The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-01
Sold as a Slave.

'~-~-~~-~oS~~~~~~-~~-~~.o-
New York Sun.
Two gray-haired men met in the hotel
lobby and, with every evidence of de-
light at the meeting. shook hands and
forthwith adjourned to the potation de-
partment.
There's a story goes with that" said
the clerk to the reporter, jerking his
head over toward the retreating figures,
land if you will ask your coachman to
hitch your wagon to a star for few
brief moments, I'll give you the particu-
lars as narrated to me this morning by
the elder party, who preceded his friend
hither by some eighteen hours
AThey are Cubans, as you may have
inferred from their dark complexions,
proceeded the clerk "The name of the
older one Is Mendez and of the young
er Guardia, and they have lived in the
United States for the past twenty years.
While they lived in Cuba they were ac-
customed to visit this country every two
or three years, having a business connec-
ton in New York. This was before the
Civil war, and travelling was not in those
days what it is now. Still they had
money and expense was no great object
to them. They used to come hither on
any old ship that might be sailing when
they were ready to start, there being no
regular lines, and they would land in
New Orleans, or Savannah or Charles
ton, as it might happen, and sometimes
they would get a ship sailing direct to
New York.
"Once, and this is where the story
in tau daIaUad IN New
Orleans for two weeks and ran out of
money. They didn't know anybody well
enough to borrow from. and they did not
want to write to their New York friends
If they cnuld devise any other scheme
whereby they might be saved. Finally,
Mr.. Mendez evolved brilliant idea
which was that Guardia should blaeken
himself a little more than nature had
done for him and let Mendez sell him
as a darby. Guardia thought 1T would
be great joke, and they waited for a
chance.
''Mendez had friend down along the
sugar coast somewhere fifty or sixty
miles from the city, and he asked him II
he could go down and spend a few days
with him. OF course such a request was
only too gladly answered In the ahirma-
tive, and Mendez was invited to come and
stay three or four years If he wanted to.
They had money enough to buy two round
trip tickets on the steamboat going that
way, and when the boat landed at Men
dez's friends plantation he went ashore,
followed by darby body servant carrying
his luggage. The body servant, it is
hardly necessary for me to explain, was
Guardia, fixed up for the occasion on the
boat as they came along.
''Mendez was received with open arms,
but poor Guardia had nothing to do ex-
cept to take his place in the quarters OF
the real thing, and when he went into the
big house to look after his master in his
room he kicked like steer and wanted to
show his hand, but Mendez pictured to
him how necessary it was for them to get
funds, and this was the only way on earth
for them to do it. Guardia submitted,
but he did not stop kicking whenever the
opportunity offered. 1t was no joke to him
but MendeZ thoroughly enjoyed the situa-
| ton and lost no opportunity to order his
! body servant around like a tyrant of an
! cient Rome. 'sAfter visit of four or five
| days, which Mendez enjoyed a great deal
more than Guardia did, he concluded to
return to New Orleans, and ordered Guar
dia to pack up his traps The boat came
| by in the morning, and the evening before
! MerfdeZ, in a conversation with his host,
referred to his body servant as a likely
| boy, but said that he did not want to take
him to New York with him, as he was
! troublesome to travel with, and was ex-
pensive without being especially neces-
sary Guardia, it seems had made fair
ly good impression, and when his master
spoke of making some disposition of him
other than taking him along with him
the host made a proposition to buy him
Mendez hesitated about selling him, but
finally agreed to let him go for 81 200. The
| host objected to the figures, but brought
| Guardia in for inspection. After looking
him over, during which operation Guardia
/ heard himself discussed in a more per
| sonal manner than he had ever previously
experienced, he made an offer Of 81 900 fol
him, spot cash. A thousand dollars was
| about a thousand times as much money
as both friends had at their command
| and after few minutes more haggling
| Mendez accepted the offer and took a
check for the amount on New Orleans
bank.
That night, in the room of the master,
they tried to devise plans of escape for
| Guardia, but could arrive at none, and
they parted the next day with an under
standing that Guardia must look out for
himself as best he could. Their parting
| at the boat, Mr.. Mendez says was one
of the most pathetic incidents of his
| whole life, and brought tears to all eyes,
and especially Guardias for if ever any
body was in hole he was. Mendez left
| on the boat, promising to repeat the de-
lightful visit on his way back to Cuba,
if he came that way. and four days later
he was joined in New Orleans by his
late body servant.
"Guardia's story of his escape from
bondage was very simple. He had been
sent to the little town about three miles
from the plantation on an GRAND the
day after Mendez had gone, and wore
under his servants rig a suit of his own
clothes. In the town he scrubbed al
the color off of himself. put on his
own Clothes and appeared at the little
tavern with a valise he had bought or
his new masters credit. He stayed IN
his room during the day to prevent sus-
picion and slept there that night until
O'Clock in the morning, when he slipped
out and cut across the country to catcf
the boat at the upper landing above the
scene of his late captivity. What Men.
dez's friends was thinking about the
loss of his new body servant he coule
not say.
Neither could Mendez, and to prevent
accidents or any disagreeable expIana
lions, the two friends got On the frs
boat up the Mississippi and left New
Orleans, having about 5000 between them
after all debts had been paid. They fol
lowed the@water course up as far a.
Pittsburg; and went thence to New Yorl
by the usual mode of travel then pre-
vailing, partsof which was stage and par
railroad. Arrived at New York they a
once prepared letter of the most con
trite apology to the late host of Mr.
| Mendez, and master of Guardia, and In
closed draft for the thousand dollar.
paid for Mendez's body servant will
enough extra change to pay for thu
| yalise and Guardia'S hotel bill. The,