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NEGRO LIFE IN AMERICA. 101

“You wouldn’t, then?” said the man. .

“Anybody ‘d be a fool ’t would. She’s half blind, crooked
with rheumatics, and foolish to boot.”

“Some buys up these yer old critturs, and ses there's a sight
more wear in ’em than a body ’d think,” said the man reflectively.

‘No go, ’t all,’’ said Haley; ‘ wouldn’t take her for a present
—fact; I’ve seen, now.”

“Wal, ‘tis kinder pity, now, not to buy her with her son—her
heart seems so sot on him; s’pose they fling her in cheap.”

“Them that’s got money to spend that ar way, it’s all well
enough. I shall bid off on that ar boy for a plantation-hand ;
wouldn’t be bothered with her, no way—not if they’d give her to
me,” said Haley.

‘She'll take on desp’t,” said the man.

“ Nat'lly she will,” said the trader coolly.

The conversation was here interrupted by a busy hum in the
audience; and the auctioneer, a short, bustling, important fellow,
elbowed his way into the crowd. The old woman drew in her
breath, and caught instinctively at her son.

“ Keep close to yer mammy, Albert—close—dey’ll put us up
togedder,” she said.

“O mammy, I’m fear’d they wont,” said the boy.

‘Dey must, child; I can’t live, no ways, if they don’t,” said
the old creature vehemently.

The stentorian tones of the auctioneer, calling out to clear the
way, now announced that the sale was about to commence. A
place was cleared and the bidding began. The different men
on the list were soon knocked off at prices which showed a pretty
brisk demand in the market ; two of them fell to Haley.

“Come, now, young un,” said the auctioneer, giving the boy a
touch with his hammer, “ be up and show your springs, now.”’

“Put us two up togedder, togedder—do, please, mas’r,” said
the old woman, holding fast to her boy.

“ Be off,” said the man gruffly, pushing her hands away; “you
come last. Now, darkey, spring ;” and with the word, he pushed
the boy toward the block, while a deep, heavy groan rose behind
him. The boy paused, and looked back; but there was no time to
stay, and dashing the tears from his eyes, he was up in a moment.

His fine figure, alert limbs, and bright face, raised an instant
competition, and half-a-dozen bids simultaneously met the ear of
the auctioneer. Anxious, half-frightened, he looked from side to
side, as he heard the clatter of contending bids—now here, now
there—till the hammer fell. Haley had got him. He was
pushed from the block toward his new master, but stopped one
moment, and looked back, when his poor old mother, trembling
in every hitb, held out her shaking hands toward him.

“ Buy me, too, mas’r; for de dear Lord’s sake !—-buy me—I
shall die if you don’t!”

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