“Please to let me alone！” said Adolph； fiercely； straightening himself up； with extreme disgust。
“Law； now； boys！ dis yer’s one o’ yer white niggers；—kind o’ cream color； ye know； scented！” said he； coming up to Adolph and snuffing。 “O Lor！ he’d do for a tobacomer…shop； they could keep him to scent snuff！ Lor； he’d keep a whole shope agwine；—he would！”
“I say； keep off； can’t you？” said Adolph； enraged。
“Lor； now； how touchy we is；—we white niggers！ Look at us now！” and Sambo gave a ludicrous imitation of Adolph’s manner； “here’s de airs and graces。 We’s been in a good family； I specs。”
“Yes；” said Adolph； “I had a master that could have bought you all for old truck！”
“Laws； now； only think；” said Sambo； “the gentlemens that we is！”
“I belonged to the St。 Clare family；” said Adolph； proudly。
“Lor； you did！ Be hanged if they ar’n’t lucky to get shet of ye。 Spects they’s gwine to trade ye off with a lot o’ cracked tea…pots and sich like！” said Sambo； with a provoking grin。
Adolph； enraged at this taunt； flew furiously at his adversary； swearing and striking on every side of him。 The rest laughed and shouted； and the uproar brought the keeper to the door。
“What now； boys？ Order；—order！” he said； coming in and flourishing a large whip。
All fled in different directions； except Sambo； who； presuming on the favor which the keeper had to him as a licensed wag； stood his ground； ducking his head with a facetious grin； whenever the master made a dive at him。
“Lor； Mas’r； ’tan’t us；—we ’s reglar stiddy；—it’s these yer new hands； they ’s real aggravatin’；—kinder pickin’ at us； all time！”
The keeper； at this； turned upon Tom and Adolph； and distributing a few kicks and cuffs without much inquiry； and leaving general orders for all to be good boys and go to sleep； left the apartment。
While this scene was going on in the men’s sleeping…room； the reader may be curious to take a peep at the corresponding apartment allotted to the women。 Stretched out in various attitudes over the floor； he may see numberless sleeping forms of every shade of complexion； from the purest ebony to white； and of all years； from childhood to old age； lying now asleep。 Here is a fine bright girl； of ten years； whose mother was sold out yesterday； and who tonight cried herself to sleep when nobody was looking at her。 Here； a worn old negress； whose thin arms and callous fingers tell of hard toil； waiting to be sold tomorrow； as a cast…off article； for what can be got for her； and some forty or fifty others； with heads variously enveloped in blankets or articles of clothing； lie stretched around them。 But； in a corner； sitting apart from the rest； are two females of a more interesting appearance than common。 One of these is a respectably…dressed mulatto woman between forty and fifty； with soft eyes and a gentle and pleasing physiognomy。 She has on her head a high…raised turban； made of a gay red Madras handkerchief； of the first quality； her dress is neatly fitted； and of good material； showing that she has been provided for with a careful hand。 By her side； and nestling closely to her； is a young girl of fifteen；—her daughter。 She is a quadroon； as may be seen from her fairer complexion； though her likeness to her mother is quite discernible。 She has the same soft； dark eye； with longer lashes； and her curling hair is of a luxuriant brown。 She also is dressed with great neatness； and her white； delicate hands betray very little acquaintance with servile toil。 These two are to be sold tomorrow； in the same lot with the St。 Clare servants； and the gentleman to whom they belong； and to whom the money for their sale is to be transmitted； is a member of a Christian church in New York； who will receive the money； and go thereafter to the sacrament of his Lord and theirs； and think no more of it。
These two； whom we shall call Susan and Emmeline； had been the personal attendants of an amiable and pious lady of New Orleans； by whom they had been carefully and piously instructed and trained。 They had been taught to read and write； diligently instructed in the truths of religion； and their lot had been as happy an one as in their condition it was possible to be。 But the only son of their protectress had the management of her property； and； by carelessness and extravagance involved it to a large amount； and at last failed。 One of the largest creditors was the respectable firm of B。 & Co。； in New York。 B。 & Co。 wrote to their lawyer in New Orleans； who attached the real estate （these two articles and a lot of plantation hands formed the most valuable part of it）； and wrote word to that effect to New York。 Brother B。； being； as we have said； a Christian man； and a resident in a free State； felt some uneasiness on the subject。 He didn’t like trading in slaves and souls of men；—of course； he didn’t； but； then； there were thirty thousand dollars in the case； and that was rather too much money to be lost for a principle； and so； after much considering； and asking advice from those that he knew would advise to suit him； Brother B。 wrote to his lawyer to dispose of the business in the way that seemed to him the most suitable； and remit the proceeds。
The day after the letter arrived in New Orleans； Susan and Emmeline were attached； and sent to the depot to await a general auction on the following morning； and as they glimmer faintly upon us in the moonlight which steals through the grated window； we may listen to their conversation。 Both are weeping； but each quietly； that the other may not hear。
“Mother； just lay your head on my lap； and see if you can’t sleep a little；” says the girl； trying to appear calm。
“I haven’t any heart to sleep； Em； I can’t； it’s the last night we may be together！”
“O； mother； don’t say so！ perhaps we shall get sold together；—who knows？”
“If ’t was anybody’s else case； I should say so； too； Em；” said the woman； “but I’m so feard of losin’ you that I don’t see anything but the danger。”
“Why； mother； the man said we were both likely； and would sell well。”
Susan remembered the man’s looks and words。 With a deadly sickness at her heart； she remembered how he had looked at Emmeline’s hands； and lifted up her curly hair； and pronounced her a first…rate article。 Susan had been trained as a Christian； brought up in the daily reading of the Bible； and had the same horror of her child’s being sold to a life of shame that any other Christian mother might have； but she had no hope；—no protection。
“Mother； I think we might do first rate； if you could get a place as cook； and I as chambermaid or seamstress； in some family。 I dare say we shall。 Let’s both look as bright and lively as we can； and tell all we can do； and perhaps we shall；” said Emmeline。
“I want you to brush your hair all back straight； tomorrow；” said Susan。
“What for； mother？ I don’t look near so well； that way。”
“Yes； but you’ll sell better so。”
“I don’t see why！” said the child。
“Respectable families would be more apt to buy you； if they saw you looked plain and decent； as if you wasn’t trying to look handsome。 I know their ways better ’n you do；” said Susan。
“Well； mother； then I will。”
“And； Emmeline； if we shouldn’t ever see each other again； after tomorrow；—if I’m sold way up on a plantation somewhere； and you somewhere else；—always remember how you’ve been brought up； and all Missis has told you； take your Bible with you； and your hymn…book； and if you’re faithful to the Lord； he’ll be faithful to you。”
So speaks the poor soul； in sore discouragement； for she knows that tomorrow any man； however vile and brutal； however godless and merciless； if he only has money to pay for her； may become owner of her daughter； body and soul； and then； how is the child to be faithful？ She thinks of all this； as she holds her daughter in her arms； and wishes that she were not handsome and attractive。 It seems almost an aggravation to her to remember how purely and piously； how much above the ordinary lot； she has been brought up。 But she has no resort but to pray； and many such prayers to God have gone up from those same trim； neatly…arranged； respectable slave…prisons；—prayers which God has not forgotten； as a coming day shall show； for it is written； “Who causeth one of these little ones to offend； it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck； and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea。”
The soft； earnest； quiet moonbeam looks in fixedly； marking the bars of the grated windows on the prostrate； sleeping forms。 The mother and daughter are singing together a wild and melancholy dirge； common as a funeral hymn among the slaves：
“O； where is weeping Mary？
O； where is weeping Mary？
’Rived in the goodly land。
She is dead and gone to Heaven；
She is dead and gone to Heaven；
’Rived in the goodly land。”
These words； sung by voices of a peculiar and melancholy sweetness； in an air which seemed like the sighing of earthy despair after heavenly hope； floated through the dark prison rooms with a pathetic cadence； as verse after verse was breathed out：
“O； where are Paul and Silas？
O； where are Paul and Silas？
Gone to the goodly land。
They are dead and gone to Heaven；
They are dead and gone to Heaven；
’Rived in the goodly land。”
Sing on poor souls！ The night is short； and the morning will part you forever！
But now it is morning； and everybody is astir； and the worthy Mr。 Skeggs is busy and bright； for a lot of goods is to be fitted out for auction。 There is a brisk lookout on the toilet； injunctions passed around to every one to put on their best face and be spry； and now all are arranged in a circle for a last review； before they are marched up to the Bourse。
Mr。 Skeggs； with his palmetto on and his cigar in his mouth； walks around to put farewell touches on his wares。
“How’s this？” he said； stepping in front of Susan and Emmeline。 “Where’s your curls； gal？”
The girl looked timidly at her mother； who； with the smooth adroitness common among her class； answers；
“I was telling her； last night； to put up her hair smooth and neat； and not havin’ it flying about in curls； looks more respectable so。”
“Bother！” said the man