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a　good　servant；　and　that　the　estate　was　kept　in　excellent　order。　

After　all；　the　seventies　of　which　she　had　heard　complaints　were　by

no　means　excessive；　and　it　was　not　to　he　expected　that　a　Northern

overseer　could　rule　entirely　by　kindness；　as　the　owner　of　an　estate

could　do。　A　change　would　be　most　inconvenient　to　her；　and　she

would　have　difficulty　in　suiting　herself　so　well　another　time。　

Besides；　the　man　had　been　with　her　sixteen　years；　and　was；　as　she

believed；　devoted　to　her　interests。　　Therefore　she　turned　a　deaf　ear

to　Vincent's　remonstrances。



She　had　always　been　somewhat　opposed　to　his　being　left　in

England　at　school；　urging　that　he　would　learn　ideas　there　that

would　clash　with　those　of　the　people　among　whom　his　life　was　to

be　spent；　and　she　still　considered　that　her　views　had　been　justified

by　the　result。



The　overseer　was　the　first　to　give　his　version　of　the　story　shout

Dan's　conduct；　for　on　going　to　the　house　Vincent　found　his　sisters；

Rosa　and　Annie；　in　the　garden；　having　just　returned　from　a　two

days'　visit　to　some　friends　in　Richmond；　and　stayed　chatting　with

them　and　listening　to　their　news　for　an　hour；　and　in　the　meantime

Jonas　had　gone　in　and　seen　Mrs。　Wingfield　and　told　his　story。



〃I　think；　Mrs。　Wingfield；〃　he　said　when　he　had　finished；　〃that　it

will　be　better　for　me　to　leave　you。　　It　is　quite　evident　that　I　can

have　no　authority　over　the　hands　if　your　son　is　to　interfere　when　I

am　about　to　punish　a　slave　for　an　act　of　gross　disobedience　and

neglect。　I　found　that　all　the　tobacco　required　turning；　and　now　it

will　not　be　done　this　afternoon　owing　to　my　orders　not　being

carried　out；　and　the　tobacco　will　not　improbably　be　injured　in

quality。　　My　position　is　difficult　enough　as　it　is；　but　if　the　slaves

see　that　instead　of　being　supported　I　am　thwarted　by　your　son；　my

authority　is　gone　altogether。　　No　overseer　can　carry　on　his　work

properly　under　such　circumstances。〃



〃I　will　see　to　the　matter；　Jonas；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said　decidedly。　

〃Be　assured　that　you　have　my　entire　support；　and　I　will　see　that　my

son　does　not　again　interfere。〃



When；　therefore；　Vincent　entered　the　house　and　began　his

complaint　he　found　himself　cut　short。　



〃I　have　heard　the　story　already；　Vincent。　　Dan　acted　in　gross

disobedience；　and　thoroughly　deserved　the　punishment　Jonas　was

about　to　give　him。　　The　work　of　the　estate　cannot　be　carried　on　if

such　conduct　is　to　be　tolerated；　and　once　for　all；　I　will　permit　no

interference　on　your　part　with　Jonas。　　If　you　have　any　complaints

to　make；　come　to　me　and　make　them；　but　you　are　not　yourself　to

interfere　in　any　way　with　the　overseer。　　As　for　Dan；　I　have　directed

Jonas　that　the　next　time　he　gives　cause　for　complaint　he　is　to　go

into　the　fields。〃



Vincent　stood　silent　for　a　minute；　then　he　said　quietly：　



〃Very　well；　mother。　Of　course　you　can　do　as　you　like；　but　at　any

rate　I　will　not　keep　my　month　shut　when　I　see　that　fellow

ill…treating　the　slaves。　　Such　things　were　never　done　in　my　father's

time；　and　I　won't　see　them　done　now。　　You　said　tile　other　day　you

would　get　me　a　nomination　to　West　Point　as　soon　as　I　was　sixteen。　

I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　do　so。　　By　the　time　I　have　gone

through　the　school；　you　will　perhaps　see　that　I　have　been　right

about　Jonas。〃



So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　the　room　and　again　joined　his　sisters

in　the　drawing…room。



〃I　have　just　told　mother　that　I　will　go　to　West　Point；　girls；〃　he　said。　

〃Father　said　more　than　once　that　he　thought　it　was　the　best

education　I　could　get　in　America。〃



〃But　I　thought　you　had　made　up　your　mind　that　you　would　rather

stop　at　home；　Vincent？〃



〃So　I　had；　and　so　I　would　have　done；　but　mother　and　I　differ　in

opinion　　That　fellow　Jonas　was　going　to　flog　Dan；　and　I　stopped

him　this　morning；　and　mother　takes　his　part　against　me。　　You

know；　I　don't　like　the　way　he　goes　on　with　the　slaves。　　They　are　not

half　so　merry　and　happy　as　they　used　to　be；　and　I　don't　like　it。　　We

shall　have　one　of　them　running　away　next；　and　that　will　be　a　nice

thing　on　what　used　to　be　considered　one　of　the　happiest　plantations

in　Virginia。　　I　can't　make　mother　out；　I　should　have　thought　that

she　would　have　been　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　have　allowed

the　slaves　to　be　harshly　treated。〃



〃I　am　sure　we　don't　like　Jonas　more　than　you　do；　Vincent；　but　you

see　mamma　has　to　depend　upon　him　so　much。　　No；　I　don't　think

she　can　like　it；　but　you　can't　have　everything　you　like　in　a　man；　and

I　know　she　thinks　he　is　a　very　good　overseer。　　I　suppose　she　could

get　another？〃



Vincent　said　he　thought　that　there　could　not　be　much　difficulty

about　getting　an　overseer。



〃There　might　be　a　difficulty　in　getting　one　she　could　rely　on　so

thoroughly；〃　Rosa　said。　　〃You　see　a　great　deal　must　be　left　to　him。　

Jonas　has　been　here　a　good　many　years　now；　and　she　has　learned

to　trust　him。　　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　she　had　the　same

confidence　in　a　stranger；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　he　would　have

his　faults；　though；　perhaps；　not　the　same　as　those　of　Jonas。　I　think

you　don't　make　allowance　enough　for　mamma；　Vincent。　　I　quite

agree　with　you　as　to　Jonas；　and　I　don't　think　mamma　can　like　his

harshness　to　the　slaves　any　more　than　you　do；　but　every　one　says

what　a　difficulty　it　is　to　get　a　really　trustworthy　and　capable

overseer；　and；　of　course；　it　is　all　the　harder　when　there　is　no　master

to　look　after　him。〃



〃Well；　in　a　few　years　I　shall　be　able　to　look　after　an　overseer；〃

Vincent　said。



〃You　might　do　so；　of　course；　Vincent；　if　you　liked；　but　unless　you

change　a　good　deal；　I　don't　think　your　supervision　would　amount　to

much。　　When　you　　are　not　at　school　you　are　always　on　horseback

and　away；　and　we　see　little　enough　of　you；　and　I　do　not　think　you

are　likely　for　a　long　time　yet　to　give　up　most　of　your　time　to

looking　after　the　estate。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　Vincent　said；　after　thinking　for　a　minute；

〃hut　I　think　I　could　settle　down　too；　and　give　most　of　my　time　to

the　estate；　if　I　was　responsible　for　it。　I　dare　say　mother　is　in　a

difficulty　over　it；　and　I　should　not　have　spoken　as　I　did；　I　will　go　in

and　tell　her　so。〃　



Vincent　found　his　mother　sitting　as　he　had　left　her。　Although　she

had　sided　with　Jonas；　it　was　against　her　will；　for　it　was　grievous　to

her　to　hear　complaints　of　the　treatment　of　the　slaves　at　the

Orangery。　　Still；　as　Rosa　had　said；　she　felt　every　confidence　in　her

overseer；　and　believed　that　he　was　an　excellent　servant。　　She　was

conscious　that　she　herself　knew　nothing　of　business；　and　that　she

must　therefore　give　her　entire　confidence　to　her　manager。　　She

greatly　disliked　the　strictness　of　Jonas；　but　if；　as　he　said；　the　slaves

would　not　obey　him　without；　he　must　do　as　lie　thought　best。



〃I　think　I　spoke　too　hastily；　mother；〃　Vincent　said　as　he　entered；

〃and　I　am　sure　that　you　would　not　wish　the　slaves　to　be　ill…treated

more　than　I　should。　　I　dare　say　Jonas　means　for　the　best。〃



〃I　feel　sure　that　he　does；　Vincent。　　A　man　in　his　position　cannot

make　himself　obeyed　like　a　master。　　I　wish　it　could　be　otherwise；

and　I　will　speak　to　him　on　the　subject；　but　it　will　not　do　to

interfere　with　him　too　much。　　A　good　overseer　is　not　easy　to　get；

and　the　slaves　are　always　ready　to　take　advantage　of　leniency。　　An

easy　master　makes　bad　work；　but　an　easy　overseer　would　mean

ruin　to　an　estate。　　I　am　convinced　that　Jonas　has　our　interests　at

heart；　and　I　will　tell　him　that　I　particularly　wish　that　he　will　devise

some　other　sort　of　punishment；　such　as　depriving　men　who　won't

work　of　some　of　their　privileges　instead　of　using　the　lash。〃



〃Thank　you；　mother。　　At　any　rate；　he　might　he　told　that　the　lash　is

never　to　be　used　without　first　appealing　to　you。〃



〃I　will　see　about　it；　Vincent；　and　talk　it　over　with　him。〃　And　with

that　Vincent　was　satisfied。



CHAPTER　II。　BUYING　A　SLAVE。



MRS。　WINGFIELD　did　talk　the　matter　over　with　the　overseer；　and

things　went　on　in　consequence　more　smoothly。　Vincent；　however；

adhered　to　his　wish；　and　it　was　arranged　that　as　soon　as　he　could

get　a　nomination　he　should　go　to　West　Point；　which　is　to　the

American　army　what　Sandhurst　and　Woolwich　are　to　England。　

Before　that　could　he　done；　however；　a　great　political　agitation

sprang　up。　The　slaves　States　were　greatly　excited　over　the　prospect

of　a　Republican　president　being　chosen；　for　the　Republicans　were

to　a　great　extent　identified　with　the　abolition　movement；　and

public　feeling；　which　had　for　some　time　run　high；　became

intensified　as　the　time　approached　for　the　election　of　a　new

president；　and　threats　that　if　the　Democrats　were　beaten　and　a

Republican　elected　the　slave　States　would　secede　from　the　Union；

were　freely　indulged　in。



In　Virginia；　which　was　one　of　the　most　northern　of　the　slave

States；　opinion　was　somewhat　divided；　there　being　a　strong

minority　against　any　extreme　measures　being　taken。　Among

Vincent's　friends；　however；　who　were　for　the　most　part　the　sons　of

planters；　the　Democratic　feeling　was　very　strongly　in　the

ascendant；　and　their　sympathies　were　wholly　with　the　Southern

States。　　That　these　had　a　right　to　secede　was　assumed　by　them　as

being　unquestionable。



But　in　point　of　fact　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　said　on　both　sides。　

The　States　which　first　entered　the　Union　in　1776　considered

themselves　to　be　separate　and　sovereign　States；　each　possessing

power　and　authority　to　manage　its　own　affairs；　and　forming　only　a

federation　in　order　to　construct　a　central　power；　and　so　to　operate

with　more　effect　against　the　mother　country。　　Two　years　later　the

constitution　of　the　United　States　was　framed；　each　State　giving　up

a　certain　portion　of　its　authority；　reserving　its　own　self…government

and　whatever　rights　were　not　specifically　resigned。　



No　mention　was　made　in　the　constitution　of　the　right　of　a　State　to

secede　from　the　Union；　and　while　those　who　insisted　that　each

State　ha