The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-03-07

suihc'rnt'y collected to be able to speak. The
most frishiui curses on hm.elt-on the two
women slaves-on Herman-on all that was
near him-were the first words he uttered.
"I'll pay YOU out for this. You shall know
what it is to resist me. First the cowkesp-
er. and then yourself"
In the meantime, the negro Herman re-
NAMED shut up in the coffee loft. Hunger
became to him more and more insupportab!e :;
but his thirst was uncomfortable As the sun
rose. and the heat increased, his sufIerings
became more and more intense.
20. araught of wafer" he groaned but
nobody heard him What pen can describe
the intensity Of the poor fellows suffering
when the day was at its hottest and the nat
ural heat was increased by the oppressive
ness Of the loft in which be was 4 prisoner |!
And there, in the distance, be saw through
the opened window the river flow: there
saw he the water for which his parched pal
ate thirs,ed. About noon the director sent
for the ba.tinado
'ls Herman still locked up?' be asked.
"Ies. massa."
And has anybody brought him any
thing"
Nobody"
$50 that since yesterday morning he has
had nothing to eat or drink ?"
Nothing"
well then, he'll be pretty hungry now ;
so you may put an end to his fast. Take him
a herring"
Good. massa," said the bastnado. with an
expression that proved that the order would
he willingly obeyed land also some banana
aud water"
DO what tell you" Numbered the d.
rector; mo more-no less"
Coed. massa," replied the bastinado. in a
very different tone. and at once executed
the order.
Beth the women who in the morning ha,::
solicited pardon for Herman, belonged to
that category Of plantation slaves called do
nestle slaves Their occupation consisted
Of household labor. and they never left the
house or its mel ehhorhood. 1t need not be
said that the director 20 took his measures
as to prevent them from going in secret to
assist the poor cowksePer. But still he
could nof prevent them from anxiously
watching al! that TRANSFERRED with regard to
the imprisoned slave. Thus they saw the
bastinaio hurry ing to the cotIcc-Ioft. What
he carried they could not exactly make out,
but they supposed it was food for the poor
slave,and the thought g!a'ldened their hearts
The bastinado entered the coffee loft,
spoke not word, but laid the herring down
ON the floor.
The famished negro seized it a. tiger
srizes lis prey. lie planted his teeth in the
fish, and though the salt flayed his tongue
palate and throat. it did not prevent him
from eagerly swallowing the food thus placed
before him.
But who can describe the state of the m an
WHO, after having been kept without drop
of water for twice twenty-tour hours to cool
his burning lips and parched palate, now en-.
deavoured to still his hunger in such way
as this Who can describe the fire that va,
consuming his burning entrail'-the fearful
thirst that tortured him . His suffering,
made him desperate; his despair drove him
to madness.
Water" he groansd; "water." And
like ono deprived Of reason, he PAGES up and
down the loft. Water" no cries, and
gsoans. through the open window but no,
body answers him. And the intensity of his
agony increases every moment; and the
blood seems to settle on his brain and his eyes
etart from their sockets; and his chest heaves
with oppression and torment; and all the time
he sees the water of the river-he hears its
ripple; it draw. him with irresistible power
TO it. Suddenly he throws himself out of the
window; he falls on his head on the .tons
below; fall a heavy fails heard; the
bastinado and the slaves, mother and daugh-
ter, rush trantcally to the spot, and fnd-a
corpse
We afterwards find this Legres director
punished BY fine and imprisonment, by the
law of the Netherlands not for his diabolical
cruelty to poor old Herman-his death re-
mains unavenged-but for his subsequent
violence to Herman's daughter. The law is
strangely tolerant of shareholders ccueltes
while, as Mr.. Van IIoevell's VIC ahundantly
proves. it is brutality severe in respect to
slaves.