traint. I have seen him in a tempest of passion, such
as I have just described--a passion into which entered all the bitter
ingredients of pride, hatred, envy, jealousy, and the thrist(sic) for
revenge.

The circumstances which I am about to narrate, and which gave rise to
this fearful tempest of passion, are not singular nor{66} isolated in
slave life, but are common in every slaveholding community in which I
have lived. They are incidental to the relation of master and slave, and
exist in all sections of slave-holding countries.

The reader will have noticed that, in enumerating the names of the
slaves who lived with my old master, _Esther_ is mentioned. This was a
young woman who possessed that which is ever a curse to the slave-girl;
namely--personal beauty. She was tall, well formed, and made a fine
appearance. The daughters of Col. Lloyd could scarcely surpass her in
personal charms. Esther was courted by Ned Roberts, and he was as fine
looking a young man, as she was a woman. He was the son of a favorite
slave of Col. Lloyd. Some slaveholders would have been glad to promote
the marriage of two such persons; but, for some reason or other, my old
master took it upon him to break up the growing intimacy between Esther
and Edward. He strictly ordered her to quit the company of said Roberts,
telling her that he would punish her severely if he ever found her again
in Edward's company. This unnatural and heartless order was, of course,
broken. A woman's love is not to be annihilated by the peremptory
command of any one, whose breath is in his nostrils. It was impossible
to keep Edward and Esther apart. Meet they would, and meet they did. Had
old master been a man of honor and purity, his motives, in this matter,
might have been viewed more favorably. As it was, his motives were as
abhorrent, as his methods were foolish and contemptible. It was too
evident that he was not concerned for the girl's welfare. It is one
of the damning characteristics of the slave system, that it robs its
victims of every earthly incentive to a holy life. The fear of God, and
the hope of heaven, are found sufficient to sustain many slave-women,
amidst the snares and dangers of their strange lot; but, this side of
God and heaven, a slave-woman is at the mercy of the power, caprice
and passion of her owner. Slavery provides no means for the honorable
continuance of the race. Marriage as imposing obligations on the parties
to it--has no{67 A HAR