The fold itself is most uninviting (it
is, he assures us, owing to his determination to carry out the faith
of his plain democracy); nevertheless, it contains the white,
beautiful, and voluptuous,--all for sale. In fact--the truth must be
told--Mr. Graspum assures the world that he firmly believes there is
a sort of human nature extant--he is troubled sometimes to know just
where the line breaks off--which never by any possibility could have
been intended for any thing but the other to traffic in-to turn into
the most dollars and cents. In proof of this principle he kept
Annette until she had well nigh merged into womanhood, or until such
time as she became a choice marketable article, with eyes worth so
much; nose, mouth, so much; pretty auburn hair, worth so much; and
fine rounded figure--with all its fascinating appurtenances--worth so
much;--the whole amounting to so much; to be sold for so much, the
nice little profit being chalked down on the credit side of his
formidable ledger, in which stands recorded against his little soul
(he knows will get to heaven) the sale of ten thousand black souls,
which will shine in brightness when his is refused admittance to the
portal above.
Having arrived at the point most marketable, he sells her to Mr.
Gurdoin Choicewest, who pays no less a sum than sixteen hundred
dollars in hard cash for the unyielding beauty-money advanced to him
by his dear papa, who had no objection to his having a pretty
coloured girl, provided Madam Choicewest-most indulgent mother she
was, too-gave her consent; and she said she was willing, provided-;
and now, notwithstanding she was his own, insisted on the
preservation of her virtue, or death.
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