|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
 |
||||
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
|
|
||||
|
The subject appeared to interest the gentleman deeply; for while Mr. Shelby was thoughtfully peeling an orange, Haley broke out afresh, with becoming diffi- dence, but as if actually driven by the force of truth to say a few words more. “It don’t look well, now, for a feller to be praisin’ himself; but I say it jest be- cause it’s the truth. I believe I’m reckoned to bring in about the finest droves of niggers that is brought in,- at least, I’ve been told so; if I have once, I reckon I have a hundred times,- all in good cases,- fat and likely, and I lose as few as any man in the business. And I lays it all to my management, sir; and humanity, sir, I may say, is the great pillar of my management.” Mr. Shelby did not know what to say, and so he said, “Indeed!” “Now, I’ve been laughed at for my notions, sir, and I’ve been talked to. They an’t pop’lar, and they an’t common; but I stuck to ‘em, sir; I’ve stuck to ‘em, and realized well on ‘em; yes, sir, they have paid their passage, I may say,” and the trader laughed at his joke. There was something so piquant and original in these elucidations of human- ity, that Mr. Shelby could not help laughing in company. Perhaps you laugh, too, dear reader; but you know humanity comes out in a variety of strange forms nowadays, and there is no end to the odd things that humane people will say and do. Mr. Shelby’s laugh encouraged the trader to proceed. |
