their way at once to the heart, and which filled the whole party with gladness, "Be quiet, and don't be afraid. You are now amongst friends, and I will

take care of you."

Katy was a godly woman who knew the value and the power of prayer. Years ago she had put her trust in God and yielded herself up to His service. She rested upon the precious promises of His holy Word, and doubted not that God would be gracious to them. All through this wearisome and hazardous journey she had committed herself and her loved ones in unceasing intercession to the care and guidance of a gracious Providence, frequently turning aside to some bushy shelter to make known her requests unto God by prayer and supplication. And now Katy thankfully recognized the leadings of that Providence, and gratefully acknowledged the answer to her prayers. For had not God kindly preserved them from their pursuers, and kept them from falling into the hands of the slave-hunters? And had He not brought them, "by a way that they knew not and by paths they had not known," to a place of safety, and into the hands of kind friends?

Yes, so it was. The wearied fugitives had found their way into Pennsylvania; and they had been guided to the care of a God-fearing man who made it the chief business of his life to succour and befriend such wayfarers as they were. The person who had discovered them on his farm was, happily for them, one of the agents of what was called "the Under

ground Railroad," and his house was one of the stations nearest to the slave land, where fugitives were received and succoured and forwarded on the way to freedom. Katy thought it no fanaticism to recognize in all this an answer to the prayers she had been continually offering up to God from the beginning of their flight, and long before. She felt that the hand of the Lord had been upon her and her charge for good, and that He had led them by the right way.

After he had briefly inspected the group, the stranger closed the lantern, and inviting them to follow him led the way towards a light which now, for the first time, they saw gleaming over the fields before them. After walking about a mile they arrived at the house from whose windows the light shone out upon the darkness, that weary way-worn travellers like themselves, fleeing from the slave-land and its horrors, might be attracted to the spot where a kind and generous hospitality awaited them at the hands of a Christian people, who well understood the gracious words: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

The house that now reared its front before them was their benefactor's residence, but he thought it would be safer to conduct them to the barn which was close at hand, rather than introduce them to the house. Unlocking the barn door and urging them all to maintain perfect silence, he directed them to a

spacious hay-mow, where the hay had evidently been prepared for such uses as it was now made to serve, and adapted to sleeping purposes rather than to the feeding of cattle. Having seen them well disposed of far back upon the mow, where it sloped away from the front in such a manner as to afford the most perfect concealment from intruders that might chance to enter the barn, their friend inquired in the kindest manner if any of them were hungry? Katy said that the soft, kind, pitying tones of this good man fell upon her heart as if they were drops from heaven, producing an overwhelming sense of gratitude and tenderness, and melting her into a flood of tears. All lingering doubts concerning the purposes of him into whose hands they had been brought were now banished, and feeling that they had truly fallen among kind friends and not enemies, she gave way to an uncontrollable burst of feeling, and confessed that none but the children had tasted food for two whole days.

Directing them to remain perfectly quiet, and not to answer anyone but himself should they be spoken to from outside, their protector departed, carefully locking the door after him, having assured them that he would soon be back with the food they required. Gathering from their host's manner and the caution he used that spies and foes might be lurking around, the fugitives maintained unbroken silence, even the little ones giving utterance to no word or sound. Departing noiselessly after securing the door, with

the dark lantern carefully closed, the gentleman examined the premises all around and then entered the house, satisfied that he and his guests were free from all impertinent observation.

About half an hour had elapsed when the barn door was quietly unlocked, and the fugitives heard their benefactor enter and close the door. He was accompanied by his wife, and was the bearer of a large bucket of hot milk, with bread and meat and warm smoking potatoes. The lady came bearing a pail of hot water, in which to wash the children's feet; which she knew from past experience would be found torn and blistered from long hard travel. She also came provided with a supply of old cloth and ointment, to apply to the bleeding, swollen feet of the wanderers.

For years none of these fugitives had ever heard a kindly word from the lips of a white person; and now to be treated by white people with all this kindness and attention ! They could scarcely comprehend it. It was a contrast of which they had never dreamed. These good Samaritans ministered lovingly to the wants of their guests. The gentleman dealt out the food-but in small quantities at firstwhich the famished creatures devoured with eager thankfulness. Two days without a morsel of food! It is more easy to conceive than to describe the ravenous delight with which they received the providential supply, scarcely able to understand how it was that for a while it was sparingly dealt out to