CHAPTER XI. "If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches and poor men's cottages, princes' palaces."— Shakspeare. After tea the young people gathered around the centre table, while the Colonel and Doctor Tennyson sat apart conversing on different subjects. The evening passed very agreeably to all, especially when the two elderly gentlemen joined in the youthful circle and enlivened it with their pleasant jokes. Col. Buckingham was charmed with the beauty and accomplishments of our heroine, and did not at all wonder that Eugene should have been so enslaved by her. He asked her to play and sing, which, as the others joined in the request, she immediately rose to do. Eugene sprang to escort her to the piano, when his father pushing him aside, said gaily, "Out of the way, sir! Do you think I have no claim to this lady? Do you want to monopolize her entirely?" And gallantly offering his arm, he bore off Julia in triumph. They all laughed, of course, and Julia, being seated at the piano, commenced playing. She was a fine performer, and so gratified her hearers that even the slaves assembled outside on the veranda to hear the music, for the negroes are always delighted with the sounds of harmony. Julia had sung two or three fashionable songs, when the Colonel begged her to sing something of her own composing, "For," said he, "I am aware that you are a poetess." A slight blush clouded her cheek, and hesitating a moment, she unaffectedly complied. SONG. I cannot prize the heart that burns I cannot love the eye that turns, The smile that to the lip doth start, For all, is dear no more; O, give me a devoted heart, That never loved before! When this is found, then I can love A love that would unchanging prove, Yet I'll repel young Cupid's dart, And banish him my door, That never loved before. Eugene stood by the side of his betrothed, and whispered softly, "You have found that 'faithful heart' at last, that heart 'that never loved before,' have you not dear Julia ?" She smiled, blushed and whispered something in return which was not heard by the others. By request of the Colonel Julia played and sung several other original pieces, all of which gave the old gentleman infinite pleasure. But the slaves who were assembled on the veranda, now and then taking the liberty of peering from behind the window curtains into the parlor, were scarcely more delighted with the music than they were impressed by the beauty and elegance of the Northern lady. Dr. Tennyson was seated on a lounge near one of the windows, and overheard with much amusement the remarks of the sable auditors. "Oh !" exclaimed Sam, the coachman, "dat ar song am beautiful, deelightful!" "She sing like a nighturngale," said Judith, the cook, “me no wonder massa Eugene fall in lub wid her." "He neber could help it," rejoined Drusilla, the old housekeeper, "caze why, she'd sing right trough his heart. 'Pears like massa Buckingham tink so now-look dah! he sits so close to her an' he look at her all de time. I'se 'feared dat he fall in lub wid her his own seff." The Doctor now beckoned to Melville, who was sitting near the piano with Cora. As he came, the old gentleman pointed over his shoulder towards the window without speaking. Melville smiled and sat down beside him. After a pause Drusilla observed, "what dat massa Eugene say about missy Julia long 'go? Some po'try-lem me tink. แ 'De beauty ob her brow might put out de stars, 'O sho!" exclaimed Sam, "you talk po'try, haw! haw! dat make me laugh." "Why you laugh? What fur, I say? You knows nottin'-you big ig'ramus.” "Knows more dan you, fur all dat.” "You go long! Tell me dis den-why ole massa wanter perwent massa Eugene fur to hab dis hansum missy Julia? Why he do dat, an' be de cause ob his drefful c'lamity. Kin you 'lucidate dat ar' question ?" "You doesn't know it you seff," replied Sam doggedly. "Doesn't I!" exclaimed Drusilla. "Pears like I doesn't. How you 'spects I kin live in dis yere house allers, an' not know de princ'pal 'vents of de family? Lar sakes! does you tink I's deaf an' blind?" "Tell us den-we like to know." "Find out fur yourseff den. I shan't condersend fur to hexpose de secrets ob dis fam'ly to nobody." "Will you hush!" said Judith, "how kin we hear missy Julia play, an' you 's makin' sich a clatter ?” "Sho' nough!" rejoined Drusilla, "if nobody listens, she'll be 'wastin' her sweetness on de darkey's ear.'" On this, the two gentlemen laughed outright, which caused the slaves to make their exit to the lower regions in double quick time. This little by play being related by the Doctor to the others, caused a considerable degree of merriment. In the morning, after breakfast, the Colonel offered to show his guest over the mansion and plantation, which offer being much relished by the Doctor, they proceeded first to the observatory, where the latter was much pleased with a fine view of the surrounding country and the bay of Charleston. After glancing at the Colonel's library, which, as I said before, was fitted up in this place, the Doctor and |