Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-09-23

was III the right it, and gave full scope to 10Y
imagination" In
He Law on straw couch, with his face half
turned to the sinking sun. The skin was drawn {
tightly over his forehead, as though 1t was par
ched and shrunk by extreme age but the rest
lessness and uneasy wanderings of the eye
told that he still claimed some companionshipI
with earthly feelings. /
He was a slave; and for more than an hundred
years, he had gone forth to the daily toll of
bondman. 1t was said, that in the " father \
land,'' from which he had been torn by un-
principled violence, he had been a Prince a.
mong his people. In the first days of his sla-
very he had been fierce and ungovernable, nor
could his naughty spirit ever be tanned into
subsection until he had been subdued by graf
itude. The father of his present master had
in his childhood, by interfering to save him
from his punishment, received on his body, |
the blows intended for the slave, and from that
moment, he became to his youthful master, a
devoted servant. The child had grown up to
, manhood, flourished through his term of years
and faded away into the grave, but still the
! aged Afric fingered upon the earth; and il was
) the son of that man that he now waited, and
to use his own expression, 'held back his
breath until he should behold him.
; At length the light of the low cabin door
was darkened, as the master stopped his tall
| form to enter the dwelling of his slave. have
come, said he as he approached, what would
you with me?
1 The negro raised himself up with sudden
energy, and stretched out his withered hand.
Have not borne you in my arms in your help
less infancy, and should not once more be-
hold you before die! Heed me, master! ere
yon sun shall set, the last breath will have pas
Ised my lips-its beams are growing fast more
: faint and yellower-tell me before | die, if
have not served you faithfully.
You have.
!, l have been honest and true-I have never
ooIspoken to you falsehood-I have never de-
served the lash.
To my knowledge, never! said the master.
u Then there is but one more boon would
= crave of you;-I am going home-to revisit
the scenes of my youth-to mingle with the
! ispirits of my friends! My fathers were proud
! chieftains among their native wilds-they
" sought out the fierce lion in the midst of his
! lrecesses--they subdued the strength of the sa-
= wage tiger-they were conquerors in battle
: they never bowed to man-they would spurn
i a bondman from their halls On, tell me. he
exclaimed, Selling his masters hand in the
-, rising excitement of his feelings-oh, tell me
:, while may yet hear the sound. that am once
;. more free!
n Your wish is granted, said the master-you
- are a freeman.
A freeman repeated the negro, slowly sink
IS ing back upon his couch, and clasping his hands
:, above his head with all his remaining energy
a write it for me, master
The gentleman tore a leaf Fl ON his pocket.
book, and pencilling hasty certificate of his
;. freedom, handed it to the slave. The old mar
" lifted up his head once more as he received it
g. and the last ray of sun light streamed acros,
- his countenance, as with strange smile h.
- gazed upon the paper, then falling suddenly
!. back, he once more repeated the name of free
y dom, and expired.-Genius ef Univeysa! Eman
ny ciPation.