The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-07-18
fully from hi. low stool, and looking the

Il
master calmly in the eye.
Nov knew" said Tom, (" that maste
s. had not been in the field that day. M
had be seen the overseer, as his quarter
were beyond our hut,-and further fror
the house. Besides, had he consulted tn
Cvescer he would have been informed that
instead Of not doing his work 'as well,
Dread had done his work better, and twic
as much, as either of the other hands,
But the moment be questioned his master
knowledge, he had exceeded the prerogativ
of slave, and this threw his master into
violent ct Of anger" -ii
"Ah! you have got above yourself, boy,
hevocifsrated, raging and foaming with pass
ion. 4" T must have you taken dO'sn notch
You shall be aogged, you impudent, blacl
rascal 4"
"IshaH NOT receive fc2ging, sir re
piled the indignant slave, firmly and fear
lcssly.
Mr.. s. then ran out to the oversecr, and
told him to call on oil hands.
"Now take him and tye him." said Mr.
s., when the whole gang had assembled in
front of breads hut, and he was standing
in the door. This, said Tom, "they at.
tempted to do, in q scuiIle which lasted near
ly an hour; but they were not able for q
moment to con6ne one Of his limbs; for
with his hands and feet ho flung them on
the ground as fast as they came near him.
lie evidently avoided injuring theslaves more
than was absolutely necessary, in defending
himself; for he knew they oil loved him."
Soon after this fruitless effort to subduo
Dread, the master and ovcrseer Of another
plantation were employed to come and help
bind and whip him. In the meantime
Dread furnished himself with q long butch
er-knife, with which he felt secure. When
he saw them coming into the field to take
him he dropped his hoe, drew the rude weap-
on from his side, advanced o few steps to-
ward them, and bnndished the knife, as he
stood in an attitude Of conscious innocence,
moral courage, physical strength, and bold
defiance of his foes
"No man." said Tom, +" dared lay q fn-
ger on him
Now crisis had come. A slave had sue
cessfully resisted his master. This must
not be tolerated. Such an insurrectionary
Split must be crushed, cost what 1t may
The deadly purpose was formed in the heart
Of the master.
"Thc gun was loaded" said Tom, " and
was ordered to take the ammunition, and
accompany my MASTER"
What are you going to do nots said
Mrs. s. to her husban Us he was passing
out Of the house.
al am going out on squirrel hunt" I"
replied Mr.. S. with apparent composurc.
Had mistress known his intention to
kill Dread" said Tom, :" think she would
have persuaded him from his bloody purpose
for she was Christian woman. But we
started of before she had time to say more.
Passing around behind the house, we came
in sight Of the slaves at work in plum or
chard, in the valley behind the hill. Mas
ter raised his gun-held 1t steady to his eye,
until the victim was selected from the other
hands-and then he fired! "
A heavy charge Of buck-sbot was lodged
in the thigh of the great-hearted, uncon-
querable Dread. The large artery was di-
vded. The blood poured from the wound.
Dread ran out a few rods to the hill side,
crying to Heaven for vengeance on his mur.
dcrer, and uttering in deep, thunder.tones,
that seemed to make the earth tremble be-
meath him,
I'm killed I'm killed I'm killed /! !!
His devoted wife, who, u moment before,
stood laboring faithfully at his side, WAS the
first to reach him, crying in wild, frantic
voice
Dread is dead! DREAD Is DEAD !
DREAD Is DEAD!!!"
"Hold your tongue commanded the
murderer.
Still she screamed, said Tom, F" louder
than ever before heard from woman
".Drcad is dead Dread is dead -"
The master ran up to the fence, pulled
OF rail, and struck that woman with j,
on the head, repcating-with horrid oath
"Hoid your tongue, say"
This is the "moderate correction" which
the laws of the slave States allow! So does
slavery harden the heart, uutil the man i,
made-not brute, but-a flend So ha,
many moral hero in the South fallen O
victim to its cruel, Unsuitable spirit
The body Of Dread was carried to its rest
by his mourning companions. The darkness
of night could not cover their sorrow. Iii
heart-stricken wife, broken down with gric
which no tongue can describe, was sold q
few days afterward to q "soul-driver " frou
Kentucky!
The Whhe Mountains.-It is cxpectet
thai the carriag, road from the Glen hous
to the summit Of Mount Washington viii
bc completed and ready for use tho prcscn