Should any of your schoolmates ever make inquiries respecting your parents, all you have to answer is, they were from Georgia, and you are an orphan." Clarence's eyes began to moisten as Mr.Balch spoke of his parents, and after a few moments he asked, with some hesitation, "Am I never to speak of mother?
I love to talk of mother." "Yes, my dear, of course you can talk of your mother," answered Mr.Balch, with great embarrassment; "only, you know, my child, you need not enter into particulars as regards her appearance; that is, you--ah!--need not say she was a coloured woman.

You _must not_ say that; you understand ?" "Yes, sir," answered Clarence.
"Very well, then; bear that in mind.

You must know, Clarence," continued he, "that this concealment is necessary for your welfare, or we would not require it; and you must let me impress it upon you, that it is requisite that you attend strictly to our directions." Mr.Walters remained silent during most of this conversation.

He felt a repugnance to force upon the child a concealment the beneficial results of which were the reverse of obvious, so he merely gave Clarence some useful advice respecting his general conduct, and then permitted him to leave the room.
The morning fixed upon for their departure for Sudbury turned out to be cold and cheerless; and Clarence felt very gloomy as he sat beside his sister at their early breakfast, of which he was not able to eat a morsel.
"Do eat something, Clary," said she, coaxingly; "only look what nice buckwheat cakes these are; cook got up ever so early on purpose to bake them for you." "No, sis," he replied, "I can't eat.

I feel so miserable, everything chokes me." "Well, eat a biscuit, then," she continued, as she buttered it and laid it on his plate; "do eat it, now." More to please her than from a desire to eat, he forced down a few mouthfuls of it, and drank a little tea; then, laying his arm round her neck, he said, "Em, you must try hard to learn to write soon, so that I may hear from you at least once a week." "Oh! I shall soon know how, I'm in g's and h's now.