The Basket Overturned.
“Good-bye, dears!” said Daph, as she went forth as usual one morning,
with her basket on her head.
“Good-bye, Daffy, dear Daffy!” said the young voices, and she was gone.
Those sweet sounds lingered in the ear of the negro, as she walked
along the crowded street, unconscious of all around her, and lost in
meditation on the many mercies of her lot.
The passers-by noticed her frank, good face, her tidy figure, and
snow-white apron; but she seemed to see no one, until, as if struck
with sudden frenzy, she gave one leap into the air, exclaiming,
“Is I in a blessed dream!”
The neat cover flew from the passing basket; far and wide rolled the
frosted cakes, and little ragged children made merry with the stores
of Daph’s cookery. Little did she care. Her arms were thrown round the
knees of an astonished lady, and her lips kissed the hand of the tall,
pale gentleman at the lady’s side.
“Pull off the crazy woman!” shouted a bystander, stepping forward to
suit the action to the word; but Daph had found a protector, in the
confidence of whose kindness she would have faced the world.
“My own missus! my massa!” sobbed the poor negro, as she clung to the
loved and long-mourned friends who stood before her.
“Is it you, Daph!” they said, as, little less moved than herself, they
raised her from her humble position.
“Ise got ’em! Ise got ’em!” she exclaimed. “De childen! Dey’s safe! Ise
got ’em! De Lord be praised!”
Who can tell the throb of joy that shook that mother’s heart, or the
deep emotion that filled the eyes of the strong man with gushing tears!
They needed not to tell Daph to lead the way to their treasures. On
she sped through street and lane, followed by hurrying footsteps and
beating hearts.
The small house with the blue shutters was reached, the threshold was
crossed! A moment the mother paused, as if to gather strength for the
meeting, and then the door was thrown open.
In that simple, neat room, sat the fair Louise, her bit of sewing in
her hand, while beside her Charlie bent over the book he was reading
aloud to his sister.
The wondering children were clasped in their mother’s arms, and
received their father’s loving embrace; while Daph, almost wild with
joy, kept repeating, “You’s no more lone orphans, with only poor old
Daph to mind you! De Lord be praised! Daph’s work is done. She be ready
to go now, when it pleases de Lord Jesus!”
How those parents rejoiced to have their lost ones restored, sound in
health, and bearing every evidence of having been trained to habits
of neatness, and nurtured in delicacy and refinement! This was joy,
indeed; but who shall describe the gladness of the mother when she
found her children speaking of the Saviour as a familiar friend, and
bearing, however faintly, his image in their hearts! Such joy angels
know, when they welcome at the gate of heaven the weary pilgrim of
earth, and usher him into the eternal home of the Father!
Daph listened with wondering eyes and grateful heart to the story of
their escape, whom she had so long mourned, and whose place she had so
striven to fill.
The coachman, who was pledged to murder his master and mistress,
relented, and resolved to save them from the ruin with which they were
threatened.
Gen. Latourette’s first suspicion of danger was roused by finding that
they had been driven in the wrong direction, while he in careless
confidence had been chatting with his wife. In the moonlight, he could
see the flashing of the waves and hear the murmur of the waters, and
jet he knew he was not near his home, but at some less familiar part of
the coast.
Calling out hastily to the coachman, the carriage came to a stand;
General Latourette became aware that the horses had been cut loose, and
he saw the fellow, pistol in hand, seated upon one of them.
In a few hurried words the negro told the danger of the moment, and
pointed to a boat at the water-side, which offered to his master and
mistress some hope of escape.
Did Mrs. Latourette forget her little ones in that hour of peril? No!
She pleaded to go to them, if but to mingle her blood with theirs. The
negro assured her they were already sleeping the sleep of death, and
implored her to fly with her husband, while yet their lives might be
saved.
Thus urged, they entered the little boat, and while the strong arm of
the husband sustained the drooping wife, and guided the little skiff
over the dark waters, the negro went his way, to show the contents of
the rifled trunks as proofs of the crime he had in reality shrunk from
committing.
Gen. Latourette and his wife reached a neighboring island in safety;
but exiled forever from their own dear home.
Sorrowful, as the childless only can be, the world seemed to them
suddenly robbed of its brightness; they could not have borne the
trials of their lot, but for the sustaining hand of the Father in
Heaven, in whom they had in the days of their prosperity learned to
trust.
Several years of foreign travel had in a measure recruited the failing
health of Gen. Latourette, and time had calmed the poignant grief of
his wife. They had come to New York, hoping once more to have a home of
their own, sorrowful though that home must be.
Bereaved and childless no more, with deep thankfulness they praised the
God of Heaven for his most unexpected mercies, and devoted themselves
anew to His service.
As for Daph, their gratitude to her knew no bounds, and they felt that,
for her faithful services, they could find no adequate reward on earth.