ock, and our
horse, though a noble animal, could not make the distance on an
unobstructed route, in the then heavy state of the roads, in less than
three hours. Long before that time it would be dark, and no doubt
stormy, for the sky, which had lowered all the afternoon, every now and
then uttered an ominous growl, and seemed ready to fall down upon us.
But turning back was out of the question, so, thanking the "native," I
was about to proceed, when he hailed me as follows:

"I say, stranger, what's the talk in the city?"

"Nothing, sir," I replied, "but fight and Secession."

"D--n Secession!" was the decidedly energetic answer.

"Why so, my friend? That doctrine seems to be popular hereabouts."

"Yas, pop'lar with them South Car'lina chaps. They'd be oneasy in heaven
if Gabriel was cook, and the LORD head-waiter."

"They must be hard to suit," I said; "I 'kalkerlate' _you're_ not a
South Carolinian."

"No, sir-ee! not by several mile. My mother moved over the line to born
me a decent individual."

"But why are you for the Union, when your neighbors go the other way?"

"'Cause it's allers carried us 'long as slick as a cart with new-greased
wheels; and 'cause, stranger, my grand'ther was one of Marion's boys,
and spilt a lettle claret at Yewtaw for the old consarn, and I reckon
he'd be oneasy in his grave if I turned my back on it now."

"But, my friend," I said, "they say Lincoln is an Abolitionist, and if
inaugurated, he will free every darky you've got."

"He can't do that, stranger, 'cordin' to the Constetution, and
grand'ther used to say that ar dokermunt would hold the d--l himself;
but, for my part, I'd like to see the niggers free."

"See the niggers free!" I replied in undisguised astonishment; "why, my
good sir, that is rank treason and abolition."

"Call it what yer a mind to, them's my sentiments; but I say, stranger,
if thar's ony thing on airth that I uttarly dispise it ar a Northern
dough-face, and it's clar yer one on 'em."

"There, my friend, you're mistaken. I'm neither an Abolitionist nor a
dough-face. But _why_ do you go for freeing the niggers?"

"'Cause the white folks would be better off. You see, I have to feed and
clothe my niggers, and pay a hundred and twenty and a hundred and fifty
a year for 'em, and if the niggers war free, they'd work for 'bout half
that."

Continuing the conversation, I learned that the umbrella-hatted
gentleman worked twenty hired negroes in the gathe