our southern country, and our planters are setting a number of
theirs free, and sending them to Africa. I know a gentleman in Georgia who
liberated a number, and gave them the means to start in Liberia as free
agents and men. He told me he saw them on board, and watched the ship as
she disappeared from his sight. At last he could not detect the smallest
trace of her, and then such a feeling of intense satisfaction occupied his
breast as had been a stranger there until that time. 'Is it possible that
they are gone, and I am no longer to be plagued with them? They are free,
and I am free, too.' He could hardly give vent to his feelings of relief on
the occasion."

"And are they such trouble to you, Arthur?" asked Abel.

"No, indeed," said Arthur, "not the least. My father treats them well, and
they appear to be as well off as the working classes generally are. I see
rules to regulate the conduct of the master and slave in Scripture, but I
see no where the injunction to release them; nor do I find laid down the
sin of holding them. The fact is, you northern people are full of your
isms; you must start a new one every year. I hope they will not travel
south, for I am tired of them. I should like to take Deacon and Mrs. White
back home with me. Our servants would be afraid of a man who has worked
sixteen hours a day half his lifetime."

"Deacon White is worth twenty thousand dollars," said Abel, "every cent of
which he made mending and making common shoes."

"What does he do with it?" said Arthur.

"Hoards it up," said Abel, "and yet an honester man never lived. Did I not
tell you of the time I hired his horse and chaise? I believe not; well, it
is worth waiting for. The deacon's old white horse is as gray and as docile
as himself; the fact is, the stable is so near the house, that the horse is
constantly under the influence of 'Old Hundred;' he has heard the good old
tune so often, that he has a solemn way of viewing things. Two or three
weeks ago I wanted to take my sister to see a relative of ours, who lives
seven or eight miles from here, and my mother would not consent to my
driving her, unless I hired the deacon's horse and chaise--the horse, she
said, could not run if he wanted to. So I got him, and Harriet asked Kate
Laune to go too, as the chaise was large enough for all three; and we had a
good time. We were gone all day, and after I took the girls home, I drove
round to the deacon's house and jumped out of the