The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-01-19
n Christmas
Episode In .Slux,ery
tOriginal.1

lOFlElHalJ
It was December In Louisiana. A
light snow rested on the moss hanging
| from the trees, and there was thin ice
on the pools. A young girl driving q
pony cart was coming down road
and stopped before a cabin. A negro
woman. followed by pickaninny four
years old, came out to 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 q
Christmas dinnerY"
mo. Missile Alice, shc hain't said
nothtn' bout dat. But me and my ole
mau don keer bout no Christmas dim
ner. We got heap O. trouble" She
drew near the cart and spoke low,
while tears filled 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
slave mother had killed herself after
separation from her child"
Miss Alice Sinclair made IN 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 q 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 Us
Ciartsse heard the message she fell
over In 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"
Clarisse 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 60 to their master. At
the house, assembled In the great hall
way. were number of the planters
and members of their families, includ-
Ing Colonel Sinclair and his daughter
Alice. Dufour stood with ais back to
the fireplace, while apart sat an un-
attractive mana trader. Even those
who used q dealer In negroes looked
down upon him.
Tomorrow" said Dufour In surly
tone. II have a note to pay OF $4OO.
Mr.. Millikin, 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 would separate, or to q
trader"
There was no response. 1t would
have required between $1,000 and
$500 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
see no way but to carry out the sale
Of the child. Mr.. Millikln, your offer
is"-
'One moment, please"
The words came from Colonel Sim
clair. an elderly gentleman of benign
countenance. who rose as he spoke.
"My friends" he 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
Of 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 Christmas
present to his parents. I will head a
subscription for the purpose with $50. !"
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 $25 from Alice Sinclair
given out Of her pin money. finally
raised the amount subscribed to $3.50,
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 waiting; the negro trader was
fumbling with his hat; the father and
mother of the child, who were uncon-
scious Of his and their peril, looked or
with an agonlzed suspense. Then AL
ice Sinclair spoke:
"AIr. Dufour, will you not give some
thing?"
Dufour scowled. II must have $4O(
tomorrow. Less will not serve" he
said.
Then the negro trader arose and
spoke: II know nothin' is expected
from me, nigger trader. I'm used te
buyin' into families. and I've nothin
to do with other families ia long as
must take care of my own. It's my
own family that moves me now. Las
summer me and my wife had boy. WI
hain't got him now. We hain't got any
children at all. come away from
home on this trip a-purpose to git rit
Of Christmas. / wouldn't be there fo
no money, seein' my boy can't be Their
| too. tell you what I'm goin' to do