The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-17
Old lrnaea.

/ Old Nosea
/ 70 tie Reader You have perhaps rea
me following article in tract published b
the American Tract Society: If 20 read
again-it j. worthy ofre-perusal.
| Mr.. B-was merchant in Baltimor.
and did very heavy business, especially i
grain. One morning as be was passing owe
the vessels 1t the wharf, he stepped upon III
deck ofone, ct the stern Of which he saw
negro man sitting, whose detected counte
nance gave sure indication Of distress; an,
he accosted him with,
Hey, my man, what il the matter will
you this morningY The negro lifted BIZ
eyes, and looking at Mr.. B, replied
All, massa, Use in great trouble 'Wha
aboutY 'Kase Use fotch up here to be sold
What for What have you been doing
Have you been stealing or did you rur
away 7 or what7, No, massa, mono O. dat
its bebause don't mind the audes.' sWha,
kind Of orders? Well, massa, tell you
Massa Willum very strick man, and VERY
nice man, too, and ebry body on de place GOT
to mind him and break trew the rule
but | don't tend to break de rule l forgot
meself an got too high 1t 10 for get
ting drunk then is is it2 % no, sab, not dat
mother i can get no satisfaction from you
Tell me what you are to be sold for. For
prayin, sah For praying that is a strange
tale indeed. Will your master not permit
you to pray? % yes, sab, he let me pray
easy but | hollers too loud And why do
you halloo so in your prayerr 'Kase de
Spirit comes on me, and gifts happy fore
knowsit; den gone cant troll mysef den;
den knows nuthing bout massa's rule den
hOller if old Satin hissef came, wild all de
rules of de QUESTION. And do you sup
pose your master will really sell you for
that? Dyes no help for me now all de
men in de world couldn't help me now;
kasc when Massa Willum say one tink, he no
do another"
What is your name p Moses, sah.'-
What is your masters name? 'Massa name
Colonel Willum c. Where does he
live ? Down on de Easin Shore Is he
a good master? does he treat you well p
o yes, Massa Willum good no better mas.
sa in de world Where is he !? 'Yonder he
is, jus coming to de wharf
As Mr.. B. started for the shore, he
heard Moses give heavy sigh, followed by
q 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 intened to buy him Mr..
himself to Colonel c.
and said, i understand you wish to sell that
negro man yonder on board of the schooher,',
Colonel c. replied that he did What
10 you ask for him ? 4 expect to get seven
hundred dollars How old is he About
thirty ls he good hand? Yes, sir, he is
The best hand on my place. He is steady,
honest and industrious. He has been my
foreman for the last ten years, and more
rusty negro | never knew Why do you
wish to sell him.
Because he disobeyed my orders l built
lis quarters within hundred yards OF my
'wn house; and | never rung the bell, night
n morning, that bis horn did not answer in |
i've minutes But two years ago he got re-
igion, and commenced what he called family |
prayer; that is prayer in his quarter every
hight and morning; and when he began his |
prayer it was impossible to tell when he |
would STOP especially if, as he termed it, he |
,ot happy. Then he would sing and pray |
md halloo for an hour or two together, SO |
hat you might hear him mile off And he
would pray for me and my wife and children, |
md all my brothers and sisters and their
Il ildren; and sometimes when we would |
rave visitors, Moses prayers would interrupt
ne conversation, and destroy the enjoyment |
II the whole company. Even after had |
etired | could not sleep. l bore it as long
IS could, and then forbade his praying so |
oud any more. Moses promised obedience
Tut ne soon transgressed; and my rule is
lever to whip, but when negro proves in
orrigible, | sell him. l pardoned Moses
vice for disobedience in praying 50 loud,
tut the third time knew that must sell
lin, or every negro on the farm would dis
egard my orders
You spoke Of Moses quarters; suppose
rom that he has family Yes he has q
woman and three children-or wife, sup
'ose he calls her now, for soon after he got
eligion, he asked me if they might be mar
led, and | presume they were What
will you take for her and the children ? IF
-ou want them for your own use. will take |
even hundred dollars but shall not sell
loses nor them to 90 out Of the State Il
wish them all for my own use, and will give
ou the fourteen hundred dollars
MIR. b and Col. c. then went
o BIS store drew up the writings,
nd closed the sale, after which they re-
urned to the vessel; and Mr.. B APP
the negro, who sat with his syes
ixed upon the deck, seemingly with the most
4wful orebolings, said We'll, Moses, have
fought you. Moses made very low bow,
md every muscle of his face worked with |
motion as he replied, is you, massa? Where
) gwin massa? Is gwin to Georgy p
No. said Mr.. b, i am merchant
lere IN the city; yonder is my store want
'ou to attend on the store; and have pur-
chased your wife and children too, that you |
nay not be separated Dress God for dat | |
Md, massa, kin 60 to meetin sometimes ? |
es, Moses, you can 60 to church three |
ines on the Sabbath, and every night in the |
week; and you can pray as often as you |
moose, and long as you choose, and as loud
$ You choose, and get as happy as you |
want you to pray for me, my wife |
nd all my children; if you are a good man,
our prayers will do us no harm, and we
'eed them very much and if you wish to,
ou may pray for every body Of the name Of
S. in the State of Maryland
While Mr.. B was dealing out these
iNilcSes 10 SOscS, Ine negro eyes danced |
n their sockets and his full heart laughed |
utright for cladness, exposing two rows Of
8 even, clean worries as any African can |
coast, and his hearts response was, 'Bress
Tod, Bress God all the time, and bress you
90, Massal Moses never thinks bout he /
wine to have all desc commodations dis
make me tink bout Joseph in de Egypt
md after Moses had poured a few blessings
n Col c., and bid him warm adieu,
nd requested him to give his farewell to his
mistress, the children, and all the servants,
10 followed BID the store, to enter
lpon the duties of his new Office. The return
4 the schooner brought to Moses his wife
nd children.
Early the next spring,as Mr.. B was
ne day standing at the store door, he saw
N individual leap upon the wharf from the
eek of q vessel, and walk hurriedly towards
he store. He soon recognized him as Col.
-. They changed salutations, and
0 the Colonels inquiry after Moses, Mr..
- replied that no was up stars meas
reing grain, and invited his to see him
'oon Mr.. BIS attention was arrested
" confused noise above. He listened,