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  Moe’s mom had been a slave all her life and never been off the plantation. One time, she snuck around to see the front of Massa house, she saw further than she had ever seen before. It was wide opened space and the front of Massa house was grand. A noise frightened her, she quickly and unseen ran back to the slave quarters. That was the last time she saw a glimpse beyond the slave area and fields.

  The blood in her esophagus was suffocating, she could not talk or yell for help. She laid on the floor gasping for air, crawling towards the door to get help was tough. Moe’s mom made it across the floor only, two paces. Unable to go any further, she laid flat on her stomach, in front of her, was the rod she used to beat her sons. She squeezed her eyes shut; she did not want to remember the day before. Trying to breathe triggered her eyes to open, laying behind the rod was the clump of hair she pulled from her oldest boy’s head. The meaty part from his scalp was filled with dry blood. Looking at the site caused her to revisit her hatefulness towards her children.

  She struggled to breathe through her nose, her eyes were stretched wide open as she [RL8]gazed at the items on the floor. She inhaled and died at the same time.

  An overseer entered the cabin, on the floor he saw the opened handkerchief that held the coins. He took the money, stuffed it in his pocket. He looked at Moe’s mom closer, she was still holding the knife, the slit in her throat was barely visible due to the blood clotting. He left, to report that the boy’s mom was dead.

  II

  Help From The Underground Railroad Stations

  Six o’clock the following morning, while Moe’s mom was killing herself, Moe was standing in front of a small pretty cabin that had a candle burning in the window. He remembered Elijah telling him, “fire in da’ window is help fo’ run-a-way.”

  Moe knocked on the door. A man with a kind face opened the door and yelled, [RL9]“hon, it’s a white runaway child.”

  She came to the door and said, “Hello little one,” she looked at her husband and continued, “let’s see what he’s all about.”

  The couple in the cabin was friends with Jeb, Moe’s Massa. If the runaway appeared to one day be an asset to America, they would help them on their way to the next station. On the other hand, if they were loud, boisterous, and was going to be a menace to society, the wife prepared stew or soup, laced with an herb that would put them to sleep, her husband sold them to Jeb.

  Moe’s temperament was that of a person the abolitionist would help. The woman bathed Moe and gave him the pants and shirt that were wrapped in his quilt, though they were dirty, the clothes were cleaner than what he had on. After cleaning him up, Moe ate breakfast with the husband and wife. He asked the man, “how’d you know I’s be a slave?”

  “Most runaways have the same pack over their shoulder or tied to a stick.”

  On his journey north, Moe lost the case that held his food, the boy was famished. He scraped his plate clean and asked for more.

  The man asked which plantation Moe was running from, Moe told him. His wife said, “you’re only eight miles from where you run.” She looked at her husband, then Moe, who had fallen asleep face down on the table.

  Her husband said, “let’s take a chance. He will stay here for two days, when I get off work, I will take the boy to the next county.”

  “North, right? Not back to...” She was asking.

  “Yes, North,” he replied before she could finish talking.

  Before leaving, the man took Moe to a room and laid him on a cot. He entered the kitchen, looked at his wife and said, “he’s the son of the man that was with a young woman we helped ten years ago.”

  His wife asked, “how do you know?”

  “He said, he had a newborn. That boy looks just like that man. Short, stocky, round head, and clubbed fingers.”

  The woman said, “he’s not far from here, should we tell him.”

  The man thought first before answering, “no, they have too many kids.” He left for work.

  Moe woke up a little after lunchtime, the woman asked how he slept. Moe said, “very fine ma’am.” He asked if he could stay with them.

  She explained the plantation he had run from, was too near her home. She comforted him by saying, “you’re a sweet kid, if I lived further away, I would keep you.” She lightly pinched his cheeks and gave him a hug, she then said, “you can stay for the next two days, you have a long journey going north.”

  The two talked and laughed, Moe told her about his evil mom, his two brothers. Being in her presence made him miss Elijah. Moe told her all about him, and how sometimes he called Elijah, dad. He showed her the shoes Elijah bought for him. Though he did not understand, he shared with her that Elijah and their Massa were brothers. While Moe talked, the woman washed his clothes, his hankie, with Moe’s permission she threw away his dirty quilt and gave him a clean one.

  Moe napped while the abolitionist woman prepared dinner. Her husband returned home at five o`clock, together the three ate and talked like he and Elijah use to do. Moe could not seem to get full, he slurped his food down fast, sopped the juice with his bread, then asked for more. When they finished dinner, the woman of the house told Moe to keep his money close because someone could steal it.

  Two days later her husband took Moe to the next county as promised. He told Moe to look for a candle in the window, travel at night, trust the Amish and colored abolitionist, some whites are friendly while many may work for his master.” He put his hand on Mo’s shoulder and continued, “young man, be careful,”

  *******

  With Moe on his way north, the male abolitionist went to see Jeb. When he arrived, Moe’s brother took his horse round back where it received care. The man only knew that Moe was from the plantation, he did not know of Moe’s relatives. He simply said to the young boy, “thank you.”

  The abolitionist entered the house and was escorted to a room where Jeb was waiting for him. Before the man could sit down, Jeb asked, “have you seen a little boy. The man lied and told Jeb a simple, “no,” he sat.

  Jeb complained that he had lost three slaves and his father never had a runaway. Jeb said, “my father told me that before I was born, my brother took fifteen of his slaves, he never heard from my brother again.” Jeb deduced the slaves did not run; they were taken.”

  Jeb nor his father knew that Jeb’s brother and the slaves made it safely to the north. His brother married a pretty slave colored girl, they lived in Cincinnati across the Ohio River with their six children. The whole family was abolitionist, one of their sons became a spokesman for the equality of all Americans.

  After listening to Jeb share his story about his family, the man told Jeb that he believed one of his overseers was helping the slaves escape. Jeb asked, “one of my men?”

  “Yes, one of your overseer’s. You told me that a man and woman escaped years ago, which way did they go, and when?”

  Jeb answered, “I don’t know where they went, they left early in the morning.”

  “Did they find the couple?”

  “No,” Jeb answered.

  “Who told you early in the morning? How would they know the time?” The man asked.

  Jeb looked at the man with alarm and said, “the same bounty hunter and overseer, I sent to find Moe.”

  “How old is Moe.”

  Jeb answered, “ten.”

  The man said, “Two people on horseback, cannot catch a little boy on foot. Sounds like you need to handle one or both.”

  “If they return without my property,” Jeb began saying, he stopped talking as though he was thinking, he finished and said, “I will take care of both.”

  Jeb walked the man outside; he was going to the sugar cane field to check on the slaves and ask about the overseer he trusted. He said to the man, “watch for a ten-year-old.”

  The man smiled as Jeb hurriedly left, Moe’s brother brought the man’s horse around, he got on his horse and asked, “is there a slave named Elijah?”

  “Yaw, Sir.”

&nb
sp; “Tell him, a boy named Moe, is safely on his way north.”

  The boy said, “I’s tell um’ Sir.”

  *******

  As the man rode off, Moe’s brother ran to tell Elijah who had become very ill. Still, he sat outside in his chair, hoping to hear a word about Moe before he passed away. When the boy reached Elijah he whispered, “Moe made it Norf. He be safe.” He hugged Elijah.

  Elijah asked, “how’s you know?”[RL10]

  “Dis man dat’ knows Massa tells’ me.”

  Elijah said, “I’s knows who you be talkin’ bout.”

  “How’s ya’ know?” Moe’s brother asked Elijah.

  “Run along, git’ back ta’ work child.”

  Elijah relaxed when he got the news about Moe, he was worried that the boy may get caught and treated crudely. He used his chair as a walker to get to Betsy’s cabin. He knocked on the door, she answered, he said, “it be time foe’ me ta’ go.”

  Elijah had prayed that Moe would escape before he died. On his and Moe’s last day together, Elijah was sad and happy, Moe was going to freedom before Elijah’s time on earth ended. He had become feeble in health but strong in mind. The day Moe left hurt him deep in his soul, but Elijah believed with his whole heart that God had special plans for the little boy. Elijah believed that Moe was the chosen one to end slavery.

  Betsy helped Elijah to his shack, she cried as she assisted with his bath, dressed him in a suit of clothes he purchased when he turned sixty, it still fit. When he was dressed, he said barely above a whisper, “dat’ made me tied.”

  The year a businessman from New York, opened a shoe factory near Jeb’s father’s plantation, Elijah was twenty. His Massa got several of his slaves a job there, on payday, their Massa went to the factory and collected their money. However, the owner of the shoe factory snuck and gave the slaves a penny. One of the slaves told their Massa about receiving money. Furiously, their Massa went to the factory and shouted at the northerner, he yelled, I have the means and power to shut this company down!

  The owner of the factory stopped giving the slaves money. When the slaves found out the reason the penny stopped, they beat the man to death. The employed slaves received thirty lashes, including Elijah who was not a part of the murder.

  After the beating, twenty-year-old Elijah pulled the owner of the company aside and said, “I’s not tell Massa.” From that day forward Elijah received a penny a month. Elijah worked in the factory until he turned seventy-five. Every three years, Elijah bought new shoes and saved his money. His other purchases were the suit and Moe’s shoes.

  After his bath, Elijah dressed, hobbled to his bed, and laid down [RL11]as Betsy cleaned his shack. Elijah’s heart was beating irregular, his breathing was shallow. When Betsy finished the housework for Elijah, she sat next to his bed and held his hand, Elijah whispered, “my boy got away.”

  Betsy asked, “the abolitionist that will save or sell ya’ sent word?”

  “Yes, he did.” Elijah tried to sit up, Betsy helped him up, Elijah said, “da’ boys can stay in dis’ slave shack since dey’ mama unfit. Pleeze’ care foe’ dem.”

  Crying Betsy said, “yes Lijah, I’s care foe’ dem boys.”

  He asked her to let them stay in her shack for that night. Betsy said, “yes, I will.”

  He pointed to the clothes he had on and said, “bury me in dis.”

  “I will do as you ax.”

  Elijah said, “Betsy, thank you foe’ all you did ova’ da’ years. Go now, time foe’ me ta’ rest.”

  Before leaving Betsy gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. She left crying.

  The following morning, Betsy fed and sent the boys off to work. She entered Elijah’s shack and found him dead and still neatly dressed in his new clothes. Elijah was lying on his back with a smile on his face. Betsy said, “rest now Lijah.” She left to tell Jeb.

  Betsy went to Massa house to talk with the head of the house slaves. She said, “Lijah gone. He got news of dat’ boy, he be free in da norf.”

  The head of the house slaves said, “he missed and worried bout’ dat’ lil’ boy so deep, he died from a’ sad heavy heart.”

  Betsy said thoughtfully, “Yeah, dat’s right. I’s glad he got good news bout’ da’ boy, afo’ leavin’ us.” Betsy cried.

  The head of the house slaves pat Betsy on the back and said, “me to Betsy.”

  Wiping her eyes, Betsy said, “I’s glad does’ boys mama be gone, she ain’t hurt dem’ eva’ again. Wished I’d know yestaday,’ Lijah would like dat’ news.”

  *******

  After leaving the abolitionist home, Moe traveled two nights in the dark. He could not see where he was going, to him everything was scary, the shadows in the woods looked like a ghost. The animal sounds caused him to jump, the second night Moe felt something touch his feet, he took off running. The third day, he gave going by light a try, he loved it. Hence, he ignored the man’s advice to travel by night, during the day he felt safe.

  Not quite two months after leaving his first stop, he made it to Virginia. Moe was tired, hungry, and his feet hurt from walking barefoot. The shoes that Elijah had given him were too big. Even so, the following morning with a little rest and an empty stomach, Moe put leaves in the shoes to create a cushion which made the shoes fit better and his journey easier. [RL12]

  An hour after he put his shoes on, he saw a white family riding in a wagon, they were going in the same direction as himself. They waved for him to join them, Moe thought it was safe, they had kids around his age, and they were white. For several hours they laughed and talked as they traveled. The rocking of the wagon was like a sleeping pill to exhausted Moe, he fell fast to sleep. Their oldest child was thirteen, while Moe slept, he went through Moe’s belongings and found the tin of money. The boy pushed Moe out the wagon and kept his things and the money. Moe hit the ground hard, at first, he was dazed and confused then realized what had happened. He ran after the wagon as fast as he could. The boy held up the tin and jiggled it. The family laughed loud and hard. Moe running at top speed got a little too close. The father made a clicking noise, he said, “yah,” and snapped the harnesses making the horse gallop. The family was poor and only had ten cents, they had stolen the horse and wagon, two states over.

  They rode out of sight, Moe stood watching them disappear. All he had were the clothes on his back, and shoes from Elijah. Had he left them in the quilt, he would be without his first gift from anyone, more important, something from the only person he loved.

  Moe walked and cried, he was not thinking about the sun setting, normally before dark, Moe would find a bush and shake it hard, to see if there were any creatures hiding. If there were, they would scurry out and Moe would go in. On the night Moe was robbed he was infuriated, feeling sorry for himself, and exhausted, he fell asleep on the ground shivering. Moe had a dream about finding the family that took his money and belongings, he made them his slave. He would be mean and evil, he visualized beating them until they bled.

  The next morning before daybreak, he woke up still angry. He got up and began his journey north in the darkness of the morning hours. He was furious, hungry, filthy, and broke. Moe sought retaliation. As he walked north, Moe kicked anything that was in his site as he with deep seeded anger, strode through the woods. Walking past a wide pathway, behind trees he saw a light flicker. Moe turned around and walked down the pathway. Looming from behind the trees was a massive size house that was bigger than his Massa. In two windows were candles burning, due to the size of the house and its grandeur, Moe was reluctant to enter, truly he thought the people inside were white, just like the folk that stole his money.

  He stood looking down the long path that led to the house, then a plan popped in his head. Moe was going to take his revenge out on the family inside. A question sprung in his head like flowers in spring, what if the family that robbed him lived in the house? Moe picked up the biggest stick he could carry and ran up the path to the house, he slowly walked up the twelve s
teps that led to a massive size porch. Using a lion’s head knocker, he banged on the door as hard as he could. He held the stick like a baseball bat, ready to whack anyone that answered.

  To his surprise, a black man answered the door, Moe angrily asked, “yo Massa home?”

  Mr. Evans said, “this is my house young man, are you in need of help.”

  Mr. Evans oldest son, who was the same age as Moe, joined his dad at the door, he looked out and asked, “who is it, dad?”

  Moe was totally outdone, it was a black family, husband, wife, and three boys, they were the Evans. Moe dropped his stick.

  Inside the house was as lavish as the outside. Moe told them about the robbery. Just like the first abolitionist woman, Mrs. Evans bathe and fed Moe. Their oldest son was Moe’s size, only a little taller. At first, Moe was afraid to go up the steps to the sleeping area, with coaxing from the Evans boys, he got the courage. That evening Moe slept extremely well, he had his own room and a real bed with a mattress. The next morning, he woke up rested and smelling something, he had never smelt before. Holding onto the banister, he slowly eased down the steps and found his way into the kitchen. Mrs. Evans was cooking bacon and biscuits. He asked, “what dat you be cookin?”

  Mrs. Evans said, “good morning Moe, how’d you sleep last night?”

  “Mighty fine ma’am.” His mouth watered heavy. He finished saying, “I’s neva sleep on a bed dat’ soft.”

  She handed Moe a bacon strip. He took a bite; the bacon was so scrumptious his taste buds danced a jig in his mouth. Mr. Evans entered the house carrying a pale of milk and the oldest boy a basket of eggs. Mrs. Evans got a skillet to cook the eggs. Moe wanted to live with this family, he fancied calling himself Moe Evans. He asked where he was. Mr. Evans said, “Maryland.”

  He asked if the house was a castle, Mrs. Evans said, “it’s our castle.” She looked at her husband then back at Moe and said, “your castle, small or big is not the house, it’s where you make your home.”