The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-08-29
he rabble staggered under the excite

At length the loud socc Of the profes
siona auctioneer, from his elevated stan,
on the opposite side Of the hall, pro
claimed the commencement Of the publ
sales ;; and the multitude flowed into
scmi-circlc around him. A family, con
sisting Of the father, mother, and scve,
children, were the first slaves offered
and the starting bid went up as high a
| four thousand dollars.
"Do you want me to buy YOU" asket
the Californian.
Yes, massa, if you will not part US,
answered Uncle Ned
Then | will give six thousand dol
lars - said Colonel Tell.
The offer was accepted, and a check
presented for the specified amount.
At least twenty other negroes were Of
fered in succession, but the liberality, ol
lunacy, or intoxication of the stranger
bafiied all competition, and secured every
purchase.
Finally, young and very beautiful
quadrosn took her station on the plat.
form, and the contest became extremely
animated. \ tall, dark featured man.
with enormous black whiskers, one Jack
Weller, the richest gambler in the city,
seemed determined to have the girl, as
he ran her up to the extraordinary sum
of three thousand dollars, and everybody
else paused in mingled amazement and
despair The auctionecr, delighted with
such an unusual profit, was in the very
act Of knocking down the slave to the
last bidder, when she stretched out her
hands with most imploring gesture, and
cried, in tones of unuttcrable sadness
"Oh, save me save me will no one
save me from doom more terrible than
death ~
"What is your name % inquired the
Californian
"Hila Thomas"
Who was your first master ?" he
asked, in accents of the deepest anxiety,
and with vlsage pallid as her own.
Major Moses Thomas, of Richmond,
Virginia"
He reeled suddenly, as if stricken by a
thunderbolt, but recovering after an in
stant, gasped,-
Is the Major still leaving: ,"
"Alas, no., replied the weeping quad
room "if he were so, | would not be
here to-day
But did lie not set you free - in
terrogated the Californian.
Snch. was Lis will,' responded the
girl, 1" but they sold me and my sister to
pay his debts. -
Where is your sister ?"
In the house Of that bad man" She
sobbed, pointing to Jack Weller, whose
countenancc grew as black as u storm
cloud.
" Had your old master no children ?"
He had two sons, one of whom is
dead, aud the other left home when
was an infant.
" Bat Why do you not wish to become
the property Of the man who owns your
sister -
" Because | would not be her rival in
the affections of wretch that | scorn
and hate; I'd rather die"
ooh, my poor unhappy -" ex-
claimed the Californian, but choking the
unfinished sentence, he turned to the
auctionecr, saying, I" offer FIVE thousand
dollars for the girl
The disappointed gambler uttered a
frightfui menace, and relinquished the
struggle, when the quadroon WIS declared
the prize of Colonel Tell, who immcdi-
ately placed all the slaves in his carriage,
and directed the driver to the st Charles
Hotel
He then sought out Jack Weller in the
crowd, and said, ! will pay you the
same for the other sister"
81 would not sell her to you If you
could pay me down all the gold in the
mines of California" answered the ruff
fan, with ferocious frown.
You are liar, coward, and scoun-
drel - Kissed the other through his
teeth
This to me - shouted the enraged
gambler, snatching a dagger from his
bosom, and aiming furious stab at the
heart of his enemy.
But the long weaponless arms of the
Colon:l few like lightning, warded of
the murderous blow, and hurled the as
sassin helpless on The floor, while the
fierce feet Of his antagonist trampled con.
temptuously on his neck, until the by
ISLANDERS intcrfered and relieved the fal-
len wretch.
"Let the poltroon seek the satisfac-
tion of gentleman, if he has courage
enough in his craven soul ~ cried the
Californian, as he turned to the bar, and
again treated the crowd, while the de-
feated villain turned away from such q
dangerous vicinity.
Then an indescribable species OF phren-
zy appeared to possess the mind of the
California Colonel His own carriage
having retursed from the st Charles, he
hired score Of hacks, aud proposed to
the multitude grand drive around the
city. With a wild cheer the inebrated
throng rushed into the vehicles, while
those who could not find admission fol-
lowed on foot, singing, shouting, aad vo.
ciferating thousand different cries, and
thus the mad procession moved on thro
the streets. But they halted at every
drinking saloon on their march, and
hence their excitement continually in.
| creased until they rcscmbled a mob OF
raving maniacs, while ot every point the
Colonel still scattered the gold as though
it grew in his pocket.
Towards night, however, tho GROVE
became gradually thinner, as most o
them had fallen in the frolic By the way
But the sea Of brandy, which proved to,
strong for the nerves Of more feebl,
swimmers, seemed only to steady ia,
brain of their California leader. Hi
face glowed like blood-red comet, hi
oyes cleaned with frichtrul fires, tn