The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-23

mlSut WduC ulu, l. DullU HIS uuU W1Gulu
a hundred yards of my own house, and
I had never rung the bell at any time
in the night or morning that his horn
did not answer in five minutes after.
But two years ago he got religion, and
commenced what he terms family
prayer-that is, praying in his hut
every night and morning, and when he
began his prayer. it was impossible to
tell when he would stop, especially if
las he termed it) he got happy. Then
he would sing nd pray and balloo for
an hour or two together, that you
might hear him nearly mile off. And
he would pray for me and my wife and
my children, and our whole family con-
nections to the third generation, and
sometimes, when we would have visi-
tors, Moses prayers would interrupt
the conversation and destroy the enjoy
ment of the whole company. The wo-
men would cry and the children would
cry, and it would get me almost fran
tic, and even after I had retired, it
would sometimes be almost daylight
before could go to sleep, for it APP
peared to me that l could hear Moses
pray for three hours after he had fin
ished. L bore it 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, whenever negro proves
incorrigible, 1 sell him. This keeps
them in better subsection, and is less
trouble than whipping. And par
doned Moses twice for disobedience in
praying so loud, but the third time 1
knew l must sell him, or every negro
on the place would soon be perfectly
regardless of all my orders"
You spoke of Moses hut. 1 suppose
from that he has family p
Eyes, he has woman and three chill
dren, or wife, suppose he calls her
now--for soon after he got religion, he
asked me if they might be married,
and presume they WERE"
"What will you take for her and the
children?"
eff you want them for your own use,
I will take 500; but 1 shall not sell
Moses nor them to go out of the State"
II wish them all for my own use,
and will give you the $140O."
Mr.. b. and Col. G. then went to 3. 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 up.
on the deck, wrapped in meditations of
the most awful forebodings, and said
"Well, Moses, 1 have bought you"
Moses made low bow, and every
muscle of his face worked with emo
ton as he replied:
SIS you, massa? Where's I gwine,
massa? Is gwine to Georgia p
"No," said Mr.. B.. 81 am a mer-
chant here in this city, Yonder is my
store, and have purchased your wife
and children, too, that you may not be
separated"
"Bress God for dat; and, massa, kin
I go to meetin' sometimes
eyes, Moses, you can go to church
three times on Sabbath and every night
in the week, and you car pray as often
as you choose, and as loud as you
choose, and as long as you choose: and
every time you pray, whether it be at
home or in the church, I want you to
pray for me, my wife and all my chill
dren; for if you are 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 iniure
them"
When Mr.. B. was dealing out these
privileges to Moses, the negro's eyes
danced in their sockets and his full
heart laughed outright for gladness,
exposing two rows of as even, clean
worries as any African can boast; and
his hearts response was: "Bress God,
Bress God all de time, and Dress you,
too, massa; Moses neber thinks bout he
gwine to hab all desc commodationers;
dis make me tink bout Joseph in de
Egypt" And after Moses had poured
few blessings upon Col. C. and bid
den him warm adieu, and requested
him to give his love and farewell to his
mistress, the children and all the SER
wants, he followed Mr.. B. to the store,
to enter upon the functions of his new
office
The return of the schooner brought
to Moses his. wife and 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 a vessel, and walk
hurridly towards the store. He soon
recognized him as Col. G. They ex.
changed salutations, and to the colon
els inquiry for Moses, Mr.. B. replied
that he was up stairs measuring grain,
and invited him to walk up and see him.
r.. y,