Another pause, then a hearty laughing, and the man commences to sell
his people. He has uttered but a few words, when Marston's attorney,
stepping into the centre of the ring, and near the vender, draws a
paper from his pocket, and commences reading in a loud tone. It is a
copy of the notice he had previously served on the sheriff, setting
forth in legal phraseology the freedom of the children, "And
therfo'h this is t' stay proceedings until further orders from the
honourable Court of Common Pleas," is audible at the conclusion. The
company are not much surprised. There is not much to be surprised
at, when slave law and common law come in contact. With Marston's
sudden decline and unfathomable connection with Graspum, there is
nothing left to make the reading of the notice interesting.
"You hear this, gentlemen?" says the vender, biting his lips: "the
sale of this very interesting portion of this very interesting
property is objected to by the attorney for the defendant at law.
They must, therefore, be remanded to the custody of the sheriff, to
await the decision of court." That court of strange judgments! The
sheriff, that wonderful medium of slaveocratic power, comes forward,
muttering a word of consolation; he will take them away. He passes
them over to an attendant, who conducts them to their dark chilly
cells.
"All right!" says Graspum, moving aside to let the children pass
out. "No more than might have been expected; it's no use, though.
Pages:
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332