The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-07

to the other at the word of the Dapper,
Mr. BRYAN, that all the crowd might have
fair view of their proportions, and then,
when the sale was accomplished, stepping
down from the block without caring to
cast even a 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 ear
nest attention to follow the rapid voice
of the auctioneer Sometimes, two per-
sons only would be bidding for the same
chattel, all the others having resigned the
contest, and then the poor creature on the
block, conceiying an instantaneous prefer
ence for one of the buyers over the other,
would regard the rivalry with the intens-
est interest, the expression of his face
changing with every bid settling into a
half smile of JOY if the favorite buyer per-
severed unto the end and secured the
property. and settling down into look Of
hopeless despair if the other won the
vic DRY.
The family of Primus, plantation car
penter, consisting of Daphnev his wife,
with her young babe, and Dido, girl of
three years old, were reached in due
course of time Daphney had large
shawl which she kept carefully wrapt
round her infant and herself. This un-
usual proceeding attracted much atten-
ton, and provoked many remarks, such
as hese:
What do you keep your niger Gov
cred up for? Pull off her blanket" :"
What's the matter with the cal p
Has she got the headache?"
"What's the fault of the gal? Is she
sound? Pull off her rags and let us see
! her."
Who's going to bid on that niger, if
you keep her covered up. Let's see her
| face 2"
And a loud chorus of similar remarks,
emphasized with loud profanity, and min
gled with sayings too indecent anu OBJ
scene to be even hinted at here, went up
from the crowd of chivalrous Southern
gentlemen.
At last the auctioneer obtained hear
ing long enough to explain that there was
no attempt to practice any deception in
the case-the parties were not to be
wronged in any way; he had no desire to
palm off an inferior article, but the truth
Of the matter was that Daphney had been
confined only fifteen days ago, and he
thought that on that account she was en-
titled to the slight indulgence of blan-
ket, to keep from herself and child the
chill air and the driving rain.
Will your lady readers look at the cir
cumstances of this case. The day was
the I'd of March. Daphney's baby was
born into the world on St. Valentlne's
happy day, the l4th of February. Since
her confinement, Daphney had travelled
f ON the plantation to Savannah, where
she had been kept in a shed for six days.
On the sixth or seventh day after her
sickness, she had left her bed, taken a
railroad journey across the country to the
shambles, was there exposed for six days
to the questlonings and insults of the ne
gro spectators, and then on the fifteenth
day after her confinement was put on the
block with her husband and her other
child, and with her newborn baby in her
arms, was sold to the highest bidder.
1t was very considerate 10 Daphney to
be sick before the sale, for her wailing
babe was worth to Mr. Butler all Of a
hundred dollars. The family sold for 1922
apiece, or $500 for the four.
Many other babies, of all ages of baby
hood, were sold, but there was nothing
particularly interesting about them. There
we're some thirty babies in the lot; they
are esteemed worth to their master hun.
hundred dollars the day they are born, and
to increase in value at the rate of hun
dred dollars a year till they are sixteen OF
seventeen years old, at which age they
bring the best prices.
When the family of Mingo, consisting
of his wife, two sons and daughter, was
called for, it was announced by the auc
tioneer that chattcl No. 322, Dembo, the
eldest son, aged 20, had the evening be-
| fore procured the services of a minister
and been Joined in wedlock to chattel No
404, Frances, and that he should be com
PEELED to put up the bride and groom il
one lot. They were called up, and, a,
was to be expected, their appearance wa;
the signal for volly of coarse jokes from
the auctioneer, and of ribald remarks from
the surrounding crowd. The newly mar
ried pair bore it bravely, although one re-
fined gentleman took hold of Frances lips
and pulled them apart to see her age.
This sort of thing it is that makes
Northern blood boil, and Northern fists
clench with laudable desire to hit some.
body 1t was almost toe much for endur-
ance to stand and see those bruta! slave
drivers nushinc the women abOnt. pullino