m. They have nobody to blame but themselves."

"'Deed they is--'scuse me for contradictin you--but there's them as is to
blame a heap. Them Abolitioners, sir, is the cause of it. They wouldn't let
the poor devils rest until they 'duced them to go off. They 'lowed, they
would get 'em off, and no danger of their being took agin. They had the
imperance, sir, to 'suade those poor deluded niggers that they were born
free, when they knowed they were born slaves. I hadn't no idea, sir, they
was sich liars; but I've been up to de place whar the servants is, and its
heart-breaking to hear 'em talk. Thar's Simon, that strapping big young
man, as drives Mrs. Seymour's carriage; they got him off. He's a crying up
thar, like a baby a month old. He's been a hidin and a dodgin for a
week--he's nigh starved. And now he's cotched, and gwine to be sold. He's a
raal spilt nigger: his master dressed him like a gentleman, and he had
nothin to do all day but to drive de carriage; and he told me hisself, when
he was out late at night wid de young ladies, at parties, he never was woke
in de mornin, but was 'lowed to sleep it out, and had a good hot breakfast
when he did wake. Well, they got him off. They made out he'd go to the
great Norrurd, and set up a trade, or be a gentleman, may be; and like as
not they told him he stood a good chance of being President one of dese
days. They got him off from his good home, and now he's done for. He's
gwine to be sold South to-morrow. He's a beggin young Mr. Seymour up thar
not to sell him, and makin promises, but its no use; he's goin South. I bin
hearin every word he said to his young master. 'Oh, Master George,' says
he, 'let me off dis time. I didn't want to go till the Abolitioners told me
you had no right to me, kase God had made me free; and you, they said, was
no better than a thief, keepin me a slave agin natur and the Bible too.'"

"'But, Simon,' said young Mr. Seymour, 'you stole a suit of my new clothes
when you went off; and you got money, too, from Mrs. Barrett, saying I had
sent you for it. How came you to do that?'

"'I will 'fess it all, sir,' said Simon, 'and God knows I'm speakin truth.
I took de suit of clothes. The Abolitioner, he said I'd be a gentleman when
I got North, and I must have somethin ready to put on, to look like one. So
he said you'd always had the use of me, and twasn't no harm for me to take
de suit, for I was 'titled to it for my sarvices. He axed me if any body
owed