for
some trifling cause, attempted to flog him, but was resisted, and
himself flogged. This resistance of the slave was regarded by the
overseer as an unpardonable offence; consequently he communicated the
intelligence to his owner, which had the desired effect on his mind as
appeared from his answer to the overseer, which was nothing less than
instructions that if he should again attempt to correct Wesley and he
should repel the wholesome treatment, the overseer was to put him in
prison and sell him. Whether he offended again or not, the following
Christmas he was to be sold without fail.

Wesley's mistress was kind enough to apprise him of the intention of his
owner and the overseer, and told him that if he could help himself he
had better do so. So from that time Wesley began to contemplate how he
should escape the doom which had been planned for him.

"A friend," says he, "by the name of C. Matterson, told me that he was
going off. Then I told him of my master's writing to Mrs. Carroll
concerning selling, etc., and that I was going off too. We then
concluded to go together. There were two others--brothers of
Matterson--who were told of our plan to escape, and readily joined with
us in the undertaking. So one Saturday night, at twelve o'clock, we set
out for the North. After traveling upwards of two days and over sixty
miles, we found ourselves unexpectedly in Terrytown, Md. There we were
informed by a friendly colored man of the danger we were in and of the
bad character of the place towards colored people, especially those who
were escaping to freedom; and he advised us to hide as quickly as we
could. We at once went to the woods and hid. Soon after we had secreted
ourselves a man came near by and commenced splitting wood, or rails,
which alarmed us. We then moved to another hiding-place in a thicket
near a farmer's barn, where we were soon startled again by a dog
approaching and barking at us. The attention of the owner of the dog was
drawn to his barking and to where we were. The owner of the dog was a
farmer. He asked us where we were going. We replied to Gettysburg--to
visit some relatives, etc. He told us that we were running off. He then
offered friendly advice, talked like a Quaker, and urged us to go with
him to his barn for protection. After much persuasion, we consented to
go with him.

"Soon after putting us in his barn, himself and daughter prepared us a
nice breakfast, which cheered our spirits, as