Let us beg the reader’s indulgence for a few moments, while we say that Mr. Scranton belonged to that large class of servile flatterers who too often come from the New England States-men, who, having no direct interest in slaves, make no scruple of sacrificing their independence that they may appear true to the south and slavery.  Such men not unfrequently do the political vampirism of the south without receiving its thanks, but look for the respect of political factions for being loudest supporters of inconsistency.  They never receive the thanks of the southerner; frequently and deservedly do they sink into contempt!

A few days after the visit to the plantation we have described in the foregoing chapter, Elder Pemberton Praiseworthy, divested of his pastoral occupation, and seriously anxious to keep up his friendly associations with those who had taken a part in furthering the cause of humanity, calls on his old acquaintance, Mrs. Rosebrook.  He has always found a welcome under her hospitable roof,—­a good meal, over which he could discourse the benefits he bestowed, through his spiritual mission, upon a fallen race; never leaving without kindly asking permission to offer up a prayer, in which he invoked the mercy of the Supreme Ruler over all things.  In this instance he seems somewhat downcast, forlorn; he has changed his business; his brown, lean face, small peering eyes, and low forehead, with bristly black hair standing erect, give his features a careworn air.  He apologises for the unceremonious call, and says he always forgets etiquette in his fervour to do good; to serve his fellow-creatures, to be a Christian among the living, and serve the dying and the dead-if such have wants—­is his motto.  And that his motives may not be misconstrued he has come to report the peculiar phases of the business he found it actually necessary to turn his hand to.  That he will gain a complete mastery over the devil he has not the fraction of a doubt; and as he has always—­deeming him less harmless than many citizens of the south—­had strong prejudices against that gentleman, he now has strong expectations of carrying his point against him.  Elder Praiseworthy once heard a great statesman—­who said singular things as well in as out of Congress—­say that he did’nt believe the devil was a bad fellow after all; and that with a little more schooling he might make a very useful gentleman to prevent duelling—­in a word, that there was no knowing how we’d get along at the south without such an all-important personage.  He has had several spells of deep thinking on this point, which, though he cannot exactly agree with it, he holds firmly to the belief that, so far as it affects duelling, the devil should be one of the principals, and he, being specially ordained, the great antagonist to demolish him with his chosen weapon—­humanity.

“They tell me you have gone back into the world,” says Mrs. Rosebrook, as the waiter hands Elder Pemberton Praiseworthy a chair.  “It’s only the duty of love, of Christian goodness, he humbly replies, and takes his seat as Mrs. Rosebrook says-"pray be seated!”