The next that mounted the chair was a shrewd-looking negro, about thirty-five years of age.  “Now, gentlemen, who bids for Tom?  He is an excellent painter and glazier, and a good cook besides; title good; sold for no fault, except that his owner had hired him at 25 dollars a month, and Tom would not work.  An excellent painter and glazier, and a good cook besides.  His only fault is that he has a great idea of his own reserved rights, to the neglect of those of his master.”  This was said with a waggish kind of a leer, as if he thought he had said a very smart thing in a very smart way. 300 dollars were first offered for him; but poor Tom went for 350.  “Now, sir,” said the man-seller to Tom, with a malicious look, “you’ll go into the country.”  He was bought by one of the speculators, who no doubt would sell him again for double the amount.  Tom, as he descended from the chair, gave a look which seemed to say, “I care not whither I go; but my own reserved rights shall not be forgotten!”

A girl of seventeen years of age, somewhat coloured, was the next put up.  She was “an excellent washer and getter-up of linen.”  She was also “a tolerably good cook.”  But there were no bidders; and the auctioneer said, “Really, gentlemen, I have a great deal of business to do in my office:  I cannot lose any more time here, as you are not disposed to bid.”  And so ended the exhibition.

I was now at leisure to observe that a strange noise which I had heard for some time proceeded from another auctioneer, engaged in the same line of business at the other end of the room.  As I approached, I saw him with a young coloured man of about twenty-two years of age, standing on his left hand on the platform.  What a sight!  Two men standing together, and the one offering the other for sale to the highest bidder!  In the young man’s appearance there was something very good and interesting.  He reminded me forcibly of an excellent young man of the same colour in my own congregation. 430 dollars were offered for him; but, as he was a good carriage driver, and worth a great deal more, only he had not had time to dress himself for the sale, being industrious, sober, and no runaway (said with significant emphasis), the bidding ran up to 660 dollars.  Here one of the bidders on the auctioneer’s right hand asked him something aside; to which he answered, loudly and emphatically, “Fully guaranteed in every respect;” and then said to the young man, “Turn this way, and let the gentleman see you,” He was sold for 665 dollars.

The next was a very modest-looking young mulatto girl, of small features and slender frame, with a little child (apparently not more than a year old) in her arms, evidently the daughter of a white man.  “Now, who bids for Margaret and her child?” Margaret! my own dear mother’s name.  “Margaret and her child!” What should I have been this day, if that Margaret “and her child” Ebenezer had been so treated?  Who can think of