ll make a fuss over me, for nobody else
ever has."

"If you are to be married," said Alice, smiling through her tears, "you
must have his name changed, or always call him Mr. Johnson."

"Never," said Ellen. "I have a perfect passion for the name of Abel. There
was a picture in my room of Abel lying down, and Cain standing, holding the
club over him. Whenever I got into a passion when I was a child, mammy used
to take me to the picture and say, 'Look there, honey, if you don't learn
how to get the better of your temper, one of these days you will get in a
passion like Cain and kill somebody. Just look at him, how ugly he
is--because he's in such a rage.' But I always looked at Abel, who was so
much prettier. I have no doubt Abel Johnson looks just as he does in the
picture."

They were about to pass through the gates leading to the grounds; some of
the servants approached the carriage, and respectfully bowing, said,
'Welcome home, master,' but passed on without waiting to have the
salutation returned. Mrs. Weston guessed the cause of there not being a
general outbreak on the occasion of their return. Miss Janet had spoken to
a number of the servants, telling them how unable Mr. Weston was to bear
any excitement, and that he would take the earliest opportunity of seeing
them all at their cabins. As he was much attached to them and might feel a
good deal at the meeting after so long a separation, it would be better not
to give him a noisy welcome.

She had, however, excepted the children in this prohibition, for Miss Janet
had one excellent principle in the management of children, she never
forbade them doing what she knew they could not help doing. Thus, as the
carriage passed the lodge, a noisy group of small-sized darkies were making
a public demonstration. "Massa's come home," says one. "I sees Miss Alice,"
says another. "I sees Miss Anna, too," said a third, though, as yet, not a
face was visible to one of them. They put their heads out of the carriage,
notwithstanding, to speak to them, and Alice emptied a good-sized basket of
sugar-plums, which she had bought for the purpose, over their heads.

"Take care, Mark," said Mr. Weston, "don't cut about with that whip, while
all these children are so near."

"If I didn't, sir," said Mark, "some of 'em would a been scrunched under
the carriage wheels 'fore now. These little niggers," he muttered between
his teeth, "they're always in the way. I wish some of 'em would ge