Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-10-27

the slave, which, of course, by increasing his
conteniment, renders him more servicpable.
Thus marriage among them. though il doec
not exist as a civil contraction the slave has
no civil rights, save a quasi and non. inal pro-
lection from inhumanity-is nevertheless en-
couraged by their masters as n matter Of po-
Icy, as well as moral feeling.
Among the fellow slaves of Tom was a
young npgress, Leah, who had been his ia
vorite from childhood won, perhaps, as he
was, as much by her dociliry Of disposition
as her beauty. Let not the reader su,ile at
the use of the word beauty in connection
with the ebon face and crisped locks of the
young negress. for it is used as expressing
the appreciation Of one of her own race, and
we know how various is taste on this SUBJ
ject. The Chinaman thinks his waddling
lump Of cadeverous fat, with her little pea
eyes and unmeaning countenance, the very
type Of celestial loveliness. To the Arab his
bronzed and tattooed bride is as beautiful as
the morning star. And why 10 the negro
might not the 1.-THE and agile form, the beau
iitully pIoportioned limbs and elastic gait,
the exquisitely oval face, luminous Jet black
eyes, and pearly teeth Of Leah seem p%erfec-
ton itself!
Tom loved Leah as love comes in its most
natural, and perhaps in its pnrest guise.-
Nor was it possible that his natural kindness,
refined, as love refnes all things, when exer-
cised 10 the young girl, could have failed to
have made an impression upon her. Leah
was soon looked on and respected as the flu
ture wife Of Tom among her companions, and
though envied, doubtless by many, she was
abandoned by none. At the proper time Tom
applied TO his master for permission TO marry
Leah, which was cheerfully and kindly gran
ted. 1t is usual among good and consider
ate masters TO give each man and wife, or
family on his place a separate cabin, and Mr..
l.. determined that Tom should be housed in
a manner to mark his appreciation Of his cha
%racter; so, orders were Immediately given
the overseer 10 cause a suitable cabin to be
erected, and the marriage ceremony, which
was to be honored by The presence of his mas
.e:'s family, was deferred until The compile
ton Of this work.
The or ,Tseer, whose character " III be more
fully de q, Hoped in the sequel, was one Of
those brutes in human form, who spring up
and are formed under the auspices of human
slavery, in whatsoever form il may take who
are the ready tools Of the tyrant, and the dread
and scourge Of the oppressed. The depraved
and cruel disposition of this man was, how
ever, checked and held in awe by the chsrac-
ter of his employer, who appreciated his fl
deity 'and industry, while he was able to
hold his worst qualities in control. Lust is
not the least deinnraliaing sin OF THE class of
men, and its unchecked indulgence is the fer
tile source of many of the miseries which
they intict upon the poor unfortunates sub
jected to their iron rule. Now in this case,
the overseer had cast a wistful eye at Leah,
who, under the influence of her feelings for
Tom, and the correct sentiments which he
had instilled into her mind, had shruAk from
all his ad noes. Not daring to exercise that
tyranny which, | regret 10 say, is too COM
mon among this class of men, for fear of the
resentment of his employer, he was com
pletely bafiled, though he had not given up
the pursuit. But when the consent of his
master had been given Tom to make Leah
his wife, knowing, as the overseer well did,
the good standing of The slave, and the cha
racier Of his master, he knew that such a con-
summation was fatal to his desires. Under
one pretext and another, the work which had
been ordered was delayed much longer than
it need to have been, and Leah was tempted
with every art her unprincipled admirer was
master Of. Ii was or no avail, and finally,
alarmed at his opportunities, though with
that natural timidity which is innate in her
sex, humble as they may be. she had hitherto
uNO'btb hiiliilS AZ sum a tilbS9 nv lCNCul'u
the whole TO Tom. Good sense taught him
how dangerous an enemy he might invoke
by informing his master, and he determined,
by an application TO the overseer in person,
TO hasten if possible the building of his ca
bin. The answer was surly and threaten
ing but as Toms master was at the time
absent, he was compelled TO submit in pa
thence.
Fate seemed to have reserved for the poor
deserving African a hard lot. News arrived
from New Orleans, first of the sickness, and
then Of the death of his beloved master. In
addition to this sad blow it was announced
that his family who had been left in very al
fluent circumstances had determined 10 take
up their residence in a distant Stale. The
affairs of his succession were entrusted to
two friends, men Of business, who resided in
the city, and who, knowing the appreciation
in which Mr.. l.. held the overseer as a mana.
ger, had entrusted the plantation to him.
Here was indeed a heart-rending change
for the poor negro, who was we'll aware oil
the brutal and tyrannical nature of the being
placed over him. Nevertheless he applied
boldly, but respectfully, for permission tc
marry Leah, as promised him by his late
master. The reply was scofiings, a blow,
with a warning of villa. was to come, ii he
were ever seen in her company. Tom had
been TOO loyal to his condition TO dream per
haps OF rebellion or flight, but the instincts
Of his nature rose in arms against this injus
tice and oppression. His ideas of resistance
were strong, but vague and underlined, anC
he obeyed in a great measure the injunction
though chiefly from consideration of his be
lrothed, upon whom the consequences o
transgresslon were as likely TO be visited al
himself. In the meantime, Leah was bese
with temptations Of the most urgent kind
but though armed with an authority over he
person, even against which there was no ap
peal, this demon was as far from corruptinl
the heart of the poor slave as ever. He fel
that the hour of triumph had come, and be
ing destitute Of that refinement which maker
aven Iha mnst htuial hcast mo for snnIalhinr