the road, I would sometimes speak to myself, sounding my name over, by way of getting used to it, before I should arrive among civilized human beings.  On the fifth or sixth day, it rained very fast, and it froze about as fast as it fell, so that my clothes were one glare of ice.  I travelled on at night until I became so chilled and benumbed—­the wind blowing into my face—­that I found it impossible to go any further, and accordingly took shelter in a barn, where I was obliged to walk about to keep from freezing.

I have ever looked upon that night as the most eventful part of my escape from slavery.  Nothing but the providence of God, and that old barn, saved me from freezing to death.  I received a very severe cold, which settled upon my lungs, and from time to time my feet had been frost-bitten, so that it was with difficulty I could walk.  In this situation I travelled two days, when I found that I must seek shelter somewhere, or die.

The thought of death was nothing frightful to me, compared with that of being caught, and again carried back into slavery.  Nothing but the prospect of enjoying liberty could have induced me to undergo such trials, for

    “Behind I left the whips and chains,
    Before me were sweet Freedom’s plains!”

This, and this alone, cheered me onward.  But I at last resolved to seek protection from the inclemency of the weather, and therefore I secured myself behind some logs and brush, intending to wait there until some one should pass by; for I thought it probable that I might see some colored person, or, if not, some one who was not a slaveholder; for I had an idea that I should know a slaveholder as far as I could see him.

CHAPTER XIV.

The first person that passed was a man in a buggy-wagon.  He looked too genteel for me to hail him.  Very soon, another passed by on horseback.  I attempted speaking to him, but fear made my voice fail me.  As he passed, I left my hiding-place, and was approaching the road, when I observed an old man walking towards me, leading a white horse.  He had on a broad-brimmed hat and a very long coat, and was evidently walking for exercise.  As soon as I saw him, and observed his dress, I thought to myself, “You are the man that I have been looking for!” Nor was I mistaken.  He was the very man!

On approaching me, he asked me, “if I was not a slave.”  I looked at him some time, and then asked him “if he knew of any one who would help me, as I was sick.”  He answered that he would; but again asked, if I was not a slave.  I told him I was.  He then said that I was in a very pro-slavery neighborhood, and if I would wait until he went home, he would get a covered wagon for me.  I promised to remain.  He mounted his horse, and was soon out of sight.

After he was gone, I meditated whether to wait or not; being apprehensive that he had gone for some one to arrest me.  But I finally concluded to remain until he should return; removing some few rods to watch his movements.  After a suspense of an hour and a half or more, he returned with a two horse covered-wagon, such as are usually seen under the shed of a Quaker meeting-house on Sundays and Thursdays; for the old man proved to be a Quaker of the George Fox stamp.