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Rh horseback. One day, when mother gave me my dinner, she said, ‘Charley, all my children gone but you, and Massa’s done gone and sold you, and I’ll never see you ’gin.’ ‘Guess not, mother, he promised you to keep me always;’ but she said, ‘I heard him tell the trader he’ll send you to town Monday morning, and he must put you in jail.’ Well, I was afraid to tell mother what I wrould do, because maybe somebody would hear, so I couldn’t say good-bye to my poor old mother, but next morning master’s best horse and I were 50 miles away towards Wheeling. Hid in the woods all day, at night left the horse loose in the woods and went on as well as I could. Did not go through the towns, went round, then found the road and went on. Found corn in the fields, and some apples, and got to Wheeling in about 14 or 15 days. Was almost starved, went into the City Hotel before daylight. The landlord was up, and I asked him for some bread. He looked at me and said, ‘You are a runaway.’ I began to say ‘no,’ but he said, ‘Go with me!’ We went to the barn, and he said, ‘Do you know whose horse that is?’ Then I owned up, and begged him to let me go and not tell master. He then read to me an advertisement, offering $500 reward for me. Then I thought, it’s no use trying—-must go back, sold! sold! Oh! I wanted to die; but the man said, ‘See here! you see that house beyond that lot?’ ‘Yes, master,’ I said. ‘You go there and tell them I said they must take care of you, and give you something to eat.’ Then he looked so happy, and I wanted to lie down and kiss his feet; but it was getting light. ‘Hurry,’ said he, ‘go right in the back door.’ When I got in I could see nobody but a sick woman on a bed. I told what the man said, and soon I heard horses running up the road, and looking out, saw my master and another man coming. I began to cry,