“O； where are Paul and Silas？
O； where are Paul and Silas？
Gone to the goodly land。
They are dead and gone to Heaven；
They 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 forever！
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 lookout on the toilet； injunctions passed around to every one to put on their best face and be spry； and now all are arranged in a circle 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 Emmeline。 “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 neat； and not havin’ it flying about in curls； looks more respectable 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。 “Them 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 auctioneers。 Two of these； on opposite sides of the area； were now ocomupied by brilliant and talented gentlemen； enthusiastically forcing up； in English and French commingled； the bids of connoisseurs in their various wares。 A third one； on the other side； still unocomupied； was surrounded by a group； waiting the moment of sale to begin。 And here we may recognize the St。 Clare servants；—Tom； Adolph； and others； and there； too； Susan and Emmeline； awaiting their turn with anxious and dejected faces。 Various spectators； intending to purchase； or not intending； examining； and commenting on their various points and faces with the same freedom that a set of jockeys discuss the merits of a horse。
“Hulloa； Alf！ what brings you here？” said a young exquisite； slapping the shoulder of a sprucely…dressed young man； who was examining Adolph through an eye…glass。
“Well！ I was wanting a valet； and I heard that St。 Clare’s lot was going。 I thought I’d just look at his—”
“Catch me ever buying any of St。 Clare’s people！ Spoilt niggers； every one。 Impudent as the devil！” said the other。
“Never fear that！” said the first。 “If I get ’em； I’ll soon have their airs out of them； they’ll soon find that they’ve another kind of master to deal with than Monsieur St。 Clare。 ’Pon my word； I’ll buy that fellow。 I like the shape of him。”
“You’ll find it’ll take all you’ve got to keep him。 He’s deucedly extravagant！”
“Yes； but my lord will find that he can’t be extravagant with me。 Just let him be sent to the calaboose a few times； and thoroughly dressed down！ I’ll tell you if it don’t bring him to a sense of his ways！ O； I’ll reform him； up hill and down；—you’ll see。 I buy him； that’s flat！”
Tom had been standing wistfully examining the multitude of faces thronging around him； for one whom he would wish to call master。 And if you should ever be under the necessity； sir； of selecting； out of two hundred men； one who was to become your absolute owner and disposer； you would； perhaps； realize； just as Tom did； how few there were that you would feel at all comfortable in being made over to。 Tom saw abundance of men；—great； burly； gruff men； little； chirping； dried men； long…favored； lank； hard men； and every variety of stubbed…looking； commonplace men； who pick up their fellow…men as one picks up chips； putting them into the fire or a basket with equal unconcern； acomording to their convenience； but he saw no St。 Clare。
A little before the sale commenced； a short； broad； muscular man； in a checked shirt considerably open at the bosom； and pantaloons much the worse for dirt and wear； elbowed his way through the crowd； like one who is going actively into a business； and； coming up to the group； began to examine them systematically。 From the moment that Tom saw him approaching； he felt an immediate and revolting horror at him； that increased as he came near。 He was evidently； though short； of gigantic strength。 His round； bullet head； large； light…gray eyes； with their shaggy； sandy eyebrows； and stiff； wiry； sun…burned hair； were rather unprepossessing items； it is to be confessed； his large； coarse mouth was distended with tobacomo； the juice of which； from time to time； he ejected from him with great decision and explosive force； his hands were immensely large； hairy； sun…burned； freckled； and very dirty； and garnished with long nails； in a very foul condition。 This man proceeded to a very free personal examination of the lot。 He seized Tom by the jaw； and pulled open his mouth to inspect his teeth； made him strip up his sleeve； to show his muscle； turned him round； made him jump and spring； to show his paces。
“Where was you raised？” he added； briefly； to these investigations。
“In Kintuck； Mas’r；” said Tom； looking about； as if for deliverance。
“What have you done？”
“Had care of Mas’r’s farm；” said Tom。
“Likely story！” said the other； shortly； as he passed on。 He paused a moment before Dolph； then spitting a discharge of tobacomo…juice on his well…blacked boots； and giving a contemptuous umph； he walked on。 Again he stopped before Susan and Emmeline。 He put out his heavy； dirty hand； and drew the girl towards him； passed it over her neck and bust； felt her arms； looked at her teeth； and then pushed her back against her mother； whose patient face showed the suffering she had been going through at every motion of the hideous stranger。
The girl was frightened； and began to cry。
“Stop that； you minx！” said the salesman； “no whimpering here；—the sale is going to begin。” And acomordingly the sale begun。
Adolph was knocked off； at a good sum； to the young gentlemen who had previously stated his intention of buying him； and the other servants of the St。 Clare lot went to various bidders。
“Now； up with you； boy！ d’ye hear？” said the auctioneer to Tom。
Tom stepped upon the block； gave a few anxious looks round； all seemed mingled in a common； indistinct noise；—the clatter of the salesman crying off his qualifications in French and English； the quick fire of French and English bids； and almost in a moment came the final thump of the hammer； and the clear ring on the last syllable of the word “dollars；” as the auctioneer announced his price； and Tom was made over。—He had a master！
He was pushed from the block；—the short； bullet…headed man seizing him roughly by the shoulder； pushed him to one side； saying； in a harsh voice； “Stand there； you！”
Tom hardly realized anything； but still the bidding went on；—ratting； clattering； now French； now English。 Down goes the hammer again；—Susan is sold！ She goes down