feels a little softened to the good cause, and does hope Mrs. Rosebrook may succeed at least in rescuing the little girl.  She has counselled Mr. Seabrook, commonly called Colonel Seabrook, a very distinguished gentleman, who has a very distinguished opinion of himself, having studied law to distinguish himself, and now and then merely practises it for his own amusement.  Mr. Seabrook never gives an opinion, nor acts for his friends, unless every thing he does be considered distinguished, and gratuitously rendered.

“What will you do with such property, madam?” inquires the gentleman, having listened profoundly to her request.

“To save them from being sold into the hands of such men as Graspum and Romescos; it’s the only motive I have” she speaks, gently:  “I love the child; and her mother still loves her:  I am a mother.”

“Remember, my dear lady, they are adjudged property by law; and all that you can do for them won’t save them, nor change the odour of negro with which it has stamped them.”

“Of that I am already too well aware, Mr. Seabrook; and I know, too, when once enslaved, how hard it is to unslave.  Public sentiment is the worst slave we have; unslave that, and the righteousness of heaven will give us hearts to save ourselves from the unrighteousness of our laws.

“Go, Mr. Seabrook, purchase the children for me, and you will soon see what ornaments of society I will make them!”

“Ornaments to our society!” interrupts Mr. Seabrook, pausing for a moment, as he places the fore-finger of his right hand upon his upper lip.  “That would be a pretty consummation-at the south!  Make ornaments of our society!” Mr. Seabrook turns the matter over and over and over in his mind.  “Of such things as have been pronounced property by law!  A pretty fix it would get our society into!” he rejoins, with emphasis.  Mr. Seabrook shakes his head doubtingly, and then, taking three or four strides across the room, his hands well down in his nether pockets, relieves himself of his positive opinion.  “Ah! ah! hem! my dear madam,” he says, “if you undertake the purchase of all that delicate kind of property-I mean the amount total, as it is mixed up-your head’ll grow grey afore you get all the bills of sale paid up,—­my word for it!  That’s my undisguised opinion, backed up by all the pale-faced property about the city.”

“We will omit the opinion, Mr. Seabrook; such have kept our society where it now is.  I am resolved to have those children.  If you hesitate to act for me, I’ll brave-”

“Don’t say that, my dear lady.  Let me remind you that it ill becomes a lady of the south to be seen at a slave-mart; more especially when such delicate property is for sale.  Persons might be present who did not understand your motive, and would not only make rude advances, but question the propriety of your proceedings.  You would lose caste, most surely.”