ttee saw that Robert's
views were in every word sound doctrine, and for further light asked him
some questions respecting the treatment he had received at the hands of
his mistress, not knowing but that he had received kindness from the
"weaker vessel;" while enduring suffering under his master; but Robert
assured them in answer to this inquiry that his mistress was a very
"ill, dissipated woman," and "was not calculated to sympathize with a
poor slave." Robert was next interviewed with regard to religious
matters, when it was ascertained that he bore the name of being a "local
preacher of the gospel of the Bethel Methodist denomination." Thus in
leaving slavery he had to forsake his wife and three children, kinfolks
and church, which arduous task but for the brutal conduct of the master
he might have labored in vain for strength to perform.

As he looked calmly back upon the past, and saw how he and the rest of
the slaves had been deprived of their just rights he could hardly
realize how Providence could suffer slave-holders to do as they had been
doing in trampling upon the poor and helpless slaves. Yet he had strong
faith that the Almighty would punish slave-holders severely for their
wickedness.

* * * * *

ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1858.

ALFRED S. THORNTON.

The subject of this sketch was a young man about twenty-two years of
age, of dark color, but bright intellectually. Alfred found no fault
with the ordinary treatment received at the hands of his master; he had
evidently been on unusually intimate terms with him. Nor was any fault
found with his mistress, so far as her treatment of him was concerned;
thus, comparatively, he was "happy and contented," little dreaming of
trader or a change of owners. One day, to his utter surprise, he saw a
trader with a constable approaching him. As they drew nearer and nearer
he began to grow nervous. What further took place will be given, as
nearly as possible, in Alfred's own words as follows:

"William Noland (a constable), and the trader was making right
up to me almost on my heels, and grabbed at me, they were so
near. I flew, I took off-my hat and run, took off my jacket and
run harder, took off my vest and doubled my pace, the constable
and the trader both on the chase hot foot. The trader fired two
barrels of his revolver after me, and cried out as loud as he
could call, G----d d----n, etc., bu