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| answered. ' Why couldn't you sold me to some of the neighbors ?' I said. ' I don't know,' lie said, in a dry way. With my arms around my master's neck, I begged and prayed him to tell me why he had sold me. The trader and constable was again pretty near. I let go my master and took to my heels to save me. I run about a mile off and ran into a mill dam up to my head in water. I kept my head just above and hid the rest part of mr body for more than two honrs. I had not made up my mind to escape until I had got into the water. I run only to have little more time to breathe before going to Georgia or New Orleans; but I pretty soon made up my mind in the water to try and got to a free State, and go to Canada and make the trial anyhow, but I didn't know which way to travel." Such, great changes in Alfred's prospects having been wrought in so short a while, together with, such a fearful looking-for of a fate in tlte far South more horrid than death, suddenly, as by a miracle, he turns Ins face in the direction of the North. But the North star, as it were, hid its face from him. For a week he was trying to reach free soil, the rain scarcely ceasing for an hour. The entire journey was extremely discouraging, und many steps had to be taken in vain, hungry and •weary. But having the faith of those spoken of in the Scriptures, who wandered about in dens and caves of the earth, being destitute, afflicted and tormented, he endured to the end and arrived safely to the Committee. He left his father and mother, both slaves, living near Middleburg, in Virginia, not far from where he said his master lived, who went by the name of G. E. Shinn, and followed farming. His master and mistress wore said to be members of the "South Baptist Church," and both had borne good characters until within a year or so previous to Alfred's departure. Since then a very serious disagreement had taken place between them, resulting in their separation, a heavy lawsuit, and consequently large outlays. It was this domestic trouble, in Alfred's opinion, that rendered his sale |