laugh. A dozen anxious black faces were now watching in the hall,
ready to scamper round her ere she made her appearance to say, "How
de'h!" to young Missus, and get a glimpse at her stranger friend.
After receiving a happy salute from the old servants, she re-enters
the room. "Uncle's always drinking wine when I come;-but Uncle
forgets me; he has not so much as once asked me to join him!" She
lays her hand on his arm playfully, smiles cunningly, points
reproachfully at the Elder, and takes a seat at her uncle's side.
The wine has seized the Elder's mind; he stares at her through his
spectacles, and holds his glass with his left hand.

"Come, Dandy," said Marston, addressing himself to the mulatto
attendant, "bring a glass; she shall join us." The glass is brought,
Marston fills it, she bows, they drink to her and to the buoyant
spirits of the noble southern lady. "I don't admire the habit; but I
do like to please so," she whispers, and, excusing herself, skips
into the parlour on the right, where she is again beset by the old
servants, who rush to her, shake her hand, cling playfully to her
dress: some present various new-plucked flowers others are become
noisy with their chattering jargon. At length she is so beset with
the display of their affection as to be compelled to break away from
them, and call for Clotilda. "I must have Clotilda!" she says: "Tell
her to come soon, Dandy: she alone can arrange my dress." Thus
saying, she disappeared up a winding stair leading from the hall
into the second story.

We were anxious to know who Clotilda was, and why Franconia should
summon her with so much solicitude. Presently a door opened:
Franconia appeared at the top of the stairs, her face glowing with
vivacity, her hair dishevelled waving in beautiful confusion, giving