NARRATIVE.

CORDELIA LONEY, SLAVE OF MRS. JOSEPH CAHELL (WIDOW OF THE LATE HON.
JOSEPH CAHELL, OF VA.), OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA.--CORDELIA'S ESCAPE FROM
HER MISTRESS IN PHILADELPHIA.

Rarely did the peculiar institution present the relations of mistress
and maid-servant in a light so apparently favorable as in the case of
Mrs. Joseph Cahell (widow of the late Hon. Jos Cahell, of Va.), and her
slave, Cordelia. The Vigilance Committee's first knowledge of either of
these memorable personages was brought about in the following manner.

About the 30th of March, in the year 1859, a member of the Vigilance
Committee was notified by a colored servant, living at a fashionable
boarding-house on Chestnut street that a lady with a slave woman from
Fredericksburg, Va., was boarding at said house, and, that said slave
woman desired to receive counsel and aid from the Committee, as she was
anxious to secure her freedom, before her mistress returned to the
South. On further consultation about the matter, a suitable hour was
named for the meeting of the Committee and the Slave at the above named
boarding-house. Finding that the woman was thoroughly reliable, the
Committee told her "that two modes of deliverance were open before her.
One was to take her trunk and all her clothing and quietly retire." The
other was to "sue out a writ of habeas corpus; and bring the mistress
before the Court, where she would be required, under the laws of
Pennsylvania, to show cause why she restrained this woman of her
freedom." Cordelia concluded to adopt the former expedient, provided the
Committee would protect her. Without hesitation the Committee answered
her, that to the extent of their ability, she should have their aid with
pleasure, without delay. Consequently a member of the Committee was
directed to be on hand at a given hour that evening, as Cordelia would
certainly be ready to leave her mistress to take care of herself. Thus,
at the appointed hour, Cordelia, very deliberately, accompanied the
Committee away from her "kind hearted old mistress."

In the quiet and security of the Vigilance Committee Room, Cordelia
related substantially the following brief story touching her
relationship as a slave to Mrs. Joseph Cahell. In this case, as with
thousands and tens of thousands of others, as the old adage fitly
expresses it, "All is not gold that glitters." Under this apparently
pious and noble-minded lady, it will be seen, that Cordelia had k