Oleah was in a gloomy mood. He had listened with angry impatience to the exposition of views so different from his own, and that his father should have presided over the meeting, and stood openly side by side with the Abolitionist, stung his Southern prejudices and vexed him to the soul. The trio were driven home in silence, and parted for the night, without any reference to the events of the day. At the table the next morning the discussion of the day before was first alluded to. Mr. and Mrs. Tompkins, Abner and Oleah, sat for some moments in silence--a silence both painful and awkward, and, in this family circle, unusual; but Irene entered the breakfast room, bright and unconscious, eager to know all that had passed at Snagtown the day before. "We heard an excellent speech," said Abner. "Yes; Douglas did well," put in Oleah. "I mean Mr. Lincoln," said Abner. "Douglas' speech was good, but his position was entirely demolished by Mr. Lincoln's eloquent reasoning." "You don't call the harangue of that contemptible old demagogue reasoning, do you?" asked Oleah, astonished and indignant. "I certainly do," replied Abner. "His reasoning appeared to me clear, and his conclusions logical." "And I," cried Oleah, laying down his knife and fork in his excitement, "I declare I never before heard so much sophistry, and not very plausible sophistry, either." "You are prejudiced," said Abner, coolly. "It is you who are prejudiced. Why he actually asserted we would be more prosperous if there was not a slave in the United States." "Yes, and proved his assertion," said Abner. "Oh, you let him pull the wool over your eyes." There was a sneer in his voice. "I tell you there was neither logic nor reason in what he said. No logical conclusions can be drawn from false premises; no assertions can stand unsupported by proof." "What did he assert that he did not prove?" asked Abner. "What did he prove that he asserted?" "You evade my question by asking another." "Precisely the same plan Mr. Lincoln adopted," replied Oleah. "You are prejudiced against Mr. Lincoln, Oleah. Now, tell me what he said that any fair-minded man in the world can not agree to?" "He said that slavery should not wither and blight another inch of territory if he could help it." "What objection can even a believer in slavery have to that? We have an immense scope of country where slavery is permitted; then why extend it to Territories where it is unpopular?" "But can you not see what lies in the background?" said Oleah, bitterly. "Mr. Lincoln lifted the curtain high enough for one who was not blinded by his eloquence to see what was behind it. I would not fear to wager everything I own that Mr. Lincoln, if elected, will set free every slave in the United States, before he has been in the presidential chair a twelvemonth." "Did he not say that such emancipation would be unwise policy?" "He said so, but his tone and manner belied his words."