第6章 Chapter II.(2)
With the evidence of freedom in my possession， thenext day after our arrival in New-York， we crossed theferry to Jersey City， and took the road to Philadelphia.
Here we remained one night， continuing our journeytowards Baltimore early in the morning. In due time， wearrived in the latter city， and stopped at a hotel near therailroad depot， either kept by a Mr. Rathbone， or knownas the Rathbone House. All the way from New-York，their anxiety to reach the circus seemed to grow moreand more intense. We left the carriage at Baltimore， andentering the cars， proceeded to Washington， at whichplace we arrived just at nightfall， the evening previous to the funeral of General Harrison， and stopped at Gadsby’sHotel， on Pennsylvania Avenue.
After supper they called me to their apartments，and paid me forty-three dollars， a sum greater thanmy wages amounted to， Which act of generosity was inconsequence， they said， of their not having exhibitedas often as they had given me to anticipate， during ourtrip from Saratoga. They moreover informed me that ithad been the intention of the circus company to leaveWashington the next morning， but that on account of thefuneral， they had concluded to remain another day. Theywere then， as they had been from the time of our firstmeeting， extremely kind. No opportunity was omittedof addressing me in the language of approbation； while，on the other hand， I was certainly much prepossessed intheir favor. I gave them my confidence without reserve，and would freely have trusted them to almost any extent.
Their constant conversation and manner towards me—their foresight in suggesting the idea of free papers， anda hundred other little acts， unnecessary to be repeated—all indicated that they were friends indeed， sincerelysolicitous for my welfare. I know not but they were. Iknow not but they were innocent of the great wickednessof which I now believe them guilty. Whether they wereaccessory to my misfortunes—subtle and inhumanmonsters in the shape of men—designedly luring me awayfrom home and family， and liberty， for the sake of gold—those who read these pages will have the same means of determining as myself. If they were innocent， my suddendisappearance must have been unaccountable indeed；but revolving in my mind all the attending circumstances，I never yet could indulge， towards them， so charitable asupposition.
After receiving the money from them， of which theyappeared to have an abundance， they advised me notto go into the streets that night， inasmuch as I wasunacquainted with the customs of the city. Promising toremember their advice， I left them together， and soonafter was shown by a colored servant to a sleeping roomin the back part of the hotel， on the ground floor. I laiddown to rest， thinking of home and wife， and children，and the long distance that stretched between us， until Ifell asleep. But no good angel of pity came to my bedside，bidding me to fly—no voice of mercy forewarned me inmy dreams of the trials that were just at hand.
The next day there was a great pageant in Washington.
The roar of cannon and the tolling of bells filled the air，while many houses were shrouded with crape， and thestreets were black with people. As the day advanced， theprocession made its appearance， coming slowly throughthe Avenue， carriage after carriage， in long succession，while thousands upon thousands followed on foot—allmoving to the sound of melancholy music. They werebearing the dead body of Harrison to the grave.
From early in the morning， I was constantly in thecompany of Hamilton and Brown. They were the only persons I knew in Washington. We stood together as thefuneral pomp passed by. I remember distinctly how thewindow glass would break and rattle to the ground， aftereach report of the cannon they were firing in the burialground. We went to the Capitol， and walked a long timeabout the grounds. In the afternoon， they strolled towardsthe President’s House， all the time keeping me near tothem， and pointing out various places of interest. As yet， Ihad seen nothing of the circus. In fact， I had thought of itbut little， if at all， amidst the excitement of the day.