The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-16
conrright. 1s9e. by Joe Chandler Harris.

i
long and led me to the front Of the
tavern. There / saw the Little Master
waiting to mount, and l went toward
him gladly enough.
| II thought we were to go home, but
NV thoughts jumped ahead of facts.
soon saw that the spectators wagons
! and his file of negroes had come into
town, and had stopped to rest on the
public square, where a great crowd
| had gathered around them-some out
! Of curiosity and some out of sympathy.
| / heard an old horse, blind i'm one eye,
saw to a companion tied near that such
sights were seldom seen in these parts.
The Little Master had sent for me, so
that, by sitting on my back, he would
be as tall as any of the men.
"He rode me into the crowd that had
gathered around the negroes. The
people made way for him, and ! soon
found myself so close to the Son of Ben
Ali that he could touch my nose with
his hand, although his elbows
were pinioned. So that he was
able to give me the sign, and
| knew him and spoke to him and he
to me: wehereupon he knew that he
had found one friend there. He had
Master stretched for his hand, white
as a flower. and touched the son of Ben
Ali on the neck, where there was the
mark of wound saying, Poor fell
low! I am sorry for you And the
Son of Ben Ali reached up the best he
could, his arms biting pinioned, and
took the white hand of the Little Mas
ter in his and pressed it to his fore
head and then TO his lips After that
he held his head higher, SO that he
looked over all that stood around him
and beyond him, and smiled a little.
but just then the man who owned
him came hustling toward us, united
the rope to which the Son of Ben Ali
was chained, and pushed him roughly
through the crowd to the Sheriff
block that stood near the Court House
door. This he made the Son of Ben
Ali mount, so that all might see him.
As he stood there, without a coat, the
collar of shirt thrown open, and the
muscles of his chest swelling and fall |
ing, he seemed to be man among men. |
When the white man stood on the block |
beside him the crown of his hat was no
higher than the Son Of Ben Ais shout |
der
"Then the man made a speech to |
the people. / don't remember every |
thing be said, but / could see he hated /
the Son Of Ben Ali, and was afraid OF |
him lie was ready to jump from |
the block and run. But the Son
of Ben Ali paid no attention to him |
He had his eyes fixed on the |
face Of the Little Master, follow |
fno every movement he made, and al /
WAYS smiling. The Little Master kept |
his eyes on the White-haired Master, |
and called and beckoned to him. But
somehow couldn't see what the |
trouble was-the White-haired Master |
appeared to be very busy. lie was
talking with q man who was stranger
10 me, and, although he heard the LIT |
tie Master, and nodded and smiled al
him. ne kept on talking. ! went
toward him without any urg-
ing, and when he got there he was
talking about constitutions and other |
government contraptions, and seemed |
TO be very warm over it. | was so dis |
gusted that ! snorted as often and as
loud Us ] could, and If people had only
known it there was more horse sense
in one of my snorts than there was
in all the politics / have heard from
that day TO this.
but all this time the Spectator, OF
trader. or whatever you call him., was
calling 10 the crowd to come and see
the fine bargain he was going to offer.
i had one ear for the trader and anoth-
err for the Little Master One said:
Come up, gentlement, and see
what a sacrifice / am going to make.
Come up and I'll tell you why.
'The other said: Come, father,
please come! You'll be too late!' The
White-haired Master nodded and smil-
ed. Presently, son; presently
sThe trader said: Walk right up,
gentlemen, and III tell you the truth.
I'm selling this boy because he's too
tricky to travel with. He's bad tenn
pered and hard-headed. What he
needs is a master who will take him
and make him buckle down TO work.
.tThe Little Master said: Father,
come. oh, don't wait any longer. The
White-haired Master smiled. Yes,
vest and placed his hand on my neck,
whereupon / snorted and shocked 1T OH.
"The trader cried out at the top 81
his voice: Come up, gentlemen! Come
| IN! Look at this boys limbs. Look
/ at his muscles Not naW ABOUT MN,
except his temper. What am ] offered
cash down for this likely fellow?
"The Little Master said: Please,
please hurry, father! You'll be too
| late. The man is selling him now!
| The air was blue with State rights ana
constitutions ! shook my head and
gave a loud Wicker. This seemed to
| irritate the White-haired Master, for
he ceased to smile and joke.
"'Go buy him yourself be said
sharply
How much shall / bid, father"
Cup to $1,000
Before the Little Master could take
the bride reins in his hand | wheeled
and cantered toward the crowd thar
had gathered around the sherlii y
block, where the Son Of Ben Ali stood.
HOW