Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-01-20

too, and ebry body on de place got to
mine him and break trew de rule ;
but | didn't tend to break de rule for
got mesef, an | got too high.'
1t is for getting drunk, then, is it 2"
o no, sab, not dat nother.o
II can get no satisfaction from you
Tell me what you are to be 9old for''
For prayin, sah."
For praying that's a-strange tale
indeed. Will your master not permit
you to pray?'
30, yes. he let me pray easy but
hollels too loud"
"And why do you halloo SO in your
prayers ?"
"Kase de spirit comes on me, and l
gifts happy fore knows it den Use
gone ; can't troll mysef den; den knows
ruthin bout massas rule; den boiler il
ole Saton hissef come, wild all de rules of
de QUESTION"
"And do you suppose that your master
will really sell You for that?"
40 yes no help for me now; all de
men in de world couldn't help me now !;
kase wen Massa Willum say one ting he
no do anoder."
What is your name?"
Moses, sah'
What is your masters name ?"
| Massas name Col. Willum c."
Where does he live p
Down on de Easin Shoah.D
Is he good man does be treat you
we'll 2"
20 yes Massa WiIlnm good no bet
ter massa in de world"
"Where is he?"
Yonder he is jis comm to the warf. .
As Mr.. B. started for the shore he
heard Moses give heavy sigh followed
by a deep groan. Moses was not at all
pleased with the present phase of affairs.
He was strongly impressed with the idea
that b was trader and intended toI
buy him. Mr.. c. introduced himself
to Colonel c.. and said :. under
stand you wish to sell that negro man
yonder on board of the schooner Col
onel c. replied that he did,
What do you ask for him? p
:" expect to get seven hundred dol
lars"
How old is he ?"
ADout thirty.
" Is he good hand ?"
6 Yes, sir, he is the best hand on nv
place; he is steady, honest and industrl-
Gus. He has been my foreman for the
last ten years, and a more trusty negro |
never knew"
" Why do you wish to sell him 2"
=" Because he disobeyed my orders. Il
fr,, I'll i. i , /. /
of my Own house and I have never rupg
the bell, night or morning, that his horn
did not answer in FIVE minutes. But two
years ago he got religion, and commenced
what he termed family prayer; that is,
prayer IN his quarter every night and
morning and when he began his prayer,
1t was impossible to tell whelishe would
STOP especially if, as he termed it, he got
happy. And then he would sing and
pray and halloo for an hour or two to.
gether, SO that you might hear him mile
off. And he would pray fer me and my
wife and children, and all my brothers
and sisters and their children and some |
times when we would have visitors.
Moses prayers would interrupt the con
versation, and destroy the enjoyment ofl
the whole company. Even after | had |
retired | could not sleep. / bore it as
long as | could, and then forbade his pray. |
ing SO loud any more. Moses promised
obedience, but he soon transgressed and |
my rule is never to whip, but when al
negro proves incorrigible, sell him. / j
pardoned Moses twice for disobedience
in praying so loud, bnt the third time | |
knew must sell him, or every negro on
the farm would disregard my orders"
You spoke of Moses quarter | sup
pose from that he has family"
e Yes, he has woman and three chill /
dren-or acite ! suppose he calls her now
for soon after he GOT religion. he asked
me if they might be married, and pre-
sumo they were.''
" What will you take for her and lie
children Z, ~
a = Ii you want them for your own use. | |
will take seven hundreu dollars but III
shall not sell Moses nor them to go out
of the state"
s wish them all for my own use, and
will give you the fourteen hundred dol
lars" s
49, - otFA OOls " - LH6 a NcItI
to BIS store, drew up the writings
and closed the sale, after which they re
turned to the vessel and Mr.. B, ap.
preaching the negro, who sat with his
eyes fixed upon the deck, seemingly witt
the most awful foreboding said, well,
Moses, have bought you"
Moses made a very low bow, and every
muscle of bis face worked with emotion
as he replied, rs you massa Where
is gwine, massa Is I gwine to |
Georgy 2"
No, said Mr.. B., II am mer-
chant here in the city yonder is my store
| want you to pray for me. my wife, and
all my children, If you are good man,
your prayers will do US no harm, and
we need them very much and If you
wish to- you may pray for every body Of |
the. name of B. in the state of Marys
land. 1t will not injure them.
While Mr.. B. was dealing out these
privileges to Moses, the negros eyes
danced in their sockets, and his full heart