"Sir!" she said, drawing her fragile form to its full height, "you
insult me,--you insult the South."
"But look ye here, d'ye see--the tin--the blunt--the ready--the
stiff; you know. Don't ye see, we can't do without that, you
know!"
It shall be contingent on the success of the story," she answered
haughtily. "In the mean time take this precious gem." And drawing
a diamond ring from her finger, she placed it with a roll of MSS.
in my hands and vanished.
Although unable to procure more than L1 2s. 6 d. from an
intelligent pawnbroker to whom I stated the circumstances and with
whom I pledged the ring, my sympathies with the cause of a
downtrodden and chivalrous people were at once enlisted. I could
not help wondering that in rich England, the home of the oppressed
and the free, a young and lovely woman like the fair author of
those pages should be obliged to thus pawn her jewels--her marriage
gift--for the means to procure her bread! With the exception of
the English aristocracy,--who much resemble them,--I do not know of
a class of people that I so much admire as the Southern planters.
May I become better acquainted with both!
Since writing the above, the news of Mr.
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