Biography of a Slave
PREFACE.
CHAPTER I. Charles Thompson, born in Atala County,
Mississippi—Division of Kirkwood's Slaves Among his Six Children—The
Writer and his Two Sisters Fall to Mrs. Wilson—The Parting Between
Mother and Child—Deprived of a Fond Mother Forever—Old Uncle
Jack—Wilson Buys Uncle Ben from Strucker—Uncle Ben Runs Away and is
Hunted with Blood-Hounds—Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
CHAPTER II. Not sent to hell by Wilson—Mrs. Wilson
protects me, to whom I belong—Sent to school with the children—The
school-children teach me to read and write—What came of it—Mount that
mule or I'll shoot you—I mounted the mule—A start for the railroad to
work—I dismount and take to the woods—I owe allegiance to God and my
country only.
CHAPTER III. Caught, Tried, and Taken Back Home to
James Wilson—My Mistress Saves me from Being Whipped—I go to the
Railroad and Work one Month Precisely—Go Back Home—Wilson
Surprised—Left the Railroad at 3 o'clock A.M.—Did not Want to Disturb
Leadbitter's rest—Sent to Memphis with a Load of Cotton—Afraid of the
Slave-pens and Slave-auction—Start for Home—Not Sold—Pray, Sing, and
Shout—Get Home and Ordered to Hire myself out.
CHAPTER IV. Start out on my Travels to Hunt a New
Master—Find Mr. Dansley—Hire to Him—Thirty Dollars per Month for my
Master and Five Dollars for Myself—Wilson Astonished—Appointed
Superintendent of Dansley's Farm—Rules and Regulations—Peace and
Tranquillity—My Moral Labors Successful—Prayer and Social
Meetings—Meetings in the Woods—Quarrel and Fight like very
Brothers—Time comes to be Moved to Another Field of Labor.
CHAPTER V. James Wilson Comes Along—Wants me to go
with Him to Saulsbury, Tennessee, to Help Build a House for a
Grocery-Store—Takes me Along with Him—Wilson Taken Sick—I Take Care
of Him—He gets Well—I make another Attempt to Escape from
Slavery—What Came of it.
CHAPTER VI. Was hired to Mr. Thompson, and adopted
his name—Opened regular meetings, and preached on the plantation and
other places—Took unto myself a wife—Was purchased by Thompson, duly
installed on the plantation, and invested with authority—Various means
and plans resorted to by the overseer to degrade me in the eyes of Mr.
Thompson—Driven, through persecution, to run away—Returned back to my
master.
This page copyright © 2004 Blackmask Online.
http://www.blackmask.com