ince their arrival, they have been
enjoying this lady's kindness, as well as the excellent equal Free
School privileges of Boston. The girl, in the Grammar School (chiefly
composed of whites), has already distinguished herself, having received
a diploma, with an excellent certificate of character; and the boy,
naturally very apt, has made astonishing progress."

The "boy of twelve," alluded to, was not Mary's brother. He was quite a
genius of his age, who had escaped from Norfolk, stowed away in a
schooner and was known by the name of "Dick Page."

On arriving in Philadelphia, Dick was delivered, as usual, into the
hands of the Committee. The extraordinary smartness of the little fellow
(only ten years old), astonished all who saw him. The sympathies of a
kind-hearted gentleman and his wife, living in Philadelphia, had been
deeply awakened in his behalf, through their relative and friend, Mrs.
Hilliard, in whose family, as has been already stated, the boy's aunt
lived. So much were these friends interested to secure Dick's freedom,
that they often contemplated buying him, although they did not like the
idea of buying, as the money would go into the pocket of the master, who
they considered had no just right to deprive any individual of his
freedom. So when Dick arrived the Committee felt that it was as little
as they could do, to give these friends the pleasure of seeing the
little Underground Rail Road passenger. He was therefore conveyed to the
residence of Prof. J.P. Lesley. He could not have been sent to a house
in the great city of Brotherly Love, where he would have found a more
cordial and sincere reception. After passing an hour or so with them,
Dick was brought away, but he had been so touched by their kindness,
that he felt that he must see them again, before leaving the city; so
just before sundown, one evening, he was missed; search was made for
him, but in vain. Great anxiety was felt for him, fearing that he was
lost. During the early part of the evening, the writer, with a bell in
hand, passed up one street and down another, in quest of the stranger,
but no one could give any information of him. Finally about ten o'clock,
the mayor's office was visited with a view of having the police stations
telegraphed. Soon the mystery was solved; one of the policemen stated
that he had noticed a strange colored boy with Professor Lesley's
children. Hastening to the residence of the professor, sure enough, Dick
w