"Yes, Sir," said Hattie, "and this week our ---- paper will come to us from New York loaded with articles about 'bondage' and 'sum of all villanies,' and 'poor, toil-worn slaves.' Toil-worn! I never saw such a lively set of people. Do see that little mite of a round black child, in black jacket and pants; he looks like a drop of ink; Oh, isn't he cunning! Little boy! what is your"-- "Come, come!" said your Uncle, "you are getting too much excited; you will pay for all this to-morrow with one of your headaches." But a new surprise awaited us. The driver stopped opposite a large, plain-looking building, and told us that we had better step in. On entering, we involuntarily started back, for I never saw a house more densely filled; and all were blacks. It was a sable cloud; but the sun was in it. The choir were singing a select piece. The principal _soprano_, an elegant-looking black girl, dressed in perfect taste, held her book from her in her very small hand covered with a straw-colored glove. The singing was charming. We asked a white-headed negro in the vestibule what was going on. "Why, it is Easter Monday, Missis." "Is this an Episcopal church?" "No; Baptist." "What are all these people here for?" said your Uncle. "Why, to worship, Sir, I hope. It's holiday." "Do they go to church, holidays?" "Why," said he, with a smile and bow, "some of the best of 'em, p'raps." We returned to the carriage. "Think," said your uncle, "of two thousand people at the North spending a part of 'Artillery Election Day' in Boston, for example, in going to church!" "Well," said Hattie, "if I were not to live another day, I would bless God for having let me live to see these things. I am so glad to find people happy who I had supposed were weeping and wailing." We admonished her that she had not seen the whole of slavery. A very interesting coincidence happened to us the next day. We took tea at Rev. Mr. ----'s. A splendid bride-cake adorned the table. As Hattie was admiring the ornaments on the cake, the lady of the clergyman smiled and said,-- "This is from a colored wedding." Sure enough, that black bride whom we saw the day before had sent her minister's wife this loaf. Said Miss ----, "I was hurrying to get a silk dress made last week, but my dressmaker put me off, because she was working for Phillis B.'s wedding." We both gave a glance at Hattie. She sat gazing at Miss ----, her lips partly open, her eyes moistened,--a picture in which delight and incredulity were in pleasant strife. * * * * *