　upon　us；　the　black　man　got　nearly　as　much　out　of　slavery　as　the　white　man　did。　The　hurtful　influences　of　the　institution　were　not　by　any　means　confined　to　the　Negro。　This　was　fully　illustrated　by　the　life　upon　our　own　plantation。　The　whole　machinery　of　slavery　was　so　constructed　as　to　cause　labour；　as　a　rule；　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　badge　of　degradation；　of　inferiority。　Hence　labour　was　something　that　both　races　on　the　slave　plantation　sought　to　escape。　The　slave　system　on　our　place；　in　a　large　measure；　took　the　spirit　of　self…reliance　and　self…help　out　of　the　white　people。　My　old　master　had　many　boys　and　girls；　but　not　one；　so　far　as　I　know；　ever　mastered　a　single　trade　or　special　line　of　productive　industry。　The　girls　were　not　taught　to　cook；　sew；　or　to　take　care　of　the　house。　All　of　this　was　left　to　the　slaves。　The　slaves；　of　course；　had　little　personal　interest　in　the　life　of　the　plantation；　and　their　ignorance　prevented　them　from　learning　how　to　do　things　in　the　most　improved　and　thorough　manner。　As　a　result　of　the　system；　fences　were　out　of　repair；　gates　were　hanging　half　off　the　hinges；　doors　creaked；　window…panes　were　out；　plastering　had　fallen　but　was　not　replaced；　weeds　grew　in　the　yard。　As　a　rule；　there　was　food　for　whites　and　blacks；　but　inside　the　house；　and　on　the　dining…room　table；　there　was　wanting　that　delicacy　and　refinement　of　touch　and　finish　which　can　make　a　home　the　most　convenient；　comfortable；　and　attractive　place　in　the　world。　Withal　there　was　a　waste　of　food　and　other　materials　which　was　sad。　When　freedom　came；　the　slaves　were　almost　as　well　fitted　to　begin　life　anew　as　the　master；　except　in　the　matter　of　book…learning　and　ownership　of　property。　The　slave　owner　and　his　sons　had　mastered　no　special　industry。　They　unconsciously　had　imbibed　the　feeling　that　manual　labour　was　not　the　proper　thing　for　them。　On　the　other　hand；　the　slaves；　in　many　cases；　had　mastered　some　handicraft；　and　none　were　ashamed；　and　few　unwilling；　to　labour。

Finally　the　war　closed；　and　the　day　of　freedom　came。　It　was　a　momentous　and　eventful　day　to　all　upon　our　plantation。　We　had　been　expecting　it。　Freedom　was　in　the　air；　and　had　been　for　months。　Deserting　soldiers　returning　to　their　homes　were　to　be　seen　every　day。　Others　who　had　been　discharged；　or　whose　regiments　had　been　paroled；　were　constantly　passing　near　our　place。　The　〃grape…vine　telegraph〃　was