they are to be a fancy article entirely to sell for
waiters to rich folks what can pay for a very
handsome article--It sets off one of these stylish es-
tablishments you know--a handsome boy to open
the door & wait & tend & all that--& they fetch a
good round sum I can tell you
I would rather not sell him said Mr Shelby thoughtfully
--the fact is [blank] I'm a humane man & I hate to
take the boy from his mother Sir--
-- Oh you do--law sakes!--well it is unpleasant
the fuss these women make about their children--
I always hate these screechin screamin times they have
& as I does business I commonly avoids em sir--Cant
you get the woman off for a day or two, for
an errand or visit or some such & then the thing
can be done quietly--your wife might buy her a
new gownd & some ear rings or some such trap to
make it up with her--
-- I'm afraid not--
-- Lor yes--bless you these creeturs ant like folks
you know--they gets over things--that is to say if
you know how to manage them--Now they say my
kind of trade is hardenin to the feelins--but I never
found it so--I never could do things up in the high
handed sort of way that some fellows manage
the business--Ive seen em as would pull away
a womans baby out of her arms & set him up
to sell--& she screeching like mad--so that it would
take two or three to hold her--bad policy that
--damages the article--makes em quite unfit for
service sometimes--I knew a real handsome girl
once as was entirely ruined by this kind of proceeding
--the fellow that was a tradin for her of course didnt
want her baby & and she was one of your real high sort
when her blood was up--& she squeezed her child
in her arms & talked real awful--it kinder
makes my blood run cold to think ont--& when
they pulled away the baby & locked her up
she jist went ravin mad--& died in a week
-- a clear waste sir of two thousand dollars--
--just for want of a little management

[CANCELLED:
--Well Mr. Stimpson--said Mr. Shelby rising--Ill
think over matters & ask my wife said]


And did you find that your way of managing
did the business any better said Mr Shelby--

-- Certainly--to be sure--get em out of the
way--out of sight out of mind--& when the
things clean done & cant be helped & they
know it they naturally gets used to it--folks
can get used to any thing when they must

  --fancy articles entirely--sell for waiters, and so on, to rich 'uns that can pay for handsome 'uns. It sets off one of yr great palaces--a real handsome boy to open door, wait, and tend--they fetch a good sum--and this little devil is such a comical, musical concern--he's just the article!"
  "I would rather not sell him," said Mr. Shelby, thoughtfully; "the fact is, sir, I'm a humane man, and I hate to take the boy from his mother, sir."
  "O, you do--La! yes--something of that ar natur. I understand perfectly. It is mighty onpleasant getting on with women, sometimes, I al'ays hates these yer scrachin, screamin times. They are mighty onpleasant; but, as I manages business, I generally avoids 'em, sir. Now, what if you get the girl off for a day, or a week, or so; then the thing's done quickly, all over before she comes home. Your wife might get her some ear-rings, or a new gown, or some such truck, to make up with her."
  "I'm afraid not."
  "Lor bless ye, yes. These critters ain't like white folks, you know; they gets over things, only manage right. Now, they say," said Haley, assuming a candid and confidential air, "that this kind o' trade is hardening to the feelings, but I never found it so. Fact is, I never could do things up in the way some fellers manage the business. I've seen 'em as would pull a woman's child out of her arms, and set him up to sell, and she screechin' like mad all the time--very bad policy--damages the article--makes 'em quite unfit for service sometimes. I knew a real handsome gal once, in Orleans, as was entirely ruined by this sort o' handling. The fellow that was trading for her didn't want her baby, and she was one of your real high sort, when her blood was up. I tell you, she squeezed up her child in her arms, and talked, and went on real awful; it kinder makes my blood run cold to think on't--and when they carried off the child, and locked her up, she jest went ravin' mad, and died in a week. Clear waste, then, sir, of a thousand dollars, just for want of management--there's where 'tis. It's always best to do the humane thing, sir; that's been my experience." And the trader leaned back in his chair, and folded his arms, with an air of virtuous decision, apparently considering himself a second Wilberforce.
  The subject appeared to interest the gentlemen deeply; for, while Mr. Shelby was thoughtfully peeling an orange, he broke out afresh, with becoming diffidence, but as if actually driven by the force of truth to say a few words more.
  "It don't look well, now, for a feller to be a praisin' himself; but I say it, jest because it's the truth. I believe I'm reckoned to bring in about the finest droves of niggers that is brought in--at least, I've been told so. If I have once, I reckon I have a hundred times, all in good case, fat and likely, and I lose as few as any man in the business, and I lays it all to my management, sir; and humanity, sir, I may say, is the great pillar of my management."
  Mr. Shelby did not know what to say, and so he said, "Indeed!"
  "Now, I've been laughed at for my notions, sir, and I've been talked to. They aint pop'lar, and they aint common; but I stuck to 'em, sir; I've stuck to 'em, and realized well on 'em; yes, sir, they have paid their passage, I may say," and the trader laughed at his joke.
  There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of humanity, that Mr. Shelby could not help laughing in company. Perhaps you laugh too, dear reader, but you know humanity comes out in a variety of strange forms now-a-days, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people will say and do.
  Mr. Shelby's laugh encouraged the trader to proceed.
  "It's strange, now, but I never could beat this into people's heads. Now, there was Tom Loker, my old partner, down in Natchez; he was a clever fellow, Tom was, only the very devil with niggers--on principle 'twas, you see, for a better hearted feller never broke bread; 'twas his system, sir; I used to talk to Tom. Why, Tom, I used to say, when your gals takes on and cry, what's the use o' crackin on 'em over the head, and knockin' on 'em round? It's ridiculous, says I, and don't do no sort o' good. Why, I don't see no harm in their cryin', says I; it's natur, says I, and if natur can't blow off one way, it will another. Besides, Tom, says I, it jest spiles your gals; they get sickly and down in the mouth--and sometimes they gets ugly--particular yallow gals do--and it's the devil and all gettin' on 'em broke in--now, says I, why can't you kinder coax 'em up, and speak 'em fair? Depend on it, Tom, a little humanity thrown in along, goes a heap further than all your jawin' and crackin'; and it pays better, ses I, 'depend on't. But Tom couldn't get the hang on't, and he spiled so many for me, that I had to break off with him, tho' he was a good-hearted fellow, and as fair a business hand as is goin'."
  "And do you find your ways of managing do the business better than Tom's?" said Mr. Shelby.
  "Why, yes, sir, I may say so. You see, when I any ways can, I takes a leetle care about the onpleasant parts, like selling young uns and that--get the gals out of the way--out of sight, out of mind, you know,--and when it's clean done, and can't be helped, they naturally gets used to it. 'Tan't, you know, as if it was white folks, that's brought up in the way of 'spectin' to keep their children and wives, and all that. Niggers, you know, that's fetched up properly, ha'n't no kind of 'spectations of no kind; so all these things comes easier."

SOURCE: The National Era, 5 June 1851.