If you will accept of my arm, I will accompany you to the other
car--if you will not permit the child to go there alone, you had better go
quietly with him."
"Oh, what is the use of so much talk about it? Why don't you hustle the old
thing out," remarked a bystander, the respectability of whose appearance
contrasted broadly with his manners; "she is some crack-brained
abolitionist. Making so much fuss about a little nigger! Let her go into
the nigger car--she'll be more at home there."
Mrs. Bird, seeing the uselessness of contention, accepted the proffered
escort of the gentleman before mentioned, and was followed out of the cars
by the conductor and his blackguard assistants, all of them highly elated
by the victory they had won over a defenceless old woman and a feeble
little boy.
Mrs. Bird shrunk back, as they opened the door of the car that had been set
apart for coloured persons, and such objectionable whites as were not
admitted to the first-class cars. "Oh, what a wretched place!" she
exclaimed, as she surveyed the rough pine timbers and dirty floor; "I would
not force a dog to ride in such a filthy place."
"Oh, don't stay here, ma'am; never mind me--I shall get on by myself well
enough, I dare say," said Charlie; "it is too nasty a place for you to stay
in.
Pages:
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171