on the day succeeding the events described in our last chapter, mr. walters called upon mr. balch, for the purpose of making the necessary preparations for the interment of mr. and mrs. garie.
"i think," said mr. balch, "we had better bury them in the ash-grove cemetery; it's a lovely spot—all my people are buried there."
"the place is fine enough, i acknowledge," rejoined mr. walters; "but i much doubt if you can procure the necessary ground."
"oh, yes, you can!" said mr. balch; "there are a number of lots still unappropriated."
"that may very likely be so; but are you sure we can get one if we apply?"
"of course we can—what is to prevent?" asked mr. balch.
"you forget," replied mr. walters, "that mrs. garie was a coloured woman."
"if it wasn't such a solemn subject i really should be obliged to laugh at you, walters," rejoined mr. balch, with a smile—"you talk ridiculously. what can her complexion have to do with her being buried there, i should like to know?"
"it has everything to do with it! can it be possible you are not aware that they won't even permit a coloured person to walk through the ground, much less to be buried there!"
"you astonish me, walters! are you sure of it?"
"i give you my word of honour it is so! but why should you be astonished at such treatment of the dead, when you see how they conduct themselves towards the living? i have a friend," continued mr. walters, "who purchased a pew for himself and family in a white-church, and the deacons actually removed the floor from under it, to prevent his sitting there. they refuse us permission to kneel by the side of the white communicants at the lord's supper, and give us separate pews in obscure corners of their churches. all this you know—why, then, be surprised that they carry their prejudices into their graveyards?—the conduct is all of a piece."
"well, walters, i know the way things are conducted in our churches is exceedingly reprehensible; but i really did not know they stretched their prejudices to such an extent."
"i assure you they do, then," resumed mr. walters; "and in this very matter you'll find i'm correct. ask stormley, the undertaker, and hear what he'll tell you. oh! a case in point.—about six months ago, one of our wealthiest citizens lost by death an old family servant, a coloured woman, a sort of half-housekeeper—half-friend. she resembled him so much, that it was generally believed she was his sister. well, he tried to have her laid in their family vault, and it was refused; the directors thought it would be creating a bad precedent—they said, as they would not sell lots to coloured persons, they couldn't consistently permit them to be buried in those of the whites."
"then ash-grove must be abandoned; and in lieu of that what can you propose?" asked mr. balch.
"i should say we can't do better than lay them in the graveyard of the coloured episcopal church."
"let it be there, then. you will see to the arrangements, walters. i shall have enough on my hands for the present, searching for that will: i have already offered a large reward for it—i trust it may turn up yet."
"perhaps it may," rejoined mr. walters; "we must hope so, at least. i've brought the children to my house, where they are under the care of a young lady who was a great friend of their mother's; though it seems like putting too much upon the poor young creature, to throw them upon her for consolation, when she is almost distracted with her own griefs. i think i mentioned to you yesterday, that her father is missing; and, to add to their anxieties, their property has been all destroyed by the rioters. they have a home with me for the present, and may remain there as long as they please."
"oh! i remember you told me something of them yesterday; and now i come to think of it, i saw in the journal this morning, that a coloured man was lying at the hospital very much injured, whose name they could not ascertain. can it be possible that he is the man you are in search of?"
"let me see the article," asked mr. walters. mr. balch handed him the paper, and pointed out the paragraph in question.
"i'll go immediately to the hospital," said he, as he finished reading, "and see if it is my poor friend; i have great fears that it is. you'll excuse my leaving so abruptly—i must be off immediately."
on hastening to the hospital, mr. walters arrived just in time to be admitted to the wards; and on being shown the person whose name they had been unable to discover, he immediately recognized his friend.
"ellis, my poor fellow," he exclaimed, springing forward.
"stop, stop," cried the attendant, laying his hand upon mr. walters's shoulder; "he is hovering between life and death, the least agitation might be fatal to him. the doctor says, if he survives the night, he may probably get better; but he has small chance of life. i hardly think he will last twelve hours more, he's been dreadfully beaten; there are two or three gashes on his head, his leg is broken, and his hands have been so much cut, that the surgeon thinks they'll never be of any use to him, even if he recovers."
"what awful intelligence for his family," said mr. walters; "they are already half distracted about him."
mr. ellis lay perfectly unconscious of what was passing around him, and his moans were deeply affecting to hear, unable to move but one limb—he was the picture of helplessness and misery.
"it's time to close; we don't permit visitors to remain after this hour," said the attendant; "come to-morrow, you can see your friend, and remain longer with him;" and bidding mr. walters good morning, he ushered him from the ward.
"how shall i ever find means to break this to the girls and their mother?" said he, as he left the gates of the hospital; "it will almost kill them; really i don't know what i shall say to them."
he walked homeward with hesitating steps, and on arriving at his house, he paused awhile before the door, mustering up courage to enter; at last he opened it with the air of a man who had a disagreeable duty to perform, and had made up his mind to go through with it. "tell miss ellis to come to the drawing-room," said he to the servant; "merely say she's wanted—don't say i've returned."
he waited but a few moments before esther made her appearance, looking sad and anxious. "oh, it's you," she said, with some surprise. "you have news of father?"
"yes, esther, i have news; but i am sorry to say not of a pleasant character."
"oh, mr. walters, nothing serious i hope has happened to him?" she asked, in an agitated tone.
"i'm sorry to say there has, esther; he has met with an accident—a sad and severe one—he's been badly wounded." esther turned deadly pale at this announcement, and leaned upon the table for support.
"i sent for you, esther," continued mr. walters, "in preference to your mother, because i knew you to be courageous in danger, and i trusted you would be equally so in misfortune. your father's case is a very critical one—very. it appears that after leaving here, he fell into the hands of the rioters, by whom he was shockingly beaten. he was taken to the hospital, where he now remains."
"oh, let me go to him at once, do, mr. walters!
"my dear child, it is impossible for you to see him to-day, it is long past the visiting hour; moreover, i don't think him in a state that would permit the least agitation. to-morrow you can go with me." esther did not weep, her heart was too full for tears. with a pale face, and trembling lips, she said to mr. walters, "god give us strength to bear up under these misfortunes; we are homeless—almost beggars—our friends have been murdered, and my father is now trembling on the brink of the grave; such troubles as these," said she, sinking into a chair, "are enough to crush any one."
"i know it, esther; i know it, my child. i sympathize with you deeply. all that i have is at your disposal. you may command me in anything. give yourself no uneasiness respecting the future of your mother and family, let the result to your father be what it may: always bear in mind that, next to god, i am your best friend. i speak thus frankly to you, esther, because i would not have you cherish any hopes of your father's recovery; from his appearance, i should say there is but little, if any. i leave to you, my good girl, the task of breaking this sad news to your mother and sister; i would tell them, but i must confess, esther, i'm not equal to it, the events of the last day or two have almost overpowered me."
esther's lips quivered again, as she repeated the words, "little hope; did the doctor say that?" she asked.
"i did not see the doctor," replied he; "perhaps there may be a favourable change during the night. i'd have you prepare for the worst, whilst you hope for the best. go now and try to break it as gently as possible to your mother."
esther left the room with heavy step, and walked to the chamber where her mother was sitting. caddy also was there, rocking backwards and forwards in a chair, in an earnest endeavour to soothe to sleep little em, who was sitting in her lap.
"who was it, esther?" asked, her mother.
"mr. walters," she hesitatingly answered.
"was it? well, has he heard anything of your father?" she asked, anxiously.
esther turned away her head, and remained silent.
"why don't you answer?" asked her mother, with an alarmed look; "if you know anything of him, for god's sake tell me. whatever it may be, it can't be worse than i expect; is he dead?" she asked.
"no—no, mother, he's not dead; but he's sick, very sick, mother. mr.
walters found him in the hospital."
"in the hospital! how came he there? don't deceive me, esther, there's something behind all this; are you telling me the truth? is he still alive?"
"mother, believe me, he is still alive, but how long he may remain so, god only knows." mrs. ellis, at this communication, leant her head upon the table, and wept uncontrollably. caddy put down her little charge, and stood beside her mother, endeavouring to soothe her, whilst unable to restrain her own grief.
"let us go to him, esther," said her mother, rising; "i must see him—let us go at once."
"we can't, mother; mr. walters says it's impossible for us to see him to-day; they don't admit visitors after a certain hour in the morning."
"they must admit me: i'll tell them i'm his wife; when they know that, they can't refuse me." quickly dressing themselves, esther, caddy, and their mother were about to start for the hospital, when mr. walters entered.
"where are you all going?" he asked.
"to the hospital," answered mrs. ellis; "i must see my husband."
"i have just sent there, ellen, to make arrangements to hear of him every hour. you will only have the grief of being refused admission if you go; they're exceedingly strict—no one is admitted to visit a patient after a certain hour; try and compose yourselves; sit down, i want to talk to you for a little while."
mrs. ellis mechanically obeyed; and on sitting down, little em crept into her lap, and nestled in her arms.
"ellen," said mr. walters, taking a seat by her; "it's useless to disguise the fact that ellis is in a precarious situation—how long he may be sick it is impossible to say; as soon as it is practicable, should he get better, we will bring him here. you remember, ellen, that years ago, when i was young and poor, ellis often befriended me—now 'tis my turn. you must all make up your minds to remain with me—for ever, if you like—for the present, whether you like it or not. i'm going to be dreadfully obstinate, and have my own way completely about the matter. here i've a large house, furnished from top to bottom with every comfort. often i've wandered through it, and thought myself a selfish old fellow to be surrounded with so much luxury, and keep it entirely to myself. god has blessed me with abundance, and to what better use can it be appropriated than the relief of my friends? now, ellen, you shall superintend the whole of the establishment, esther shall nurse her father, caddy shall stir up the servants, and i'll look on and find my happiness in seeing you all happy. now, what objection can you urge against that arrangement?" concluded he, triumphantly.
"why, we shall put you to great inconvenience, and place ourselves under an obligation we can never repay," answered mrs. ellis.
"don't despair of that—never mind the obligation; try and be as cheerful as you can; to-morrow we shall see ellis, and perhaps find him better; let us at least hope for the best."
esther looked with grateful admiration at mr. walters, as he left the room. "what a good heart he has, mother," said she, as he closed the door behind him; "just such a great tender heart as one should expect to find in so fine a form."
mrs. ellis and her daughters were the first who were found next day, at the office of the doorkeeper of the hospital waiting an opportunity to see their sick friends.
"you're early, ma'am," said a little bald-headed official, who sat at his desk fronting the door; "take a chair near the fire—it's dreadful cold this morning."
"very cold," replied esther, taking a seat beside her mother; "how long will it be before we can go in?"
"oh, you've good an hour to wait—the doctor hasn't come yet," replied the door-keeper. "how is my husband?" tremblingly inquired mrs. ellis.
"who is your husband?—you don't know his number, do you? never know names here—go by numbers."
"we don't know the number," rejoined esther; "my father's name is ellis; he was brought here two or three nights since—he was beaten by the mob."
"oh, yes; i know now who you mean—number sixty—bad case that, shocking bad case—hands chopped—head smashed—leg broke; he'll have to cross over, i guess—make a die of it, i'm afraid."
mrs. ellis shuddered, and turned pale, as the man coolly discussed her husband's injuries, and their probable fatal termination. caddy, observing her agitation, said, "please, sir, don't talk of it; mother can't bear it."
the man looked at them compassionately for a few moments—then continued: "you mustn't think me hard-hearted—i see so much of these things, that i can't feel them as others do. this is a dreadful thing to you, no doubt, but it's an every-day song to me—people are always coming here mangled in all sorts of ways—so, you see, i've got used to it—in fact, i'd rather miss 'em now if they didn't come. i've sat in this seat every day for almost twenty years;" and he looked on the girls and their mother as he gave them this piece of information as if he thought they ought to regard him henceforth with great reverence.
not finding them disposed to converse, the doorkeeper resumed the newspaper he was reading when they entered, and was soon deeply engrossed in a horrible steam-boat accident.
the sound of wheels in the courtyard attracting his attention, he looked up, and remarked: "here's the doctor—as soon as he has walked the wards you'll be admitted."
mrs. ellis and her daughters turned round as the door opened, and, to their great joy, recognized doctor burdett.
"how d'ye do?" said he, extending his hand to mrs. ellis—"what's the matter? crying!" he continued, looking at their tearful faces; "what has happened?"
"oh, doctor," said esther, "father's lying here, very much injured; and they think he'll die," said she, giving way to a fresh burst of grief.
"very much injured—die—how is this?—i knew nothing of it—i haven't been here before this week."
esther hereupon briefly related the misfortunes that had befallen her father.
"dear me—dear me," repeated the kind old doctor.
"there, my dear; don't fret—he'll get better, my child—i'll take him in hand at once. my dear mrs. ellis, weeping won't do the least good, and only make you sick yourself. stop, do now—i'll go and see him immediately, and as soon as possible you shall be admitted."
they had not long to wait before a message came from doctor burdett, informing them that they could now be permitted to see the sufferer.
"you must control yourselves," said the doctor to the sobbing women, as he met them at the door; "you mustn't do anything to agitate him—his situation is extremely critical."
the girls and their mother followed him to the bedside of mr. ellis, who, ghastly pale, lay before them, apparently unconscious.
mrs. ellis gave but one look at her husband, and, with a faint cry, sank fainting upon the floor. the noise partially aroused him; he turned his head, and, after an apparent effort, recognized his daughters standing beside him: he made a feeble attempt to raise his mutilated hands, and murmured faintly, "you've come at last!" then closing his eyes, he dropped his arms, as if exhausted by the effort.
esther knelt beside him, and pressed a kiss on his pale face. "father!—father!" said she, softly. he opened his eyes again, and a smile of pleasure broke over his wan face, and lighted up his eyes, as he feebly said, "god bless you, darlings! i thought you'd never come. where's mother and caddy?"
"here," answered esther, "here, by me; your looks frightened her so, that she's fainted." doctor burdett here interposed, and said: "you must all go now; he's too weak to bear more at present."
"let me stay with him a little longer," pleaded esther.
"no, my child, it's impossible," he continued; "besides, your mother will need your attention;" and, whilst he spoke, he led her into an adjoining room, where the others had preceded her.
