Natalie A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds Part 7

"My Sister--When you read this, I shall be far away, sailing over those glorious billows which you and I love so well! You will miss me, for I know you love your erring brother, with all his faults; and even you, who can realize what were my heart's desires, will hardly forgive the step which brings such deep grief upon our mother; yet you will think of me with kindness, for I know it cannot be otherwise. There is no spot within your heart of love which is not occupied. Could I have left home with a mother's blessing, I should be happier; but she will pray for her boy; the gentle breeze which fills our sail will bear her "G.o.d bless you" to the ear of him who will think of the dear ones at home, until he shall once more fill his place in that dearest of family circles, and thank G.o.d, my mother has such an one as you to lean upon. Farewell, dear Sea-flower, until we meet again. BROTHER HARRY."

He had gone! Could it be possible? How could she speak those cruel words to her mother? Yet it must be. With steady step she entered the drawing-room; the mother looked upon her child. That which she would speak failed to give utterance. Instinctively soul sympathized with soul.

"Mother, we will breathe our morning supplication to Him who ordereth all things;" and the Sea-flower, at that family altar, prayed that strength might be given them, that they might be prepared for whatever was to be their portion, and her prayer was heard. Arising, Mrs.

Grosvenor sank into a chair; with an agitated voice she spoke,--

"My child, some dreadful thing has occurred! My son,--tell me, has he gone? for the same mysterious power which bade me impress upon his mind last night, the value of the instructions, which, I pray G.o.d, I have not been unfaithful in setting before him, tells me I shall not see my boy again for many long days! Speak, my child, is it not so?"

"You have spoken too truly, mother; may you be able to bear up under this affliction;" and she put the note into her mother's hand.

"My eyes fail me, my child! If it is not asking of you too much, tell me what were his last words; they will fall more gently on my heart;" and the tones of the Sea-flower were of comfort as she read:--

"My dear Mother--In the s.h.i.+p Nautilus, which will sail from this port on the 20th of October, I have s.h.i.+pped for a Cape Horn voyage. You will hardly believe what you read; nevertheless, it is true. I was very much disappointed that I could not go with father, and thought I would wait patiently until his return; but gaining permission from my present captain to accompany him, I could not resist the temptation. I know I shall do very wrong in going away without your consent, but forgive me, if you can, mother; 't is the only act in which I have ever given you sorrow, or by which I ever shall. You shall hear from me as often as I can get an opportunity of sending home, and it will not be a great while before I shall be with you again. I shall not forget my prayers night and morning; and I know you will not cease to pray for your son, though he should fall to the lowest depths of degradation. Tell father, when you write him, that I have disobeyed his word; but ask him if he cannot forgive me. It is possible that I may meet with him upon the ocean, and may we both be spared to make you happy, my dear mother. Farewell, from your affectionate son."

"I do forgive you, my son, in this cruel step which you have taken; indeed, but how could he do thus? Oh, how could he!" and Mrs. Grosvenor, overcome with her emotion, sank back in her chair.

"De good Lord be praised, missy! but I not tink it eber come to dis. To be sure, ma.s.sa Wendall often tell me, eber since _dat day_, dat I getting too full ob laugh, dat one extreme follow anoder; but I never tink young ma.s.sa take hesef clean off!" and, wiping the whites of his eyes, he went out to hunt up old Nep to share his grief; but he soon returned, and locking the door after him, proceeded to fasten every window in the house.

Sea-flower, who was bathing her mother's temples, observing what the negro was about, was at a loss to account for his movements; but knowing he disliked to be questioned upon points touching his judgment, she humored him by letting him have his own way, till finally, he peered into his mistress's face, and in a voice scarcely above a whisper, said, "Dar, missy, de rest ob us am safe! he no cotch any more dis time!"

"What is it? Vingo, what has happened?"

"Ah, little missy, if I wasn't clean gone tuck! 'pears like I never shall get ober it."

"What is the matter, Vingo?"

"Well, missy Sea-flower, I tinks it am de ebil one dat has taken dem away, after all; for dat dog neber go 'way peaceably wid anyting short ob de debil; he got too much de spirit ob his ma.s.sa to be afeard ob anyting dat belong on dis earth!"

"Is Neptune gone, too, Vingo?"

"Yes, missy, dar not eben a shadow left ob him; and, [the negro had a remarkable imagination], 'pears like I see de print ob a cloben tread in de soft ground, by his door; and among de hay de old fellow hab lef some ob his plunder trough mistake."

Sea-flower hastened to the dog's kennel, and there indeed was a small parcel, folded neatly in white paper, but no trace of the dog was to be seen; opening the package, there was a small locket, containing the likeness of her mother and herself, which had been left upon the parlor table, but how it came in the dog's kennel was a mystery.

"Oh, our faithful Neptune! how much we shall miss him! It must be that he has gone with his master; but perhaps it is all for the best."

"I tinks eberyting should be ob de best for you, missy; 'pears like if my poor old Phillis could get used to de tribilations, like you do, it help to make de road easier; but I specks she neber learn how."

"O, Vingo, it makes my heart bleed to think that your people have no opportunities for learning that they may cast their burdens on the Lord.

I cannot imagine anything more dreadful than the ignorance in which the slaves are kept."

"Yes, missy, I neber remembers much about it till I leabes old Berginny; some how or oder, I finds out dat old ma.s.sa's people hab a G.o.d, but I neber 'spect he know anyting 'bout poor black man."

Days and months pa.s.sed on, as the lonely days of sorrow do come, and go, and come again; but as the lengthened shades of the summer solstice had again become less, another cloud had arisen in the firmament of mingled joys and sorrows, threatening to encompa.s.s even the bright rays of hope within its gloom.

Mrs. Grosvenor had written her husband of the conduct of their truant son, as Harry had wished, and had in reply received his full forgiveness for the boy. Captain Grosvenor had written that he much regretted not having taken Harry along with him, "for," said he, "a second thought would have convinced me that the boy had too much of the spirit of his father to remain contentedly on sh.o.r.e; he has but followed in my footsteps, for I never shall forget the night I stole away from my father's house, when I was but ten years old, and went to sea. Yes, tell my boy that I forgive him, yet it annoys me very much that you and our dear Natalie are left alone, my wife; but at the rate we have been doing, it will not be long before we shall be homeward bound."

Nearly a twelvemonth had pa.s.sed since this letter had been received; not a word had been heard of the Tantalizer for a long time; several s.h.i.+ps had returned which had left since she had sailed, but they had brought no tidings of her. Over a year had pa.s.sed since she was last reported, and her owners began to look doubtful in regard to her fate; and there were rumors that the Tantalizer was counted among the missing vessels, yet no one dared to breathe the thought to the still hoping family, while there was the least possibility that she might be heard from again; and who would wish to be the first to p.r.o.nounce that gentle wife a widow? Darker and still deeper grew the overshadowing cloud, and the hopes of the trusting ones less. Mrs. Grosvenor would sit for whole days brooding over her sorrows, clinging to the last ray of hope, with almost the insanity of hope; but the last spark finally went out, never again to be rekindled. The untiring wheels of time still went their rounds, and everything moved on, as if there were no hearts beating in discordant measure to the joyous song of nature. Sympathizing friends pitied the afflicted, and the world read,--"A n.o.ble s.h.i.+p lost at sea!

all on board supposed to have perished! s.h.i.+p and cargo valued at thirty thousand dollars; no insurance!" and they exclaim,--"ah, the sailor's life is indeed hard!" But they dwell upon the latter clause of the paragraph with as much real pity, the words fall upon their ear, conveying as much of real sadness to their minds, as that many families have been called to mourn the loss of one of their members. The Sea-flower could hardly become reconciled to the thought that she would never see her father more, yet for her mother's sake she suppressed her grief, endeavoring to soothe her weary spirits by those refres.h.i.+ng promises of Him who dries the mourner's tear,--binding up the wounds of the broken-hearted.

"Dear mother, we are called upon to bear a heavy trial; this is indeed a bitter, bitter draught, yet we must not forget 'tis our Father holds the cup. You have taught me to smile upon his chastening rod, but in this dark hour of trial truly the flesh is weak; yet we will rest upon the strength of His arm, He will not forsake us; and, mother, His ways indeed are higher than our ways. How tenderly has he dealt with us, inasmuch as he has so ordered that our dear Harry should be spared to us; for as I look upon the past, I can see nothing but the kindly interference of his will, that my brother did not share the same grave with his father."

"My darling, your precious words shed light over my weary pathway. I fear that I have sinned in thus murmuring at G.o.d's will, for I would not see his loving kindness in sparing to me my boy. But it is so very hard,--so dreadful,--that in that hour when his spirit winged its way to that better land, we might not pause from our worldly pursuits, turning our eyes heavenward; craving strength to bear our cross; but your words of love, my child, remind me of that Being who is the fountain-head of loveliness, and I thank G.o.d for his gift of you."

"If I am a comfort to you, mother, it is through your influence, for you have taught me to walk in the paths of virtue."

"True, I have pointed out to you the ways of righteousness, but when you looked upon that bright river of life, I observed that its waters were no less tranquil, and mirrored upon its bosom was one more s.h.i.+ning star; and it has been increasing in magnitude, till now its radiance illumes even the bright river itself."

So did the Sea-flower gather together the broken threads of this family, weaving them closer with that golden thread of tender remembrance of him who had gone to await them for a little in that happier home above; this family, of which she had never the slightest suspicion but that they were of her own flesh and blood; and as she sat with her hand clasped within that of her mother's, reading from that blessed book, "Come unto me all ye that are weary," Mrs. Grosvenor could not but notice the striking resemblance which she bore to those lovely features of the miniature, which was found within the golden band. The child was growing to resemble her unknown mother, and were there any who had ever known the parents, to see their child, they could not but have discovered her descent. As the thought came to Mrs. Grosvenor's mind, she shuddered; and she asked herself if it could ever be that her darling should be torn from her? if another cloud would arise, hiding one more cherished one from her sight? But why should she tremble at the thought? she well knew there could be nothing, not even the discovery of relatives, which could lessen her daughter's love for her mother. Not a word had ever been said to the child in regard to her mysterious parentage. Captain Grosvenor had thought it best not to reveal the fact until she should have become of a suitable age to fully realize her situation. Those who had known the circ.u.mstances of her discovery, had gradually come to look upon her as the child of those who treasured her as if she had been their own; and the playmates of her childhood days had never mistrusted there was a mystery hanging about her "romantic" name,--Sea-flower.

Harry, indeed, had never forgotten his delight at having a new sister; and as they had grown up together, he had often looked into her dreamy eyes, and thought, "How unlike she is to any one else; she is too good to be my sister;" and as the reality came to him, he had banished the remembrance, ere it had taken to itself a form. The original Vingo had never lost sight of "that commentful" day, as he termed it; not a day pa.s.sed but he made some allusion to "dat wee gem among de sea-weeds,"

and the Sea-flower would open wide her eyes, as from his wild laugh she caught his broken sentences, and would wonder why the negro's words should meet with such a response within her own bosom. The child's dress, together with the ornaments which had been found upon her, had been laid carefully away, reserved until she should have become familiar with her history. But Mrs. Grosvenor, since the loss of her husband, had weighed the question in her mind, whether she should still keep the secret from her, for the child's mind was much beyond her years, and she questioned whether it would be for the best to permit her to grow to maturer years thus undeceived; but she reflected that such had been the design of her husband, and, therefore, for the present, the subject was dismissed from her mind.

It was the close of the third year in which Harry had been from home.

Mrs. Grosvenor had received four letters from him in that time. His last had stated they were doing well, that he was under one of the kindest of captains, and all that was wanting to make him perfectly happy, was to see his dear mother, and the rest of the family once more.

Poor boy, he little thought that there was one of its members whom he would never see again, until he had pa.s.sed over that sea from which no navigator ever returns! Harry had never written his mother of the brutal treatment which he had received from his first captain, but he had said that Neptune had been the means of saving his life, and that the old fellow was getting to be quite a sailor, inasmuch as he could take a turn on the quarter-deck with as much dignity as the captain himself. It had been some time since Harry's last letter had been received, and now Mrs. Grosvenor was anxiously looking for news from him, with a state of mind prepared for receiving almost anything, so fraught with sad events had been the last few years, when one day Vingo was seen far down the street, coaxing his time-wearied limbs into a run, and bursting into the room, he stood panting in the middle of the floor, grinning with delight, and holding at arm's length a letter, which Mrs. Grosvenor recognized as coming from her son. The Sea-flower read the letter aloud, and when Vingo learned that ma.s.sa Harry was homeward bound, he could contain himself no longer; it seemed as if he would go beside himself at the thought of having his young ma.s.sa home once more, for everything had appeared so different since he went away; there had been so many changes, that the fellow had really had his fears that it might be his turn next to be taken off, and he had often had visions of his old slave ma.s.sa in nearer proximity than was at all consistent with his ideas of liberty.

"De good Lord be praised!" exclaimed the negro, as Sea-flower ceased reading; "dis am too good news for old black man live me! but I knew de bright suns.h.i.+ne not be contented to stay away from missy Sea-flower long. I tinks missy get along better widout him, dan he can widout her; but dar am some poor souls dat neber sees de s.h.i.+ne, making dem feel as full ob sing as a camp-meeting!" and the negro gave a deep sigh at the remembrance of his poor old Phillis, who was, for aught he knew, still wearing the accursed yoke of slavery.

"Poor things! poor things!" sighed the Sea-flower; "I would willingly share with them my joys, were it in my power. Theirs would be a lighter burden to those who have learned of that glorious home, where the resplendent s.h.i.+ning of its bright ones is forever! But they, alas, have no bright future to look forward to, giving them renewed strength to bear their cross; or if they ever hear of that All-Father who hears the cry of the most wretched of his children, their masters would have them believe that he is but the white man's G.o.d! Oh, Vingo, how could you have had the heart to believe that G.o.d would disown his children?"

"Dunno, missy; but 'pears like de slabe jus' no more chilen dan de oder animals; and I tinks old ma.s.sa done teach de hounds about de big bible, sooner dan he n.i.g.g.e.rs."

"What became of your wife, Vingo, when father took you away? Could you not prevail on your master to let her come with you?"

"O, missy, old Bingo hoe in de cotton field great many long years since he sot eyes on poor, torn-down Phillis, or the young uns."

"The little ones! and had you some children, Vingo?"

"Ah! if I known how to praise de good Lord in dem days, I specks I shouted for joy, when I see de wee creters burstin' wid de laugh; and Phillis, she clean tuck ober, to see them fist each oder wid dar little feet, 'pearing like dey hab inherit all de peruigilinations ob dar daddy; and den de little creters change dar minds, and burst into de smiles again. O, dem was happy days! and I and Phillis tink we just de pleasantest creters in de whole ob Berginny; and we takes de young uns out wid us to de cotton field, and after dey gets use to de hot sun in dar eyes, dey crawl round on de ground, s.n.a.t.c.hin' up de bits ob cotton, like dey hab been use to it all dar days; and we not mind it much if old oberseer did gib us a lash ober de head, 'casionally, when we stops to cotch a bref, long as we habs de young uns to lift us up a bit. But dem days not stay long, for one day dar come a fierce looking man, from way down in Kentuck, and as he went ober de plantation, I oberhears him saying to ma.s.sa, dat he must hab just de smartest, good-looking n.i.g.g.ars dat could be scared up, for dar was one ob de richest men in Kentuck dat was willing to pay any price for dem; but dey must be made ob de right material, for he worked his n.i.g.g.ars, and cut dem up so, dat he hab to get in a fresh supply ebery now and den. Dat was death-blow to me, for I knew my Phillis was considered de smartest, best looking gal on de plantation; for many a time I hear ma.s.sa say, dat gal worth a dozen common ones, and he spoke de truth for once, for I knows dar neber was anoder like her. Well, I tells Phillis dat night what I hears, and I tells her to jus slack off a little, and put on her worst look when de man come round next day, and perhaps dey oberlook her; but 'pears like we didn't get much comfort from dat, and all night long we keeps awake, for we couldn't help tinking dat might be de last time we eber see each oder again; for we neber hear ob de good place den, where we might meet when slabe ma.s.sa get trough wid us. De next morning, afore de broke ob day, ma.s.sa and de trader comes round to our cabin, and seeing Phillis at de door, putting de young uns to rights, and clarin' up a little, 'fore we goes out to de field, de fierce man cracked his whip, and jumping ober de young uns, caught Phillis by de arm, and whirling her round and round, called out, 'I say, mister, dis ere's de likelist critter I've sot eyes on dis many a day! I must hab dis one at any price!, Old Killall be good-natured a month, when he sees dis handsome critter; but if he don't use her up in less dan dat time, he'll do what he neber done afore! I tell you, sar, it's surprisin' to see how much work he'll get out ob his n.i.g.g.ars; goes ahead ob anyting you eber heard ob; dat's de way he's made such a power ob money. He says he's tried it faithfully, year in and year out, and he's thoroughly convinced dat de way to make anyting by dis n.i.g.g.ar business, is to get de work; if dey wont work widout de whip, why, put it on! get dar steam up some way or oder, and when one lot gibs out, get a fresh stock! I'll tell you what, sir, Killall understands it; he'll sell dar hides for shoe leather radder dan let his n.i.g.g.ars stand idle!' When I hear dat, missy, my bery blood boil, and 'pears like I couldn't keep my hands off from de villain; but I know dat if I make any resistance, it fare all de worse wid Phillis, and I get sent to de whippin'-place, into de bargain; so I only grind my teeth, and look on, like I didn't know any better; but, missy, didn't I wish I white man den, jus' for de sake ob sabin' my wife and young uns?

for I lib wid Phillis so long I couldn't help feeling 'tached to her.

Ole ma.s.sa, he not 'pear to like de idea ob parting wid Phillis jus den, for he know right well dat he not get anoder like her bery soon, and so he tells de trader dat de n.i.g.g.ar 'pear bery well, but as for de real work, he got a dozen dat go ahead ob her, and if de gemman want de real workin' n.i.g.g.ar, dey step round de oder side de plantation; but de trader, he keep his eye on Phillis, like he understand de business too well to be put off dat way, and he say to ma.s.sa, tell you what 'tis, mister, dat gal may not hab de genuine work 'bout her now, but if she get tinder old Killall's lash, dar be no trouble bout dat, and den when she good for notin' else, after de work all out ob her, she might keep a little ob her looks, 'nough to make her go for a hundred or so. But ma.s.sa, he not like to gib her up, and dey talk a long time togeder, and I hears de trader say,--'de gal should square off all de old affair, wid five hundred to boot;' till by and by ma.s.sa gibs in, and de bargain was closed, bery much to de satisfaction ob both parties. But dey not stop to ask how we like de idea ob being separated for life! dey not tink dat perhaps de mother find it hard to leabe her chil'en. De trader 'pear bery much pleased wid his bargain, and he slipped a cord round Phillis's arm, and tell her to go wid him. O, missy, dat was de awfullest minute in my life! Poor Phillis look at de chil'en, den at me, and wid one long, piercing shriek, dat I hear many times since, she clung round my neck, begging me to go wid her, to sabe her from de dreadful place where dey would take her! But afore I could say one word, the trader, wid a dreadful curse, seize her by de throat, and in his hurry to get her away, stumbled ober one ob de young uns wid his great heaby boots, dat was made 'spressly to kick de fractious n.i.g.g.ars, as he called it, and de chile neber breathe again! he had step clean on to its neck, strangling it in an instant! At de sight ob her chile, all bleedin', and still, poor Phillis become all quiet, and her eyes were shut, just like good missus, when she find ma.s.sa Harry take hesef away. Ole ma.s.sa he 'pear rather sober like, when he find one ob his n.i.g.g.ars killed, for he sot a heap on de young uns dat was comin' up, 'cause dey be big enough soon to be ob some 'count; but de trader hand ober fifty dollar bill, to make de accident good, and took de opportunity to get away, 'fore Phillis come to again; but dey not say any ting to me 'bout my loss, and 'pears like dey could not cober de great break in my heart, wid all de fifty dollar bills in Berginny. Dat was de last time I eber sees my Phillis. I specks by dis time dey hab got de work all out ob her, and I hopes dey hab, missy; for though she neber hear ob dat place where all are made bright, I know she good enough to find de way; but I hopes she not be too full ob s.h.i.+ne, coz I fraid I not know her from de white folks."

"I hope you will meet her there, indeed, Vingo: for after such a separation here, how great will be your joy. I feel a.s.sured that the poor down-trodden negro will not be in that day forgotten; the dreadful curse which hangs over your race will then be explained, and I fear there will be many called to an account for the wrongs which they have done their fellow-men. But what became of your child, Vingo? Did you not feel grateful that one of your dear ones was spared to you?"

"Ah, missy, I tinks dar no place for grat.i.tude in de slabe's heart; and sometimes I specks I neber hab a heart, till missy Sea-flower spare me a part ob hers. Well, after Phillis and de young un tuck away, 'pears like I neber look up any more; and if it not for de little Phillis dat was left, I tink I clean gib up. I takes her wid me to de cotton field, and she lay and look at me all day long, so strange like, as if she want to know why we dar all alone; and at night I feed her wid de corn-cake, like her poor mammy used to do, and at eb'ry mouthful she look up in my face, den at de door, to see if its mammy not comin'. After a while I gets a little used to de ache, which I hab since Phillis tuck away, and all de time I not at work in de field, I takes care ob de young un, to keep from hearing dat awful shriek, when one mornin' I wakes up, and de little Phillis nowhar' to be seen, and I's neber seen her since, missy."

"They could not surely have robbed you of your only comfort! O, how dreadful!"

"Yes, missy; I inquires all round if dey see anyting ob my Phillis, but I gets only a laugh from one, and a curse from anoder; for eben de slabe get so used to de hard treatment ob dar ma.s.sa, dat dey sometimes show de same spirit towards dar fellows, specially if dey happens to be clean tuck down wid the 'blue imps,' as dey calls it. At last I asks a poor, broken-down ting, dat hab all her young uns sold away from her only a day or two afore, if she know anyting 'bout my young un, and she tells me dar hab been a sale ob a dozen young uns, on de plantation, and she sees ma.s.sa, long afore day-broke, pack dem into a wagon, and dey carried off. I knows den it no use to look for her any longer, and de more I grows to look down, 'pears like de more dey laughs at me, and dey calls me 'dat moon-hit n.i.g.g.ar.' I gets so stupid after a while, dat ma.s.sa threatens to sell me way down whar dey works de n.i.g.g.ars up; and I gets so, I don't care how much dey whips me, or anyting else, for I tinks I neber be mysef again, when one day ma.s.sa takes me wid him down to de boats, to fotch de cotton, and I hears de captain ask, what ail dat fellow to look so blue, and ma.s.sa tells him, I got a notion dat I hab a right to keep my wife and young uns, like I hab de feelin's ob white folks. Den de captain talk wid ma.s.sa 'bout buyin' me, and I got to be such a torn-down critter, ma.s.sa glad to let me go for most anyting, for de sake ob gettin' rid ob me. When de bargain struck, my new masa Grobener claps me on de shoulder, and says, 'now, my man, come wid me, and see if we can't gib a better 'plexion to matters.' Dem was de first kind words I eber hears from de white man, and after dat I springs right up, like de wilted roses missy brought to life de oder day; and when de Sea-flower come to us, I tink she sent to smooth ober de rough places, dat hab been gathering trough de long years ob my life in slabery."

"Yours is a sad history, Vingo, and I am happy if I have helped to make your pathway pleasanter; but do not look upon your life in slavery as having been unprofitably spent, for the very darkness through which you have come, serves to make brighter that glorious light which is now shed o'er your way. Your sad tale has impressed me with renewed grat.i.tude to our Father for his mercies towards me; and while I thank him for the many blessings which I have received from his hand, my heart shall also praise him that with these joys have been mingled,--the purifying light of his chastening love."

CHAPTER VII.