Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-09-17
his life, except one or two spells of the

good.
B. rs he good handl
C. sYes sir he is the best on my place.
He is steady, honest, and industrious. He
has been my foreman for the last ten years,
and more trusty negro never knew
B. why do you wish to sell himF
C. Because he disobeyed my orders. AS
said, he is my foreman, and that he might
be available at any moment might want
him, built his quarter within hundred
wards of my own house, and have never
a,ng the bell at any time in the night or
morning that his horn did not answer in five
minutes after. But two years ago he got
religion, and commenced what he terms
family prayer-that is, prayer in his quar-
ter every night and morning; and when he
begun his prayer it was impossible to tell
when he would stop, especially if (as ne
termed iD he got happy. Then he would
sing and pray land holloo for an hour or two
together, that you might hear him mile OFT.
And he would pray for me and my wife
and children, and all my brothers and Sis
ters and their children, and our whole fam
ilv connexon to the third generation and
sometimes when we would have visitors,
Moses prayers would interrupt the CONVEX
sation s. distroy the enjoyment of the whole
company. The women would cry, and 1t
would get me almost frantic and even af-
ter | had retired it would sometimes be
nearly daylight before | could goto sleep,
for it appeared to me that | could hear
Moses pray for three hours after he had fin
ished. | bore 1t as long as | could, and
then forbid his praying so loud any more,
and Moses promised obedience, but he soon
transgressed: and my rule is never to whip
but whenever negro proves incorrigible
sell him. This keeps them in better sub
lection, and is less trouble than whipping.
And | pardoned Moses twice for disobedi-
ence in praying so loud, but the third time
| | knew must sell him or every negro on
tie farm would soon be perfectly regardless
of all my orders.
B. You spoke of Moses quarter; sup
pose from that he has family.
C. Yes, he has woman and three chill
dren or ,cifs suppose he calls her now ,foi
soon after he got religion he asked me ii
they might be married, and | presume they
WERE.
B. What will you take for her and the
children.
C. If you want them for your own use
will take $700; but shall not sell Moses
nor them to 60 out of the State
B. Il wish them for my own use and will
! give you the $1400.
Mr.. B. and Col. G. then went to BIS store
drew up the writings and closed the sale
after which they returned to the vessel, land
Mr.. B. approaching the negro. who sat with
his eyes fixed upon the deck, seemingly
wraptin meditations of the most awful fore
bodings said
well Moses, have bought you.'
| Moses made very low bow, and every
muscle of his face worked with emotion as
he replied
is YOU, massa where is gwine, mas
sa? is gwine to Georgy?
No. said Mr.. B., Il am merchant here
in the city =; yonder is my store, and | want
you to attend on the store; and | have
purchased your wife and children too, that
you may not be separated.
M. Bless God fer dat; and kin 60 to
meetin sometime ?
B. Yes, Moses, you can 60 to church
three times on the Sabbath and every night
in the week, and you can pray as often as
you choose, ,and get as happy as you choose;
and every time you pray whether it be al
home or at church, want you to pray fol-
me, my wife, and all my children, and sin.
gle handed too for if YOU are good man
your prayers will do US no harm, 4 we
need them very much; and if you wish
you may pray for every body of the name
of B. in the State of Maryland. 1t will moi
injure Them
While Mr.. B. was dealing out these priv
ileges to Moses, the negro's eyes danced in
their sockets, and hlsdiull heart laughed out
right for gladness, exposing two rows of as
even, clean worries as any African b9ssts
and his hearts responses rs, 'BsesS God
bress God all de time, and 0iess yod'soc
massa; Moses neber links bout he gsyine tc
have all desc commondationers; dis make
me tink bout Joseph in de Egypt And af:
ter Moses had poured a few blessings or
Col. c., and bidding him warm adieu, and
requesting him to give his love and farewell
to his mistress, the children, and al1the
servants, he followed B. to the store, to en-
ter upon the functions of his new office.
The return of the schooner brought tc
Moses his wife and children.
Early the next spring, as Mr.. B. was one
day standing at the store door, he saw &
man leap upon the wharf from the deck o
vessel, and walk hurriedly towards the
store. He soon recognized him as Col. G
They exchanged salutations, and to the
Coils inquiry after Moses, Mr.. B. repliee
that he was up stairs measuring grain, ant
invited him to walk up and see him. Soor
Mr.. BIS. attention was arrested by very
confused noise above. He listened ant
heard an unusual shuffling of feet, some ont
sobbing violently, and when he reflected OF
Col. C.'s singular movements and the pecu
liar expression of his countenance, he be
came alarmed and determined to 60 up ant
see what was transpiring.
When he reached the head of the stair
he was startled by seeing Moses in the mid
die of the floor, down upon one knee, witt
his arms around the ColonePs waist, ant
talking most rapidly, while the Colonel stoot
weeping audibly. So soon as the Colone
could sufficiently control his feelings he
told Mr.. B. that he had never been able t
free himself from the influence of Moses
prayers, and that during the past year he
and his wife, and all his children had beer
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