Two men earnestly
advocated the re-opening of the slave-trade, and if as they say slavery
is a blessing, the slave-trade is morally justified and logically
desirable. I do want you to feel, my dear Ann, how extreme are the views
of these pleasant gentlemen.
"The Madeira was good, and despite the half-hidden bitterness of opinion,
I enjoyed my visit. Let John read this letter if you like to do so.
"Yours always and in all ways,
"JAMES PENHALLOW."
She did not like, but John heard all about this visit when the Squire
came home.
The winter of 1856-7 went by without other incident at Westways, with
Mrs. Ann's usual bountiful Christmas gifts to the children at the mills
and Westways. Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated in March. The captain smiled
grimly as he read in the same paper the message of the Governor of South
Carolina recommending the re-opening of the trade in slaves, and the new
President's hopes "that the long agitation over slavery is approaching
its end." Nor did Penhallow fancy the Cabinet appointments, but he said
nothing more of his opinions to Ann Penhallow.
CHAPTER XIII
In the early days of May the Squire began to rebuild the parsonage, and
near by it a large room for Sunday school and town-meetings. Ann desired
to add a library-room for the town and would have set about this at once
had not her husband resolutely set himself against any addition to the
work with which she filled her usefully busy life.
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