infirm and burdened with the influence of slavery, whose impress will
ever remain on my mind and body. For six months I tried to make my
escape. I used to rise at four o'clock in the morning to find some one
to assist me, and at last I succeeded. I was allowed two hours once in
two weeks to go and return three miles. I could contrive no other way
than to improve one of these opportunities, in which I was finally
successful. I became acquainted with some persons who assisted slaves
to escape by the underground railroad. They were colored people. I was
to pretend going to church, and the man who was to assist and
introduce me to the proper parties was to linger on the street
opposite the house, and I was to follow at a short distance. On Sunday
evening I begged leave to attend church, which was reluctantly
granted if I completed all my work, which was no easy task. It
appeared as if my mistress used every possible exertion to delay me
from church, and I concluded that her old cloven-footed companion had
impressed his intentions on her mind. Finally, when I was ready to
start, my mistress took a notion to go out to ride, and desired me to
dress her little boy, and then get ready for church. Extensive hoops
were then worn, and as I had attached my whole wardrobe under mine by
a cord around my waist, it required considerable dexterity and no
small amount of maneuvering to hide the fact from my mistress. While
attending to the child I had managed to stand in one corner of the
room, for fear she might come in contact with me and thus discover
that my hoops were not so elastic as they usually are. I endeavored to
conceal my excitement by backing and edging very genteelly out of the
door. I had nine pieces of clothing thus concealed on my person, and
as the string which fastened them was small it caused me considerable
discomfort. To my great satisfaction I at last passed into the street,
and my master and mistress drove down the street in great haste and
were soon out of sight. I saw my guide patiently awaiting me. I