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future time.

In regard to her condition when she came back to my house, I should state that she returned perfectly destitute of everything and without money or any means of any sort. She said she had been "visiting" during her absence.

When she came back I immediately told her that she had left her children upon my hands and that I had had them bound to me by Judge Bailey to stay with me until they come twenty one year old and that in the meantime I had to support and educate them. After telling her about it I also said that if she was dissatisfied or wished to investigate the matter any further she could go to the Judge, whom she knew very well and whose office was in the same village not over 200 yards.

She seemed perfectly satisfied, made no objection whatever and at her request I hired her for another year as a servant. She knew all the time that I claimed them under the law and never then or at any other time expressed dissatisfaction or any desire to interfere until this proceeding was begun.

I append hereto a copy of the letters of apprenticeship & bond given by me in the case of the boy "Tom"; the papers as to the other two are precisely the same.