The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-21

have sister, who is said TO be very like our
mother, though she seldom has the rosy cheeks
of the West"
"Ahl / would like to meet her would
like to meet heri Your dear mother, sir, was
similarly to you, perceive, partially tinctured
with the prejudices of your section of the coun.
try; but oh, what sprightly and engaging
method she had of expressing them Your
deceased father, inferred, was always appre-
hensive of her getting him into hot water, as the
vulgar expression is; but, dear me we were
all of us wholly too rejoiced to get few words
with such heavenly beauty, to regard anything
that she said in any offensive way; and as for
me- never was very bigoted or sectional and
I've become less and less so, as I've advanced
in years, and seen more of the world. l often
observe to Hangfellow, and the chivalrous high
soaled young fellows who ride in his troop,
federation, my dear boys, federation mans
opinions are his own and so long as he don't
undertake to arrogate to himself a claim to act
upon EN-, there's no occasion for you to break
the peace. | was remarkingY oh, your motheri
She exsrted great influence in her sphere I;
and she sedulOusly kept within it. l was
young and thoughtless then; but for years i
never lifted my hand against a servant, without
imagining to hear her say as she did once,
when / hit my boy Jim a clip on the side of
the head, for pushing by her into the hotel with
my baggage, and tearing her gown all to rem
nants with nail which protruded out of my
trunk All! don't, Mr.. Trimmer! be merci-
ful what would become US, If our Master were
to punish us for every incensiderate thing we
did?' We were fearful, sometimes, that she
might use her influence with your late father,
to tamper with his vote; but that, believe,
she was rarely ever guilty Of The fanatics
used to endeavor to poison her mind against
our section of the country, and, being feminine,
| dare say they biased her considerable; but
she ever had the sagacity to observe, that
women could not expect to comprehend poll
ties"
How those few words had seemed to raise
before Edwards mind the double image of his
mother and his sister-the good, brave heart,
the good, yet timid mind If before yet the
North had so rashly tempered with the hell
forged chain of Slavery-before, like magical
clue, it had entangled those who dared to touch
it to bind it on their brothers, and wound
around and bound them all together, black and
white, in one inextricable coil of struggling,
writhing, strangling, bondage, misery, remorse,
and crime-Alce Arden, that one gentle, Chris
tan woman, had rallied self-reliance enough to
use her benign influence with her husband, and
through him upon his colleagues, would his two
sons have been in these straits this day? Ed
ward asked himself the question; but he could
not answer it. Many such questions may have
to be asked and answered on the Day of Judg-
ment. Well for her sex, if all of them who
stand in need of mercy for inconsiderate errors
in that day, like Alice Arden, have known how
to show it'll
Her sweet memory was even now pleading
for her son, with the miserable old sycophant
and timeserver before him. Greatly disap-
pointed, but softened, Edward rose to take his
leave.
Brother her SOM"
"No my father married again."
"Ah, didn't perceive how an offspring Of
hers could be concerned in - ahsm. Step
mothers ever wont to spoil their own children,
and tyrannize their husbands. Anything that
is in my power, sir, for her sake, as well as
your own, l would say-advice, any little indul-
gence in my power, you will command at all
hours. Think brother'd like to eat some APP
pies? / have some very fine. Just as well
not to state where they came from. Might preju-
dice my influence, and impair the success of
my exertions on his behalf Hope to meet you
here as frequently as you can consistently call.
In the evening, sir, | am more especially wont
10 be at home. Any middle given name, sir +?
Edward q. Arden l observed on your card"
Yes Charles"
"Ah; Charles not easily mistaken for a sir
name. 1t just occurred me, that if you prefer
red to designate yourself by any other appea-
ton while you stopped in this State, the public
might the less readily recognise your relation
to the culprit."
"Thank you, said Edward, rather haughtily
but those of our name have been accustomed,
as far back as we know anything about them,
to regard it as title TO respect, rather than
otherwise and have yet to learn that any cul-
prit has ever borne it."
"Oh, all, prisoner | should have said. Young
yet Feeling for brother very generous. Didn't
purpose to injure your feelings. No offence,
hope. Any service in my power, at any time"
He said it so kindly that Edward shook the
hand which he held out to him, and exclaimed,
as he did so, Oh, by the way, there is one
thing in your power which L almost forgot to
ask Will you be so kind as to write me an
order to the iailer to prevent the populace from
peeping ar8 prying about my brothers ROOM
as it seems they have been allowed to do?"
The old mans countenance fell again. Very
sorry. Would be very happy. Fearful l could
not
In the name of Job, why?" cried Edward,
losing all his patience. N. b. He did not find
it again.
Public would be very apt to apprehend his
evasion. Be liable to exasperate 'em, too,
wouldn't it? All, feel for you. Very hard.
Very sad" He bowed him out
So any one who chose came to the grated
window of Herman's cell, much as loungers
through a n,endgerie hang about the lions cage,
and stir him up, coax him, or simply stare at
him, according to their humor. Even the little
boys from the streets would suddenly reach up
and draw Gathering stick along the bars, and
cry, Heb, nigger-thiefl-goin' to steal any
more of our niggers? heb !"
Some of the spectators spoke brutally, some
few with tasteless and CALLING commiseraton,
some with mere passionless curiosity. They
discussed before him his probable fate. Some
talked of whipping; some of hanging. Ed
wards Indignation, at all this, almost boiled
over but Herman seemed to look above and
beyond most of these mere annoyances of his
situation, as the moon looks over the dogs that
bay at her. His heart and mind were too full
of other thoughts and feelings to leave much
room for anger. At times, Ndeed, the absurd
ity Of his tormentors would recall in him some
faint CLEAN of his boyish archness.
How do you feel ?" asked one of those in
quiring minds, on one Of those occasions, with
his chin on the window-sil, breaking into the
midst of an important conversation between the
brothers.
"Very well, thank you, sir" said Herman,
turning round upon him with great cheerful
ness, Chow are you?"
He was put in spirits for day by the ac-
count of visit which Ichabod Kuhn, who could
not have talked with him at the Jail without
compromising both parties, paid to Edward at
his lodgings. According to Ichabod's deposi.
ton, Sam was no doubt already far gone on
ada. He had not appeared wild at all, after
rest and food; but his grief had been really
overwhelming when, at night Ichabod had come
no ck from his second trim without Herman