CHAPTER XIV. AUNT NESBIT'S LOSS.

withidolatryinordertogetadmissioninJapan.Alieneverworkswellinreligion,norinmorals." "That'swhatIbelieve,"saidNina,warmly. "But,then,ifyoucan'tteachthemthis,whatcanyouteachthem?"saidMr.Jekyl. "Confounditall!"saidTomGordon,"teachthemthatyou'vegotthepower!—teachthemtheweightofyourfist!That'senoughforthem.Iambadenough,IknowbutIcan'tbearhypocrisy.Ishowafellowmypistol.Isaytohim,Youseethat,sir!Itellhim,Youdosoandso,andyoushallhaveagoodtimewithme.But,youdothat,andI'llthrashyouwithinaninchofyourlife!That'smyshortmethodwithniggers,andpoorwhites,too.Whenoneofthesecantingfellowscomesroundtomyplantation,lethimseewhathe'llget,that'sall!" Mr.Jekylappearedproperlyshockedatthisdeclaration.AuntNesbitlookedasifitwasjustwhatshehadexpected,andwentoneatingherpotatowithamournfulair,asifnothingcouldsurpriseher.Ninalookedexcessivelyannoyed,andturnedasortofappealingglanceuponClayton. "Formypart,"saidClayton,"IbasemyreligiousinstructiontomypeopleonthegroundthateverymanandeverywomanmustgiveanaccountofthemselvestoGodaloneandthatGodistobeobeyedfirst,andbeforeme." "Why,"saidMr.Jekyl,"thatwouldbedestructiveofalldiscipline.Ifyouaregoingtoalloweveryfellowtojudgeforhimself,amongaparcelofignorant,selfishwretches,whatthewillofGodis,onewillthinkit'sonething,anotherwillthinkit'sanotherandtherewillbeanendofallorder.Itwouldbeabsolutelyimpossibletogovernaplaceinthatway." "Theymustnotbeleftanignorantset,"saidClayton."TheymustbetaughttoreadtheScripturesforthemselves,andbeabletoseethatmyauthorityaccordswithit.IfIcommandanythingcontrarytoit,theyoughttoopposeit!" "Ah!Ishouldliketoseeaplantationmanagedinthatway!"saidTomGordon,scornfully. "PleaseGod,youshallseesuchanone,ifyou'llcometomine,"saidClayton,"whereIshouldbeveryhappytoseeyou,sir." Thetoneinwhichthiswassaidwassofrankandsincere,thatTomwassilenced,andcouldnothelparathersullenacknowledgment. "Ithink,"saidMr.Jekyl,"thatyou'llfindsuchacourse,howeverwellitmayworkatfirst,willfailatlast.Youbegintoletpeoplethink,andtheywon'tstopwhereyouwantthemtothey'llgotoofarit'shumannature.Themoreyougive,themoreyoumaygive.Youoncegetyourfellowstothinking,andaskingallsortsofquestions,andtheygetdiscontentedatonce.I'veseenthatthingtriedinoneortwoinstances,anditdidn'tturnoutwell.Fellowsgotrestlessanddiscontented.Themorewasgiventothem,themoredissatisfiedtheygrew,tillfinallytheyputforthefreestates." "Verywell,"saidClayton"ifthat'stobetheresult,theymayall'put'assoonastheycangetready.Ifmytitletothemwon'tbearanintelligentinvestigation,Idon'twishtokeepthem.ButIneverwillconsenttokeepthembymakingfalsestatementstotheminthenameofreligion,andpresumingtoputmyselfasanobjectofobediencebeforemyMaker." "Ithink,"saidMr.Carson,"Mr.Claytonshowsanexcellentspirit—excellentspirit!Onmyword,Ithinkso.Iwishsomeofournorthernagitators,whomakesuchafussonthethesubject,couldhearhim.I'malwaysdisgustedwiththeseabolitionistsproducingsuchanunpleasantnessbetweenthenorthandthesouth,interruptingtrade,andfriendship,andallthatsortofthing." "Heshowsanexcellentspirit,"saidMr.Jekyl"butImustthinkheismistakenifhethinksthathecanbringuppeopleinthatway,underourinstitutions,andnotdothemmoreharmthangood.It'sanotoriousfactt