The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-10-14
For the National Era
HONOR VS.. PRIMO IPLE.
BY MARY IRVING.
lCoNCLUDED.l

u X VS.. RI L.
BY MARY IRVING.
CoNcLUDEDl
Henry had listened to this long harangue
with eyes deliberately bent upon the landscape
beyond, and countenance apparently impas-
sive. Only about his lips played any tokens of
attention or of emotion.
Look at here! young Massa!" exclaimed
the shrill voice of matronly kindlookng
nlulatto woman whose check Handkerchief,
starchcd and twisted into a pyramid, was
thrust between the rose-vines at the further
end of the bower "What for you gwine to
keep my chile out browning in dis yer sun,
till her pretty white face black az her old
maumer's9 Go long in de parlor, like quail
ty folks. Missis Kurnel is a rummagng the
house over arter ye!"
"That will do, Nanny" cried Augusta,
laughing Here, come and speak to this gen.
tleman, Mr. LESTER
The Lord presarve you, Massa Less'r,"
exclaimed the faithful creature, folding her
hands over her pladed apron.
$50 you are the nurse Miss Augusta has
told me so much Of" said he.
"Bress her sweet lips yes, Massa 1t is
siAtcCu yCuib uRO. ldSt TCDdfuiv, utf DCoSCu
pretty mother, guy her into ole 'Tildys keep !;
and it's but poor cretur am, Massr, but I've
KEEP her, watchful, ever SEN that night, barrin'
the two year she staid up Nor'ad. And please,
Mass'r, when there's anybody takes to come
arter my chile" she said, with twinkle of her
cleaning eyes, "they's boun' to hide old Til
dy's ways all their 'varsal days Bein' as I've
raised her, Pll keep to her faithful, Mass'r,
and to all that's her'n!"
The old creatures cheeks were washed with
tears before she had finished, and drop or
two twinkled in Augusta's eyes, as she turned
them very appealingly to Henry. They went
together into the house. and met the family
at breakfast
Towards noon, Colonel Leroy made his ap-
pearance-a handsome, portly gentleman, at
first little critical and cOolly civil toward his
moved he had thrown off his reserve, and was
apparently in his element of frank hilarity.
He sketchcd the political history and geogra-
ply of the district for his guest, with the air of
one who is confident that what he has to say
will be appreciated to its utmost extent
ave need few whole-souled, leading men
here" said he, as he arose. "The masses are
easily moved If we had little more gene
ralship on the right side, the scale would be
turned for this district and this district, once
won and kept would turn the State before
long"
Thought was busy in Henry Testers brain
that night, revolving all that the day had
brought to bear upon him, all that his past
life had taught him. On one side--wealth,
fame. worldly happiness, the wishes of one
dearer than all these; on the other-years of
Foil in - rnnuh try o,v,,
in poverty, and ending-who should tell where
IA mother and sister possibly, to be thrown de.
pendent upon his resources his IDOLS dearest
wishes and prejudices TO be thrown aside--per-
haps the loss of that idol by the alternating in
of opinion. He weighed all these in the calm
ly-posed balances OF his reason his heart was
hardly calm enough. His head grew fevered,
at last, under the heavy freight. He arose,
and lifted the crimson window.curtain. Beyond
the garden the huts of the negroes cleaned i'm
the moonlight, like white tents in a forest
clearing He thought of the mornings CONVEX
sation
"Can load my soul with the awful, unde-
fined, and untransferable weight of response
blity, that hangs upon the owner of the soul
tenanted bodies sleeping there" asked he of
his conscience No 20 help me God!
will be free-ir free only to toll and suffer!
and that too in land of freemen !"
He returned to his pillow, and slept soundly.
Augustus bright, hopeful eyes were more
than clouded, the next day. She had been a
petted child, and was hattered belle. II was
a new thing in her experience to ask great
favor, and meet steady, serious denial--one,
too on which 40 much Of her happiness de-
pended she had scarcely believed that he who
most valued that happiness, could refuse 1t.
But she urged no more and tried 10 keep
within her own room the tears that would
sometimes spring into her eyes, regardless Of
Henry's presence.
Colonel Leroy gave grand political dinner
on the fourth day of his young guests stay
Augustus brow Frightened at the first ntima-
ton of this, although she said nothing. She
felt assured that, if Henry were once brought
in close contact with the leading men of the
vicinity some important result would follow
If he were tempted to stay for his own sake,
as well as for hers, the scale might turn.
One of the guests at this gathering. the son
of a neghboring planter by the name of Raby,
had professsd himself violent admirer Of the
sister of his host. He was evidently very high
" displeased TO encounter 30 formidable rival
rs the young gentleman whom accdent-or a
Power that rules accident-selected AZ his
vis-a-yis at the table His gray eye dartcd
furtive CLEANS at Lester, that would surely
have annihlated him il the will Of their full
minator could have won its way.
The wine flowed freely after the ladies had
retired from the dning-hall. A sheer from
Raby directed at Testers abstinence from the
Intoxicating beverage, had already called
flashing glance TO Augustus eye, The grand
theme Of conversation, politics, was taken up
in earnest. Raby was loud, violent and de.
camatory in his tones, tossing OF bumpers OF
champagne and port at quaf, and gesticu-
lating more and more 6ercey in the direction
Of his opposite neighbor.
Lester was cautious; but at some plain and
provoking misstatement OF the headstrong