The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-26

tanner" His dignifed, pathetic patience among
the querulous and fretful fellow-suferers about
him-the perfect sanctity of his life-in that
crowded and harassed life, where every man
could know and see what his neighbor's life
was-his halfmelancholy and halfprophetic
look, as he passed them, pacing up and down
in silence and thought through the long shady
passages, or as he hung over their sleepless
sick BEDS in the still watches of the night,
with tenderness to which many of them had
been strangers since their childhood or, it
might be, even in their infancy, and his varied
powers and accomplishments, all combined to
invest him with a kind of supernatural awe
and mystery in the fancies of these ignorant
and superstitious men. He could tell them
about every country on the face of the earth,
and the moon, too, jest as if he'd been there"
till it almost seemed to them as if they had
been there too. Yet more-he talked to them
about the other world beyond the grave, till,
under the spell OF his deep, solemn, and ST.
lence-surrounded speech, it appeared more
real than this. He spoke of God, even as if
he had seen Him. Perhaps he had that bless
ing is promised to the pure in heart. A poor
maniac, named Transe, who had once or twice
stolen in after him, and heard him pray over a
dying criminal, declared that he cured little
May with only prayer and q sunbeam; and
that he had had power to do so much more for
her even than for them, because she was as
innocent and holy as himself.
The feats of a fine and well-trained voice
were marvels to them. He sang them wonder
fully beautiful songs, in unknown tongues-the
finest compositions of German and Italian mas
tiers. Though there was much severity in the
penitentiary, there was little strictness; and
Herman had long ago found that, when Captain
ROdrick vas not near, or not out of humor he
might sing as much as he pleased like Gagged
nightingale. The wakeful liked to hear him !;
the sleeping did not hear him. The guards,
when they found their watch tedious, would Of
ten condesend to knock up Arden" and gra-
ciOusly bid him to give them "Sarahnade :"
and he did his best for them, pleased to have it
in his power to afford them taste of pleasure
so innocent and elevating. The fault of Her
mans singing, in his drawing-room days, had
been that-quite unlike his reading-it was too
careful-too little spontaneous. 1t seemed now
the very upward breathing of sad, sweet cap
tive soul, home-sick for heaven, and justified
the wild fancy of poor Transe, who always,
when he could, crept to the door to hear it, and
said that when Arden sang hymns to dying
man, his voice called angels down to bear the
soul away, that stayed to sing with him before
they went.
Mr.. Halifax would have come to visit Her
man but he, with many and kind acknowl-
edgments of his kindness in proposing it, never
encouraged his carrying out his proposal. With
all his merits, Herman could not help being
human. He was still very young, and too sim
pie and free from self-cOnsciOusness to perceive
how his character ennobled his situation. He
shrank instnctively from being seen and re-
membered as he was now, by any one whom he
was likely to meet hereafter. He child himself
for this feeling, and would not, perhaps, have
yielded to it, but for better reason that he had
for his refusal and this was that he thought
Mr.. Halifax timid man, who not only proba-
bly, disapproved of the conduct which had
placed him there, but who would be likely, and
| sorry, by coming to see him, to get himself into
trouble with his parish.
| Mr.. Broadstone continued to come frequent
| ly, and was heartily welcomed. He had broken
| the ice long ago and Herman was not likely
to see him again after he left Bondage. Besides,
| they had topic to discuss together, of much
common interest. Herman had, as his friend
thought, more than repaid all his past or future
good Offices to him, by suggestion to him TO
allow his chdrity-slaves to repay to him the
price which he at their entreaty had paid for
them, and then go free.
This was managed according to the plan de-
vised and carried out by the wealthy Mr., Nc
Donogh, of New Orleans.* Strange to tell,
Mr.. Broadstone had never heard of it before,
How many shareholders have?
The slaves were accustomed to have half.
holiday on Saturday. AS they were also ex-
cused from work on Sunday this left them
only five days and half or eleven half days,
week, to work for their master. He told them
that when they should have earned, by extra
work on Saturday afternoon one-eleventh part
of the sum for which he had bought them, he
should consider them to have bought another
half day of their time, or Saturday morning.
Having now whole working day week to
themselves they could of course earn Friday
afternoon in half the time which Saturday morn
ing cost them and so on, with speed in in
verse proportion to the number of remaining
days. When they had bought all their time in
this manner, they were to be free, and to 60,
with suitable outfit, under the care of trust
worthy persons, to Liberia, Canada, or New
England, as they pleased. For the tyranny
under which their master lived permitted him
to enjoy only their extorted service. Under it
he might compel them to serve him as un-
paid unwilling, or servile slaves. He might
not keep his grateful, jealous, intelligent
freedmen about him. Lest Broadstone should
die before the arrangement was consummated,
they were ostensibly bequeathed to Mr.. Hall
fax, with the private agreement that they were
to be allowed to hire themselves out for the re-
mainder Of their terms of service and that the
legatee, receiving their wages should pay in
the proportion due to the estate of their master.
A copy of his sealed and attested will, contain
ing clause to this effect, was placed in the
safe hands of the clergyman, for sad experience
is said to have proved that the families of tesla
tors are not always, in such cases. to be trusted.
To Mr.. Halifax were given also copies of the
receipts for the sums paid in from time to time
| by the slaves.
| In the mean time-to Mr.. Broadstone's great
| surprise-(these human creatures had so much
human nature in them)-they worked twice as
fast and we'll for themselves and him as they
did hefpre for him alone. From being provo
kingly lazy and stupid, they grew busy as bea-
vers, and shrewd as Yankees. They learned
to think. Their master was turning his beasts
into men and women. He had honestly feared
what others-some of them less honestly-said,
that these hiped cattle were too incurahly idle
and helpless to do anything hut steal or starve,
if they we're let go; but he soon found them
devising hundred ways, which he would never
have dreamed OF, to turn penny and so bent
on labor that he was sometimes obliged to check
them, for fear of their oyer-working themselves.
His neighbors saw the change, wondered, en-
We'd and offered him fancy-prices for his hu.
man negroes, as if they had been natural Tor
unnaturaD charlottesville rational and spirit
ual monkeys-butI need not say that they did not
get them. broadstone laughed his bitter laugh,
kept his secret, which it might not have been
safe to tell, and came to his young friend to re-
port progress.
So Herman's days went by, though lonely.
too useful and too fully occupied to be unhappy
now, except when :" the sorrow of Others flung
its shadow over him."
See Cincinnati Gazette of March, 1884, for Interesting
e.. rbiahI han