Natalie A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds Part 2

Ill-judging Sachem! would that you Had never shaken _here_ that shoe.

Or, having done so, would again, And join Nantucket to the main!"

Having had a peep within the nest, you sigh for the return of the bird, and we will on.

CHAPTER III.

THE VOICE OF CHILDHOOD.

"Ah! Well may sages bow to thee, Dear, loving, guileless Infancy!

And sigh beside their lofty lore For one untaught delight of thine; And feel they'd give their learning's store, To know again thy truth divine."

MRS. OSGOOD.

"And now behold him kneeling there, By the child's side, in humble prayer; While the same sun-beam s.h.i.+nes upon The guilty and the guiltless one; And hymns of joy proclaim through heaven, The triumph of a soul forgiven."

MOORE'S "LALLA ROOKH."

"Mother, why does every one pa.s.s poor old Quady by without giving him even a smile? Is not that the reason why he looks so sorrowful? He looked so sad when I met him this afternoon, that I could not help holding out the daisies which I had gathered for you, towards him; and when he did not take them, but stood looking at me without speaking a word, I asked him if he did not want the flowers to carry to his home, and put them into his hand; and when I had come up with the school-girls, who had run away when they saw him coming, I looked after him, and he was still standing by the road-side, with the flowers in his hand, watching us as we went up the street. Perhaps he was resting a little, for it is a long way to the low home over the commons."

"Quady, my dear, no doubt feels that he is alone in the world, for he is the only one that is left of a large tribe of Indians; all of his kind are gone, and are buried, no one but himself knows where. He does not look upon the pale faces as brothers, though they treat him kindly. He feels that wrong has been shown his ancestors at their hands. I am glad, my child, that you were kind to the Indian."

"Yes, mother, I love everybody; but I think I love those best who look as if no one cared for them. I suppose everybody loves poor Quady, only they forget to let him know it."

"You like dat old Ingin, Sea-flower? why, he almost as black as Bingo hesef."

"Do you think I do not love you, Vingo, because you are black? You are always good to me, and what would I do without you to take me to the sh.o.r.e, whenever I like to go?"

"O, little missy, I tink you can sympetize wid old black Bingo; but den, ebry body not like you; you's one ob de Lord's chilen hesef."

"We are all the Lord's children, Vingo," said Mrs. Grosvenor; "and we should walk in the paths of righteousness, that we may be worthy of his name. You may go, now."

"What does Vingo mean, mother? he talks so strangely sometimes about my being left here by the Lord, and goes on muttering something to himself, which I cannot understand, and laughs as if he was very happy."

"It is his way of expressing himself, my dear; the negroes are a peculiar race."

"Yes, I think they are; I like their ways, they are always so kind. Are not their dispositions better than those of some white people? I never heard of a black man being cruel to any one, but I have seen the prints of a whip-lash on Vingo's neck, where he said his old ma.s.sa used to whip him; and I asked him many times over, if he was sure it was a white man who whipped him, and he said yes, he was sure, for he remembers he used to wish white folks were black, so they could not tell which were the negroes."

"There are some very hard-hearted people in the world. Vingo was brought up in slavery; when you are a little older you will understand it better."

"Dear mother, you know what is best for me; but often, when I am interested in what is said, and ask questions, people tell me I will understand it when I am a little older; and when I sit down by myself, and they think I have forgotten all about it, I find myself wis.h.i.+ng I was "a little older," for it disappoints me so much to leave a story not finished."

Mrs. Grosvenor looked at the child in silence.

"I have not displeased you, dear mother, have I? I did not feel that I was saying anything wrong."

"No, darling; I did not think you would understand me, that was the reason why I did not explain to you. I am always ready to talk with you, if you can comprehend what I am saying."

"Never mind, mother, I am six years old; it won't be a great while before I shall be 'a little older,' and then I can realize how very good you are to me, my dear mother, and how patient you are."

Mrs. Grosvenor clasped the child in her arms. "What makes little pet look so sober to-night?" asked Captain Grosvenor, as taking her on his knee, he pushed the dark brown curls from off her forehead, and looked into her mild, blue eyes. "What makes Sea-flower so quiet? Has anything happened to either of your seven kittens? or has some flower which has lived already a week longer than nature designed, at last withered, and gone the way of all frailties?"

"O, father, I should be very wicked if I were not happy, when I have so much to make me so; but sometimes, when I hear the sh.o.r.e roaring so loud as it does this evening, and look up at the stars, as they twinkle in their homes far away in the sky, there is something which comes over me of sadness, making me a great deal happier; and there is one particular star which I always notice, for it seems as if it was looking down at me so gently, that I forget myself, and put out my hand to touch it, as if it was not so far away; and I fancy sometimes that the star can read my thoughts, for it seems to smile when I am happiest."

"You are a little fanciful creature; you must learn to leave off dreaming when you are awake."

"What shall you dream about when father goes away to sea again?" asked Harry.

"I think mother will not let him go; we cannot spare him; but if you should go, father, I shall love to dream of you very often; I will think of you every day, sailing on the water with a heart so light. O, it must be so pleasant to live, to sleep on the water! And you will want to see dear mother and Harry, when you are so far away; you will not forget us;" and she hid her cheek in the hardy captain's bosom.

"No, no, darling, I shan't forget you; but we wont talk any more about it now; I have not gone yet."

What was it made that stout man's voice tremulous, as he called for his evening paper? Many a time had that stern voice been heard above the hurricane's roar, giving the word of command,--why did it tremble now?

Was it that voice of childhood which sank into his heart?

"Missus, de sun hab done gone, now, de chllens hab all gone from school long ago, and Bingo's two eyes hab clean gone stretched, looking up de road for de Sea-flower," remarked that worthy, putting his ebony head in at the drawing-room door, where sat Mrs. Grosvenor, so busily engaged making those garments for her husband, which she feared would be needed, alas! so soon that she had not perceived the hours were gliding on apace, and that it was long past the time when Sea-flower usually came tripping in from school to receive her evening kiss, and to tell over the events of the day.

"Has Harry come home yet? she may have gone up to the High School to meet him."

"Yes, missus, ma.s.sa Harry here a long time."

"Then you had better go and see what keeps her; you will probably meet her on the way, and if it is not too late you may take the horse and give her a ride."

"Yes, missus;" and the jet pony, so many shades lighter than his driver, was soon lost in the distance.

The last faint shadows of the sun had died away, the moon had risen in all her queenly beauty, and Vingo had not returned; neither had anything been seen of the Sea-flower since she had left home early in the afternoon; and now Mrs. Grosvenor really began to feel anxious, as she stood looking out into the night; for, although the child was accustomed to stroll about the fields in search of wild flowers, whenever she liked, she had never before stayed away so long.

"Husband, had you not better go and see what has become of her? I cannot think what keeps them."

"It is a mystery; but give yourself no uneasiness; I'll be bound the child has made a safe harbor somewhere. She usually has a look-out aloft."

"Ah! there they come, under a full press of sail!" cried Harry, who loved well to imitate the nautical phrases of his father. "Does she not make a grand figure-head!"

"Figure-head!" exclaimed Vingo; "I am tinking, young ma.s.sa, if dis 'ere head ob mine had not been made so solid like, 'spressly for figuring, dat it been a powerful time afore you cotch sight ob dis bit ob fly-away again. De good Lord be praised! but if I don't tink little missy so filled wid what de angels libs on dat she make use ob de shadow ob dar wings to take herself away ober dose yar commons! It make me smile to tink how dat old Ingin look at Sea-flower, as if de sun was puttin' out his eyes."

"Why, my child, you surely have not been out to Quady's hut! it is a long way."

"Ha! a fast sailor, always has a fair breeze; dropped anchor in the best harbor in these parts! But what's this? colors half-mast?" exclaimed the captain, as he caught sight of a little pouch, woven together of bright colored basket stuff, slung over her shoulder; a little drab paw, darting from out its deepest recesses in pursuit of a tantalizing curl, soon explains how matters stand, and a voice of the greatest feline sweetness is heard in reply to divers catlike salutations, proceeding from the adjoining apartment.

"This is my wallet, which Quady has made for me to carry my kittens in; and p.u.s.s.y has enjoyed it so much! 'Tis the way Quady's people used to carry their babies through these very streets, only there were prettier walks here then. O, he has told me so many pretty stories!"