“Nonsense, Ellen,” remarked Mr. Ellis, “you look surprisingly young, you are quite a girl yet.  Why, it was only the other day I was asked if you were one of my daughters.”

Mrs. Ellis and the girls laughed at this sally of their father’s, who asked Mr. Walters if he had as yet any house in view.

“There is one of my houses in Winter-street that I think will just suit them.  The former tenants moved out about a week since.  If I can call for you to-morrow,” he continued, turning to Mrs. Ellis, “will you accompany me there to take a look at the premises?”

“It is a dreadful long walk,” replied Mrs. Ellis.  “How provoking it is to think, that because persons are coloured they are not permitted to ride in the omnibuses or other public conveyances!  I do hope I shall live to see the time when we shall be treated as civilized creatures should be.”

“I suppose we shall be so treated when the Millennium comes,” rejoined Walters, “not before, I am afraid; and as we have no reason to anticipate that it will arrive before to-morrow, we shall have to walk to Winter-street, or take a private conveyance.  At any rate, I shall call for you to-morrow at ten.  Good night—­remember, at ten.”  “Well, this is a strange piece of intelligence,” exclaimed Mrs. Ellis, as the door closed upon Mr. Walters.  “I wonder what on earth can induce them to move on here.  Their place, I am told, is a perfect paradise.  In old Colonel Garie’s time it was said to be the finest in Georgia.  I wonder if he really intends to live here permanently?”

“I can’t say, my dear,” replied Mrs. Ellis; “I am as much in the dark as you are.”

“Perhaps they are getting poor, Ellis, and are coming here because they can live cheaper.”

“Oh, no, wife; I don’t think that can be the occasion of their removal.  I rather imagine he purposes emancipating his children.  He cannot do it legally in Georgia; and, you know, by bringing them here, and letting them remain six months, they are free—­so says the law of some of the Southern States, and I think of Georgia.”

The next morning Mrs. Ellis, Caddy, and Mr. Walters, started for Winter-street; it was a very long walk, and when they arrived there, they were all pretty well exhausted.

“Oh, dear,” exclaimed Mrs. Ellis, after walking upstairs, “I am so tired, and there is not a chair in the house.  I must rest here,” said she, seating herself upon the stairs, and looking out upon the garden.  “What a large yard! if ours were only as large as this, what a delightful place I could make of it!  But there is no room to plant anything at our house, the garden is so very small.”

After they were all somewhat rested, they walked through the house and surveyed the rooms, making some favourable commentary upon each.

“The house don’t look as if it would want much cleaning,” said Caddy, with a tone of regret.

“So much the better, I should say,” suggested Mr. Walters.