ily were as yet visible.

On reaching the premises the sisters were really embarrassed, not
knowing where to go, and finding no one to direct them.

At length a strange figure appeared upon the scene--a dwarfish mulatto,
with a large head, bushy hair, and having the broad forehead and high
nose of the European, with the thick lips and heavy jaws of the African;
with an ashen gray complexion, and a penetrating, keen and sly
expression of the eyes. With this strange combination of features he had
also the European intellect with the African utterance. He was a very
gifted original, whose singularities of genius and character will reveal
themselves in the course of this history, and he was also one of those
favored old family domestics whose power in the house was second only to
that of the master, and whose will was law to all his fellow servants;
he had just completed his fiftieth year, and his name was Jovial.

And he now approached the sisters, saying:

"Mornin', Miss Hannah--mornin', Miss Nora. Come to see de show? De young
heir hab a fool for his master for de fust time to-day."

"We have come to the birthday celebration; but we do not know where we
ought to go--whether to the house or the tents," said Hannah.

The man tucked his tongue into his cheek and squinted at the sisters,
muttering to himself:

"I should like to see de mist'ess' face, ef you two was to present
yourselves at de house!"

Then, speaking aloud, he said:

"De house be for de quality, an' de tents for de colored gemmen and
ladies; an' de barn for de laborin' classes ob de whites. Shall I hab de
honor to denounce you to de barn?"

"I thank you, yes, since it is there we are expected to go," said
Hannah.

Jovial led the way to an immense barn that had been cleaned out and
decorated for the occasion. The vast room was adorned with festoons of
evergreens and paper flowers. At the upper end was hung the arms of the
Brudenells. Benches were placed along the walls for the accommodation of
those who might wish to sit. The floor was chalked for the dancers.

"Dere, young women, dere you is," said Jovial loftily, as he introduced
the sisters into this room, and retired.

There were some thirty-five or forty persons present, including men,
women, and children, but no one that was known to the sisters. They
therefore took seats in a retired corner, from which they watched the
company.

"How many people there are! Where could they all have come