Evening journal., 1905-01-06
II CbriSfmoS
Episode IN sSiavery
IoriglnaIl


and stopped before q cabin. A negro
woman, followed by piekaninny four
years old. came out 10 where the cart
stood.
"Clarisse," said the girl, ''has your
missis said anything about what she
is going to do for you in the way Of a
Christmas dinner?"
mo, Missile Alice, she hain't said |
nothin' bout dat. But me and my ole |
man dom keer bout no Christmas din
ner. We got heap O. trouble" She
drew near the cart and spoke low, |
while tears filed her eyes. Mars
goin' to sell Bobby"
"Sell Bobby Separate you from him ?
Surely, Clarisse, such a thing hasn't
been done about here since She stop
ped. She was about to say "since a
slave mother had killed herself after
separation from her child"
Miss Alice Sinclair made an effort to
comfort the mother, but there was no
comfort. She knew that old Dufour,
who owned this family, would sacrifice
them to his own interest.
"Goodby Clarisse, she said, touch
ing her pony with the whip. God help
you"
On Christmas morning a servant
from the Dufour mansion came to
Clarisse's cabin with an order for her
and her husband TO come up to the
house and bring Bobby. AS soon as
Clarisse heard the message she fell
over in a swoon. JEFF, her husband,
caught her in his arms.
Don, honey; don do dat. We got
each udder, and mebbe Bobby won
hab to go out O. de state. Wake up,
honey"
Clarlsse revived, but only to clasp
her boy, vowing that she and he should
die rather than be separated. But her
good man finally prevailed and she
consented to go to their master. At
the house, assembled in the great hall
way, were a number Of the planters
and members of their families, includ-
ing Colonel Sinclair and his daughter
Alice. Dufour stood with his back to
the fireplace, while apart sat an IN
attractive mana trader. Even those
who used a dealer in negroes looked
down upon him.
Tomorrow" said DufOur in a surly
tone, Il have a note to pay Of $500.
Mr.. MillilSin, here from Savannah, Of
fers me the amount Of my note for the
boy. II any one present can afford
to buy the whole family I'll sell them
cheaper than I would separate, OF to a
trader"
There was no response. 1t would
have required between $1,000 and
$4,000 to buy the family, and the plant
ers in the parish were all struggling
against a slump in the price Of sugar.
''Well, my friends continued Du-
four, "since you don't come forward
1 see no way but to carry out the sale
of the child. Mr.. Milikin, your offer
is'-
zone moment, please"
The words came from Colonel Sin.
clair, an elderly gentleman Of benign
countenance, who rose as he spoke.
MY friends" he said, my daughter
informed me Of this sale, and l notified
4 you. This is Christmas morning
9 There are two ways Of celebrating th'
birth Of him who brought peace OF
earth and good win to men'-one in oul
e own families, the other in the families
e Of the needy. We have already this
morning been occupied with the first
Here is an opportunity to engage in th'
second. l propose that we buy THU
child and give him as a Christmai
present to his parents. 1 will head ,
t subscription for the purpose with $50
n Colonel Sinclair" said a gentleman
Q sitting next to him, 81 will subscribe
q an equal amount
o The slave parents caught the drift o
the situation and listened eagerly 70
q every word. There We're no more fit,
J. dollar subscriptions, but the smalle
/ ones. including S25 from Alice Sinclaf
r given out Of her pin money, finall.
n raised the amount subscribed to $3.50
Every one present felt that he had sui
10 scribed more than he could afford. Du
/ four, who regarded the whole affair a
"a an interference with his rights, stOo
! grimly waiting; the negro trader wa
"A fumbling with his hat; the father an
- mother Of the child, who were uncou
- scious of his and their peril, looked o
with an agonized suspense. Then A
o. ice Sinclair spoke:
"a "AIr. Dufour, will you not give some
:. thing?"
" Dufour scowled. 81 must have $40
- tomorrow. Less will not serve" h
!, said.
Then the negro trader arose an
spoke: Il know nOthln' is expecte
from me, a Niger trader. Pm used
buyin' into families, and I've nothiI
to do with other families as long as
must take care Of my own. It's m
own family that moves me now. Las
Q summer me and my wife had a boy. W
hain't got him now. We hain't got an
children at all. 1 come away froI
home on this trip a-purpose to git ri
a. Of Christmas. / wouldn't be there fC
no money, seem my boy can't be thel
III too. 1 tell you what I'm goin' to d
My boy that's gone to heaven gives s.
= TO make up the amount to buy Il
boys freedom"
Alice Sinclair went to the speak,
and put out her hand. She was fo
lowed by every one present except d.
four. Then the papers passed, al
Bobby was a free pickaninny. II
mother had him clasped close to h,
breast. while his father looked o