Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 36.djvu/292

276 We then proceeded on our way to Baltimore. One night we travelled some distance with a negro, who was very communicative, and proffered all sorts of information about the country, the Unionists, and "Secesh," as he called them: but he was too friendly to both sides for us to trust; though we knew we had friends thereabouts, and needed their assistance very much. In a few days, however, while traveling along in daytime, we were overtaken by a good and ignorant old darky, with whom we travelled for some distance (this was, perhaps, about twenty-five or thirty miles beyond Baltimore), from whom we learned all about the "Secesh" in the neighborhood. While with the old darky we saw in front a large frame building, standing about 150 yards from the road. We learned from the old man that it was the residence of one Dr. P., who owned slaves, and whose son was not in the Yankee army. With this, and other things told us by the old darky about the country, we were sure that we were at last among friends. As we passed in front of the house we saw sitting on the veranda three young ladies and a young man. However, we passed on with the old negro some distance beyond, when, to get rid of our new-made friend, we lay down by the roadside for a rest.

After the old negro had passed out of sight, we retraced our steps, and were soon again in front of the house, where the young man and young ladies were still to be seen on the veranda. During the whole of our trip, which had been made mostly at night, I had travelled barefooted. My shoes, which were thoroughly soaked in the salt water in crossing the bay, had become so hard that I could not wear them. But I had not been in the habit of calling on young ladies in that style, and though all the ends of my toes had been knocked off by the rocks, which are so numerous on those macadamized roads, I crammed my feet into the old shoes and proceeded to call on the young ladies. But, oh, how my feet did suffer! I tried to keep from limping, but it was impossible. Marable was in better shape. His shoes did not hurt him. As we approached the house, the young