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Show ) 28o Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Not Jon o- after 1ny r eturn, 1 recei ,·eel the following letter fron1 ~1i~ · En1ily .U lint, no\v l\lrs. Dodge :- "In thi. you \rill recognize the haud of yoHr fri1;nd anti 1ni. tres . II aving heard that yon had gone with a f;unily to ]~ nropc, I have ·waited to hear of your return to ·write to you. I shoulcl have ans\vct· ... tl tho lot Lor you \vrotc to 1nc long ince, lJut at1 1 could 11ot then ucL in<tcpcndenLly of 1ny father, l ] ~ ne\v thcro coHld he nothing done suLi: fn.cto ry to yon. Thcro \\' Cr pcr.'Oll · here \vho \'r'erc \villing to buy yon alHl rnn the ri ·k 0 r go ttiug you. 'l"o I his I \\"Ouhl l} oL consent. l haYo always l>ccn attacho<l to yon, mu.l would not like to sec yon the slasc or another, or have unkind treaLincnL I mn nu1.rriocl llO\V, and can protect you. l\ty lnl~bancl expectt1 to lllO\·e to \ rirginia this , pring, where we think of ·ctt1 in g. I an1 Y ... ry anxious that you t;hOll hl COlllC and Ji \·e wi th Ine. J f .)'Oll arc not ·willing to con1e, you 1nn.y pur ha .. e your. ·elf; but 1 ·hould prefer haYing you live ·with 1ne. lf you cmuc, yon 1nay, if you like, spend a 1nonth \ri th your ? ran<lInother and friends, then con1e to rne in N orfo1 k, \ rirguna. Think this over, and. ·write as soon as pos ·i1Jlc, aucl let n1c know the conclusion. lloping that your chilJ.ren arc \Vell, l re1nain you friend and Ini .. trcss." Of cour c I did not wri te to r eturn th::tnks for this cordial i nYi tation. I felt in. ultcd to be thought stupid enough to be caught Ly such profe, ion ·. "'Come up into my parl or,' said the spi(lcr to the fly; '' Tis the prcttie::;t little parlor th at ever you did spy.'" ( ( r [ Renewed Invitations to go South. It was plai.n that Dr. Flint's family were appri ed of n1y 1nove1nents, since they knew of n1y voyage to Europe. I expected to have further t rouble from thetn; 'but haviuo- eluded them thus far, I hoped to ho as ncces. {ul in future. rrhc lUOncy l had earned, I was desirou · to devote to the education of u1y chil<lren, and to secure a hon1c for Lh01n. l t eenlc<l noL only hard, but unjust, to pay for 1nyt1elf. 1 could not pos ·il>ly regard 1nyself as a piece of pr pcrty. ~foreover, I had worked. 1nany years without wages, and durino· that time had Leon obliged to depend on n1y grandnwther for 1nany co1nforts in food and clothing. ~Iy children certainly 'belonged to 1nc; but though Dr. Flint had incurred no expense for their support, he hau recci vcd a large su1n of 1noncy for thorn. I knew the law would decide that I was his property, aud would probably till give his daughter a claitn to n1y children; Lut I regarded such laws as the regulation· of rohber , \vho had no rights that 1 was bound to re,·pcct. The Fugitive Slave Law had not then pa ·sed. The judges of ~fassachusetts had not then • tooped under chains to enter her courts of justice, so called. I knew 1ny old n1aster \Vas rather skitLi ·h of ~fa.·:achusctt ·. I relied. on her love of frcedoin, anu felt ·afc on her soil. I a1n no\v a ware that I honored. the old Connnonwealth beyond her deserts. 24* |