intended to be shipped South; but the "servants' car" being quite full already, they were obliged to be left for another train. As we departed from the station, I stood upon the platform of the rear car with two other men. One said to the other:—
"That's a good lot of niggers."
"Damn'd good; I only wish they belonged to me."
I entered the car, and took a seat, and presently they followed, and sat near me. Continuing their conversation thus commenced, they spoke of their bad luck in life. One appeared to have been a bar-keeper; the other an overseer. One said the highest wages he had ever been paid were two hundred dollars a year, and that year he hadn't laid up a cent. Soon after, the other, speaking with much energy and bitterness, said:—
"I wish to God, old Virginny was free of all the niggers."
"It would be a good thing if she was."
"Yes, sir; and, I tell you, it would be a damn'd good thing for us poor fellows."
"I reckon it would, myself."
When we stopped at Weldon, a man was shouting from a stage-coach, "Passengers for Gaston! Hurry up! Stage is waiting!" As he repeated this the third time, I threw up to him my two valises, and proceeded to climb to the box, to take my seat.
"You are in a mighty hurry, aint ye?"
"Didn't you say the stage was waiting?"
"If ye'r goin' ter get any dinner to-day, better get it here; won't have much other chance. Be right smart about it, too."
"Then you are not going yet?"
"You can get yer dinner, if ye want to."
"You'll call me, will you, when you are ready to go?"
