ON Sunday morning, Miss Evelina Preble, having taken an early breakfast at home, walked over to Selma, and found the Doctor and Mrs. Boswell at their breakfast.

  "I have come, Mrs. Boswell," said she, "to help Uncle Robin to-day, in his Sabbath school. You must go with me, and we will each take a class; and, as I was afraid to walk by myself, I have brought our man Lewis, who reads very well, and, if Uncle Robin likes, he can be of some assistance. I also brought some of the little ones as scholars."

  "I am very glad, Miss Evelina, that you have come; and, although I have but little experience in Sabbath school teaching, I will accompany you with a great deal of pleasure, and do the best I can in instructing the little things."

  "Have you received any tidings of George, yet, Miss Evelina?" asked the Doctor.

  "No, Doctor, and indeed I am very uneasy about

  "I have thought pretty much as you do, Miss Evelina; but old Major Scott, who is a very considerate man, has convinced me that it is a duty we owe our neighbours, and the society in which we live, to take every proper measure to recover them when they run off."

  "You and Major Scott, Doctor, and most other slave-owners, may entertain that opinion with perfect consistency, but my papa has his peculiar notions about what he calls our peculiar institution. If I had the same views upon the subject that he has, I would not own a slave for any consideration. George and myself differ with papa; we don't think it wrong to hold persons in slavery, but notwithstanding that, I have always thought, that when they make the attempt to get off, I would give them the chance, rather than be obliged to sell them if recaptured. My papa thinks it wrong to hold them in slavery, but brings up his old adage about Rome and the Romans in justification of his doing so."

  "I never could exactly understand your papa's views upon the subject, Miss Evelina; there is certainly an inconsistency about it which I could never reconcile. I suppose, however, he means, that living in a society where it is tolerated, that if it is wrong (as he believes), he only participates in a general wrong, which cancels individual responsibility. Such a system of ethics would completely

  "Well, Doctor, to tell you the truth, I am not casuist enough to unravel it. This one thing I know full well, that the relation of master and servant imposes certain duties upon the master which it is highly sinful to neglect."

  "Ladies," said the Doctor, "I hear Robin's bell; it is time to go. I will go with you, and if Robin's classes are not too far advanced for me, I will lend a helping hand."

  They found the children, some of the grown negroes of the plantation, and some of the neighbouring children already assembled and seated on benches; the males on one side, and the females on the other. Robin, after very respectfully receiving his master and mistress and Miss Evelina, and providing them with seats, gave out in a clear, audible voice, the hymn commencing,

He raised the tune himself, and most of the children and grown persons united with him in singing it. After it was ended, he offered up a very solemn, impressive, and comprehensive prayer for the teachers, the children, his master and mistress, his fellow servants upon the plantation and throughout the neighbourhood; for Africa and her children in every clime, and for the spread of the gospel throughout the world. When the prayer was ended, he asked his master to take the first male Bible class; to Miss

  "Uncle Robin," said Lewis, "I s'pose you bin hear 'bout our two boys goin' off?"

  "Yes, Lewis, I bin hear somethin' 'bout it."

  "Well, Uncle Robin, I don' think masser ought to bin giv' dat boy sich a whippin'; but masser, when he begin, does whap powerful."

  "Lewis, I don' like hear you talk dat way 'bout you' masser. De Scripture tells us, you know, dat as de son honour he father, so ought servant to honour he masser."

  "Uncle Robin, I neber see dat in de Bible."

  "Elce, han' me down dat Bible, here; you kin read it you'self, Lewis. Turn to de fus chapter Malachi, 6th vus."

  "Uncle Robin, dis vus don' say 'cisely what you say it did; it don' say suvant mus' honour he masser, but say suvant does honour he masser."

  "Well, Lewis, when de Lord make he Proffit to talk of what de people do, if 'taint right he tell um so, and if he don' tell um 'taint right, you may be sure he 'prove of it. Now same thing when our Saviour tell massers how to act to der suvants, and suvants how to act to der massers.

  "Well, Uncle Robin, I believe you is right, and I ane gwine talk so 'bout my masser enny mo'."

  "I was surprised at not seeing yourself and Mrs. Boswell at church, to-day, Doctor," said the Reverend Mr. Grattan, after he had made his respects to the ladies, upon entering the parlour about three o'clock.

  "Why, sir, although we were not at church, I hope we have not been unprofitably employed this forenoon. The ladies and myself have been teaching the young idea how to shoot, in Robin's Sabbath school. To tell you the truth, sir, I did not propose to my wife to go to church, thinking that she would not like to be gazed at by so many strangers."

  "My dear sir, I don't suppose people go to church to gaze at others; I'm in hopes they go for a far different purpose."

  "You know, sir," replied the Doctor, "the poet has said: veniunt spectatum, veniunt spectantur ut ipsæ."

  "Such an object as that," replied Mr. Grattan, "might move a heathen congregation to assemble, but certainly not a Christian one."

  "The poet," said the Doctor, "confines his remark to one class only of a congregation, as he has put ipsæ in the feminine; the ladies, I suppose, can tell us whether

  "I presume," said Miss Evelina, "that in all congregations there are males and females, who are not indifferent to admiration for themselves, and who look about to admire others also; but members of the church, and those out of the church who are serious, it is to be hoped, go for Christian edification, and the comforts which are to be derived from the services of the sanctuary.

  "But, Mr. Grattan, I have not yet made my excuse for not going to-day. I had often promised Uncle Robin to come and assist him in his school; and this morning was so sweet a one, that I thought I should never have a better opportunity for complying with my promise. It has just occurred to me, that I may (in part), have been the cause of the Doctor and Mrs. Boswell's not going."

  "No, indeed, Miss Evelina, we should not have gone if you had not been here."

  "Doctor," said Mr. Grattan, "I don't see why this same excuse may not be pleaded again, as Mrs. Boswell will be a stranger whenever she makes her first visit to church."

  "No, I assure you," said Mrs. Boswell, "it shall never be pleaded again."

  Dinner was then announced. Mr. Grattan and Miss Evelina took seats opposite to each other, and the Doctor and Mrs. Boswell, on comparing notes afterwards, thought some sly glances were exchanged.

  After dinner was over, Mr. Grattan proposed that they should all go with him to Uncle Robin's cabin, where he

  Miss Evelina was preparing to go home, but Mrs. Boswell told her that she would carry her the next morning in her carriage, if she would stay. She consented to do so, and they found no difficulty in persuading Mr. Grattan to do the same.

  "You have a Sabbath school, Mr. Grattan, for the blacks, have you not?"

  "Yes, sir, we have a very flourishing one, held near the church every Sabbath morning. The young members of my church are very kind to the blacks in that respect, punctual in their attendance, and very competent to per-

  "I suppose you preach on some plantation in the neighbourhood every Sabbath afternoon?"

  "Yes, sir; nothing but very bad weather prevents me. Sometimes, however, I have but thin congregations to hear me; particularly upon those afternoons when Baptist ministers preach in the neighbourhood. You know all the negroes, almost, in this part of the country, who profess religion, are Baptists; indeed, throughout our state it is the case. I am told it is not so much so in South Carolina and Georgia. In those states there are many Episcopalians, Methodists, and Presbyterians among the negroes. Some ministers there give their whole time to the blacks; and the masters are said to afford great facilities for religious instruction. I think if teachers in our Sabbath schools would make the children commit to memory portions of the liturgy of our church, we should have more of them to join it.

  "The Episcopal liturgy seems to me to be peculiarly adapted to persons of their description, who are not capable of forming prayers for themselves. When they become better acquainted with it, by committing it to memory, the prejudice which now exists against our forms would wear off, and we should see them more frequently at the Episcopal communion."

  "I have thought, Mr. Grattan," said the Doctor, "that that prejudice is encouraged by the conduct of masters. They are driven to church by their servants, and those servants are suffered to remain outside, during the whole

  Seats were arranged around the parlour for the negroes, and those who were on the plantation were most of them present. Mr. Grattan gave them a plain lecture upon the importance of a serious consideration of a future state of happiness and misery; and closed with prayer.

  Mrs. Boswell the next morning performed her promise to Miss Evelina, and in going to the cottage, they called at Major Scott's, where the party, including the Doctor and Mr. Grattan, were very cordially received. It fell to the lot of Mr. Grattan to entertain the ladies in conversa-

  "I think I have mentioned to you, Doctor, my views upon the subject of the recovery of runaways. I have so far carried out those views as to have offered a reward of two hundred dollars each, for the apprehension of my boys."

  "Has nothing been heard yet, Major, from George Preble?"

  "Not a word, sir; his father is very uneasy about him, and, I think, not without cause. George is a very fine-hearted young man, and though he was armed, I don't think he would make a violent attack, but he is very fearless, and I apprehend would expose himself to danger. Those boys of Mr. Preble's, I am told, are very desperate fellows."

  "Have you any just grounds for suspecting, Major, that your boys were tampered with by abolitionists?"

  "Why, sir, I believe they have emissaries constantly passing through this country. I cannot believe that my boys would have gone off unless they had been enticed. You know, Doctor, very well, how I treat my negroes; they are just as comfortably situated here as I am, they have good houses to live in, good winter and summer clothing, a plenty of the best food. They are required to do constant, but very easy work; and I never whip, except for some flagrant fault. Neither of those boys were ever flogged; they have left parents to whom they have always appeared to be much attached. Under such circumstances, sir, I cannot believe otherwise than that

  "They won't let us alone, Major, until they incite our slaves to insurrection, and bring upon the slaves themselves, all the horrors consequent upon such a state of things."

  "I do not apprehend, Doctor, any further injury from the wicked designs of abolitionists, than the occasional loss of property. I think it no want of charity, however, to believe that those Northern abolitionists wish to produce insurrection; but from the utter impossibility of success, I do not believe that the slaves will ever attempt it. They have been taught such a lesson in the few attempts which have been made in Virginia, that it would be perfect madness for them to entertain the least hope of success. The insurrection about Richmond, many years ago, and the one of later date, in the county of Southampton, resulted in the execution of every individual who was proved to be in any manner implicated.

  "They have sense enough to see that they have not the means of acting in concert, to effect such an object. But few of them can read or write, and if written communications were sent from one part of the country to another, they could not be read by those for whom they were intended. They would be intercepted in the post offices if sent, and result in the apprehension, conviction, and exe-

  About this time Miss Amelia Scott took Mrs. Boswell from the parlour into her mother's chamber, where she was introduced to a very decent-looking mulatto woman in the following manner:—

  "Mrs. Boswell, this is my Mammy Betty; she has been begging me ever since you came, to bring you in here to see her."

  "I am very much pleased to see you, Mammy Betty," said Mrs. Boswell.

  "My gal, here, bin talk so much 'bout you, madam, sence she see you tother day, dat I bin monstrous ansious to see you, madam; I wos at you hous to de meetin' yiste'day, but you went 'way so soon I didn' bin had chance to see you, madam."

  "I wish I had known, Mammy Betty, that you were there; why did you come away without going to the house to see me?"

  "Madam, I understoods you had comp'ny, and I didn' wish to 'trude, madam."

  "It would have been no intrusion, Mammy Betty; you

  "No, madam, I neber will."

  "Mrs. Boswell," said Miss Amelia, "this old Mammy Betty of mine is a precious old creature" (at the same time throwing her arms round the old woman's neck and giving her a kiss.)

  "Ah, Missis," said Betty, "you don' know how dis chil' and me does lobe one another; dare's no body in dis worl' dats so good to me as my 'Melia, and I hopes she and I'll neber be parted as long as breath's in dis body."

  "Mammy Betty, you must expect Miss Amelia to get married sometime or other, and then you may be parted."

  "Please God, madam, I'll go wid my 'Melia whereber she does go, madam."

  "If you will believe me, Mrs. Boswell, I would not marry any man upon earth who would not let me take mammy along with me. If I ever have a chance to be married, I'll make that a condition."

  "As the old lady loves you so much, and you love her, I think you would be perfectly right to make it a condition, Miss Amelia, and nobody but a brute of a husband would wish to separate you."

  "Did you bring you mammy 'long, Missis, when you com' to Selma?"

  "Mammy Betty, where I came from white people don't have black mammies; we have no slaves in Pennsylvania."

  "Ah! sure 'nuff, dat de place whar our boys all run to; a'nt it, madam?"

  "I suppose some of them go there, but not all."

  "I bin hear um say dey mighty kine to black people dar, madam."

  "Well, Mammy Betty, I suppose they are not kinder than your master and Dr. Boswell are to theirs."

  "Dey couldn' well beat dem in dat, madam; my masser and Dr. Boswell mighty good massers, madam."

  "Good-bye, Mammy Betty; it's getting time for us to be going to the Cottage."

  "Good-bye, missis; I'll com' to de great-house to see you, nex' time I go to meetin' at Selma."

  "Do, Mammy Betty."

  As they passed into the parlour, the servant, who had been sent to the post-office that morning, returned, and handed to Miss Amelia a bundle of newspapers, which she carried to her father. His attention was first directed to the advertising column of a Cumberland newspaper, in which he saw a notice of four negroes of Virginia having been pursued and overtaken in the neighbourhood of Cumberland; that they made battle, and that Mr. George Preble, the owner of two of the slaves, had received a ball in the shoulder, from a revolver discharged by one of his own servants; that Mr. Preble's two negroes had been apprehended, and were now in jail in Cumberland; that the other two (said to belong to a Major Scott, in Virginia) had made their escape into Pennsylvania. The Doctor saw from his countenance that he had met with something unpleasant, and followed him into the passage. Miss Julia and her mother followed, closing the parlour door which opened into the passage. Miss Evelina Preble was so pleasantly engaged in conversation with Mr. Grat-

  Miss Julia heard enough—she fell in a swoon. Major Scott and the Doctor carried her and laid her on the bed in her mother's chamber. Mrs. Scott, not knowing exactly what she was about, emptied a pitcher of water on her face; she so far revived as to open her eyes. The Doctor gave her some drops in a wine-glass of water; and after consciousness was restored she burst into tears, exclaiming "Oh, George! George! poor George!" Mrs. Scott, herself in tears, consoled her by telling her they must hope for the best; that the Doctor had assured her that a wound in the shoulder was rarely ever fatal. The chamber door was closed, and it was determined that it should be kept secret from Miss Evelina, until she arrived at the cottage. Mrs. Boswell and Miss Amelia left the parlour, and were informed of the news, Miss Evelina all the while so absorbed in conversation with Mr. Grattan as not to suspect that anything extraordinary was going on. It was arranged that Miss Amelia should go with them to the cottage, to be with Miss Evelina. A difficulty arose how Miss Evelina was to leave without seeing Mrs. Scott and Miss Julia. Dr. Boswell told her that "Miss Julia had been taken suddenly unwell, that her mother was with her, and that he did not wish her to be disturbed."

  It may be thought somewhat strange that Miss Evelina, so uneasy as she was about her brother, had not asked Major Scott if there was any news relative to George;

  When they arrived at the Cottage, Miss Evelina was handed last from the carriage; and the servant, who had been there to open the carriage door, having the desire which belongs to all negroes, to communicate news good or bad, said, "Have you bin hear, Miss Evelina, dat Mas' George bin mighty badly wounded?" She shrieked, and fell into the arms of Dr. Boswell, insensible, who, with the assistance of her father (who met them at the door) carried her and laid her upon her own bed. By chafing her temples, she was soon restored to consciousness; and the Doctor took the earliest opportunity of telling her that her brother was wounded in the shoulder, and that there could be no danger of the wound being fatal."

  "Oh! where is he, what has become of him?" she exclaimed.

  "We are not informed," said the Doctor, "but from the nature of the wound, I think it probable he will be able to travel in a carriage, and he may be now on his way home."

  "Oh! papa, do send our carriage for him, he may not be able to procure one where he is."

  Old Mr. Preble was not a man of much sensibility; he was not, however, entirely devoid of natural affection for

  "'Tisn't worth while to be in a hurry about it," said he; "George will be here sometime to-day."

  "Oh! but, papa, he may at this very moment be lying in some miserable hut, wanting attention from kind friends, without even a physician to dress his wound. Do let me go to him; and if Doctor Boswell would go with me, what a comfort it would be to him."

  "If," said the Doctor, "your father thinks proper to send the carriage, and you are to go, I will go with you, with a great deal of pleasure."

  "Oh! papa, do, do, let us go at once?"

  "Evelina," said her father, "if you were to go, you would be very apt to miss George. There are several roads leading to the neighbourhood of Cumberland from here; he may take one route, and you another: he may get here and want the aid of a physician, while the Doctor is hunting for him in the mountains. You had better wait a few hours at any rate."

  She covered her face with her hands, and sobbed aloud.

  Miss Priscilla Graham, who seldom left her own room, hearing of Evelina's situation, was assisted down stairs, and stood by her bed-side.

  "Oh! Aunt Priscilla, Aunt Priscilla, what shall I do; what shall I do? Poor George!"

  "My dear Evelina," said Miss Priscilla, "I am astonished to see you give way so much. You know, my dear, that George is in the hands of the Lord, and that he can

  "My dear aunt, I hope the Lord will pardon me for having indulged even a momentary suspension of entire trust and confidence in Him. I know that he can and will take care of George; and I trust that I am content to leave him in His hands. But the Lord requires of us, aunt, that we should do our part towards those in pain and affliction; and I think it my duty to go to him."

  "It is your duty in this matter to obey your earthly parent; and if he should overrule your going to George, your Heavenly Parent will accept your will to do so, as the performance of your duty to Him."

  They were interrupted by a noise in the further corner of the room, and upon looking round, Miss Priscilla discovered George's old mammy Phillis on her knees, with her head on a chair, weeping violently.

  "Phillis," said Miss Priscilla as she approached her, "you should not give way so much to your feelings. You have heard what I said to Miss Evelina; and it is as

  "Missis," said Phillis, "I knows 'tis my duty to submit, but when I thinks 'pon my poo' George cover'd wid he blood, my poo' George who I nussed, who bin so kin' to me, I can't help cryin', missis, dat I can't."

  "Well, Phillis, I hope and trust it is not so bad with George as you suppose. Your master seems to think he will be at home to-day."

  "I pray to de Lord, madam, it may be so."

  While this conversation was carried on in Miss Evelina's room, the Doctor, Mrs. Boswell, Miss Amelia Scott, Mr. Grattan, and old Mr. Preble, were in the parlour. A young gentleman who had been taking a walk when the party from Selma arrived, returned, and was introduced by Mr. Preble, as Mr. Benson, from Boston. Mr. Benson, who was the son of a Boston merchant, had, at a northern college, contracted a friendship for George Preble, and had arrived at the cottage the day before, when Miss Evelina was at Selma.

  "Your first visit to Virginia, I presume, Mr. Benson?" said the Doctor.

  "Yes, sir; I have long wished to see Virginia, and have taken the opportunity of a leisure moment from business, to visit my old chum, George Preble."

  "We have heard bad news of George, to-day, Mr. Benson," said old Mr. Preble.

  "Why, what's that?" said Mr. Benson, rising from his chair.

  "We have seen it mentioned in a Cumberland paper,

  "Whereabouts is he, Mr. Preble? suppose I go immediately in pursuit of him?"

  "If he does not come in a few hours, Mr. Benson, the Doctor and my daughter will go in the carriage after him."

  Lewis, the servant of whom we have spoken before, opened the parlour door, and informed his master that there was a carriage coming up to the house. The Doctor, Mr. Benson, and Mr. Preble went immediately into the portico, the ladies and Mr. Grattan to the parlour window.

  "That must be George, sir," said the Doctor; "that carriage does not belong to this neighbourhood; it is certainly a strange carriage," addressing himself to Mr. Preble.

  "The horses," said Mr. Preble, "look like Squire Brown's, but I think they are rather dark for his; don't you think so, sir?"

  "That is not Squire Brown's carriage, sir, nor is it any carriage belonging to this part of the country."

  In a few moments it was at the door, and George Preble presented himself at the window, with his arm in a sling, his coat buttoned under his chin, and an empty sleeve hanging over his wounded shoulder. The smile upon his countenance dispelled at once all alarm for the wound he had received.

  Mr. Benson was the first at the carriage door.

  "Why, Bob," said George, "where in the world did you come from? I'm rejoiced to see you."

  "You may be sure I am glad to see you, George, as I have come so far for that express purpose."

  The greetings were all very affectionate, and the Doctor, taking George's sound arm, led him into his sister's room.

  Miss Evelina sprang from the bed, and was about to throw her arms round his neck, when he cried out, "take care of my game arm, Lina:" he kissed her, and passed on to his aunt, who had taken a seat at the foot of the bed.

  "George," she said, "I am truly thankful to the Lord for having restored you to us;" and kissed him.

  "And here's my mammy, too," said George; "she must come in for her buss;" and, indeed, the sound was echo to the sense.

  "De Lord be praised," said she, "my boy dun com' back."

  Miss Evelina prepared herself for going into the parlour with George. Miss Priscilla Graham was assisted up into her own room, and in that sanctum, on her knees, she returned thanks to her Heavenly Father.

  When Miss Evelina went into the parlour, her eye caught Mr. Grattan's; she blushed, from what cause it is difficult to say.

  Old Mr. Preble put some question to George, which gave rise to a relation of his adventure.

  "We happened by accident, sir, to take the very route to Cumberland that the boys had taken, hearing occasionally of them, from persons who had seen at a distance four men who looked like negroes, sometimes in the road, and sometimes in the fields. On Friday morning, we

  "After being wounded, I let go the boy I had hold of, and he ran by Tom Kiser and Ralph Cummins, who seemed more anxious to attend to me, than to catch the boys. I told them to let me alone, and go after the boys. They overhauled our two, who gave themselves up; there being two revolvers pointed at them. I had told Kiser and Cummins not to shoot unless in self defence. The white man disappeared as suddenly as if he had gone into the ground. I asked the free man who he was, but he pretended he had never seen him before; and said that he had come to his house only a few minutes before the boys. We carried them to Cumberland, and put them in jail. I got a physician there to dress my wound, hired a hack, and left on Friday afternoon. Some notice, I understand, of this affair appeared in the Cumberland

  "Well, Mr. Benson," said Mr. Preble, "these are some of the fruits of our peculiar institutions. But for slavery, sir, we should never hear of these shocking occurrences. You are happily free, sir, from such."

  Mr. Benson nodded assent.

  "It is a self-evident truth," said the Doctor, "that, but for slavery, Mr. Preble, we should never hear of runaways; but these shocking occurrences are not the legitimate consequences of slavery. They are produced, sir, by an unpardonable intermeddling on the part of northern abolitionists with our property; producing dissatisfaction among those who otherwise would be contented with their situation, inciting them to resist the authority of their masters, even at the peril of their masters' lives.

  "Shocking occurrences are, moreover, common, sir, in every society, whether slavery exists or not. We hear of the unlawful use of the revolver as much in the free as in the slave states."

  "Doctor, you and I never could agree upon that subject; you think slavery right, and I think it decidedly wrong."

  "If we were both judged by our actions, Mr. Preble, it would be supposed that we both thought alike. We both hold slaves; and I had much rather hold them, thinking that I had a right, or that it was not forbidden, than to own them, thinking at the same time that I had no right."

  "Being here amongst them, Doctor, being surrounded

  "Then you do allow that there are benefits resulting from slavery."

  "Why—sir, why—yes, sir; your slave labour drives away all white labour, and if I did not own slaves, I could get no work done at all."

  "As for that, sir, you might employ the free blacks; there are plenty of them."

  "Oh! sir, they are all good for nothing; I would not be pestered with them."

  "If we were to set all our slaves free, sir, they would be just as good for nothing as those that are now free, and more so; for the more free ones there were, the more worthless they would be."

  Mr. Preble was luckily relieved from the argument, by Lewis coming to the door, and saying that "one man wanted to see him in the yard."

  He went out, and found Mr. Bosher sitting upon the steps. Without asking him into the house, he took a seat by him on the steps.

  "I see from the paper, Mr. Preble, that you have two negro men in jail in Cumberland, and I'm come to see if I can't buy them of you. What kind of men are they?"

  "Young men, sir; the one twenty, and the other two-and-twenty; as likely men as are to be found anywhere— quite sound in every respect. My price for them is six hundred dollars each, and the purchaser pays the jail fees."

  "That's tough, Mr. Preble; six hundred dollars is as

  "You can't have them for less, sir; that's my price. I will keep them in jail until I get that price, no matter how long that may be."

  "Well, sir, I came to buy them; write the bill of sale and an order to the jailor, and I'll pay you the money."

  He went into the house, leaving Mr. Bosher on the step. While he was in, Dr. Boswell saw Mr. Bosher from the window, and, wishing to inquire about the boys he had sold him, he went into the portico.

  "Well, Doctor," said Mr. Bosher, "I told you we grabbed them flying. I have just caught two in the Cumberland jail."

  "Have you bought those two boys of Mr. Preble?"

  "Yes, indeed, sir; and the old man, though he is an abolitionist, knows how to sell niggers, I tell you! He has made me pay him more than I have given to any one else. I suppose, however, he must have a little more than others, for conscience sake."

  "How do the boys come on that I sold you, Mr. Bosher? do they appear satisfied?"

  "Oh! yes, sir; they are as merry as crickets."

  Mr. Preble returned with the papers, and told Mr. Bosher he had directed the jailor to deliver the boys whenever the jail fees were settled.

  "You needn't been so particular, sir, for he would not give them up until he got his fees."

  Dr. Boswell and his lady intended their visit as a

  When the gentlemen returned to the parlour, they found Mrs. Boswell and Mr. George Preble, in conversation together, Mr. Benson and Miss Amelia, Mr. Grattan and Miss Evelina. Old Mr. Preble, as he entered, cast a look of evident dissatisfaction towards Miss Evelina and Mr. Grattan; to the latter he had not addressed one word of conversation during the day.

  Mrs. Boswell, in an under tone, said to Mr. George Preble: "Mr. Preble, it's really worth while to be in trouble, or receive a slight wound, to try the attachment of our friends towards us. We have had, to-day, strong evidences of yours, for you. The announcement of your perilous situation, like to have been attended with serious consequences."

  "My sister Lina, madam, I believe, loves me very much. She is easily overcome by any sudden relation of disaster happening to any one."

  "I don't mean your sister only, Mr. Preble."

  "You certainly can't mean Aunt Pris, for she so entirely realizes the hand of Providence in all events, that she could look undisturbed upon a world in conflagration. Oh, you mean my old mammy, good old soul; every twinge that I feel, pierces her to the heart."

  "No, I don't mean either of them. Of all your female acquaintances in the neighbourhood, out of your own family, who do you suppose, Mr. Preble, would feel most sensibly any evil that might happen to you?"

  "Why, madam, that is a hard question to answer. I

  "The anxiety of another, Mr. Preble, may have been so intense, as to have prevented her from undertaking such a trip."

  "If you mean, madam, that Miss Julia Scott has been kept at home to-day by the intensity of her anxiety on my account, you have relieved me of a world of inquietude, resulting from an apprehension of her indifference."

  "If I had not supposed, Mr. Preble, that there was such an understanding between Miss Julia and yourself, as to quiet all apprehension of indifference towards you, it is a subject that I would not have ventured on."

  They were summoned to dinner, and immediately after dinner, Mr. Grattan, the Doctor, and Mrs. Boswell, took their leave for their respective homes.

  The road to Mr. Grattan's led through Major Scott's farm, and as he passed near the house, he concluded to alight and inform the family of George's safe arrival. To relieve at once the anxiety depicted upon Julia's countenance, he hurriedly said, "I have good news for you; George has arrived at home, with only a very slight wound in his shoulder; the family are all in good spirits, and old Mr. Preble has made quick work with his runaway boys, having already sold them to Mr. Bosher, the trader."

  "It is just what I expected," said the major, "with all

  Julia was somewhat disconcerted at her father's remark, and observed, "Papa, you have determined to do the same, if yours are caught."

  "There is a great deal of difference, my dear, in my selling negroes, and Mr. Preble's doing so; he pretends to be a thorough-going abolitionist; thinks it, as he says, decidedly wrong to hold human beings in slavery, and yet, when any of his slaves attempt to resume the liberty which he pretends to say they have a right to, he is more prompt in his efforts to recover them than almost anybody else, and sells them with as much indifference as he would sell a horse, or any other chattel. I, on the other hand, my dear, have never pretended to hold abolition views. If the master does his duty towards his slaves, he has authority from Scripture, in my opinion, to hold them in that relation; and I think my duty as a citizen requires that I should make an example of those who abscond. If my boys are recovered, I shall sell them, but it will be with great reluctance; and the sin of doing so, if any attaches, must be transferred from my skirts to their abolition advisers.

  "I have never yet heard your opinion, Mr. Grattan, upon the subject of slavery. I will have your horse taken, and you will stay with us all night."

  He left the room to give the order, and when he returned, the conversation was resumed by Mr. Grattan,

  "I consider, Major, that all our views, upon every subject whatever, are derived from revelation. Out of, and beyond revelation, all is dark and obscure. In looking into that book which reveals to man the will of his Creator, we find governments established; and besides the relation of the governed and the governors, we find that of parent and child, and authority given to the parent over the child, as long as the dependence of the one upon the other lasts. We find the institution of matrimony, and authority given to the husband over the wife. We find, also, the relation of master and servant, and authority given to the master over his servant, without limitation as to the time of its continuance.

  "The question arises, what is our duty in regard to those relations? whether it is to destroy or continue them? The only plea for their destruction, is the presumptuous one, that the rules revealed for their regulation are imperfect and faulty. The Jacobins of France have in former days attempted to take from the parent authority over his children, and to confer on children liberty uncontrolled, and unsuited to their tender years. Fourierism, and other isms, would destroy the sacred ties of matrimony, and abolitionism the relation of master and servant. But vain are the attempts of man to destroy those things which God has established. It were better that his efforts were confined to a strict application of the rules revealed for their government, than that they should be fruitlessly expended in a vain attempt to destroy. The improper

  "Do you think, Mr. Grattan," said Julia, "that George did wrong in going after those boys?"

  "Certainly not, Miss Julia. In the first place, I presume, he was obeying his father's orders; and, independent of that, he was right in not intrusting a business of that sort to the entire management of those who might have been less prudent than he determined to be. He went armed, but with a fixed determination not to use the arms except in self-defence; and even after he was wounded, he cautioned those young men who were with him not to fire, unless to protect their own lives."

  "I have seen it mentioned, somewhere," said the Major, "that a party of slaves, who had run away from their masters in Kentucky, after remaining some time in Canada, had gone over to Africa, to become citizens of the republic of Liberia. Do you suppose, Mr. Grattan, that Governor Roberts would knowingly receive runaway negroes as citizens of that republic?"

  "Undoubtedly not, sir; it would be his duty to send them back in the same vessel which had carried them to Africa. Can you suppose anything more foreign from the intention of Southern philanthropists (who planted the

  Major Scott, whenever a minister of the Gospel tarried with him the night, summoned his slaves to join the family in prayer, and to hear any words of instruction which the minister might be inclined to give. They were nearly all present; and Mr. Grattan gave them a few words of exhortation, and a prayer.

  When Dr. Boswell arrived at home, he found a note from Mr. Frazer, informing him that he was afraid to trust himself, and therefore declined taking the temperance pledge, and hoped that he and Mrs. Boswell would excuse him for exciting hopes which could not be realized.

  The incidents of a country neighbourhood are so few, that the reader would not be interested in the occurrences of the following two months, except that, during that time, George Preble got entirely well of his wound; that his friend Mr. Benson stayed with him for some weeks, which they spent together mostly at Major Scott's; and rumour said that they were both engaged to the young ladies,—George of course to Miss Julia.