cultivating their minds, raising them up to do good for themselves,
to reward the efforts of the benefactor. Her motto was:--Let us
through simple means seek the elevation of a class of beings whose
degradation has distracted the political wisdom of our happy
country, from its conquest to the present day. "There's something in
it," again mutters Mr. Scranton, as he enters his room, lights his
taper, and with his elbow resting on the table, his head supported
in his hand, sits musing over the subject.
CHAPTER XII.
ELDER PEMBERTON PRAISEWORTHY CHANGES HIS BUSINESS.
LET us beg the reader's indulgence for a few moments, while we say
that Mr. Scranton belonged to that large class of servile flatterers
who too often come from the New England States-men, who, having no
direct interest in slaves, make no scruple of sacrificing their
independence that they may appear true to the south and slavery.
Such men not unfrequently do the political vampirism of the south
without receiving its thanks, but look for the respect of political
factions for being loudest supporters of inconsistency. They never
receive the thanks of the southerner; frequently and deservedly do
they sink into contempt!
A few days after the visit to the plantation we have described in
the foregoing chapter, Elder Pemberton Praiseworthy, divested of his
pastoral occupation, and seriously anxious to keep up his friendly
associations with those who had taken a part in furthering the cause
of humanity, calls on his old acquaintance, Mrs. Rosebrook. He has
always found a welcome under her hospitable roof,--a good meal, over
which he could discourse the benefits he bestowed, through his
spiritual mission, upon a fallen race; never leaving without kindly
asking permission to offer up a prayer, in which he invoked the
mercy of the Supreme Ruler over all things. In this instance he
seems somewhat downcast, forlorn; he has changed his business; his
brown, lean face, small peering eyes, and low forehead, with bristly
black hair standing erect, give his features a careworn air. He
apologises for the unceremonious call, and says he always forgets
etiquette in his fervour to do good; to serve his fellow-creatures,
to be a Christian among the living, and serve the dying and the
dead-if such have wants--is his motto. And that his motives may not
be misconstrued he has come to report the peculiar phases of the
business he found it actually necessary to turn his hand to. That he
will gain a complete mastery over the devil he has not the fraction
of a doubt; and as he has always--deeming him less harmless than many
citizens of the south--had strong prejudices against that gentleman,
he now has strong expectations of carrying his point against him.
Elder Praiseworthy once heard a great statesman--who said singular
things as well in as out of Congress--say that he did'nt believe the
devil was a bad fellow after all; and that with a little more
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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