I knew that Mrs. Williams could no longer maintain me; that she was fain to part with me for my food and clothing; and I tried to submit myself to the change.  My new mistress was a passionate woman; but yet she did not treat me very unkindly.  I do not remember her striking me but once, and that was for going to see Mrs. Williams when I heard she was sick, and staying longer than she had given me leave to do.  All my employment at this time was nursing a sweet baby, little Master Daniel; and I grew so fond of my nursling that it was my greatest delight to walk out with him by the sea-shore, accompanied by his brother and sister, Miss Fanny and Master James.—­Dear Miss Fanny!  She was a sweet, kind young lady, and so fond of me that she wished me to learn all that she knew herself; and her method of teaching me was as follows:—­Directly she had said her lessons to her grandmamma, she used to come running to me, and make me repeat them one by one after her; and in a few months I was able not only to say my letters but to spell many small words.  But this happy state was not to last long.  Those days were too pleasant to last.  My heart always softens when I think of them.

At this time Mrs. Williams died.  I was told suddenly of her death, and my grief was so great that, forgetting I had the baby in my arms, I ran away directly to my poor mistress’s house; but reached it only in time to see the corpse carried out.  Oh, that was a day of sorrow,—­a heavy day!  All the slaves cried.  My mother cried and lamented her sore; and I (foolish creature!) vainly entreated them to bring my dear mistress back to life.  I knew nothing rightly about death then, and it seemed a hard thing to bear.  When I thought about my mistress I felt as if the world was all gone wrong; and for many days and weeks I could think of nothing else.  I returned to Mrs. Pruden’s; but my sorrow was too great to be comforted, for my own dear mistress was always in my mind.  Whether in the house or abroad, my thoughts were always talking to me about her.

I staid at Mrs. Pruden’s about three months after this; I was then sent back to Mr. Williams to be sold.  Oh, that was a sad sad time!  I recollect the day well.  Mrs. Pruden came to me and said, “Mary, you will have to go home directly; your master is going to be married, and he means to sell you and two of your sisters to raise money for the wedding.”  Hearing this I burst out a crying,—­though I was then far from being sensible of the full weight of my misfortune, or of the misery that waited for me.  Besides, I did not like to leave Mrs. Pruden, and the dear baby, who had grown very fond of me.  For some time I could scarcely believe that Mrs. Pruden was in earnest, till I received orders for my immediate return.—­Dear Miss Fanny! how she cried at parting with me, whilst I kissed and hugged the baby, thinking I should never see him again.  I left Mrs. Pruden’s, and walked home with a heart full of sorrow.  The idea of being sold away from my mother and Miss Betsey was so frightful, that I dared not trust myself to think about it.  We had been bought of Mr. Myners, as I have mentioned, by Miss Betsey’s grandfather, and given to her, so that we were by right her property, and I never thought we should be separated or sold away from her.