f a backwoods planter.

After some general conversation, the Colonel remarked that his wife and
daughter would pass the winter in Charleston.

'And do _you_ remain on the plantation?' I inquired.

'Oh yes, I am needed here,' he replied; 'but Madam's son is with my
family.'

'Madam's son!' I exclaimed in astonishment, forgetting in my surprise
that the lady was present.

'Yes, sir,' she remarked, 'my oldest boy is twenty.'

'Excuse me, Madam; I forgot that in your climate one never grows old.'

'There you are wrong, sir; I'm sure I _feel_ old when I think how soon
my boys will be men.'

'Not old yet, Alice,' said the Colonel, in a singularly familiar tone;
'you seem to me no older than when you were fifteen.'

'You have been long acquainted,' I remarked, not knowing exactly what to
say.

'Oh yes,' replied my host, 'we were children together.'

'Your Southern country, Madam, affords a fine field for young men of
enterprise.'

'My eldest son resides in Germany,' replied the lady. 'He expects to
make that country his home. He would have passed his examination at
Heidelberg this autumn had not circumstances called him here.'

'You are widely separated,' I replied.

'Yes, sir; his father thinks it best, and I suppose it is. Thomas, here,
is to return with his brother, and I may live to see neither of them
again.'

My curiosity was naturally much excited to learn more, but nothing
further being volunteered, and the conversation turning to other topics,
I left the table with it unsatisfied.

After enjoying a quiet hour with the Colonel in the smoking-room, he
invited me to join him in a ride over the plantation. I gladly assented,
and 'Jim' shortly announced the horses were ready. That darky, who
invariably attended his master when the latter proceeded from home,
accompanied us. As we were mounting I bethought me of Scip, and asked
Jim where he was.

'He'm gwine to gwo, massa. He want to say good-by to you.'

It seemed madness for Scip to start on a journey of seventy miles
without rest, so I requested the Colonel to let him remain till the next
day. He cheerfully assented, and sent Jim to find him. While waiting for
the darky, I spoke of how faithfully he had served me during my journey.

'He's a splendid nigger,' replied the Colonel; 'worth his weight in
gold. If affairs were more settled I would buy him.'

'But Colonel A---- tells me he is too intelligent. He objects to
"knowing" niggers.'

'_I_ d