Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-03-18
AN AnTs-wAR STORY.
uo,, a t,ri hit Young Slave Escaped Beins
Sold To u Dealer.

A little while ago coloreu man Hoih
an adjoining county came over into TINS
county, his former home, and met many
cid friends. TO one he related re-
markabie episode of the days 'befo' the
wah."
He saws he was as tough mulatto as
the country ever produced, and his young
master resolved to ''send him down the
river" as the slave owners used to eX-
nress it. One day the young master told
him to have the horses ready ana they
would depart early the next morning Tor
Knoxville. The young master haa re-
ceived information that certain slave
buver from the cotton fields would visit
the city mentioned in quest Of likely
negro men"
The early dawn found the young
farmer and his valuable human property
shedding away over the smooth road
south. After they had gene little
way. Rich" for that was the &C homen
nv which the "likely boy was known,
inquired of his master If he was going TO
Knoxville to put into execution threat
he had often heard him make--to sell
him to cotton planter The master
told him il was his mission. Rich be-
came much affected by the announce
ment and shed tears. He recalled the
hours of their boyhood, and dwelt upoA
the pathetic in general. Inc young
masters heart was touched, but his re-
solve was not.
Nieht came on, as it always did
| when travellers by the "Old Wilderness
Road got well into the mountains A
lug of fine old bourbon steadied their
nerves and brought balmy sleep to the
restoration of their strained energies.
| Next morning they were up with the
lark. and all day they talked about the
endless separation soon tofollow, pausing
occasionally to admire the rugged scenery
and take a drink The rabbit hunts by
day. the coon hunts by night, the romps,
the fights they had, the floggings they
had caught from 1.-The old man" were all
! lived over again.
Another night and another day and
| their Journey had ended. But the raid
on the big jug had not. They ''hit it
purity lively" that last night on earth
together forever and evermore." They
were comfortably full long before mid
night. At least the young master was
full of old liquor and the slave was full
of pretense. He had dropped upon a
scheme.
With dawn. Rich was up moving about
the city. shave, clean clothes, a
cigar a cane. and many extras were
added. Finally he sought the slave
buyer and introduced himself as Mr.. -
of Madison County, Kentucky, stated
that he was in the city with the ''splen-
did young niger of which he had writ
ten HIM and was now ready for IA trade.
The boy was described in glowing terms,
and the price fixed at $1,000 which the
trader said he would give, provided the
description was accurate. So they pro
cecded to the tavern and into a little
back room. where the young master was
found snoring away on a pallet beside
the bed where Rich had taken the pre-
caution to tumble him before going out
His beard of several days growth dusty
and soiled attire, unkempt hair, and
general appearance was any thing but
attractive.
Fifteen hundred!" gruffly remarked
the old dealer as he glanced at the pitt
ful-looking object. Fifteen hundred
dollars for that thing, | wouldn't give
] you cent more than half that much,
: and he walked out on the street. 1t is
, useless to say they didn't get theii
prices near enough for trade.
! About noon the young master awolle
not feeling the best in the world. He
was compelled to borrow shoe horn tt
put on his hat. and there was mighty
bad taste in his mouth, to say nothing
OF considerable red in his eye and feel
ing of Il sort of goneness in genera
about his stomach. Rich told him tina
; he had been out to see the buyer. anC
= the old fellow wanted to know the price
/ as all depended on that-the least he'(
| take was the question, and to be in
l hurry, as he the buyer. had made abou
= all the purchases he wanted and wa
5 ready to leave town. The young maste
$ called for paper and envelope and wrot
l as follows:
Dear Sir: You have seen the boy
My lowest price is $1,000 He is wortl
l every cent of it," The note was dull
: conveyed and was soon returned with al
5 answer ON the back, saying: "We can
1 trade"
= The following day the well-reste,
D horses. the happy mulatto and disar
t pointed white man might have bee
? seen vending their solitary way through
5 the woods toward Kentucky.-Rich
A mond (Na.) Climax.