An Incident: For The Signal Of Liberty

l was standing upon one of the principa] wharves of the great commercial emporium of fie South. The hum of business was heard in cvery direction, and on the coi:ntenances oí the eager ihronw m-g-ht bc seen the varied expresiiorts of joy, sorrow, hope, ouxiety, and fnilifi'ercnco. The rich mul the poor. the] young and the olcl, the hnppy und the tni.-era ble were crowded topether in mot incongruous proxiinity. At the wharf lay one of tliosc floating palaces which are met. with i puc!i numbcrs npon tho western wnte s. The rattling of carriages - the nngiiur of bells, and the puffing of steam annourced the preparations for departure. The last bell had rung, and the passage plank was about to be removed, whena Iwo horse vebicle wasdriven hast ïly down and stopped in the immediately vicinity of the wharf. The passenger?, con sistirg of a white man and two slaves - mother and child - imme 'iately alighted. They were hurried on board, and the passage plank as removed. At this moment a colored man was seen running at the top of bis speed down the streel which led to the wharf. On he carne with the velocity of lightning, while desperntion, onxiety, and despair urged him forward until he seenied ecarcely to touch the ground beneath hisfeet. He neared the boaf, and as he did so, he descried the forms of his wife and child (for such I took them to be.) leaning over the door which closes ihe gang way, with outstretched arms and pnllid countenances. The vessel was ir w some ynrds from the wliarf and the wheels had com menced their fir&t revoluljon, The elave rushed on--lie stood upon the verge of the wharf. Detiperai ion and despair flashcd from his eyes, and were hlended in his suppressed shriek. He hesitaled not. With the bouml of a panther he sprang towards the boat. - His foot strtick upon the thresfcbold and he grasped at the pillar for support. But th leap was too srreat for even despair to accom push. His foot elipped and he feil. VVitl a shriek such as I never have heard from human lips he sank into the boiling flood an( was instanily drawn under the wheel. The boat moved on. His mnngled corpse was sooti recovered and drawn to the wharf. The dense throng turned carelessly away,while the soothingossurance was passed from motilh to mouth, "lts only a slave!" He hos gone to the bar of God to meet the blighting destroybt of his life, his hopes, and his happiness. fn whose skirts will his blood be found?