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Show ) 228 ROEBUCK. can, by the Divine blessing, obtain tho inheritance of the children of Virginia as ,Jacob got tho birthriO"ht of E:nu by substituting kill for venison. Thus i~ is Jl':o,·ctl Ottt of Scripture, Gabc, that yon llllt ·t stay ·with 1nc. "\Vhat confirms tl1is intcrprct:ttion is that tho institution of sl:t\·cry. iu tho South has been blessed with wonderful n. elhlness to mankind. While the slaves multiply and thri,·c, they have atldetl mo 1 ·e to the weal Ll1, co1nLorL ::tntl ci vi li~at ion of the world by tilln o·e, than any other eqn:tl IILUH!Jer oC laborer~ over <lid in the same length of tinw. You know they lle\·cr ·would ha,re done all thi. \\·ork if they had been free, and you know that white lllcn could not have done it. Bo it is the will of God, Gabriel, that you shall not run away to the Yankees. Do you unclerstanJ ?" "I's a thinkiu' I better be a gwine." "Now, my good and f:tithful servant, let me read to yo.u what Saint Paul says-' Exhort servants to be obed:cnt unt? their own masters and to please them _wellm all th~ngs; not answering again; not purloinmg but sho:vlllg all good fidelity '-that moans yon lllnst stay wrth me, Gabriel-and again, 'Let as many ns are under tho yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor * ·* * A 1 tl 1 . . m::tsters '-like· me G bn.c· 1 1c, y t 1at have behov1n0' 1 . b , a ue - et them not desp1se thetll because they arc brethren but rather do them Be_rvice '-Inark that, Gabriel, do theJn service. Now Will yon iiy iu the fitce of Scripture ~" " l',, a thiukin' I better Le a gwiue. ,, "Poor G · b ·· 1 I f. a, lle, ear yonr understandin()' is dark and your heart l1a ·d d p ] o · h• ght to direct yom·c I t one . er 1aps 1vo 1nay obta1n Lot us pray." s eps, or to stop them, by prayer. ' HOEBUCK. 220 lie knelt down, as dicl al:o his wife ancl son. G.tb~, who hncl been tanght, not to p ray, bnt to stand, in the presence of his b etters, ntHl 'vho eli 1 not nnt1erstrtnd that he hacl bo n on1ered to kneel, rem:tin e<l in his erect po. t ure. lie t \vi.tetl his button ancl pernse(l the carpet, sh i fLing his ·wei rrht fro1n one ioot to the other, 'vhi1e his lips 1nove<l, not in prayer, hnt in repetition 0 r his f ng·iti ve fonn ula. IIi lll:tster prayed very enrncst1y, in a 1nanner ·which J1e thought n1nst impress the 1njnd and n101t the henrt of J1is servan t. Then he pansea, and ca.t ing his eyes on Gabc, di~covered that he \Vas still standing. " Ilow is your rnincl now, Gabriel ~" he inquired. "l's a thin kin' I Letter be a g wine." · "ICnecl down, Gabriel." Gabe obeyed. lie cro sed his arn1s over the bottotn of a chair ancl laiJ his forehe[l.cl upon thc1n. The prayer \Vas rcstunecl ·with increa. ir:g fervor .. I t be~ came so eloq nent, unctuou ' and Importunate that !\Irs. Pahner was 1110\red to ·igh, and then to groan, nncl finally to respond audibly A1nen an<.l A men. Again p[lusjnrr, JUr. P almer turned to his bondman, bought ,viLh his 1noney, and saiu-" ho'v do you feel now, Gabriel?" · " I's a thin kin' I better Le a gwine," n1uttered Gabe. " Goocl God !" cxclai1ned his 1naster, bouuc.ing to his feet, ' have \ve a govermnent that will not protect onr property '?" 1\[rs. Pahner and Albert nl~;o rose, bnt Gabc reJnai netl kneeling, ·with his fhce upon his nrn1s, a~1 c1 hm. ann~ npon the c l 1a1·.r. II"ts, Jlll·!S "' t t·es._; s , orr'a 7·..i noo· at h un a Inoinent 'vith risin rr scorn, 1rhcn strode \VtLh rcctnn- . 0 gulat· soleJuruty to ] u· s SH·1 e , an cl st. retchin(o) ' out her ann over his head, thus adc1resscd him: . " ~z;-- rt tu' Brutc-unobT ateful nigger-n~groque simil- |