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it by the foot, and so I saved it from falling, just as 

 its head struck against the ground." Fear of 

 being blamed as having occasioned the baby's 

 illness through her own carelessness had induced 

 her to adopt this equivocation, and its life had 

 nearly been the sacrifice of her duplicity. A proper 

 mode of treatment was now adopted without loss 

 of time ; their beneficial effect was immediately 

 visible, and the poor little negro is now recovering 

 rapidly. But certainly there is no folly and im- 

 prudence like unto negro folly and imprudence. 

 One of my best disposed and most sensible Eboes 

 has had a violent fever lately, but was so nearly 

 well as to be put upon a course of bark. On 

 Wednesday morning a son of his died of dirt-eating, 

 — a practice which neither severity nor indul- 

 gence could induce him to discontinue. The boy 

 was buried that night according to African cus- 

 toms, accompanied with dancing, singing, drink- 

 ing, eating, and riot of all kinds ; and the father, 

 although the kindest-hearted negro on my estate, 

 and remarkably fond of his children, danced and 

 drank to such an excess, that I found him on the 

 following morning in a raging fever, and worse 

 than he was when he first entered the hospital. 

 I had warned him against the consequences of 

 the funeral, reminded him of the dangerous malady 

 from which he was but just recovering, and he had 

 promised solemnly to be upon his guard; and 



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