The husband of Mary had for a long time wanted his own freedom, but did not feel that he could go without his wife; in fact, he resolved to get her off first, then to try and escape himself, if possible.  The first essential step towards success, he considered, was to save his money and make it an object to the captain to help him.  So when he had managed to lay by one hundred dollars, he willingly offered this sum to Captain B., if he would engage to deliver his wife into the hands of the Vigilance Committee of Philadelphia.  The captain agreed to the terms and fulfilled his engagement to the letter.  About the 1st of March, 1855, Mary was presented to the Vigilance Committee.  She was of agreeable manners, about forty-five years of age, dark complexion, round built, and intelligent.  She had been the mother of fifteen children, four of whom had been sold away from her; one was still held in slavery in Petersburg; the others were all dead.

At the sale of one of her children she was so affected with grief that she was thrown into violent convulsions, which caused the loss of her speech for one entire month.  But this little episode was not a matter to excite sympathy in the breasts of the highly refined and tender-hearted Christian mothers of Petersburg.  In the mercy of Providence, however, her reason and strength returned.

She had formerly belonged to the late Littleton Reeves, whom she represented as having been “kind” to her, much more so than her mistress (Mrs. Reeves).  Said Mary, “She being of a jealous disposition, caused me to be hired out with a hard family, where I was much abused, frequently flogged, and stinted for food,” etc.

But the sweets of freedom in the care of the Vigilance Committee now delighted her mind, and the hope that her husband would soon follow her to Canada, inspired her with expectations that she would one day “sit under her own vine and fig tree where none dared to molest or make her afraid.”

The Committee rendered her the usual assistance, and in due time, forwarded her on to Queen Victoria’s free land in Canada.  On her arrival she wrote back as follows—­

    TORONTO, March 14th, 1855.

DEAR MR. STILL:—­I take this opportunity of addressing you with these few lines to inform you that I arrived here to-day, and hope that this may find yourself and Mrs. Still well, as this leaves me at the present.  I will also say to you, that I had no difficulty in getting along. the two young men that was with me left me at Suspension Bridge. they went another way.

I cannot say much about the place as I have ben here but a short time but so far as I have seen I like very well. you will give my Respect to your lady, & Mr & Mrs Brown.  If you have not written to Petersburg you will please to write as soon as can I have nothing More to Write at present but yours Respectfully

    EMMA BROWN (old name MARY EPPS).