Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-05-22
Whole Number 2G2

circles them.
have seen too, woman in her sweetest
mobiles, aspect; thing ofhighcst thoughts
and deepest tenderness still, elevated
made softer still by ministcring tastes,
almost refined away from carth--a crea-
ture priceless and unpurchasable as the
angels. Yet have | seen her sod--bar-
tered-pad for with golden guineas--
with tinkIing tillo--with flashing coronet.
I have heard something of the slave mar
kots of Cairo--of Alexandria; tales of
snow-skinncd Georgian and Circassans
of fairest victims vcnded by ayarice to
lust. The tales were touching-very,
very touching. But hearing them have
smiled at the willu ignorance, the snug
scIf-complacency of Britons--l have smil-
ed and remembered ne Of the slave mar
kets ofSt. James's! WHAT cries the
reader, and his lips turn slightly purple
with Indignation, st James's!' Yes, sir,
St. James's! | have seen blue eyes, pink
checks, scarlet lips sold-aye, as you
would sell a nosegay-lathers and moth
crs Turing on the customer, but having bya
bishop who shall bless the bargain There
is this diflernce between tho Georgian and
the British mcrchandize-a small circle
ofgold wire about it, no more. Have
not seen creatures with soraphic looks
beings that in real loneliness of form and
aspect, in living harmony of gesture
have almost made the>imag nation barren;
have not seen them sold to some para
lytic Plutus--some halfpaIsied earl! No
not sold; they were married Their
parents made for them good matches;they
were married in a church-marred with
all the honours.
The hclls ring out merry peal-look at
the bride, her colour comes and goes, and
her lip shakes like rose-leaf in the wind;
tears blind her eyes; and, as she steps
from the carriage, the earth whirls about
her! Is that the church"door? Surely,
il is the entrance Of a tomb. She fights
with closed lps-mutually fights against
hel swelling heart. She raises her eyes
she sees her fathers stony face glitter
ing with smile-a statue in the sun; be-
holds her mothers simper-her weight of
great content; she turns-moro horrible
than all and catches a look Of him. in
some brief minutes to be made her own
er: he smiles, and her heart dies at his
pan like leor Well, they are married!
The bargain is compIeted-ihe receipt,
certificate, is duly passed. The
happy couple start for his Iordship's hall.
An OK is roastcd-butts ofale are tapped;
all is Joy and rioting among his lordship's
happy people; happy, too, the happtest of
the happicst, is his lordship's self' What
an excellent match for the bride; how
many praise the wisdom-the policy OF
her parents! how nobly they have done
their duty by her. Is it not proved by
after years; does not her ladyship make
an immac ulatc wife? Is she not chasto as
IceIand's SHOWS? Can even midnight
drunkenness dare opass a jest upon hcI!ls
she not pattern of all the choce prop
orties' True-very true. Her father
and mother are proud of the match
proud Of the spotess virtue Of their daugh-
ter. And she is yirtuous. She may, with
most serene defiance, think Of Westmin-
ster Hall; but what has her prudent faith
err to answer, what her most polite moth
cr to reply to that harlOtly Of souI they
have forced upon hor-to that inevitable
daily falsehood which they have made her
act--to hear that constant lic--that ago
nizing ulcer eating in her heart, mos. eat
ing when q smile is Aickering at her lips'
Is she not white slaye--a christian
slave--a bondwoman bought in Il St.
James's drawing-room, albeit welded al
ter St. James's Church? have heard
OF woman slaves toiling IN rice grounds,
heard of the planters winding like whet-
ted steel around poor womans form: of
these things have heard. But | have
seen white slaves in carriages-hayo
known the agonics inflicted on them by
the scourge of their own mind, by the
worm preyng in their hallowing temples,
of despair.
These scenes l mingled in-theso
things saw whilst in the possession fla
dy Blushroso. have, however, trespass
ed by long digression-hayc again COM
mitted my usual fault Of wandering from
the direct line Of my story. Let me hast
en- to return TO it.
Some three months after was stolen
no, taken is the word-lrom the palace,