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Introduction | |
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Notes to the Introduction | |
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Suggestions for Further Reading | |
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Editor's Preface | |
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Introduction | |
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The Author's Childhood | |
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Place of Birth | |
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Character of the District | |
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Time of Birth--My Grandparents | |
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Character of my Grandmother | |
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The Log Cabin--Its Charms | |
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First Knowledge of being a Slave | |
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Old Master--Griefs and Joys of Childhood | |
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Comparative Happiness of the Slave-Boy and his White Brother | |
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The Author Removed From His First Home | |
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The name "Old Master" a Terror | |
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Home Attractions--Dread of being removed from Tuckahoe | |
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The Journey to Col. Lloyd's Plantation | |
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Scene on reaching Old Master's | |
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First Meeting with my Brothers and Sisters | |
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Departure of Grandmother--Author's Grief | |
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The Author's Parentage | |
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Author's Father shrouded in Mystery | |
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My Mother--Her Personal Appearance | |
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Her Situation--Visits to her Boy | |
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Cruelty of "Aunt Katy"--Threatened Starvation | |
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My Mother's Interference | |
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Her Death | |
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Her Love of Knowledge | |
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Penalty for having a White Father | |
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A General Survey of the Slave Plantation | |
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Slaveholding Cruelty restrained by Public Opinion | |
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Isolation of Lloyd's Plantation | |
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Beyond the reach of Public Opinion | |
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Religion and Politics alike Excluded | |
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Natural and Artificial Charms of the Place | |
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The "Great House" | |
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Etiquette among Slaves | |
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The Comic Slave-Doctor | |
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Praying and Flogging | |
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Business of Old Master | |
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Sufferings from Hunger | |
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Jargon of the Plantation | |
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Family of Col. Lloyd--Mas' Daniel | |
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Family of Old Master--Social Position | |
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Gradual Initiation Into the Mysteries of Slavery | |
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Growing Acquaintance with Old Master--His Character | |
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Evils of Unrestrained Passion--A Man of Trouble | |
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Supposed Obtuseness of Slave-Children | |
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Brutal Outrage on my Aunt Milly by a drunken Overseer | |
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Slaveholders' Impatience at Appeals against Cruelty | |
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Wisdom of appealing to Superiors | |
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Attempt to break up a Courtship | |
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Slavery destroys all Incentives to a Virtuous Life | |
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A Harrowing Scene | |
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Treatment of Slaves on Lloyd's Plantation | |
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The Author's Early Reflections on Slavery | |
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Conclusions at which he Arrived | |
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Presentiment of one day being a Freeman | |
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Combat between an Overseer and a Slave-Woman | |
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Nelly's noble Resistance | |
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Advantages of Resistance | |
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Mr. Sevier, the brutal Overseer, and his Successors | |
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Allowance-day on the Home Plantation | |
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The Singing of the Slaves no Proof of Contentment | |
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Food and Clothing of the Slaves | |
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Naked Children | |
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Nursing Children carried to the Field | |
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Description of the Cowskin | |
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Manner of making the Ash Cake--The Dinner Hour | |
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Contrast at the Great House | |
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Life in the Great House | |
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Comfort and Luxuries--Elaborate Expenditure | |
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Men and Maid Servants--Black Aristocracy | |
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Stable and Carriage House | |
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Deceptive Character of Slavery | |
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Slaves and Slaveholders alike Unhappy | |
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Fretfulness and Capriciousness of Slaveholders | |
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Whipping of Old Barney by Col. Lloyd | |
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William Wilks, a supposed son of Col. Lloyd | |
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Curious Incident--Penalty of telling the Truth | |
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Preference of Slaves for Rich Masters | |
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A Chapter of Horrors | |
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Austin Gore--Sketch of his Character | |
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Absolute Power of Overseers | |
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Murder of Denby--How it Occurred | |
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How Gore made Peace with Col. Lloyd | |
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Murder of a Slave-girl by Mrs. Hicks | |
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No Laws for the Protection of Slaves can be Enforced | |
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Personal Treatment of the Author | |
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Miss Lucretia Auld--Her Kindness | |
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A Battle with "Ike," and its Consequences | |
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Beams of Sunlight | |
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Suffering from Cold--How we took our Meals | |
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Orders to prepare to go to Baltimore--Extraordinary Cleansing | |
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Cousin Tom's Description of Baltimore | |
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The Journey | |
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Arrival at Baltimore | |
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Kindness of my new Mistress--Little Tommy | |
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A Turning Point in my History | |
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Life in Baltimore | |
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City Annoyances--Plantation Regrets | |
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My Improved Condition | |
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Character of my new Master, Hugh Auld | |
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My Occupation--Increased Sensitiveness | |
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Commencement of Learning to Read--Why Discontinued | |
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Master Hugh's Exposition of the true Philosophy of Slavery | |
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Increased Determination to Learn | |
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Contrast between City and Plantation Slaves | |
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Mrs. Hamilton's Brutal Treatment of her Slaves | |
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"A Change Came O'er the Spirit of My Dream" | |
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Knowledge Acquired by Stealth | |
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My Mistress--Her Slaveholding Duties | |
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Deplorable Effects on her Character | |
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How I pursued my Education--My Tutors | |
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My Deliberations on the Character of Slavery | |
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The Columbian Orator and its Lessons | |
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Speeches of Chatham, Sheridan, Pitt, and Fox | |
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Knowledge ever Increasing--My Eyes Opened | |
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How I pined for Liberty | |
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Dissatisfaction of my poor Mistress | |
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Religious Nature Awakened | |
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Abolitionists spoken of | |
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Eagerness to know what the word meant | |
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The Enigma solved--Turner's Insurrection | |
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First Awakened on the subject of Religion | |
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My Friend Lawson--His Character and Occupation | |
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Comfort Derived from his Teaching | |
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New Hopes and Aspirations | |
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The Irishmen on the Wharf--Their Sympathy | |
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How I learned to Write | |
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The Vicissitudes of Slave Life | |
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Death of Young Master Richard | |
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Author's Presence required at the Division of Old Master's Property | |
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Attachment of Slaves to their Homes | |
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Sad Prospects and Grief | |
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General Dread of Master Andrew--His Cruelty | |
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Return to Baltimore--Death of Mistress Lucretia | |
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My poor old Grandmother--Her sad Fate | |
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Second Marriage of Master Thomas | |
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Again Removed from Master Hugh's | |
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Regrets at Leaving Baltimore | |
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A Plan of Escape Entertained | |
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Experience in St. Michael's | |
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The Village and its Inhabitants | |
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Meteoric Phenomena--Author's Impressions | |
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Character of my new Master and Mistress | |
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Allowance of Food--Sufferings from Hunger | |
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Stealing and its Vindication | |
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A new Profession of Faith | |
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Morality of Free Society has no Application to Slave Society | |
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Southern Camp-Meeting--Master Thomas professes Conversion | |
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Hopes and Suspicions | |
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The Result--Faith and Works entirely at Variance | |
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No more Meal brought from the Mill--Methodist Preachers | |
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Their utter Disregard of the Slaves--An Exception | |
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A Sabbath School Instituted | |
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How broken up and by whom | |
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Cruel Treatment of Cousin Henny by Master Thomas | |
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Differences with Master Thomas, and the Consequences | |
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Edward Covey--His Character | |
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Covey, the Negro Breaker | |
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Journey to my new Master's | |
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Meditations by the way | |
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View of Covey's Residence--The Family | |
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Awkwardness as a Field Hand | |
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First Adventure at Ox Driving | |
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Unruly Animals--Hair-breadth Escapes | |
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Oxen and Men--Points of Similarity | |
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Sent back to the Woods | |
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Covey's Manner of proceeding to Whip | |
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His Cunning and Trickery--Severe Labor | |
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Family Worship | |
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Shocking Contempt for Chastity--An Illustration | |
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Author Broken Down--His only Leisure Time | |
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Freedom of the Ships and his own Slavery Contrasted | |
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Anguish beyond Description | |
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Another Pressure of the Tyrant's Vice | |
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Experience at Covey's summed up | |
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Scene in the Treading Yard | |
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Author taken Ill | |
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Unusual Brutality of Covey | |
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Escape to St. Michael's--Suffering in the Woods | |
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Circumstances Narrated to Master Thomas--His Bearing | |
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The Case Prejudged--Driven back to Covey's | |
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The Last Flogging | |
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A Sleepless Night--Return to Covey's | |
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His Conduct--Again Escape to the Woods | |
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Deplorable Spectacle--Night in the Woods | |
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An Alarm--A Friend, not an Enemy | |
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Sandy's Hospitality--The Ash Cake Supper | |
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A Conjuror--His Advice--The Magic Root | |
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Want of Faith--The Talisman Accepted | |
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Meeting with Covey--His Sunday Face | |
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His Manner on Monday--A Defensive Resolve | |
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A Rough and Tumble Fight | |
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Unexpected Resistance | |
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Covey's Ineffectual Commands for Assistance | |
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The Victory and its Results | |
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Effects upon my own Character | |
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New Relations and Duties | |
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Change of Masters--Resolve to Fight my Way | |
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Ability to read a cause of Prejudice | |
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Manner of Spending the Holidays | |
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The Effects--Sharp hit at Slavery | |
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A Device of Slavery | |
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Difference between Master Freeland and Covey | |
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An Irreligious Master Preferred--The Reasons Why | |
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The Reverend Rigby Hopkins | |
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Catalogue of Floggable Offenses | |
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Rivalry among Slaves Encouraged | |
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Improved Condition at Freeland's | |
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Reasons for continued Discontent | |
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Congenial Society--The Sabbath School | |
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Its Members--Necessity for Secrecy | |
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Affectionate Relations of Master and Pupils | |
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Confidence and Friendship among Slaves | |
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Slavery the Inviter of Vengeance | |
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The Run-Away Plot | |
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New Year's Thoughts and Reflections | |
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Again hired by Freeland | |
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Still Devising Plans for gaining Freedom | |
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A Solemn Vow--Plan Divulged to the Slaves | |
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Arguments in its Support--The Scheme gains Favor | |
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Danger of Discovery--Difficulty of Concealment | |
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Skill of Slaveholders--Suspicion and Coercion | |
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Hymns with a Double Meaning | |
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Author's Confederates--His Influence over them | |
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Preliminary Consultations--Pass-Words | |
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Conflict of Hopes and Fears--Ignorance of Geography | |
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Survey of Imaginary Difficulties | |
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Effect upon our Minds | |
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Sandy becomes a Dreamer | |
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Route to the North laid out--Objections Considered | |
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Frauds Practiced on Freemen--Passes Written | |
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Anxieties as the Time drew near | |
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Appeals to Comrades--A Presentiment | |
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The Betrayal Discovered | |
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Manner of Arresting us | |
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Resistance made by Henry Harris--Its Effects | |
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Unique Speech of Mrs. Freeland | |
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Our Sad Procession to Easton | |
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Passes Eaten--The Examination at St. Michael's | |
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No Evidence Produced--Who was the Betrayer? | |
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Dragged behind Horses--The Jail a Relief | |
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A New set of Tormentors | |
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Release of my Companions | |
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Author taken out of Prison and sent to Baltimore | |
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Apprenticeship Life | |
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Nothing Lost by the Attempt to Run Away | |
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Reasons for sending the Author Away | |
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Unlooked for Clemency in Master Thomas | |
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Return to Baltimore--Change in Little Tommy | |
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Trials in Gardiner's Ship Yard | |
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Desperate Fight with the White Apprentices | |
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Conflict between White and Black Labor | |
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Description of the Outrage | |
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Conduct of Master Hugh | |
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Testimony of a Colored Man Nothing | |
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Spirit of Slavery in Baltimore | |
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Author's Condition Improves | |
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New Associates--Benefits derived therefrom | |
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How to make a Contented Slave | |
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My Escape from Slavery | |
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Manner of Escape not given--Reasons why | |
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Craftiness and Malice of Slaveholders | |
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Want of Wisdom in Publishing Details of Escape | |
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Suspicions Implied by Master Hugh's Manner | |
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Difficulty of Escape--Discontent | |
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Author allowed to Hire his Time | |
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A Gleam of Hope--Hard Terms | |
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Author attends Camp Meeting without Permission | |
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Anger of Master Hugh thereat | |
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Plans of Escape Accelerated thereby | |
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Painful Thoughts of Separation from Friends | |
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The Attempt made--Its Success | |
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Liberty Attained | |
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Author a Wanderer in New York--Feelings on Reaching that City | |
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An Old Acquaintance met | |
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Unfavorable Impressions--Loneliness and Insecurity | |
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Apology for Slaves who Return to their Masters | |
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Make known my Condition--David Ruggles | |
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Author's Marriage--Removal to New Bedford | |
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Kindness of Nathan Johnson--Change of Name | |
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Dark Notions of Northern Civilization enlightened | |
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Contrast between the North and the South | |
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Colored People in New Bedford | |
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An Incident Illustrating their Spirit | |
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The Author finds Employment | |
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Denied Work at his Trade | |
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The first Winter at the North | |
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Proscription in the Church | |
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An Incident at the Communion Table | |
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First Acquaintance with the Liberator | |
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Character of its Editor | |
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Prompt Attendance at Anti-Slavery Meetings | |
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Introduced to the Abolitionists | |
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Anti-Slavery Convention at Nantucket | |
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Author's First Speech | |
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Becomes a Public Lecturer | |
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Youthful Enthusiasm | |
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Difficulties in his Position | |
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His Fugitive Slaveship Doubted | |
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Publishes his Narrative--Danger of Recapture | |
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Advised not to Publish his Story | |
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Twenty-one Months in Great Britain | |
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Good arising out of Unpropitious Events | |
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Embarks for England--Denied Cabin Passage | |
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Mob on board the Cambria--Happy Introduction to the British Public | |
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Letter to Mr. Garrison | |
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"We don't allow Niggers in here" | |
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Time and Labors Abroad | |
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Freedom Purchased--Free Papers | |
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Abolitionists Displeased with the Ransom | |
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How the Author's Energies were Directed in Great Britain | |
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Reception Speech in Finsbury Chapel, London | |
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Character of the Speech Defended | |
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Causes Contributing to my Success | |
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The Free Church of Scotland--Its Position | |
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Agitation of the Slavery Question | |
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Debates in the General Assembly--"Send back the Money" | |
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Dr. Cunningham's Speech--A Striking Incident | |
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The World's Temperance Convention--Collision with Dr. Cox | |
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Proposed Testimonial to the Author | |
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Project of Establishing a Newspaper | |
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Return to America--Again Denied Cabin Passage | |
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Various Incidents | |
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Unexpected Opposition to my Newspaper Enterprise | |
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The Objections to it--Their Plausibility Admitted | |
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Motives for going to Rochester | |
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A Change of Opinions--Causes leading to it | |
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Prejudice against Color--The "Jim Crow Car" | |
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An Amusing Domestic Scene | |
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The Author in High Company | |
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Elevation of the Free People of Color--Pledge for the Future | |
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Extracts from Speeches, etc. | |
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Reception Speech at Finsbury Chapel, Moorfields, England | |
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Letter to His Old Master | |
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The Nature of Slavery | |
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Inhumanity of Slavery | |
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What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? | |
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The Internal Slave Trade | |
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The Slavery Party | |
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The Anti-Slavery Movement | |
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Explanatory Notes | |