Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-03-25

rassment at the trying position 10 which she Is
placed. She makes the accustomed courtesy,
and stands meekly with her hands clasped across
her bosom, waiting the result The buyer re-
CARDS her with critical eye, and grewls in a
low voice that the sgal has good p'infs. -
Then be goes Oh to a more minute and careful
examination of her working abilities. He
turns her round, makes her stoop, ana walk .
and then he takes off her turbaa to look at her
head that no wound or disease be concealed by
the gay handkerchief he looks at her teeth,
and feels her arms, and at last announces him
self pleased with the result of his observations,
whereas Jeffrey, who has stood near, trembling
with eager hope. is overjoyed, and be Smiles for
the irst time the buyer then crowns Juffrey's
happiness by making promise that be will buy
her, if the price isn't run up too high. Aud
the two lovers step aside aDd congratulate each
other on their good fortune. But Dorcas is
not to be sold till the next day, and there are
twenty-four long hours of feverish expecta-
ton.
Early next morning Is Jeffrey alert, aud hat
in hand, encouraged to unusual freedom BY the
greatness of the stake for which lie plays, he
addresses every buyer, and all who will listen
he begs the boon of word TO be spoken tohis
new master to encourage him to buy Dorcas.
! And all the long morning he speaks in his
| homely way with all who know him that they
will intercede TO save his sweetheart from be-
ing sold away from him forever No one has
The heart to deny word of promise and en-
couragement to the poor fellow, apd, joyous with
so much kindness, his hopes and spirits gradu-
ally rise until he feels almost certain that the
wish of his hear, will be accomplished. Aud
| Doreas too is smiling, for is not Jefrey's hap
piness her own
A last comes the trying moment, and Dor
cas- steps upon the stand.
| But now most unexpected feature in the
drama is for the first time unmasked; Dorcas
is not TO be sold alons, but with family Of
four others. Full Of dismay, Jeffrey looks to
bis master, who shakes his head, for, although
he might be induced to buy Dorcas alone, he
has no use for the rest of the family. Jeffrey
| reads his doom IN his masters look, and turns
| away, the tears streaming down bis honest
face.
So Dorcss is sold, and her toiling life is to
bs spent in the cotton fields of South CARROLL
ma, while jeffrey goes to the rice plantations of
the Great Swamp.
And to- morrow jeffrey and Dorcas are to
say their fearful farewell, aud go their separate
ways 10 life, 10 meet no moro az mortal be-
ings.
But didn't Mr. Pierce Butler give them
silver dcllar apiece1 Who shall say there is
no magnanmty in slave owners?
In another hour / see Dorcas in the long
room, sitting motioDless as statue, with her
head covered with shawl. And I see JEFF
frey, who goes to bis new master, pulls off his
hat and says, 81 sc very much obliged, Mas'r,.
to you for tyin' to help me-. kaoEs gan
would have done II if you could--thank you,
mas'r, thank you s--berry--bard''--
and here the poor fellow breaks down entirely
and walked away, covering his face With bis
battered hat, aud sobbing like very child.
He is soon surrounded by gang of his coll |
ored friends, who, With an instructive deicacy
most unlocked for, stand quiet and with 1n-
covered heads about him.
Anson and Violet, chattals Nos. III snd
1l2, were sold for $3.50 aAch, both being old,
and Anson being down in the catalogue as
'srnptufed, aud as having but one eye," Vin- |
let was sold as being sick. Her disenso was
probably consumption, which suppositiou gave
rise to the following feeling conversation be- |
tween two buyers:
"Cheap gal. that, Major
"Don't think so. They may talk about her
being sick; it's no easy sickness she's GOT
She's got consumption, aud the man that buys |
her nell have tc be docterin' her all the time,
and she'll die in less than three month.
won't have anything to do with her--don't
want any half dead niggers about me-"
AN UNEXPECTED MARRIAGE.
When the family of Mpgo, consisting of
his wife. two sons and daughter, was called |
for, il was announced by the suc,ioneer that
chattel No. 322, Dembo, the eldest son, aged /
twenty, had the evening before, procured the
services of minister, and been joined in wed-
lock to chuttel No. 404, Frances, and that he |
should be compelled to put up the bride and
groom in one lot. They we're called up, and,
as was to be expected, their appearance was
the signal for o voley of coarse Jokes from the |
auctioneer, and of ribald remarks from the sur
rounding crowd. The newly married pair bore
it bravely, although one refined gentleman took
hold of Franses's lips aud pulled them apart to
SEQ her age
This sort of thing it is that makes Northern |
blood boil, and Northern fists clench with |
taudabie desire to hit somebody. Il was al |
most too much for endurance to stand and see |
those brutal slave drivers pushing the women
about, pulling their lips apart with their not |
too cleanly hands, ard committing many other
indecent acts, while the husbands, fathers and |
brothers OF these women were compelled to /
witness these things, without the power to re-
sent the outrage.
Dembo and Frances were at last struck off |
for Sl 800 each, and went to speud their hon
eymocu on cotton plantation in Alabama.
THE CASE OF JosHUA's MOLLY.
The auctioneer brought up Joshua's Molly |
and family. He announced that Molly insist
ed that she was lame 10 her left foot, and per- |
yersely would walk lame, although, for bis
part, he did not believe word of II. He had |
caused her to be examined By an eminent ply |
aician in Savannah, which medical light had
declared that Joshua's Molly was not lame,