Prairie Girls

 

 The Conductors

Daniel was the runaway’s name.

His life filled with misery and pain.

Maddie and Owen, their families, too,

Knew what they needed to do,

Help Daniel travel that “underground train.”

The two became part of the plan.

Together they spied on the mean old man.

Kansas, bleeding at the time,

Saw good men fight across the line.

Could slavery be stopped with a ban? 

Dressed as a girl, Daniel sought to be free.

He was hid in an old, cottonwood tree.

They could not know how effective the train became.

         Each worked in secret, with only conductor as a name.

Risking all so free others might be.

 PLEASE NOTE THIS BLOG CHANGES THE FIRST AND THIRD WEEKS OF EACH MONTH.

Be sure to check out The Storyteller’s Corner and Up the Family Tree.

 

Maddie

                  

This is Maddie again, the ten-year-old abolitionist from Kansas Territory. My cousin Owen and I studied our lessons each morning with Mama as our teacher. Both Owen and I wanted to attend college when we were older. Papa and Mama said Kansas would have a college by the time I was old enough to attend. I hoped it would be in Lawrence. My days were filled with lessons and helping Mama with chores in our cabin.

 After Owen and I saw a runaway slave’s mistreatment by a bounty hunter, I was even more dedicated to the cause of the abolitionists. Now a part of my day was spent on a plan to help the captured slave escape. Could the Underground Railroad be a way to help him? You will hear more about this when our writing project is completed.

 



An Opportunity

 Maddie and Owen are fictional characters who were encouraged by their families to attend college even before colleges were established in Kansas Territory. Today many families encourage their children to obtain a college education. While my family did not believe I needed a college education, they did believe it necessary I support myself or have a husband support me upon graduation from high school. A couple of weeks following my high school graduation, with no boyfriend in sight, I realized I did not have a plan beyond the next day or two. So almost by default I found my way to a college campus and with scholarships and part-time jobs funding my way, obtained a college degree.

(I married a year later. My parents were pleased.) Today, opportunities to obtain education, whether in trade schools, community colleges, colleges or universities abound thanks to parents of children like Maddie and Owen.