running a thousand miles for freedom-第3部分

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It　is　a　common　practice　for　gentlemen　（if　I　may　call　them　such）；　moving　in　the　highest　circles　of　society；　to　be　the　fathers　of　children　by　their　slaves；　whom　they　can　and　do　sell　with　the　greatest　im…　punity；　and　the　more　pious；　beautiful；　and　virtuous　the　girls　are；　the　greater　the　price　they　bring；　and　that　too　for　the　most　infamous　purposes。

Any　man　with　money　（let　him　be　ever　such　a　rough　brute）；　can　buy　a　beautiful　and　virtuous　girl；　and　force　her　to　live　with　him　in　a　criminal　connexion；　and　as　the　law　says　a　slave　shall　have　no　higher　appeal　than　the　mere　will　of　the　master；　she　cannot　escape；　unless　it　be　by　flight　or　death。

In　endeavouring　to　reconcile　a　girl　to　her　fate；　the　master　sometimes　says　that　he　would　marry　her　if　it　was　not　unlawful。*　　However；　he　will　always　consider　her　to　be　his　wife；　and　will　treat　her　as　such；　and　she；　on　the　other　hand；　may　regard　him　as　her　lawful　husband；　and　if　they　have　any　children；　they　will　be　free　and　well　edu…　cated。

I　am　in　duty　bound　to　add；　that　while　a　great　majority　of　such　men　care　nothing　for　the　happi…　ness　of　the　women　with　whom　they　live；　nor　for　the　children　of　whom　they　are　the　fathers；　there　are　those　to　be　found；　even　in　that　heterogeneous　mass　of　licentious　monsters；　who　are　true　to　their　pledges。　　But　as　the　woman　and　her　children　are　legally　the　property　of　the　man；　who　stands　in　the　anomalous　relation　to　them　of　husband　and　father；　as　well　as　master；　they　are　liable　to　be　seized　and　sold　for　his　debts；　should　he　become　involved。

There　are　several　cases　on　record　where　such　persons　have　been　sold　and　separated　for　life。　　I　know　of　some　myself；　but　I　have　only　space　to　glance　at　one。

I　knew　a　very　humane　and　wealthy　gentleman；　that　bought　a　woman；　with　whom　he　lived　as　his


*　It　is　unlawful　in　the　slave　States　for　any　one　of　purely　European　descent　to　intermarry　with　a　person　of　African　ex…　traction；　though　a　white　man　may　live　with　as　many　coloured　women　as　he　pleases　without　materially　damaging　his　reputa…　tion　in　Southern　society。　wife。　　They　brought　up　a　family　of　children；　among　whom　were　three　nearly　white；　well　edu…　cated；　and　beautiful　girls。

On　the　father　being　suddenly　killed　it　was　found　that　he　had　not　left　a　will；　but；　as　the　family　had　always　heard　him　say　that　he　had　no　surviving　relatives；　they　felt　that　their　liberty　and　property　were　quite　secured　to　them；　and；　knowing　the　insults　to　which　they　were　exposed；　now　their　protector　was　no　more；　they　were　making　preparations　to　leave　for　a　free　State。

But；　poor　creatures；　they　were　soon　sadly　unde…　ceived。　　A　villain　residing　at　a　distance；　hearing　of　the　circumstance；　came　forward　and　swore　that　he　was　a　relative　of　the　deceased；　and　as　this　man　bore；　or　assumed；　Mr。　Slator's　name；　the　case　was　brought　before　one　of　those　horrible　tribunals；　presided　over　by　a　second　Judge　Jeffreys；　and　calling　itself　a　court　of　justice；　but　before　whom　no　coloured　person；　nor　an　abolitionist；　was　ever　known　to　get　his　full　rights。

A　verdict　was　given　in　favour　of　the　plaintiff；　whom　the　better　portion　of　the　community　thought　had　wilfully　conspired　to　cheat　the　family。

The　heartless　wretch　not　only　took　the　ordi…　nary　property；　but　actually　had　the　aged　and　friendless　widow；　and　all　her　fatherless　children；　except　Frank；　a　fine　young　man　about　twenty…two　years　of　age；　and　Mary；　a　very　nice　girl；　a　little　younger　than　her　brother；　brought　to　the　auction　stand　and　sold　to　the　highest　bidder。　　Mrs。　Slator　had　cash　enough；　that　her　husband　and　master　left；　to　purchase　the　liberty　of　herself　and　children；　but　on　her　attempting　to　do　so；　the　pusillanimous　scoundrel；　who　had　robbed　them　of　their　freedom；　claimed　the　money　as　his　property；　and；　poor　creature；　she　had　to　give　it　up。　　According　to　law；　as　will　be　seen　hereafter；　a　slave　cannot　own　any…　thing。　　The　old　lady　never　recovered　from　her　sad　affliction。

At　the　sale　she　was　brought　up　first；　and　after　being　vulgarly　criticised；　in　the　presence　of　all　her　distressed　family；　was　sold　to　a　cotton　planter；　who　said　he　wanted　the　〃proud　old　critter　to　go　to　his　plantation；　to　look　after　the　little　woolly　heads；　while　their　mammies　were　working　in　the　field。〃

When　the　sale　was　over；　then　came　the　separa…　tion；　and


〃O；　deep　was　the　anguish　of　that　slave　mother's　heart；　　When　called　from　her　darlings　for　ever　to　part；　　The　poor　mourning　mother　of　reason　bereft；　　Soon　ended　her　sorrows；　and　sank　cold　in　death。〃


Antoinette；　the　flower　of　the　family；　a　girl　who　was　much　beloved　by　all　who　knew　her；　for　her　Christ…like　piety；　dignity　of　manner；　as　well　as　her　great　talents　and　extreme　beauty；　was　bought　by　an　uneducated　and　drunken　salve…dealer。

I　cannot　give　a　more　correct　description　of　the　scene；　when　she　was　called　from　her　brother　to　the　stand；　than　will　be　found　in　the　following　lines



〃Why　stands　she　near　the　auction　stand？　　　　　That　girl　so　young　and　fair；　　What　brings　her　to　this　dismal　place？　　　　　Why　stands　she　weeping　there？

　Why　does　she　raise　that　bitter　cry？　　　　　Why　hangs　her　head　with　shame；　　As　now　the　auctioneer's　rough　voice　　　　　So　rudely　calls　her　name！

But　see！　she　grasps　a　manly　hand；　　　　　And　in　a　voice　so　low；　　As　scarcely　to　be　heard；　she　says；　　　　　〃My　brother；　must　I　go？〃

　A　moment's　pause：　then；　midst　a　wail　　　　　Of　agonizing　woe；　　His　answer　falls　upon　the　ear；　　　　　〃Yes；　sister；　you　must　go！

　No　longer　can　my　arm　defend；　　　　　No　longer　can　I　save　　My　sister　from　the　horrid　fate　　　　　That　waits　her　as　a　SLAVE！〃

　Blush；　Christian；　blush！　for　e'en　the　dark　　　　　Untutored　heathen　see　　Thy　inconsistency；　and　lo！　　　　　They　scorn　thy　God；　and　thee！〃

The　low　trader　said　to　a　kind　lady　who　wished　to　purchase　Antoinette　out　of　his　hands；　〃I　reckon　I'll　not　sell　the　smart　critter　for　ten　thou…　sand　dollars；　I　always　wanted　her　for　my　own　use。〃　The　lady；　wishing　to　remonstrate　with　him；　com…　menced　by　saying；　〃You　should　remember；　Sir；　that　there　is　a　just　God。〃　　Hoskens　not　under…　standing　Mrs。　Huston；　interrupted　her　by　saying；　〃I　does；　and　guess　its　monstrous　kind　an'　him　to　send　such　likely　niggers　for　our　convenience。〃　　Mrs。　Huston　finding　that　a　long　course　of　reckless　wickedness；　drunkenness；　and　vice；　had　destroyed　in　Hoskens　every　noble　impulse；　left　him。

Antoinette；　poor　girl；　also　seeing　that　there　was　no　help　for　her；　became　frantic。　　I　can　never　forget　her　cries　of　despair；　when　Hoskens　gave　the　order　for　her　to　be　taken　to　his　house；　and　locked　in　an　upper　room。　　On　Hoskens　entering　the　apart…　ment；　in　a　state　of　intoxication；　a　fearful　struggle　ensued。　　The　brave　Antoinette　broke　loose　from　him；　pitched　herself　head　foremost　through　the　window；　and　fell　upon　the　pavement　below。

Her　bruised　but　unpolluted　body　was　soon　picked　uprestoratives　broughtdoctor　called　in；　but；　alas！　it　was　too　late：　her　pure　and　noble　spirit　had　fled　away　to　be　at　rest　in　those　realms　of　endless　bliss；　〃where　the　wicked　cease　from　troubling；　and　the　weary　are　at　rest。〃

Antoinette　like　many　other　noble　women　who　are　deprived　of　liberty；　still

〃Holds　something　sacred；　something　undefiled；　Some　pledge　and　keepsake　of　their　higher　nature。　And；　like　the　diamond　in　the　dark；　retains　Some　quenchless　gleam　of　the　celestial　light。〃


On　Hoskens　fully　realizing　the　fact　that　his　victim　was　no　more；　he　exclaimed　〃By　thunder　I　am　a　used…up　man！〃　　The　sudden　disappointment；　and　the　loss　of　two　thousand　dollars；　was　more　than　he　could　endure：　so　he　drank　more　than　ever；　and　in　a　short　time　died；　raving　mad　with　delirium　tremens。

The　villain　Slator　said　to　Mrs。　Huston；　the　kind　lady　who　endeavoured　to　purchase　Antoinette　from　Hoskens；　〃Nobody　needn't　talk　to　me　'bout　buying　them　ar　likely　niggers；　for　I'm　not　going　to　sell　em。〃　　〃But　Mary　is　rather　delicate；〃　said　Mrs。　Huston；　〃and；　being　unaccustomed　to　hard　work；　cannot　do　you　much　service　on　a　plantation。〃　　〃I　don't　want　her　for　the　field；〃　replied　Slator；　〃but　for　another　purpose。〃　　Mrs。　Huston　understood　what　this　meant；　and　instantly　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　but　she　is　your　cousin！〃　　〃The　devil　she　is！〃　said　Slator；　and　added；　〃Do　you　mean　to　insult　me；　Madam；　by　saying　that　I　am　related　to　niggers？〃　〃No；〃　replied　Mrs。　Huston；　〃I　do　not　wish　to　offend　you；　Sir。　　But　wasn't　Mr。　Slator；　Mary's　father；　your　uncle？〃　　〃Yes；　I　calculate　he　was；〃　said　Slator；　〃but　I　want　you　and　everybody　to　understand　that　I'm　no　kin　to　his　niggers。〃　　〃Oh；　very　well；〃　said　Mrs。　Huston；　adding；　〃Now　what　will　you　take　for　the　poor　girl？〃　　〃Nothin'；〃　he　replied；　〃for；　as　I　said　before；　I'm　not　goin'　to　sell；　so　you　needn't　trouble　yourself　no　more。　If　the　critter　behaves　herself；　I'll　do　as　well　by　her　as　any　man。〃

Slator　spoke　up　boldly；　but　his　manner　and　sheepish　look　clearly　indicated　that



〃His　heart　within　him　was　at　strife　　　　　With　such　accursed　gains；　　For　he　knew　whose　passions　gave　her　life；　　　　　Whose　blood　ran　in　her　veins。〃

〃The　monster　led　her　from　the　door；　　　　　He　led　her　by　the　hand；　　To　be　his　slave　and　paramour　　　　　In　a　strange　and　distant　land！〃


Poor　Frank　and　his　sister　were　handcuffed　to…　gether；　and　confined　in　prison。　　Their　dear　little　twin　brother　and　sister　were　sold；　and　taken　where　they　knew　not。　　But　it　often　happens　that　mis…　fortune　causes　those　whom　we　counted　dearest　to　shrink　away；　while　it　makes　friends　of　those　whom　we　least　expected　to　take　any　interest　in　our　affairs。　　Among　the　latter　class　Frank　found　two　comparatively　new　but　faithful　friends　to　watch　the　gloomy　paths　of　the　unhappy　little　twins。

In　a　day　or　two　after　the　sale；　Slator　had　two　fast　horses　put　to　a　large　light　van；　and　placed　in　it　a　good　many　small　but　valuable　things　belonging　to　the　distressed　family。　　He　also　took　with　him　Frank　and　Mary；　as　well　as　all　the　money　for　the　spoil；　and　after　treating　all　his　low　friends　and　bystanders；　and　drinking　deeply　himself；　he　started　in　high　glee　for　his　home　in　South　Carolina。　　But　they　had　not　proceeded　many　miles；　before　Frank　and　his　sister　discovered　that　Slator　was　too　drunk　to　drive。　　But　he；　like　most　tipsy　men；　thought　he　was　all　right；　and　as　he　had　with　him　some　of　the　ruined　family's　best　brandy　and　wine；　such　as　he　had　not　been　accustomed　to；　and　being　a　thirsty　soul；　he　drank　till　the　reins　fell　from　his　fingers；