The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-05-08
SeIerteo Stotn.
OLD MOSES
OR, THE PRAYING NEGRO


A STORY OF TWENTY YEARS AGO.
Mr.. B. was a great merchant in
Baltimore. One morning as he was
passing over the vessels that lay at
the wharf, he stepped upon the deck
of one, at the stern of which, he saw
a negro sitting whose detected coun-
tenance gave sure indications of dis.
tress. He accosted him with:
"Heyl my good man, what is the
.matter2"
The negro lifted up his eyes and
looking at Mr.. B. replied.
"Ah! massa, Pse in very great trou-
BILE"
@What about?'
" Kase Use been fotched up here to
be sold"
"What for? What have you been
dong? Have you been stealing? or
did you run away? or what?'
"No, no, massa, none o'dat. 1t is
kase l don't mind the awders."
"What kind of orders?"
"Wel, massa stranger, will tell
you. Massa Willum VERY strict
man, and a VERY nice man, too, and
eberybody on de place got to mind
him, and 1 break frew de rule doe;
I forgot myself, and 1 got too high -
at is for getting drunk, then; is
it?"
sob, no, sab, not dat mother"
"Then tell me what you are to be
sold for?'
"For prayin, sah.''
"For praying! that's a strange tale.
Win not your master permit you to
pray?"
"Ah, yes, sab, he let me pray easy
but 1 hollers too loud"
"And why do you holler in your
prayers?"
"Kase the spirit comes on me, and
den gets happy before / knows it;
den l gone; kant troll myself, den
l knows nutting' bout massa's rule. -
"And do you suppose your master
would really sell you on that ac-
count?'
ooh, yes; no help for me now.
All de men in the world couldn't
help me now. Ksse when Massa
Willum says one ting, he no do an
oder"
"What is your name"
"Moses, sab"
"What is your masters name?"
"Masss's names Col. Willum
c."
"Where does he live?"
Down on de Eastin Shoah."
"Isn't he a good master, and treats
you well?'
"Oh, yes sab, no better master in
the world.
"Stand up and let me look at
you?"
And Moses stood up and presen-
ted robust frame, and as Mr.. B.
stripped up his sleeve, his arm gave
evidence of unusual muscular
strength.
"Where is your master?"
Wander he is, sab, jes' cummin'
on the wharf"
AS Mr.. B. started for the shore,
he heard Moses give heavy sigh
followed by groan. Moses was
not at all pleased with the present
phase of affairs. He was strongly
impressed with the idea that Mr.. B.
was trader, and intended to buy
him, and it was this that made him
so unwilling to communicate to Mr..
b. the desired information. Mr.. B,
reached the whrarf just as Col. c.
did. He introduced himself and
said: 81 understand that you want
to sell that negro man yonder, on
board the schooner"
Colonel G. replied that he did.
what do you ask for him?"
81 expect to get seven hundred
dollars"
"How old do yon reckon him to
be?"
Somewhere near thirty
as he hearty?"
''Yes, sir; he will eat as much as
any man ought, and twill do him
as much good"
"Is he a good hand?"
Eyes, sir; be is the best hand on
my place. He is steady, honest and
industrious. He has been my fore
man for tie last ten years and 8
more trusty negro l never knew"
"Why do you wish to sell him?"
Because he disobeyed my orders
AS said he is my foreman; aaC
that be might be available at any
moment 1 might want him, / bull
his hut within hundred yards O
lmy own house-and / have neye