149] slave’s friend. . 9 THE LITTLE THIEF. A man that was hung for committing some great crime, said, when he came to the gallows, that his first offence was stealing a pin ! Little boy—remember that stealing a pin is taking the first step towards the gallows ! The French call it, Le premier pas. Take care of the First Step in vice, my dear boy. When tempted to sin, say with the youthful Joseph, How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God I ADDRESS OF A LITTLE SLAVE-BOY TO HIS MASTER’S SON. Dear white young master, hear, I pray, What your poor black boy aims to say, I often wonder why should be Such difference betwixt you and me; For I’m as tall and strong as you, And many things as well can do; Have hands and feet, can run and walk, Can feel and see, can hear and talk. ’Tis true I am not nice of speech; For who poor simple black will teach? For me to labor, dig and hoe, Is all that I am like to know;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=