The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-23

more trusty negro ! never knew
"Why do you wish to sell hlm?'
Because he disobeys my orders. As said
he is my foreman; and, that he might be avail
able at any moment might want him, | built
his hut within IA hundred yards of my own
house, and have never rung the bell at any
time IN the night or morning that his horn
did not answer IN five minutes after, But two
wears ago he got religion, and commenced
what he terms family praycr-that is, praying
in his hut every light and morning, and, when
he began his prayer, it was impossible to tell
when he would stop, especially If (is he term
ed it, he rot happy. Then he would sing, and
pray and hallOo for an hour or two together,
that YOU might hear him nearly II mile off.
And he would pray for me and my wife and
my children, and our whole family connections
to the third generation, and sometimes when
we would have visitors Moses prayers would
interrupt the conversation, and destroy the en-
iOymcnt of the whole company. The women
would cry and the children would cry, and 1t
would get me almost frantic, and even after
had retired it would sometimes be almost day
before could 20 to sleep, for it appeared to me
that | could hear Moses pray for three hours
after he had finished | bore ii as long as |
could, and then forbid his praying any more
and Moses promised obedience, but he soon
transgressed, and my rule is never To whip,
but, when IA negro proves incorrigiDIc, ! sell
him. THIS keeps him in better subsection, aud
is less trouble than whipping, And | pardon
ed Moses twice for disObCdlcnCc IN praying SO
loud, but the third time | knew ! must sell
him, or every negro on the place would soon
be perfectly regardless OF all my orders"
you spoke Of Moses hut | suppose from
that he has Il family"
yes he has a woman and three children,
or wife, suppose he calls her now-ior soon
after he got religion, he asked me if they
might be married, and | presume they have
been"
What money will you take for her and the
chldren?"
"If you want them for your own use, will
take 800; but shall not sell Moses nor them
to go out of the state
If wish them all tor my own use, and viii
give you the Sl,4O0"
Mr. b. and Col. c. then went to Is s store,
drew up the writings and closed the SALE after
which they returned to the vessel; and Mr..
b. approached the negro, who sat with his eyes
fixed upon the deck, wrapped in meditation OF
the most awful forcbodlngs, and SAID:
"Wcll Moses, | have bought YOU"
Moses made II low bow ana every muscle IN
his dusky face worked with emotion, rs he re
piled;
is you, massa? Where is gwine, massa !?
Is gwine to Georgia
No" said Mr. b., II am a merchant here in
this city Ionder is my store, and want you
to attend on the store, and | have purchased
your wife and children, too, that you may not
be separated
Dress God for dat; and ntssa, kin 20 to
meelin sometimes ~
Yes, Moses, you car 20 to church three
times on Sabbath ald every night in the week.
and you can pray is often rs you choose and
rs loud us you choose; and every time you
pray, whether it be at home or in the church,
want you to pray for me, my wife and all
my children; for if you are Il good man your
prayers will do us no harm, and we need them
very much; and, if you wish to, you may pray
for everybody of my name in the state. 1t Will
not injurc them"
When Mr. b. was dealing out these privll-
eyes to Moses, The Negroes eyes danced in their
sockets and his full heart laughed outright for
gadness exposing two rows of rs even, clean
worries rs any African can boast; and his
hearts response was, "Brcss God, Dress God
all de time and breso you, too mnssa; Moses
never links bout he gwinc to hab all desc
commandments; dis makes me tink bout 10.
scph in de Egypt" And after Moses had
poured IA few blessings upon Col. {. and hidden
him II warm adieu, and requested him To give
his love and farewell to his mistress, the chill
dren and all the servants, he followed Mr.. Is.
to the store to enter upon the functions OF his
new office
The return of the schooner brought To Moses
his wife aud children.
Early the next spring as Mr. B. was one day
standing at the store door, he saw "A man leap
upon the wharf from the deck OF vessel, and
walk hurrledly towards the store. He soon
recognized him as Col G. They exchanged
salutations, and to the Coloncl's inquiry after
Moses, Mr. b. replied that he wa, up stars
measuring gram, and invited HIM to walk up
and see him. soon Mr. 3 5 attention WAS ar
rested by a very confused noise above. lie
listened, and heard IN unusual shutfling OF
feet, some one sObbng violently and some one
talking very hurricdly, and when he reflected
upcn Col. C'S movements, and the pccu .ar
expression of his COuntcnanCc, he became
alarmed ana hastencd up to see what was tran
| spring.
When he reached the head of the stairs he
was startled at seeing Moses in the middle OF
the floor down upon one knee, with his arm
around the Colonris waist, and talking most
rapidly, while the Colonel stood weeping au
dibly. So soon ~ the Colonel could sul
GENTLY control his feelings, he told Mr. b. that
|
! the influence of Moses prayers, and that dur
ing the past year he and his wife and children
had been converted to God
Moses respondent: "Brcss God, Massa c
doe | was up hea, ncbcr torgit you in my
prayers; olics put dc ole massa side de new
one Dress God Iii, make Moses tink abou
Joseph in de Egypt again
The Colonel then stated to Mr.. b. that hi
object IN coming to Baltimore was to buy
Moses and his family back again.
But Mr. B. assured him that WAS out of TIT
question, for he could not part with him; anl
he intended to manumit Moses and his wife a
forty and his children when they were thrt
years of age.
| Moses was not far wrong in his reference L
Joseph. For when Joseph was sold int,
Egypt, God ovcrrulcd 1t to his good, and Ia
obaincd blessings that we're far beyond hi
IcXpcclaions; So with Moses, he eventual
proved the instrument, in Gods hands of SAY
Ing the mans soul who sold him
Old Moses is still living, and at present oC
Icupics Il comfortable house of his own and