CHAPTER XXX. TIFF'S GARDEN.

dmyrrh. "Lordblessyou!IwishI'dabeendar!"saidTiff."AnddatarchilewasdeLordofglory,sure'nough,MissNina!Ihearn'emsingdisyerhymnatdecamp-meeting—youknow,'boutcoldonhiscradle.Youknowitgoesdisyerway."AndTiffsung,toakindofrockinglullaby,wordswhosepoeticimageryhadhithisfancybeforeheknewtheirmeaning. "Coldonhiscradlethedew-dropsareshining, Lowlieshisheadwiththebeastsofthestall Angelsadore,inslumberreclining, Maker,andSaviour,andMonarchofall." Ninahadneverrealized,tillshefeltitintheundoubtingfaithofherlisteners,thewild,exquisitepoetryofthatlegend,which,likeanimmortallily,bloomsintheheartofChristianityasspotlessandastendernowaseighteenhundredyearsago. ThatchildofBethlehem,whenafterwardshetaughtinGalilee,spokeofseedwhichfellintoagoodandhonestheartandwordscouldnothavebeenmoredescriptiveofthenaturewhichwasnowreceivingthisseedofParadise. WhenNinahadfinishedherreading,shefoundherownhearttouchedbytheeffectwhichshehadproduced.Thenursing,child-lovingOldTiffwasready,inamoment,tobowbeforehisRedeemer,enshrinedintheformofaninfantanditseemedasiftheairaroundhimhadbeenmadesacredbythesweetnessofthestory. AsNinawasmountingherhorsetoreturn,Tiffbroughtoutalittlebasketfullofwildraspberries. "Tiffwantstogiveyousomething,"hesaid. "Thankyou,UncleTiff.Howdelightful!Now,ifyou'llonlygivemeaclusterofyourMichiganrose!" ProudandhappywasTiff,and,pullingdowntheverytopmostclusterofhisrose,hepresentedittoher.Alas!beforeNinareachedhome,ithungdroopingfromtheheat. "Thegrasswithereth,andtheflowerfadethbutthewordofourGodshallstandforever." CHAPTERXXXI. THEWARNING. InlifeorganizedasitisattheSouth,therearetwocurrents:—one,thecurrentofthemaster'sfortunes,feelings,andhopestheother,thatoftheslave's.Itisamelancholyfactinthehistoryofthehumanrace,asyet,thattherehavebeenmultitudeswhofollowthetriumphalmarchoflifeonlyascaptives,towhomthevoiceofthetrumpet,thewavingofthebanners,theshoutsofthepeople,onlyaddtothebitternessofenthralment. WhilelifetoNinawasdailyunfoldinginbrightercolors,theslave-brotherathersidewasdestinedtofeelanadditionalburdenonhisalreadyunhappylot. Itwastowardevening,afterhavingcompletedhisdailycares,thathewenttothepost-officeforthefamilyletters.Amongthese,onewasdirectedtohimself,andheslowlyperuseditasherodehomethroughthewoods.Itwasasfollows: MydearBrother,—Itoldyouhowcomfortablywewerelivingonourplace—Iandmychildren.Sincethen,everythinghasbeenchanged.Mr.TomGordoncamehereandputinasuitfortheestate,andattachedmeandmychildrenasslaves.Heisadreadfulman.Thecasehasbeentriedandgoneagainstus.Thejudgesaidthatbothdeedsofemancipation—boththeoneexecutedinOhio,andtheonehere—wereofnoeffectthatmyboywasaslave,andcouldnomoreholdpropertythanamulebeforeaplough.Ihadsomegoodfriendshere,andpeoplepitiedmeverymuchbutnobodycouldhelpme.TomGordonisabadman—averybadman.Icannottellyouallthathesaidtome.IonlytellyouthatIwillkillmyselfandmychildrenbeforewewillbehisslaves.Harry,Ihavebeenfree,andIknowwhatlibertyis.Mychildrenhavebeenbroughtupfree,andifIcanhelpittheynevershallknowwhatslaveryis.Ihavegotaway,andamhidingwithacoloredfamilyhereinNatchez.IhopetogettoCincinnati,whereIhavefriends. Mydearbrother,Ididhopetodosomethingforyou.NowIcannot.Norcanyoudoanythingforme.ThelawisonthesideofouroppressorsbutIhopeGodwillhelpus.Farewell!Youraffectionate Sister. ItisdifficulttofathomthefeelingsofapersonbroughtupinapositionsowhollyunnaturalasthatofHarry.Thefeelingswhichhadbeencultivatedinhimbyeducation,andtheindulgenceofhisnominalpossessors,werethoseofanhonorableandgentlemanlyman.Hispositionwasabsolutelythatofthecommonslave,withoutonelegalclaimtoanythingonearth,onelegalrightofprotectioninanyrelationoflife.Whatanymanofstrongnaturewouldfeelonhearingsuchtidingsfromasister,Harryfelt. InamomentthereroseupbeforehismindthepictureofNinainallherhappinessandbuoyancy—inallthefortunateaccessoriesinherlot.Hadthevaguethoughtswhichcrowdedonhismindbeenexpressedinwords,theymighthavebeensomethinglikethese:— "Ihavetwosisters,daughtersofonefather,bothbeautiful,bothamiableandgoodbutonehasrank,andposition,andwealth,andease,andpleasuretheotherisanoutcast,unprotected,givenuptothebrutalviolenceofavileandwickedman.Shehasbeenagoodwife,andagoodmother.Herhusbandhasdoneallhecouldtosaveherbutthecruelhandofthelawgraspsherandherchildren,andhurlsthembackintotheabyssfromwhichitwashislife-studytoraisethem.AndIcandonothing!Iamnotevenaman!Andthiscurseisonme,andonmywife,andonmychildrenandchildren'schildren,fore