The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-23


One seldom knows the might of any force
mill he has been opposed to it. Stand beside
the engineer on the front of a locomotive, and
i NAV seem to you harmless, tractable, and
sohly.moving thing. Spring before it, to push
II back from the wayfarer, whom it is going TO
Grind down on the high road, if you want to
know its horrid and destructive power. Edward
Slid along smoothly enough with the Juggernaut
of Slavery. and never guessed how hard it was
10 turn or stop, until he saw his brother in its
WAY. and rushed to save him, but saw his bright
Young head laid low in the dust at his masters
very feet, and felt his own heart crushed. When
he came back from Bondage, he was in the state
of some surprised wild beast, which, while bask
ing in lazy fearless strength in its hitherto I'M
approached Businesses, suddenly sees its young
writing in the grippe of the hunters, and leaps
up. reused TO unappeasable fury by their bar
baritics His hatred to Slavery, and all that
belonged to it, took thenceforth the form of a
bitter personal resentment-not the purest, GER
tainly, but one of the mightiest weapons which
it is the doom Of oppression to forge for its own
suicide He ierreted out its enormiiies with
the skill of a policeman, and had them attested
with the precision of a notary. He studied the
Black Codes of each of the slave States, and
knew them by heart, or by hatred, as few jurists
do He proclaimed his hideous discoveries and
has brothers wrongs in all companies, with a
passionate and vehement, not scurrilous, elo-
4. Il, xn.,,nollal alto oob HE G. cfo
did amazement, until the very schoolgirls, in
many of whose eyes he was bright particu-
lar STAR told one another Herman's story in
recess, or as they walked home together. Of
course, the young men, who liked to share his
good dinners, cigars, and trotting horses, with
him, were forced to share his orations likewise.
They were soon agreed among themselves that
Arden seemed terribly cut up about that poor
little brother of his and no wonder! 1t seemed
10 have been an abominably hard case! Those
with too high hand, and would have to be
seen TO before long, if they didn't look out and
the country down there was hardly fit for a
Northern gentleman to travel in, if Arden 5
luck fair specimen"
whom it possible to drop. Mrs. Harrison
tried it, and left them out at a ball, but soon
found that she had made a mistake. and gave
dinner Oh purpose to repair it. Clara, how
ever, neither observed the omission nor accepted
the invitation. Awaiting herself of the oppor-
tunty afforded by the timely demise of cousin
whom she had never seen, at the West, she went
INTO mourning, kept Out of company, and de-
voted herself chiefly to Constance, whose re-
morse and misery were like a long drawn death.
When Edward went home, the black dresses
aud two pair of red eyes were apt to send him
out again the next time in fresh Indignation
and thus their good native town had been par
TALLY indoctrinated.
Herman was hearty lover of concord, when
he could enjoy honestly, and, besides, welcomed
the change of feeling towards himself as good
political symptom. He received all the ex-
plantations and recantations graciously and cor
daily. Not so Clara. For almost the first
time in her life she felt herself c,nstaceOuS in
wardly. What do these men mean?" cried
she. =" They were all rude and savage to you,
were they, and slandered YOU, and thwarted you
in every way they could, when you were trying
TO do your duty to your country and theirs ?
Oh. Herman YOU would never tell me how much
you suffered
+" never could = said be, involuntarily.
4" And now they come smiling and bowling up
toyou, and pluming themselves nightly on their
magnanimity, in seeing that they have made
mistakes after it is too late to repair them-as
if it was the prettiest thing in the woodland
telling me, in the most congratulatory way, that
they have found out you were half in the
right after all as if had not known that you
were quite right all the time Abominable
Isn't it, Constance
Constance blushed painfully, hesitated, and
faltered, " You know | can't censure them with
out condemning myself
g beg your pardonl" exclaimed Clara.
raising carnations on her own account.
For showing how you can forgive and for
get? Granted. | wish all my offences had
been of that kind Oh Herman, | can never,
never tell you half how good she isl |"
" L don't believe anybody can and, there
fore, how lucky it is that / don't need to be
toldi"
" She is tolerably good said Edward but
she will be perfect, if she viii move us all down
10 Sea Farm, next week.
/" Sea Farm P" said Herman. Why, isn't it
rather early and chilly to go there YETI"
=" You shall have n buffalo robe and a poker
to take with you. | want to brace you up a
little, my boy" The echo of a whisper had
already reached Edward, that his brothers still
too evident languor and feebleness were "put
on for effect" When the highest and hottest
of Sufferers tagged under the weight of his
cross, if there were any Pharisees present, can
We doubt that they pronounced that he Ian
gnislied for effect ?? Edward was jealous for
his brother, and wished to get him out of sight,
where he could rest and refresh himself at his
leisure away from under the evil eye. Besides
he had just come from a secret consultation with
Il. L. loJ
Herman to see once or twice, and whom he
found inclined to agree with the latter in think
ing that his was one of those cases of merely
nervous prostration, for which letting alone and
fresh air are the best remedies, and about which
least said is soonest mended,' but with him
self, in considering fatigue and excitement
very bad for his patient
But it did not suit Herman to consider him
self anybody's patient 1t can hardly be a
pleasant thing to young athlete, who has been
accustomed to take an honest pride in the
vigor aud hardihood which were in great part
the blessing of Heaven upon his own hardy
active, and temperate life, to own his vigol
gone before his youth, and himself puny, deli
cate invalid. E" At it again." cried he, in
mirthful wrath and wrathful mirth. "What an
old raveni Don't listen to him, girls He'd
croak the Queens beefeaters into a regiment
OF hypochondriacs. How horribly out Of prac
tee he must be, to try SO hard to get hold Of
one case. l am not going off for a MONTH |"
=. Take your time, sir" said Clara, "but
Ned and L are going next Wednesday OF
Thursday, and SO is Constance. / always
thought | should like to be perfect; and if |
have chance to become so so easily, you may
be very sure l shall not let it slip"
Very well. If you're all against me, shall
have to compromise the matter. If / allow
myself to be carried off next week, i must be
allowed to go out this week, without ejacula-
a 10 o or molestation. Why, l have hardly seen