Mrs. Stevens gains a Triumph.
The Garies had now become thoroughly settled in Philadelphia, and, amongst
the people of colour, had obtained a very extensive and agreeable
acquaintance.
At the South Mr. Garie had never borne the reputation of an active person.
Having an ample fortune and a thoroughly Southern distaste for labour, he
found it by no means inconvenient or unpleasant to have so much time at his
disposal. His newspaper in the morning, a good book, a stroll upon the
fashionable promenade, and a ride at dusk, enabled him to dispose of his
time without being oppressed with _ennui_.
It was far happier for him that such was his disposition, as his domestic
relations would have been the means of subjecting him to many unpleasant
circumstances, from which his comparative retirement in a great measure
screened him.
Once or twice since his settlement in the North his feelings had been
ruffled, by the sneering remarks of some of his former friends upon the
singularity of his domestic position; but his irritation had all fled
before the smiles of content and happiness that beamed from the faces of
his wife and children.
Mrs. Garie had nothing left to wish for; she was surrounded by every
physical comfort and in the enjoyment of frequent intercourse with
intelligent and refined people, and had been greatly attracted toward
Esther Ellis with whom she had become very intimate.
One morning in November, these two were in the elegant little bed-room of
Mrs. Garie, where a fire had been kindled, as the weather was growing very
chilly and disagreeable. "It begins to look quite like autumn," said Mrs.
Garie, rising and looking out of the window. "The chrysanthemums are
drooping and withered, and the dry leaves are whirling and skimming through
the air. I wonder," she continued, "if the children were well wrapped up
this morning?"
"Oh, yes; I met them at the corner, on their way to school, looking as warm
and rosy as possible. What beautiful children they are! Little Em has
completely won my heart; it really seems a pity for her to be put on the
shelf, as she must be soon."
"How--what do you mean?" asked Mrs. Garie.
"Oh, this will explain," archly rejoined Esther, as she held up to view one
of the tiny lace trimmed frocks that she was making in anticipation of the
event that has been previously hinted.
Mrs. Garie laughed, and turned to look out of the window again.
"Do you know I found little Lizzy Stevens, your neighbour's daughter,
shivering upon the steps in a neighbouring street, fairly blue with cold?
She was waiting there for Clarence and Em. I endeavoured to persuade her to
go on without them, but she would not. From what I could understand, she
waits for them there every day."
"Her mother cannot be aware of it, then; for she has forbidden her children
to associate with mine," rejoined Mrs. Garie. "I wonder she permits her
little girl to go to the same school. I don't think she knows it, or it is
very likely she would take her away."
"Has she ever spoken to you since the night of her visit?" asked Esther.
"Never! I have seen her a great many times since; she never speaks, nor do
I. There she goes now. That," continued Mrs. Garie, with a smile, "is
another illustration of the truthfulness of the old adage, 'Talk of--well,
I won't say who,--'and he is sure to appear.'" And, thus speaking, she
turned from the window, and was soon deeply occupied in the important work
of preparing for the expected little stranger. Mrs. Garie was mistaken in
her supposition that Mrs. Stevens was unaware that Clarence and little Em
attended the same school to which her own little girl had been sent; for
the evening before the conversation we have just narrated, she had been
discussing the matter with her husband.
"Here," said she to him, "is Miss Jordan's bill for the last quarter. I
shall never pay her another; I am going to remove Lizzy from that school."
"Remove her! what for? I thought I heard you say, Jule, that the child got
on excellently well there,--that she improved very fast?"
"So she does, as far as learning is concerned; but she is sitting right
next to one of those Garie children, and that is an arrangement I don't at
all fancy. I don't relish the idea of my child attending the same school
that niggers do; so I've come to the determination to take her away."
"I should do no such thing," coolly remarked Mr. Stevens. "I should compel
the teacher to dismiss the Garies, or I should break up her school. Those
children have no right to be there whatever. I don't care a straw how light
their complexions are, they are niggers nevertheless, and ought to go to a
nigger school; they are no better than any other coloured children. I'll
tell you what you can do, Jule," continued he: "call on Mrs. Kinney, the
Roths, and one or two others, and induce them to say that if Miss Jordan
won't dismiss the Garies that they will withdraw their children; and you
know if they do, it will break up the school entirely. If it was any other
person's children but his, I would wink at it; but I want to give him a
fall for his confounded haughtiness. Just try that plan, Jule, and you will
be sure to succeed."
"I am not so certain about it, Stevens. Miss Jordan, I learn, is very fond
of their little Em. I must say I cannot wonder at it. She is the most
loveable little creature I ever saw. I will say that, if her mother is a
nigger."
"Yes, Jule, all that may be; but I know the world well enough to judge
that, when she becomes fully assured that it will conflict with her
interests to keep them, she will give them up. She is too poor to be
philanthropic, and, I believe, has sufficient good sense to know it."
"Well, I'll try your plan," said Mrs. Stevens; "I will put matters in train
to-morrow morning."
Early the next morning, Mrs. Stevens might have been seen directing her
steps to the house of Mrs. Kinney, with whom she was very intimate. She
reached it just as that lady was departing to preside at a meeting of a
female missionary society for evangelizing the Patagonians.
"I suppose you have come to accompany me to the meeting," said she to Mrs.
Stevens, as soon as they had exchanged the usual courtesies.
"Oh, dear, no; I wish I was," she replied. "I've got a troublesome little
matter on my hands; and last night my husband suggested my coming to ask
your advice respecting it. George has such a high opinion of your judgment,
that he would insist on my troubling you."
Mrs. Kinney smiled, and looked gratified at this tribute to her importance.
"And moreover," continued Mrs. Stevens, "it's a matter in which your
interest, as well as our own, is concerned."
Mrs. Kinney now began to look quite interested, and, untying the strings of
her bonnet, exclaimed, "Dear me, what can it be?"
"Knowing," said Mrs. Stevens, "that you entertain just the same sentiments
that we do relative to associating with coloured people, I thought I would
call and ask if you were aware that Miss Jordan receives coloured as well
as white children in her school."
"Why, no! My dear Mrs. Stevens, you astound me. I hadn't the remotest idea
of such a thing. It is very strange my children never mentioned it."
"Oh, children are so taken up with their play, they forget such things,"
rejoined Mrs. Stevens. "Now," continued she, "husband said he was quite
confident you would not permit your children to continue their attendance
after this knowledge came to your ears. We both thought it would be a pity
to break up the poor girl's school by withdrawing our children without
first ascertaining if she would expel the little darkies. I knew, if I
could persuade you to let me use your name as well as ours, and say that
you will not permit your children to continue at her school unless she
consents to our wishes, she, knowing the influence you possess, would, I am
sure, accede to our demands immediately."
"Oh, you are perfectly at liberty to use my name, Mrs. Stevens, and say all
that you think necessary to effect your object. But do excuse me for
hurrying off," she continued, looking at her watch: "I was to have been at
the meeting at ten o'clock, and it is now half-past. I hope you won't fail
to call, and let me know how you succeed;" and, with her heart overflowing
with tender care for the poor Patagonian, Mrs. Kinney hastily departed.
"That's settled," soliloquized Mrs. Stevens, with an air of intense
satisfaction, as she descended the steps--"her four children would make a
serious gap in the little school; and now, then," continued she, "for the
Roths."
Mrs. Stevens found not the slightest difficulty in persuading Mrs. Roth to
allow her name to be used, in connection with Mrs. Kinney's, in the threat
to withdraw their children if the little Garies were not immediately
expelled. Mrs. Roth swore by Mrs. Kinney, and the mere mention of that
lady's name was sufficient to enlist her aid.
Thus armed, Mrs. Stevens lost no time in paying a visit to Miss Jordan's
school. As she entered, the busy hum of childish voices was somewhat
stilled; and Lizzy Stevens touched little Em, who sat next her, and
whispered, "There is my mother."
Mrs. Stevens was welcomed very cordially by Miss Jordan, who offered her
the seat of honour beside her.
"Your school seems quite flourishing," she remarked, after looking around
the room, "and I really regret being obliged to make a gap in your
interesting circle."
"I hope you don't intend to deprive me of your little girl," inquired Miss
Jordan; "I should regret to part with her--not only because I am very fond
of her, but in consideration of her own interest--she is coming on so
rapidly."
"Oh, I haven't the slightest fault to find with her progress. _That_," said
she, "is not the reason. I have another, of much more weight. Of course,
every one is at liberty to do as they choose; and we have no right to
dictate to you what description of scholars you should receive; but, if
they are not such, as we think proper companions for our children, you
can't complain if we withdraw them."
"I really do not understand you, Mrs. Stevens," said the teacher, with an
astonished look: "I have none here but the children of the most respectable
persons--they are all as well behaved as school children generally are."
"I did not allude to behaviour; that, for all that I know to the contrary,
is irreproachable; it is not character that is in question, but colour. I
don't like my daughter to associate with coloured children."
"Coloured children!" repeated the now thoroughly bewildered
teacher--"coloured children! My dear madam," continued she, smiling, "some
one has been hoaxing you--I have no coloured pupils--I could not be induced
to receive one on any account."
"I am very glad to hear you say so," rejoined Mrs. Stevens, "for that
convinces me that my fears were groundless. I was under the impression you
had imbibed some of those pestilent abolition sentiments coming into vogue.
I see you are not aware of it, but you certainly have two coloured
scholars; and there," said she, pointing to Clarence, "is one of them."
Clarence, who, with his head bent over his book, was sitting so near as to
overhear a part of this conversation, now looked up, and found the cold,
malignant, grey eyes of Mrs. Stevens fastened on him. He looked at her for
a moment--then apparently resumed his studies.
The poor boy had, when she entered the room, an instinctive knowledge that
her visit boded no good to them. He was beginning to learn the anomalous
situation he was to fill in society. He had detested Mrs. Stevens ever
since the night she had ejected him so rudely from her house, and since
then had learned to some extent what was meant by the term _nigger woman_.
"You must certainly be misinformed," responded Miss Jordan. "I know their
father--he has frequently been here. He is a Southerner, a thorough
gentleman in his manners; and, if ever a man was white, I am sure he is."
"Have you seen their mother?" asked Mrs. Stevens, significantly.
"No, I never have," replied Miss Jordan; "she is in poor health; but she
must unquestionably be a white woman--a glance at the children ought to
convince you of that."
"It might, if I had not seen her, and did not know her to be a coloured
woman. You see, my dear Miss Jordan," continued she, in her blandest tone,
"I am their next-door neighbour and have seen their mother twenty times and
more; she is a coloured woman beyond all doubt."
"I never could have dreamed of such a thing!" exclaimed Miss Jordan, as an
anxious look overspread her face; then, after a pause, she continued: "I do
not see what I am to do--it is really too unfortunate--I don't know how to
act. It seems unjust and unchristian to eject two such children from my
school, because their mother has the misfortune to have a few drops of
African blood in her veins. I cannot make up my mind to do it. Why, you
yourself must admit that they are as white as any children in the room."
"I am willing to acknowledge they are; but they have nigger blood in them,
notwithstanding; and they are, therefore, as much niggers as the blackest,
and have no more right to associate with white children than if they were
black as ink. I have no more liking for white niggers than for black ones."
The teacher was perplexed, and, turning to Mrs. Stevens, said, imploringly:
"This matter seems only known to you; let me appeal to your generosity--say
nothing more about it. I will try to keep your daughter away from them, if
you wish--but pray do not urge me to the performance of an act that I am
conscious would be unjust."
Mrs. Stevens's face assumed a severe and disagreeable expression. "I hoped
you would look at this matter in a reasonable light, and not compel those
who would be your friends to appear in the light of enemies. If this matter
was known to me alone, I should remove my daughter and say nothing more
about it; but, unfortunately for you, I find that, by some means or other,
both Mrs. Kinney and Mrs. Roth have become informed of the circumstance,
and are determined to take their children away. I thought I would act a
friend's part by you, and try to prevail on you to dismiss these two
coloured children at once. I so far relied upon your right judgment as to
assure them that you would not hesitate for a moment to comply with their
wishes; and I candidly tell you, that it was only by my so doing that they
were prevented from keeping their children at home to-day."
Miss Jordan looked aghast at this startling intelligence; if Mrs. Roth and
Mrs. Kinney withdrew their patronage and influence, her little school (the
sole support of her mother and herself) would be well-nigh broken up.
She buried her face in her hands, and sat in silence for a few seconds;
then looking at Mrs. Stevens, with tearful eyes, exclaimed, "God forgive me
if it must be so; nothing but the utter ruin that stares me in the face if
I refuse induces me to accede to your request."
"I am sorry that you distress yourself so much about it. You know you are
your own mistress, and can do as you choose," said Mrs. Stevens; "but if
you will be advised by me, you will send them away at once."
"After school I will," hesitatingly replied Miss Jordan.
"I hate to appear so pressing," resumed Mrs. Stevens; "but I feel it my
duty to suggest that you had better do it at once, and before the rest of
the scholars. I did not wish, to inform you to what extent this thing had
gone; but it really has been talked of in many quarters, and it is
generally supposed that you are cognisant of the fact that the Garies are
coloured; therefore you see the necessity of doing something at once to
vindicate yourself from the reproach of abolitionism."
At the pronunciation of this then terrible word in such connection with
herself, Miss Jordan turned quite pale, and for a moment struggled to
acquire sufficient control of her feelings to enable her to do as Mrs.
Stevens suggested; at last, bursting into tears, she said, "Oh, I
cannot--will not--do it. I'll dismiss them, but not in that unfeeling
manner; that I cannot do."
The children were now entirely neglecting their lessons, and seemed much
affected by Miss Jordan's tears, of which they could not understand the
cause. She observing this, rang the bell, the usual signal for
intermission.
Mrs. Stevens, satisfied with the triumph she had effected, took leave of
Miss Jordan, after commending her for the sensible conclusion at which she
had arrived, and promising to procure her two more pupils in the room of
those she was about to dismiss.
Miss Jordan was a long time writing the note that she intended sending to
Mr. Garie; and one of the elder girls returned to the school-room,
wondering at the unusually long time that had been given for recreation.
"Tell Clarence and his sister to come here," said she to the girl who had
just entered; and whilst they were on their way upstairs, she folded the
note, and was directing it when Clarence entered.
"Clarence," said she, in a soft voice, "put on your hat; I have a note of
some importance for you to take to your father--your father remember--don't
give it to any one else." Taking out her watch, she continued, "It is now
so late that you would scarcely get back before the time for dismissal, so
you had better take little Emily home with you."
"I hope, ma'am, I haven't done anything wrong?" asked Clarence.
"Oh, no!" quickly replied she; "you're a dear, good boy, and have never
given me a moment's pain since you came to the school." And she hurried out
into the hall to avoid farther questioning.
She could not restrain the tears as she dressed little Em, whose eyes were
large with astonishment at being sent home from school at so early an hour.
"Teacher, is school out?" asked she.
"No, dear, not quite; I wanted to send a note to your pa, and so I have let
Clary go home sooner than usual," replied Miss Jordan, kissing her
repeatedly, whilst the tears were trickling down her cheek.
"Don't cry, teacher, I love you," said the little blue-eyed angel, whose
lip began to quiver in sympathy; "don't cry, I'll come back again
to-morrow."
This was too much for the poor teacher, who clasped the child in her arms,
and gave way to a burst of uncontrollable sorrow. At last, conquering
herself with an effort, she led the children down stairs, kissed them both
again, and then opening the door she turned them forth into the
street--turned away from her school these two little children, such as God
received into his arms and blessed, because they were the children of a
"_nigger woman_."