The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-13
VOL. VIII.


Gaetano resumed his seat, informing his eli
emit that he was quite at his service.
You have read the deed, presume ~ ask
ed Mark.
The attorney had read 1t, considered it re-
markedly well drawn up, and felt delighted
that he had enjoyed opportunities of making
himself SO well acquainted with English.
at is an excellent deed, Monsieur Aveling, y
he said, "in all respects. In fact may pro-
nounce it perfect"
al believe resumed the other, lie gives me
power to foreclose the mortgage, at any time,
if choose
Conditionally, on your giving to the other
party, or to his attorneys, 60, fifteen days no
tice, suggested the lawyer, stretching out his
long fingers, and closing them again with a
nervous twitch.
Exactly exactly" said Aveling. "Now,
tell me-suppose the party should be in France
at this time, and were to give him due notice,
would that be valid according to French law %
Perfectly So" answered the attorney. "Un-
less he have this large amount with him, or
can command it on his credit, it would be i'm
possible for him to prevent the foreclosure
have thought Of that, and am, think,
safe, go far He is an over-scrupulous fool, who
Processes to have some conscientious notions
about the sinfulness of holding slaves and who
would have set the whole lot he owns free, if
his father had not like true Southerner,
mortgaged the property over and over again.
The result of this FOOLS scrupulousness is, that
he is poor, and obliged to depend upon the re-
turns of small share in business in New
York. whilst he lets his slaves work for the
benefit of his overseers and the creditors of the
estate"
The legal spider smiled CONTEMPORARY at
this sacrifice Of personal interest to conscience,
and expressed his inability to comprehend such
egregious folly.
"And this property" he remarked, sharpen
ing his hard nails with pen knife, "you wish
me to purchased"
"There is purchasing and purchasing" re-
piled the other "You know what desire
and the simple question is, whether you will
aid me-"
"For consideration of-well, never mind |!
The terms are sufficiently liberal" resumed
Gaetano, {" and am not disinclined to assist
you; l shall acquire all your rights, and SO
forth, and am to proceed against this Monsieur
Wray as you shall direct"
"No mercy!" gasped Mark.
~ clearly understand" said the attorney
al fully enter into your views. You say Mon
sieur Wray is in Paris"
az met him, only few evenings since, at a
| Soireen replied Mark e. followed the hack
ney carriage that took them homen-
"Them 3" calculated Pelligrini.
eyes; she was with him, resumed the other.
"She I! You forget, my good friend -
True you do not know. mean that Leon
ard and his sister were there, and that have
ascertained where they are staying. They are
at an hotel, not far from here"
"They must be watched" suggested the at
torney
"Do not lose sight of them an hour" re-
marked Aveling.
al observe, in the deed, the name of a slave
who bears the same name as the young lady
you mentioned just now,n said Peliigrini.
otis she-she HERSELF exclaimed Mark
vehemently 4" as pretty piece of property as
a man ever had the chance of securing"
"But did you not say she is sister to Mon
sieur Wray !" asked the attorney, opening his
hawks eyes in some surprise.
Mark Aveling laughed contemptuously, but
| it was in bitterness of spirit.
"She's what we call white negro in our
country" he said. "There are thousands such
She is Leonard's sister, it is true, but only on
the fathers SIDE The mother of the girl was
as near her color as two peas. They say she
was one of Jefferson's descendants. You could
not have distinguished her from white only
for her hair. Old Wray bought her on specu-
lation, but took such fancy to her, that he
and his wife quarreled on it, and parted. She
caught the fever and died, in Charleston, some
ten months after. Milly Wray kept the old
mans house during this time, and this is how
he came to bring up the girl he had by Milly
with his son Leonard. When she was seven
years old, he sent her to school in the city Of
New York where none knew but that she was
Miss Mildred Wray, and Leonards own born
sister. Now and then she used to come home
| Ioln al &hav hn
doings showing her off. At last she grew uI
to be young woman, and the old man became
ashamed to have her home any more, because
of her origin. The secret was carefully kept
from her brother, who nearly went mad when
he at last discovered it. His father told him
he intended to leave her free, but the young
headstrong fool would not hear of his beauti-
full sisters being q slave, and would not sane
ton any act that established the fact. This
fine sentiment, however, did not suit the cred
itors; and when the old man died, she was In
cluded in the chattels and effects personal as 9
matter of course. My father was the largest
creditor, and when he died | inherited the
whole of his property; for you must know | an
an only son."
The attorney began to gather clue to the
motives which had induced Aveling to seek hi
| co-operation. He had an instructive apprehen
sion that malice and cunning were coming init
play, and would find employment for him. He
stirred the fire, and gathered up his long limbs
to listen more attentively.
Gas knew the whole history of Mildred
Wrsy.u resumed Aveling, II was not inclined
to be baked of the wish had long entertain
ed of gaining possession of that pretty piece
of property; so went one day to Leonard, and
made bid for her, offering to deduct the sun
from the amount he owed me- He flew int
towering passion, and babe me leave tn
house. However, he Gained down presently
U and when had talked the matter over witt
him, he grew more reasonable, and said n
would think over it. / allowed some time u
pass. and as he did not take any notice, wen
to him again. He told me he had made III
his mind to decline binding himself to my prop
osition. / threatened to sell him up, but n
did not care for that, he said, and 30 we parted
On my way home, bethought myself that
| attempted to carry out my threat, the otne
J creditors would come in, and might miss m.
object after all. So went to work and bough
J them up, one after the other"
Capital tactician,p exclaimed the attorney
quite enraptured with the details of 30 consum
mate villany.
~ thus became sole MORTGAGE of the prop
, erty,u continued Aveling, and determines
now to secure the girl. l went again to Leon
ard. and told him how matters stood, but
was all of no use. He had taken care the CIR
should not know anything of what was goinl
ON. and kept the place where she was residing
On close secret, that it bafiled my utmost ei
forts 70 discover it. At last she fell sick, an,
the nbvsicians ordered her to the South 70
.bance Her native air was recommended