“Oh, no, of course not,” responded Mrs. Atkins in her fal-lal manner; “but I thought you were so anti-slavery, Mr. Harrington.”
“I certainly am anti-slavery, madam,” good-naturedly said Harrington, “and if I were living in Hancock’s time, I should be on the same principles anti-George the Third. But I hope I should not any the less pay due regard to the Tory gentlemen of that era. As far as their Toryism went, I should of course be their foe, and in like manner I am hostile to the gentlemen of this day who are tyrants.”
“But, Mr. Harrington,” said Julia, pertly, “you don’t like Mr. Webster, and I know you don’t, do you? Now do tell me, Mr. Harrington, why you don’t like Mr. Webster.”
Witherlee smiled furtively at Miss Julia’s immature gabble, and lifted his eyebrows in a faint sneer.
“Because, Miss Julia,” replied Harrington simply, with a gentle impressiveness of voice and manner which brought a new sensation to the poor child’s mind, and made her color, “because Mr. Webster helped to pass a law which has made a great many poor people very unhappy. You yourself wouldn’t like a man who made innocent people suffer, would you?”
“Oh, no, of course not,” stammered Julia, while Witherlee smiled maliciously, enjoying her confusion.
“Dear me! but they’re only negroes, Mr. Harrington,” feebly remarked Mrs. Atkins, in a deprecating tone.
“But, Mrs. Atkins, negroes have feelings,” said Emily.
“Oh, well, dear,” responded Mrs. Atkins, “but their feelings are not the same as ours, you know. That is, they haven’t fine feelings.”
“You remember the case that was lately reported in the newspapers, Mrs. Atkins,” said Harrington. “The rumor came that the kidnappers were in town with a warrant for a colored man, and his wife fell down dead with alarm when she heard it. I think you must allow that poor woman had feelings, and it is hard to deny that Mr. Webster was responsible for her murder. I saw those poor colored people in Southac street to-day, in wild distress and alarm at the report that a slave-hunter was in town, and no one who sees such things, and realizes them, can like Mr. Webster.”