he would deliver her from bondage
about twelve o'clock of a hazy night, in the month of november, and while annette, in the hands of mr. pringle blowers, with death-like tenacity refuses to yield to his vile purposes, a little taunt-rigged schooner may be seen stealing her way through the grey mist into charleston inner harbour. like a mysterious messenger, she advances noiselessly, gibes her half-dimmed sails, rounds to a short distance from an old fort that stands on a ridge of flats extending into the sea, drops her anchor, and furls her sails. we hear the rumble of the chain, and "aye, aye!" sound on the still air, like the murmur of voices in the clouds. a pause is followed by the sharp sound of voices echoing through the hollow mist; then she rides like a thing of life reposing on the polished water, her masts half obscured in mist, looming high above, like a spectre in gauze shroud. the sound dies away, and dimly we see the figure of a man pacing the deck from fore-shroud to taffrail. now and then he stops at the wheel, casts sundry glances about the horizon, as if to catch a recognition of some point of land near by, and walks again. now he places his body against the spokes, leans forward, and compares the "lay" of the land with points of compass. he will reach his hand into the binnacle, to note the compass with his finger, and wait its traversing motion. apparently satisfied, he moves his slow way along again; now folding his arms, as if in deep study, then locking his hands behind him, and drooping his head. he paces and paces for an hour, retires below, and all is still.
early on the following morning, a man of middle stature, genteelly dressed, may be seen leaving the craft in a boat, which, rowed by two seamen, soon reaches a wharf, upon the landing slip of which he disembarks. he looks pale, and his countenance wears a placidness indicating a mind absorbed in reflection. with a carpet-bag in his right hand does he ascend the steps to the crown of the wharf, as the boat returns to the mysterious-looking craft. standing on the capsill for a few minutes, his blue eyes wander over the scene, as if to detect some familiar object. the warehouses along the wharfs wear a dingy, neglected air; immense piles of cotton bales stand under slender sheds erected here and there along the line of buildings which form a curvature declining to the east and west. again, open spaces are strewn with bales of cotton waiting its turn through the press (a large building near by, from which steam is issuing in successive puffings and roarings); from which compressed bales emerge out of the lower story, followed by a dozen half-naked negroes, who, half-bent, trundle it onward into piles, or on board ships. far above these is spread out a semicircle of dwellings, having a gloomy and irregular appearance, devoid of that freshness and brightness which so distinguish every new england city. the bustle of the day is just commencing, and the half-mantled ships, lying unmoved at the wharfs, give out signs of activity. the new comer is about to move on up the wharf, when suddenly he is accosted by a negro, who, in ragged garb, touches his hat politely, and says, with a smile, "yer sarvant, mas'r!"
"your name, my boy?" returns the man, in a kind tone of voice. the negro, thrusting his hands deep into the pockets of his old sack coat, seems contemplating an answer. he has had several names, both surname and christian; names are but of little value to a slave. "pompe they once called me, but da' calls me bill now," he answers, eyeing the stranger, suspiciously. "pompe, pompe! i've heard that name: how familiar it sounds!" the stranger says to himself.
"one mas'r call me turtle tom," rejoins the negro, scratching his head the while.
"turtle tom!" reiterates the stranger. "had you no other name coupled with pompe, when that was the name by which you were recognised?"
the negro will not wait his finishing the sentence. he says he had good old mas'r's name; but good old mas'r-"so dey tells"-dead and gone long time ago. "his name was marston; and dat war dis child's name den, god bless 'um!" he answers the stranger.
"marston, who lived on the banks of the ashley?" again he enquires, as his face crimsons with excitement.
"dat war my mas'r; and dem war good old times when i lived dar," returns the negro, significantly nodding his head.
"then you are the first man i have met, the first i want to see," exclaimed the stranger, grasping the negro by the hand, and, much to his surprise, shaking it heartily.
"'taint lorenzo," returns the negro, contemplating the stranger with astonishment.
the stranger is not lorenzo, but he has heard much of him. what happy recollections its familiar sound recalls: how it strengthens his hopes of success in his mission. the negro tells him he is a labourer on the wharf, and cannot leave to conduct him to an hotel; he will, however, direct the stranger to a comfortable abode in church street. it is quiet and unostentatious, but will serve his purpose. placing a piece of money in the negro's hand, he assures him that he is his friend-has much need of his services-will pay him well for their employment. he has equally aroused the negro's curiosity; and, were it nothing more than satisfying that, he would be faithful to his promise to call the same night at seven o'clock. precisely at that hour the negro will fulfil his engagement. the stranger wends his way to church street, and up a narrow alley, on the left hand side, finds comfortable apartments, as directed. here he makes his toilet, and sallies out to reconnoitre the city. meanwhile the little craft is entered at the custom-house as a fruiter, bound from new providence to new york, and put in for a harbour. there is something suspicious about a fruiter putting in for a harbour at this season, and many curious glances are cast upon the little captain as he bows to the truth of his entry before the deputy collector.
the stranger has spent the day in viewing the city, and at nightfall, the negro, true to his engagement, presents his sable figure at his lodgings. a servant having shown him up stairs, he is ushered into his presence, where, seeming bewildered, he looks about inquiringly, as if doubting the object for which he has been summoned. abjectly he holds his tattered cap in his hand, and tremblingly inquires what master wants with him.
"have confidence, my good fellow," the stranger speaks, with a smile; "my mission is love and peace." he places a chair beside a small table in the centre of the room; bids the negro sit down, which he does with some hesitation. the room is small; it contains a table, bureau, washstand, bed, and four chairs, which, together with a few small prints hanging from the dingy walls, and a square piece of carpet in the centre of the room, constitute its furniture. "you know marston's plantation-know it as it was when marston resided thereon, do you?" enquires the stranger, seating himself beside the negro, who evidently is not used to this sort of familiarity.
"know 'um well, dat i does," answers the negro, quickly, as if the question had recalled scenes of the past.
"and you know the people, too, i suppose?"
"da'h people!" ejaculates the negro, with a rhapsody of enthusiasm; "reckon i does."
"will you recount them."
the negro, commencing with old master, recounts the names of miss franconia, clotilda, ellen, aunt rachel, old daddy bob, and harry.
"it is enough," says the stranger, "they are all familiar names."
"did you know my good old master?" interrupts the negro, suddenly, as if detecting some familiar feature in the stranger's countenance.
"no," he replies, measuredly; "but his name has sounded in my ears a thousand times. tell me where are the children, annette and nicholas? and where may i find franconia?"
the negro shakes his head, and remains silent for a few minutes. at length he raises his hand, and in a half-whisper says, "gone, gone, gone; sold and scattered, good mas'r. habn't see dem child dis many a day: reckon da'h done gone down south." he hesitates suddenly, as if calling something to memory; and then, placing his left hand on the stranger's right arm, as he rubs his left across his forehead, stammers out-"mas'r, mas'r, i reckon dis child do know somefin 'bout miss frankone. anyhow, mas'r (ye knows i'se nigger do'h, and don't keep up 'quaintance a'ter mas'r sell um), can put ye straight 'bout missus rosebrook's house, and reckon how dat lady can put ye straight on miss frankone's where'bout." it is what the stranger wants. he has heard of mrs. rosebrook before; she will give him the information he seeks; so, turning again to the negro, he tells him that, for a few days at least, he shall require his presence at the same hour in the evening: tonight he must conduct him to mrs. rosebrook's sequestered villa.
the watch-tower bell of the guard-house sounds forth nine o'clock. the soldier-like sentinel, pacing with loaded musket, and armed with sharpest steel, cries out in hoarse accents, "all's well!" the bell is summoning all negroes to their habitations: our guide, bill, informs the stranger that he must have a "pass" from a white man before he can venture into the street. "mas'r may write 'um," he says, knowing that it matters but little from whom it comes, so long as the writer be a white man. the pass is written; the negro partakes of refreshment that has been prepared for him at the stranger's request, and they are wending their way through the city. they pass between rows of massive buildings, many of which have an antique appearance, and bear strong signs of neglect; but their unique style of architecture denotes the taste of the time in which they were erected. some are distinguished by heavy stone colonnades, others by verandas of fret-work, with large gothic windows standing in bold outline. gloomy-looking guard-houses, from which numerous armed men are issuing forth for the night's duty,--patrolling figures with white cross belts, and armed with batons, standing at corners of streets, or moving along with heavy tread on the uneven side-walk,--give the city an air of military importance. the love of freedom is dangerous in this democratic world; liberty is simply a privilege. again the stranger and his guide (the negro) emerge into narrow lanes, and pass along between rows of small dwellings inhabited by negroes; but at every turn they encounter mounted soldiery, riding two abreast, heavily armed. "democracy, boast not of thy privileges! tell no man thou governest with equal justice!" said the stranger to himself, as the gas-light shed its flickers upon this military array formed to suppress liberty.
they have reached the outskirts of the city, and are approaching a pretty villa, which the negro, who has been explaining the nature and duties of this formidable display of citizen soldiery, points to, as the peaceful home of the rosebrook family. brighter and brighter, as they approach, glares the bright light of a window in the north front. "i wish mas'r rosebrook owned me," says the negro, stopping at the garden gate, and viewing the pretty enclosure ere he opens it. "if ebery mas'r and missus war as kind as da'h is, dar wouldn't be no need o' dem guard-houses and dem guardmen wid dar savage steel," he continues, opening the gate gently, and motioning the stranger to walk in. noiselessly he advances up the brick walk to the hall entrance, and rings the bell. a well-dressed negro man soon makes his appearance, receives him politely, as the guide retires, and ushers him into a sumptuously furnished parlour. the rosebrook negroes quickly recognise a gentleman, and detecting it in the bearing of the stranger they treat him as such. mrs. rosebrook, followed by her husband, soon makes her appearance, saluting the stranger with her usual suavity. "i have come, madam," he says, "on a strange mission. with you i make no secret of it; should i be successful it will remove the grief and anxiety of one who has for years mourned the fate of her on whom all her affections seem to have centred. if you will but read this it will save the further recital of my mission." thus saying, he drew a letter from his pocket, presented it, and watched her countenance as line by line she read it, and, with tears glistening in her eyes, passed it to her husband.
"i am, good sir, heartily glad your mission is thus laudable. be at home, and while you are in the city let our home be yours. franconia is here with us to-night; the child you search after is also with us, and it was but to-day we learned the cruelties to which she has been subjected during the last few years. indeed, her fate had been kept concealed from us until a few weeks ago, and to-day, having escaped the brutal designs of a ruffian, she fled to us for protection, and is now concealed under our roof-"
"yes, poor wretch-it is too true!" rejoins rosebrook. "but something must be done as quickly as possible, for if pringle blowers regains her she will be subjected to tortures her frame is too delicate to bear up under. there must be no time lost, not a day!" he says, as mrs. rosebrook quickly leaves the room to convey the news to franconia, who, with annette, is in an adjoining apartment.
like a hunted deer, annette's fears were excited on hearing the stranger enter; franconia is endeavoring to quiet them. the poor slave fears the ruffian's pursuit, trembles at each foot-fall upon the door-sill, and piteously turns to her old friend for protection. blowers, maddened with disappointment, would rather sacrifice her to infamy than sell her for money to a good master. the price of a pretty slave is no object with this boasting democrat,--the gratification of his carnal desires soars supreme. rosebrook knows this, as the abject woman does to her sorrow.
as rosebrook and the stranger sit conversing upon the object of his mission, and the best way to effect it, this good woman returns leading by the arm a delicately-formed girl, whose blonde countenance is shadowed with an air of melancholy which rather adds to her charms than detracts from her beauty. the stranger's eye rests upon her,--quickly he recognises clotilda's features, clotilda's form, and gentleness; but she is fairer than clotilda, has blue eyes, and almost golden hair. she hesitates as her eyes meet the stranger's. "do not fear, my child," speaks franconia, whose slender figure follows her into the room. assured that the stranger is her friend, she is introduced to him, and modestly takes her seat on a chair by the window. the stranger's name is maxwell, and on hearing it announced franconia anticipated the pleasure of meeting with her old friend, through whose agency she effected clotilda's escape. advancing towards him with extended hand, she looks enquiringly in his face, saying, "am i mistaken?" she shakes her head, doubtingly. "no! it is not my friend maxwell," she continues.
"no!" rejoins the stranger; "he is my cousin: by his directions i have come here. i have brought a letter from his wife clotilda, whose dear deliverer you were; and whose thoughts now daily recur to you, to your love and kindness to her, with undying brightness." "ah!" interrupts franconia, welcoming him with a fervent heart, "i knew clotilda would never forget annette; i knew she would remember me; i knew her ardent soul would give forth its measure of gratitude. happy am i that you have come-though years have rolled by since i gave up all hopes of the joyous consummation-to relieve this sorrowing child," she says, running to annette, and with tears of joy in her eyes, exclaiming, "my child! my child! you 'll yet be saved. the ruffian who tortured you to-day will torture you no more-no more!" and she kisses the sorrowing girl's cheek, as tears of sympathy gush into her eyes.
rosebrook handed franconia the letter, which she read as her face brightened with joy. "good clotilda! how happy she must be! how generous, how kind, how true dear maxwell was to her; and they are living together so comfortably, and have such a nice family growing up; but she wants her slave child! a slave mother never forgets her slave offspring!" she exclaims, with enthusiastic delight, as she reads and re-reads the letter. back she paces to annette, lays her right arm gently over her shoulder, and pats her cheek with her left hand: "annette will see her mother, yet. there is an all-protecting hand guiding us through every ill of life. be of good cheer, my child; never despond while there is a hope left; bury the horrors of the past in the brighter prospect of the future." and leading her to the table she seats her by her side and reads the letter aloud, as with joy the forlorn girl's feelings bound forth. we need scarcely tell the reader that clotilda's letter was read in listening silence, and ran thus:--"nassau, new providence, "october 24, 18-. "my dear franconia,
"my thoughts have never ceased to recur to you, nor to my dear annette. you were a mother and a deliverer to me; i know-though i have not received a word in reply to any of my letters-you have been a mother to my child. as you know, i dare not write as much as i would, lest this letter fall into the hands of those whose interest it is to perpetuate our enslavement. i hope you are happy with a good husband, as i am. years have rolled by since we parted, and many have been the scenes and changes through which i have passed, but they were all pleasant changes, each for brighter and happier prospects. i was married to him who, with you, effected my escape, a few weeks after landing at harbour island. since then we have resided in nassau, where my husband, who loves me dearly, pursues an extensive and lucrative business, and we both move in the best society of the place. we have a pretty family of three children, the oldest nine years old, and the youngest five. how my heart would leap with joy if i thought you would accept an invitation to come and see me, to spend a few weeks with me, and see yourself how comfortable and happy a slave may be! perhaps i should not say happy, for i never can be truly happy without my annette. something haunts my mind whenever i recur to her,--which is every day. and then i have written so many letters to which no answers have been returned; but, a whispering angel, as if to console me, says, franconia will be her mother, and you will yet see her.
"the gentleman who bears this letter is my husband's cousin. he has all my husband's generosity of character, and will seek you for the purpose of finding annette, and bearing her safely to me. he has proffered his services, and sworn to carry out his object; and being on his way to new york for the purpose of entering into business with his uncle now in that city, will touch at charleston, for the object herein stated. further his object, my dear franconia, and that heaven will reward the hand that in mercy helps the enslaved, "is the prayer of your grateful "clotilda maxwell."
"i knew mother would never forget me; i knew she would come back to me, would be kind to me, as she used to be, and save me from such cruelty as i have suffered. several times have i resolved on putting an end to my unhappy existence, but as often did something say to me, 'live hoping-there is a better day coming.' god guides, governs, and raises up the weary soul," says annette, in touching accents, as franconia finished reading the letter.
while this conversation is progressing, and the plan of getting annette out of the city being devised, a nice supper, at mrs. rosebrook's request, is being prepared in the adjoining room. to this the stranger is invited, and all sit down in a happy circle. franconia seems invested with new life; annette forgets for the time her troubles; mrs. rosebrook, who does the honours of the table, wishes every ill-used slave could find means of escaping into freedom; and deacon rosebrook says he will join heart and hand in getting the forlorn girl free from her base purchaser.
