Your family have claims upon you, and these you cannot disregard, and unite yourself to one of an inferior race, who--" "Oh, cousin Lavinia! cousin Lavinia!" cried Redbud, with a gush of tears, "please don't talk to me anymore about this; you make me feel so badly! Verty never said a word to me about marrying, and it would be foolish.

Marry! Oh! you know I am nothing but a child, and you make me very unhappy by talking so." Redbud leaned her forehead on her hand, and wiped away the tears running down her cheeks.
"It is not agreeable to me to mention this subject," Miss Lavinia said, solemnly, smoothing Redbud's disordered hair, "but I consider it my duty, child.

You have said truly that you are still very young, and that it is ridiculous to talk about your being married.

But, Redbud, the day will come when you will be a woman, and then you will find this intimacy with Verty a stone around your neck.

I wish to warn you in time.