. "There were a lot of us talking over things
yesterday, in Richmond, and he came up and joined in. Something was said
about Abolitionists, and he said that he should like to see every
Abolitionist in the State strung up to a tree. He is always pretty
violent, as you know; but on the present occasion he went further than
usual, and then went on to say that the worst and most dangerous
Abolitionists were not Northern men, but Southerners, who were traitors
to their State. He said: 'For example, there is that young Wingfield. He
has been to England, and has come back with his head filled with
Abolitionist notions;' and that such opinions at the present time were a
danger to the State.

"Two or three of us took the matter up, as you might guess, and told him
he had better mind what he was saying or it would be the worse for him.
Harry Furniss went so far as to tell him that he was a liar, and that if
he didn't like that he could have satisfaction in the usual way. Master
Jackson didn't like it, but muttered something and slunk off. What's the
matter between you?"

"I should not have said anything about it," Vincent replied, "if Jackson
had chosen to hold his tongue; but as he chooses to go about attacking
me, there is no reason why I should keep the matter secret." And he then
related what had taken place.

The young Virginian gave a low whistle.

"I don't say I blame you, Wingfield; but I tell you, you might have got
yourself into an awful mess if the Jacksons had chosen to take it up.
You know how hot the feeling is at present, and it is a serious matter
at any time to interfere between a master and his slaves in the Southern
States. Of course among us our feelings would be all against Jackson;
but among the poorer class of whites, who have been tremendously excited
by the speeches, both in the North and here, the cry of Abolitionist at
the present moment is like a red rag to a bull. However, I understand
now the fellow's enmity to you.

"None of us ever liked him when he was at school with us. He is an
evil-tempered brute, and I am afraid you may have some trouble with him.
If he goes about talking as he did to us, he would soon get up a feeling
against you. Of course it would be nonsense to openly accuse a member of
an old Virginian family of being an Abolitionist; but it would be easy
enough to set a pack of the rough classes of the town against you, and
you might get badly mauled if they caught you alone. The fe