The Crisis, Complete

ting by the open windows in his mother's

he lady, at length, "wha

kind peopl

ith a sigh. "But they are not-they ar

reasons for coming West,

er looke

might have more chance for the career to which you are

tood behind her chair, his hands

exact date abo

ate, St

tes Senate. And you must not forget that there i

t still a wonderfully sweet smile. And it made her

of my first speech in that august ass

ant,'" she responded instantly, the

he added, laughing, "which do not seem

other public charges have no Rights of Privacy," said she. "Mr. Longfellow told m

e Miss Crane's Commission?" h

ther l

he said

Reed could be a shining light in any bar. I overheard a part o

a moment, "I had so hoped that they wouldn't. They lead the same narrow life in thi

the

ew Englanders here-I wish that Mr.

mong New Englanders. I hope the Southerners will b

us at Hollingdean, Lord Northwell's place. You were too small at the time. There was a young girl, Eleanor Randolph, a beauty. I shall never forget the way she entered

udge Whipple's letter, mother,

k in his letter,"

always frank, to

lawyers in the country. He won a remarkable case for Appleton here, and he once said that the Judge would

and then, himself. He is not precisely what might

rice s

you heard?"

another, a young lawyer, who declared that he would rather face a wild cat than ask Whipple a question on the new code. And yet he said that the Judge

was distressed by these things. Heaven knows that s

me. I didn't mean it. I am sure the Judge is a good man,-one of those aggressive

that?" aske

n wishing to have it said that a certain Senat

ou goose!"

tains and the more hideous imitation marble mantel were the two objects that held her glance. There was no change in her calm demeanor.

. Dickens, he is a true American gentleman, for he chews tobacco. He has been in St. Louis five years, is now assistant manager of the largest dry g

pau

mot

, de

his pockets and walk

uld be better if I

you mean,

s debts, we've come out here with only a few thousand dollars, and the nine hundred I saved out of this year's Law School allowance. What

ew that he had been gathering courage for this moment for months. And she knew that he

r her brow. It was a spac

d, let us never s

ou should become a lawyer and-and his wis

d kissed hi

to Judge Whipple in the mornin

temper. I s

k into her room again. She was on

d, but a poor young man as an applicant to a notorious dragon is not likely to be bandied with velvet, even though the animal ha

one through. So presently, after inquiry, he came to the open square where the new Court House stood, the dome of which was indicated by a mass of staging, and one win

, "Law office o

earfully, with an impulse to throw his arm above his head. But he was struck dumb on beholding, instead of a dragon, a good-natured young man who

eed could not hide the bone and sinew under it. The young man had a broad forehead, placid Dresden-blue eyes, flaxen hair, and the German coloring. Across one of his high cheek-bones

le?" he asked, in the acce

tephen, "if h

of a 'd' in the word. "You know he is much occupied

nger here,"

. Brice. The young one from Boston the Judge spo

bother him," Stephe

ichter-Carl R

as moved to return it with a little more fervor than he usually showed. And he felt, whatever the Judge

mild weather for November, eh? Th

chter's big table; at the cuspidors; at the engravings of Washington and Webster; at the window in the jog

S WH

IV

to appear was disquieting. Stephen remembered that he had something over nine hundred dollars in his pocket (which he had saved out o

dow and pointed across the square. "I am sorry I cannot go with you," he added, "but the Judge's

en. "Why, I thought that Mr.

chter

said he. "The Jud

and went slowly down the stairs. To be keyed up to a battle-pitch,

ings. He hesitated, curious. Then he walked slowly toward the place, and buttoning his coat, pushed through the loafers and passers-b

nt was come for all and each. How hard the stones and what more pitiless than the gaze of their fellow-creatures in the crowd below! O friends, we who live in peace and plenty amongst our families, how little do we realize the terror and the

nen, snatched a child from its mother's lap Stephen shuddered with the sharpest pain he had ever known. An ocean-wide tempest arose in his breast, Samson's strength to break

itionists. Only three years before, when Boston had been aflame over the delivery of the fugitive Anthony Burns, Stephen had gone out of curiosity to the meeting at Faneuil Hall. How well he remembered his father's i

exhorted them to buy. The were bidding, yes, for the possession of souls, bidding in the currency of the Great Republic. And betwee

sold while Steph

oup. A white-haired patriarch, with eyes raised to the sky; a flat-breasted woman whose child was gone, whose weakness made her valueless. Then two gi

Something we don't have. I generally stop here to take a loo

ame to hi

from New Engl

pper l

I was a sort of an Abolitionist. But after you've lived her

from S

ressed. "There's a well-known New Orleans dealer nam

Some of those other niggers will go too, and they'd rather go to hell. They do treat 'em nefarious down thah on the wholesale plantation

man was to be tempted to murder. He moved away,

the late Mistah Robe't Benbow, of St. Louis, as fine a pair of

handsome gal,

cart hoss fust

turned to the

had." He seized her arm and squeezed it, while the girl flinched and drew back. "She's solid, g

hen, sick at heart, turned to leave. Halfway to the corner he met a little elderly man who was the color of a dried gourd. And just as Stephen passed hi

ellous luck. I was able to buy your daughter for

y), "is you gwineter stan' heah an' see her sister Hester sol' to-to-oh, ma little Chile! De little Chile dat I nussed, dat I raised up in God's 'ligion. Mistah

ng before him. Her suffering was stamped on the little man's face-and it seemed to

must he have had to say the same thing), "I haven'

as not so merciful as that. It was Stephen who lifted her, and

ys that one of his first actions in St. Louis was of this nature. The waters stored for a

tephen, in a low voice, "and

man looke

dress. I will buy the girl,

ter, Second Hand Furniture, 20 Second Street." And still he stared at Stephen, as o

ff toward the people at the auction. He was trembling. In his eagerness to reac

by the blocky body of Mr. Hopper, who

y ain't begun to sell her yet-he's waitin' for somebody.

per down, he certainly could not buy her. And it

He approved of any man from Boston who was not too squ

ght him back to earth. He cease

Carvel across the street. Guess I'd better move on. But

alet was speaking leisurely, as usual, while preparing to move. "That's Virginia Carv

over the muddy crossing toward him. Was it possible that these people were coming to

et, For a fleeting second her eyes met his, and then her lashes fell. But he was aware, when he had turned away, that she was l

oint of view. A sudden anger shook him that sh

roughly by the man in charge and thrust forward, half fainting, into view. Ste

re were tears

e ain't never been offered to bidders such an opportunity as this heah.

to move on. "Come Jinny," he said, "

's Mr. Benbow's Hester. Don't go, dear. Buy her f

, and pulled his goatee Young

other promised you a present, y

ia had

ne of you," wa

l, "and we'll settle the ownership afterward." Taki

nd the money which meant so much to him. He saw the man Jenkin elbowing to the front. And yet-s

s mind: He shouldered