at myself I knew I wasn’t a nigger; and feeling that everybody could be somebody, I began to look forward to the time when I should rise above the burden of misfortune that seemed bearing me down into the earth.  And then, Franconia, like a sister, used to come to me, and say so many kind things to me that I felt relieved, and resolved to go forward.  Then I lost sight of Franconia, and saw nobody I knew but Annette; and she seemed so pretty, and loved me so affectionately.  How long it seems since I have seen her!  She dressed me so nicely, and parted my hair, and kissed me so kindly; and said good-by, when I left her, so in regret, I never can forget it.  And it was then they said I was sold.  Mr. Graspum said he owned me, and owning me was equal to doing what he pleased with me.  Then I went home to Mr. Grabguy’s; and they said Mr. Grabguy owned me just as he owned his great big dog they called a democratic bull-dog, the foreman said he paid a democratic ten-dollar gold piece for.  They used to say the only difference between me and the dog was, that the dog could go where he pleased without being lashed, and I couldn’t.  And the dog always got enough to eat, and seemed a great favourite with everybody, whereas I got only more kicks than cucumbers, didn’t seem liked by anybody, and if I got enough to eat I had nobody to thank but good old Margery, the cook, who was kind to me now and then, and used to say-"I like you, Nicholas!” And that used to make me feel so happy!  Old Margery was coal-black; but I didn’t care for that,—­the knowledge of somebody loving you is enough to light up the happy of life, and make the heart feel contented.  In this manner my thoughts went here and there and everywhere; and the truth is, I had so many thoughts, that I got completely bewildered in thinking how I was to better myself, and be like other folks.  Mr. Grabguy seemed kind to me at first,—­said he would make a great mechanic of me, and give me a chance to buy myself.  I didn’t know what this “buy myself” meant, at first.  But I soon found out-he tells us he must speak with caution-that I must pay so many hundred dollars afore I could be like other folks.  The kindness Mr. Grabguy at first exhibited for me didn’t last long; he soon began to kick me, and cuff me, and swear at me.  And it ’pear’d to me as if I never could please anybody, and so my feelings got so embittered I didn’t know what to do.  I was put into the shop among the men, and one said Nigger, here! and another said, Nigger, get there!-and they all seemed not to be inclined to help me along.  And then I would get in a passion:  but that never made things better.  The foreman now and then said a kind word to me; and whenever he did, it made my heart feel so good that I seemed a new being with brighter hopes.  Well, Mr. Grabguy put me to turning the grindstone, first; and from turning the grindstone-the men used to throw water in my face when they ground their chisels, and their plane irons, and axes and