University of Virginia Library

2. CHAPTER II.
INSPECTIONS.—CONTRAST.—TAMPERINGS.

A BALMY morning late in the month of November (the season being what is called Indian summer), reminded Dr. Boswell of his promise to his wife, of a walk to see the condition of their servants; and having hurried over her labours at the tea board, she was in a short time after breakfast ready to accompany him. They made directly for Cabin Row (as it was called). The first cabin of the row was Uncle Robin's, who had been confined by slight indisposition ever since the arrival of his new mistress, and whom he had never yet seen. After asking about his health, the Doctor said to him; "Well, Robin, I have brought your new mistress to see you."

"I mighty glad to see you, missis," said Robin; "how you been do, madam?"

"I am very well, I thank you, Uncle Robin, and am glad to find you better."

"Thank you, missis, de Lord be praised, I feels myself considerable better dis mornin'; I's had a right tuff time of it, since you bin com' home, else I'd bin to see you 'fore dis; walk in, missis, I 'spose you never bin in nigger cabin befo'!"

"I don't know that I ever was in a negro's cabin before, Uncle Robin, but I have been in a much worse house than yours; I am very fond of neatness and tidiness, and you seem to have everything neat and comfortable around you; I should think Aunt Elce was a very good wife."

"De Lord be praised, missis, she does suit me mighty well; you's bin see Elce, ain't you, missis?"

"O! yes, she's been several times at the house since I came."

"Where is she now, Robin?" asked the Doctor.

"Why, massa, bit ago, I see'd some sheeps on de young clober down in de fiel' 'pon de river, and I sends Elce to dribe 'em out, sir."

"How many children have you, Uncle Robin?"

"Only three, missis, dat gal Elce 'bout de house, my boy John, now at wuck in de fiel', and dis little boy Robin; whar is dat chile? Robin, com' here, boy, and see missis!"

Robin came from the little bedroom, where he had been hiding, and held his hand to his mistress.

"Keep back you' dutty han', boy! 'spose missis is gwine shake sich a black dutty han' as yourn?"

"If it was clean, Uncle Robin, I would not refuse to shake it because it was black."

"Oh! no, missis, I don't say dat; my ole missis dat's dead and gone, and is now wid de angels in Hebbin, never thought she'd be tarminated by shakin' han's wid de poo' niggers."

"Well, Robin," said the Doctor, "I hope this new mistress that I have brought you will be like your old one in every respect."

"Think so, masser? oh if she is, masser, I shall lobe her mo' 'an tung' can tell. When de Lord see'd fit to take my ole missis from me, I thought I neber should see any mo' peace in dis worl', and I did long so much to go wid my missis, but de Lord want me to stay here, and I did thought de Lord know'd bes', and I give up to de Lord, and tried to say, dy will be don', and de Lord healed de broken heart."

"I don't see any bed in your room, Uncle Robin," said his mistress.

"Why, we sleep, missis, in dat little room dar; dis room, my ole missis had built purpose for Sunday school and prayin' room, missis."

"I intend, my dear, to explain all these things to you hereafter, about the Sunday school, &c.," said the Doctor. "Let us now go and visit the other cabins. All the others you will find occupied by two families, one family in each room. This first room is Jim's and Dinah's; they are both at work in the field, and their children, when they are away, stay in the last cabin with old Aunt Juno, who takes care of all the small children, when their parents are at work from home. This next now, is Pheby's and George's; both doors seem to be open, we will take a peep into them."

"My dear husband, how very comfortable and neat they all seem to be!"

"The others," said the Doctor, "are pretty much like those you have seen; we will pass on to the last, one room of which is occupied by old Aunt Juno, a native African. She is past work, and her only business (as I mentioned before) is to take care of the children."

"Well, Aunt Juno, how are you to-day ?"

"Bad nuff, massa, dese chillons pesse me tu much, dey fights, dey fights ebery time, make Juner no fire, poo' ole Juner cole now."

"I'll have some fire made for you. Aunt Juno, here's your new mistress come to see you."

"How you do, missy? Juner berry glad see you, Juner ole now, can't see you berry well."

"How old do you suppose you are, Aunt Juno?" asked Mrs. Boswell.

"Why, missy, Juner seb-seb-sebinty; when Massa Braddec com' long here, Juner was big gal, missy."

"She is only a little out in her chronology, my dear," said the Doctor. "I have never yet seen a very old negro who hadn't something to say about Braddock; his march through Virginia seems to be a favourite epoch in their memories. There can be none left who remember that period; but many of those who are now living have some tradition, that there was such a person as Braddock; it is so with old Aunt Juno, for she can't be more than ninety years of age."

"Aunt Juno," said her mistress, "how many children have you to take care of?"

"Why, missy, hundred."

"How her arithmetic adds to my responsibilities!" said the Doctor. "Why, Aunt Juno, there are not more than fifteen."

"Ah dem die, massa, dem die."

The Doctor had a fire made for her, and as they were about to leave, old Juno said:

"Missy, Juner wan' say som' 'tickler ting, missy, som' tickler ting."

"Say on, old lady."

"Missy, Juner wan' som' sugar, som' coffy, and som' tommer, missy."

"What does she mean by 'tommer', my dear?"

"I can't give you the derivation of the word; but the old negroes call wheat bread, 'tommer'. You will seldom hear a young negro use the word; it seems to be almost obsolete. She means that you must send her some flour with the sugar and coffee; and if you stay much longer, there will be various other little items added."

"If you are not in too great a hurry, my dear, I should like to ask her something about Africa."

"Well, you won't get much from her; but take that chair, and see what you can make of it."

"Aunt Juno, do you remember anything about your own country, Africa?"

"Member, missy, yes, Juner much 'member. Juner big gal when Juner com' 'way; when dey put Juner 'pon dat big hous' 'pon top o' de water, whar Juner neber tun roun'."

"How did they catch you, and bring you there?"

"Juner farder gib Juner to one massa; Juner no' cry den, Juner be one conger, eat, eat Juner!"

"My dear," said the Doctor, "I have often heard her say the same thing, and I can only understand her, by supposing that the cannibal tribes of Africa selected beforehand those who were to be eaten, and that the selected ones were called congers; and that she was not sorry that she was taken away; because she was destined to be eaten."

"Do they eat each other now in Africa?"

"I suppose they do among some of the interior tribes, even now. At the time she speaks of, the tribes on the Gold Coast were mostly cannibals; but their intercourse with European nations since, and missionary efforts, have made them less savage all along the coast than they formerly were."

"Would you like to go back to Africa, Aunt Juno"

"No, missy, Juner no go back, Juner no conger now; Juner no frien' dar now; Juner 'tay wid massa 'til Juner die."

"Where do you expect to go when you die?"

"Ole missy tell Juner heap 'bout hebbin, and Juner fader in hebbin, an' say, if Juner good, Juner go to hebbin when she die. She tell Juner 'bout one man die for Juner to car' Juner to hebbin ; an' dat Juner mus' lobe dat man, an' Juner bin try lobe dat man; but mighty hard lobe when Juner no see um. Juner hope see um bimeby."

"My dear," said the Doctor, "I ordered George to get the carriage, that we might take a ride down the new turnpike this morning; and I see it now at the door. You must postpone any further enlightenment from Aunt Juno about Africa, and heaven, until another day."

"Missy, min' de 'ticklar ting."

"Good-bye, Aunt Juno; I will send you some sugar and coffee, and some tommer too."

"Tank you, missy; good-bye, missy, good-bye, massa."

"Drive to the new turnpike, George," said the Doctor, as he shut the carriage door. And turning to his wife he said: "Now, my dear Ann, I will complete the imperfect sketch of the character, sentiments, and actings of one, who is now a saint in heaven: I mean my dear mother. I have before told you that my maternal grandfather was a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and was considered one of the first pulpit orators of the state; and what is of far more importance, was one of the most evangelical divines of his day. My grandmother was a lady suited in every respect to be the wife of such a minister. My mother (an only child) received her education at home, which was by no means an ordinary one, as her father was a man of learning, and instructed her in all the important branches of literature. There was a union of effort in forming her moral and religious character, which was as lovely as could have been hoped for, from such training.

"You may suppose that the individual who could obtain the heart and hand of such a woman must have had congenial endowments; and such a man was my father. After the house in which we now live was completed, he brought my mother to Selma, where they received an annual visit from my grandfather and grandmother during their lives; they died within a short time of each other, when I was about eight years of age. My grandfather had never owned a slave, though all the drudgery in his family had been performed by hired slaves. My mother, living in the midst of slavery, and having all her lifetime been waited upon by slaves, when brought to Selma, was not ignorant (as you now are, my Ann) of its relations, and its consequences either for weal or for woe. After I became old enough to understand and enjoy her conversation, she often talked to me upon that subject; she said that very early in life, long before she was married, her mind had been much exercised upon it, that she had prayerfully consulted her Bible, and had come to the conclusion that it was not sinful in the sight of her Heavenly Father, for one human being to hold another in that relation; but, that there were duties and responsibilities growing out of it, the neglect of which was highly sinful. That the slave had a soul to be saved as well as his master; that if the master was inhuman, and regardless of the slave's bodily comforts, and denied him facilities for obtaining religious instruction, he (the master) perilled his own soul. By a strict performance of such duties, she thought slavery might not only be tolerated, but might be made to subserve beneficial purposes.

"She saw in the black free population around her, no promise of moral good from emancipation; and she came to Selma with a firm reliance on Providence for support, strictly to perform the duties of a mistress. My father's views being in accordance with her own, the old wooden cabins in which the negroes were then living, were exchanged for the stone ones we have just visited. Robin's cabin was arranged differently from the others; the chimneys running up the middle of the others, make the two rooms of equal size; but in Robin's, one room is much larger than the other. My mother intended that large room for a sanctuary, where the negroes might assemble for Sabbath school exercises, and for preaching at such times as our parish minister might appoint for his plain lectures, adapted to their capacities, and for preaching by all other denominations of Christians, black or white. She soon established a Sabbath school, which she conducted herself, my father and some of the neighbours around assisting her. Robin was at that time a young man, waiting in the house. My mother finding him very truthful, tractable, and intelligent, bestowed more time and labour on his instruction than that of the others. She thought if she could qualify him as a teacher he would be of great assistance to her in the Sabbath school; and before her death, she found him sufficiently qualified to take the entire management of it. It was necessary, however, under the law of Virginia, that some white person should always be present, and take part in the instructions.

"My father and mother suffered their slaves to join any denomination of Christians for which they had a preference. Most generally, throughout this country, negroes who have made a profession of religion, have joined the Baptist denomination. Robin reads with considerable fluency, sometimes exhorts, and I believe he is a sincere Christian. There are some others on the plantation who make a profession of religion. Elce, Robin's wife, is, I fear, a hard case, but I trust Robin's prayers for her may be blessed. I have myself (as I have told you before) joined the Episcopal church; it was what my dear parents unceasingly prayed for, but they did not live to see an answer to their prayers, and a consummation of their hopes. I have determined, my dear Ann, to carry out the wishes of my parents in regard to our slaves; the Sabbath school shall be continued, and every effort in my power made to train them up for heaven; and I trust that I shall find in my dear wife that zeal for the souls of our slaves which shone so brightly in the character of my sainted mother. We are now at the turnpike, and there are the Irish shanties."

"What are they, my dear?"

"Shanty, my dear, comes from two Irish words, which mean an old dwelling; but with us, they mean what you now see before you: huts for human beings to live in. The women and children occupy them in the day, and the men who work on the public road, join them at night. As some of them are sick and may want medicine, we will get out and see them."

"Well, Jerry," said the Doctor, addressing himself to a man at the door of the first shanty.

"Och, Docthur, but I'm glad to see you, the day; the ould woman lies very ailing, she is."

"What's the matter with her?"

"She's got the agy and the faver, your honour, and I has to nurse and cook for the brats all the while. Come in, come in, and the leddy, if she isn't a fearing this stye, as it is, sure 'nough, of a shanty." It was a stye indeed; there lay the mother in one corner on a dirt floor, with nothing between her and the floor but an old worn out blanket, and half covered with something that looked like a black stained saddle-cloth. She was shaking with an ague. There were, in another corner, six children, half naked, and shivering as if they too had agues. The filth and stench was insupportable, and Mrs. Boswell had to make her escape to the fresh air as soon as possible; but the doctor, like a true son of Esculapius, stood his ground and administered medicine to the poor woman.

"Jerry," said he, "I am astonished to see your family in such a horrid situation. Why don't you get a bed for your poor sick wife to lie upon? A plain common tick, filled with straw, would make her much more comfortable, and there are your children, all naked; the winter's coming on, and if you don't give them some warm clothing they'll freeze in this open shanty."

"Faith, but there's little the danger o' that; they's used to it, do you see, Docthur; poor people's shildren, your honour, must be brought up hardy; many's the likes o' that in the ould counthry. I works very hard, your honour, for the ould mither and the brats."

Here the old lady raised her head, and cried in an unearthly tone:

"It's nothing a more but whiskey that's done it, Docthur, it is, it is."

"Don't mind what the ould woman says, Docthur, she talks the like o' that when the faver's in the brain, she does."

"I am afraid there's too much truth in what she says, Jerry."

"There's not the word of truth in it, your honour."

"Take this phial, Jerry, and after the ague is off, give her ten drops every half-hour; do you understand?"

"Faith but I do, Docthur; I'm up to the draps ony how, many's the one I've give the poor sick crater."

The Doctor joined Mrs. Boswell, and they went on to the next shanty; there stood Dennis Flinn at the door.

"Well, Dennis," said the Doctor, "how goes the world with you?"

"As to that, Doctor, I can't say much; the world goes over bad with poor folks, but we'll be better off anyhow than some of our nebburs; the brats are all up, and the ould woman's a going; there's Jerry's wife been tak down with the faver."

"I suppose you feel very thankful that your family has escaped."

"Why, as to the matter o' that, Docthur, they'll tak' it some other time; there's Patrick O'Nale, in the next shanty, he thought he was too strong for the agy, but it gave him considerable shake, it did; and there's Bet Flannagin, poor cratur', she's been nearer t'other warld than I'd like to be, onyhow."

"Wouldn't you like to go to a better world than this?' said the Doctor.

"When the praist says I'm ready, and my time's come. It's a long time since the praist was bye, and I've got considerable score to wipe off."

"Considerable score of what, do you mean?"

"Why, sins, your honour."

"And do you believe that the priest can wipe out your sins?"

"Yes, besure, your honour; jis tell him what you've been doin', and he'll wipe it out as sure as my name's Dennis."

"You didn't learn that from your Bible."

"Och! bother, your honour, I've no larning to read the Bible, and if I had, the praist wouldn't let me. The praist reads the Bible for all poor sinners, and they've no business with it onyhow, your honour."

"Have you never learnt to read?"

"No, your honour, in the ould counthry, the poor people warks so hard they've never a time for larning, no more."

"Don't you intend to send your children to school?"

"Och! no, your honour; when the children gets big enough they must go to work, as I have done before them; no time for larning, at all, at all."

"But suppose you were to send them to the Sunday school?"

"The praist says the Sabbath's a day of rest, your honour; and the like of us, who work hard all the week, should tak' rest on that day."

"My negroes work hard all the week, and go to hear preaching, and some go to the Sabbath school; why can't you do the same?"

"Now, your honour shouldn't compare your nigger slaves with white people, onyhow; we go when we plase, and stay at home when we please; and your honour knows there's a warld of difference between free people and slaves."

"If slaves have more learning than free people, more religion than free people, and have better houses to live in than free people, I think the difference is in favour of slaves."

"But, your honour, there's something in liberty better than the like of onything else in the warld."

"How many children have you, Dennis?"

"Four, your honour."

"Do you expect to keep your wife and children in this shanty all the winter? If you do, you should get some more plank and make a floor to your shanty, and stop those large cracks in the roof, and get warm clothing for them; they are almost naked now."

"When the money comes in for the wark, your honour, we'll try and do something o' that way."

"There's none a bit of it behind, the jug's tak' it all," said Mrs. Flinn, looking at a jug in the corner.

"Ah! Dennis, Dennis, that won't do; you ought to think of your wife and children."

"That's what I'm doin' all the time, your honour; and the more I thinks on the like o' them, the more nade there is for the jug, your honour."

"Suppose you were to die, Dennis, without having laid up anything for your wife and children; what would these poor creatures do after your death?"

"Why, your honour knows that the county would tak' care o' them; the ould woman would be sent to the house where they tends the poor, and the shildren would be bound out to trades, your honour."

"Well, Dennis, would it not be better to bind them out now before you die, and let them learn trades, and be taught to read?"

"Please God, my shildren shall never be taken from their poor mither and bound out to masters while Jenny Flinn's head's hot; no, my shildren shall never be made slaves onyhow," said Mrs. Flinn.

"If," said the Doctor, "the bare name of freedom is to you meat, drink, and wearing apparel, I will leave you to enjoy it. My dear, we will go to the next shanty and inquire how Patrick O'Neal is."

"How are you, to-day, Patrick?"

"Och! botheration, Docthur, I'm bad enough, bad enough; my head's in a flame, Docthur."

"You've been drinking too much, Patrick."

"That's jist what the owld 'oman said; I drank too much cowld water the morning, I did."

"But that is not what I meant; you've been making too free with the whiskey, Patrick."

"Now, your honour jist thinks so, because your honour knows how good it is to drive off the cowld when a body's shakin' and shivrin'."

"I now tell you, once for all, that if you do not leave off drinking whiskey, you'll be a dead man in a very short time, Patrick."

"Well, then, whiskey and I'll shake hands, Docthur, and be no friends any more, at all, at all, we won't."

"It is not worth while to give you any more medicine, Patrick; I will not throw away any more physic or advice upon a patient who will neither take the one or listen to the other." In a low voice he said: "We will not go in here, my dear, it is worse than anything we have seen yet."

George, who had followed with the carriage, already had the door open, and the steps down; and when the Doctor and Mrs. Boswell had taken their seats, he turned back towards Selma.

"My dear Ann," said the Doctor, "I have carried you to-day among our slaves, and into the hut of the free white man. There are no words in our language more indefinite in their meaning than liberty and slavery; they are used for the most part as mere sounds: the one conveying to the mind everything that is precious and to be desired, the other, everything that is horrid and to be avoided, without any reference to the various modifications of each, to be found in different countries, and surrounded by different circumstances. You have seen, today, specimens of those modifications; and your good sense will determine whether the halo around the one, and the dimness around the other, are the unvarying characteristics of each; whether there are most of the true substantial blessings, which make life desirable, in the shanty of Dennis Flinn, or the cabin of Robin."

"My dear, I can't hesitate in assigning to the cabin of Uncle Robin a vastly greater amount of every procurement of real happiness in this world, than is to be found in the shanty of Dennis Flinn; but is not the estimate which is formed of the relative excellence of two conditions of life, from viewing the extremes of each, apt to be erroneous?"

"I do not allow that your estimate has been the result of a presentation of the extremes of each. To be sure, on our plantation, you see slavery in one of its best modications; but you will see similar modifications of it on many, very many plantations in Virginia; and on the other hand, the Irish shanties do not present liberty in its most degraded modification; in the ould country (as they call it) it is infinitely worse."

The carriage was at the door; and Uncle Robin, who had felt himself better, had come down to see his master on business, and was ready to open the door when the carriage stopped. They got out, and Mrs. Boswell went into the house. But the Doctor, supposing that Robin (who was his foreman), wanted to see him on plantation business, remained in the portico.

"Masser," said Uncle Robin, "I want talk to you pon som' very serious business."

"Come along with me, Robin, down the garden walk, and I will hear what you have to say."

"Masser, you put me here as foreman 'pon you' plantation, and you specks me to tell you whatsomever I sees goin' wrong pun de place, sir. Now, 'bout two weeks gone, masser, one day 'bout twelve o'clock, I reckon, I goes to de new grown corn fiel' to see how de boys com' on puttin up corn, sir, and when I gets dar, Tom and Dick wos'n dar wid de oder han's. I stay dar least one half a hour, an dey did'n com.' You know, masser, dar's piece a wood ain't cleared in de corner of de fiel'. I creep 'long de fence 'til I com' near de wood, and who should I see, but Tom, and Dick, and one white man, settin down 'long side of one tree, dat had been blow' down; de man was ider readin' or talkin' to 'em; I couldn' see which. I waits dar for som' time, dey didn' see me; after a while I gits up and show'd myself. De boys den dey gits up and comes to whar I was; de white man gits up too, an I sees him put som'thin' in he pocket like one newspaper, an I sees him git over de fence into de road.

"Well, I didn' say one word to de boys. I thought, masser, though, I'd keep my eyes 'pon 'um well, masser, I bin think 'pon dis thing often sence, and I didn' know whether 'twould be woth while to tell you, or wait 'til I seed somthin' else in um, an I thought I'd wait. Well, sir, Elce com' home from de kitchen las' night 'bout nine o'clock, an she tell me she hear voice 'long de paff, and she stop and listen, an she hear Tom say to Dick: Der's no danger, Dick, we can get off esy 'nough; dat man you know, say, when we gets 'cross de 'Tomuck, it's all safe, an you know he teld us whar to cros'. Well, Tom, says Dick, I don' want to leave my daddy and mammy, but if you goes, Tom, I goes too. Well, Dick, is it one bargin? Yes, dat 'tis, clinched. Well, Tom, we'll wan' somthin' to eat. Never mind, Dick, I'll put you up to dat. Elce lef' um, den, an if missis hadn' been wid you dis mornin, I'd bin tell you den, masser. I seed dat same white man in one carryall, dat day I car'd de wool to do factry."

"Say nothing about this to anybody, Robin, and tell Elce not to mention it to a soul. I will think about it, and see what is to be done."

"Masser, I bin try my bes' 'pon dem boys, but dey too much for me, sir."

"Well, my dear," said the Doctor after reaching the parlour, "Robin has just made a communication which turns the dark side of the slavery picture; he has told me that two of my boys have laid a plan for getting off to Pennsylvania; and he thinks that they have been put up to it by some white person, with whom they were seen talking in the woods the other day. I cannot believe otherwise than that those boys have been tampered with by some abolitionist. I won't hint where I think he came from; but I hope for your sake, not from Pennsylvania."

"Oh! my dear husband, the Pennsylvanians wouldn't think of doing such a thing."

"You don't know, my dear, what the Pennsylvanians are up to, particularly in the matter of runaway negroes, whom they love so well. I have formed one determination, and that is, if any of my negroes run off, and are brought back, they shall never stay here. I can reconcile it to myself under such circumstances, and for certain other offences, to sell them off to the traders."

"Oh! my dear, the thought of selling a human being, and separating him from all his relations, is shocking to me."

"It is not so bad as you think, Ann. There are Tom and Dick, just as comfortably situated as they could possibly wish, both having on the plantation, parents, brothers, and sisters; determining to leave them, and be separated from them for ever; I do not see the great difference to their parents, whether it is my act or their act, which causes the separation: in every instance, however, it will be their act, and not mine; for I shall never sell unless they force me to do it by their own act."

On the following morning, as Dr. Boswell was about to take his customary ride over his farm, he saw three individuals approaching the house: one, he recognised as a neighbouring farmer, Mr. Green, another, Mr. Green's overseer, Mr. Glover, and the third, Mr. Johnson, a constable. After the usual salutations were exchanged, Mr. Green asked the Doctor to walk with him in the grove before the door, and informed him that he had come on business which was exceedingly disagreeable to him, and he supposed would be equally, if not more so, to himself. "I am come, sir, with a warrant from Squire Brown, to apprehend and carry before the Squire two of your boys, Tom and Dick, under a charge of having perpetrated burglary, by breaking open my meat-house, and stealing therefrom several pieces of bacon. My overseer, Mr. Glover, came upon them just as they were coming out of the house, and saw one of them with a bag, in which he supposed there was meat. There are five hams of bacon missing. They were too fleet for Mr. Glover, but he says he knows your boys Tom and Dick, and seeing them by moonlight, he will swear to their identity.

"The case is a very clear one, Doctor, and if they are taken before a justice, they must be sent on for trial before a called court, and will probably be condemned to be hung. I have thought, to prevent so disagreeable a termination of this affair, that I would propose to you to sell them off to a trader; and that if you would do that, I would drop further proceedings on the warrant; if not, the warrant will be put into the hands of the constable to be executed."

"I do not, Mr. Green, see any objection to your proposal. Those two boys, I have reason to believe, are making preparation for a trip to Pennsylvania; and your bacon, no doubt, was intended for that trip. Although I had some hint of their intention, I felt so great a reluctance to selling them, that I had determined to take no notice of the communication. Now, however, the case is altered by their having committed an offence which will cause them either to be hung or sent out of the country, and I shall be reconciled to the necessity of selling them."

"Your negroes, Doctor, treated as they are, I am confident, would have no disposition to leave you, unless they had been tampered with by some white person. There was a very suspicious character seen in the neighbourbood about a fortnight ago, a man in a carryall, pretending to offer some little matters for sale."

"I will, Mr. Green, send a note immediately to town, and request Mr. Bosher, the trader, to come down forthwith. There is some danger, however, of the boys making their escape before he arrives, particularly if they should find out that you and Mr. Glover are here."

"I don't know, Doctor, that we have been seen by any of your servants but old Robin ; and I suppose he would never do or say anything which he thought contrary to your wishes. We will go away at once."

The Doctor, seeing Robin near the house, directed him to get a horse immediately, to take a note to Mr. Bosher. Robin was soon ready, received the note, and was on his way to town in a few minutes.

About three o'clock in the afternoon, Dr. Boswell directed Charles, a boy who waited in the house, to carry two chairs into the grove, intending one for himself, and the other for Mr. Bosher when he should arrive; and in a very short time he rode up, with Robin at a respectful distance behind.

"Mr. Bosher," said the Doctor, "I have sent for you on business, which is to me new, and extremely disagreeable. Two of my boys have been guilty of an offence for which I shall be forced to sell them, very much against my inclination."

"Well, sir," said Mr. Bosher, "my trade is that of buying and selling; and if we can agree as to the price, I will soon relieve you of them. I have a fixed price, sir, for tiptop young men, No. 1, that is, six hundred dollars; and if I like them, we will not be long in making a bargain."

"Robin," said the Doctor, "go after those two boys, and bring them here."

"We had better go where they are at work," said Mr. Bosher, "for if you send for them they might take the alarm and be off: if I once lay my hands on them I shall not fear their getting away."

Charles came with a message from his mistress, requesting the Doctor to come into the house.

As he entered the parlour, Mrs. Boswell threw her arms around his neck, and in tears said: "Oh! my dear busband, don't, don't sell those boys away from their parents; I can't bear it, indeed I can't. I almost wish I had never come to Virginia to witness such a heartrending scene. Oh! for my sake, let them stay."

"My dear Ann, it is forced upon me; I can't help myself. Those boys intended to leave their parents of their own accord; and now that they have been guilty of breaking open Mr. Green's meat-house, they can't stay here. If I don't sell them, Mr. Green will have them in jail before to-morrow morning, and they will perhaps be condemned to be hung; if not hung, they will certainly be transported. You must make up your mind, Ann, to bear what cannot possibly be avoided."

"O! horrid, horrid; I wish there was not a slave upon earth."

The Doctor unloosed her hands, which were clasped around his neck, placed her in a chair, and leaving her almost frantic, returned to Mr. Bosher.

"Well, sir, we will now walk to the potato ground, where those boys are at work."

As they approached, he pointed out two very fine-looking young men in front of the gang, saying: "Those two are Tom and Dick, the boys we were talking about."

"They are fine-looking boys, sir. I suppose, Doctor, they are sound in every respect?"

"Perfectly so, sir, as far as I know and believe."

"Well, sir, I will give you your price. Boys, put down your hoes; (which being immediately done, he said), how would you like to go with me to a warm country, where negroes do nothing but eat and make cotton?" Both answered together,

"Not a bit, sir, can't go wid you any how; don't want leave masser for anybody."

"You'll have to go, anyhow," said Mr. Bosher (seizing both by the collar); "I have bought you, and you are now my property."

By this time, all the other hands had stopped from work, and a look of horror was on every countenance. The parents of Tom and Dick moved towards, and made, a circle around their master, and with most piteous wail, they all exclaimed: "Oh! masser, you aint dun sell our boys sure 'nough?"

Dr. Boswell, with tears in his eyes, replied; "Yes, I have been forced to it. I have not only found out that your boys intended to run off to Pennsylvania; but that they have broken open Mr. Green's meat-house, and stolen his bacon; and, if they are not sold, they would in all probability be condemned to be hung."

"Well, masser, if dat's de case, let 'em go; it go mighty hard wid us to part from dem boys, but if dey bring it 'pon deselves, dey mus' 'bide by it. We always telled dem, dat dem white mens we see dem talkin' wid, wou'd bring 'em to trouble som' day or ruther."

"Dinah," said the Doctor, "you and Kate go and put their clothes in as small bundles as possible, and bring them down to the house."

The Doctor, Mr. Bosher, the two boys, and Robin, returned to the grove in the yard.

"Now that you have broken the ice, Doctor," said Mr. Bosher, "suppose you sell me some more? I haven't made up my number yet. What will you take for that man there?" (pointing to Robin, who had stopped some distance off.)

"Take for him, sir!" said the Doctor with vehemence; "why, sir, all the money in Mississippi couldn't buy him. I would just as soon think of cutting off my right hand, as of selling Robin."

"Well, sir, there's no harm done by asking the question; Robin anyhow is too far advanced in years for the Southern market; Southern planters prefer young negroes just grown up; children under six or eight years old, they wouldn't have at all."

"I suppose you find it a difficult matter to get as many as you would wish to buy?" said the Doctor.

"Oh! no, sir, we gets whole lots of runaways: whenever they are caught, they all come into our nets. Our trade would be completely broken up, Doctor, if 'twant for runaway negroes; and I think, sir, we have to thank the abolitionists for that; they entice them off, and we grabs them flying. I know a Yankee trader who gets whole lots in that way."

The Doctor could not stand the parting scene, and went into the parlour. Not finding Mrs. Boswell there, he followed her into her chamber, and found her lying upon the bed, weeping bitterly; he said not a word, but opened his desk and deposited the money he had received from Bosher.

Mr. Bosher took the boys off, and their parents in deep grief returned to their work. Robin followed them to the potato ground, and said: "Well, I trust dis gwine be a good lessin to de young people 'pon dis plantation; dey got one of de very bes' masters dat niggers eber had; and for him to be force' wid tear runnin' down he face to sell 'em cause dey misbehabe, is raly too bad. I knowd what 'twould com' to at last; dem boys bin too fond of leffin der work, and talkin' wid strange white folks, and see what it don com' to: dey been 'ticed to go off, and dey mus' den steal somethin' to carry 'long to eat."

"Robin," said Dinah, "I bin mistrus' my boy Tom for sum time; he ain bin like what he used to be for sum weeks; he bin sassy to he daddy an me, an a don' care sort of 'haviour 'bout 'im. Robin, I never did thought Tom would broke open house and steal; but, Robin, he did do dat sure as you an' I's alive. When I was rummaging for he clothes up in de loff, I fine a bag wid five piece of bacon in it, and dar 'tis now, Robin."

"Dinah," said Robin, "dat bag musn' stay any longer 'mong you' stuff; 'twill bring trubble 'pon us all if it do. De Lord will punish us for dat accussed thing as he did de Isralites for de wedge o' gold. You mus' jus' go at once, and car' it to masser."

"Well, Robin, I was so 'stress' 'bout my boy, dat I didn' know what to do; but you's right, Robin, and I'll go dis minit and car' it to masser."

"Masser, here's Mr. Green bacon I fine up in my loff, when I bin hunt for Tom clothes."

"Dinah, that is proof positive enough that Tom broke open Mr. Green's smoke-house and stole his bacon. You were right, Dinah, in bringing it to me. Go into the chamber and see your mistress, and when you go back, tell Robin to get a horse and come to the house for this bag of bacon. It must be sent to Mr. Green."

"How you do, dis ebenin, missis?" said Dinah, as she approached the bed where her mistress was lying, with her face and head under the counterpane.

"Oh! Dinah, Dinah, what a shocking thing it was to sell your poor child away from you! I feel as if I never should be happy again."

"Well, missis, 'taint wuf while, madam, to grieve so much. To be sure, I does feel mighty bad at partin' wid Tom, but he bring it all 'pon heself, madam. If he had been satisfied here, dis wouldn' bin happin. Tom had fine chance; good house to liv' in, good clothes to war', and Robin try he bes' to giv' him good 'struction in de Sun-

day school, madam, and he daddy and I giv' him good device out o' school; 'twas he own fault, missis. Masser wou'd never hav' sell him, if he hadn' brake open dat hous'."

"Do you think our boys did certainly break open that house and steal the meat?"

"No doubt on it, madam, I dun fine de bag o' meat up in my loff, an nobody but Tom could have bin put it dar, madam."

"One thing, Dinah, which made me take on so much about it was, that I thought it possible, they might have been innocent of the charge."

"Oh! missis, you may depend dem boys was guilty. I hope de Lord will pardon um, and bring um to see der wickedness. I does wish it cou'd bin so happen dat dey might bin stay here and git more 'struction from Robin, but de Lord chuse sen' dem away, and we mus' 'bide by his 'cision, madam; you sarvant, missis."

Mrs. Boswell, finding that Dinah was not so overwhelmed with grief as she expected, and that she bore the separation from Tom with commendable resignation, began to think that she herself had given way too much; and adjusting some little derangement in her person, consequent upon the violence of her grief, she repaired to the parlour, and found the Doctor reclining on the sofa.

"Uncle Robin wants you at the door, my dear," she said.

"Robin, take that bag of meat and carry it to Mr. Green, and tell him that Tom's mother found it up in her loft."

"My dear, I think you have grieved more for Tom and Dick than their parents."

"You must consider, my dear husband, that, although I have heard of this thing at a distance, it is the first time I have ever corne in contact with it. Their parents, I suppose, have become familiar with it, from its everyday occurrence around them."

"My dear Ann, I find no fault in your exhibition of feeling; I like a soft heart, and I had much rather attempt to harden a soft one (if necessary), than to soften one upon which you could make no more impression than upon a millstone. Of all animals in creation, I think a female devoid of feeling and sensibility is the least engaging. It will be necessary perhaps to harden that little heart of yours, as our kind friends the abolitionists may make frequent drafts upon your sympathy. It is astonishing to me that they won't mind their own business, and let us alone, to manage ours as we think proper."

"My, dear, their intentions must be good; if they err it must be from mistaken philanthropy; they can have no other motive than a humane desire to better the situation of these poor creatures."

"They have sense enough, my dear, to know that every effort they make to entice a slave from his master, injures not only those enticed away, but all the others. The laws regulating that kind of property are made more stringent, their privileges are abridged, and they are rendered unhappy by being made dissatisfied with their situation. Even those who are successful in making their escape, in most instances, exchange comfort and ease for a life of wandering to and fro, without the means of support; and of abiding inquietude and apprehension, lest they should be recaptured. And, when recaptured, they are in every instance subject to all the horrors of sale, so pathetically depicted by abolition writers.

"Their motive is miscalled, when denominated mistaken philanthropy; there can. be no mistake about it. They know very well, that in fact they themselves are the very bitterest enemies of those whom they pretend to succour. Their true motive is to be found either in a vain desire to set themselves up as philanthropists, or to agitate for political effect; which latter is the most prevalent motive, if we form our judgment from the characters who lead and control the masses. It is a most preposterous notion, that corrupt politicians, working their way to inglorious preferment, are vicegerents of heaven, comissioned to do away an institution which has existed through out all ages, even in a theocracy. Its presumption can be equalled by nothing but its folly."

"Well, Robin," said Mr. Green (as Robin rode into the yard), "what have you in your bag?"

"Your bacon, sir. Tom mammy fine it in her loff, and masser tell me to bring it to you, sir."

"Carry it round to the smoke-house, Robin; and I'll get the key."

After he had opened the door, he said:

"Now, Robin, empty the bag, and we will compare it with this bacon. I cut my hams somewhat different from most people."

"No mistake, masser," said Robin, "dis your bacon; nobody else in dis neighbourhood cuts der hams in dat way, sir."

"I think it probable, Robin, that having to break open this house last night, and being seen by Mr. Glover, prevented your boys from going off. I have just heard that two of Major Scott's boys, and two of old Mr. Preble's, went off last night, and I suppose it was all planned that they should go off together."

"Very like, sir, very like. I s'pose, masser, old Mr. Preble won't try to git he boys back, cause he always sayin' what bad thing slabery is?"

"Let him alone for that, Robin; George Preble and two other young men went off in pursuit, as soon as it was known that they were gone. I haven't heard whether Major Scott employed anybody to go after his. These abolitionists, Robin, when they own negroes, are the very worst masters in the country. I shall be very glad to hear that old Preble's negroes get off; he gave one of those boys a cruel flogging, some days ago."

"Well, masser, I don' know how 'tis; dey always pityin' poor niggers, and 'suadin' dem to run off, and still, when dey have um, dey mighty bad to um; and when dey git um way back dar north, dey let um go almos' naked, and let um almos' starve."

"The fact is, Robin, they don't care half as much about negroes as we do, but they take pleasure in teasing and vexing us about them; and that's the whole secret of the business."

"'Tis mighty unchristian, masser, for dem to do so to der nabbers; de bible say we should do to oders as we wish dem to do to us; and I's sure dey wou'dn' like you, masser, to take der property."

"I had forgotten to ask you, Robin, whether you saw Mr. Bosher?"

"Oh yes, sir; he did cum 'long wid me, and dun take dem boys off, sir."

"I was very sorry, Robin, to force your master to sell those boys, as I know he is much opposed to selling negroes. They are going, however, to a country where the labour is very light; and you know, Robin, it is the master's interest, everywhere, to take care of his slaves. It is certainly a great deal better for them, than if they had gotten off, and gone to a free state, where they would have found it very difficult to got work enough to support them comfortably."

"Dem boys, masser, whether der situation is better or wus, have deselves only to blame; der's no people better off dan my masser's servants. Masser, now I think on it, will you let you people know dat de Reverend Mr. Grattan gwine preach to de black people, nex' Sunday ebenin, in my cabin?"

"Yes, Robin; and I will try and make them go. What time do you hold your Sunday school? I should like some of my little ones to go, if you will take them in."

"Well, masser, as for dat, I don' know; we got heap o' young ones o' our own dat go; and you see, masser, I's almos' de only teacher: Dinah does help me little. I hopes my young missis will help after while; and der's Miss Ebelina Preble, she promise com'; and if we kin git dat much 'ecruit to our teachers, masser, I'll let you know, and you kin sen' some o' your'n. Der's your boy Jim, sir, would make fus' rate teacher, if he would com'."

"Well, I will speak to Jim, Robin, and I think he will be inclined to go, as he is religious, and I hope inclined to do good in that way."

"Sunday school, properly tended, masser, mighty good thing for de souls of young folks. Well, masser, can't stay any longer from my masser's business; your sarvant, sir."

"Good-bye, Robin. Tell your master that I am very thankful to him for sending the bacon."

When Robin had put away his horse, he went to the house to see his master.

"Well, Robin," said the Doctor, "I suppose Mr. Green was very glad to get his bacon again?"

"Yes, masser; he say he mighty thankful to you for sen'in' it. He telled me, masser, dat two o' Major Scott's boys, and two o' old Mr. Preble's dun gon' off; and dat Mas' George Preble dun gon' after um, sir."

"I hope no more of ours will take such notions into their heads. You should take every opportunity of talking to them, Robin, and telling them that the design of these abolitionists is not to do them good; that the inevitable consequence will be, that they will be hunted like wild beasts, that their lives will be endangered, and that, as soon as they get into a free state, they will find that their pretended friends won't do for them what they promised. They have plenty of white people there to labour for them, and they won't employ the blacks. There is our neighbour, old Mr. Preble, who pretends to hate slavery, and as soon as his negroes run off, he is the very first to send after them."

"Masser, I don't fear any more of ourn will go off. I does give um, sir, line 'pon line, and precep' 'pon precep'; we dun got rid now o' de only two 'pon dis plantation I had any mistrus' of. Whar you wan' dem taturs put, masser?"

"In the barn, Robin, for the present; see that they are removed to the cellar before the hard frosts come."