The Barbadoes Girl

ome-looking girl, and though younger in fact, was taller and older-looking than Ellen, but was not nearly so well shaped, as indolence, and

affectionate Ellen, who had predisposed her heart to love her very dearly, shrunk from the proud and haughty expression which frequently animated her features, and was surprised to hear her name her mamma with as much indifference as if she we

ards the numerous negro dependants that swarmed in her father's mansion, over whom she had exercised all the despotic sovereignty of a queen, with the capriciousness of a petted child, and thereby obtained a habit

his gentleness emboldened the mistaken child to proceed to greater rudeness, he commenced a new style of treatment, and the English edu

r-table, Miss Hanson called out, in a l

to act, in case he was thus addressed; and in consequence of his master's

n blushed very deeply, not only from the sense of shame which she felt for the vulgarity of the

though he did not do it with an air of defiance

to no one, she was at length compelled to look for redress to Mrs. Harewood, whom, regarding with a mixture of rage and scorn, she now a

the loud rude manner in which you spoke, probably astonished and confused him. As, however, I certainly understand y

I won't, from that man: I'll have my own negro to wait-that I will!-Must I say please to a se

ad been pretty well used, instantly ran into the room, before Mr. Harewood had

, you blac

hing the beer from Thomas with a trembling hand, as

as an acute observer, and, had she not been cruelly neglected, might have been a sensible child. It instantly struck her, that his features disputed h

children to repress their feelings;

lap, while Charles most good-naturedly offered his handkerchief t

command, that so long as you reside under my roof, you never give that young lady any thing again, nor hol

e is not yours, and you sha'n't discharge her: she is my own slave, and I will do what I plea

so happens that she is much pleased with my family, and having a sincere regard for your mother, she this morning requested Mrs. Harewood to engage her

into a passionate flood of

poor massa-her mamma good, very good; and when Missy pinch Zebby, and pricky with pin, then good mississ she b

heir growth has destroyed that which was good; of course, her life has been unhappy in itself, yet punishment has not produced amendment. Poor thing! how many of the sweetest pleasures of existence are unknown to her! She is a stranger to the satisfaction of obliging other

de, by effrontery, the chagrin she is conscious of deserving: no person took any notice of her entrance, and all appearance of the good meal she wanted was removed. There was a certain something in the usually-smiling faces of the heads of the ma

sed, for a moment looked rather foolish; on which he answered for her, with a some

r calling me so; but Nelly, or Nell, is short for Ellen, and by one of t

iss Matilda Sophia Hanson?" answered Charles, sneeringly, dra

re you act as if you had forgotten al

ought, acknowledged that he

ed as Charles. After cogitating upon it some time, she at length concluded that Mr. Harewood had endeavoured to impress on the minds of his family the consequence she possessed, as an only child and a great heiress; and although he had appeared so lately to act under a ve

his eyes towards her, which rendered her unsatisfied with the answer she thus gave her own internal inquiries; and although she had been exceedingly angry with him, for presuming to speak to her, she yet felt as if his esteem, and indeed his forgiveness, were necessa

at, when he returned, he would kindly indulge them, either by reading to them, or relating occasionally such anecdotes or observa

her repentance had a great struggle, and she knew not to which she should give the preference, for her heart swelled alike with pride

Matilda became again extremely desirous of knowing what he really had said about her, and she two or three times essayed to speak; but a little remaining modesty, which was nearly all the good which her unhappy education had left her, prevented her, until she found th

e very much t

what am I to b

r unprovoked, she had already forgiven. She looked wistfully in the face of her mamma, who replied for her-"We all think you are much to be pitied, because you are evidently a poor, little, forlorn, igno

own daughter, ma'am," she said, crying again, "you would not have thought me ugly; but because I come from

o. If you would give yourself time to consider, you would know that the enemy I spoke of is your own temper, which would render even perfect beauty hideous; you know very well that I received you with the greatest kindnes

ornful toss of her head, and

lection, and decidedly superior, not only in age, but wisdom, to any other in the room; answer me candidly, as if you were speaking to a boy

or a man, without any one to advise me how to act, to tell me when I was wrong, and to manage every thing for

ers followed his example, saying-"No, no, we could do nothing wi

joyed a sweeter pleasure than she had ever experienced from the gratification of her desires, and she even longed to confess her folly, and gain her share of Mrs. Harewood's caresses; but pride still struggled in her heart; and though her reas