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Show 158 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN : OR, employment of cutting tobacco. "Any man that owns a boy like that, and can't find any better way o' treating on him, deserves to loso him. Such papers as these is a shame to Kentucky; that 's my mind right out, if anybody wants to know!'' "Well, now, that 'a a fact," said mine host, as he made an entry in his book. "I've got a gang of boys, sir," said the long man, resuming his attack on the fire-irons, '' and I jest tells 'em-' Boys,' says I,-' nm now! dig! put! jest when yc want to! I never shall come to look after you!' That 's the way I keep mine. Let 'em know they are free to run any time, and it jest breaks up their wanting to. More 'n all, I've got free papers for 'em all recorded, in case I gets keeled up any o' these times, and they knows it; and I tell yc, stranger, there an't a fellow in our parts gets more out of his niggers than I do. Why, my boys have been to Cincinnati, with five hundred dollars' worth of colts, and brought me back the money, all straight, time and agin. It stands to reason they should. Treat 'em like dogs, and you'll have dogs' works and dogs' actions. 'J:rcat 'em like men, and you'll have men's works." And the honest drover, in his warmth, endorsed this moral sentiment by firing a perfect feu de joie at the fireplace. "I think you 'rc altogether right, friend," said Mr. Wilson; "and this boy described here is a fine fellow-no mistake about that. He worked for mo some half-dozen years in my bagging factory, and ho was my best hand, sir. He is an ingenious fellow, too: he invented a machine for the cleaning of hemp-a really valuable affair; it 's gone into use in severn! factories. His master holds the patent of it." c; I '11 warrant ye," said the drover, "holds it and makes money out of it, and then turns round and brands the boy in LIFE AMONG TliE I,OWLY. 159 his right hand. If I had a fair chance, I'd mark him, I reckon, so that he 'd carry it one while." "These ycr knowin' boys is allot'S aggravatin' n.nd sa.rcy," naid a coarse-looking fellow, from the other side of tho room; " that 's why they gets cut up and marked so. If they behaved themselves, they wouldn't.'' ''That is to say, the Lord made 'em men, and it's o. hard squeeze getting 'em down into beasts," said the drover, dryly. "Bright niggers isn't no kind of 'vantage to their masters," continued the other, well intrenched, in a coarse, unconscious obtuseness, from the contempt of his opponent; "what's the usc o' talents and thorn things, if you can't get the use on 'em yourself? Why, all tho use they make on 'tis to get round you. I 've had one or two of these fellcrs, and I jest sold 'em down river. I knew I 'd got to lose 'em, first or last, if I didn't." " Better send orders up to the Lord, to make you a set, and leave out their souls entirely," said the drover. Here the conversation was interrupted by the approach of a small one-horse buggy to the inn. It had a genteel appearance, and a well-dressed, gentlemanly man sat on the seat, with a colored servant driving. The whole party examined the new comer with the interest with which a set of loafers in a rainy dsy usually examine every new comer. He was very tall, with a dark, Spanish complexion, fine, expressive black eyes, and close-curling hair, also of a glossy blackness. His well-formed aquiline nose, straight thin lips, and the admirable contour of his finelyformed limbs, impressed the whole company instantly with the idea of something uncommon. He walked easily in among the company, and with a nod indicated to his waiter where to place his trunk, bowed to the company, and, with his hat in |
