The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-03-10
n CbriSfmos
Episode IN Slavery

pony carr vas coming GOWN u road
and stopped before II cabin. \ negro
.GoIlan. followed by Il pickaniany four
els o.. C~Iue o4t ~ Were The cart
stood.
'Clarisse." said the girl. has your
-liss-s sad anything about what sine
is going to do Tor you in the way of a
Christmas dinner?'
No. Mise Alice. she hain't said
nothin' bout dat. Eat me and my ole
man don kecr bout no Christmas din
ner. We got a heap O. rouble.' She
drew near the cart and spoke low.
while tears tiled her eyes. Mars
isoin to sell Bobby"
SCH LOFTY. Separate you from him.
SUrtiy. Cl@t.asS, suck i tl.nz hasn't
been done about here since She stop
ped. She was about to say since a
slave moti.er had killed herself after
separation from her child"
Miss Alice Sinclair made an effort to
ON DIT Tie L4otner. but there was no
-oIl.- 3rt- Sc l-e% that old Dufour,
who own21 tiiis family. would sacrifice
chem To Lis own interest.
"Goodby. CIarisSe." she said. touch
ing Ler pony with the whip. God help
you"
AAoA AAAAC ~ AA4A
from the DufJur MANSON came to
Ciarisse's cabin with IN order for her
and Ter husband to come up to tie
house and bring Bobby. As soon as
ClariSse heard the message She fell
over in Il swoon. JEFF. her husband.
caught her in his arms.
Don, honey: aon' 90 dat. We got
each adder. aud leD1 BOBBY won
hab to "a out o &c SGs3e. Wake III.
honey
Clarisse revived, but only to clasp
her boy, vowing that size and he should
die rather han be separated. But her
good man finally prevailed and she
consented TO go 10 Their master. Al
the house. assembled in the great hall
way. We're Il number of the planters
and members of their families. includ-
ing Colonel Sinclair and his daughter
Alice. DUfour stood with lis back to
he fireplace. while APART sat an un-
attractive mana trader. Even those
Who used Il dealer in negroes iooked
down upon him.
Tomorrow" said Dufour in Il surly
Zone. Il have a note to pax of S4OO.
Mr.. Miiiikin, here from Savannah. Of
ferS me the amount of my note for the
boy. If any one present can afford
TO buy the whole family I'll sell them
cheaper than | would separate. or to d
raider"
There was no response. 1t would
have required between $1,000 and
5000 to buy the family. and tie plant
ers in the parish We're all struggling
against II slump in the price of sugar.
We'll. my friends" continued Du-
four. since you ont come forward
| see no way but to carry out the sale
Of the child. Mr.. Millikin, your offer
is
One moment, please"
The words came from Colonel Sin
clair. an elderly gentleman of benign
countenanc". who rose as he spoke.
My friends" lie said, my daughter
informed me of this sale, and notified
you. This is Christmas morning.
There are two ways of celebrating the
birth of him who brought peace on
earth and good will to men'-one in our
own families. the other in the families
If the needy. We have already this
morning been occupied with the first
Here is an opportunity to engage in the
second. | propose that we buy this
child and give him as a Christmas
present to his parents. | will head a
subscription for the urpos with 500
Colonel Sinclair" said a gentleman
sitting next to him. II will subscribe
an equal amount"
The slave parents caught the drift of
the situation and listened eagerly for
every word. There were no more fifty
dollar subscriptions, but the smaller
ones, including $50 from Alice Sinclair
given out of her pin money. finally
raised the amount subscribed to $500.
Every one present felt that he had sub
scribed more than he could afford. Du-
four. who regarded the whole affair as
an interference with his rights. stood
grimly whiting; the negro trader was
fuubling with his hat; the father and
mother of the child who were uncon-
scious of his and their peril, looked on
with an aSonized suspense. Then Al
ice Sinclair spoke:
MIR. Dufour, will you not give some
thing:"
Dufour scowled. Il must have $500
tomorrow. Less will not serve" he
said.
Then the negro trader arose and
spoke: Il know nothin is expected |
from me. a niger trader. I'm used to
buyin' into families. and Pve nothin'
to do with other families as long as |
must take care of my own It's my
own family that moves me now. Last |
summer me and my wife had Il boy. We
hain't got him now. We hain't got ans
children nj all. come away from
home OH this trip a-purpose to git rid
of Christmas. ! wouldn't be there for
no money. seem my boy can't be there