After an absence of nearly three years, Natalie stood once again upon the shores of her island home.  Everything was as when she had left, for the bustle and change of the outer world does not disturb the quiet of this sea-girt isle.  Her mother received her with tears of joy, that fulness of joy which only the mother can feel, who, after a long separation from the child whose beauty of character sheds a halo of honor around the household name, holds her to her heart again, where she knows her to be safest from the world’s contumely.  Harry welcomed his sister home, with the wild delight of his boyish days, regardless of the presence of strangers in their family circle; while old Vingo, who had been beside himself for a week past, with the prospect of at last actually beholding his missy face to face, capered about the room, as if he were not so near his second childhood.  The Sea-flower pressed his bony, black hand to her lips.

“Ah!  I know dat you neber change, missy; I know you always be de same!  I tells mysef dat, dese long years past, and bress de Lord, poor old Bingo hab one friend as long as he hab a hope ob libin’!”

“Yes, my good Vingo,” said the Sea-flower, “you may truly rely upon one friend,—­that best of friends, he will never forsake you; but,” and she spread out the veritable handkerchief, so precious to the poor black woman, before his wondering eyes, “you are deserving of the rich blessings of earthly friends; for had I been tried, as it has been the will of an overruling providence that you should be, I doubt if I had borne my cross with the submissive spirit which you have manifested.  Tell me,” added she, pointing out the crooked marks in the corner of the handkerchief, “do you recognize that?”

Vingo drew forth the bandanna, which always accompanied him in his wanderings, and laid it by the side of the other.  They were just alike; there were the two crooked marks upon each, speaking as accurately as the most highly finished ambrotype of the day.

“Praise de Lord foreber!” shouted the negro; “I neber ’speck to see dat sight, while I not’ing but ole brack Bingo!  I can lib to de end ob my days wid joy at de sight ob dat! it am next to finding poor Phillis hersef.  Pray, missy, did you find dat in some accidental cotton bag? or am Bosting only the Christian name for wicked old Kintuck?  I shouldn’t tink dat angels could lib in dat cannibal hemisphere!”

It was with difficulty that those who witnessed the fellow’s ludicrous movements, could refrain from a smile; but when, at a summons from Natalie, the door opened, and the black woman, so nearly allied to the human family as to have manifested an appreciation of the beautiful, stood before them, there was not a dry eye in the room.  It was an affecting sight, to witness the meeting of this man and wife, who had been separated for so many long years, and under such trying circumstances.  To be sure, they were poor ignorant negroes, who are looked upon by a large portion