Florence Athern's Trial [pp. 213-227]

Florence At.ierin's Trial.
were quite eager to go, Florence particularly seemed anxious. Tamar's
mother was our cook, and had been
my grandfather's slave before slavery
was done away with in New York.
Tamar, a girl of my own age, was our
waiting-maid and humble companion
and coi;fidante, and was to go with
us. After a good deal of hesitationfor he seemed to feel a presentiment
of evil-my father consented, and we
went to New York. Our visit was
nearly over, when, one day, on coming
home from a walk with my cousin,
I found Florence in the drawing-room
with Paul Athern. She looked guilty,
and blushed when she saw my look
of surprise; but Paul greeted me with
great apparent pleasure, and an easy
grace that covered whatever confusion he may have felt. That night,
when alone in our room, Florence
said,' Mag, was I very, very wrong to
let Paul know I was here? I did want
to see him so much, dear. Oh! you
don't know how I have craved a sight
of his dear face!' I could not resist
her gentle pleading, so did not blame
her verymuch; but told her I must
write to father, it was the right thing
to do and I must do it. The answer
to my letter was a peremptory order
for our instant return home. We, or
I, had no idea of disobedience, and
so prepared to return at once. The
day before we were to have left, Florence was particularly affectionate,
and seemed not to wish to be left
alone. I had some last errands to
attend to, and leaving Tamar and
Florence busy u ith their packing,
went out for two or three hours. I
returned to find the trunks packed,
but neither Florence nor Tamar was
in the house. My cousin said Florence kissed her when she went out,
saying laughingly,'May be you won't
see me again.' Tamar wvent with
her, carrying her satchel. As evening
drew on and they did not return, a
great fear came over me, and Cousin
Mary had difficulty in keeping me
from rushing into the street to seek
for them. At last, a ring at the door
was followed by Tamar's rushing into
the drawing-room. She threw herself at my feet, buried her face in my
lap, and cried as if her heart would
break. At last, when she could speak,
Cousin Mary had great trouble to understand her broken sentences. As
for me, I sat stupefied, filled with the
one idea that Tamar had come back
without Florence.
II.
"AT last the frightened girl's st6ry
was made out. Florence had taken
her, on pretence of carrying her bag;
but at Union Square, Paul Athern
met them with a carriage, into which
they got, and were taken to a hotel
down Broadwsay, (the Astor House, we
afterward found it was.) Here they
were shown into a private parlor where
there was a strange gentleman, who
looked, Tamar said, like the minister
at home who preached in the little
country church near us. He bowed
to Paul and Florence when they entered, and then walked over to the farthest
window and stood looking out. Mr.
Athern had to talk a long time to
Miss Florence before she was willing
to do something that he wanted her
to do. At last he said something that
seemed to frighten her, and then he
made a sign to the strange gentleman
who went to the door of another room
opening into this, and opened it. Mr.
Tremaine, one of the fishing-party of
the previous summer, came in, and
before Tamar knew what they were
doing, she heard the strange gentleman say,'I pronounce you man and
wife!' Then Florence fainted, and
they had great trouble to bring her
to. Then they all signed a paper, and
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