'Oh, tank'ou, massa. 'Ou's too good, massa; tank'ou bery much--but 'ou'll leff' me gib dis ter de Squire, massa, 'on't 'ou? I wants ter pay fur Ally.' 'Yes, if he will take it, 'I replied, for I knew that he would not. The merchant had examined the documents, and Preston had counted the money and put it in his pocket, when, handing the papers to Dinah, the latter said: 'Now, aunty, Ally's free, and I hope he'll prove a good boy, and worthy of such a mother.' 'Oh, he will dat, massa; he'm a good chile; but heah'm ten dollar more massa, it'm de good gemman's, an' he say I kin gib it ter 'on fur Ally.' Preston laughed: 'I heard what he said. I can't take it, Dinah. You need it to buy some winter clothes. I'll take the risk of what you owe me.' The shopkeeper then said: 'Take it, Mr. Preston; I'll let Dinah have what she needs out of the store; she knows her credit is good with me.' 'Well,' said Preston, taking the money, 'this makes one hundred and thirty-seven dollars and thirty cents. You need not pay any more--Ally is yours _now_.' 'Oh! am Ally _free_, massa? Am de chile FREE? she exclaimed, taking him in her arms, and bursting into a hysterical fit of weeping. Every eye was wet, but no one spoke. At last Dinah said: 'But, massa Preston, I wants 'ou ter take de chile. I wants 'ou ter fetch him up. I karn't larn him nuffin. I doan't know nuffin massa. He kin git larnin' wid 'ou.' 'But he's all you have. He'll be a help and a comfort, to you at home.' 'I doan't want no help, massa. He'm FREE now--I doan't want no help no more.' 'Well, aunty, I'll take him, and pay you twenty dollars a year, till he's fifteen. He's ten now, isn't he?' 'A'most ten, massa, a'most; but 'ou needn't pay me nuffin; jess gib de chile what you likes. And massa, 'ou'll speak ter Boss Joe 'bout him, woan't 'ou? 'Ou'll ax him ter see Ally gwoe ter de meetin's an' larn out ob de books, woan't 'ou, massa? I wants him ter know suffin, massa.' 'Yes, I will, Dinah, and I'll keep an eye on him myself.' 'Tank 'ou, massa; an' p'raps' ou'll leff de chile come ter see him ole mammy once'n a while?' 'Yes, he may--once a month. Come now, Dinah, get into the wagon; we go right by your house.' We entered the vehicle, and drove off. When we reached the shanty, the negress got out, and, amid a shower of blessings from her, we rode on to the plantation. For four long years she had worked fifteen hours a day, and denied herself every comfort to buy her child; and when at last she had secured his freedom, she was willing to part with him that he might 'larn suffin out ob de books.' Who that reads this truthful record of a slave mother's love, will deny to her wretched race the instincts and feelings that make _us_ human?