Some time in the year 1790 a member of the Manumission Society,
residing on Golden Hill (now called John Street) in New York, observed,
for a considerable time, his front porch to be scrubbed and sanded,
every Seventh-day morning before the family were up. He ordered a
servant to watch, and ascertain to whom he was indebted for this
singular mark of kindness.
At an early hour in the morning a colored woman was observed with her
pail, brush, cloth, soap and sand, carefully performing her accustomed
task. The domestic who had been on the watch followed her home, and
requested to know her inducements for performing this service. Her
reply was, "Massa got me free, and I can do no less than scrub off the
stoop." A gratitude so genuine and untainted is rarely found among the
most polished and refined minds.