ABSTRACT
They had not got above two miles from the house, before they met a negroe boy about twelve years old, crying most pitiously; and upon their slackening their pace to observe him, he clasped his hands together in a supplicating manner, and falling on his knees in the road before their horses, exclaimed, O! masters! masters! help me! indeed me very hungry! me very sick! and this head, (putting his hand to his forehead) go thump, thump, thump so, me fear it will tumble off. Poor fellow! said Charles, whilst tears stood in his eyes, who do you belong to? what is the matter with you? where are you going? O! master! replied the boy, me go no where! me no where to go! but me very sick and hungry. But to whom do you belong? enquired Mr. Rotchford, what is the name of your master? Who brought you to England? Captain Midas, answered the boy, bring me from my own country in the ship, to be foot-boy to my mistress; but my mistress do not love black boy; me brake her best tea-pot, and 32throw the butter over her gown: so my master sell me to my new master Chromis; he very cruel, and make me carry great big load upon my back, much bigger than me could. So me tumble down, and then my master whip me, and call me lazy black dog, and give me no bit to eat, for one, two days, because he say me lazy. Indeed, master, me not help it; me not strong enough. But master Chromis said he make me strong, so he was whip me sadly, and shut me in the cold, with the coals, because me black they not dirt me. When he let me out, me so very hungry, me take a cold chicken from the top shelf, and eat it. So mistress cook see me, and beat me with the toasting-fork, and tell me mistress; but she very good, said poor Pompey hungry, and no beat me. But mistress cook tell my master, and he kick me down fairs, so my teeth tumble out, look master (said he holding open his lips) see where they one time stand; and me knock my head too when me come to the bottom, so me not work at all, but sick, and lick every day; so me master say me lazy black dog, and whip me to make me work; but me not able; indeed me not able. Then me try to run away; but me be found; and when me brought back, me master tie my leg to a tree, and beat me sadly, the blood run down upon the ground; and me there naked all night; and me so cold! me shake so! O! me did so wish to die before it light! But me did not; so me wanted to go again; and one day, when me very hungry, master fend me ask mistress to change guinea, so me carry him some of the money 33mistress give me, and put the rest in my own pocket, to buy something to eat. But matter find me out, and call me black thief, and beat me with his horse-whip, and take away all my clothes and kick me down the steps, and say me might go be starve, he keep no such black devil longer. So me quite naked, and quite hungry; but coachman gave me this waistcoat and breeches, and two halfpennys to buy some bread. But now the monies be gone, me have nothing left to buy more; me be very hungry! very sick! very cold! Me do not know where to go! nobody take me in; and me have no house, no one thing to eat! Me eat nothing for one, two days! Yes, the berries upon the hedge; but me so sick! I am sorry for it, said Mr. Rotchford, but I cannot help it; you ought not to have robbed your master; I have nothing for you; come, Charles, we shall be too late. Sir! said Charles, looking stedfastly at his father, with a voice of astonishment: Sir! are you going to leave this poor boy without doing something for him? What can I do with him, my dear? he replied, I do not want & black boy; besides, by his own account, he has been di[[text not ligible]]onest, and robbed his master. Yes, Sir, re-joined Charles, eagerly, but it is by his own confession you are informed that he has done so; and I am sure the account of his sufferings, is enough to move ones compassion. If he did steal, it was to satisfy his hungers; and I dare say, he has never been informed that it is wicked to do so. Poor soul! see how he cries! See how he shakes with cold! I cannot indeed, Sir! I cannot, 34said he, bursting into tears, go on and leave him in this wretched, friendless, starving state, without in some way or other assisting him! Then follow, my dear boy, replied Mr. Rotchford, whilst his eye sparkled with satisfaction, follow the direction of your own heart. Believe me, I have no intention of so inhumanly leaving him to perish; but I wished to hear your sentiments upon the subject. Then let us, said Charles, return back and carry him home; he has no where to go, he says; and if you give him money, he will not know how to spend it properly, or what to do when it is gone; let us take him home, and employ him in some proper work, or till he can go to his parents. Have you any father or mother, little boy? said he, turning to the boy. O! master! Master! replied he, me have good mother in my own country; she not like me to leave her; she hold me round the neck, and I hold tight by her neck: but the while mans beat our hands, and make us let go: then one white man keep her fast, and t’other white man drive me along to the ship, and put me in; and master Midas, the Captain, bring me to here and fell me to me master Chromis. So me never see me mother now: me love her; She love too. O! she so scream when white man took me from her; then he beat her, and beat me—white men are bad men! You have had reason to think so, indeed, poor boy! said Mrs. Rotchford; but though some are bad, all are not so: perhaps you may find kinder treatment from some white men than you expect. Pray, Sir, said Charles, let us take 35him home. Well! replied Mr. Rotchford, you shall, if you desire it; but I must go on to Mr. Norris’s, for ray business with him can not be put off. You may, therefore, return, and see this poor fellow fed, and find some old clothes for him, and take care of him till I return, which I will do as soon as I can in the evening. Yes, Sir! yes, Sir! said Charles, panting with joy and eagerness. Come then, Pompey, if that is your name, come with me, and you shall soon have something to ear. He then set off upon a full trot, forgetting that Pompey was on foot, and could not keep up with him: at length, recollecting himself, and looking behind him, he saw Pompty running as fast as he could, at some distance. Poor fellow! said he to himself, I never considered that he might be tired; then turning his horse, and going up to him, he enquired if he was tired? Yes indeed, master, replied the boy, me much tired; me two feet very sore. Dear! why did not you tell me so before, said he, jumping off his horse, there, get upon the horse; I will walk by you; I wish I had thought of desiring you to ride sooner. Me get upon the beast! said the boy; no, no, master! me no get upon the beast; me cannot make such great beast move; me walk; but me fear to get up so high. O! you need not be afraid, replied Charles, he is very gentle, and I will lead you; pray get up, it will rest your feet, and we have a good way to go still. The boy again refused, but after a good deal of persuasion, he consented to get behind Charles, and holding him, right round his waist, left he should slip off; they again 36set forward, and were not long before they reached home. Mrs. Rotchford, who was standing at the window, was surprised to see Charles return; but still more at the appearance of his miserable companion: nor was her astonishment decreased at her son’s walking up the court-yard, and telling the black boy to follow him. She was going out to enquire the cause of his speedy return, just as he opened the door, and introduced little ragged Pompey. My dear, said she, what has brought you so soon back? Has any accident happened? Where is your father? and who is this? No accident, returned Charles; nothing, madam, is the matter, so do not be alarmed; only we met this poor little starved negro, and my father gave me leave to bring him back to feed and clothe him, and keep him till his return. Poor fellow! you cannot think what distress he is in, and how cruelly he has been used! Then, without waiting for his mother’s reply, he went cut of the room; and presently after returned with a large slice of bread and meat, and a mug of beer.
