for his mother was weeping on his neck.  How vividly does memory bring back that sad night!  Mother and son talked together.  He asked her pardon for the suffering he had caused her.  She said she had nothing to forgive; she could not blame his desire for freedom.  He told her that when he was captured, he broke away, and was about casting himself into the river, when thoughts of her came over him, and he desisted.  She asked if he did not also think of God.  I fancied I saw his face grow fierce in the moonlight.  He answered, “No, I did not think of him.  When a man is hunted like a wild beast he forgets there is a God, a heaven.  He forgets every thing in his struggle to get beyond the reach of the bloodhounds.”

“Don’t talk so, Benjamin,” said she.  “Put your trust in God.  Be humble, my child, and your master will forgive you.”

“Forgive me for what, mother?  For not letting him treat me like a dog?  No!  I will never humble myself to him.  I have worked for him for nothing all my life, and I am repaid with stripes and imprisonment.  Here I will stay till I die, or till he sells me.”

The poor mother shuddered at his words.  I think he felt it; for when he next spoke, his voice was calmer.  “Don’t fret about me, mother.  I ain’t worth it,” said he.  “I wish I had some of your goodness.  You bear every thing patiently, just as though you thought it was all right.  I wish I could.”

She told him she had not always been so; once, she was like him; but when sore troubles came upon her, and she had no arm to lean upon, she learned to call on God, and he lightened her burdens.  She besought him to do likewise.

We overstaid our time, and were obliged to hurry from the jail.

Benjamin had been imprisoned three weeks, when my grandmother went to intercede for him with his master.  He was immovable.  He said Benjamin should serve as an example to the rest of his slaves; he should be kept in jail till he was subdued, or be sold if he got but one dollar for him.  However, he afterwards relented in some degree.  The chains were taken off, and we were allowed to visit him.

As his food was of the coarsest kind, we carried him as often as possible a warm supper, accompanied with some little luxury for the jailer.

Three months elapsed, and there was no prospect of release or of a purchaser.  One day he was heard to sing and laugh.  This piece of indecorum was told to his master, and the overseer was ordered to re-chain him.  He was now confined in an apartment with other prisoners, who were covered with filthy rags.  Benjamin was chained near them, and was soon covered with vermin.  He worked at his chains till he succeeded in getting out of them.  He passed them through the bars of the window, with a request that they should be taken to his master, and he should be informed that he was covered with vermin.

This audacity was punished with heavier chains, and prohibition of our visits.