of house servant he
desired. Going up to the auctioneer who had just mounted a bench for
the purpose of selling the slave, he enquired where she had come from.
The auctioneer responded by handing the doctor a small hand bill
setting forth the sale. After reading it he walked up to the slave and
commenced to question her.

"What is your name?" he enquired.

"Elsy, sir," she replied.

"You say that you come from New Orleans," he continued.

"Yes, sir," she responded.

"What was your master's name?" asked the doctor.

"His name is Mr. Alfred Wentworth," the negro answered.

"Where is your master now?" he enquired, continuing his questions.

"Massa is a prisner in de Yankee army," she replied.

"And what made you leave New Orleans?" was the next question.

"My missis was turned away from de city, and I runaway from dem
Yankees and come here to look for her."

"Have you not been able to find your mistress?" asked Dr. Humphries.

"No, sir. Jest as I came here de city police took me up and put me in
jail."

"Excuse me," interrupted the auctioneer, "but I must sell this girl at
once. Time is precious, so you must excuse me;" then turning to the
crowd he continued: "Here is the slave, gentlemen. She is an
intelligent looking negro, says she understands all that appertains to
the duties of a house servant. What will you bid for her?"

"Seven hundred dollars," exclaimed a voice in the crowd.

"Thank you, sir; seven hundred dollars; going at seven hundred
dollars. Look at the girl, gentlemen, going at seven hundred dollars.
Can I get another bid?" exclaimed the auctioneer in the rapid voice
peculiar to his class.

"Seven hundred and twenty-five," was the next bid.

"Seven hundred and fifty," Dr. Humphries cried out, having made up his
mind to purchase her.

In a few minutes the slave was "knocked down" to the doctor for eleven
hundred dollars, and after the proper form was gone through and the
money paid, he ordered her to follow him, and retraced his steps
homeward.

As our readers must have recognized already, Elsy was no other than
the slave who was left at New Orleans by Mrs. Wentworth, and who
declared that she would follow her mistress into the Confederate
lines. After making several ineffectual attempts she had succeeded in
reaching Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, at which place she
eluded the Federal pickets, and made her way to Jackson. The first
part of her journey being through the countr