Year: 1859

A Kentucky Planter Selling his


Daughter.


\ moving incident came to our
knowledge last week. which we lay
before our readers. We suppress
names for reasons obvious to every
one.


Near Louisville Ky. lives a planter
of wealth and standing. lie was the
possessor OF hundred negroes, and
he was noted for his thrifty. money
making disposition. He had never
been married, and was an incorrigible
bachelor of fifty. His house was
managed by young lady of about
twenty, his daughter by a quadroon.
whose complexion was lighter by half
than his. and in whom the negro blood
was scarcely visible. The mother
died ten years ago, leaving her daugh-
ter with her fathers solemn promise
that she should be educated. and should
live as free woman rather than as a
slave, and that she should pass as his
daughter, as she was. The planter
gave this promise because he had been
really attached to the dying woman.
and was greatly attached to her and
his beautiful child. And so she grew
up, radiantly beautiful, receiving n
reasonable education, all that her
father could give. and in time took the
management of his household. She
never knew that there was any negro
blood in her veins, and never dreamed
that she was slave.


Last fall series Of misfortunes
overlook the planter. His house was
burned down and in it the notes, books
and papers that composed large por-
tion of his fortune. His crops failed
to degree, and some heavy specula-
tions in which he was engaged resulted
disastrously. Added to all this, he
had lost heavily at play. the besctting
sin of Southern gentlemen and had
completely exhausted all his ready
means, and found himself in the terri
ble situation of having more money to
pay than he could possibly raise in a
given time.


He applied to his attorney for coun-
sci in his extremity. The attorney,
after examining the situation of his
affairs, advised him to sell off q portion
of his negroes. The planter objected
strcnuously-frst; objecting to the
sale of the negroes; and secondly, that
his force was barely sufficient to work
his plantation. But after fell deliber-
alton he found this to be the only al
tentative, and sorrowfully consented
A list was made out, and every head
that could be possibly spared was put
down. After all was done. and with
the most favorable prices for them, the
aggregate fell five thousand dollars
short of the sum.


The attorney remarked quietly that
he had not included all that could be
spared.


Il have put down all ! can dispense
WITH" replied the planter.


81 did not see Mary. the housekccp-
cr's name, in the list" replied the
lawyer. "Shc, if offered to the right
person, would make up the deficiency.
l would give that for her myself"


At any other time the planter would
have taken the suggestion as an insult;
but necessity is hard master, and lc
grasped at the idea, and before an hour
the transaction was closed. 1t trou-
bled him not little TO disclose the
matter TO her, but fear Of bankruptcy
and ruin drove him to it. The poor
girls horror and distress may be i'm
agined. She had known nothing but
happiness, and now was to be plunged
into the deepest and most hopeless
misery. She had been sold. and was
then the property, soul and body. oi
one who purchased her merely for the
qualification of his lusts. The idea
was too horrible, and she swooned, re-
naming almost delircus for several
days.


There was another upon whom the
intelligence came with crushing weight
A junior partner in a produce house in
Louisville had frequently visited tho
planters house on business, and struck
with the beauty and Intelligence of tho
supposed daughter, had become cnam
orcd, and after prosecuting his suit a
proper time, had declared his passion,
and, unknown to the father, the two





as possible, after her father had told
her her fate. she dispatched mcssen-
ger to him. stating the facts. and i'm.
ploring him to save her from tn,
doom that awaited her Though thun'
derstruck at the intelligence that hi,
affianccd bride was a slave, and hat
Just been sold to a fate worse thar