Page:The Afro-American Press.djvu/400

392 "Let but our people once unite,

Stand firmly as a race,

Prejudice, error, strong to light,

Each hero in his place,

"And not a favored few demand

Bribes of gold, position,

While many freemen in our land

Bewail their hard condition,

"Liberty, truly, outs will be,

And error pass away;

And then no longer shall we see

Injustice hold her sway.

"As Americans we shall stand,

Respected by all men;

An honored race in this fair land,

So praised by word and pen.

"And those to come will never know

The pain we suffered here;

In peace shall vow, in peace shall plow,

With naught to stay or fear."

Said Naomi: "You may be right;

God grant it as you say.

I've often heard the darkest night

Gives way to brightest day."

This young lady, as will be seen from an extract of a letter to the author which we take the liberty to produce, is fully alive to the work of the press and the demand for active laborers. She writes: "Allow me to say, that I think my work as a writer but barely begun, for, God helping mo, I mean to become one of no mean caliber. I regard the press as one of the mightiest factors that more this universe of ours. So great is its influence, so powerful its results, I verily believe that if we, through any unseen force, should lose our free press, our republic would be shattered. It is my aim to become an authoress, because, chiefly, having been strengthened by good books myself, I would like to give to my country and people a like pleasure."