The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1863-02-10
A MAIDEN LADY's OVER
SEER.

one Of lhe finest plantations ~ Nifgl-
MIA. which she managed, with the help
Of an oyerseer. without asking advice
OF assistance Of any one an iudepen-
dent procedure no wise pleasing 10 her
brother, Mr.. Godfrey Goodwin, who
lived al a shor, distance, and who, by
virtue Of his relation, thought himself
entitled to be consulted upon every
occasion. But Miss Priscilla had al
WAYS been self-willed, and lad always
persisted IN regarding her brcsher a.
being endowed with very small
share of common sense and judgment,
and would rs soon have entered into q
consultation with her pet kitten as
with her brother Godfrey For his
wife, who had beer pretty Southern
belle. and was now n lazy, faded
Southern ma;ron, she entertained a
contempt which bordered on dislike,
and her two nephcws were her dread
and terror. The only one of the
family whom she really loved was
her niece, pretty girl Of about nine
teen summers, who had been christen-
ed by the digniGed name Of Wilhel.
nina, but was never by any chance
called anything but wiz by her
family and intimate friends. Aplump,
black-haired girl, with high color
and sparkling eyes, with an indepen-
dence Of speech and manner which
her lady mother said reminded her
sadly Of Miss Priscilla" She was a
great fayorile with every one, and
looked upon far and near as certainly
tie heiress of her aunt's property as
though the will had been already
written and published for the benefit
Of all Virginia
A perfect understanding appeared
10 exist between the old lady and her
young niece, and they had never se-
riously differed, save on one subject,
and this, strange TO say, was the new
overseer Of the plantation, dark
th lex set man Of about forty, with "A
neck and jaw which indicated blood
thirsty ferocity, as plainly as did those
OF the great bulldog who was his
frequent companion. This worthy
had been installed in his presen, office
on the death of the poor old Giles
Worihington, his predecessor, the
mildest and most excellent of men,
and had presented himself without
character, in dirty and ragged gar
ments, after dusk, to beg for the situa-
ton. Perhaps rumors Of Miss Pris-
cilla's character had reached him.
She was famous for patronizing un-
promising specimens Of human nature,
and making excellent use Of what
every one else repudiated. Many and
many an unfortunate niger" lazy,
thieyish, or rheumatic, sold for his
faults or misfortunes, had Miss Pris-
ella purchased, and lectured and doc
torcd into the best servants Of that
place. And when Ezekiel Doble
stood before her with long story Of
iil.nsagc and desiituiion on his lips,
she took a fancy t. him forthwith, and
established him 1t once in lucrative
and responsible situation. Every one
blamed her, and Miss Wilhelmina re-
monsraied in the plainest terms, ex-
pressing her opinion OF the new over
seer without restraint. 1t was the
cause Of tie first quarrel they ever
had.
" You dislike the man because he
is poor and plain, and ill'used by the
world said Miss Priscilla. THAT is
the very reason you ought 10 ike him,
VIII. | really wonder at you"
And wonder at you, aunt, re.
iorted Miss win. @Such villain
Gus face such an abominable eye -
II be is not a jail-bird, I'm mistaken.
The servants hate him, ! can tell you.
After poor, kind Giles, whom they all
loved, any one would have been un-
pleasant, and this fellow"
"Has he done anything to you z"
Interrupted Miss Priscilla.
Il can't say be has, replied Miss
WgI