care. I could but die if I didn't. And God helped me.'

'Were you a slave?' said the gentleman.

'Yes, sir.'

'Was your master unkind to you?'

'No, sir.'

'Was your mistress unkind to you?'

'No, sir--no. My mistress was always good to me.'

'What could make you leave a good home, then, and run away, and go
through such danger?'

'They wanted to take my boy away from me--to sell him--to sell him down
south, ma'am. To go all alone--a baby that had never been away from his
mother in his life. I couldn't bear it. I took him, and ran away in the
night. They chased me, they were coming down close behind me, and I
heard 'em. I jumped right on to the ice. How I got across I don't know.
The first I knew, a man was helping me up the bank.'

It was such a sad story, that the tears came into the eyes of everyone
who heard her tell it.

[Illustration]

'Where do you mean to go to, poor woman?' asked the lady.