The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-07-29
ggIEIIa BNIpIEig7g0DEgo 70
Front the New York Star.
THE BEAUTIFUL SLAVE.


iately received letter from his brother,
who is President of one of the Mobile
Banks, who mentions, among other mat
tiers relative to the present distressing times,
some Interesting incidents touching the sale
1of the effects Of late merchant Of that city
Dir. Nf*S%: This gentleman was possess
ed Of a beautiful female slave, about Is
years of age. Atthe North she would have
been taken for a brunette, being as much
unlike the French creoles as possible. In
deed it was said that she had not a drop of
French, and but precious little African
blood in her veins. Nevertheless she was
slave at the time of her masters failure,
and as such became the property Of h is
creditors. An individual "a broker) to
whom he owed some $4,000, determined
TO possess himself of this girl, il possible,
and it was likewise the intention of the bro
ken merchant to redeem her at all hazards.
All the creditors, except the broker, agreed
tha' n might retain his slave on giving a
good indorsed twelve months note for ST.
500, with interest. He alone demanded
the sale of the girl under the hammer, and
the unfortunate merchant was compelled to
submit, determining however, to have some
Of hisfri buy her for him. The day of
sale having arrived, Mr.. N. was under no
apprehension but that he could retain his
Martha for something less than $4,000
and he had made arrangements to meet that
sum in full, and commissioned one of his
friends to make the purchase for him.
But what was his surprise and indignation
to see his refractory creditor make the first
bid $500! He was not thus to be banked,
and under instructions, his friend bid . 1000.
l:'l-Ii:.ereditor however, persisted in over
oiuuiig' uH'h beautiful Martha wss
struck off to him at 81 500! - '''o
1t was utterly out of the power Of the
broken merchant to raise money even for
the bid he had made upon his Martha, had
it succeeded in purchasing her, and his
creditor would doubtless have still overbid
him, bad he gone higher. He must there
fore lose her, or pay the full amount of the
$4,000 debt, which it was impossible for
him to do. What was then to be done.
Martha would never consent to part with
her master. He had purchased her on his
arrival at the South, more than eight years
ago, at her OlCn request, she then living
about twenty miles from Mobile. lie had
given her every advantage Of education,
and brought her up as tenderly as though
she were his own daughter, and now she
would sooner part with life itself than be-
come siaUe.
Her feelings on learning her situation,
(for N. had carefully concealed the an
nouncement Of the sale from her, were
probably similar to those which the proud
daughter of any citizen would experience
in like predicament, for the fact of her be-
inga SiaUe was known to but few in Mo-
bile. She therefore sent word to her pur-
chaser, that she would never leave her
present abode alive. In answer to this
message, he sent two officers to take her
into custody. Mean time Mr.. n. had en-
couraged her that she should certainly es-
cape her doom, and embark for New York,
whittier he would join her in a short time,
never again to return, and he would there
marry her.
Martha was shortly after this placed in
the common Jail at Mobile, as a stubborn
seryar", but, fortunately, the keeper inter-
N@ested himself in her behalf, and she enjoyed
equal comforts to those of her masters
house
Just ten days after this, Martha signifed
her consent to leave the prison, and take up
her abode with her new master, the heart
less creditor of N. With pleasure and sur
PRISE she was liberated by the purchaser,
who appropriated handsome apartment in
his own house to her use.-The same night
she started for Savalnal per cypress, un-
beknown TO any one save the faithiul N