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Show 22-! ROEBUCK . f'Xernpt fro1n tho gnntle bnL constant r estraints of <~iril f' oc.iety. Towards the citizens 'the dcn1e~n or of t lto colone] \\ras RO brutal that J1is \\ro rst 1ncn \\rerc ·n~ conra_g-c<l to indulge their \VOrRt pas .. ion . Thn~, ltll~ d •r llts orders, or through the licentious effects or hi~ ad rni uistrati_on, the county \vas gi von up to pillage an ~.l oppression. A1l horses ·were cnptnrcd ns l egi tim:t( ~ pnzes. Cows, sheep n.nd swine, 'vcre killed in waut otlll e:->s. l\Jilh; anu barns \Vero harned. F ences wcro do ·troyetl. Dwellings ·were entered and r;tnsackcd by uig ht or <lay; private papers found in them, were torn and cattercd; clothing of 'VOincn ancl children \vas rent to riLbonR, or carried off; j ewel ry w:v~ rndcly wreneh8d fron1 the persons of ladie , anci t~unilic' \Vere put in terror of death or a f:ttc \VOr:->e than cleath. Fanning implen1ent., food an<1 iorao·c were f'ystemn.tic:tlly d estroyecl or rCinovecl. J\Ien ~~ero illRultecl, ancl upon the slighto~-t show of r esentment shot down. The Rb.ves 'vere p er.'naded, and, in .· me ca!:3cs, COJnpelled to leave th eir h ome.·. The men " rere drawn io the camp as t-;(·tTrrnt:, or snffered to ro::un about and Jive by prllnge. The w,.omen, easily corrupted, \\rore kept by the sol<.liers in sties abont tho vi.ll:lge, or " randered they knew not ,vhiLher. 1I:wy ?f the servants descrtocl 1 toel>uck, channed ,vith tho Idea of freedon1. Negroes, parasites by uatnrc, cling to the slronge ~t power that stan us ncar them. II ow ever ab urd the notions 'vhich they associate with lib<-, rly, exemption fro1n co1npnl. ory labor h:-ts a special cltann for the indolent nn(1 thoug htless creaturm-J. Credulous aucl servile, they \vere easily d eluded alld led away by 1uen who belonged to the race they were uccnsto~ed to. revere, and 'vho crr1nc \vith proic. ·sions of exclus1ve fnendship for thmu. They c.onld not re- ROEDU C K. 225 ject n boon offered l>y a snhLle ten1pter, protnising that it Rhonld 1nake thcn1 to he as gocl.,, notwith~t~tndin~ the (1ecT(\e of natnro forbi<l cling this frnit of' free<lom to their r:-tce on pain of death. 1\fr. ·rahner, it n1 :ty be remen1bcred, h:t<l rcsorvetl fro1n sale a n egro lll:-tn, n::unecl Gabe, 'vho ,vas expected to be k ept at hon1e by a stupid content mont with his lot or a stolicl incapacity to co1npa~ :1nother. 'Vhon Ron1e of l1 is Northern I)atrons r:tmblin rr lr01n ' b the vil1:1ge, plied hitn with t emptation, his ·woolly head v,ras profoundly perplexed . . The novel thouo-ht of running away fr01u hi~ 1naster, after it once obtained a lo.d gn1ent in his brain, stuck fast' but he did not know 'vhat to do 'vith it. lie 'vent n1opino- and stnmLling about in 'vofnl conternplation, until aL length he arri vecl at a conelusion 'vhich he ex pre '. 'eel to himself in the formnla-" l 's a thinkin' I bcLLcr be a gwine .. , Gren.tly relien~d by the resolution oC his doubt., he k ep t 1nuttoring his formula, as if he feared that unle. s he k ept the ' vords in his rnouLh the idea would tly out of his head. l i''or several days he saL, or walkeJ, or ' vorket1, 'viLh con 'tant repetition of the seutenee- " l's a thinkin' I better be a gwine." Son1e knowledge of his fr:tme of 1nincl reached his n1:1st 'r ancl1ni ' tress, anJ they began to fear they 'von1<.1 lo~o their only Iun.n-ser\'ant t lu-ough the officious kiu<lncs~ of their Northern friencls. One evening this snbject, among others, engage<l the attention of a Jit1nily council held in the parlor] H"C:->ent, 1\Ir. I)al n1m·, J\1rs. P;l1mcr and t heir son, Albert. It \V:ts af)Teed that under ex is tin!! circnrn- ,..., ' · ~ stances, Gabe coultl not be detained by force, and thnt it 'vould be Jn.n o- }rous to attempt to spirit hin1 v . nway to a slave-n1arkct. It see1n0cl alrnost cerLn.tn 10'* |