CHAPTER XXVIII. MAGNOLIA GROVE.

orsetohisservant,cameupthestepsandpresentedittoAnne. "There,"saidhe,"arethefirstfruitsofmyroses,inthegardenthatIstartedinRosedale." "Beautiful,"saidAnne,takingthem."AllowmetopresenttoyouMissGordon." "MissGordon,yourmostobedient,"saidMr.Bradshaw,bowingobsequiously. "Youarejustinseason,Mr.Bradshaw,"saidAnne,"forI'msureyoucouldn'thavehadyourbreakfastbeforeyoustartedsositdownandhelpuswithours." "Thankyou,MissAnne,"saidMr.Bradshaw,"theofferistootemptingtoberefused."Andhesoonestablishedhimselfasathirdatthelittletable,andmadehimselfverysociable. "Well,MissAnne,howdoallyourplansproceed—allyourbenevolencesandcares?Ihopeyourangelministrationsdon'texhaustyou." "Notatall,Mr.BradshawdoIlooklikeit?" "No,indeed!butsuchenergyisperfectlyastonishingtousall." Nina'spractisedeyeobservedthatMr.Bradshawhadthatparticularnervous,restlessair,whichbelongstoamanwhoischargedwithaparticularmessage,andfindshimselfunexpectedlyblockadedbythepresenceofathirdperson.So,afterbreakfast,exclaimingthatshehadlefthercrochet-needleinherapartment,andresistingAnne'soffertosendaservantforit,bydeclaringthatnobodycouldfinditbutherself,shelefttheveranda.Mr.Bradshawhadbeenanoldfamilyfriendformanyyears,andstoodwithAnnealmostontheeasyfootingofarelation,whichgavehimthelibertyofspeakingwithfreedom.ThemomentthedooroftheparlorwasclosedafterNina,hedrewachairneartoAnne,andsatdown,withtheunmistakableairofamanwhoisgoingintoaconfidentialcommunication. "Thefactis,mydearMissClayton,"hesaid,"IhavesomethingonmymindthatIwanttotellyouandIhopeyouwillthinkmylongfriendshipforthefamilyasufficientwarrantformyspeakingonmatterswhichreallybelongchieflytoyourself.Thefactis,mydearMissClayton,Iwasatasmalldinner-partyofgentlemen,theotherday,atColonelGrandon's.Therewasalittleselectsetthere,youknow,—theHowards,andtheElliotts,andtheHowlands,andsoon,—andtheconversationhappenedtoturnuponyourbrother.Now,therewastheverygreatestrespectforhimtheyseemedtohavethehighestpossibleregardforhismotivesbutstilltheyfeltthathewasgoingonaverydangerouscourse." "Dangerous?"saidAnne,alittlestartled. "Yes,reallydangerousandIthinksomyself,thoughI,perhaps,don'tfeelasstronglyassomedo." "Really,"saidAnne,"I'mquiteataloss!" "MydearMissAnne,it'stheseimprovements,youknow,whichyouaremaking.—Don'tmisapprehendme!Admirable,veryadmirable,inthemselves,—donefromthemostcharmingofmotives,MissAnne,—butdangerous,dangerous!" Thesolemn,mysteriousmannerinwhichtheselastwordswerepronouncedmadeAnnelaughbutwhenshesawtheexpressionofrealconcernonthefaceofhergoodfriend,shecheckedherself,andsaid,— "Pray,explainyourself.Idon'tunderstandyou." "Why,MissAnne,it'sjusthere.Weappreciateyourhumanity,andyourself-denial,andyourindulgencetoyourservants.Everybodyisofopinionthatit'sadmirable.Youarereallyquiteamodelforusall.But,whenitcomestoteachingthemtoreadandwrite,MissAnne,"hesaid,loweringhisvoice,"Ithinkyoudon'tconsiderwhatadangerousweaponyouareputtingintotheirhands.Theknowledgewillspreadontotheotherplantationsbrightniggerswillpickitupfortheveryfellowswhoaremostdangerousaretheveryoneswhowillbesuretolearn." "Whatiftheyshould?"saidAnne. "Why,mydearMissAnne,"saidhe,loweringhisvoice,"thefacilitiesthatitwillaffordthemforcombinations,forinsurrections!Yousee,MissAnne,Ireadastoryonceofamanwhomadeacorklegwithsuchwonderfulaccuracythatitwouldwalkofitself,andwhenhegotitonhecouldn'tstopitswalking—itwalkedhimtodeath—actuallydid!Walkedhimuphillanddowndale,tillthepoormanfelldownexhaustedandthenitranoffwithhisbody.Andit'srunningwithitsskeletontothisday,Ibelieve." Andgood-naturedMr.Bradshawconceivedsucharidiculousidea,atthisstageofhisnarrative,thatheleanedbackinhischairandlaughedheartily,wipinghisperspiringfacewithacambricpocket-handkerchief. "Really,Mr.Bradshaw,it'saveryamusingidea,butIdon'tseetheanalogy,"saidAnne. "Why,don'tyousee?Youbeginteachingniggers,andhavingreadingandwriting,andallthesethings,goingon,andtheybegintoopentheireyes,andlookroundandthinkandtheyarehavingopinionsoftheirown,theywon'ttakeyoursandtheywanttorisedirectly.Andiftheycan'trise,why,theyarealldiscontentedandthere'sthewhat-'s-his-nametopaywiththem!Thencomeconspiraciesandinsurrections,nomatterhowwellyoutreatthemand,now,weSouthCarolinianshavehadexperienceinthismatter.Youmustexcuseus,butitisaterriblesubjectwithus.Why,theleadersofthatconspiracy,allofthem,werefellowswhocouldreadandwrite,andwhohadnothingintheworldtowishfor,inthewayofcomfort,treatedwitheveryconsiderationbytheirmasters.Itisamostmelancholychapterinhumannature.Itshowsthatthereisnotrusttobeplacedinthem.And,now,thebestwaytogetalongwithnegroes,inmyopinion,istomakethemhappygivethemplentytoeatanddrinkandwear,andkeepthemamusedandexcited,anddon'tworkthemtoohard.Ithinkit'sagreatdealbetterthanthiskindofexcitinginstruction.Mind,"hesaid,seeingthatAnnewasgoingtointerrupthim,"mind,now,I'dhavereligiousinstruction,ofcourse.Now,thissystemoforalinstruction,teachingthemhymnsandpassagesofScripturesuitedtotheirpeculiarcondition,it'sjustthethingitisn'tsoliabletothesedangers.Ihopeyou'llexcuseme,MissAnne,butthegentlemenreallyfeelveryseriousaboutthesethingstheyfindit'saffectingtheirownnegroes.Youknow,somehoweverythinggoesroundfromoneplantationtoanotherandoneofthemsaidthathehadaverysmartmanwhoismarriedtooneofyourwomen,andheactuallyfoundhimwithaspelling-book,sittingoutunderatree.Hesaidifthemanhadhadariflehecouldn'thavebeenmorealarmedbecausethemanwasjustoneofthosesharp,resolutefellows,that,ifheknewhowtoreadandwrite,there'snoknowingwhat