Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-12-06
From the Autobiography Of aFemsle Slave.
INCIDENTS OF SLAVERY.
THE SALE.

! Ihe Heroine OF this narrative was young ant
beautiful slave girl who had the fortune to have
kind master and who in consequence Of her supe
ror physical and intellectual qualities was treated
with unusual consideration for q slave. But tn,
kind master died and here is an accoant of tn,
sale whith followed
! But the "sale-day" came at last; | have oon
fused idea Of it. The ladies left the day before
Miss Betsy took an atfectionate leave of me ab
| did not then know that it was final one
The servants were all sold as heard one mar
say, at very high rates, though not under the auc
tioneer's hammer. To that my young masters were
opposed
tall, hard-looking man camo up to me- very
roughly siezed my arm, babe me open nv mouth
examined my teeth felt of my limbs; made IN,
run few yards; ordered me to jump and, being
wen satiSheu with my activity, said to Master Ed
ward, IL will take her." Little comprehendine
the full meaning of that brief sentence, reioineC
the group of children from which | had been sum
moned. After awhile, my mother came up to me
holding wallet in her hand. The tear-drop.
stood on her cheeks, and her whole frame was dis
torted with pain. She walked toward me few
steps then stopped, and suddenly shaking her heaC
exclaimed, "No, no, can't do it, l can't do it,
was amazed at her grief, but an ndefinable feal
kept me from rushing to her.
Here, Kitty" she said to an old negro woman
who stood near, ''you break it to her. can't do it
ever born to this day" Then rocking her
body back and forward in transport of agony,
she gave full vent to her feelings in a long loud.
piteous wall. Oh God that cry of grief that
knell of breaking heart, rang in my ears for ma
ny long and painful days. At length Aunt Kitty
approached me and, laying her hand on my shoul-
der, kindly said:
''Alas poor chile, you mus place your trus in
the good God above, you mus look to Him for
help you are guine to leave your mother now
ou are to have new home, new master and
hope new friends. May the Lord be with you"
So saying she broke suddenly away from me ; but
saw that her wrinkled face was wet with tears
With perhaps an idle, list!ess air, received
this astounding news but a whirwind was gath
cring in my breast. What could she mean by
new friends and new home Surely | was to
take my mother with me Nor moral power
would dare to sever us. Why | remember that
when master sold the gray mare the colt went also
Who could who would, who dared, separate the
parent from her offspring? Alas had vet to
learn that the white man dared do all that his av-
arice might suggest; and there was no human trib-
unal where the outcast African could pray for
rightly Ah, when now think of my poor moth
er's form, as it swayed like willow in the tenn
pest of grief; when | remember her bitter cries
and see her arms thrown franticly toward me, and
see her earnest-oh, how earnest-prayer for
death or madness, then | wonder where were
Heavens thunderbolts but retrbutiye Justice
WU come sooner or later, and He who remembers
mercy noU will not forget justice then.
"Come along, gal, come along, gather up your
duds, and come with me, said harsh voice and
looking up from my bewildered reverie, beheld
the man who had SO carefully examined me. was
too much startled to fully understand the words
and stood vacantly gazing at him. This strange
manner he construed into disrespect; and, raising
his riding whip, he brought it down with consid-
cradle fsrce upon my back. 1t was tie first lash
| | ta1 hn
meath the stripe, and a cry of pain broke from my
lips. Mother sprang to Inc, and clasping my quiv
ering form in her arms, cried out To my young
master, "Oh Master Eddy, have mercy on me- on
my child. | have served you faithfully, nursed
you, grew up with your poor mother, who now
sleeps in the cold ground. | beg you now to save
my ehild." and she sank down at his feet, whilst
her tears fell FAST
Then my poor old grandfather, who was call
ed the patriarch slave being the eldest one of the
race in the neghhorhood, joined u.s. His gray
head, wrinked face, and bent form, told of n many
u year Of hard servitude.
What is it, Massa Ed, what is it Kaisy be tax
in on so bout you haint drv the ellie off NoI
no young massa only playin' trick now; come
Kas' don't be maxim fool of YOURSELF young mas
81 not guine to seperate you and the chile"
These words seemed to reanimate my mother
and she looked up at Master Edward with CRATE
ul expression of face, whilst she casped her arms
you young master, bless you foreser, and forgive
poor Kais for distrusting you, but Pompey told mt
the child was sold away from me, and that
semmen struck her;" and here again she sobbed
and caught hold of me convulsively, as if she
feared might be taken.
| looked at my young masters face, and the
ghastly whteness which overspead it, the fearful
gster of his eye, and the strange tremor of his
figure, struck me with fright. / kacp my DOOM
Young as | was; my first dread was for my moth
err | forgot my own perilous situation, aud mourn
ed alone for her. | would have given worlds could
nsensibility have been granted her.
"Ive got no time to be foolin' longer with these
niggers, come long gal. Ann, | believe, you tole
ne was her name," he said, as he turned to Mas |
er Edward. Another wild shrek from my moth
,r, deep sigh from grandpap. and / looked a.
master Ed, who was striking his forehead yehet
nently, and the tears were trickling down his
cheeks.
Here, Mr.. Peterkin, here :" exclaimed Master
edward, "here is your bill of sale l will refund
1our mOnery; release me from my contract"
Peterkin cast on him one cOntemptuous look,
IND with low, chuckling laugh, replied. "No; you
must stand to your bargain. want that gal she
s likely, and it will do me good to thrash the dev-
| out of herr" turning TO me he added, quit your
nufling and snubbng or I'll give you something
o cry 'bout;" and, roughly catching me by the
rm, he hurried me off, despite the entreaty of
Master Ed, the cries of mother, and the feeble
uplication of my grandfather. | dared to cast
me look behind, and beheld my mother wallow-
ng in thNdust. whilst her frantic cries of ''save
nv child. save my child !" rang with fearful ago.
" in my ears. Master Ed covered his face with
lis hands, and old grandfather reverently raised
lis to Heaven, as if beseeching mercy. The sight
f this anguish stricken group filled me with
ew sense of horror, and forgetfnl of the presence
{ Peterkn burst into tears : but | was quickly
ecalled by fierce and singing blow from his
tout riding-whip.
"See here, nigger (this man, raised among me-
roes used their dialect), if you dar' to give an
other whimper, I'll beat the very life ZEN YER"
his terrific threat seemed to scare away every 8
hought of precaution; and, by sudden and ag-
le bound, broke loose from him and darted off to
he sad group from which had been so ruthless.
y torn. and. sinking down before Master Ed,
red out in wild, despairing tone, Save me, q
ood master. save me-kill me, or hide me from t
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