et 'em know what to expect."

"Indeed!" said the stranger, looking upon him with the curiosity of a
naturalist studying some out-of-the-way specimen.

"Yes, indeed. I'm none o' yer gentlemen planters, with lily fingers, to
slop round and be cheated by some old cuss of an overseer! Just feel
of my knuckles, now; look at my fist. Tell ye, sir, the flesh on 't has
come jest like a stone, practising on nigger--feel on it."

The stranger applied his fingers to the implement in question, and
simply said,

"'T is hard enough; and, I suppose," he added, "practice has made your
heart just like it."

"Why, yes, I may say so," said Simon, with a hearty laugh. "I reckon
there's as little soft in me as in any one going. Tell you, nobody comes
it over me! Niggers never gets round me, neither with squalling nor soft
soap,--that's a fact."

"You have a fine lot there."

"Real," said Simon. "There's that Tom, they telled me he was suthin'
uncommon. I paid a little high for him, tendin' him for a driver and a
managing chap; only get the notions out that he's larnt by bein' treated
as niggers never ought to be, he'll do prime! The yellow woman I got
took in on. I rayther think she's sickly, but I shall put her through
for what she's worth; she may last a year or two. I don't go for savin'
niggers. Use up, and buy more, 's my way;-makes you less trouble, and
I'm quite sure it comes cheaper in the end;" and Simon sipped his glass.

"And how long do they generally last?" said the stranger.

"Well, donno; 'cordin' as their constitution is. Stout fellers last six
or seven years; trashy ones gets worked up in two or three. I used to,
when I fust begun, have considerable trouble fussin' with 'em and trying
to make 'em hold out,--doctorin' on 'em up when they's sick, and givin'
on 'em clothes and blankets, and what not, tryin' to keep 'em all sort
o' decent and comfortable. Law, 't wasn't no sort o' use; I lost money
on 'em, and 't was heaps o' trouble. Now, you see, I just put 'em
straight through, sick or well. When one nigger's dead, I buy another;
and I find it comes cheaper and easier, every way."

The stranger turned away, and seated himself beside a gentleman, who had
been listening to the conversation with repressed uneasiness.

"You must not take that fellow to be any specimen of Southern planters,"
said he.

"I should hope not," said the young gentleman, with emphasis.

"He is a mean, low, brutal fellow!" said the other.