morning, and her last at night, and during
every moment of the livelong day was in her heart or on her lips.

One forenoon, as she was drawing her weary length along with the
accustomed gang, picking the ripe, bursting cotton-bolls, a messenger
arrived to say that she was wanted by the master. She almost fainted at
the summons. What could he want her for? Surely it was not for good. Was
he going to inflict cruelty again as unmerited as it had before been?
She threw off her cotton-sack from her neck, to obey the summons;
but she trembled so that she could scarcely walk. Her knees smote one
against another, her heart throbbed, and her tongue cleaved to the
roof of her mouth in her excitement and fright. As she drew near to the
house, she perceived her master with haughty strides walking up and down
the veranda, his hands behind him and his head thrown back, his whole
appearance bearing witness to the proud, imperious spirit within. A
gentleman of milder aspect was seated on a chair, intently eying Tidy as
she approached, and she heard him say,--

"Can you recommend her, Turner? Do you really think she is capable of
filling the place?"

"Capable!" said the master. "Take off that bag, and dress her, and
you'll see. TOO smart, that's her fault. YOU'LL see."

"I like her looks; I'll try her," was the reply; and this was all the
intimation Tidy had that she had been transferred to another master. Her
heart leaped within her at what she heard; but when peremptorily told to
get ready to follow Mr. Meesham, she hesitated. What for, do you think?
Her first impulse was to throw herself at her master's feet, and ask
what had induced him to sell her. But she dared not. He cast upon her
a glance of such spurning contempt that she cringed before him. But she
made up her mind that God only could have moved that stern, proud man to
change a purpose which he had declared to be inflexible. She was right.
God, who controls all hearts, and can turn them withersoever he pleases,
in answer to prayer, had moved that stubborn heart.

Thus the first part of Tidy's new prayer was answered.

CHAPTER XVII. TRUE LIBERTY.

THE new home of Mr. Meesham was in Mobile. The master was an unmarried
man, who wanted a capable superintendent for his domestic concerns, a
neat, lady-like servant to wait upon his table, a trustworthy keeper
of his keys, a leader and director of his household slaves. All this
he found in Tidy, and when she was promoted