Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 803   Enlarge and print image (55K)

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Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 803   Enlarge and print image (55K)

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772 fBS UNDERGROUND BAIL ROAD, From Columbians, February 20th, she wrote concerning her work, and presented the " lights and shades " of affairs aa they came under her notice. " I am almost constantly either traveling or speaking. I do not think that I have mined more than one Sunday that I have not addressed tome Sunday-school, and 1 have not mined many day-echooli either. And as I am giving all my lectures free the proceeds of the collections are not often very large; still 88 ignorant as part of the people are perhaps • number of them would not bear at all, and may be prejudice others if I charged even ten cents, and eo perhaps in the long ion, even if my work is wearing, I may be of some real benefit to my race. * * I don't know bat that you would laugh if yon were to hew Borne of the remarks which my lectures call forth: ' She is a man,' again ' She is not colored, she is painted.' Both while and colored come out to hear me, and I have very fine meetings; and then part of the time I am talking in between times, and how tired I am some of tbn time. Still I am standing with my race on the threshold of a new era, «od though some be far past me in the learning of the schools, yet to-day, with my limited and fragmentary knowledge, I may help the race forward a little. Borne of our people remind me of sheep without a shepherd." PRIVATE LECTURES TO PKEEDWOMEN. Desiring to speak to women who have been the objects of so much wrong and abuse under Slavery, and even since Emancipation, in a state of ignorance, not accessible always to those who would or could urge the proper kind of education respecting their morals aud general improvement, Mrs. Harper has made it her business not to overlook this all important duty to her poor Bisters. The following extract taken from a letter dated " Greenville, Georgia, March 29th," will show what she was doing in this direction : " But really my bands are almost constantly fall of work; sometimes I apeak twice a day. Part of my lectures are given privately to women, and for them I never make any charge, or take up any collection. But this part of the country reminds me of heathen ground, and though my work may not be recognized aa part of it used to be in the North, yet never perhaps were my services more needed; and according to their intelligence and means perhaps never better appreciated than here among these lowly people. I am now going to have a private meeting with the women of this place if they will come out. I am going to talk with them about their daughters, and about things connected with the welfare of the race. Now is the time for our women to begin to try to lift Dp their headn aed plant the roots of progress under the hearthstone. Last eight I spoke in a school-bouse, where there was not, to my knowledge, a single window glass; to-day I writ* to you in a lowly cabin, where the windows in the room are formed by two apertures in the wall There w a wide-spread and almost universal appearance of poverty in this State where I have been, but thus far I have seen no, or scarcely any, pauperism. I am not eure that I have seen any. The climate is so fine, so little cold that poor people tan liv« off of lota than they can in the North. Last night my table was .'adorned with roses, although I did not get one cent for my lecture. * * * * " Th« political heavens are getting somewhat overcast. Some of this old rebel element, I think, »i« in favor of taking »w»y the colored man'a vote, »nd if he lose* it now it may be generations before be get* it again. Well, after all perhaps the colored man generally k not really developed enough to value his vote and equality with other neta, so be gets enough to eat and drink, «nd be comfortable, perhaps the loae of bis rote would