her
equally. She took care of me with the most affectionate interest when I
was ill. Besides, the land is not worth so very much, and one half of it
will give her no fortune to mention. She is in danger even now, and the
future for her is not reassuring. Illinois is supposed to be free
territory, but it is not so many years ago that a vote was taken in
Illinois to have slavery here, and it was defeated by no very great
majority. And now the Illinois laws are rather strict as to colored
people. The country is beginning to be feverish about the slavery
question. I saw evidence of this in New York and on the way here; though
just in this place the matter is not so much agitated. Yet the other day
a copy of a periodical arrived here called _The Liberator_, and it made
much angry talk. I will not tire you with this subject, dear grandmama,
but only say that the effort here and everywhere in America seems to be
directed toward hushing the matter up. But to return to Zoe: if her
mother's father wished to secure the mother against misfortune by
bringing her north and marrying her to a white man (my father, as it
turned out) why should not I, her half-brother, try to protect her
against the future that her mother might have incurred? I reason that I
have taken the place of Zoe's grandfather, and must do for her what he
tried to do for Zoe's mother. This inheritance of duty comes to me as the
land comes to me, without my will. Zoe's grandfather gave my father his
start, gave him the $2500 bonus to marry Zoe's mother. I think, in
considering what share of the estate Zoe should have, these things cannot
be ignored. Of course I don't know exactly how much of the $2500 went
into this land. From things I have heard I think my father spent money
freely; he went about a good deal and was not as temperate as he should
have been for his own health and prosperity. Something was evidently
preying upon his mind. Anyway, I have decided the matter, and I hope you
will approve of me. I went to father's grave this morning, and it made me
sad. Afterwards Mr. Brooks, the lawyer, drove me to the farm and around
most of it. I am going to take hold of it at once. This country is
growing rapidly, and I mean to do what my father didn't exactly. I am
going to be rich; that is my ambition. And I must think and work. I am
well again, or nearly so, and full of hope and plans, though sometimes
lonely for you and for England. Some day I shall come back to see