text_original: Central Park was a distant forest, and the lower part of the city a foreign land. I look back upon the life I then led with a shudder when I think what would have been had I not escaped it. But had I not escaped it, I should have been no more unfortunate than are many young colored men who come to New York.
text_transcription: CENTRAL PARK WAS A DISTANT FOREST AND THE LOWER PART OF THE CITY A FOREIGN LAND I LOOK BACK UPON THE LIFE I THEN LED WITH A SHUDDER WHEN I THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD I NOT ESCAPED IT BUT HAD I NOT ESCAPED IT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO MORE UNFORTUNATE THAN ARE MANY YOUNG COLORED MEN WHO COME TO NEW YORK
phonemes: sˈɛntɹəl pˈɑːɹk wʌzɐ dˈɪstənt fˈɔːɹɪst, ænd ðə lˈoʊɚ pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə sˈɪɾi ɐ fˈɔːɹən lˈænd. aɪ lˈʊk bˈæk əpˌɑːn ðə lˈaɪf aɪ ðˈɛn lˈɛd wɪð ɐ ʃˈʌdɚ wɛn aɪ θˈɪŋk wʌt wʊdhɐv bˌɪn hæd aɪ nˌɑːt ɛskˈeɪpt ɪt. bˌʌt hæd aɪ nˌɑːt ɛskˈeɪpt ɪt, aɪ ʃˌʊdəv bˌɪn nˈoʊmˌɔːɹ ʌnfˈɔːɹtʃənət ðɐn ɑːɹ mˈɛni jˈʌŋ kˈʌlɚd mˈɛn hˌuː kˈʌm tə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk.