Sojourner Truth

Batiík Cbbk, Mieh., April 10. I write to thank you for publishing the few thoughts I sent tbe Ínter Ocean last New Year's. Your papor is so widely circulated that many of'my time friends, who had sight of lúe, have found I still live in Michigan, akhough the wrong town was given. My horue is in Batlle Creek, wliere I have livcd the last twenty years. Many kind and cnoouraging letters have come to me froiu distant lates, as well as orders tor my books aad phutographs, all brouglit about through your kindnesa. I liave said for many years that the newspaper is the la-t, rospel, which carries good tidings to uil the worid ; and the course you have taken toward the refafteea trom southern cruelty proves its truth. You have pickci 11 f tliis uiutilated hutnan brother, .-o to speak, dresscd his wounds, -et liiin on your own beaat, have taken liim to the waysido ino and enlisted the sympathy ( f the kind-hearted landlord to for li i ni tiU ho can care for bini if'. TirE INTER O' KL. Yours is the only paper, as far as I know, that has carried this gospel of humanity to distant citic, towns, and bamlets, awakening an interest the heartsof the benevolcnt to luxoiah material aid to re lieve this great distress. A year ago I wint to Kan-a-i to see the exoditos, as they are called. And Buch a sight! I have not langmage to t''ll you what rags and wretchi luesa and liungcr and poverty I saw ng t hem. But froui out of this degradation good has already oome, for tlie coiored olor has helped make Kansas a prohibition state. Governor 8t John, wbo is rightly naiiied, and is in the right place, stiys the refugee vote was unanimously cast to secure the passage of the prohibition bil). This is but one of the blessings the people will bring to the home of their adoption. They mi-tly cultívate tbi' sofl aud buy land as soon as pOssible. ïhus they will becotue M-lf-supporting and a revenue to the state. After the slaves were freed I traveled four years getting signers to a petition asking congress to E PUBLIC LANDS T THE KX-SLA VES and settle them thereon. I got thousands of names to my petition, and took them to ooogress. The civil rights bill was up and crowded mine out, although iny bill had the approval of Senator Sumner, Gneral Butler, General Howard, and others of this class. A coiored man in Kansas said tome lastsumuier: "That 'ere civil rights bill killed a great many niggers." Had my jd'an succodeil, a great amount of suflering would have been avoided. But they are coming by thousands and last innking for theuise'.vos western homes, and I hope to liveaootlier hundred years to wit- the prosperity of my people. l have not been able to leave my home this nulement winter, but when the pleas ant weatber comes l hope to go out and meet the people once more. I belicve the bord has spared me to this great age of 106 years to teach the people. I have a message for tlieoi, fresh from the fountain of all truth. lt is not borrowed from books, for I cannot real them. I díctate my letters, but a friend's hand moves the pen. People oft-times express sorrow that I cannot read and say : ' Sujourner, you ought to learn to read the Bible." I teil them I have a Bible in me. Please say to the people of Chicago that I hope to bold a meeting in one of their st halls this spring, and shall expect a lull attraduKM. Thanking you once more tbr your kindness, I bid you farewell. Sojoükner Truth. 1'. S.- Allcomniunicationsfor meshould ;,! to Mrs. Francés VV, Titus, P. O. Box, 1,544, Battle Creek, Mich. AN ANECDOTI OP 8OJOURNER, An amusing anecdote of Sojourner Truth uaed to '- rolated by the late lamented Lydia Marii ('Mild. Mrs. Child was presiiling at an anti-slavery meeting, where a number of the speakers had inveighed agajost tbe apathy manifestad by the chinches toward the cause of human freedom. Aftcr a time a gentleman with a white ueokeloth and a face glowiog with excitement of indignation arose in his place, and ask. d whetbet that was an ocoasion where free speech was lo be permitted. "Of course it is," said Mrs. Child; "free speech ia ju.-t wbat we demand for Itm und want others to enjoy. If you have anything to say come up here on the platform, and say it in welcosie." The invitation was accepted, and the politieman, after one or two vain efforts to choke down his risiog wrath and assume an afipearance of coolness, remarked : " 1 am an orthodox minister of the gospel. I oame here this afternoon to hear some of the eloquence and wit which I understood were so abundant at these meetings ; but instead of that I have thus far listened to little save insults hcaped upon the clergy. It is the first time I ever thrust my presence upon you: it will be the last. I can find a better use for my leisure hours than attendance upon gathering8 where the only speakers are women and jackasses !" Be paused. There was dead silence for a moment through the hall. Then Sojourner Truth slowly rose from one of' the rear seats, and addresscd the chair: " The gentleman tells us he's a minister of the gospel," she said, " and so heprobably knows what's in the scripture. There was another uiini-tcr, a long time ago, named Balaam. He gotmighty mad, too, at an ass that spoke. But, Missus Chairman, l'd like to remind the gentleman that it was the ass, and not the minister, tbat saw the angel."