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About Plattsmouth weekly herald. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1882-1892 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 1890)
WEEKLY HERALD: PLAT7SM0UTH, NEBRASK ' . SEPTEMRER 4 1800 THE DCTORDOW HTOllY OF ST.ATEItY DAY. BY MISS il. E. Bit ADDON. CnAFTKlt III. OKA'S father, Gerald Leslie, was the owner of a tine entate upon the banks of a lake about two miloa out of New Orleans, and aiM of a handsome house In that city. It U at thla latter residence that we will Introduce him to the reader. Oerald Labile was In the verv Tuimo of life. Scarcely yet forty-flvo years of age, time had Eet no mark upon his thick chestnut hair or his handsome face, eave a few almost Imperceptible wnniuos wbicn tne cares or tins last year or two had drawn In rigid lines about his weu-enapeu mouth. His features were massive and regular; me Drow broad nl intellectual; the large hazel eyes bright but yet thought iul ; and there was a shade of melan choly In the general expression of the countenance which lent a peculiar charm to im race to oerald Leslie. It was the face of one who had 6uf. fered. It was the face of one who found himself a lonely man in the very primo 01 me ; in mat hour or ali other hours in wnicn a man yearns for the smiles of lovinff eyes, the warm pressure c-t irlenuly hands. It was tho faoe of one who had discovered too Iaut that he had sacrificed the happiness of his life to a mistaken principle. While the good ship Virginia Is sailing away from the dim blue shores of the fading English coast, bearing Mrs. Mon tresor, tier nephew and niece and Cora Leslie, to their far Southern home, let us enter the planter's luxuriously furnished etudy, and watch him as he bends over his desk. The burning Southern sun is banished from the apartment by means -of Vene tian shutters ; the floor Is covered with a cool matting woven from Indian reeds ; and the faint plash oV a fountain In a small garden at the back of the houae is heard through one of the open windows. It is not a pleasant task which occu pies the planter. His brow contracts as he examines the papers, pausing every now and then to Jot down two or three figures against a long row of accounts which look terribly formidable even to the uninitiated. At last he throws down a heap of documents with a weary sigh, and flinging himself back in his chair, abandons himself to gloomy thought. Yes, the truth Is out at last," he mut tered ; "no hope of a settlement in Eng land ; no chance of a happy homo eu the other side of the blue Atlantic with my Cora, my only one. Nothing before me but the weary struggle of a ruined man, with difficulties so gigantic that, struggle as I may, they must close in upon iae and crush me at the laet. Oh, Phiilip Treverton, but for the cruel deception you practiced upon me, I should not be in this position." Philip Treverton was Gerald Leslie's late partner. He had been shot a twelve month before tho opening of our 6tory, in a sanguinary dual with a young french man, who had insulted him in a framing house. Cut the two men bad been more than partners, they had been friends ; true and sincere friends; and Gerald Leslie no more doubted the honor of hi friend, Philip Treverton, than he would have doubted his own. Amongst the debts owed by the two planters, there wae one of no less than one hundred thousand dollars due to a lawj-erand usurer.one Silas Craig, a man who was both disliked and feared in New Orleans ; for, he was known to be a hard creditor, unscrupulous as to the means by which he enriched himself, pitiless to those who were backward in paying him. In an evil hour Gerald Leslie and Philip Treverton had had recourse to this man, and borrowed from him at a cruelly heavy rate of interest, the 6um above mentioned. Treverton was, un like his partner, a reckless speculator, and, unfortunately, not a little of a gamester; he therefore thought lightly enough of the circumstances. Not so Gerald Leslie. The thought of this loan oppreesed him like a load of iron, and he was determined that it should be repaid at any sacrifice. He gathered together the money before leaving New Orleans to visit his daughter in England, and in trusted the sum to his partner, Trever ton, with special directions that it should be paid immediatelv to Silas Craig. Gerald Leslie knew that his partners was a gamester, tut he firmly believed him to be one of the most honorable of men. and he had ever found him strictly just in all their commercial dealings. He departed, therefore, happy in the thought that the debt was paiii, and that Silas Craig, the usurer, could no longer rub his fat, greasy hands, and chuckle at the thought of his power over the haughty planter, GeraM Leslie. He de parted happy in the thought that hi3 next voyatio would be to convey him to an English home, where the tyranny of prejudice could neveroppress his beloved and lovely child. The first intelligence which greeted him on his return to" New Orleans, was tho death of his friend and partner. Philip Treveiton had died a week be fore Gerald Leslie landed. He had died atmidniaht in a wretched chamber at a gambling-house. There was a mystery about his death his last hours were shrouded in the darkness of the silent secrets of the night. None knew who had watched beside him in his dyius mo ments. The murderer had escaped ; the mutilated body of the murdered man was found in the waters of the Mississippi. Philip Treverton's death was a ead blow to his survivor, Gerald Leslie. The two men had been associates for years ; both thorough gentlemen, intellectual, highly educated, they had been united In the bonds of a sincere and heartfelt friendship. What then were Gerald Leslie's feel ings when he found that his friend, his Eartner, his associate, the man whom he ad fully trusted, had deceived him ; and that the money left by him In Trever ton's hands had never been paid to Silas Craig? In vein tuu he searcn amongst uia friends papers for. the receipt; there I was not one memorandum, not one scrap of paper containing any mention of j the one hundred thousand dollars : and i a week after Gerald Leslie's return, he i received a visit from the usurer, who j came to claim his debt. The planter . gave him a bill at a twelvemonth's date, I the heavy interest for that period fear- j fully increasiag the debt. This bill came due on the very day on which we have introduced Gerald Leslie to the j reader, and ho was now every moment expecting to hear the usurer announced. He waa still without funds to meet hia . LI bccevcanoe. Many oiuer ootw were pressing upon him ; and ho felt that In a few months his Plantation must be sold, and be left a ruined man. But as the drowning wretch catche at the feeblest straw, or the frailest plank, so he clung to the hope furnished by delay. "Once more," he muttered, as he leaned his head upon his hands in the attitude of despair, "once more must I humiliate myself to this low-minded wretch, and beg the delay which he may grant or refuse, as it pleases his bae nature. Heaven help mo, I little dreamed that Gerald Leslie would ever come to sue to Silas Craig." At this moment a cheerful-looking negro entered the apartment, bearing a card upon a silver salver. "Masga Craig, please, maasa," he said. "Tell him to walk In." "Into thin room, maasar "Yes, Censar." The negro departed, and In a few mo ments returned, ushering In a fat man. of about fifty years of age, dressed in the loose and light-colored coat and trousers. fashionable In New Orleans. This summer costume, which was be coming to many, accorded ill with the fat and awkward figure of Silas Craig. The loose open collar displayed a bull neck that bespoke tho brute force of a eensual nature. It was almost impossi ble to imagine a more truly repulsive ap pearance than that of the usurer of New Orleans; repulsive, not so much from natural ugliness, as from that hidden something, dimly revealed beneath the outward features that told the nature of the roan, and caused the close observer and tho physiognomist to shrink from him with instinctive abhorrence. Cruelty leered out of the small rat-like gray eyes, hypocrisy and sensuality alike were visible in the thick lips and wide animal mouth. The usuer's hair, of a reUdlsh yellow, was worn long, parted In the middle, and pushed behind his ears, giving a sanctimonious expression to his face. For It must be known to the reader that Silas Craig had always contrived to preserve a character for great sanctity. His voice was loudest in expressing horror at the backslidlngs of others; his presence was unfailing at the most frequented places of worship ; and men who knew that the usurer would strip the widow or the orphan of the utmost farthing, or the last rag of clothing, beheld him drop his dollars Into the plate at the close of every char ity sermon. By such pitiful artifices as these the world is duped, and Silas Craig was uni versally respected in New Orleans ; re- epected in outward seeming by men who in their Inmost soul loathed and exe crated him. With a bland smile, he obeyed Gerald Leslie's gesture, and seated himself in a low rocking-chair opposite the planter. "Charming weather, Mr. Leslie. he said. "Charming, "answered Gerald absently. "1 trust I see you well, my dear friend." murmured Silas Craig, in the fat, oily voioe peculiar to him, "and yet, he added, almost affectionately, "I no not think you are looking well no, decidedly not. you look a little harrased ; a little care worn, as if the business of this life was pressing too much upon you." I have good need to look harnassed and care-worn," answered Gerald Leslie impatiently. "Come, Mr. Craig, do not let us waste time upon tine speeches and sympathy which wo cannot either of us expect to feel I know what you have come here for, and you know that I know It, so why beat about the bush? You have my acceptan-se, due today in your pocket, and you come to claim payment." "xou are as proud as ever. air. Leslie. Bald the usurer, an angry gleam shooting out or his email eyes, in spite of the af fected smile upon his Hps. 'Why should I be less proud than vrr" answered the planter, haughtily. If you call a contempt for falsehood, and a loathing of hypocrisy pride, I am oei. tainly amongst the proudest." Gerald Leslie knew that every word he uttered was calculated to infuriate Silas Craig, and that, at the moment when he had to ask a favor of him; but the haughty spirit of the planter could less brook to stoop now than ever the very fact of having to ask this favor stung him to the quick, and urged him on to show his contempt of the man from whom he had to ask it. The usurer sat for some few moments In silence, rubbing his hands slowly one over the other, and looking furtively at GeraJd. - "You may ask me why you should be less proud today than ever, Mr. Leslie," he said, with a malicious grin. "Shall I tell you why? Because the tables are turned since the day when you passed Silas Crait in the streets of New Orleans as if he had been one of the slaves on your plantation ; when yon spurned him as if he bad been the dirt beneath your feet. I know what you said of me in these days ; 1 came by my money by crooked ways ; I was a rogue ; an usurer ; my iU-gotten wealth would bring me to the gailows some day. These are the sort of things you said, and I took them quietly enough ; for I am of a patient dis position, and I knew my turn would come. It has come. The times are chanod since then. My wealth was ill gotten, was it? You were glad enough to borrow a hundred thousand dollars of it, ill-gotten as it was ; and now when I come today to ask you for the payment of that money, you take such a high tone that I can only believe you have it ready for me in your cash-box yonder." It waa with a malicious chuckle that he uttered those concluding words ; for the crafty wretch well knew the nature of Gerald Leslie", and he had suspected from the first that the money was not forth coming. "Not odc penny of it!" cried the planter; "not one penny of it, Mr. Craig." "Indeed !" said Silas. "Then I'm ex tremely sorry to hear It; as, of course, under those circumstances I can no longer delay putting an execution upon your property, and sending the Leslie plantation and your valuable lot of nig gers to the auctioneer's hammer." Having uttered thl threat, he sat for some little time with his hands on his knees, and a smile of triumph upon his face, watching the countenance of the planter. Gerald Leslie's was a gloomy face to look upon In that moment; but it neither expressed grief nor humiliation, and his enemy was disappointed. It was not enough to ruin the man he hated. Silas Craig' would have given half his fortune to see that haughty spirit lowered in the dust. The planter sat for some minutes in perfect silence, as if he were revolving some plan in his mind. Presently he looked up, and, without any alteration of his former manner, addressed the usurer thus: "Silas Craig, sooner than ask a favor of you, I would see every scrap of prop erty I poasess sold In tho public eale room, and would leave my native land a beggar. I do not ask you a lavor, then ; I offer you a bargain. If my property is sold today, it will be sold at a loss. You will be paid, it is true, but others, for whom pardon me I feel a great deal mors concern, win toae. xwo montns hence that same property will, for certain commercial rt aeons known as wU to you as to me, realize a much larger amount. Besides which, I have friends in the North who may come forward in the meantime to save me from ruin. Kenew your bill at two months from today, and for those two months I will give you double tho enormous interest 1 have boen already paying a ruinous bargain for me, and as valuable one for you. But no favor; remember that ! Do you accept?" "I do," said Silas, after a few moments' deliberation. "The interest ought to be trebled, though." The planter laughed bitterly. "I have offered you the uttermost far thing I mean to offer, be said. 'I accept it," answered SHa. "Give me pen, ink and pa pec, and I'll draw up ine document. CHAPTER IV. HILE the diffi culties of the planter were be coming evsry day mors pain ul to encounter, and mora perlkma to his future pros pects of happi ness tne good ship Virginia reached her destination, and in due time Mrs. Montresor and her two fair charges arrived at New Orleans. Cora Leslie had given her father no warning of her coming. It had pleased the loving irl to think taat aha should creep to his side when he least expected her, and that the happy surprise of her arrival would come upon him la the midst of his troubles. It was growing dusk on a lovely summer evening, when the travelers reached New Orleans. Bidding a hasty adieu to Adelaide Horton and Mrs. Mon tresor, with a promise to call upon them early the next day, Cora sprang Into the carriage which Mortimer Percy had pro cured for her, requesting him to give the address to the driver. "Your father is in town. Miss Leslie," said the young man. "You will have scarcely ten minutes' drive." "Ten minutes!" cried Cora eagerly. "In ten minutes, then, I shall see my father P Her lovely countenance glowed with enthusiasm as she spoke ; while her tiny hands were clasped m an ecstasy of de light. Mortimer Percy's faoe grew strangely mournful as he looked upon the excited girl. One monent, Miss Leslie," he ex claimed earnestly, pausing with his hand upon the oarriage door. "You remem ber what I said to you in Grosvenor Square, on the night of my aunt's haiVi" "Yes, perfectly." "You remember that I then told you I feared your father's welcome might not be so warm a one as your loving heart would lead you to desire. If tonight you should find it so, remember my warning, and do not doubt your father's affection, even should be receive you somewhat coldly. Remember, too, that come what may, an should the hour of trouble fall upon you as it sometimes does on the youngest and the fairest ; re member that you have always a friend in Mortimer Percy, and do not scruple to appeal to him." He clasped her hand in his as he spoke and she returned the friendly pressure. "There is a mystery in your wards which 1 seek in vain to fathom, Mr. Peroy," she said ; "and I know that your warnings fill me with a strange fear; but I know, too, that you have been very good to me. and should bofivv come I will not hesitate to appeal te you and your cousin Adelaide." "Adelaide Is a dear, good little girl," answered Mortimer with a sigh ; "but I shall be better able to serve you thap ?be. Good night, Miss Leslie. " released her slender hand, gave directions to the driver, and in an moment the horse started, and Ee some other Cora felt that she was on her way to her father's residence. The sun was sinking in a bed of eclm- 6on glory, and the dusky shadows clos ing in the streets of New Orleans. The houses and Dublio bulldincs were dimly visible in the declining fight, as Cora looked out of the carriage window. The place seemed strange to her after her long residence in England. She had no memory of anything she saw, and felt that she was an utter stranger in her native land. But tho had not loig to think of these things. The carriage drew up before her father's house, and the door was opened by the black servant, Oaar. Without waiting to ask any questions, she hurried into the hall, aiter dismiss ing the driver ; but as she was about to inquire for her father, another negro ser vant emerged from one of the doors open ing into the hall, and advanced to meet her He was past mkld)a age. His hahr was grizzled with patches of gray, and his face had an expression settled melan choly rarely seen upon the negro coun tenance. He was dressed in a looe linen jacket and trousers, and his manner and appearance altogether denoted his station, which was that of confidential man and funeral swvant, factotum to Ws master, Mr. Leslie. This mars name wa$ Toby. He had served tae planter faithfully for hve-and-twenty years. "Mr. "Leslie oan see no one this even ing." he said a he approached Cora. "He wL'l not refuse to see me," mur mured th young grrl ; "he cannot deny himself to his daughter." "His daughter!" exclaimed the negro, with an irrepressible burst of enthusi asm ; "bis daughter. Miss Cora, that was away across the tea yonder in Ihe.froe country. Cora, the child I used to nurso in the years that are gone by ; ah, forgive me, forgive me, forgive the poor old ne gro slave, who is almost wild at the sight of his young mKtress !" The faithful creature fell on bis knees at Cora's feet and, clasping her hand in both his own, covered it wfth kisses. "You remember me then?" said Cora. "I remom ber the little child that I U6ed to carry in my arms, not the beautiful young lady from the happy English land ; but the younj lady has &till the soft voice and the sweet smile of the little child, and she is not angry wrth poor Toby because he is beside himself with joy to see her once again." "Angry with you!" exclaimed Cora; "but tell me my father, whera is he? Do not detain tne Ion far when I should rush into his dear arms !" Your father !" A sudden change came over tho slave's manner. "Your lather. Miss Cora ! . He thinks you ctj.ll In the free English country, and when ha hears that you have returned The &q gro paused, with an embarrassed cou&tsa ance, as he uttered these words. What then?" cried Cora. "II I hO returned without his knowledge, arnj J no bis daughter; and. wbo, In hia twfr Of eorrow, has a better right to be at ha aide?" i Tee. Miss Cora, but " Tell me where If he?" "In that room. Miss Cora," answered the negro, gravely, pointing to the door of the study. Without waitkuz for another ward'Car. softly opened the door, and gliding into the room, stood for a moment mutely re garding her father. The Venetian shut ters were ciseu, and a shaded lamp burned upon the planter's desk a lamp "in len tne room in shadow, and threw its full light upon the careworn face of Gerald Leslie. The papers before him lay unheeded on the deuk, with a half burned cigar by their side. His finely molded chin rested upon his hand, his brow was contracted by painful thoughts and his dark brown eyes were fixed gloomily upon the ground. He had not heard Cora's entrance. The young girl crept softly to his side, and dropping on her knees at his feet, olap ing her bauds about his left arm. which hung loosely over the arm of his chair. "Father, she murmured, "dearest father I" It was with no exclamation of joy, but with a cry of something nearer akin to agony, that the planter turned and be held his only daughter. . . ... i , vor i no exciaimea; uora, you uere i "Yes, dearest father. I know I know that it Is against your commands that I have come, hut I felt that It could not be against your wishes." Gerald Leslie's head dropped upon his Dreast wun a gesture or despair. "It needed but this, he murmured, to compiwte my ruin." These words were uttered In a voice so low as to escape the ear of Cora ; but she could still perceive that her comintr had not given her father the pleasure she had fondiy hoped to have seen written in his face, when he first beheld her. "Father, father," she cried piteously. ciasping ner arms about his neck, and gently drawing round hl9 head, so as to be able to look in his face ; "father, can it De that you do not love mar "Not love you, Cora, my darling, my darling!" Clasping his child to his breast, Gerald Leslie burst into a pas sion ox SODS. Thla was her welcome home. CHAPTER V. r1 us turn from the residence of Cora's father to the splendid man sion inhabited bv the wealthy young planter, il Augustus llor il ton. in one of the best streets of New Orleans. It Is upward of a week after the arrival of Mon tresor with her two fair charges It is a bright summer morning, and the ramlly party are assembled in an elegantly furnished apartment, opening into a cool veranda. filled with exotic plants. Airs. Montresor, who, even in that warm climate, is too energotio to be Idle. is seated at her embroidery. Her nephew Augustus lolls in an easy chair, reading the New Orleans papers, whilo Adelaide Horton reclines in a hammock ottar tho open window. Mortimer Percy, with his hands in the pockets of his light trou sers, and a cigar in his mouth, leans against the window talking to his cousin "Say what you will, Mortimer, it is moet extraordinary that Cora should not have called here sinoe our return, ex claims Adelaide. But do I not tell you, my dear cousin." answered the young man, "that Mr. Leslie has taken his daughter to his country-seat upon the plantation?" "What of that replied Adelaide, "iir. Leslie's villa is but half an hour's drive from New Orleans. Nothing could haw been easier than for him to have brought Cora here." At this moment a female slavo entered, announcing Mr. Craig. "Show him in," 6aid Augustus, without raising his eyes from the newspaper he was reading. "Silas Craig P exclaimed Mortimer, with a shudder of disgust. "What in Heaven's name Induces you to encourage the acquaintance of that man, Augustus?" "Pshaw, Mortimer, I have none of your romantic notions. Mr. Craig is a very re spectable member of society." "Respectable! Yes; the man who makes monev is respectable, no matter by what shameful means he makes it. Usurer, oppressor of the helpless, traf ficker in human flesh what matters by what hideous trade the gold is got? The yellow guineas will not sparkle less the hollow world will not be less ready to bow to the respectable member of so ciety." Fool!" cried Augustus, angrily ; "Craig is here. Do you wish him to know your opinion of him?" Mortimer shrugged his shoulders and resumed bis conversation with his cousin Adelaide. . SUas Craig saluted the ladies with cer emonious politeness, and. after the first greetings, exclaimed with a face expres sive of sanctimonious grief and pious horror "Of curse, ladies, you have heard the news?" "The news ! What news?" cried Ade laide and her aunt simultaneously. "What ! is It possible that you have not heard of Mr.Gerald Leslie's conduct? All New Orleans Is ringing with the scandal." "What scandal? " "Ah, ladies, you may indeed well ask what scandal ; for who could believe that Mr. Leslie, one of the principal planters of Louisiana, should have been guilty of such a treason against the Interest oi so ciety at large?" "Treason ! Mr. Leslie ! What do you mean. Mr. Craig ! exclaimed Augustus Horton. "I mean that Gerald Leslie has been discovered, within theae last few day, to have educated in England tho child of one of his slaves, a Quadroon called Francilia, whom Le sold to me some four teen years ago. The girl has been brought up In England, where she has re ceived the education of a princess, and it is only through her unexpected return to Now Orleans that the secret has been dis covered." "Merciful Heavens" cried Adelaide, hiding her face in her hands, "Cora a slave P There was one spark of feeling at laeiBt," muttered Mortimer, as he watched his couein's emotion. 'Now," pursued the pitiless usurer, 'apoording to the Louisiana law, it is criminal to teach a slave to read. What, then, must be the offense of Mr. Leslie In sending this girl to a first-clasaJSpgllsn boarding-6chool, and having her taught the accomplishments of a lady of the highest birth?" "A terrible offense. Indeed, Mr. Craig," said Mortimer, bitterly, "but this girl is j Oerald Leslie's own" daughter, ia she not?" ! "She is; but what of that? Born of a j slave mother, 6he is not the Ies3 his j slave." j I understand. As a worthy member of society, then, as a Christian and a gen- tlemen in the sense in which we regard ! theHe things he may send his daughter j to toil sixteen hours a day on his planta tion ; he may hand her to his overseer to rioggeU. ir sue is too weak (or too lazy, a-i It will most likely be called) to work ; he may sen ner, n ne win. no matter to what degradation no matter to what in famy; but let him darn to love her let him dare look upon her with n- thrill of fatherly affection lt him attempt t elevate her mind by education, to teach her that there Is a free heaven above her, where slavery cannot be let him do this, and he ha committed a crime against society and thu laws of Louis iana." Exactly so," replied Craig, rubbing his oily bands, "I se you understand ths law of the land, Mr. Percy. No wonder that Gerald Iitlle is a ruined man, he has wastwl a princely income on the education of thU girl This s!avo." "Poor Cora!" exclaimed Adelaide. "What, MU Uortoii, did you know her?" asked Craig. "I did. Indeed, replied Adrlaide; "we were educated at the same school we were bosom friends." "Merciful Heaven '" exclaimed Craig, sanctimonioutly ; "to what pollution are our daughters exposed, when the children of s!vms are foisted upon so ciety in this manner!" "No, Mr. Craig." cried Mortimer, with a bitter laugh ; "tho pollution is in the vry atinojherw of a clime in which a father's first duty to society is to trample on the laws of " humanity--the tlos of fibh and blood." "Hold your tongue. Mortimer," said Augustus Horton, "you know nothing of theau things ; Geruld Leslie has acted disgracefully, and this girl must pay the penalty of her father's lolly." "That Is Louisiana justice." "Excuse me fo two or three minutes. Mr. Craig," said Angustus, rising; "I have a few words to say to my cousin. I will rejoin you almost immediately ; in the meantime the ladle will amuse you. Come, Mortimer." The young man followed his cousin, after bowing coldly to Craig. The truth of the matter was that Augustus Horton wished to get hfs Imprudent partner out of the way, as he felt that Silas Craig would take care to spread the report ol Mortimer Percy's revolutionary principles among the outraged Southerners. Left alone with the two ladies, Silag Craig felt himself very much at a loss fox conversation. He had never married, and he was always silent and ashamed in female so ciety. Accomplished hypocrite as h was, he trembled before tho keen in stincts of a woman, and felt that his real nature stood unmasked. But on this occasion he was relieved from his embarrassment in a manner that be had little expected. Just as h was preparing himself to uttor some com monplace remark, a stentorian voice re sounded through the vestibule without. "Oh, you needn't announce me," said the intruder; "everybody knows me. It's old Craig, the lawyer, I want to see, and I know he's here." A close observer might have observed that Silas Craig's faoo grew considerablj paler at the sound of his voice ; but be fore he could make any remark the ownei of it had dashed into the room, banging open tho door with a noise of thunder. Weil might the ladles start with an ex clamation of amazement at the apparitioo that stood before them. The new eomei was a tall, lanky, raw-boned looking man, with long hair, whioh streamod in rough locks from under his fur cap. He wore a bear-skin jacket, very much the worse for bad usace, loose knickerbocker- trousers, leather gaiters, and great nailed boots ; his red-striped shirt was torn and ragged, and a tattered cloak hung looselv over his shoulder. When we further add that ho carried a musket under bis arm, the reader will be able to understand the astonishment of Mrs. Moutreor and hei niece at beholding such an intruder it their elegant apartment. If a ghost risen from the grave hal stood before him, Silas Craig could scarcely have appeared more terrified than he did at the sight of this man. So I ve found you at last, my worthy Craig, have IV" cried the stranger. "I've boon over evers- inch of ground in New Or leans. I think, looking for you. At last somebody told me you were at Mr. Hor- ton's. 'Very well, then,' says I, 'bore goes for Mr. Horton's,' and here ! am ; but how Is my dear Craig ! You don't seem glad to see me. His dear Craig! Vulgar ruffian P mut tered Silas in an undertone ; and then, with an effort to overcome his embarrass ment, he said, "Why, as for being glad to see you, my dear Bill, of course I m giad ; but you see you see the truth was 1 thought you were in California. ies, whore you sent mo to dig for gold and keep out of your way. No, the climate didn't agree with me, and I didn t find any gold, though I soon spent spent all I took with me. &o, knowing I had powerful friends in New Orleans, I thought the best thing I could do would De tO come Dae a and throw mv'seir once more on their generosity." Silas Craig bit hia thick under Hp till tho blood started beneath his teeth. But I 6ay, Craig," said the stranger. looking at the two astonished women, "where's your manners? Ain't you going to introduce me to the ladies?" "Oh, to be sure," replied Silas, with Increasing embarrassment. "My dear Mrs. Montresor, my dear Miss Horton, allow me to introduce to you Mr. Bill Bowen, formerly captain of a slaver." "Captain of a slaver !" exclaimed Ade laide. "Don't be frightened, miss," said Bill; your brother was one of my best cus tomers. I've dono many a bit of bus iness in the nigger trade wit'a him." The young girl shuddered as she turned away from the speaker. "I know my dress ain't quite the thing for a lady's drawing room," he said looking down down at hi ragged shirt sleeves and clay stained olothe3, " but we'll poon set all that to rights. My friend Craig will recommend me to his tailor and lend me the money to pay his bill, if it comes to that, won't you, Craig ?" "Oh, certainh', as far as that goes, In consideration for past services." "Yes, 'in consideration for past ser vices.' " repeated Bill Bowen, rather sig nificantly. "I tell you what, Mr. Craig, as you seem doing the civil to these la dies here, and as you don't seem over much to relish my oompany, I'll slope now, and drop in and take a bit of dinner with you at your own house by-and-by. What's your hour?" "Six o'clock," muttered Craig, with ill concealed vexation. "Six o'clock. I shall be sure to be punctual," said Bill Bowen, "for I've got a pretty sharp appetite. Good morning, ma'am. Good morning, miss," he added, nodding familiarly to the two ladies, as he strode out of t he room . "What a horrible creature!" exclaimed Mrs. Montresor. How can you tolerate him, Mr. Craig?" "Why, the truth is," replied Silas, "the man has been of nee to me In some trlfiin matters of business. He ha3 served me for a long time one way and another, and I've got used to his Queer ways. He's an eccentric sort of animal, and he works all the better for being humored, so I look over his uncultivated manner." "I would not advise you to encourage him in running after you into people's drawing-rooms," paid Mrs. Montresor, pointing to the clay left by Bill Bowen's boot upon the rich colors of the Persian carpet. Silas reddened and an angry frowt1 contracted his sandy eyebrows. , "I'll forgive him if he ever plays tat this trick again," he muttered. "You are quite right, Mrs. Montrssor, Mr. William Bowen requires to be taught a lesson, and I think Silas Craig Is the nw to teach It him. Pray exouse the iacon-! venlence you have been subjected to,, and permit me to wish you good raoro! ing.'' t "I cannot tell you how I dislike that man P exclaimed Adelaide, when her aunt and she wore alone; "he Lnsplraa me with a disgust for which I can scarcely account. And, then, again, how cruelly he spoke of Coral Poor; girl, poor girl! A slave a kUvs Ilka Myra, or Daisy, or Rose, or any of out servants. Tho friendship between us La i broken forever, and henceforth I dar not look upon her as my equal." The Iron hand of prejudice had so strangled every warmer emotion of th soul, that this girl, whose heart was nat- uratiy goou anu gonerous, was prepare to abandon forever the friend and com panion of her youth, because the taint of African blood was in her veins, tha brand of society was stamped against ber name because ahs was a slave ! o ! I'ontiiliiieil. HENRY BOECK' C IS TIIK 1-LACK TO JICT VODK Parlorand Bod Room Sets, Mat tresses, Sofas, Lo'irges and Office Furniture. 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