The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-15

allotted to the women. Stretched out i'm yari-
GUS attitudes over the floor, lee may see num-
berless sleeping forms Of every shade of COM
plexon from the purest ebony TO white, and Of
all years from childhood TO old age lying now
asleep. Here is a fine bright girl of ten years
whose mother was sold out yesterday, and who
tonight cried herself 10 sleep when nobody
was looking at her. Here worn old negress
whose thin arms and callous fingers tell of hard
toll, waiting to be sold tomorrow as cast-oif
article, for what can be got for her; and some
forty or fifty others, with heads variOusly en-
yeloped in blankets or articles of clothing, lie
stretched around them. But in a corner, sit
ting apart from the rest, are two females Of a
more interesting appearance than common.
One of these is respectfully dressed mulatto
woman between forty and fifty, with soft eyes
and gentle and pleasing physiognomy She
has on her head high-rased turban, made of
gay red Madras handkerchief of the first
quality, and her dress is neatly fitted. and of
good material, showing that she has been pro-
vided for with careful hand By her side
and nesting closely to her, is young girl Of
ffteen-her daughter. She is q quadroon, as
may be seen from her fairer complexion, though
her kindness to her mother is quite discernible
She has the same soft dark eye, with longer
lashes and her curling hair is of luxuriant
brown. She also is dressed with great neat
ness, and her white delicate hands betray very
little acquaintance with servile toll. These
two are to be sold tomorrow in the same lot
with the ST. Clare servants; and the gentleman
to whom they belong, and to whom the money
for their sale is to be transmitted, is member
of Christian church in New York, who will
receive the money, and go thereafter to the
sacrament of his Lord and theirs and think no
more OF it.
These two, whom we shall call Susan and
Emmeline, had been the personal attendants
of an amiable and picus lady of New Orleans,
by whom they had been carefully and piously
instructed and trained. They had been taught
to read and write diligently instructed in the
truths of religion, and their lot had been as
happy an one rs it was possible to be. But the
only son Of their protectress had the manage
ment of her property. and by carelessness and
extravaganza involved it to large amount
aud at last failed. One of the largest creditors
was the respectable firm of B. & Co. in New
York. b. & Co. wrote to their lawyer in New
Orleans, who attached the real estate, these
two articles and lot of plantation hands
formed the most valuable part of it, and wrote
word to that effect to New York Brother B.
DtiDR. ds VIC nhNc rdiut u OuTlettdn man, anu u
resident in a free State. felt some upAasiness on
ttssuo,sdta. ne g',tgl IKE trsunis, IN srafes
and souls 81 nlou-oI course ne dlonft; put
then there were thirty thousand dollars in the
case and that was rather too much money TO
be lost for q principle; and So after much con-
sidering and asking advice from those that be
knew would advise TO suit him, Brother B.
wrote to his lawyer to dispose of the business
= Al Al 81 ID IL. -
able, and remit the proceeds
The day after the letter arrived in New
Orleans Susan and Emmeline we're attached,
and sent to the depot to await general auc-
ton on the following morning; and as they
glimmer family upon US in the moonGgh. which
steals through the grated window, we may listen
to their conversation. Both are weeping, but
each quietly that the other may not hear
Mother, just lay your head on my lap, and
see if you can't sleep little" says the girl,
trying to appear calm.
81 haven't any heart to sleep, EN-; can't
it's the last night We may be together"
"Oh, mother, don't say so perhaps we shall
get sold together-who knows9p
"If twas anybody's else case, | should say
SO, too EN- said the woman "but Pm so
fcard Of losin you that don't see anything but
the u6IK6E.
"Why, mother, the man said we wer both
likely and would sell we'll"
Susan remembered the mans looks and
words. With deadly sickness at her heart,
she remembered how he had looked at Emme-
lines hands, and lifted up her curly hair, and
pronounced her frst-rate article. Susan had
been trained as q Christian, brought up in the
daily reading of the Bible, and had the same
] l. 20 ho~ ,h,lI'. hasu - a
shame that any other Christian mother might
have; but she had no hope-no protection
"Mother, ! think wc might do first rate, i
you could get place as cook, and as cham
ber-maid or seamstress in some family dare
say we shall. Let's both look as bright anl
lively as we can, and tell all we can do, ane
perhaps we shall, said Emmeline.
81 want you to brush your hair all bacl
straight, tomorrow" said Susan.
"What for, mother! don't look near sc
well that way"
eyes but you'll sell better so.'
al don't see WHY said the child
Respectable families would be more apt to
buy you, if they saw you looked plain and de.
cent as if you wasn't trying to look hand
some know their ways better N you do, .
said Susan.
"Well, mother, then will"
"And Emmeline, if we shouldn't ever see
each other again after to-morrow--if Fm sold
way up on plantation somewhere, and you
somewhere else-always remember how you've
been brought up and all missis has told you
take your Bible with you. and your hymn
book and if you're faithful to the Lord, he'll
be faithful to you"
SO speaks tho poor soul, in sore discourage
ment for she knows that tomorrow any man
however vile and brutal, however goddess and
merciles if he only has money to pay for her,
may become owner Of her daughter body and
soul and then how is the child TO be faithful?
She thinks of all this, as she holds her daughter
in her arms and wishes that she were not
handsome and attractive. IL seems almost an
aggravation to her to remember how purely
and piousy-how much above the ordinary
lot--she has been brought up But she has no
resort but TO pray, and many such prayers to
God have gone up from those same trim, neat
ly-arranged respectable slave prisons-prayers
which God has not forgotten, az coming day
shall show for it is written, "Who causeth one
Of these little ones to offend, it were better for
him that milestone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depths
of the sea"
The soft, esnest, quiet moonbeam looks in
Axodly, marking the bars of the grated win
dows on the PROSTATE, sleeping forms. The
mother and daughter are singing together a
wild and melancholy dirge common us fu-
neral hymn among the slaves:
Oh, where is weeping Mary
Oh, where is weeping Mary
Rived in tho goodly land.
She is dead and gone to Heaven
She Ia dead and gone TO Heaven;
'kj~cd In the goody land
These words, sung by voices Of peculiar
and melancholy sweetness in an air which
seemed like the signing of earthly despair,
fioated through the dark prison rooms with
pathetic cadence as verse after verse was