CHAPTER VII.

A SLAVE MOTHER.

WHILE we were at breakfast on the following morning, Preston said to me:

"I think I had better leave Phylly and Rosey here till I can consult with my wife. We have house servants enough, and Phylly can't work in the field. It may be advisable to have her remain in Newbern."

"And what will you do with the yellow boy?"

"Oh! take him with us. There's always something the little fellows can do. We'll call at his mother's, and get him." We decided to set out for the plantation at once, and Pres ton ordered a livery wagon to be got in readiness. While we were waiting for it, I walked out upon the piazza. I had not been there long, before "young Joe "-Preston's only sonrode up to the hotel. He was a manly lad, about twelve years of age, and in form, features, and manners, a miniature edition of his father. He had grown amazingly since at my house, two years before, and I did not at once recognize him; but as he caught sight of me, he shouted out in boyish glee, throwing his bridle over the hitching post, and springing to the ground: "Oh! Mr. Kirke. I'm so glad you've come; mother will We'll have such a nice time."

be so glad to see you.

“Why, Joe, I thought you were at home!"

"Oh! no. I'm here at school; but father says I shall have a vacation while you're here. Why didn't you fetch Frank? You promised you would."

"I know I did, Joe; but his mother wouldn't let him come. She thinks he's too young to travel."

"Pshaw! He's old enough-'most as old as I am. But never mind, Mr. Kirke; we'll have a fine time, hunting and fishing, and going to the races. They're to have a big one over to Trenton next week, and I'm bound to go. lucky you've come."

It's so

"Lord bless you, Joe! I never was at a race, and never shot a gun in my life.

two."

Besides, I can remain only a day or

"Oh! yes, you can.

Father says you Yorkers are always
I'll show you

in a hurry; but you must take it easy now.

round, and learn you the ropes."

While I was laughing at the enthusiasm of the lad, the wagon drove up, and, Preston soon appearing, we entered it, and drove off. As Joe bounded upon his spirited horse and led the way down the elm-shaded street, I said to his father: "How that boy rides! He's a perfect Centaur."

"Yes, he is a good horseman; he's been trained to it. You know we think manly exercises an essential part of a gentleman's education."

"And you let Joe keep his own horse?"

"Yes; it's awfully expensive; but old Joe raised the colt for the boy, and I couldn't deny him."

We rode on to the outskirts of the town, and stopped before a small, tumble-down shanty, built of rough boards, and

roofed with the same material. In the narrow front yard, a large iron pot, supported on two upright poles, was steaming over a light wood fire. The boiling clothes it contained were being stirred by a brawny, coal-black negro woman, with an arm like the Farnese Hercules, and a form as stout as Wouter Van Twiller's. The yellow boy, Ally, was heaping wood on

the fire.

“How do you do, aunty?" said Preston, as we drew up at the rickety gate.

"Right smart, massa, right smart," replied the woman; then, turning round and recognizing the Squire, she added: "Oh! massa Preston, am dat 'ou? Oh! I'se so 'joiced 'ou got Ally; I'se so 'joiced! De Lord yere my prayer, massa; de Lord yere my prayer. I feel like I die wid joy, de Lord so good ter me. Oh! He'm so good ter me

"The Lord is good to all who love Him. He never fails those that trust in Him," said Preston, solemnly.

"No more'n He doan't, massa; no more'n He doan't. De good missus tole me dat jess wen dey toted de pore chile 'way; but I couldn't b'lieve it, massa; I couldn't b'lieve it. It 'peared like I neber'd see 'im agin-neber'd see 'im agin; but I prayed de Lord, massa-I prayed de Lord all de time—all de time dat de chile wus 'way: I hab no sleep, I eat 'most nuffin, an' my heart grow so big, I fought it would clean broke; but lass night, massa, jess wen it 'peared like I couldn't stan' it no more-wen I wus a cryin' an' a groanin' to de Lord wid all my might, den, massa, de Lord He hard me, an' He open de door, an' de little chile run in, an' he put him arms round my neck, an' he telled me I need neber cry no more, 'case de good massa had got him! Oh! it wus too much,

massa, fur 'ou's so good-de Lord's so good, massa! Oh! I feel like I should die ob joy." Here she sat down on a rude bench near by, covered her face with her apron, and sobbed like a child. Preston's eyes filled with tears, but, brushing them hastily away, he asked, as if to change the subject:

"Did you say the 'missus' had been down?"

"Yas, massa; de good missus come down jess so soon as she hard Phylly war sold; an' wen she fine Ally war gwine too, she come ter see de ole 'ooman-she did, massa-and she try to comfut har. She say de good Lord would fotch Ally back, an' He hab, massa! Oh! He hab."

"Well, Dinah, what shall we do with Ally? Do you want him to go to the plantation?"

"Oh! yas, massa; I want de chile ter be wid 'ou. I'd rudder he'd be wid 'ou, massa; but, massa "-and she spoke timidly, and with hesitation-"'ou knows ole massa promise ter sell Ally ter me-ter sell 'im ter me wen I'd a sabed up 'nuff ter buy 'im. An' will 'ou, massa, will 'ou?"

"Yes, Dinah; of course I will," said Preston.

"Oh! bress 'ou, massa; bress 'ou. It'm so good ob 'ouso good ob 'ou, massa; " and she sobbed harder than before. "How much have you saved, aunty?"

"A hun'red and firteen dollar, massa; an' dar's some more'n dat massa Blackwell am ter gib fur usin' on it. Massa Blackwell's got it. How much shill I pay fur Ally, massa?”

"Well, I don't know; the trader offered three hundred for him. You may have him for half that."

แ "How much'm dat, massa?"

"A hundred and fifty dollars."

"He'm wuth more'n dat, massa Preston; ole massa say

Ally wuth two hun'red an' fifty, or three hun'red, ob any folks' money. He'm a likely boy, massa."

"Yes, I know that; I don't mean to undervalue him. I wouldn't sell him to any one else for less than three hundred dollars."

"Oh! tank 'ou, massa; it'm good ob 'ou-bery good ob 'ou, massa; " and again her apron found the way to her eyes.

"Well," said Preston, after a moment's thought, "I think you'd better take him now, aunty. I'm in some trouble, and it's uncertain how things will turn with me; so you'd better take him now."

"But I hain't money 'nuff, now,

massa.

"Well, never mind; pay the rest when you can, but don't scrimp yourself as you have, Dinah; I shan't mind if you never pay it." The woman seemed bewildered, but said nothing; she evidently was unaccustomed to Preston's mode of doing business. I mentioned to him that he could not give a conveyance of the negro boy until the judgment against him was cancelled.

"True," he replied; "I didn't think of that. attend to it now?"

Shall we

"Yes, the sooner the better; further costs may accumulate if you delay."

Preston told the negro woman to meet him at eleven o'clock, at the store of the person who had charge of her money, and we rode at once to the "Old State Bank." It was previous to banking hours, but as the cashier resided in the building, we soon secured notes in exchange for Preston's draft on me, and in less than an hour had the judgment satisfied, and Ally's free papers properly made out and executed.