ars, neither his task, nor his hire
was diminished, but on the contrary his hire of late years had been
increased. He winced under the pressure, and gave himself up to the
study of the Underground Rail Road. While arrangements for fleeing were
pending, he broke the secret to his wife, Polly, in whom he trusted; she
being true to freedom, although sorrowing to part with him, threw no
obstacle in his way. Besides his wife, he had also two daughters, Amanda
A. and Mary Jane, both slaves. Nevertheless, having made up his mind not
to die a slave, he resolved to escape at all hazards.

Henderson belonged to the estate of A. Briggs, which was about to be
settled, and knowing that he was accounted on the inventory as personal
property, he saw that he too would be sold with the rest of the
movables, if he was not found among the missing.

He began to consider what he had endured as a slave, and came to the
conclusion that he had had a "rugged road to hoe all the way along" and
that he might have it much worse if he waited to be sold. The voice of
reason admonished him to escape for his life. In obeying this call he
suffered the loss of his wife, Julia, and two children, who were
fortunately free. Henderson was about thirty-one years of age, stout,
and of healthy appearance, worth in cash perhaps $1200.

William was thirty-four years of age, of a chestnut color, substantial
physical structure, and of good faculties. The man who professed to own
him he called William Taylor, and "he was a very hard man, one of the
kind which could not be pleased, nor give a slave a pleasant answer one
time in fifty." Being thoroughly sick of William Taylor, he fell in love
with the Underground Rail Road and Canada.

Mrs. Walker, the big fat woman, was thirty-eight years of age, and a
pleasant-looking person, of a very dark hue. Besides the struggles
already alluded to, she was obliged to leave her husband. Of her master
she declared that she could "say nothing good." His name was Arthur
Cooper, of Georgetown; she had never lived with him, however; for twenty
years she had hired her time, paying five dollars per month. When young
she scarcely thought of the gross wrongs that were heaped upon her; but
as she grew older, and thought more about her condition, she scouted the
idea that God had designed her to be a slave, and decided that she would
be one to leave Dixey in the first Underground Rail Road train that
might afford her the ch