Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-04-14
TIE BEAUTIFUL SLAVE.

I =.
mentions, among other matters relative TO
the present distressing times. some interest
ing incidents touching the sale Of the eff
iects oil late merchant Of that city, a Mr.
N. This gentleman was possessed of
| Il beautiful female slave about eighteen
! years Of age. At the North she would have
been taken for brunette; being ms unlike
the French creoles as possible. Indeed. il
was said that she had not 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 be-
came the property Of his creditors. An in
divIdual, broker, to whom he owed some
lSlu,OOO, determined TO possess himself of
the girl, If possible, and it was likewise the
intention Of the broken merchant to redeem
her at all hazards. All the creditors. ex-
cept the broker, agreed that N-micht
retain his slave on giving good endorsed
twelve months note for 81 500, with in
terest. lie alone demanded the sale of the
glrl under the hammer and the unfortunate
merchant was compelled to subml-deter-
mining, however, TO have some of his friends
buy her for him. The day ofsale having
arrived, Mr.. N--was under no appreben
sion but that he could retain his Martha for
something less than $4,000, and he had made
arrangements to meet that sum ia full. and
commissioned one of his friends 10 make
the purchase for him But what was his
surprise and Indignation TO see his relrac-
tory creditor make the first bid - 500 He
was not thus TO be banked, and his friend
bid $4,000. The creditor, however. per-
sisted in oyer-bIdding, until the beautiful
Martha was struck Off 10 him at 81 500
1t was utterly out of The power of the
broken merchant to raise money even for the
last bid he had made upon his Martha had
1t succeeded in purchasing her, and his cred
itor would doubtless have still over bid him.
had he gone higher. He must therefore.
loose her or pay the amount of the 500
debt, which 1t 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 first arrival at the
South, more than eight years ago, at her
urn uqnost, she then living about twenty
miles from Mobile. He had given her eve
~ advantage OF education, and brought her
up as tender as though she were his own
daughter; aud now she wonk sooner part
with life itself than become Stare.
Her feelings, on learning her situation.
flor N-had carefully concealed the an
nouncemcnt of the sale from her.) were
probably similar TO those which the proud
daughter of any citizen would experience
IN like predIcameni; for the fact of her be-
ing slave was known to but few in Mobile.
She therefore sent word to her purchaser.
that she would never leave her present abode
0hUe. ! answer to this message, he sent
two officers to take her into custody. Mean
time Mr. N-had encouraged her that
she should certainly escape her doom, and
embark for New York, wlther he would
join her in a short time, never again to re-
turn, and he would there marry her.
Martha was shortly after this placed in
the common Jail at Mobile as a stubborn
servant; but, fortunately, the keeper inter-
ested himself in her behalf, and she enioyed
equal comforts to those Other masters house.
just ten days after this, Martha signi6ed
her consent to leave the prison, and take up
her abode with her new master, the heart
less creditor of N. With pleasure and
surprise she was liberated by the purchaser.
who appropriated handsome apartment in |
his house to her use. The same night she
started for SauaHndh per cypress, unknown
to any one save the faithful N. One
thousand dollars reward was immediately
offered for her apprehension and the detec- !
ton of those who aided in her escape and
on the fifth day the reward was doubled
messengers also having been sent to New
Orleans, and IN several other directions. -
A fortnight passed, and no tdings of the
beautiful slave Martha. Every one suspec-
ted, though no one could prone that her |
former master had aided in her escape
Mr.. N-had now nearly arranged his af-
fairs, and was about to leave Mobile. His |
stubborn creditor had tried, by ever, means
IN his power, TO procure an indictment a.
ganst HIM, but without success when, on
the evening before Ms departure, his friend |
at his desire, called upon the creditor. to
endeavor if possible to purchase a release
of the title to Martha. mo" replied The
broker, 81 would sooner spend SIO.0
than be tricked by the internal Yankee 70
N-took his leave, deposiing $500 with
his friend, which was all the spare money
he had, aud lnstructng him to purchase with
II the freedom Of Martha, if possible
" Nh''' "hN '"ohll HOlH tue tltne "
left Mobile, the extensive house Of z. NJ. g.
Brothers, cotton brokers, stopped payment
and in due time the sale of their personal
property deyoyed upon an auctioneer A.
mong the living chatels disposed OF, the title
of the beautiful slave Martha, then absent,
who cost $4,000, was struck off TO the friend
Of N--ior S62
This narrative is no liction-the writer of
the letter first mentioned being the identical
purchaser of the slave Martha. His imme-
date object in writing to the gentleman
who furnished us with the above ,vns m