I will give $200 for his recovery if taken out of the State, or
    $150 if taken in the State, and secured that I can get him.

    T.D.  FENDALL.

    jyl7-6t.

Such announcements never frightened the Underground Rail Road Committee; indeed, the Committee rather preferred seeing the names of their passengers in the papers, as, in that case, they could all the more cautiously provide against Messrs. slave-hunters.  Oscar was a “prime, first-class article,” worth $1800.  The above description of him is endorsed.  His story ran thus: 

“I have served under Miss Mary Dade, of Alexandria—­Miss Dade was a very clever mistress, she hired me out.  When I left I was hired at the school—­High School of Virginia.  With me times had been very well.  No privilege was allowed me to study books.  I cannot say that I left for any other cause than to get my freedom, as I believe I have been used as well as any slave in the District.  I left no relatives but two cousins; my two brothers ran away, Brooks and Lawrence, but where they went I can’t tell, but would be pleased to know.  Three brothers and one sister have been sold South, can’t tell where they are.”  Such was Oscar’s brief narrative; that he was truthful there was no room to doubt.

The next passenger was MOSES or “Mose,” who looked as though he had been exceedingly well-cared for, being plump, fat, and extra-smart.  He declared that General Briscoe, of Georgetown, D.C., had been defrauding him out of thirteen dollars per month, this being the amount for which he was hired, and, instead of being allowed to draw it for himself, the general pocketed it.  For this “kind treatment” he summed up what seemed to be a true bill for ten years against the general.  But he made another charge of a still graver character:  he said that the general professed to own him.  But as he (Moses) was thoroughly tired, and believed that Slavery was no more justifiable than murder, he made up his mind to leave and join the union party for Canada.  He stated that the general owned a large number of slaves, which he hired out principally.  Moses had no special fault to find with his master, except such as have been alluded to, but as to mistress Briscoe, he said, that she was pretty rough.  Moses left four sisters in bondage.

David, the next member of this freedom-loving band, was an intelligent man; his manners and movements were decidedly prepossessing.  He was about thirty-seven years of age, dark, tall, and rather of a slender stature, possessing very large hopes.  He charged Dr. Josiah Harding of Rockville, Montgomery county, with having enslaved him contrary to his wish or will.

As a slave, David had been required at one time to work on a farm, and at another time to drive carriage, of course, without pay.  Again he had been bound as a waiter on the no pay system, and again he had been called into the kitchen to cook, all for the benefit of the Doctor—­the hire going into the Dr.’s pocket.  This business David protested against in secret, but when on the Underground Rail Road his protestations were “over and above board.”