Collins offered to buy
her, but McGee said no man's money could buy that woman and her
children. I raised her husband and I would not separate them. She was
brought back, and as they rode along in the rockaway, Boss said: "When I
am through with you I guess you won't run away again." As they drove up
I saw the madam go running out to meet them. She shouted to Matilda:
"Ah! madam, you put up at the wrong hotel." They at once went to the
barn where my wife was tied to the joist, and Boss and the madam beat
her by turns. After they had finished the whipping, Boss said,
tauntingly: "Now I am buying you and selling you--I want you to know
that I never shall sell you while my head and yours is hot." I was
trembling from head to foot, for I was powerless to do anything for her.
My twin babies lived only six months after that, not having had the care
they needed, and which it was impossible for their mother to give them
while performing the almost endless labor required of her, under threats
of cruel beatings. One day not long after our babies were buried the
madam followed my wife to the smoke house and said: "I am tempted to
take that knife from you, Matilda, and cut you in two. You and old Ruben
(one of the slaves) went all around the neighborhood and told the people
that I killed your babies, and almost whipped you to death." Of course,
when the slaves were accused falsely, as in this case, they were not
allowed to make any reply--they just had to endure in silence whatever
was said.

* * * * *

EFFORTS TO LEARN TO READ AND WRITE.

Thomas, the coachman, and I were fast friends. We used to get together
every time we had a chance and talk about freedom. "Oh!" Tom would say,
"if I could only write." I remember when Tom first began to take lessons
at night from some plasterers, workmen of the neighborhood. They saw
that he was so anxious to learn that they promised to teach him every
evening if he would slip out to their house. I, too, was eager to learn
to read and write, but did not have the opportunity which Tom had of
getting out at night. I had to sleep in the house where the folks were,
and could not go out without being observed, while Tom had quarters in
another part of the establishment, and could slip out unobserved. Tom,
however, consoled me by saying that he would teach me as soon as he knew
how. So Tom one night put a copy of some figures on the side of the barn
for me to practice