Viewing page 70 of 102

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

a garden, and a comfortable dwelling-house, in the neighbourhood of the city. and that, recollecting his former kindness to me, I had come to persuade him to occupy the one, and improve the other, for which I could afford to give him high wages.

8. "'The poor man-agreed to accompany me next day, to look at the premises; and if it pleased him, to take possession of them on the first of April. Early in the morning, I was awaked by preparations for breakfast; and they were delighted with my taking so much notice of them as I did, and with my gratitude for the services they had rendered me; the whole family were cheerful.

9. "'We parted with light hearts, and James and I reached the river in due time, and entered on the ice.  Hitherto, we had walked side by side, but now he fell a little behind me; and we had proceeded but a little way, when I perceived the ice to give way, and I immediately went down as far as my arms, which I stretched out, and so supported myself for some minutes, until James threw me the end of his great-coat, to which I held, and he pulled me out, and taking me on his shoulder, carried me very much exhausted to the shore.'

10. "Here the sick man closed his eyes, and lay for short time; when, reviving, he resumed the affecting narrative:—'On coming to myself again, I found what my intended innocent victim had been prompted to do by feelings of humanity and gratitude, and had rescued me from inevitable destruction. Shall I tell you what followed?—' Oh! my husband,' exclaimed the wife, 'you could not have persevered in your wicked purpose — you never could have sent the man into slavery who had preserved your life?

11. "'Yes I could, I did!' replied the husband—'cold-blooded villain that I was: the very day which witnessed my danger and my delivery, saw me assist in binding — chaining, hand and foot, him to whom I was indebted for my worthless life! —Separated from his wife and children, and freedom, he departed without 

135

uttering a single word. Once, and once only, he suffered his eyes to dwell for an instant on mine, which sunk before their glare—never can I forget that agonizing and despairing glance—it haunts me in broad daylight—it is with me in the deepest shades of night!'

12. "Here my servant had risen up, and stood behind me, his eyes glistening with tears that trickled down his ebon cheeks; when the sick man's eyes lighting upon him, he exclaimed in the extremity of terror—'James is there——behind you, sir—he is come to torment me already—take him away—take him away!' he repeated slowly, and sunk into a slumber from which he never awoke!"

13. "The eyes of the Lord are up on the ways of man, seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others. They cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him; and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. When He giveth quietness, who can make trouble? And when He hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be a nation, or a man only." Job xxxiv.

THE TWO BOYS.

1. As W. A. B. a citizen of New-York, was returning from Albany, in the winter of 1818 or 1819, in the stage-coach they were overturned, and he was so much hurt, as to render him unable to proceed: he therefore remained at a house about twenty miles from the city. Not long after his fellow-travellers had left him, a man by the name of Howard, with two little black boys, in a covered sleigh, stopped at the door; and our traveller feeling sufficiently recovered from his hurt to proceed on his journey in an easy way, requested Howard to allow him to take a seat in his sleigh, and

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-19 18:59:01 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-20 06:48:37