Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-14

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,tood with her chubby hand to her mouth, hold
ng on to her mothers dress, and uncertain |
What to make of the strange scene.
Little Yandys on'y chile yet; make prime
,al by-and by. Better buy us mas'r, we'm fds'
ra;e bargain, ,''-and so on But the benevolent
gentleman found where he could drive closer
bargain, and so bought somebody else.
Similar scenes were transaeting all the while
On every side-parents praising the strength
and ceverness of their children, and showing
off every muscle and sinew to the very best ad-
vantage, not with the excusable pride of other
parents, but to make them the more desirable
in the eyes Of the man-buyer; and, on tue other
hand, children excusing and mitigating the age
and inability of parents, that they might be
more marketable and fall, if possible, into kind
hands Notunfrequently these representations,
if borne out by the facts, secured purchaser.
THE MANNER OF THE SALE.
1t had been announced that the negroes
would be sold in families" that is to say,
man would not be parted from his wife, or
mother from a very young child. The manner
of buying was announced to be, bidding GER
tain price apiece for the whole lot. Thus
George and his family were started at $500,
and were finally sold at 5000 each, being 81
400 for the four.
The expression on the faces of all who step
ped on tie block was always the same, and
told more of anguish than it is in the power of
words to express. Bighted homes, crushed
hopes and broken hearts was the sad story to
be read in all the anxious faces. Some Of them
regarded the sale with perfect indifference,
never making a motion save to turn from one
side to the other at the word of the dapper Mr..
Bryan, that all the crowd might have a fair
view Of their proportions, and then, when the
sale was accomplished, stepping down from the
block without caring to cast even look at the
buyer, who now held all their happiness in his
hands. Others, again, strained their eyes with
eager glances from one buyer to another as the
bidding went on, trying with earnest attention
to follow the rapid voice of the auctioneer -
Sometimes two persons only would be bidding
for the same chattel, all others having resigned
the contest, and then the poor creature on the
block, conceiying an instantaneous preference
for one of the buyers over the other, would re-
gard the rivalry with the intensest interest, the
expression of his face changing with every bid,
setting into half smile of joy if the favorite
buyer perseYered unto the end and secured the
and settling down into a look of des-
pair if the other won the victory.
THE LOVE STORY OF JEFFREY AND DoRcAs.
Jeffrey, chattel No 2l9, marked as ''prime
cotton hand, aged % years, was put up. JEFF
frey being likely lad, the competition was
high. The first bid was Sl,l00, and he was
finally sold for 81, $40. Jeffrey was sold alone;
he had no aged father or mother, who must ne
cessarily be sold with him; nor had be any
children, for Jeffrey was not married. But
Ioffr oIo boipry i'll b;c af
fections, had dared to cherish love for Dorcas,
chattel No 27s; and Dorcas, not having the
fear of her master before her eyes, had given
her heart to Jeffrey Whether what followed
was Just retribution on Jeffrey and Dorcas,
for daring to take such liberties with their mas
ter's property as to exchange hearts, or wheth-
er it only goes 70 prove that with black as with
white the saying holds, that "the course oftrue
love never did run smooth, cannot now be told.
Certain it is that these two lovers were not to
realize the consummation of their hopes in
happy wedlock Jeffrey and Dorcas had told
their loves, and exchanged their simple VOWS,
and were betrothed, each to the other as dear,
and each by the other as londly beloved, as
though their skins had been of fairer color
And who shall say that in the sight of Heaven
and all holy angels, those two humble hearts
wers not as closely welded as any two of the
prouder race that call them slaves
Be that as it may, Jeffrey was sold. He finds
out his new master; and, hat in hand, the big
tears standing in his eyes, and his voice trem.
bling with emotion, he stands before that mas
ter and tells his simple story, praying that his
betrothed may be bought with him. Though
his voice trembles, there is no embarrassment
in his manner; his fears have killed bashfulness
that would naturally attend such recital to
stranger, and before unsympathizing witnessts, 5,
he feels that he is pleading for the happiness of
her he loves, as well as for his own, and his tale
is told in frank and manly way.
81 loves Dorcss, young mas'r, l loves her well
an true; she says she loves me, and know
she does; de good Lord knows loves her bet
ter than | loves any one in de wide world
never can love another woman half SO well.
Please buy Dorcas, mas'r. We're be good sar-
wants to you long as we live. We're be mar
ried right soon, young masr, and de chillun
will be healthy and strong, mas'r, and dey'll be
good sarvants too. Please buy Dorcas, young
mas'r. We loves each other heap-do, really,
true, mas'r."
Jeffrey then remembers that no loves and
hopes of his are to enter into the bargain at all,
but in the earnestness of his love he has forgot
ten to base his plea on other ground till now
when he bethinks him and continues, with his
voice not trembling now, save with eagerness to
prove how worthy of fmany dollars is the msiden
of his heart:
young mas'r, Doreas prime woman-A
woman, Sa. Tall gall, Sir; long arms, strong,
healthy, and can do a heap of work in day.
She is one Of de best rice hands on de whole
plantation; worthy $1,000 easy, mas'r, an fus'
rate bargain at that"
The man seems touched by Jeffrey's last re-
marks, and bids him fetch out his gal, and let's
see what she looks like"
Jeffrey goes into the long room and present
ly returns with Dorcas, looking very sad and
self possessed, without particle of embarrass-
ment at the trying position in which she is
placed. She makes the accustomed courtesy,
and stands meekly with her hands clasped
across her bosom waiting the result. The buy
er regards her with critical eye, and gTowls
in low voice that the "gal has good pints."
Then he goes on TO more minute and care
ful examination of her working abilities
He turns her round, makes her stoop and
walk; and then he takes off her turban to look |
at her head that no wound or disease be cOu-
cealed by the gay handkerchief; he looks at
her teeth, and feels of her arms, and at last
announces himself pleased with the result of |
his observations, whereat jeffrey, who had stood
near trembling with eager hope, is overjoyed, |
and he smiles for the first time. The buyer |
then crowns Jeffrey's happiness by making |
promise that he will buy her, if the price isn't |
run up too high. And the two lovers step |
aside and congratulate each other on their good |
fortune. But Dorcas is not to be sold till the /
next day, and there are twenty -four long hours
1f feverish expectation.