Free At Last: A Story of the Underground Railroad, Part 5
Abolitionists are gathered for a meeting in the Phillips home. The complacent Christian that Adelaide Walker had talked to under her umbrella is a visitor tonight. Adelaide stands on a stool to tell the group about her recent narrow escape. Two slave owners held revolvers to her face while she traveled by train from Toledo to Cincinnati, but the train conductor came to her rescue.
The abolitionists sing a song about emancipation, called “Get Off the Track.” I like this verse especially:
Politicians gazed, astounded,
When, at first, our bell resournded:
Freight trains are coming. Tell these foxes
With our votes and ballot boxes.
Jump for your lives! Jump for your lives!
Jump for your lives, politicians,
From your dangerous false positions.
Sounds like angry political talk is nothing new!
After Jed Phillips dismisses those at the meeting, the formerly complacent Christian tells Adelaide: “You can call me an abolitionist now, too.”
With only Adelaide and the Phillips family still in the room, a sudden knock is heard at the door. Danny Baker enters, asking Jed if he can take in two passengers for the night.
Jed answers: “If you think it’s safe . . . There could be a spy about the place somewhere.”
Suddenly Mariah and Willie come through the door. When Danny says that he told them to stay in their hiding spot, Mariah answers that she heard dogs and got scared.
Mariah tells the Phillips family that she has a baby girl, too, but she hasn’t seen her in two days. Danny explains that he and Charlotte must have had some mix-up about the next stop.
When everyone hears dogs barking outside, Jed tries to get first Willie and then Mariah into the cellar.
Before Mariah can get in, the door bursts open and Elias Craig and Henry Collins and Frank enter.
When Elias tells Mariah that he is going to take all three of them to New Orleans to the auction block, she tells him: “We’s human beings, and my chilluns don’t belong on nobody’s auction block. It’s going to be an awful thing up younder when dey hold judgment on de way dat things was done down here!”
When he asks who she thinks she is to talk to him like that, Mariah responds: “I’s a human being, same as you.”
When a knock is heard at the door again, Charlotte asks Jed if she can come. He reluctantly opens the door and Charlotte enters, bringing Bess.
Bess runs to her mother, tells her she was a brave strong girl, and asks if they are safe in Canada now.
Elias Craig runs his fingers through his hair and sighs. When Henry Collins tells Elias he has a job to do, Elias tells Willie, “Let’s go.”
Willie asks, “Where?” Elias shocks everyone in the room when he answers, “North.”
Elias goes on to explain that he has a girl back home about the same size as Bess. He said, “I just closed my eyes and I saw my Hannah standing on an auction block. And that was enough.”
Henry Collins questions Elias. Elias tells Mr. Collins that he has to take this little girl to Canada and he reckons that her mama and brother won’t want her to go alone. He gives Mr. Collins the money he would have gotten for his three slaves in New Orleans.
When Jed Phillips wonders if this is all some kind of trap, Adelaide Walker reminds him that: “The apostle Paul preached the faith he once tried to destroy. It can happen. And it does.”
Little Frank Collins says to Willie: “But you don’t have any shoes,” before taking his off and giving them to Willie.
Frank also apologizes to Willie for letting him get beaten when he was actually the one who broke the hoe. Frank and his dumbfounded father exit the Phillips home.
Bess asks her mama, “We gonna be free, Mama?” Mariah answers:
The lights went out before the back lighting came up again and the entire cast sings, “Free at Last!”
This is what the apostle Paul said about his own past and about his transformation.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
among whom I am foremost of all.
Yet for this reason I found mercy,
so that in me as the foremost,
Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience
as an example for those
who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:15-16