and maddened to desperation.  Why should a slave he had invested so much money in, and felt so like making a lady of, and never would have thought of setting at field labour, run away?  He only wanted her for the most aristocratic purpose the south can provide for a beautiful slave.  Hence Mr. Pringle Blowers, through the medium of his knowledge of letters, puts forward his placard-a copy of which he inserts in all the most respectable morning journals-in which the fair outlines of his lost woman are simply set forth.  He will give three hundred dollars for her apprehension, fifty dollars more for proof to convict any person of harbouring her, and an additional sum for lodging her in any gaol in the country.  This large reward Mr. Pringle Blowers will pay in hard cash; and he has no doubt the offering will be quite enough to excite the hunting propensities of fashionable young gentlemen, as well as inveterate negro hunters.  Beside this, negro hunting being rather a democratic sport than otherwise, Mr. Pringle Blowers reconciles his feelings with the fact of these sports being uncommonly successful.

The reader will naturally conclude that the offer of this large reward produced some sensation in and about the city.  People stopped along the streets, read the curious hand-bill, smiled, and made various remarks.  Ladies, always curious to know what is prominent among the current events of the day, sent servants to ascertain what so attractive the posters contained.  It was, indeed, a regular bit of self-enjoyed fun for them; for the ladies had all heard of Pringle Blowers, and that a female slave for whose capture he would give three hundred dollars had run away from him they were heartily glad to learn.

The day-police were equally happy to hear of the loss, and anxious to make the capture.  In this position it was doubly necessary to be cautious in proceeding to effect the escape of the fair girl.  If discovered in the act the stranger might be subjected to a series of inprisonments that would sacrifice his life.  Again, he might be assassinated by some disguised hand; or, if an infuriated mob were let loose upon him, no police interference could save his life.  As suspicion is ever on the point of giving out its dangerous caprices where a community live fearing one another, so the stranger became sensible of the shafts of suspicion that might at any moment be darted at him.  Despatching his schooner on her voyage, he continued for several days walking about the city, as if indifferent to what was passing.  He read the curious poster in which was offered the goodly reward for the apprehension of a lost slave, affected great coolness, and even ignorance of the mode by which such articles were recovered.