Year: 1863

chdHce VI recovery. Ills opinion was con
firmed in few days modification set in
} and poor Elva's death warrant was sealed
The doctor had been seeing her for tn,
last time, and gone away saying he coulC
! do nothing more-the woman would no


hold out till sunset, when / called to pay
my congratulatory visit to the new mar


ried pair. The ceremony had been post
? poned on account of business, but all tn,
world was visiting, and so mustI. 1t wa,
a glorious day, in the early spring-time O
the south, before the fierce heat set in
and everything looked bright and beauti


ful about Fosbrook Hall. The abode o


pleasantness and peace it seemed, and


was admiring the prospect from the bay


windows of the drawing-room while Mrs


Fosbrook, having no other listeners, just
then was going on about the overfowine
cup, and how thankful they should be-
when her own maid came in with whis-
pered message. 1t is poor Elva,' said the
excellent laoiy; breaking off her strain
she has taken strange fancy to see us
all in her room; the maid said she spoke
of having something to tell; but OF course
it is only a fancy of the poor creature /;
still think we should go-what do you
say, Mr.. Clarkson Fit will remind us of
our latter end, and no doubt encourage
poor Elva p


We all rose, the two couples and myself,
for Mr.. Fosbrook said: "Come along,
Clarkson," and proceeded to Elva's room.
1t was neat and orderly, as she had always
kept it; the morning sun was shimmering
through the white-curtained window, and
the scent of flowers came in from the gar
den beyond; and the woman, who was to
be encouraged on her last journey, sat up
in bed wan and worn with sickness, but
looking more lively and energetic than she
had seemed in her stiching-days, and with
keener light in her deep blue eyes.


"How are you Elva?" said Fosbrook,
coming kindly forward.


Not very we'll, master; but am GO
ing home" said Elva, "to the long home
prepared for black and white; and there
is something want to tell you all before
/ go, particularly the missis here" and
Elva fixed her eyes ON the mistress she
was said to have been so much attached to,
with look of such piercing power as for
once in her life struck that lady speech
less. "Did not you buy me away from
my husband sixteen years ago, when he
was sold far west, and never saw him
more Did not you sell my only child
away from me, till she died of fevero on the
edge of the Dismal Swamp and wasn't it
all in the order of Providence, or it never
could have happenedY You told me so,
and was to believe it, and not repine.
Now, I'll tell you something that must
have been in the order of Providence, for
it happened, too. 1t was not my daughter
that died on the edge of the Dismal
Swamp-but your own 1t was not your
daughter that went in the carriage and the
fnery to be married in Charleston church
but mine !"


"What do you say woman Z" cried Mr..
Fosbrook, losing all command of himself


Il say the truth; and I'll tell you how
it happened. The children were born on
the same day; and the missis sent me word
that they should get the same name, and
be brought up together; but knew my
child could be bought and sold as its father
and mother had been. The poor slave was
not used to be cared for, like the rich lady,
and could get up sooner; so in the dead
of the second night, when the monthly
nurse had taken too much peach-brandy,
and sleep soundly, crept into the room,
and made fair exchange black one
may be you'll call it, but colors don't show
at that time of life. left my own child
in the fine satin-covered cradle, and took
Mrs Fosbrook's baby to the basket beside
my bed The one was mine, and the other
was hers ever after. There is nv dauah-
ter, the heiress of Fosbrook Hail." She
continued, addressing her mistress and
yonder lies yours, in the churchyard by
the Dismal Swarap. That is how the whites
can make out the blood and race; but it
was all in the order of Providence, or it
couldn't have happened, you know" and
Elva flung herself back with burst of
vengeful and triumphant laughter, that
made the roof ring.


You wretch, it is all falsehood !!
Where do you expect to go to cried Mrs
| Fosbrook.


" Madam, it is most probably true" said
the colonel, who had stood silently listening
at the foot of the bed, like man heart
stricken and admonished-" it is most pro-
badly true. Let the dying woman alone:
the past can neither be recalled nor al
tered; and she has followed our example,
in calling our own sins and selfshness the
works of Providence. Come away"


Veal walked back to the drawing-room,
and the ladies did not faint. As for my
self and every soul that heard Elva's con-
fessions, We felt convinced that it was true.
OF course, in law, the testimony of re-
vengeful slave would count for nothing
but we had all eyes and memories, and
their evidence was not to be set aside as
regarded poor sold Lefty, and the fair face
which had been such a cause of jealousy
and despite Moreover, the revelation
could not be kept secret-it was too pub
licly made; many of the servants had been
within hearing, and nobody doubted it,
though Elva could not be induced to give
any further particulars. Perhaps the wo-
man had none to give; at any rate, she
spoke little after that wild lasgh, but
gradually sunk and died, as the doctor
had prdicted, an hour before sunset.


Her tale made no apparant difference to
the Fosbrooks: and all thinps and all nao.