Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-28
A Scene in vireinia.


0f the southwestern counties in Vir-
ginia, the following thrilling incident
took place. Starting l. the stage
coach. soon after breakfast. the morn
ing being delightful one in the latter
part Of the month Of May. took my
seat on the box by the side Of the dri.
yer, and behind me, on the top, was
seated a bright. intelligont-looking
mulatto boy, apparently Of 10 or 10
years Of age. After being on the
road few minutes, | turned about
and asked him whore he was going
He replied he was going down few
miles TO live with Master -, who
kept the stage house NJ The west stand;
that ho had lived with him tho last
Summer. and that his master had
sent him down TO live with him the
coming season
Turning. from tho boy, the driver
remarked 10 mo In on under lono,
"tho boy Is deceived am taking
him down 20 the slavo-pen, few miles
on, whore slaves are kept preparatory
to being sent TO Louisiana thia deeep-
ton Ia practlood TO got him from hla
home and mother without creating a
disturbance on tho place.
Shortly after we drew near 10 the
place wheroiibe 10y supposed he was
TO stop; he began toagather up, prepa.
relory TO leaving the stage, the few or.
tleloa bo had brought away from his
home. The driver .saId 10 him IN u
decided tone Of voice, "iou arc not
TO get of tho stage here" The
boy, In aatonlahmont, replied "Yes
| W. rae got letter for Master ----,
l'eo going to live there this Summer" "
by this time we had reached the houao.
aud Master ---- making his appear.
anee, John (for that was the nalno OF
the boy), delivered hts letter and mp.
pealed 20 Master - 30 be delivered
from the command OF the driver
The Master made no reply, ~ this
kind Of deception was no new thing TO
him. After reading the letter and
folding Il up, ho WAS about putting Il
In his pocket when Il dashed on the
mind OF the boy that he was sold and
was bound for the alaye.pen. lle OK.
claimed, In agony. "'fell me, Master,
II Use sold !" No reply was made,
llo exclaimed again, "Ioll me II pse
sold !" This last appeal brought the
response; "Yoa, John, You are
aold."
The boy threw himself back on the
top Of the stage. and rolling In agony,
sent up such wall Of woe "a no one
In the stage could endure even the
hotol.keeper walked away In shame,
aud the driver hurried into his box
aud drove OF IN haste, to drown the
noise Of his cry.
The passengers were oil deeply
moved by tho distress Of the boy, and
tried In various ways TO soothe his
wounded and crushed spirit. but his
agony was beyond the reach Of thelg
aympathy.
When his agony had somewhat
abated. he exclaimed. 20. IL they had
only let me bid my mother goodbye
rhey have lied 10 me They have
lied TO me II they had a. told mo
was sold and | could a bid my moth
er goodbye, I'd gone without ma
king them trouble, hard as II is."-
BY this time We had passed on some
two or three miles since leaving che
last stand when drawing near to Il
pretty thick wood. tho boy became
tranquil. Waiting till he had enter
cd the wood few rods. he darted
from the top Of the stage and ran into
the woods. as agile as deer, no
doubt with the feeling that it was for
his life. The driver instantly drop
ped his reins and pursued the boy
Proving himself no match, he return
ed. exclaiming, "You see, | have done
what could, to catch nim."
He mounted his box and drove on
n mile or so. when he reigned up his
horses to house. and calling 20 the
keeper. asked. "Where are your sons?"
He replied. they left home this morn
ing. with the dogs. to hunt negro,
and would not be home before night
The driver said to him that Mr.. -
had sent his boy John on the stage
that morning to be delivered at the
pen, and that he had jumped from the
top Of the stage and taken to the
woods. His reply was ave will
hunt him for you tomorrow. The
driver said he wished only to notify
him of his being in the woods.
AS we drove on, made the inqui
Iry, "How long have you driven {
stage on this road ?" He replied
"About fifteen years" "Do you FIRE
quently take negroes down to tn,
slave-p pen?' "Yes. frequently" -
"What will become of this boy, John?'
He replied, "He will skulk about tn,
woods until he is nearly starved, ant
will some night make his way up t.
his masters house, and in about two
weeks 1 shall bring him down agail
to the slave pen in handouts" AT
ter a pause, even this driver, feeling
his degradation in being the instru
ment Of such misery. broke out in th'
exclamation: "This is cursed bust
ness; but in this case this is not tn
worst feature in it. The man who sol,
him is his father !"-Er.
A LARGE Boy.-A rather ludicrou