t
before they were fairly on the way, but not so with the storm. It
continued to pour upon them for nearly three days. With nothing to
appease the gnawings of hunger but parched corn and a few dry crackers,
wet and cold, with several of the children sick, some of their feet bare
and worn, and one of the mothers with an infant in her arms, incapable
of partaking of the diet,--it is impossible to imagine the ordeal they
were passing. It was enough to cause the bravest hearts to falter. But
not for a moment did they allow themselves to look back. It was
exceedingly agreeable to hear even the little children testify that in
the most trying hour on the road, not for a moment did they want to go
back. The following advertisement, taken from _The Cambridge Democrat_
of November 4, shows how the Rev. Levi Traverse felt about Aaron--

[Footnote A: A paw is a weapon with iron prongs, four inches long, to be
grasped with the hand and used in close encounter.]

$300 Reward.--Ran away from the subscriber, from the
neighborhood of Town Point, on Saturday night, the 24th inst.,
my negro man, AARON CORNISH, about 35 years old. He is about
five feet ten inches high, black, good-looking, rather pleasant
countenance, and carries himself with a confident manner. He
went off with his wife, DAFFNEY, a negro woman belonging to
Reuben E. Phillips. I will give the above reward if taken out of
the county, and $200 if taken in the county; in either case to
be lodged in Cambridge Jail.

[Illustration: Runaway]

October 25, 1857.

Levi D. Traverse.

To fully understand the Rev. Mr. Traverse's authority for taking the
liberty he did with Aaron's good name, it may not be amiss to give
briefly a paragraph of private information from Aaron, relative to his
master. The Rev. Mr. Traverse belonged to the Methodist Church, and was
described by Aaron as a "bad young man; rattle-brained; with the
appearance of not having good sense,--not enough to manage the great
amount of property (he had been left wealthy) in his possession."
Aaron's servitude commenced under this spiritual protector in May prior
to the escape, immediately after the death of his old master. His
deceased master, William D. Traverse, by the way, was the father-in-law,
and at the same time own uncle of Aaron's reverend owner. Though the
young master, for marrying his own cousin and uncle's daughter, had been
for years the subject of