o talk, he says:

''An't one o' you Mr. Meminger, the negro-trader from Lexington?'

''My name's Meminger,' said my companion, 'and I sometimes buy niggars.
What do you want?'

''I want to sell you a woman,' replied the man.

''Where is she?'

''Up at my house, there.'

''Well, fotch her down, then. You don't suppose I'm going up there for
any d--d niggar woman, such a day as this, do you? And be quick about
it, for I don't intend to stand here in the cold.'

'The man started back for the house on the run, and kept hallooing and
motioning to some one who met him on the way; and he returned to where
we stood on the 'pike with as fine, healthy a looking young black girl
as I have often seen. She was dressed with a single garment, which
hardly covered her; and she carried in her arms a child, apparently
about two or three months old, which she had wrapped up in some rags to
keep it warm.

''This is the woman,' said the man.

''What do you ask for her?' said Meminger.

''I'll take eight hundred dollars for the mother and child,' said the
man.

''D--n the child!' said Meminger; 'do you suppose I want two months
children in my pen? If you do, you are cursedly mistaken. What will you
take for the woman alone?'

''I don't very well like to part them,' said the man hesitatingly, 'and
I promised my wife I wouldn't. But if you won't buy the child--'

''I tell you I won't buy the child, and that's enough,' broke in
Meminger.

''---- I'll take seven hundred dollars for the woman.'

'Meminger threw his bridle-rein to me, and slid down from his horse to
look at the girl. He stepped up to her, caught her upper lip with one
hand and her lower with the other, and opened her mouth, and examined
her teeth in the same manner that you or I, Owen, would a horse. Then he
took her by the arm, twirled her round, struck her roughly on her back,
felt the muscle of her fore-arm, her thigh, and calf; then stood back
and examined her all over a moment, and said:

''I suppose she is all right? I don't want her, but I am going right
home, and I can take her along as well as not, and I'll give you six
hundred dollars for her. If you want it, say so at once, for I an't
going to stand here talking all day!'

'The man seemed reluctant to take the sum offered--said she was worth
more, and he ought to give six hundred and fifty for her.

'Meminger cut him short with a savage oath, telling him that if he
wasn't going to accept the six