The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-28

across 1aley, VINO WAS smOAAhB ON TOP OF pie
Of boxes.
The stranger produced match, and lighted
cigar, saying, as he did So
"Decentish kind O. wench you've got round
there, stranger"
"Why, reckon she is tol'able fair said Haley.
blowing the smoke out Of his mouth.
Taking her down South ~ said the man
Haley nodded, and smoked on.
Plantation hand said the man.
"Waln said Haley, " I'm film out an order for
q plantation, and think shall put her in. They
telled me she was good cook, and they can use
her for that, or set her at the Gotten picking
She's got the right fingers for that | looked at
EN-. Sell well, either way :" and Haley resumed
his cigar.
"They won't want the young un on plata
ton" said the man.
81 shall sell him irst chance find , said la.
ley, lighting another cigar.
dispose you'd be selling him torabe cheap"
said the stranger, mounting the pile of boxes, and
sitting down comfortably.
"Don't know bout that" said Haley, "he's a
pretty smart young nn-straigh, fat, strong; flesh
as hard as a brickln
every true, but then there's all the bother and
expense OF raisinn
"Nonsene," said Haley, they is raised as eosy
as any kind Of Critter there is goiug-they amt n
bit more trouble than pups. This yer chap will
be running all round in o month"
"rve got good place for raisin, and thought
of taken in little more stock said the man
One cook lost young an last week - got
drownded in wash tub, while she was hangin
out clothes-and reckon it would be well enough
to set her to raisin this yerp
Haley and the stranger smoked awhile in
silence, neither seeming willing 10 breach the
test question Of the interview. At last the man
resumed
"You wouldn't think Of vantin more than ten
dollars for that ar chap-see.ng you must get him
of yer hands any howl"
Haley shook his head, and spit impressively.
That won't do, no ways be said, and began
his smoking again.
= wen, stranger, r.Sl >t.d5su take : 81.
:" Well, now ssid Haley, al could raise that
4 &sS &st.A - ~ .s4,l 41asta ,.aes oncoh6>'
mon likely and healthy, and he'd fetch hundred
dollars six months hence; and in year or two
he'd bring two hundred, if had him in the right
spot-so shant take q cent less nor fifty for him
nowp
ooh, stranger that's ridiculous, altogether"
said the man.
"Fact !" said Haley, with decisive nod Of his
head.
"Pll give thirty for him" said the stranger,
"but not a cent mOren
Now I'll tell ye what will do said Haley,
splitting again, with renewed decision, "rll split
the difference, and say forty FIVE and that's the
most will do"
"Well, agreed !" said the man, after an inter-
val
"DOne!n said Haley "Where do you land 2"
+" AT Louisville" said the man.
Louisville" said Haley Z" Very fair, we get
there about dusk Chap will be asleep-sll fair
get him off quietly and no sorestning-happens
beautiful like to do everything quietly hates
all kind Of agitation and fusterp And so, after
transfer of certain bills had passed from the
mans pocket-bOok 10 the traders, he resumed his
cigar.
IL was bright, tranquil evening when the
boat stopped at the wharf at Louisville. The wO-
man had been sitting with her baby in her arms,
now wrapped in heavy sleep. When she heard
the name of the place called out, she hastily laid
the child down in little cradle formed by the
hollow among the boxes first carefully spreading
under II her cloak, and then she sprung to the
side Of the boat, in hopes that among the various
hotel walters who thronged the'wharf, she might
see her husband. In this hope she pressed for
ward TO the front rails, and, stretching far over
them, strained her eyes intsutly on the moving
heads on the shore, and.tne crowd pressed In be.
tween her and the child
"Now's your time,D said Haley, taking the
sleeping child up, and handing him TO the stran-
ger don't wake him up, and set him TO crying
now II would make devil Of fuss with the
galn The man took the bundle carefully, and
was soon lost in the crowd that went up the wharf
When the boat, breaking, and groaning, and
putting, had loosed from the wharf, and was be-
ginning slowly TO strain herself along, the woman
returned to her old seat The trader was sitting
there-the child was gone
"Why why-where ~ she began, in bewil-
dered surprise
"Lucyp said the trader, "your chid's gone
you may as well know it first as last. You see, |
know'd you couldn't take him down South, and I
got chance to sell him to frst-rate family
thstll raise him better than you can"
The trader had arrived at that stage Of Chris
tisn and political perfection which has been re-
commended by some preachers and politicians Of
the North, lately, In which he had completely
overcome every humane weakness and prejudice
His heart was exactly where yours sir, and mine
could be brought with proper effort and cultva-
ton. The wild look Of anguish and utter des-
pair that the woman cast on him, might have dis
turbcd one less prscticed but he was used TO IT,
He had seen that same look hundreds Of times.
You can get used TO such things, too, my friend
and It is the great object OF recent efforts to make
our whole Northern community used TO them, for
the glory OF the Union So the trader only re-
in those dark features, those cienched hands and
suffocating breathings, MS necessary incidents Of
the trade, and merely calculated whether she was
going to scream, and get up q connection on the
boat; for like other supporters Of our peculiar
institution, he decidedly disliked agitation.
But the woman did not scream. The shot had
passed too straight and direct through the heart
for cry OF tear.
DiEEily she sat down-her slack hands fell life
less by her side. Her eyes looked straight for
ward, but she saw nothing All the noise and
hum Of the boat, the grooming Of the machinery,
mingled dreamily to her bewildered ear, and the
poor, dumb.stricken heart had neither cry nor
tear to show for its utter misery She was quite
calm.
The trader, who, considering his advantages,
was almost as humane as some Of our politicians,
seemed TO feel called on to administer such oonso
lation as the case admitted Of
al know this yere comes kinder hard at first,
Lucy" said he, "but such q smart sensible gal
as you are, won't give way to It, You see It's ne
csssGry, and can't be helped p'
"0hi don't, mass'r, dont, y said the woman, with
q voice like one that is smothering
Your q smart wench, Lucy he persisted
q mean TO do well by yer, and get yer nice
place down river, and you'll soon get another hus-
band, such likely gal a. you"-
"Oh! mass'r, IL you only wont talk to me now"
said the woman, In voice Of such quick and liv-
Ing anguish, that the trader felt that there was
something at present in the case beyond his style
Of operation He got up, and the woman turned
away, and buried her head in her cloak.
The trader walked up and down for time,
and occasionally stopped and looked at her.
"Takes 1t hard, rather" he soliloquized, but
quiet tho'--let her sweat awhile she'll come
right by and byp
Tom had watched the whole transaction from
first TO last and had perfect understanding OF
its results. To him II looked like something un-
utterably horrible and cruel because, poor igno-
rant black soul he hal not learned TO generalize,
and to take enlarged views II he bad only been
instructed by certain minister Of Christianity,