e always gave Arthur the preference,
putting her own infant aside to attend to his wants. Phillis is by nature a
conscientious woman; but nothing but the grace of God could have given her
the constant and firm principle that has actuated her life. But this
example of Christian excellence will soon be taken from us; her days are
numbered. Her days _here_ are numbered; but how blessed the eternity!
Sometimes, I have almost reproached myself that I have retained a woman
like Phillis as a slave. She deserves every thing from me: I have always
felt under obligations to her."

"You have discharged them," said Mrs. Weston. "Phillis, though a slave, has
had a very happy life; she frequently says so. This is owing, in a great
measure, to her own disposition and rectitude of character. Yet she has had
every thing she needed, and a great deal more. You have nothing with which
to reproach yourself."

"I trust not," said Mr. Weston. "I have endeavored, in my dealings with my
servants, to remember the All-seeing eye was upon me, and that to Him who
placed these human beings in a dependant position, would I have to render
my account. Ah! here are the girls. Alice, we had almost forgotten Arthur;
you and Ellen remind us of him."

"Really," said Ellen, "I am very unhappy; I have no lover to expect. You
see that I am arrayed in a plain black silk, to show my chagrin because Mr.
Johnson could not come now. Alice has decked herself so that Arthur can
read her every thought at the first glance. She has on her blue barege
dress, which implies her unvarying constancy. Then--"

"I did not think of that," said Alice, blushing deeply, and looking down at
her dress; "I only--"

"Miss Alice," said Lydia, "I hears somethin."

"No, no," said Miss Janet, looking from the window, "there is nothing--"

"Deed the is," said Lydia. "Its Mas' Arthur's horse, I know."

Mr. Weston went out on the porch, and the ladies stood at the windows. The
voices of the servants could be distinctly heard. From the nature of the
sound, there was no doubt they were giving a noisy welcome to their young
master.

"He _is_ coming," said Miss Janet, much agitated; "the servants would not
make that noise were he not in sight."

"I hear the horses, too," said Ellen; "we will soon see him where the road
turns."

"There he comes," said Mrs. Weston. "It must be Arthur. William is with
him; he took a horse for Arthur to the stage house."

The father stood looking forwa