the party; "how very strange a
study! what a very singular thing for girls to think of!"

"I think you are quite mistaken," said Ellen, with more spirit than was
usual to her; for, although she could not conceive that there was any harm
in the study, she saw plainly that some spleen was intended against
Matilda, and she loved her too dearly, to stand by whilst any wound was
inflicted which her interference might avert. Though the most gentle and
unoffending in her nature, yet she was capable of warm and active
friendship, and, of course, was not a little astounded and hurt when the
young lady replied--"Surely, Miss Harewood, you cannot be ignorant that all
our great medical practitioners torture and kill animals, for the purpose
of ascertaining the nature of diseases, and, in many cases, undoubtedly for
the purpose of learning how much suffering bodies of a certain size and
texture are capable of enduring? Now I don't doubt, Miss Hanson, being so
wise in other matters, can tell you exactly how much pain is necessary to
kill a slave, how many stripes a child can endure, and how long hunger,
beating, and torturing, may be applied without producing death; and prove
that in case they do destroy a few blackies, that don't signify, if they
can afford to buy more."

"Well, and suppose Miss Hanson did kill some of those creatures," cried
Miss Holdup, "she can afford to buy more; at least, her mamma can, which is
much the same; though to be sure, 'tis a fine thing to be independent. For
my part, I think there is ten times more said about those filthy negroes
than signifies: dear me! they are not to compare to my Frisky; 'tis the
most angelic creature of a dog! worth fifty blacks any day, unless, to be
sure, they were in handsome liveries."

Matilda had suffered in every nerve while the first lady spoke, but the
defence of the second hurt her ten times more, as it appeared to indicate a
hardness of heart, a daring to make light of a most solemn subject, and one
to which she had given much serious thought, and she hastily plucked away
the arm Miss Holdup had taken, and would have retired, but she was hemmed
in by a circle, and could not escape. The young lady replied to her
advocate, in a fawning voice--"Ah, dear Miss Holdup! you are fond of
defending any body you take a fancy for; but I am certain, if you were
really on the spot, you could not bear to _see_ those things your _new_
friend has been in the habit of _doing_. I am to