Festal and Floral Days in New England and Old England

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 edition. Excerpt: ...of many to show how they looked at slavery. Is the story any thing about Election Day? asked Prescott. No, said his grandpapa; but it is a very good story to tell on Election Day. Don't interrupt grandpapa so much, said Fanny to her brother. Pressie folded his hands in silence. Well, proceeded their grandfather, there was a man living in the eastern part of this State who owned a bright, smart mulatto named Jimmy. His master and mistress made a great deal of him, and a better boy was nowhere to be found. But Jimmy was not happy. He was willing to work, and to work hard; but, O dear! never to own himself! Always to belong to another man! He could not bear it. Jimmy had a great many talks with his master about it, and one day, after he had become seventeen, his master told him that he had concluded that if he would work faithfully for him until he was twenty-five he would give him his freedom. But Jimmy didn't, somehow, seem at all overjoyed. He wanted to own himself before that time. Eight years seemed a great many to wait. He thought he could buy himself if his master would allow him to work over a certain number of hours. He was sure it could be done. What was there that he wouldn't do! What was there that a man had done that he couldrUt do! Look at the sinews of his arms and at the breadth of his shoulders! He begged hard, and his master wanted to befriend him, but did not quite want to give up his services just as he had become so useful. ' Well, Jimmy, I have thought of a plan for you, ' said the master at last. 'If you will clear a hundred acres of wood-lot for me, and fence it all around, burn it over ready to sow with wheat, and put two fences through it crosswise...