attached to the child, who was
lovely and winning to a remarkable degree.

Upon the return to Kennons of the newly-married people, a tutor was
secured for the two boys, Thornton and Hubert. It was soon found,
however, that Kennons was not large enough for them both; that they
could not study peaceably in the same room, nor, without a quarrel, at
least in words, exercise upon the same grounds. The tutor was
overwearied with incessant struggles to keep the two from variance. He
advised that one should be sent away, or, if both should be sent, they
should go to different points of the compass. Mrs. Lisle would not
consent for her only child to go away from her; as to Thornton, he
declared he would not be sent away to school. Hubert was more willing,
at home his life was a misery on account of Thornton and his mother; any
other place would be preferable, thought this motherless boy of eleven
years. He was accordingly sent to a Northern school, where, with
intervals of vacation, he spent the next eight years of his life.

The servants at Kennons had not been mistaken in their calculations. The
new mistress sowed divisions and discord with a lavish hand. Duncan was
annoyed with complaints against this and that one, until his patience
gave way, and he plainly told his wife that he would not listen to them;
that his servants were uncommonly good until she had come in the midst
of them. Greatly exasperated at this, she treated them still more
harshly. She placed over them her own servants, not out of love for
them, but to humiliate those who had been the faithful servants and
friends of her hated rival, Ellice.

China was the first victim. She was too ladylike in her deportment, too
quiet and silent in her ways. She was ousted from her low rocker and
favorite window, deprived of her needle, which had in some sort become a
life-companion, and made to do all sorts of drudgery; no settled work,
but hurried from that, this, and the other; never knowing what was
coming next--the hardest kind of work--slavery, indeed.

China endeavored to do faithfully all that she was bidden; sewing,
however, was her trade; she knew how to do naught else well; she was
consequently chidden and scolded from morning until night.

Mrs. Lisle's antipathy toward her grew every day more strong. She sought
a cause for having her degraded from the rank of house-servant to
field-hand. She had employed more than one fruitless stratagem.

China was very f