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THE SLAVE-TAKER.

a journey of ten days, to witness his distressed situation.'

2. "Taking my trusty servant with me, I followed her, and in a few minutes, we were by the bedside of the dying man, who was worn almost to a skeleton, and surrounded by the appearances of abject poverty. The weeping wife, threw herself on the bed, and taking one of his feeble hands in hers, told him what she had done, and entreated him to open his heart to the friend she had brought to administer consolation: when, turning his languid eyes toward me, in which horror and despair were strongly expressed-O! sir,' said he, 'is there, can there be any hope for the greatest and the vilest sinner that ever lived?"

3. "Being exhausted, he fell asleep for a few minutes: but the spirit that never dies making an- other struggle before its departure, he turned his eyes around upon us, and said, 'This poor suffering woman, whom I have so basely neglected, has forgiven me, but there are those who can never forgive me; those whom I have injured and betrayed, and who are out of my reach-beyond any atonement I can offer. God is infinite,' said "I, in all his attributes, and mercy is among the number. 'O! sir, I know it,' replied he; but there is one base act of treachery, besides that to my poor wife, which hangs like a millstone about my neck. 

4. "'Having left my native state in poverty and distress, brought on by bad habits, I came to Philadelphia; and being willing to do almost any thing, I soon fell in with two slave-owners from my own state, looking for some slaves who had made their escape from them: and having it in my power to assist them, I did it, and they rewarded me beyond my highest expectations; and for six years, I obtained a disgraceful subsistence by such acts of cruelty..

5. "'Among other transactions of that period, was the apprehension of a man called James, who had belonged to the estate of Mr. R-, of Albemarle county, the recollection of which torments me inexpressibly. At the death of Mr. R James passed into the hands of those who treated him very ill-and he ran away. When I first fell in with him, he lived on a small lot in New Jersey, with his wife, (a free woman, whom he had married in Virginia, and contrived to bring with him,) and three children.

6. "'After losing my way, and travelling some hours on foot, I came to his little habitation, late at night. He treated me very kindly, gave me food, and his own bed, while himself and wife occupied chairs by the fire; and in the morning, he walked with me several miles, to put me in the right way: it was in vain that I offered him a small reward, he would not take it.

7. "'Months had passed away, when by chance I saw an old advertisement, offering a large reward

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