ver to attempt again to give Tidy
or any other slave a lesson. What the punishment was with which they
were threatened she never knew, for the little girls never dared even to
speak upon the subject; but she knew it must be something very dreadful,
and though this was a most cruel blow to her expectations, she loved
them too well to bring them into the slightest danger on her own
account. So she never afterwards alluded to the subject.

Her first impulse was to give up all for lost, and to sit down and
weep despairingly over her disappointment; but she was of too hopeful a
disposition to do so.

"I knows the letters," said she to herself, "and I specs I can learn
myself. I can SCRAMBLE ALONG, some way."

Scrambling indeed! I wonder if any of you, little folks, would be
willing to undertake it.

In her trouble she did not forget the strong hold to which she had
learned to resort in trouble. She PRAYED about it every day, morning,
noon, and night. Indeed the words "Lord, help me learn to read," were
seldom out of her heart. Even when she did not dare to utter them with
her lips, they were mentally ejaculated. Hers was indeed an unceasing
prayer.

"Come chile," said Mammy Grace, one evening in the cool, frosty autumn,
as Tidy was hovering over the embers, eating her corn-bread, "put on de
ole shawl, and we'll tote ober de hills to Massa Bertram's. De meetin's
dare dis yer night, and Si's gwine to go. Come, honey, 'tis chill dis
ebening, and de walk'll put the warmf right smart inter ye;" and they
started off at a quick pace, over the hills, through the woods, down
the lanes, and across little brooks, the pale, cold moonlight streaming
across their path, and the warm sunlight of divine peace and favor
enlivening their hearts as they went on, making nothing at all of a walk
of three miles to sing and pray in company with Christian friends. Would
WE take as much pains to attend a prayer-meeting?

It was not the customary place of meeting, and the people for the most
part were strangers. One party had come by special invitation, to see a
new PIECE OF PROPERTY which had just arrived upon the place,--a piece of
property that thought, and felt, and moved, and walked, like a thing
of life; that loved and feared the Lord, and sung and prayed like any
Christian. What wonderful qualities slaveholders' chattels possess!

The woman, whose name was Apollonia, familiarly called Lony, was a tall,
gaunt, square-built negress, with