The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-20
Why don't you talk to herP"

- am very sorry for you, poor fellow and
would like to give you comfort and counsel,
but l must hurry away from you, and try to
get leave to go to town, and see poor dear
Fannie. III were you, Governor, soOuld speak
to Major Hewitt upon this subject. He never
would permit such a wrong done YOU" {.
"'Taint no use, l tell yer But nebher
min, VALLEY, listen yer! some OBJ desc yer days
I fires him! :"
Valentine started at the demoniac look that,
in man usually so mild, accompanied these
vague words; and, bidding the negro a hasty
good morning, he ran along the lane until he
reached the house.
His own heart and brain were wild with grief
and alarm, as he fastened to the presence of
his master, whom he did not doubt would now,
in this extremity, permit him to go to the city.
Mr.. Waring, in an irritable frame of mind,
was walking up and down the front piazza, as
Valentine stepped upon the floor.
"Well, what now?" he exclaimed, testify,
at the sight of the young mans agitated coun-
tenance.
any wife, sir she has got the fever"
Sorry to heaf it, but-how did you hear it,
sir? / hope no one from that place has had
the temerity to set foot upon these premises, in
face of the prohibition"
"No, sir; happened to meet with Governor,
Mr.. Hewitt's man, and he had seen an acquaint-
ance of ours from the city, who came from
Fannie's house this morning, and brought the
news"
81 wonder Mr. Hewitt does not take better
care of his own interests than to permit strag-
glers from the city to infest his place. He
will bring the pestilence among US before we
I" But, Fannie, sir, my poor wife -
% We'll what of her2 | an, qOrrv Of oourca
really sorry, Valentine 1t is pity you ever
got married; if you had not, neither you nor
Fannie would have had so much trouble. 1t
was a very foolish piece of business" ,
Perhaps it was, sir; but people who love
each other have sort Of propensity to get
married. 1t can't be helped, suppose; it's a.
way they've got"
"And bad way-very bad way-that
ought never to have sanctioned"
Nor initiated sir!"
"You are an impairment fellow But over
look that. There is some difference, should
judge, between you and me, and l certainly;
ought never to have consented to your taking;
that girl"
I" 1t is too late to say that now, sir I" said
Valentine, with sigh so heavy that Mr.. War,
ing inquired, quickly
$50 you repent it, do your"
ANO. OOU hhOWS l. uO not! re-
piled Valentine, with sorrowful earnestness,
adding, But, oh, sir am losing precious time:
| came here to ask you for a permit to 90 to
town and see nay wife,"
"A permit! A permit to 60 to town, and
to visit woman i'll with the very pestilence we
are all doing our best to guard against? A per-
NIT to go there, aud take the fever Just as sure
as you go, and bring back and spread the con-
tagion among hundreds, whom we are all doing
our best to guard from the pestilencel Impos.
sible, Valentine | wonder you could be so un.
reasonable as to ask it
Unreasonable that should want to go and
see my suffering wife?n .
ioxS Ht her, GsEeg f 1o& asO
| cannot say that your manner is very respect,
full. Still, / am very sorry for you and if it
were possible for me to do anything for your
relief, / would do it-as it is, l regret that
can do nothing"
ooh, sirl Master Oswald you could let me
90 to town." pleaded Valentine.
at the imminent hazard of your own life,
and the all but certainty of bringing the pest,
lence upon this plantation"
"All do not get the fever who are exposed to
its influence; neither do they always spread
contagion into the healthy places they chance
to visit" reasoned the young man.
"The risk is too great replied the master,
CURLY
"Would you think it too great if your o,cn
wife were the one concerned, sir?" argued Val
entine.
"Be more respectful, sirrah There is sons
difference should say!" retorted the master,
angrily.
Eyes, there is a diferencel" cried Valens
tine; and when | see anything to respect -
suddenly he stopped, swift as lightning came
the thought, that If he refrained from provo
king his master now, and came to him an hour
hence, when he should be in better humor.
the prayer that he now denied, he might then
grant Controlling his rising indignation, be
bowed, turned abruptly, and went off. .
"Impudent rascal he was ust about to san
something that should have had to knock him
down for and then he thought better of it, anG
stopped-it's we'll he did! Poor fellow, au
sorry for him, too; bat it is all his own fault Z
If he were not so presumptuous. he would not
feel so badly. That is the very deuce of it; for
that prevents him from seeing that there is a
difference" Such were the reflections of Mr.,
Waring, as he continued to pace up and down
the front piazza.
Valentine had mastered his anger, but he
could not eontro, the terrible anxiety that prey:
ed upon his heart; Fannie suffering, hannia
dying deserted, alone; little Coralie polishing
from neglect-these were the torturing Visions
that maddened his brain. 5
He went and told Ph@dra, who wept bitterly
at the sad story but yet sought to comfort her
son, and inspire hope, by promising to 60 her,
self and tell Mrs. Waring, and get her to inter.
cede with her husband for Valentine. Z
This was done, but with little success for,
though Mrs. Waring was moved to compassion,
and went to her husband, and besought him tc
take compassion upon Valentine, and send him.
to see his sick wife, and trust in Providence to
avert all evil consequences, Mr.. Waripg was
not only hrrn in his refusal, but also exhibited
no small degree of Impotence at her interfer
ence. Unwilling to inAict Q hopeless disap,t
pointment upon the poor fellow, Mrs. Waring
tempered the report of her i'll success, by says
ing that, though Mr.. Waring had now refused
her petition, she still hoped that he would think
better of it, and grant the permit. s.
Yet all this time Fannie might be dying, and
her child perishing far want-every moment
was precious beyond price Phedra sought
her masters presence, and pleaded with him
pleaded by her long years of faithful service 4
by her devoted care of him in his feeble in
fancy; by the days of his childhood, when he
and Valentine were piaymates; by ali the long
years, as boys and as men, those two had pass:
ed together, inseparable companions, until ths
marriage of each; by her own devoted attach,
geHt to them; by his love for his own wife; By
every sweet affection ana holy thought, 70 haze
compassion on her son, his own foster-brother
and let him go and minister to his sick--proh
ably his dying wife. Ph@dra pleaded with mors
eloquence, but not with more success, than ths
others had found. Some substances melt I'M
der the action of water-others, in the same ele
&c H. III.
Warnings obduracy seemed TO ossify under thu
offoofe Of too ru q nd ontraatios He fold pbadrs