“Oh! oh! oh!  Elder,” interrupted Marston, “pledge something valuable.”

“To me, my faith is the most sacred thing in the world.  I will-as I was going to say-preach to your moulding and necessities.  Pay for it, and, on my word, it shall be in the cause of the South!  With the landmarks from my planter customers, I will follow to their liking,” continues Elder Pemberton Praiseworthy, not a smile on his hard face.

Deacon Rosebrook thinks it is well said.  Pay is the great desideratum in everything.  The Elder, though not an uncommon southern clergyman, is the most versatile preacher to be met with in a day’s walk.  Having a wonderful opinion of nigger knowledge, he preaches to it in accordance, receiving good pay and having no objection to the wine.

“Well, Gentlemen,” Marston remarks, coolly, “I think the Elder has borne our jokes well; we will now go and moisten our lips.  The elder likes my old Madeira-always passes the highest compliments upon it.”  Having sallied about the plantation, we return to the mansion, where Dandy, Enoch, and Sam-three well-dressed mulattoes-their hair frizzed and their white aprons looking so bright, meet us at the veranda, and bow us back into the parlour, as we bear our willing testimony of the prospects of the crop.  With scraping of feet, grins, and bows, they welcome us back, smother us with compliments, and seem overwilling to lavish their kindness.  From the parlour they bow us into a long room in the right wing, its walls being plain boarded, and well ventilated with open seams.  A table is spread with substantial edibles,-such as ham, bacon, mutton, and fish.  These represent the southern planter’s fare, to which he seldom adds those pastry delicacies with which the New Englander is prone to decorate his table.  The party become seated as Franconia graces the festive board with her presence, which, being an incentive of gallantry, preserves the nicest decorum, smooths the conversation.  The wine-cup flows freely; the Elder dips deeply-as he declares it choice.  Temperance being unpopular in the south, it is little regarded at Marston’s mansion.  As for Marston himself, he is merely preparing the way to play facetious jokes on the Elder, whose arm he touches every few minutes, reminding him how backward he is in replenishing his glass.

Not at all backward in such matters, the Elder fills up, asks the pleasure of drinking his very good health, and empties the liquid into the safest place nearest at hand.  Repeated courses have their effect; Marston is pleased, the Elder is mellow.  With muddled sensibilities his eyes glare wildly about the table, and at every fresh invitation to drink he begs pardon for having neglected his duty, fingers the ends of his cravat, and deposits another glass,-certainly the very last.  Franconia, perceiving her uncle’s motive, begs to be excused, and is escorted out of the room.  Mr. Praiseworthy, attempting to get a last glass of wine to his lips without spilling, is quite surprised that the lady should leave.  He commences descanting on his own fierce enmity to infidelity and catholicism.  He would that everybody rose up and trampled them into the dust; both are ruinous to negro property.