Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

One day, when Mrs. Sands saw Benny, she immediately became fond of the boy and wondered to whom he belonged. Benny went home, angry with the strange woman because she had referred to him as a “negro.” Several days later, Mr. Sands told Martha that he wanted to take Harriet’s children to his home. He had told his wife that he was their father and that the children had no mother.

Mrs. Sands’s sister became fond of Ellen and offered to adopt her. When Martha reported to Harriet that the sisters wanted to take her children and raise them as their own, Harriet became indignant. She wanted Mr. Sands to keep the promise that he had made to free their children. Mr. Sands was surprised, claiming that he considered the children free. He also thought that it would have been better for them to go north, as Dr. Flint bragged that the children belonged to him. Mr. Sands suggested that Ellen go to some relatives of his to Brooklyn, where she would be cared for and sent to school. Harriet consented to the arrangement. Before Ellen left, she arranged for Phillip to bring her to visit her mother. Ellen, who did not remember her mother, was ecstatic to see her. She was also happy to go to a place where she could learn to read and write.

When the Flints found out Ellen had departed, they were displeased. Mrs. Flint resented the respect Mr. Sands showed his children, equating his sending Ellen away with someone stealing her daughter Emily Flint’s property.

After many months, there was no news of Ellen. With relief, six months later, Martha received a letter from Brooklyn from Mr. Sands’s young cousin, who confirmed that Ellen had arrived from Washington, D.C. She also said that Mr. Sands had “given her to [the girl], to be [her] little waiting maid” (213). Harriet was puzzled. Had he given Ellen to his cousin as property?

Aunt Nancy had always slept on the floor near Mrs. Flint’s bedroom, in case her mistress needed her. When she married, the Flints gave Nancy a small room in an outhouse with her husband, a sailor. However, Mrs. Flint soon began to demand that Nancy sleep again at her entryway.

Nancy was pregnant and gave birth prematurely from over-exertion. The baby died. Two weeks later, Mrs. Flint demanded that she return—Mrs. Flint had just given birth, and the child needed Nancy’s attention. Nancy gave birth prematurely six more times, while sleeping in Mrs. Flint’s doorway. All of these children also died. Eventually, Nancy broke down. Fear of losing her forced the Flints to let her sleep again in the outhouse. Nancy had two more children who also died.

Aunt Nancy’s influence was an important one on Harriet. While others encouraged her not to run away, Nancy always pressed Harriet to leave.

When Harriet had been in her hiding place for six years, Aunt Nancy developed paralysis and died. Mrs. Flint suddenly became sentimental about her death. She asked the clergyman if Nancy could be buried in the Flint family’s cemetery. The clergyman suggested that Mrs. Flint, who didn’t understand that Black people had feelings, should instead ask Martha. Grandmother Martha insisted that Nancy be buried with her own family. Uncle Phillip buried Nancy at his own expense. After Nancy died, Grandmother Martha talked to Harriet often about Nancy, while tears streaked “her furrowed cheeks” (220).

Harriet lived in her hiding place for seven years. The roof was falling into disrepair, but if Uncle Phillip removed the shingles to fix it, someone might see her. Moreover, Mr. Sands had agreed to send Benny north.

On New Year’s Day, Harriet learned that her friend Fanny, Aggie’s daughter, was to be sold to one master to pay off her master’s debts, while her four daughters would be sold to another. Fanny escaped. When Benny accidentally saw Fanny hiding “in her mother’s hut” (223), Grandmother Martha warned him not to tell anyone.

The day of Harriet’s escape finally arrived. Peter had discovered an opportunity for her to go to the North. He gave her two weeks to decide whether to leave. Harriet was afraid of leaving Benny in Dr. Flint’s power, but Peter reminded her that Benny was free and could go along. After consulting with Phillip, Harriet decided to go. Harriet tells the reader that she was to escape “in a vessel,” but she declines to reveal anything more (225).

Grandmother Martha asked Harriet to write another letter to Dr. Flint asking him to sell Harriet to her. Martha offered her house as collateral. Harriet refused the offer. Her freedom was her right—not a thing to be purchased.

Around this time, the town heard news about the murder of a fugitive slave named James. The story frightened Martha, who again tried to dissuade Harriet from leaving. Harriet agreed and gave her place on the vessel to Fanny.

Grandmother Martha was grateful that Harriet wasn’t leaving, but three days later, Martha was frenzied with worry because she had forgotten to lock the door of Harriet’s shed. The accident convinced Martha that Harriet had to leave to avoid being discovered.

Peter told the captain that he wanted to bring another woman aboard the northbound vessel. Benny was happy Harriet was going. She promised that they would be together again soon. As she spoke to her son, Grandmother Martha entered the room and gave Harriet “a small bag of money” (231).

While aboard the vessel, a sailor assured Harriet her that she would soon be reunited with her husband. She realized that the captain, an elderly man from the South, had probably told him this story. The captain took Harriet to Fanny, who was using Harriet’s alias, “Linda.” Fanny told Harriet about her suffering while hiding in her mother’s house. She was sad never to see her children again. Fanny then assured Harriet that she could trust the captain and the sailors. She had been aboard the vessel for three days and had only been treated kindly. One day, the captain told them that he had lost a brother who had been a slave trader. He was always ashamed to acknowledge his brother’s profession.

After ten days, the vessel approached Philadelphia. The captain advised them not to go ashore until late in the morning to avoid looking suspicious. The next day, Harriet went out on deck and called out to Fanny to come see the sunrise. It was the first time they had ever seen morning “on free soil” (237).