who was nearly white, and of Irish descent, informed our master of the
movements of each member of the family by day and by night, and on
Sundays. This stirred the spirit of my mother, who spoke to our
fellow-slave, and told him he ought to be ashamed to be engaged in such
low business.

Master hearing of this, called my father, mother, and myself before him,
and accused us of an attempt to resist and intimidate his "confidential
servant." Finding that only my mother had spoken to him, he swore that if
she ever spoke another word to him, he would flog her.

I knew my mother's spirit and my master's temper as well. Our social state
was now perfectly intolerable. We were on the eve of a general fracas.
This last scene occurred on Tuesday; and on Saturday evening following,
without counsel or advice from any one, I determined to fly.




CHAPTER II.

THE FLIGHT.


It was the Sabbath: the holy day which God in his infinite wisdom gave for
the rest of both man and beast. In the state of Maryland, the slaves
generally have the Sabbath, except in those districts where the evil weed,
tobacco, is cultivated; and then, when it is the season for setting the
plant, they are liable to be robbed of this only rest.