The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-31

COPY to be sent 10 man-and parity 10 tne
fair, gentle girl, its donor. The little incident
came to him like soft, encouraging pressure
of the hand, or a kind word at his greatest
need-hke loving benediction. And for the
blessed words that were marked, they were
dropped into his broken and fearful heart like
good seed into the ploughcd and watered earth
to bring forth fruit an due season.
He replaced the little book in its case, wrap
ped it again in its tissue paper and for the
present lodged it within the ample breast OF
his coat He had never in his life heard Rosa
lie give expression to one fine heroic sentiment
such as fell plenteously from the lips OF INDIA
as the pearls and diamonds from the fairy-ia-
vored maiden of the childs story. But now he
could not suppress the painful regret that the
brilliant and enthusiastic India had not possess
ed more of the tenderness sympathy, and NOR
al independence, found in the fragile, retiring
Resale.
1t were tedious as needless to follow Marx
Sutherland through all the multtarlous and
harassing details of business that filled up the
next few weeks His path was full OF dlticul-
ties Not only social and domestic discourage
ments and legal obstacles and delays, but din
culties that arose on the part OF the negroes
themselves A few of them did not want the
old state of things, with its familiar assocla-
tons and close attachments, broken up. Some
of them, who were anxious to be free, had wives
and children or husbands upon some neigh
boring plantation, and 80 were held bound by
their affections Nay, indeed, often mere
fraternal love was sufficient to produce this et-
feet There was one young woman who pre-
ferred slavery to a separation from Brother
Jack and Old Mist u. o. mistress. Her OBJ
iectious were overruled, and she was taken on
board a steamboat with a party under the
charge of a man who was to see them safely
beyond the Canada line but her eyes were
always d5tiliing quiet tears; and when the
agent asked her what was the matter she an
swered, "A-pinin' after Old Mist an Brother
Jack There was absolutely nothing to be
done but to let her return. This class OF ne
groeS whose affections were so much stronger
than their intellect or their spirits, proved to
be great trial and vexation to Mark, not only
by throwing nearly insurmountable obstacles
in the way of their own emancipation but by
atfording his opponents much material for
sneering. And if any one should be astonished
ut the stupidity of these ignora9fepeople, lot
them cease to wonder, and let usABok at our
own faulty in parallel case Here is God and
Christ, always Offering us redemption from
the degrading bondage and darkness of sin,
into the glorious liberty and light of regenera-
ton, and we will not take it. We hesitate,
doubt and fear We close our eyes to the I'M
welcome and disturbing light and grovel again
in darkness. 1t was in vain their benefactor
told these men that after a few years of labor
and saving they would be able to purchase
their wives or children. They shook their
heads--they fcared-their spirits were too
faint As far as his means would go, Mr..
Sutherland purchased these wives or children,
and emancipated and sent them off with their
husbands and fathers. And, after all, the ma
jority of the slaves preferred their freedom be-
fore every other good.
At length, it was all over-the slaves all
and gone, each with a sum of
money to pay their transport and provide their
immediate necessities, until they should find |
work. Many misgivings troubled the heart
of Mr.. Sutherland, as to whether they would |
DO well with the liberty so unaccustOmed and |
30 newly given but no doubts as to the righte-
business Of his own act ever crossed his mind
And go he committed the result to Providence.
He had taken care to secure the homestead
to his mother. For her benefit he had also
placed at interest thirty thousand dollars,
which, at six per cent, would yield her an in
come of eighteen hundred
Having thus wound up his business, he went
over to Cashmere to seek an Interview fare
lreH interview--wth his mother and relatives.
He learned that they had, a few days before,
left Cashmere for the North.
The next morning, Mark Sutherland, with
only ninety dollars in his pocket-book, with his
wardrobe and his law books, departed from his
,hildhoods home.
Il rrny no wall to state baro thot vi.on
he Sutherlands returned, in the autumn, Mrs
'utherand with some ten or twelve slaves, her
wn personal property, philosophically took up
Ter abode at Silentshades avaied herself of
he income her son had secured to her, and
made herself generally comfortable.
TO BE CONTINUED.