The old man nodded his head, and went on with his work, while Ann related to him the sad history of her life.

“My mother, who was a favorite slave, died when I was born; and my mistress, who had a young baby only a few days older than myself, took me to nurse.  I slept, during my infancy, in the cradle with my little mistress, and afterwards in the room with her, and thus we grew up as playmates and companions until we reached our seventh year, when we both had scarlet fever.  My little mistress, who was the only child of a widow, died; and her mother, bending over her death-bed, cried, ’I will have no little daughter now!’ when the child placed her arms about her and said, ’Mamma, let Ann be your daughter; she’ll be your little girl; I’ll go to her mamma, and she’ll stay with my mamma.’

“And from that time I was no more a slave, but a child in the house.  My mistress brought a governess for me from the North, and I was taught as white girls are.  I was fond of my books, and my life was a very happy one, though we lived on a lonely plantation, and had but little company.

“I was almost white, as you see, and my mistress had taught me to call her mamma.  I was devoted to her, and very fond of my governess, and they both petted me as if I really had been a daughter instead of a slave.  Four years ago the brother of my governess came out from Vermont to make his sister a visit at our home.  He fell in love with me, and I loved him dearly, and, accompanied by my ‘mamma’ and his sister, we went into Pennsylvania, and were married.  You know we could not be married in Maryland, for it is a Slave State, and I was a slave.  My mistress had, of course, always intended that I should be free, but neglected from time to time to draw up the proper papers.

“For two years after my marriage my husband and I lived on the plantation, he managing the estate until he was called to Washington on business, and, in returning, the train was thrown down an embankment, and he was among the killed.

“Soon after that my baby was born, and before he was six months old my mistress died suddenly, when it was found that the estate was insolvent, and everything must be sold to pay the debts; and I and my baby, with the other goods and chattels, were put up for sale.  Mr. Martin, the speculator, bought me, thinking I would bring a fancy price; but my heart was broken, and I grieved until my health gave way, so that nobody ever wanted me, until your kind-hearted master bought me to give me a home to die in.  But oh, Uncle Bob,” she continued, bursting into tears, “to think my boy, my baby, must be a slave!  His father’s relatives are poor.  He had only a widowed mother and two sisters.  They are not able to buy my child, and he must be raised in ignorance, to do another’s bidding all his life, my poor little baby!  His dear father hated slavery, and it seems so hard that his son must be a slave!”