The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-12-12

hSo'iS odSh W NOluutcct bio BuCot ct'
outline OF his life.
My story may be tedious to you
said he, shut its peculiarity is not
without interest. Though | was
born in the North, where there arc
no slaves. | have been like you a
slave holder. At the age Of thirty
five, | was a poor man with no near
relatives. At about that time the
death Of kinsman in the State OF
Mississippi made me his sole beir,
and went there to find myself rich
the owner Of broad lands and
many slaves.
"The novelty OF the transaction
made it highly pleasing for while;
but my own good fortune corld not
dull my sense Of the misfortuues oI
others. | had been educated in a
ifferent school, aud could not but
view with pity and disgust a sys-
tenn Of unpaid labor, some of the
Iconcomitants of which were the buy.
ing and ceiling of human beings
from bondage to bondage; the sway
OF absolutsm in free country; the
arbitrary parting Of kindred at the
will OF master; and the power to
whip and brand human hesh. fell
guilty in the possession of wealth,
resulting from no merit Of my own.
but wrung from the sweat and IA.
tigne OF humble. benigbted creatures
born with no friend save God, and
yolied for life. without crime with.
ont a hope. therefor did much to
ameliorate their condition, though
for few years | did not make up
my mind to free them.
Among my slaves was a really
beautiful mulatto. Negro blood
could not have predominated in her
veine. Her features were regularly
and finely cut, and her form and
movements were grace itself. You
may have seen such. Hhe red col
or come and went in her complex
ion, at sudden emotion, as visibly as
in a whittier face. Her voice was
music and her were like stars"
The visitors smiled at each 9th
er.
You may wonder at my rhap
sody, and yet more when | tell you
that loved her.
Sympathy is often TIE forerunner
Of love. and here i, was heightened
by admiration and a peculiar sense
OF wrong. | often regarded her in
secret meditation. There thought /,
is the innocent offspring Of un1oubt
euilt-the more henious because the
intelligence and style apparent in
her, show that mind ami education
were compiled with unbridled passion.
which they would have checked -
not suffered TO shadow forth their
own shame in the future, and swell
the calender Of souls in chains
III loved her, bnt still it Was rs
ipugnant to my Caucasian blood to
marry her; and yet the more my
pride struggled, the 'eebier it be-
came beiore the power of love- -
Will y7u believe it? | finally dis.
closed my affection, and prop ,sed to
marry her. And will you believe
still further? Though convinced OF
my sincerity, she refused me. She
was in love With another, and a
backbone Of my own slaves.
My disapI ntment IVES thus
doubly mortiiying. But thork
God! | had honor as well as philos
ophy. and | did not abuse my pow
er, though my heart was writing,
! could not cor qner my love, but
conquered myself"
That is rare case under suck
circumstances" said Mountiort.
III fear so," returned Lone Jack,
deep sigh returning from his quv
ering lip. But let me unfold the
sequel. A neighboring planter, hav
ing seen her by chance, came to me
and wished to buy her. | declii Q l.
He urged me for hours, offered q
arge amount, donbled. trebled it;
bribed, swore, and begged by turns
Still | reiused--my frmness increas
ing the more ardent h. became.
suspected his motive, for | knew bis
character; and | would not part her
from her lover.
"The man went away hating me
for it; and making a handle of my
Northern birth and extreme kind
! ess OF my slave, he excitel preiu.
dice against me. One day, on my
return from ajourney OF some miles
1 heard shreks issuing from my
house. AT distance, | saw one Of
my boys rush toward tho house and
enter it. 1t was Phil, the lover oI
the mulatto girl. Hasttning to the
hou Q, what was my horror, on en-
tering, to find my neighbor welt
ing in his blood on the hocr; while
Phil and Jesse stood by, the latter
with her garments torn, and exhib
iting all the signs Of having boer
Engaged in desperate struggle.
understood oil at a glance. The
villain had taken advantage of my
absence, and had expiated his bruta
attempt at once. A hstchet ia the
hand OF Phil had cleft his skull.-
He was dead.