Probably Grace and Sylvia were the only girls in
school who had not heard the word used as a term of reproach against the
people of the northern states who wished to do away with slavery.
Miss Rosalie's smile faded, but she responded without a moment's
hesitation:
"Why, an 'abolitionist' is a person who wishes to destroy some law or
custom."
There was a little murmur among the other pupils, but Grace and Sylvia
looked at each other with puzzled eyes. Philip did not wish to "destroy"
anything, thought Sylvia; he only wanted to protect Dinkie. And she was
sure that her father would not destroy anything, unless it was something
which would harm people. So it was a puzzled Sylvia who came home from
school that day. She decided that her father could answer a question
much better than Miss Rosalie, and resolved to ask him the meaning of
the word.
"Come up-stairs, Estralla," she said, finding the little negro girl at
the gate as usual waiting for her. "I have some things my mother said I
could give you."
Estralla followed happily. She didn't care very much what it might be
that Missy Sylvia would give her, it was delight enough for Estralla to
follow after her. But when the little girl saw the things spread out on
Sylvia's bed she exclaimed aloud:
"Does you mean, Missy, dat I'se to pick out somethin'? Well, then I
chooses the shoes. I never had no shoes."
"They are all for you," said Sylvia, lifting up a pretty blue cape and
holding it toward Estralla.
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