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| «92 TBE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD. record he showed to his master at the end of the week. Knowing no written character bat the figure 5 he kept this account by means of a carious system of hieroglyphics in which straight marks meant horse shoes pat on, circles, cart-wheels fixed, etc. One day in happening to see his master's book he noticed that wherever five and one were added the figure 6 was used. Having practiced this till be could make it he ever after used it in his accounts. As his master was looking over these one day, he noticed the new figure and compelled the slave to tell how he had learned it He flew into a rage, and said, " I'll teach you how to be learning new figures," and picking up a horse-shoe threw it at him, but fortunately for the audacious chattel, missed his aim. Notwithstanding his ardent desire for liberty, the slave considered it his duty to remain in bondage until he was twenty-one years old in order to repay by his labor the trouble and expense which his master had had in rearing him. On the evening of his twenty-first anniversary he turned his face toward the North star, and started for a land of freedom. Arriving at Reisterstown, a village on the Westminster turnpike about twenty-five miles from Baltimore and thirty-five miles from Mr. Wright's house, he was arrested and placed in the bar-room of the country tavern in care of the landlady to wait until his captors, having finished some work in which they were engaged, could take him back to his master. The land-ladj, being engaged in getting supper, set him to watch' the cakes that were baking. As she was passing back and forth he ostentatiously removed his tat, coat, snd shoes, and placed them in the bar-room. Having done this, he said to her, " I -will step out a moment." This he did, she sending a boy to watch him. "When the boy came out he appeared to be very sick and called hastily for -water. The boy ran in to get it Now was his golden opportunity. Jumping the fence he ran to a clump of trees which occupied low ground behind the house and concealing himself in it for a moment, ran and continued to run, he knew not whither, until he found himself at the toll gate near Petersburg, in Adams county. Before this he had kept in the fields and forests, but now found himself compelled to come out upon the road. The toll-gate keeper, seeing at once that he was a fugitive, said to him, " I guess you don't know the road." " I guess I can find it myself," was the reply. " Let me ebow you," said the man. " You may if you please," replied the fugitive. Taking him out behind his dwelling, he pointed across the fields to a new brick farm-house, and said, " Go tbere and inquire for Mr. Wright." The slave thanked him and did as he was directed. He remained with William Wright until April, 1829. During this short time he learned to read, write, and cipher as far as the single rule of three, aa it vms then called, or simple proportion. During his residence with William Wright, nothing could exceed his kindness or gratitude to the 'whole femily. He learned to graft trees, and thus rendered great assistance |