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jormis29
Since: Mar, 2012
Madison14
Since: Dec, 2015

I read this short story for an African-American literature class several years ago. The protagonist's crush tells him that she'd marry any man who helped a slave escape, so the protagonist tells his father that he's going on vacation to Canada and wants a slave to accompany him. To his chagrin, the only slave his father is willing to send is a boot-licking Uncle Tom who's terrified of abolitionists. In Canada, the protagonist tries various schemes to lose the slave before finally arranging for him to be kidnapped and then going back to the plantation alone. However, on his and the abolitionist's wedding day, the slave suddenly shows up, having traveled hundreds of miles to get back to the plantation. In the end, it turns out the slave's subservient behavior was all an act. He just wanted to get back to the plantation to carry out his plan to escape with his whole family. Eventually they all make it safely to Canada. I seem to remember the author being called the "black O. Henry," but Googling that phrase doesn't turn anything up.
Edited by Madison14