Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-11-14
A SCENE IN VIRGINIA.

ltShtioA O'cs Aii thS laslCA pau VI luS
month of May, l took my seat on the
box by the side of the driver, and behind
me on the top, was seated a bright, intel
ligent-looking mulatto boy, apparantly OF
Is or IS year of age. After being on
the road a few minutes, | turned about
and asked him where he was going. He
replied, he was going down a few miles to
lliye Rith Master, ,-, who kept the
stage house at the west stand ; that he
had lived with him the last summer, and
that his master had sent him down to
live with him the coming season.
Turning from the boy, the driver re-
marked to me in an under tone, Z" the
boy is deceived; / am taking him down
TO the slave-pen, a few miles on, where
slaves are kept preparatory to being sent
to Louisiana this deception is practised
to get him from lis home and mother
without creating a disturbance on the
pace.
Shortly after, we drew near TO the
place where the boy supposed he was to
stop, be 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 decided tone of
voice, you are not to get off the stage
here" The boy, in asonishment, re-
plied. /" Yes, is, Tse got a letter for
Master -. PSe going 10 live there
this summer By this time we had
; reached the house, and Master -
making his appearance, John (for that
was the name of the boy.) delivered his
letter and appealed TO Master - to bs
; relieved from the command of the
driver. The Master made no reply, as
: this kind of deception vas no new thing
to him. After reading tie letter and
folding it up, he was about putting it in
; his pocket, when it flashed on the mind
: Of the boy, that he was sold and was
: bound for the slave-pen. He exclaimed
in agony, "Tell me, Master, if Use sold.'
No reply was made. He exclaimed
:, again, Tell me if Pse sold!" Thi.
0 last appeal brought the response g Yes
n John, you are sod"
The boy threw himself back on thc
top OF the stage, and rolling in agony
sent up such a wall of woe as no one il
: the stage could endure even the hotel
keeper walked away in shame, and tn,
driver hurried into his box, and drov,
off in haste, TO drown the noise of hi
cry.
!, The passengers were all deeply moves
in the distress of the boy, and tried il
various ways TO soothe his wounded an
:. crushed spirit, but his agony was beyon
the reach of their sympathy.
: When his agony had somewhat abateG
. lie exclaimed, 80, if they had only le
me bid my mother goodbye. They hav
lied to me :! They have lied to me
" they had a told me / was sold and
\ could a bid my mother sood-by, I'd
~ gone without making them trouble, har
>" as it Is" BY this time we had passed 0
some two or three miles since leavin
the last stand when drawing near to
n pretty thick wood, the boy became trai
quill. Waiting till we had entered IL
> wood few rods, he darted from the tc
Of the stage and ran into the woods,
" agile as deer, no doubt with the f.elir
0' that it was for his life. The driver i
d" stantly dropped his reins and pursu,
~ the boy. Proving himself no match,
returned, exclaiming, " You see, ha
done what l could, to catch him."
70 He mounted his box and drove on
ve mile or so, when he refined up his hors
l. 10 house, hnd calling TO the keep
X asked, " Where are your sons? ?'
H. replied, they left home this mornir
an with the dogs. to hunt negro, a
would not be home before night. T
a. driver said to him that Mr.. - h
sent his boy John on the stage that MOI
i ing to be delivered at the pen, and ii
, Il he had jumped from the top Of the sta
and taken 10 the woods. His reply "!
nd. (" We will hunt him for you to-morro,
,ok The driver said he wished only to not
the him of his being in the woods.
As we drove on, / made the inoui
eb- How long have you driven stage
ing this road r He replied, about fiff,
car years" (" Do you frequently take n
roes down TO the slave-pen p ]
sed frequently" " What viii become
ids. this hoy, John z" He replied
wn win skulk about the woods until Ii
my nearly starved, and will some night m
his way up 70 his masters house, and
/" about two weeks / shall bring him dc