As he walked along, he noticed the colored man advancing towards him, and observed, too, what I forgot to mention, that he held a cigar, and every now and then put it to his mouth, emitting afterwards a perfect cloud of smoke.

The thought occurred to him that the man did not intend to turn out of the way for anybody, and as they were in a line, he determined not to deviate one way or the other, but just observe what this favorite of fashion would do.  They walked on, and in a minute came up to each other, the colored man not giving way in the least, but bumping, hat, goatee, cane, cigar, and all, against our Philadelphian, who, with the greatest coolness and presence of mind, doubled up his fist and giving the colored Adonis two blows with it, (precisely on the middle brass stud which confined his frilled shirt-bosom,) laid him full length upon the pavement.

“Now,” said the Philadelphian, “you’ve had a lesson; the next time you see a gentleman coming along, turn out of the way for him, and you’ll save your new clothes.”  Without another glance at the discomfited beau, who was brushing his plaid pantaloons with his pocket-handkerchief, and muttering some equivocal language that would not do here, he went on his way to see the improvements about the City Hall.

Mark’s low laugh was heard from the driver’s seat, and Bacchus, who was waiting to open the carriage door for Mr. Weston, stood on the first step, and touching his hat, said, with a broad grin, “Dat’s de best thing we’ve seen sence we come to Washington.  Dat beats Ole Virginny.”

Mrs. Weston came from the store at the same moment, and Bacchus gallantly let down the steps, and, after securing the door, took his place beside Mark, with the agility of a boy of sixteen.

Mr. Weston, much amused, described the scene.  Mrs. Weston declared “it served him right; for that the negroes were getting intolerable.”

“I can hardly believe,” she said, “the change that has been made in their appearance and conduct.  They think, to obtain respect they must be impertinent.  This is the effect of Abolition.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Weston, “this is Abolition.  I have thought a great deal on the condition of the negroes in our country, of late.  I would like to see every man and woman that God has made, free, could it be accomplished to their advantage.  I see the evils of slavery, it is sometimes a curse on the master as well as the slave.

“When I purchased Sarah; when I saw those grieving, throbbing souls, my own was overwhelmed with sympathy for them.  This is slavery, I said to myself.  Poor creatures, though you have done wrong, how severe your punishment; to be separated from all that your life has had to make it pleasant, or even tolerable.  This is slavery indeed, and where is the man, come from God, who will show us a remedy?  I look at the free blacks of the North and South.  I say again, this is Abolition!  How worthless, how