Двенадцать лет рабства

           Duringcourtweeks,andonpublicoccasions,shewasemployedathighwagesinthekitchenatSherrill’sCoffeeHouse. 

           Wealwaysreturnedhomefromtheperformanceoftheseserviceswithmoneyinourpockets; sothat,withfiddling,cooking,andfarming,wesoonfoundourselvesinthepossessionofabundance,and,infact,leadingahappyandprosperouslife. Well,indeed,wouldithavebeenforushadweremainedonthefarmatKingsbury; butthetimecamewhenthenextstepwastobetakentowardsthecrueldestinythatawaitedme. 

           InMarch,1834,weremovedtoSaratogaSprings.WeoccupiedahousebelongingtoDanielO’Brien,onthenorthsideofWashingtonstreet. AtthattimeIsaacTaylorkeptalargeboardinghouse,knownasWashingtonHall,atthenorthendofBroadway. Heemployedmetodriveahack,inwhichcapacityIworkedforhimtwoyears. AfterthistimeIwasgenerallyemployedthroughthevisitingseason,asalsowasAnne,intheUnitedStatesHotel,andotherpublichousesoftheplace. InwinterseasonsIrelieduponmyviolin,thoughduringtheconstructionoftheTroyandSaratogarailroad,Iperformedmanyharddays’laboruponit. 

           Iwasinthehabit,atSaratoga,ofpurchasingarticlesnecessaryformyfamilyatthestoresofMr.CephasParkerandMr.WilliamPerry,gentlementowardswhom,formanyactsofkindness,Ientertainedfeelingsofstrongregard. Itwasforthisreasonthat,twelveyearsafterwards,Icausedtobedirectedtothemtheletter,whichishereinafterinserted,andwhichwasthemeans,inthehandsofMr.Northup,ofmyfortunatedeliverance. 

           WhilelivingattheUnitedStatesHotel,Ifrequentlymetwithslaves,whohadaccompaniedtheirmastersfromtheSouth.