The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-28

up, or rather down his back, like snakes run.
ming into their holes, with shake of the head
that looked as if he meant mischief "To-mor
row" said he, slowly, holding ack the words as
if he relished them too much to let them leave
his mouth before they must, 1 shall see your
brother, if meet as many devils in my way as
| do fellow-citizens, one in each man, or those
about me will see corpse, and probably more
than one. | shall plead his cause, if he likes,
whether his pleasant neighbors like it or not.
They know me, and my coat-of Farms. Since it
appears that they don't like the looks of it
among them, let them paint it crimson, If they
can. If they do, some of them will only have
to be in uniform with me. know my duty,
sir-at least, as an advocate and fellow-country.
man, do You told me, just now, very hand.
somely, to name my price. ] will. When you
go back to something like civilization, you
shall, in consideration Of the best services which
l can render you, forbear to say that Honor
and Hospitality have quite abandoned their old
home, the South"
| True to his word, he rode up to the Jail the
next day, and met Mr.. Halifax, who had driven
over also, to call on Herman. After half an
hours general conversation and promise to
send the latter some curious books from his
library, and to make interest for him that he
might be allowed to have them, Mr.. Halifax
took his leave. When he was gone, Herman
partly because he perceived that his new law
yer was man of honesty and good faith, and
partly because it was so natural to him, when
he spoke at all, to speak the truth, the whole
| truth, and nothing but the truth, that he could
only have bungled very badly if he had at
| tempted to do otherwise told Mr.. Broadstone
| simply the whole story of his dealings and do
ings in the matter of poor Sam He said moth
ing, however, of Constance but Edward, in
| terror of the effect which his communication
might have upon the anti-abolitionist, men,
toned his brothers motive, himself, to him.
That impulsive gentleman sprang from his
seat crushed both of Herman's delicate hands
in his vise-like grasp, and flung away again
| with. his usual hooking laugh, which seemed
to set at naught all the world, and, above all,
himself; but his eyes, as he did so, had moist
| sparkle in them. Seeming to feel as if Her
sion on his own part; he presently began, with
his usual action and mode Of delivery, which,
as we have observed, was that of the peripa-
tetic school:
" Pm a Shareholder myself and l suppose
You think | ought to be ashamed of it. And
so do |, and so / am, as things 20 now. /
did Int use to be, when my sainted father and
mother were shareholders, and blessings to
strangers and neighbors, white and black, and
couldn't have got their servants to leave 'em,
if they'd tried; but STAKEHOLDER has got to mean
rowdy and bully, eaves-dropper and letter.
opener, and / am ashamed of the name and
of those who bear it with me ; so ashamed,
that it's more than l can stand, without going
beside myself, to have it slapped in my face by
fellows from the free States, who wouldn't have
done any better in my place than have, though
that's bad enough, Beelzebub knows. It makes
Il.
enraged with myself, for bearing the title and
with my neighbors for disgracing it, that can't
get myself twice in a twelvemonth into a fit
frame of mind for going to certain holy table,
where the good man who left us just now tries
to get me every month. When first went to
it, my parents walked with me. Ny mother
leaned on my arm. The cup passed from
her to me. She has since drunk it new in the
kingdom of God; but when the day comes
round, it kills me to think that if, when Christ
comes down to meet the two or three, gathered
in his name, she accompanies, in hopes of
meeting me, she must either see my old place
empty, or profaned by the presence of soul
soiled by deeds which, where she lives, are
called by their right names" His wild hypo.
chondriac eyes were appraised, and actually
sutfused with tears. ooh God help all poor
souls struggling blndfold with Satan didn't
free choice, as many do. l grew up under it
and it entangled and darkened me of ITSELF
and can't see my way out. It's bondage to
the souls of the masters, as much as to the
bodies of the slaves. Death frees them will
it us?" He turned on Herman and bent to-
wards him with his haggard, hungry look, as
if to hear his doom.
Herman said something soothingly, he knew
not what, nor perhaps did his hearer; but the
expression of sympathy in his face and voice
seemed to appease and tranquillize poor Broad
stone, and, recollecting himself, he went on
81 very seldom speak On this subject; and
thus / get so much trouble and wrong accumu-
lated within myself, that when begin to let it
out, | don't know where to stop. You'll think
| must be crazed, to talk so freely to you, as
your brother thought you we're just now, to tell
the truth to me; but I'm not, or, if l am, it's
only with remorse and perplexity upon this
| single point. Now, don't say you didn't think
who had looked polite disclaimer, "because
| saw you did; and don't think it necessary
to apologize for thinking SO, neither, after what
you've seen of us here. It's for US to apologize
to you and since you don't taunt me with my
misfortune and curse, I'm ready enough, for one,
to do so. But as for those other abolition fell
lows, that come down upon you like lynchers,
and first string you up, and then cut you down, to
ask if you're guilty, my ternperament's peculiar,
and they don't get many excuses out Of me.
"Our slaves are mostly my wife's--her whole
inheritance was in them and she won't hear
word about setting them free, because we have
hard struggle, at the best, to bring up and edu-
cate our children properly and couldn't see
my way clear to do it against her will because
| think women have their rights, that it's a
very dishonorable and unmanly thing to inter
fere with-as long as they stay at home, and
behave themselves, and don't make a commo-
ton about them if she took to racing about,
haranguing at conventions, and SO on, l would
claim the privilege the law allows me, of taking
glad that my thumb was no smaller. AS to the
rest, as I'm known for Q softhearted fool when
not in passion, any poor black boy or girl
that has a hard or insolvent master will come
to me and say, 'masr starves me- or beats
me- or I'm gwine be sold, and beg me to buy
them. Well, what in the world can do? I'd
be glad enough to put my hand in my pocket
and say, Here's your price. Pay for yourself,
and take yourself off, and sorry enough to say,
/ can't help you But I'm unpopular and
poor, and have perfect checker. board of black
and white mouths to feed already so all that
can do is to say sometimes, Here you, Sam,
or Luky, don't want you; but I'll buy you
on condition that you'll work hard for me and
mine, and do as much as you can. Pm used
to negroes, and can judge how much that is !;
and if we strike bargain, shall expect you
to keep to it and if you don't, shall keep you
to it. Then they drawl out, Yes, mas'r,' of
course; and as soon as they're paid for and
feel themselves out of danger, they turn care
less, and lazy, and wasteful; while may be I'm
at my wits end to make both ends meet and
then-I treat them accordingly
not because I'm fend BY nature but merely