“dis don’t be de cleanest place in de world!” said daph to herself, as she looked round the small, bare room into which she had been thrust. “well,” she continued, “de lord jesus, do be everywhere; and daph no reason to be above stayin where such as he do set foot. but den de childen! what’s to become of de childen?”
here daph’s resolution gave way, and she took a hearty cry. “daph, you do be a wicked creter,” she said to[pg 156] herself, at length. “jus as if de lord jesus didn’t love little childen ebber so much better dan you can! he’s jus able hisself to take care ob de dears; and daph needn’t go for to fret hersef bout dem.”
thus consoled, daph was prepared calmly to wait whatever should befall her. the stream of sunlight that poured through the small window, slowly crept along the floor, and the weary hours passed away.
the new and beautiful truths, that had of late been brought home to the soul of daph, were much in her thoughts and full of comfort.
“i do be afraid,” she said to herself, “ise did not act so bery christianable,[pg 157] when dose big men did catch daph by de shoulter. dere’s somewhat in daph mighty strong, dat don’t like folks puttin hands on widout tellin what’s de matter. well, well; i spose daph will get like a lamb, sometime, if de lord helps her. ise do wonder what the dears is a doin, jus now. maybe that sweet miss rose is just speakin to dem beautiful words out ob de blessed book. how daph would like to hear dose same words, her own self!”
daph’s meditations were interrupted by the sudden turning of the key in the lock, and then the door of the small room was thrown open to admit the entrance of a stranger.
[pg 158]the new-comer was a short, stout, elderly man, with a dignified bearing, and a calm, kindly expression in his round unfurrowed face.
daph looked at him from his powdered head, to his white-topped boots, with entire satisfaction. “he do be a real gemman, and dat ’s a comfort,” she said to herself, as she dropped a curtsy, and waited to be addressed by the stranger.
daph’s favorable impressions were increased by the mild manner and clear voice in which she was addressed. she soon felt sufficiently at ease to comply with the request made by the gentleman, that she would tell him, frankly, all that she could remember[pg 159] of her life for the last few years, and explain how she, a poor negro, came in possession of jewelry fit for a duchess to wear.
daph began in her own simple way, and described those pleasant home scenes on that far southern island. her heart grew light at the thought of the happy family circle in those good old times. it was with difficulty she brought herself to speak of the sudden destruction with which that home was threatened. she touched but lightly on her own efforts to save the little ones, when there was no earthly friend, but herself, between them and a bloody death.
from time to time her listener questioned[pg 160] her suddenly; but she answered him with such apparent frankness and simplicity, that he felt ashamed of the momentary suspicions that had crossed his mind.
when daph came, in the progress of her story, to the captain’s late visit, and to the day of dark, hopeless despair that followed it, the eyes that were fixed upon her, slowly filled with tears.
those tears suddenly gushed forth, as with the eloquence of a grateful heart daph described the face, like that of an angel, that bent over her in her distress, and told of the saviour, who is the friend of the sinner, and the comfort of all that mourn.
“god bless my sweet rose!” murmured[pg 161] the stranger. “this was an errand of mercy, indeed!” after a moment’s pause, he added aloud, “you need say no more, daph;” and, as he spoke, he put out his hand to take that of the humble negro.
she did not notice the movement; for she had lowered her eyes as she dropped her modest curtsy, and relapsed into silence.
diedrich stuyvesant loved his daughter rose, as the apple of his eye; but he thought her a little too enthusiastic in her desire to do good; and he trembled, lest her warm feelings should lead her judgment astray.
when she had burst into his library that morning, her face flushed with[pg 162] excitement and unwonted exercise, he had met her with more than his usual calmness and phlegmatic consideration. the hasty outline she gave him of the story of her new protegé, seemed to him strange and improbable; but he could not resist the earnestness with which she besought him to hasten to the release of an innocent and injured woman. rose felt a little relieved when she saw her father take his gold-headed cane and walk forth, with the deliberate air of one who has important business on hand. she would gladly have hurried his steps; but she knew, that, though slow and cautious, whatever he undertook would be kindly and wisely done, and in this[pg 163] belief she forced herself to wait patiently for his long-delayed return.
good diedrich stuyvesant did not go directly to the prison, as his daughter had advised. he first called on dr. bates, heard his pompous statement of the grounds of his suspicions, and received from him the troublesome gold chain, that was deemed of such importance.
having agreed to meet the little doctor at a certain hour, at the place of daph’s imprisonment, he proceeded to the red house with the blue shutters, and inquired for mrs. ray. that personage was thrown into a fit of mortification to be found by so grand a gentleman in a dishabille, plainly[pg 164] intimating its recent proximity to the wash-tub; and her curiosity alone prevented her absolutely refusing to be seen in such a plight.
it did not take diedrich stuyvesant many minutes to fathom mrs. ray, and to give to her mean and idle curiosity the contempt that even she herself felt that it deserved. “all accoutred as she was,” she found herself obliged to accompany her new acquaintance to the prison, where she and dr. bates occupied a room near that in which daph had been placed, while diedrich stuyvesant proceeded to converse with the prisoner. the time seemed long to the little doctor; for he had the full benefit of all the vituperative epithets[pg 165] in mrs. ray’s vocabulary, which was by no means a limited one in that department. on him she vented all the dissatisfaction she felt at having been led “into,” as she exclaimed, “the worst, the very worst piece of business i ever put my finger in!”
daph had completed her story and was standing silent and humble, when diedrich stuyvesant summoned dr. bates and mrs. ray.
the dr., small in every respect, entered with an air of triumph, while mrs. ray followed; pity, self-reproach and curiosity strangely blending in the expression with which she looked upon her lodger.
daph met their glance with quiet[pg 166] composure. in her heart she had been giving thanks to the merciful god, who had raised up for her a new and powerful friend, and fresh from the presence of her divine master, she could look on those who had injured her, without one taint of bitterness.
diedrich stuyvesant had spoken often in the councils of his country, and to his clear, calm voice, none had failed to listen, for he ever spoke with the power of reason and truth. now, he stood with the dignity of one accustomed to be heard, as he looked for a moment in silence on the accusers. then, in a short, clear statement, he told the story of the humble negro, who listened with wonder, as he[pg 167] named with admiration and respect the acts which she had performed, guided by her own loving heart, and upheld by simple faith in “the great lord” of all.
sternness and contempt struggled for mastery in the voice of diedrich stuyvesant, as in concluding, he turned towards dr. bates, and said, “as for you, young man, look at that dark-skinned, ignorant woman, from whom you would have lightly taken her only wealth,—her good name,—which is above all price!”
“think of your own fair skin, you deem so superior,—of the education you rightly value,—the christian teaching that has been sounded in[pg 168] your ears since childhood, and then say what good work you have done in this world! what have you to bring forward in comparison with the heroism and self-sacrifice of this poor woman, whom you despised? young man, think twice, if you are capable of thought, before you again peril the good name of the industrious poor, who are under the especial care of the great father in heaven! explore the secrets of your profession, but honor the sanctity of every humble home, and pry not into those things which a lawful pride and an honorable delicacy would hide from the eye of a stranger. know, young man, that you have this day broken the laws of this free country,[pg 169] where no honest citizen can be deprived of liberty, on bare suspicion, and you yourself merit the punishment you would have brought on the guiltless. but go! i would do you no harm. go, and be a wiser and better man for what you have heard to-day!”
dr. bates, with a crest-fallen air, turned in haste to leave the room, but his better feelings prevailed, and stepping back he said, “i am young, foolish, and conceited, i know, sir, and i hope i have learned a valuable lesson this day.” then, going up to daph, he added earnestly, “i have wronged you, good woman, and from the bottom of my heart i am sorry for it. if it should ever be in my power to serve[pg 170] you, i should be glad to make amends for what i have done.” “now don’t, sir! don’t, please!” said daph, dropping curtsy after curtsy, and murmuring, “the young gemman meant no harm, ise sure,” while dr. bates slowly left the room. as soon as the doctor was out of sight, mrs. ray took daph by the hand, and humbly asked her forgiveness.
“now don’t, miss’ ray, i do be shamed!” said daph, in great confusion, her own tears for the first time beginning to flow. “don’t speak so to a poor cretur like me. we’s all poor sinners; it’s only the lord jesus,” sweet miss rose says, “that can make us clean.” the thought of having said[pg 171] so much in the presence of a “real gentleman” now overcame daph, and she suddenly relapsed into silence.
“come, daph!” said diedrich stuyvesant, “it is time for you to be out of this place.”
“may i go free, sir?” said daph, with a wondering, joyous look.
“free as air!” was the reply of mr. stuyvesant; “there’s no power in new york can keep an innocent woman in such a place as this.”
daph poured forth her thanks to her deliverer, and diedrich stuyvesant walked forth, followed by the woman.
he was detained but for a moment in the doorway by the officers, by whom daph had been arrested, who[pg 172] pleaded that no action should be taken against them for their unwarrantable proceeding, and were glad to be assured that their fault, for this once, would be passed over.
it excited some wonder when the well-known citizen passed along the street, closely followed by mrs. ray and daph; but he cared little for the remarks of the passers-by, his mind having been once made up to see daph safely restored to the home from which she had been so rudely taken.
diedrich stuyvesant moved at what was an unwonted pace for him, and the house with the blue shutters was soon reached, and the door of the familiar room thrown open.
[pg 173]rose stuyvesant was sitting on a low chair, louise at her side, and charlie on her lap; while the book with golden clasps was open in her hand. with one shout of joy, the children darted towards daph, and gave her a welcome which filled her honest heart with joy.
that sight was a reward to diedrich stuyvesant for all the unwonted labors of the day.
“come, rose!” he said, “they can do without us now. i must learn to know these little people some other day. but stay,” he added, as he looked round on the scrupulously neat, but very plainly furnished apartment, “daph, i must speak to you a moment, before i go.”
[pg 174]the children for an instant were quiet, and the wealthy citizen drew his purse from his pocket, and holding it towards daph, he said, “you ought to have something to make amends for this day’s trouble. take that for you and the children.”
“ise thank you, sir,” said daph, drawing back, “ise thank you, sir, but my missus’ childen shall want for nothing while poor old daph can work for them.”
“well, have your own way daph,” said diedrich stuyvesant; “but one thing you must let me do for you. let me take the gold chains that have given you so much trouble, and put them in safe keeping. i will see that you get[pg 175] their full value in money, if you should ever be in need.”
the treasured jewelry was cheerfully relinquished; and daph even felt relieved to have them no longer in her charge.
“remember, daph,” said the kind-hearted citizen, as he bade her good-bye, “remember, you have something now to depend upon.”
“ise thank you for your goodness, sir—ise thank you. ise sure the great lord will nebber let daph come to want.”
“never, daph! either in this world or the next!” said rose; and with one of her sweet smiles she followed her father from the room.
