a13-3t*||
"Jacob," answering to the description in Mr. Wm. J.B. Parlett's
advertisement, gave his views of the man who had enslaved him. His
statement is here transferred from the record book: "My master," said
Jacob, "was a farmer, a very rough man, hard to satisfy. I never knew of
but one man who could ever please him. He worked me very hard; he wanted
to be beating me all the time." This was a luxury which Jacob had no
appetite for, consequently he could not resist signifying his
unwillingness to yield, although resistance had to be made at some
personal risk, as his master had "no more regard for a colored man than
he had for a stone under his feet." With him the following expression
was common: "The niggers are not worth a d----n." Nor was his wife any
better, in Jacob's opinion. "She was a cross woman, and as much of a
boss as he was." "She would take a club and with both hands would whack
away as long as you would stand it." "She was a large, homely woman;
they were common white people, with no reputation in the community."
Substantially this was Jacob's unvarnished description of his master and
mistress.
As to his age, and also the name of his master, Jacob's statement varied
somewhat from the advertisement. For instance, Jacob Taylor was noticed
on the record book as being twenty-three years of age, and the name of
his master was entered as "William Pollit;" but as Jacob had never been
allowed to learn to read, he might have failed in giving a correct
pronunciation of the name.
When asked what first prompted him to seek his freedom, he replied, "Oh
my senses! I always had it in my mind to leave, but I was 'jubus',
(dubious?) of starting. I didn't know the way to come. I was afraid of
being overtaken on the way." He fled from near Baltimore, where he left
brothers and other relatives in chains.
$20 REWARD.--Ran way at the same time and in company with the
above negro man, a bright mulatto boy named THOMAS SKINNER,
about 18 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high and tolerable stout
made; he only has a term of years to serve. I will pay $20
reward if delivered to me or lodged in jail so I can get him
again.
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