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The women involuntarily drew in their breath, and the whole gang sat with downcast, dejected faces. Meanwhile, Simon turned on his heel, and marched up to the bar of the boat for a dram. Thats the way I begin with my niggers, he said, to a gentlemanly man, who had stood by him during his speech. Its my system to begin strong,just let em know what to expect. Indeed! said the stranger, looking upon him with the curiosity of a naturalist studying some out-of-the- way specimen. Yes, indeed. Im none o yer gentlemen planters, with lily fingers, to slop round and be cheated by some old cuss of an overseer! Just feel of my knuckles, now; look at my fist. Tell ye, sir, the flesh on t has come jest like a stone, practising on niggerfeel on it. The stranger applied his fingers to the implement in question, and simply said, T is hard enough; and, I suppose, he added, practice has made your heart just like it. Why, yes, I may say so, said Simon, with a hearty laugh. I reckon theres as little soft in me as in any one going. Tell you, nobody comes it over me! Niggers never gets round me, neither with squalling nor soft soap,thats a fact. You have a fine lot there. Real, said Simon. Theres that Tom, they telled me he was suthin uncommon. I paid a little high for him, tendin him for a driver and a managing chap; only get the notions out that hes larnt by bein treated as niggers never ought to be, hell do prime! The yellow woman I got took in on. I rayther think shes sickly, but I shall put her through for what shes worth; she may last a year or two. I dont go for savin niggers. Use up, and buy more, s my way;-makes you less trouble, and Im quite sure it comes cheaper in the end; and Simon sipped his glass. And how long do they generally last? said the stranger. Well, donno; cordin as their constitution is. Stout fellers last six or seven years; trashy ones gets worked up in two or three. I used to, when I fust begun, have considerable trouble fussin with em and trying to make em hold out,doctorin on em up when theys sick, and givin on em clothes and blankets, and what not, tryin to keep em all sort o decent and comfortable. Law, t wasnt no sort o use; I lost money on em, and t was heaps o trouble. Now, you see, I just put em straight through, sick or well. When one niggers dead, I buy another; and I find it comes cheaper and easier, every way. The stranger turned away, and seated himself beside a gentleman, who had been listening to the conversation with repressed uneasiness. You must not take that fellow to be any specimen of Southern planters, said he. I should hope not, said the young gentleman, with emphasis. He is a mean, low, brutal fellow! said the other. And yet your laws allow him to hold any number of human beings subject to his absolute will, without even a shadow of protection; and, low as he is, you cannot say that there are not many such. Well, said the other, there are also many considerate and humane men among planters. Granted, said the young man; but, in my opinion, it is you considerate, humane men, that are responsible for all the brutality and outrage wrought by these wretches; because, if it were not for your sanction and influence, the whole system could not keep foothold for an hour. If there were no planters except such |
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