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CHAPTER I In Which the Reader Is Introduced to a Man
of Humanity
Late in the afternoon of a chilly day in February, two gentlemen were sitting alone
over their wine, in a well-furnished dining parlor, in the town of P----, in Kentucky.
There were no servants present, and the gentlemen, with chairs closely approaching,
seemed to be discussing some subject with great earnestness.
For convenience sake, we have said, hitherto, two gentlemen.
One of the parties, however, when critically examined, did not seem, strictly
speaking, to come under the species.
He was a short, thick-set man, with coarse, commonplace features, and that swaggering
air of pretension which marks a low man who is trying to elbow his way upward in the
world.
He was much over-dressed, in a gaudy vest of many colors, a blue neckerchief,
bedropped gayly with yellow spots, and arranged with a flaunting tie, quite in
keeping with the general air of the man.
His hands, large and coarse, were plentifully bedecked with rings; and he
wore a heavy gold watch-chain, with a bundle of seals of portentous size, and a
great variety of colors, attached to it,--
which, in the ardor of conversation, he was in the habit of flourishing and jingling
with evident satisfaction.
His conversation was in free and easy defiance of Murray's Grammar, (NOTE:
English Grammar (1795), by Lindley Murray (1745-1826), the most authoritative
American grammarian of his day) and was
garnished at convenient intervals with various profane expressions, which not even
the desire to be graphic in our account shall induce us to transcribe.
His companion, Mr. Shelby, had the appearance of a gentleman; and the
arrangements of the house, and the general air of the housekeeping, indicated easy,
and even opulent circumstances.
As we before stated, the two were in the midst of an earnest conversation.
"That is the way I should arrange the matter," said Mr. Shelby.
"I can't make trade that way--I positively can't, Mr. Shelby," said the other, holding
up a glass of wine between his eye and the light.
"Why, the fact is, Haley, Tom is an uncommon fellow; he is certainly worth that
sum anywhere,--steady, honest, capable, manages my whole farm like a clock."
"You mean honest, as *** go," said Haley, helping himself to a glass of
brandy. "No; I mean, really, Tom is a good, steady,
sensible, pious fellow.
He got religion at a camp-meeting, four years ago; and I believe he really did get
it.
I've trusted him, since then, with everything I have,--money, house, horses,--
and let him come and go round the country; and I always found him true and square in
everything."
"Some folks don't believe there is pious *** Shelby," said Haley, with a candid
flourish of his hand, "but I do.
I had a fellow, now, in this yer last lot I took to Orleans--'t was as good as a
meetin, now, really, to hear that critter pray; and he was quite gentle and quiet
like.
He fetched me a good sum, too, for I bought him cheap of a man that was 'bliged to sell
out; so I realized six hundred on him.
Yes, I consider religion a valeyable thing in a ***, when it's the genuine article,
and no mistake." "Well, Tom's got the real article, if ever
a fellow had," rejoined the other.
"Why, last fall, I let him go to Cincinnati alone, to do business for me, and bring
home five hundred dollars.
'Tom,' says I to him, 'I trust you, because I think you're a Christian--I know you
wouldn't cheat.' Tom comes back, sure enough; I knew he
would.
Some low fellows, they say, said to him-- Tom, why don't you make tracks for Canada?'
'Ah, master trusted me, and I couldn't,'-- they told me about it.
I am sorry to part with Tom, I must say.
You ought to let him cover the whole balance of the debt; and you would, Haley,
if you had any conscience."
"Well, I've got just as much conscience as any man in business can afford to keep,--
just a little, you know, to swear by, as 't were," said the trader, jocularly; "and,
then, I'm ready to do anything in reason to
'blige friends; but this yer, you see, is a leetle too *** a fellow--a leetle too
hard." The trader sighed contemplatively, and
poured out some more brandy.
"Well, then, Haley, how will you trade?" said Mr. Shelby, after an uneasy interval
of silence. "Well, haven't you a boy or gal that you
could throw in with Tom?"
"Hum!--none that I could well spare; to tell the truth, it's only hard necessity
makes me willing to sell at all. I don't like parting with any of my hands,
that's a fact."
Here the door opened, and a small quadroon boy, between four and five years of age,
entered the room. There was something in his appearance
remarkably beautiful and engaging.
His black hair, fine as floss silk, hung in glossy curls about his round, dimpled face,
while a pair of large dark eyes, full of fire and softness, looked out from beneath
the rich, long lashes, as he peered curiously into the apartment.
A gay robe of scarlet and yellow plaid, carefully made and neatly fitted, set off
to advantage the dark and rich style of his beauty; and a certain comic air of
assurance, blended with bashfulness, showed
that he had been not unused to being petted and noticed by his master.
"Hulloa, Jim Crow!" said Mr. Shelby, whistling, and snapping a bunch of raisins
towards him, "pick that up, now!"
The child scampered, with all his little strength, after the prize, while his master
laughed. "Come here, Jim Crow," said he.
The child came up, and the master patted the curly head, and chucked him under the
chin. "Now, Jim, show this gentleman how you can
dance and sing."
The boy commenced one of those wild, grotesque songs common among the negroes,
in a rich, clear voice, accompanying his singing with many comic evolutions of the
hands, feet, and whole body, all in perfect time to the music.
"Bravo!" said Haley, throwing him a quarter of an orange.
"Now, Jim, walk like old Uncle Cudjoe, when he has the rheumatism," said his master.
Instantly the flexible limbs of the child assumed the appearance of deformity and
distortion, as, with his back *** up, and his master's stick in his hand, he
hobbled about the room, his childish face
drawn into a doleful pucker, and spitting from right to left, in imitation of an old
man. Both gentlemen laughed uproariously.
"Now, Jim," said his master, "show us how old Elder Robbins leads the psalm."
The boy drew his chubby face down to a formidable length, and commenced toning a
psalm tune through his nose, with imperturbable gravity.
"Hurrah! bravo! what a young 'un!" said Haley; "that chap's a case, I'll promise.
Tell you what," said he, suddenly clapping his hand on Mr. Shelby's shoulder, "fling
in that chap, and I'll settle the business- -I will.
Come, now, if that ain't doing the thing up about the rightest!"
At this moment, the door was pushed gently open, and a young quadroon woman,
apparently about twenty-five, entered the room.
There needed only a glance from the child to her, to identify her as its mother.
There was the same rich, full, dark eye, with its long lashes; the same ripples of
silky black hair.
The brown of her complexion gave way on the cheek to a perceptible flush, which
deepened as she saw the gaze of the strange man fixed upon her in bold and undisguised
admiration.
Her dress was of the neatest possible fit, and set off to advantage her finely moulded
shape;--a delicately formed hand and a trim foot and ankle were items of appearance
that did not escape the quick eye of the
trader, well used to run up at a glance the points of a fine female article.
"Well, Eliza?" said her master, as she stopped and looked hesitatingly at him.
"I was looking for Harry, please, sir;" and the boy bounded toward her, showing his
spoils, which he had gathered in the skirt of his robe.
"Well, take him away then," said Mr. Shelby; and hastily she withdrew, carrying
the child on her arm.
"By Jupiter," said the trader, turning to him in admiration, "there's an article,
now! You might make your fortune on that ar gal
in Orleans, any day.
I've seen over a thousand, in my day, paid down for gals not a bit handsomer."
"I don't want to make my fortune on her," said Mr. Shelby, dryly; and, seeking to
turn the conversation, he uncorked a bottle of fresh wine, and asked his companion's
opinion of it.
"Capital, sir,--first chop!" said the trader; then turning, and slapping his hand
familiarly on Shelby's shoulder, he added--
"Come, how will you trade about the gal?-- what shall I say for her--what'll you
take?" "Mr. Haley, she is not to be sold," said
Shelby.
"My wife would not part with her for her weight in gold."
"Ay, ay! women always say such things, cause they ha'nt no sort of calculation.
Just show 'em how many watches, feathers, and trinkets, one's weight in gold would
buy, and that alters the case, I reckon."
"I tell you, Haley, this must not be spoken of; I say no, and I mean no," said Shelby,
decidedly.
"Well, you'll let me have the boy, though," said the trader; "you must own I've come
down pretty handsomely for him." "What on earth can you want with the
child?" said Shelby.
"Why, I've got a friend that's going into this yer branch of the business--wants to
buy up handsome boys to raise for the market.
Fancy articles entirely--sell for waiters, and so on, to rich 'uns, that can pay for
handsome 'uns. It sets off one of yer great places--a real
handsome boy to open door, wait, and tend.
They fetch a good sum; and this little devil is such a comical, musical concern,
he's just the article!'
"I would rather not sell him," said Mr. Shelby, thoughtfully; "the fact is, sir,
I'm a humane man, and I hate to take the boy from his mother, sir."
"O, you do?--La! yes--something of that ar natur.
I understand, perfectly.
It is mighty onpleasant getting on with women, sometimes, I al'ays hates these yer
screechin,' screamin' times.
They are mighty onpleasant; but, as I manages business, I generally avoids 'em,
sir.
Now, what if you get the girl off for a day, or a week, or so; then the thing's
done quietly,--all over before she comes home.
Your wife might get her some ear-rings, or a new gown, or some such truck, to make up
with her." "I'm afraid not."
"Lor bless ye, yes!
These critters ain't like white folks, you know; they gets over things, only manage
right.
Now, they say," said Haley, assuming a candid and confidential air, "that this
kind o' trade is hardening to the feelings; but I never found it so.
Fact is, I never could do things up the way some fellers manage the business.
I've seen 'em as would pull a woman's child out of her arms, and set him up to sell,
and she screechin' like mad all the time;-- very bad policy--damages the article--makes
'em quite unfit for service sometimes.
I knew a real handsome gal once, in Orleans, as was entirely ruined by this
sort o' handling.
The fellow that was trading for her didn't want her baby; and she was one of your real
high sort, when her blood was up.
I tell you, she squeezed up her child in her arms, and talked, and went on real
awful.
It kinder makes my blood run cold to think of 't; and when they carried off the child,
and locked her up, she jest went ravin' mad, and died in a week.
Clear waste, sir, of a thousand dollars, just for want of management,--there's where
't is. It's always best to do the humane thing,
sir; that's been my experience."
And the trader leaned back in his chair, and folded his arm, with an air of virtuous
decision, apparently considering himself a second Wilberforce.
The subject appeared to interest the gentleman deeply; for while Mr. Shelby was
thoughtfully peeling an orange, Haley broke out afresh, with becoming diffidence, but
as if actually driven by the force of truth to say a few words more.
"It don't look well, now, for a feller to be praisin' himself; but I say it jest
because it's the truth.
I believe I'm reckoned to bring in about the finest droves of *** that is
brought in,--at least, I've been told so; if I have once, I reckon I have a hundred
times,--all in good case,--fat and likely,
and I lose as few as any man in the business.
And I lays it all to my management, sir; and humanity, sir, I may say, is the great
pillar of my management."
Mr. Shelby did not know what to say, and so he said, "Indeed!"
"Now, I've been laughed at for my notions, sir, and I've been talked to.
They an't pop'lar, and they an't common; but I stuck to 'em, sir; I've stuck to 'em,
and realized well on 'em; yes, sir, they have paid their passage, I may say," and
the trader laughed at his joke.
There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of humanity, that Mr.
Shelby could not help laughing in company.
Perhaps you laugh too, dear reader; but you know humanity comes out in a variety of
strange forms now-a-days, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people
will say and do.
Mr. Shelby's laugh encouraged the trader to proceed.
"It's strange, now, but I never could beat this into people's heads.
Now, there was Tom Loker, my old partner, down in Natchez; he was a clever fellow,
Tom was, only the very devil with ***,- -on principle 't was, you see, for a better
hearted feller never broke bread; 't was his system, sir.
I used to talk to Tom.
'Why, Tom,' I used to say, 'when your gals takes on and cry, what's the use o' crackin
on' em over the head, and knockin' on 'em round?
It's ridiculous,' says I, 'and don't do no sort o' good.
Why, I don't see no harm in their cryin',' says I; 'it's natur,' says I, 'and if natur
can't blow off one way, it will another.
Besides, Tom,' says I, 'it jest spiles your gals; they get sickly, and down in the
mouth; and sometimes they gets ugly,-- particular yallow gals do,--and it's the
devil and all gettin' on 'em broke in.
Now,' says I, 'why can't you kinder coax 'em up, and speak 'em fair?
Depend on it, Tom, a little humanity, thrown in along, goes a heap further than
all your jawin' and crackin'; and it pays better,' says I, 'depend on 't.'
But Tom couldn't get the hang on 't; and he spiled so many for me, that I had to break
off with him, though he was a good-hearted fellow, and as fair a business hand as is
goin'."
"And do you find your ways of managing do the business better than Tom's?" said Mr.
Shelby. "Why, yes, sir, I may say so.
You see, when I any ways can, I takes a leetle care about the onpleasant parts,
like selling young uns and that,--get the gals out of the way--out of sight, out of
mind, you know,--and when it's clean done,
and can't be helped, they naturally gets used to it.
'Tan't, you know, as if it was white folks, that's brought up in the way of 'spectin'
to keep their children and wives, and all that.
***, you know, that's fetched up properly, ha'n't no kind of 'spectations of
no kind; so all these things comes easier." "I'm afraid mine are not properly brought
up, then," said Mr. Shelby.
"S'pose not; you Kentucky folks spile your ***.
You mean well by 'em, but 'tan't no real kindness, arter all.
Now, a ***, you see, what's got to be hacked and tumbled round the world, and
sold to Tom, and ***, and the Lord knows who, 'tan't no kindness to be givin' on him
notions and expectations, and bringin' on
him up too well, for the rough and tumble comes all the harder on him arter.
Now, I venture to say, your *** would be quite chop-fallen in a place where some
of your plantation *** would be singing and whooping like all possessed.
Every man, you know, Mr. Shelby, naturally thinks well of his own ways; and I think I
treat *** just about as well as it's ever worth while to treat 'em."
"It's a happy thing to be satisfied," said Mr. Shelby, with a slight shrug, and some
perceptible feelings of a disagreeable nature.
"Well," said Haley, after they had both silently picked their nuts for a season,
"what do you say?" "I'll think the matter over, and talk with
my wife," said Mr. Shelby.
"Meantime, Haley, if you want the matter carried on in the quiet way you speak of,
you'd best not let your business in this neighborhood be known.
It will get out among my boys, and it will not be a particularly quiet business
getting away any of my fellows, if they know it, I'll promise you."
"O! certainly, by all means, mum! of course.
But I'll tell you.
I'm in a devil of a hurry, and shall want to know, as soon as possible, what I may
depend on," said he, rising and putting on his overcoat.
"Well, call up this evening, between six and seven, and you shall have my answer,"
said Mr. Shelby, and the trader bowed himself out of the apartment.
"I'd like to have been able to kick the fellow down the steps," said he to himself,
as he saw the door fairly closed, "with his impudent assurance; but he knows how much
he has me at advantage.
If anybody had ever said to me that I should sell Tom down south to one of those
rascally traders, I should have said, 'Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this
thing?'
And now it must come, for aught I see. And Eliza's child, too!
I know that I shall have some fuss with wife about that; and, for that matter,
about Tom, too.
So much for being in debt,--heigho! The fellow sees his advantage, and means to
push it."
Perhaps the mildest form of the system of slavery is to be seen in the State of
Kentucky.
The general prevalence of agricultural pursuits of a quiet and gradual nature, not
requiring those periodic seasons of hurry and pressure that are called for in the
business of more southern districts, makes
the task of the *** a more healthful and reasonable one; while the master, content
with a more gradual style of acquisition, has not those temptations to
hardheartedness which always overcome frail
human nature when the prospect of sudden and rapid gain is weighed in the balance,
with no heavier counterpoise than the interests of the helpless and unprotected.
Whoever visits some estates there, and witnesses the good-humored indulgence of
some masters and mistresses, and the affectionate loyalty of some slaves, might
be tempted to dream the oft-fabled poetic
legend of a patriarchal institution, and all that; but over and above the scene
there broods a portentous shadow--the shadow of law.
So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating hearts and
living affections, only as so many things belonging to a master,--so long as the
failure, or misfortune, or imprudence, or
death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind
protection and indulgence for one of hopeless misery and toil,--so long it is
impossible to make anything beautiful or
desirable in the best regulated administration of slavery.
Mr. Shelby was a fair average kind of man, good-natured and kindly, and disposed to
easy indulgence of those around him, and there had never been a lack of anything
which might contribute to the physical comfort of the negroes on his estate.
He had, however, speculated largely and quite loosely; had involved himself deeply,
and his notes to a large amount had come into the hands of Haley; and this small
piece of information is the key to the preceding conversation.
Now, it had so happened that, in approaching the door, Eliza had caught
enough of the conversation to know that a trader was making offers to her master for
somebody.
She would gladly have stopped at the door to listen, as she came out; but her
mistress just then calling, she was obliged to hasten away.
Still she thought she heard the trader make an offer for her boy;--could she be
mistaken?
Her heart swelled and throbbed, and she involuntarily strained him so tight that
the little fellow looked up into her face in astonishment.
"Eliza, girl, what ails you today?" said her mistress, when Eliza had upset the
wash-pitcher, knocked down the workstand, and finally was abstractedly offering her
mistress a long nightgown in place of the
silk dress she had ordered her to bring from the wardrobe.
Eliza started.
"O, missis!" she said, raising her eyes; then, bursting into tears, she sat down in
a chair, and began sobbing. "Why, Eliza child, what ails you?" said her
"O! missis, missis," said Eliza, "there's been a trader talking with master in the
parlor! I heard him."
"Well, silly child, suppose there has."
"O, missis, do you suppose mas'r would sell my Harry?"
And the poor creature threw herself into a chair, and sobbed convulsively.
"Sell him!
No, you foolish girl! You know your master never deals with those
southern traders, and never means to sell any of his servants, as long as they behave
well.
Why, you silly child, who do you think would want to buy your Harry?
Do you think all the world are set on him as you are, you goosie?
Come, cheer up, and hook my dress.
There now, put my back hair up in that pretty braid you learnt the other day, and
don't go listening at doors any more." "Well, but, missis, you never would give
your consent--to--to--"
"Nonsense, child! to be sure, I shouldn't. What do you talk so for?
I would as soon have one of my own children sold.
But really, Eliza, you are getting altogether too proud of that little fellow.
A man can't put his nose into the door, but you think he must be coming to buy him."
Reassured by her mistress' confident tone, Eliza proceeded nimbly and adroitly with
her toilet, laughing at her own fears, as she proceeded.
Mrs. Shelby was a woman of high class, both intellectually and morally.
To that natural magnanimity and generosity of mind which one often marks as
characteristic of the women of Kentucky, she added high moral and religious
sensibility and principle, carried out with
great energy and ability into practical results.
Her husband, who made no professions to any particular religious character,
nevertheless reverenced and respected the consistency of hers, and stood, perhaps, a
little in awe of her opinion.
Certain it was that he gave her unlimited scope in all her benevolent efforts for the
comfort, instruction, and improvement of her servants, though he never took any
decided part in them himself.
In fact, if not exactly a believer in the doctrine of the efficiency of the extra
good works of saints, he really seemed somehow or other to fancy that his wife had
piety and benevolence enough for two--to
indulge a shadowy expectation of getting into heaven through her superabundance of
qualities to which he made no particular pretension.
The heaviest load on his mind, after his conversation with the trader, lay in the
foreseen necessity of breaking to his wife the arrangement contemplated,--meeting the
importunities and opposition which he knew he should have reason to encounter.
Mrs. Shelby, being entirely ignorant of her husband's embarrassments, and knowing only
the general kindliness of his temper, had been quite sincere in the entire
incredulity with which she had met Eliza's suspicions.
In fact, she dismissed the matter from her mind, without a second thought; and being
occupied in preparations for an evening visit, it passed out of her thoughts
entirely.