The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-11-21
An Illustrative Incident.

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1 An Illustrative Incident. n-i.'' Z
III ..-.ft- '-tBr.'a-sm ll l.Ataf ilo-..,
A Southern correspondent Of the N Y.
Independent relates the following: II..i
| While travelling not long ago in one Of
the South. western counties in Virginia, the
following thrilling incident took place.
Starting In the stage coach soon after brsak.
East, the morning being delightful one, in
the latter part Of May, I took my ssat on
the box by the side Of the driver; and be-
hind mo was seated alright Intelligent look
ing mulatto boy. apparently Of ls or 10
yeArs Of age. After being on tho road .
few minutes, / turned about and asked him
where he was going. He replied. be was
going down o few miles to live with Master
-. who kept the stage house at the
wcst stand; that he had lived with him the
Inst summer, and that his master had cent
him down 70 live with him tho coming sss-
son. .iIsGl - '-..'
Turning from tho boy, tho driver remark.
ed to me In an under tone, "thc boy is de-
ceivcd, am taking him down to the slavo
pen, few miles on, where slaves aro kept
drcparatory to being sent to louisiana; this
deception !, practisod to get him from bis
home and mother without creating o dis
turbancs on the place." ~.
Shortly after, Us we drew near to the place
where the boy supposed he was to stop, he
began to gather up, preparatory to leaving
the stage, the few articles he had brought
away from his home. The driver said to
him In u decided tons OF voice, +" You arc
not TO get OF the stage hcn." The boy In
astonishment replied, eyes, I Is, I'ss got o
letter from Master -,l'se going to 1.-Two
there tliis summer" by this time we had
reached the house, and Master - max.
Ing his appearance, John (ior this was tie
name Of the boy) delivered hls letter andap
pealed to Master to DO relieved from
the command of the driver. The master
made no reply, as this kind Of deception was
no new thing to him. After reading the
letter and folding It up, he was about put.
ting it IN hi. pocket, when it flashed on the
mind Of the boy that he was sold, and was
bound for the slave pen. Ils exclaimed in
lgony. "Tell me Master, if I'sc sold2" No
,oply was made. lle exclaimed again
Tell me il I'se sold7" This last appeal
brought the response, eyes, Jonb. you are
odd"
Tho boy threw himself back on tho top Of
Inc stage, and rolling in agony, sent up sucl'
vail of wo us no one in the stage could
,ndure, even he hotcl.kccrcr walked away
IN shame and the driver hurried into his
box, and drove oa in haste to drown the
noise of his cry.
The boy became tranquil. Waiting till "
we bad entered the wood few rods, hc
harted from the top OF the stage and ran
into the woods, as agile as deer, no doubt
with the feeling that It was for bis life
The driver instantly dropped his rcins and
pursued the boy. Proving himsclf no match
hc returned, etclaiming, " You SEE, have
done what could to catch him."
lie mounted his box and drove ON milo
or 80, when he refined up his horses TO
house, and calling to the keeper, asked,
"whcre arc your sOns'" lie replied they
left home this morning with the dogs, to
hunt negro, aud would not DO home be-
lnrc night. The driver said to him that
Mr. - had sent his boy John on tho
stIgo that morning to be delivered at tho
pen, and that he had jumped from the top
Of the stage and taken 70 the woods. Ills
reply was "wo will hunt him for you to-
morrow" The driver said he wished only
to notify him Of his being in the woods.
As ", drove on, md, tho inquiry,
"lIow long have You driven stage on this
road ~ lie replied .'about fifteen years"
"Do you frequently take negroes down to
tlis slave pcn?" "Ycs, ircquently."--
what will become Of this boy, joint
"lIe will skulk about the woods until he 10
nearly starved. and will some night make
his way up to his Master's house, and in
aboa, two wCoks shall bring him down .
again 10 the slave psn in hand cuG,. Al. f
tar pause, even this driver, feeling his
i,snda,lon in being the instrument Of such
misery, broke out in the exclamation
This is cursed business but ia this ca,o
this is not the worst feature in Il. The man
who sold him ia his own father! y . ''.-