de of melancholy had overspread his face; there was now
in his eyes that expression of intense sadness that characterized his
mother's. "You sent for me?" he remarked, inquiringly, to Mr. Walters.

"Yes, my boy," he rejoined, "we sent for you to have a little talk about
school. Would you like to go to school again?"

"Oh, yes!" answered Clarence, his face lighting up with pleasure; "I should
like it of all things; it would be much better than staying at home all
day, doing nothing; the days are so long," concluded he, with a sigh.

"Ah! we will soon remedy that," rejoined Mr. Balch, "when you go to
Sudbury."

"Sudbury!" repeated Clarence, with surprise; "where is that? I thought you
meant, to go to school here."

"Oh, no, my dear," said Mr. Balch, "I don't know of any good school here,
such as you would like; we wish to send you to a place where you will enjoy
yourself finely,--where you will have a number of boys for companions in
your studies and pleasures."

"And is Em going with me?" he asked.

"Oh, no, that is not possible; it is a school for boys exclusively; you
can't take your sister there," rejoined Mr. Walters.

"Then I don't want to go," said Clarence, decidedly; "I don't want to go
where I can't take Em with me."

Mr. Balch exchanged glances with Mr. Walters, and looked quite perplexed at
this new opposition to his scheme. Nothing daunted, however, by this
difficulty, he, by dint of much talking and persuasion, brought Clarence to
look upon the plan with favour, and to consent reluctantly to go without
his sister.

But the most delicate part of the whole business was yet to come--they must
impress upon the child the necessity of concealing the fact that he was of
African origin. Neither seemed to know how to approach the subject.
Clarence, however, involuntarily made an opening for them by inquiring if
Emily was to go to Miss Jordan's school again.

"No, my dear," answered Mr. Balch, "Miss Jordan won't permit her to attend
school there."

"Why?" asked Clarence.

"Because she is a coloured child," rejoined Mr. Balch. "Now, Clarence,"
he continued, "you are old enough, I presume, to know the difference that
exists between the privileges and advantages enjoyed by the whites, and
those that are at the command of the coloured people. White boys can go to
better schools, and they can enter college and become professional men,
lawyers, doctors, &c, or they may be merchants--in fact, they can be
anyt