sl5-eotf.
Nace, advertised by Miss Sarah Ann Talburtt, was a remarkably
good-natured looking piece of merchandise. He gave a very interesting
account of his so called mistress, how he came to leave her, etc. Said
Nace: "My mistress was an old maid, and lived on a farm. I was her
foreman on the farm. She lived near Marlborough Forest, in Prince
George's county, Md., about twelve miles from Washington; she was a
member of the Episcopal Church. She fed well, and quarrelled a caution,
from Monday morning till Saturday night, not only with the slaves, but
among the inmates of the big house. My mistress had three sisters, all
old maids living with her, and a niece besides; their names were
Rebecca, Rachel, Caroline, and Sarah Ann, and a more disagreeable family
of old maids could not be found in a year's time. To arise in the
morning before my mistress, Sarah Ann, was impossible." Then, without
making it appear that he or other of the slaves had been badly treated
under Miss Talburtt, he entered upon the cause of escape, and said; "I
left simply because I wanted a chance for my life; I wanted to die a
free man if it pleased God to have it so." His wife and a grown-up son
he was obliged to leave, as no opportunity offered to bring them away
with him.
Dan was also of this party. He was well tinctured with Anglo-Saxon
blood. His bondage had been in Alexandria, with a mill-wright, known by
the name of James Garnett. Dan had not been in Garnett's hands a great
while. Mr. Garnett's ways and manners were not altogether pleasing to
him; besides, Dan stated that he was trying to sell him, and he made up
his mind that at an early opportunity, he would avail himself of a
ticket for Canada, via the Underground Rail Road. He left his mother and
brothers all scattered.
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