按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
situationwithout home or friendswithout money
or creditwanting shelter； and no one to give it
wanting bread； and no money to buy it；and at the
same time let him feel that he is pursued by merci…
less men…hunters； and in total darkness as to what
to do； where to go； or where to stay；perfectly help…
less both as to the means of defence and means of
escape；in the midst of plenty； yet suffering the ter…
rible gnawings of hunger；in the midst of houses；
yet having no home；among fellow…men； yet feeling
as if in the midst of wild beasts； whose greediness
to swallow up the trembling and half…famished fugi…
tive is only equalled by that with which the monsters
of the deep swallow up the helpless fish upon which
they subsist；I say； let him be placed in this most
trying situation；the situation in which I was placed；
then； and not till then； will he fully appreciate the
hardships of； and know how to sympathize with； the
toil…worn and whip…scarred fugitive slave。
Thank Heaven； I remained but a short time in
this distressed situation。 I was relieved from it by the
humane hand of Mr。 DAVID RUGGLES； whose vigi…
lance； kindness； and perseverance； I shall never for…
get。 I am glad of an opportunity to express； as far as
words can； the love and gratitude I bear him。 Mr。
Ruggles is now afflicted with blindness； and is him…
self in need of the same kind offices which he was
once so forward in the performance of toward others。
I had been in New York but a few days； when Mr。
Ruggles sought me out； and very kindly took me
to his boarding…house at the corner of Church and
Lespenard Streets。 Mr。 Ruggles was then very deeply
engaged in the memorable ~Darg~ case； as well as at…
tending to a number of other fugitive slaves； devis…
ing ways and means for their successful escape； and；
though watched and hemmed in on almost every
side； he seemed to be more than a match for his
enemies。
Very soon after I went to Mr。 Ruggles； he wished
to know of me where I wanted to go； as he deemed
it unsafe for me to remain in New York。 I told him
I was a calker； and should like to go where I could
get work。 I thought of going to Canada； but he de…
cided against it； and in favor of my going to New
Bedford； thinking I should be able to get work there
at my trade。 At this time； Anna；* my intended wife；
came on； for I wrote to her immediately after my
arrival at New York； （notwithstanding my homeless；
houseless； and helpless condition；） informing her of
my successful flight； and wishing her to come on
forthwith。 In a few days after her arrival； Mr。 Rug…
gles called in the Rev。 J。 W。 C。 Pennington； who； in
the presence of Mr。 Ruggles； Mrs。 Michaels； and
two or three others； performed the marriage cere…
mony； and gave us a certificate； of which the fol…
lowing is an exact copy：
〃This may certify； that I joined together in holy
matrimony Frederick Johnson＋ and Anna Murray； as
man and wife； in the presence of Mr。 David Ruggles
and Mrs。 Michaels。
〃JAMES W。 C。 PENNINGTON
〃NEW YORK； SEPT。 15； 1838〃
Upon receiving this certificate； and a five…dollar
bill from Mr。 Ruggles； I shouldered one part of our
baggage； and Anna took up the other； and we set
out forthwith to take passage on board of the steam…
boat John W。 Richmond for Newport； on our way
to New Bedford。 Mr。 Ruggles gave me a letter to a
Mr。 Shaw in Newport； and told me； in case my
money did not serve me to New Bedford； to stop in
Newport and obtain further assistance； but upon our
*She was free。
＋I had changed my name from Frederick BAILEY
to that of JOHNSON。
arrival at Newport； we were so anxious to get to a
place of safety； that； notwithstanding we lacked the
necessary money to pay our fare； we decided to take
seats in the stage； and promise to pay when we got
to New Bedford。 We were encouraged to do this by
two excellent gentlemen； residents of New Bedford；
whose names I afterward ascertained to be Joseph
Ricketson and William C。 Taber。 They seemed at
once to understand our circumstances； and gave us
such assurance of their friendliness as put us fully
at ease in their presence。 It was good indeed to meet
with such friends； at such a time。 Upon reaching
New Bedford； we were directed to the house of Mr。
Nathan Johnson； by whom we were kindly received；
and hospitably provided for。 Both Mr。 and Mrs。
Johnson took a deep and lively interest in our wel…
fare。 They proved themselves quite worthy of the
name of abolitionists。 When the stage…driver found
us unable to pay our fare； he held on upon our bag…
gage as security for the debt。 I had but to mention
the fact to Mr。 Johnson； and he forthwith advanced
the money。
We now began to feel a degree of safety； and to
prepare ourselves for the duties and responsibilities
of a life of freedom。 On the morning after our ar…
rival at New Bedford； while at the breakfast…table；
the question arose as to what name I should be
called by。 The name given me by my mother was；
〃Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey。〃 I； how…
ever； had dispensed with the two middle names long
before I left Maryland so that I was generally known
by the name of 〃Frederick Bailey。〃 I started from
Baltimore bearing the name of 〃Stanley。〃 When I
got to New York； I again changed my name to 〃Fred…
erick Johnson；〃 and thought that would be the last
change。 But when I got to New Bedford； I found it
necessary again to change my name。 The reason of
this necessity was； that there were so many Johnsons
in New Bedford； it was already quite difficult to
distinguish between them。 I gave Mr。 Johnson the
privilege of choosing me a name； but told him he
must not take from me the name of 〃Frederick。〃
I must hold on to that； to preserve a sense of my
identity。 Mr。 Johnson had just been reading the
〃Lady of the Lake；〃 and at once suggested that my
name be 〃Douglass。〃 From that time until now I
have been called 〃Frederick Douglass；〃 and as I am
more widely known by that name than by either of
the others； I shall continue to use it as my own。
I was quite disappointed at the general appear…
ance of things in New Bedford。 The impression
which I had received respecting the character and
condition of the people of the north； I found to be
singularly erroneous。 I had very strangely supposed；
while in slavery； that few of the comforts； and
scarcely any of the luxuries； of life were enjoyed at
the north； compared with what were enjoyed by the
slaveholders of the south。 I probably came to this
conclusion from the fact that northern people owned
no slaves。 I supposed that they were about upon a
level with the non…slaveholding population of the
south。 I knew ~they~ were exceedingly poor； and I had
been accustomed to regard their poverty as the nec…
essary consequence of their being non…slaveholders。
I had some