Year: 1860

nCT lnconll9S ana Out8O-n9S, anu NdS hoI


in the slightest degree relaxed with regard


to the two young ladies under her care


But We viii not fOretell our story.


My dear Kate, said aunt Grace, few


days after the foregoing conversation. you


have left your work in the parlor, your


thimble on the mantle, your embrO idery


frame upon the piano, and your scissors


lying upon the carpet. 1t was quite care
r less of you, was it not?"


''Oh, dear! what is the use of being so


particular. am sure if L ever have a


parlor it shall be for use, not for a torment
to everybody that goes inside Of it. IF all


the world was old maids
'.Kate." spoke voice from behind


Kate turned and behcld her grandmother


standing in the entrance with look so sad
dened and 50 stern that she was instantly


silenced, and blushing crimson for shame.
was about to leave.


''Stay my child, have something to say
to you. Go to my room; l will be there


in few moments said her grandmother.


Those few moments were awfulIy long
to the selfcondemned girl; she would have
given up her next bah, her expected new
dress and hat, anything to have recalled
those words, to one who had never spoken
other than kindly, tho firmly to her.


AT last grandmother came, where is
Jcnnie?" she asked.


Il think she is in the study room, busy
with her drawing


Go and call her, and bid her come hith-
er."


why grandmother, it is her study hour
and you know aunt Grace is 50 pre-"


Il have your aunt's permission. do as l
tell you" said grandma sternly.


"oL. Jenny" exclaimed Kate. ..such
scraPc as L have got myself into. spoke
saucy to aunt Grace just now, and grand
MI is just as offended with me as she can
be-dear good grandma, never heard her
speak so before. She has sent me for you
and we must both meet her in her room"


And Kate, the blue-eycd auburn hair
ed, tender hearted, loving Kate, burst into
tears, and bowed her head for a moment
on her Cousins shoulder. 1t was but a
moment there, for they knew grandmother
could not be put off, and wiping her tears
away, the two descended to her neat little
room


Sit down my children" said the ven
cradle friend, quietly, she too had been
weepins. Il have 4 story to tell YOU


Forty years ago your grandfather own
ed slaves. The laws Of New YORK then
sanctioned it Among them was one beau,
tiful Creole girl from the Island Of St Croix.
Her mother was nearly white it was said.
having been the daughter of a Danish no.
blenan and Creole slave, who was very
fair. Your grandfather was a trader to
the Island and broaght home this fine girl
wh;n she was chill-lc had brou .ht her
as present for nc, because she was so
pretty and so smart.


When I first saw her and thin. Incv-
er saw 50 beautiful child, quick to learn,
amiable in temper, and the very soul ofup
rightness and delieacy; We taught her to
read and write. and bccImc SO attached to
her that your grandfather declared she
should have her freedom as soon as she was
eighteen"


''0h. grandma, was she white, exclaiIa-
ed Jenny, who somehow began to find some !
connection between this beautiful girl and
aunt Grace.


"Ics, as white as you are Jenny, with
long black wavy hair that would reach the
floor when she sat on a chair. They said
some Of her ancestors had been of Indian
blood, a chief or something, when the Is q
land was first discovered"


''I'm 50 glad she wasn't negro" timid- +
ly remarked Kate.


But she was of negro descent; is the /
negro any less to be respected than the In =
diam" asked the old lady.


Kate did not answer. and grandma aft.
clearing her voice and wiping the tears that
would start from her eyes, proceeded.


''Mena had been with US some years and l
was like one of ourselves; she did not know :
or feel the position of a slave for she was t
pet with US all. When she was Is, your II
uncle Harold came home from his travels $
in Europe. He was a handsomer man "
than either of your fathers. aud being our +
oldest we gare him every advantage, and t
proud We we're Of him, he was So smart and h
beautiful. But he was wild; he had been p
gone from us since sixteen. for your grand u
father would send all the boys over to Eng b
land to SCHOOL and it took SO long then and i
cost so much that they staid their whole o.
term of years in college and two or more in q
travel before they came back. a


Harold had led a wild life, and when he t
saw Mena thought she was more beautiful t;
than any girl he had ever seen. He beg b
ged his father and me to give him Mena Il
as part of his portion, and We promised st
to do so when he should bring home his oil
handsome bride, who was the daughter Of b
our aristOcratic neighbor. Gov. T. He had p
been home six months, when one day as t.
be lay lounging upon sofa in my room. al