“It is truly unfortunate,” rejoined Mr. Winston, “for he covers his prejudices with such a pretended regard for the coloured people, that a person would be the more readily led to believe his statements respecting them to be correct; and he is really so positive about it, and apparently go deaf to all argument that I did not discuss the subject with him to any extent; he was so very kind to me that I did not want to run a tilt against his favourite opinions.”

“You wrote me he gave you letters to Philadelphia; was there one amongst them to the Mortons?”

“Yes.  They were very civil and invited me to a grand dinner they gave to the Belgian Charge d’Affaires.  I also met there one or two scions of the first families of Virginia.  The Belgian minister did not seem to be aware that slavery is a tabooed subject in polite circles, and he was continually bringing it forward until slaves, slavery, and black people in general became the principal topic of conversation, relieved by occasional discussion upon some new book or pictures, and remarks in praise of the viands before us.  A very amusing thing occurred during dinner.  A bright-faced little coloured boy who was assisting at the table, seemed to take uncommon interest in the conversation.  An animated discussion had arisen as to the antiquity of the use of salad, one party maintaining that one of the oldest of the English poets had mentioned it in a poem, and the other as stoutly denying it.  At last a reverend gentleman, whose remarks respecting the intelligence of the children of Ham had been particularly disparaging, asserted that nowhere in Chaucer, Spencer, nor any of the old English poets could anything relating to it be found.  At this, the little waiter became so excited that he could no longer contain himself, and, despite the frowns and nods of our hostess, exclaimed, ’Yes it can, it’s in Chaucer; here,’ he continued, taking out a book from the book-case, ’here is the very volume,’[*] and turning over the leaves he pointed out the passage, to the great chagrin of the reverend gentleman, and to the amusement of the guests.  The Belgian minister enjoyed it immensely.  ‘Ah,’ said he, ‘the child of Ham know more than the child of Shem, dis time.’  Whereupon Mrs. Morton rejoined that in this case it was not so wonderful, owing to the frequent and intimate relations into which ham and salad were brought, and with this joke the subject was dismissed.  I can’t say I was particularly sorry when the company broke up.”

[Footnote * See Chaucer, “Flower and the Leaf.”]

“Oh, George, never mind the white people,” here interposed Mrs. Garie.  “Never mind them; tell us about the coloured folks; they are the ones I take the most interest in.  We were so delighted with your letters, and so glad that you found Mrs. Ellis.  Tell us all about that.”

“Oh, ’tis a long story, Em, and can’t be told in a minute; it would take the whole evening to relate it all.”