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Show 264 Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. XXXV. PREJUDICE AGAIN T COLOR. IT was a relief to 1ny mind to soc preparations for loa ving tho city. 1V c vvcnt to AJbany in the stcarnboat l{nickorbockcr. When the gong ·ounded for tea, ~Irs. Bruce said, "Linda, it is late, and yon and baby had bettor con1o to the tal>lo 'viLh 1110." I replied, " I know it i tin1o baby had her supper, but I had rather not go with you, if you plea c. I mn afraid of being in ·uHod." " 0 no, not if you are ·with 1ne," she said. I saw several white nur es go with their ladies, and I ventured to do the san1e. \Vo ·wore at the oxtro1no end of the table. I was no sooner seated, than a gruff voice saiu, " Got up! You kno'v you are not allo,ved t o sit hero." I looked up, and, to my a toniJnnont and. indignation, sa'v that the speaker was a colored n1an. If his office required hi1n to enforce tho by-la,vs of the boat, he rnigh t, at least, have do11o it politely. I r eplied, " I shall not get up, unless tho captain co1nes and takes me up." No cup of tea 'va offered 1nc, but ~Irs. Bruce handed me hers and called for another. I looked to soc ·whether tho other nurse· ·were treated in a sinlilar n1annor. They wore all properly ·waited on. Next 1norning, 'vhon \YO stopped at Troy for· breakfast, every body 'vas 1naking a rush for the table. Mrs. Bruce said, " Take 1ny arm, Linda, and ,vo'll go in together." 'rhe landlord hoard her, and said, " Madam: will you allow your nurse and Laby to take ( Prejudice Againit Color. bre~kfa. L with n1y fan1il! ? " I knew this was to be attnbutocl to n1y ~on1plox.wn; but he ·poke courteou .1 and thercJ[i rc l chd uoL Ini tHl iL. y, A.t SaraLoga. '~re fonnd Lhc l Tni ted States IIotel crO\\~dcd , and .Jfr. Bruc Look one of the cottage bclongulg to the h otel. I had thouo·ht with rrl'1(1Ile., f . . b ' b (~ ' ~, 0 go1ng to the quwt of the country, where I .·honld lnect few people, Lnt. h er o. I founcl 1ny · lf in tho 1nid. t of a swann of ~ fo uthornors. I looked ronntl1ne with foar and troinlJliug , dreading to ."ee some one who would recognize 1ne. I was r joicocl to find that we wore to stay but a short tin1e. We soon returned to N cw York, to n1akc arrano·emcnts for spending tho r c1naindcr of tho su111111er 0 at Rocka w·ay. \Vhilo tho Ian n d ro~· ·was putting the clothes in order, I t ook an oppor tun i Ly to go oYer to Brooklyn to see Ellen. I n1 t h er o·oing to a grocery store, anu the first word· she . a id, 'v ro, " 0 1nother, don t go to ~Irs. Hobb::l' ·. ITer Lroth er, ~[ r . Thorne, ha co1ne from tho south, and 1nay he h o,ll tell ·whore you arc." I accepted tho warning . I told her I \ras going away with Mrs. Bruce the n ex t uay' ~UHl would try to soc her when I can1o back. Being in orvj tude to tho 1\ nglo-Saxon race, I was not pnt into a "'Jin1 Crow car," on our "\vay to Rockaway, neither ,va, · I invited to r i< lo throno·h tho f'trccts on the top of trunks in a truek ; lntt oYory whore I found tho san1o JnanifesLations of that ernol prejudice, which so di ·couragos tho foclino·. , and rcpro.'SC · tho energies of tho color ocl peopl e. \Y e roached Rcckaway before dark, and put np aL Lho Pnsilion-a large hotel, beautifully si tna. ted by tho ~cn.-si tl o - a groat resort of ·...).... ) ) |