Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acquainted Anne Northup appearance arrival Aunt Phebe Bass Bayou Bœuf Big Cane Boeuf Burch cabin called Champlain canal Chapin Cheneyville colored corn cotton field deponent dogs door Edwin Epps Eliza Emily entered eyes fear feet Ford's Fort Edward free citizen freedom Freeman Glens Falls ground hand heard heart Holmesville Huff Power hundred Jim Burns knew labor lash length letter liberty living looked Louisiana manner Marksville Master Epps Master Ford miles Mintus Northup mistress morning mule never New-Orleans New-York nigger night overseer parish of Avoyelles passed Patsey piazza Pine Woods plantation planter Platt Radburn reached Red River resided Sandy Hill Saratoga sheriff side slave pen slavery Solomon Northup soon standing sugar swamp thought Tibeats tion Uncle Abram utter violin voice Waddill walked Washington Washington county WASHINGTON HUNT whip wife Wiley yard
Popular passages
Page 230 - Practice makes perfect," truly ; and during my eight years' experience as a driver, I learned to handle the whip with marvelous dexterity and precision, throwing the lash within a hair's breadth of the back, the ear, the nose, without, however, touching either of them. If Epps was observed at a distance, or we had reason to
Page 275 - Oh, blessings on his kindly voice and on his silver hair, And blessings on his whole life long, until he meet me there.
Page 324 - Harper's creek and roarin' ribber, Thar, my dear, we'll live forebber; Den we'll go to de Ingin nation, All I want in dis creation, Is pretty little wife and big plantation. CHORUS. Up dat oak and down dat ribber, Two overseers and one little nigger.
Page 225 - the brief deliverance from fear, and from the lash, producing an entire metamorphosis in their appearance and demeanor. In visiting, riding, renewing old friendships, or, perchance, reviving some old attachment, or pursuing whatever pleasure may suggest itself, the time is occupied. Such is " southern life as it is," three days in the year, as I found
Page 224 - remain and labor on the plantation, in which case they are paid for it. It is very rarely, however, that the latter alternative is accepted. They may be seen at these times hurrying in all directions, as happy looking mortals as can be found on the face of the earth. They are different
Page 210 - are those halfclad, half-starved and miserable; nevertheless, the institution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanity as I have witnessed, is a cruel, unjust, and barbarous one. Men may write fictions portraying lowly life as it is, or as it is not—may expatiate with owlish gravity upon the bliss of
Page 210 - with him in trustful confidence, of " life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and they will find that ninetynine out of every hundred are intelligent enough to understand their situation, and to cherish in their bosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as
Page 277 - Gentlemen—It having been a long time since I have seen or heard from you, and not knowing that you are living, it is with uncertainty that I write to you, but the necessity of the case must be my excuse.
Page 82 - The planter from Baton Rouge, with his new purchases, was ready to depart. " Don't cry, mama. I will be a good boy. Don't cry," said Randall, looking back^ as they passed out of the door. What has become of the lad, God knows. It was a mournful scene indeed. I would have cried myself if I had dared.