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Where the fever…demon strews
Poison with the falling dews；
Where the sickly sunbeams glare
Through the hot and misty air：
Gone； gone； sold and gone
To the rice swamp dank and lone；
From Virginia hills and waters
Woe is me； my stolen daughters！〃
The hearth is desolate。 The children； the uncon…
scious children； who once sang and danced in her
presence； are gone。 She gropes her way； in the dark…
ness of age； for a drink of water。 Instead of the voices
of her children； she hears by day the moans of the
dove； and by night the screams of the hideous owl。
All is gloom。 The grave is at the door。 And now；
when weighed down by the pains and aches of old
age； when the head inclines to the feet； when the
beginning and ending of human existence meet； and
helpless infancy and painful old age combine to…
getherat this time； this most needful time； the time
for the exercise of that tenderness and affection
which children only can exercise towards a declining
parentmy poor old grandmother； the devoted
mother of twelve children； is left all alone； in yonder
little hut； before a few dim embers。 She stands
she sitsshe staggersshe fallsshe groansshe dies
and there are none of her children or grandchildren
present； to wipe from her wrinkled brow the cold
sweat of death； or to place beneath the sod her
fallen remains。 Will not a righteous God visit for
these things？
In about two years after the death of Mrs。 Lu…
cretia； Master Thomas married his second wife。 Her
name was Rowena Hamilton。 She was the eldest
daughter of Mr。 William Hamilton。 Master now
lived in St。 Michael's。 Not long after his marriage；
a misunderstanding took place between himself and
Master Hugh； and as a means of punishing his
brother； he took me from him to live with himself
at St。 Michael's。 Here I underwent another most
painful separation。 It； however； was not so severe
as the one I dreaded at the division of property； for；
during this interval； a great change had taken place
in Master Hugh and his once kind and affectionate
wife。 The influence of brandy upon him； and of
slavery upon her； had effected a disastrous change
in the characters of both； so that； as far as they
were concerned； I thought I had little to lose by the
change。 But it was not to them that I was attached。
It was to those little Baltimore boys that I felt the
strongest attachment。 I had received many good
lessons from them； and was still receiving them； and
the thought of leaving them was painful indeed。 I
was leaving； too； without the hope of ever being
allowed to return。 Master Thomas had said he would
never let me return again。 The barrier betwixt him…
self and brother he considered impassable。
I then had to regret that I did not at least make
the attempt to carry out my resolution to run away；
for the chances of success are tenfold greater from
the city than from the country。
I sailed from Baltimore for St。 Michael's in the
sloop Amanda； Captain Edward Dodson。 On my
passage； I paid particular attention to the direction
which the steamboats took to go to Philadelphia。 I
found； instead of going down； on reaching North
Point they went up the bay； in a north…easterly direc…
tion。 I deemed this knowledge of the utmost im…
portance。 My determination to run away was again
revived。 I resolved to wait only so long as the offering
of a favorable opportunity。 When that came； I was
determined to be off。
CHAPTER IX
I have now reached a period of my life when I
can give dates。 I left Baltimore； and went to live
with Master Thomas Auld； at St。 Michael's； in
March； 1832。 It was now more than seven years
since I lived with him in the family of my old mas…
ter； on Colonel Lloyd's plantation。 We of course
were now almost entire strangers to each other。 He
was to me a new master； and I to him a new slave。
I was ignorant of his temper and disposition； he
was equally so of mine。 A very short time； however；
brought us into full acquaintance with each other。
I was made acquainted with his wife not less than
with himself。 They were well matched； being equally
mean and cruel。 I was now； for the first time during
a space of more than seven years； made to feel the
painful gnawings of hungera something which I
had not experienced before since I left Colonel
Lloyd's plantation。 It went hard enough with me
then； when I could look back to no period at which
I had enjoyed a sufficiency。 It was tenfold harder
after living in Master Hugh's family； where I had
always had enough to eat； and of that which was
good。 I have said Master Thomas was a mean man。
He was so。 Not to give a slave enough to eat； is
regarded as the most aggravated development of
meanness even among slaveholders。 The rule is； no
matter how coarse the food； only let there be enough
of it。 This is the theory； and in the part of Maryland
from which I came； it is the general practice；though
there are many exceptions。 Master Thomas gave us
enough of neither coarse nor fine food。 There were
four slaves of us in the kitchenmy sister Eliza； my
aunt Priscilla； Henny； and myself； and we were al…
lowed less than a half of a bushel of corn…meal per
week； and very little else； either in the shape of
meat or vegetables。 It was not enough for us to
subsist upon。 We were therefore reduced to the
wretched necessity of living at the expense of our
neighbors。 This we did by begging and stealing；
whichever came handy in the time of need； the one
being considered as legitimate as the other。 A great
many times have we poor creatures been nearly
perishing with hunger； when food in abundance lay
mouldering in the safe and smoke…house； and our
pious mistress was aware of the fact； and yet that
mistress and her husband would kneel every morn…
ing； and pray that God would bless them in basket
and store！
Bad as all slaveholders are； we seldom meet one
destitute of every element of character commanding
respect。 My master was one of this rare sort。 I do
not know of one single noble act ever performed by
him。 The leading trait in his character was mean…
ness； and if there were any other element in his
nature； it was made subject to this。 He was mean；
and； like most other mean men； he lacked the ability
to conceal his meanness。 Captain Auld was not born
a slaveholder。 He had been a poor man； master only
of a Bay craft。 He came into possession of all his
slaves by marriage； and of all men； adopted slave…
holders are the worst。 He was cruel； but cowardly。
He commanded without firmness。 In the enforce…
ment of his rules； he was at times rigid； and at times
lax。 At times； he spoke to his slaves with the firmness
of Napoleon and the fury of a demon； at other times；
he might well be mistaken for an inquirer who had
lost his way。 He did nothing of himself。 He might
have passed for a lion； but for his ears。 In all things
noble which he attempted； his own meanness shone
most conspicuous。 His airs； words； and actions；
were the airs； words； and actions of born slave…
holders； and； being assumed； were awkward enough。
He was not even a good imitator。 He possessed all
the disposition to deceive； but wanted the power。
Having no resources within himself； he was com…
pelled to be the copyist of many； and being such； he
was forever the victim of inconsistency； and of con…
sequence he was an object of contempt； and was held
as such even by his slaves。 The luxury of having
slaves of his own to wait upon him was something
new and unprepared for。 He was a slaveholder with…
out the ability to hold slaves。 He found himself in…
capable of managing his slaves either by force； fear；
or fraud。 We seldom called him 〃master；〃 we gen…
erally called him 〃Captain Auld；〃 and were hardly
disposed to title him at all。 I doubt not that our
conduct had much to do with making him appear
awkward； and of consequence fretful。 Our want of
reverence for him must have perplexed him greatly。
He wished to have us call him master； but lacked
the firmness necessary to command us to do so。 His
wife used to insist upon our calling him so； but to
no purpose。 In August； 1832； my master attended a
Methodist camp…meeting held in the Bay…side； Tal…
bot county； and there experienced religion。 I in…
dulged a faint hope that his conversion would lead
him to emancipate his slaves； and that； if he did not
do this； it would； at any rate； make him more kind
and humane。 I was disappointed in both these re…
spects。 It neither made him to be humane to his
slaves； nor to emancipate them。 If it had any effect
on his character； it made him more cruel and hateful
in all his ways； for I believe him to have been a much
worse man after his conversio