Dis chile is none of
your haf-and-haf, dere is no bogus about him."
Pompey was of low stature, round face, and, like most of his race,
had a set of teeth, which, for whiteness and beauty, could not be
surpassed; his eyes were large, lips thick, and hair short and
woolly. Pompey had been with Jennings so long, and had seen so
much of buying and selling of his fellow-creatures, that he
appeared perfectly indifferent to the heart-rending scenes which
daily occurred in his presence. Such is the force of habit:--
"Vice is a monster of such frightful mien,
That to be hated, needs but to be seen;
But seen too oft, familiar with Its face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."
It was on the second day of the steamer's voyage, that Pompey
selected five of the oldest slaves, took them into a room by
themselves, and commenced preparing them for the market.
"Now," said he, addressing himself to the company, "I is de chap
dat is to get you ready for de Orleans market, so dat you will
bring marser a good price. How old is you?" addressing himself to
a man not less than forty.
"If I live to see next sweet-potato-digging time, I shall be either
forty or forty-five, I don't know which."
"Dat may be," replied Pompey; "but now you is only thirty years
old,--dat's what marser says you is to be."
"I know I is more den dat," responded the man.
"I can't help nuffin' about dat," returned Pompey; "but when you
get into de market and any one ax you how old you is, and you tell
um you is forty or forty-five, marser will tie you up and cut you
all to pieces.
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