it to speak of me to several gentlemen of his
acquaintance, and one of them exprest a particular desire to see me.--He
had a great mind to buy me; but the Captain could not immediately be
prevail'd on to part with me; but however, as the gentleman seem'd very
solicitous, he at length let me go, and I was sold for fifty dollars
(_four and sixpenny-pieces in English_). My new master's name was
Vanhorn, a young Gentleman; his home was in New-England in the City of
New-York; to which place he took me with him. He dress'd me in his
livery, and was very good to me. My chief business was to wait at table,
and tea, and clean knives, and I had a very easy place; but the servants
us'd to curse and swear surprizingly; which I learnt faster than any
thing, 'twas almost the first English I could speak. If any of them
affronted me, I was sure to call upon God to damn them immediately; but
I was broke of it all at once, occasioned by the correction of an old
black servant that liv'd in the family--One day I had just clean'd the
knives for dinner, when one of the maids took one to cut bread and
butter with; I was very angry with her, and called upon God to damn her;
when this old black man told me I must not say so. I ask'd him why? He
replied there was a wicked man call'd the Devil, that liv'd in hell, and
would take all that said these words, and put them in the fire and burn
them.--This terrified me greatly, and I was entirely broke of
swearing.--Soon after this, as I was placing the china for tea, my
mistress came into the room just as the maid had been cleaning it; the
girl had unfortunately sprinkled the wainscot with the mop; at which my
mistress was angry; the girl very foolishly answer'd her again, which
made her worse, and she call'd upon God to damn her.--I was vastly
concern'd to hear this, as she was a fine young lady, and very good to
me, insomuch that I could not help speaking to her, "Madam, says I, you
must not say so," Why, says she? Because there is a black man call'd the
Devil that lives in hell, and he will put you in the fire and burn you,
and I shall be very sorry for that. Who told you this replied my lady?
Old Ned, says I. Very well was all her answer; but she told my master of
it, and he order'd that old Ned should be tyed up and whipp'd, and was
never suffer'd to come into the kitchen with the rest of the servants
afterwards.--My mistress was not angry with me, but rather diverted with
my simplicity and, by way