disease alone would let him recover,-an event she dreaded more than to
do wrong herself. Isabella asked her, if she were not afraid his
spirit would haunt her. 'Oh, no,' says Soan; 'he was so wicked, the
devil will never let him out of hell long enough for that.'

Many slaveholders boast of the love of their slaves. How would it
freeze the blood of some of them to know what kind of love rankles in
the bosoms of slaves for them! Witness the attempt to poison Mrs.
Calhoun, and hundreds of similar cases. Most 'surprising ' to every
body, because committed by slaves supposed to be so grateful for their
chains.

These reflections bring to mind a discussion on this point, between the
writer and a slaveholding friend in Kentucky, on Christmas morning,
1846. We had asserted, that until mankind were far in advance of what
they are now, irresponsible power over our fellow-beings would be, as
it is, abused. Our friend declared it was his conviction, that the
cruelties of slavery existed chiefly in imagination, and that no person
in D- County, where we then were, but would be above ill-treating a
helpless slave. We answered, that if his belief was well-founded, the
people in Kentucky were greatly in advance of the people of New
England-for we would not dare say as much as that of any
school-district there, letting alone counties. No, we would not
answer for our own conduct even on so delicate a point.

The next evening, he very magnanimously overthrew his own position and
established ours, by informing us that, on the morning previous, and as
near as we could learn, at the very hour in which we were earnestly
discussing the probabilities of the case, a young woman of fine
appearance, and high standing in society, the pride of her husband, and