The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-09
162
O WHY don't Won instruct lD

As to Marie, she has spirit enough, 10 be sure
TO kill off a whole plantation, if I'd let her
manage but she wouldn't get the cheatery out
Of them"
" Are there no honest ones ~
Well now and then one, whom Nature
makes so impracticably simple, truthful, and
faithful, that the worst possible influence can't
destroy it. But you see, from the mothers
breast the cOored child feels and sees that there
are none but underhand ways open to it. It
can get along no other way with its parents. its
mistress, its young master and missile playfel-
lows. Cunning and deception become neces-
sary, inevitable habits It isn't fair to expect
anything else Of him. lie ought not to be
punished for it. As TO honesty. the slave il
keptin that dependent semi-childish state, that
there Is no making him realize the rights of
property, or feel that his masters goods are not
his own If he can get them. For my part
don't see how they can be honest Such fell
low as Tom here isis moral miracle !"
And what becomes of their souls % said
Miss Ophelia.
That isn't my affair, as know Off said St
Clare; 81 am only dealing in facts of the pres
ent life. The fact is, that the whole race,
pretty generally understood TO be. sun W
Sthe Devil for our benefit in re DardanellasTTe'
= ut may turn out in an, Helr arrllYfaned over
8js is perfectly hor-;would This world. how
- a1oas ~S1als~iJelk in .6tbber0
the Dardanelles. KoTbleI ~ said Miss Ophe-
MED by NJ; Lemmbe ashamed of yourselves
tary ny GenS rs | am We are in pretty
count Dat'y for all that" said st. Clare, Gas
other uYfe broad road generally are. Look
y high and the low all the world over and
the same story--the lower class used up,
body, soul, and spirit for the good of the upper.
1t is so in England it is so everywhere; and
yet all ChristendOm stands aghast with yirtuOus
Indignation, because we do the thing in little
different shape from what they do it,
i" IL isn't 80 in Vermont
" All, well, in New England and in the free
States, you have the better of us, grant. But
there's the bell so, Cousin. let us for a while
lay aside our sectional prejudices and come out
10 dinner"
As Miss Ophelia was in the kitchen in the
latter part of the afternoon, some of the sable
children called out, La, sakes thar's Prue a
coming grunting along like she alters does
A tall, bony colored woman now entered the
kitchen bearing on her head basket of rusks
sRd hot rolls
"Ho Pruel you've Gomez said Dinah
Prue had peculiar scowling Suppression of
cOuntenance, and sullen, grumbling voice
She sat down her basket squatted herself
down, and resting her elbows on her knees,
said
ooh Lord wish't rs dead!D
"Why do you wish you were dead?" said
Miss Ophelia.
Cpd be out o my misery" said the woman,
grufly, without taking her eyes from the floor
"What need you getting drunk, then, and
cutting up Prue 2" said spruce quadroon
chambermaid, dangling as she spoke, pair of
coral ear-drops.
The woman looked at her with sour, surly
glance
Maybe you'll come to it one of these yer
days Id be glad to zee you ! would; then
you'll be glad of drop like me, to forget your
misery
Come, Pruc,0 said Dnah "lets look at
your rusks Here's missis will pay for them"
Miss Ophelia paid for a couple of dozen, and
the woman, undOing sOiled handkerchief, gave
her a couple of tickets
"That shows Pve sold you so many" said
she
81 don't understand, said Miss Ophelia.
They counts the money and the tickets |
when gets home to see if I've got the change |
md if | don't they half kills me then
"And serves you right said Jane, the pert
of you will take their money to
ret drunk on. That's what she does missis
And that's what l0iH do; can't live no
ther ways; drink and forget my misery
You are very wicked and very foolish, - said
Hiss Ophelia, TO steal your masters money to
make yourself brute with
" It's mighty likely. misss but will do it
es, | will oh Lordl ! wi-h Ia dead, do
'ish rs dead and out of my misery and slow
y and stiffly the old creature rose, and got her
asket on her head again but before she went
nut she looked at the mulattO girl, who still
TODD playing with her ear-drOps.
Ye think ye're mighty fine with them ar, n
rolickin and a tossin your head, and II lookn
lown on everybody. Well, never mind-you
nay live to be poor, old, cut-up crittur ike
to the Lord ye will, do; then see if
re won't drink--drink-drink yerself into tor
nent and sarve We right, Tough and with
/ malignant howl the woman left the room
Disgusting old beast said Adolph, whowas
getting his masters shaving water "if was
her master, I'd cut her up worse than she is
aye couldn't do that ar, no ways said Di-
nah cher backs a far sight now-she can't
never get dress together over it,
think such low creatures ought not TO be
allowed to 60 round to gentee families" said
Miss Jane "What do you think. MIR. St
Clare!' she said, coquettshly, tossing her head
at Adolph.
1t must be observed, that among other appro-
priatiOns from his masters stock, Adolph was
in the habit Of adopting his name and address
and that the style under which he moved among
the colOred circles of New Orleans was that of
Mr.. ST. Glare.
Pm certainly of your opinion, Miss Benoir,
said Adolph
Benor was the name of Marie st. Clare's
family, and Jane was one of her servants.
Pray, Miss Benoir, may be allowed to ask
II those drops are for the ball tomorrow night
They are certainly bewtching!"
81 wonder now, Mr.. St Clare what the i'm
pudence of you men will come TO-" said Jane
tossing her pretty head till the ear-drops twin
killed. again. 81 shan't dance with YOU for a
whole evening, you go to asking me any more
questions
"Oh, you couldn't be so cruel now; was
Just dying to know whether you would appear
IN your pink tarletane," said Adolph
What is it said Rosa, bright, pquant,
little .quadroon, who came skipping down stairs
at this moment
Why, Mr. st Clare's so impudent!"
On my honor, said Adolph, "rll leave it
to Miss Rosa now
81 know he's always a saucy creature said
Rosa posing herself ON one of her little feet
and looking malicously at Adolph Hes al
ways getting me so angry with him
ooh ladies, ladies' you will certainly break
my heart between you, said Adolph Il shall
be found dead in my bed some morning and
you'll have it to answer for
DO hear the horrid creature talk !" said
both ladies, laughing immoderately.
"Come-clar out you can't have you clut-
tering up the kitchen said Dinah /" in my
way foolin round here
Aunt Dinah's glum because she can't go 10
the ball, said Rosa.
Don't none o your light-colored balls
said Dinah "cuttin round, maxim bleye you's
white folks. After all, you's niggers much az
| ann