public street.-I return to Bedford, Ky.-The rescue of my family again attempted.-I started al

at, they were afraid of my bolting from them in the street, and to prevent this they took hold of my arms, one on each side of me, gallanting

dged in the same room to guard me. They locked the door and put the key under the head of their be

situation. I passed the night in prayer to our Heavenly Father, a

for him to do. He never blushed to rob a slave mother of her children, no matter how young or small. He was also celebrated for slave selling, kidnapping, and negro hunting. He was well

th two persons to buy me, but on seeing me they remarked that they thought I would run away, and asked me if I had ever run away. Dan sprang to his feet and answere

. Off he started to the horse stable which was located on one of the most public streets of Louisville, and of course I had to accompany him. He gal

dition no worse, for they could but sell me and this they were then trying to do. These thoughts impelled me to keep edging towards the door, though very cautiously. Dan kept looking around after me as if he was not satisfied at my getting so near to the door. But the last I saw of him in the stable was just as he turned his eyes f

dversary; I succeeded in turning a corner before Dan got sight of me, and by fast r

spied a high board fence by the way and attempted to leap over it. The top board broke and down I came into a hen-coop which stood by th

ang at me when I fell into the hen-coop; in danger of being apprehended by the tenants of the lot; in danger of being shot or wounded by any one who might have attempted to stop me, a runaway slave; and

forest, knowing that I might be tracked by blood-hounds, and overtaken. I was so fortunate as to find a hiding place in the city which seemed to be pointed out by the finger of Providence. After ru

But I retained my position there until 9 or 10 o'clock at night, without being discovered; after which I attempted to find my way out, which was exceedingly difficult. The night being very dark, in a strange city, among slaveholders and slave hunters, to me it was like a person entering a wilderness among wolves and vipers, blindfolded. I was compelled from neces

the cow and calf were trying to meet. I started in the direction where I heard the lowing of the cow, and I found an arch or tunnel extending between two large brick buildings, where I could see nothing of the cow but her eyes, shining like balls of fire through the dark tu

complied with my request. I was then about forty miles from the residence of Wm. Gatewood, where my wife, whom I sought to rescue from slavery, was living. This was also in the direction it was necessary for me to trav

hirp and sing merrily-pretty soon I heard the whip crack, and the voice of the ploughman driving in the corn field. About breakfast time, I heard the sound of a horn; saw a number of slaves in the field with a white man, who I supposed to be their overseer. He started to the house befo

he way of escape, and the facilities by the way. He pledged his word that himself and others would be in Canada, in less than six months from that day. This closed our interview, and we separated. I concealed myself in the

iend in that neighborhood, intending

a message to Malinda, requesting her

sville, with the lamentable story that I was gone, and yet they were compelled to p

d child, which was true. Lane declared that in less than five minutes after I run out of the stable in Louisville, he had over twenty men running and looking in every direction after me; but all without success. They could hear nothing of me. They had turned over sever

aptured as a means of discouraging other slaves from running away-that time and money were no object while there was the least prospect of their success. I therefore declined making an effort just at that time to

t my little family was the only object of attraction that ever had or ever would induce me to come back and risk my liberty over the threshold of slavery-therefore this point wa

ville. He was near enough for me to have laid my hands on his head while in that house-and the intimidation which this produced on me was more than I could bear. I was also aware of the great

he thought of this dangerous separation. This may be the last time we shall ever see each other's faces in this life, which will destroy all my future prospects of life and happiness forever." At this time the poor unhappy woman burst into tears and wept

ensive that there were slave-hunters in Cincinnati, watching the arrival of every boat up the river, expecting to catch me

d talked with me, and asked them what they had done with me. Their reply was that I had given them the slip, and that they were glad of it, because they believed that I was a good man, and if they could see me on my way to Canada, they would gi

t tell them, but one of them gave him one dollar for me, promising that if I was in

rted that night for the north. Their excuse for betraying me, was, that catching runaways was their business, and if

h fear or difficulty. My friends in Perrysburgh, who knew that I had gone back into the very jaws of

ght or nine months without hearing from my family. I felt it to be my duty, as a husband and father, to make one more effort. I felt as if I could not give them up to be sa