. Whether in the house or
abroad, my thoughts were always talking to me about her.

I staid at Mrs. Pruden's about three months after this; I was then sent
back to Mr. Williams to be sold. Oh, that was a sad sad time! I recollect
the day well. Mrs. Pruden came to me and said, "Mary, you will have to go
home directly; your master is going to be married, and he means to sell
you and two of your sisters to raise money for the wedding." Hearing this
I burst out a crying,--though I was then far from being sensible of the
full weight of my misfortune, or of the misery that waited for me.
Besides, I did not like to leave Mrs. Pruden, and the dear baby, who had
grown very fond of me. For some time I could scarcely believe that Mrs.
Pruden was in earnest, till I received orders for my immediate
return.--Dear Miss Fanny! how she cried at parting with me, whilst I
kissed and hugged the baby, thinking I should never see him again. I left
Mrs. Pruden's, and walked home with a heart full of sorrow. The idea of
being sold away from my mother and Miss Betsey was so frightful, that I
dared not trust myself to think about it. We had been bought of Mr.
Myners, as I have mentioned, by Miss Betsey's grandfather, and given to
her, so that we were by right _her_ property, and I never thought we
should be separated or sold away from her.

When I reached the house, I went in directly to Miss Betsey. I found her
in great distress; and she cried out as soon as she saw me, "Oh, Mary! my
father is going to sell you all to raise money to marry that wicked woman.
You are _my_ slaves, and he has no right to sell you; but it is all to
please her." She then told me that my mother was living with her father's
sister at a house close by, and I went there to see her. It was a
sorrowful meeting; and we lamented with a great and sore crying our
unfortunate situation. "Here comes one of my poor picaninnies!" she said,
the moment I came in, "one of the poor slave-brood who are to be sold
to-morrow."

Oh dear! I cannot bear to think of that day,--it is too much.--It recalls
the great grief that filled my heart, and the woeful thoughts that passed
to and fro through my mind, whilst listening to the pitiful words of my
poor mother, weeping for the loss of her children. I wish I could find
words to tell you all I then felt and suffered. The great God above alone
knows the thoughts of the poor slave's heart, and the bitter pains which
follow such separations as t