way, cheering his drooping soul on its journey to heaven. To her he
disclosed how he had been called to the bedside of his dying master;
how, previously, he had been sold from his good old master, Marston,
his wife, his children; how he was mysteriously carried off and left
in the charge of his present master, who exacts all he can earn.
The simple recital of his story excites the genial feelings of the
young lady; she knows some foul transaction is associated with his
transition, and at once tenders her services to release him. But she
must move cautiously, for even Harry's preaching is in direct
violation of the statutes; and were she found aiding in that which
would unfavourably affect the interests of his master she would be
subjected to serious consequences-perhaps be invited to spend a
short season at the sheriff's hotel, commonly called the county
gaol. However, there was virtue in the object to be served, and
feeling that whatever else she could do to relieve him would be
conferring a lasting benefit on a suffering mortal, she will brave
the attempt.
"Tell me he is not a man, but a slave! tell me a being with such
faculties should be thus sunken beneath the amenities of freedom!
that man may barter almighty gifts for gold! trample his religion
into dust, and turn it into dollars and cents! What a mockery is
this against the justice of heaven! When this is done in this our
happy land of happy freedom, scoffers may make it their foot-ball,
and kings in their tyranny may point the finger of scorn at us, and
ask us for our honest men, our cherished freedom!
"Woman can do something, if she will; let me see what I can do to
relieve this poor oppressed," she exclaims one day, after he has
consulted her on the best means of relief. "I will try."
Woman knows the beatings of the heart; she can respond more quickly
to its pains and sorrows. Our youthful missionary will sit down and
write a letter to Mrs. Rosebrook-she will do something, the
atmosphere of slavery will hear of her yet-it will!
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE PRETTY CHILDREN ARE TO BE SOLD.
HOW varied are the sources of human nature-how changing its tints
and glows-how immeasurable its uncertainties, and how obdurate the
will that can turn its tenderest threads into profitable
degradation! But what democrat can know himself a freeman when the
whitest blood makes good merchandise in the market? When the only
lineal stain on a mother's name for ever binds the chains, let no
man boast of liberty. The very voice re-echoes, oh, man, why be a
hypocrite! cans't thou not see the scorner looking from above? But
the oligarchy asks in tones so modest, so full of chivalrous
fascination, what hast thou to do with that? be no longer a fanatic.
So we will bear the warning-pass from it for the present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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