we found ourselves living in our own house--a house which I
had previously purchased--in January, 1839.

After moving my family, my wife was for a short time sick, in consequence
of her labor and the excitement in moving, and her excessive joy. I told
her that it reminded me of a poor shoemaker in the neighborhood who
purchased a ticket in a lottery; but not expecting to draw, the fact of
his purchasing it had passed out of his mind. But one day as he was at
work on his last, he was informed that his ticket had drawn the liberal
prize of ten thousand dollars; and the poor man was so overjoyed, that he
fell back on his seat, and immediately expired.

In this new and joyful situation, we found ourselves getting along very
well, until September, 1840, when to my surprise, as I was passing the
street one day, engaged in my business, the following note was handed me.
"Read it," said the officer, "or if you cannot read, get some white man to
read it to you." Here it is, _verbatim_:

_To Lunsford Lane, a free man of Colour_

Take notice that whereas complaint has been made to us two Justices of
the Peace for the county of Wake and state of North Carolina that you
are a free negro from another state who has migrated into this state
contrary to the provisions of the act of assembly concerning free
negros and mulattoes now notice is given you that unless you leave and
remove out of this state within twenty days that you will be proceeded
against for the penalty porscribed by said act of assembly and be
otherwise dealt with as the law directs given under our hands and seals
this the 5th Sept 1840

WILLIS SCOTT JP (Seal)

JORDAN WOMBLE JP (Seal)

This was a terrible blow to me; for it prostrated at once all my hopes in
my cherished object of obtaining the freedom of my family, and led me to
expect nothing but a separation from them forever.

In order that the reader may understand the full force of the foregoing
notice, I will copy the Law of the State under which it was issued:

SEC. 65. It shall not be lawful for any free negro or mulatto to migrate
into this State: and if he or she shall do so, contrary to the
provisions of this act, and being thereof informed, shall not, within
twenty days thereafter, remove out of the State, he or she being thereof
convicted in the manner hereafter directed, shall be liable to a penalty
of five hundred dollars; and upon failure to pay the same, with