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Thus
far
the
history
of
my
life
presents
nothing
whatever
unusual
--
nothing
but
the
common
hopes
,
and
loves
,
and
labors
of
an
obscure
colored
man
,
making
his
humble
progress
in
the
world
.
But
now
I
had
reached
a
turning
point
in
my
existence
--
reached
the
threshold
of
unutterable
wrong
,
and
sorrow
,
and
despair
.
Now
had
I
approached
within
the
shadow
of
the
cloud
,
into
the
thick
darkness
whereof
I
was
soon
to
disappear
,
thenceforward
to
be
hidden
from
the
eyes
of
all
my
kindred
,
and
shut
out
from
the
sweet
light
of
liberty
,
for
many
a
weary
year
.
One
morning
,
towards
the
latter
part
of
the
month
of
March
,
1841
,
having
at
that
time
no
particular
business
to
engage
my
attention
,
I
was
walking
about
the
village
of
Saratoga
Springs
,
thinking
to
myself
where
I
might
obtain
some
present
employment
,
until
the
busy
season
should
arrive
.
Anne
,
as
was
her
usual
custom
,
had
gone
over
to
Sandy
Hill
,
a
distance
of
some
twenty
miles
,
to
take
charge
of
the
culinary
department
at
Sherrill
's
Coffee
House
,
during
the
session
of
the
court
.
Elizabeth
,
I
think
,
had
accompanied
her
.
Margaret
and
Alonzo
were
with
their
aunt
at
Saratoga
.
On
the
corner
of
Congress
street
and
Broadway
,
near
the
tavern
,
then
,
and
for
aught
I
know
to
the
contrary
,
still
kept
by
Mr.
Moon
,
I
was
met
by
two
gentlemen
of
respectable
appearance
,
both
of
whom
were
entirely
unknown
to
me
.
I
have
the
impression
that
they
were
introduced
to
me
by
some
one
of
my
acquaintances
,
but
who
,
I
have
in
vain
endeavored
to
recall
,
with
the
remark
that
I
was
an
expert
player
on
the
violin
.
At
any
rate
,
they
immediately
entered
into
conversation
on
that
subject
,
making
numerous
inquiries
touching
my
proficiency
in
that
respect
.
My
responses
being
to
all
appearances
satisfactory
,
they
proposed
to
engage
my
services
for
a
short
period
,
stating
,
at
the
same
time
,
I
was
just
such
a
person
as
their
business
required
.
Their
names
,
as
they
afterwards
gave
them
to
me
,
were
Merrill
Brown
and
Abram
Hamilton
,
though
whether
these
were
their
true
appellations
,
I
have
strong
reasons
to
doubt
.
The
former
was
a
man
apparently
forty
years
of
age
,
somewhat
short
and
thick-set
,
with
a
countenance
indicating
shrewdness
and
intelligence
.
He
wore
a
black
frock
coat
and
black
hat
,
and
said
he
resided
either
at
Rochester
or
at
Syracuse
.
The
latter
was
a
young
man
of
fair
complexion
and
light
eyes
,
and
,
I
should
judge
,
had
not
passed
the
age
of
twenty-five
.
He
was
tall
and
slender
,
dressed
in
a
snuff-colored
coat
,
with
glossy
hat
,
and
vest
of
elegant
pattern
.
His
whole
apparel
was
in
the
extreme
of
fashion
.
His
appearance
was
somewhat
effeminate
,
but
prepossessing
,
and
there
was
about
him
an
easy
air
,
that
showed
he
had
mingled
with
the
world
.
They
were
connected
,
as
they
informed
me
,
with
a
circus
company
,
then
in
the
city
of
Washington
;
that
they
were
on
their
way
thither
to
rejoin
it
,
having
left
it
for
a
short
time
to
make
an
excursion
northward
,
for
the
purpose
of
seeing
the
country
,
and
were
paying
their
expenses
by
an
occasional
exhibition
.
They
also
remarked
that
they
had
found
much
difficulty
in
procuring
music
for
their
entertainments
,
and
that
if
I
would
accompany
them
as
far
as
New-York
,
they
would
give
me
one
dollar
for
each
day
's
services
,
and
three
dollars
in
addition
for
every
night
I
played
at
their
performances
,
besides
sufficient
to
pay
the
expenses
of
my
return
from
New-York
to
Saratoga
.
I
at
once
accepted
the
tempting
offer
,
both
for
the
reward
it
promised
,
and
from
a
desire
to
visit
the
metropolis
.
They
were
anxious
to
leave
immediately
.
Thinking
my
absence
would
be
brief
,
I
did
not
deem
it
necessary
to
write
to
Anne
whither
I
had
gone
;
in
fact
supposing
that
my
return
,
perhaps
,
would
be
as
soon
as
hers
.
So
taking
a
change
of
linen
and
my
violin
,
I
was
ready
to
depart
.
The
carriage
was
brought
round
--
a
covered
one
,
drawn
by
a
pair
of
noble
bays
,
altogether
forming
an
elegant
establishment
.
Their
baggage
,
consisting
of
three
large
trunks
,
was
fastened
on
the
rack
,
and
mounting
to
the
driver
's
seat
,
while
they
took
their
places
in
the
rear
,
I
drove
away
from
Saratoga
on
the
road
to
Albany
,
elated
with
my
new
position
,
and
happy
as
I
had
ever
been
,
on
any
day
in
all
my
life
.
We
passed
through
Ballston
,
and
striking
the
ridge
road
,
as
it
is
called
,
if
my
memory
correctly
serves
me
,
followed
it
direct
to
Albany
.
We
reached
that
city
before
dark
,
and
stopped
at
a
hotel
southward
from
the
Museum
.
This
night
I
had
an
opportunity
of
witnessing
one
of
their
performances
--
the
only
one
,
during
the
whole
period
I
was
with
them
.
Hamilton
was
stationed
at
the
door
;
I
formed
the
orchestra
,
while
Brown
provided
the
entertainment
.
It
consisted
in
throwing
balls
,
dancing
on
the
rope
,
frying
pancakes
in
a
hat
,
causing
invisible
pigs
to
squeal
,
and
other
like
feats
of
ventriloquism
and
legerdemain
.
The
audience
was
extraordinarily
sparse
,
and
not
of
the
selectest
character
at
that
,
and
Hamilton
's
report
of
the
proceeds
presented
but
a
"
beggarly
account
of
empty
boxes
.
"
Early
next
morning
we
renewed
our
journey
.
The
burden
of
their
conversation
now
was
the
expression
of
an
anxiety
to
reach
the
circus
without
delay
.
They
hurried
forward
,
without
again
stopping
to
exhibit
,
and
in
due
course
of
time
,
we
reached
New-York
,
taking
lodgings
at
a
house
on
the
west
side
of
the
city
,
in
a
street
running
from
Broadway
to
the
river
.
I
supposed
my
journey
was
at
an
end
,
and
expected
in
a
day
or
two
at
least
,
to
return
to
my
friends
and
family
at
Saratoga
.
Brown
and
Hamilton
,
however
,
began
to
importune
me
to
continue
with
them
to
Washington
.
They
alleged
that
immediately
on
their
arrival
,
now
that
the
summer
season
was
approaching
,
the
circus
would
set
out
for
the
north
.
They
promised
me
a
situation
and
high
wages
if
I
would
accompany
them
.
Largely
did
they
expatiate
on
the
advantages
that
would
result
to
me
,
and
such
were
the
flattering
representations
they
made
,
that
I
finally
concluded
to
accept
the
offer
.
The
next
morning
they
suggested
that
,
inasmuch
as
we
were
about
entering
a
slave
State
,
it
would
be
well
,
before
leaving
New-York
,
to
procure
free
papers
.
The
idea
struck
me
as
a
prudent
one
,
though
I
think
it
would
scarcely
have
occurred
to
me
,
had
they
not
proposed
it
.
We
proceeded
at
once
to
what
I
understood
to
be
the
Custom
House
.
They
made
oath
to
certain
facts
showing
I
was
a
free
man
.
A
paper
was
drawn
up
and
handed
us
,
with
the
direction
to
take
it
to
the
clerk
's
office
.
We
did
so
,
and
the
clerk
having
added
something
to
it
,
for
which
he
was
paid
six
shillings
,
we
returned
again
to
the
Custom
House
.
Some
further
formalities
were
gone
through
with
before
it
was
completed
,
when
,
paying
the
officer
two
dollars
,
I
placed
the
papers
in
my
pocket
,
and
started
with
my
two
friends
to
our
hotel
.
I
thought
at
the
time
,
I
must
confess
,
that
the
papers
were
scarcely
worth
the
cost
of
obtaining
them
--
the
apprehension
of
danger
to
my
personal
safety
never
having
suggested
itself
to
me
in
the
remotest
manner
.
The
clerk
,
to
whom
we
were
directed
,
I
remember
,
made
a
memorandum
in
a
large
book
,
which
,
I
presume
,
is
in
the
office
yet
.
A
reference
to
the
entries
during
the
latter
part
of
March
,
or
first
of
April
,
1841
,
I
have
no
doubt
will
satisfy
the
incredulous
,
at
least
so
far
as
this
particular
transaction
is
concerned
.
