The very amiable， pious-hearted Mr. TheophilusFreeman， partner or consignee of James H. Burch， andkeeper of the slave pen in New-Orleans， was out amonghis animals early in the morning. With an occasional kickof the older men and women， and many a sharp crackof the whip about the ears of the younger slaves， it wasnot long before they were all astir， and wide awake. Mr.
Theophilus Freeman bustled about in a very industriousmanner， getting his property ready for the sales-room，intending， no doubt， to do that day a rousing business.
In the first place we were required to wash thoroughly，and those with beards， to shave. We were then furnishedwith a new suit each， cheap， but clean. The men hadhat， coat， shirt， pants and shoes； the women frocks ofcalico， and handkerchiefs to bind about their heads.
We were now conducted into a large room in the frontpart of the building to which the yard was attached， inorder to be properly trained， before the admission ofcustomers. The men were arranged on one side of theroom， the women on the other. The tallest was placedat the head of the row， then the next tallest， and so onin the order of their respective heights. Emily was atthe foot of the line of women. Freeman charged us to remember our places； exhorted us to appear smart andlively， —sometimes threatening， and again， holding outvarious inducements. During the day he exercised us inthe art of “looking smart，” and of moving to our placeswith exact precision.
After being fed， in the afternoon， we were again paradedand made to dance. Bob， a colored boy， who had sometime belonged to Freeman， played on the violin. Standingnear him， I made bold to inquire if he could play the“Virginia Reel.” He answered he could not， and asked meif I could play. Replying in the affirmative， he handed methe violin. I struck up a tune， and finished it. Freemanordered me to continue playing， and seemed well pleased，telling Bob that I far excelled him—a remark that seemedto grieve my musical companion very much.
Next day many customers called to examine Freeman’s“new lot.” The latter gentleman was very loquacious，dwelling at much length upon our several good pointsand qualities. He would make us hold up our heads， walkbriskly back and forth， while customers would feel of ourhands and arms and bodies， turn us about， ask us whatwe could do， make us open our mouths and show ourteeth， precisely as a jockey examines a horse which heis about to barter for or purchase. Sometimes a man orwoman was taken back to the small house in the yard，stripped， and inspected more minutely. Scars upon aslave’s back were considered evidence of a rebellious orunruly spirit， and hurt his sale.
One old gentleman， who said he wanted a coachman，appeared to take a fancy to me. From his conversationwith Freeman， I learned he was a resident in the city.
I very much desired that he would buy me， because Iconceived it would not be difficult to make my escapefrom New-Orleans on some northern vessel. Freemanasked him fifteen hundred dollars for me. The oldgentleman insisted it was too much， as times were veryhard. Freeman， however， declared that I was soundand healthy， of a good constitution， and intelligent. Hemade it a point to enlarge upon my musical attainments.
The old gentleman argued quite adroitly that there wasnothing extraordinary about the nigger， and finally， tomy regret， went out， saying he would call again. Duringthe day， however， a number of sales were made. Davidand Caroline were purchased together by a Natchezplanter. They left us， grinning broadly， and in the mosthappy state of mind， caused by the fact of their not beingseparated. Lethe was sold to a planter of Baton Rouge，her eyes flashing with anger as she was led away.
The same man also purchased Randall. The littlefellow was made to jump， and run across the floor， andperform many other feats， exhibiting his activity andcondition. All the time the trade was going on， Eliza wascrying aloud， and wringing her hands. She besought theman not to buy him， unless he also bought herself andEmily. She promised， in that case， to be the most faithfulslave that ever lived. The man answered that he could not afford it， and then Eliza burst into a paroxysm ofgrief， weeping plaintively. Freeman turned round to her，savagely， with his whip in his uplifted hand， orderingher to stop her noise， or he would flog her. He would nothave such work—such snivelling； and unless she ceasedthat minute， he would take her to the yard and give hera hundred lashes. Yes， he would take the nonsense outof her pretty quick—if he didn’t， might he be d—d. Elizashrunk before him， and tried to wipe away her tears， butit was all in vain. She wanted to be with her children， shesaid， the little time she had to live. All the frowns andthreats of Freeman， could not wholly silence the afflictedmother. She kept on begging and beseeching them， mostpiteously not to separate the three. Over and over againshe told them how she loved her boy. A great many timesshe repeated her former promises—how very faithful andobedient she would be； how hard she would labor dayand night， to the last moment of her life， if he would onlybuy them all together. But it was of no avail； the mancould not afford it. The bargain was agreed upon， andRandall must go alone. Then Eliza ran to him； embracedhim passionately； kissed him again and again； told him toremember her—all the while her tears falling in the boy’sface like rain.
Freeman damned her， calling her a blubbering，bawling wench， and ordered her to go to her place， andbehave herself； and be somebody. He swore he wouldn’tstand such stuff but a little longer. He would soon give her something to cry about， if she was not mighty careful，and that she might depend upon.
The planter from Baton Rouge， with his new purchases，was ready to depart.
“Don’t cry， mama. I will be a good boy. Don’t cry，” saidRandall， looking back， as they passed out of the door.
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