The Trials of the Soldier's Wife

  CHAPTER FOURTEENTH.

  DR. HUMPHRIES BUYS A SLAVE AND BRINGS HOME NEWS.

  A few days after Mrs. Wentworth had sold her last piece of furniture,Dr. Humphries was walking along one of the principal streets inJackson when he was stopped by a crowd that had gathered in front ofan auction mart. On walking up he learned that it was a sheriff's saleof a "likely young negro girl." Remembering that Emma had requestedhim to purchase a girl as a waiting maid for her, he examined theslave and found her in all respects the kind of house servant hedesired. Going up to the auctioneer who had just mounted a bench forthe purpose of selling the slave, he enquired where she had come from.The auctioneer responded by handing the doctor a small hand billsetting forth the sale. After reading it he walked up to the slave andcommenced to question her.

  "What is your name?" he enquired.

  "Elsy, sir," she replied.

  "You say that you come from New Orleans," he continued.

  "Yes, sir," she responded.

  "What was your master's name?" asked the doctor.

  "His name is Mr. Alfred Wentworth," the negro answered.

  "Where is your master now?" he enquired, continuing his questions.

  "Massa is a prisner in de Yankee army," she replied.

  "And what made you leave New Orleans?" was the next question.

  "My missis was turned away from de city, and I runaway from demYankees and come here to look for her."

  "Have you not been able to find your mistress?" asked Dr. Humphries.

  "No, sir. Jest as I came here de city police took me up and put me injail."

  "Excuse me," interrupted the auctioneer, "but I must sell this girl atonce. Time is precious, so you must excuse me;" then turning to thecrowd he continued: "Here is the slave, gentlemen. She is anintelligent looking negro, says she understands all that appertains tothe duties of a house servant. What will you bid for her?"

  "Seven hundred dollars," exclaimed a voice in the crowd.

  "Thank you, sir; seven hundred dollars; going at seven hundreddollars. Look at the girl, gentlemen, going at seven hundred dollars.Can I get another bid?" exclaimed the auctioneer in the rapid voicepeculiar to his class.

  "Seven hundred and twenty-five," was the next bid.

  "Seven hundred and fifty," Dr. Humphries cried out, having made up hismind to purchase her.

  In a few minutes the slave was "knocked down" to the doctor for elevenhundred dollars, and after the proper form was gone through and themoney paid, he ordered her to follow him, and retraced his stepshomeward.

  As our readers must have recognized already, Elsy was no other thanthe slave who was left at New Orleans by Mrs. Wentworth, and whodeclared that she would follow her mistress into the Confederatelines. After making several ineffectual attempts she had succeeded inreaching Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, at which place sheeluded the Federal pickets, and made her way to Jackson. The firstpart of her journey being through the country she passed unnoticed,until on her arrival at Jackson she was stopped by the police, whodemanded her papers. Not having any she was confined in the countyjail, and after due notice in the papers, calling for the owner tocome and take her away, she was sold at auction according to law. Thegirl was very much grieved at her failure to find her mistress, butbeing of a good disposition soon became contented with her lot.Accordingly, when Dr. Humphries purchased her, she followed him homewith a cheerful step.

  On entering his house the doctor presented the negro to Emma.

  "Here, Emma," he observed, "is a girl I have bought for you to-day."

  "Thank you," she answered, looking at Elsy. "This is really a nicelooking girl. Who did you buy her from?"

  "She says she is from New Orleans. Her master is a prisoner in thehands of the Yankees, and her mistress being turned out of her home byButler, is now somewhere in the Confederacy, but where, the girlcannot tell. When her mistress left New Orleans, the Yankees would notpermit the slave to leave with her, but she succeeded in escaping fromtheir lines, and came to Jackson, where she was arrested, and as noowner claimed her, she was sold to me at auction this morningaccording to law."

  "Then we will not be doing justice to the owner of the girl, if wekeep her constantly. Perhaps her mistress is some poor soldier's wifewho would be glad to get the money you have expended, or may requireher services."

  "I have thought of that before I purchased her, but as she seemshonest, I did not make the thought prevent me from getting her. I havealso made up my mind to give her up should her owner at any time claimher, and he is a poor man."

  "I am glad you have so decided," Emily replied, "for I should not haveliked the idea of depriving any Confederate soldier of his slave,particularly if he is a poor man. And now," she continued, speaking toElsy, "do you go in the next room and wait there until I come in."

  Making a curtesy, Elsy left the parlor, and entered the room pointedout by Emily.

  "I have some news for you, Emily," remarked the Doctor as soon as thenegro had left the room.

  "What is it about," she enquired.

  "Something that will interest you considerably," he answered.

  "If it will interest me, let me know what it is," she remarked.

  "I have received a telegraphic dispatch from Harry," Dr. Humphriesreplied.

  "Why, how could he have arrived in our lines?" she enquired, as asmile of joy illumined her features.

  "Here is what the dispatch says:" "I arrived here this morning, havingescaped from prison. Will be in Jackson on to-morrow's train. Showthis to Emily."

  "I am so glad," exclaimed Emily joyfully, as soon as her father hadconcluded reading the dispatch, "for," she continued, "I was beginningto be afraid that our unfortunate prisoners in the hands of theYankees, would never be exchanged."

  "You need not have labored under any such fear," Dr. Humphriesobserved. "The papers of this morning announce that a cartel has beenarranged, and the prisoners held on both sides will be shortlyexchanged."

  "Nevertheless, I am glad that Harry has made his escape, for it willbring him to us sooner than we anticipated. Besides which, it isgratifying to know that he had no occasion to wait for an exchange."

  "That is very true" replied her father, "and as he has safely escaped,you can rejoice, but the dangers which must have, necessarilypresented themselves in the attempt, were of such a nature, that youwould not have desired him to make the effort had you known them."

  "He is safe, and we can well afford to laugh at them," she answered,"all I hope is that he may never be taken prisoner again."

  "I do not believe he will relish the idea, much less the reality ofsuch a thing again occurring," observed Dr. Humphries. "However," hecontinued, "he will be here to-morrow, and the little cloud that hiscapture had sent over our happiness, will have been removed, and allwill again be bright."

  As he concluded speaking, a servant entered with a letter containing asummons to attend a patient, and Dr. Humphries kissing his daughteronce more, left the house.