ght the keeper to the door.

"What now, boys? Order,--order!" he said, coming in and flourishing a
large whip.

All fled in different directions, except Sambo, who, presuming on the
favor which the keeper had to him as a licensed wag, stood his ground,
ducking his head with a facetious grin, whenever the master made a dive
at him.

"Lor, Mas'r, 'tan't us,--we 's reglar stiddy,--it's these yer new hands;
they 's real aggravatin',--kinder pickin' at us, all time!"

The keeper, at this, turned upon Tom and Adolph, and distributing a few
kicks and cuffs without much inquiry, and leaving general orders for all
to be good boys and go to sleep, left the apartment.

While this scene was going on in the men's sleeping-room, the reader may
be curious to take a peep at the corresponding apartment allotted to
the women. Stretched out in various attitudes over the floor, he may see
numberless sleeping forms of every shade of complexion, from the purest
ebony to white, and of all years, from childhood to old age, lying now
asleep. Here is a fine bright girl, of ten years, whose mother was sold
out yesterday, and who tonight cried herself to sleep when nobody was
looking at her. Here, a worn old negress, whose thin arms and callous
fingers tell of hard toil, waiting to be sold tomorrow, as a cast-off
article, for what can be got for her; and some forty or fifty others,
with heads variously enveloped in blankets or articles of clothing, lie
stretched around them. But, in a corner, sitting apart from the rest,
are two females of a more interesting appearance than common. One of
these is a respectably-dressed mulatto woman between forty and fifty,
with soft eyes and a gentle and pleasing physiognomy. She has on her
head a high-raised turban, made of a gay red Madras handkerchief, of the
first quality, her dress is neatly fitted, and of good material, showing
that she has been provided for with a careful hand. By her side, and
nestling closely to her, is a young girl of fifteen,--her daughter. She
is a quadroon, as may be seen from her fairer complexion, though her
likeness to her mother is quite discernible. She has the same soft, dark
eye, with longer lashes, and her curling hair is of a luxuriant brown.
She also is dressed with great neatness, and her white, delicate hands
betray very little acquaintance with servile toil. These two are to
be sold tomorrow, in the same lot with the St. Clare servants; and the
gentleman to whom the