I really did want to hear Sojourner Truth speak (she spoke for civil rights and I was so curious...) so I asked Miss Philips very kindly if she could find out when she was going to speak next. She did this immediately and I would find out the next morning at breakfast.
~*~
That night, a thought disturbed me and would not get out of my head. It was saying continuously:
What will you do when Robert finds out that you‘re going to Sojourner Truth‘s speech? He will be firing mad! You will have to tell him sometime. Don't be a coot! Tell him how you feel! Right now!
I started to get very frustrated with myself and squeezed my face to my pillow until it felt like all of my blood drained out. I finally got so tired and my hands grew weak from pressing so hard that I fell asleep into darkness.
~*~
The next morning while I was eating my breakfast Miss Philips told me what she had heard about Sojourner Truth’s next speech. All she could say was, “This May; May of 1851.” She didn’t have the day. It could be any time from the beginning of two weeks from today to the end of May. I thanked her for the information she had gathered and even though it would probably be a long time away, I started feeling jumpy and excited in a way that makes your stomach do a flip around and then over again. I was actually going to hear Sojourner Truth speak (if I could ever figure out the day)! I couldn’t hold still at all!
~*~
Approximately two long weeks had passed before I received another letter from Robert. I read it quickly at my writing desk. The desk was bare but very dusty from all of the piles of stacked books I had just taken out of storage and the dust was blowing in my eyes and all across the letter as I read it:
Dear Isaac,
You seem to have spread luck right over me, the farm, and the weather! We have been getting plenty of rain; my slaves walk foolishly around trying to catch raindrops on their tongues with an open mouth! Although, the pollution is a bit filthy here because of all of the new factories. There is plenty of land here as well as people who need work, so they have been building more and more of them. Martin is outstanding with his work! Even with the help of other slaves, it’s hard work. Oh, if only you could see how wet and green it is here; what a marvelous sight! Of course, it is often like this here in Virginia.
My mother and father are both fine. They haven’t had any health problems at all. Well, my father has almost quit smoking. I am very upset with Clara, however; she has moved from here to the North and is against slavery now. Poor Elizabeth! She and Clara were as close to each other as two sisters could be. It is such a shame that Clara has chosen to turn against what her family believes in, as well as destroying a life-long friendship with Elizabeth. Don’t you agree?
Why are you interested in Sojourner Truth? No one should pay attention to such worthless speeches. But don’t you worry now. I don’t think you will want to waste your time on her. Trust me.
I give a lot to Martin and Josephine! I give them their own little shack to eat and sleep in, water whenever they need it, and two full meals a day! That is a lot to give a slave! Is that not too generous?
Don’t worry about me not having time to write you letters; I have plenty of time. Whenever I am not in town, with friends, or out with the slaves I have time. Well, it was nice writing to you; reply soon.
Yours Always,
Robert Post
Ha! He thinks that sleeping on a pile of straw is all that his slaves deserve! And they slave away all day in the corn fields; all day! I had to admit that I was very upset with the way that he insulted Sojourner Truth. I was starting to sour on with Robert. I felt like I wanted to burst open like an old carnival balloon! But he was not to upset me! I had my mind set on going to her speech and that was what I was going to do!
I sure hoped that President Lincoln would do something about this slavery business. Some people, like Robert, were keeping their slaves illegally. He had already passed the Emancipation Proclamation, but obviously that wasn’t enough. We needed more than just abolishing slavery through the Thirteenth Amendment. Maybe we needed another amendment...
~*~
“Mr. Matthews,” Miss Philips declared the next day, as she sat in the Windsor Chair, “Mr. Watson, the barber, has something to say to you.”
“What is this all about?” I was very curious now and wanted to know, there and then, what was going on.
“Well, I'm not sure, sir. He wants you to see him.”
~*~
When different shops started popping up on the roads with every step, I knew I was getting close to the Barber's Store. I passed many people in the uniforms from the war (black boots, navy blue outfit, and gold buttons down the front side of the uniform); men, of course, because women weren't allowed to fight. I also heard a terrible scream from an unhappy child. It was coming from a midwife's home. Most of the women who became midwives didn't have any training in advance. After a few paces I saw the familiar sign and curiously walked into the room. I looked up, down, and around at all of the portraits crammed around the wall (including a painting of a few different pastries, which had become more and more popular) until my head felt like it was spinning around and around when I was really standing still facing Mr. Watson.
“How do you do?”
“Oh, I’m fine. Miss Philips said you had to tell me something.” I brought forth.
“Oh yes,” he said, “I have heard from Miss Philips that you are interested in going to Sojourner Truth’s next speech. Am I right? Because I heard from someone else that she speaks today.”
“Really? I thought I had missed her because it is only a few more days until May is over. Well thank you, Mr. Watson. Have a nice day.”
“Tell Miss Phillips that next time she needs a hair trim, that if she sees me, she won’t need to pay a copper. My treat.”
With that I set off for home. As always, it was a nice walk down the streets of Trenton. I passed by chaises, barouches, buggies, and Accommodations driven by horses like broomtails and cobs on my way back. I also passed by a couple playing croquet, a popular new game to America.
When I reached the front porch I leaped inside the door, slammed it behind me, and when I saw Miss Philips, who was playing her harmonica, one of the most common musical instruments, I quickly gave her a summary of what I had heard. I was talking so fast that my tongue couldn’t keep up with my words. I knew that if I did go to the speech, I could miss out on a number of things like horse races, dances, oyster parties, and plays, because these kinds of things were going on daily, but I didn't mind.
~*~
By the time I had got to where I was supposed to be, Sojourner Truth had just started her speech. She was wearing a big banner over her chest that said PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGH THE LAND UNTIL ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF. She spoke:
“Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ’twixt the Negroes of the South and the women of the North, and talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place anywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I could have ploughed or planted, or gathered into barns, and no man as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen them most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?”
By the time she was finished, my mouth was hanging wide open, so that my lips and tongue were very dry. The crowd had erupted into loud cheers and cries. She spoke for what she believed in with a great passion, even though what she was speaking for was against the law. I really respected that.
~*~