James Redpath, The Roving Editor: or, Talks with Slaves in the Southern States.

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“ [117] mass'r, ‘ill bring a man down sooner'n anyding; and I dink it's kase de colored people doesn't drink dat da look younger dan de white ole folks.”

I have said that I had often noticed this peculiarity, but had never been able to account for it. The old man's solution satisfied me. Negroes in the country, however, sometimes procure liquor from the small groceries, by stealing fowls and other farm produce from their masters. Hence I found, on my previous visit to North Carolina, that the slave-holders were warm advocates of the Maine liquor law.

“ Are you a free man?”

“No, mass'r,” he replied; “I's a slave.”

“I come from the North,” I returned; “would you like to go there?”

“Yes, mass'r,” he said; “I would like to go dare very much.”

“Of course, you are a married man?”

“I's been married twice, mass'r.”

“Have you any children?”

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Separation of families.

“Yes, mass'r,” said the slave. “I had twelve by my firs' wife. I got her when she was seventeen, and I lived wid her twenty-four years. Den da sold her and all de chil'ren. I married anoder wife ‘bout nine years since; but I had her little more dan tree years. Da sold her, too.”

“Had you any children by her?”

“ No, mass'r ; and I hasn't had anyding to do wid women since. I's a Baptist; and its agin my religion to have anyting to do wid anybody ‘cept my wife. ”