Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/131

Rh he would not give them up, but still continue to be their paternal lord and master; that he would annul the declaration which made them free.

“You do not understand what I have done for you,” replied Bernsdorf; “but you will understand it at some future time, and your children will understand it and thank me.”

And he maintained that which he had done. And he did more, inasmuch as he established schools and other institutions for the improvement of his dependents, and prepared them, by these means, properly to avail themselves of their freedom.

Once more, my little Agatha, am I in the “Friends” city, after a beautiful day's sail on Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware, disturbed only by strange ladies who asked and asked again the usual senseless questions. Ah, if they only knew how they tormented me, how much I required silence and rest, they would leave me at peace. I am so worn out by the life of excitement, and by the heat in Washington. I must endeavour to regain my strength by the sea. The gentlemen were much better; I met with some sensible kind people amongst them.

Professor Hart came on board to meet me at Philadelphia, and took me to his house, where I now am, as a member of the family.

In company with Lucretia Mott I visited several families of free negroes in this city, among the rest the negro minister of an Episcopal Church here; he was a tall, good-tempered, and most respectable man, a daguerreotypist, and spoke French and some other languages very well. These free negroes strike me in the same way as the slaves; they are good-natured and full of feeling, with a deal of imitative power and great originality, but their excellent qualities are of quite a