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162 UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OR
" Decentish kind o' wench you 've got round there, stranger."
" Why, I reckon she is tol'able fair," said Haley, blowing the smoke out of his mouth.
" Taking her down South ? " said the man.
Haley nodded, and smoked on.
" Plantation hand ? " said the man.
" Wal," said Haley, " I 'm fillm' out an order for a plantation, and I think I shall put her in. They telled me she was a good cook ; and they can use her for that, or set her at the cotton-picking. She 's got the right fingers for that; I looked at 'em. Sell well, either way;" and Haley resumed his cigar.
" They won't want the young un on a plantation," said the man.
" I shall sell him, first chance I find," said Haley, lighting another cigar.
" S'pose you 'd be selling him tol'able cheap," said the stranger, mounting the pile of boxes, and sitting down comfortably.
" Don't know 'bout that," said Haley ; " he 's a pretty smart young un, — straight, fat, strong ; flesh as hard as a brick!"
" Very true, but then there 's all the bother and expense of raisin'."
" Nonsense ! " said Haley ; " they is raised as easy as any kind of crittur there is going; they an't a bit more trouble than pups. This yer chap will be running all round, in a month."
" I 've got a good place for raisin', and I thought of takin' in a little more stock," said the man. " Our cook lost a young un last week, — got drownded in a washtub, while she was a-hangin' out clothes, — and I reckon it would be well enough to set her to raisin' this yer."
Haley and the stranger smoked awhile in silence, neither seeming willing to broach the test question of the inter* view. At last the man resumed : — |
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