The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-18

built i'm the Moorish fashion, square building
encrcling II court yard, into which the carriage
drove through AN arched gateway The court
in the inside, had evidently been arranged to
crafty picturesque and youptuOus ideahty. |
Wide galleries ran all round the four sides |
whose moorish arches, slender pillars and ar
ahesque ornaments. carried the mind back, rs in |
a dream to the reign of oriental romance in |
Spain In the middle of the court a fountain
threw high its silyery water, falling in a never
ceasing spray into a marble BASIN fringed with
"a deep border of fragrant violets The water
in the fountain, pellucid rs crystal, was alive
with myrads of gold and silver fishes, tumblng
and darling through it like so many living Jew
els Around the fountain ran a walk paved
with mosaic Of pebbles. laid in various tanci-
ful patterns: and this again, was surrounded
by turf smooth rs green velvet while carriage
drive surrounded the whole Two large orange
trees. now fragrant with blossoms threw de
licious shade; and ranged in circle round upon
the turf were marble vases of arabeSque sculp-
ture, containing the choicest Towering plants Of
the tropics. Huge pOmegranate trees with their
glossy leaves and ilame-coOred flowers dark
leayed Arabian jeSsamnes with their silyery
stars geraniums luxuriant roses bending be-
meath their heavy abundance of flowers golden
ever and anon IA mystic old alec, with its strange.
massive leaves looking ike some hoary old en-
chanter sitting in weird grandeur among the
more perishabe bloom and fragrance around it.
The galleries that surrounded the court were
! festooncd with a curtain Of some kind of Moor
ish stuff. and could be drawn down mt pleasure,
10 exclude the beams of the sun. On the whole,
| the appearance of the whole place was luxuri-
| Gus and romantic
As the carriage drove in Eva seemed like n
bird ready to burst from cage. with the wild
eagerneSs of her delight
'Oh, isn't it beautiful. lovely my own dear,
darling hOmei' she said TO Miss Ophelia.
~ Isn't it beautiful! ?"
It's pretty place said Miss Ophelia, as
she alghtcd though it looks sort o old and
hcathenish TO me"
Tom got down from the carriage and looked
about with an air of calm. still enjoyment The
negro it must be remembered is an exotic of
the most gorgeous apd superh countries %. the
world and he has deep in his heart, passion
Gy all that is splendid rich, and fanciful-a
passion which rudely ttn@GlSslf T., -, - -
taste. draws on them the ridicule of the colder
and more correct white race
st. Clare, who was in his heart poetcal yo-
luptuary, smiled as Miss Ophelia made her re-
mark on his premises, and, turning to Tom, who
was standing looking round, his beaming black
face perfectly radiant with admiration, he said !:
Tom, my boy, this seems to suit you"
Yes. massa, it looks about the right thing
said Tom.
All this passed in moment while trunks
were being hustled of, hackman paid, and
while a crowd. of all ages and sizes-men,
women and children-came running through
the galleries, both above and below, to see
mass'r come in. Foremost among them was a
hlghly-dressed young mulatto man, evidently a
very distingue parsonage attired in the ultra
extreme of the mode and gracefully waving n
scented cambria handkerchief in his hand.
This parsonage had been exerting himself
with great alacrity in driving all the flock of
dOmestics to the other end of the verandab,
Back all of you. | am ashamed of you,'
he said in a tone of authority. Would you
ntrude on masters domestic relations in the
first hour of his return ~
All looked abashed ut this elegant speech de-
lvered with quite an mir, and stood huddled to-
gether Mt respectful distance, except two stout
porters, who came up and began conveying |
away the baggage
Owing to Mr. Adophs systematic arrange
mentS when st. Clare turned round from pay
ing the hackman there was nobody in view but
Mr. AdOlph neutrality-suspicious. in satin vest
gold guard-chain, and white pants. and bowling
with inexpressible grace and suavity.
"Ah, AdOlph, is it yOu!N said his MASTER Of
iering his hand TO him chow are you, boy?n
while Adolph poured forth, with great fiuency,
an eXtompCrory apoooh, vrhi~L ho l,od i,ccn pre- |
pairing with great care for n fortnight before.
well, we'll" said st. Clare passing ON with
his usual air Of negligent drollery, that's very
well got up Adolph See that the baggage is
well bestowed. I'll come to the people in n
minute; - and so saying he led Miss Ophelia to
II large parlor that opened on to the verandah
While this had been passing, Eva had flown
like Il bird through the porch and parlor to a
little boudoir opening likewise on the verandah
A tall, dark -eyed, sallow woman half rose
from IA couch ON which she was reclining.
Mammal said Eva, in II sort of II rapture
throwing herself on her neck and embracing
her over and over again.
"Thatll do-take care child-dOn't-you
make my head ache said the mother after she
had anguidly kissed her.
St Clare came n embraced his wife in true
orthodox husbandy fashion, and then presented
to her his couisn. Marie lifted her large eyes
on her cousin with an air of some curiosity and
received her with languid politeness A crowd
of servants now pressed to the entry door, and
among them n middle-aged mulatto woman, of
very respectable appearance, stood foremost in a
tremor of expectation and JOY at the door.
"Oh, there's Nanny" said Eva, as she flew
across the room; and throwing herself into her
arms, she kissed her repeatedly
This woman did not tell her that she made
her head ache, but ON the contrary, she Rugged
her and laughed and cried, till her sanity was n
thing to be doubted Of and when released from
her Eva flew from one to another shaking
hands and kissing, in way that Miss Ophela
afterwards declared fairly turned her stomach
well! said Miss Ophelia, "you Southern
children can do something that couldn't"
what now, pray!" said St Clare.
Well want to be kind to everybody, and
wouldn't have anything hurt; but as to kiss
ing g.
@Niggers," said St Clare, that you're not
up to-heyin
" Yes, that's it, How can sheln
st. Clare laughed, rs he went into the pas
sage lalloa, here, what's to pay out hcrei
Here, you all-Dlammy, Jimmy, Polly Sukey-
glad TO see mass'r - he said, rs he went shak-
ing hands from one to another Look out for
the babies !" he added, as he stumbled over
sooty little urchin, who was crawling upon all
tours "lf step upon anybody, let 'em men,
ton it,
There was an abundance of laughing and
blessing mass'r, ~ St Clare distributed small
pieces of change among them.
Come now, take yourselves off like good
boys and girls he said and the whole assem-
blogc dark and light disappeared through
door into n large verandah, followed by Eva
who carried large satchel which, she had been
filling with apples nuts, candy, ribbons laces,
and toys of every description, during her whole
homcward journey.
As st Clare turned to go back, his eye fell
upon Tom, who was standing uneasily, shifting
from ono foot to the other, while Adolph stood
negligently leaning against the banisters exam