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Sojourner Truth - Sample

The subject of this biography, Sojourner Truth, as she now calls herself but whose name, originally, was Isabella was born, as near as she can now calculate, between the years 1797 and 1800. She was the daughter of James and Betsey, slaves of one Colonel Ardinburgh, Hurley, Ulster County, New York. Colonel Ardinburgh belonged to that class of people called Low Dutch.

Of her first master, she can give no account, as she must have been a mere infant when he died; and she, with her parents and some ten or twelve other fellow human chattels, became the legal property of his son, Charles Ardinburgh. She distinctly remembers hearing her father and mother say, that their lot was a fortunate one, as Master Charles was the best of the family,-being, comparatively speaking, a kind master to his slaves.

James and Betsey having, by their faithfulness, docility, and respectful behavior, won his particular regard, received from him particular favors-among which was a lot of land, lying back on the slope of a mountain, where, by improving the pleasant evenings and Sundays, they managed to raise a little tobacco, corn, or flax; which they exchanged for extras, in the articles of food or clothing for themselves and children. She has no remembrance that Saturday afternoon was ever added to their own time, as it is by some masters in the Southern States...

...At length, the never-to-be-forgotten day of the terrible auction arrived, when the 'slaves, horses, and other cattle' of Charles Ardinburgh, deceased, were to be put under the hammer, and again change masters. Not only Isabella and Peter, but their mother, were now destined to the auction block, and would have been struck off with the rest to the highest bidder...

THE NARRATIVE OF SOJOURNER TRUTH:

HER BIRTH AND PARENTAGE
ACCOMMODATIONS
HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS
HER RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
THE AUCTION
DEATH OF MAU-MAU BETT
LAST DAYS OF BOMEFREE
DEATH OF BOMEFREE
COMMENCEMENT OF ISABELLA'S TRIALS IN LIFE TRIALS CONTINUED
HER STANDING WITH HER NEW MASTER AND MISTRESS ISABELLA'S MARRIAGE
ISABELLA AS A MOTHER
SLAVEHOLDER'S PROMISES
HER ESCAPE
ILLEGAL SALE OF HER SON
IT IS OFTEN DARKEST JUST BEFORE DAWN DEATH OF MRS. ELIZA FOWLER
ISABELLA'S RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
NEW TRIALS
FINDING A BROTHER AND SISTER
GLEANINGS
THE MATTHIAS DELUSION
FASTING
THE CAUSE OF HER LEAVING THE CITY
THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSING A TRAVELLER A NIGHT'S LODGING SOME OF HER VIEWS AND REASONINGS
THE SECOND ADVENT DOCTRINES
ANOTHER CAMP-MEETING
LAST INTERVIEW WITH HER MASTER