I
don't like my daughter to associate with coloured children."
"Coloured children!" repeated the now thoroughly bewildered
teacher--"coloured children! My dear madam," continued she, smiling, "some
one has been hoaxing you--I have no coloured pupils--I could not be induced
to receive one on any account."
"I am very glad to hear you say so," rejoined Mrs. Stevens, "for that
convinces me that my fears were groundless. I was under the impression you
had imbibed some of those pestilent abolition sentiments coming into vogue.
I see you are not aware of it, but you certainly have two coloured
scholars; and there," said she, pointing to Clarence, "is one of them."
Clarence, who, with his head bent over his book, was sitting so near as to
overhear a part of this conversation, now looked up, and found the cold,
malignant, grey eyes of Mrs. Stevens fastened on him. He looked at her for
a moment--then apparently resumed his studies.
The poor boy had, when she entered the room, an instinctive knowledge that
her visit boded no good to them. He was beginning to learn the anomalous
situation he was to fill in society. He had detested Mrs. Stevens ever
since the night she had ejected him so rudely from her house, and since
then had learned to some extent what was meant by the term _nigger woman_.
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