Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-04-06

themselves to their patrons, wait assidu.
ously upon them at table, polish their
boots and shoes, brush their clothes, col.
lect and watch over their baggage at the
point of debarkation, and make them.
selves generally useful and agreeable-ex-
Pecting, and nearly always receiving, as
the reward of their services, handsome
gratuity from the patron at the end of
the TRIP. In this way they collect consid-
cradle sums OF money, which they dispose
OF rs they llke-the more vain and showy
generally spending their supplies in the
purchase of jewelry and finery for the
adornment of their persons.
To this class belonged Ben, the cabin
boy, who, as has just been stated, had Sc
cured A. NJ as his potron on tho
present trip Of the boat to Mobile. He
was the fortunate, even envied, owner of Il
watch and chain, breast-pin, silver sleeve
buttons and other jewelry, purchased with
his own money earned in the manner
above described, and which he wore con-
splcuously upon his person-not caring to
conceal them from the eyes of the passen-
gers and of his fellow-servants on the boat
de had come honestly by them, gloried
IN their glitterinE brightness, and resent
eu, as personal insult, any reflection
upon their qualities and purity from alloy.
One morning A. N, who was ha-
bltually an early riser, came out of his
state-room ut an earlier hour than usual,
for tho purpose of taking promenade
upon the hurricane deck OF the boat. Ben,
who was also very waketul, rising with the
ilrst peep OF day, was already up and en-
gagged IN his morning toilet. it is the
custom OF his class, very punctiliously OBJ
served, as soon as the patron cmerges
from his room in the morning to approach
him, brush in hand, for the purpose of
busting his clothes. As soon, therefore.
as Ben saw A. NJ come forth into
the cabin, lie desisted from his own toilet,
seized his brush, and hurlying up to his
patron, began the customary morning
purgation of his apparel lie had, howe,
yer, made but a few passes with his brush,
when one of his silver slceyc-buttons be,
came unclasped, and fell "pon the ,loor.
Ben picked it up, and began to replace it
in the sleeve Of his shirt. 4. Nj,
impatient at the delay or wishing, per-
haps, to indulge in little facetiousness
at the expense of his waiter, exclaimed,
III bantcring tone of voice,
Come, Ben, don't keep me standing
here for you to fix those gewgaws in your
wristband. They are nothing but pewter,
anyhow. and am surprised that boy of
your cloth will condescend to wear them. !"
! This was enough The reflection upon
his sleeve-buttons went like q dagger to
the heart of Ben. Had felow-servan
thus questioned their purity, he would
have held him to personal account upon
the spot. But it was white man-above
I'll, his patron-who dealt the blow, and
he could, therefore, only parry il 10y res
pcctlul remonstrance against its injustice.
Master" said he, in an expos ;ulating,
almost suppliant, tone of voice, and in
language entirely free from the African
vulgnrlsms of his race, and almost pure in
id.om, and correc: in grammar. the effect
of his constant and long continued con-
tact with passengers on the boats
bought these sleeve>buttons in the city of
Mobile, and gave good price for them
] am sure they are silver, or | would not
wear them. ] am entirely above irving to
pass off pewter for silver. Here, you shall
see and judge for yourself whether they
be the mere pewter gewgaws that you say
they are"
Saying this, he detached both buttons
from his sleeves, and deposited them in
the hand of A. NJ, who began, in
Jest, an apparently minute scrutiny of the
make and quality of the articles. An ex.
preston, however, of deep thoughtfulness
soon settled upon his flce. He turned the
buttons over and over, and examined them
closely in every part. They were old-fash-
ioned and massive, with two letters en-
graved upon each of the four faces The
| longer A. NJ looked at them, the
more deeply absorbed and agitated he be-
came. Though 9minently secretive and
undemonstrative IN temperament, he could
with difficulty, suppress the powerful emo
ton which began to communicate a nerv-
Gus .remer to his lips and hands. The
pallor almost of death overspread his coun-
tenance, and he stood motionlcss as mar
BILE, absorbed in prolonged inspection of
| the buttons.
Ben witnessed, with ill-concealed deS
light, the agitation of his patron, attriou-
! ting it to the discovery which he had now
made of TIE undoubted metallic purity of
the buttons, and the regret which he must
experience at the injustice done both them
and the owner, by the cruel declaration
that they were mere rewter gew-gaws.-|
Elated with his triumph, he exclaimed, =
"You see, mister, the buttons are pure,
solid silver | am sure you were only
iesting when you said they were pewter.
Why, master, am as much above wear
ing pewter jewelry as you are. am n
man of color; but am true gentleman,
too. Now, master, tell me, don't you think
the buttons are good silver"
! A. NJ was too much absorbed with
his own thoughts to notice either the Ella
tion or the question of his waiter In
moment afterwards, however, assuming as
much composure of voice and manne. as
possible, he said,- .
"Ben, will give you twice as much for
these buttons as you paid for hem, if you
will sell them to me, and, as soon as we
reach Mobile conduct me to the shop or
store where you bought them" -. ..
Though much surprised at the sudden
rise in the value of his buttons in the eyes