“Well, we niggers went to bed same as ever, and de house was shut up. I didn’t go to sleep, but tried to trus’ de Lord. De chillen was sleeping sound, and so was young mars and Mis’ Virginny, when I heard a little tap on de winder, and knew it was de signal. I got on my knees in de bed, and I prayed hard, and I prayed strong. Then I took my shoes in my hand, and crep’ frou de do’ into young mars’ room, and round to de hall-do’, and put my hand on de knob. ’Deed, miss, but my heart was a-beatin’; for, if de do’ should creak, we were lost. ‘Good Lord, don’t let it creak,’ I whispered, and turned de knob. Bress yo’ heart, honey! that do’ opened jest as soft as a white baby’s bref,--that do’ that had always screeched like a nigger when he’s hurt. I stepped into de hall, shet de do’ behind me, went down stairs, an’ out by de smoke-house, an’ dare they all were; but, if de good Lord hadn’t helped me, I shouldn’t have been among ’em. Bress de Lord! Hallelujah!” “But what did you do after you got to the smoke-house?” I asked. “Oh, I was de las’ one; so we started right off. It was snowing, and I couldn’t stop to put on my shoes; but I was a stout girl, gwine on fo’teen, and didn’t mind de cold, for I was gwine to be free.” “Weren’t you pursued?” “Oh, yes, miss! By and by we heard horses come pounding along. We were nigh de cross-roads where de woods was thick; so we crep’ under de branches of de fir-trees. Pretty soon young mars and de overseer come ’long, and stopped to wonder which road we had taken. They swore and cussed right smart for a while, and then took de aqueduct road to Georgetown. When they had been gone a little while, we crep’ out, and took de other road that led all ’round ’cross de creek to Washington. ’Bout morning we saw de Yankee tents, and at noon we was free, bress de Lord!” “Well, Jule, I’m much obliged for your story,” I said, rising to go, for auntie was calling me. “‘Deed, honey, you’s welcome. Always put yo’ trus’ in de Lord, chile, He’ll keep de do’ from creaking.’” As I went up stairs, she began to sing in a high key and with great fervor,-- “I’ll lub my Jesus till I die, _Hal_lelujah! He leaned from out de hebbenly sky, _Hal_lelujah!” --_Well-Spring._ * * * * * RECEIPTS FOR OCTOBER, 1880. MAINE, $227.79.