to serve as his cup-bearer and waiter. When there was company at his
house, he would send me into his cellar and other parts of his house
to fetch wine and other articles occasionally for them. When I had
been with him for some time, he asked me why my master wished to part
with such an honest negro, and why he did not keep me himself. I
replied that I could not give him the reason, unless it was to convert
me into cash, and speculate with me as with other commodities. I hope
he can never justly say it was on account of my ill conduct that he
did no keep me himself. Mr Edwards told me that he should be very
willing to keep me himself, and that he would never let me go from him
to live, if it was not unreasonable and inconvenient for me to be
parted from my wife and children; therefore he would furnish me with a
horse to return to Stonington, if I had a mind for it. As Miner did
not appear to redeem me I went, at called at my old master Stanton's
first to see my wife, who was then owned by him. As my old master
appeared much ruffled at my being there, I left my wife before I had
spent considerable time with her, and went to Colonel O. Smith's.
Miner had not as yet wholly settled with Stanton for me, and had
before my return from Hartford given Col. Smith a bill of sale for me.
These men once met to determine which of them should hold me, and upon
my expressing a desire to be owned by Col. Smith, and upon my master's
settling the remainder of the money which was due Stanton for me, it
was agreed that I should live with Col. Smith. This was the third
time of my being sold, and I was then thirty-one years old. As I
never had an opportunity of redeeming myself whilst I was owned by
Miner, though he promised to give me a chance, I was then very
ambitious of obtaining it. I asked my master one time if he would
consent to have me purchase my freedom. He replied that he would. I
was then very happy, knowing that I was at that time able to pay part
of the purchase money, by means of the money which I some time since