Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-01-31

You had better have asked those questions few
days ago, and then you would have Kept closer
eve on your fellow a meddles0me, cantlng Qua
ker rascal that all these black hounds run TO- TO De
helped into Canada and nobody knows where else.
The Young gentleman erked out his watch with
increasing energy, and then walked fiercely up to
the colored WAITER who setting the dinner ia
Bile with an air of provoking satisfaction, he thun
dered at him, you rascal you understand this mat
ter: see it in your eyes,
Our gentleman of color bowed, and with an air
of mischevous intelligence, protested that he nev
er interered with other gentemans matters, while
sundry of his brethren in office looked unuterable |
things out of the corners of their eyes.
There is some cursed plot Matched mp among
YOU said the young man. You have talked Sam
into it; know he never would have thought of
leaving me unless he put up to it. Tell me
now he resumed, have you heard Sam say any
thing about it /? Come be reasonable he added in
a mder Tone 'you shall find your account in it,
Thus adiured the waiter protested he would be
happy to give the gentleman any satisfaction in his
power. The fact was, Sam had been pretty full
of notions lately, and had been to see Simmonsand
in short he would not wonder 10 he never saw any
more of him.
And as hour after hour passed. the whole day,
the whole night, and no Sam was forthcoming, the
truth of the surmise became increasingly evident.
Our young hero, Mr.. Alfred B, was a good
deal provoked and strange as the fact may seem,
ii
Loved him. says some scornful zealot; "a slave
holder lore his slaves " Yes, brother, why not ??
warmhearted man will love his dog, his horse,
even to grieving bitterly for their loss, and why
not credit the fact that such one may toue the hui
man creature whom accused custom has placed
on the same level. The fact was, Alfred B.
did love this young man he had been appropriated
to him in childhood, and Alfred had always redress
ed his grievances, fought his battles, got him out
of scrapes, and purchased for him with liberal
hand, indulgencies to which his comrades were
strangers. He had taken pride to dress him smart
ly, and as for hardship and want they had never
come near him.
he, what can he do with himself ? Confound that
Quaker, and all his meddlesome trbe-been at him
with Their bloody bone stories, ! suppose-Sam
knows better-the scamp HalIoa, there, he called
to one of the walters, where does this Sinpkins-
Simon-Simmons, or what dye call him, live"
His shop is No. ), on street.
sWe ri 90 ut him, and see what business he
has with my affairs
The Quaker sitting at the door of his shop
with round, rosy, good-humored face, so express
i've of pacldlty and satisfaction, that it was diff
cult to approach 1t with lretul feeling.
is your name Simmons " demanded Alfred in a
voice whose natural urbanty was somewhat sharp
ened by vexatlon.
yes, friend; what dost thou wish p
q wish to inquire whether you have any
thing of my colored fellow, Sam a man oftwenty-
five or Whereabouts, lodging at the Pearl street
House"
Il rather suspect that have said the Quaker
in quiet, meditative tone, as if thinking the mat
ter over with himself
and is it true, sir that you have encouraged
and assisted him in his efforts to get out of my
vice.
Such truly is the fact, my friend
Losing patience at this provoking equanimity
al
no inconslderable energy, and in terms not the mos
select or pacific, all which our Quaker received
with that placid, fuorbed tranquility of counle
nance which seemed to say, Pray, sir. relieve you
mind don't be particular; scod as hard you
like The singularity of this expression strucl
the young man. and as his wrath became gradual
spent, he could not help laughing at the tranquil
tone for one of eXposiulation. What motive cou
induce you, sir, thus to ncommode a stranger, an
one that never injured you at all 2
am sorry thou art incommoded,' rejoned thu
Quaker Thy servant as thee calls him, came t
me- and helped him as | would any other poo
fellow in distress.
Poor fellow = said Alfred angrily; that's til
story Of the whole of you. | tell you there's not
free negro in your city well off my Sam i.
and always has been, and he'll find it out betor
long,
But tell me, friend, thou mayest die, as well a
another man; thy establishment may fall into deb
as well as another mans and thy Sam may
sold by the sheriff for debt, or change hands in div
ding the estate, and so, though he was bred easil,
and well cared for, he may come to be field han,
under hard masters, starved, beaten, overworked-
such things do happen sometimes, do they not"
Sometimes perhaps, they do replied the youn
man.
well, look you, by our laws in Ohio, thy Sn
is now a free man; as free as | or thou; he hath
strong back, good hands, good courage, can eal
his ten or twelve dollars monitor do bette
now taking all things into account, if thee were
his place, what would thee do--would thee go BAG
: a slave or try luck free man?'
Alfred said nothing in reply to this, only after
while he murmured half to himself, 8 thought II
fellow had more gratitude, after all my Kindness
thee talk of gratitude said the Quaker, no
IL how does that account stand Thou hast fed, al
clothed, aud protected this man; thou hast not sta
* we'd, beaten, or abused him; it would have been u
\ worthy of thee thou hast shown him special kin
RS ness and in return, he has given thee faithful sc
IN vice for fifteen twenty years all his time, all h
n strength all he could do or be, he has given the
an and We are about even.'
re The young man looked thoughtful, but made
reply.
ne vantage Of You; | wish to get my servant on
no Mbre; can do so"
as Certainly. | will bring him to thy lodgings Il
ell evening, if thee wish It, know thee will do wi
is fair, replied the Quaker.
It were difficult to define the thoughts of t
his young man, as he returned to his lodgings. NJ
,e urally generous and humane, he had never drea
of ed that he had rendered injustice 10 the human
ings he claimed as his own. Injustice and opprt
off sion he had sometimes seen with deestation IN
i'm er establishments; but ii had been his pride ii
they we've excluded from his own. 1t had been
to- pride to think that his indulgence and liberal
un made situation Of dependence on him preferal
EN- even to liberty
len Inc DARK picture OF possible r9Verses winch
slave system hangs over the lot of the most fav
The ed slaves, never occurred to him. Accordingly,
i'll six o'clock that evening, light tap at the door
vas Mr.. BIS parlor, announced the Quaker and har
ing back behind him, the reluctant Sam, who, W
IAN ali his newly acquired love of liberty, felt almost
err if he treating his old master rather shabbi
np in deserving him