gentleman buy Uncle Joe, we hab little girl four years ole, an' de ole
missus keep her," sobbed Chloe, living over again the agony of the
parting, "an' Dinah her chile."

"Mammy, if money will buy her, you shall have her, too," said Elsie
earnestly.

The remainder of the short voyage was a happy time to the whole of our
little party, Chloe, with her restored husband by her side, now looking
forward to the visit to Viamede with almost unmingled pleasure.

As they passed up the bay, entered Teche Bayou and pressed on, threading
their way through lake and lakelet, past plain and forest, plantation and
swamp, Elsie exclaimed again and again at the beauty of the scenery. Cool
shady dells carpeted with the rich growth of flowers, miles upon miles of
lawns as smoothly shaven, as velvety green and as nobly shaded by
magnificent oaks and magnolias, as any king's demesne; lordly villas
peering through groves of orange trees, tall white, sugar-houses and the
long rows of cabins of the laborers; united to form a panorama of
surpassing loveliness.

"Is Viamede as lovely as that, papa?" Elsie would ask, as they steamed
past one fine residence after another.

"Quite," he would reply with a smile, at length adding, "There is not a
more beautiful or valuable estate in the country; as you may judge for
yourself, for this is it."

"This, papa? Oh it is lovely, lovely! and everything in such perfect
order," she cried delightedly as they swept on past a large sugar-house