| OCR Text |
Show 26 Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Shonlc1 he chance to ch~ngc his Jn~nd, th inking i~ jn.s~ tillable to violate an cxLorte<l JH"Oln.n.;c, \VOC unto hun lf 1 · .11 t 'l'hc ·whi11 i~ u~c<l t1ll the blood flow::; at 1 c 1 s ca u g 1 u • • • , his feet; anu his ·tin<~nccl linll>. arc put ln duun ·, to be dragged in the 1ield for days and clays t If he lives until the next year, perhaps tho s~uuc 1 nan will hire him again, without oven giving hi1n an opportunity of going to the hiring-ground. After those for hire arc dispo~cd of, those for sale arc called up. 0 you happy free ·wo1ncn, contrast your New y ca~· s day with that of the poor bon l-\VOluan t With you it is a pleasant sca~on, and the light of the clay is blessed. Fricnclly wi ·he· 1ncct you every \vherc, and gifts arc .·howercu upon yon. Even hearts that have been c trangcd fro1n you soften at this season, and lips Lhat lu.tYc been si.lcnt echo back, " 1 'vish you a happy New Y car." Children hriug their liLtlc offcriug~, and rai c their rosy lips for a ca t'(\ 'S. They arc your o'vn, and no hand but Lhat of death can take thmn fro1n you. Bnt to tho slave 1nothcr Nc\v Year's day co1ncs laden ·with peculiar orrow ·. She ·its on hur cold cabin floor, \vat~hiug the children \vho 1nay all he torn fron1 her the next rnorning ; and often docs ~he ·wish that ·he and they 1night die befor the clay c1a\vns. Hhc 1nay he an ignorant creature, clcgra<lcd by the systmu that has brntalir,ed her fro1n ch ildhooll ; hnt she has a n1oLhcr' · in t1iincts, and is capaule of feeling a 1noLher'.· agonies. On one of these sale day:, I saw a n1other ]cad seven children to the aueLion-1Jlock. She kne\v that so1nc of them ·would be taken fro1n her; but they took ail. The 1~he Slaves' N cw Y car's Day. 27 children ·were .·olu to a slnxc-Lradcr, and their 1n0ther wa · boughL hy a 1nan in her own town. nufore night her children \Yore all far away. She lJegge<l the tracler to tell hee 'vherc he inLcndccl to tu.kc thetn; Lhis he rcfu~ed Lo do. I low could he, ·when he ]~new he \Vould sell thcn1, one by one, w hcrc-rer he coul( l couu11anll Lhc higl1est price? I 1uet Lltat 1nother in the ~trect, and her \vilcl, haggard faee li vus to-day in 1uy ntiud. ~ ihc wrung her h ands in anguish, ancl e:.\.claitncd, " Oone! All gone! \\Thy dun' t G o<l kill n1c 'r " I had no wonls \vhcrewith to cotni'ort her. ln. taneos of tl1is kind arc of daily, yea, of hourly occurrence. Slaveholllers lw.ve a, 1nuLhod , pcc~tliar to their institution, of getting rj d of olrt ~~L.t,·us, \vhose ] i vcs l HlSC been \Yorn out in their .·crYiee. I ktte\\r an old \VOtnnu ' who for seventy years faiLld\Llly ~en·etl her 1ua~tur . She had bccon1c nhnost hu1 pie:-;.-, fro1n hanl lnbor and d i sea~e . IIer O\Vncrs nlo \'C< l t(> ~ \ la1J<UH<L, :1n cl the ulu lJlack won1an \Vas Lert to he sold Lo a11y body \vho woulu give twcnLy tlollan; for her. |
