NEGRO LIFE IN AMERICA. 281

The soft, earnest, ‘quiet moonbeam looks in fixedly, marking the
bars of the grated windows on the prostrate, sleeping forms. The
mother and the daughter are singing together a wild and melan-
choly dirge, common as a funeral hymn among the slaves :

“Oh, where is weeping Mary?
Oh, where is weeping P
’Rived in the goodly | nd
She is dead and gone to Heaven ;
She is dead ee to Heaven ;
*Rived in the goodly land.”

These words, sung by voices of a peculiar and melancholy sweet-
ness, in an air which seemed like the sighing of earthly despair
after heavenly hope, floated through the dark prison-rooms with a
pathetic cadence, as verse after verse was breathed out:

‘Oh, where are Paul and Silas?
Oh, where are Paul and Silas?
Gone to the goodly land.
They are dead aut gone to Heaven ;
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 for ever!

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 look-out on the toilet; injunc-
tions passed around to everyone to put on their best face and be
spry; and now all are arranged in acircle 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 Emme-
line. ‘* 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
_ yo not havin’ it flying about in curls—looks more respect-
able so!”

“ Bother!” said the man peremptorily, turning to the girl.
“You go right along, and curl yourself real smart!” he added,
giving a crack to a rattan he held in his hand; ‘and be back in
quick time, too. You go and help her,” he added to the mother.
aan curls may make a hundred dollars’ difference in the sale
of her.” |

* * * * * * *

Beneath a splendid dome were men of all nations, moving to .
and fro over the marble pave. On every side of the circular area
were little tribunes, or stations, for the use of speakers and auc-
tioneers. Two of these, on opposite sides of the area, were now
occupied by brilliant and talented gentlemen, enthusiastically
forcing up, in English and French commingled, the bids of con-