From the Independent.

An Incident and its Lessons.

  A few evenings since at dusk, as a father of a family just returned home from work was standing at his well side, a young, bright looking mulatto approached and asked him a question concerning the way. His suspicions were at once excited that he was speaking with a fugitive from slavery, and after having, by kindness and assurance of friendly designs, won his confidence, he drew from him the admission that his suspicions were just.

  A little knot were soon gathered round the fleeing stranger, and the particulars of his story were gathered from him. He was three quarters white and was the nephew of the man to whom, invenerable phrase, he had "owed service."

  His situation had been one of great ease. He had never known by personal experience what slavery is. His uncle had been kind to him, and given him an education so that he could boast some small reading in Latin and Greek, and something more than a smattering of German, and he had been for years his book-keeper, and fitted the place of a gentleman rather than a slave. At his death which occurred some weeks since, his master had willed him his freedom, and left him several thousand dollars, the rest of his estate going to his cousin "Charley," as he called his master's son. This son had been dissipated in his habits-as some sons of slave holders are—and had become largely indebted to a lawyer in the vicinity. It was desired by both of them to devise some means to prevent the large legacy bequeathed the nephew from being paid him. The cousin did not manifest any ill-will to his quarter-colored relative, but the lawyer in whose power he was, urged him to make the man over to him, and he would see his claim disposed of. Having overheard this conversation, and being advised by others that he was in danger, he had judged it most prudent to escape, and accordingly left before his uncle's burial had taken place. How he escaped it is not deemed ....

  The young fugitive was questioned minutely for two or three hours by the interested group around him. He evinced a remarkable knowledge of Northern politics, which he had acquired by reading the newspapers to his master. No one in the company felt himself a match for him in this branch of knowledge. He also exhibited great shrewdness and caution in is mode of procedure, giving his confidence very slowly, and watching against any surprise. His religious sentiments were infidel. Of these he hoped to rid himself after becoming familiar with a Christianity which does not apologise for slavery. He was familiar with Uncle Tom's Cabin, and pronounced it a true delineation of slavery.

  Having heard the fugitive's tale, and taken up a collection to aid him, the company provided a buggy, and aided and comforted him some miles on his way, directing him to a good station house on the railroad he was now temporarily patronizing.

  This incident has its lessons.

  1. It illustrates the powerful tendency now prevailing at the South to legislate and interpret law against freedom. This man had his freedom willed him, but yet was in imminent danger of being sold into slavery, and that within the ancient limits of the District of Columbia.

  2. It shows that the inexorable law of slavery relents not before accomplishments, intelligence, and near family ties. The neighbors and acquaintances of this fugitive feared that his own cousin, little, if any, above him in cultivation and intelligence, and influenced merely by selfish considerations would give him up to a base minion of the law, to be sold as a chattel personal.

  3. It shows that the fugitive slave law is against all the instincts of nature. Slaveholders in a slave state urged this man to make his escape and doubtless rejoiced in it. How disappointed would even they have felt, had his first lurking place been discovered, and he been brought back! They need not wonder it is hard to execute it in our latitude.—Congregationalist.