The Bondwoman

orld, the women in particular, knew little of the bitter spirit permeating the politic

eath for saying less;––and the exile of my son to remember––yes; all that! He was Republican––I a Legitimist; I of the old, he of the new. Repub

e girlish Marquise with a smile. "Your country, Madame McVeigh, has no such cant in its constituti

miled and sigh

ion of our country. I confess I only know the first line:––'When in the course of human eve

quise bright with laughter, she laug

what

the Declaration of Independence,

one of our creeds. But I shall certainly be afraid of you, Marquise. At your age the learning and comp

was a marked contrast to the aggressiveness with which she had met Dumaresque in the morning. The Countess Helene, observing the deprecating manner with

. "Alain's widow has a face for tragedy, the address

led at Mrs. McV

ealthy young animalism; but what can I do?––nothing less frivo

cVeigh. "I can, at least, prescribe a change promising m

day she may go over. But for the brief remnant of my life I shall be selfish and want her always on my side of the ocean. What,

ain effort as she continued: "I thank you for the suggestion, Madame McVeigh; the property Maman refe

t of the land was settled originally by the cavaliers

ame;"––her face had regained its color,

es like this," suggested the Countess

ental effects in dress, you know. Our colored women look very sober in comparison; still they have

e year of my life was passed in a school with two from Braz

the;

quickly to her side and sank on the cushion at her feet, loo

ive to tell the tale, and really they say the American wa

igh; "do you mean as fellow pupils

ature and color suggest the dark continent, but are accepted, nevertheless. However, the girl I mention 21 was not dark. Her m

ess remembered that slavery was threatening to become an institution of uncompromising discord across the water, all reference to it was lik

that case I shall think twice before I send my daughter here to schoo

my guardians decid

culty––they

daughter of an American planter; which was true. I have

was she educated in

nts enhancing her value as compan

dam

rqu

suggestion. There was even incredulity in the tones, an initiative protest against such

mplishments 22 meant extra thousands to the man wh

resent day in our country such an arrangement could exist. No one, knowing our men, could credit such a story. In th

rquise, with a shrug, "for you would no doubt be

tain

aughed the Countess; "for they manage many l

and morality; and in her mind there was absolutely no comparison possible without jarring d

d the story of the girl Rhoda I fancied it one

ho

he school––Rhoda Larue––the Larue was a fiction; s

ive us some music child, and drive away

the Marquise moved smil

shed! Why, it might develop into a romance. I dote on romances in real

quise. "But before her year at the convent had quite expired she made her escape––took no one into her con

e?" said the Countess. "I do; it o

he Marquise halted, looked curiously at the speaker, then regarded the oriental face o

me something––to be careful, careful how we judge the unfortunate. They say this Kora is a light woman in morals; but suppose––suppose somewhere the life that girl told of

alcove, and left the three ladies gazing at each other

mace. "Last week it was the Jews, who seem to me quite able to take care o

s 24 thought a virtue to don armor and do battle for t

ughed the Countess Helene; "she

Mrs. McVeigh; "one could not imagine a we

of the tragedy of Holofernes. It suggests the strange, the

ked the dowager, indulging herself in a tiny pinch of snu

t stared. Evidently she, also, had heard the opinions concerning the young widow's foreign ex

those slumbrous, oriental eyes of hers suggested someway that beauty of

at times that I can scarcely imagine her at

hard to answer sometimes.

s. McVeigh; then she held up her finger as the Countess was about to 25 speak, for from the

t?" asked

s of the speaker were bright with tears; "in all m

understands remarkably well how to make her l

into the alcove. At the last bar of the song a shadow fell across

usic you interpret so well," she said impulsively;

uise, with a pretty nod that was a bow in miniature. She

you to take my invitation seriously and come some time to our

confessed that my sympathies were there ahead of me." The smile acco

graciousness that was a caress in itse

nce that even the privileged Dumaresque would not break in on their evening, t

g on the most vital of their economic institutions? Had you forgotten their prejudices? I

her embroidery with a smile, "and I had not forgotten their prejudi

cVeigh!––

use of a fact which I have never forgotten, the young planter for whom she was educated––the slave owner who bou

on of that charming, sincere woman! Yes, I had forgotten their na

"still, I shall make a point of avoiding the son until we learn something

silence, digesting the tro

continuation of the subject. But the Marquise was engrossed by her embroid