hat day, and been treated more like a brute than a human
being from the time, he left the ship until he arrived at the jail. He
readily accepted the kind offer, and commenced to tell the story of his
treatment.

"You need' not tell me,--I know too much of that man already. It has
long been a mystery to me why he is retained in office."--

Here Dunn interrupted. "Sure it's yer master I'd obey and not yerself,
an' I'd do what I'd plase with prisoners, and, it's his business and not
yeers. If ye had yer way, sure you'd be makin' white men of every nigger
that ye turned a key upon."

"Give me none of your insolence," said the jailer. "You have no
authority beyond my door. Your brutal treatment to prisoners has caused
me an immense deal of trouble-more than my paltry pay would induce me
to stay for. Suppose you were indicted for these outrages? What would be
the result?" asked the jailer.

"Sure it's meself could answer for the sheriff, without yer bothering
yerself. I'd not work for yer, but for him; and he's yer master anyhow,
and knows all about it. Give me the receipt, and that's all I'd ax yer.
When a nigger don't mind me, I just makes him feel the delight of a
hickory stick."

"Yes, if you had the shame of a man in you, you'd not make a beast of
yourself with liquor, and treat these poor stewards as if they were
dogs," said the jailer.

"Indeed, ye might learn a thing or two if ye was a politician like
meself, and belonged to the secession party. An' if his honor the
sheriff-for he's a dacent man-knew ye'd be preachin' in that shape, ye
wouldn't keep the jail f'nent the morning. Be letting me out, and make
much of the nigger; ye have him there."

The jailer unlocked the door and allowed him to pass out, with a
pertinent rebuke. This was but a trifling affair in Dunn's ear, for he
knew his master's feelings too well, and was backed by him in his most
intolerable proceedings. Returning to the office, he looked at the
commitment, and then again at Manuel. "This is a 'contrary to law' case,
I see, Mr. Manuel; you are a likely fellow too, to come within that,"
said he.

"Yes. If I understand him right, he's a shipwrecked sailor, belonging
to a foreign vessel that was driven in here in distress," said the
man. "It's a hard law that imprisons a colored seaman who comes here
voluntarily; but it seems beyond all manner of precedent to imprison
a shipwrecked man like this, especially when he seems so respectable.
Ther