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| ARRIVAL FROM DORCHESTER CO., 1800. 53] There is now much more risk on the road, till they arrive here, than there has been for several months past, as we find that some poor, worthless wretches are constantly on the look out on two roads, that they cannot well avoid more especially with carriage, yet, M it is Harriet who seems to have had a special angel to guard her on her journey of mercy, I have hope. Thy Friend, THOMAS GARRETT. N. B. We hope all will be in Chester county to-morrow. These slaves from Maryland, were the last that Harriet Tubtuao piloted out of the prison-house of bondage, and these "came through great tribulation." STEPHEN, the husband, had been a slave of .John Kaiger, who would not allow him to live with his wife (if there was such a thing as a slave's owning a wife.) She lived eight miles distant, hired her time, maintained herself, and took care of her children (until they became of service to their owner), and paid tea dollars a year for her hire. She was owned by Algier Pearcv. Both mother and father desired to deliver their children from his grasp. They had too much intelligence to bear the heavy burdeus thus imposed without feeling the pressure a grievous one. Harriet Tubman being well acquainted in their neighlwrhood, and knowing of their situation, and having confidence that they would prove true, as passengers on the Underground Rail Road, engaged to pilot them witbin reach of WilmiDgton, at least to Thomas Garrett's. Thus the father and mother, with their children and a young man named John, found aid and comfort on their way, with Harriet for their " Moses." A poor -woman escaping from Baltimore in a delicate state, happened to meet Harriet's party at the station, and was forwarded on with them. They were cheered with clothing, food, and material aid, and sped on to Canada. Notes taken at that time were very brief; it was evidently deemed prudent in those days, not to keep as full reports as had been the wont of the secretary, prior to 1859. The capture of John Brown's papers and letters, with names and plans in full, admonished us that such papers and correspondence as had beeu preserved concerning the Underground Rail Road, might perchance be captured by a pro-slavery mob. For a year or more after the Harper's Ferry battle, as many will remember, the tnob spirit of the times was very violent in all the principal northern cities, as well as southern (" to save the Union.") Even in Boston, Abolition meetings were fiercely assailed by the mob. During this period, the writer omitted some of the most important particulars in the escapes and narratives of fugitives. Books and papers were sent away for a long time, and during this time the records were kept simply on loose slips of paper. |