and endeavour to make ourselves as comfortable

as possible under that system; but at the same
time ever to keep our dim eyes steadily fixed

upon the glimmering hope of liberty, and earnestly
pray God mercifully to assist us to escape from our

unjust thraldom.
We were married, and prayed and toiled on till

December, 1848, at which time (as I have stated)
a plan suggested itself that proved quite success-

ful, and in eight days after it was first thought of
we were free from the horrible trammels of slavery,

and glorifying God who had brought us safely out
of a land of bondage.

Knowing that slaveholders have the privilege
of taking their slaves to any part of the country

they think proper, it occurred to me that, as
my wife was nearly white, I might get her to

disguise herself as an invalid gentleman, and
assume to be my master, while I could attend as

his slave, and that in this manner we might effect
our escape. After I thought of the plan, I sug-

gested it to my wife, but at first she shrank from
the idea. She thought it was almost impossible

for her to assume that disguise, and travel a dis-
tance of 1,000 miles across the slave States. How-

ever, on the other hand, she also thought of her
condition. She saw that the laws under which we

lived did not recognize her to be a woman, but a
mere chattel, to be bought and sold, or otherwise

dealt with as her owner might see fit. Therefore
the more she contemplated her helpless condition,

the more anxious she was to escape from it. So
she said, "I think it is almost too much for us to

undertake; however, I feel that God is on our side,
and with his assistance, notwithstanding all the

difficulties, we shall be able to succeed. There-
fore, if you will purchase the disguise, I will try to

carry out the plan."
But after I concluded to purchase the disguise, I

was afraid to go to any one to ask him to sell me
the articles. It is unlawful in Georgia for a white

man to trade with slaves without the master's con-
sent. But, notwithstanding this, many persons will

sell a slave any article that he can get the money
to buy. Not that they sympathize with the slave,

but merely because his testimony is not admitted
in court against a free white person.

Therefore, with little difficulty I went to dif-
ferent parts of the town, at odd times, and purchased

things piece by piece, (except the trowsers which
she found necessary to make,) and took them home

to the house where my wife resided. She being
a ladies' maid, and a favourite slave in the family,

was allowed a little room to herself; and amongst
other pieces of furniture which I had made in my

overtime, was a chest of drawers; so when I took
the articles home, she locked them up carefully in

these drawers. No one about the premises knew
that she had anything of the kind. So when we

fancied we had everything ready the time was
fixed for the flight. But we knew it would not do

to start off without first getting our master's con-
sent to be away for a few days. Had we left with-

out this, they would soon have had us back into
slavery, and probably we should never have got

another fair opportunity of even attempting to
escape.

Some of the best slaveholders will sometimes
give their favourite slaves a few days' holiday at

Christmas time; so, after no little amount of per-
severance on my wife's part, she obtained a pass

from her mistress, allowing her to be away for a
few days. The cabinet-maker with whom I worked

gave me a similar paper, but said that he needed
my services very much, and wished me to return as

soon as the time granted was up. I thanked him
kindly; but somehow I have not been able to make

it convenient to return yet; and, as the free air of
good old England agrees so well with my wife and our

dear little ones, as well as with myself, it is not at all
likely we shall return at present to the "peculiar in-

stitution" of chains and stripes.
On reaching my wife's cottage she handed me

her pass, and I showed mine, but at that time
neither of us were able to read them. It is not only

unlawful for slaves to be taught to read, but in
some of the States there are heavy penalties at-

tached, such as fines and imprisonment, which will
be vigorously enforced upon any one who is humane

enough to violate the so-called law.
The following case will serve to show how per-

sons are treated in the most enlightened slavehold-
ing community.

"INDICTMENT.
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, } In the Circuit

NORFOLK COUNTY, ss.} Court. The
Grand Jurors empannelled in the body of the said

County on their oath present, that Margaret Doug-
lass, being an evil disposed person, not having the

fear of God before her eyes, but moved and insti-
gated by the devil, wickedly, maliciously, and

feloniously, on the fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-

four, at Norfolk, in said County, did teach a certain
black girl named Kate to read in the Bible, to the

great displeasure of Almighty God, to the per-
nicious example of others in like case offending,

contrary to the form of the statute in such case made
and provided, and against the peace and dignity of

the Commonwealth of Virginia.
"VICTOR VAGABOND, Prosecuting Attorney."

"On this indictment Mrs. Douglass was arraigned
as a necessary matter of form, tried, found guilty

of course; and Judge Scalaway, before whom she
was tried, having consulted with Dr. Adams, or-

dered the sheriff to place Mrs. Douglass in the
prisoner's box, when he addressed her as follows:

'Margaret Douglass, stand up. You are guilty of
one of the vilest crimes that ever disgraced society;

and the jury have found you so. You have taught
a slave girl to read in the Bible. No enlightened

society can exist where such offences go unpun-
ished. The Court, in your case, do not feel for you

one solitary ray of sympathy, and they will inflict
on you the utmostpenalty of the law. In any

other civilized country you would have paid the