LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 DAVIS 
 
JAMIE PARKEK, 
 
 THE 
 
 FUGITIVE. 
 
 MRS. EMILY CATHAEINE PIER80N. 
 
 " There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart , 
 It does not feel for man ; the natural bond 
 Of brotherhood is severed as the flax 
 That falls asunder at the touch of fire. 
 He finds his fellow guilty of a skin 
 Not colored like his own ; and having power 
 To enforce the wrong for such a worthy cause, 
 Dooms and devotes him as his lawful prey." Covper. 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 BROCKETT, FULLER, AND CO., 
 
 No. 219 MAIN STREET. 
 1SS1. 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY IFORNM 
 
 DAVIS 
 
ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, 
 
 By CHARLES HENRY PIERSON, 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut. 
 
 STEREOTYPED BY PRINTED BY 
 
 RICHARD H. HOBBS, WALTER S. WILLIAMS, 
 
 HARTFORD, CONN. HARTFORD, CONW. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE materials of this sketch were gathered during a 
 residence at the South. Pleasant reminiscences of kind 
 friends there, render it impossible for the writer to 
 cherish sectional prejudices. Like many southerners, 
 however, she can not shut her eyes to the deformity of 
 that Power that casts so dark a shade of guilt on our 
 land. Cradled among New England hills and with 
 hearty sympathies for the heroes of freedom of all ages, 
 and of every country, she can not view unmoved the 
 life-and-death struggles of those now flying from a 
 degrading servitude. 
 
 It is believed that very few, for a moment, even in 
 imagination, enter the cabin of the poor man at the 
 South, putting their soul in his soul's stead much less 
 dwelling on the minute and ever-repeated details of his 
 life of toil and privation. And although thousands of 
 this class have shown themselves to be men with great 
 souls, by their aspirations for liberty ; although they 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 have proved themselves noble heroes by " struggling 
 with misfortunes as with a load," by invincibly con- 
 quering an opposing army of difficulties 
 
 " Breasting the dark storm : the red bolt defying ;" 
 
 surmounting all, and gaining the glorious boon of free- 
 dom ; yet how few of us have followed with our kind 
 sympathies, even one of these wonderful overcomers, in 
 his perilous course of honorable achievement. 
 
 To give a glimpse of the distresses of the poor 
 southern laborer, and of the stern struggler for free- 
 dom, the writer launches her little work on the sea of 
 Public Opinion. May it plead effectually for the 
 hunted outcast, and for the three millions of our en- 
 slaved countrymen. 
 
 FEBRUARY, 1851. 
 
ANALYSIS OF CHAPTERS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The planter'^ advertisement. Some account of Jamie. Old Scipio. Hog 
 Minder General. Inventory of Jamie's family. Sketch of old Scipio. His 
 cabin. Old Agga. The slave preacher. The key of knowledge withheld. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Jamie in Scipio's cabin. Usefully employed. He commences learning to 
 read. Surprise from the patrol. Jamie punished by the overseer. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Agga restores Scipio. He goes to the Quarter for Jamie. Overseer Brazen's 
 management. Decline of Scipio. Mrs. Chadwick's visit. A triumphant 
 death. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Jamie a field-laborer. A responsible character. The foreman. Jinny. Fore- 
 man Ned. The field-hands hoeing corn. Aunt Mag and her bakery. The 
 field breakfast. Plantation hours. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 'Lowance Sunday. The key-basket. Mrs. Dorothy. Jamie's Bible returned. 
 Slave John's escape. Malice of Brazen. Kindness of Mrs. Chadwick. 
 Tray. Sick Kitt. Spinning Jinny. The overseer reprimanded. Jinny's 
 task. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Mrs. Chadwick and daughters go North. Overseer Brazen's wife. Two 
 turkeys missing. Brazen and Ned's conspiracy. Mrs. Brazen a literary 
 character. 
 
 1* 
 
VI ANALYSIS OF CHAPTERS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Letter from the North. Loss of Judy and Rose. Efforts to take them. 
 Their worth. Mrs. Chadwick afflicted Want of money. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 New sorrow for Jinny and her sons. No friend to help. Sabbath. Court 
 day. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Jinny's sons in the court house jail. Auction. Jamie sold. The sale of 
 Tray. The hammer goes down on little Kitt. Similar articles disposed of. 
 Sales necessary. Redfield's estate. Little Ella. Contrasts. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Preparation for a journey. A bargain made. Black Brownson exposed to 
 slavery. Gripe's disappointment. Laments his stupidity. Cruelty. The 
 caravan stops for the night. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The encampment supper. Soul-buyers helpless. Jamie's plan for the escape. 
 Slave fear. The flight. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Jinny a maniac. What the fugitive must expect. Jamie and his compan- 
 ions. The buyers at the encampment. A discovery. The pursuit. Prog- 
 ress of Jamie and those with him. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 An encounter. Fears. Kind treatment. Old Archy's plans for their safety. 
 They seek the mountain cave. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 God made the slave's hiding-places. The cave is found. Grape and his 
 overseer disappointed. Return to the encampment. Go to Richmond. 
 Slave- dealer's advertisement. Sensation. 
 
ANALYSIS OF CHAPTERS. VU 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Reckoning with conscience. Letter from Saratoga. Mr. Chadwick dis- 
 tressed. Writes to his daughters. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Archy and Carlo set out for the cave. Gumfrey and Tray. A happy meet- 
 ing. Sufferings of comrades left behind. Jamie resolves to go to their help. 
 Discovers their hiding-place. He gives them food and persuades them to 
 follow him. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Sadness in the cave. Fifty huntsmen. Jamie and his companions over- 
 powered. Rejoicings at the inn. Rum the moderator. Secret departure 
 of the captors. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Solicitude in the cave for Jamie. Tray's anxiety. Ella is seized with a rag- 
 ing fever. Archy 's visit. He returns for medicine. Encounters the patrol. 
 Archy and Edy at the cave. Ella dies. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Jamie in jail. Gripe's good bargain. Jamie again a field-hand. Redfield. 
 Overseer Turk. Jupe, the young giant. The deed of blood. Jupe is 
 taken. Jinny's grave. Jamie escapes. George Whitely, Esq., discovers 
 that overseer Turk is dead. Jupe's sentence and execution, 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Jamie returns to the cave. The fugitives set out for the North. Reach a free 
 state. The good Quaker. Important to the South. Mr. Whitely writes 
 to a Philadelphia friend. The reply. Conscientiousness. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 The New York Committee of Vigilance welcome the flying strangers. Ar- 
 rive in Rochester. John's cottage. Judy and Rose. Meeting of the free 
 family. Conclusion. 
 
TO 
 
 LOVERS OF LIBERTY, 
 
 AND TO ALL 
 
 WHO HAVE HEARTS TO SYMPATHIZE 
 WITH SUFFERING, 
 
 THIS WORK 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 
 
JAMIE PARKER THE FUGITIVE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The planter's advertisement. Some account of Jamie. Old Scipio. Hog 
 Minder General. Inventory of Jamie's family. Sketch of old Scipio. 
 His cabin. Old Agga. The slave preacher. The key of knowledge with- 
 held. 
 
 OUR hero is most naturally introduced by his master, 
 in the following advertisement : 
 
 "$100 REWARD. Ran away from the subscriber, on Tuesday, 
 Sept. 1st, my negro man, JAMIE PARKER. His complexion is rather 
 light ; he is five feet eleven inches in height, well proportioned, con- 
 verses well, has a pleasing countenance, and as his appearance is 
 favorable, will doubtless seek to pass for a free man. He is sup- 
 posed to be about 22 years of age. He wore away kersey waistcoat 
 and pants, somewhat ragged, with an old blue frock-coat. It is sup- 
 posed that he is secreted in the woods in this vicinity, or making his 
 way to the great traveled route for the North. As he went without 
 provocation, he will doubtless endeavor to get to a free State. 
 
 " The above reward will be paid to any person who may appre- 
 hend and secure said servant, so that I can get him again, if taken 
 beyond the limits of this State, and fifty dollars if taken within this 
 State. GEORGE WHITELY. 
 
 "REDFIELD, VA., Sept. 2<f, 18 ." 
 
10 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 Jamie Parker was a native Virginian, and until about 
 twenty-one years of age, was attached to a plantation 
 
 in county, on the James' river. The owner of 
 
 this plantation we will call Charles Chadwick, and the 
 plantation itself, Monmouth. Jamie was descended 
 from an illustrious line, as his fathers were kings in 
 Africa. The first of the family that was captured and 
 sold, died of a broken spirit, while 9 his little son, Scipio, 
 more unfortunate, lived to be a slave. This Scipio was 
 grandfather to Jamie. The earliest years of Jamie 
 were the happiest he spent in slavery ; for regular slave- 
 tasks were not assigned him until he was eight years 
 old. On the Monmouth estate, this was the age at 
 which children were considered capable of commencing 
 field-work. It was also the regulation on this planta- 
 tion, that no child should draw any allowance of food 
 until old enough to work. Now as all the farm people 
 of the plantation went regularly to Monmouth House 
 for their monthly rations, which barely sufficed for 
 themselves, it was no trifling inconvenience to have no 
 provision made for their little ones. Our Jamie, who 
 was the third child of John and Jinny, might often be 
 seen, with his half-clad brothers and sisters, seeking 
 food in the forest, ash-pones* being too scarce for the 
 
 " Ash-pones are made of corn-meal, mixed with salt and water, to the 
 necessary consistency, shaped and baked in the ashes. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 11 
 
 father and mother to satisfy their hunger. But they 
 bore the deprivation very patiently, doubtless thinking 
 themselves as happy as the birds and squirrels, with 
 whom they gained a scanty subsistence, sharing their ber- 
 ries and nuts. Blithe and joyous they were nevertheless, 
 at times, for childhood is mirthful, and how could they 
 realize a tithe of the sorrows of slavery ? Yet it must 
 be admitted that Jamie and his little associates often 
 felt the pitiless pinchings of hunger; and the time 
 went by, oh how wearily ! for the father and mother 
 being in the field the live-long day, their children must 
 amuse and take care of themselves as best they could. 
 The " Negro Quarter" (such was the appellation of 
 the little hamlet of the farm people) of the Monmouth 
 plantation, was bordered on one side by a forest, which 
 belonged to the estate. In the center of this forest, 
 which was six miles in circuit, dwelt old Scipio, grand- 
 father of Jamie. He was superannuated, and it was his 
 business, since he was too infirm for field-work, to take 
 charge of the hogs belonging to the establishment, forty 
 or fifty in number. Before old Scipio's log-house was 
 a partial clearing, and it was there, at stated times, 
 that he called together the whole herd, to feed them, 
 and see that none were missing ; for this purpose he 
 was accustomed to blow a tin horn. Old Scipio was 
 
12 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 no less a personage than the "Hog Minder General ;" 
 so he was called, and in this capacity was he entered 
 on the "Inventory" taken yearly by the "overseer." 
 At this time, Jamie being six years old, a part of the 
 inventory read thus : 
 
 " SCIPIO, Hog Minder General; supposed age 70. 
 AGGA, wife to Scipio, old and useless ; to be employed in any way 
 to be kept from idleness 5 supposed age 68. 
 JINNY, working -woman, child of Agga; supposed age 32. 
 
 JUDY, daughter of Jinny, aged 10. 
 
 ROSE, " " " . . 8. 
 
 JAMIE, a son, " " 6. 
 
 TRAY, " 4. 
 
 KlTT, " " 1. 
 
 And thus the inventory went on. giving the name, 
 occupation, and supposed age of all the slaves on the 
 plantation. Then followed a list of the household and 
 kitchen furniture, stock, plantation utensils, &c. 
 
 The " first families in Virginia," descendants of the 
 English, have coats of arms, genealogies, and care- 
 fully-kept records in their old family bibles. The Afri- 
 can Virginians, too, have a carefully-written genealogy, 
 kept after the most approved system of s/ave-heraldry ; 
 the overseer himself being the Herald, or King at Arms. 
 Aye, they have pedigree, title, and rank; they have caste 
 with the plantation stock ; are classified with chairs 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 13 
 
 and tables, stoves and kettles, beds and bedding; all 
 goods and chattels under the immediate supervision of 
 the overseer ! 
 
 We can not refrain from giving a sketch of good old 
 Scipio. When young, he was full six feet in height, 
 but now somewhat bowed, through toil and age. His 
 hair was wooly-white ; his head and features indicated 
 no ordinary mind. His natural superiority gave a cer- 
 tain dignity to his air, with which slavery could not 
 intermeddle. He had the confidence of his master and 
 mistress, the respect of the overseer, and the love of the 
 farm people, to whom he sustained somewhat the rela- 
 tion of Patriarch. He meekly bowed to the trying 
 allotment of his condition, for he had other than earthly 
 hopes. He was considered the main stay of the plan- 
 tation, as he had an unbounded influence over his fellow- 
 bondmen, and never encouraged rebellion or revolt. 
 More work was done, and in better order, on Monmouth 
 plantation, than on any other farm in the vicinity, and 
 this was justly attributed to the good moral influence 
 of Scipio, which rendered the people docile, and diligent 
 in business. 
 
 As we have said, he lived in a comfortable log-cabin, 
 in the recesses of Monmouth forest ; and just about it, 
 there was enough of a clearing among the ancient 
 
14 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 trees, to admit the sun's rays some two or three hours 
 of the day. In the rear of the dwelling, several oaks 
 formed an impenetrable shade, and certain hollies and 
 laurels wove an evergreen hedge. This fastness was 
 a great resort of the wild-wood warblers, being fre- 
 quented by the mocking-bird and the Virginia red-bird, 
 who, doubtless, agreed to supply the, wood with music. 
 Old Scipio's cabin had two rooms, a sleeping apart- 
 ment, and a kitchen. Extending across one side of the 
 latter was a huge fire-place, composed of logs and clay. 
 So large was it, that the Hog Minder General could sit 
 in one corner of it of a winter's evening, and gaze at the 
 sky ; old Agga, the while, sitting in the opposite cor- 
 ner, ceaselessly knitting, while her dim eyes tried to spell 
 out the fire. And this may serve as an illustration of 
 the difference between them. Scipio looked above, with 
 a soul at perfect peace, stayed on God. His tranquil 
 mind was like the cloudless sky. Agga's gaze was 
 downward. In the inventory she was labeled " old and 
 useless ;" justly, for the light of hope was all extinct 
 within her. At best, her fate had been dim. Lacking 
 the rich consolation possessed by Scipio, the chains of 
 slavery were more galling to her. Ah, who shall tell 
 the weight of woe crushing her for long weary years 1 
 Old in the midst of her days, the light and joy of her 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 15 
 
 existence went out, when two loved children were torn 
 from her frantic embrace, and sent to the sugar planta- 
 tions of the far southwest ! Now she was not only 
 " useless" but in a measure helpless. Although she 
 would sit by the hour knitting mechanically, yet her 
 mind was nearly gone Old Scipio, day after day, pre- 
 pared their simple meals, of which there was seldom 
 any other variety than ash-pones with meat, and ash- 
 pones without meat being one-fourth of the time of the 
 one, and three-fourths of the other. 
 
 From a very early age. Scipio had been the only 
 preacher for the slaves of the Monmouth plantation. 
 Before he became infirm, the old carpenter's shop was 
 the Sabbath rendezvous, but when he removed from the 
 " quarter," his forest-home became the place of meeting. 
 It was a pleasant sight of a summer Sabbath morning, 
 to see the poor people gathering for worship. Around 
 the cabin, a few trees had been felled and cleared of 
 their branches, and arranged so as to form seats for the 
 little assembly ; little it was, for, in accordance with 
 the custom that obtains in the country, none of the peo- 
 ple from the adjoining plantations were permitted to be 
 present. 
 
 Old Scipio could read and write, for in the days of 
 his childhood, it was customary for slaves to be in- 
 
16 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 structed. This elevated them, and made them fitter 
 subjects for their lordly masters. These privileges 
 were permitted in the days of the greatest prosperity of 
 the old dominion ; why are they now denied ? Since 
 the glory has departed, has a more degenerate race 
 arisen ? And is it meet that they withhold knowledge 
 from their slaves, lest there be not the proportioned dis- 
 tance preserved between master and subject, requisite to 
 make the system perfect ? Say the legislators in effect : 
 " It was not until the servants showed that information 
 made them more unhappy, that it was judged expedient 
 entirely to wrest away from them the key of knowledge, 
 and so rivet their chains more securely in the dark." 
 For after the horrid Southampton massacre, the ques- 
 tion whether the slaves should be allowed to learn to 
 read and write, became a subject of legislation* and 
 the amount of the argument was, that there would be 
 
 * This attempted apology for the enactment of laws that are worthy the 
 dark ages only, will not do ; for long anterior to the Southampton massacre, 
 Virginia legislated to darken and dwarf the minds of her enslaved population. 
 In 1849, she enacted the following statute : 
 
 ' "That all meetings, or assemblages of slaves, or free negroes, or mulattoes, 
 mixing or associating with such slaves at any meeting-house, or houses, or 
 any other place, &c., in the night, or at any school or schools, for teaching 
 them reading or writing, either in the day or night, under whatsoever pre- 
 text, shall be deemed and considered an unlawful assembly ; and any justice 
 of a county, &c., wherein such assemblage shall be, either from his own 
 knowledge or the information of others, of such unlawful assemblage, &c., 
 may issue his warrant directed to any sworn officer or officers, authorising 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 17 
 
 less cause for insurrections, if more privileges were taken 
 away, it being enacted that the African Virginians 
 should not be permitted to learn to read and write. 
 
 him or them to enter the house or houses where such unlawful assemblages, 
 &c., may be, for the purpose of apprehending or dispersing such slaves, and 
 to inflict corporal punishment on the offender or offenders, at the discretion 
 of any justice of the peace, not exceeding twenty lashes." 
 
 B 2* 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Have we not all one Father ? 
 Hath not one God created us t" 
 
 Jamie in Scipio's cabin. Usefully employed. He commences learning to 
 read. Surprise from the patrol. Jamie punished by the overseer. 
 
 WHEN Jamie was about six years old, a petition was 
 sent up to Monmouth mansion, praying that he might 
 live with his grandfather Scipio. The request was re- 
 ferred to Mrs. Chadwick by "Master Charles," her hus- 
 band, and the good lady quickly assented, saying that 
 she loved to confer any favor on old Scipio, " as he 
 was the best servant on the land." " As long as he 
 lives," said she, " / shall know that there is somebody to 
 pray" 
 
 So, from this time, Jamie went to live in the cabin of 
 Scipio. Although a ragged and forlorn object, he was 
 very happy in his new home. He had often visited his 
 grandfather while out on excursions in quest of food in 
 the woods, and there was a strong attachment between 
 them, such as often is seen between the grand-parent 
 and grandchild. The toilsome duties of the old man's 
 life were nearly done. His task now, in consideration 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 19 
 
 of his age and infirmities, was comparatively easy. 
 Jamie's years of hard labor had not yet commenced, so 
 they could well sympathize with each other. The 
 good old man seemed, leaning his bowed form on the 
 top of his staff, to be reaching back to childhood, and 
 with delight, trod the same path with Jamie, instruct- 
 ing and guiding him day by day. Jamie made himself 
 very useful to Scipio and Agga, as he gathered wood 
 for the fire, and went to the spring for water. In return, 
 the old man told him Bible stories, and gave him relig- 
 ious instruction. 
 
 Thus many days passed, during which time Scipio 
 longed greatly to commence teaching Jamie to read, 
 for seeing him so docile, apt, and sprightly, he felt that 
 it would be delightful to instruct him ; and then he 
 thought what a comfort it would be to him, to be able 
 to read the good book. But in opposition to all this 
 was the law and its severe penalty. Scipio considered, 
 and re-considered the matter, and at last resolved to 
 teach the boy, and brave the consequences. So one 
 day calling Jamie from his play, he said to him, " Do 
 you want to learn to read ?" Jamie's eyes brightened ; 
 ^e looked at old Scipio, to see if he was in earnest, and 
 exclaimed, " I do want to learn to read ! I would die 
 for it !" And bursting into tears, he threw himself into 
 
20 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 his arms. Although so young, he had heard a great 
 deal said about learning to read, and how " Massa had 
 done forbid it on de land." As he heard old Scipio tell 
 or read the beautiful Scripture histories, he wished to do 
 the same ; but in such fear was he, that he had not 
 told his thoughts. 
 
 " You shall learn to read," said old Scipio, " and 
 have my Bible, and preach to the people when I 
 am dead?" Then he explained to the boy the ne- 
 cessity of secrecy, as without it, all their plans would 
 be vain. 
 
 "I will be like Scipio, and preach to the farm people 
 when he is dead," thought Jamie, and with childish 
 eagerness, with his faculties stimulated by an inspiring 
 motive, he began to conquer his letters. By the aid of 
 his faithful teacher, he was soon able to spell out words 
 in his Bible. Old Scipio was delighted. His sight was 
 growing dim, and he was overjoyed at the thought, 
 that in a little while, his darling Jamie would be able 
 to read "the good book" to him. And as he wove 
 baskets in the shade of his cabin, (the avails of which 
 labor procured clothes and food for Jamie,) he pictured 
 to himself the usefulness of " the child" to the people 
 in coming years, long after he himself should be gath- 
 ered to his resting-place. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 21 
 
 Meanwhile, Agga sat on the log in the chimney 
 corner, quietly knitting. Summer or winter, it was all 
 the same to her ; there she would knit, knit, knit, by 
 the day together gazing vacantly on the fire when 
 there was one, and on the hearth when there was not ; 
 ever muttering to herself, " Poor children gone ! Agga 
 old!" 
 
 It was thus that the three were engaged, when one 
 day the patrol, going the monthly rounds, to see that 
 all was right, according to the established laws of the 
 State and plantation, came upon them. There was no 
 warning given ; Jamie was caught Bible in hand, and 
 Scipio in the very act of helping him spell out a word. 
 
 " Hi ! you old villyun !" exclaimed one of the patrol, 
 "what may you be up to now? Making a saint of 
 that young sprout ; just as if he had a soul !" 
 
 " Just as if he had a soul !" echoed another. 
 
 " Here's for your interfering /" said a third ; and with 
 these words, the ruffian gave the poor old man a blow 
 with his cudgel which felled him to the earth, at which 
 his cruel companions laughed in applause. Each one 
 then gave Jamie a smart cufT, by way of testifying their 
 disapprobation of his willingness to be taught, and then 
 bidding him " Come along !" they marched oif with him 
 to the Monmouth quarter, and with a great deal of em- 
 
22 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 bellishment, reported the grievous case to overseer 
 Brazen, who immediatelj took, as he supposed, effectual 
 measures to stop Jamie's learning to read. After repre- 
 senting to him in the strongest colors, the enormity of 
 the crime he had committed, he told him that hanging 
 ought to be resorted to, but as he was disposed to be 
 merciful, he would only whip him severely this time. 
 Then the judge, jury, executioner, all vested in the per- 
 son of the overseer, proceeded to take summary ven- 
 geance for the broken laws of the State, by applying 
 the ever-at-hand cow-hide to the naked back and 
 shoulders of the poor child. The inhuman being said 
 that he administered his whip thoroughly, so that " he 
 done* forget what he learn !" And not satisfied with 
 punishing him thus, he ordered his lacerated wounds 
 to be washed in salt and water, while the poor child 
 screamed for very agony. It was well known that the 
 overseer had his own good reasons for insisting that 
 " the people" should not be instructed, for he could 
 neither read nor write himself; and in doing the business 
 of the plantation, keeping accounts, &c., his wife held 
 the pen. 
 
 The patrol represented to Brazen that they had pun- 
 ished old Scipio sufficiently; indeed, for aught they 
 
 * A common mode of expression among ignorant southern people. 
 
THEPUGITIVE. 23 
 
 knew, they had killed him. Jamie, moaning piteously, 
 was just able to crawl to his old home. Jinny, his 
 mother, dressed his wounds, and held him in her arms 
 through the first weary night of his sufferings . 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Am I not a man and a brother ?' 
 
 ' My country 'tis o'er thee, 
 Dark land of slavery, 
 
 O'er thee I weep. 
 Land, proud of Freedom's name ! 
 Land, cursed with slavery's shame ! 
 Thy boastings loud proclaim 
 Thy guilt most deep." 
 
 Agga restores Scipio. He goes to the quarter for Jamie. Overseer Brazen's 
 management. Decline of Scipio. Mrs. Chadwick's visit. A triumphant 
 death. 
 
 OLD Scipio, stunned by the blow from the patrol, re- 
 mained unconscious for some time, notwithstanding 
 the efforts of Agga ; for aroused from her apathy by 
 the rough voices of the patrol, she raised her dim eyes 
 from the hearth just as he fell. The scene, in its tur- 
 moil and uproar, was not unlike that of years gone by, 
 when two of her children were torn from her cabin, and 
 it was doubtless this association that roused her. She 
 had no clear idea of what was going on, but tottered to 
 the door, bent almost double as she was. moaning as 
 usual, " Poor children gone ! Agga old ! Children 
 gone ! Agga old !" She saw that Scipio did not move, 
 for a ray of reason dawned in her mind, that she might 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 25 
 
 exert herself to restore him. She moaned as she re- 
 entered the door, "children gone! Agga old!" took 
 the gourd, and filling it with water from the pail which 
 always stood in the corner by the door, tottered back, 
 and with her trembling hand, bathed the brow of Scipio, 
 who drew a deep groan, and began to be conscious. 
 Agga mechanically resumed her knitting in the chim- 
 ney corner, and moaned on, as if nothing had happened 
 to interrupt her monotonous occupation. Scipio grad- 
 ually recovered ; his scattered senses returning by little 
 and little. Committing himself and his cause to his 
 Father, he felt peaceful and happy. A sweet conscious- 
 ness of the approbation of Him who looketh on the 
 heart, filled his soul ; he felt that it was right to persist 
 in teaching his darling boy, and this settled, he resolved, 
 come life or death, to go forward in the work. 
 
 At length when he was able, with the aid of his 
 staff, he slowly picked his way to the quarter for Jamie. 
 While returning, the two often sat down to rest by the 
 way, for they were very weak and sore. Scipio told 
 Jamie of the sufferings of the Saviour, and how He felt 
 for His poor suffering children, and then charged him 
 to love the Lord with all his heart. " That I will !" 
 said the child with tears in his eyes, " and I would die 
 to read about Him." So effectual was the punishment 
 3 
 
26 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 of the overseer ! Scipio replied, " Then you shall learn, 
 for I would die for it !" 
 
 Meanwhile Brazen, thinking that he had put a stop 
 to the plan of Jamie's learning to read, was congratulat- 
 ing himself on his talent at disposing of subjects tend- 
 ing to the detriment of the general good, alias, his mas- 
 ter's interests. 
 
 11 Slaves is mighty deep sometimes," said he to Mrs. 
 Brazen, as he expatiated on the case of our poor little 
 hero, " but turn every which way an / is a little 
 deeper !" alluding to his success in the management of 
 the people over whom he presided. He thought he had 
 settled the matter, still he judged it best to charge the 
 patrol to be vigilant and see that the reading went no 
 further. Scipio and Jamie were on the alert, lest they 
 should again be surprised and the Bible seized ; this last 
 was a great source of solicitude, as there were not half 
 a dozen copies on the plantation, and none to replace 
 theirs should it be taken away. The patrol were regu- 
 lar in their monthly rounds ; sometimes, however, com- 
 ing upon them in the shade of evening, and at other 
 times early in the day. Still Jamie rapidly progressed 
 in reading, and was so fortunate as to elude detection. 
 
 Scipio now became daily more and more infirm. As 
 he was almost blind, it was a great source of comfort 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 27 
 
 to have the Bible read to him. He could no longer go. 
 to distant parts of the forest, to gather the herd of which 
 he had charge, so that this occupation devolved on 
 Jamie, although only about seven years old. Day by 
 day the good old man rapidly declined. He was like a 
 shock of corn ripe for the reaper, and it was plain that 
 he would soon be taken away. 
 
 Mrs. Chadwick, hearing of his state, hastened to his 
 abode. It was a bright autumn evening. The forest 
 was bedecked in a gay robe of purple, gold, and crim- 
 son. The leaves were blooming in beauty as they de- 
 cayed. The sun had not yet passed beyond the gates 
 of the west, and the breezes which had been out on 
 duty all day, bearing autumn-perfumes, went to sleep, 
 as he prepared to take his departure, by gilding the 
 clouds with radiant glory-hues. Her path was car- 
 peted with brilliantly-painted leaves, and the forest 
 seemed a superb pillared palace, hung with glowing 
 tapestry. But her heart was saddened with the 
 thought, that this lighting up of Summer's beautiful 
 colors, was but the index of death and decay 
 
 " How tenderly doth nature throw 
 Her parting smile on all below, 
 A mournful beauty that endears, 
 'Mid all of death, decay and tears." 
 
 As she reached the cabin, the sun had set. The aged 
 
28 J A M I E P A R K E R 
 
 
 
 disciple lay on his rude bed of straw, with an Indian 
 blanket thrown lightly over him. Jamie sat by his bed- 
 side reading to him, but was so engrossed that he did not 
 notice her approach. She stood without by the door and 
 listened while he read the Psalm, commencing, " The 
 Lord is my shepherd." The reading finished, Scipio, 
 with his hands clasped, repeated the fourth verse, " Yea 
 though I walk through the valley of the. shadow of 
 death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me : thy rod 
 and thy staff, they comfort me." 
 
 She quietly entered, and Jamie quickly attempted to 
 hide his Bible beneath the blanket ; but by signs she 
 gave him to understand that he had nothing to fear. 
 Agga, still nearly unconscious of all that was passing, 
 continued to sit in her corner, uttering, almost inaudibly, 
 "Children gone! Agga old!" in the same pathetic, 
 soul-melting way as ever. Blind Scipio was not sensi- 
 ble of Mrs. Chadwick's presence. She felt that she 
 was in the house of death, and would not disturb the 
 good man in his passing hence. He was very joyful 
 in % view of the glorious scenery of heaven seemingly 
 before him, and had few thoughts for earth. Those 
 concerned little Jamie, broken-hearted Agga, and the 
 slave-people. He offered a prayer for each, and all of 
 them, and his spirit was gone to God who gave it. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 29 
 
 Jamie, seeing that his dearest earthly friend was no 
 more, with an overwhelming view of his loss, raised a 
 piercing cry of sorrow. Accustomed to uninterrupted 
 quiet, Agga was once again aroused from her lethargy, 
 and came to the bedside. A gleam of reason for a mo- 
 ment lightened up her darkened mind ; she knew that 
 Scipio was dead. As the truth burst upon her, she 
 screamed in heart-rending agony and fell lifeless by his 
 side. Slavery had not been permitted to " put them 
 asunder," and death might not divide them. 
 3* 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 " 1 was not born a little slave, 
 
 To labor in the sun, 
 And wish that I were in my grave 
 And all my labor done." 
 
 Jamie a field-laborer. A responsible character. The foreman. Jinny. Fore- 
 man Ned. The field-hands hoeing corn. Aunt Mag and her bakery. The 
 field breakfast. Plantation hours. 
 
 A NEW era now commenced in the life of Jamie. His 
 mistress took him up to Monmouth House and treated 
 him very kindly. She told him that he might keep 
 Scipio's Bible, but that it must be out of sight and as 
 secret as possible, lest it make trouble with the other 
 servants, who could not read. " If I had my way," 
 said she, " every one on the land should learn to read and 
 write, and as it is, I shall teach all the house-servants 
 who will learn." It was her wish to have Jamie in the 
 house for the present, as a waiter, and when older, to 
 be employed as a dining-room servant, to wait at the 
 table, &c. However, as he gave promise of being hale 
 and stout, and consequently valuable as a field-laborer, 
 this plan of his mistress was over-ruled by his master, 
 who went for the " main chance." and thought it best 
 for him to go to work with the farm-people, while some 
 
THE F UGITI VE. 31 
 
 one less robust might be selected for the vacant situation 
 in the house. So when the child was eight years old, 
 he was sent down to the " quarter," about a mile dis- 
 tant ; the overseer being instructed to see that he was 
 well employed. Accordingly that personage forthwith 
 put him under the care of Ned, the " foreman of plows 
 and hoes," ordering him to get as much work out of 
 Jamie as possible. 
 
 The foreman on a Virginia plantation is quite a re- 
 sponsible character. One of the most trusty, strong, 
 and " likely" of the slaves, is selected for this office, 
 and if he proves himself well-qualified, is permitted to 
 keep the situation for life, or rather till worn out, and 
 laid aside, like an old garment, labeled in the inventory 
 " old and useless." In season of plowing, it is his busi- 
 ness to lead. In hoeing, he takes the " fore-row," and 
 sees that all the people that work with him " keep up." 
 If they loiter, he is authorized to whip them, or give in- 
 formation to the overseer, who can administer the pun- 
 ishment more thoroughly at the whipping-post. The 
 same person is " foreman of cradles" in harvesting. He 
 is styled, " foreman of plows and hoes," but he is the 
 " boss" of the plantation, and is expected to go ahead 
 in all kinds of work. 
 
 It will be seen, that the amount of labor performed, 
 
32 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 depends very much on the foreman. If he is "first- 
 rate," he works the people hard, but if he is " easy" and 
 fond of "resting on his hoe," they have a comfortable 
 time of it, when the overseer is out of sight. The fore- 
 man, of course, feels his importance ; considers himself 
 on a par with the aristocracy of his race, i. e. the house- 
 servants. He is looked up to by the people of the 
 quarter as a slave of consequence. They find it for their 
 advantage to keep in his good graces, as in that case, 
 they are less likely to be reported to the overseer for 
 slight offenses. A little power with a slave, is a dan- 
 gerous thing ; a tool he little knows how to use. A 
 foreman has the power of making the people work, by 
 working himself, and often, for the mere love of exer- 
 cising this power, will work beyond his strength. The 
 men and women who labor with him, through fear, 
 seldom need much force to make them do the cruel 
 task thus assigned them. It is the youngsters, who 
 are not " broken in," that hang back and require the 
 whip. The young field-hands, being unaccustomed to 
 the yoke of patiently enduring hard toil and working 
 simply because they must^ (although they know that 
 this is the only way of drawing " 'lowance," or rations,) 
 work just as little as they can. So it is thought neces- 
 sary to " train them in," as refractory colts are broken 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 33 
 
 to the harness, or young cattle to the yoke, at the 
 North. The field women are generally required to 
 follow on, as well as the men ; and if they are perverse, 
 are treated with the same severity. The overseer urges 
 on the foreman, who urges on the people, who hang 
 back all they dare. 
 
 Foreman Ned, before mentioned, was sufficiently con- 
 sequential. He received Brazen's order to keep Jamie 
 at work, with an amusing mixture of pomposity and 
 deference. 
 
 " Certainly, Massa Brazen !" said he, with a profound 
 bow. It was evening, and no work was required of 
 Jamie that day, but Ned told him, with a patronizing 
 air, that he must start in the morning with the people 
 for the field. The child went to the scanty hovel of 
 his father John, fearing, he scarcely knew what, on the 
 morrow. He was glad, too, to nestle down in the straw 
 with dear little Tray and Kitt. But Judy and Rose 
 were missed from the little one-room cabin, as the mis- 
 tress sometime before, took them to the house, and they 
 were already quite accomplished in their capacity of 
 serving. Jamie had a strong affection for his father 
 and mother, and yet they had done comparatively little 
 to call forth his love. Jinny had little of Scipio's re- 
 signed, tranquil spirit. She could not submit with 
 C 
 
34 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 meekness to her situation. It galled her that she must 
 work in the field. She was discontented, and the 
 watchful overseer would often say, that " she made 
 more trouble by her sour looks and bitter speeches, than 
 any other woman on the plantation." He regarded her 
 with an evil eye, and would gladly have taken occasion 
 to bring her to punishment for delinquency, but no such 
 occasion was to be found. She regularly left her little 
 children to " keep house" at the cabin, and performed 
 her work in the field, hot or cold, rain or shine, sick or 
 well. Yet there was a sullen frown on her swarthy 
 brow, and she groaned oftener than she spoke. Brazen 
 was vexed that she did not look cheerful. He feared 
 that the discontent would spread, and the result be that 
 some would escape from bondage. We shall see. 
 
 Saturday morning, memorable in the life of Jamie, as 
 commencing his field-labor, dawned bright and clear. 
 After awakening, he had scarcely time to throw on his 
 clothes, when he heard some one calling at the top of 
 his voice, '-Halloa ! get up ! Halloa !" Running to the 
 door, he saw " foreman Ned." standing at the entrance 
 of his cabin, in the center of the quarter, calling the 
 laborers up, to go to work. Quickly the people were 
 ready, and proceeded to the field, John, Jinny, and Jamie, 
 being in company. Each one, before starting, took a 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 35 
 
 lunch of cold ash-pones, left of yesterday's meal, and a 
 bit of meat, if they chanced to have it. otherwise they 
 would naturally get hungry before breakfast, which 
 was not until twelve o'clock ! The work for the day 
 was hoeing corn. Jamie had his place assigned in the 
 row with youngsters, some older than himself, who had 
 undergone the process of " breaking in." Foreman Ned 
 told him that he must work " right smart, and keep up," 
 or be whipped ; and then started his own row with the 
 laborers. The child tried to do his best, and while it 
 was cool, he succeeded very well. Directly, however, 
 the sun grew hot, and as he had been more accustomed 
 to the shade of the woods, than the exposure of the open 
 fields, he suffered much in attempting to perform his 
 task. About ten o'clock, the boy whose work it was 
 to " tote* water to the people," appeared bearing on his 
 head a pail-full. He placed it on the ground, and the 
 thirsty company stopped work while a gourd was 
 passed round. Jamie being the youngest must wait 
 longest and be last served. Thirst being quenched, the 
 hoes were resumed, while " Tony, the toter of water," 
 put the empty pail on his head, and went for another 
 freight. By and by, when the people were very weary, 
 noon came, their breakfast hour. They were not per- 
 
 * " Tote," means to carry. 
 
36 JAMIE PARKER, 
 
 mitted to go to their cabins to eat this meal, for this 
 would take 'too much time, and might add to their 
 fatigue. Breakfast was therefore brought to them. It 
 consisted of ash pones, with a small quantity of meat. 
 
 There was an aged woman, called familiarly, Aunt 
 Mag, who was too " old and useless" to work in the 
 field ; therefore, she was permitted to retire from busi- 
 ness and only have charge of the bakery for the people. 
 The women working in the field, of course had no time 
 to attend to baking their bread. 
 
 The matter was arranged thus. All the people that 
 labored in the field, men, women and children, each 
 carried daily to Aunt Mag about a pint of meal, mixed 
 with water and salt, if they had it, if not, they did as 
 well as they could without. Each one mixed his por- 
 tion himself, in his own dish, to guard against any 
 fraud ; for, as food is none too abundant with them, 
 they are sometimes suspicious of each other. If the 
 meal is mixed and carried to the baker by the owner, 
 there is no possibility of losing any part of it, as each 
 one has a particular mark for his pone. 
 
 Aunt Mag's bakery is an ordinary one-room cabin, 
 only the fire-place is larger, extending quite across one 
 side, and is furnished with a brick hearth. This old 
 woman is as neat as the neatest, and has her own con- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 37 
 
 siderate way of putting things to rights. She certainly 
 deserves a great deal of credit for her skill in doing her 
 work. As each laborer has a mark for his pone, after 
 she has flattened out the dough, she impresses this 
 mark on it, so that the owner may claim it when it 
 reaches the field. One man's mark is a hole made in 
 his bread ; another's is two holes, &c. One has a 
 cross ; another a double cross ; the mark of each indi- 
 vidual being perfectly understood by the baker and him- 
 self. The brick hearth being hot, Aunt Mag lays the 
 numerous pones, duly identified, thereon, in something 
 of a semi-circle around the good fire. Sometimes she 
 buries them in the ashes, a much approved way of cook- 
 ing them, and hence the name " ash pones." 
 
 How patient is the good old woman ! There she is, 
 every hot summer day by the fire, turning the corn- 
 cakes. Bent almost double, she need not stoop much 
 to reach them, and when they are done, which is gen- 
 erally about eleven o'clock, she puts them in the bread 
 basket ready for Tony to " tote" to the people. If any 
 one has any meat she carefully cooks it, and places it 
 on his pone. 
 
 Having made this explanation, we will return to the 
 corn-field, for it is breakfast time. The sun is directly 
 over head, pouring down his furnace rays as if to wither 
 4 
 
38 
 
 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 the earth. The laborers with foreman Ned, have 
 reached the end of the row, and stopping to rest on 
 their hoes, they see at the extremity of the field, the 
 boy with the basket of bread on his head. Ned and 
 his company raise a " halloa !" designed to hasten the 
 coming of Tony. The foreman then turns to his fol- 
 lowers, and with some spicing of authority says, " No 
 more work till done eat breakfast !" This announce- 
 ment is received with smiles, nods and murmurs of 
 applause. The people seat themselves on the grass 
 bordering the corn, in the sun, to wait the slow pace of 
 Tony, while Jinny goes to finish Jamie's row and 
 release him, saying, " It is right smart hard for him to 
 work, such an infant baby as he is too!" (John would 
 go but Jinny thinks of it first.) She is soon by the 
 youngster's row, and tells Jamie to go and rest. The 
 poor child, ready to fall through fatigue, gives her his 
 hoe, and slowly moves toward the party who are rest- 
 ing themselves on the grass in the sun. The youngs- 
 ters and Jinny strain every nerve, and finish the row 
 just as Tony comes with the bread, for he was never 
 known to be in haste. Ned observed that " he was 
 right smart slower than a snail." Another said, " turn 
 every which way^ and you could not find nothing so 
 tochally slow ! de stand-still creek moved right smart 
 
THEFUGITIVE. 39 
 
 faster !" " What would you do if I did not tote it at all ?" 
 muttered Tony to himself. He now put down the bas- 
 ket and with the assistance of Ned, distributed the bread 
 to the people, every man, woman, and child, taking the 
 pone on which was his or her mark. As Jamie had 
 not been working in the field, and consequently had not 
 drawn his " allowance" of food, there was no pone for 
 him, but John and Jinny gave him a part of theirs, and 
 besides this, many offered to share with him, their 
 eager hungry looks meanwhile contradicting their 
 words. Seated as we have said, the poor people par 
 took of their humble repast with nothing but hunger 
 to make it relish. Meanwhile Tony goes for more 
 water. 
 
 The meal finished, foreman Ned being in a lazy 
 mood, proposes to the people that they wait for the 
 water before they go to work. But fearing they might 
 be surprised inactive, he sends one of the boys " around 
 the corner of the field" to see if overseer Brazen is in 
 sight. The boy returns with the intelligence, "dat 
 dere be one man on horseback coming down de road 
 like Massa Brazen." " To hoes !" said Ned, in a low, 
 but emphatic tone, and directly all hands were hard at 
 work, as if the overseer's eye were on them The man 
 on horseback proved to be only a traveler, and Ned took 
 
40 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 occasion to give the boy a blow for his innocent mis- 
 take. 
 
 At last the day passed, as all weary days do, linger- 
 ing and loitering on its way. The laborers rejoiced to 
 see the setting sun, although then their work was not 
 done. " From sunrise to twilight," were the hours of 
 labor on this plantation, and none were permitted to go 
 to their cabin during this time, except the mothers of 
 very young children, who were allowed to visit them 
 twice during the day, for a few moments only. Chil- 
 dren of six, seven, and eight years old were the nurses 
 for the babes while their mothers were in the field. 
 
 Twilight came, and the toil-worn laborers returned to 
 their cabins, not like free happy peasants, to be greeted 
 at their doors with the smiling faces of those to whom 
 their labor had brought comfort and happiness, but 
 heart-sick they entered unwelcomed their dreary abodes 
 of squalid poverty, which no efforts of theirs can hope 
 to make better. In the sweat of their brows, others eat 
 bread, and so the curse falls doubly on them. 
 
 John and Jinny were silent and sad, and Jamie was 
 too tired to play with Kitt and Tray, who had been to 
 the woods for berries. As only a few fragments 
 remained of the breakfast, the family were obliged to 
 go to bed almost supperless. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 " We are verily guilty concerning our brother." 
 
 'Lowance Sunday. The key-basket. Mrs. Dorothy. Jamie's Bible returned. 
 Slave John's escape. Malice of Brazen. Kindness of Mrs. Chadwick. 
 Tray. Sick Kitt. Spinning Jinny. The overseer reprimanded. Jinny's 
 task. 
 
 THE next day was Sunday, and foreman Ned did not 
 stand in the door of his cabin and call the people to 
 work as on other mornings. All in the little hamlet 
 slept until the sun was high in the heavens, for the day 
 of rest was a welcome day to them. At length about 
 nine o'clock, some were stirring. The men and boys, 
 and some of the women, taking their customary lunch, 
 went up to Monmouth House, for this was " 'lowance 
 Sunday" as they termed it, being the fourth Sunday in 
 the month. 
 
 On some plantations where there is sufficient reli- 
 gious principle, the people's rations are given out for the 
 month on Saturday afternoon. At Monmouth it was 
 the custom, handed down from lordly ancestors, to have 
 this work done every fourth Sunday morning, the peo- 
 ple not being spared from their work to come on Sat- 
 urday, to receive their portion of food. There were 
 4* 
 
42 THE FUGITIVE. 
 
 three farms, dependencies of Monmouth ; each had its 
 quarters, the people of which regularly presented them- 
 selves for rations. Numbering the laborers of the three 
 farms and the house-servants, there were about one 
 hundred and fifty to be fed ; and all their supplies must 
 come from head-quarters at Monmouth. 
 
 Laboring men were entitled to a peck and a half of 
 meal per week, women one peck, and children one half 
 peck. A piece of meat that would suffice for ordinary 
 meals, two days, was the month's allowance. 
 
 As Jamie had commenced field work, he went up to 
 " the house" for his share of food, besides he wished to 
 get his Bible from his kind mistress, with whom he left 
 it, and petition for a new suit of clothes, as those given 
 him by old Scipio were only rags. 
 
 Ten o'clock of this lovely Sabbath morning, and the 
 wing of Monmouth, in which the store-room was sit- 
 uated, was thronged. A hive of one hundred slaves 
 had come to receive their wages, daily bread. It was 
 a new scene to Jamie, and timidly he clung to his moth- 
 er's side. The housekeeper, a white person, soon made 
 her appearance, and with the assistance of slave Bill, the 
 gardener, began to measure out the food. You may 
 know Mrs. Dorothy the South over, for she always has 
 in her hand the key-basket, at once the insignia of her 
 
J A M I E P A R K E R 43 
 
 office and certificate of her trust worthy character. In 
 it you may see keys of all ages, sizes and descrip- 
 tions, from the ponderous rusty key that opens the wine 
 cellar, to the small polished one that keeps safe the 
 work-stand ; there they are, always jingling;, as the house- 
 keeper is moving. The basket is almost constantly in 
 her hand, she scarcely sets it down when she eats. 
 She mislays her handkerchief, loses her thimble, and 
 spectacles, but it has never been recorded of her, that 
 she for one moment forgot her key-basket, and thus 
 tempted the servants around her to steal ! And mark 
 the diligent precaution observed by the careful body at 
 night, when she takes the keys out of the basket, locks 
 them in the upper drawer of the bureau, and putting that 
 key of keys, the key to the whole establishment, under 
 her pillow, is sure that all is safe. 
 
 Well, as before named, gardener Bill and Mrs. Doro- 
 thy brought from the store-room the rations of the peo- 
 ple. Mrs. Dorothy prided herself on knowing "every 
 servant on the land," and especially felt her importance 
 every fourth Sunday morning, " allowance day" in the 
 slave's calendar. She flew nimbly about, her tongue 
 running smoothly, and the keys jingling to keep time. 
 Her word was law among those before her, unless, 
 indeed, as was often the case, higher authority, as the 
 
44 THE FUGITIVE. 
 
 master or mistress, chanced to be present. The portions 
 were given out, and the key-bearer said, " As fast as 
 you get your 'lowance, you may go." Still a great 
 number remained, for this was the time appointed for 
 the farm people to ask any favor, and sometimes it 
 seemed as if they would never " be done." There were 
 women that wanted " mistress" old dresses that were 
 laid aside, and boys that spent the day before picking 
 blackberries, who had brought them now to exchange 
 for molasses. Men were there who had been permit- 
 ted to keep poultry, and who had brought their chickens 
 to exchange for luxuries, or what were considered so by 
 them, in their lowly lot. In short, as Mrs. Dorothy 
 expressed it, " we have right smart of trade there you 
 may depend." 
 
 When the portioning was over, the people returned to 
 their respective quarters, laden with the next month's 
 provisions. Jamie lingered behind and asked the house- 
 keeper if he might speak to mistress. 
 
 " Dear me child, no ! Why should you disturb your 
 mistress ? I can do any thing for you that mistress 
 can." The child did not reply, but still lingered ; this 
 of course tried the patience of Mrs. Dorothy. " You 
 can't see your mistress to-day, so get away with you !" 
 Jamie recollected how old Scipio had mourned over 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 45 
 
 " allowance Sunday," and now he wished more than 
 ever to get back his Bible, so that he might spend the 
 remainder of the day in reading it. He knew where 
 his mistress' room was, so he cautiously entered that 
 part of the building, and gently knocked at the door. 
 Rose herself opened it, and the mistress seeing him, 
 spoke kindly and told him to come in. 
 
 " What do you want, Jamie ?" said she. " My Bible." 
 said Jamie. " Rose," said the lady, " get Jamie's Bible 
 for him ; there, run home, I '11 talk with you another 
 time." The boy, with his Bible and allowance, accord- 
 ingly made his way back to the quarter. 
 
 Two months from the death of Scipio and Agga, had 
 passed, when overseer Brazen discovered that Jamie had 
 a Bible and was guilty of reading it, notwithstanding 
 his prohibition. He was quite indignant at this, and 
 yet he feared to punish Jamie again, lest he should be 
 unfitted for the hard labor assigned him. He thought 
 of an expedient, however ; he caused John and Jinny 
 to be whipped in his stead, alleging that they knew 
 that reading was forbidden. John was an upright 
 straight-forward character, and had heretofore suc- 
 ceeded in keeping on good terms with the overseer and 
 foreman, and consequently with his master. He could 
 ill brook such treatment, and conferring with Jinny, de- 
 
46 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 cided to attempt escape ; " John," said she " follow that 
 star," pointing to the north star, " live with the free peo- 
 ple, get free cabin, free home, and one by one we will 
 come." So one tempestuous night, after kissing the 
 three sleeping boys, and tenderly embracing his wife, 
 the poor man took his flight. The thunder, lightning, 
 and rain, took away from him all fear of patrol and 
 pursuers. The morning came, and when assembled in 
 the field, it was discovered that John was absent. Jinny 
 had nothing to communicate respecting him ; she could 
 not tell where he was, very truly. Immediate search 
 was made for the deserter. Many years had passed 
 since such an occurrence on Monmouth plantation, and 
 a great commotion was raised as Brazen raged furiously, 
 when the runaway was not found by any means which 
 he had devised. It was in vain they sought for him, 
 he had fled like a frightened deer in the midst of the 
 storm ; and when the morning dawned he found, many 
 miles away from his cabin, a safe hiding-place for the 
 day, in the thick branches of a pine, upturned by the 
 tempest, until he could again resume his journey. And 
 while he went on under the guardian wing of night, 
 guided by the star of freedom, rejoicing in the hope of 
 reaching a free country, his master mourned his loss, 
 even as the loss of eight hundred dollars ! 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 47 
 
 Jamie found that reading the Bible could only be done 
 by stealth. Therefore, it was never taken from its hid- 
 ing-place in the loose clay between the logs, except in 
 the twilight of morning, or in the quiet night, when by 
 a pine knot he would read many a comforting passage 
 to his mother. 
 
 The idea that Jamie could read, was like gall and 
 wormwood to the overseer. As he himself could not 
 read, he felt envious toward those that could, and the 
 thought that one inferior was superior to him in knowl- 
 edge, was insupportable. Besides, the discontented 
 looks of the mother had long incensed him, more espe- 
 cially since the father had escaped, and he longed for 
 an excuse to wreak his smothered vengeance on this 
 inoffensive family. And while one long year passed 
 away, Jamie and his mother were punished several 
 times for alleged offenses, but really on the score of the 
 ill-will of that malicious Brazen. Still he was not sat- 
 isfied, but became more and more embittered against 
 them. He determined to inflict the greatest punish- 
 ment he could devise, which was to have them sold, 
 in which case they would be separated. Now the 
 problem with Brazen was, how to get a pretext suffi- 
 cient to accomplish it. About this time the patrol were 
 going the rounds, and he gave them strict charge to 
 
48 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 watch closely Jinny's cabin. Accordingly two men 
 crept stealthily under the window, soon after which 
 Jamie, unconscious of danger, lighted a pine knot, took 
 his Bible from its hiding-place, and sitting down with 
 his mother and little brothers, proceeded to read. The 
 patrol waited while he read one chapter, so that they 
 might have the more to accuse him of, and then like 
 bandits they burst into the cabin and taking him, Bible 
 in hand, hurried him to Brazen. " You rascal villyun !" 
 said he, brandishing his whip, and grinding his teeth, 
 " you have not had enough yet, I see !" then he gave 
 him the customary chastisement, the details of which 
 are too painful to be described. The poor suffering 
 child crawled back to his mother, who dressed his 
 wounds as well as she could, and prayed that he might 
 be free. Tray and Kitt continued to sob, for they fell 
 to crying when Jamie was taken by the patrol. And 
 while Jamie was groaning with pain, his mother in- 
 stilled into his mind a strong desire to escape from 
 bondage. 
 
 There, on his pallet of straw, with his wounds throb- 
 bing with anguish, Jamie resolved to throw off the 
 chain, but, with a consideration unusual in his years, he 
 would wait till his little brothers were old enough to 
 escape with him. Judy and Rose were maids to the 
 
THEFUGITIVE. 49 
 
 Monmouth young ladies, Pocahontas and Virginia ; 
 and so inconsiderable was the intercourse of the sepa- 
 rated family, that there was little hope remaining in 
 Jinny's heart that she should be able to effect her pro- 
 ject of getting all her children to the " free country." 
 Still a glimmering would at times lighten the darkness 
 of her fears, that some of them would yet be free, and 
 it was this that strengthened her to toil on. 
 
 As an additional punishment for reading the Bible, 
 the overseer kept the book. Besides this, he entered a 
 complaint with the master, saying that " Jamie was the 
 most troublesomest servant on the plantation ;" adding 
 that if he wished " to keep his people from running 
 away, he must sell him, for he is always in some mis- 
 chief, right smart troublesome, is reading his Bible, and 
 making every body uncontented ; and its my mind that 
 he ought to be sold out of the way." 
 
 The master might have yielded to the solicitation of 
 the overseer, had not the mistress interfered. " It is so 
 cruel to sell servants," said she, "that I have hoped we 
 should never be obliged to resort to it. Please you re- 
 member good old Scipio ! How the old man prayed for 
 us, and Jamie may be like him !" 
 
 " To be sure ! to be sure !" and turning to the over- 
 seer who stood expectant by, with the never-absent cow- 
 D 5 
 
50 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 hide in hand, Mr. Chadwick said, " It is our wish that 
 the servants should not be sold." At this, Brazen, 
 obsequiously asking if there were any orders for him. 
 took his leave, crest-fallen at his want of success. 
 
 Jamie, knowing well that his mistress was disposed 
 to be very kind to him, planned from time to time to 
 appeal to her about his Bible. Almost a year passed 
 away thus ; for although he went every month for 
 " allowance," yet so much did he dread the overseer's 
 anger, that he forbore to petition Mrs. Chadwick to 
 interfere in the matter. The boy had enjoyed some 
 glimpses of peace, happiness, and comparative freedom 
 during the life of Scipio, and now the contrast was hard 
 to be borne. It was grievous to him who had so few 
 sources of enjoyment, to be deprived of the principal 
 one ; but so it must be. He wept and prayed that the 
 last gift of old Scipio might be restored to him, and 
 resolved to make an effort to get it back, if it cost him 
 his life. 
 
 Tray was now old enough to w*ork in the field, and 
 had an introduction to his labor, similar to Jamie's, as 
 before described. Little Kitt, now five years old, was 
 left by himself in the cabin, day by day. He was a 
 feeble, diminutive child, and needed much tender atten- 
 tion. Having no one to divert or take care of him, he 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 51 
 
 gradually declined. Every night, as his mother re- 
 turned dusty and weary from the field, she would take 
 him in her arms, and after trying to persuade him to eat 
 some of the morsels she so carefully saved for him, 
 would soothe him to sleep ; but he moaned and grew 
 weaker every day, and she said to Jamie, that she 
 " almost prayed the Father to take him. If he lives, 
 how can he get to the free country, and he had better 
 die than stay here !" 
 
 At length little Kitt was so sick that his mother 
 could not leave him, and the overseer finding she was 
 absent from the field, prepared to make her suffer for it ; 
 but it providentially happened that the mistress that 
 day paid her annual visit to the quarter, to see a little 
 to the condition of the people, and finding how matters 
 stood, she approved of Jinny's absenting herself from 
 the field ; so Brazen found it for his interest to be silent. 
 Jinny told her mistress her solicitude about little Kitt, 
 and how necessary it was for her to stay with him. 
 
 " Yes," said Mrs. Chadwick, one thing is certain, 
 Kitt must be taken care of. I have a plan !. you shall 
 be my spinning Jinny. You may come up to Mon- 
 mouth, and I will give you your task with " the spin- 
 ners and weavers for the people." You shall have a 
 wheel and loom in your cabin, and work no more in the 
 
52 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 field, for I see clearly, unless first-rate care is taken of 
 the little fellow, he will die ; or at least be good-for- 
 nothing. You are a good nurse, I dare say, and any 
 thing you want for him, you shall have by coming to 
 me. 
 
 Knowing -that "the mistress" was at the quarter, 
 Jamie got leave to run home, while the laborers were at 
 breakfast, and ask how Kitt was ; but his main errand 
 was respecting his Bible. " Bless my life, child ! and 
 where is your Bible?" exclaimed the lady. Jinny then 
 explained the course of the overseer, and how the Bible 
 was taken away. " You do well to tell me," said Mrs. 
 C. ; and then saying something to herself about taking 
 Brazen to task for abusing her servants, she arose to go. 
 " Remember," said she to Jinny, " remember to come up 
 to Monmouth, Monday week, when I give out cotton to 
 the spinners." In a glittering carriage, drawn by gay, 
 beautiful horses, she was borne back to her splendid 
 mansion with a mind at ease, think you ? Was there 
 not a spoiler of her peace ? 
 
 Mrs. Chadwick whirled home in her carriage, com- 
 forting herself that she had gone through with the 
 penance of visiting all the cabins at the quarter, adjust- 
 ing matters as well as they could be adjusted in the 
 nature of things. She found overseer Brazen at Mon- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 53 
 
 mouth, transacting business with her husband, and 
 made him understand directly that she was not pleased 
 with his treatment of Jamie. Said she, " I 've no idea 
 of having my servants abused, that I have not ! Mark 
 me, Mr. Brazen, that Bible must be returned to Jamie 
 forthwith ; and he has my permission to read it." Mr. 
 Brazen wished himself of size reduced, that he might 
 retire unobserved through the key-hole, while Mr. 
 Chadwick, evidently pleased at the spirit and energy of 
 the lady, told the confounded knight of the cow-hide, 
 to do as she had said. He assented ; and as the busi- 
 ness was finished, in deep mortification, mounted his 
 horse and rode slowly homeward, resolving, if the thing 
 could be done, to effect the sale of Jamie, Tray and Kitt, 
 as he judged that this would most agonize the mother ; 
 for, in addition to other causes of his ill-will, before-men- 
 tioned, he now accused her, in his own mind, of com- 
 plaining of his treatment of Jamie. But he found it 
 expedient to smother his hate for a more favorable time, 
 when it might freejy burst into flame. 
 
 Kitt now had a regular course of fever, yet his mother 
 went for the cotton, as directed, and procured from her 
 mistress sundry things that he needed for his comfort. 
 The spinning-wheel was brought, and she commenced 
 her task, which was to spin two pounds of cotton per 
 5* 
 
54 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 week, besides taking care of little Kitt. His fever 
 raged higher and higher, and Jinny became so alarmed 
 about him, that one rainy day she despatched Jamie to 
 his mistress to ask if she might have a doctor? 
 
 " Certainly !" replied Mr. Chadwick, " certainly ! it is 
 a pity to lose the boy, he'll be wanted in the field by 
 and by." 
 
 He then directed him where to go to find the physi- 
 cian of the neighborhood. The doctor gave Jamie some 
 medicine for Kitt, which, with Jinny's careful nursing, 
 was the means, under Providence, of his recovery. 
 Jinny's troubles were not over ; he continued feeble a 
 long time, and needed much more attention than her 
 task would allow her to give him. She had learned to 
 spin when young, but was not familiar enough with a 
 wheel to make easy work of what she was required to 
 do. Had she been free, could she have felt that her 
 daily toil was making her husband and children more 
 comfortable and happy, then, indeed, it would have been 
 accomplished easily, with an elastic- step and buoyant 
 heart. It was not so now. Jinny's step was slow and 
 languid, for hope was nearly extinct in her heart, and 
 her task was a burden. Yet she would not complain, 
 for this was " no comparison better than to leave her 
 little boy, and go into the field." 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 55 
 
 There was a day of rejoicing to the inmates of that 
 cabin, when the overseer gave Jamie back his Bible, 
 although it was a cruel threat that he should " remem- 
 ber and serve 'em right yet !'* 
 
CHAPTER VI.. 
 
 " Year after year of bondage, 
 The self-same story told." 
 
 Mrs. Chadwick and daughters go North. Overseer Brazen's wife. Two 
 turkeys missing. Brazen and Ned's conspiracy. Mrs. Brazea a literary 
 character. 
 
 YEARS passed away, in which nothing worthy of note, 
 differing essentially from that which we have recorded, 
 occurred. Jamie and Tray had grown up to manhood. 
 Kitt had recovered, and was able to work in the field ; 
 and Jinny had made herself so useful with her wheel 
 and loom, that it w^as thought best at Monmouth to 
 keep her thus employed. 
 
 About this time, Mrs. Chadwick made a tour North, 
 taking with her, her daughters, the Misses Pocahontas 
 and Virginia, with their maids, Judy and Rose. They 
 were to visit Niagara in company with southern friends, 
 and then go to Saratoga, and spend the summer. 
 
 Overseer Brazen's wife was a notable manager. 
 Besides making a great quantity of butter to sell, from 
 their two cows, she kept a large poultry yard, with the 
 proceeds of which, during ten long years, she had kept 
 her husband's purse well lined, as she expressed it, " had 
 kept their nest well feathered." It happened that some 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 57 
 
 of the residents at the quarter, thinking- that ash-pones 
 were poor living, stole two of Mrs. Brazen's fat turkeys. 
 The next morning, while her cook was getting break- 
 fast, the overseer's lady, as usual, went out to count 
 and feed her turkeys, and directly found them minus 
 two. The alarm was given by Mrs. Brazen to her hus- 
 band, by running in and putting the house in commotion, 
 and instituting a search. The overseer himself searched 
 every cabin at the quarter to gain a clue, if possible, of 
 the fate of the missing poultry. He looked in vain, 
 found nothing that threw the least light upon the sub- 
 ject, until he carne to foreman Ned's cabin. There, 
 among the high rank weeds that surrounded it, his 
 eagle-eyes actually saw feathers, which he identified as 
 belonging to his wife's turkeys. 
 
 " Now," thought Brazen, " this is just as I 'd have 
 it !" But not a word was said about the discovery until 
 Ned came from his work at night-fall, when, as he was 
 about to enter his cabin, the overseer astounded him by 
 putting his hand upon his shoulder. 
 
 " Ned !" said he, eyeing him sternly. u Massa, 
 Massa Brazen !" stammered Ned, trembling from head 
 to foot. 
 
 " Ned!" continued he, "jest look into the weeds with 
 me, will you ?" 
 
58 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 " Massa Brazen," replied Ned, desperately composed, 
 " what you mean, massa Brazen ?" 
 
 " Ned," said the overseer, slowly and sternly, " you 
 done stole Mrs. Brazen's Christmas turkeys !" 
 
 "Not I, massa ! I hold myself 'sponsible to prove that 
 I never done stole de turkeys, by right smart proof!" 
 said the foreman, tremblingly trying to gain time. 
 
 " Ned, it' s useless to talk with me ! I am an old fox ! 
 I Ve found you out ! you stole the turkeys, you sat up 
 last night with some of the people to eat 'em up, and 
 now I shall tie you to the whipping-post, and cow-hide 
 you within an inch of your life !" 
 
 " Oh, massa Brazen !" implored Ned, falling on his 
 knees, " Mercy !" 
 
 " I will have justice done !" responded the injured 
 man. 
 
 "Oh massa Brazen!" pleaded Ned, "save me de 
 whipping, and I '11 make baskets for you every night of 
 my life !" 
 
 " You deserve to die, Ned, to be sure !" said the 
 overseer, more coldly, "but there is one way by which 
 you can avoid it." 
 
 Ned looked up inquiringly. 
 
 " If you will prove that Jamie, Tray and Kitt, stole 
 Mrs. Brazen's turkeys, I'll forgive you. 5 ' 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 59 
 
 " Sartain, mass-a Brazen. I have only to done put de 
 feathers which dey leff at my cabin, at dere door," said 
 Ned, taking- the overseer's hint, and falling into it with 
 all the cunning of his nature ; continued he, " I will 
 swear 'spressly dat I seed 'um take dem two turkeys 
 from off de peaceable roost ; is dat what you want ?' 
 
 " Exactly, Ned," said cow-hide, " now, get up, and 
 see that you stick to it, that you saw Jamie, Tray and 
 Kitt, steal Mrs. Brazen's Christmas turkeys." 
 
 "Dat I will most amiable!" said Ned, delighted to 
 escape a whipping by any means. 
 
 " Now, Ned, after you have scattered bones and feath- 
 ers around Jinny's cabin, come right to ' Brazen Hall,' 
 (the new name of his little snug domicil,) and take my 
 commands to Monmouth." 
 
 With these words Brazen and Ned parted, the for- 
 mer going home to tell his wife that he had found the 
 thieves to be Jamie, Tray and Kitt, and that he wished 
 her to write to that effect to Mr. Chadwick ; for as we 
 have mentioned, he could neither read nor write. 
 
 " Do tell ! you don't say so, Mr. Brazen !" exclaimed 
 the fat lady, " well, I never ! dem is de cunningest ser- 
 vants, I rnuss say !" 
 
 " Deep as the creek ! the villyuns !" echoed the over- 
 
60 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 seer, meanwhile industriously beating his boot with his 
 whip. 
 
 " Well, as you say," replied his wife, after a long talk 
 about the matter, " I muss lose no time in writing it all 
 down to Mr. Chadwick." 
 
 Sajdng this, the old lady, for she was some twenty 
 years the senior of her husband, who had become at- 
 tached to her for the sake of her one thousand dollars, 
 which he set down as a prize worth more than the in- 
 cumbrance by which it was accompanied, looked for 
 her spectacles, then for an old goose-quill, with which 
 she had written for several years, the tea-cup that 
 served as ink-stand, and the blank leaf torn some time 
 previously from Jamie's Bible. These materials gath- 
 ered, this interesting lady composed herself into the fol- 
 lowing note : 
 
 Mistur Chadwic Squir 
 
 Sir you muss please to no that Jamy Kit and tra has stol my to 
 bess turkees which I was fattin on purposly for your table at Mon- 
 niouth Tha was my to bess pet turkees, an I has been in morning 
 all the blessed day for their loss on your account to be sure Mistur 
 Brazen says we cant live no longer with them three thevin servants 
 and if you cant no how sell them he muss be excused from his 
 Office as soon as may be Resp'y &c 
 
 Tuesday night BETSY BRAZEN 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE DECISION. 
 
 Letter from the North. Loss of Judy and Rose. Efforts to take them. 
 Their worth. Mrs. Chadwick afflicted. Want of money. 
 
 THURSDAY evening's mail brought as usual a bundle 
 of letters and papers for Monmouth. Among them was 
 a letter from Mrs. Chadwick, which read as follows : 
 
 SARATOGA, N. Y. July 15, 18. ^ 
 
 DEAR CHARLES : How shall I tell you what has happened ? I 
 have reason to fear that Judy and Rose have left us, as they have 
 not been seen for two days. Wednesday night the girls and myself 
 
 attended a splendid party given by Gen. : , (a description of 
 
 which, had we not met with such a misfortune in the loss of our 
 servants, would have been the subject of this letter, but now I have 
 no heart to mention it.) When we returned to our rooms from the 
 party, we did not find the maids awaiting us as usual. As there 
 'were quite a number of chamber-maids about the establishment, I 
 thought they must be loitering with them, although I had forbidden 
 it entirely. I rang the bell and desired the waiter to send Judy and 
 Rose to me directly ; he returned in a few moments saying that they 
 were not to be found in the house. I was alarmed, and knew not 
 what to do, but slipped a five-dollar bill into his hand and directed 
 him to find them before he returned. Pocahontas and Virginia, 
 wearied to death, threw themselves on their beds without undressing, 
 and thus they slept the whole of that blessed night. 
 
 6 
 
62 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 I did not then feel much alarmed about the servants' escaping. I 
 never borrow trouble, and I set my heart at rest, thinking they were 
 tired waiting for us, and forgetting themselves had fallen asleep in 
 some part of the house, where they were overlooked. I doubted not 
 they would be in waiting, to assist us to dress in the morning, but it 
 did not turn out so. 
 
 At eight o'clock, just as I awoke, I heard a knock at the door, 
 and the waiter's voice saying, " Madam Chadwick, your servants 
 can not be found !" 
 
 " They must be found !" I exclaimed, and making my toilet with 
 all possible despatch, I was actually down stairs, before nine o'clock, 
 taking measures to send after the supposed runaways. The pro- 
 prietor of our boarding-house said they had doubtless started for 
 Canada ; and if that is the case thought I, it is useless to pursue them. 
 Now I think of it, I do recollect when we were returning from 
 Niagara, seeing a person that much resembled our John, but then it 
 <3ould not have been he, he can not be changed so much 5 for all the 
 world he had the air of a free white man. Whoever he was, he had 
 something to say to Judy and Rose, and when I talked with them 
 about it, they appeared indignant that he had noticed them. I 
 thought no more of it until Tuesday last, when I saw the same du- 
 plicate of John passing the hotel. 
 
 I accordingly cautioned Judy and Hose to keep near us in our 
 rooms, and so avoid him, which they seemed ready to do. Yet it is 
 not impossible that this was their father John, who may have 
 allured them to Canada. 
 
 I wrote an advertisement offering two hundred dollars reward for 
 
 their apprehension ; but Gen. , whom I consulted, said it was 
 
 useless to advertise in this free country, so I laid it aside. 
 
 I sometimes fear this loss of the servants has come upon me for 
 having so often, when tried with them, wished them in Africa. I 
 never wished them in Canada, I am sure. 
 
 Although much fatigued by the trial and excitement consequent 
 on the eloping of the maids, my health is tolerably good. Our phy- 
 
THEFUGITIVE. 63 
 
 sicians say that Congress water will have the effect of restoring Po- 
 cahontas entirely, if we remain the season. Notwithstanding our 
 troubles, this is our choice, if you approve. I do so much regret that 
 affairs at home will not permit you to be with us. 
 
 I am now sensible that we made a grand mistake in our plan of 
 educating Pocahontas and Virginia. I had not the least idea that 
 they were so dependent on Judy and Rose, until they left. They 
 are as helpless as two dolls. They kept their room almost the whole 
 of yesterday, hoping the maids would come and assist them in their 
 toilet, their meals being sent up to them. To-day they have man- 
 aged to aid each other, but I regret to say that they are not well 
 dressed. 
 
 What a treasure was our Judy ! She was worth her weight in 
 gold. You know she was as ingenious as a Yankee, and had the ad- 
 mirable faculty of doing every thing comme-il-faut. Her taste in 
 mantua-making was superb, and I had more confidence in her judg- 
 ment of dress, than in my own. It is difficult to say how I shall 
 get along without her, as she always made my toilet for a party, and 
 Rose was just as indispensable to the girls. If indeed they have 
 been decoyed to Canada, they will doubtless get home-sick and be 
 glad to come back to us. Indeed we have always been kind to 
 them, and they went away without the slightest provocation. We 
 shall be obliged to hire white servants in their places for the present, 
 which I much regret, as it will be so expensive. 
 
 The girls send best love to papa, and beg a few hundred dollars 
 more, as they really need more ball dresses, and more jewelry, to 
 produce that impression that is so desirable. Pocahontas, by paying 
 a little more attention to dress and appearance, will be the belle of 
 the season decidedly. 
 
 Very few of these northerners seem to sympathize with us in our 
 misfortune, as southerners would. If I may j udge from this trial, they 
 are not a whole-hearted people, and not very generous in seeking to 
 alleviate the afflicted. Indeed I am glad that I am not a wrong- 
 headed, cold-hearted northerner. Yet these people have some very 
 
64 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 interesting traits, and the society is excellent in this place. To-day 
 I have met some delightful people from Georgia. 
 
 Pocahontas and Virginia will write soon, meanwhile send much 
 love, in which j oins, Your devoted 
 
 MARY. 
 
 Charles Chadwick, Esq., was greatly afflicted by this 
 letter. The prospect for crops for the season was very 
 poor, owing to the drouth, and he felt that he could ill 
 afford to lose any of his house furniture, or plantation 
 stock. He was pacing his room in a great tempest of 
 mind, when Gregory, the dining-room servant, brought 
 in Mrs. Brazen's note, sent " by Ned." 
 
 " Bless my life !" exclaimed Mr. Chadwick, as he 
 read the rare missive, " bless my life, like Job's mes- 
 sengers, what will come next?" 
 
 " Gregory ! here, tell Ned to send Brazen to me 
 directly !" The messenger went his way, and for about 
 one hour before the overseer made his appearance, Mr. 
 Chadwick continued pacing the room, considering what 
 was best to be done. 
 
 " Brazen," said he, when the overseer arrived, "lam 
 in want of money. The young ladies' servants have 
 made off for Canada." 
 
 " You don't say so !" exclaimed the man addressed. 
 "/am in want of money /" continued Mr. C., " and our 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 65 
 
 force, will be still large enough, if we make sale of some 
 of the people. There is no other alternative. Jamie, 
 Tray, and Kitt must be sold /" 
 
 " Richly deserve it !" said Brazen, " done made more 
 mischief, double and thribble in a manner I may say, 
 than all the lads on the plantations, that they have ! 
 Why there was Mrs. Brazen's two " 
 
 "I am in want of money'' interrupted Mr. C., "the 
 plantation is getting overstocked, and next court day, 
 you may take Jamie, Tray and Kitt, since they are dis- 
 posed to steal turkeys, and sell them to the highest 
 bidder !" " Exactly ! I'll see it done !" said the over- 
 seer eagerly, chuckling within himself at the turn 
 things were taking. 
 
 " That is all!" said Mr. Chadwick, waving his hand, 
 when his deputy withdrew without further ceremony. 
 
 E 6* 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 New sorrow for Jinny and her sons. No friend to help. Sabbath. Court 
 day. 
 
 NED faithfully executed Brazeri's orders about leaving 
 some of the bones and feathers around Jinny's cabin. 
 This was done, among other reasons, that the poor 
 inmates might see the weighty proof against them, and 
 have nothing to say. The next morning the overseer 
 started early, just as the Foreman and Co. were going 
 to the field, and stopping the three whom he had bribed 
 Ned to prove guilty, he told them to walk back to the 
 cabin with him, when, pointing to the bones and feath- 
 ers, he said, " I see that you have made a supper of my 
 turkeys !" The boys were perfectly confounded. They 
 understood enough of Brazen to know that it would be 
 useless for them to offer a word in self-defense. Even 
 Jinny, who had just got out her wheel, ready to go to 
 work, was silent. She knew, since her mistress was at 
 the North, that there was no one to whom she could 
 appeal for redress, and that all she could do was quietly 
 to submit to just what the oppressor judged best to lay 
 upon her. " Yes," said Brazen, " you ate my turkies ! 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 67 
 
 but you will hear of it again ! Go to your work, you 
 thieves !" 
 
 The three sorrowful brothers obeyed, and as they 
 toiled that long, long day, their hearts were swelled to 
 bursting. They were conscious of innocence, but there 
 was no one to plead their cause. At night they talked 
 over their sorrows with their mother. 
 
 " We must bear it all," said she, " for we are poor 
 slave people!" 
 
 Jamie's soul rose within him, " I will be free, or die !" 
 said he. 
 
 ' So will I !" echoed Tray. 
 
 " And I too !" said little Kitt. 
 
 " I pray the Father that you may all be free," said 
 Jinny. " And Jinny too," said Kitt nestling close by 
 her side. Yes," said she, " I do pray the Father that 
 we may all be free." 
 
 Saturday passed in the usual toil, and the grateful 
 day of rest dawned, the last day that this sorrowful 
 family were to spend together, and although they knew 
 it not, yet there seemed a presentiment of evil over- 
 shadowing them. They were gladdened in the morn- 
 ing of this day by hearing of the escape of Judy and 
 Rose. They went to the wood, the place where old 
 Scipio had lived, and there, amid the sacred solitude, 
 
68 JAMIE PARKEE, 
 
 they kneeled down and prayed. Jinny had implanted 
 a thirst for freedom in her daughters, before they were 
 old enough to leave her, and overjoyed that they had 
 escaped, she knelt down by old Scipio's and Agga's 
 grave, and with her sons offered heart-felt thanksgiving 
 to God. It was a holy, blessed day of rest to this 
 mother and her boys, and they lingered to read, talk, 
 and pray, in the calm cool of the forest until evening, 
 when they returned to their lonely dwelling. Monday, 
 court day, came, and almost every body went to the 
 " Court House," as the little village around that build- 
 ing was called. 
 
 Court day is to the little villages and surrounding 
 plantations of the South, what town meetings, or elec- 
 tion day is to the towns of the North ; there is a great 
 gathering in both cases, and a general exchanging of 
 news and opinions. Court day is the first Monday in 
 each month, and after the court has set, is the time 
 fixed for all Sheriff's sales, whether of furniture, cattle, 
 horses or servants; hence the court house on that day 
 is a place of great resort to the planters, overseers, and 
 all people who are on the look-out for good bargains, or 
 wish to know what is going on. 
 
 Overseer Brazen had instructed Ned to tell Jamie and 
 his brothers, on Monday morning, that they were not to 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 69 
 
 work in the field, but await his orders at their cabin. 
 The overseer came to Jinny's hut about nine o'clock, 
 and said to the lads, " Come, stir yourselves ! go with 
 me ; it 's court day, and you are wanted at the court 
 house !" To Jinny this announcement was a blow 
 which felled her senseless to the floor, and then the 
 heart-bursting brothers were torn away by the merciless 
 Brazen. His carryall was at the door, and directing 
 the three to get in, he followed with old Jeff, the driver, 
 and they moved off as fast as the horse would go. After 
 a ride of about two miles, the " goods and chattels," were 
 conducted from the carryall to the jail for safe keeping, 
 until four o'clock, at which time the auction sales were 
 to commence. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THREE ARTICLES SOLD, AMONG OTHER THINGS. 
 
 " Tell me not of rights ; talk not of the property of the planter in his slaves. 1 deny the right ; 
 I acknowledge not the property. The principles, the feel ings, of our common nature, rise in re- 
 bellion against it. Be the appeal made to the understanding or to (he heart, the sentence is the 
 same that rejects it. In vain you tell me of laws that sanction such a claim. There is a law 
 above all the enactments of human codes, the same throughout the world, the same in all time ; 
 such as it was before the daring genius of Columbus pierced the night of ages, and opened to one 
 world the source of power, wealth, and knowledge, to another all unutterable woes; such it is at 
 this day ; it is the law written by the finger of God on the heart of man ; and by that law, un- 
 changeable and eternal, while men despise fraud, and loathe rapine, and abhor blood, they shall 
 reject with indignation the wild and guilty fantasy that man can hold property in man." Lord 
 Brougham. 
 
 Jinny's sons in the court house jail. Auction. Jamie sold. The sale of 
 Tray. The hammer goes down on little Kitt. Similar articles disposed of. 
 Sales necessary. Redfield's estate. Little Ella. Contrasts. 
 
 WE left poor Jinny insensible. It was almost noon 
 when she became conscious of her deep bereavement. 
 " My Father !" prayed she, in her agony. " must they 
 be all sold ?" and then, as if nerved and strengthened 
 by an inspiring thought, she arose from the earthern 
 floor, and applied herself to her task at the wheel, that 
 she might go down to the court house, and see what 
 would become of her boys. 
 
 The poor lads passed a sad, weary day in the jail. 
 They were put in a damp, moist, grated room, dark and 
 gloomy. One half hour before the sale came on, over- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 71 
 
 seer Brazen came, and conducting them from their cell 
 into a better apartment, gave them some food and ex- 
 amined their appearance, as it was important that they 
 should show to the best advantage. 
 
 The crowd having assembled, the servants to be sold 
 being led in by the constables, the auctioneer, hammer 
 in hand, takes his stand directly in front of the village 
 tavern, the jail being on the right and the court house in 
 the rear. Jamie is first produced, old Scipio's darling, 
 the child of his prayers, the lad who from his earliest 
 years was haunted by the spirit of freedom, he is to be 
 sold at public auction, his bones and sinews and immor- 
 tal spirit to be bartered for silver. 
 
 He is led out from the group, for there were more 
 slaves to be sold, belonging to broken-down farmers, 
 and placed on a hogshead, so that he, the article under 
 consideration, may de seen by all present. 
 
 He is perfectly calm and self-possessed, and with 
 folded arms awaits his disposal. Wrapt in the con- 
 sciousness of his own title to himself, which no con- 
 veyance to another can destroy, there he stands, dis- 
 daining to show any emotion while he is made the 
 gazing-stock of gentlemen of the bar, judges, lordly 
 planters, overseers, and nigger-buyers,* to say nothing 
 
 * The name of those who buy slaves to sell again. 
 
72 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 of the scape-gallows loafers, who constitute the digni- 
 fied patrol of the neighborhood. In the back ground, 
 supporting herself against the side of the house, stands 
 a lone weeping mother. Having toiled at her wheel, 
 and accomplished her task, with an eager step she has 
 sought this market-place to be present at the sale of her 
 heart's treasure ! 
 
 The auctioneer begins, thus introducing the youth : 
 " This servant's name is Jamie. He is twenty-one 
 years old, from a good family, and has an excellent 
 character ; the alleged offense for which he was sold, 
 had been conveniently forgotten. Who '11 give us a bid, 
 gentlemen ?" " Seven hundred dollars," cries a planter, 
 thinking how much he needs a house-servant. " Gen- 
 tlemen," said the auctioneer, " I am offered seven hun- 
 dred, dollars for this princely servant! Why, bless my 
 life ! one so likely and well-built, active, and sound 
 throughout, is worth twice that sum !' 3 
 
 " Seven hundred and fifty," screams out another in 
 want of a groom. 
 
 " Thank you," said the auctioneer, " too cheap en- 
 tirely, come, bid up gentlemen !" 
 
 " Eight hundred dollars," cried one in want of a field 
 hand. 
 
 " You understand the subject, I perceive, sir, and yet 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 73 
 
 the trifle you offer is as nothing-. Gentlemen, arouse 
 ye ! Here 's this truly valuable servant just a going for 
 eight hundred " 
 
 " Eight hundred and fifty dollars !" bawls the nig- 
 ger-buyer, and the hammer goes down. 
 
 Jamie is removed and Tray is placed on high. He 
 stands with downcast eyes, while despair and mental 
 agony are legibly written on his face. 
 
 The auctioneer proceeds : " This slave's name is 
 Tray. He is nineteen years of age, family and charac- 
 ter good. He is clever and smart, entirely sound, teeth 
 good ; has been accustomed to the field, but will make 
 a good groom or mechanic. Start the bid, gentle- 
 men." 
 
 " Six hundred dollars," cries McClinch, an overseer. 
 
 " Six hundred dollars bid," says the auctioneer; "any 
 advance on six hundred ? Remember his many quali- 
 fications, and show how you appreciate merit, gentle- 
 men !" 
 
 " Six hundred and fifty," sings out the fat landlord, 
 Webster Webb, on the qui vive for a waiter. 
 
 " Thank you, thank you, sir," said the man of the 
 hammer, u you deserve the whole lot. Gentlemen, 
 here ! s this strong, active, clever, and likely servant, just 
 u going at six fifty." 
 
74 JAMIETAllKER. 
 
 " Seven hundred dollars !" cried out a planter, for the 
 sake of his corn-field. 
 
 ''Decided improvement, sir; you surpass yourself, 
 sir ! the hammer is tempted to fall ; any advance on 
 seven hundred 1 Just a going, once, twice, come bid 
 up, gentlemen." 
 
 " Seven hundred and fifty dollars," cries another gen- 
 tleman, in behalf of his blacksmith shop. 
 
 " Eight hundred dollars !" says Gripe, the buyer for 
 the Richmond market, and the hammer goes down, for 
 who can compete with him ? 
 
 It was now little Kill's turn to be sold. Tray was 
 removed, and the j^oungest of the little flock placed in 
 view of all. Jinny had borne her grief thus far in silent 
 agony, but now her bleeding heart found relief, in a 
 loud, wild, tumultuous cry, which thrilled the motley 
 crowd like an electric shock. Long and shrill was the 
 scream which rose to heaven, from that poor bereaved 
 mother ; and the God who listened to the voice of 
 Abel's blood crying from the ground, heard that lone 
 woman. It was her youngest born, with whom she 
 had watched through his weary nights of pain. She 
 had seen him slowly recover, and received him as one 
 from the dead. She would have buried him without a 
 murmur, but it broke her heart to have him sold into 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 75 
 
 bondage more helpless than that in which he was 
 born. 
 
 The child echoed the maniac scream of his mother, 
 and sought in his distress to spring from the stand to 
 her side. But the attempt was vain. The rough grasp 
 of the constable was on him, and he was again hoisted, 
 and notwithstanding the confusion, the auctioneer was 
 told to go on. But the mother's shrieks and the child's 
 echoes continued, and several voices from the crowd 
 added somewhat to the tumult, by loudly vociferating, 
 " Take her away ! away with her !" Accordingly the 
 constables, in the exercise of " their duty," tore poor 
 Jinny away and confined her in one of the cells of the 
 jail hard by, till the sale was over, and the overseer 
 was ready to take her home. 
 
 The crowd getting settled into something like com- 
 posure, (although still hearing the wailings of the be- 
 reaved mother,) the auctioneer, after clearing his throat, 
 went on to say, that Kitt was sixteen years of age, 
 likely, well built, although a dwarf, and rapidly getting 
 sound. " Gentlemen, give us a bid !" 
 
 " Four hundred dollars," cries the overseer from Oak hill. 
 
 "Four hundred bid for this excellent servant. Just 
 the right age to make himself useful. Bid up, gentle- 
 men ! Don't sob so loud, Kitt." 
 
76 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 
 
 " Four hundred and twenty dollars," bids one in 
 search of a miller. 
 
 " Thank you, sir ; that 's better," said the auctioneer ; 
 " any more bids ? Here 's this very valuable servant just 
 a going for four hundred and twenty dollars ; just a 
 going, once, twice, " 
 
 " Four hundred and forty," bids Gripe, the nigger- 
 buyer. 
 
 " Four forty, four forty is bid, any more bids, gentle- 
 men? once, twice, three times" so down went the 
 hammer that sealed the fate of little Kitt. 
 
 But time and space fail to describe the sale of the 
 branded things with souls, at this auction, for similar 
 articles were placed on the hogshead, and cried, until a 
 lot of twenty (including Jinny's sons) had been disposed 
 of, and the nigger-buyer became the owner of them all. 
 The freedom of each of these beings was bartered to 
 him. Stolen property was sold under the most aggra- 
 vated circumstances, for the true owners were there, 
 and, with pleading looks and many tears, beseeching it 
 to be restored to them. The slaveholder reasons, " You 
 are my property, and what have I besides ?" 
 
 Says outraged humanity in the slave, " You have 
 LIBERTY." 
 
 " I can not give up my property !" says the planter. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 77 
 
 
 
 " Give me my liberty !" pleads the bondsman. 
 
 " Down slave !" says the master ; " your liberty is 
 mine !" 
 
 "Does massa want two liberty?" expostulates the 
 slave. 
 
 " Away dog ! to your toil ! what could you do with 
 your liberty ? You CAN NOT TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF !" 
 
 " Massa, you take your liberty and let me have mine, 
 then we see who take care of himself best." 
 
 To return. The slaves sold after Jinny's sons, be- 
 longed to an estate in the neighborhood, the proprietor 
 of which had been called away to give account of his 
 stewardship in another world, and as he could not take 
 his goods with him, they must be sold. 
 
 When a planter dies at the South, it sometimes hap- 
 pens that his estate can be portioned off among his 
 heirs without selling any part of it. But in most cases, 
 in order to make an equal division, where there is no 
 will, it becomes necessary for the parties concerned, to 
 engage in the slave-trade for a time. The charges 
 which conscience and humanity bring against this 
 course, are evaded by considering the stern necessity of 
 the case. Take for an illustration the estate of Red- 
 field, the grandfather proprietor of which made his 
 money by trading in slaves ; in other words, he was a 
 
78 JAMIEPARKER 
 
 
 
 "nigger-buyer." Of course a curse followed, vulture- 
 like, and preyed on him till he took his own life, seek- 
 ing to hide himself in the grave from the gaunt train 
 of specters that haunted him. Peace, joy. and life, 
 consumed away in him, and he was left like a tree in 
 the desert, blighted by the lightning of heaven dead, 
 ere it fell, awaiting but the blast of the fierce furnace- 
 breath to be laid low, and be covered by the drifting 
 sands. Self-destroyer, he made his own funeral, and 
 the earth rejoiced, for she was rid of one foul excrescence 
 which deformed her. But the curse still preyed on the 
 family, as we shall see. At the death of the grandson 
 of the Redfield "nigger-buyer," his estate was found 
 encumbered with debts ; a part of which were the 
 father's who had died in early life, and who, although 
 he died a sot, nevertheless had a credential epitaph on 
 his tombstone, and a pious paper obituary. When the 
 grandson died, whose death, by the way, was hastened 
 by a wound received in a duel, the estate was so involved 
 as to render a sale necessary. If that had not been the 
 case, his two sons, Frank and Fitz, being at sword's 
 points, could never have agreed on a division of the 
 plantation, men, women, and horses, &c. And all will 
 perceive that an auction sale was loudly called for, and 
 extremely proper, according to the custom of the coun- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 79 
 
 try. As we have before intimated, this desirable sale 
 happened on the same day that the turkey thieves, 
 Jamie and his brothers, were disposed of. Now it must 
 not for a moment be supposed that Frank and Fitz 
 Mammon received the visits of any of the family of 
 Compunction, because they were about to trade in " the 
 bodies and souls of men :" O no, indeed, Conscience, 
 being seared with a red-hot iron, had taken her leave 
 years before, doubtless thinking it idle to waste her ad- 
 monitions on such reprobate drinkers. They were gen- 
 tlemen, and got drunk upon wine, and just before coming 
 to this auction, became much intoxicated on the last 
 jiipe of Madeira, which had long ago been cellared by 
 the slave-dealing family. Yet they considered them- 
 selves immensely capable of attending to business. 
 
 The first that was sold after the hammer went down 
 upon poor Kitt. was one little Ella, of the Redfield 
 estate. 
 
 " Hi," says a whisper in the crowd, " that article is a 
 little bit of a magnificent." 
 
 " A rare beautiful piece of ebony that," echoes an- 
 other. 
 
 And while they are calculatingly discussing her 
 merits, let us stop and pity her, for I fear there is not 
 one to feel sympathy for her, in all that crowd. One ; 
 
SO JAMIEPARKER. 
 
 yes, there are Jamie and his brothers ; their chains con- 
 stitute a bond of sympathy ; they do feel for her. 
 
 Ella is sold, and sixteen besides, and the slave-buyer, 
 after foddering them with bits and ends of ash-pones, 
 locks them up in the jail until morning, while he goes 
 to sleep on a bed of down at Webster Webb's tavern, 
 near by. After a hearty supper, and corresponding po- 
 tations of brandy and water, the slave-buyer, with the 
 aid of two servants, reached his sleeping apartment 
 Confederate demons being in attendance, he had a 
 tempestuous sleep, diversified with horrid dreams. 
 Three times did the fiends arouse him, and cause him 
 to scream for mercy ; and as often did kind Peter, the 
 waiter who slept at his feet, soothe him to sleep, for he 
 dreamed that his prisoners were loose, and that they 
 conspired to murder him. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 ANOTHER SALE AND THE ESCAPE. 
 
 Preparation for a journey. A bargain made. Black Brownson exposed to 
 slavery. Gripe's disappointment. Laments his stupidity. Cruelty. The 
 caravan stops for the night. 
 
 GRIPE arose from his haunted couch on Tuesday 
 morning, in a fever of a hurry. Having commenced 
 the day by taking a glass of water, made stiff with 
 brandy, he was very generous in distributing his oaths 
 to all who came in his way. He ordered that an extra 
 good breakfast of corn-bread and buttermilk, be served 
 to the people in the jail, as a long day's journey was 
 before them. He then despatched his own breakfast, 
 consisting of muffins, waffles, cold beef and bacon, 
 honey, butter, and coffee. With the aid of his two 
 assistants, Stithe and Strong, he then arranged his new 
 property, for the journey to Richmond, fifty miles dis- 
 tant. His large slave-wagon or carryall, was drawn 
 up before the tavern, two horses being harnessed thereto. 
 Nine children under eight years of age. and four adults, 
 were packed in this vehicle. Little Ella and Kitt were 
 to ride on the same horse with Gripe, the one before, 
 F 
 
82 JAMIEPARKER 
 
 and the other behind him ; the five remaining, including 
 Jamie and Tray, were to walk a part of the way, and 
 then to take the places of the adults in the carryall. 
 
 The two men who assisted Gripe, named Stithe and 
 Strong, also had a place in this caravan ; the former 
 drove the carryall, while the latter rode on horseback 
 to guard and drive those who walked. 
 
 As the landlord, Webster Webb, wished, his friend 
 Black Brownson (who had atrociously offended him) 
 started about an hour before the slave company, and 
 designed spending the day at a village called Land- 
 ham, about ten miles distant. When the slave-buyer 
 was nearly ready to go, the landlord waddled up to him 
 and commenced conversation. 
 
 " Pretty good speculation this of yours, friend Gripe?" 
 
 " Right-smart fair, I reckon," replied Mr. Gripe. 
 
 " Would you like to purchase any more people, to 
 add to your lot ?" inquired Webster Webb. 
 
 u Why, yes, I am never tired of buying. The more 
 I buy, the more profit. Though as for that matter, 
 there is precious little profit. I barely keep soul and 
 body together by the practice of my profession ; barely 
 support Mrs. Gripe. (Aside ; although it's true I have a 
 few thousands laid by.) But let 's see, the more the 
 merrier ; have you any to sell ?" 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 83 
 
 " Yes," replied the landlord ; " I have one valuable 
 servant that I wish to dispose of." 
 
 " Very well," said the buyer, " how '11 you trade ?" 
 
 " You will find my man. Bill Snow," continued Web- 
 ster Webb, "in my sulky some few miles ahead, if you 
 hurry on. I sent him off ostensibly on an errand, but 
 really to dispose of in this manner. If he should reach 
 Landham village before you do, you may find it more 
 difficult to get possession of him, as he is cunning as a 
 fox. So you had best hurry on, if you purchase him." 
 
 " Describe him out and out," said the buyer. 
 
 " He is about forty years old," said Webster Webb, 
 " looks much older, of rather swarthy complexion, has 
 good teeth, and is sound throughout. He is dressed 
 genteely. being my body servant, is well spoken and 
 plausible, and will try to pass off as a gentleman ; of 
 course you '11 take no notice of that. If he resists, use 
 the hand-cuffs." 
 
 " Never fear us," replied Gripe, " we know our pro- 
 fession. But how '11 ye trade ?" 
 
 " O, I dare say we shall not differ about that ; any 
 thing reasonable," replied Mr. Webb. 
 
 " But your terms !" said Gripe ; " your terms." 
 
 " Well, then, as I wish to give you a bargain, I will 
 sell him for $800, on sixty days credit." 
 
84 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 "Done! it's a bargain !" said the speculator. "But 
 the horse and sulky ?" 
 
 " You may leave them at the village tavern, and I 
 will send for them," said the landlord. 
 
 Each one goes his way chuckling with satisfaction ; the 
 one is pleased at the success of his project to play a game 
 on his neighbor, the other at the rare bargain he has made. 
 
 All things being in readiness, the caravan starts from 
 the tavern; and as Gripe is anxious to overtake his 
 property that is ahead, he presses on at a brisk rate, 
 leaving the carryall and the foot-passengers quite in 
 the rear. 
 
 Meanwhile he congratulates himself on his great 
 gains, and sees in perspective, a splendid fortune in his 
 possession. Visions of prodigious estates well stocked 
 with laborers, rise before him as his steed moves along, 
 and little Ella and Kitt, tired with weeping, remain 
 stupified with grief, while he complacently mutters to 
 himself, swinging his cow-hide, " all mine ; lawfully 
 mine ; made by constant trade in four short years." 
 Just at this moment, coming to a turn in the road, he 
 saw his latest purchase, riding at his ease like a gen- 
 tleman, as the buyer expressed it, " for all the world like 
 a lord ; as unconcerned as if he were the master and 
 not the slave." 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 85 
 
 " Halloa, my man !" shouts the purchaser, riding up 
 alongside of the sulky : " halloa, there ; let me have 
 the pleasure of introducing your new master, that's 
 myself, d' ye hear?" 
 
 " Sir !" exclaimed Black Brownson, drawing in his 
 reins in unfeigned astonishment. " Sir ; do you mean 
 to insult me ?" 
 
 " So, so ; this is all sorts of impudence," said the 
 drover ; < : but your master has warned me of your tricks. 
 No more of them then, or I '11 give you a taste of my 
 cowhide," at the same time giving said weapon a 
 threatening sweep over his head. 
 
 " What under the heavens do you mean ?" growled 
 out Black Brownson, his eyes flashing fire as he spoke. 
 
 " That you are my servant by lawful purchase ; and 
 that you may as well keep your impudence to yourself, 
 if you know what 's for your health," said he of the 
 good bargain. 
 
 " Not so fast, sir : not so fast, sir," exclaimed Black 
 Brownson, " here is a mistake, all resulting from my 
 enduring black skin. I have always feared to travel 
 farther south, lest I should be sold for a slave ; but bless 
 rne, I never expected to be sold not ten miles from my 
 own plantation to a " nigger-buyer," 
 
 " Nevertheless," said Gripe, " I shall make bold to 
 
86 JAMIEPARKER 
 
 arrest you as my property, and, putting on the hand- 
 cuffs, give you in charge to my overseer Stithe, who is 
 coming up with the people I bought yesterday. I shall 
 arrest you, I say, unless you can prove on the spot that 
 you are not Bill Snow, who was sold to me not one 
 hour ago by Webster Webb." 
 
 The light now burst in upon Black Brownson. He 
 saw through the trick of his offended friend. " Here 's 
 proof sufficient to convince you," said he, taking out his 
 pocket-book, which, by the way, was well lined with 
 bank notes, K proof sufficient. My name is Col. Brown- 
 son, generally known as Black Brownson. If these 
 (showing sundry papers) will not satisfy you, I will 
 join your company, and at the next village, where I am 
 well known, I can convince you beyond a doubt." 
 
 Gripe here threw out a profusion of expletives which 
 we can not repeat, and continued, " I have been mightily 
 hoaxed. I declare that I bought you, not an hour ago, 
 of Webster Webb, as his servant Bill Snow, and I have 
 half a mind now to take you to market, that I am," con- 
 tinued he, half in jest, " it 's too good a spec' to be lost, 
 that it is." 
 
 " Jupiter Ammon," exclaimed Col. Brownson ; " this 
 is more than southern blood can bear ! I '11 challenge 
 the old duck ; he 's not to insult me through a vile 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 87 
 
 slave-dealer," said he through his teeth, in a lower 
 tone. 
 
 " Vile slave-dealer ! eh ?" echoed that character, for 
 he overheard, " forget that you are my property yet, do 
 3 T ou ? and that I intend to sell you to labor for life on a 
 sugar plantation !" 
 
 "Minion!" flashed Black Brownson, "bottle your 
 wrath P and then giving the reins and blows to his 
 horse, he soon distanced his master, as every spirited 
 slave, black or white, is bound to do. 
 
 Said Mr. Gripe to himself, " I have made a fair bar- 
 gain for this man, and although he is Col. Brownson, 
 if I thought I could carry the matter through, and get 
 him out of the reach of his friends, I should not have 
 the least hesitation to do it. for it is plainly too good a 
 1 spec' to be lost. Let 's see, $1200, the same as taken 
 out of my pocket. Fool that I am ! If I was not tied 
 up to these varments, (meaning little Ella and Kitt,) I 
 would hand-cuff and gag him directly, and have him 
 ready to pack in the bottom of the carryall against it 
 came up. However it 's too late now," said he despair- 
 ingly, as he saw the sulky gentleman almost out of 
 sight, " it 's too late ! what a fool I have been. With 
 half an eye I ought to have seen that it was a hoax, and 
 have made a serious matter of it ! how profoundly stupid !" 
 
88 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 Thus he continued to lament his ill-luck in the 
 escape of his property, and seeing that it was useless to 
 attempt to make his loaded horse overtake the run- 
 away, he fell back, waiting for the carryall and attend- 
 ants to come up. In fiendish mood, from pure malice, 
 he now began to torment the children who had no one 
 to protect them. 
 
 "Now," said he to Ella, "I shall let you fall under 
 the horse's feet ;" at the same time jostling the child 
 as if about to execute his threat. 
 
 " Oh, please !" said she with a beseeching look which 
 would have softened any heart not harder than the 
 nether millstone. 
 
 " Please," echoed Kitt involuntarily, in his trembling 
 for Ella. 
 
 " Please, indeed !" roughly growled the drover; "speak 
 again, and I '11 toss you off, and break your neck." 
 
 " Don't hurt him, he '11 not done say please again," 
 softly whispered Ella. 
 
 " You want a stroke I see," said he fiercely, at the 
 same time giving her a blow on her bare arm, which 
 brought the blood. The little girl scringed and wept 
 in silence, for she was a poor defenseless slave, and had 
 no one to redress her wrong. 
 
 The carryall now came up, and with it all the com- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 89 
 
 pany, for those that walked were obliged to keep im- 
 mediately behind it. the horses being driven moderately. 
 Nothing unusual had happened to the party of captives 
 in and behind the carryall. The children in the vehicle 
 had, some of them, got weary and cried themselves to 
 sleep. Others were yet weeping for their absent moth- 
 ers ; for with all the interest felt by the slave-dealer in 
 their disposal and welfare, there was no mother's love 
 in it ; and of this the children were sensible, although 
 not great reasoners. 
 
 The five slaves on foot now took the places of the 
 four adults in the carryall. Gripe drank a quantity of 
 brandy out of a bottle, which he drew from his saddle- 
 bags, and directly began to feel better, which was 
 happy for Ella and Kitt. 
 
 The sun was beating upon them like a furnace, and 
 they were scorched to fainting. Finally the child Ella 
 fell asleep, and as the drover reined his horse alongside 
 of the crowded vehicle, Jamie's eye fell upon the lacer- 
 ated arm of the little sufferer. It nerved him to mad- 
 ness. " I will be free," said he to himself, " come life 
 or come death ! I will be free, and Ella shall be free 
 too." 
 
 Richmond city lies about fifty miles from Mulberry 
 Court House, the place from which the caravan started. 
 
90 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 As the weather was excessively hot, the drover now 
 thought it the best economy to divide the distance 
 equally, and take two days for the journey. Accord- 
 ingly, about seven o'clock in the evening of one of Vir- 
 ginia's hottest days, our company halted in a pleasant 
 wood, bordering on the James' river. As there was no 
 dwelling houses or places of accommodation for trav- 
 elers in the vicinity, Gripe and his confederates decided 
 to encamp. 
 
 The sun went down in glory, and left hanging in 
 the firmament over the place of his rest, a gorgeous 
 drapery of clouds. Earnestly had he gazed on the hu- 
 man woe of the southern land, and now he turns away. 
 
 " Bright sun, thou art leaving 
 
 The land of the slave, 
 
 Thou surely art grieving, 
 
 His joy is his grave. 
 
 Of gazing on sorrow 
 
 Enough for to-day ; 
 Returning to-morrow, 
 
 'T will come in thy way. 
 
 Then out on the prairie, 
 
 Be gilding the flower, 
 Forget thou art weary, 
 
 Of joy have an hour. 
 
 Bathe in the Pacific, 
 
 And short time forget 
 The Slave curse terrific 
 
 On this land is set." 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 ' Free is the sunlight. 
 
 And water, and air, 
 But Slavery 's a blight, 
 A curse and a snare." 
 
 The encampment supper. Soul-buyers helpless. Jamie's plan for the escape. 
 Slave fear. The flight. 
 
 A COMFORTABLE encampment was soon made by the 
 slave people, after the following manner : 
 
 The wagon was drawn under an oak of gigantic 
 dimensions, opposite which several saplings were bent 
 and fastened under a horizontal bough extending from 
 the monarch tree. A quantity of boughs and leaves 
 were spread over all, forming a complete shield from 
 the night air. A good fire was made at a little dis- 
 tance, for the double purpose of cooking supper, and 
 keeping off musquitoes. Two or three people, with one 
 overseer, went to the river for fish, while two, conducted 
 by the second overseer, went to a distant dwelling for 
 other necessaries to make out a supper. Jamie and 
 Tray, with the three remaining laborers, were busy col- 
 lecting a supply of wood for the night, boiling a kettle of 
 water for tea, and clearing a spot of ground for the table 
 
92 THE FUGITIVE. 
 
 to be spread, and for the people to sleep at night. The 
 ground was soon cleared of the decayed wood and ob- 
 stinate underbrush : and an Indian blanket spread on 
 the torn turf for the drovers' table. All things being 
 ready, they awaited the return of the absent companies. 
 In about an hour they appeared, laden with oysters 
 and fish from the river, and with eating vessels, milk, 
 rum, butter, &c., from the farm-house. As Jamie had 
 the most activity and intelligence of the " lot," it fell to 
 him to perform the duties of cook and waiter ; and 
 while he was busy cooking the food from the river, the 
 three " drovers" kept the rest of the people busy pulling 
 grass by hand, and carrying it to the place where the 
 horses were tied by the wagon, and thus, in process of 
 time, those animals were supplied. Long ere that was 
 accomplished, however, the inviting repast prepared by 
 Jamie, for the three white men, was smoking on the 
 table. The drovers were not backward in sitting down 
 and enjoying it, although the men who labored for 
 them, and had had such abundant exercise, were almost 
 famished ; and the children lying in the carryall, were 
 sleeping supperless after their tiresome ride. Several 
 of them were now awakened by the pinchings of hun- 
 ger, joined with the smell of the savory food, but they 
 must patiently wait until their masters had finished 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 93 
 
 their long sitting at the table, before they could have 
 their tantalized appetite appeased. The brandy bottles 
 having been replenished, the slave-traders showed, by 
 their devotion to them, that they considered their con- 
 tents the most desirable thing on the table. All three 
 were made intolerably cross, as effect first of said bot- 
 tles ; but by and by they became as comfortably silly and 
 good natured. as they had been the opposite. The 
 mirth and jokes of inebriates were now in the ascend- 
 ant, while reason and judgment, instead of being on the 
 meridian, were below the horizon. Uproar and confu- 
 sion being the order of the table, not a captive dared to 
 approach to satisfy his pressing wants. Jamie gave 
 his companions of the food still broiling on the fire, as 
 soon as he saw that the masters were too intoxicated to 
 take notice. And when, at last, they slept in their 
 drunkenness, he, with two or three of his comrades, 
 quietly moved them to the beds prepared for them under 
 the cover of the boughs, and gave of the food to all the 
 company. Said Jamie to his people, ' Eat, for we have 
 work to do to-night." 
 
 And while they were eating, he pointed out to them 
 the fine opportunity they had for escaping, but his pro- 
 posal was received with great fear and distrust. 
 
 Said the oldest man present, whose name was Gum- 
 
94 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 frey, in a whisper, " what if massa Gripe, dare, wake 
 up ; he tear us to pieces like de lion, he so mad." 
 
 " Never fear him to-night," said Jamie aloud, " he is 
 chained fast, and here is his master," raising his empty 
 bottles ; " he does love to serve his master Jug." This 
 speech was received with applause by the people, 
 although they shrank away from the bold thought of 
 striking out for freedom. Ella, Kitt, and Tray, had 
 clustered near Jamie, and although his earnest efforts 
 in arousing his people to be free that night, left him 
 little leisure or inclination to eat, yet he found time to 
 help little Ella, and also to bind some healing leaves 
 on her bruised arms. 
 
 After the people had finished supper, Jamie again 
 commenced the work of arousing them. Rising and 
 holding in his hand one of the three jugs emptied by 
 the sleeping keepers, " Look at this !" said he. All the 
 company looked at it, save the tired children whom 
 Kitt and Tray meanwhile were putting to bed. 
 
 " The jug is the master of the drunken white men !" 
 said he, pointing to them, "I'll take care of one mas- 
 ter," said he, throwing the bottle with all his strength 
 against a rock near by and dashing it to pieces, " and 
 now I tell you to-night, that I will escape from the 
 slaves of the master I have broken !" 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 95 
 
 Ordinarily, most of the people were dull compared 
 with Jamie, and the thought of " escaping," which he 
 had suggested, almost stupefied them. At the quarters, 
 corn-field and whipping-post, they had been taught to 
 think that the most fearful sin they could commit 
 against God and man was wishing to be free, and some 
 of them prayed the Savior to forgive them for having 
 such temptations ! At length Gumfrey, feeling more 
 and more tempted to strike out for freedom, said to 
 Jamie : 
 
 " You ought to be white man ! you no fear nothing !" 
 
 " I fear God," replied Jamie, " and He wants to have 
 us free." 
 
 " We slave people will follow you, and go where 
 you go !" said Trumpet, another of the party. 
 
 ' Hope massa Gripe won't done wake up," said Alex, 
 as the love of liberty began to dawn in his mind. 
 
 "Never mind, he '11 sleep sound till morning," said 
 Jamie, " nothing to fear from him." 
 
 "We be safe if we kill de sleeping massas," said 
 Gumfrey, who had too often been advanced to the whip- 
 ping-post for supposed misdemeanors, to admire slavery. 
 
 A shudder passed through this little group, and Jamie 
 said, " no indeed ! we will not stain our hands in their 
 blood !" 
 
96 JAM. IE PARKER 
 
 " No, no," murmured the people, while they trembled 
 at the thought. 
 
 The company then taking with them what they 
 could carry of the remains of the supper, cast a hasty 
 look on the sleeping masters, and set out for the free 
 country, with Jamie as their leader. 
 
 As the number of captives that left Webster Webb's 
 were twenty, and nine children were left on the en- 
 campment, the free party consisted of eleven. Jamie 
 rightly judged that very much of the success of the un- 
 dertaking depended upon him, consequently all the 
 sagacity of his nature was called into exercise. He 
 foresaw if they kept in a body there would be more dan- 
 ger of being recaptured. For even if all had sufficient 
 caution to keep hid during day-light, so many traveling 
 together, would leave a trail which would be easily fol- 
 lowed. They had proceeded about an hour in as noise- 
 less a manner as possible, when Jamie proposed to the 
 fugitives a plan of separating. To this there was much 
 opposition. There was not one that had hardihood and 
 courage enough, to lead any one of the companies 
 necessary to be formed. 
 
 " Unless we separate we shall all be taken before 
 sunset !" said Jamie, " If we go by two and two. we 
 may all escape !" 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 97 
 
 The principle of fear is strong, and the people listened 
 to this counsel. So Jamie, Kitt, and Ella were to go 
 together ; Tray with Gumfrey ; and the six men remain- 
 ing were divided into three companies of two each. 
 
 " Now." said Jamie, " we must pray the Father to 
 help us. We must travel only by night and through 
 the darkest woods, and alwaj^s find a good hiding-place 
 for the day if we can." 
 
 Said Gumfrey, " how shall we know where to go ?" 
 
 Jamie then told them that they must make the north 
 star their guide. " Follow that for two moons and you 
 will find the free country," said he. 
 
 Then with hasty farewells the five companies took 
 different paths. 
 
 G 9 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 " Oh who can tell what days, what nights she spent, 
 Ot'tideless, waveless, sailless, shoreless woe ?" 
 
 Jinny a maniac. What the fugitive must expect. Jamie and his compan- 
 ions. The buyers at the encampment. A discovery. The pursuit. Prog- 
 ress of Jamie and those with him. 
 
 POOR Jinny ! bereft of all she had to love, who can 
 think of her without weeping ? Her children sold, as 
 she supposed, into hopeless slavery, she is carried to her 
 desolate cabin by overseer Brazen, the cup of her sor- 
 rows overflowing. We can not portray her sufferings, 
 no pen can describe them ; nor can we stay to mark 
 the course by which in her lonely hut, madness seized 
 her brain, and how, with no kindred by, she raved in her 
 delirium, how she alternated between the maniac-laugh 
 and the mother's scream of anguish, pleading that her 
 lost children might be restored. But her's is not the 
 only case of suffering among the poor slave people.* 
 
 * " The horrors of this traffic in human beings, it is impossible to depict. 
 Imagination, in her wildest flights, can scarcely conceive of the suffering and 
 horrible atrocities committed upon the victims of this trade. Think one mo- 
 ment of the sufferings of the forty thousand men, women, and children of all 
 ages, sold out of Virginia alone, in 1836, at an average price of six hundred 
 dollars, making twenty-four millions in one year, for her trade in blood. 
 Scenes transpire under this system sufficient to make a man of human feel- 
 ings, should he witness them, go mad. This foul wickedness Congress can 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 99 
 
 At this moment, there are thousands of southern hearts, 
 laid open, bare and bleeding 1 , by the merciless slave- 
 trader, who hesitates not to tear away the children 
 bound up in the life of the mother, for the sake of a little 
 glittering 1 dust. 
 
 Much as we feel for poor " crazy Jinny," as they call 
 her at the Monmouth quarter, we must leave her, to 
 follow her children in their perilous enterprise. 
 
 In separating into parties, Jamie had quite a struggle 
 in his mind, for he longed to have his two brothers and 
 Ella go with him ; but Tray decided the matter, pos- 
 sessed as he was of some independence and manliness 
 of character, by saying that Kitt and Ella must go 
 with Jamie, while he himself would go with any one of 
 the party. Jamie advised the people to cross their 
 
 stop. The effect of its abolition upon slavery can be seen, when it is remem- 
 bered that one portion of the South grows slaves for sale, as Vermonters do 
 sheep ; while the other portion buys them, to exhaust them in their corn- 
 fields, and rice swamps. By the abolition of the trade, that portion which 
 breeds slaves would find itself dying of surfeit from a surplus population, for 
 which there would be no outlet but in emancipation. The purchasing or ex- 
 htiusting states would find themselves dying of starvation, for want of the 
 laboring power which they had used heretofore, but which then there would 
 be no means of obtaining, except through emancipation. Thus by your vote, 
 and the votes of northern men, can slavery be struck lifeless at both extremi- 
 ties * * * * It reflects little credit on our national legislature, that, 
 while they have declared the foreign slave trade piracy, punishable with 
 death, they have silently tolerated a domestic traffic equally deserving the law's 
 extremest penalty. Let us hope that freemen may at last vindicate the power 
 of the Constitution by exerting to the utmost every one of its prerogatives in 
 behalf of humanity, and the inalienable rights of liberty." 
 
100 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 tracks, to swim and re-swim the creeks as much as 
 possible, so as to put the dogs at fault, should they fol- 
 low. Commending themselves to God, they went on 
 their daring journey ; for he that escapes from the life- 
 prison of the South must peril all in the attempt. He 
 must thread his way through the unfrequented by-ways 
 of the forest, and swim creeks and rivers, for the bridges 
 were not made for him ; they belong to his elder, paler 
 brother. He must eat of the nuts, berries and roots 
 held out to him by wild Nature's kind hand ; for the 
 stranger's home belongs not to him, although a weary 
 stranger. He may not seek a human habitation ; only 
 the wild dens of the forest will entertain him. He must 
 linger concealed around the outskirts of civilization, for 
 man has proscribed him. Lone, weary, hunted, he must 
 stealthily pursue his way, under the " eaves of the Al- 
 leghanies," starting like the frightened hare at every 
 trembling leaf; for his dreams by day as well as by night 
 are of the pursuer. Do not the struggles of the bond- 
 man to get his head above the stagnant waters of 
 slavery, and breathe unstrangled the air of freedom, 
 deserve a place on the historic page, infinitely above the 
 lofty warrior's deeds of conquest ? In the one case a 
 noble thirst for liberty incites to action, while in the 
 other, ambition is the ruling star. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 101 
 
 Jamie and his companions, with whom we have most 
 to do, traveled all this first night, weary as they were, 
 and the distance accomplished was probably about fif- 
 teen miles. A part of the time their course led them 
 through open fields, but as the morning began to dawn, 
 they sought the solitude of a thick wood, and penetrat- 
 ing into its depths, found a safe hiding-place in a close 
 thicket of tangled hollies and laurels. Jamie now sat 
 Ella down, for he had carried her a part of the way, 
 and said, " Here we must stay till dark again ! men 
 and dogs will be out to-day to take us !" 
 
 u What shall we do," said Kitt, creeping into the 
 covert, " when our fish is gone ?" 
 
 i Do," said Jamie cheerfully, " do ; why we must do 
 like the birds and squirrels, eat berries, and nuts and 
 roots, where we can find them !" 
 
 "Yes," said Ella, "and sometimes when we go 
 through the corn-fields, when it 's dark, we can eat a 
 little corn !" 
 
 " Oh/' exclaimed Kitt, " that would be stealing !" 
 
 " No indeed," replied Jamie "it 's not stealing for us to 
 take a little corn when we need it. We have a better 
 right to the corn than men have to us." 
 
 And thus freely whispering their minds on a subject 
 which has caused some dispute among wiser heads, the 
 9* 
 
102 JAMIE PAK.KER 
 
 three ate a little of the last night's supper, and as the 
 birds awoke with song, weary, they fell asleep. The 
 day was almost past when they awoke, and the dark- 
 ness seemed coming on, but they had sagacity enough 
 to know that it was night earlier within the fastnesses of 
 this dark forest than without ; they accordingly kept 
 quiet until it was safe to proceed. Tray and Gumfrey 
 made almost the same distance as the three mentioned, 
 the first night. But the other companions, in two or 
 three hours after they lost the inspiring presence of 
 Jamie and Tray, began to lag, and thinking sleeping 
 better business than traveling, found hiding-places in 
 the woods, and went to sleep. 
 
 We will now return a moment to the encampment. 
 The sun pointed at nine o'clock the next morning when 
 the men who were overcome by rum the night previous, 
 began to think about rubbing their eyes open. Gripe 
 was greatly confused in his mind, but thinking, when 
 he saw that the people were absent, that they were 
 faithful and true, and busy in fishing for breakfast, he 
 felt no alarm. Yet at length a solitary suspicion seemed 
 to find its way into his topsey-turvey cranium. 
 
 " Say," said he to Stithe on his right hand, " say, 
 where are them are stupid servants, that they don't 
 done tote in our breakfast?" 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 103 
 
 " Humph !" growled out the spoken-to, getting half 
 an eye open, "humph ! run away, I reckon!" 
 
 " I know better than that," said Strong, coming to 
 the rescue, " I know better than that, for when I left 
 watching at midnight, they were all as snug asleep 
 as need be." 
 
 " Sure of it ?" interrogated the slave dealer. 
 
 u As sure as I am living !" answered Strong. 
 
 " And what 's the reason you left watching ?" sternly 
 interrogated the slave buyer. 
 
 " Thought all was safe, and I might rest a bit," said 
 he demurely. 
 
 " Well," said the drover, " we may as well stir our- 
 selves and be bringing them ba'ck if they have run 
 away." Saying this he began to move toward the 
 wagon. " Bless me !" said he, as he reached that 
 vehicle, " here 's some of the lot left, one, two, three, 
 four, five, six, seven, eight, nine ! All with your eyes 
 open, eh ? Where 's the people?" Trembling with fear, 
 not one of them dared to answer, not comprehending 
 what the fierce man meant. 
 
 " Why don't you answer ?" roared Gripe. " I say," 
 said he, turning to his confederates, " the best way to 
 find out where the people is, will be to whip these chil- 
 dren within an inch of their lives, and so make 'em tell." 
 
104 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 " Oh no !" said Stithe, that would take too much time, 
 and they were sound asleep when the people left, most 
 likely." 
 
 " Well," said Gripe, " we must tie these that's left, 
 or they will be gone when we come back." 
 
 After a short consultation it was agreed that Stithe 
 should stay on the ground with the children, while the 
 drover and Strong harnessed the horses to the carryall, 
 and went back in the direction of Webster Webb's, for 
 in their sagacity they judged that the people being 
 homesick, had turned their steps thither. This remarka- 
 ble acuteness was mainly owing to the effects of last 
 night's debauch. Their reason having been absent, had 
 not as yet quite returned. 
 
 After eating a " mouthful," the two got into the 
 wagon and went off at a brisk rate, when they reached 
 the traveled road. On they went, asking of every one 
 they met, for some news of the runaways, and expecting 
 at every turn in the road to come up with them ; but as 
 they were as often disappointed, this called for vollies of 
 profanity from the nigger-buyer and his associate, whilst 
 he mercilessly lashed his poor horses, as if they were 
 not quite blameless in causing the misfortune. About 
 three o'clock in the evening, the two drove up before 
 Webster Webb's and found to their utter consternation, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 105 
 
 that the escaped property had neither been seen or 
 heard of at that place. As matters were putting on a 
 serious face. Gripe bargained to change horses with the 
 landlord, and after a hasty repast, and leaving adver- 
 tisements and rewards for the runaways in the post- 
 office, to be inserted in the Richmond papers, made the 
 best of his way back to the forest. Now while the 
 war-note is sounding, and the slave-dealer, by the voice 
 of the press, is calling all Virginia to turn out blood- 
 hounds, and arrest these apostates from Icier peculiar in- 
 stitutions, let us peep at the trio we left hid away in the 
 holly thicket. 
 
 " It is time to go," said Jamie, after they had finished 
 the fragments of the last night's meal. The three then 
 started, Kitt and Ella noiselessly following Jamie. It 
 was now quite dark and their progress necessarily slow, 
 the way being obstructed with underbrush. At length, 
 after a toilesome walk of about an hour, they struck 
 into a path grass-grown and as soft as velvet. Ella's 
 little bare feet were badly lacerated by the bushes and 
 briars, and she said as she pressed the soft path, " O 
 Jamie,- let's walk here all the time, it's so very nice and 
 soft ! 
 
 " But we may meet somebody who will take us 
 again !" said he. 
 
106 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 "No we wo'nt!" said Ella, "we don't want to see 
 any body !" 
 
 " Some people want to see us," replied he. 
 
 "I can't hardly see you, it's so dark," replied little 
 Ella, " and they'll not see us." 
 
 " Well," whispered Jamie, " if we walk here we must 
 not speak." So they noiselessly proceeded a long time 
 on the soft turf; at length they found a narrow branch 
 path which they took, walking one before the other, 
 Indian file. This wound them among the majestic 
 trees, and the moon, from a high point in her observa- 
 tory, flittered her rays through the leafy net-work of the 
 forest, in showers of silver. Her cheerful light is a pre- 
 cious boon to the earth, mantled with gloom at the 
 departure of the sun. But the flying slave, much as he 
 loves her light, is often obliged to shrink from it, and 
 plunge into the deep shade of the/orest, when near the 
 habitations of men, fearing lest the same kindly light 
 that would guide his weary feet will also point him out 
 to his pursuers. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 AN ENCOUNTER, AND WHAT FOLLOWED THEREUPON. 
 
 . in encounter. Fears. Kind treatment. Old Archy's plans for their safety. 
 They seek the mountain cave. 
 
 AT length our poor wanderers issued from the wood, 
 for the heroic leader judged it best to travel west for a 
 time, and get shielded from the dreaded foe by the shel- 
 tering eaves of the Alleghanies. To do this it became 
 necessary to cross a tract of cultivated land, before en- 
 tering a forest through which they could reach the 
 mountains. Jamie had an indefinite idea that it would 
 be safer, if a good hiding-place could be found, to remain 
 secreted some time in the mountains, as pursuers would 
 be dragging all the Northern routes with their nets, to 
 secure the deserters. After traveling a long time, their 
 path drew up before a deep and sluggish creek, with 
 the like of which the country abounds. Jamie, hush- 
 ing the fears of little Ella, fastened her to his back 
 and swam across, with Kitt by his side. After wring- 
 ing the water from their tattered clothes as best they 
 could, finding that they were in a corn-field, they gath- 
 ered some of the ripe ears and ate, for their long walk 
 
108 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 , 
 
 made them hungry. They were just emerging from 
 this extensive field, when a dog from a lone cabin on 
 the border came fiercely upon them. But Jamie and 
 Kitt had seen fierce dogs kept by servants as well as 
 masters, and by managing skillfully they kept him off, 
 until they could call for help, since the faithful sentry 
 would not let them pass without. 
 
 "Help! help!" shouted they, while Ella clung to 
 them for protection. And directly there came out of 
 the cabin a white-headed old man with a lighted pine- 
 knot in his hand, and a blanket on his shoulders. He 
 silenced the fierce dog, who with his eyes still fixed on 
 the strangers, crouched at his master's feet. This was 
 a moment of painful anxiety to our travelers. Friend 
 or foe, they knew not unto which, they were about to 
 deliver themselves. But the kind tones of old Archy 
 as he said, 
 
 " Bless me! how came you here children?" set their 
 palpitating hearts a little at rest. There was a kind- 
 ness in his eye, a goodness of heart that shone out in 
 his face and manner, inspiring confidence, and had not 
 our little party been so startled by the sudden attack of 
 the dog, which awakened the whole force of their fears, 
 doubtless the first glance would have composed them. 
 But in answering the very natural question of old Archy, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 109 
 
 Jamie in a few words told him the leading items of 
 " how they came there," and while he briefly related 
 their simple story, more than once the old slave " took 
 a tear out of the corner of his eye." 
 
 "Come in! come in!" said old Archy, " you 're all 
 wet, come in ! you must get dry and warm by my fire 
 before you go farther." With these words he led the 
 way into his cabin, and when he had seated his guests, 
 raked open the coals which were covered with ashes, 
 and kindled a fire. Then he put out the light, to avoid 
 exciting the suspicion of any night-walking servants, or 
 the patrol, which, for aught he knew, might be on their 
 rounds. While the travelers were drying their clothes 
 by the good blazing fire, old Archy baked some of the 
 bread which was to have been his portion on the mor- 
 row, by the help of his sister Edy, whom he aroused for 
 this purpose, and who, being almost deaf, had not heard 
 the bustle occasioned by the coming of the trio. As 
 " allowance day" was only the week before, the aged 
 couple had still a piece of meat left. A part of this 
 they cooked, which with the bread made quite a com- 
 fortable meal for our hunted ones. But a short time 
 was consumed in making these arrangements, ' For," 
 said the old man, (who had had a life experience of 
 slavery and fully sympathized with them in their 
 10 
 
110 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 attempt to get free,) "for," said he, "you must reach 
 the mountains before morning." And while they were 
 eating, being dry and warm, he told them that he once 
 set out for the North, and being successful in reaching a 
 free country, ventured back to get his wife and chil- 
 dren. He wished to guide them to the happy land he 
 had found, but alas ! they had been sold during his 
 absence to a Louisianian plantation, " and" said he, 
 weeping, "I could not enjoy my freedom without them!" 
 The tears chased each other down the cheeks of the 
 kind old man, as he said this. " I have been a free- 
 man" said he, " but must die a slave." 
 
 After having finished their simple repast, old Archy 
 conducted them a short distance on their way, and di- 
 rected them to a cave in which they could reside until 
 the fury of the storm was spent, until the pursuers, for 
 want of success, should think it useless to search lon- 
 ger on the traveled routes. Said the old man, as they 
 stopped on the verge of the forest which stretched on 
 to the mountains, " Follow this path, until you hear 
 water falling from rocks, strike out for that, and it will 
 lead you to a cave which has hid many a poor man, 
 when the dogs have been after him. If you make haste 
 you will get there by sunrise, and to-morrow night, I '11 
 done come and see you." Saying this, he left the run- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. Ill 
 
 aways to seek the asylum which Nature had provided, 
 and warily, for he feared it was patrol night, returned 
 to his cabin. He reached it in safety, for that worthy 
 guard was entirely unsuspicious of him, and confined 
 its surveillance to the people congregated at the quarters, 
 about one fourth of a mile distant. 
 
 The progress of the party in the woods was slow, as 
 Ella's feet were so torn that she could barely walk, and 
 to relieve her, Jamie carried her most of the way. The 
 wood was now composed of pines which had grown up 
 on corn-fields, exhausted by the wasteful management 
 of overseers and slaves. After following the path over 
 these old fields for about two miles, they entered a for- 
 est very different, consisting of oak, cedar, gum, beach, 
 aspen, &c. Directly they found a good path, used by 
 the wagoner, and followed it for a long distance, stop- 
 ping every now and then, to hear the signal which the 
 waterfall was to give, to guide them to the cave. At 
 hist when they were ready to despair, the wished-for 
 sound was heard, and the travelers in the dark com- 
 menced fighting their way through the thick under- 
 brush of which the wood was sufficiently guilty, in the 
 direction of the waterfall. 
 
 " When shall we find the cave?" said little Ella. 
 
 " Right soon, I hope," said Jamie. 
 
112 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 "Now we are lost!" said Kitt, "for we can't hear 
 the waters." 
 
 Lost !" said Ella, lost ! I'm glad then !" 
 
 " Glad we are lost !" exclaimed Jamie. 
 
 " Yes, dat I is !" said she decidedly. 
 
 " And why, honey ?" asked Jamie. 
 
 " If we are lost," said the little girl, " the men and 
 the dogs can't find us !" 
 
 " Yes they can, perhaps. Here we will rest a bit," 
 said he, "may be we shall hear the water presently, 
 and then we will go on." The three then sat down 
 and listened intently, but they heard no sound. 
 
 They had remained silent but a little while, when 
 Ella, tired out with the long journey, and the excite- 
 ment of the night, fell asleep, and Jamie leaving her in 
 care of Kitt went in search of their guide, the water- 
 fall. He found that the ground had descended so grad- 
 ually that they were not aware of it, and they were 
 now in quite a glen ; thinking if he went up the oppo- 
 site side of the glen, which was steep and abrupt, he 
 would be guided, he forced his way up the ascent, 
 when the joyful sound burst upon his ear. As the rope 
 to the drowning man, as bread to the famishing, was 
 the sound to Jamie's ear. With the agility of a deer 
 he bounded back to the spot where he left his partners 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 113 
 
 in peril, and awaking Ella, told them how near they 
 were to the cave. The morning was dawning, and 
 mutually cautioning each other, they proceeded as still 
 as possible. They were much longer in gaining the 
 ascent, than our hero had been when alone, for Ella 
 and Kitt did not possess quite his strength and enthusi- 
 asm, and found clambering up the rugged side of the 
 dell not very easy work. At length they gained the 
 height, where the roar of the cascade was distinctly 
 heard, at which Ella gave an exclamation of joy ; they 
 were so near home, a,s she called the cavern, for from 
 the description of old Archy, in her childish fancy, she 
 pictured it as a very desirable place. 
 
 H 10* 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 ' God might have made the earth a plain, 
 
 With never a hiding-place, 
 Nor refuge from Oppression's reign 
 Its whole extent to grace. 
 
 He might have made the hilla entire, 
 
 With not a cavern or cave 
 And with no winds to fan the fire 
 
 Of Freedom for the slave! 
 
 And with no forest drapery, 
 
 To shield the flying well, 
 And with no web of evergreen 
 
 To bid him safely dwell. 
 
 Nor in kind Nature's hand have placed 
 
 So many nuts and roots 
 Nor yet have ripened in the shade 
 
 So many pleasant fruits. 
 
 God made the slave's hiding-places. The cave is found. Gripe and his 
 overseer disappointed. Return to the encampment. Go to Richmond. 
 Slave-dealer's advertisement. Sensation. 
 
 As we were saying, the three gained the acclivity of 
 the glen, and listened enraptured to the sound, which 
 was the forest guide old Archy had appointed to the 
 place of refuge. 
 
 " Now for the cave !" said Jamie, " we shall soon 
 find it !" 
 
 " Where ? where ?" asked Ella in bewilderment, glad 
 to hear of the cave. 
 
 "I'll show you, right soon !" said he. taking her up 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 115 
 
 and plunging boldly through the thick growth of laurel 
 and shrub-oak, in the direction indicated by the guide, 
 who now cheered them on through the closely woven 
 thicket in louder and louder tones. The mountain 
 stream sung its wild song of freedom as it bounded from 
 rock to rock, and at length dashed down some sixty 
 feet in one beautiful cascade, into a quiet and flower- 
 fringed mimic lake. Our fugitives at length saw the 
 lake and the stream, but they did not stop to note 
 their beauty, for the cave only occupied their atten- 
 tion. 
 
 " Rest a little while," said Jamie, pointing to the 
 rnoss-grown roots of an oak which projected from the 
 earth, " I will soon be back ;" and directly he was out 
 of sight. The two thus left by the lake were hushed 
 and silent, having some fears that their old robbers 
 should come upon them before Jamie returned. The sun 
 was abroad, but not in this dense forest ; for the old patri- 
 archs there had put their heads together, forming a 
 combination which, for the most part, excluded the 
 piercing eye of the king of day. This was that the 
 flowers, which bloom in sequestered life, the orchis 
 Iribe, &c.. might be quietly secluded, being veiled by 
 green drapery, from the earnest gaze of Sol, and, too, 
 that the free spirits of the place, invited by shadowy 
 
116 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 coolness to pleasing contemplation, might still preside 
 as guardians of the green-wood. 
 
 As Archj^ had directed, Jamie traced the cataract 
 some distance up the mountain, then crossed it on a 
 rustic bridge formed by an upturned Lireodendron. On 
 gaining the other side, after a little searching, he found 
 the cave ; its entrance hid behind a thick growth of 
 laurel, overrun with eglantine, in tangled luxuriance. 
 To clear away impediments and enter, was quick work. 
 The apartment was, in Jamie's words, " as large as two 
 cabins," and in the dim light he saw enough to comfort 
 himself with the thought that it would afford a safe 
 asylum, until it would do to proceed on their journey. 
 Bounding back, he was soon by the side of Kitt and 
 Ella, telling them to come with him, and then the three 
 went up the mountain side, crossed the ravine by the 
 wind's bridge, and gained the cave. 
 
 " Oh," exclaimed Ella, " how dark it is !" 
 " Never mind," said Jamie, " it will be lighter soon." 
 " Yes," said Kitt, "it's right-smart lighter now." 
 They now began to explore the rock-ceiled apart- 
 ment. It was excavated by the hand of the Creator ; 
 and in two places the sides of the cave shelved out so 
 as to form berths ; and the straw and dried leaves laid 
 thereon, showed that the room had been inhabited. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 117 
 
 The entrance being so well guarded, the cave was 
 rather dark, but this made it all the safer, and was 
 cause of congratulation to all the pilgrims that tarried 
 there. Having become a little acquainted with their 
 abode, and made their bed of dried leaves and moss, 
 soon they 'were fast asleep, and while the sweet re- 
 storer has care of them, let us look again at some deeply 
 interested in the runaways Gripe and Company. 
 
 We can not stop to tell how Black Brownson chal- 
 lenged Webster Webb for trading him away, but did 
 not fight, since Webb would not, who said in the course 
 of a conciliatory speech, " Besides, my friend, you are not 
 the first man having a right to his freedom, that Has been 
 
 When Gripe and his overseer returned to the forest 
 from their unsuccessful pursuit, it was late at night. 
 The children, during the day, had been hard driven by 
 Stithe, who, being a Northener. knew how much labor 
 cou 1 1 be performed by them, when there was a proper 
 in" entive, and in the absence of this incentive, substitu- 
 f ;d the lash. Thus they collected a large quantity of 
 grass for the horses, and dry decayed wood for the fire, 
 and when night came, picking up what scattered 
 crumbs of food they could find, they were permitted to 
 slnop in the shelter made by the bent saplings and 
 
118 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 boughs. Now that Gripe and Strong had arrived, there 
 was a great uproar, for they left in the morning with 
 the strongest assurance that they would bring the run- 
 aways back, " hide and hair," and so miserably to have 
 failed in executing their threat, besides being jolted 
 almost to death in the crazy carryall, called for quite a 
 breeze to conceal their mortification. After a confused 
 consultation, in which Gripe did not spare hard language 
 to his two men, on whom he laid the blame of the 
 escape, he began, by way of satisfying the demands of 
 his ill-will, to strike and kick the poor children. If the 
 truth were told, he was vexed with himself for indulg- 
 ing so freely in drinking, the night previous. Hereto- 
 fore, although addicted to drunken carousal now and 
 then, he had never been guilty of losing his " property" 
 by that means, as he first saw it under lock and key be- 
 fore he gave himself up unrestrained to his appetite for 
 strong drink. So to help the matter, he continued to 
 torment the poor helpless children. And when they 
 cried, he treated them the more roughly, and fiercely 
 bade them, " Be done." But the sobs would burst forth, 
 being stronger than the resolutions of the little ones. 
 At last the barbarian stopped his cruel sport from pure 
 weariness, and again the children, as many as could, 
 were permitted to sleep, while their masters held council 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 119 
 
 on future movements. Morning came, and they were 
 early stirring. As there were no available servants on 
 the ground, the pale-faced drovers were obliged to har- 
 ness their horses ; but rather than get their breakfast, 
 they decided to ride to a tavern some ten miles distant, 
 on the road to Richmond, whither they wished to pro- 
 ceed with all possible despatch. They packed the 
 children in the wagon, with the cooking utensils, 
 (which were to be returned to the farm-house at their 
 convenience,) and tying the saddle-horses behind, the 
 three getting into the vehicle, moved off before sunrise. 
 
 About noon of the same day, this company reached 
 Richmond, at which time the stock which remained to 
 the slave-dealer, was deposited in one of the eleven 
 jails, according to the custom of the country. For the 
 supposition is that they are criminals, or would get free 
 if they had the opportunity. At this very time, there 
 were many slaves in the jail, awaiting sale ; their mas- 
 ters, meanwhile, being on the look-out for good bar- 
 gains. 
 
 The slave-dealer's advertisements are seen in all the 
 Richmond papers forthwith, and the community is 
 greatly excited thereupon. The good people are thun- 
 derstruck at so audacious a robbery. They are inex- 
 pressibly shocked at the hardihood and bold daring of 
 
120 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 the crime. What ! so many slaves in the well-regula- 
 ted state of Virginia, have malice enough to commit a, 
 highway robbery on their masters? Steal so much 
 property from their lawful owners ? The old gentle- 
 men ominously shake their heads, and tell how things 
 have been waxing worse and worse, since they were 
 young and how the glory has departed, and the 
 scepter is taken away from Judah, (that is to say Vir- 
 ginia,) all suggested by the emigration of the slaves. 
 The young men feel their interests affected, and think 
 the "goods and chattels" when taken, should he hung, 
 to keep their kind in check. All who hold slaves fear 
 the influence of the experiment of running away, if suc- 
 cessful, on " their people" consequently use all the 
 means in their power to arrest those who have so un- 
 ceremoniously slipped their necks from the hard 
 yoke. 
 
 The slave-dealer, who has his share of sympathy 
 and condolence, spares no exertion to retake his stray 
 property. Not only does he continue his promises of 
 large rewards in the papers, to the fortunate hounds 
 who shall seize the prey, but he himself rides constable 
 through the region about -Richmond, to get some clue to 
 the same. And while he is thus on the look-out, he suc- 
 ceeds in peddling awny, at retail, his remaining stock, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 121 
 
 the children, at good profits, and although he can not 
 cover his losses, yet he has some consolation. 
 
 Lest a wrong impression should be entertained of the 
 nigger-buyer, it should be kept in mind, that he was 
 never known to be so far off his guard, on any one of 
 the many occasions when he was taking his goods to 
 market, as at the forest encampment. Perhaps his 
 mortification at losing the good bargain he had chuckled 
 at making with Webster Webb, caused him to give 
 way to the bottle more than usual. For it may be ob- 
 served that it was a maxim with that upright individual 
 never to get intoxicated whenever bargains were to be 
 made. Yet has he been known, when carrying "two 
 sheets to the wind." to make purchases or sales highly 
 advantageous to himself, so constantly did he keep in 
 view the one great object of his profession. 
 11 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 " Woe ! unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, 
 And his chambers by wrong- ; 
 That useth his neighbor's service without wages, 
 And giveth him not for his work." JEREMIAH. 
 
 Reckoning with conscience. Letter from Saratoga. Mr. Chadwick dis- 
 tressed. Writes to his daughters. 
 
 As the hero in this narrative is the slave, and not the 
 master, we have little to do with Mr. Chadwick. Yet 
 it may be well to mention that he was sorry to sell any 
 of his servants, and when the price of their bones and 
 sinews was^placed in his hands, he even expressed his 
 regret that the hard times impelled him to make the 
 sale. 
 
 " It 's a hard case," said he, as overseer Brazen gave 
 him $2,000, the price of Jinny's sons ; " it 's a hard case, 
 but I am right glad of the money, and think, consider- 
 ing circumstances , I am justified in disposing of them, 
 for 'he that provideth not for his own household is 
 worse than an infidel.' " 
 
 " To be sure," chimed in the knight of the whipping- 
 post. 
 
 " But," continued the master, counting the money, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 123 
 
 the price of flesh and blood, " all this came about, it 
 must be admitted, mainly from your two turkeys being 
 stolen." 
 
 " Your turkeys ; your turkeys, I may say," said the 
 overseer, " for Mrs. Brazen was fatting them on pur- 
 posely for your table." 
 
 " Ah, indeed ; well 1 think I recollect something 
 about it," said the planter, " however it 's all the same, 
 it was the disposition to steal which I thought it my 
 duty to frown upon, by selling the lads, thus making 
 them examples to all offenders." The confab was here 
 interrupted by a young slave, who brought in the pa- 
 pers and letters from the post-office. The overseer went 
 his way, and Mr. Chadwick began to read, in the first 
 place, a letter from Mrs. Chadwick, as follows : 
 
 SARATOGA, Aug. 15th, 18 . 
 
 DEAREST CHARLES, I am reminded that it is just one month, since 
 I gave you an account of our much lamented losses. In every com- 
 munication to you since that time, reluctantly, I have been obliged 
 to say that our servants could not be found, but now what greatly 
 aggravates the case is, being found, they can not be taken. 
 
 A party from Canada arrived at this place last week ; some of them 
 royal, aristocratic English people. We have made the acquaint- 
 ance of Lord and Lady N., who happened to be in Kingston, where 
 it seems our runaways have taken up their abode. And how do 
 you think I found out that they were there ? It would take a Yankee 
 to guess. One of Lady N.'s dresses had a trimming about the 
 skirt, precisely similar to one which Judy made for me. I thought 
 
124 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 no other person could make one just like it, so one day, as we were 
 familiarly chatting together, I said to her, that I did not know that 
 any one north of the Potomac, save my servant Judy, had the art of 
 making trimmings so tastefully. 
 
 " My dear Madam," said she, with some surprise ; " your servant 
 Judy ; pray, where is she ?" 
 
 I replied that " she had taken leave of absence, and had gone, I 
 knew not whither." 
 
 " She must be in Canada," said she, " for when I was in King- 
 ston, a person named Judy called to ask me if I would allow her to 
 work for me on trial. She said she was a mantua-maker, and used 
 to make her mistress' dresses, although she had also been employed 
 as a ladies' maid. She was neatly dressed, and her appearance was 
 so favorable, that I gave her this dress to make, and I must say, that 
 my work was never done better. I found that she resided in a re- 
 tired cottage with her father, and sister Rose. The former has been 
 in the country for some years." 
 
 Said I, when a little composed, " Do the servants reside in cot- 
 tages like free people ?" 
 
 " Those who have been servants certainly do, my dear Madam," 
 said she. And then she told me of a visit she made Judy, at her 
 father's cottage, which is neatly white-washed within and without. 
 John supports himself making baskets, and sings and whistles all 
 day long, he is so happy at his work now that his daughters are 
 with him. I was glad to hear that he was well, for I feel that we 
 have justly an interest in him ; and, poor man, I pity him if he gets 
 into our hands a second time, for he will have no small sum to pay 
 to discharge the debt he owes us. I wonder much where the con- 
 science of the servants is, that they can, with such complacency, 
 steal themselves from those who lawfully own them ! Talk about 
 all men being born free and equal, as these Northerners do, can 
 they ever consider that the slave is created without that conscience 
 which usually appears in our race ? 
 
 Lady N. and myself had a long turnpike talk on this interesting 
 
JAMIE PARKER 125 
 
 subject. I told her that the three persons described, were our prop- 
 erty, and that we should most certainly claim them, according to 
 law. Think she did not laugh outright at my simplicity as she 
 termed it. 
 
 " My dear madam," said she, " do you not know that they are 
 safe under the wing of Victoria's government ?" 
 
 " True," said I, " but what of that? They have wandered from 
 the fold, and must be brought back." 
 
 " Ah," said she, " they think that they are now, for the first time, 
 safe in the fold, and look upon you pursuers as the wolves." 
 
 Would you think it ? I found myself talking abolition with an 
 English lady ? I fear me, if I should remain another season, I should 
 have the mania, for the very air is infected with it. 
 
 I told her that I really must have Judy and Rose, so difficult it 
 was getting on without them. She replied as coolly as possible, 
 u They want themselves more than you can possibly want them, and 
 they find it very easy and vastly comfortable getting along without 
 you." 
 
 At this I was quite disposed to be angry, but kept my temper by 
 considering the very different manner in which we had been educa- 
 ted, and while I pitied her for her aberration, I could not persuade 
 myself that I was perfectly right in all my opinions. 
 
 Our hired servants do very well, and I have great satisfaction, I 
 must acknowledge, in paying them regular wages, enjoying the 
 consciousness that they have an equivalent for their labor. It is true 
 I do not think that I have wronged one of the tribe of servants at 
 Monmouth, but still there is some difference in giving old clothes 
 and in paying some stipulated sum weekly. Apropos of Judy, Lady 
 N. says she is employed by the first people of the place, and assisted 
 by Rose, will, doubtless, yet make quite a little fortune. She also 
 gave me some information, in answer to my inquiries, respecting the 
 " plantation emigrants' 1 '' who have settled in Canada. It 's per- 
 fectly surprising what quantities have accumulated in the vicinity 
 
 of . Why, if I recollect aright, there are about 20,000 who 
 
 11* 
 
126 
 
 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 have been dogged and advertised by their rightful owners, all to no 
 purpose ! There they live, like lordly Englishmen, all legal subjects 
 of her majesty, little Vic. ! I am told that about fifty pass through 
 Albany every week, and these must be no comparison to the num- 
 ber leaking through Ohio. Just so long as we are united to the free 
 states, in our present relation, the balance of power being at the 
 North, just so long shall we be exposed to this ruinous loss of prop- 
 erty. Now, the free states are only vast leak-holes to our gallant 
 ship, and will ultimately sink her, labor hard as we may at the 
 pumps, unless some remedy can be devised. My woman ingenuity 
 is baffled, if the newly acquired possessions of New Mexico and 
 golden California, made into slave territory, will not avail. Got 
 the most power South, and the North, with her cold winds, may 
 whistle in vain for runaways. 
 
 How our ignorant people know so well where to go, in escaping, 
 is a grand mystery. I am told, however, that there are regular 
 routes of travel marked out for them by these soi-disant " friends," 
 commencing on the borders of our dominions ; so that the moment 
 one sets foot in a free state, he has enough to help him on his way. 
 The Quakers are ever ready to proffer their aid ; and there are vig- 
 ilance committees established in all the principal cities, whose busi- 
 ness it is to help our men and women fly to Canada. 
 
 It is clear that most of the people North are disposed to assist the 
 servants in getting free. The exceptions are generally those that 
 own property at the South, which causes them to have views more 
 in unison with ours. 
 
 I asked Lady N., in conversation, how much England could boast 
 over America, as it regarded oppression ? She replied that she was 
 aware that her country sustained a tyrannical and oppressive system 
 toward its poor, but yet they were not bought and sold like chattels. 
 
 Lady N. is so gentle, affable, beautiful, genteel, and intelligent 
 withal, that there is no withstanding her winning ways. And 
 although I know that she is a decided abolitionist, yet it is hard for 
 me to realize it in her presence, she has so many estimable qualities. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 127 
 
 T am quite sure that you would be fascinated with her, for with all 
 my prejudices, I am. 
 
 Pocahontas says, " Mamma, you must be bewitched !" Virginia, 
 dear child, says, " Jf mamma is bewitched, she is sure she is too, for 
 Lady N. is too charming for any thing on earth. I hope you will 
 see our danger and come for us forthwith. And now that I am on 
 this subject, to omit nothing, I must tell you that I have actually 
 been reading some of Lady N.'s papers of late, and, moreover, set- 
 ting aside my southern feelings, I think them vastly interesting. 
 
 I picture to myself Judy, hanging out her mantua-maker's sign, 
 with Rose in partnership, and a train of runaways as apprentices to 
 the trade. Really, ff I were not a party concerned, I should think 
 this getting away of the servants, and establishing themselves on 
 their own account, the most romantic instances of romance to be 
 found. 
 
 Indeed, I would like just to peep into John's cottage, (would not 
 you ?) and compare it with his old leaky cabin at the quarters. And 
 then I would like to sit down by his fireside and have him tell me 
 his adventures in getting to Canada. Well, I am glad that you sold 
 Jamie, Kitt, and Tray, although I was so fond of Jamie, for I make 
 sure that they will run away sooner or later, and join their family in 
 Canada. And it is certainly better for our pockets, to sell them as a 
 preventive of the loss. Still I think selling servants is cruel, and 
 one of the greatest objections to our system. 
 
 Please tell Mrs. Dorothy that she may increase the task of the 
 spinners half a pound more per week. I find they do not do half 
 the work that free laboring women North accomplish, and it is 
 kindness for us to keep them well employed. The young ladies 
 wish to be remembered to papa with much love. 
 Hoping soon to see you, I remain, 
 
 Your devoted MARY. 
 
 On reading this letter, a strange compound of emo- 
 tions took possession of Mr. Chadwick. "Mary must 
 
128 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 be crazy!" at length thought he to himself. "My 
 poor Mary is certainly deranged, and all for those mis- 
 erable runaways. Fool that I was to allow her to go 
 to the North alone, and have so much care, all because 
 I thought my business required my presence at home. 
 I am a loser, in every sense, by this arrangement. 
 Had I gone to the Springs, in all probability my ser- 
 vants had not escaped, and Mary had not lost her 
 senses." These were some of the reflections of the 
 planter, as he paced his lonely parlor. At last, compos- 
 ing himself as much as possible, he sat down and wrote 
 Mrs. Chadwick the most kind and soothing letter in 
 his power, concluding it by saying that he would come 
 for her as soon as possible. At the same time, he 
 wrote another letter to his daughters, Pocahontas and 
 Virginia, wherein he dropped a hint of his anxiety re- 
 specting their mother, and begged them to devote them- 
 selves to her until his arrival, which would be soon 
 after the letters were received. This done, the afflicted 
 man dispatched the letters to the post-office, and di- 
 rectly commenced putting his house and plantation in 
 order, for his visit North. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 'Oh, think not that thou art forgot 
 tiy Him who view* thy lonely lot, 
 
 Thou hunted child of earth ; 
 He hears the ravens when iney cry, 
 And will He not their wants supply, 
 
 Of more exulted worth?" 
 
 Arcby and Carlo set out for the cave. Gumfrey and Tray. A happy meet- 
 ing. Sufferings of comrades left behind. Jamie resolves to go to their help. 
 Discovers their hiding-place. He gives them food, and persuades them to 
 follow him. 
 
 WE left the wanderers asleep in the cave, and now 
 that it is night, or their day, let us return to them. Old 
 Archy. faithful to his promise, as the evening drew on, 
 prepared to visit them. His superannuated sister, Edy, 
 had made herself busy the livelong day, in putting to- 
 gether, shabbily, of course, some old clothes cut over for 
 the travelers, whom her dim eyes had seen the night 
 previous. She also robbed herself of the food for the 
 day, that she might have something to send them, for 
 said she, " de poor things will starve ; dat they will !" 
 With the bundle of clothing and the food, Archy was 
 well loaded ; so taking his staff, and whistling low to 
 Carlo, he sat out. 
 
 Archy and Edy were supposed to be more helpless 
 I 
 
130 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 than they really were, consequently less was required 
 of them than they were able to do. It is a common 
 thing among the enslaved to feign greater age and im- 
 becility than they really possess, in order to escape bur- 
 densome tasks. Old Archy and Edy, it must be ac- 
 knowledged, were either guilty of this device, or else 
 wanting the proper incentives to exertion, appeared 
 older and more helpless than would have been the case 
 in other circumstances. Archy, by starting off on the 
 expedition to the cave, showed that he was able to work 
 when he had motives sufficient, and had more strength 
 than was expended on a few knots of a seine, or part of 
 a basket, his allotted daily task. And Edy, by cutting 
 over and repairing old garments, showed that she was 
 not quite so utterly helpless as reported on the annual 
 inventory. But how wretched that state of society that 
 leads people to wish to be thought old and useless. 
 
 Archy, with his faithful Carlo, soon gained the 
 forest. It was a favorable night for him, the moon 
 being obscured by curtains of dark-lead clouds : and 
 well concealed by the darkness, he went boldly on. It 
 happened that Tray and Gumfrey had also proceeded 
 a little out of the line of march indicated by the north 
 star, to seek the protection which the mountains 
 afforded, and at this very time lay crouched in a 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 131 
 
 thicket, near the path which old Archy took to go to 
 the cavern. Carlo, being a dog of quick perceptions, 
 knew, at some distance, that all was not right. How- 
 ever, restraining himself for the sake of his dignity, he 
 simply gave a low growl of disapprobation, until him- 
 self and master were alongside the hedge, when, think- 
 ing it high time for decided measures, he sprang into 
 the bushes with quite warlike exclamations. 
 
 " Come out there," said the old man. 
 
 "Won't you be done, you dog?" spoke out Gum- 
 frey. 
 
 ' Be good enough to call your 'dog off, will you ?" 
 said Tray, for he knew that he was speaking to a 
 brother. 
 
 " Carlo, be done !" said Archy, in a tone that showed 
 that he was in earnest. So the dog held his peace, 
 and simply growled for an explanation. Tray and 
 Gumfrey came forth from their hiding-place, for there 
 was a something in the old man's voice which inspired 
 the confidence that he would befriend them, and, may- 
 hap, guide them on their way. Their story was soon 
 told, and the old man said to them that, as he was go- 
 ing to a cave to visit some people who, like them, were 
 bound for the North, he would lead them there, to abide 
 until they should choose to proceed on their journey.. 
 
132 JAMIEPARKER 
 
 They felt grateful for this, and the three went on to- 
 gether. They reached the cave in due time, the in- 
 mates of which were sitting in darkness, awaiting old 
 Archy's approach. Telling the strangers to remain 
 without until he could prepare those within for their re- 
 ception, he entered and made himself known to the 
 three, who gladly received him. He then went to a cor- 
 ner of the apartment where he had deposited a quantity 
 of pine knots some time before, and lighting one with a 
 match, the room was directly illuminated. He then 
 proceeded to introduce Tray and Gumfrey. Jamie and 
 Kitt were overwhelmed with joy to meet Tray, who 
 was just as glad on his part to meet them ; and little 
 Ella, from mere sympathy, was as happy as the rest. 
 Old Archy clapped his hands in ecstacy, as he saw the 
 brothers clasped in each other's arms, and, weeping for 
 joy, he could only say, " The Lord be praised !" Gum- 
 frey stood apart, striving, by caresses, to cultivate the 
 friendship of the dog, and, now and then, you might 
 hear him mutter, as the tears came unbidden, " No kin 
 to me ; nobody 's no kin to me !" 
 
 Still expressing his joy, old Archy began to prepare 
 supper, while the brothers and little Ella were telling 
 their adventures, and Gumfrey was cultivating further 
 acquaintance with Carlo. Sleep had been the only 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 133 
 
 food of those in the cave during the day, and now they 
 were feasting on the happy meeting. 
 
 " Who thought you 'd find us, so well hid ?" said 
 Ella, as she seated herself beside Tray. 
 
 " Ah," said Kitt, laughing, " you found us, in trying 
 to hide yourselves." 
 
 " Yes," said Tray, looking grave, " but I must tell 
 you about the people we left behind." 
 
 And then while all mutely listened, he drew a mourn- 
 ful picture of the sufferings of two of their party, whom 
 he had discovered in the ruins of an old church, a few 
 miles back. Too fearful to go out to get the necessary 
 supplies of food, they were dying of despair and hunger. 
 Tray and Gumfrey brought them water in an old gourd 
 from a spring near by, and foraged for corn one night 
 to satisfy their hunger. And when they were a little 
 strengthened by the food, they used every persuasion to 
 have their comrades accompany them, but it was to no 
 purpose, the latter determined to stay there and die, 
 rather than face the danger of striving to get free. 
 Faint, weary, and depressed, they looked only for death 
 as a deliverer. Jamie heard the story of which we 
 have given the amount, and immediately resolved to go 
 to these dying men, regardless of consequences. Said 
 he, "It was I that persuaded them to be free, and 
 
134 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 now 1 must not let them die by the way, if I can help 
 it." 
 
 Archy had now spread their evening meal, which 
 consisted of ash-pones, a few slices of meat, and a 
 delicious water-melon. The little party ate standing-, 
 as the food was spread on one of the shelving rocks by 
 the side of the room. Before eating, as they stood 
 together by their food, old Archy, folding his hands, 
 asked a blessing, and then did the honors of the table. 
 Jamie then opened to his friends his plan of seeking to 
 rescue the two sick men. 
 
 This was strongly opposed by every one except old 
 Archy, who remained silent, considering the matter. 
 
 " Oh ! Jamie, please done stay with us," said Ella. 
 
 " I '11 go with you if you go," said Tray. 
 
 " What shall we do if they take you?" said Kitt. 
 
 " I shan 't let you go," said Ella, leaving her supper, 
 and clinging to his side, " and then they won 't get 
 you !" 
 
 " What if we were sick and dying for something to 
 eat, and Archy should be afraid to come and see us ?" 
 
 " You may go," said Ella. 
 
 " Our poor brothers will die in that old church, unless 
 I go and see them," continued Jamie. 
 
 " I will go with you," said Tray. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 135 
 
 " May I too ?" eagerly asked Ella. 
 
 u No, no," said old Archy, " you don 't know how 
 bad it will be to go. A great deal of money will be 
 given to the man that finds you. Nobody can go but 
 Jamie, and he may be taken if he goes. Men and dogs 
 are out, day and night, to find your track, and you must 
 have the eagle's eye open. Jamie, mayhap you '11 be 
 taken !" 
 
 " Still I must go !" replied the undaunted youth. 
 
 " I 'm glad you wish to go, but I must take your 
 place, for I am an old man, and never expect to get free. 
 If you stay here until you follow the star again, you may 
 be free, but if you turn back 7 ' the old man con- 
 cluded the sentence by an ominous shake of the head. 
 
 Jamie put his hand on Archy's shoulder, " I shall 
 never let you take my place." said he, " much as I long 
 to be free. I will go myself, and you must pray our 
 Father, to save me from the dogs and men." 
 
 " I can not let you go,' J said old Archy, with the tears 
 coursing down his cheeks, for he knew too well the 
 fearful odds in the case. 
 
 " I shall be safe in the care of our Father !" replied 
 Jamie; then turning to Tray and Gumfrey, he asked of 
 them directions for the way, which they gave in longer 
 detail than we can follow. 
 
136 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 " Well, well," said old Archy, brushing away his 
 tears, " if you will go, here 's my staff, and you can 
 whistle Carlo to take care of you." 
 
 " No indeed !" replied Jamie, " I shall not take away 
 all you have. I can do well enough without the staff 
 and dog." 
 
 The brothers and Ella began to sob, while Jamie pre- 
 pared to go. 
 
 " I will be back in a little while, may be," said he, as 
 he finished tying up some of the remains of their meal 
 for the men he was to visit ; then putting on his tat- 
 tered cap, he left the cave, with a hasty farewell, and 
 bounding lightly down the mountain, on the bank of 
 the thunder-stream, he was soon threading the mazy 
 forest, as directed by Tray and Gumfrey. A mantle of 
 darkness shielded him from the eyes of men, if any 
 there were about his way, just as the leaden clouds hid 
 the moon in her night promenade in the sky. Daunt- 
 less, he urged his way onward, having a strong, noble 
 motive for action, and about midnight reached the ruins 
 of the dilapidated church. The clouds began to dis- 
 perse just as he was safely hid behind the deep shadow 
 of the massy walls of the edifice. Then sallying forth 
 in resplendent brightness, the moon shed her silver rays 
 on the earth. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 137 
 
 The church was one of those ancient houses of wor- 
 ship, built some two hundred years since, by the early 
 settlers of the Old Dominion. There are yet standing 
 in eastern Virginia, the remains of several of these old 
 churches, to tell of the glebe days of the olden time, 
 when the jovial sportsmen-rectors presided over the 
 religion of the church. These houses of worship were 
 built in the most antique form, and generally in the 
 style of the English churches of that day. The con- 
 struction was as if two oblong buildings crossed each 
 other centrally at right angles, so that the church had 
 four fronts, and four indented corners, alternating with 
 the fronts. Over each door at each of the four fronts, 
 was a curious circular window, and in each of the two 
 sides which formed a corner were beautiful gothic win- 
 dows. The walls were built of stone, or brick, three 
 feet in thickness, and when the fire went out on the 
 altar, and men came up no more to worship, they re- 
 mained for ages, mementos of the past, while the bat, 
 the owl, and the swallow abode there, and the vulture- 
 tooth of Time preyed on the ruin. It was in a church 
 of this description, whose roof had long since decayed 
 and fallen in, which had been robbed of its windows by 
 covetous overseers, that the sufferers were hid. It was 
 comparatively a safe hiding-place, for men had now no 
 
 1.2* 
 
138 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 further temptation to pilfer there, and there were few 
 that felt interested in visiting the graves among the an- 
 cient oaks in the church-yard enclosure. 
 
 Jamie cautiously crept within, and by a signal whis- 
 tle understood among the fugitives, made himself known 
 to the two men, who. hid behind a part of the roof 
 which had fallen in the vestry-room, were patiently 
 waiting death by the slow and tormenting hand of 
 famine. The questioning whistle was faintly answered, 
 and guided by the sound, Jamie found his comrades. 
 
 " I have brought you food," .said he, as he helped 
 them to rise and sit up. The men seized it ravenously, 
 and spoke not until it was devoured, and then it was to 
 ask for more. 
 
 " I can not give you more now," said Jamie, fearing 
 to indulge them in eating freely after so long absti- 
 nence. 
 
 " When will you done give us more ?" said they, with 
 the eagerness of half-starved children. 
 
 " When you will go with me." replied he. 
 
 " Then we will go now !" said one in a weak voice. 
 
 " Yes, we are ready," said the other feebly. And 
 with this they both tried to stand, and barely succeeded, 
 supporting themselves by the wall ; but the desire of get- 
 ting more food strengthened them to follow Jamie, and 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 139 
 
 crawl out of the church in which they had remained 
 ten days without food, except the corn which Tray 
 brought them. When these men, with the help of their 
 leader, were without the old church, in its deep shadow, 
 he made them sit down and rest, while he explained to 
 them the plan he had to aid them in escaping. It 
 seemed as if the hope of ever getting free had all gone 
 out of their hearts, and they heard as though they 
 heard not, but continued to ask him for more food. 
 After putting them off as long as he could 3 Jamie gave 
 them a part of the remaining pone, and succeeding in 
 cheering them with his account of the cave, persuaded 
 them to follow him in the route to the adjoining forest. ' 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Sadness in the cave. Fifty huntsmen. Jamie and his companions over- 
 powered. Rejoicings at the inn. Rum the moderator. Secret departure 
 of the captors. 
 
 THE company in the cave were silent, save sobs, for 
 some time after Jamie's departure. The pine-knot burnt 
 brilliantly in the niche of the wall, and from without 
 was heard the voice of the water leaping from rock to 
 rock. Ella crept to old Archy, for her feet were badly 
 torn, and weeping, hid her head in his bosom. When 
 she had wept herself asleep, old Archy, assisted by 
 Tray, dressed her arm and feet with some of the salve 
 and soft linen which Edy, in her grandmotherliness, 
 thought to send. She slept in his arms till midnight, 
 when quietly laying her on her bed of leaves, and 
 spreading over her some of the old garments he had 
 brought, he left her. Then charging the two brothers 
 and Gumfrey to beware how they ventured to show 
 themselves without the cave by day-light, and saying 
 that he would come again with more food the next 
 night, he departed. 
 
 As several days had elapsed since the " escape," the 
 country was very generally apprised of the event, and 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 141 
 
 somewhat extensively on the alert to apprehend the 
 absconded articles. The mountains and forests, how- 
 ever, remained true to their trust. And these same 
 noble mountains, that hid our travelers so safely, 
 shielded at that very time, in other fastnesses, a large 
 party of emigrants to the North, as the notes of the New 
 York Committee of Vigilance show. 
 
 On the night of which we were speaking, no less 
 than fifty men, thirsting for the advertised reward, were 
 scouring the country for the fugitives' trail. 
 
 There was a tavern a few miles from Yuocomico, 
 which name we give the church where the poor men 
 were hid, and on this same evening, ten bar-room loun- 
 gers took oath, over a glass of brandy, that they would 
 take some of the missing property before morning. So 
 they wisely concluded to be moderate drinkers, until 
 after the search. Resolving themselves into five divis- 
 ions of twos, they were to take as many different direc- 
 tions. Their modus operandi being arranged, the blood- 
 hound committee left the tavern about nine o'clock. 
 What little efficiency they possessed was tasked, to cut 
 if possible the trail of the escaping, who were only obey- 
 ing the great instinct of Nature, the pursuit of happiness, 
 and to which they had an inalienable right. 
 
 The wolf-dosrs barked on in oaths and execrations, 
 
142 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 but we forbear following them in all their progress. 
 We must, however, meet two of them returning 1 to the 
 inn, as poor Jamie and his companions were obliged to 
 do. 
 
 Jamife had succeeded in coaxing his companions 
 nearly to the borders of the forest, when these hunters 
 suddenly came upon them. The two feeble men uttered 
 a cry of terror and sank helpless on the ground. Jamie 
 bounded away and had easily escaped, but seeing 
 them in the power of their adversaries, turned back to 
 their rescue. As they made no resistance, he found 
 himself battling alone with two powerful men, who soon 
 bound him and made him as helpless as they could 
 wish. The two faint-hearted ones were now ordered to 
 get up ! and then were bound with leathern thongs, 
 their captors being prepared for this emergency, and the 
 three were firmly fastened together, so as to render 
 escape impossible. 
 
 They were thus marched to the tavern as fast as the 
 feeble men could go. It was nearly morning when 
 they arrived, and the prisoners were quite exhausted 
 with the fatigues and events of the night. Jamie was 
 deeply stricken with this total failure of the attempted 
 escape, to say nothing of his agony at rinding himself 
 again a slave. He felt that liberty was almost his 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 143 
 
 own. and since so near the possession of the prize, his 
 noble soul expanded with desires that others might 
 share it too. For this periling all, he lost all ! But 
 has he no solace 1 Ah, yes, he has consolation in the 
 thought that he is suffering for trying to save others, 
 and reposing firm trust in our Father, whose ear is ever 
 open to hear the cry of His suffering children, he is sus- 
 tained amid his sorrows. 
 
 Great were the rejoicings at the inn because of the 
 recapture, and although it was at the early hour of two 
 in the morning, yet in fifteen minutes after the arrival, 
 every man, woman, and child pertaining to the estab- 
 lishment, was crowded in and around the bar-room, 
 where the exhibition was being made, and the chief 
 talker of the two robbers, after his glass, continued to 
 tell over and over again the exact operation of taking 
 some of the advertised articles. After well gorging their 
 curiosity, the people so readily collected, dispersed, and 
 the captives were directed to lay down on the bare floor 
 until further orders. 
 
 One after another of the different divisions of twos 
 arrived, each unsuccessful, but with one consent dis- 
 posed to make a great uproar, and " Fourth-of-July" 
 celebration, on the occasion of their comrades' success. 
 
 Long before day's blue eye was open, all the " ten" 
 
1 44 J A M I E P A R K E R 
 
 arrived, and as some of them had faithfully traveled for 
 the scent the whole of the night, they were out of 
 humor, and disposed to be jealous of those luckier than 
 themselves. 
 
 Having sufficiently displayed their cur temper, by 
 growling and snapping, they at length got reconciled 
 over the bottle, which the landlord in the faithful dis- 
 charge of the duties of his vocation recommended as a 
 grand adjuster of difficulties. 
 
 " Nothing like rum," said he, and he practically advo- 
 cated its use, as his very deep-hued face testified, " Noth- 
 ing like rum. it settles more disputes than all the law- 
 yers in the land !" 
 
 ''Exactly!" said No. one, "just so!" 
 
 " Them 's my 'pinions !" chimed No. two. 
 
 " Let us have some of your New England best !" 
 called No. three. 
 
 Very best !" said No. four. 
 
 " I vote for something to drink !" said No. five. 
 
 tf Bad night this for colds !" coughed No. six. 
 
 " Fever-and-ague night, decidedly," shivered No. 
 seven, in a chill. 
 
 " We '11 take a drop of comfort, and then we '11 divide 
 our profits !" very considerately remarked No. eight. 
 
 " Not at all !" exclaimed No. nine, one of the captors. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 145 
 
 " we do not divide our profits with you drones who have 
 done nothing !" 
 
 < Of course not!" echoed his comrade, t; what have 
 you people as took nothing to do with our money ?" 
 
 " Fair play ! fair play !" shouted half a dozen, " we 
 went shares !" 
 
 Here there was a quarrel about the reward expected 
 for the capture of the three men, who were bound in 
 one corner of the room, listening to the debate of which 
 they were the occasion. Visions horrific of the dreaded 
 masters and the whipping-post, rose before them, and 
 aided by what was passing, banished rest. Jamie 
 reverted to the helpless company he had left in the 
 mountains, and whom he had fondly hoped to lead to 
 the free country. Now that glad hope was extin- 
 guished in utter night. u I shall never see them more," 
 murmured he ; but at this moment the thought that he 
 should meet again his lone suffering mother comforted 
 him, and he felt willing to yield his hopes and wear 
 again the yoke, if thus he might soothe her sorrow. 
 
 Again rum was made the moderator of the meeting, 
 by the landlord, and at length the men, stupefied by 
 their frequent potations, sank one by one to oblivious 
 sleep, some on rows of chairs and some beneath the 
 table. Nos. nine and ten drank less freely than their 
 K 13 
 
146 JAMIE PARKER. 
 
 associates, and when all except themselves and the 
 landlord were fast asleep, after some five minutes con- 
 versation in a low voice, one went out to get a horse 
 and wagon in readiness, while the other bribed the land- 
 lord's favor by the promise of a share in the prize-money. 
 They then prepared the captives to depart. 
 
 Ere the sun arose they were far on the road to Rich- 
 mond, and before the sun set they had delivered to the 
 master the three captives, and received their reward, 
 (amounting to one hundred and fifty dollars,) for their 
 services as faithful hounds ! Farewell to thy fair pros- 
 pects of freedom, poor Jamie, again in the clutches of 
 the merciless slave-buyer! 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 " Twenty-nine hundred thousand slaves 
 
 Within this free and happy land, 
 Are hastening to their early graves, 
 Groaning beneath the oppressor's hand. 
 
 Man, in his majesty and power, 
 
 Woman, with tenderest sympathies, 
 Children, beneath the lash must cower, 
 
 Till rent are Nature's dearest ties." 
 
 Solicitude in the cave for Jamie. Tray's anxiety. Ella is seized with a rag- 
 ing fever. Archy's visit. He returns for medicine. Encounters the patrol. 
 Archy and Edy at the cave. Ella dies. 
 
 AFTER, the departure of old Archy, few words were 
 spoken by the inmates of the cave, for some time. 
 Care and solicitude might have been traced on their 
 countenances as they were anxiously thinking of Jamie. 
 After a pause of some moments, during which nothing 
 within the cave was heard, save the disturbed breathing 
 of sleeping Ella, Gumfrey said, 
 
 " I make sure that Jamie has been taken !" 
 
 " Oh no !" said Tray, " no. no !" 
 
 " He '11 be here right smart soon," added Kitt. 
 
 Nevertheless, Tray and Kitt had just as many fears 
 as Gumfrey, but they felt unwilling to acknowledge 
 them, and as the night wore slowly away, could not 
 sleep for thinking of him. At length Gumfrey and 
 
148 JAMIEPARKEE. 
 
 Kitt nestled under the wing of sleep, and Tray, to 
 relieve his oppressed feelings, stole out into the moon- 
 light, and wandered down the mountain side, if per- 
 chance he might thus hasten the coming of him he so 
 longed to see. The restive torrent bounded down the 
 rugged steep, with its ever deep thunder tones untamed 
 by the mild moon-beams, whose silvery sheen fell in 
 glory on its waters. Like a foaming war steed, down, 
 down it rushes, nor rests till it reaches the peaceful lake. 
 Tray, as he gazed at the mountain scenery, felt his soul 
 kindling anew with the love of freedom ; for who that 
 hath breathed the mountain air, would not be free? 
 Who that hath seen the cataract's wild bound, can be a 
 sluggish thing, and fawn at the tyrant's feet ? 
 
 Tray reached the shore of the placid pool, and gazed 
 at its glossy surface glittering with the filtering of moon- 
 beams through the leaves. The youth leaning against 
 an oak, whose over-reaching boughs attempted to grasp 
 the whole forest, longingly looked into the dense foliage, 
 that hid the path by which his brother was to return. 
 Once and again did he start with a cry of joy, for he 
 thought the stirring of the leaves was Jamie's wary 
 tread. Morning light came, and yet Tray lingered. 
 How could he return until his brother came ? The 
 broad day became softened by shadows, and yet he was 
 
THEPUGITIVE. 149 
 
 alone. Hope and fear had held alternate possession of 
 his heart, but now the latter gained the ascendency, 
 and with slow and reluctant steps he sought the cave. 
 
 During his absence, Ella's sleep had been disturbed 
 by frightful fever dreams, and often did she call for 
 Jamie, to whom, as he was the first that showed her 
 kindness, she was strongly attached. Kitt awoke and 
 sought to soothe her, and at last succeeding, she slept 
 again until the return of Trajr, when she became rest- 
 less, and moaned as if in distress. 
 
 " Ella, Ella !" said Tray, but she did not answer ; he 
 took her hand, it was hot with fever. Then with the 
 little mug, left by old Archy, he brought water from 
 the torrent, and tried to arouse and persuade her to 
 drink. On awakening, she first asked for Jamie, and 
 being told that he had not come, she sank back on her 
 pillow of dried leaves, and moaned most piteously. 
 
 " Oh, Ella ! please drink, Ella ! said Tray. 
 
 "When Jamie done come," said she, "Ella can't 
 drink till Jamie done come." It seemed that in the 
 wild vagary of her imagination, she thought that her 
 drinking would prevent his coming ; so, thirsting as she 
 was, she would not be persuaded to drink till Jamie 
 "done come." 
 
 The sun arose. Ella was no better, and Jamie came 
 13* 
 
150 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 not. That was a sorrowful morning to the stricken 
 dwellers in the bosom of that mountain. They were 
 too sad to taste the simple meal left them by kind 
 Archy. As the day grew older, the fever raged more 
 uncontrolled in Ella's system, and she raved in her de- 
 lirium. There was no one that could relieve her, by 
 giving her a healing draught ; no one to bathe her tem- 
 ples, and cool down the furnace-heat that was consum- 
 ing her no one ; but she restlessly tossed on the rocky 
 floor, so scantily spread with leaves, while grief and 
 dismay took possession of the inmates of the cavern, 
 who found themselves unable to relieve her. Noon 
 came, but not Jamie. Tray became desperate, for 
 Ella's fever made his presence most necessary. Agon- 
 ized with suspense, again he wandered out of the cave. 
 The day was lovely, but it brought no joy to his heart. 
 He knew that unless some aid could be had for Ella, 
 she must die ; die in that lone mountain cave, far from 
 the abodes of men. " But that would be better," 
 thought he, " than to go back to slavery, for if she dies 
 she will be free." In his solicitude, he remembered 
 that he had heard of the healing virtues of certain 
 leaves ; so he made search for them, and returning to 
 the rocky chamber, placed them on the foot of the 
 fevered child, which soon had the effect of soothing her 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 151 
 
 to sleep. The hours crept slowly on. The slave exiles 
 spoke only in whispers, and moved gently, lest the 
 sleeper should awake; and although she moaned in 
 her sick dreams, yet it was a peaceful sound compared 
 with the raging of the morning. It was time to light 
 the pine-knot, yet Jamie did not come. Anxious sus- 
 pense and fearful imaginings of his fate, served to fill 
 up and lengthen out the time, until Archy caine, as 
 usual, with his staff and Carlo. Then the watchers 
 by the sick child poured their sorrows into his ear. 
 He looked aghast, and raised his hands in fear and 
 astonishment at the recital. 
 
 lt It must be so," said he at length, sorrowfully, " our 
 Jamie is a slave again." 
 
 They received this declaration, of which his fears 
 had often told him, in silent agony. Kitt wept aloud, 
 while Gumfrey showed, by every look and movement, 
 that his heart groaned for Jamie, although he was no 
 kin to him. 
 
 Old Archy took Ella in his arms and gently awoke 
 her ; she was in a partial stupor, but, after some time, 
 said feebly, K I glad you is come, Jamie." She now 
 drank of the pure mountain stream offered her, and 
 slept again the fever stupefied her. Archy marked 
 her bounding pulse, listened to her troubled breathing 
 
152 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 for a few moments, and then, with a doubtful shake of 
 the head, directed all to go without and gather more 
 leaves and moss, that he might make a softer couch 
 for her, by spreading over them the old clothes which 
 he had brought. In a few moments Ella was laid on 
 a comfortable bed, and Archy said, " Children. I must 
 now go to my cabin, and try to get something for the 
 poor child to take, else she will die. Do not forget the 
 supper that I brought for you, and you can find some 
 berries, down the valley beyond the lake, to eat with 
 your pones to-morrow. I '11 try to come back to-night, 
 but if I do not, keep the leaves on her feet to draw the 
 fever from her head like, give her just as much water 
 as she wants, and make no noise." 
 
 He then took his staff, (at which signal Carlo started 
 up,) and as he went through the bushes that hid the 
 cave's entrance, said to Tray, " You must bend these 
 bushes back, so as to give the air to the child ; it 's a 
 great medicine for her." 
 
 And while the good old man went on his way, 
 slowly toiling down into the valley, his many years 
 impeding his progress, Tray followed his directions that 
 Ella might have the benefit of the pure mountain air. 
 
 It happened on this night, that certain mischief 
 brewers, dignified with the name of patrol, for the vvuut 
 
THE FUGITIVE, 153 
 
 of something else to do, knocked at Archy's cabin, to 
 "talk" with him, as they said. Old Archy's memory 
 extended far back, through a space of many years ; and 
 it, was a rich treat for all that knew him, to hear him 
 tell of the olden time. Thus his cabin was a great 
 resort of the people of the neighborhood, of an evening, 
 to listen to stories of their ancestors, whom the old man 
 did not scruple to say, were far better than their chil- 
 dren, much to the amusement of his hearers, who, in 
 their simplicity, knowingly winked to each other, and 
 attributed this impression either to old Archy's eccen- 
 tricity, or to the infirmities of age. 
 
 As it was not the night of duty, the visit of the 
 patrol, (only three came.) was purely gratuitous. To 
 their knock no response was made, for Edy was some- 
 what deaf, and, besides, sound asleep. 
 
 The dignitaries, after knocking again, consulted to- 
 gether about breaking open the door, to see if the old 
 story-teller were indeed dead in his bed ; for such was 
 their confidence in his loyalty to his master, that they 
 did not once, by a temporary suspicion, accuse him of 
 doing any thing unbecoming a good subject. They 
 concluded, however, to wait awhile, and take a turn by 
 the quarters: for, said one, "Who knows but the old 
 man may be at his prayers ?" 
 
154 JAMIE PAE.KER 
 
 Laughing at this joke, they moved off with marvel- 
 lous delicacy, to give the story-teller an opportunity to 
 get through praying. Old Archy was a great favorite 
 in the vicinity, and much respected for his being such a 
 chronicler of the by-gone days, or he would not have 
 had his cabin treated so well by the rude patrol on this 
 same evening. 
 
 Old Archy, with staff and dog, continued to thread 
 the forest, in the direction of home ; and just as the 
 patrol, in their promenade, were returning to the cabin, 
 thinking he must be ready to receive them, he emerged 
 from the woods, greatly to their astonishment. 
 
 " Halloa ! there you, Archy ! praying in the woods, 
 eh ?" said the foremost of the three. 
 
 The startled man breathed a prayer to Heaven, ap- 
 prehensive for the result of this meeting. 
 
 " Halloa !" shouted another ; " what are you doing 
 in the woods to-night?" 
 
 Archy did not reply, for the simple reason that he 
 knew not what to say. 
 
 " Say, old man," said another, familiarly patting him 
 on the shoulder, " say, what goblins do you find to talk 
 with in the woods ? The ghosts of the grandfathers, eh ?" 
 
 At this, Archy, profiting by the hint, put his finger 
 on his lip with a look of great mystery. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 155 
 
 " Tip and Ty," exclaimed one of them, out of patience; 
 " tell us why you are out to-night without a ' pass,' or 
 we will take you up to Lash, the overseer." 
 
 " No, indeed, the old man shall not be hurt," said the 
 others. 
 
 " Why do I want a ' pass,' when I know every pass 
 of the woods ?" asked Archy, pleasantly. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! good, good ! now let us to your cabin, and 
 weave us a good web of the olden time, and we will let 
 you pass this time," said one. 
 
 Thus they went on, familiarly chatting and joking 
 at the old man's witticisms, for his reputation was so 
 well established in this line, that he was known far 
 and near, as " the Joker ;" and some of his hearers re- 
 tailed his sayings as their own manufacture. 
 
 Archy and his guests entered the cabin. And when 
 he had made his fire look inviting, for the night was 
 chilly, rolling three log seats near it for his guests, he 
 took a fourth, and began to make himself agreeable to 
 his unwelcome visitors, in the place of providing some- 
 thing for the relief of poor Ella, which his kind heart 
 so yearned to do. He went back, in thought, to years 
 long passed, and tasked himself to entertain his audi- 
 tors, for every thing was at stake. It was hard, for 
 his heart and sympathies were elsewhere ; but he sue- 
 
156 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 ceeded, and they were much amused. By and by, one 
 interrupted him to ask him for one of his inimitable ash- 
 pones. This he could not refuse, although he had re- 
 served all his own portion of meal for those in the cave. 
 He knew it was not safe to do otherwise than appear 
 to give them cheerfully what they condescended to 
 ask ; so the dough was soon prepared, and baking in 
 the hot embers, while the poor old slave, who must 
 do the bidding of his torrnenters, went on with his re- 
 cital. 
 
 At last, the pones were baked, and dispatched by the 
 selfish patrol, who thought immensely more of their 
 own comfort than that of the inmates of the cabin, who. 
 in their noble-heartedness, thought more of their poor 
 brethren in the forest than of themselves. 
 
 At length the troublesome guests left, but then it 
 was too late for Archy to prepare and carry the med- 
 icine to Ella : it would not be safe to go to the forest 
 in the morning, for the people, superintended by the 
 overseer, were at work in the fields adjoining, and he 
 would be noticed. Besides, he could not leave his work 
 of making baskets and tying seins during the day; so 
 he tried to get a little rest, and slept so soundly that he 
 did not wnke until Edy had their simple meal prepared. 
 He then arose and told her how he found the dwellers 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 157 
 
 in the cave. Together they tried to devise some means 
 of getting immediate relief for the sick child. 
 
 Sometimes Archy would think that he must go to his 
 master, and tell the tale of sorrow of the beings who 
 had committed themselves to his care ; but it was only 
 because he was pressed for expedients, and directly he 
 resisted the thought as madness, being the most effect- 
 ual way to consign them again to slavery. Edy said, 
 " If master only would let the sick child be here." 
 
 As soon as it was dark, Archy and Edy. taking with 
 them all the little comforts they could muster, set forth 
 on their errand of love 
 
 Faithful Carlo was by their side. They said little, 
 and in whispers, for Silence and Fear were sentineled 
 on their lips. It was a sight pleasing to Heaven ; those 
 aged people toiling for the needy committed to their 
 trust. They reach the cave ; and are not too late ; no, 
 not too late, to see Ella die ! Congestion had set in two 
 hours before, and now was raging fearfully. Old 
 Archy took the child in his arms, and his heart bled 
 when he saw that the remedies he had brought could 
 not avail at this late hour. 
 
 " Oh !" said the good old man ; " oh, that I had 
 come sooner." 
 
 Edy and Gumfrey groaned ; Tray and Kitt wept aloud. 
 14 
 
158 J A M 1 E P A R K E II 
 
 " Poor Ella ! poor Ella !" said old Archy, soothingly ; 
 but she knew him not, as she raved on. The disease, 
 like devouring fire, gained strength, and was rapidly 
 consuming the life of the child. All felt that she must 
 die, and in deep grief watched by her side. * * * 
 
 After a few hours, the fever having nearly accom- 
 plished its work, seemed to abate, and Ella had a lucid 
 interval, in which, although she could not speak, yet 
 she looked joyous, as if indeed she were going home. 
 The hushing of her disease was not unlike the lan- 
 guishing of the fierce winds at sunset ; calmly and se- 
 renely, her spirit passed away Her dying smile seemed 
 to speak of visions of angels, of her Savior, of her 
 heavenly home. 
 
 * * * The morrow's night had come, and Ella's 
 grave was ready. It was a few rods from the cave, in 
 a grove of hollies, overspread with the fragrant sweet- 
 brier. It was a sweet place for her wearied body to 
 rest until the resurrection morning. The voice of the 
 torrent was ever heard there ; and the grave was the 
 abode of sweet singing birds. Gumfrey had spent the 
 day in fashioning the grave. He lined the lonely bed 
 with soft, green moss ; little Ella could not have a 
 coffin. Tray and Kitt gathered many wild flowers and 
 evergreens, and laid them by the grave. Old Archy 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 1 59 
 
 came, and bore the little child to the place of burial. 
 He laid her gently in her mossy bed, and wept ! Tray 
 and Kitt wept as they hid her from their sight, cover- 
 ing her with flowers. Gumfrey wept too, as he placed 
 the evergreens over the child. Then old Archy and 
 the brothers returned to the desolate cave, still weep- 
 ing, while Gumfrey remained to fill the grave and ar- 
 range the green sods. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 " O Lord God ! to whom vengeance belongeth ; 
 O God! to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself; 
 Lift up thyself, thou Judge of the earth ; 
 Render a reward to the proud." 
 
 " Lord ! how long shall the wicked, 
 How long shall the wicked triumph ? 
 How long shall they utter and speak hard thing-* t 
 And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves 7" 
 
 " They slay the widow and the stranger ; 
 And murder the fatherless ; 
 Yet they say, the Lord shall not see it, 
 Neithr shall the God of Jacob regard it." 
 
 Jamie in jail. Gripe's good bargain. Jamie again a field-hand. Redfield. 
 Overseer Turk. Jupe, the young giant. The deed of blood. Jupe is 
 taken. Jinny's grave. Jamie escapes. George Whitely. Esq. discovers 
 that overseer Turk is dead. Jupe's sentence and execution. 
 
 AFTER a summary whipping-post chastisement in the 
 jail-yard, Jamie and his two companions were incarcer- 
 ated in their cells for one week, during which time 
 their master continued to make great exertions to obtain 
 the remainder of the runaways, and to sell those re- 
 captured, to the best advantage. Only two more of the 
 eleven were taken during this week, as they had 
 escaped to the mountain. 
 
 Gripe glowingly represented his goods to be some 
 better than any others in the market. Saying nothing 
 about their propensity to abscond, he succeeded in 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 161 
 
 making bargains entirely to his own satisfaction, as he 
 obtained $1200 for Jamie, and about twice this sum for 
 the other four. 
 
 The buyer of Jamie was a wealthy planter in the 
 vicinity of his old master, (their plantations lying ad- 
 jacent,) and the four were bought by slaveholders in 
 the vicinity of Richmond. Smarting with the marks 
 of the lashes, our poor brethren suffered keenly all that 
 long week in jail. Glad were they to see the pure light 
 and blue sky of heaven ; to breathe freely their Father's 
 air, e'en though it were to change their prison for thank- 
 less, unpaid toil again. We turn away from the minute 
 recital of each day's sorrow ; how the heart of Jamie 
 often " traveled back" to the little band in the moun- 
 tain ; how it bled in anguish, that that which he 
 loved more, far more than life, should be wrested from 
 him when just within his grasp. 
 
 Again was Jamie a field-hand, and in a worse state 
 of bondage than when under the reign of Brazen. Dif- 
 ferent plantations of slaves are very dissimilar, owing 
 somewhat to the different modes of government estab- 
 lished by the master and overseer. Each set of slaves 
 are kept within the bounds of the plantation to which 
 they belong, as much ae possible. They can not leave 
 it to visit a relative on an adjoining plantation, without 
 L 14* 
 
162 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 a written passport from the master or overseer. This 
 is to prevent them from assembling in any considerable 
 numbers, and getting up insurrections. Thus associat- 
 ing among themselves, they acquire peculiarities, de- 
 pending very much, as we have said, upon their treat- 
 ment. The Monmouth plantation, however, was much 
 blessed by the influence of old Scipio. His prayers 
 arose to heaven, and answers came down like gentle 
 dew into the hearts of his people ; they were much bet- 
 ter as a class than we usually find. But every estate 
 had not an old Scipio ; neither had this to which Jamie 
 was transplanted, which was no other than Redfield, 
 in the hands of a new master, with a new set of ser- 
 vants, torn here and there, all over the state, from cabins 
 whose inmates were bleeding by the wound of separa- 
 tion. The plantation thus manned by a system, in 
 comparison with which the press-gang is a benevolent 
 affair, had the greatest possible variety of characters, 
 and not a few vicious ones, in the horse sense of being 
 ungovernable. 
 
 The overseer, train well as he may, finds it almost 
 impossible to assimilate such heterogeneous materials, 
 for, like strange oxen, they will not pull alike in the 
 yoke. So, in the faithful discharge of his duty, he 
 deems it necessary to whip the poor people, till, from 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 1 63 
 
 very weariness, he is impelled to desist. Meanwhile, 
 divers of them escape into the woods bordering on the 
 estate, but are too ignorant and dispirited to try and get 
 any further. Of the many runaways reported weekly 
 by the Southern papers, few get far from the localities 
 with which they are acquainted. Hunger, fear, and 
 ignorance, send them back to seek a shelter beneath 
 the lash that drove them forth. 
 
 It was not uncommon for scenes of blood to transpire 
 on the Redfield estate. Turk, the overseer, was unmer- 
 ciful. His principle of government was, for the slight- 
 est offenses, to whip until he was tired, and then, by 
 way of refining his cruelty, order some poor slave to go 
 on with the dreadful work, and if he abated in the least 
 before he had leave, there were Turk's fearful oaths 
 and threats to urge him on. Turk was not permitted 
 to continue long in his administration. The measure 
 of his iniquities was soon full, and he went to his 
 reward. 
 
 One morning, the overseer whipped a lad till he died. 
 The same day, the people being at work gathering corn, 
 those that had been drilled, of whom one was Jamie, 
 were in the same row with the foreman, and others not 
 so available, were loitering in the rear, when Turk rode 
 up to them on his boasted steed, Wildfire, and, passing 
 
164 THE FUGITIVE. 
 
 by those that were doing well, came to the listless 
 ones. Seeing him dismount, as he approached they 
 tried to do a little better ; nevertheless, he gave them 
 each a cruel .blow, as usual. 
 
 But who is that loitering by himself at the extremity 
 of the field, whose task is scarcely yet begun ? Who ? 
 Why that is Jupe, the Southampton giant. But why 
 seems he so inert and useless ? One would think, with 
 such a frame and muscles, he might gather the corn- 
 field, nor think of fatigue. 
 
 There are reasons sufficient why he is so cast down. 
 He has a strong arm, but a stronger heart, and has been 
 the only solace of his widowed mother, whose husband 
 was one of the leaders of the famous Southampton 
 massacre, and expiated his crime being hung. The 
 life of the mother was henceforth bound up in the life 
 of the child, and faithfully they toiled for their master 
 until the dreadful moment when Jupe was sold. He 
 had become a giant in stature ; was about twenty 
 years old, and from his many excellencies, commanded 
 a high price. His master getting pressed for money, 
 found the temptation of $1500 too good an offer to be 
 resisted in exchange for his favorite slave, and accord- 
 ingly sold him to the master of the Redfield estate. 
 
 "Why don't you work, you rascal?" shouted Turk, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 165 
 
 going up to him, leading Wildfire, and swinging his 
 official weapon. Jupe looked down on his little tor- 
 mentor with the greatest apparent coolness and uncon- 
 cern. This was too much to be borne ; Turk could not 
 be looked down on thus, so to put himself on an equality 
 as to height, he mounted his horse. 
 
 " Now we '11 see who 's head man," said he. " Work, 
 work, WORK !" continued he, at the same time giving 
 the slave repeated blows. 
 
 The giant looked up to heaven, as if to pray for 
 vengeance ; his usually stolid expression of countenance 
 changed, and gave indications that strong passions 
 were working within, but with a mighty effort he did 
 not speak. 
 
 " Do your work, will you ?" shouted the 'overseer, still 
 lashing him mercilessly. 
 
 The memory of the morning's cruel scene at the 
 whipping-post, which resulted in death, the long train 
 of bloody deeds, and the wrongs of his race, rushed upon 
 him. 
 
 " Yes," said he, the whole of his mighty spirit rising, 
 "yes, I'll do my work T and with one powerful swing 
 of his sickle, he felled the overseer lifeless to the earth. 
 He was not long in mounting the horse thus left with- 
 out a rider, and galloped away at the top of his speed. 
 
166 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 Whither? Was it to intrench himself in the fastnesses 
 of the forest ? No, his heart was on his lonely moth- 
 er's distant cot, and thither he would flee and secrete 
 himself in her neighborhood, that he might comfort her 
 still. As fast as Wildfire would carry him, he fled, 
 taking the county road that led through the Court 
 House Village, in the direction south. He had little 
 hope that he should be able to get through this hamlet 
 without being apprehended, but it seemed the only 
 course he could pursue, and in the desperation of the 
 moment, he determined to try the experiment. 
 
 It was the hour of opening the mail, and a little 
 crowd were around the post-office, when the horse and 
 rider described, came in sight. 
 
 " Wildfire, as I live !" exclaimed Black Brownson. 
 
 " Bless me," said Webster Webb, " Turk's Wildfire." 
 
 " And Jupe, the giant," continued another. 
 
 " Foul play, you may take my word for it," said an- 
 other. 
 
 " Stop him, stop him !" shouted they all, while every 
 thing that could be mustered attempted to head the 
 furious Wildfire. Now it was that Jupe showed him- 
 self a giant. With one hand he swept the crowd away 
 each side of him, and with the other urged on his horse. 
 On dashed Wildfire, trampling the crowd, and pros- 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 167 
 
 pects were fair for the slave's escape, when three pistol- 
 balls lodging in his body at as many different instants, 
 rendered him utterly helpless. The horse was ruined 
 by receiving one of the balls designed for the giant. 
 The Court House people raised a shout, and captured 
 Jupe as they would a wild beast, and caged him up in 
 the jail, till his master could be consulted. They little 
 imagined what he had done that he had killed their 
 jovial, fun-loving Turk ; for such was the character 
 which he sustained at the Court House. His cruelty 
 on the plantation was not heeded there ; Oh no, for who 
 was there to testify ? Who, of all the helpless beings 
 under his sway, would dare lisp a syllable of his hard- 
 hearted deeds ? 
 
 After the excitement of capturing so formidable a 
 runaway had subsided in a measure, the people dis- 
 persed to their homes, to rehearse the particulars to 
 their families, as they leisurely sipped their tea, while 
 they held up the captured giant as an example to their 
 own servants in waiting, that they, and those to whom 
 they would communicate the news, might tremble at 
 the thought of escaping. 
 
 The field people saw the fall of Turk, and they re- 
 joiced. And as Jupe rode off, they sent up one long, 
 low shout to heaven. It was a slave shout ; it did not 
 
168 JAMIE PARK Ell 
 
 burst full and free ; but nevertheless, it was a shout of 
 joy, for their merciless tormentor, the murderer of the 
 morning, was no more. They sympathized too much 
 in the fate of their comrade, to inform "master" of 
 Turk's death, until Jupe could have a chance to escape, 
 and, as if by mutual consent, with few words between 
 them, they went on with their work, and when twilight 
 came, went to the quarters as usual. They said little, 
 for the horrid events of the day had awakened a fear in 
 their hearts of something yet more dreadful. 
 
 Jamie, unable longer to endure the miseries of that 
 blood-managed estate, set out again for freedom. Hav- 
 ing been closely watched by Turk, he had been unable 
 to visit his poor mother, much as his heart prompted it. 
 Now that the overseer was dead, and it was dark, 
 Jamie stole from his cabin, and proceeded in the direc- 
 tion of his old master's plantation. He was soon in 
 the vicinity of the quarters. He lingered at a distance 
 until the light was out in Brazen's house, for he 
 dreaded lest his eye should fall upon him. As soon as 
 he thought it would be safe, he cautiously crept to his 
 mother's hut, by a course least likely to arouse the dog. 
 There was no light, no fire in his old home, and as he 
 looked in at the door, his heart smote him with the fear 
 that his poor mother might have gone to the grave. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 169 
 
 He gently called her by name, but there was no an- 
 swer. " Mother," said he, yet louder ; but, she did not 
 reply. He entered and searched the cabin, but she was 
 not there. Agonized with suspense, the worn youth 
 went to a cabin where he knew he should meet friends 
 whom he could trust. Mary, a good, clever woman, 
 lived there, and Jamie entered her door. She was over- 
 joyed to see him, but to his first question returned no 
 answer. 
 
 "Where is my mother?" repeated Jamie, much dis- 
 tressed. 
 
 Mary had not the heart to tell him, but burst into 
 tears. 
 
 " Oh, Mary, tell me where is my mother?" continued 
 he, in earnest agony. 
 
 " She is happy, Jamie," Mary replied, " her heart done 
 broke in half, and she died, poor thing !" 
 
 " My poor mother," sobbed Jamie, and good, gentle 
 Mary wept too. By little and little, he told her what 
 had befallen him since first sold, and how he longed to 
 return to the mountain. She encouraged him to go, 
 and insisted on his taking some food which she nicely 
 tied up for him ; then, as moments were precious, he 
 took his leave. He felt, however, that he must once 
 more visit his mother's cabin, and search for that 
 15 
 
170 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 treasure which old Scipio gave him, his Bible. He 
 found it hid in the loose mud-plaster, between the logs 
 of the cabin, where he usually had kept it, and over- 
 whelmed with joy, knelt down and rendered grateful 
 thanks to " our Father" for permitting him again to 
 have the blessed book. Then, after shedding tears on 
 poor Jinny's grave, he went on his way. When morn- 
 ing came he had left his professed master quite in the 
 rear, being far on his road to the rendezvous in the 
 mountain. During the day he lay concealed, but by 
 night swiftly sped on his way. 
 
 A word more of Redfield. The next morning after 
 the retribution of Turk, all hands, minus Jamie, started 
 early for the field, and headed by the foreman, went to 
 work as usual, although the dead body remained where 
 it had fallen. The desire to have Jupe gain time, and 
 unwillingness to be the tale-bearer, kept the whole party 
 from making any movement toward giving information 
 to the master; so those filthy vultures, the Turkey 
 Buzzards, began to claim the body. 
 
 Now it happened that on this very morning, the mas- 
 ter, George Whitely, Esq., leisurely rode to the Court 
 House Village, to chat with some of his neighbors, 
 whom he often met at Webster Webb's, as he wished to 
 collect the last news. By the way, the messenger who 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 171 
 
 was dispatched to him the evening before, instead of 
 going himself, sent word by another whom he met, and 
 between them both, the planter concerned was not in- 
 formed that Jupe was in custody. Reaching the Court 
 House, he heard news from a dozen mouths at the 
 same instant, which caused him to put spurs to his 
 horse and proceed to his quarters, to learn the true state 
 of things from overseer Turk, who, by the way, when 
 living, lived all by himself, having three servants to 
 keep house for him. These servants had missed 
 " massa Turk," but supposed him to be engaged in 
 some drunken frolic at the Court House, and when 
 " great master" rode up and asked where Turk was, 
 one said, " Don't know indeed, master." 
 
 " Bless me ! don 't know ! when was he at home ?" 
 
 " Please to believe me* master, he done dined to home 
 yesterday, and went out on de farm, and dat 's de lass I 
 seed him," said the cook. 
 
 " Bless me !" ejaculated the master. 
 
 " Taint probable he aint at de Court House ?" added 
 Becky, trying the experiment of giving her master a 
 hint as to where he might be found. 
 
 " Nonsense !" exclaimed the master, who then went 
 
 * A common mede of expression with the slave* of Virginia. 
 
172 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 directly to the field where was the dead body of the 
 overseer. 
 
 The moment the laborers (who had never worked 
 so faithfully a morning in their lives) saw master, they 
 appeared still more interested with their work, but dis- 
 patched one of their number to meet the much-dreaded, 
 and tell him of the death of the overseer. The poor 
 trembling slave went to meet his master, and when he 
 was asked why some one of them did not bring him 
 word directly, he replied, 
 
 " Please to believe rne, master, could not stop work." 
 " Fools !" said the enraged man, " I '11 have you all 
 whipped within an inch of your lives !" Saying this he 
 rode up to the people, and after inquiring into matters a 
 little, he found that Jamie, his most valuable slave, the 
 most trusty man of them all, was missing. Here then 
 was an additional cause of trouble to the proprietor of 
 the ill-fated estate. After a storm of harsh language, 
 he gave directions to have the body of the poor over- 
 seer carried to his house, and the decencies of burial to 
 be given it, and as by common testimony Jupe was said 
 to be the guilty one, he proceeded to the court house. 
 His favorite idea was to keep the matter hushed, and 
 save Jupe from capital punishment, that he might still 
 reap the benefit of his very valuable services ; but as 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 173 
 
 his crime was known by all the plantation, he found a 
 difficulty ; for if he forgave Jupe, where would insubor- 
 dination and murder cease 1 He decided what to do, 
 however, when he learned that the three balls which 
 the giant had received in his shoulder and thigh, would 
 quite disable him. He decided that it would be the 
 best economy to make him a " terror to evil-doers," by 
 having him hung ! 
 
 The expectation of the court house people was all on 
 tip-toe. Having slaves to labor for them, they had 
 abundant leisure to attend to what most villages find it 
 necessary to attend to, in some shape, that is, hearing 
 and telling some new thing. The day for the execution 
 was fixed as early as possible, for some two or three 
 suggested that it was unsafe to have so powerful a 
 man confined in their jail, although he was crippled with 
 balls. " Who knows," said they, " but he may break 
 jail and escape to the North ?" 
 
 This was an unanswerable argument, and so, without 
 judge or jury, save that every man acted in that 
 capacity, he was sentenced to be hung on the morrow. 
 
 The man who officiated as pastor in the vicinity was 
 sent to Jupe's cell, found him ready to confess his crime 
 and penitently pray for forgiveness from on high. The 
 crime was a momentary impulse, and poor Jupe shud- 
 
174 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 dered when he thought what he had done. Grief at 
 being torn from his mother had unfitted him for work, 
 and the hard usage of the overseer resulted as we have 
 seen. We would turn from his scaffold and death, and 
 from the cruel, hard-hearted curiosity which led people, 
 who thought they were civilized, to look on and feast 
 their eyes with seeing a fellow-being hung ! 
 
 When the unfortunate man was dead, they severed 
 his head from his body, and fastened it on the top of a 
 broken Liberty pole, where it remained until every ser- 
 vant on all the plantations far and near, had heard of 
 the fearful end of him who dared to raise his hand 
 against an overseer! The horrid spectacle was well 
 calculated to terrify all who were tempted to strike for 
 freedom, and all who saw it trembled in every limb and 
 tried to crush thoughts of getting free. 
 
 It was now that Mr. Whitely, being fully convinced 
 that Jamie, so highly valued, had escaped, sent to the 
 Richmond papers the advertisement found at the com- 
 mencement of our narrative. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Jamie returns to the Cave. The fugitives set out for the North. Reach a free 
 state. The good Quaker. Important to the South. Mr. Whitely write* 
 to a Philadelphia friend. The reply. Conscientiousness. 
 
 WE have thus related some of the causes, with 
 attending circumstances and events, in minute detail, 
 which led Jamie to figure in this advertisement, and 
 now the " point of sight" is, did he escape ? and how ? 
 In answering this question faithfully, we can not omit 
 to notice those to whom Jamie was so much attached, 
 left in the mountain. 
 
 After Ella died, their thoughts were turned to God in 
 their sorrow. Tray had some just ideas of the Savior, 
 and of heaven, which Jamie had taught him from his 
 Bible, and in his turn he instructed Guinfrey in the 
 things of religion. Old Archy managed to visit them 
 often. Besides, he found time to "tote" faggots of 
 wood from the forest for his master's use, who paid him 
 with food, so that he was able to spare all that he drew 
 on " allowance day" for the poor exiles. Night after 
 night he visited them, with a yearning heart for Jamie's 
 return, until he reluctantly gave it up, and as he did so, 
 told the cave-people that it was best to prepare to go on 
 
176 JAM IE PARKER 
 
 their way, as there was danger to them all so long 1 as 
 they remained there. The next night he came again, 
 prepared to fit them off Just as they are about bidding 
 each other adieu, they are interrupted. It can not be 
 Jamie, yes, it is even so ! and there is a meeting of 
 rapture. 
 
 But " where is Ella?" asks Jamie for his little sis- 
 ter. "Oh where is Ella?" 
 
 " Gone ! gone !" said little Kitt, throwing himself into 
 Jamie's arms, as he wept. 
 
 " Gone ?" inquired Jamie. 
 
 " Gone to her grave !" said old Archy. 
 
 " Bless the Father ! she is free !" said Jamie, bursting 
 into tears, and then, as by one impulse, all knelt down 
 and prayed. It was as if the spirit of old Scipio inspired 
 the heart of Jamie, when, with his Bible clasped, he 
 poured out his full soul to God. The prayer was ended, 
 and that gentle dove, the Comforter, rested upon them, 
 and peace, such as the world can not give nor take 
 away, was given to the little band. Old Archy went 
 to his cot, praising God for his goodness. 
 
 With the morning light, Jamie was by the grave of 
 Ella, that sweet, protected spot. Few slave children 
 are so blessed in their death and burial as was little 
 Ella. Those hollies had been long growing, and the 
 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 177 
 
 eglantine long twining to form her grave-bower. Jamie 
 wept as he stood by her lowly bed, but they were not 
 bitter tears. They were those tears of joy which some- 
 times mingled in the cup of grief. He rejoiced that the 
 huntsman could not take the poor fawn from its safe 
 refuge. And while all in the future was dim and un- 
 certain, lighted only by the polar-star, the thought that 
 the little child Ella was free from all his own fearful 
 strugglings, was a soothing thought to his agitated 
 heart. 
 
 Another day passed, and with the darkness came 
 Archy and Edy, for the last time to meet those who 
 had so deeply engrossed their hearts for so many weeks. 
 Their simple preparations were completed early in the 
 evening, as they wished to press on as far as possible 
 under the wing of that night. Few words were spoken, 
 but there were many silent prayers and unbidden tears, 
 and with hasty adieus and Archy's fervent " God bless 
 you !" they departed. Archy and Edy stood without 
 the cave a moment, watching them as they crossed the 
 torrent, Jamie with his Bible, Tray with the package 
 of food, and Gumfrey assisting Kitt. They then went 
 in and arranged the rocky abode, so as to leave it ready 
 for the reception of the next pilgrims that might lodge 
 there. " For," said Archy, I has a persuadement 
 M 
 
178 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 that more of my poor slave people will want rest 
 here !" 
 
 Think you Archy was wrong ? 
 
 Carlo was ready, when they had put things in the 
 cave to rights, to follow them down the mountain, and 
 they safely reached their cabin, grateful for the preserv- 
 ing care of " our Father." 
 
 Meanwhile the fugitives went on, guided by the 
 bright north star. During this night they kept on the 
 mountain ridge, and by day hid themselves in the thick 
 cedars. The next night they descended and groped 
 on through the tangled underwood which obstructed 
 their way. The next and the next night they plodded 
 on, and at length reached Maryland, that has so much 
 ado to defend her part of the Bastile walls. Close 
 hunted were they, " like the partridge on the moun- 
 tains," but the God of heaven sent out his angel to 
 guide and guard them, and their pursuers, although led 
 on by u evil angels," were baffled. Their supplies of 
 food were gone, and, as often before, they had recourse 
 to the hospitalities of Nature's hand. Many a time by 
 day were they under the necessity of roaming woods 
 for nuts and berries, and when night came, with what 
 eagerness did they look to the heavens, to ascertain 
 their whereabouts by the bright star of freedom. Often, 
 
THEFUGITIVE. 179 
 
 too, were they driven by extreme hunger to visit by 
 night the corn-fields, to eat of the corn. Do you think 
 it was stealing ? Think you that the slave can not 
 justly claim a portion of the riches of the South on the 
 score of unpaid wages? When the master and the 
 slave settle accounts, who, think you, will be the 
 debtor ? One night more, and they were beyond nomi- 
 nal slave territory ; but is it consecrated to freedom ? Is 
 the slave there protected from his pursuers ? " Is there 
 an acre, or an inch of ground within the limits of the 
 great American Republic, which is not mortgaged to 
 slavery," so far as it is in the power of our laws thus to 
 convey it away ? It is even so ; there is not a foot of our 
 New England even, that boasts of her learning, liberty, 
 and religion, where the enslaved are free! "Not a 
 square inch on Bunker Hill, or any other hill, nor cleft, 
 nor crag, nor cavern, in her mountain sides, nor nook in 
 her dells, nor lair in her forests, nor a hearth, nor a 
 cabin door, which doth not bear the bloody endorsement 
 of slavery." K It is in the bond the bond of our Union, 
 ordained to establish justice, promote the general wel- 
 fare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and 
 posterity." 
 
 Nevertheless, Jamie being unacquainted with the 
 extent of his danger, and emboldened as he was by 
 
180 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 stern necessity, now ventured out by daylight to get 
 food, leaving his companions secreted in the woods. 
 Kind Providence directed him to the house of a Quaker, 
 who was a warm-hearted friend of the unfortunate poor. 
 The good old Penn welcomed the tremulous youth 
 who came to him for aid ; he knew that dangers were 
 all about him, and his noble heart was touched with 
 the desire to assist him in his struggles to reach a place 
 of safety. 
 
 " It was right for thee to leave thy master," said he, 
 as he listened to Jamie's recital. " Thou hast no right 
 to be a slave !" 
 
 Then, as he saw the emaciated being before him had 
 fasted long, he gave him food, clothed him well, and 
 made up a package for his brethren in the woods ; in 
 short was the "likewise" of the good Samaritan, to 
 those whose lot has been all their lives to " fall among 
 thieves," for no one can be a slave unless robbed of his 
 liberty. 
 
 " Thee must beware," said the Quaker, " for the 
 blood-hounds will follow thee ;" and as he saw that 
 Jamie was disposed to be off his guard, now that he 
 was out of the slave states, he read to him the follow- 
 ing advertisement from a Southern paper. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 181 
 
 IMPORTANT TO THE SOUTH. 
 
 F. H. Pett-'s, native of Orange Co., Va., being located in the city 
 of New York, in the practice of law, announces to his friends and 
 the public in general, that he has been engaged as counsel and advi- 
 ser in general for a party whose business it is, in northern cities, to 
 ARREST AND SECURE RUNAWAY SLAVES. He has been thus engaged 
 FOR SEVERAL YEARS, and as the act of Congress alone governs now 
 in this city, in business of this sort, which renders it easy for recovery 
 of such property, he invites post-paid communications to him, in- 
 closing a fee of twenty dollars, in each case, and a power of attorney 
 merely descriptive of the party absconded, and if in the northern 
 region, he or she will soon be had. 
 
 N. B. New York city is estimated to contain five thousand run- 
 away slaves. F. H. PETTIS. 
 
 After fully explaining this document, the Quaker 
 gave him directions what course to pursue, to reach 
 Philadelphia, also where to find the Vigilance Com- 
 mittee of that place, who would -see that himself and 
 companions were safely forwarded to New York. 
 Then, while the tears coursed down his cheeks, he bade 
 him God-speed, and Jamie sped back to those he had 
 left in the woods. 
 
 The advertisement with which our narrative com- 
 mences is a specimen of the anxiety which Geo. 
 Whitely felt to repossess that portion of his valuable 
 personal estate, vested in the person of Jamie. But this 
 was not a solitary effort ; < ; fortunately," said he, " I 
 16 
 
182 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 have an efficient friend in Philadelphia, who will, may- 
 hap, stop the thief, if he should seek the North." He 
 therefore wrote him to the effect that he wished him to 
 watch for, and apprehend his runaway servant, at the 
 same time minutely describing him, by sending the ad- 
 vertisement a delicate way of saying, " apprehend him 
 and you shall share the reward !" 
 
 Now Mr. , to whom the letter was addressed, 
 
 knew very well where to search for the described indi- 
 vidual ; so keeping a good look-out in that quarter, he 
 recognized Jamie as answering the description sent him 
 by his friend Mr. Whitely. At this he was greatly re- 
 joiced, and still more so when he found that Jamie was 
 accompanied by three others ! The manner in which 
 he arrested them precluded all resistance, and too. just 
 as they were entering that city, which has to such a 
 fearful extent proved herself the bulwark of slavery. 
 And moreover, kind reader, we think in the circumstan- 
 ces he did quite right. He arrested them when they 
 were on the very threshold of freedom ; and as most peo- 
 ple friendly to the southern " institution" would have 
 done, did he place them in a hold for safe keeping, until 
 he could remand them back to their masters and claim 
 the reward ? No, he did no such thing ; but he took 
 them to his snug little cottage, fed and warmed them, 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 183 
 
 and then took them to the Committee of Vigilance, 
 with their hearts warmed with gratitude to him for his 
 
 kindness. Mr. had been a rich man, one of the 
 
 most thriving merchants of Philadelphia ; but losing his 
 property when the United States Bank was broken by 
 sinking $27,000,000 of her capital at the South, he was 
 under the necessity of exchanging his princely dwell- 
 ing for one far humbler in description. The manner in 
 which he lost his property led him to open his eyes to 
 the state of the South. The reverses of his fortune had 
 a good effect upon his character, the sympathies of his 
 heart were enlarged, and the poor and oppressed were 
 entertained there as never before. In fine, he was no 
 longer identified in feeling with the slave proprietor. 
 All this, however, was unknown to Geo. Whitely, as 
 the two friends had had no intercourse for several years. 
 After helping Jamie to escape, by intrusting him to the 
 committee whose business it is to forward to a place of 
 safety the unfortunate poor that apply to them for suc- 
 cor, Mr. sat down and wrote the following let- 
 ter to his old college friend. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 7th, 18. 
 
 MY DEAR WHITELY , Your favor of the 2nd inst. was duly re- 
 ceived, and I have the pleasure of informing you that one part of 
 your request I have fulfilled to the letter, i. e., that which related to 
 the taking of Jamie. After receiving yours I kept close watch for 
 
184 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 three days, and on the fourth, found not only Jamie, but three 
 others, all fresh from bondage. As they could make no resistance, 
 I arrested them forthwith. Instead of putting them in jail until I 
 could forward them South, I invited them to walk home with me, to 
 " be warmed and filled." (By the way, you must know that I lost 
 all but a pittance in the United States Bank, and now live in a very 
 plain way.) My two Marys, wife and daughter, heard the sorrows 
 of our poor guests, and with their eyes set in tears prepared them 
 supper. Having provided them with the clothing that they needed, 
 through the kindness of a friend who proffered his purse for the pur- 
 pose, I delivered them into the care of the Committee of Vigilance, 
 who will see them transported to New York and put in charge of a, 
 similar association there. 
 
 Now you will say in surprise of soul, why have you betrayed the trust 
 I reposed in you ? Why was this waste of property made ? Friend 
 Whitely, I have acted conscientiously, and if you desire it, will pay 
 you the price of Jamie whom I helped to escape. I will do it cheer- 
 fully, even if I am compelled to toil it out by the labor of my hands. 
 I have adopted the sentiment that the slave has a better claim to 
 himself than his master has, and I do fully believe that he has a per- 
 fect right to his freedom, and is consequently to be justified in run- 
 ning away. Indeed, I think the duty he owes to his posterity, im- 
 peratively calls on him to break the thraldom which is keeping him 
 and his race low and stationary in the scale of being. 
 
 I know not, my dear friend, but you are the kindest master in all 
 the South, but that does not make it right for you to hold them 
 slaves; it does not justify slavery. Because one man drinks less 
 deeply than another we can not say that intemperance is not most 
 pernicious, and that teetotalism is not its only remedy. So of 
 slavery, and the only remedy is frcetotalism. Colonization and all 
 the surface modes of touching the matter, are to slavery just what 
 " moderate drinking" is to the temperance cause ; they can not cure 
 the evil, but it increases in spite of them. 
 
 To show you that I am willing to practice what I preach, and 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 185 
 
 make some sacrifice for the sake of humanity, I will pay you for 
 Jamie. 
 
 To change the order of society, abolish slavery, and institute the 
 system of paid labor, will, I fear, cost the rich man dear ; not more 
 so, however, than the breaking of a bank has cost me. If your wife 
 and daughter are like my two Marys, by hiring a little domestic 
 work you will get along without suffering, at least, and I will insure 
 you more peace of mind and true happiness than ever you possessed 
 in your life. 
 
 The change in my circumstances has led me to reflect, and after 
 much thought and deliberation, I have come to these conclusions re- 
 specting slavery, which I freely transmit to you, praying that Heaven 
 may give you to see your position in its bearings on those around 
 you. I remain as ever, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Geo. Whitely, Esq. 
 
 The above letter was not long in reaching its desti- 
 nation, and produced very much the same effect on the 
 proprietor of Redfield, as arguments presented to distil- 
 lers and rumsellers produce, when that class of indi- 
 viduals decide to be of. the " same opinion still," and 
 intrench themselves behind that most miserable defense, 
 " If I do not manufacture and vend ardent spirits some- 
 body else will !" And those who oppose temperance 
 from interested motives, (when hard driven to get argu- 
 ments to sustain them,) tack round and get the Bible to 
 help them, by wresting it of course. " We have a con- 
 science," say they, " and we would not be worse than 
 16* 
 
186 JAMIE PARKER. 
 
 infidels, for he that provideth not for his own house is 
 worse than an infidel.' Charity begins at home. We 
 must first discharge the duties we owe our families 
 before we think of others.''" 
 
 The slaveholder said, " If I should free my slaves it 
 would be of no earthly use, for others will continue to 
 hold property in men, women and children, just as they 
 do now. Besides, it would be neither benevolent nor 
 patriotic to set them free, for the State laws expressly 
 say that free people of color are a nuisance, and ten 
 chances to one they would be kidnapped and sold 
 again. 
 
 In fine, the medium through which Mr. Whitely 
 viewed things was most unfortunate, for the good effect 
 of his friend's letter. He was not an impartial judge in 
 the case, inasmuch as his interest was concerned. 
 And it may be remarked that this is ever true, when the 
 pocket separates reason and conscience ; poor reason, left 
 in the dark, comes to wrong conclusions. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 44 Pilgrims and wandereri, 
 
 Hither we come ; 
 Where the free dare to be 
 This is our home !" 
 
 The New York Committee of Vigilance welcome the flying strangers. 
 Arrive in Rochester. John's cottage. Judy and Rose. Meeting of the 
 free family. Conclusion. 
 
 VERY happy were the Committee of Vigilance to 
 assist Jamie and his companions on their way. Owing 
 to steam they were soon in New York. There they 
 were kindly received by the friends of the poor before 
 referred to. But how shall we describe the emotions of 
 these voluntary exiles from slavery, when they felt their 
 feet planted on the soil of freedom, as they thought New 
 York ; for despite the warning of the good old Quaker, 
 Jamie was prone to forget that there could be any dan- 
 ger so far from his old prison. All would fain have 
 thought that they had reached the end of their toil- 
 some journey, and that this was the free land ; but no ! 
 they were told by those that make it a business to 
 befriend the unfortunate, that they were not safe ! For 
 this is not a free country, much as we have made it our 
 boast. As one has said, " the North is one great hunt- 
 
188 JAMIE PARKER 
 
 ing park, where the Southron hunts the slave, and the 
 South has been and is soliciting the men of the North 
 to enlist and form themselves into packs of hounds, that 
 the game may not escape !" And we blush when we 
 say that Northerners there are, who are proud to be 
 dogs and do the bidding of their Southern masters ! 
 Humiliating as is the thought, this whole country, every 
 inch of it, is consecrated to slavery. In no part of it, 
 according to the laws of the land, can the slave be free, 
 and every where throughout its limits, is the freeman 
 exposed to be sold into helpless bondage. Time would 
 fail us to tell of the efforts made by Mr. Whitely's 
 agent in New York to recapture the "negro man, 
 Jamie ;" suffice it to say, it was only by the eagle-eyed 
 vigilance of those to whom he was intrusted, that he 
 escaped. By the blessing of God on their skillful man- 
 agement and extraordinary exertions, Jamie, his three 
 companions, and six other flying ones, were put in care 
 
 of the worthy and humane Capt. , of packet 
 
 boat , on the Erie Canal. We next hear of 
 
 them in an invoice of goods received by a respectable 
 house in Rochester, New York, wherein they are men- 
 tioned as. " TEN BALES OF HUMANITY, in a thriving con- 
 dition, late from three plantations in Virginia !" 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 189 
 
 It is a cold evening in October. The Canadian 
 forest-trees have doffed their summer plumes, for the 
 Winter King- is on his way. Fair Luna, unmooring her 
 skiff in the sky, sails boldly in its blue ocean-depths. 
 And she quietly gazeth on many a happy home beneath 
 her, and on many a cottage of the rescued from the 
 Southern land. 
 
 The peaceful cottage of John is lighted as usual at 
 this hour, and a cheerful fire is burning on the well- 
 swept hearth. A tea-kettle sings in one comer of the 
 chimney, while staid madam puss composedly purrs in 
 the other. John is smoking his pipe with the same at- 
 ease air, observable in other free people who now and 
 then indulge in smoking. Judy and Rose, having 
 cleared away the supper things, are seated by the clean 
 pine table on which two candles are burning, intently 
 engaged with the work of their fingers. Judy is sew- 
 ing on a customer's hat, and Rose is toeing off a pair of 
 nice lamb's wool stockings for her father. Now and 
 then they chat a little respecting their plans of comfort 
 for the winter ; for they are delighted to do any thing to 
 promote the happiness of their father, to whom they are 
 devotedly attached. The little cottage has its flower 
 garden, and had you been there in summer-time, you; 
 would have seen roses, lilies, pinks and four-o'clocks in 
 
190 JAMIE PARKER. 
 
 profusion. A hop-vine, having wearied itself with 
 clambering over the cottage, stops and dresses its clus- 
 ters for the hand of the gatherer. In summer you 
 would have seen holly-hocks standing sentinels in the 
 little inclosure, to stop all such intruders as humming- 
 birds, butterflies, and busy-bees, and too, a sparkling free 
 stream ever bounding by with its cheerful song. 
 
 But the evening of which we were speaking goes on, 
 as such evenings ever do, much as we wish they would 
 linger and let us enjoy them longer. John has finished 
 smoking and laid by his pipe on the shelf over the fire- 
 place, and is industriously weaving a basket. The 
 cheerful chit-chat now enlivens the domestic circle. 
 Judy and Rose, often pensive and sad, thinking of the 
 loved ones far away, are quite mirthful from an irrepres- 
 sible flow of good spirits. In truth, enjoying such a 
 home, laboring for their father and themselves, they 
 have far more cause for rejoicing, than when toiling 
 without aim or object, (save it were to escape punish- 
 ment,) unthanked and unpaid. Once, let them toil from 
 twilight to twilight, and not one of their " kin" was the 
 better for it; and now they can take care of themselves, 
 and be comfortably fed, clothed, sheltered and warmed, 
 and have no cause of sorrow save the bondage of their 
 race, which daily calls forth their prayers and tears. 
 
THE FUGITIVE. 191 
 
 There is a knock at the door ; but it excites no alarm, 
 as they are in a free country, and Judy rising, takes a 
 light to go to the door, saying Madam N.'s servant must 
 have brought her more work. She opens the door, and 
 the light falls upon four of her poor slave people. She 
 does not recognize her three brothers ; but Jamie spring- 
 ing forward and clasping her in his arms, exclaims, 
 
 "Don't you know me, Judy?" 
 
 The bewildered girl can not reply, but Rose and her 
 father are by her side, and comprehend that God has in 
 truth answered their prayers, and sent their loved ones 
 to them. 
 
 " It is, it is my boys !" said John with checked utter- 
 ance, and weeping for joy. 
 
 " Father ! Father !" said little Kitt, springing to his 
 arms. 
 
 " Father ! Father !" said Tray, clasping his neck. 
 
 Jamie, Judy, and Rose wept for joy in one group, while 
 happy John and his two youngest born formed another. 
 Gumfrey stood by, looking on, and taking tears out of 
 the corners of his eyes, happier than when he witnessed 
 the meeting in the cave, for he feels now that they are 
 a - kin" to him, and he pours the feelings of his heart 
 into the same channel. O, what a joyful meeting ! 
 Contrast the guilty pleasures and gains of slavery with 
 
192 JAMIE PARKER. 
 
 the joys of that one interview, and how contemptible 
 are they in the comparison ! We now leave the happy 
 family to tell the thrilling stories of their sufferings, 
 and to mingle in one blessed current their common joys 
 and sorrows ; yet it is with reluctance, for gladly would 
 we follow them as they just begin to live in a free state 
 of existence. We leave them, having extricated them- 
 selves from the shackles of tyranny, by God's blessing 
 on their energy and enterprise, their buoyant hearts 
 overflowing with gratitude to Him who hath given them 
 to be free. 
 
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N9 542826 
 
 Pierson, E.G. 
 
 Jamie Parker, the 
 fugitive. 
 
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 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
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