Carefully counting the money and rolling it out, dollar by dollar, he would look me in the face, as if he would search my heart as well as my pocket, and reproachfully ask me, "_Is that all_ ?"--implying that I had, perhaps, kept back part of my wages; or, if not so, the demand was made, possibly, to make me feel, that, after all, I was an "unprofitable servant." Draining me of the last cent of my hard earnings, he would, however, occasionally--when I brought{252} home an extra large sum--dole out to me a sixpence or a shilling, with a view, perhaps, of kindling up my gratitude; but this practice had the opposite effect--it was an admission of _my right to the whole sum_.

The fact, that he gave me any part of my wages, was proof that he suspected that I had a right _to the whole of them_.

I always felt uncomfortable, after having received anything in this way, for I feared that the giving me a few cents, might, possibly, ease his conscience, and make him feel himself a pretty honorable robber, after all! Held to a strict account, and kept under a close watch--the old suspicion of my running away not having been entirely removed--escape from slavery, even in Baltimore, was very difficult.

The railroad from Baltimore to Philadelphia was under regulations so stringent, that even _free_ colored travelers were almost excluded.

They must have _free_ papers; they must be measured and carefully examined, before they were allowed to enter the cars; they only went in the day time, even when so examined.