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| 758 THE UNDERGROUND SAIL ROAD. a friend referring to this outrage, Mrs. Harper thus wrote: "Upon that grave I pledged myself to the Anti-Slavery cause." Having thus decided, she wrote in a subsequent letter, "It may be that God himself has written upon both my heart and brain a commission to use time, talent and energy in the cause of freedom." In this abiding faith she came to Philadelphia, hoping that the way would open for usefulness, and to publish her little book (above referred to). She visited the Anti-Slavery Office and read Anti-Slavery documents with great avidity; in the mean time making her home at the station of the Underground Rail Road, where she frequently saw passengers and heard their melting tales of suffering and wrong, which intensely increased her sympathy in their behalf. Although anxious to enter the Anti-Slavery field as a worker, her modesty prevented her from pressing her claims; consequently as she was but little known, being a young and homeless maiden (an exile by law), no especial encouragement was tendered her by Anti-Slavery friends in Philadelphia. During her stay in Philadelphia she published some verses entitled, "Eliza Harris crossing the River on the Ice." It was deemed best to delay the issuing of the book. After spending some weeks in Philadelphia, she concluded to visit Boston. Here she was treated with the kindness cliarauteristic of the friends in the Auti-Slavery Office whom she visited, but only made a brief stay, after •which she proceeded to New Bedford, the " hot-bed of the fugitives" in Massachusetts, where by invitation she addressed a public meeting on the subject of Education and the Elevation -of the CoJored Race. The occasion and result of the commencement of her public career was thus given by her own pen in a letter dated August, 1854: " Well, I am out lecturing. I have lectured every night this week; besides addressed a Sunday-school, and I shall speak, if nothing prevent, to-night. My lectures have met •with success. Last night I lectured in a white church in Providence. Mr. Gardener was present, and made the estimate of about six hundred persona. Never, perhaps, was a speaker, old or young, favored with a more attentive audience. * * * My voice ia not wanting in strength, as I am aware of, to reach pretty well over the bouse. The church was the Roger Williams; the pastor, a Mr. Furoell, who appeared to be a kind and Christian man. * * * My maiden lecture was Monday night in New Bedford on the Elevation and Education of our People. Perhaps as intellectual a place as any I was ever at of its size." Having thus won her \vay to a favorable position as a lecturer, the following month she was engaged by the State Anti-Slavery Society of Maine, with what success appears from one of her letters bearing date — Bucks-town Centre, Sept 28, 1854: "The agent of the State Anti-Slavery Society of Maine travels with me, and she is a pleawnt, dear, sweet lady. I do like her BO. We travel together, eat together, and sleep |