aled beneath her mattress. Perhaps these conscientious people would
not have bestowed money so freely on their favorite young maid, if they
had known the purpose to which it was to be applied. For they say that
slavery is a Christian institution, a sort of missionary enterprise,
which has been divinely appointed for the good of the colored race; and
of course to get away from it is to run away from God and the privileges
and blessings he is so kind as to give.

Tidy, however, thought differently, as the slaves generally do; and as
she had made up her mind that she should gain greater advantages in
a state of freedom, she determined to persevere in her attempt. Her
accumulations finally became so large, that she thought she might
venture to start on her journey.

She knew, too, that she must have clothes quite different from those she
usually wore. And how was she to get these? Ah, she had had an eye for a
long while to this. She and Amelia were not only of the same age, but
of the same size. Tidy had grown in the last two years very rapidly, and
had now reached a womanly hight and figure. She had watched the growth
of Amelia with the keenest interest. So far, it had corresponded with
her own so exactly that she could easily wear the clothes made for
her young mistress. In fact, Amelia often dressed Tidy up in her own
garments that she might get a better idea of how they looked upon
herself. This season, Amelia, for the first time, had a traveling suit
complete, for she was going a journey with her father; and when it
was finished, she was so pleased that she sent for Tidy at once to
participate in her joy, and insisted that she should immediately put it
on, that she might see how it fitted, and if every thing about it was as
it should be. The dress was a dark green merino, made with a very long
pelerine cape, which was the very pink of the fashion, and was the
especial admiration of all the children. Tidy arrayed herself in these,
and, putting the little jaunty cap of the same color on her head, stood
before the glass and surveyed herself with as perfect satisfaction as
the owner of the becoming costume herself experienced. Indeed she
could hardly keep her eye from telling tales of the joy within, as she
inwardly said, "There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip, and may
be, Miss Amelia, I shall go traveling in this before you do." She felt
that nothing could have been provided more suitable or timely than this
char