Year: 1863

against her, was not with her. Ambition wa.
his bane, reckless speculation lis sole enjoy.
meni For such he seemed to live, and won
dered why his Florence dropped, and pined
and wept, while he was wrapped in great
achemes of wealth. Warm-hearted as woman
car truly be, yearniug vainly for a return of the
love that dwet in her own breast, Florence Du.
rant cared little for the eastern spendor en-.
circling her in this little earthly paradise, while
she saw her husband giving up his whole heart
and soul to business, with but seldom, a word o,
look for herself.


The disappointed wife was pondering over all
this on the evening in question, casting her eyes
alternately from the sitting sun to the infan,
that lay sleeping at her feet, famed gently BY q
little slave girl. The planter hal been absent
for many days, and as yet had not seen this last
addition TO his family but Florence promised
no pleasure from their meeting.


She knew too well, from past experience, that
he would look upon her newborn infant as he
would on piece of fnrnisure just added to
their drawingroom. He woull show no un-
kindness, use no harsh words :. but there would
be that utter disregard, that abstraction from
all but business, which sinks into the heart oil
wife of sensitive mind almost as deeply as ac-
tual wrong.


1t was in vain the slave girl chanted her
prettiest Indian love song as vainly did the
little infant, by its very muteness and helpless
ness, appear to solicit sympathy and protection.
Florance felt that she would gladly have ex-
changed her wealth and station for the humble
lot of any poor slave girl on their estate, 10
have annoyed requited love.


The sun had sank full down bt low the many
tinted horizon the infant had been laid to rest
on downy pillows; the moon had flung its first
soft rays upon the distant hill-lops, and on the
waving leaves of lofty palms-yet Floeance still
sat there, gazing in deep thought upon the
opening prospect of another year so like the
last that her heart tainted within her, and forced
out bitter tears.


But let us look elsewhere. If we turn our
eyes towards the little stream that, fed by grug
ling mountain brooks, sweep merrily past the
plantations of NJ. Durant, towards the Port, we
shall see how many cane fields it refreshes, and
how many sugar works it supplies with water.
along this little river light canoe was floating.
halfpaddled, half borne upon the stream. Seated
in the stern of the little craft was young plan
ter, who, with folded arms and darkencd brow,
seemed lost to all that was passing around him.
AS the last rays of the sun disappeared the
canoe touched the mossy bank Of the little is
land in the rear of the house, and awaking to
consciousness, Duraut-for it was he-spranp
to shore.


Instead OF fastening to his house as usual,
the planter began to pace the lawn in the island
with rapid and unsteady strides. 10 ,nl,i fro
the gloomy man walked in the deepest excite
ment, as though uncertain or careless of what
his course shonld be. The speculations he had
been engaged in, and which had accumulated
about him until they had assumed enormous
magnitude, had broken down in hopeless ruin /;
and now, crushed and oppressed beneath this
sudden weight, the ambitious man felt mad
dened with disappointment. What he might
have determined upon, or whittier he might
have bent his steps had he been left to his own
medlations matters not to our purpose. But
the sound of many merry voices came floating
down the roseapple avenue towards tn bridge ;
nearer mad nearer the boisterous throng ap-
proach louder and quicker the bursts of laugh
ter fell upon his ear. They were the voices OF
his own children, whom he could see apprach
ing in company with one or two of the slave
children, and greyheaded negro in charge of
the party. In no mood to enconnter all this
merry making, the planter turned aside from
the green lawn, and diving into mass of ever
green behind a sort OF grassy mound. he flung
himself upon the ground amongst the rushes
lotus leaves, compelled, however unwilling, to
listen to the childish talk of the merry groop.


Such a happy party they were! There was
Rose, dark-eyed girl of eleven, full Of thought
and kindness Edward, the eldest boy of nine
with Earnest and little Minnie, and old Pierre
negro OF sixty years, VINO had in his early
days nursed their mother and besides these
there were Peto, and Caspar and Lurgo-vonnc
slaves born and bred on the estate. There wa.
also Bruins the old brown goat, with his lonf
""u 'i''N'i ~" no blSaN HdIu HOTnS, ant
his quie, and gentle eyes. Why, bless YOU! h,
would not have hurt one of those dear LITTLE
children-though they did climb on his back
and stick all sorts of old things on his horns
he would not have trodden on one of their dea
toes for any quantity of green sugar cane, an
he was remarkably fond of it too


How delighted they were to romp and dane
on that nice gieen lawn, and tumble the oil
negro amongst the pomegranates, and max
the goat quite gddy with dancing waltz o
his hind legs, while little Minnie stuck his horn
full or gorlands and green boughs Harp
chidrod The world was yet all sunshine t
them. The New Year that was about to Wis
them had no cares or griefs for their youn
hearts. They could see nothing but flowers


their paths, and needed not the horns.
When they had romped TO their hearts cor
: tent, some one asked what fete they were (
have on the morrow which sat them all ,


guessing and thinking, Each one, from III
laughing Rose down to the back-skinned Pet
} opened up some especial source Of light fc
for New Years day. while the good-nature
goat strolled from one to the other rubbed h
Q shaggy coat against them, licked their hand
and looked up in their faces, as though to que
t what they were debating.


The most favored iden ,yos tho, ~ -