up from slavery-第5部分

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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　kept　busy　night　and　day。　The　news　and　mutterings　of　great　events　were　swiftly　carried　from　one　plantation　to　another。　In　the　fear　of　〃Yankee〃　invasions；　the　silverware　and　other　valuables　were　taken　from　the　〃big　house；〃　buried　in　the　woods；　and　guarded　by　trusted　slaves。　Woe　be　to　any　one　who　would　have　attempted　to　disturb　the　buried　treasure。　The　slaves　would　give　the　Yankee　soldiers　food；　drink；　clothinganything　but　that　which　had　been　specifically　intrusted　to　their　care　and　honour。　As　the　great　day　drew　nearer；　there　was　more　singing　in　the　slave　quarters　than　usual。　It　was　bolder；　had　more　ring；　and　lasted　later　into　the　night。　Most　of　the　verses　of　the　plantation　songs　had　some　reference　to　freedom。　True；　they　had　sung　those　same　verses　before；　but　they　had　been　careful　to　explain　that　the　〃freedom〃　in　these　songs　referred　to　the　next　world；　and　had　no　connection　with　life　in　this　world。　Now　they　gradually　threw　off　the　mask；　and　were　not　afraid　to　let　it　be　known　that　the　〃freedom〃　in　their　songs　meant　freedom　of　the　body　in　this　world。　The　night　before　the　eventful　day；　word　was　sent　to　the　slave　quarters　to　the　effect　that　something　unusual　was　going　to　take　place　at　the　〃big　house〃　the　next　morning。　There　was　little；　if　any；　sleep　that　night。　All　as　excitement　and　expectancy。　Early　the　next　morning　word　was　sent　to　all　the　slaves；　old　and　young；　to　gather　at　the　house。　In　company　with　my　mother；　brother；　and　sister；　and　a　large　number　of　other　slaves；　I　went　to　the　master's　house。　All　of　our　master's　family　were　either　standing　or　seated　on　the　veranda　of　the　house；　where　they　could　see　what　was　to　take　place　and　hear　what　was　said。　There　was　a　feeling　of　deep　interest；　or　perhaps　sadness；　on　their　faces；　but　not　bitterness。　As　I　now　recall　the　impression　they　made　upon　me；　they　did　not　at　the　moment　seem　to　be　sad　because　of　the　loss　of　property；　but　rather　because　of　parting　with　those　whom　they　had　reared　and　who　were　in　many　ways　very　close　to　them。　The　most　distinct　thing　that　I　now　recall　in　connection　with　the　scene　was　that　some　man　who　seemed　to　be　a　stranger　（a　United　States　officer；　I　presume）　made　a　little　speech　and　then　read　a　rather　long　paperthe　Emancipation　Proclamation；　I　think。　After　the　reading　we　were　told　that　we　were　all　free；　and　could　go　when　and　where　we　pleased。　My　mother；　who　was　standing　by　my　side；　leaned　over　and　kissed　her　children；　while　tears　of　joy　ran　down　her　cheeks。　She　explained　to　us　what　it　all　meant；　that　this　was　the　day　for　which　she　had　been　so　long　praying；　but　fearing　that　she　would　never　live　to　see。

For　some　minutes　there　was　great　rejoicing；　and　thanksgiving；　and　wild　scenes　of　ecstasy。　But　there　was　no　feeling　of　bitterness。　In　fact；　there　was　pity　among　the　slaves　for　our　former　owners。　The　wild　rejoicing　on　the　part　of　the　emancipated　coloured　people　lasted　but　for　a　brief　period；　for　I　noticed　that　by　the　time　they　returned　to　their　cabins　there　was　a　change　in　their　feelings。　The　great　responsibility　of　being　free；　of　having　charge　of　themselves；　of　having　to　think　and　plan　for　themselves　and　their　children；　seemed　to　take　possession　of　them。　It　was　very　much　like　suddenly　turning　a　youth　of　ten　or　twelve　years　out　into　the　world　to　provide　for　himself。　In　a　few　hours　the　great　questions　with　which　the　Anglo…Saxon　race　had　been　grappling　for　centuries　had　been　thrown　upon　these　people　to　be　solved。　These　were　the　questions　of　a　home；　a　living；　the　rearing　of　children；　education；　citizenship；　and　the　establishment　and　support　of　churches。　Was　it　any　wonder　that　within　a　few　hours　the　wild　rejoicing　ceased　and　a　feeling　of　deep　gloom　seemed　to　pervade　the　slave　quarters？　To　some　it　seemed　that；　now　that　they　were　in　actual　possession　of　it；　freedom　was　a　more　serious　thing　than　they　had　expected　to　find　it。　Some　of　the　slaves　were　seventy　or　eighty　years　old；　their　best　days　were　gone。　They　had　no　strength　with　which　to　earn　a　living　in　a　strange　place　and　among　strange　people；　even　if　they　had　been　sure　where　to　find　a　new　place　of　abode。　To　this　class　the　problem　seemed　especially　hard。　Besides；　deep　down　in　their　hearts　there　was　a　strange　and　peculiar　attachment　to　〃old　Marster〃　and　〃old　Missus；〃　and　to　their　children；　which　they　found　it　hard　to　think　of　breaking　off。　With　these　they　had　spent　in　some　cases　nearly　a　half…century；　and　it　was　no　light　thing　to　think　of　parting。　Gradually；　one　by　one；　stealthily　at　first；　the　older　slaves　began　to　wander　from　the　slave　quarters　back　to　the　〃big　house〃　to　have　a　whispered　conversation　with　their　former　owners　as　to　the　future。



Chapter　II。　Boyhood　Days

After　the　coming　of　freedom　there　were　two　points　upon　which　practically　all　the　people　on　our　place　were　agreed；　and　I　found　that　this　was　generally　true　throughout　the　South：　that　they　must　change　their　names；　and　that　they　must　leave　the　old　plantation　for　at　least　a　few　days　or　weeks　in　order　that　they　might　really　feel　sure　that　they　were　free。

In　some　way　a　feeling　got　among　the　coloured　people　that　it　was　far　from　proper　for　them　to　bear　th