We　were　not　regularly　allowanced。　　Our　food　was
  coarse　corn　meal　boiled。　　This　was　called　MUSH。　　It
  was　put　into　a　large　wooden　tray　or　trough；　and　set
  down　upon　the　ground。　　The　children　were　then
  called；　like　so　many　pigs；　and　like　so　many　pigs　they
  would　come　and　devour　the　mush；　some　with　oyster…
  shells；　others　with　pieces　of　shingle；　some　with　naked
  hands；　and　none　with　spoons。　　He　that　ate　fastest
  got　most；　he　that　was　strongest　secured　the　best
  place；　and　few　left　the　trough　satisfied。
  I　was　probably　between　seven　and　eight　years　old
  when　I　left　Colonel　Lloyd's　plantation。　　I　left　it　with
  joy。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　ecstasy　with　which　I
  received　the　intelligence　that　my　old　master　（An…
  thony）　had　determined　to　let　me　go　to　Baltimore；
  to　live　with　Mr。　Hugh　Auld；　brother　to　my　old
  master's　son…in…law；　Captain　Thomas　Auld。　　I　re…
  ceived　this　information　about　three　days　before　my
  departure。　　They　were　three　of　the　happiest　days
  I　ever　enjoyed。　　I　spent　the　most　part　of　all　these
  three　days　in　the　creek；　washing　off　the　plantation
  scurf；　and　preparing　myself　for　my　departure。
  The　pride　of　appearance　which　this　would　indicate
  was　not　my　own。　　I　spent　the　time　in　washing；　not　so
  much　because　I　wished　to；　but　because　Mrs。
  Lucretia　had　told　me　I　must　get　all　the　dead　skin
  off　my　feet　and　knees　before　I　could　go　to　Balti…
  more；　for　the　people　in　Baltimore　were　very　cleanly；
  and　would　laugh　at　me　if　I　looked　dirty。　　Besides；
  she　was　going　to　give　me　a　pair　of　trousers；　which　I
  should　not　put　on　unless　I　got　all　the　dirt　off　me。
  The　thought　of　owning　a　pair　of　trousers　was　great
  indeed！　　It　was　almost　a　sufficient　motive；　not　only
  to　make　me　take　off　what　would　be　called　by　pig…
  drovers　the　mange；　but　the　skin　itself。　　I　went　at　it
  in　good　earnest；　working　for　the　first　time　with　the
  hope　of　reward。
  The　ties　that　ordinarily　bind　children　to　their
  homes　were　all　suspended　in　my　case。　　I　found　no
  severe　trial　in　my　departure。　　My　home　was　charm…
  less；　it　was　not　home　to　me；　on　parting　from　it；　I
  could　not　feel　that　I　was　leaving　any　thing　which　I
  could　have　enjoyed　by　staying。　　My　mother　was　dead；
  my　grandmother　lived　far　off；　so　that　I　seldom　saw
  her。　　I　had　two　sisters　and　one　brother；　that　lived　in
  the　same　house　with　me；　but　the　early　separation　of
  us　from　our　mother　had　well　nigh　blotted　the　fact
  of　our　relationship　from　our　memories。　　I　looked　for
  home　elsewhere；　and　was　confident　of　finding　none
  which　I　should　relish　less　than　the　one　which　I　was
  leaving。　　If；　however；　I　found　in　my　new　home　hard…
  ship；　hunger；　whipping；　and　nakedness；　I　had　the
  consolation　that　I　should　not　have　escaped　any　one
  of　them　by　staying。　　Having　already　had　more　than
  a　taste　of　them　in　the　house　of　my　old　master；　and
  having　endured　them　there；　I　very　naturally　inferred
  my　ability　to　endure　them　elsewhere；　and　especially
  at　Baltimore；　for　I　had　something　of　the　feeling
  about　Baltimore　that　is　expressed　in　the　proverb；
  that　〃being　hanged　in　England　is　preferable　to
  dying　a　natural　death　in　Ireland。〃　　I　had　the　strongest
  desire　to　see　Baltimore。　　Cousin　Tom；　though　not
  fluent　in　speech；　had　inspired　me　with　that　desire
  by　his　eloquent　description　of　the　place。　　I　could
  never　point　out　any　thing　at　the　Great　House；　no
  matter　how　beautiful　or　powerful；　but　that　he　had
  seen　something　at　Baltimore　far　exceeding；　both　in
  beauty　and　strength；　the　object　which　I　pointed　out
  to　him。　　Even　the　Great　House　itself；　with　all　its
  pictures；　was　far　inferior　to　many　buildings　in　Bal…
  timore。　　So　strong　was　my　desire；　that　I　thought　a
  gratification　of　it　would　fully　compensate　for　what…
  ever　loss　of　comforts　I　should　sustain　by　the　ex…
  change。　　I　left　without　a　regret；　and　with　the　highest
  hopes　of　future　happiness。
  We　sailed　out　of　Miles　River　for　Baltimore　on　a
  Saturday　morning。　　I　remember　only　the　day　of　the
  week；　for　at　that　time　I　had　no　knowledge　of　the
  days　of　the　month；　nor　the　months　of　the　year。　　On
  setting　sail；　I　walked　aft；　and　gave　to　Colonel　Lloyd's
  plantation　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　look。　　I
  then　placed　myself　in　the　bows　of　the　sloop；　and
  there　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　looking
  ahead；　interesting　myself　in　what　was　in　the　distance
  rather　than　in　things　near　by　or　behind。
  In　the　afternoon　of　that　day；　we　reached　Annap…
  olis；　the　capital　of　the　State。　　We　stopped　but　a
  few　moments；　so　that　I　had　no　time　to　go　on　shore。
  It　was　the　first　large　town　that　I　had　ever　seen；　and
  though　it　would　look　small　compared　with　some　of
  our　New　England　factory　villages；　I　thought　it　a
  wonderful　place　for　its　sizemore　imposing　even
  than　the　Great　House　Farm！
  We　arrived　at　Baltimore　early　on　Sunday　morn…
  ing；　landing　at　Smith's　Wharf；　not　far　from　Bow…
  ley's　Wharf。　　We　had　on　board　the　sloop　a　large
  flock　of　sheep；　and　after　aiding　in　driving　them　to
  the　slaughterhouse　of　Mr。　Curtis　on　Louden　Slater's
  Hill；　I　was　conducted　by　Rich；　one　of　the　hands
  belonging　on　board　of　the　sloop；　to　my　new　home
  in　Alliciana　Street；　near　Mr。　Gardner's　ship…yard；　on
  Fells　Point。
  Mr。　and　Mrs。　Auld　were　both　at　home；　and　met
  me　at　the　door　with　their　little　son　Thomas；　to　take
  care　of　whom　I　had　been　given。　　And　here　I　saw　what
  I　had　never　seen　before；　it　was　a　white　face　beaming
  with　the　most　kindly　emotions；　it　was　the　face　of
  my　new　mistress；　Sophia　Auld。　　I　wish　I　could　de…
  scribe　the　rapture　that　flashed　through　my　soul　as　I
  beheld　it。　　It　was　a　new　and　strange　sight　to　me；
  brightening　up　my　pathway　with　the　light　of　happi…
  ness。　　Little　Thomas　was　told；　there　was　his　Freddy；
  and　I　was　told　to　take　care　of　little　Thomas；　and
  thus　I　entered　upon　the　duties　of　my　new　home　with
  the　most　cheering　prospect　ahead。
  I　look　upon　my　departure　from　Colonel　Lloyd's
  plantation　as　one　of　the　most　interesting　events　of
  my　life。　　It　is　possible；　and　even　quite　probable；　that
  but　for　the　mere　circumstance　of　being　removed
  from　that　plantation　to　Baltimore；　I　should　have
  to…day；　instead　of　being　here　seated　by　my　own　table；
  in　the　enjoyment　of　freedom　and　the　happiness　of
  home；　writing　this　Narrative；　been　confined　in　the
  galling　chains　of　slavery。　　Going　to　live　at　Baltimore
  laid　the　foundation；　and　opened　the　gateway；　to　all
  my　subsequent　prosperity。　　I　have　ever　regarded　it
  as　the　first　plain　manifestation　of　that　kind　provi…
  dence　which　has　ever　since　attended　me；　and　marked
  my　life　with　so　many　favors。　　I　regarded　the　selection
  of　myself　as　being　somewhat　remarkable。　　There　were
  a　number　of　slave　children　that　might　have　been
  sent　from　the　plantation　to　Baltimore。　　There　were
  those　younger；　those　older；　and　those　of　the　same
  age。　　I　was　chosen　from　among　them　all；　and　was
  the　first；　last；　and　only　choice。
  I　may　be　deemed　superstitious；　and　even　egotisti…
  cal；　in　regarding　this　event　as　a　special　interposition
  of　divine　Providence　in　my　favor。　　But　I　should　be
  false　to　the　earliest　sentiments　of　my　soul；　if　I　sup…
  pressed　the　opinion。　　I　prefer　to　be　true　to　myself；
  even　at　the　hazard　of　incurring　the　ridicule　of　others；
  rather　than　to　be　false；　and　incur　my　own　abhor…
  rence。　　From　my　earliest　recollection；　I　date　the　en…
  tertainment　of　a　deep　conviction　that　slavery　would
  not　always　be　able　to　hold　me　within　its　foul　em…
  brace；　and　in　the　darkest　hours　of　my　career　in　slav…
  ery；　this　living　word　of　faith　and　spirit　of　hope　de…
  parted　not　from　me；　but　remained　like　ministering
  angels　to　cheer　me　through　the　gloom。　　This　good
  spirit　was　from　God；　and　to　him　I　offer　thanksgiving
  and　praise。
  CHAPTER　VI
  My　new　mistress　proved　to　be　all　she　appeared
  when　I　first　met　her　at　the　door；a　woman　of　the
  kindest　heart　and　finest　feelings。　　She　had　never　had
  a　slave　under　her　control　previously　to　myself；　and
  prior　to　her　marriage　she　had　been　dependent　upon
  her　own　industry　for　a　living。　　She　was　by　trade　a
  weaver；　and　by　constant　application　to　her　business；
  she　had　been　in　a　good　degree　preserved　from　the
  blighting　and　dehumanizing　effects　of　slavery。　　I　was
  utterly　astonished　at　her　goodness。　　I　scarcely　knew
  how　to　behave　towards　her。　　She　was　entirely　unlike
  any　other　white　woman　I　had　ever　seen。　　I　could　not
  approach　her　as　I　was　accustomed　to　approach　other
  white　ladies。　　My　early　instruction　was　all　out　of
  place。　　The　crouching　servility；　usually　so　acceptable
  a　quality　in　a　slave；　did　not　answer　when　manifested
  toward　her。　　Her　favor　was　not　gained　by　it；　she
  seemed　to　be　disturbed　by　it。　　She　did　not　deem　it
  impudent　or　unmannerly　for　a　slave　to　look　her　in
  the　face。　　The　meanest　slave　was　put　fully　at　ease
  in　her　presence；　and　none　left　without　feeling　bet…
  ter　for　having　seen　her。　　Her　face　was　made　of　heav…
  enly　smiles；　and　her　voice　of　tranquil　music。
  B