After our Civil War a white man suggested to a negro that he
had been better off as a slave. He had had more to eat and been
more certain of it, a better cabin and less concern about it,
better clothes and more of them. The negro agreed, and added,
“The place is still open if you want it, sir. As for me, I had
rather starve and go cold and naked, and be free.” It is quite
impossible for some men to understand that. For that is the
heart of liberty. Eating and clothing and dwelling have become
all important to some men, and compared with them liberty is not
worth having. But there are hearts which have tasted slavery and
so know the zest of freedom. (Text.)--C. B. MCAFEE.
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