Hubert's Wife

wn the red earth of her adopted Virginia, and, mingled with its mocking freshness, was the bitter rain of tears from the eyes of all who had known the lowly sleeper. Even Nature joined

rth," had exclaimed Duncan Stuart Lisle, as, leading his li

d superstitious, had all congregated in Aunt Amy's cabin. Amidst their grief, sincere and profound,

or five year, to 'trude herself the minute Miss Ellice's breath had left her precious body

, not'standing she make herself so 'ficious," sa

ect and manners were superior to those of the other servants, "only just once, and that w

ow and uprising mountains of cheek, "and I'll tell you what I tinks: I tinks just den and dere, dat if we

ls. Trembling hands drew small plaid shawls closer about the shoulders, w

to break the

nuf once to let Miss Rusha 'lone; he's not gwine to be 'veigled by none o' her hilofical airs-you may

er, as if to kill the secret though

ay, an' all us all 'round ebry which way-oo-but I gived her

ye speak to her,"

nows better den dat. But I jes s

so; derefore nuthin' ever fall Miss Rusha; she never sick, nor die, nor drown, nor burn up. Miss Ellice she sick, she die,

umphantly at Margery, who was about to spea

ood Massa Duncan; she may jes hang up high her fiddle on de willows o' Bab'lon; she sit down an' weep on de st

name of the Li

our south 'bacco patch. Her hundred niggers and Massa's hundred would make a crew. O, she's a

eturned China, usually quiet and gentle. "But what if you are all mistaken, an

don't hear with our elbows. What for did she bring nice things and pretties for Hubert? and what for did she take such a wonderful interest in de poor baby? Bress us, is de baby wake

ant cries. This sudden mention brought every dark face to bend low over the cradle, which Bessie,

at the cradle's side. Satisfied that the baby still breathed, Chloe, Amy, Margery

ad lost a share of the gossip, she gave Bessie a vigorous push with her foot as she passed

slowly comprehended the scene, the present, the past, an

sie in that way," said China, between whom and Bessie was a

s going 'round Robinhood's barn for sake o

d a sleepin' nigger. You's been asleep yourself the last hour. S'pose we'd all been like you

ng coal upon the hearth. Meantime, while she is preparing for a smoke, her companions have taken from their pockets, each a tin snuff-box and a mop, which mop consists of a small twig, chewed at the end into threads or fibers. This mop, wet with saliva, is th

nd from indignation to the charming amusement of snuff-dipping