Glen. I’ve been as far as the overseer’s house, and all is quiet. Now, Melinda, as you are my wife, I will confide to you a secret. I’ve long been thinking of making my escape to Canada, and taking you with me. It is true that I don’t belong to your master, but he might buy me from Hamilton, and then sell me out of the neighborhood.
Melinda. But we could never succeed in the attempt to escape.
Glen. We will make the trial, and show that we at least deserve success. There is a slave trader expected here next week, and Dr. Gaines would sell you at once if he knew that we were married. We must get ready and start, and if we can pass the Ohio river, we’ll be safe on the road to Canada.
[Exit, R.
Scene 4.—Dining-Room.
Rev. Mr. Pinchen giving Mrs. Gaines an account of his experience as a minister—Hannah clearing away the breakfast table—Sampey standing behind Mrs. Gaines’ chair.
Mrs. Gaines. Now, do give me more of your experience, brother Pinchen. It always does my soul good to hear religious experience. It draws me nearer and nearer to the Lord’s side. I do love to hear good news from God’s people.
Mr. Pinchen. Well, sister Gaines, I’ve had great opportunities in my time to study the heart of man. I’ve attended a great many camp-meetings, revival meetings, protracted meetings, and death-bed scenes, and I am satisfied, sister Gaines, that the heart of man is full of sin, and desperately wicked. This is a wicked world, sister Gaines, a wicked world.
Mrs. G. Were you ever in Arkansas, brother Pinchen? I’ve been told that the people out there are very ungodly.
Mr. P. Oh, yes, sister Gaines. I once spent a year at Little Rock, and preached in all the towns round about there; and I found some hard cases out there, I can tell you. I was once spending a week in a district where there were a great many horse thieves, and one night, somebody stole my pony. Well, I knowed it was no use to make a fuss, so I told brother Tarbox to say nothing about it, and I’d get my horse by preaching God’s everlasting gospel; for I had faith in the truth, and knowed that my Savior would not let me lose my pony. So the next Sunday I preached on horse-stealing, and told the brethren to come up in the evenin’ with their hearts filled with the grace of God. So that night the house was crammed brim full with anxious souls, panting for the bread of life. Brother Bingham opened with prayer, and brother Tarbox followed, and I saw right off that we were gwine to have a blessed time. After I got ’em pretty well warmed up, I jumped on to one of the seats, stretched out my hands, and said, “I know who stole my pony; I’ve found out; and you are in here tryin’ to make people believe that you’ve got religion; but you ain’t got it. And if you don’t take my horse back to brother Tarbox’s pasture this very night, I’ll tell your name right out in meetin’ to-morrow night. Take my pony back, you vile and wretched sinner, and come up here and give your heart to God.” So the next mornin’, I went out to brother Tarbox’s pasture, and sure enough, there was my bob-tail pony. Yes, sister Gaines, there he was, safe and sound. Ha, ha, ha.