The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-16

| 10 ~ commonly supposed that the property
interest is n sufficient guard in these cases II
people choose TO ruin their own possessions /
don't know what's To- he done IL seems the
poor creature was thief and drunkard. and
SO there won't he much hope to get up sympa-
thy for her"
1t is perfectly outrageous it is horrd Au-
gustine. IL will certainly bring down vengeance
upon youi'
My dear cousin. didn't do it, and | can't
help il; | would if | could If low-minded
brutal people will act like themselves what am |
to do! They have absolute control they are ir-
responsible despots there would he no use in
interfering there il no law that amounts to
anything practically, for such case. The best
we can do is to shut our eyes and ears and let
it alone. It's the only resource left us
How can you shut your eyes and ears How
can you let such things alOneln
My dear child, what do you expect Here
is a whole class-debased, uneducated INDECENT,
proyoking-put without any sort Of terms or
conditions entirely into the hands of such peo-
pile az the majority in our world are people
who. have neither consideration nor self
control, who haven't even an enlightened
regard to their own interest-ior that's the
case with the largest half of mankind OF
course in a community so organized what can
a man of honorable and humane feelings do
but shut his eyes all he can and harden his
heart! can't buy every poor wretch | see.
! can't turn knight-errant and undertake to re-
dress every individual case of wrong in such a
city as this The most | can do is to try and
keep out of the way of it,
CHAPTER XIX-S Clare's History and Op,n-
IONS
St Clares fine cOuntenance was for Il mo-
ment overcast he looked annoyed, but sudden
| ly calling up gay smile, he said
Come, cousin, don't stand there looking like
! one 81 the Fates you've only seen a peep
sNAssSsys SSFa essss.S. -.l ziEueVs st,.rkE e.
going on the world over, in some shape or other.
If we are TO be prying and spying into all the
dismals Of life we should have no heart to any.
thing IT'S like looking too close into the de-
tails of Dinah's kitchen and St Clare lay
back on the sofa and busted himself with his
paper.
| Miss Ophelia sat down and pulled out her
knitting work, and sat there grim with indig
nation. She knit and knit, but while she unused
the fire burned at last she broke out
IL tell you, Aug stine, can't get over things
so, if you can; it's perfect abomination for
you to defend such system that's my mind"
''At it again hey ?"
II say it's perfectly abominabc for you to
defend such a system said Miss Ophelia, with
increasing warmth
| ~ defend il, my dear lady; whoever said |
did defend it 90 said st Clare
"Of course you defend it--you all do--all you
Southerners. What do you have slaves for if
you don'tt"
| Are you such a sweet innocent ~ to suppose
nobody in this world ever does what they don't
think is right Don't you, or didn't you ever
do anything that you did not think quite
rghtip
"lf do | repent of it, ] hope said Miss
Ophelia, rafting her needles with energy
/, $50 do l. said st Clare, peeling his orange
"Pm repentng of it all the time"
What do you keep on doing it for (?
Didn't you ever keep ON dong wrong after
| you'd repented, my good cousin y
. well, only when Pve been very much tempt
e ed" said Miss Ophelia.
e. We'll, I'm very much tempted" said st
It Glare; that's just my difficulty
n But | always resolve won't and try t
| break OFF,
v "Well, I've been resolving | won't off an
o on, these ten years, said st. Clare, "but
o haven't somehow, got clear. Have you &c
clear 0i all your SINS, COUSIN :"
It cousin Augustine" said Miss Opheiia, q,
s riously and laying down her knitting work, q
G suppose deserve that you should reprove m
, shortcomings, ! know all you say liz tru
enough; nobody feels them more than ! do
: but it does seem to me- after all, there is som
= difference between me and you 1t seems +
0 me would cut of my right hand sooner thai
keep on, from day to day, doing what | though
xuaa R,,t fhAn. 1,,,t .au
1 sistent with my profession, don't wonder yo
reproye me"
"Oh now cousin" said Augustine, sittin
down on the floor, and laying his head back il
r her lap, "dont take on 80 awfully serious! Yo'
know what good-for-nothing, saucy boy al
| ways was. love to poke you up--that's all
just TO zee you get earnest do think you ar
desperately, distressingly good it tires me Il
death to think Of it,"
"But this is serious subject my boy, Au
guste," said Miss Ophelia, laying her hand on
his forehead
"Dismally So said he "and - well,
never want to talk seriously in hot weather
what with mosquitoes and all, fellow can't get
himself up to any very sublime moral flights
and believe said St. Clare suddenly rousing
himself up, there's theory now! | under
stand now why Northern nations are always
more yirtuous than Southern ones-l zee into
that whole subject"
ooh. Auguste, you are sad rattle BRAIN
| Gam IL Well, 40 ] am, ] suppose but for
once will be serious now ; but you must hand
me that basket Of oranges-you see-you'll
have to "stay me with fagons and comfort me
with apples" il Pm going TO make this effort
Now said Augustin, drawing the basket up,
"Pll begin When in the course of human
events it becomes necessary for fellow to
hold two or three dozen of his fellow worms in
captivity, decent regard 10 the opinions Of 40
ciety require -
~ don't zee that you are growing more seri-
GUS" said Miss Ophelia
"Wait--Pm coming on--yOu'll hear. The
short of the matter il, cousin, said he, his hand
some face suddenly settling into an earnest and
serious expression, "on this abstract question Of
Slavery TIE can, as | think be but one opin-
ion Planters, who have money to make by it.
clergymen, who have planters ~ please--politi.
clans who want 10 rule by il may warp and
bend language and ethics TO a degree that shall
astonish the world at their ingenuity they can
press nature and the Bible, and nobody knows
what else into the service but after all, nei-
ther they nor the world believe in it one part.
Gle the more. IL comes from the Devil--thats
the short Of it--and, ~ my mind, it's pretty
respectable specimen of what he can do in his
own lineo
Miss Ophelia stopped her knitting and look
ed surprised; and st Clare, apparently enjoying
her astonshment went on.
you seem 10 wonder: but ii you will get
me fairly at it, III make clean breast Of it.
This cursed business, accursed Of God and man,
what il it? Strip it Of all its ornament, run
il down tO the root and nucleus Of the whole,
and what is III Why, because my brother
/ l(uashy il ignorant and weak and | am intel
ligeDt and strong-because know how, and