Дванадцять років рабства

           Hewasthatkindofpersonwhosepeculiarityofmannerwassuchthatnothingheutteredevergaveoffence. Whatwouldbeintolerable,comingfromthelipsofanother,couldbesaidbyhimwithimpunity. TherewasnotamanonRedRiver,perhaps,thatagreedwithhimonthesubjectofpoliticsorreligion,andnotaman,Iventuretosay,whodiscussedeitherofthosesubjectshalfasmuch. Itseemedtobetakenforgrantedthathewouldespousetheunpopularsideofeverylocalquestion,anditalwayscreatedamusementratherthandispleasureamonghisauditors,tolistentotheingeniousandoriginalmannerinwhichhemaintainedthecontroversy. Hewasabachelor—an"oldbachelor,"accordingtothetrueacceptationoftheterm—havingnokindredliving,asheknewof,intheworld. Neitherhadheanypermanentabidingplace—wanderingfromoneStatetoanother,ashisfancydictated. HehadlivedinMarksvillethreeorfouryears,andintheprosecutionofhisbusinessasacarpenter;andinconsequence,likewise,ofhispeculiarities,wasquiteextensivelyknownthroughouttheparishofAvoyelles. Hewasliberaltoafault;andhismanyactsofkindnessandtransparentgoodnessofheartrenderedhimpopularinthecommunity,thesentimentofwhichheunceasinglycombated. 

           HewasanativeofCanada,fromwhencehehadwanderedinearlylife,andaftervisitingalltheprincipallocalitiesinthenorthernandwesternStates,inthecourseofhisperegrinations,arrivedintheunhealthyregionoftheRedRiver. HislastremovalwasfromIllinois.