Go to the Pioneer Library and use the World Book to find out about the Philippines.
The page right after the letter says that the book will be an account (story) of a journey made by Susannah McKnight Emmons
and Bethlehem Reid.
It says there are notes by Mary Emmons, who is also the person who wrote the letter on the pages before it.
The first chapter begins in 1896.
The narrator is from New York City. She has a dear friend named Amy Van Tassel.
The narrator is 13 years old.
Her grandmother, whom she calls Gran lives with them.
The grandmother announces she's received a letter from Bethlehem. Could that be the Bethlehem Reid who stole away to freedom?
Bethlehem is in Toronto, Canada, so Gran is going there and wants to take Mary.
Gran says that Bethlehem "thinks we should write it all down before she gets much worse."
Mary's mother comments that Bethlehem is "an old slave." That makes Gran mad.
Mary says she helped Gran and Bethlehem write their story down. She says she found out that "Bethlehem was no longer in bondage, but that she truly never had been."
Mary | writes a letter | granddaughter to Susannah | ||
Susannah | grandmother to Mary | born in Vermont sent to Virginia with an uncle after her parents died (She was 13.) | ||
Bethlehem | p. 14 given to Susannah as a slave | friend to Susannah | ||
Susannah's uncle | p. 8 a minister -- relentless, stern, sparing of words p. 10 a man to instruct, not to converse | Susannah's uncle | lives in Virginia, owns 10 slaves p. 9 | |
Fidelia | Susannah's cousin -- a sharpness to her voice p. 12 14 years old | |||
Aunt Reid | Susannah's aunt | |||
Byron | Susannah's cousin | |||
Topics: slavery, abolition,
