"And how do you like your house?" asked Mrs. Stevens; "it is on the same
plan as ours, and we find ours very convenient. They both formerly belonged
to Walters; my husband purchased of him. Do you intend to buy?"
"It is very probable we shall, if we continue to like Philadelphia,"
answered Mr. Garie.
"I'm delighted to hear that," rejoined she--"very glad, indeed. It quite
relieves my mind about one thing: ever since Mr. Stevens purchased our
house we have been tormented with the suspicion that Walters would put a
family of niggers in this; and if there is one thing in this world I detest
more than another, it is coloured people, I think."
Mr. Garie here interrupted her by making some remark quite foreign to the
subject, with the intention, no doubt, of drawing her off this topic. The
attempt was, however, an utter failure, for she continued--"I think all
those that are not slaves ought to be sent out of the country back to
Africa, where they belong: they are, without exception, the most ignorant,
idle, miserable set I ever saw."
"I think," said Mr. Garie, "I can show you at least one exception, and that
too without much trouble. Sarah," he cried, "bring me a light."
"Oh," said Mrs. Stevens, "I suppose you refer to Walters--it is true he is
an exception; but he is the only coloured person I ever saw that could make
the least pretension to anything like refinement or respectability.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196