Page:William Wells Brown - The Escape Or, A Leap for Freedom; a Drama in Five Acts.pdf/39

 We're whipped and thrashed about like fools, And have no chance at common schools. [Chorus.]

They take our wives, insult and mock, And sell our children on the block, They choke us if we say a word, And say that "niggers" shan't be heard. [Chorus.]

Our preachers, too, with whip and cord, Command obedience in the Lord; They say they learn it from the big book, But for ourselves, we dare not look. [Chorus.]

There is a country far away, I think they call it Canada, And if we reach Victoria's shore, They say that we are slaves no more. Now haste, all bondmen, let us go, And leave this Christian country, Oh; Haste to the land of the British Queen, Where whips for negroes are not seen.

Now, if we go, we must take the night, And never let them come in sight; The bloodhounds will be on our track, And wo to us if they fetch us back. Now haste all bondmen, let us go, And leave this Christian country, Oh; God help us to Victoria's shore, Where we are free and slaves no more!

Enter ,

Mrs. Gaines. Ah! Cato, you're ready, are you? Where is Hannah?

Cato. Yes, missis; I is bin waitin' dis long time. Hannah has bin here tryin' to swade me to tell you dat I don't want her; but I telled her dat you sed I must jump de broomstick wid her, an' I is gwine to mind you.

Mrs. G. That's right, Cato; servants should always mind their masters and mistresses, without asking a question.

Cato. Yes, missis, I allers dose what you and massa tells me, an' axes nobody.

Enter ,

Mrs. Gaines. Ah! Hannah; come, we are waiting for you. Nothing can be done till you come.