The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-07-02
T WAS in the days when African
slavery flOurished under the fire.
Condensation by
John Kendrick Bangs

slavery flOurished under the free
skies of America. Evil times had
befallen the house of Shelby, and
pressing debt required the sacrifice of
a portion of the holdings of the Ken
lucky planter in human chattels. I'm
Gle Tom instead Of the freedom that
had been promised him as the reward
of lifetime of devoted service found
himself torn from wife, home and
! children, transferred to the hands of
an INSCRIPTIONS trader, and consigned
to the terrOr-ridden slave-markets of
the lower Mississippi. SO trusted had
the black man been that numerous
avenues of escape lay open to him.
OF one of these, in the dead of winter,
over the ice-bOund waters of the Ohio
river, by the underground" to San
dusky, and thence to freedom in Can
ada, the mulattO-girl Eliza, and her
son who had been sold at the same
time, had availed themselves. But
Toms fidelity to his master was too
strong, and fearing to involve him in
further difficulties he bravely faced
the miseries of the future.
81 am in the Lords hands," said
he to those who tried to persuade him
to escape, "and there1l be the same
God there that there is here"
"Well, it's a nasty mean shame,
Toni" sobbed his masters son George,
as he babe the old slave farewell.
"But remember-some day I'll come
down and buy you back"
The voyage down the Mississippi
with the slave-gang to which Tom was
attached was filled with scenes and
episodes of woe and tragedy, but Tom
found relief from sorrow in the COM
partnership of q fellow-passenger, a
fairy-like little girl, full Of the smil-
ing spirit of play, who fascinated by
Toms unusual dexterity in the making
of strange toys dear to the hearts of
children, chung to him as to an old
and beloved friend.
"Where are you going, Tom" she
asked one day.
81 dunno, Missy" said rom. "Reck-
on I'm gwine to be sold to somebody
but / dunno who"
swell, my father can buy you," said
she, "and I'll ask him to this very
day.
THANK you, my little lady," smiled
Tom, gratefully.
Ard his '1ittle lady" she soon be-
came, for the brave black won little
Eva's !ife back from the swirling wa
tiers of the Mississippi into which she
had fallen, and in sheer gratitude for
her deliverance the child's father, Au-
gustine st. Clare, bought him from
the trader.
The scene now changes to New Or
leans, where in q beautiful home, in
daily comradeShip with his little mis-
tress, Tom for a time was happy. St
Clare, his new master, was kindly and
sympathetic, and while of an easy
going disposition dawning conscious
ness of the iniquity of slavery had
come into his soul, a consciousness
confirmed and accentuated by his dai.
~ contemplation of the nobility OF
heart Of the faithful Tom. Two years
of this unlocked for happiness passed
away, and once more Tom was face
to face with misfortune. His flower
like little companion, growing daily
more and more fragile, herself in spite
Of her years envisaging and depressed
by the wickedneSs of the system OF
slavery which not only destroyed the
souls of the oppressed, but debaseC
ly died. Heart-broken over his loss
st. Clare found comfort only in the
cOmpanionship of the equally heart
broken Tom, and one day in sud
den surge of gratitude he promised
the old man his freedom, but the light
of joy that shone in Toms face wher
he heard the promise disconnected
him.
"You haven't had such a bad time
here that you should be so glad tC
leave me-" he said sadly.
"Tain't leavin' We, Marse st. Clare,
said Tom, "it's bein' free that Tn
a-joyin' in"
But it was not to be. The easy
going nature of st. Clare caused him
to delay Toms emancipation papers
and one night trying to separate two
drunken brawlers intent upon killing
each other st. Clare was himself stab
bed to death; and in the settlement
Of his estate Tom once more found
himself at the auctiOn-block.
Enter now one Simon Legree, mas
ter of far different type from Shelby
and st. Clare. A brute, and drunk
ard. A beast whose glance was an in
suit to womanhood. A fiend who
prided himself upon his inflexible bru
taIity, and with british satisfaction
showed to all who would look, his
knuckles calloused with the blows he
had inflicted upon the helpless. TIC
him by virtue of length Of purse fell
Tom who now tasted the tragic dregs
of the cup of slavery. The manifest
contrast between his own Grass bru.
tality and the high-minded character
of his chattel aroused the enviOus
wrath of his new owner, who en-.
deavored by every wicked expedient
possible to break Toms spirit, and his
unalterable faith in divine guidance
SCRAPS