. They walked on, and in a minute came up to each other, the colored man
not giving way in the least, but bumping, hat, goatee, cane, cigar, and
all, against our Philadelphian, who, with the greatest coolness and
presence of mind, doubled up his fist and giving the colored Adonis two
blows with it, (precisely on the middle brass stud which confined his
frilled shirt-bosom,) laid him full length upon the pavement.

"Now," said the Philadelphian, "you've had a lesson; the next time you see
a gentleman coming along, turn out of the way for him, and you'll save your
new clothes." Without another glance at the discomfited beau, who was
brushing his plaid pantaloons with his pocket-handkerchief, and muttering
some equivocal language that would not do here, he went on his way to see
the improvements about the City Hall.

Mark's low laugh was heard from the driver's seat, and Bacchus, who was
waiting to open the carriage door for Mr. Weston, stood on the first step,
and touching his hat, said, with a broad grin, "Dat's de best thing we've
seen sence we come to Washington. Dat beats Ole Virginny."

Mrs. Weston came from the store at the same moment, and Bacchus gallantly
let down the steps, and, after securing the door, took his place beside
Mark, with the agility of a boy of sixteen.

Mr. Weston, much amused, described the scene. Mrs. Weston declared "it
served him right; for that the negroes were getting intolerable."

"I can hardly believe," she said, "the change that has been made in their
appearance and conduct. They think, to obtain respect they must be
impertinent. This is the effect of Abolition."

"Yes," said Mr. Weston, "this is Abolition. I have thought a great deal on
the condition of the negroes in our country, of late. I would like to see
every man and woman that God has made, free, could it be accomplished to
their advantage. I see the evils of slavery, it is sometimes a curse on the
master as well as the slave.

"When I purchased Sarah; when I saw those grieving, throbbing souls, my
own was overwhelmed with sympathy for them. This is slavery, I said to
myself. Poor creatures, though you have done wrong, how severe your
punishment; to be separated from all that your life has had to make it
pleasant, or even tolerable. This is slavery indeed, and where is the man,
come from God, who will show us a remedy? I look at the free blacks of the
North and South. I say again, this is Abolition! How worthless, how
degr