the narrative of the life-第13节

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　　Where　the　fever…demon　strews

　

　　Poison　with　the　falling　dews；

　

　　Where　the　sickly　sunbeams　glare

　

　　Through　the　hot　and　misty　air：

　

　　　　Gone；　gone；　sold　and　gone

　

　　　　To　the　rice　swamp　dank　and　lone；

　

　　　　From　Virginia　hills　and　waters

　

　　　　Woe　is　me；　my　stolen　daughters！〃

　

　

　　The　hearth　is　desolate。　　The　children；　the　uncon…

scious　children；　who　once　sang　and　danced　in　her

presence；　are　gone。　　She　gropes　her　way；　in　the　dark…

ness　of　age；　for　a　drink　of　water。　　Instead　of　the　voices

of　her　children；　she　hears　by　day　the　moans　of　the

dove；　and　by　night　the　screams　of　the　hideous　owl。

All　is　gloom。　　The　grave　is　at　the　door。　　And　now；

when　weighed　down　by　the　pains　and　aches　of　old

age；　when　the　head　inclines　to　the　feet；　when　the

beginning　and　ending　of　human　existence　meet；　and

helpless　infancy　and　painful　old　age　combine　to…

getherat　this　time；　this　most　needful　time；　the　time

for　the　exercise　of　that　tenderness　and　affection

which　children　only　can　exercise　towards　a　declining

parentmy　poor　old　grandmother；　the　devoted

mother　of　twelve　children；　is　left　all　alone；　in　yonder

little　hut；　before　a　few　dim　embers。　　She　stands

she　sitsshe　staggersshe　fallsshe　groansshe　dies

and　there　are　none　of　her　children　or　grandchildren

present；　to　wipe　from　her　wrinkled　brow　the　cold

sweat　of　death；　or　to　place　beneath　the　sod　her

fallen　remains。　　Will　not　a　righteous　God　visit　for

these　things？

　

　　In　about　two　years　after　the　death　of　Mrs。　Lu…

cretia；　Master　Thomas　married　his　second　wife。　　Her

name　was　Rowena　Hamilton。　　She　was　the　eldest

daughter　of　Mr。　William　Hamilton。　　Master　now

lived　in　St。　Michael's。　　Not　long　after　his　marriage；

a　misunderstanding　took　place　between　himself　and

Master　Hugh；　and　as　a　means　of　punishing　his

brother；　he　took　me　from　him　to　live　with　himself

at　St。　Michael's。　　Here　I　underwent　another　most

painful　separation。　　It；　however；　was　not　so　severe

as　the　one　I　dreaded　at　the　division　of　property；　for；

during　this　interval；　a　great　change　had　taken　place

in　Master　Hugh　and　his　once　kind　and　affectionate

wife。　　The　influence　of　brandy　upon　him；　and　of

slavery　upon　her；　had　effected　a　disastrous　change

in　the　characters　of　both；　so　that；　as　far　as　they

were　concerned；　I　thought　I　had　little　to　lose　by　the

change。　　But　it　was　not　to　them　that　I　was　attached。

It　was　to　those　little　Baltimore　boys　that　I　felt　the

strongest　attachment。　　I　had　received　many　good

lessons　from　them；　and　was　still　receiving　them；　and

the　thought　of　leaving　them　was　painful　indeed。　　I

was　leaving；　too；　without　the　hope　of　ever　being

allowed　to　return。　　Master　Thomas　had　said　he　would

never　let　me　return　again。　　The　barrier　betwixt　him…

self　and　brother　he　considered　impassable。

　

　　I　then　had　to　regret　that　I　did　not　at　least　make

the　attempt　to　carry　out　my　resolution　to　run　away；

for　the　chances　of　success　are　tenfold　greater　from

the　city　than　from　the　country。

　

　　I　sailed　from　Baltimore　for　St。　Michael's　in　the

sloop　Amanda；　Captain　Edward　Dodson。　　On　my

passage；　I　paid　particular　attention　to　the　direction

which　the　steamboats　took　to　go　to　Philadelphia。　　I

found；　instead　of　going　down；　on　reaching　North

Point　they　went　up　the　bay；　in　a　north…easterly　direc…

tion。　　I　deemed　this　knowledge　of　the　utmost　im…

portance。　　My　determination　to　run　away　was　again

revived。　　I　resolved　to　wait　only　so　long　as　the　offering

of　a　favorable　opportunity。　　When　that　came；　I　was

determined　to　be　off。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX

　

　

　　I　have　now　reached　a　period　of　my　life　when　I

can　give　dates。　　I　left　Baltimore；　and　went　to　live

with　Master　Thomas　Auld；　at　St。　Michael's；　in

March；　1832。　　It　was　now　more　than　seven　years

since　I　lived　with　him　in　the　family　of　my　old　mas…

ter；　on　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation。　　We　of　course

were　now　almost　entire　strangers　to　each　other。　　He

was　to　me　a　new　master；　and　I　to　him　a　new　slave。

I　was　ignorant　of　his　temper　and　disposition；　he

was　equally　so　of　mine。　　A　very　short　time；　however；

brought　us　into　full　acquaintance　with　each　other。

I　was　made　acquainted　with　his　wife　not　less　than

with　himself。　　They　were　well　matched；　being　equally

mean　and　cruel。　　I　was　now；　for　the　first　time　during

a　space　of　more　than　seven　years；　made　to　feel　the

painful　gnawings　of　hungera　something　which　I

had　not　experienced　before　since　I　left　Colonel

Lloyd's　plantation。　　It　went　hard　enough　with　me

then；　when　I　could　look　back　to　no　period　at　which

I　had　enjoyed　a　sufficiency。　　It　was　tenfold　harder

after　living　in　Master　Hugh's　family；　where　I　had

always　had　enough　to　eat；　and　of　that　which　was

good。　　I　have　said　Master　Thomas　was　a　mean　man。

He　was　so。　　Not　to　give　a　slave　enough　to　eat；　is

regarded　as　the　most　aggravated　development　of

meanness　even　among　slaveholders。　　The　rule　is；　no

matter　how　coarse　the　food；　only　let　there　be　enough

of　it。　　This　is　the　theory；　and　in　the　part　of　Maryland

from　which　I　came；　it　is　the　general　practice；though

there　are　many　exceptions。　　Master　Thomas　gave　us

enough　of　neither　coarse　nor　fine　food。　　There　were

four　slaves　of　us　in　the　kitchenmy　sister　Eliza；　my

aunt　Priscilla；　Henny；　and　myself；　and　we　were　al…

lowed　less　than　a　half　of　a　bushel　of　corn…meal　per

week；　and　very　little　else；　either　in　the　shape　of

meat　or　vegetables。　　It　was　not　enough　for　us　to

subsist　upon。　　We　were　therefore　reduced　to　the

wretched　necessity　of　living　at　the　expense　of　our

neighbors。　　This　we　did　by　begging　and　stealing；

whichever　came　handy　in　the　time　of　need；　the　one

being　considered　as　legitimate　as　the　other。　　A　great

many　times　have　we　poor　creatures　been　nearly

perishing　with　hunger；　when　food　in　abundance　lay

mouldering　in　the　safe　and　smoke…house；　and　our

pious　mistress　was　aware　of　the　fact；　and　yet　that

mistress　and　her　husband　would　kneel　every　morn…

ing；　and　pray　that　God　would　bless　them　in　basket

and　store！

　

　　Bad　as　all　slaveholders　are；　we　seldom　meet　one

destitute　of　every　element　of　character　commanding

respect。　　My　master　was　one　of　this　rare　sort。　　I　do

not　know　of　one　single　noble　act　ever　performed　by

him。　　The　leading　trait　in　his　character　was　mean…

ness；　and　if　there　were　any　other　element　in　his

nature；　it　was　made　subject　to　this。　　He　was　mean；

and；　like　most　other　mean　men；　he　lacked　the　ability

to　conceal　his　meanness。　　Captain　Auld　was　not　born

a　slaveholder。　　He　had　been　a　poor　man；　master　only

of　a　Bay　craft。　　He　came　into　possession　of　all　his

slaves　by　marriage；　and　of　all　men；　adopted　slave…

holders　are　the　worst。　　He　was　cruel；　but　cowardly。

He　commanded　without　firmness。　　In　the　enforce…

ment　of　his　rules；　he　was　at　times　rigid；　and　at　times

lax。　　At　times；　he　spoke　to　his　slaves　with　the　firmness

of　Napoleon　and　the　fury　of　a　demon；　at　other　times；

he　might　well　be　mistaken　for　an　inquirer　who　had

lost　his　way。　　He　did　nothing　of　himself。　　He　might

have　passed　for　a　lion；　but　for　his　ears。　　In　all　things

noble　which　he　attempted；　his　own　meanness　shone

most　conspicuous。　　His　airs；　words；　and　actions；

were　the　airs；　words；　and　actions　of　born　slave…

holders；　and；　being　assumed；　were　awkward　enough。

He　was　not　even　a　good　imitator。　　He　possessed　all

the　disposition　to　deceive；　but　wanted　the　power。

Having　no　resources　within　himself；　he　was　com…

pelled　to　be　the　copyist　of　many；　and　being　such；　he

was　forever　the　victim　of　inconsistency；　and　of　con…

sequence　he　was　an　object　of　contempt；　and　was　held

as　such　even　by　his　slaves。　　The　luxury　of　having

slaves　of　his　own　to　wait　upon　him　was　something

new　and　unprepared　for。　　He　was　a　slaveholder　with…

out　the　ability　to　hold　slaves。　　He　found　himself　in…

capable　of　managing　his　slaves　either　by　force；　fear；

or　fraud。　　We　seldom　called　him　〃master；〃　we　gen…

erally　called　him　〃Captain　Auld；〃　and　were　hardly

disposed　to　title　him　at　all。　　I　doubt　not　that　our

conduct　had　much　to　do　with　making　him　appear

awkward；　and　of　consequence　fretful。　　Our　want　of

reverence　for　him　must　have　perplexed　him　greatly。

He　wished　to　have　us　call　him　master；　but　lacked

the　firmness　necessary　to　command　us　to　do　so。　　His

wife　used　to　insist　upon　our　calling　him　so；　but　to

no　purpose。　　In　August；　1832；　my　master　attended　a

Methodist　camp…meeting　held　in　the　Bay…side；　Tal…

bot　county；　and　there　experienced　religion。　　I　in…

dulged　a　faint　hope　that　his　conversion　would　lead

him　to　emancipate　his　slaves；　and　that；　if　he　did　not

do　this；　it　would；　at　any　rate；　make　him　more　kind

and　humane。　　I　was　disappointed　in　both　these　re…

spects。　　It　neither　made　him　to　be　humane　to　his

slaves；　nor　to　emancipate　them。　　If　it　had　any　effect

on　his　character；　it　made　him　more　cruel　and　hateful

in　all　his　ways；　for　I　believe　him　to　have　been　a　much

worse　man　after　his　conversio