furnish a few reminiscences from his own
store-house, which he kindly did as follows:

WILLIAM STILL, ESQ., My dear Sir:--In answer to your request,
that I would furnish, an article for your forthcoming book,
giving incidents within my personal knowledge, relating to the
Underground Rail Road; I have already apprized you of my illness
and my consequent inability to write such an article as would be
worthy of your publication. However, feeling somewhat relieved
to-day, from my paralysis, owing to the cheering sunshine and
the favor of my Almighty Preserver, I will try to do what I can,
in dictating a few anecdotes to my amanuensis, which may afford
you and your readers some gratification.

These facts I must give without reference to date, as I will not
tax my memory with perhaps a vain attempt to narrate them in
order.

As mentioned in my "Life of Arthur Tappan," some abolitionists
(myself among the number), doubted the propriety of engaging in
such measures as were contemplated by the conductors of the
"Underground Rail Road," fearing that they would not be
justified in aiding slaves to escape from their masters; but
reflection convinced them that it was not only right to assist
men in efforts to obtain their liberty, when unjustly held in
bondage, but a DUTY.

Abolitionists, white and colored, both in slave and free States,
entered into extensive correspondence, set their wits at work to
devise various expedients for the relief from bondage and
transmission to the free States and to Canada, of many of the
most enterprising bondmen and bondwomen. They vied with each
other in devising means for the accomplishment of this object.
Those who had money contributed it freely, and those who were
destitute of money, gave their time, saying with the Apostle:
"Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have, give I thee."

1. I recollect that one morning on reaching my office (that of
the treasurer of the American Missionary Association), my
assistant told me that in the inner room were eighteen
fugitives, men, women and children, who had arrived that morning
from the South in one company. On going into the room, I saw
them lying about on the bales and boxes of clothing destined for
our various missionary stations, fatigued, as they doubtless
were, after their sleepless