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| 148 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD. " How many slaves did he own ? " " Sam, Richmond, Henry, Dennis, Jesse, Addison, Hilliard, Jenny, Lucius, Julia, Charlotte, Easte, Joe, Taylor, Louisa, two more small children and Jim." Did any of them know that you were going to leave ? ** No, I saw my brother Tuesday, but never told him a word about it." " What put it into your head to leave?" " It was bad treatment; for being put in jail for sale the 7th of last January; was whipped in jail and after I came out the only thing they told me was that I had been selling newspapers about the streets, and was half free." " Where did you live then ?" " In Richmond, Va.; for twenty-two years I have been living out." " How much did your master receive a year for your hire?" "From sixty-five to one hundred and fifty dollars." "Did you have to find yourself?" "The people who hired me found me. The general rule is in Richmond, for a week's board, seventy-five cents is allowed; if he gets any more than that he has got to find it himself." "How about Sunday clothing?" "Find them yourself?" " How about a house to live in? " " Have that to find yourself." " Suppose you have a wife and family." "It makes no difference, they don't allow you anything for that at all." " Suppose you are sick who pays your doctor's bill ?'' " He (master) pays that." " How do you manage to make a little extra money ? " " By getting up before day and carrying out papers and doing other jobs, cleaning up single men's rooms and the like of that." " What have you been employed at in Richmond ?" " Been working in tobacco factory in general; this year I was hired at a printing-office. The National American. I carried papers/' "Had you a wife?" "I did, but her master was a very bad man and was opposed to me, and was against my coming to his place to see my wife, and he persuaded her to take another husband in preference to me; being in his hands she took his advice." " How long ago was that ? " " Very near twelve months ; she got married last fall." " Had you any children?" "Yes." "How many?" " Five." " Where are they ? " " Three are with Joel Luck, her master, one with his sister Eliza, and the other belongs to Judge Hudgins, of Bowling Green Court House." " Do you ever expect to see them again?" "No, not till the day of the Great I am!" "Did you ever have any chance of schooling?" " Not a day in my life." " Can you read ? " " No, sir, nor write my own name." "What do yjou think of Slavery any how? " " I think it's a great curse, and I think the Baptists in Richmond will go to the deepest hell, if there is any, for they are so wicked they will work you all day and part of the night, and wear cloaks and long faces, and try to get all the work out of you they can by telling you about Jesus Christ All the extra money you make they think you will give to hear talk about Jesus Christ. Out of their extra money they have to pay a white man Five hwndred dollars a year for preaching" " What kind of preaching does he give them? " " He tells them if they die in their sins they will go to hell; don't tell them any |