And the gaunt wolves of Sin and Want howl to the moon under the Northern skies as well as Southern.
And stayin’ there—not livin’—workin’ hard as he did through the day, and uninvitin’ as his home wuz after his labor wuz over, he could set down for a few minutes with Hester, only to have their quiet broken by drunken brawls, and oaths, and fights, and all sounds and sights of woe and squalor.
In such circumstances as these the teachings and importunate words of Victor about colonization fell upon a willin’ ear.
For the seeds that had laid in Victor’s heart, waitin’ only the warm sun to bring them to life, had sprung up into full vigor and bloom under the influence of Genieve’s prophetic words, and afterwards by his own observation and study.
Victor come to believe with his whole soul and heart that the future of his race depended upon their leavin’ this land and goin’ fur away from all the cursed influences that had fettered them so long here and found a new home and country for themselves—a New Republic.
And as Felix, with whom Victor had been in constant correspondence, read these glowin’ words and arguments, they fell upon good ground.
Truly the soil in Felix’ breast had been turned, and ploughed, and made ready for the seed of liberty to be planted and spring up.
All of the time while he wuz gettin’ his education so hardly, spendin’ every hour he could possibly spare from his work in endeavorin’ to fit himself for a future of freedom and usefulness—all this while he had been told, been taught in sermons and religious and secular literature, and read it in law books and statutes, that merit wuz the only patent of nobility in this country, that merit would win the prizes of life.
To this end he had worked, had shaped his own life to habits of honesty and industry; he had surrounded himself with all the safeguards possible to keep him in the right path, chose for his intimate friends young men who cherished the same lofty ideals that he did.