CHAPTER XXVIII. MAGNOLIA GROVE.

ryanxioustokeepupthereputation.Theelderoneswatchedtheyoungerand,infact,mydear,Ihadverylittletrouble.Thechildrenatfirsttroubledmegoingintomystore-closetandgettingthecake,notwithstandingveryspiritedgovernmentonthepartofthemammies.So,Icalledmyfamilyinsessionagain,andsaidthattheirconducthadconfirmedmygoodopinionthatIalwaysknewtheycouldbetrusted,andthatmyfriendswereastonishedtohearhowwelltheydidbutthatIhadobservedthatsomeofthechildrenprobablyhadtakenmycake.'Now,youknow,'saidI,'thatIhavenoobjectiontoyourhavingsome.Ifanyofyouwouldenjoyapieceofcake,Ishallbehappytogiveittothem,butitisnotagreeabletohavethingsinmyclosetfingeredover—Ishallthereforesetaplateofcakeouteveryday,andanybodythatwishestotakesomeIhopewilltakethat.'Well,mydear,myplateofcakestoodthereanddried.Youwon'tbelieveme,butinfactitwasn'ttouched." "Well,"saidNina,"Ishouldn'tthinkyoucouldhavehadourTomtithere!Why,reallythisgoesbeyondthevirtueofwhitechildren." "Mydear,itisn'tsuchaluxurytowhitechildrentobethoughtwellof,andhaveacharacter.Youmusttakethatintoaccount.Itwasatasteofanewkindofpleasure,madeattractivebyitsnovelty." "Yes,"saidNina,"Ihavesomethinginmewhichmakesmefeelthiswouldbetherightway.Iknowitwouldbewithme.There'snothinglikeconfidence.Ifapersontrustsme,I'mbound." "Yet,"saidAnne,"Ican'tgettheladiesofmyacquaintancetobelieveinit.TheyseehowIgetalong,buttheyinsistuponitthatit'ssomesecretmagic,orart,ofmine." "Well,itisso,"saidNina."Suchthingsarejustlikethedivining-rodtheywon'tworkineveryhandittakesareal,generous,warm-heartedwoman,likeyou,Anne.But,couldyoucarryyoursystemthroughyourplantation,aswellasyourhouse?" "Thefield-handsweremoredifficulttomanage,onsomeaccounts,"saidAnne,"butthesameprincipleprevailedwiththem.Edwardtriedallhecouldtoawakenself-respect.Now,Icounselledthatweshouldendeavortoformsomedecenthabitsbeforewebuiltthecabinsover.Itoldhimtheycouldnotappreciatecleanlinessandorder.'Verylikelytheycannot,'hesaid,'butwearenottosupposeit'andhegaveordersimmediatelyforthatprettyrowofcottagesyousawdownatthequarters.Heputupalargebathingestablishment.Yethedidnotenforceatfirstpersonalcleanlinessbystrictrules.Thosewhobegantoimprovefirstwereencouragedandnoticedand,astheyfoundthisapassporttofavor,thethingtookrapidly.Itrequiredagreatwhiletoteachthemhowtobeconsistentlyorderlyandcleanlyevenafterthefirstdesirehadbeenawakened,becauseitisn'teveryonethatlikesneatnessandorder,whohastheforethoughtandskilltosecureit.Buttherehasbeenasteadyprogressintheserespects.OnecuriouspeculiarityofEdward'smanagementgivesrisetoagoodmanydrollscenes.Hehasinstitutedasortofjurytrialamongthem.Therearecertainrulesfortheorderandwell-beingoftheplantation,whichallagreetoabidebyand,inalloffences,themanistriedbyajuryofhispeers.Mr.Smith,ouragent,saysthatthesescenesaresometimesverydiverting,butonthewholethere'sagooddealofshrewdnessandsensemanifestedbuthesaysthat,ingeneral,theyinclinemuchmoretoseveritythanhewould.Youseethepoorcreatureshavebeensobarbarizedbythewaytheyhavebeentreatedinpasttimes,thatithasmadethemhardandharsh.Iassureyou,Nina,IneverappreciatedthewisdomofGod,inthelawswhichhemadefortheJewsinthewilderness,asIhavesinceI'vetriedtheexperimentmyselfoftryingtobringasetofslavesoutofbarbarism.Now,thisthatI'mtellingyouisthefairestsideofthestory.Ican'tbegintotellyouthethousanddifficultiesandtrialswhichwehaveencounteredinit.SometimesI'vebeenalmostwornoutanddiscouraged.But,then,Ithink,ifthereisamissionaryworkinthisworld,itisthis." "Andwhatdoyourneighborsthinkaboutit?"saidNina. "Well,"saidAnne,"theyareallverypolite,well-bredpeople,thefamilieswithwhomweassociateandsuchpeople,ofcourse,wouldneverthinkofinterfering,orexpressingadifferenceofopinion,inanyveryopenwaybutIhavetheimpressionthattheyregarditwithsuspicion.Theysometimesletfallwordswhichmakemethinktheydo.It'sawayofproceedingwhichveryfewwouldadopt,becauseitisnotamoney-makingoperation,byanymeans.Theplantationbarelypaysforitself,becauseEdwardmakesthatquiteasecondaryconsideration.Thethingwhichexcitesthemostmurmuringisourteachingthemtoread.Iteachthechildrenmyselftwohourseveryday,becauseIthinkthiswouldbelesslikelytobeanoffencethanifIshouldhireateacher.Mr.Smithteachesanyofthegrownmenwhoarewillingtotakethetroubletolearn.Anymanwhoperformsacertainamountoflaborcansecuretohimselftwoorthreehoursadaytospendashechoosesandmanydochoosetolearn.Someofthemenandthewomenhavebecomequitegoodreaders,andClaytonisconstantlysendingbooksforthem.This,I'mafraid,givesgreatoffence.Itisagainstthelawtodoitbut,asunjustlawsaresometimesliveddown,wethoughtwewouldtestthepracticabilityofdoingthis.Therewassomecomplaintmadeofourservants,becausetheyhavenottheservile,subduedairwhichcommonlymarkstheslave,butlook,speak,andact,asiftheyrespectedthemselves.I'msometimesafraidthatweshallhavetroublebut,then,Ihopeforthebest." "WhatdoesMr.Claytonexpecttobetheendofallthis?"saidNina. "Why,"saidAnne,"IthinkEdwardhasanideathatoneofthesedaystheymaybeemancipatedonthesoil,justastheserfswereinEngland.Itlookstomeratherhopeless,Imustsaybuthesaysthebestwayisforsomeonetobeginandsetanexampleofwhatoughttobedone,andhehopesthatintimeitwillbegenerallyfollowed.Itwould,ifallmenwerelikehimbutthereliesmydoubt.Thenumberofthosewhowouldpursuesuchadisinterestedcourseisverysmall.Butwhocomesthere?Uponmyword,ifthereisn'tmyparticularadmirer,Mr.Bradshaw!" AsAnnesaidthis,averygentlemanlymiddle-agedmancameuponhorseback,onthecarriage-drivewhichpassedinfrontoftheveranda.Heboreinhishandalargebunchofdifferentcoloredrosesand,alighting,anddeliveringhish