Year: 1860

who was warranted healthy and sound and tide
good. The auc,ioueer said Of her, to excuse her
dismal appearance that she had been crying all
the morning and he mentioned as an item that


would increase her value that she was seven


months gone in pregnancy With her 6rss child


lie also stated that she was notyet sixteen years


Of ago. She Intelligent in appearance, and


rather pretty. Her bearing was that Of extreme
depression. There nothing of the levity and


enjoyment Of her momentary Importance that had


buoyed up her predecessor, on The stand. When


told 10 get down and walk, she moved about slow


y, and in a detected manner, yet not without


something Of native grace that was pleasing. She


would only open her mouth li'tle, when told to


do So and the buyers had to pull Up her lips With


their fingers, While on the stand toward the


close Of the bidding, she was struggling to sup


press sohs, and the tears dropping down her


cheeks. She sold for 81 260.


Next came up a boy nine years Of age, quite
likely fellow jet blnck, with beautiful teeth, and


great, gltteriug, rolling eyes. When the little
fellow STOOD up on the auction block, q mulatto


attendant stripped off his shoes and stockings and
rolled his trowsers Up above his knees. The auc-
tioneer said he was a sound healthy, irst rate


little fellow as beautiful strpper' THAT is, ha


n clear skin aud q fne development oS mus
cles) as be ever saw. There was not scar on
him. and he can plow, gentlemen, with one or


two horses.' lie sole for a round thousand dol


lars; and there was appearance Of pleasure


and vanity in his expression, at the fact that he


had sold for much money.


A boy about the same size followed. This fel-


low had a on his left shin, said to have been


cccasioned by burn, and though the auctioneer


declared the scar did not amount to anything and


the boy was as good one could be found and


sound as o dollar he only brought little over


eight hundred dollars. Next. was young sturdy


mulatto fellow Healthy and sourd, gentlemen,


and title good we'll warrant him ourselves-a


good farm hand. See how he is built, will you ?
there's good leg aud there's an arm for you


Look at his hand, gentlemen And he had, sure


enough the horny hand and the honest face of q
| good farm hand There was soon a spirited con-


test among TIE bidders. I saw ai once by his


eyes, the only features that were expressive at the


moment for he assumed 10 be indiferensl tina.


there was one of the bidders into whose hends he
hoped to fall. This clever, good-humured
looking planter and the bidding goiug up by tens
and fves, finally narrowed down between him and
rather i'll favored professional trader. The boy,
eye would twinkle with pleasure whenever the


planter would go five dollars more on him, anC
when he was called up to him. he stated that ht


was "a good boy, massef' The bidding was doubt
fol, and became deeply interested, and was sin
cerely gratfed when the auctioneor announced


that he was gone three times. which is the clinoh
/, -. IL, ,,o ha
TO whom he had SO besceechingly said he was "a
good boy and the poor fellow jumped down from
the block with alacrty picked up his shoes, and
made his way to the back room in high sprits. /
could go with the report Of the sale, but do not
wish to GIVE too much space to description Of the
{ slave market, though am aware that it would in
q erest large class of readers more than anything
. else. There were half dozen other sales going
on at the same time and the auctioneers all tell
n ing the best stories they could Of their wares.
h will take leave Of the subject by observing that
G all the negroes exposed for sale dressed, not
,; only with decency but in many cases with dec
ded nicc,y l noticed, particularly, one company
II of little negro children. who reminded me of the
way the best dressed children Used to look ut the
A country Sabbath schools The little boys wore
n red vests with glass buttons, and had on clear
white shirts with black ribbons for cravats jockey
rs Jackets, striped socks, and high heeled ehoee
e The lttle girls however. were more fantastic thai
As Sunday school girls in The rural districts. One
}, not ten years old, had a low necked dress AM
os hooped skirt and she white stocking was tight ant
OF tidy about the ankle, while the shoes were paten
ut leather.


lg This negro selling business is, as gente.ne
g. here who talked with me on the subject said, on
TX of the most unpleasaut-the most unpleasant {
en- the features of the peculiar institution But
lit gentleman remarked that it was 'iue9irabe'-an
at that the chances were a negro who was sold WOO
%. get a better master than he parted with-ior Il
best class of masters not in the habit OF Sc
he ing Sull the negro has very strong local attac
he men;s, and the Virginia negro sold South SIM
In forever in his heart if not with his lips, the plal
to tive melody, % carry me back to Old Virgins
e, They think being sold to Georgia is about equiv
ia len. to being sent straightway to hell.