Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/170

172 On the stand was a young girl who, it appeared, had been born in New York, and had gone traveling with an unprincipled family, who had undertaken to sell her. The girl had the presence of mind, through the advice of many friends, to suffer herself to be sold, and, as the custom was to undress them to see if they were perfect or not, she allowed herself to be partially stripped, when, in aloud, shrill tone, she declared they should proceed no further. The man who bought her came up and told her she was his property now, and must do as she was bid; and as they proceeded to use violence, she asked a friend who stood behind her for a pen-knife, and ripping open her corset, took out her free papers, and, holding them up, demanded who dare insult her, or use such violence any more! The rascal himself was not present, but the man in whose hands he had placed her, was immediately arrested and put under bail.

I stood for some time watching this market. Several were put up and sold off to the highest bidder; some seemed satisfied with their lot, and others, apparently, grieved to death. I then left, feeling more heavily burdened than ever in my life—vowing and declaring that I would never come another season to the South to earn the money that was made so hard by others.

I finished my work that day. My ladies all noticed there was something the matter; and when they asked me, I said, "Nothing, nothing;" feeling there was more the matter than either good feeling or conscience, in Louisiana, could relieve. I went home, and for several days played sick. Many ladies came to see me; many again sent to know how I was, and what