The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1854-05-13


Mrs. Landon was much interested In the APP
pearancc Of Helen Osborne. and she deter.
mined TO visit and if she found her deserving
to exert herself to procure situation for her,
better suited to her youth and apparent gen.
teness than that offered by Mrs. Morelnnd
Unexpected circumstances, however, COMPEL
cd her to leave the city, and when she return.
ed, she found the poor girl already established
in the family Of her friend, and assiduousy
performing the various duties imposed upon
her by that lady. Mrs. Morcland, absorbed in
her phanhropic schemes for the abolition of
slavery, had no time to attend to the comfort
of her dependents, and she did not note the
pale cheek and laborcd breathing of the deli.
cate and overworked creature who was literal.
ly toilng herself TO death in her service
More than once Mrs. Landon demonstrated
with her, and endcayored 10 awaken her to
sense Of ier injustice; but she resented her
remarks M IN unwarrantable interference, and
would not or could not see the suffering her
cnrelessness occasioned to her poo- dependent
Mr.. Moreland was an indolcnt man, and pro.
vidcd his home was always comfortable, and
his income exceeded, he never intericred with
the arrangements Of the family. He did not
partakc of his wife's enthusiasm in the abolition
cause, but as It did not infringe on his comfort
he did not except TO II. OF course, II was not
to be expected that he would give himself any
trouble to improve the situation Of his child
ren's govcrness.
Ono evening Mrs. Moreland gave large
and brilliant party. Helen had been busily
engaged for several days in preparing for II,
and when after all her other tolls were over,
she was summoned to assist Mrs Moreland in
dressing, she was almost ready TO sink wit II
fatigue. Poor girl; she had been tendery
nurtured, and tho labor she was compe He'd to
pav uaa not unIorp,ipinu q trti Ia,
naturally fragile and delicate. As soon as Mrs.
Moreland's toilet was completed, she retired to
her humble bed. hoping that rest and quiet
would bring some relief to her aching head
and throbbing pulse.
Among the guests assembled in Mrs. More
lands splendid drawing yooms was an Eng.
lishmnn, an elderly man, and ono of very pre-.
posing appearance. He had brought letters
of introduction to some of the most respccta.
BILE merchants in Philadelphia, and had rcceiv-
cd 80 much attention and Kindness as TO i'm.
press him with very favorable sentiments Of
the inhabitants Of that city Mrs. Morcland,
who was fond OF strangers, excrted herself 10
entertain him. She enlarged with even more
than her usual animation OH The horrors of
slavery, and warmly congratulated MIR. Stanley
on being citizen of q country whose inhabit.
ants were all free He acknowledged the com
pliment, but added:
al have always supposed that the slaves in
America were well treated, and that their con.
dtion In many respects was more comfortable
than that Of the laboring classes in England,
or, indeed, in any part of Europe"
"Ah, you have never been in slave State,
Mr.. StanlcyY"
"No. madam. have been in this country
only short time. ] came over in search of
some of my dear relatives, of whom have
not yet been able to discover any traces
"Thcn, my dear sir, you can form r1 just
conception Of the horrors Of slavery"
Have you ever witnessed any Of them
yourself. Mrs. MorelandY" asked venerable
looking man, who had listened in silence to
the foregoing conversation.
"Why no, Doctor" answered the lady,
somewhat embarrassed; / cannot say that
have actually witnessed them, but can have
no doubt Of their existence"
"That injusticc and cruelty is frequently
committed, said DIR. Cleveland, sis very pos.
siblc; but do not think the slaves in the
South are generally more oppressed than the
working classes il the free States. In the
course Of my professional duties, have visited
all descriptions Of persons, and i have seen
more than one instance Of persons who had
spent the best Of their lives in seryitude, who,
when age or sickness rendered them incapable
of further usefulness were turned out, per.
haps with their wages unpaid, To starye, or dc.
pend on the charity of tho community"
"Ah, DIR. Cleveland you arc prejudiced.--
You are yourself If mistake not, native Of
n slave State"
81 am Yirginian, madam, but think |
am not prejudccd. regret, in common with
every true American. the introduction of slay.
cry into this country, but cannot think that
tho yiolon, measures proposed by those w1o
wnnlH ahnlish IA aan hnva rthae
than to increase the evils they profess TO cure,
aud to bring ruin and confusion to our CON.
mon country. Tho stale maxim that charity
begins ut home, ". think, q good principle 10
act upon. Let those whose feelings are inter.
ested for the oppressed, see that they promote
To the utmost of their ability, tho happiness
and comfort Of those who are dependent on
thcm. When they have performed this duty,
and not till then, can they, with propric,y, en-.
dcavos 20 influence the condue. of others"
Perhaps Mrs Morelsni felt the justice of
the good old mans rcmarka, fer she did no,
rcply. and the subject was not again resumed
that evening
\, Was sbou, week aNer the foregoing
conversation, ths, Dr Cleveland raped Al tho
door of humble dwelling. W az obscure street
Of Philadelphia A feeble voice asked him 70
enter, and raising the latch, he walked into an
apartment which, though scrapulcusiy eiosn.
plainly indicated the poverty Of It's Inhabitants
A small Ere burn, on the hearth, and near Il
sat nsiddle-sgcd fsmsle, apparently in deli.
cate health, bet busily rngsgei In sewing
what appeared To- be tady's ssrss A rifl
seout ten years old sss hy her aide, sleo su.
gagged in sewine, While a smaller ons occupied
= sseaI AZ the head of the bssi, oa which lsy q
young woman, whose ilasiied ehtsks and IT,.
rsgsisF h,ssthing denoted the pscseucs ~ siis.
case, Amer A lew words ef inquiry. addressed
10 the csdes Frrsle. the doctor sdssacsd 10 the
bed SIDE, and, taking the hard ~ the pssienl
be examined ksr pulse and spoke 10 her III
tones az sIndneSs, which brought the ssss in.
TO her eycs