Of course, the master never knew anything of the
absence of the servant at night without permission. As the negroes
at these parties tried to excel each other in the way of dress,
Sam was often at a loss to make that appearance that his heart
desired, but his ready wit ever helped him in this. When his master
had retired to bed at night, it was the duty of Sam to put out the
lights, and take out with him his master's clothes and boots, and
leave them in the office until morning, and then black the boots,
brush the clothes, and return them to his master's room.
Having resolved to attend a dress-ball one night, without his
master's permission, and being perplexed for suitable garments,
Sam determined to take his master's. So, dressing himself in the
doctor's clothes even to his boots and hat, off the negro started
for the city. Being well acquainted with the usual walk of the
patrols he found no difficulty in keeping out of their way. As
might have been expected, Sam was the great gun with the ladies
that night.
The next morning, Sam was back home long before his master's time
for rising, and the clothes were put in their accustomed place.
For a long time Sam had no difficulty in attiring himself for
parties; but the old proverb that "It is a long lane that has no
turning," was verified in the negro's case. One stormy night,
when the rain was descending in torrents, the doctor heard a rap at
his door. It was customary with him, when called up at night to
visit a patient, to ring for Sam.
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