Page:A hairdresser's experience in high life.djvu/252

254 she had made the thousand dollars and given it to them. Incited by the hope of being free, she worked hard; but as soon as she had paid eight or nine hundred dollars to her master, he would sell her to some one else, who would make the same promise, and then break it in the same shameful manner. At length the girl became so exasperated by her many grievous disappointments, that she lost her reason, and is now a lunatic. Her name was Louise. She was well known to those who stopped at the St. Charles and St. Louis.

"I will now tell you of a gentleman, who lived in Louisiana, who had a housekeeper and two daughters. He sent his daughters to Oberlin to school, and took a house there for his housekeeper to be with them. On going there, the Oberlin people would not let him stay unless he married the housekeeper. He did marry her, and settled a great deal of property on her and her daughters. In a short time he went to England, and on his return he brought her a magnificent English carriage; her house is in keeping with her carriage—elegant, indeed. It was whispered by some that he would not dare go back South; but he did go back, staid there awhile, disposed of his property, and returned to his wife. His daughters were mulattoes, and his wife was very dark.

"Now, madam, I need not tell you anything more. I have shown you the dark and the fair sides of the South. Were I to tell you one-half what I know, it would take me every moment of a week."

Miss, when rising to leave, said, "I have been much interested by what you have told me; say nothing of our meeting; I will give you my card, and come to see me in New York."