100 UNCLE TOMS CABIN; OR,

never have been reduced to such straits. However, the day wore
on, and the evening saw Haley and Tom comfortably accommo-
dated in Washington—the one in a tavern, the other in a jail.

About eleven o'clock the next day a mixed throng was gathered
around the court-house steps—smoking, chewing, spitting, swear-
ing, and conversing, according to their respective tastes and turns,
waiting for the auction to commence. The men and women to be
sold sat in a group apart, talking in alow tone to each other. The
woman who had been advertised by the name of Hagar was a
regular African in feature and figure. She might have been
sixty, but was older than that by hard work and disease, was par-
tially blind, and somewhat crippled with rheumatism. By her
side stood her only remaining son, Albert, a bright-looking little
fellow of fourteen years. ‘The boy was the only survivor of a large
family, who had been successively sold away from her to a southern
market. The mother held on to him with both her shaking
hands, and eyed with intense trepidation every one who walked up
to examine him.

“Don't be feard, Aunt Hagar,” #aid the oldest of the men, “I
spoke to Mas’r Thomas ‘bout it, and he thought he might manage
to sell you in a lot both together.”

“Dey needn’t call me worn out yet,” said she, lifting her shak-
ing hands. ‘“] can cook yet, and scrub, and scour—l’m wuth a
buying, if I do come cheap; tell ’em dat ar—you tell ‘em,” she
added earnestly.

Haley here forced his way into the group, walked up to the old
man, pulled his mouth open and looked in, felt of his teeth, made
him stand and sttaighten himself, bend his back, and perform
various evolutions to show his muscles; and then passed on to

‘the next, and put him through the same trial. Walking up last

to the boy, he felt of his arms, straightened his hands, and
looked at his fingers, and made him jump, to show his agility.

«He an’t gwine to be sold widout me!” said the old woman
with passionate eagerness ; “‘ he and I goes in a lot together; I’s
rail strong yet, mas'r, and can do heaps o’ work—heaps on it,
mas’r.”

“On plantation?” said Haley with a contemptuous glance.
“Likely story!” and, as if satisfied with his examination, he
walked out and looked, and stood with bis hands in his pocket, his
cigar in his mouth, and his hat cocked on one side, ready for
action.

“What think of ‘em?’ said a man who had been following
Haley's examination, as if to make up his own mind from it.

“ Wal,” said Haley, spitting, ‘I shall put in, I think, for the
youngerly ones and the boy.”

“They want to sell the boy and the old woman together.”

“ Find it a tight pull; why, she’s an old rack o’ bones—not
worth her salt.”