It was nearly a week after the poor girl had been so severely
whipped and for no cause whatever, that her father learned of the
circumstance through one of the servants. With a degree of
boldness unusual for him, he immediately went to his mother-in-law
and demanded his child. But it was too late,--she was gone. To
what place she had been sent no one could tell, and Mrs. Miller
refused to give any information whatever relative to the girl.
It was then that Linwood felt deepest the evil of the institution
under which he was living; for he knew that his daughter would be
exposed to all the vices prevalent in that part of the country
where marriage is not recognized in connection with that class.
CHAPTER XVIII
A SLAVE-HUNTING PARSON.
IT was a delightful evening after a cloudless day, with the setting
sun reflecting his golden rays on the surrounding hills which were
covered with a beautiful greensward, and the luxuriant verdure
that forms the constant garb of the tropics, that the steamer
Columbia ran into the dock at Natchez, and began unloading the
cargo, taking in passengers and making ready to proceed on her
voyage to New Orleans. The plank connecting the boat with the shore
had scarcely been secured in its place, when a good-looking man
about fifty years of age, with a white neck-tie, and a pair of
gold-rimmed glasses on, was seen hurrying on board the vessel.
Just at that moment could be seen a stout man with his face pitted
with the small-pox, making his way up to the above-mentioned
gentleman.
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