of climate that
makes your States free ones."

"I suppose so," said Abel. "A great many of your slaves run away through
the year, don't they?"

"No, indeed," said Arthur; "comparatively, very few. Just before I came to
New Haven, I went to pass a few weeks at a plantation belonging to a
family with whom we were intimate. One of the sons and I went on the river,
two of the servants rowing us. I said to one of them, a large fat negro,
'What's your name, uncle?' 'Meschach, sir,' he said. 'Meschach,' said I;
'why, you ought to have two brothers, one named Shadrach and the other
Abednego.' 'So I had, sir.' 'Well, what has become of them?' said I.
'Shadrach, he's dead,' he answered. 'And where is Abednego?' said I. 'He's
gone, too,' he replied, in a low voice. My friend gave me a look, and told
me afterwards that Abednego had ran away, and that his family considered it
a disgrace, and never spoke of him. I hear of a negro boy who absconded,
and when he was found and being brought home, an old washerwoman watched
him as he went up the street. 'La,' said she, 'who'd a thought he'd a
beginned to act bad so young,' But let us leave off Abolition and take a
walk. Our cigars are out and we will resume the subject to-morrow
afternoon, when we light some more."

* * * * *

"Now," said Abel, "having a couple of particularly good cigars, where did
we leave off?"

"Its too warm for argument," said Arthur, watching the curling of the gray
smoke as it ascended.

"We need not argue," said Abel; "I want to catechize you."

"Begin."

"Do you think that the African slave-trade can be defended?"

"No, assuredly not."

"Well," said Abel, "how can you defend your right to hold slaves as
property in the United States?"

"Abel," said Arthur, "when a Yankee begins to question there is no reason
to suppose he ever intends to stop. I shall answer your queries from the
views of Governor Hammond, of Carolina. They are at least worthy of
consideration. What right have you New England people to the farms you are
now holding?"

"The right of owning them," said Abel.

"From whom did you get them?" asked Arthur.

"Our fathers."

"And how did they get them?"

"From the Red men, their original owners."

"Well," said Arthur, "we all know how these transactions were conducted all
over the country. We wanted the lands of the Red men, and we took them.
Sometimes they were purchased, sometimes they were wreste