91 SHEPHERDSTOWN, ON THE POTOMAC. 



proof of their untruth being that they were told to me by themselves. 

 And it was in vain, equally, to protest disbelief and to be silent. 

 They would insist (not at the moment, but shortly after) that I did 

 believe them. That I was the most credulous person that was ever 

 heard of and that nothing was too bad for me to believe about the South, 

 etc., (always speaking of the South as if it were a separate country,) 

 until I hardly, myself, knew what I believed, and only understood that 

 they were determined to twist my words to whatever meaning best 

 suited themselves, or their own views. "I see how it is Miss 

 Helen," said Mr. Devon, " you love the sinner, though you hate the 

 sin. Now I should think you had . been here long enough to see 

 how absurd that horror of slavery is which you had before you saw 

 it." "No," said I, "I think a great deal worse of it now than I did 

 before I came here. Then I fancied it something dreadful enough 

 to be sure, unjust and cruel, but at the same time, I fancied the 

 slaves, themselves, hating it, and longing for freedom ; and now, Avhen 

 I see how debased they are, how contented, and how utterly unfit 

 for an}'- other condition, I see at the same time how much greater 

 the wrong we have done them is than is generally supposed. Their 

 souls are enslaved as well as their bodies. 



"Niggers haven't got souls," said Bob, who was listening with all 

 his ears. "Uncle Si says they haven't, and he ought to know, for 

 he's a nigger, himself." "Oh, dear!" said Margaret, "there's Uncle 

 Si again; Eobb}-, you know Ma told you not to talk to Uncle Si. " 



"Ah, yes! but he told me about that long ago; long before Ma 

 said I must not talk to him" said Bob, "I remember" said Ellen, 

 who to a very complete knowledge of passing events added a clear 

 recollection of the past, and very positive if not altogether correct 

 views as to the future, the natural sharpness of her age and sex being 

 further supplemented by considerable cleverness of her own. "I 

 know ; it was last Christmas. Bob asked him why he never went to 

 church, and that was his excuse. " 



"Your Mother is quite right said Mr. Devon, with more gravity than 

 lie had spoken before; I wish she could get rid of Uncle Si 

 altogether; he ought not to be on the place." Mr. Devon really said 

 "Your Ma" as Southerners do, but I have changed it for the sake of 

 my Northern readers. Many expressions may be covered by the 

 gentle voice and pleasant, intonatious of the Virginian, which would 



