hideous with their outcries. At last the noise subsided. Silence settled
around the house and Wilmot tried to compose himself to sleep. When he
again awoke the sun was shining brightly into his room. He arose and
dressed himself, but felt in no hurry to see "his host," who had come
home, he was sure, and had given such tremendous demonstrations of the
strength of his lungs.

Mr. Wilmot finally descended to the sitting room, where the first object
which presented itself was a man who was certainly six and a half feet
high, and large in proportion. His face was dark and its natural color was
increased by a beard of at least four weeks’ growth! He had on his head an
old slouched hat, from under which a few gray locks were visible. As soon
as Wilmot appeared, the uncouth figure advanced toward him, and seizing
his hand, gave a grip, which, if continued long, would certainly have
crushed every bone! He began with—

"Well, so you are Mr. Wilmot from New York, hey? Of course a red-hot
Abolitionist, but I don’t care for that if you’ll only keep your ideas to
yourself and not try to preach your notions to me. I’ve heard of you
before."

"Heard of me, sir?" said Mr. Wilmot in surprise.

"Yes, of you; and why not? Thar’s many a man, not as good as you, judging
by your looks, has had a hearing in his day; but, however, I haint heard
of you by the papers. As I was coming home last night I got along to old
man Edson’s, and I seen him swarin’ and tarin’ round so says I, ’Ho, old
man, what’s the row?’ ’Oh,’ says he, ’that you, Middleton? Nuff’s the row.
I’ve done let my best horse and nigger go off with a man from the free
States, who said he’s going to your house, and here ’tis after nine and