Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-08-19
NJ | s c Ell Ian Y.
THE LOST DIAMOND.

"Do you not suppose that many of tn
slaves whom you say are SO well treated. il
the nam, oltentimes meet with great cruelt-
and wrong
90 yes, answered my ir-haIred friend
/" of course, they do, and So do your pool
labOring Glasses in the North I ave known
some very cruel things in my day.
"Nery likely; but suppose YOU tax youl
memory iittle and see If you can find, in al
your experenc4 ia New England. which yo,
say la ted twenty-five years, any thing thai
will match the first scene Of outrage that yol
remember as having happened during the
last four years IN winch You have sojourned
at the South.
The pleasant lady hesitated; a cloud pissed
over her fair smooth brow. Evidently a
painful thought was tugging at her heart.
She bi; her beautiful hp,- and twirled the
crimson ta,sel Of her double gown round her
fore-fnger.
"Come. - said !, - tell me what tits. You
have asserted that do not understand the
people Of the South; that they are nsrepre-
sented and belied; that the slaves fare well,
and are happy. Now, there is "a powerful
memory asking for utt, ran,e, and
"Your question has put me to thinking, "
she excamed, as she drew her delicatrlv
slippered foot up on the sofa, and cIasped her
arms about her knees in an attitude of easy
confdence a. was born and brought up IN
Vernon At fifteen years Of age, grew
dssatisfed with what seemed the duh routine
OF house- work, and went to Lowell. and en-
tered factory. Being quick. ingenious
hand, made good wages. and at eighteen
had laid up enough on interest to bel p me t.
Mount Holyoke to school. Father was not
rich, but he did what be could tor me. and
at twenty-two left the institution with
good name and pretty good education.
soon got situation as a teacher in my ma
tive STATE. taught two years, and then went
TO Braftleb1ro' 10 spend a vacation. There
met Ar. Warder, who was, as you may
guess, captivated. | became his wife, and
have spent four years in the South, enjoying
every Injury that wealth can procure, and the
highest degree Of happiness that the most
devoted affection can bestOw.
"My husband is kind TO his slaves to a
fault: but he says he cannot bear to deprive
them Of anything that they wish, because he
feels that all they demand is not equivalent
for their labor. Still, he does not see how
he can better their condition, and / try to
think they are better off than if free. You
see how it is we don't see how we can help
ourselves. But all this is irrelevant to the
question under discussion.
ssYour question sent me back into the past,
and do not remember anything worse that
ever happened in the neighborhood where
lived than the severe whipping Of hired
girl. Ny father was Justice Of the Peace,
and the woman who committed this offence
against the peace and majesty of the god
State of Vermont was brought before him,
and was present at the examination. The
little sufferers dress was removed, and,
though but one night had passed, only "a few
red marks were found upon the little body.
The child was taken from the lnhuman
wretch, and fine imposed which was heavy
to bear, for the woman was poor. | do not
recollect now that single person in the
town took sides with the woman; even her
own brothers censured her severely, and said
no child ought 10 be hound 20 her, for it
was sure to come out bad.
SNOW, " said she, "let me tell you a tale
Of horror. Hannah, put down those curtains,
and shut out this beautiful spring sunlight.
| feel as though | could not talk with the
glare of light in my face, when such black
deeds are to be told.
"Jnst after | came South-(you may 20
the Kitchen Hannah)-On Of the daughters
Of Col Stress, who lived in a splendid man
SION Just outside Of our city, and WAS count
ed the richest man in town, lost diamond
ring. The ring was of great value, and of
course it's loss created great excitement in
the household. Miss Julia remembered dis
tinctly having laid it in her casket on a GER
tam evening, after ball, and no one knew
where she kept those things hut her mother
and sisters, and her maid Myra, pretty
mulatto girl Of about sixteen. Myra was
very fond Of dress, and had often spoken her
praises, in most lavish terms. of the spark
ling gen on Miss Julia's finger.
"After al due search had been made, she
was called up and questioned, but denied
any know edge of the aiflir Col. Stress,
who was called hard muster, told her, in
the most perem ptory manner. that if she did
not find it, she should be punished for her
carelessness in allowing her mistress's things
to be stolen, as she had nothing else to do
but take care Of them. This so frightened
the poor girl, and her language was 50 inco-
herent, that the conviction at once settled
on their minds that she was the ulprit, and
she was Immediately ordered TO the yard. to
be whipped till she acknowledged her guilt.
The overseer of the plantation, which lies
some three miles from the hose, was bru-
tai man, (my husband says they all are,
thai no man but brute will take such an
Office. 50 the poor girl was tied to the post
and whipped till she tainted >
" Oh my God, what wretchedness :" l
exclaimed
= They brought her to, and asked her to
tell what she had done with the diamond,
but she still denied any knowledge of the
matter, and she was locked up and starved till
the next day. And when brought out again
and questioned she denied having touched
Mss Julia's diamond. Another whipping
more severe than the first followed, and when
tney took her from the post, she was one gore
Of blood, from her neck to her heels. Han
nah S husband was one of Col. Stress men.
Then my husband bought him to please
Hannah, and he told us all about it. She
Eas carried TO her mother when in this state
end the old woman, in her Indignation, gave
tie overseer a piece of her mind, for which
90 got a slashing,' as they call it, scarcely
rs severe.
= But, to make a long story Short" said
ne spraker, with a husky voice, and her
hnds twitching nervously, "Myra, after
~eek OF delirium and fever, died, and the old
!oman hung herself with the end of the
Sothes-iine. in her own cabin, by the side
her dead child +
Ihe fair-browed lady had heart, for she
- her head in her hands and wept eonvul-
eiy' did not weep. had heard of too
m.Iy sach tales Of sorrow; but sat silent.
WITH an aching at my heart-strings that tears
you'd have relieved
When the burst of feeling had subsided.
be raised her head.
- Was nothing ever heard of the diamond?'
& rkked l.
Yes. nearly year went by, and Miss
ulia had occasion to wear the same rich.
iue velvet dress, that had been the admira.
aon OF all the company at the aforemer toned