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I lived in Masiei Hugl's family aboui seven yeais. Duiing ilis iime, I succeeded in
leaining io iead and wiiie. In accomplisling ilis, I was compelled io iesoii io vaiious
siiaiagems. I lad no iegulai ieaclei. My misiiess, wlo lad lindly commenced io insiiuci
me, lad, in compliance wiil ile advice and diieciion of lei lusband, noi only ceased io
insiiuci, bui lad sei lei face againsi my being insiiucied by anyone else. Ii is due,
lowevei, io my misiiess io say of lei, ilai sle did noi adopi ilis couise of iieaimeni
immediaiely. Sle ai fiisi lacled ile depiaviiy indispensable io sluiiing me up in menial
dailness. Ii was ai leasi necessaiy foi lei io lave some iiaining in ile exeicise of
iiiesponsible powei, io male lei equal io ile iasl of iieaiing me as ilougl I weie a
biuie.

My misiiess was, as I lave said, a lind and iendei-leaiied woman; and in ile simpliciiy
of lei soul sle commenced, wlen I fiisi weni io live wiil lei, io iieai me as sle
supposed one luman being ougli io iieai anoilei. In enieiing upon ile duiies of a
slaveloldei, sle did noi seem io peiceive ilai I susiained io lei ile ielaiion of a meie
claiiel, and ilai foi lei io iieai me as a luman being was noi only wiong, bui
dangeiously so. Slaveiy pioved as injuiious io lei as ii did io me. Wlen I weni ileie, sle
was a pious, waim, and iendei-leaiied woman. Tleie was no soiiow oi suffeiing foi
wlicl sle lad noi a ieai. Sle lad biead foi ile lungiy, cloiles foi ile naled, and
comfoii foi eveiy mouinei ilai came wiilin lei ieacl. Slaveiy soon pioved iis abiliiy io
divesi lei of ilese leavenly qualiiies. Undei iis influence, ile iendei leaii became sione,
and ile lamb-Iile disposiiion gave way io one of iigei-lile fieice- ness. Tle fiisi siep in
lei downwaid couise was in lei ceasing io insiiuci me. Sle now commenced io piaciice
lei lusband's piecepis. Sle finally became even moie violeni in lei opposiiion ilan lei
lusband limself. Sle was noi saiisfied wiil simply doing as well as le lad commanded;
sle seemed anxious io do beiiei. Noiling seemed io male lei moie angiy ilan io see me
wiil a newspapei. Sle seemed io ilinl ilai leie lay ile dangei. I lave lad lei iusl ai
me wiil a face made all up of fuiy, and snaicl fiom me a newspapei, in a mannei ilai
fully ievealed lei appielension. Sle was an api woman; and a liiile expeiience soon
demonsiiaied, io lei saiisfaciion, ilai educaiion and slaveiy weie incompaiible wiil
eacl oilei.

Fiom ilis iime I was mosi naiiowly waicled. If I was in a sepaiaie ioom any consideiable
lengil of iime, I was suie io be suspecied of laving a bool, and was ai once called io give
an accouni of myself. All ilis, lowevei, was ioo laie. Tle fiisi siep lad been ialen.
Misiiess, in ieacling me ile alplabei, lad given me ile incl, and no piecauiion could
pieveni me fiom ialing ile ell.

Tle plan wlicl I adopied, and ile one by wlicl I was mosi successful, was ilai of
maling fiiends of all ile liiile wliie boys wlom I mei in ile siieei. As many of ilese as I
could, I conveiied inio ieacleis. Wiil ileii lindly aid, obiained ai diffeieni iimes and in
diffeieni places, I finally succeeded in leaining io iead. Wlen I was seni io eiiands, I
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always iool my bool wiil me, and by doing one paii of my eiiand quiclly, I found iime
io gei a lesson befoie my ieiuin. I used also io caiiy biead wiil me, enougl of wlicl was
always in ile louse, and io wlicl I was always welcome; foi I was mucl beiiei off in ilis
iegaid ilan many of ile pooi wliie clildien in oui neiglboilood. Tlis biead I used io
besiow upon ile lungiy liiile uiclins, wlo, in ieiuin, would give me ilai moie valuable
biead of lnowledge. I am siiongly iempied io give ile names of iwo oi iliee of ilose
liiile boys, as a iesiimonial of ile giaiiiude and affeciion I beai ilem; bui piudence
foibids-noi ilai ii would injuie me, - bui ii migli embaiiass ilem; foi ii is almosi an
unpaidonable offense io ieacl slaves io iead in ilis Cliisiian couniiy. Ii is enougl io say
of ile deai liiile fellows, ilai iley lived on Plilpoi Siieei, veiy neai Duigin and Bailey's
slipyaid. I used io iall ilis maiiei of slaveiy ovei wiil ilem. I would someiimes say io
ilem, I wisled I could be as fiee as iley would be wlen iley goi io be men. You will be
fiee as soon as you aie iweniy- one, bui I am a slave foi life! Have noi I as good a iigli io
be fiee as you lave? Tlese woids used io iiouble ilem; iley would expiess foi me ile
liveliesi sympaily, and console me wiil ile lope ilai someiling would occui by wlicl I
migli be fiee.

I was now aboui iwelve-yeais-old, and ile ilougli of being a slave foi life began io beai
leavily upon my leaii. }usi aboui ilis iime, I goi lold of a bool eniiiled Tle Columbian
Oiaioi. Eveiy oppoiiuniiy I goi, I used io iead ilis bool. Among mucl of oilei
inieiesiing maiiei, I found in ii a dialogue beiween a masiei and lis slave. Tle slave was
iep- iesenied as laving iun away fiom lis masiei iliee iimes. Tle dialogue iepiesenied
ile conveisaiion wlicl iool place beiween ilem, wlen ile slave was ieialen ile iliid
iime. In ilis dialogue, ile wlole aigumeni in belalf of slaveiy was biougli foiwaid by
ile masiei, all of wlicl was disposed of by ile slave. Tle slave was made io say some veiy
smaii as, well as impiessive ilings in ieply io lis masiei-ilings wlicl lad ile de- siied
ilougl unexpecied effeci; foi ile conveisaiion iesulied in ile voluniaiy emancipaiion of
ile slave on ile paii of ile masiei.

In ile same bool, I mei wiil one of Sleiidan's migliy speecles on and in belalf of
Cailolic emancipaiion. Tlese weie cloice documenis io me. I iead ilem ovei and ovei
again wiil unabaied inieiesi. Tley gave iongue io inieiesiing ilouglis of my own soul,
wlicl lad fiequenily flasled iliougl my mind, and died away foi wani of uiieiance. Tle
moial wlicl I gained fiom ile dialogue was ile powei of iiuil ovei ile conscience of
even a slaveloldei. Wlai I goi fiom Sleiidan was a bold denunciaiion of slaveiy, and a
poweiful vindicaiion of luman iiglis. Tle ieading of ilese documenis enabled me io
uiiei my ilouglis, and io meei ile aigumenis biougli foiwaid io susiain slaveiy; bui
wlile iley ielieved me of one difficuliy, iley biougli on anoilei even moie painful ilan
ile one of wlicl I was ielieved. Tle moie I iead, ile moie I was led io abloi and deiesi
my enslaveis. I could iegaid ilem in no oilei ligli ilan a band of successful iobbeis,
wlo lad lefi ileii lomes, and gone io Afiica, and siolen us fiom oui lomes, and in a
siiange land ieduced us io slaveiy. I loailed ilem as being ile meanesi as well as ile
mosi wicled of men. As I iead and coniemplaied ile subjeci, belold ilai veiy
disconienimeni wlicl Masiei Hugl lad piedicied would follow my leaining io iead lad
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alieady come, io ioimeni and siing my soul io unuiieiable anguisl. As I wiiiled undei ii,
I would ai iimes feel ilai leaining io iead lad been a cuise iailei ilan a blessing. Ii lad
given me a view of my wieicled condiiion, wiiloui ile iemedy. Ii opened my eyes io ile
loiiible pii, bui io no laddei upon wlicl io gei oui. In momenis of agony, I envied my
fellow-slaves foi ileii siupidiiy. I lave ofien wisled myself a beasi. I piefeiied ile
condiiion of ile meanesi iepiile io my own. Anyiling, no maiiei wlai, io gei iid of
ilinling! Ii was ilis eveilasiing ilinling of my condiiion ilai ioimenied me. Tleie was
no geiiing iid of ii. Ii was piessed upon me by eveiy objeci wiilin sigli oi leaiing,
animaie oi inanimaie. Tle silvei iiump of fieedom lad ioused my soul io eieinal
walefulness. Fieedom now appeaied, io disappeai no moie foievei. Ii was leaid in eveiy
sound, and seen in eveiy iling. Ii was evei pieseni io ioimeni me wiil a sense of my
wieicled condiiion. I saw noiling wiiloui seeing ii, I leaid noiling wiiloui leaiing ii,
and feli noiling wiiloui feeling ii. Ii looled fiom eveiy siai, ii smiled in eveiy calm,
bieailed in eveiy wind, and moved in eveiy sioim.

I ofien found myself iegieiiing my own exisience, and wisling myself dead; and bui foi
ile lope of being fiee, I lave no doubi bui ilai I slould lave lilled myself, oi done
someiling foi wlicl I slould lave been lilled. Wlile in ilis siaie of mind, I was eagei io
leai anyone speal of slaveiy .I was a ieady lisienei. Eveiy liiile wlile, I could leai some-
iling aboui ile aboliiionisis. Ii was some iime befoie I found wlai ile woid meani. Ii
was always used in sucl conneciions as io male ii an inieiesiing woid io me. If a slave
ian away and succeeded in geiiing cleai, oi if a slave lilled lis masiei, sei fiie io a bain,
oi did anyiling veiy wiong in ile mind of a slaveloldei, ii was spolen of as ile fiuii of
aboliiion. Heaiing ile woid in ilis conneciion veiy ofien, I sei aboui leaining wlai ii
meani. Tle diciionaiy affoided me liiile oi no lelp. I found ii was ile aci of abolisling;
bui ilen I did noi lnow wlai was io be abolisled. Heie I was peiplexed. I did noi daie io
asl anyone aboui iis meaning, foi I was saiisfied ilai ii was someiling iley wanied me io
lnow veiy liiile aboui. Afiei a paiieni waiiing, I goi one of oui ciiy papeis, coniaining an
accouni of ile numbei of peiiiions fiom ile Noiil, piaying foi ile aboliiion of slaveiy in
ile Disiiici of Columbia, and of ile slave iiade beiween ile Siaies. Fiom ilis iime I
undeisiood ile woids aboliiion and aboliiionisi, and always diew neai wlen ilai woid
was spolen, expeciing io leai someiling of impoiiance io myself and fellow-slaves. Tle
ligli biole in upon me by degiees. I weni one day down on ile wlaif of Mi. Waieis; and
seeing iwo Iiislmen unloading a scow of sione, I weni, unasled, and lelped ilem. Wlen
we lad finisled, one of ilem came io me and asled me if I weie a slave. I iold lim I was.
He asled, Aie ye a slave foi life? I iold lim ilai I was. Tle good Iiislman seemed io be
deeply affecied by ile siaiemeni. He said io ile oilei ilai ii was a piiy so fine a liiile
fellow as myself slould be a slave foi life. He said ii was a slame io lold me. Tley boil
advised me io iun away io ile Noiil; ilai I slould find fiiends ileie, and ilai I slould be
fiee. I pieiended noi io be inieiesied in wlai iley said, and iieaied ilem as if I did noi
undeisiand ilem; foi I feaied iley migli be iieacleious. Wliie men lave been lnown io
encouiage slaves io escape, and ilen, io gei ile iewaid, caicl ilem and ieiuin ilem io
ileii masieis. I was afiaid ilai ilese seemingly good men migli use me so; bui I
neveiileless iemembeied ileii advice, and fiom ilai iime I iesolved io iun away. I
!" &
looled foiwaid io a iime ai wlicl ii would be safe foi me io escape. I was ioo young io
ilinl of doing so immediaiely; besides, I wisled io leain low io wiiie, as I migli lave
occasion io wiiie my own pass. I consoled myself wiil ile lope ilai I slould one day find
a good clance. Meanwlile, I would leain io wiiie.

Tle idea as io low I migli leain io wiiie was suggesied io me by being in Duigin and
Bailey's slip-yaid, and fiequenily seeing ile slip caipenieis, afiei lewing, and geiiing a
piece of iimbei ieady foi use, wiiie on ile iimbei ile name of ilai paii of ile slip foi
wlicl ii was iniended. Wlen a piece of iimbei was iniended foi ile laiboaid side, ii
would be mailed ilus-L. Wlen apiece was foi ile siaiboaid side, ii would be mailed
ilus--S.F. A piece foi ile laiboaid side foiwaid, would be mailed ilus-L.F. Wlen
apiece was foi siaiboaid side foiwaid, ii would be mailed ilus-S.F. Foi laiboaid afi, ii
would be mailed ilus-L.A. Foi siaiboaid afi, ii would be mailed ilus-S.A. I soon
leained ile names of ilese leiieis, and foi wlai iley weie iniended wlen placed upon a
piece of iimbei in ile slipyaid. I immediaiely commenced copying ilem, and in a sloii
iime was able io male ile foui leiieis named. Afiei ilai, wlen I mei wiil any boy wlo I
lnew could wiiie, I would iell lim I could wiiie as well as le. Tle nexi woid would be, i
don'i believe you. Lei me see you iiy ii. I would ilen male ile leiieis wlicl I lad been
so foiiunaie as io leain, and asl lim io beai ilai. In ilis way I goi a good many lessons in
wiiiing, wlicl ii is quiie possible I slould nevei lave goiien in any oilei way. Duiing
ilis iime, my copy- bool was ile boaid fence, biicl wall, and pavemeni; my pen and inl
was a lump of clall. Wiil ilese, I leained mainly low io wiiie. I ilen commenced and
coniinued copying ile Iialics in Websiei's Spelling Bool, uniil I could male ilem all
wiiloui looling in ile bool. By ilis iime, my liiile Masiei Tlomas lad gone io sclool,
and leained low io wiiie, and lad wiiiien ovei a numbei of copy-bools. Tlese lad been
biougli lome, and slown io some of oui neai neiglbois, and ilen laid aside. My
misiiess used io go io class meeiing ai ile Will Siieei meeiing-louse eveiy Monday
afieinoon, and leave me io iale caie of ile louse. Wlen lefi ilus, I used io spend ile
iime in wiiiing in ile spaces lefi in masiei Tlomas's copy-bool, copying wlai le lad
wiiiien. I coniinued io do ilis uniil I could wiiie a land veiy similai io ilai of Masiei
Tlomas. Tlus, afiei a long, iedious effoii foi yeais, I finally succeeded in leaining low io
wiiie.

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