he has given very great satisfaction to a large assembly. From what I have
seen of him, I believe him to be worthy of public sympathy and support.

WILLIAM INMAN, Minister.
Ovenden, Nov. 14, 1863.




NARRATIVE, &c.


My father and mother were owned by Judge Charles Earle, of Queen Anne's
County, Maryland, and I was born on the 24th of August, 1813.

From eight to eleven years of age I was employed as an errand boy,
carrying water principally for domestic purposes, for 113 slaves and the
family. As I grew older, in the mornings I was employed looking after the
cows, and waiting in the house, and at twelve years I remember being in
great danger of losing my life in a singular way. I had seen the relish
with which master and friends took drink from a bottle, and seeing a
similar bottle in the closet, I thought what was good for them would be
good for me, and I laid hold of the bottle and took a good draught of (Oh,
horror of horrors) oxalic acid, and the doctor said my safety was
occasioned by a habit I had of putting my head in the milk pail and
drinking milk, as by doing so the milk caused me to vomit and saved my
life. About this time my mother was sold to a trader named Woodfork, and
where she was conveyed I have not heard up to the present time. This
circumstance caused serious reflections in my mind, as to the situation of
slaves, and caused me to contrast the condition of a white boy with mine,