Another Friend.
“Dis don’t be de cleanest place in de world!” said Daph to herself, as
she looked round the small, bare room into which she had been thrust.
“Well,” she continued, “de Lord Jesus, do be everywhere; and Daph no
reason to be above stayin where such as he do set foot. But den de
childen! what’s to become of de childen?”
Here Daph’s resolution gave way, and she took a hearty cry. “Daph, you
do be a wicked creter,” she said to herself, at length. “Jus as if de
Lord Jesus didn’t love little childen ebber so much better dan you can!
He’s jus able hisself to take care ob de dears; and Daph needn’t go for
to fret hersef bout dem.”
Thus consoled, Daph was prepared calmly to wait whatever should befall
her. The stream of sunlight that poured through the small window,
slowly crept along the floor, and the weary hours passed away.
The new and beautiful truths, that had of late been brought home to the
soul of Daph, were much in her thoughts and full of comfort.
“I do be afraid,” she said to herself, “Ise did not act so bery
Christianable, when dose big men did catch Daph by de shoulter. Dere’s
somewhat in Daph mighty strong, dat don’t like folks puttin hands on
widout tellin what’s de matter. Well, well; I spose Daph will get like
a lamb, sometime, if de Lord helps her. Ise do wonder what the dears
is a doin, jus now. Maybe that sweet Miss Rose is just speakin to dem
beautiful words out ob de blessed book. How Daph would like to hear
dose same words, her own self!”
Daph’s meditations were interrupted by the sudden turning of the key in
the lock, and then the door of the small room was thrown open to admit
the entrance of a stranger.
The new-comer was a short, stout, elderly man, with a dignified
bearing, and a calm, kindly expression in his round unfurrowed face.
Daph looked at him from his powdered head, to his white-topped boots,
with entire satisfaction. “He do be a _real gemman_, and dat ’s a
comfort,” she said to herself, as she dropped a curtsy, and waited to
be addressed by the stranger.
Daph’s favorable impressions were increased by the mild manner and
clear voice in which she was addressed. She soon felt sufficiently at
ease to comply with the request made by the gentleman, that she would
tell him, frankly, all that she could remember of her life for the
last few years, and explain how she, a poor negro, came in possession
of jewelry fit for a duchess to wear.
Daph began in her own simple way, and described those pleasant home
scenes on that far Southern island. Her heart grew light at the thought
of the happy family circle in those good old times. It was with
difficulty she brought herself to speak of the sudden destruction with
which that home was threatened. She touched but lightly on her own
efforts to save the little ones, when there was no earthly friend, but
herself, between them and a bloody death.
From time to time her listener questioned her suddenly; but she
answered him with such apparent frankness and simplicity, that he felt
ashamed of the momentary suspicions that had crossed his mind.
When Daph came, in the progress of her story, to the captain’s late
visit, and to the day of dark, hopeless despair that followed it, the
eyes that were fixed upon her, slowly filled with tears.
Those tears suddenly gushed forth, as with the eloquence of a grateful
heart Daph described the face, like that of an angel, that bent over
her in her distress, and told of the Saviour, who is the friend of the
sinner, and the comfort of all that mourn.
“God bless my sweet Rose!” murmured the stranger. “This was an errand
of mercy, indeed!” After a moment’s pause, he added aloud, “You need
say no more, Daph;” and, as he spoke, he put out his hand to take that
of the humble negro.
She did not notice the movement; for she had lowered her eyes as she
dropped her modest curtsy, and relapsed into silence.
Diedrich Stuyvesant loved his daughter Rose, as the apple of his eye;
but he thought her a little too enthusiastic in her desire to do good;
and he trembled, lest her warm feelings should lead her judgment astray.
When she had burst into his library that morning, her face flushed
with excitement and unwonted exercise, he had met her with more than
his usual calmness and phlegmatic consideration. The hasty outline
she gave him of the story of her new protegé, seemed to him strange
and improbable; but he could not resist the earnestness with which
she besought him to hasten to the release of an innocent and injured
woman. Rose felt a little relieved when she saw her father take his
gold-headed cane and walk forth, with the deliberate air of one who has
important business on hand. She would gladly have hurried his steps;
but she knew, that, though slow and cautious, whatever he undertook
would be kindly and wisely done, and in this belief she forced herself
to wait patiently for his long-delayed return.
Good Diedrich Stuyvesant did not go directly to the prison, as his
daughter had advised. He first called on Dr. Bates, heard his pompous
statement of the grounds of his suspicions, and received from him the
troublesome gold chain, that was deemed of such importance.
Having agreed to meet the little doctor at a certain hour, at the
place of Daph’s imprisonment, he proceeded to the red house with the
blue shutters, and inquired for Mrs. Ray. That personage was thrown
into a fit of mortification to be found by so grand a gentleman in a
dishabille, plainly intimating its recent proximity to the wash-tub;
and her curiosity alone prevented her absolutely refusing to be seen in
such a plight.
It did not take Diedrich Stuyvesant many minutes to fathom Mrs. Ray,
and to give to her mean and idle curiosity the contempt that even she
herself felt that it deserved. “All accoutred as she was,” she found
herself obliged to accompany her new acquaintance to the prison,
where she and Dr. Bates occupied a room near that in which Daph had
been placed, while Diedrich Stuyvesant proceeded to converse with
the prisoner. The time seemed long to the little doctor; for he had
the full benefit of all the vituperative epithets in Mrs. Ray’s
vocabulary, which was by no means a limited one in that department.
On him she vented all the dissatisfaction she felt at having been led
“into,” as she exclaimed, “the worst, the very worst piece of business
I ever put my finger in!”
Daph had completed her story and was standing silent and humble, when
Diedrich Stuyvesant summoned Dr. Bates and Mrs. Ray.
The Dr., small in every respect, entered with an air of triumph, while
Mrs. Ray followed; pity, self-reproach and curiosity strangely blending
in the expression with which she looked upon her lodger.
Daph met their glance with quiet composure. In her heart she had been
giving thanks to the merciful God, who had raised up for her a new and
powerful friend, and fresh from the presence of her Divine Master,
she could look on those who had injured her, without one taint of
bitterness.
Diedrich Stuyvesant had spoken often in the councils of his country,
and to his clear, calm voice, none had failed to listen, for he ever
spoke with the power of reason and truth. Now, he stood with the
dignity of one accustomed to be heard, as he looked for a moment in
silence on the accusers. Then, in a short, clear statement, he told the
story of the humble negro, who listened with wonder, as he named with
admiration and respect the acts which she had performed, guided by her
own loving heart, and upheld by simple faith in “the great Lord” of all.
Sternness and contempt struggled for mastery in the voice of Diedrich
Stuyvesant, as in concluding, he turned towards Dr. Bates, and said,
“As for you, young man, look at that dark-skinned, ignorant woman,
from whom you would have lightly taken her only wealth,--her good
name,--which is above all price!”
“Think of your own fair skin, you deem so superior,--of the education
you rightly value,--the Christian teaching that has been sounded in
your ears since childhood, and then say what good work you have done
in this world! What have you to bring forward in comparison with the
heroism and self-sacrifice of this poor woman, whom you despised? Young
man, think twice, if you are capable of thought, before you again peril
the good name of the industrious poor, who are under the especial care
of the great Father in Heaven! Explore the secrets of your profession,
but honor the sanctity of every humble home, and pry not into those
things which a lawful pride and an honorable delicacy would hide from
the eye of a stranger. Know, young man, that you have this day broken
the laws of this free country, where no honest citizen can be deprived
of liberty, on bare suspicion, and you yourself merit the punishment
you would have brought on the guiltless. But go! I would do you no
harm. Go, and be a wiser and better man for what you have heard to-day!”
Dr. Bates, with a crest-fallen air, turned in haste to leave the room,
but his better feelings prevailed, and stepping back he said, “I am
young, foolish, and conceited, I know, sir, and I hope I have learned a
valuable lesson this day.” Then, going up to Daph, he added earnestly,
“I have wronged you, good woman, and from the bottom of my heart I am
sorry for it. If it should ever be in my power to serve you, I should
be glad to make amends for what I have done.” “Now don’t, sir! don’t,
please!” said Daph, dropping curtsy after curtsy, and murmuring, “the
young gemman meant no harm, Ise sure,” while Dr. Bates slowly left the
room. As soon as the doctor was out of sight, Mrs. Ray took Daph by the
hand, and humbly asked her forgiveness.
“Now don’t, Miss’ Ray, I do be shamed!” said Daph, in great confusion,
her own tears for the first time beginning to flow. “Don’t speak so
to a poor cretur like me. We’s all poor sinners; it’s only the Lord
Jesus,” sweet Miss Rose says, “that can make us clean.” The thought of
having said so much in the presence of a “real gentleman” now overcame
Daph, and she suddenly relapsed into silence.
“Come, Daph!” said Diedrich Stuyvesant, “it is time for you to be out
of this place.”
“May I go free, sir?” said Daph, with a wondering, joyous look.
“Free as air!” was the reply of Mr. Stuyvesant; “there’s no power in
New York can keep an innocent woman in such a place as this.”
Daph poured forth her thanks to her deliverer, and Diedrich Stuyvesant
walked forth, followed by the woman.
He was detained but for a moment in the doorway by the officers, by
whom Daph had been arrested, who pleaded that no action should be
taken against them for their unwarrantable proceeding, and were glad to
be assured that their fault, for this once, would be passed over.
It excited some wonder when the well-known citizen passed along the
street, closely followed by Mrs. Ray and Daph; but he cared little for
the remarks of the passers-by, his mind having been once made up to
see Daph safely restored to the home from which she had been so rudely
taken.
Diedrich Stuyvesant moved at what was an unwonted pace for him, and
the house with the blue shutters was soon reached, and the door of the
familiar room thrown open.
Rose Stuyvesant was sitting on a low chair, Louise at her side, and
Charlie on her lap; while the book with golden clasps was open in her
hand. With one shout of joy, the children darted towards Daph, and gave
her a welcome which filled her honest heart with joy.
That sight was a reward to Diedrich Stuyvesant for all the unwonted
labors of the day.
“Come, Rose!” he said, “they can do without us now. I must learn to
know these little people some other day. But stay,” he added, as he
looked round on the scrupulously neat, but very plainly furnished
apartment, “Daph, I must speak to you a moment, before I go.”
The children for an instant were quiet, and the wealthy citizen drew
his purse from his pocket, and holding it towards Daph, he said, “You
ought to have something to make amends for this day’s trouble. Take
that for you and the children.”
“Ise thank you, sir,” said Daph, drawing back, “Ise thank you, sir, but
my missus’ childen shall want for nothing while poor old Daph can work
for them.”
“Well, have your own way Daph,” said Diedrich Stuyvesant; “but one
thing you must let me do for you. Let me take the gold chains that have
given you so much trouble, and put them in safe keeping. I will see
that you get their full value in money, if you should ever be in need.”
The treasured jewelry was cheerfully relinquished; and Daph even felt
relieved to have them no longer in her charge.
“Remember, Daph,” said the kind-hearted citizen, as he bade her
good-bye, “remember, you have something now to depend upon.”
“Ise thank you for your goodness, sir--Ise thank you. Ise sure the
great Lord will nebber let Daph come to want.”
“Never, Daph! either in this world or the next!” said Rose; and with
one of her sweet smiles she followed her father from the room.