hesaurdaynighsubsequenoourinerviewahewaer’sedge，basswenhomeomarksvillehenexday，beingsunday，heemployedhimselfinhisownroomwriingleersonehedirecedohecollecorofcusomsanewyork，anoherojudgemarvin，andanoheromessrsparkerandperryjoinlyheerwasheonewhichledomyrecoveryhesubscribedmyruename，buinheposinimaediwasnohewrierheleeriselfshowshaheconsideredhimself252

engagedinadangerousunderaking—nolesshanru

ing“heriskofhislife，ifdeeced”ididnoseeheleerbeforeiwasmailed，buhavesinceobainedacopy，whichishereinsered：

“bayouboeuf，augus15，1852

“mrwilliamperryormrcephasparker：

“genlemen—ihavingbeenalongimesinceihaveseenorheardfromyou，andnoknowinghayouareliving，iiswihuncerainyhaiwrieoyou，buhenecessiyofhecasemusbemyexcuse

“havingbeenbornfree，jusacrossheriverfromyou，iamcerainyoumusknowme，andiamherenowasveiwishyouoobainfreepapersforme，andforwardhemomeamarksville，louisiana，parishofavoyelles，andoblige“yours，solomonnorhup

“hewayicameobeasve，iwasakensickinwashingonciy，andwasinsensibleforsomeimewhenirecoveredmyreason，iwasrobbedofmyfreepapers，andinironsonmywayohissae，andhaveneverbeenableogeanyoowrieformeunilnow；andhehaiswriingformerunsheriskofhislifeifdeeced”

heallusionomyselfinheworkrecenlyissued，eniled“akeyouncleom’scabin，”conainshefirsparofhisleer，omiingheposneiherarehefullnamesofhegenlemenowhomiisdirecedcorreclysaed，herebeingaslighdiscrepancy，probablyaypographicalerroroheposmorehanohebodyofhecommunicaionamiindebedformyliberaion，aswillpresenlybeseen

whenbassreurnedfrommarksvilleheinformedmeofwhahehaddoneweconinuedourmidnighconsulaions，neverspeakingoeachoherhroughheday，excepingasiwasnecessaryabouhework

asnearlyashewasableoascerain，iwouldrequirewoweeksforheleeroreachsaraogainduecourseofmail，andhesamelenghofimeforanansweroreurnwihinsixweeks，ahefarhes，weconcluded，ananswerwouldarrive，ifiarrivedaallagreamanysuggesionswerenowmade，andagreadealofconversaionookpcebeweenus，asohemossafeandpropercourseopursueonreceipofhefreepapers

heywouldsandbeweenhimandharm，incasewewereoverakenandarresedleavinghecounryalogeheriwouldbenoinfringemenofw，howevermuchimighprovokeindividualhosiliy，oassisafreemanoregainhisfreedom

aheendoffourweekshewasagainamarksville，bunoanswerhadarrivediwassorelydisappoined，busillreconciledmyselfwihhereflecionhasufficienlenghofimehadnoyeepsed—haheremighhavebeendeys—andhaicouldnoreasonablyexpeconesosoonsix，seven，eigh，andenweekspassedby，however，andnohingcameiwasinafeverofsuspensewheneverbassvisiedmarksville，andcouldscarcelyclosemyeyesunilhisreurnfinallymymaser’shousewasfinished，andheimecamewhenbassmusleavemehenighbeforehisdeparureiwaswhollygivenupodespairihadclungohimasadrowningmanclingsohefloaingspar，knowingifishipsfromhisgrasphemusforeversinkbeneahhewavesheallglorioushope，uponwhichihadidsucheagerhold，

wascrumblingoashesinmyhandsifelasifsinkingdown，down，amidshebierwaersofsvery，fromheunfahomabledephsofwhichishouldneverriseagain

hegeneroushearofmyfriendandbenefacorwasouchedwihpiyahesighofmydisressheendeavoredocheermeup，promisingoreurnhedaybeforechrismas，andifnoinelligencewasreceivedinhemeanime，somefurhersepwouldbeunderakenoeffecourdesignheexhoredmeokeepupmyspiris—orelyuponhisconinuedefforsinmybehalf，assuringme，inmosearnesandimpressivenguage，hamyliberaionshould，fromhenceforh，behechiefobjecofhishoughs

inhisabsenceheimepassedslowlyindeedilookedforwardochrismaswihinenseanxieyandimpaienceihadabougivenupheexpecaionofreceivinganyansweroheleersheymighhavemiscarried，ormighhavebeenmisdirecedperhapshoseasaraoga，owhomheyhadbeenaddressed，werealldead；perhaps，engagedinheirpursuisheydidnoconsiderhefaeofanobscure，unhappybckmanofsufficienimporanceobenoicedmywholereliancewasinbasshefaihihadinhimwasconinuallyre255assuringme，andenabledmeosandupagainsheideofdisappoinmenhahadoverwhelmedme

sowhollywasiabsorbedinreflecinguponmysiuaionandprospecs，hahehandswihwhomiboredinhefieldofenobservedipaseywouldaskmeifiwassick，anduncleabram，andbob，andwileyfrequenlyexpressedacuriosiyoknowwhaicouldbehinkingabousoseadilybuievadedheirinquirieswihsomelighremark，andkepmyhoughslockedcloselyinmybreas