The Continental Monthly, Vol III, Issue VI, June, 1863 | Page 9

beam ends ef it
warn't fur them.'
'Then Hallet has made his money dealing in negroes!'
'Yas, a right smart pile, in thet, an' cotton. He got me inter th' d--d
staple. I hed nigh on ter sixty thousan' then--hard rocks; but I lost it
all--every dollar--at one slap; though I reckon he managed, somehow,
ter get out.'
'Yes, of course, he got out, and saddled the loss upon you. Were you
such a fool as not to see that?'
'P'raps he did; but he covered his trail. He's smart; ye karn't track him.
But it makes no odds; I hev ter keep in with him. I couldn't do a thing,
ef I didn't.'
'Yes, you could. Come North. I'll give you honest work to do.'
'You're a gentleman, Mr. Kirke, an' I'm 'bliged ter ye; but I karn't leave
yere. I've got a wife an' chil'ren, an' the' wouldn't live 'mong ye
abolitionists, nohow.'
'You have a wife and children?'
'Yas'; a wife, an' two as likely young 'uns as ye ever seed--boy 'bout

seven, an' gal 'bout twelve.'
'Well, Larkin, suppose your little girl was upon that auction block;
suppose some villain had hired me to aid in debauching her; suppose
you, her father, should come to me and plead with me not to do it;
suppose I should tell you what you have told me, and then--should go
out and buy your child; what would you do? Would you not curse me
with your very last breath?'
He seated himself, and hung down his head, but made no reply.
'Answer me, like the honest man you are.'
'Wall, I reckon I shud.'
'Selma is to marry my adopted son. She is as dear to me as your child is
to you. Can you do to her, what you would curse me for doing to your
child? Look me in the face. Don't flinch--answer me!'
I rose, and stood before him. In a few moments he also rose, and,
looking me squarely in the eye--there was a tear in his--he brought his
hand down upon mine with a concussion that might have been heard a
mile off, and said:
'No, I'm d--d ter h--ef I kin.'
'You are a splendid, noble fellow, Larkin.'
'Ye're 'bout th' fust man thet ever said so, Mr. Kirke. Ye told me suthin'
like thet nigh on ter twelve yar ago. I hain't forgot it yit, an' I never
shill.'
'You're rough on the outside, Larkin, but sound at the core--sound as a
nut. I wish the world had more like you. Leave this wretched work!'
'I'd like ter, but I karn't. What kin a feller do, with neither money nor
friends?'
'Get into some honest business. I know you can. I'll help you--Joe will

help you. We'll talk things over to-night, and I know Joe will rig out
something for you.'
He remained seated for a while, saying nothing; then he rose, and, the
moisture dimming his eyes, said:
'I reckon ye're not over pious, Mr. Kirke, an' I know ye'd stand a hand at
a rough an' tumble; but d--d ef thet ain't th' sort o' religion I like. Come,
sir; ef I stay yere, ye'll make a 'ooman on me.'
As we passed into the parlor, I said to Joe, who was seated there with
Selma:
'Give Larkin your hand, Joe; he's a glorious fellow.'
'My heart is in it, Larkin,' said the young man, very cordially. 'It would
have come hard to draw a bead on you.'
'I knows it would, Joe, an' I wus ter blame; but I never could stand a
bluff.'
We passed out together to the auction stand. Selma and her brother
ascended the block, while Larkin and I mingled with the buyers, who
had collected in even larger numbers than before. The auctioneer
brought down his hammer:
'Attention, gentlemen! The sale has begun. I offer you again the girl,
Lucy Selma. You've h'ard the description, and (glancing at Joe, and
smiling) you know the conditions of the sale. A thousand dollars is bid
for the girl, Lucy Selma; do I hear any more? Talk quick, gentlemen; I
shan't dwell on this lot; so speak up, if you've anything to say. One
thousand once--one thousand twice--one thousand third and last call.
Do I hear any more?' A pause of a moment. 'Last call, gentlemen.
Going--g-o-i-n-g--go--'
The word was unfinished; the hammer was descending, when a voice
called out:

'Two thousand!'
'Whose bid is that?' cried Joe, striding across the bench, the glare of a
hyena in his eyes.
'Mine, sir!' said the man, with a look of sudden surprise. His face was
shaded by a broad-brimmed Panama hat, and his hair and whiskers
were dyed, but there was no mistaking his large, eagle nose, his sharp,
pointed chin,