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Show 24: ROEBUOIC. "Certainly," the doctor nc1decl, '' the n1asters arc the real objects of cornpa.~ sion in this peculiar institution of ours. niy heart Ll(!ccls for thctn. Dehold 1no, nn apostle of mnaneipation, and be the first of the '''retches I am to rescue." ' "\Vhat, brother Dick," said the colonel, "have you done \Vith your old theory that the negroes have the natural rio·ht to be slaves and therefore to havo l 1nasters, servbi tude being necessary, as you have of 't en aftinued, for their pre~~rvation and happiness accordin<>" to the con. titution of nature '?" ~' I have thro,vn up the constitution of nature and taken to abQlitionist tracts. But I irnprove on the plan of the abolitionists. I arn convinced that the ernancipation of 1nasters is the shortest \Yay to the grand result." "Pray, ·what is to be this grand result?" " The extinction of the negro race on this con .. tinent." . "That is desirable, is l.t ?" said the colonel, laugh· 1ng. " Root out the blacks and you kno\v \Ve shall have a more intelligent an<l profitable set of lrtborers." "But hun~anity, n1y big brother!" " Non sense, 1ny little brother! IIun1anity 'vas in last year's almanac. It is out of date. Abolition takes its place this year. Free the negroes ! Perish n1ankind! Con1e, Julia, you shall turn leetnrer. What \Vill a hu1nanitarian society-ltunutnitari:ut~ mark you, not hun1ane-bc \VOrth unless it turn::> the \vorld topsy-turvy and 1nakes 'von1en pcrfonn the functions of men '?'' "Will you cn1ancipate me without my \vife ?" asked the Colonel. " She is a greater slave to our ROEllt;CK, 25 dependents thrt-:1 I mn. SeA tilere 6,1e O'Oes t 1 • ~.' ' o now o t Iat cabin, probably to look after a sick child or to re~d;r so:no.othcr sen-ice to her nnnlerons family." No; It IS uscle"'s to ofrer f1·cedoin to 'vonle ~!1cy aJI rush into matritnony, t:1e 1nost galling kinr~ OJ. bondage. I ... et thcn1 alone." . '.'Begone, you hc:J.thcn," s:-tid J uli~"' flonrishinO' her ndu1Q"-switch. ~ "y I e:; aJn a heathen nnd a repnbJican-I confess nl! n1y sms .at once. Ostentatious confession is a trick of the 1Phar~80e" whon1 I tun going to in1itnte. It is a l~:·oc aJnrt1Ion of ~lu n1ility-u proucl "-irtne." A.h, brotl~cr Dlek; yon jest, bnt these ne'Yroes arc the poor ·wh01n "\Ve have ahvays ·with us." 6 "Unless they run :nvay.'' . " 1V eJ~, if they run a w·:ty from their h OJnes we must pity thea· folly. J-\ncl here con1cs Dainty Da VVhat place 'vill there be for hh11 in vour n:: schen1e 7" • . "A f~llow ?·on have ruined and marle a fool of by ~Jscharging him frotn all laLor because once upon t1n1e" a "IIe saved n1y dear daughter's life by an act of de,~ote~ courage " 'hen our old l1onse was burnt." . ~e It so. !lere he coJne ri<ling his f:"l.t mule and dt Cf' ed f:tn tastically, as usual. \Vhere are you go in Dave?" g, Defore ~ns,vering D:tvo lifted his hjgh-erowned hat from hrs head and three times bow·ed profoundly over the nlulc's neck, S'tyincr "sn.rvant ~'I" ... t T _ l\1' . · .:;,, · ,, J.l :L er; sar- ~ ant, .l. ISS .Juha; sarvant, JHa. ter Dick." Straig-hten .. 1ng ~1111 ·elf up, he gravely added: "l'n1 gwine._ to be ·waxinate<l, sir." " Vaccinated ' pox 1" Are you afraid of taking small- 2 |