"No, no, Emily; I love America too much to ever think of living anywhere
else. I am much too thorough a democrat ever to swear allegiance to a king.
No, no--that would never do--give me a free country."

"That is just what I say," rejoined Mrs. Garie; "that is exactly what I
want; that is why I should like to get away from here, because this is
_not_ a free country--God knows it is not!"

"Oh, you little traitor! How severely you talk, abusing your native land in
such shocking style, it's really painful to hear you," said Mr. Garie in a
jocular tone.

"Oh, love," rejoined she, "don't joke, it's not a subject for jesting. It
is heavier upon my heart than you dream of. Wouldn't you like to live in
the free States? There is nothing particular to keep you here, and only
think how much better it would be for the children: and Garie," she
continued in a lower tone, nestling close to him as she spoke, and drawing
his head towards her, "I think I am going to--" and she whispered some
words in his ear, and as she finished she shook her head, and her long
curls fell down in clusters over her face.

Mr. Garie put the curls aside, and kissing her fondly, asked, "How long
have you known it, dear?"

"Not long, not very long," she replied. "And I have such a yearning that it
should be born a free child. I do want that the first air it breathes
should be that of freedom. It will kill me to have another child born here!
its infant smiles would only be a reproach to me. Oh," continued she, in a
tone of deep feeling, "it is a fearful thing to give birth to an inheritor
of chains;" and she shuddered as she laid her head on her husband's bosom.