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rudely pushed her back; and she turned away, evidently much mortified.
Friend Hopper started up and inquired, ‘Why didst thou push that woman away?’
‘She's colored,’ was the laconic reply.
‘Art thou instructed by the managers of the railroad to proceed in this manner on such occasions?’
inquired Friend Hopper.
The man answered, ‘Yes.’
‘Then let me get out,’ rejoined the genuine republican.
‘It disturbs my conscience to ride in a public conveyance, where any decently behaved person is refused admittance.’
And though it was raining very fast, and his home was a mile off, the old veteran of seventy-five years marched through mud and wet, at a pace somewhat brisker than his usual energetic step; for indignation warmed his honest and kindly heart, and set the blood in motion.
The next day, he called at the rail-road office, and very civilly inquired of one of the managers whether conductors were instructed to exclude passengers merely on account of complexion.
‘Certainly not,’ was the prompt reply.
‘They have discretionary power to reject any person who is drunk, or offensively unclean, or indecent, or quarrelsome.’
Friend Hopper then related how a young woman of modest appearance, and respectable dress, was
Boston, J. P. Jewett and Company; Cleveland, Ohio: Jewett, Proctor and Worthington; London; Low and Company, 1854.
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