“good-bye, dears!” said daph, as she went forth as usual one morning, with her basket on her head.
“good-bye, daffy, dear daffy!” said the young voices, and she was gone.
those sweet sounds lingered in the ear of the negro, as she walked along the crowded street, unconscious of all around her, and lost in meditation on the many mercies of her lot.
the passers-by noticed her frank, good face, her tidy figure, and snow-white[pg 204] apron; but she seemed to see no one, until, as if struck with sudden frenzy, she gave one leap into the air, exclaiming,
“is i in a blessed dream!”
the neat cover flew from the passing basket; far and wide rolled the frosted cakes, and little ragged children made merry with the stores of daph’s cookery. little did she care. her arms were thrown round the knees of an astonished lady, and her lips kissed the hand of the tall, pale gentleman at the lady’s side.
“pull off the crazy woman!” shouted a bystander, stepping forward to suit the action to the word; but daph had found a protector, in the confidence[pg 205] of whose kindness she would have faced the world.
“my own missus! my massa!” sobbed the poor negro, as she clung to the loved and long-mourned friends who stood before her.
“is it you, daph!” they said, as, little less moved than herself, they raised her from her humble position.
“ise got ’em! ise got ’em!” she exclaimed. “de childen! dey’s safe! ise got ’em! de lord be praised!”
who can tell the throb of joy that shook that mother’s heart, or the deep emotion that filled the eyes of the strong man with gushing tears!
they needed not to tell daph to lead the way to their treasures. on[pg 206] she sped through street and lane, followed by hurrying footsteps and beating hearts.
the small house with the blue shutters was reached, the threshold was crossed! a moment the mother paused, as if to gather strength for the meeting, and then the door was thrown open.
in that simple, neat room, sat the fair louise, her bit of sewing in her hand, while beside her charlie bent over the book he was reading aloud to his sister.
the wondering children were clasped in their mother’s arms, and received their father’s loving embrace; while daph, almost wild with joy, kept repeating,[pg 207] “you’s no more lone orphans, with only poor old daph to mind you! de lord be praised! daph’s work is done. she be ready to go now, when it pleases de lord jesus!”
how those parents rejoiced to have their lost ones restored, sound in health, and bearing every evidence of having been trained to habits of neatness, and nurtured in delicacy and refinement! this was joy, indeed; but who shall describe the gladness of the mother when she found her children speaking of the saviour as a familiar friend, and bearing, however faintly, his image in their hearts! such joy angels know, when they welcome at the gate of heaven the weary pilgrim[pg 208] of earth, and usher him into the eternal home of the father!
daph listened with wondering eyes and grateful heart to the story of their escape, whom she had so long mourned, and whose place she had so striven to fill.
the coachman, who was pledged to murder his master and mistress, relented, and resolved to save them from the ruin with which they were threatened.
gen. latourette’s first suspicion of danger was roused by finding that they had been driven in the wrong direction, while he in careless confidence had been chatting with his wife. in the moonlight, he could see the flashing of the waves and hear the murmur[pg 209] of the waters, and jet he knew he was not near his home, but at some less familiar part of the coast.
calling out hastily to the coachman, the carriage came to a stand; general latourette became aware that the horses had been cut loose, and he saw the fellow, pistol in hand, seated upon one of them.
in a few hurried words the negro told the danger of the moment, and pointed to a boat at the water-side, which offered to his master and mistress some hope of escape.
did mrs. latourette forget her little ones in that hour of peril? no! she pleaded to go to them, if but to mingle her blood with theirs. the negro[pg 210] assured her they were already sleeping the sleep of death, and implored her to fly with her husband, while yet their lives might be saved.
thus urged, they entered the little boat, and while the strong arm of the husband sustained the drooping wife, and guided the little skiff over the dark waters, the negro went his way, to show the contents of the rifled trunks as proofs of the crime he had in reality shrunk from committing.
gen. latourette and his wife reached a neighboring island in safety; but exiled forever from their own dear home.
sorrowful, as the childless only can be, the world seemed to them suddenly[pg 211] robbed of its brightness; they could not have borne the trials of their lot, but for the sustaining hand of the father in heaven, in whom they had in the days of their prosperity learned to trust.
several years of foreign travel had in a measure recruited the failing health of gen. latourette, and time had calmed the poignant grief of his wife. they had come to new york, hoping once more to have a home of their own, sorrowful though that home must be.
bereaved and childless no more, with deep thankfulness they praised the god of heaven for his most unexpected mercies, and devoted themselves anew to his service.
[pg 212]as for daph, their gratitude to her knew no bounds, and they felt that, for her faithful services, they could find no adequate reward on earth.
