man of
twenty-three years of age. She fled from Thornton Poole, of Unionville,
Md. She gave her master the character of being a "very mean man; with a
wife meaner still," "I consider them mean in every respect," said
Caroline. No great while before she escaped, one of her brothers and a
sister had been sent to the Southern market. Recently she had been
apprized that herself and a younger brother would have to go the same
dreadful road. She therefore consulted with the brother and a particular
young friend, to whom she was "engaged," which resulted in the departure
of all three of them. Though the ordinary steps relative to marriage, as
far as slaves were allowed, had been complied with, nevertheless on the
road to Canada, they availed themselves of the more perfect way of
having the ceremony performed, and went on their way rejoicing.

Since the sale of Caroline's brother and sister, just referred to, her
mother and three children had made good their exit to Canada, having
been evidently prompted by said sale. Long before that time, however,
three other brothers fled on the Underground Rail Road. They were
encouraged to hope to meet each other in Canada.

JOHN WOOD. John was about twenty-eight years of age, of agreeable
manners, intelligent, and gave evidence of a strong appreciation of
liberty. Times with John had "not been very rough," until within the
last year of his bondage. By the removal of his old master by death, a
change for the worse followed. The executors of the estate--one of whom
owed him an old grudge--made him acquainted with the fact, that amongst
certain others, he would have to be sold. Judge Birch (one of the
executors), "itching" to see him "broke in," "took particular pains" to
speak to a notorious tyrant by the name of Boldin, to buy him.
Accordingly on the day of sale, Boldin was on hand and the successful
bidder for John. Being familiar with, the customs of this terrible
Boldin,--of the starving fare and cruel flogging usual on his farm, John
mustered courage to declare at the sale, that he "_would not serve
him_." In the hearing of his new master, he said, "_before I will serve
him I will_ CUT _my throat_!" The master smiled, and simply asked for a
rope; "had me tied and delivered into the hands of a constable," to be
sent over to the farm. Before reaching his destination, John managed to
untie his hands and feet and flee to the woods. For three days he
remained secreted. Once or twice he