The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-27

with intense angus S-anguish proportional
both to the general G.. ,stitutional sensitiveness
of the patient and sssewise to the length OF
time that the numb sess has lasted, allowing
more or less numerc-.s aud grieyous wounds
to be unconsciously IL iicted there.
We put an error int our lives carelessiy and
thoughtlessly, as sometimes do a poison into
our bodies; and it works. Then, if we find it
out in time, and are Use, we send for the physi-
clan, and he saves u, Z but it may be so as by
fire. We take it for granted that our fellow
beings are chattels 4 follows naturally that,
thinking no harm, W.. treat them as chattels !;
and then, sooner or ster-God grant that it
may be soon, and not too late, for them or for
us-we hear In the co=f-chilling our blood
OF some awful day, tie voice of God, saying
unto US, "Where 3 thou? Where is thy
brother?" and We KIN. " not what to answer.
Intentionally cruel Constance had not been ;
but she was utterly i,Slorant of the black side
OF Slavery; and, as we have heard her say with
the characteristic CAM Dr. in which no one could
excel her, she had litfe or no sense of duty due
from her to her fellow2Seings, until taught it by
Roman Catholic DISCIPLINE. Roman Catholic
discipline taught her 3 any good lessons as re-
garded her outward IN, and some as regarded
her inner; butt casn tell how far her ex
perience in this rest ct was or was not pecu
liar-she had, under 3at discipline, been ex-
horted to be good to Tiers, more for her own
good than theirs. Fa It's absolved were annul-
led and forgotten. A..aost as soon'as she had
been actively employee as Sister of Charity
in the service of other to be sure, she had be-
gun instinctively to Fl Il for those she served,
because she had a ge erous nature; but, ever
since that time, her lifa had been crowded, at
first with the duties aul.of late with the pleas
ures of the day, and sbA bad never reconsidered
her rash deed. The sebject of Slavery, except
In its political bearing had never once taken
ing, however, under 4erman's influence and
guidance quite new.;et of principles of uni
versal justice, sympatEA and good will. She
applied them to the simple summary of poor
Jakes misery, when sts presented it to her,
saw her conduct, his situation, and that of
his fellows, for the frs time in their true light
and was utterly appalled,. Herman dared not
let her sit down in qui / to brood over the past,
and the possibilities of the case. He merciful-
ly kept her as busy rs, he could in dwelling
upon and preparing tbI, remedy:
g You will think IL best to send the poor
things to Canada, HaJti Jamaica, or Liberia,
| suppose, Constance More shame for us, we
can hardly shelter them now securely in Boston.
Negrohunters might ZONE down upon them,
some time when we wxSe at Sea Farm, or else
where out of the way, ad make awkward mis-
takes under the law. he air of New England
used to be like that of Did England, which no
man can breathe and be slave; but nous
arons change tout eel . | have brought you
here some pretty trus.worthy reports of the
condition of the negroeN in all these places, and
when you have decided which promises best |
will get you the addresses of some persons of
color and condition, T. whom you can write
while l am away, in lrder to concert some
plans without loss of tine with them for your
proteges. If L ever " shed to be a rich man,
it would be now, that / night take you with me
to their poor bac 4 faces light up at the
sound of your message. Part of your five hun
dred dollars will serve as dowry, hope, for
poor, faithful Nance"
The wedding of Herr AN and Constance had
to be put off, of cours I. No time was to be
lost in rishtins tho Ssso apeed and besides. the
means of the betrothec must be reduced, and
their plans were unsett I'd. 1t was not impos-
sble that the rent of tsen the tiny house in
Pinckney street, which they were on the point
of hiring, might now be too high for them to
pay. Their wedding was to be put off indeh-
nitely.
To this, however, Cls>a demurred ~ have
played the dog in the nAnger at your bidding
very obediently, pHerms y she said, and kept
from you the money VIZ ch L could not spend
myself, in my opinion, rite long enough. 1t is
time now for me TO beg to have my own way.
L have felt sadder than chose to tell, at the
prospect of losing you tom our house; and if
l have said nothing about it hitherto, it has
been only because supposed that if you could
have n little independent establishment, it would
be more agreeable to you and Constance both.
IL you give up that, you must come to us. There
is more than room enough for us all. Edward
says that he should be particularly glad to have
ba 81, 10, froo 10
go and come as he pleases and | could not
bear to be gene to him. He is afraid should
be lonely without you; and indeed | should.
Think of that great house half empty, and your
dear odd old room shut up. 1t would seem
exactly as if you were dead You must promise
me that you will be married as soon as you come
back, and let me make you proper allowance,
at least until YOU are able to stand on your own
feet again. You must consider that am getting
in life, Herman" continued Miss Clara,
looking as elderly as she could, though not, with
her best endeavors, quite equaling Joyce Heth
in that respect, and nothing does me so much
good, or is SO adapted toDOothe my declining
years, as having cheerful young people about
me-" II
Herman" said Constance, coming to him
with a downcast look, soon after, g have you
any objection to my giving music lessons, if |
can obtain some pupils 2"
He started and hesitated. Even those rare
men, who can play their own sensible and spir-
tied part in life, in the frowning faces of
public prejudice and of the tyranny Of fashion,
are often towards for the women whom they
love. Herman certainly had a very strong dis
like to Constances doing anything for hire. 1t
was, notwithstanding, high-mnded and spirited
in her, to wish to do this it would take up her
time and thoughts and he was not SO sure as
l. L.. - Il, al.
thing better than snObbishness in him, which
made him object to her wishes. The prescribed
but unhinching patriot shrank from having his
lady-love do anything howsOever fit in itself to
be done, and desirable, which might make her
lose caste in the eyes of the very silhest fop
among her rejected suitors.
Z" / cannot say that | prefer to have you give
music lessons, certainly, love- said he "but /
can admire and esteem you only the more for
wishing to do so; and if i have any objection,
L fear 1t is one which l ought to be ashamed
to urge. 1t has become an obsolete notion
among us, thank Heaven! that man in be-
coming busy man must cease to be gentle
man. Surely, being busy woman, and work
ing for yourself and me, this year, as you worked
last year for the poor, cad make you none the
less gentlewOman."
Would not you rather have me a useful
woman than gentlewoman, if could not be
both ? An honest woman, at any rate, working
to pay, as far as it lies in her power, her own
grievOus debts to God and man.?
You shall have my free consent to do any,
thing that can in any degree relieve your mind,
my dearest girl"
Again Clara interposed, however, when she
had heard of the plan. Perhaps she had some
drawing room prejudices, which she, not being
a reformer by profession, did not think it incum-
bent uDOn her to try to overcome If she had