Bill grinned, rolled his eyes upward, and said—

"Dis boy ab two strings to em bow. When he found Missie Brooklyne no pay de ten dollars' fine, den he send a messenger to quaint young massa, Cappin Ronaldson."

"What did the Captain do?"

"He came direct to calabouse, and em sware at de gaoler. Lor! how he sware, and say take de ten dollars, and let me have my pet boy."

"You belonged to the Ronaldson family previous to the break-up?"

'Yes, old Massa Ronaldson rear me den; he gib me to de young Cappin to be his body servant, and de Cappin make mighty pet ob me, and take me wid em to de war. I serve em dere six months; den one day a man tell me young massa killed. I fraid dey sell me to work on cotton fields, so I run away to de Yankee tents, and waited a long spell on a General ob renown. He tell me one day glorious news. Say he' Bill, your people be all free,' so I set right off to pay spects to old Massa Ronaldson, and soon I discovered my Cappin not dead, only wounded. But de family be poor; all niggers gone, so old Massa pack up and leave Virginny. Young Cappin come down to dis blessed place, war de fever kills de people widout much trouble, and Bill followed."

say

"Have you a mother living, Bill?" asked Amy.

"Guess dere be a black mammy somewar in Ole Virginny I be her son.

"And your father?"

"Never had none, Miss; dey be desperate cases. Mighty glad never had none. Old Massa was bad enough; he used most times make young Cappin bilious when he sware

at Bill."

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you

"Captain Ronaldson appears to have been very fond of ?"

"Guess he ware; I em pet boy."
"And you were happy as a slave?"

Yes, Miss. I never had no hard times; some niggers dat had; but young Cappin sell em watch, or em rings, or em coat, radder dan see Bill in calabouse.'

"Well, boy," said Mrs. Brooklyne, "are you ready to come home?"

'If Missie Brooklyne take me."

"I would rather have you for dining-room servant than any other darkie, because of my son's having been attached to you. Only I cannot possibly put up with all your wild pranks, they distract me, Bill.”

"I will be mighty good boy. Take me for Massa's sake.”

"Bill wants a little spell to run around em health; suffer mightily from dis confinement in gaol."

"Do you mean to gamble?"

Bill rolled up his eyes.

"Now listen, you darkie, I will not have a servant who spends his money over cards."

'Dey be pretty pictures, Missie Brooklyne; ebery darkie boy gambles."

"Not every one."

"De white folks play cards; dem taught de darkies,” retorted the boy.

"You have nothing to do with your superiors. Answer truly, do you mean to gamble?"

"Not at present time, Missie Brooklyne."

"Quite certain?”

"Yes, cause I got no dollars-not even cents.

Wish

Missie Brooklyne let me have some. I work hard when

I done running around?"

"What wages do you want?"

"Ten dollars a month."

"Gold or currency?

Bill rubbed his head, then replied

Gold, if I can get it; greenbacks radder dan none." "I shall only give greenbacks or currency, your work is so slight."

Send away Simon, Mrs. Brooklyne,

"Specks dey will do. I come along home bery soon."

And Bill made his exit.

CHAPTER VIII.

NEGROES AT MEETING.

"So, Amy, you really are in earnest, and positively mean what you say when asking me to allow you to attend a nigger meeting," said Mrs. Brooklyne one morning, dropping a book from her hand, and gazing in utter astonishment towards the window where Amy stood.

"Certainly I am."

"Well, I must say, Amy, you are the strangest girl I ever met. Fancy a white lady desiring to mingle with niggers!" "Have they not souls?"

Mrs. Brooklyne smiled.

"Don't believe they have," chimed in Lilly, who, just entering the room, caught the words of Amy's question. "You do not believe they have! Oh, Lilly, how dare you say so."

"I dare very well. Christ never said slavery was a sin." "Aunt Amy," and a gentle touch was placed on Amy's

Amy started, as her eyes met a pair of deep, earnest orbs fixed on her face.

"Why ask, Alice, darling?"

"I want to know. Lilly says you do."

"I sympathize with them, love."

"Are the English people all nigger lovers?" asked the child.

Amy laughed.

"Mamma says they are, and she once loved the black people."

"I know she did, Alice."

"Tell you what," said Alice, thoughtfully. "The English people might paint themselves black, and then they would be just like niggers."

"Do you think so, darling?"

"Yes."

"And do you like negroes ?"

"I love Bill; he is my horse."

"Bill Washington?"

"Yes, he rides me in his arms, and July takes me drives in his waggon."

"Who is July?"

"A very good nigger that makes market for mamma.

Papa liked July."

"Well then, here he comes," cried Lilly.

"On with your

hat, Alice, if you want a drive. Oh, there, July; stay a moment."

“Yah, yah, Missie Lilly, wat wanted dis morning? " "Come and see."

July entered, cap in hand.

"Here are two sisters of mamma's, right from England.

They tell me, July, that you darkies have got souls," said

Lilly, with a merry twinkle in her laughing blue eyes."

English ladies know better; and specs Missie Lilly knows better, only she love to teaze poor July."

"It is all fudge; they know precious well niggers have got no souls."

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Yah, yah, poor niggers be white in next world." "Much doubt it, unless they be very good ones."

"Perhaps white folk not get dar to see," responded July.

Come, Lilly, be quiet," said Mrs. Brooklyne, thinking it time to interfere.

"I am going don island; mus tak Missie Alice; ride Missie Brooklyne."

Have you got the shade over the waggon?'

'Yah, all nice."

"You will take good care of her?"

"Best possible kind."

"Come then, Alice, let mamma tie your hat, and July will lift you into the waggon."

Got a soft rug all ready," said the boy, with a broad grin.

A moment more, and Alice's little soft white arms were twined firmly round July's broad black neck.

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Take care of her, my darkie," again said the mother.

Yah, trus July for dat. He die radder dan let anyting touch Massa Robert chil."

A crack of the whip, a smile from Alice, and the waggon was off.

"Now, Amy dear, to resume our subject. Do you really wish to go to one of those nigger churches?" said Mrs. Brooklyne, taking her seat in an easy chair, and resting her head upon her hand. 'If so, I must try to find a coloured woman of reliable character to accompany you."

"Mr. Allison proffered to take charge of my aunts, if they wished to go," interposed Lilly.

“I am perfectly aware of that, but cannot for a moment dream of allowing a Southern gentleman to violate his feelings so far as to attend a negro assembly, even to please Amy."

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violation

'I do not think Mr. Allison would deem it any of principle or feeling either to accompany my aunt, mamma,”