diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/10848.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/10848.txt | 6762 |
1 files changed, 6762 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/10848.txt b/old/10848.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3fd2419 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10848.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6762 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Natalie, by Ferna Vale + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Natalie + A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds + +Author: Ferna Vale + +Release Date: January 28, 2004 [EBook #10848] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NATALIE *** + + + + +Produced by V-M Osterman, Juliet Sutherland, Veronique Durand and PG +Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +NATALIE; + +or, + +A GEM AMONG THE SEA-WEEDS + +By + +FERNA VALE. + +1859. + + + +To thee, my darling Hattie, I dedicate the Sea-Flower +would that this casket contained for such as thou, +a purer gem. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In writing the following pages the author has spent pleasant hours, +which perhaps might have been less profitably employed: if anything of +interest be found among them, it is well,--and, should any be led to +take up their Cross in meekness and humility, searching out the path +that leads the wanderer home, it is indeed well. + + + + + + +NATALIE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +THE SEA-FLOWER. + + + "What was it that I loved so well about my childhood's home? + It was the wide and wave-lashed shore, the black rocks crowned with foam! + It was the sea-gull's flapping wing, all trackless in its flight, + Its screaming note, that welcomed on the fierce and stormy night! + The wild heath had its flowers and moss, the forest had its trees, + Which, bending to the evening wind, made music in the breeze; + But earth,--ha! ha! I laugh e'en now,--earth had no charms for me, + Nor scene half bright enough to win my young heart from the sea. + No! 't was the ocean, vast and deep, the fathomless, the free,-- + The mighty rushing waters, that were ever dear to me!" + + ELIZA COOK. + + + "But the goodly pearl which the merchant bought, + And for which his all he gave, + Was a purer pearl than will e'er be brought + From under the FOAMING wave." + + H. F. GOULD. + + +"Massa Grobener! Massa Grobener! Please, sar, look here! De good Lord +hab left his mitest ob angels here on de beach; and please, sar, step +low or de wee bit will take to its wings and fly away. De good Lord be +praised! but old Bingo hab found many a bright sea-weed in his day, but +dis am de sweetest sea-flower ob de whole." + +And as he spoke, the little one stretched out its tiny arms toward the +poor old black man and gave a faint moan. Captain Grosvenor, who had now +come up with the negro, was no less surprised than had been old Vingo, +at discovering, among the fresh, bright sea-weed, an infant some eight +months old. The babe was carefully lashed into a large wooden trough or +bowl, and a canvas firmly stretched over the top, permitting only the +head and arms to remain exposed, and judging from the dripping condition +of the worthy little sea-craft, it could not have been many moments +since it had come to anchor on the smooth, hard beach; probably the now +receding waves had borne the precious burden to this most welcome +harbor--"whereby hangs a tale." + +"De good Lord be praised, massa! but dis am de most curous ob all +sea-ve'cles that eber trabers de great waters! I sure it must be a +speint from de great scripture ark massa read about in de good book; or +may be it am one ob those old-time chariots, fiery chariots, we sings +about; only it so moist around here, it put de fire all out and leabe de +chariot. Or I tink it may be one ob dose machines Bingo used to see in +old slabe-massa's church, hung up ober de minister's head, to make de +good psalms or de prayers go de right way, and I don't remember which; +old Bingo always retained a bery bad memory, eber since before he was a +child; but I tink dey used to call it a sound board, though it was full +ob cracks." + +Ah! poor fellow, had you seen that heart-rending look of despair, +mingled with sweet resignation, upon the face of that mother! had you +seen the glistening tear in the eye of that noble father, as, but a few +hours before, they consigned their idolized child to the mercies of the +deep; had you heard that prayer to God, if it might be his will, to +spare their darling from an ocean-grave, your great heart would have +been, if possible, kindled to a greater love for that helpless +little one! + +Captain Grosvenor, after having carefully taken the child from the +grotesque looking craft, which had proved so trustworthy a sailor, and +wiped the drops of spray from its little face, wrapped it in a large +bandana, and gave it to the faithful Vingo, while he took his glass and +scanned the distant horizon; for well did he know, though even at +noon-day, that one more unfortunate bark had gone down near that dread +"Nantucket shoal," upon which so many noble hearts have found a watery +grave. "I see nothing," said the Captain, "nothing, not even a passing +sail; which is quite uncommon at this season, when so many vessels are +constantly passing and repassing our island; not even the light-boat do +I see, which is probably owing to a fog coming in from the sea, as yet +imperceptible to us here. Poor fellows! I fear they have gone down +without a soul to help them! It seems hard when there are so many stout +hearts and ready arms here, willing to risk their lives in the attempt +to save. Those shoals, Vingo, are the only unkind thing there is about +our cherished island; but the will of God be done. Truly his ways are +unsearchable." + +"Den you tinks, massa, dis little sea-flower was left here trough +mistake, by de Lord?" + +"It most assuredly was left here by the Lord, Vingo, but not by +mistake. The fact is, my boy, there has been a wreck off to the east +south-east of the island; probably some vessel has mistaken her +bearings, or, being unacquainted with the coast, has run on to the +shoals and gone to pieces; and this infant was made fast to the first +floatable object that could be found, and with a mother's dying prayer +for a rudder, and the hand of Him who guides us all at the helm, she has +come to us here; and with eyes of heaven's own blue, she silently asks +for that protection which shall not be withheld from her so long as it +shall be within my power to give. And now, Vingo, boy, you may turn the +horse's head for the town." + +"Yes, massa." + +And though some fifty years had passed over the old negro's head, he +sprang with the agility of boyhood's days; although, as the poor fellow +often remarked, "he had a wonderful constitution for enduring rest," the +thought of his good missus's surprise, when she should learn of their +morning's adventure, gave him new life, and he fairly danced about the +beach for joy. Seated in the spring-cart, Captain Grosvenor took the +babe in his arms, that had now fallen into a quiet sleep, while Vingo, +perching himself first on one foot and then the other, to keep his +balance, gathered up the reins, and all started for home. + +"I am tinking, massa, dat my missus be quite ober-much-come at de sight +of dis little sea-flower." + +"Yes, boy; yes, sea-flower indeed. I have travelled the wide world from +stem to stern, but never have I met with such an emblem of innocence +before." And though the hardy sea-captain had spent the greater part of +his life among the whales, he stooped down and pressed his lips to the +brow of the unconscious sleeper. + +"Luff off there a little, Vingo; keep to the right; these bare commons +are not the easiest grounds to ride over, though with a light +spring-cart like this one can navigate with some degree of comfort. The +broad ocean is the place, after all. Give me the old ship Tantalizer, +and I am at home. Take the glass, Vingo, and see if you can make out +whether the steamboat is in sight or not." + +"Cannot eben make de staff, massa. Ah! now I sees him; de flag is up, +old Massachusetts am in sight." + +"She will be in early to-day. Travels decently fast, considering she is +all out of joint. I hope we shall get a new steamer some day; then we +may keep posted with what is going on in the outer world." + +"Yes, massa, people tink we a piece ob de continent den." + +An hour's ride brought our worthy captain to his own door, where stood +Mrs. Grosvenor, with her son Harry, their only child, of seven years, +awaiting him. + +"You have made a long stay at the shore this morning, my husband; but if +these little excursions will deter you from making a longer voyage, I +will not complain." + +"Yes, wife, yes; but for a peace offering I have brought to you a gem +from among the sea-weeds." + +"My dear husband, where can you have found this child?" and tears were +in the eyes of the lady as she received the little unknown from +his arms. + +"Is it for you? to be yours, mother? Mother, may it stay with us here?" +asked Harry; and in his delight he stumbled over old Neptune, who was +stretched at full length upon the floor, and the two went rolling over +and over, first one up and then the other, till finally the boy came off +victorious, seated astride the animal's back, who marched up to Mrs. +Grosvenor's side, where they both remained, eyeing the little stranger +in silence. + +"The child's dress denotes no common birth," remarked the Captain, as +his lady disrobed it of its rich lace dress, saturated with the salt +seawater. "And the gold bands; are there no marks?--nothing, by which we +may gain the least clue of its history?" + +"I see nothing; and it is well; for my heart already yearns towards the +little creature, and in my selfish human nature, I can't but hope that +we may be able to keep her for our own." And as she spoke she pressed +the clasp of the band, and, behold! the miniature likeness of a lady was +brought to view. The foster mother gazed upon those features, as if it +were the face of an angel. + +"I cannot have the heart to wish to retain _her_ child! To deprive that +mother of anything that can give her pain to lose. Would I could ask her +to forgive my cruel thoughts; forgive the desire to retain this her gem. +But I know she has gone to her home in the skies; she was too pure for +earth. Yes, this must be the mother, the child is so like her." + +"The same features, the same expression; and," said the Captain, "I will +use every means of finding out if there is one left of that ill-fated +crew to tell the tale. It will probably be reported in a few days, if +there are any missing vessels, either from our coasts or foreign ports. +In the meantime I will take care to have this discovery registered at +head-quarters, and then if we can discover no trace of her parentage we +may have her for our own." + +"Have her for our own! Nep, do you hear that? We are to have a new +sister!" shouted the boy; and Nep, as if comprehending his young +master's words, laid his great honest face on the feet of the child, and +caressed her. + +"Please, missus, don't make little Sea-flower too fresh; she be pining +for de sea;" remarked Vingo, as Mrs. Grosvenor proceeded to bathe the +child in cool fresh water; and having brought out the baby-clothes worn +by Harry, she was soon, by the aid of a little new milk, made +comfortable, and, creeping down after old Nep, sat with her hands +buried in his shaggy coat, crowing with delight. The lights at Captain +Grosvenor's burned long into the night of that eventful day, of the +discovery of the Sea-flower, while he related to his wife how they had +found the little one among the sea-weeds, and in forming plans for her +future adoption, should nothing be learned of her parentage, and no +friends come to claim the child. + +Soon after the commencement of our story, a fearful storm swept the New +England coast. 'Twould seem as if the rage of the storm-king knew no +bounds; and many hearts there were made desolate in that +long-to-be-remembered September gale. Fragments of wrecks came ashore on +different parts of the island, together with casks, chests, rigging, +stoven boats, etc., which were picked up in various places, and by +various characters. Some would watch eagerly for these trophies of +destruction, and with grasping hand seize upon them, viewing the storm +as sent for their own particular benefit; increasing their worldly +goods, regardless of others' woes. While some there were, who turned +away with a heart sick at the scene of devastation, yet submissively +bowing to His will, "who holds the waters in his hand." Wreck upon wreck +was reported. The total loss of vessels from all parts of the world was +very great, which only served to increase the mystery in regard to the +unknown, which went down 'neath a calm noon-day sky. Days and months +passed on, and still no tidings; till finally they came to look upon the +loved one as their own. + +The child grew in strength and beauty, and was a source of great +amusement to them all. Old Vingo would delight to make one of his +"squantums," as he called it, to the shore; and with master Harry, who +was now taking his first lessons in driving, (a point once attained, +boyhood thinks to gain no higher) and Sea-flower in his arms; with Nep, +who is determined to be "head horse," bounding off in the distance, is +happiness enough for the negro, and his white teeth glisten in the +bright sunshine like so many African pearls, as he jabbers away to +Sea-flower, as if she were comprehending the whole. But 'twas enough for +Vingo, that she in reply to his half hour's remarks, would put out her +hand toward the blue waters, and with eyes dilated with wonderment, +would say, "Tee! Indo, Tee!" + +There on the beach they would have a fine race with the surf, Vingo +following with the child the receding wave, and then, as it came in with +a roar from the sea, he would run as if pursued by a foe, sometimes the +spray dashing up all around them, much to the joy of the Sea-flower, her +merry laugh according strangely with the music of the waters. Harry +amused himself for a while, throwing the bits of drift-wood into the +water, that he might see old Newfoundland dash in and combat with the +waves, to secure the prize, which he never failed to do; but wearying of +this, he came and took his seat by the side of his sister, and commenced +whittling diligently on an old piece of plank. + +"Vingo, do you think my father will ever go to sea again?" + +"I don't know, young massa; but why you tink ob dat?" + +"O, I have often thought I would like to go with my father away over the +great ocean. I long to see more of the world; and I often think of the +time when I shall be a man, and have a ship of my own. I never hear of +a ship arrived at the bar, but it sends a thrill of delight over me, and +I watch the sailors as they come on shore after a three years' voyage, +and think how happy they must be, though they look as if they had met +with the rubbers. O, I know I shall be a sailor boy! there is something +noble about the very name." + +"Missus be berry sorry to hear you talk so," said Vingo. + +"I know my mother would be very sorry to have me go to sea, for I +remember how sad she looked for many days after father went away, though +I was but a little boy. And I remember my father took me in his arms, +and told me I must be a good boy, and take care of mother until he came +back. But now you would be here, Vingo, to see that my mother knew +no want." + +"Yes, de good Lord be praised for sending good massa Grobener to take me +away from old slabe massa. I gets so filled wid liberty sometimes, dat I +mistakes myself for white man." + +"Well, you are as good as a white man, any day; but tell me, Vingo, if +you have ever been much on the water?" + +"Not a great deal; I used to take old massa wid his children out for a +sail sometimes, and den I hab a slight recollection ob being brought +from a great way off; but dat must hab been before I come to be berry +great. De pleasantest sail I eber take was when I leabe old Berginny in +de good Tantalizer; and I swings my hat at old slabe massa on de bank, +and asks him if he don't wish he as free as dis individual. Dat was but +a few years ago; den you wear little dress like Sea-flower, and now you +talk 'bout going to sea! Well, dat am de way wid you sea-fish here." + +As the three sat on the beach, enjoying the morning breeze, Harry +observed a gentleman not far off, who appeared to be taking sketches of +the scenery around, and occasionally would give a glance towards where +our little party were sitting, somewhat to the disquietude of Nep, who +came and stood sentinel, as much as to say, "I will protect you;" but +finding the stranger disposed to do them no harm, he composed himself +for a nap. The whittling process being now finished, Harry produced what +he termed a "two-master," the which, Vingo declared it would be no sin +to worship, as it was not in the likeness of anything. + +"She is not a very polished looking craft, to be sure, but I know she +is a sailer, for all that. At any rate, she shall be of some service;" +and he seized old Nep by the ear, and making fast his dogship to the +little ark, he carefully seated the Sea-flower at the helm, and with +Vingo's rainbow bandana flying from the mast-head, they were soon under +full headway. Either Nep being proud of his charge, or the little one +mistaking the thoughtful face, lit up with the glow of enthusiasm, of +the stranger, for a beacon light; they came up with him, who called to +Harry to join them. + +"What is your name, my son?" + +"Harry Grosvenor, sir," answered the boy, drawing himself up to his full +height. + +"And what have you here?" added he. "I suppose you came along as +supercargo; pray tell me with what are you freighted?" + +"The Sea-flower is my only freight, sir." + +"And God grant that you may always find as valuable! but tell me, is +this angelic child your sister?" + +"Yes, sir, my sister, and we all love her very much; we could not be +without her, for we might forget to thank our Father for his kindness +to us, if we had no Sea-flower to remind us of Heaven." + +"So young, and can appreciate so rare a gift," mused the gentleman; +"childhood, indeed, is the first to discover purity;" and the eye of the +stranger grew moist, and the melancholy smile which sat upon his +countenance gave place to the shadows of grief. "What is the child's +name?" asked he. + +"We call her Sea-flower, sir." + +"'Tis a peculiar, sweet name; but has she no other?" + +"We have always called her by that name. Mother says she came to us from +God, and he loves the little flowers; he smiles upon each one, as it +holds up its little head, all shining with pearly tears wept by the +stars. But do you not love my sister? I did not think she could make +you sad." + +"Yes, yes, my son; take good care of her, be a true brother to her, +ever. Many long years have passed since my own little Natalie played in +my arms, but they are gone;" and the kind gentleman gathered his +sketching instruments to depart. + +That night, as Mrs. Grosvenor talked with her children, as was her wont, +of the good Father who loves us all, Harry related the interview with +the stranger gentleman; and in the prayer which followed he was not +forgotten. The Sea-flower folded her tiny hands meekly, while from the +windows of her soul went up the love she could not speak. As that +faithful mother sat meditating upon the story of Harry in regard to the +stranger, which she had related to her husband, Captain Grosvenor +remarked,--"It is just one year to-day when our dear child came to us, +being also my birthday; but instead of adding a year to my life, it +seems to me old Father time has made a mistake, and made a deduction of +a year. Just one year to-day, and she is the Sea-flower still. Yes, she +will ever be the Sea-flower to us; yet I suppose she must have a name +more in keeping with the ideas of the world. What was the name of the +lost one the sad gentleman mused of?" + +"He spoke of the long time ago, before his own Natalie had gone." + +"Poor man! Each life must have its portion of bitterness. Natalie,--I +like the sound; it reminds me of my home on the waters. With your +consent, my wife, the Christian name of the child shall be Natalie, for +she came to us from the sea." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +THE ISLAND HOME. + + + "Long may this ocean-gem be bright, + And long may it be fair, + In Freedom's pure and blessed light, + And Virtue's hallowed air! + While still across its ocean bound, + Shall e'er be borne the truthful sound, + Our island home! our island home! + We love our island home!" + + MRS. J. H. HANAFORD. + + + "And yet that isle remaineth, + A refuge for the free, + As when true-hearted Macy + Beheld it from the sea. + God bless the sea-beat island! + And grant for evermore, + That Charity and Freedom dwell, + As now, upon the shore!" + + J. G. WHITTIER. + + +Gentle reader, pause a little, and let us for a few moments turn our +thoughts toward that Island of the sea, upon which it was the fate of +our heroine, through the guidance of a divine providence, to find a home +in the bosoms of those whose hearts' beatings were of love for our +unknown. Yea, love ever encircleth purity. + +Properly, this chapter, descriptive of the Island of Nantucket, should +have been our first; but had that been the case, alas, for the simple +tale of Natalie! How many would have passed it by with but one thought, +and that thought invariably,--Nantucket! pooh! a fish story, strikingly +embellished with ignorance. And you may indeed discover in the +feebleness of my unpretending pen, much that is food for critics; yet +give not a thought of ridicule to Nantucket's favored ones, for it is +not for me to enlist under her banner of superiority of intellect. To +the many questions which I know you have it in your heart to ask, as +touching the civilization, etc., of these islanders, I do not reply, as +I might be tempted under other circumstances to do, that it would be +advisable to procure a passport before landing on those shores, lest one +might stand in danger of being harpooned by the natives; but rather let +me, in as correct a light as I may, set forth to those who have +heretofore known but little of those who inhabit that triangular bit of +land in the wide ocean, which, when we were six year olds, we passed +over on our maps with the thought, I wonder if they have Sundays there. + +Situated nearly one hundred miles, in a south-easterly course from the +city of Boston, and about thirty miles from the nearest point of main +land, Nantucket lifts her proud head from out the broad Atlantic, whose +waters, even when lashed to madness, have been kind to her. And now, on +this oppressive July morning, let us throw aside our cares, and come out +from our daily round of duties, where we have been scaling with our eyes +the tall brick barriers which shut out God's beautiful blue sky and +sunshine. Yes, let us off, anywhere, to get one glimpse of Nature. On +board the good steamer "Island Home," a two hours' sail carries us over +that distance which separates Cape Cod from Nantucket. If you have not +passed most of your days among the Connecticut hills, you pay little +attention to that "green-eyed monster," who considers it a part of his +duty to prepare the uninitiated for the good time coming. Arrived at the +bar, which stretches itself across the entrance to the harbor, our +first impressions take to themselves the forms of sundry venerable +windmills, church spires and towers, representing various orders of +architecture; but that which strikes us most is the scarcity of +shipping, not more than a dozen vessels lying at the wharves. In former +times Nantucket numbered as many whaleships belonging to her port, as +did any town on our seaboard. Indeed, she was built up from the produce +of the ocean, and carried the palm for years as being first among the +American whale fisheries; but her number has dwindled away, till not +one-fourth of those homeward-bound ships are destined for the port of +Nantucket. + +The town, we find, is situated on the northern shore of the island, at +the harbor's head. The houses are compact, and most of them built of +wood, with little regard to beauty; though some few residences there +are, of modern style, which do credit to their designers; but the +greater number speak only of antiquity, with their shingled sides; and +you will rarely see a house that has not a "walk" upon its roof, with +which they could by no means dispense, as in case of ship-wreck near +the island, the roofs of the whole town will be alive with men, women, +and children, spyglass in hand. Besides the town there are but one or +two small villages, "Polpis," and the far-famed "Siaconset," or +"Sconset," as it is usually termed,--numbering some four dozen houses. +This village is seven and one-half miles from the town, affording a +delightful place of recreation for families from town, who, as the +summer holidays come round, harness up old Dobbin, and prepare for a six +weeks' "siesta." If, by reason of the great financial pressure, you find +you have not sufficient pocket-money to take you for a short tour to +Europe, come to "Sconset;" it is a glorious place! take a stroll along +that grand old beach, and watch the moon rise from out the ocean; then +go to your comfortable seven-by-nine lodgings, which seems like a +palace, draw the comfortable rug about you, and fall asleep, with old +Ocean for a lullaby, to dream (if your waking hours are fortunately of +that bent) of some old deserted castle, "Salem witchcraft," or a lone +"Grace Pool," attendant within the attic's most remote recesses. + +The face of the island is level, so much so that the flat, bare commons +resemble somewhat our western prairies; and with the exception of the +cliffs at the north, and Sancoty Head, there are but few slight +elevations. Owing to the peculiar shape of the island, its two arms +stretching far out on either side, it does not appear to be as large as +it really is,--being about sixteen miles long, and four wide, affording +sufficient elbow room, however, for its eight thousand inhabitants. The +soil is sandy, but is cultivated to some extent; and though they can +boast of no extensive forests, yet you may occasionally meet with an old +friend in the way of a noble elm, or the pensive weeping willow. The +culture of fruit trees, also, is receiving much attention of later +years, and as widely as refinement must be separated from the islanders, +to be in keeping with your views, their love for the sweet spring +flowers knows no bounds. + +In your walks of curiosity about town, you meet with a great many of the +denomination termed Friends, or Quakers, and as you pass them you cannot +refrain from giving them the inside walk, for their very garb is of +humility; and as you look into the placid face of some matron, you feel +like uncovering yourself, for you can see the innocence looking out of +her eyes. You are curious to know whither so many are wending their way, +and meeting a sailor-boy, he tells you it is "fifth day," and if you +follow in the wake of the "slick bonnets," they will pilot you to their +nearest light-house; but precious little light you will get unless the +spirit move some of them to pick up the wick. You move on with the rest +till you come to their house of worship, which appears as humble as +those who enter its doors. As you contrast the plainness on all sides +with the richly decorated edifice in which you have been accustomed to +worship, you try to smile a smile of contempt at the scene, but cannot, +for you feel that the spirit of Christ is in their midst; and though not +a word is spoken during the hour and a half, yet you feel that the +silent worship which went up to Heaven, was heard by Him who answers +prayer. As a signal for dispersing, the elders who occupy the "rising +seats," arise and shake hands, and you go your way with those silent +ones, feeling that their worship was acceptable to God. The Quakers of +Nantucket are rapidly diminishing in number. Formerly two-thirds, +perhaps, of the population, were of the Society of Friends, but now not +one-third are of that denomination. As their children come up, they are +not true to the faith, as were their fathers, and they put off the plain +garb for the fashions of the day. A Quaker in Nantucket will in time +come to be a great curiosity. Their places will, we fear, be filled by +none more upright. Heaven bless them! + +Nantucket of the present is not Nantucket of the past. Her quaint, +old-timeness has given place to customs and manners more in accordance +with things common-place. Yet her originality has not entirely forsaken +her; she has a character even now, peculiar to herself. The wild waves +come tumbling in, their glad shouts ringing through the midnight +stillness with the same zest as of yore; and the same starry skies, +which looked down on the fair maiden of a century ago, still bend over +her children's children, as they tread along life's rugged way. +Occasionally you may meet with one who has long since passed the +meridian of life, one, perhaps, who has never been off of the island of +his birth; and he will tell you of the Nantucket of the past, before her +peaceful shores had been invaded by the stranger; when they might lay +them down to sleep, without thought of bolt or bar, save old ocean's +faithful bands. You will learn of Nantucket from the beginning down to +the present time. Then the island was big with prosperity. Her sons were +not obliged to leave their homes for a five years' voyage, in search of +the monster from which they gained their chief maintenance, for there +were then good fishing grounds near the shore, and often the whale might +be seen from their little island, spouting off in the distance; and +their ships came proudly bearing down to the bar, laden heavily with the +good sperm oil, and all hearts were made lighter and each purse heavier, +with every new arrival of good fortune; as if they had been one great +family, each one smiling on another's prosperity. "But now,"--and the +face of the narrator is less joyous as he turns from _then_ to +_now_,--"things are not what they were. Our island is becoming like what +they tell me the world at large is." And the old man will re-light his +pipe, and with a sad smile he will give you the names of his ancestors, +from his great "Grand-'ther" down to more modern times, when his fifth +cousin Obed was a large ship-owner. Ah! treat such of other days with +kindness, for the style of that day will never come again; their great +hearts of brotherly love are not of this generation, yet they have left +an impress upon those well-loved shores that can never be entirely +erased. Those foot-prints of long ago, combined with the peculiarities +which will ever dwell with these children of the sea, are attractions +which insure to the stranger on his first visit, visions of many a happy +hour in the future; and he will long for the season to return which +shall liberate so many of the city doomed artificials to a few weeks' +intercourse with nature. + +Awakened at early dawn by the sailor's merry "yo, ho," coming up from +the waters with the sun, you turn your eyes seaward, and what a glorious +sight is before you! As far as the eye can reach, water, blue, rolling +water, tinged with rising sunlight in its morning purity; the night-bird +folds her wings, which she has laved in the white sea-foam, softening +the sigh of the breakers to the ear of those who slumbered; the white +sails bow their heads, while the old tars wonder what makes them so +happy. With these pleasant sunrise impressions you go forth into the day +with more lenient views towards the "land of whales," sniffing the salt +air with a real gusto. + +Glancing up the street, you descry an object in the distance which much +resembles a travelling dry-goods merchant, with the many fancy streamers +flying in the breeze; but as it draws nearer, you look around in +astonishment for "Barnum," fully persuaded if that worthy is not on the +ground, he has mistaken his calling for once. The object in question is +no less than a common two-wheeled horse-cart, such as are used to do our +heavy carting, except this is on springs, and of a lighter build; in the +vehicle are some half dozen ladies, standing, their only support being +short ropes attached to the sides, which, however, are seldom used, +except by those unaccustomed to this kind of exercise, and in this +position they ride with the greatest ease, seldom losing their balance, +even when going at full speed. + +Thoroughly initiated, and having seen most of the lions of the place, +you find yourself becoming more and more attached, forget that you have +ever thought of the island as anything but attractive. Your one week has +become the length of four, and the letters to anxious friends at home +have been characteristic of briefness, unwilling to steal a moment's +time from the enjoyment which will furnish a topic for the unemployed +hours of longer days to come. Of the many excursions which have made +short the hours of your sojourn here, I will not enter into detail; +suffice it to say, you have been disappointed in Nantucket and its +inhabitants. You have made many firm friends, the memory of whom will +stir the tear of unselfish love, as you number them over, one by one, in +the future. They will never be forgotten. You have found Nantucket is +not merely an isolated place, where oil is manufactured; where the +people only work to eat, and eat to work. [Though as some have +suggested, a carriage drive connecting Nantucket with the Continent +would be a great modern improvement]. As one has quaintly expressed, in +a little poem entitled "An Old Story:" + + "Before Columbus ever thought + Of Western World, with glory fraught; + Before the Northmen had been known + To wander from their native zone; + Before war raised a single mound, + The antiquarians to confound; + Indeed, so very long ago, + The time one can't exactly know,-- + A giant Sachem, good as great, + Reigned in and over our Bay State. + So huge was he, his realm so small, + He could not exercise at all, + Except by taking to the sea. + [For which he had a ticket free, + Granted by Neptune, with the seal, + A salient clam, and couchant eel]. + His pipe was many a mile in length, + His lungs proportionable in strength; + And his rich moccasins,--with the pair, + The seven-league boots would not compare. + Whene'er siestas he would take, + Cape Cod must help his couch to make; + And, being lowly, it was meet + He should prefer it for his feet. + Well, one day, after quite a doze, + A month or two in length, suppose, + He waked, and, as he'd often done, + Strolled forth to see the mid-day sun; + But while unconsciously he slept, + The sand within his moccasins crept; + At every step some pain he'd feel, + 'Twas now the toe, now near the heel; + At length his Sachemship grew cross, + The pebbles to the sea he'd toss, + And with a moccasin in each hand, + He threw on either side the sand; + Then in an instant there appear + Two little isles, the Sachem near! + One as the Vineyard now is known, + The other we may call our own. + At ease, he freely breathed awhile, + Which sent the fogs to bless our isle; + And turning East, with quickened motion, + The chill, bleak winds came o'er the ocean. + + Ill-judging Sachem! would that you + Had never shaken _here_ that shoe. + Or, having done so, would again, + And join Nantucket to the main!" + +Having had a peep within the nest, you sigh for the return of the bird, +and we will on. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +THE VOICE OF CHILDHOOD. + + + "Ah! Well may sages bow to thee, + Dear, loving, guileless Infancy! + And sigh beside their lofty lore + For one untaught delight of thine; + And feel they'd give their learning's store, + To know again thy truth divine." + + MRS. OSGOOD. + + + "And now behold him kneeling there, + By the child's side, in humble prayer; + While the same sun-beam shines upon + The guilty and the guiltless one; + And hymns of joy proclaim through heaven, + The triumph of a soul forgiven." + + MOORE'S "LALLA ROOKH." + + +"Mother, why does every one pass poor old Quady by without giving him +even a smile? Is not that the reason why he looks so sorrowful? He +looked so sad when I met him this afternoon, that I could not help +holding out the daisies which I had gathered for you, towards him; and +when he did not take them, but stood looking at me without speaking a +word, I asked him if he did not want the flowers to carry to his home, +and put them into his hand; and when I had come up with the +school-girls, who had run away when they saw him coming, I looked after +him, and he was still standing by the road-side, with the flowers in his +hand, watching us as we went up the street. Perhaps he was resting a +little, for it is a long way to the low home over the commons." + +"Quady, my dear, no doubt feels that he is alone in the world, for he is +the only one that is left of a large tribe of Indians; all of his kind +are gone, and are buried, no one but himself knows where. He does not +look upon the pale faces as brothers, though they treat him kindly. He +feels that wrong has been shown his ancestors at their hands. I am glad, +my child, that you were kind to the Indian." + +"Yes, mother, I love everybody; but I think I love those best who look +as if no one cared for them. I suppose everybody loves poor Quady, only +they forget to let him know it." + +"You like dat old Ingin, Sea-flower? why, he almost as black as Bingo +hesef." + +"Do you think I do not love you, Vingo, because you are black? You are +always good to me, and what would I do without you to take me to the +shore, whenever I like to go?" + +"O, little missy, I tink you can sympetize wid old black Bingo; but den, +ebry body not like you; you's one ob de Lord's chilen hesef." + +"We are all the Lord's children, Vingo," said Mrs. Grosvenor; "and we +should walk in the paths of righteousness, that we may be worthy of his +name. You may go, now." + +"What does Vingo mean, mother? he talks so strangely sometimes about my +being left here by the Lord, and goes on muttering something to himself, +which I cannot understand, and laughs as if he was very happy." + +"It is his way of expressing himself, my dear; the negroes are a +peculiar race." + +"Yes, I think they are; I like their ways, they are always so kind. Are +not their dispositions better than those of some white people? I never +heard of a black man being cruel to any one, but I have seen the prints +of a whip-lash on Vingo's neck, where he said his old massa used to +whip him; and I asked him many times over, if he was sure it was a white +man who whipped him, and he said yes, he was sure, for he remembers he +used to wish white folks were black, so they could not tell which were +the negroes." + +"There are some very hard-hearted people in the world. Vingo was brought +up in slavery; when you are a little older you will understand +it better." + +"Dear mother, you know what is best for me; but often, when I am +interested in what is said, and ask questions, people tell me I will +understand it when I am a little older; and when I sit down by myself, +and they think I have forgotten all about it, I find myself wishing I +was "a little older," for it disappoints me so much to leave a story not +finished." + +Mrs. Grosvenor looked at the child in silence. + +"I have not displeased you, dear mother, have I? I did not feel that I was +saying anything wrong." + +"No, darling; I did not think you would understand me, that was the +reason why I did not explain to you. I am always ready to talk with you, +if you can comprehend what I am saying." + +"Never mind, mother, I am six years old; it won't be a great while +before I shall be 'a little older,' and then I can realize how very good +you are to me, my dear mother, and how patient you are." + +Mrs. Grosvenor clasped the child in her arms. "What makes little pet +look so sober to-night?" asked Captain Grosvenor, as taking her on his +knee, he pushed the dark brown curls from off her forehead, and looked +into her mild, blue eyes. "What makes Sea-flower so quiet? Has anything +happened to either of your seven kittens? or has some flower which has +lived already a week longer than nature designed, at last withered, and +gone the way of all frailties?" + +"O, father, I should be very wicked if I were not happy, when I have so +much to make me so; but sometimes, when I hear the shore roaring so loud +as it does this evening, and look up at the stars, as they twinkle in +their homes far away in the sky, there is something which comes over me +of sadness, making me a great deal happier; and there is one particular +star which I always notice, for it seems as if it was looking down at me +so gently, that I forget myself, and put out my hand to touch it, as if +it was not so far away; and I fancy sometimes that the star can read my +thoughts, for it seems to smile when I am happiest." + +"You are a little fanciful creature; you must learn to leave off +dreaming when you are awake." + +"What shall you dream about when father goes away to sea again?" asked +Harry. + +"I think mother will not let him go; we cannot spare him; but if you +should go, father, I shall love to dream of you very often; I will think +of you every day, sailing on the water with a heart so light. O, it must +be so pleasant to live, to sleep on the water! And you will want to see +dear mother and Harry, when you are so far away; you will not forget +us;" and she hid her cheek in the hardy captain's bosom. + +"No, no, darling, I shan't forget you; but we wont talk any more about +it now; I have not gone yet." + +What was it made that stout man's voice tremulous, as he called for his +evening paper? Many a time had that stern voice been heard above the +hurricane's roar, giving the word of command,--why did it tremble now? +Was it that voice of childhood which sank into his heart? + + * * * * * + +"Missus, de sun hab done gone, now, de chllens hab all gone from school +long ago, and Bingo's two eyes hab clean gone stretched, looking up de +road for de Sea-flower," remarked that worthy, putting his ebony head in +at the drawing-room door, where sat Mrs. Grosvenor, so busily engaged +making those garments for her husband, which she feared would be needed, +alas! so soon that she had not perceived the hours were gliding on +apace, and that it was long past the time when Sea-flower usually came +tripping in from school to receive her evening kiss, and to tell over +the events of the day. + +"Has Harry come home yet? she may have gone up to the High School to +meet him." + +"Yes, missus, massa Harry here a long time." + +"Then you had better go and see what keeps her; you will probably meet +her on the way, and if it is not too late you may take the horse and +give her a ride." + +"Yes, missus;" and the jet pony, so many shades lighter than his driver, +was soon lost in the distance. + +The last faint shadows of the sun had died away, the moon had risen in +all her queenly beauty, and Vingo had not returned; neither had anything +been seen of the Sea-flower since she had left home early in the +afternoon; and now Mrs. Grosvenor really began to feel anxious, as she +stood looking out into the night; for, although the child was accustomed +to stroll about the fields in search of wild flowers, whenever she +liked, she had never before stayed away so long. + +"Husband, had you not better go and see what has become of her? I cannot +think what keeps them." + +"It is a mystery; but give yourself no uneasiness; I'll be bound the +child has made a safe harbor somewhere. She usually has a +look-out aloft." + +"Ah! there they come, under a full press of sail!" cried Harry, who +loved well to imitate the nautical phrases of his father. "Does she not +make a grand figure-head!" + +"Figure-head!" exclaimed Vingo; "I am tinking, young massa, if dis 'ere +head ob mine had not been made so solid like, 'spressly for figuring, +dat it been a powerful time afore you cotch sight ob dis bit ob +fly-away again. De good Lord be praised! but if I don't tink little +missy so filled wid what de angels libs on dat she make use ob de shadow +ob dar wings to take herself away ober dose yar commons! It make me +smile to tink how dat old Ingin look at Sea-flower, as if de sun was +puttin' out his eyes." + +"Why, my child, you surely have not been out to Quady's hut! it is a +long way." + +"Ha! a fast sailor, always has a fair breeze; dropped anchor in the best +harbor in these parts! But what's this? colors half-mast?" exclaimed the +captain, as he caught sight of a little pouch, woven together of bright +colored basket stuff, slung over her shoulder; a little drab paw, +darting from out its deepest recesses in pursuit of a tantalizing curl, +soon explains how matters stand, and a voice of the greatest feline +sweetness is heard in reply to divers catlike salutations, proceeding +from the adjoining apartment. + +"This is my wallet, which Quady has made for me to carry my kittens in; +and pussy has enjoyed it so much! 'Tis the way Quady's people used to +carry their babies through these very streets, only there were prettier +walks here then. O, he has told me so many pretty stories!" + +"How came you to have your kitten with you? and why did you go away so +far, and stay so late, my dear? I have been looking for you a +long time." + +"O, mother, I will tell you all about it. As I was bidding my kittens +good-bye, after having a little talk with them, as I usually do before +going to school, I missed one of the smallest, which I call Charity, +because she always looks up at the larger ones, when they play with her +too roughly, in such a forgiving way. I looked all around, and not +finding her, thought she must have strayed away by herself, and I ran +off to school. Our lesson for to-day was Faith, Hope, and Charity; as I +read the last word I looked down, and there was my own Charity peeping +at me from out my pocket. I explained to my teacher how it happened, for +I thought she would be displeased; but having an errand into the next +room just then, she did not think of kitten, who lay quietly sleeping +again; and when I had said all my lessons, my teacher excused me, saying +it was because I had been a good girl. And so we strolled over the +commons together, Charity and I, and I dressed her in wild flowers, and +she did look so innocent! On we went, I running after kitten, and then +kitten after me, when, before I thought how far we had come, I espied +Quady's low home a little way off, and he was sitting at the door. He +did not see me until I stood before him, and then he went into his house +and brought out a large pipe and gave to me; I thought it so strange +that poor Quady should think a little girl could smoke a pipe, but I +took it to please him, and then he showed me so many curious things; +there was a large bow, and arrows with sharp bits of iron in their +heads, and he was going to shoot a little sparrow which sat upon the +fence, but I caught his arm, and begged him not to kill the poor thing. +I told him God made the sparrow to be happy, and he asked me if I meant +the Great Spirit, if my God was his God? When I told him it was, he put +up his bow and came and sat down by me, and taking a little paper from +his bosom, unrolled it, and there were the daisies which I had given him +so long ago! He asked if the Great Spirit made them, too, and if he had +sent me to give them to him; and when I told him the great Spirit made +all the flowers, made everything, and loved everybody who loved him, +and that he would let his children all come home and live with him +by-and-by, the tears rolled down his cheeks, and he said,--'O! me see my +brothers, then! me not be all alone! Me love Great Spirit; Great Spirit +so good to send little white-face to tell me how to get home.' Then I +could not help crying myself, mother, for I thought I should like to +meet Quady's brothers there." + +"Ah! bress de Lord, but it am good as a small bible to hear dat chile +talk;" was heard in a suppressed voice, as it went stable-ward. + +Day after day passed, and that little one was often seen, attended by +old Nep, or in the arms of the faithful Vingo, on her way to the low +home over the commons, much to the horror of sensitive mothers, who +shook their heads and said, "she is a strange child." Never was +Sea-flower happier than when she might be allowed to go and see the +Indian; and it was indeed a strange sight to see that red man, the only +representative of a departed tribe, gazing upon the little one, as she +talked to him of Jesus and his word. + +The autumn of the year had come. It was one of those soul-stirring days +in October, which cannot fail to arouse the most thoughtless mind to a +sense of the wonderful works of creation. The Sea-flower had gone to the +"low home over the commons." Hand in hand, that red man and the tender +child, they went their way, to where he pointed out the graves of his +people; there were no stones, not a mound to mark the spot. Why was +there need of any? He alone knew the place; none others had cared to +know, until now, when the number of his days had well-nigh been told, +this little child, of a summer's day, had breathed upon those ice-bound +springs, till they had broken their bands, and were gliding on in the +bright sun-light, smoothly on,--on, forever. There did the Indian lay +him down, where he would have them bury him; and there, for the first +and last time, did he breathe a prayer over the graves of the departed, +to that Great Spirit, whom he had been taught was the one great +Father of all. + +"Mother, poor Quady is not so strong as he used to be; when he pounds +the corn, to make nice cakes for me, his hands tremble, and I notice he +takes all the broth which you send to him, for he says he has no +appetite for anything else." + +It was a holiday. A great display of military had arrived from the +continent. + +"Sea-flower, you will see the beautiful horses, and the epaulets, the +white plumes, and the shining swords, but they need not think to turn +your brain with all their splendor." + +"Brother Harry, I should like to see all those splendid things, but I +had much rather go and see Quady to-day; it is several days since I have +been there, and we have such good times! I love to talk with him +so well." + +"You strange little creature, you can go to see the Indian any time." + +"Yes, but some how I feel as if I would like to go to-day. I know he +will like to see me;" and the child was soon on her way to the "low +home," with Nep, who carried the pail of broth. As she drew near, she +saw that Quady was not sitting at his door, as he usually did, to watch +for her, but instead, the door was closed, and everything around was +still; nothing was heard, save the breakers as they dashed upon the +shore. Opening the door, which was never fast, she saw before her, the +form of poor Quady, stretched upon the rude bed, and as he tossed to and +fro, in an uneasy slumber, he muttered the words,--"pale-face--gone." + +"Pale-face has come! Quady, Pale-face has come to you! Look up, and take +some of the nice broth which I have brought." + +Slowly he opened his eyes, and seeing the little one was by his side, he +raised his hands aloft and said, "Me thank Great Spirit; me afraid Great +Spirit take me home without seeing little Pale-face once more. Me see my +brothers soon; a little while, and Pale-face come to see us. Great +Spirit bless little Pale-face," he feebly said; "she make poor +Quady happy." + +With that dying blessing his spirit took its flight. He had passed away, +the last one of his kind, he who had lived a life of solitude, apart +from the world, looking upon the white man as having taken from him his +home, his lands, and the forests which would have been his if the white +man had not, long years ago, laid them low; yes, he had breathed a +blessing, with his last breath, upon the pale-face. He who had not a +brother left to bury him, had thanked God that the Pale-face had come to +close his eyes; yes, it was the voice of childhood which had made his +last moments happy, had pointed out the road which leads the +wanderer home. + +It was a scene to melt the hardest heart; that little child, scarcely as +high as the rude couch, reaching up to close the eyes of him whom she +should see no more. As she sat by his side, and looked around the room +where she had spent so many happy hours, a sense of loneliness crept +over her. There was the pipe which he had smoked, laid away on the +little chimney-piece, and by the bed-side was the pail of broth with +which she had thought to please him so much; and at the remembrance she +burst into tears, and her tears fell upon the hand of him who lay +sleeping. Neptune, hearing the sad tones of his mistress, came and +looked into her face; and when she took no notice of him, he crouched at +her feet, and howled piteously. And thus they found them, for the little +one could not think of leaving her dear Quady there alone. They buried +him, as he had wished, by the side of his brothers; and when the +Sea-flower gazed into that narrow house, so dark and still, she looked +up and said, "Mother, I shall love to look at the stars oftener now, for +he has gone to live among those bright and shining ones." Sadly did the +child miss her visits to the "low home," and when in years to come her +thoughts wandered over the past, her love for the poor lone Indian had +not diminished. The stars shone brighter and brighter, even as her light +was "shining unto the perfect day." + +"What little missy look up in de sky so much for?" asked Vingo, as he +walked by the shore, with Sea-flower in his arms, as was his custom of a +bright moonlit evening. + +"O, Vingo, it is so beautiful! I was watching those fleecy clouds, until +they seemed to be little waves in which the stars were sailing upward, +up, and as they looked back to us, their smile seemed to grow purer; and +I think I can see Quady among them. Don't you see him, Vingo?" + +"Does you mean dose little black specks in de moon, missy?" + +"No, Quady is one of the bright ones now; and you will be made white, +too, when you go there. Don't you want to go and be one of those bright +ones, Vingo?" + +"Does all de white folks go dar?" + +"Yes, if they love God when they are here; if they are good he will +take them home to be with him." + +"Den I don't tink I wants to go dar." + +"O, Vingo! that is very wicked! Why don't you want to go?" + +"'Cause, missy, dey say old slabe massa am one ob de best men in de +whole ob Berginny, and I's 'fraid he catch Bingo and tie him up again." + +At that moment a shadow was seen in the distance, and Harry came +bounding over the ground on the wings of the wind. + +"Ah! I thought I should find you here, Sea-flower, making the +acquaintance of some of your sisters, as they hold up their heads in the +moonlight. Vingo, what do you think? Father has received orders to sail +in a week!" + +"O, go way, massa Harry; what you mean by dat?" said Vingo, letting fall +his lower jaw, while the whites of his eyes looked as if they had some +time or other been in contact with a ghost. + +"I mean that the Tantalizer will be ready for sea in a week, and Father +will go master of her on a Cape Horn voyage. O, if father would only let +me go with him, how delighted I should be! But he says I am too young, +that I am not strong enough; yet I know of boys two or three years +younger than I am, who have been around Cape Horn, and are now making a +second voyage. I have often heard old Captain Wendall tell of the first +voyage father made, when he was but ten years old, and how nimbly he ran +up to the mast-head, and was always the first to discover the whale as +she spouted, and would sing out, 'there she blows!' equal to an old tar. +I must prevail on father to let me go with him." + +"Dear, dear Harry, do not talk so! Only think how mother will feel to +have father go! He has been at home so long, ever since I was born, and +how would she feel to have you both go away, and no one but Vingo and +myself to comfort her." + +"No one but you to comfort her? You are worth a dozen like me, darling!" +and the little manly fellow threw his arms around her neck, and felt +that he had the very best sister in the world. + +"Ah! young massa, I tinks you hab de right sort ob spirit; you's born to +be no land-lubber; but it my 'pinion you had better stay wid good, kind +missus and de Sea-flower a while longer; you not find a better berth, +I'm tinkin'." + +"No, that I shall not; let me go where I will, I shall not find a +mother like her; and as for Sea-flower, I don't believe there was ever +another in the whole ocean like her." + +"How funny you talk, Harry; you make me think of little Moses in the +bulrushes." + +"Ah! there goes a gull, flying over my right shoulder, headed seaward; +the sailor's omen of good luck; perhaps father may change his mind, +after all." + +"Harry, I want you to promise me you will say nothing about going to sea +before mother; will you promise?" + +"I never could refuse you anything, little pussy, but you do not say +anything about yourself; would you not like to get rid of such a +graceless fellow?" + +The child's sympathies had been so wrapped up in her mother's grief, +that it had not occurred to her mind how much she should miss her dear +father; and as she thought of Harry, who had always played so gently +with her, and came every night, after her mother had heard her prayers, +and told such beautiful stories, about the good little fairies, until +she fell asleep, and dreamed they had all come to be her sisters; and +was awakened in the morning by the tramping of so many little feet, (in +near proximity to those brown curls, which seemed to have been awake +long before their mistress), and saw fourteen blue eyes looking at her, +besides two roguish black ones, behind the curtain, which she did not +see, and would wonder if it might not have been the kittens, after all, +that had whispered in her ear. As she thought of all his kindness to +her, she was silent; and as the negro drew the mantle more closely about +her, he wondered if the little drop which fell upon his hand was of dew. + +Preparations for the sailing of the Tantalizer were rapidly going on. +She was a stout-built ship of three hundred tons burthen, the pride of +her owners; and why should she not have been? for many a rich cargo had +she brought to them, thousands and thousands of dollars had she added to +their possessions; many a hurricane had she outrode, and as she sat so +proudly on the water, she looked as if she might outlive many more. +Captain Grosvenor had sailed master of her upon six successive voyages, +making a "telling" voyage each time, until, his fortune becoming +sufficiently ample, he had thought to spend the rest of his days on +shore; but, after a respite of seven years, he had become so restless, +and so longed to try his fortune upon the water again, that, receiving a +flattering offer from those in whose employ he had formerly sailed, he +consented, as he said, "for the last time," to make a voyage in his +favorite Tantalizer. Mrs. Grosvenor had earnestly hoped that her husband +would follow the sea no more, knowing that their means were sufficient +to supply all their wants; and since God in his providence had consigned +this little one to their care, she had congratulated herself that there +was one more tie to bind her husband to his home; and, indeed, the child +was as dear to him as if she had been his own flesh and blood; and as +those last seven years upon shore stood up before him, now that he was +about to leave all that was dear to him, as having been spent more in +keeping with God's laws than in any previous part of his life, he felt +that he was a better man. Naturally of a noble, generous disposition, he +had gained the respect of all who knew him. Pleasant and gentlemanly in +his manners, he was no less firm in his duties on shipboard, and his +stern word of command was received by his men with the same hearty +"aye, aye," as when he cracked a joke with them over the club-room fire. +Harry had kept his promise in regard to his wish to go with his father; +and when he looked into his mother's face, and saw how mournful was her +smile, he felt that it would indeed be cruel to think of leaving her. +But when he heard the sailors saying, as he clambered up the rigging, +that it was a pity such a sprightly little fellow could not go along +with them, his desire to ship for the voyage knew no bounds, and seeking +his father, in the cabin, he had a long interview with him, gaining the +promise that when he should return he would secure for him a good lay, +and that he might then commence the nautical career, which the captain +plainly saw his inclinations had marked out. + +The day had arrived when the ship would sail. Every thing had been made +ready for a long voyage, should the captain not meet with his usual good +fortune, which was considered unnecessary by her owners, so sanguine +were they of her success; such implicit faith did they place in the +abilities of her captain, that in securing his services, they looked +upon the voyage as told. Ah! who can tell if that proud ship may ever +return? Was there not one who looked upon her thus? Within that happy +home, now so desolate, sat the wife of him who had just taken his leave +of her, and the bitterness of that hour who can tell? She only who has +tasted the same cup of sorrow; she who has given to the mercies of the +deep him whom she holds most dear on earth. Such an one can indeed +realize what were the feelings of that wife, as she sat at the window, +her eye fixed upon the ship which was bearing away him whom she might +never see more. The white sail is smaller and smaller, until it appears +but a speck, and is finally lost in the distance. And then what a sense +of desolation! Oh, might we all seek for strength in time of trouble, of +Him who will not turn a deaf ear to the cries of his children! Who hath +said, "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." Would that all might seek +for comfort in the hour of trial, as did that stricken one,--in prayer! +The Sea-flower had, with Harry, accompanied her father in the ship, as +she was towed out by the steamer over the bar. As they were about to +cast off, when the steamer should return, the father sought to bid his +children farewell. Turning to his boy, he bade him be all that a son and +brother should be. With one long embrace his eye rested upon the +Sea-flower; his voice failed him. + +"Father," said the child, "you will soon come to us again; then you will +never leave us;" pointing to a little cross which she had privately +embroidered and set up in his state-room, she said, "you will be happy, +father, so happy, on the water! But sometimes, when the stars look down +upon you, or the great waves break over your ship, you will want to see +us; and when you look at the pretty name which you gave me," (pointing +out the word Natalie, which was wrought upon the foot of the cross), +"you may know that I am thinking of you. Our hearts shall be with you." + +With a father's blessing upon his children, he suffered them to be taken +away; and as the loud huzza went up from the deck of the steamer, he saw +his little one gazing back upon him, from amidst the waving banners, +with a look which sank into his heart; her gentle words were still +sounding in his ear, and it would seem as if that voice of childhood +was of riper years. Her words were never forgotten. Over the spirit of +the child there came that which she had never known before; ah! gentle +one, it is but the first drop of bitterness which must be mingled with +the sweets in every life. May the All-Father keep thy feet from hidden +thorns, strewing thy pathway only with the sweet flowers of innocence! +He had gone; and the heart of the Sea-flower echoed,--"he has gone;" the +very breeze which wafted him from home sighed "gone." Is there a heart +which never knew the tone? + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +WESTWARD HO! + + + "I hear the tread of pioneers, + Of nations yet to be; + The first low wash of waves, where soon + Shall roll a human sea." + + J.G. WHITTIER. + + + "Far on the prairies of the West, + A lovely floweret grows; + With glowing pen, each traveller oft + Describes the Prairie Rose. + + "For ages there alone it grew, + The prairie's gem and pride; + But now the Rose of Sharon fair + Is blooming at its side." + + MRS. J.H. HANAFORD. + + +"Och, sure, mem, and it's meself that's afther a thinking that we shall +be raching good ould Ireland, from the ither side of this great Ameriky, +if we kape on." + +"Have patience, Biddy, we shall be there to-morrow at this time; there +is nothing like keeping up good courage." + +"Cabbage! mem, and it's meself has not seen a hapurth of a cabbage since +we stopped the last time, to get a bit to sustain hunger, sure; I think +mem, they must have rolled off, when the kitchen mirror and gridiron +dhraped down," said Biddy, desirous to atone in some way for the +disappearance of sundry heads of cabbage, which she had found means of +disposing of, even in its unprepared state, while buried among washtubs, +cheese-presses, and churns. + +"Bad luck to the likes of it, indade!" and she caught at a small +dining-table just in time to set it upon its legs again. + +"I don't wonder Biddy complains, mother; it's enough to weary the +patience of Job, riding so slowly over these dismal prairies; it would +really do my eyes good to get sight of a hill, or any thing to break +this continual sameness. What can father be thinking of, to take us to +such a lonely, out of the way place? Never mind, Biddy, we shall have +the pleasure of seeing where the sun goes to." + +Thus spake the occupants of a long, covered wagon, moving westward, +drawn by four stout oxen, with as many horses and cows following in +the rear. + +"Drive on there, Patrick," called out Mr. Santon, who was riding his own +horse by their side; "drive on, we must get to the settlement by +another night." + +"Yes, sir, I am afther urging on the bastes for the last piece or two; +but the crathurs have come so far, they don't know, sure, if they be +jist laying home, or afther a raching there." + +Mr. Santon had formerly been a merchant in the city of Boston; he had +been doing a heavy business, and had accumulated a handsome fortune, but +being one of those easy sort of persons, who think everybody as honest +as themselves, he had, in an evil hour, endorsed largely for those who +were worse than swindlers, who had not even as much as thanked him for +his name; and he had lost nearly all in that one act. Many friends he +had, who knowing his worth, had kindly offered their assistance, and +would willingly have set him on his feet again, for they disliked to +lose so valuable a citizen from their midst; but he, declining all +assistance from those, whom he knew gave not grudgingly, thanked them +with a grateful heart, and taking what little was left to him after +paying his debts, had started with his wife and only child, and two +servants whom he had retained, for the far West, intent upon leading a +quiet, unmolested life, in the bosom of his family. Haying supplied +himself with all requisite tools, etc., for tilling the ground, for +which occupation he had always a great desire, they had now, after a +fatiguing journey of fourteen days, arrived at the little log-house, in +the western part of the state of Ohio, which was to be their future +home. This was a great change for Mrs. Santon, who had spent the most of +her days in the city, and had always servants to call upon for her least +wish, never being obliged to lift a finger against her desire. She was +one of the best of women, with a kind word for every one, and greatly +did the poor, upon whom she had bestowed so many gifts of charity, +lament her departure. In the church, the sewing-society, by the bedside +of the suffering, and in the home of poverty, had she a place; her worth +was known to all. Cheerfully did she resign all to go with her husband, +to follow him, wherever it might be; with him would she be happy in +their home, though it might be ever so humble. Their daughter of ten +years was a sprightly, pretty child, with dark hair, and bright, black, +tell-tale eyes, which looked as if they might make sad havoc, when a few +more years should have added to their brilliancy. Resembling her mother +in features, her disposition was like her father; free and easy in her +ways, she was happy so long as every thing bent to her wishes; but her +mother could not but notice with regret that her child had acquired a +hasty, impatient manner, which the indulgence of her father in no way +served to improve; yet she was a warm-hearted little creature, and it +was with great difficulty that Mrs. Santon could bring herself to +censure her. Still the mother must do her duty toward her child, and +many a prayer had been offered, that she might have strength to +act aright. + +The long covered wagon stopped at the door of their new home just as the +sun was going down. + +There was but one house in sight of their little cabin, and that was, if +anything, still smaller than their own; nothing was to be seen on all +sides but wide prairie land, and as the little Winifred cast her eye +around, she exclaimed: + +"O! mother, what shall we do here? I am sure I shall not like to stay; +there is no one here." + +"You forget that God is here, my child," said the mother; and she +commenced assisting Biddy in setting up some few articles that would +make them comfortable through the night, while her husband, with Pat, +attended to the out-door affairs. + +"Och, and sure, mem," said Biddy, as she put her emerald head in at the +door of the cabin; "faith, and it's not yesilf, mem, that's going to +rest in the same room with the likes of me." + +"Yes, Biddy, I see no other way; we shall have to get used to western +life. I think, by partitioning off one corner, here, with blankets, we +shall get along very well; and then it will be right handy for you in +the morning to get the breakfast; you will not have the trouble of +coming down stairs." + +"Yes, mem, yese makes everything so asy like! but it's such strange +times for yese, mem!" and Biddy went flying about the room, her face +glowing with excitement, pulling at every uneven log in the house, +fully persuaded there must be some other apartment, if no more than a +closet; and as she caught at a loose board, which only separated them +from the open air, she looked through, delighted that she had discovered +another room, and that her mistress would not now be obliged to share +the same apartment with herself; for as the remembrance of certain +devotional exercises to be gone through, over each bead in her rosary, +came to her, she had her doubts if the "blissed St. Pathrick," (who, for +reasons best known to herself, was her favorite saint), would condescend +to listen to petitions offered from such near proximity to the +unbelieving Protestants; not that she thought her mistress was not a +most excellent woman, but she was a Protestant, and often had she called +upon the blissid St. Patrick, to "bring her dear lady over to the thrue +faith." As she bent down to look into the opening, congratulating +herself upon the discovery, a large cat darted through, full into her +face, and ran with speed out at the door. + +"Och, murther! and may the good saints presarve us alive! What will +become of us at all?" and in her fright she went headlong into a pile of +milk-pans, her unwieldy arms making certain involuntary revolutions, +causing the air to resound with a chorus, which might have done credit +to the first callithumpian in the land. + +"Ho! what is all this?" cried Mr. Santon, who had stepped in at the +commencement of the prelude; "what are you looking for under those +pans, Biddy?" + +"Sure, sir, and it's mesilf that's afther being exterpretated intirely! +The varmints! faith, there was a dozen, sir, came scratching at me;" and +she pointed at the aperture, as if in dread expectation of seeing their +ghosts in pursuit; but lo! instead, there was the full, round face of +Pat, who, having been left to take up his night's lodging with the +creatures, in the apology for a barn, had espied the light, and not +being able to resist the temptation of getting one more glimpse at the +"swate Biddy," he had ventured to look in, and catching a glimpse of her +woebegone face from among the shining tins, he exclaimed: + +"Och, honey dear, and has it come to this? that yese obliged to make +yese bed of the likes of that! And if ye'll wait a bit it's mesilf +that'll run and fetch some of the nate, saft sthraw, that ye can fill +the tins, and 'twill do ye betther; indade, and it's none but a hathen +that could endure the likes of that!" + +"Ah! Pathrick, is it ye? and was ye pint up in there wid the crathurs?" + +"Yes, it's mesilf that will be risting with the bastes, the night," said +Pat, thinking she had alluded to the creatures in the barn; "and I'll be +wishing ye swate dhrames, and a plinty' of thim;" saying which he +disappeared, leaving the trembling Biddy in great anxiety of mind as to +what should be his fate. + +As the little Winnie peeped out from behind the screen, when they had +all retired, and saw Biddy counting her beads, with her eye still fixed +upon the spot where she had last seen the smiling Patrick, she laughed +outright, in spite of the crevices in the roof overhead, and she laid +her down and looked up at the stars which came twinkling in upon her, +'till those great black eyes gradually diminished in size, and her +little brain was busily engaged among the familiar scenes of the home +which she had left so far away. + +Cautiously did Biddy, with the first dawn of day, advance toward where +she had dreamed her poor "Pathrick" was in close contact with the +veritable bastes, and the family was awakened from their slumbers by her +loud tones, lamenting that "niver a vistage of Pathrick, the cats, or +the ante-room was left," for on looking out, the only object which met +her gaze was the sun, which was just coming up in the east. + +"What's the time, Biddy?" asked Mrs. Santon. + +"And it's jist about three hours afther sunrise, mem." + +"I think you must be mistaken, Biddy; we cannot surely have been +sleeping so long after our usual time for rising." + +"Indade, and the sun bes jist coming in sight, and it must have been a +powerful time travelling over, sure. I'm thinking they must be afther +dhrying their takettles a long time, back there in ould Boston." + +Time passed on, and our adventurers were becoming more and more +accustomed to western life. Mr. Santon had found his lands to be in a +very good state of cultivation, the former owner having been a Dutchman, +who thoroughly understood what a good farm ought to be. Mrs. Santon had +proved herself to be one of the best of housekeepers, and greatly did +she pride herself on her abilities for filling the station of a farmer's +wife. As they sat down of an evening, to their meal of bacon and Indian +cakes, and contrasted their present circumstances with what had been +their former situation in life, they could not repress a smile at the +change; but they were happy, contented in their humble home, and the +bread which had been earned by the sweat of the brow was sweeter, the +social enjoyments dearer, than when in fashionable life they had been +obliged to live with an eye to the customs of society; even Winnie had +found some attractions in their little western home. The neighbors +comprising those who lived for twenty miles around, the nearest being a +mile distant, were pleasant, light-hearted people, and the civilities +which were shown to the new comers were without end. + +A small log-house, unlike the others of the settlement in its exterior, +inasmuch as it was honored with an additional door, served as their +place of worship; and it was with great joy that Winnie looked forward +to Sunday morning, when, mounted upon her pony, she might ride off for +six miles to the church, accompanied by her father and mother, each +riding their respective horses. Arrived at the church, they dismounted +at the great horseblock, leaving their hats and mantles thereon, as was +the custom; and it was a pretty sight to see the ladies walking into +church, their cheeks glowing with exercise, and the fresh, morning air. +As Winnie entered, her long curls composing themselves after a frolic +with the breeze, many a sly glance was aimed at her from the neighboring +pews, in spite of the consciences of their owners reminding them that it +was holy day. It was a source of great comfort to Mrs. Santon, that she +as able to come so far to this place of worship. The little society +numbered not over forty persons, yet those words spoken by our Saviour, +"where two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be in +the midst of them," came with renewed freshness to her mind, each time +she entered those doors, and she felt that she had never tasted the +bliss of uninterrupted love for Christ, as now. + +The shepherd of this little flock was a man fearing God, just, and +upright; his services in the cause of Christ were offered voluntarily, +without money, or price. Coming, as he had, in his old age, to spend +the remainder of his days in the family of a beloved son, he had found +with joy that his declining years might be profitably employed; that he +might earn that reward which is promised to those who make a right use +of the talents which God has given them; that he might merit those +blessed words, "well done, good and faithful servant." His labors among +this people had not proved ineffectual; many had been brought to see the +great mercies of their Redeemer, souls had been converted to Christ, and +as the song of praise went up from beneath that humble roof, the glad +shouts were borne aloft, and angels joined in the chorus. + + * * * * * + +It was a beautiful afternoon, everybody was busy about the farm of Mr. +Santon; Winnie was sitting at the door, intent upon her own thoughts, +when she caught sight of their good minister approaching upon his horse, +his silver locks flying in the wind. Biddy, learning they were to have a +visit from the "Protestant praste," turned first pale, then red, and +when the old gentleman dismounted at the door, she let fall the shoulder +of bacon, which she was preparing for the supper, and darted behind the +screen, in her haste hitting her foot against the lowest tin, in a pile +of two dozen, which brought the rest down to inquire into the state +of affairs. + +The presence of the old gentleman served to impart a cheerfulness to all +who gazed upon his happy countenance, and his kind tones, as he inquired +for the welfare of the family, penetrated the screen, reaching the ear +of Biddy, who sat wondering what the good father Teely would say, if he +knew she had so far sinned as to remain under the same roof with a +"wicked Protestant praste;" but as she heard him speaking to Pat, who +had come in of an errand, with such a pleasant voice, she ventured a +peep out, and the form of her thoughts just at that moment, might have +been a little, a very little, savoring of heresy. Suffice it to say, +when the old gentleman took his departure, there was a peculiar twinkle +in Biddy's eye, and she had so far overcome her aversion to the +"imposther" as to have had a few private words with him, which had by no +means decreased her usual flow of good spirits. It was evident that +Biddy "had on her high heels," for the rest of that evening. As Winnie +strolled over the farm, enjoying the evening breeze, reflecting upon her +good pastor's words, her attention was suddenly attracted toward the +enclosure where the cows were being milked, by hearing the voice of +Biddy, who, as she "stripped" the patient animal again, for the dozenth +time, was very much engaged with Pat, whose round, smiling face, as he +glanced at her from the opposite side of the creature, shone with +delight; and as the white foam rose higher and higher in Biddy's pail, +so did the warmth of her feelings get the better of her, and those +tell-tale eyes of Winnie's danced with mischief, as she overheard the +following conversation: + +"Ah, Pathrick dear, does ye think there is the laste sin in it? And +indade, it's mesilf that's thinking the blissid St. Pathrick would be +afther misthaking him for a good Catholic!" + +"And what did he say, honey dear? did he think he could be afther +comforting the likes of us?" + +"Thrath, and he did; it was himsilf that said niver a word when I was +spaking to him about it, but was afther showering a blissing upon us, +the dear sowl!" + +"But what will the praste say? Biddy, sure he'll be very angry, +intirely." + +"Faith, and it's no longer ago than the day afther yesterday, that the +misthress was saying if we confissed our sins with a right spirit, we +should be afther being forgiven; and now, Pathrick, I'm thinking we 'll +be afther getting married, and then there will be a plinty of time for +confissing." + +"Och, honey, and that's the thruth for ye," said the assenting Pat, and +together they walked towards the cabin. + +Winnie, putting that and that together, made up her mind that Patrick +and Biddy had become tired of a life of single blessedness, and were +seriously contemplating matrimony, which was, indeed the case; and +Biddy, having made known her desires to her mistress, who saw no just +cause why they should not be bound together in the holy bands of +wedlock, the next Wednesday was set apart when Patrick and Biddy would +be made husband and wife. + +The day arrived, and Biddy, arrayed in her best snuff-color, with +ribbons and laces to match, stood up with him of her choice, to +pronounce those vows which should make them one, even though the +ceremony should be performed by a Protestant. + +"Will you take this woman to be your wedded wife?" spake the reverend +gentleman, in a clear, distinct tone. + +"Ah! kape on, kape on!" shouted the enraptured Pat; "don't be throublin +yesilf with questions; dear knows it's mesilf that's in it;" and his +smiling face was mirrored in numerous brass buttons, which were hanging +around his buff vest. + +As soon as the old gentleman could get his voice again, for the +boisterous joy of Pat, be turned to the trembling Biddy. + +"Do you take this man to be your lawful husband, and leaving all others, +will you cleave unto him alone?" + +"Indade, your Riverence!" exclaimed Biddy, "I'll be afther claving him +all the days of me life! It's not mesilf, sure, that was always born and +reared in the great city of Cork, that'll be doing things by halves!" +and in her happiness she caught Pat around the neck, giving him a smack, +which might have been attributed to the opening of the bottle of whiskey +with which Mr. Santon had graced the occasion, had it not been for those +great eyes of Winnie, which would discover the accident, in spite of +their mistress's endeavors to direct their attention elsewhere. + +And now Patrick and Biddy were husband and wife. Never was there a more +devoted couple; the days glided pleasantly on, Biddy keeping time in her +endeavors to please her mistress with the joys of her heart; everything +went on cheerfully, not a note of discontent was heard, except that the +little Winnie would sometimes break into sighing for the pleasures of +her early home. Nothing occurred to disturb the quietude of this home in +the West, until early in the ensuing Fall, when Mrs. Santon was taken +with a violent attack of Western fever, which threatening to undermine +her health, Mr. Santon was fearful lest they should be obliged to return +East; but the fever leaving her, she was again able to attend to her +duties, with only an occasional "shake," and the discussion as to their +return was for the present discontinued. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +THE OUTWARD BOUND. + + + "Go in thy glory o'er the ancient sea, + Take with thee gentle winds thy sails to swell, + Sunshine and joy upon thy streamers be; + Fare thee well, bark; farewell!" + + MRS. HEMANS. + + + "Farewell; God knows when we shall meet again. + I have a faint, cold fear thrilling through my veins, + That almost freezes up the heat of life." + + SHAKESPEARE'S "ROMEO AND JULIET." + + +As the dews of heaven fall gently, lulling the flowers to rest, so did +the low, clear voice of the Sea-flower soothe the weary spirits of Mrs. +Grosvenor, as she read from the evening paper the following paragraph: + +"Spoken by bark Constitution, of New York, in latitude 39 deg. 20', +longitude 45 deg., ship Tantalizer, of Nant., Capt. I. W. Grosvenor, eighty +days from home; had taken seventy barrels of sperm oil, and was made +fast to a forty-barrel right whale: would sail for South Seas in a few +days; all well." + +"Hurrah for father!" exclaimed Harry; "he will be at home in less than +two years, at that rate, and then he promised me that I should see what +old ocean is made of!" + +"My son, you will learn full soon what a life at sea is; your bright +visions may indeed some of them be realized, the many dangers to which +you will be exposed, will not serve to mar your joys, for to such a +heart as yours they will pass unheeded; but for all that, my son, you +will meet with many hardships, of which you little know. I would wish +you never to follow the sea, my boy, but if you are still determined +upon it, when your father returns I shall have to give my consent, +though with reluctance. You will then be old enough to choose your own +pursuits for life, and whatever they may be, remember, Harry, to lead an +honest, upright life, never losing sight of your early instructions, and +the prayers of your mother." + +As Mrs. Grosvenor ceased speaking she looked upon her son, and could +hardly realize that her little rosy-cheeked Harry, who had loved to lay +his head upon her bosom, and listen while she told him of his father, +who had gone away over the blue water, to get such pretty things for his +boy, had grown to be a tall lad of fifteen years; and well might she +have been proud of her son, for the nobleness of his soul was apparent +in every feature. As Vingo expressed himself, "Young massa Harry am got +up ob what neber would get used to de atmosphere ob old Berginny." + +"Mother," said Harry, "I shall never forget your teachings. I shall +always hold them sacred in my heart, and wherever I go, in whatever +circumstances I am placed, I will be true to you, my mother;" and he +pressed a fervent kiss upon the brow of her who was worthy the name. + +As Mrs. Grosvenor returned her son's embrace, she felt that perhaps she +had said too much; that she had been selfish in wishing to have him +always near her; and she observed that he wore an expression of pain, of +deep emotion, which he in vain attempted to conceal. + +The Sea-flower had rested her head upon her hand, and while her mother +had been engaged with Harry, a silent spectator might have wondered to +what unseen object those deep oases of love were imparting their +purity. The words of Harry had fallen upon her ear,--"I shall see what +old Ocean is made of;" shall we follow in the train of her musings? they +will lead us not where the fallen tread. On the banks of the still +waters of peace, 'neath the willows, whose tears are of innocence, frisk +the tender lambs, who taste only of the sweets of the green pasture:--"I +shall see what old ocean is made of." Far away in coral dells, where the +nymphs of ocean tune their harps in praise to Nature's God, the +Sea-flower loves to ramble, as if she had been a child in time long +past, and the mysteries of ocean were that childhood's home. Ah, loved +one, thou dost not pause to find what 'tis which makes thy heart to beat +in unison with the murmuring of the waters! perchance those restless +billows are but the echoings of thy soul's desire to breathe that upper +air, and breathing, gasp for more, 'Tis not for us to tell thee that +bright ones came down, and bore the spirit of her who gave thee life, to +that better land, from hence; nor of the dying prayer, "Lord, keep my +child," which was caught up by each listening billow, and the +supplication, e'er since renewed by the voices of the deep. + +Why Mrs. Grosvenor had spoken thus, upon this evening to her son, she +could not tell; she felt there was some irresistible power which bade +her speak that charge,--"never lose sight of your early instructions, +and the prayers of your mother." As she retired early for the night, +feeling slightly indisposed, she met the gaze of Harry, which was fixed +upon her, attributing its uncommon earnestness to a determination on his +part to cherish her words. And he never did forget them But, ah! fond +mother, sleep on, take thy rest, and gain strength for the morrow's +rising, for thou knowest not of the cup of sorrow which is being +prepared for thee. + +As Harry sat watching the bright flames as they went crackling up the +chimney, his sister came and rested her head upon his shoulder, where +they remained, until Sea-flower, reminding him of the lateness of the +hour, was about to retire, when her brother threw his arm about her, +begging her to remain a little, for, said he, "I shall not always have +my dear sister to comfort me." + +"To comfort you! Harry, do you, who are always so light-hearted and +joyous, need comforting?" + +"Ah, pussy, but you can make the happiest heart happier. I was thinking +of mother; it is a comfort to me that she has you, Sea-flower, to cheer +her lonely hours." + +"I think mother is less sad than she has been, for now she is looking +forward to the time when father shall come home; and I think she +flatters herself that she can dissuade you from going to sea, and then +we shall be an unbroken, happy family once more." + +Those words! why had they power to make that boy turn pale? Had he not +been screened from the bright glow of the fire-light, the Sea-flower +must have noticed his agitation, as she looked up for the good-night +kiss; he clasped her in his arms for a moment, and then the door closed +upon her gentle form. + +The old clock in the church tower had struck eleven, and Harry heard the +cry of the watch, "all's well." He still stood where he had parted with +his sister; as her last footfall upon the stairs died away, and the +house was hushed for the night, the plans which he had matured long days +ago, for this night's execution, laid fast hold of him. Can it be +possible that the boy is about to forget those last words of his +mother? No, they are still sounding in his ear; and his promise, "I will +not forget the prayers of my mother." But does he consider, in the step +which he is about to take, of the arrow which will pierce that mother's +heart? He walks the room with a quick tread; he does reflect, and pities +his mother from the bottom of his heart, praying that the blow may fall +gently; but he has shipped for a voyage in the Nautilus, and this night, +at high tide, she will sail. + +Noiselessly he ascends to his room, and taking his clothes from the +drawer, where they had been placed with care, makes them into a bundle, +not forgetting the little bible, which was given him by his mother only +the day before, as a birthday gift. Pausing in the upper hall, he +listens, if he may get one last faint sound from those he holds so dear; +but save the uneasy slumbers of Vingo, nothing is heard. All is now +ready for his departure; stepping into the parlors, where hang the +portraits of the family, he takes a farewell of each. The Sea-flower and +his mother! his eyes fill with tears, and his heart is swelling into his +throat; he is upon the point of retracing his steps, when his eye rests +upon the features of his father. The daring boldness of the expression, +which the artist had but too well portrayed, fires him with fresh +courage; every nerve thrills with new life, and kissing the inanimate +canvas, as if it were indeed his dear mother and sister, he tore himself +away from home. Walking rapidly down the deserted street, without +venturing a look back, he passes many an endeared object; the old white +church, where he has been accustomed to worship, Sunday after Sunday, +for many years, holds high its head in the bright moonlight, and the +hands of the old town clock upon the tower, seem to beckon him to +return. He falters; it would seem as if the very doors of the church +would open and receive him. Throwing down the bundle, he kneels upon the +door-stone, and breathes a prayer to heaven, to bless those who will +enter therein when he shall be gone. Pressing his lips to the cold stone +where _they_ have trod, he rises, when lo! standing by his side, with +the package of clothes in his mouth, is the old house dog, Nep; and as +the watch in the tower cries, "past eleven o'clock, and all is well," he +looks wistfully into his master's face, as if he would ask, is all well? +What is to be done? in less than half an hour the ship will be towed +out into the stream; there is no time to be lost, but the dog will not +think of leaving his master, for his experience of years tells him it is +a new thing for the boy to be wandering from home at this unseasonable +hour. In vain did Harry attempt to drive the faithful creature from him, +for never having been an unwelcome companion before, the dog did not +understand his master's threatening gestures; yet he could understand +that something was amiss, and for that reason kept close upon his +master's heels, to shield him from all danger. + +Arriving at the wharf, the boy once more attempted to drive the dog from +him, when looking around, he espied a bit of rope, with which he made +him fast to a post, and then clambered up the ship's side. Poor Nep, +keeping his eye upon his master, laid him quietly down, until the lines +were cast off, and the ship began to recede from the shore. O, Harry, +could you leave the companion of your infancy thus, made fast to a yard +rope, to shiver in the night air? It was his only alternative, for in +taking Neptune with him he well knew would be robbing the household of +one more endearment. No sooner had the ship started from her moorings, +and Nep saw that his master was being borne away, than he gave a piteous +howl, and with one bound parted the line which held him, and plunging +into the tide, made vigorous attempts to reach the ship. + +"Breakers on the larboard bow!" sung out the captain, who stood laughing +to see the labors of the poor animal, who was becoming exhausted; "let's +see who'll have the first harpoon!" and he hurled a billet at the dog's +head as he was going down for the second time. Harry, seeing the action, +cried out, "Save him! who will save my poor Nep?" and fell fainting upon +the deck. Fortunately the hard-hearted man had missed his mark for once, +and by the light of the moon, the poor fellow was seen, just under the +bows, struggling feebly, as if about to give up, when an old tar, who +had heard Harry's cry for help, sprang with the rapidity of thought, and +seizing a rope, made it into a slip-noose, throwing it over the dog's +head, nearly strangling him as he drew him out of the water. Together +they lay motionless upon the deck, Harry and Nep, when the captain +coming along would have stumbled over them, had he not caught at a +halliard near by. + +"What in the name of things unheard of, is all this?" exclaimed he, +with an oath; "this indeed is a curious beginning for the little +land-lubber! I've the greatest mind to set him ashore, to come to his +senses at his leisure, and if I'm not greatly mistaken, he's but a young +runaway at best; but we might as well keep him now, he'll do for testing +the strength of our cats, and as for that other critter, Mr. Sampson, +you may hand him over to the steward, and tell him I shall want a nice +over-all when we get out where the ice makes an inch a minute." + +Mr. Sampson, who had shipped as boat-steerer, the same that had rescued +old Nep from drowning, lifted Harry in his arms, and carrying him below, +laid him in his own hammock, where he also brought the dog, who was +apparently lifeless, and laid him by his side. It was a long time before +Harry was restored to consciousness, and when he had gained strength +sufficient to raise himself upon one arm, he looked around in the +darkness, perfectly bewildered; but as the remembrance of his situation +slowly came to him, he called aloud, in agony of spirit, "Nep! poor +drowned Neptune!" tossing upon his hammock, his arm came in contact +with the creature's shaggy coat. Could it be Nep? rescued from the +inhuman treatment of the captain? but he did not move! was he alive? +Harry sprang from his bed, and making his way in the darkness he knew +not whither, finally found himself in the captain's state-room, which +was unoccupied, and seizing a candle, reached his hammock just as Mr. +Sampson returned. + +"Man alive! where did you get that light?" asked Sampson, apparently +much terrified. + +"O, sir, I took the first one I could find, for I must see if my poor +Neptune is dead!" and he bent over him, smoothing his head, calling +loudly, "Neptune! poor Neptune!" Sampson, recognizing the silver +candlestick as belonging in the captain's state-room, hastened to return +it, knowing well what the consequences would be, if that dignitary +discovered that any one had dared to enter his room without orders; and +giving Harry a few friendly hints, as to what his liberties would be, +under their commander, he drew out a mysterious looking bottle from his +jacket-sleeve, and diluting a small quantity of its contents, gave it to +Harry to drink, which in his weak condition did not come amiss. Turning +to the dog, the kind old tar commenced rubbing him vigorously, bathing +his cold limbs with the spirit, glancing occasionally at the gangway, to +see who might darken the descent. The dog at last gave signs of life, +and to Harry's great joy, he looked up and recognized his master, +Sampson assuring him, in his rough way, that the old fellow would soon +be as good as new. + +It was the last watch in the morning, and Harry, hearing loud voices on +deck, ventured out. It was a clear, cold morning, the moon had gone +down, and Venus was just rising in the east; on every side was the blue +rolling water. They had left Nantucket miles behind. Sampson, who was on +duty, seeing the boy looking out, as if he had come to the conclusion +that the island had been submerged, shook out a reef in the line which +he was making fast, that he might catch the boy's ear, and pointing to a +dim light far down in the distant horizon, he remarked, "Look well, it's +old Sankoty; I'm thinking you'll have seen different days when you make +her again." + +"Halloo, there, aft!" called out the captain; "has that kitten got to +mewing? Bear a hand there, and square your mizzen topsail," added he, a +tone of mockery. + +The order had hardly left his lips, when Harry, with a hearty "aye, aye, +sir!" sprang into the cross-trees, and in a twinkling had reached the +masthead, calling out in a voice which brought to the mind of each old +tar that he had once a mother,--"square away it is, sir." + +The captain could scarce believe his eyes; seeing by the smile upon the +face of every man on deck, that he had been decidedly sold, he hailed +him again. + +"Mast-head, ahoy!" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"Take your bearings from the fog bank to your leeward, and tell me how +she heads." + +The boy hesitated; he "saw which way the wind blew," and bethinking +himself of a small pocket compass which he had about him, sung out, +"East-south-east by east, sir, two points off." The man at the wheel +responded, "East-south-east by east, two points off." + +It would not do; the captain saw that he had mistaken his man, and +called all hands to pipe down. As Mr. Sampson passed him, he doffed his +tarpaulin, remarking, "I think, sir, the youngster will do very well for +trying the strength of our cats." + +It was evident to Harry, before he had sailed many days under Captain +Jostler, that he had one of the most tyrannical of masters. He had been +a perfect stranger to him when he shipped for the voyage, being a native +of Canada, and from the frozen condition of his heart no one would have +doubted it; had he been a Nantucket man, master Harry would have found +it more difficult in getting away so privately; as it was, no inquiries +were made of him. How different was Harry's situation from what it would +have been had his father procured for him a berth; as it was, he was +doomed to no common hardships, for the captain, having taken a dislike +to him from the first, seemed to take pleasure in making him as +uncomfortable as possible; and had it not been that he was a favorite +with the crew, he would have suffered many times from exposure. Many a +cold, stormy night had he been ordered to take his turn in the watch, +upon deck, in spite of the petitions of the men to fill his place; and +he would walk the deck for hours, to keep from becoming benumbed with +the cold; but, as his mother had predicted, the hardships and dangers to +which he was exposed did not serve to dampen his spirits, and for that +very reason, did the captain shower upon him many abuses; for in spite +of his cruel treatment toward him, he never had had the pleasure of +seeing him look anything but cheerful. At such times, when the wind was +howling fiercely, and the salt spray came dashing over the deck, +freezing upon the cheek of the youthful mariner, but never penetrating +that heart, which was warmed by the remembrance of other days, the boy +would think of home, of his mother, and as he uttered the name of the +Sea-flower aloud, those deep-toned voices of the sea would appear as if +the wild reechoings of the tone; and the low moanings of the wind +through the shrouds were of pity for that lone one on the deck of the +"outward bound." Could the boy have had old Nep for a companion in his +midnight watchings, he would have served to while away the time, but +that pleasure was not allowed him, for Captain Jostler had threatened to +throw the dog overboard, if he came in contact with him in any of his +walks; consequently Harry had doomed him to a life in the hold, seldom +venturing to visit him, except to carry the food which he had saved from +his own short allowance; and he often wondered how the poor fellow could +keep alive on such short rations, not knowing of the purloined bits +which were bestowed upon him from Sampson's commodious jacket-sleeve. + +"There she blows! there she blows!" hailed the look-out from the +mast-head, as a school of whales hove in sight, about three miles +astern, one afternoon, when they had been four months on the whaling +grounds. It was the first discovery that had been made, they having been +thus far unsuccessful. All hands were immediately called up; every man +was at his post, making ready for the coming scene of action; not as a +man-of-war, in the charging of cannon, the priming of musketry, and the +brandishing of swords, a battle between man and man, but the boats were +lowered, the harpoons were got out, and everything was made ready for an +encounter with the monster of the ocean. Now was the time when the +captain would exhibit his skill as a whaler; all depends on his +management as to their success; he must be cool, and collected, working +systematically; for not only does it require great skill and caution in +the capturing of the whale, but there are many dangers attendant upon +the encounter. + +"There she blows!" No sooner did Captain Jostler hear the report, than +it seemed as if he would go beside himself; every man was ready to do +his duty, and had they possessed the right kind of commander, might have +done well; but where there is no head, nothing is accomplished. +Everything was confusion; the captain, springing into the first boat, +bade his men follow, leaving, beside Harry, but two worthless fellows, +who hardly knew a skysail from a jib-sheet, in charge of the ship. Harry +kept his eye upon the boats for hours; he perceived they were evidently +having a hard time of it. Running aft to get a glass, as they distanced +him, he discovered a fog had sprang up, and was shutting in heavily on +all sides; he returned to mark the boats; they were nowhere to be seen; +he had lost them entirely; nothing was to be seen on all sides but thick +fog banks! What was to be done? where they were, how far from the boats, +and in what direction, they knew not. The boy was aware that they were +all ignorant of the management of the ship, and what was worse, should +the least breeze spring up, they would be borne,--they knew not whither. +A couple of hours passed, and the fog did not lift. Night was coming on, +and from the increased darkness, together with a low, rumbling noise of +the sea, it was evident a storm was brewing. Harry anxiously walked the +quarter deck; it would be certain destruction if they remained in that +position till night should overtake them. The boy called to the men, +asking what was to be done; but they in terror could do nothing but +lament their situation, calling out against the captain for leaving them +in such a state. Harry hesitated; what was done must be done speedily. +To take in sail was his first thought; then, with the assistance of the +clumsy seamen, he rolled out a small cannon-piece, and for one long hour +did he keep up an incessant fire. The coming storm was now plainly +discernible; the distant rolling of thunder was heard, the sea was +agitated, and occasionally a flaw would shake the rattlings. They were +in momentary expectation that the storm would burst upon them. Harry had +left his firing, and ascending the hurricane deck, stood with folded +arms, as if bracing himself to meet the foe. It is coming in all its +fury! kind heaven! the fog lifts! it rolls itself away as it were a +great scroll. The ink-black heavens are fearfully majestic, seen in the +lightning's lurid glare. A speck! yes, 't is the boats! do they see +them? Once more the boy flies to the cannon, not pausing to see if they +are nearing the ship; his heart beats wildly; 'tis their only chance for +life! the hurricane has burst upon them! the enraged deep responds +loudly to the deafening roar! Once again the feeble voice of the cannon +is doing its best to be heard, when lo! the flash mingling with the +forked lightnings which play in the rigging, reveals the men, as they +come tumbling over the ship's side! They are saved! saved by that noble +boy, who does not know of their approach, so intent is he upon his +exertions, until Sampson clasps him in his arms, and a "God bless you!" +is upon the lips of every man, save the captain, who, having received a +slight wound from a harpoon, and irritated by their bad luck, utters a +curse which vies in blackness with that dreadful night. + +"Down your helm!" shouted the captain; "hard down your helm!" The order +was hardly given, when they were thrown on their beam ends; down, down +they went, as if never to rise again, completely engulfed in the dark +abyss! The boy, where is he? down in the hold, his arm made fast to the +collar of old Neptune, that they may go down together; he kneels, his +mother's gift, the bible, in his hand, calmly awaiting his time. Nature +seems terrified, yet that boy knows no fear. Crash succeeds crash; ah, +who can describe the scene! He alone who has stood upon the frail plank, +which only separates him from death. Again a terrific crash,--their +masts have gone by the board! It would seem that the enraged billows +were bent upon their destruction. Still their stout bark is unwilling to +give up, and trembling from stem to stern, she clings to life, nobly +resisting the gigantic attacks of the storm-king, who, having fought +with terrific fierceness through the livelong night, puts on a less +demon-like expression as his strength is well nigh spent, and the gray +dawn sees no traces of the despoiler, who perhaps has slain thousands, +save the swelling surges, which angrily gaze as if disappointed of +their prey. + +At the first dawn of day, Harry went on deck to learn their situation. +What a change had been wrought in a few hours. Their masts had been +carried away, the decks had been swept clean; and he learned that +several poor fellows had lost their hold, and were not seen more. + +"Well, I'll be d----d if that son of a cannibal hasn't sneaked away into +some hole, and kept his footing," exclaimed the captain, as he saw the +boy appear above deck; "I was in hopes he had found safe quarters in +Davy Jones's locker! But there's no getting rid of such scalawags!" + +"Captain Jostler," cried Mr. Sampson, raising his hat, "it's none of my +business, and you may knock me down the next minute, if you please, but +God knows there's not a man aboard but owes his life to that boy. I have +no mutinous designs, sir, but at such a moment as this I will speak, +sir, come what will, and thank God the boy had sense enough to go below, +when he knew he could be of no use here." + +The captain looked daggers; he was about to seize Sampson by the throat, +when a voice from the assembled crew was heard: + +"Three cheers and long life to the boy, captain or no captain! +_Hurrah!_ HURRAH!! HURRAH!!!" shouted the grateful tars, making the +welkin ring. + +If Jostler had had the heart of a brave, noble sea-captain, he would +have fought right and left till the last, ere his men should dare to +show such insubordination, setting his authority at defiance; but he was +a coward, and they were whole-hearted seamen, who would not see the +innocent trampled upon, consequently the villain had to swallow his +wrath; but he was determined to have his revenge, and Sampson noticed +that he cast an evil eye upon the boy. + +Upon examination it was found they had sustained no injuries, besides +the loss of the masts, except that a small leakage had been made near +the bows, and that was soon repaired by the carpenter, who proceeded to +rig jury-masts, and it was not long before they were put in a condition +capable of running into the islands for repairs. + +About sunrise signals of distress were heard, and by the glass, a +dismasted ship was made out, a long way astern, apparently in a sinking +condition. The captain appeared to take little notice of her, and as the +mate ventured to inquire if they should "'bout ship," he answered, +"Thunder! no, we are safe; let them run their own chance." + +Harry, hearing his reply, was shocked. Could the man turn a deaf ear to +those repeated sounds of distress, when it was in his power to save +them? Ah, boy, it is even so! but he is not a man. Harry could endure +the thought no longer, as fainter and fainter grew the reports, as they +bore away from them; he begged Sampson to implore the captain to return, +Sampson telling him "it was of no use, that it would not do to cross +him again." + +"Then I will go myself to him; he cannot have the heart to leave them to +perish!" + +"Rash boy, your life will be the penalty! you must not do it." + +"I will do my duty, though I should die for it! there is the least +possibility of his hearing me, and what is one life compared with, it +may be, a hundred." + +"Stay, mad boy!" cried Sampson; but he had gone. + +Reaching the quarter-deck, upon his knees he implored the captain to +return. "Think, if it were your father, brother, or a son, in that +hopeless condition, would you not render them all the assistance in +your power?" + +"I have three brothers and a father upon the ocean," vociferated the +demon; "for aught I know it may be one of them! but were they all aboard +that hulk yonder, I would not return! But who are you, sirrah, that +dares to usurp my power? Now, upstart, you shall know your place!" and +he seized him by the collar, bore him aft, lashed him to a spar, called +for the cat, and lifting it high in air,--it falls, but the cursed +invention of man's cruelty falls wide of its mark! Ere its descent had +scarred that fair brow, a rush was heard from the main gangway, and old +Neptune, with a fierce growl, has fastened his teeth in the monster's +flesh! Quick as thought his master called him off, and every man stood +trembling, as they observed the captain feeling for his pistols; but his +strength failed him, the dog had met his teeth in the wound received by +the mismanagement of the harpoon, tearing the flesh nearly from off his +limb. It really was a pitiable sight to behold. Faint from the loss of +blood, he was carried below, where his wound was dressed by one of the +men, having no regular surgeon aboard, consequently its fatality was not +realized. The groans and writhings of the sufferer were heart-rending; +all day long did he rave, imploring Sampson, who attended him, to "take +the fiend away! that he was being devoured alive!" and thus did he toss +upon his bed till toward evening, when a change for the worse came over +him. Sampson saw that the seal of death was stamped upon his features, +and at set of sun, with an imprecation upon his dying lips, he had +breathed his last. O, how fearful to enter that spirit land thus +unprepared! to come before our Judge with a soul stained in the deepest +sins, trembling with its burden of guilt. Lord, grant that we be not +thus found when thou shalt call! Give us strength to overcome the world, +the flesh, and the devil, so that at the last, we shall taste those joys +which exist "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at +rest." They buried him in the deep sea. Perhaps his body lay side by +side with those who, through his unfeeling heart, had found a watery +grave; but we trust that, unlike him, they had gone to meet the reward +of having lived an holy life,--gone to the "sailor's home," in +the skies. + +The stars shone out, one by one, in the firmament, when the king of day +had descended. Calmly the night looked down, and undisturbed were +Harry's thoughts, as seated upon the taffrail, old Neptune by his side, +he once again breathed the air of liberty. Not that he rejoiced that he +was thus freed from him who had kept him in perfect slavery, for he +alone had dropped a tear over the uncoffined burial of his persecutor; +but his heart was filled with gratitude, as he looked into the peerless +night,--gratitude to Him who has given us a soul, that we may admire the +works of his hands. As Harry sat musing, turning from the heavenly orbs +to their semblance on the bosom of the placid waters, he observed, as it +were, a fallen star, mirrored therein, but rousing his dreamy senses, he +found it was a small, shining object, floating near them. He drew it +from the water; it was a block of wood, in the form of an octagon, +highly polished, inlaid with bits of pearl, forming grotesque figures, +and thickly studded with some bright mineral, representing stars, which +gave it a very handsome appearance. + +"Well, if the youngster isn't picking up moonshine," remarked Sampson, +examining the curiosity. "Some poor fellow designed that for his +sweetheart, likely; but I suppose it will make but little difference +with her, if she hears he's among the missing, she can just as well set +her colors for another. These bright-winged butterflies go upon the +principle that 'there's as good fish in the sea as ever was caught.'" + +"O, ho, Sampson," cried the jolly faced mate, who had now taken the +captain's berth, "you are inclined to give the fair ones no quarters. I +shouldn't wonder if they had given you the slip, in some of your +cruisings." + +"Well, sir, nothing of that kind, exactly; I never had much notion for +shipping under one captain for life." + +"A little frightened, eh?" + +"Well, between you and I, I was a little skeery, for fear I should find +my mate at the helm." + +"Yes, but you don't mean to say woman is a craft sailing without a +compass, do you? that is, minus a heart?" + +"Aye, aye, but it's hard to get in their wake. I never met but one +whole-souled woman in my life, and she has gone--where such as she do +go. Ah, that was a hard time! I was the only one saved of two hundred!" + +"How was that, Sampson? come, spin us that yarn." + +"Land ho! land ho!" hailed the lookout, and every eye welcomed Manilla, +as they ran in for repairs, after cruising about for months without +taking a drop of oil. Harry was delighted with the prospect before him, +and laying the little curiosity, which would remind him of a sad event +in his voyage, away with his bible, he entered upon the duties before +him with his whole heart, realizing the visions of his earlier days, and +gaining a thorough knowledge of--the life of a sailor boy. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +SOME DAYS ARE BORN OF SORROW. + + + "The path of sorrow, and that path alone, + Leads to the land where sorrows are unknown." + + ANONYMOUS. + + + "Through sorrow's night, and danger's path, + Amid the deepening gloom, + Ye children of a heavenly king + Are marching to the tomb." + + H. KIRKE WHITE. + + +It is a destiny, that every life be, to a greater or less degree, +fraught with that heart-purifying element, which we term sorrow. And who +would have it otherwise? Who would glide passively along the bright +river of smiles, without one taste of that chiefest of disciplines, +sorrow? How grateful should we be to Him who has permitted us to drink +of the same cup with his only Son! for he was a "man of sorrows, and +acquainted with grief." Who is so blind that will not see the kind +designs of our Father, in the disposition of those works of his hands +which he pronounced good. Truly His eye is all-seeing; the overflow of +his tender mercies toward the children of men are unbounded. What cell +of goodness is there within the human heart, of which the breath of +sorrow cannot raise the valve? In a word, what countless numbers of +souls have been stayed in their mad career, have been saved from eternal +destruction, through the chastening rod of the Lord. + +It was the morning after the sailing of the Nautilus; the Sea-flower had +arisen with the sun, and calling for old Nep, as was her wont, to +accompany her on her morning's walk, she tripped lightly along, humming +a farewell to the last altheas, as they nodded their shrivelled heads, +in view of their departure; but their words of adieu were made brief, by +a voice as of one in distress; and coming near, it proved to be the +musical Vingo, trilling the wild melodies of his old Virginia days. + +"Good morning, Vingo; you must have been up a long time to have been +away down to the shore; you must take it easier, and get more sleep. +Even old Nep dislikes to leave his warm kennel this cool morning, for he +did not come at my call, and so I would not disturb him." + +"Ah, missy, de old fellow am getting along in years as well as de rest +ob us; and if it wasn't for de gray hairs, dat will keep at de top ob de +heap, in spite ob ebery ting, I should feel dat old age am coming wid +long strides, when I see dat de wee bud ob de Sea-flower am almost in +bloom. But see here, missy," said he, holding up a fresh cod which he +had taken, "I'm tinking dat make massa Harry's eyes sparkle." + +It was the hour for family prayers. + +"Had you not better go to Harry's room, dear, and see if he is ill this +morning? he is unusually late," said Mrs. Grosvenor. + +"I tink de fragrance ob de salt water about dat cod fetch him soon," +remarked Vingo, endeavoring to smooth his face into a proper state +of sobriety. + +Gently the Sea-flower tapped at her brother's door, but receiving no +answer, she ventured in; the room was in the same order in which she had +left it the day before, for she took great pleasure in arranging the +flowers upon his dressing table, and no one could impart such a +coziness, arranging everything to his mind, as could Sea-flower. The bed +had not been disturbed, and the book from which she had read to him, was +lying thereon, opened at those beautiful verses of "The Iris of the +Deep," which he loved so well to hear her read. What could it mean? +Calmly her breath came and went; but for that she appeared like a +beautiful piece of statuary, her eyes turned upward, as if seeking for +strength to meet the vague sense of desolation which was creeping into +her heart. Upon the table were two notes, one addressed to her mother, +the other to herself, in his hand-writing. With nerveless hand she broke +the seal; no emotion was visible, save the delicate glow upon her cheek, +which came and went, and the playing of the muscles about her compressed +lips, as she read the following: + +"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 "God 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 God, 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 God, 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 ship Nautilus, which will sail from this port on +the 20th of October, I have shipped 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, massa 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 massa 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 massa 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 massa's people hab a God, but I +neber 'spect he know anyting 'bout poor black man." + +Days and months passed 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 encompass 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 shore; 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 passed since this letter had been received; not +a word had been heard of the Tantalizer for a long time; several ships +had returned which had left since she had sailed, but they had brought +no tidings of her. Over a year had passed 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 pronounce 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 noble ship lost at sea! +all on board supposed to have perished! Ship 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 refreshing +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 God'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 God 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 shining 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 circumstances 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 +passed 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 passed 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 massa 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 massa 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 +massa 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 sunshine 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 shine, 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 shining 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 God! Oh, Vingo, how could you +have had the heart to believe that God would disown his children?" + +"Dunno, missy; but 'pears like de slabe jus' no more chilen dan de oder +animals; and I tinks old massa done teach de hounds about de big bible, +sooner dan he niggers." + +"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, snatchin' 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 massa, dat he must hab just de smartest, good-looking niggars +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 niggars, 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 massa 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 massa get trough wid us. De next morning, afore de broke ob +day, massa 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 niggars; 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 niggar 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 niggars 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 massa, 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 niggar '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' niggar, 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 massa, 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 +massa, 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 massa 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 niggars, 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 massa Harry take hesef away. Ole massa he 'pear +rather sober like, when he find one ob his niggars 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 shine, 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 assured 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 gratitude 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 massa, 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 massa, 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 niggar.' I gets so stupid after a while, dat massa +threatens to sell me way down whar dey works de niggars 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 massa 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 massa 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 massa 'bout buyin' me, and I got to be +such a torn-down critter, massa 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 gratitude 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. + + +NATALIE. + + + "If ever angels walked this weary earth + In human likeness, thou wert one of them." + + ANONYMOUS. + + + "'Mid pleasures and palaces, where'er we may roam, + Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home; + A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there + Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere." + + MOORE. + + +"Sampson, Mr. Sampson! just step this way, and bring your eye to bear a +little to the nothe-nothe-east, and tell me what you make." + +"Make, boy, make!" exclaimed Sampson, thrusting a huge piece of pigtail +into his already overcharged, capacious mouth, "I suppose you would have +me believe that you'd made the light of some sweet-heart's eyes, +outshining even old Sankoty itself." + +"Three years ago, do you remember it, Sampson, when I was a mere +stripling, you took me aside, and pointed out a dim light, away down to +the water's edge, and told me I would have seen different days before I +made it again? Do you think I can ever forget it? I could tell its light +from among a thousand! As I caught its last rays then, it seemed to me +the pensive, forgiving smile of my mother, for, as you know, I came away +from home without my mother's consent; but I long ago received her +forgiveness, and everything will be forgotten in the happiness which we +shall enjoy at meeting once more. And my father, he is at home by this +time! How surprised they will all be to see me grown almost to be a man! +I hope the Sea-flower is the same little fairy still. She will not +always be a bud, however; yet the opening flower has greater charms." + +"Bless my stars! boy, are you losing your senses?" asked the astonished +Sampson, as Harry walked the deck in raptures, talking as fast as his +tongue could fly, as it appeared to the old tar, in riddles. + +"What's got into your head, boy? I have always taken you to be the most +sensible person aboard, but shiver my topsails, if the fellow don't +talk as if he expected to find old Vineyard Sound turned into a flower +garden, with a fairy made fast to every other blossom!" + +As Sampson delivered himself of this ludicrous remark, Harry burst into +a loud fit of laughter, and handing the tar his glass, he sang out +"Sankoty light, ahoy!" which brought all hands on deck in an instant, +rubbing open their eyes, (for it was but the second watch in the +morning,) to catch sight of the first object visible of their homes. + +"Three cheers for old Nantucket, and young Grosvenor!" shouted the +captain; and the ready huzza which went up, amid the waving of sundry +flannel shirts, old boots, and forsaken tarpaulins, which had been +caught up by the unshorn tars, as the sound of their near proximity to +home aroused them from the dreamy visions thereof to the vivid +realities, were borne over the waters which separated them from thence, +deceiving the red-combed heralds of the day into the belief of an early +dawn, judging from the signs of recognition which met their approach, as +the first tinge of red lit up the eastern sky. + +Nobly the good ship Nautilus bore down to the bar, setting heavily on +the water, and the good twenty-five hundred with which she was laden, +was no less weighty than the handfuls of silver which danced o'er the +minds of the glad sailor boys, as they neared their native shore. None +were more light-hearted at the prospect before them than Harry +Grosvenor; not that he had become weary of the sailor's life, for he +loved the ocean with the same free, wild love as when three years +before, it had beckoned his boyish heart to brave its perils; but his +joy, as the endeared objects of his home, one by one, welcomed him in +his fancy, was unbounded, and he could not realize that he should so +soon greet the dear ones who had been the subjects of his most precious +thoughts, through the many days which had separated them. + +"Well, my boy," said Sampson, as he grasped Harry by the hand, "we've +sailed under a clear sky for the most of the time, and we've held +together about as good as the strongest, but there's no use in shedding +fresh water tears over it, for I'm thinking this'll not be your last +voyage, and as for me, there's nothing to hinder my hanging around this +little sand-heap a bit longer; and who knows but we may try it again +some day. Who knows? ah, who knows that John Sampson is not lying at +this moment at the bottom of the sea? Who is there that cares to know?" + +"This, I know, is not your home, Mr. Sampson; but have you not one +friend? is there no spot in the wide world which is dear to you? is +there not one who will welcome you home?" + +"All places are the same to me, and I can truly say, there is not a +person on the whole earth that would 'bout ship' to get a look at me. To +be sure, I was brought up somehow, till I was able to take myself up, +but by whom, or where, is farther back than the story goes; all I know +is, I found myself, at six years old, on the top of a London dust heap, +taking a survey of the great metropolis. Whether I was left there by the +refuse gatherers, to come under the head of starved dogs, or whether I +was accidentally dropped by my lawful owner, it don't make much +difference. Well, I shook the dust out of my eyes, and made for the +water, and I've lived on the water for the most part ever since. But +there's one comfort about it, I've never been troubled with poor +relations," added he, jocosely. + +"Mr. Sampson, yours is a strange history, and what is stranger still, +that you have not, in all your yarns in the forecastle, spun us this +one. But have you never, in all your wanderings, met with those whom, +you can call your friends?" + +"A rough old tar like me, I must say, would not be the most inviting +craft to interchange signals with, but, thank God, I have found one, in +my long life of wanderings who was worthy the name of friend! but she, +kind, beautiful lady, is gone;" and the rough tar drew his sleeve across +his eyes, and turning toward the island, muttered,--"twelve, yes, +fifteen years ago this very month, and I the only one saved! I worked +hard, but it was of no use; it was to be. I'd gladly have gone down to +have saved her." + +"Well, Sampson, I think it is you who are losing your senses now," said +Harry, as he listened to his inaudible words; "but you shall not say you +have not a friend so long as my craft sails the ocean, for I never shall +forget your kindness to me and my faithful old Nep, while exposed to the +harsh treatment of our former captain; and depend upon it, you will have +made other true friends, when the dear ones at home shall have heard of +your generous conduct. I have one of the best of mothers, Mr. Sampson, +and a sister who would make you a better man to look into her +heaven-speaking eyes! A likeness of her was among my valuables when I +left home, but it has been by some means mislaid." + +"A better man, eh? well, there's room enough for that! I shall have to +lie under a close reef, and by the help of my glass, I may get sight of +her some day." + +The crew of the Nautilus, after having made themselves as tidy as a six +months' beard, and a suit of three years' usage would admit, prepared to +go ashore. As Harry stepped upon the wharf, he looked among the ships +lying at the dock, for the Tantalizer, but not seeing her, he concluded +she must have put to sea again, and taking his package upon his +shoulder, he whistled for Neptune, and turned his footsteps homeward. +How familiar was every object as he tripped along the street! everything +appeared the same as when he left, and as he passed the old church, it +seemed as if it was but yesterday when he had kneeled upon the +door-stone in prayer for those who were sleeping, unconscious of the +sorrow which awaited them. His heart beat wildly as he drew near his +home,--so great was his joy that he had not observed that Nep had not +accompanied him from the ship. It was evident that he would take the +family by surprise, for not even old Vingo was to be seen about the +premises. Noiselessly he opened the door,--his mother was sitting with +her face from him, engaged with her sewing, and at her feet sat the +Sea-flower, so absorbed, reading his last letter, that she was not aware +of his presence till he threw his arms about his mother's neck, and +sobbed like a child. As he turned to his sister he faltered; what a +change had been wrought in her in three years! The child, whose mature +mind had not been in accordance with her years, had come to be a fair +maiden of sixteen summers! The bud had indeed expanded, till now its +unfolding leaves were as new-born rays of love, reminding Earth of +Heaven. The Sea-flower saw that her brother hesitated in giving her his +usual salutation, and throwing herself into his arms, she said,--"I am +the little Sea-flower still, dear Harry; I shall always be the same +simple child; but how you have grown, dear brother! I can hardly believe +you are the little rogue who used to hide my pet kitten, because you +loved to see the tears come into my eyes, and you would look at me +without speaking a word, till I would laugh outright, and break the +charm, as you said; and then the tears would come in your own eyes, for +fear you had been selfish. But I felt that my tears were not in vain, +for I usually found some little stranger among the bright-eyed ones, +that looked up to me for protection." + +"I knew I should find you the same dear sister as ever! I knew you would +always be the same;" and as the vague remembrance that she was of other +parentage flashed across his mind, he modestly pressed her hand to his +lips, and gazed into her beautiful face in silence. + +Harry observed that his mother had lost her cheerful, happy expression, +which had given her the youthful look not of her years, and he feared +that his conduct had been a source of deeper grief to her than he had +supposed; but now that she again looked upon her son, her pale, pensive +face was lit up with the smile of contentment, and a heart of thanks was +hers that so many blessings were yet her portion. + +A noise which strongly reminded Harry of the rattling of the rigging in +a gale of wind, was now heard in the hall, and Vingo presented himself +at the door; he looked at Harry, then at his mistress, while the pupil +of his eye gave place to its lighter counterpart, and raising both +hands, he exclaimed,--"De good Lord be praised! 'pears like I couldn't +be any fuller ob laugh if I find old Phillis hersef!" and grasping his +master's extended hand, he laughed until it seemed as if the corners of +his mouth would meet. + +"I's right glad to see you, young massa, 'deed I is; but where is de old +fellow Neptune?" + +"Yes, yes, where is the faithful creature?" asked Sea-flower; "at our joy +in seeing you, we have quite forgotten him." + +Just then the dog's well remembered bark was heard at the door, and on +opening it, the animal marched in, and laying a little parcel which he +had brought in his mouth, upon the floor, he jumped upon the Sea-flower, +nearly overpowering her, in his delight frisking from one to the other +as if he were mad. Harry was now, for the first time, aware that the dog +had not come with him, and examining the parcel which he had brought, +to his no little astonishment he found it was the identical curiously +wrought block, which he had found after that dreadful night of the +storm. Among the many gifts which he had brought home to his mother and +sister, he had forgotten this simple one, and now he remembered that he +had not seen it for a long time. Why the dog should have noticed so +trifling a thing, was indeed singular. Harry related the circumstances +by which he had come in possession of the curiosity, and from the +presents of silks, crapes, fruits, etc., which he had brought to the +Sea-flower, she turned to the mysterious little curiosity with a greater +interest, examining the grotesque figures with a fascination, when +accidentally pressing a pearl setting, the box (for such it was +discovered to be,) flew open, and revealed to her bewildered gaze--what? +good God! is it possible? Neatly lined is the box, and lying therein--a +cross! the same which the Sea-flower had wrought with her own hands, and +given her father when she saw him last! Carved at the head of the cross +are these words,--"You will soon come to me again; then you will never +leave us;" the child's last words to her father. O, how did they fall +upon her heart now! It seemed as if he were speaking to her from the +skies, and unconsciously she looked upward, as if she might indeed catch +the tones of her father's voice, bidding her come away. "We will come," +she softly whispered, "we shall soon be with you there;" and turning to +her mother, she added,--"it is not far, that better land; we may hear +their glad shouts, if we will listen." + +Over that cross, emblematic of the Lamb who was slain that we might +live, was shed tears from a widow's heart; but those tears were not of +mourning for the departed, for through her who was made but a little +lower than the angels, those tears had been turned into joy. The child +who had ever walked in that narrow way, as if it were the only path in +which the children of earth might tread, had taught her bereaved mother, +that those precious words from the book of life, which she had ever +recognized, but had not strength to cling thereto in the hour of trial, +were truly Christ's words of tenderness; she could now smile upon the +chastening rod. Those dying words, as it were of him who had gone, were +as balm to the heart of Mrs. Grosvenor and the Sea-flower, for what +could be more dreadful than that they should never learn of his last +moments? But to Harry, who had been just upon the point of asking for +his father, it was as the dark funeral pall to his soul, and he +staggered to a chair. + +"Where is my father?" he asked, in a hollow voice. + +"In Heaven!" was the response of the Sea-flower. + +There was silence in that house. Sorrow, which had reigned for a time +around that hearthstone, still lingered, striving to supersede the joy +which must go hand in hand with purity; but its icy touch was to be of +gentler mien, its cold, cold breath mingling with that of more genial +spheres, helping to swell the--"Father, thy will be done." This was a +dreadful announcement to Harry, a stroke which he was not prepared to +receive; and now did the past come to his remembrance with sickening +frenzy. That terrific night!--he had, at the peril of his life, implored +that heartless being to listen to the stranger's cry of distress, to +stretch out to him the hand of brotherly love; and that cry for help was +now sounding in his ear with renewed freshness, for it was from his own +loved father! + +"Oh, what an undutiful son I have been!" cried Harry; "had I known then +what I know now! and yet, the fiend would not have turned a hand, had it +been his own father! Thank God, I have his forgiveness for disobeying +his last commands! 't is the one great lesson of my life, and should I +live a hundred years, I will never deviate from what I think would have +been my parent's wishes." + +"Natalie!"--the Sea-flower gazed upon that name, the name of her +father's choice,--a simple word, but Oh, what volumes did it speak! +there seemed to be a very sacredness hanging about the tone. As time +sped onward, leaving far behind the past, but not burying it, the sweet, +child-like Sea-flower was gradually putting on the gentle, mystic form +of Natalie; and though the name had become familiar to other ears, to +her its impress was as when she reverently looked upon that cross of +Christ, at the foot of which was traced that which she could not but +associate therewith. The depth of her dreamy eyes spoke not only of him +who had left them, but they told of the soul's instinct in regard to +that which was as yet unrevealed. + +"Well, massa, I tinks de sun make up he mind to take a look out at us +once more," remarked Vingo, as seated astride a wood-horse, he was +making vigorous exertions to take the nautical expression from his young +master's boots. + +"Then you have had rather a dark time of it at home here, have you, +Vingo? have been rather lonely?" + +"Yes, 'deed it has, massa Harry; I 'fraid sometimes dat I lose my +self-complexion entirely, and I tinks you not find so much ob me left, +if it not for missy's bright light, dat shine along de way. Dare not +anoder like her, massa; but I dunno as dat's strange, for de stars not +come down to bathe in de ocean ebery day." + +"You are getting sentimental, Vingo," and an expression of thought stole +over Harry's features, and he remained silent, for he could not bring +himself to disclose even to Vingo, his knowledge of the mystery in +regard to the fair creature who called him brother. He could not bear to +think that she was not his sister; and yet, had his memory not served +him thus, he must have observed how unlike she was to any member of +the family. + +"Mother, you have looked very thoughtful for the last few days. I hope +that now we are together once more, there is nothing to disturb your +happiness," remarked Harry, as the two sat together on the little +promenade ground in front of the house, enjoying the beautiful sunset of +a summer's evening. + +"There is nothing which makes me unhappy now, for although 'we know not +what a day may bring forth,' yet I have learned to smile under the most +trying dispensations of Providence, knowing that His ways are higher +than our ways; but," and her voice was hushed almost to a whisper, +"there has been something upon my mind of late, of which I would make +you a confidant, my son." + +There was a pause,--well did Harry judge of what his mother would speak, +and looking into her face, he said,--"Natalie,--she is not my sister by +birth, yet I shall ever claim her as such; and I know, should she learn +that she was of other parentage to-morrow, she would cling to you, +mother, as her dearest earthly friend." + +"And for that reason I know she is of noble birth. But tell me, Harry, +can it be that you, who was but a child, remember the circumstance?" + +"Yes, mother, I can well remember the infant with the gold bands, and +the pretty white dress, all wet with salt water; then were my first +ideas of innocency." + +"She has proved a rich blessing to us, and I do not feel that I can ever +part with her; but I have been thinking it was selfish, indeed, in +keeping her with us, to deprive her of those advantages which would fit +her for filling the station which I can plainly see belongs to her. Not +but that she might finish her education at home, for our island can rank +among the first in her systems of education, and there are many of our +citizens who are recognized by our most literary friends of the +continent, as among the first in the arts and sciences; but I think it +would be greatly to her advantage to see more of the world, and my +purpose is to accept the urgent request of a dear friend residing in +Boston, that my daughter should spend some time in her family, where she +may receive the same excellent instructions with her own child. Our +means have been for the last year or two somewhat curtailed, yet as long +as we have enough to be comfortable, we will share with her what she +most justly deserves." + +"Yes, mother, give my portion to her; I can take care of myself, and +you shall not want for anything so long as I can help you. I do not know +how we can let her go, but it is for the best. She will learn of this +world, and they will learn of another." + +As the two had been speaking, they had not observed a light form, +reclining under a flowering currant, which only separated them from the +object of their conversation. It was a little arbor, formed by a +clustering rose, vieing with the flowering currant in fragrance; thither +had the Sea-flower repaired, and as the softest rays of a northern sky, +at sunset, sank into her soul, mingling with more mellow light than is +of southern climes, these words fell upon her ear,--"Natalie, she is not +my sister by birth." She paused to hear no more, for she knew the +conversation was not designed for her, and noiselessly gliding from the +spot, she sought her own room. The crescent moon came forth, and beheld +the fair maiden gazing far out over the silver-edged billows, her head +resting upon her hand, her golden tresses falling gracefully over her +shoulders, while from the deep recesses of her heart there sprung up +that which had ever been, and yet was not, and took to itself a form. + +"Good morning, Natalie, did I not know you retired early last night, I +should say you look a little unrefreshed. Where are the roses of +yesterday? they should not fade in a single night" + +"Roses will fade, mother, and there are those which await the genial +rays of light before their unfolding," replied Sea-flower; "but I did +not retire until quite late last evening, for everything was so +beautiful and glad, that I loved to look out upon the night; and such +beautiful thoughts came to my mind, that I think I must have fallen +asleep, and dreamed; and yet I was awake, for I was conscious of +watching the water, as it sparkled in the moonlight. As the waves broke +upon the shore, they seemed to be striving, one with another, to see +which should venture the nearest, till at last there came one, which +lifted its head high above the rest, and as it receded, I saw there was +left upon the beach a tiny, shining thing, which resembled many drops of +dew. Just then the light clouds separated, and there looked down a star, +_so_ mild, and presently there came another, equally mild, and the two +finally blended into one, still hovering over the glittering one upon +the beach. At last there seemed to be a stream of light connecting one +with the other; I looked again, and the tiny thing which was left of the +waves, had gone to be with the brighter one beyond the clouds. Presently +I looked again, and there were the three, but they were changed. The +first star which had appeared, seemed now to be a lovely lady, oh, so +gentle! the second was yourself, dear mother, and the shining one which +had gone to them, appeared to be myself! The gentle lady took us each by +the hand, and when I saw her smile upon you so sweetly, I began to weep, +and the lady took me in her arms, and wiped my tears away. I was +awakened from my revery by my sobs, for it all appeared so real, and my +tears made me happier." + +Mrs. Grosvenor listened to her child with astonishment. "It was a most +striking dream, indeed, she remarked; but fearing the Sea-flower might +notice her surprise, she drew her arm about her, and introduced the +subject which for some time past had been uppermost in her mind. + +"What do you think of spending a little time away from home, my dear? +How should you like to graduate with Boston honors? to learn the +customs of city life?" + +"I shall like it much, if it is your wish that I should go, mother; but +I know no life will be pleasanter than the happy days which we have +spent here in our own quiet home." + +"Perhaps you will not always think thus; you may find greater joys in +the attractions which are before you, yet, I trust, my child, your +affection for your mother will be no less, whatever your +circumstances may be." + +"Oh, mother, how can that be possible? Do not repeat the words! How can +it be that I shall ever love you less?" + +"No, my child, it will not be; I wrong you in speaking such thoughts. I +cannot bear to part with you, even for a little time, yet I will not +gratify my desires at your loss; and in giving you to the care of my +most estimable friend, Mrs. Santon, I shall feel that you are under the +influence of one of the best of women." + +"I shall love her for your sake, but I know I shall miss the dear ones +at home so much!" + +The time came when the Sea-flower should leave her home, to learn what +'t is the world is made of, and taking an affectionate farewell of the +family, (the red bandana of Vingo being counted among the Articles of +utility,) she was borne lightly over the billows, leaving her island +home far, far behind. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +SOFTLY STEALING--AS THE EVENING VESPER BELL. + + + "And she was one on whom to fix my heart, + To sit beside me when my thoughts are sad, + And by her tender playfulness impart + Some of her pure joy to me." + + PERCIVAL. + + + "Patience and hope, that keep the soul, + Unruffled and serene, + Though floods of grief beneath it roll, + I learn, when calm and pure, + I see the floating water-lily, + Gleam amid shadows dark and chilly." + + CAROLINE MAY. + + +The Sea-flower arrived at her new home in safety,--the home of our +western friends, the Santons. The continued ill-health of Mrs. Santon +had been the chief cause of the return of the family to the east. By a +favorable turn of fortune, Mr. Santon had come into possession of nearly +double the amount of his former wealth, and he was now looked upon as +one of Boston's most prominent citizens. The selling of western lands, +which he had obtained for a mere trifle, had been the chief source of +revenue in building up his fortune. The little Winifred, whom we left +making merry over the Erin simplicity of Biddy and Patrick, had grown to +be a young miss of seventeen. Those black eyes of hers, which had +attracted the gaze of the tall western youths for the last time, had in +no way lost their brilliancy. Mischief still sat triumphant therein, and +not a day passed but some poor uninitiated was brought to test the +merits of that gift. Miss Winnie looked upon this removal to more +enlightened regions, as a change altogether for the best; for how could +such as she, at that age which never comes but once in a lifetime, be +content to feed on air, _a la prairie_. She had tired of looking at the +same half-dozen raw-boned gallants, and had come to the grand final +decision, that her charms should not be wasted thus; and now that she +was surrounded by those urbane solicitors, which do mingle with those of +more enlargement of brain in fashionable life, they, in turn, began to +fear lest those charms might not prove for such as them. + +"Mother," asked Winnie, a few days before the arrival of the +Sea-flower, "who is this friend whom you have invited to visit us?--that +is, I mean to ask, what is she like? I have often heard you speak of +your early friend, Mrs. Grosvenor, but you have never seen her daughter, +and who knows but she may be,--well, I wont say; but you know Nantucket +is but an isolated, out-of-the-way place, where fishermen live, and the +society in which she has moved, will probably unfit her for enjoying +ours. But she will be with us in a day or two, so we shall have to make +the best of it." + +"It is many years since I have seen Mrs. Grosvenor; we met when we were +both young married ladies, at the house of a friend of mine, in New +York, where she was visiting, and I formed an attachment for her then, +which has never abated. We have kept ourselves informed of each other's +welfare from time to time, and thinking that the daughter might possess +the same amiable disposition as her mother, I thought that her presence +in our family might be pleasant to us all, besides gaining for her, +under your teachers of music and the languages, a finished education. +As for society in Nantucket, I have never learned of what grade it is; +but judging from the appearance of the only person I have ever met from +there, I do not consider them far behind the age." + +"Well, I hope I shall like her, I am sure; she has a sweet +name,--Natalie; perhaps we shall like her, after all. But Nantucket +brought to my mind such visions of unrefined oil, that I really began to +tremble, lest we might come in closer contact therewith than would be at +all agreeable" + +"Mrs. Santon received the Sea-flower with a mother's tenderness, but +being weary with her journey, Natalie retired early, to dream of those +far, low murmurings of the deep, which she had so missed, in lulling +her to rest." + +"I am so disappointed in her, mother! she is such a gentle, delicate +creature! I know I shall love her! And such spiritual eyes! Did you +notice when you asked about her mother, what a sweet expression +she wore?" + +"She is a beautiful creature, and if I mistake not, she has a heart to +match; but she does not resemble her mother at all, in features; I think +Captain Grosvenor must have been a fine-looking man;" and Mrs. Santon +wore a complacent look, as she thought of the favorable effect which +their guest might have upon the mind of her daughter; for owing to +frequent ill-health, Mrs. Santon had not been able to be with her child +as much as she would have desired, and she feared lest those early +traits in her character of impatience, and a proneness to censure +others, might grow upon her, under the influence of her father, who was +blind to her every fault" + +"Ah, ha, miss puss," said Mr. Santon, who had received a most favorable +impression of the Sea-flower, "you will have to look out for that +fairy-like creature, or even your bewitching charms will be cast in the +shade!" and as he spoke he proudly surveyed his idolized daughter, who +was indeed to be classed among the first in the brunette style +of beauty. + +"Oh, never fear for me, father," replied Winnie, taking a satisfied +survey of her full-length figure, reflected in a pier-glass; "if Boston +forgets Winnie Santon's black eyes, she will be perfectly resigned in +gazing into the soul-speaking orbs, which shall usurp her power." + +Other days than those which had been spent in sweet seclusion on +Nantucket's peaceful shores, now dawned upon the Sea-flower. Although +not a day passed in which she did not sigh for one dear familiar tone +from those she loved so well, for her mother's fond embrace, and the +free, glad laugh of brother Harry, yet she was happy, excelling in those +pursuits which seemed to recognize her touch; and her soft voice, as it +were of Italian origin, grew to be "the sunshine of the house." As Biddy +often declared, "it was a great saving of canary seed, to have Miss +Natalie about the house." + +Time glided on apace with the Sea-flower, as each day brought some new +task, calling into activity some talent which had been lying in a +dormant state, awaiting its time for expanding. Her teacher of music, an +Italian by birth, and of great fame in his profession, was in raptures +with the progress of his two pupils, and in the extraordinary talent +displayed by the Sea-flower, was he perfectly amazed; for not only was +her voice of that soft, mellow style, peculiar to the Italian people, +but she performed those pieces which had but just been introduced to an +American ear, with all that impassioned tenderness peculiar to +that nation. + +"I believe you be one of my people!" exclaimed the Signor, after +listening in breathless attention to a new piece which he had brought +for her; her echoing tones died away, and rose again with gentler +pathos, softly, and with sweeter tone, to fall again. + +Unconsciously her eyes were fixed upon the Signor as he spoke, and her +thoughts were carried back, far away; she knew not whither they would +take her, but rousing from her reverie, she merely replied,--"I love the +peculiar air of your nation, it presents such a striking contrast to our +cold, less pathetic style; but do not exclude what Winnie terms 'the +productions of the genii's more sensible moments' from my list of +favorites, for, as there are hours which are divided into sixty distinct +parts, so there are divisions within the human heart, which must live +each upon its own native air." + +"Natalie, darling, what were you talking with the Signor about? From the +few words which I caught, of the human heart, etc., I did not know but +the presence of a third person might be agreeably dispensed with;" and +it was overtaxing the fringed lids of the mischievous Winnie's eyes, in +adding to their duties the office of sentinel. + +"Ah, you rogue; have your critic's ears been listening to my feeble +endeavors to repay the Signor for his untiring labors?" + +"One can hear your music without listening, for I was deep in thought of +the time when I shall come out from under the tyrannical power of +instructors, and can do as I like; for my part, I am tired to death of +this continual,--'Miss Winifred, this piece must be executed with milder +intonations;' or, 'Miss Winifred, that chapter of Spanish must be told +with greater fluency.' I have come to dread the very name of Professor, +and I never can look out of the window but I see some pale-faced +gentleman of the profession approaching, with his badge under his arm; +but those edifying ideas all vanished at the first strain of your 'Casta +Diva.' If I could produce such an effect, what would I not give;" and +the beauty drew her arm around the Sea-flower, and spoke in a +lower tone. + +"Natalie, you know I shall come out on my eighteenth birthday, and that +will be in a very short time; then I can do as I like; but how can I +let all of these charming performances of the celebrated Madam Forresti, +whose name is in every mouth, pass without hearing her? I must say, I +was completely nonplussed, when young Montague asked me, this morning, +what I thought of her! and when I told him I had not heard her as yet, +he was perfectly astonished, and said I must hear her this very night!" + +"But you did not accept of his invitation, Winnie?" + +"How could I resist such a temptation? I have been longing to hear Madam +Forresti, and with Mr. Montague for an escort, I do not see the least +impropriety in attending. I need not trouble mother about it, for she is +so nervous to-day she will not leave her room; and I do not think she +can object to my going." + +"Oh, Winnie! how could you do so? I know your mother would not wish you +to appear in public with Mr. Montague! Not but that he may be worthy of +attention, but he is the same as a stranger to us, for your father has +known him but a little while, and I noticed that your mother appeared +uneasy when he called last, for he has made us frequent visits, on so +short an acquaintance." + +"You do not surely suppose that my father would introduce any one into +his family, who is not a fit associate for his daughter?" retorted +Winnie, her face flushing with excitement. + +"No, I do not think so; but you would not go without consulting your +mother's wishes?" + +"And why not? Mother will never be the wiser for it, and I cannot see +that she can reasonably object; besides, am I always to be a child? I +must some time or other act for myself." + +"Dear Winnie, do not talk so! You have one of the best of mothers, and +she will not deprive you of any pleasure, unless it is for your own +good. But do not be displeased with me for speaking my thoughts, for I +love you as a sister, and cannot bear to have you do anything that would +not be right." + +Winnie was about to give way to those passions which an indulged child +invariably possesses, and being naturally of a very sensitive nature, +she could not sit easy under those opinions from others, which were in +opposition to her own views, and trembling with rage, she turned to the +Sea-flower,--but the fire of her eye was subdued, her tongue did not +give utterance to the bitter, cruel words, which would have sounded so +strangely upon an ear that had never known such tones! she gave one look +at the gentle, submissive face of the Sea-flower, and burst into tears. +_Such_ tears, from the high-spirited Winnie Santon, was a strange sight. +Her proud, rebellious spirit had for once been conquered, and what was +not such a lesson worth? + +"O, Natalie!" she exclaimed, "how I wish I could be like you! I was just +upon the point of saying what I know I should have repented! I am so +glad you have come to be with us!" + +Nothing more was said about going to hear Madame Forresti, but when +evening came, Winnie, after leaving a message with Biddy for Mr. +Montague, that she must be excused, sought her mother's room, where she +found Sea-flower, who was reading to the invalid, and the rich tones of +her voice conveyed far more happiness to her heart, than would have been +hers, had she listened to the far-famed songstress, with a conscience +speaking of undutifulness. Natalie was reading from the "Christian's +Hope," and as she read, ever and anon cast her eye toward Winnie, who +appeared unusually thoughtful. The nervous state, however, of Mrs. +Santon would admit of but little excitement, and as Natalie closed her +book, and rose to bid her good-night, she observed that she looked +unusually happy, and taking her dear children by the hand, she thanked +them tenderly for their devoted attention to her, and drawing close to +Winnie she whispered in her ear,--"It is such a comfort to me, dear, +that you prefer your mother's sick room to more attractive society!" Had +she known of the struggle which had been going on in her daughter's +heart, through the influence of the gentle one whom she looked upon as a +well-loved child, her eye could hardly have been brighter than it was, +as her child pressed a kiss upon her forehead, and said, "I shall always +love best to be with you mother." + +That night Winnie retired with a determination to strive to overcome her +sinful ways, and as she heard the voice of the Sea-flower at her evening +devotions, (their rooms adjoining,) she spoke aloud, "I will try to be +more like her." With this resolve, she fell asleep; but as the rising +sun peeped in at her window, there were to be found no traces of her +evening resolutions! If any thing, mischief looked out upon the new day +with renewed earnestness, and Winnie Santon was the same gay, reckless +creature as ever. + +"Ah, ha, miss puss, so your bow is new strung again, is it?" said Mr. +Santon to his daughter, as the door closed upon one of the mustached +upper ten, who frequently found their way to the elegant mansion of +Mr. Santon. + +"'New strung' with an old string, father; if these exquisites are +foolish enough to burn their fingers a second time, they must suffer the +consequences." + +Mr. Santon laughed, and merely said,--"Oh, you cruel beauty!" returning +to his paper again; but, seated in the bay-window was one, who could not +thus lightly look upon the conduct of the coquettish Winnie, for it was +evident she was a sad coquette. Often had Natalie observed her, as she +received each admirer with the same bewitching smile, impressing him +with the belief that he of all others was the favored one, and he would +depart, to return again as early as the rules of propriety would admit, +considering the fair one was not yet out. + +"Natalie," asked Winnie, as she seated herself at her embroidery, "why +did you not deign to give Mr. Redfield one of your winning smiles? You +are so reserved, and take so little notice of the gentlemen, that I +shall begin to think your charms are doomed to fade beneath the +convent veil." + +"I was not aware that I did not receive Mr. Redfield with cordiality." + +"Yes, but the absence of that fascinating air, which you know would +bring the most unyielding to your feet, is what I am lamenting. Had Mr. +Redfield been my only admirer, I should have been jealous of the glances +which he cast at you; but I don't know as there would be any occasion +for that, for you, whose heart is made for love, seem to be in no danger +at present of losing it." + +"I certainly respect the gentlemen who visit us, but as for having a +preference for one more than another, I have not; and, Winnie dear, just +ask yourself if you ever give one thought to any one of those who +deceive themselves by thinking that they, of all others, are preeminent +in your regards." + +"I must acknowledge that I do not give them a thought, after the door +once closes upon them; poor, deluded creatures!" + +"But do you think it right to deceive them thus?" + +"Natie, darling, if you were not the most romantic creature that ever +was, I should call you Miss Matter-of-fact! But really, I don't know as +there is anything very criminal in helping such people to open their +eyes; they find out, sooner or later, that I am of the opinion,--there +are as good fish in the sea as ever was caught." + +The Sea-flower said no more, for she feared her words might be worse +than useless; but such are never idle words, and though Winnie appeared +to give them little heed, yet many times afterward, in the midst of her +gaiety, did she remember the Sea-flower's question,--"is it right to +deceive thus?" + + * * * * * + +"Eighteen years old to-day! Mother, just eighteen to-day!" shouted +Winnie, as she came into the breakfast room, her cheeks vieing with the +red of the rose; "how happy I am!" and casting a look of contempt at the +hot rolls and coffee, as if such things were hereafter to be classed +among the necessities of the past, she went bounding away to find her +father. Opening the door of the _boudoir_, she paused; arranged upon the +table were her birthday gifts, and Mr. Santon had spared no pains to +make the collection as rare as possible. In the centre of the table was +a set of diamonds for the hair, and as Winnie clasped them about her +dark tresses, she laughed outright, exclaiming,--"They are so handsome! +papa, I cannot wait for night to come! But what is this?" she asked, +drawing from a case a string of pearls, and holding them up to the +light. In the centre of the collection was one curiously wrought pearl, +so formed as to represent a star, and the sparkling of several diamonds +from within, produced a very brilliant effect. Examining it closely, she +discovered the initials, "N. G.," wrought upon the setting." + +"It is for you, Natalie!" she exclaimed to the Sea-flower, who stood +enjoying Winnie's delight. "I thank you, father, for remembering +dear Natalie." + +"Is it for me?" asked Natalie, hesitating to receive the gift. + +"Yes, take it," said Mr. Santon, putting the treasure into her hand; +"keep it as a memento of our high esteem for you; and," added he, "I, +for one, shall petition, after you have finished your studies, to have +you remain with us another season, that we may then have more of +your society." + +Natalie expressed her sincere thanks, but the mention of remaining +another season brought to her remembrance her mother's last letter, +which spoke of her return, and how delighted they would all be to have +her in their little home once more. + +The long wished-for time, when Winnie should appear in public, as the +accomplished Miss Santon, at length arrived. Several hundred cards had +been issued for the occasion, and to Winnie's delight but few regrets +had been received; "for," said she, "what is the use of doing things by +the halves?" Mrs. Santon's health had for the last few days been much +improved; so much so, that Winnie had gained from her the promise to +fill her station for a part of the evening. The brilliant lights already +streamed from every window in the mansion, and the finishing touch, (if +such a thing can be said of a lady's toilet,) had been made by Winnie's +attendant, much to the satisfaction of all concerned; for although the +beauty was willing to submit to all the tortures of hair-dressing, etc., +etc., yet before she was quite converted into a "Parisian belle," she +positively declared she would suffer none of those officials to come +into her presence again for a month. Surveying herself with an air which +would have done credit to a queen, she proceeded to the Sea-flower's +apartments, thinking to banter her a little in her endeavors to make +perfection perfect; but instead of finding her still in dishabille, she +had long ago dismissed her attendant, and was quietly engaged in reading +her bible, before she engaged in those scenes of gaiety which had less +attractions for her. + +"Why, you charming creature!" exclaimed Winnie, "I can't help comparing +you to a fairy, preparing for a camp-meeting!" and her wild laugh was +heard reechoing from hall to hall, Natalie smiling at her ludicrous +comparison. + +"Why do you look at me with such a bewildered gaze, Winnie? Is my simple +dress not to your fastidious taste?" + +"You could not have found anything more becoming, Natie dear; you will +eclipse us all!" and Winnie, taking both her hands in hers, gazed into +her face as if spell-bound. + +"I have seen some beautiful picture, somewhere," she exclaimed, "which +is like you! but where, I cannot tell; and yet, when I look at you, the +association is so fresh in my mind! Yes, you will be our evening star." + +"Venus is morning star now," said Natalie, glancing at the brilliant +dress of Winnie; "yet for all that, she will favor us with her presence +this evening." + +As the two descended to the boudoir, they were met by Mr. Santon, who, +shutting his eyes, exclaimed,--"Bless me! I have looked upon the +glorious morning, in the beauty of its freshness, and the gentle +evening, so pure, but to see them approaching, hand in hand, is too much +for any 'live man!'" + +Escorting the fair ones to Mrs. Santon's side, he proudly gazed upon +their dazzling beauty,--beauty in its perfection sitting upon each +countenance, and yet, such a contrast! Winnie was arrayed in a rich +attire of delicate blue, her boddice wrought about with silver threads, +representing the light of the crescent moon, her skirt interwoven with +numerous lesser lights, as it were, stars of various magnitudes, +producing a splendid effect in the flood of gas-light; and the set of +diamonds bound about her dark tresses, which fell in rich profusion +about her finely arched neck, setting off her dark complexion, her +cheeks roseate with health, to great advantage; and as she moved among +her guests; her tall, slender form, so full of dignity, she was the +"observed of all observers." Her winning smile, so dangerous to those +gallants in attendance who had never realized the true sense of +coquetry, was unusually fascinating, and every one who had been honored +by Miss Winnie's notice, pronounced her decidedly the belle of the +season; but as they turned to the gentle creature at her side, their +thoughts gradually assumed a different cast,--unconsciously the mind +wandered to other scenes than are usually of a fashionable evening +entertainment. It were absurd to call her a "belle," for the word seemed +void of expression. + +The Sea-flower wore a simple dress of white blonde, with no other +ornament than the band of pearls, which had been the gift of her +well-loved friends. The little star, which was formed by the glittering +of the diamonds through the delicately-wrought pearl, which being the +centre of the collection was worn upon her forehead, sparkling like +tiny drops of dew; and as she glided with unstudied grace among those +who sought to know more of her, she gained the name of "the +gentle star." + +It was yet early in the evening. Sauntering along one of the principal +streets were two young men, engaged in conversation. We will listen +awhile, for we may be interested. + +"Do you go to Santon's to-night, Delwood?" asked the younger of the two, +who was far less prepossessing in appearance than his companion. + +"Umph,--yes," replied the other, in a more reserved tone. "Do you make +one of the number?" + +"You don't know Dick Montague if you think he would miss of such an +occasion. Wit and beauty do not hold forth every night. Old Santon has +but one daughter, you know." + +Mr. Delwood made no reply to these coarse remarks, for nothing could +have been in greater contrast, than the refined, gentlemanly nature of +Mr. Delwood, to that of young Montague, whom we recognize as the same +gentleman (if such young men who wear two faces, putting aside the +decorum of intelligent society, for the rude jests and unrefined +manners of other associates, can be called gentlemen,) who had attracted +Mrs. Santon's notice by his frequent visits to her daughter. Before +proceeding farther, we will give our patient reader a little insight to +the history of these two personages, whom we consider of sufficient note +in our simple narrative, for inducing us to tear ourselves away, for a +little while, from the attractions at Santon Mansion. + +Clarence Delwood belonged to one of the most aristocratic families in +Boston. He was an only son, upon whom had been bestowed all of those +advantages which are to be derived from a princely fortune. At the early +age of twenty-two he had graduated at one of the first institutions in +Paris, where he had been placed by his haughty, overbearing father, who +looked upon things American as low and vulgar. The son had not inherited +that proud, unyielding spirit of his father, yet he was like him, +inasmuch as he possessed the same dignified, reserved manner, the which, +having called forth the startling declaration from manoeuvering mothers, +and languishing daughters, that "Mr. Clarence Delwood would look farther +than Boston for a bride." So they had folded their gossamer wings with +resignation, receiving his polite attentions with pleasure, yet never +being able to penetrate the reserve which hung around him. To say that +our hero was handsome, would be saying but little, for one often meets +with such; but with the almost feminine pensiveness which characterized +his manly features, we meet seldom. Tall and commanding in his +appearance, his dark, glossy hair, and finely curved mustache, gave a +fine effect to his noble countenance, the peculiar light of his eye +speaking volumes. + +Such was the character of our friend Delwood, whom we shall shortly +usher into the presence of Miss Winnie Santon, that we may find what +success those penetrating eyes, which grew big with mischief even in a +prairie home, shall have in lifting the veil which concealed in a +measure the true sentiments of a noble heart from the world at large. + +We give our readers an insight to the character of Richard Montague at +once, when we say that he was what is commonly termed "a young man about +town." By some means, a mystery, even to himself, he had gained a +foothold among the upper classes of society, and by dint of strict +observance of the manners of others, he had been thus far enabled to +retain his position. What his prospects in regard to pecuniary affairs +were, no one was able to say; suffice it, that there had been rumors of +an old bachelor uncle, who was much increased in this world's goods, +whose trembling hand held the desired treasure over the young man's +head; and as this report had not been corrected by Montague, he not +being over-burdened with many scruples of conscience, it is not +surprising that there should have been those, who looked upon him as a +desirable match for their dowerless daughters; but he, having realized +the desolation which empty pockets can produce, was now living upon the +hope that he might build upon his fortune, which never had foundation, +by introducing himself among the fair ones of uppertendom, as a +candidate for matrimony. For some time he had had an eye to the +well-filled purse of Winnie Santon, and he had looked forward to this +night, when she should make her _debut_, with as great interest as had +Winnie herself. Could he once get initiated into her good graces, he had +no fears for the rest; and he had already visions of what he was +pleased to term, "Old Santon's chest of gold." The attentions with which +Winnie had received him, on former occasions, had served in no way to +lessen his confidence as to his success, and with this end in view, his +steps were bent towards the scene of gaiety. Reasons best known to +himself, forbidding him to pass Mr. Delwood, whom he overtook on +the way. + +"Quite an affair to-night! I'm thinking," remarked Montague, as he +observed Delwood's cool indifference, and endeavoring to draw him into +conversation, he added, "there's a young _protege_ of Santon's, staying +with his daughter, who, I hear, hails from down east. Nantucket, I +believe, perhaps we may get a little information on harpooning!" + +"Ah?" said Delwood, mechanically. + +"Yes, the boys will have some sport I'm thinking; perhaps some of them +may be induced to ship as mate, for a down east voyage! I remember of +sailing by Nantucket many years ago, on my return from Liverpool, (he +did not add that he had worked his passage) and though some twenty miles +distant, we fancied that we got a whiff of the hump-backs. Our captain +was a jolly sort of fellow, and would have us land-lubbers believe that +his experienced eye could see half across the ocean, but he found we +were too smart for him, when he told us he could see a church-steeple +looming up on the island, for of course we knew that such things were +not raised there." + +Much to Mr. Delwood's relief, they had now arrived at Mr. Santon's +residence. As the name of Delwood was announced, all eyes were turned +toward him, for his presence was considered a great acquisition to any +circle, and many a fair one envied Winnie Santon, as he claimed her hand +for the first dance. The Sea-flower stood by Mrs. Santon's side, that +she might attend to her least wish, when young Montague, disappointed +that he had not been the first to secure the hand of Winnie, in an +obsequious manner, solicited the pleasure of Miss Grosvenor's company, +to complete the set, but she politely declining the honor, the young +man, by the aid of the brass which constituted no small portion of his +composition, begged leave to remain by her side, that he might make some +few inquiries in regard to her enchanting home, which place he always +had a great desire to visit. + +"The islanders I suppose are mostly fishermen, yet," added he, glancing +rudely into her face, "there are some persons of intelligence among +them, are there not?" + +Natalie looked at him for a moment, as if in doubt whether ignorance or +some meaner motive had prompted the question, when she remarked, "you +evidently have never learned of the great dangers attendant upon a +stranger's visit to Nantucket." + +"Ah, indeed, I shall be under great obligations for the information," +said he, his eyes wide open with curiosity! "pray, what are +those dangers?" + +"The islanders, as you have imagined, being so unlike the inhabitants of +civilized lands, have such a natural propensity for wielding the +harpoon, that should a person differing from their kind appear amongst +them, they might be liable to capture him, mistaking the object for a +new species of land-shark!" + +At this piece of information, delivered in such a calm, pleasant manner, +the smiles which had been visible on the faces of those who listened, +grew into a hearty laugh, in which the chagrined Montague joined, as +being the safest way of retreat, and although piqued by the ludicrous +position in which he had been placed, he could not but look with +admiration upon the gentle creature, whose pleasant repartee had been in +self-defence. + +Natalie followed with her eye the graceful form of Winnie, as she +threaded her way through the dance, occasionally interchanging a witty +remark with her handsome partner, and as he lead her to a seat, Natalie +observed to Mrs. Santon, "how beautiful dear Winnie is to-night! I do +not know who can help loving her!" So enthusiastic was she in her +praises, that she had not observed the two contemplating her, and ere +she was aware of their approach, the bewitching Winnie had taken her +hand, and presenting Mr. Delwood, she mischievously remarked, "Now, Miss +critic, it is for you to perform _a la perfectione_, and depend upon it, +you shall be dealt with according to your own measure! for you have not +once taken those eyes off from me through the whole course!" + +Before Natalie could say a word in her defence, the music had commenced, +and ere she had hardly realized it she had taken Winnie's place by the +side of Mr. Delwood. Other eyes than Natalie's had looked upon Winnie +with admiration, as she had leaned upon the arm of Delwood, but now, as +he led forth "the gentle star," the suppressed murmur of applause must +have been apparent to the fair one herself had she not been engaged with +other thoughts. For several successive figures it so happened that +Natalie was the partner of the reserved Mr. Delwood, who never was known +to appear a second time upon the floor, and it also happened, how, or at +what moment was a mystery, that the two had sought to dispel fatigue, by +the conservatory's soothing influences, whither the eye of Winnie +wandered ever and anon, as with Mr. Montague she vied with her +competitors in the giddy waltz. Miss Winnie's brain was capable of +containing two thoughts at the same time, and no one would have +suspected, absorbed as she appeared to be with the attentions of +Montague, who was playing the agreeable to the best of his knowledge, +that her curiosity was at work, wondering what the subject of the +truants, tete-a-tete might be. "They are discussing the rare exotics, +sent to us from the South," she thought within herself, and indeed, +what other could interest the cold-hearted Delwood? who, it was thought +had never dreamed of love this side of the Atlantic; and as for Natalie, +many a private lecture had she received from Winnie, in regard to her +indifference toward the gentleman! though those discourses had been +invariably of the same termination, "for all that, Natalie, your heart +is made for love." + +From the first moment that Clarence Delwood had set his eye upon the +Sea-flower, an interest which he had never known before had been +awakened within him. It may be said that it was a weakness, that he had +always looked upon women as mere butterflies, but owing to early +circumstances, he having been bereft of his mother in infancy, never +having known the blessings of a sister's society, he was not to be +condemned for the impressions which a gaudily attired attendant had left +upon his mind as he grew up into boyhood. But as he listened to the +Sea-flower, as she told him of her home in the sea, of the music of the +glorious billows, companions of her childhood, filling the very soul +with nature's beauty and sublimity, he looked upon her, as if fearful +she might prove an "Undine," and he would not have been taken by +surprise had her spiritual face faded calmly from beneath his gaze, to +join her sister nymphs of ocean. + +"And you will soon return to your island home?" he asked, as a thought +of the warmth with which she had expressed herself to a stranger, bade +her pause in her enthusiasm with downcast eye. + +"Yes, I shall soon return," she answered joyously, "and yet I shall +remember Boston with feelings of pleasure, for I have spent happy +hours here." + +As she said this, their eyes involuntarily met; a silent spectator would +have noted the contrast of the moistened blue, to the deep black of +sterner make, but as it was, that contrast was not discovered, each felt +that the other was reading the thought, which had but then sprung up +within the soul. Natalie withdrew her gaze, while Delwood, stooping to +pluck a moss rose-bud from an urn at her feet, placed it within his +diamond fastener, and the two retraced their steps to join their friends +again. Montague was still at Winnie's side, and though the unusual flush +upon Natalie's cheek was a sad tell-tale of the state of affairs, yet +she observed Winnie as she listened with a ready ear to Montague's +remarks, and an unpleasant feeling rose in her heart; she could not bear +to have her dear friend on such intimate terms with him, whom, as by a +natural instinct she shunned. + +All things must have an end; and the cheerful lights, which houseless +ones had watched as the bright beams fell across the pave, one by one +had faded. Formal adieus had been said, kind wishes interchanged, and +the last sound of rumbling wheels had died away. Excess of excitement +bade the blooming Winnie seek repose, and quiet reigned triumphant at +Santon Mansion; yet there was one who seemed to have forgotten that the +morning follows so close upon the evening. The Sea-flower had lingered +among the last to say adieu, and now, in her own apartment, she had sunk +into a chair, the delicate pearls still encircling her sunny tresses, +vieing in purity with her fair complexion; her eyes were fixed on +vacancy, and she was not aware that the morning was peeping in upon her, +till started from her reveries by her own gentle sighs. + +And what spell is this that so usurps the calm, usually characteristic +of her nature? We have a vague suspicion as to what it may be, yet she +is all innocent of the source from which these new feelings have sprung; +even the last low words of Delwood, which are still sounding in her ear, +do not lead her to mistrust, and we leave her, as the fringed eyelids at +last droop in repose, to take a peep at our hero, who is only distant a +few squares from the gentle one, who, he feels, as he sits by the +gas-light, made pallid by the dawn of day, is all the world to him. + +If Delwood possessed the cold heart, of which the world gave him the +credit, its fetters had at last yielded to the genial sunshine. Sleep +was most remote from him, and pacing his room with a quick tread, he +uttered, in a sarcastic tone--"Love! Clarence Delwood in love! Love at +first sight! I never would have credited it!" his voice softening, he +added--"I feel confident that she of all others, is the only one who +could have wrought this change! No, I cannot look upon this as weakness! +I must see more of her; she is an angel of purity, too good for such as +I. Can she think favorably of me? and what will my father say, if he +learns that his only son will sue for favor in the eyes of--it may be a +maiden of low birth! It matters not! Should he disinherit me, I will +seek her society! I must love her even though she look upon me coldly. I +will see her again this very day!" with these resolves he threw himself +upon his couch, if he might get a little rest, before he again went +forth into the busy day, with feelings how changed! + +Natalie was awakened from her late slumbers, by a kiss from Winnie, +whose merry voice made the apartment ring. "So, ho! Miss Natalie," she +exclaimed, "you have been holding late revels with the water nymphs by +moonlight! and now, when the stronger light of the sun bids us mortals +awake, you have made good your retreat, and are enjoying Morpheus's +protecting care! but I can guess from whence the smiles came, as you +slept! never fear, darling, I'll tell nobody of whom you dreamed!" + +"Why, Winnie dear," exclaimed Natalie, endeavoring to free herself from +the kisses which that crazy little body was lavishing upon her, "have I +slept so late? and what has turned your head so early this morning? I do +not know what will become of us all before the day is ended, if you go +on thus." Opening her eyes, she looked about her, endeavoring to collect +her senses. Her eye fell upon a bouquet, of the finest, most delicate +flowers, in a vase, upon her toilet table; it had evidently been placed +there since she had retired, as she did not remember of seeing it +before. "You are very kind, Winnie, in being so thoughtful of me," she +said, "but where did you get those beautiful varieties? they are not +from our conservatory." + +"O, you innocent rogue! you think to make me believe you know nothing of +them, do you? they certainly came from some one who was thoughtful of +your well-being! but come, make yourself look as charming as possible, +for there is a friend awaiting us in the drawing room, who it is, I'll +not say, for 'haste makes waste,' you know!" + +Natalie blushed, for there came at once a rush of thoughts to her mind. +She but then remembered the pleasures of last evening. Winnie giving her +a knowing look, left her to her own reflections. Banishing all other +thoughts from her mind, Natalie kneeled at her morning devotions, her +low voice went up in thanks for the many blessings which were hers, not +forgetting to ask for greater favors for her dear mother and brother, +whom she expected so soon to meet, in two short weeks, at the time which +had been fixed, when she would return to her home. + +A simple morning dress of pink delise, edged with white, set off her +light figure to a charm; her snowy collar fastened with a cross, and +taking a lily of the valley from the mysterious bouquet, she placed it +in her hair, and half-hesitating, lest Winnie had been playing off one +of her mischievous tricks, she descended to the drawing-room. Seated +upon an ottoman, was no other than Clarence Delwood, who arose as she +entered, taking her proffered hand with some little embarrassment, which +was soon dispelled by the adroit Winnie, who took a seat at the piano, +and with a rich full voice sang the last opera. "Your friend, Miss +Santon, has an enviable voice," remarked Delwood to Natalie, regarding +the lily buds which he recognized as of the bouquet which he had ordered +his servant to place in the hands of her attendant, giving no name of +the donor. "Yes, I love to listen to her voice, it is so full of +feeling; she has a peculiar style! The Signor tells me her voice is of +great talent." + +"I need not ask of your own voice," remarked Delwood, "for your tone +betrays you." + +"Yes," cried Winnie, who in spite of the music had an ear alive to the +conversation, "it is moved and seconded that Miss Grosvenor shall give +us a benefit, and if she fails to entertain us with her first attempt, +she will lay herself open to be called upon again." + +"She may rest assured that your sentiments, however expressed, will be +truth in regard to the matter! for you are far from being a flatterer," +said Mr. Santon, as entering the apartment he welcomed Mr. Delwood to +his house. Natalie chose a simple piece--"The Wanderer's Home," and as +the sound of her voice died away, there was not a dry eye in the room. +Winnie was the first to break the spell, and smiling away a tear, she +exclaimed, "I had forgotten to caution you against too great success in +charming your listeners, therefore the _encores_ of your audience will +not permit you to retire without feeding the flame which you +have excited." + +"Remember you were not to flatter me," said Natalie, glancing at +Delwood, who was silently contemplating her. + +"Flattery or no flattery, you must repeat that to please me," said Mr. +Santon, making manifest exertions to clear his throat, and looking for +his handkerchief, as if suddenly seized with a cold. The piece was +repeated with greater effect, and it was not till Winnie began to rally +him that Delwood was aware of his negligence in escorting the fair +songstress to a seat. "Pardon me, Miss Grosvenor," he said, "but the +first tone of your voice carried me far back, to when I was a child of +five or six years. It was in Italy, where my father spent some time, +after my mother's death, and it so happened that I was permitted to +accompany him to an entertainment given by an Italian lady of note, who, +in the course of the evening, favored the company with a song. I was +engaged with some sweetmeats as she commenced, but as she proceeded, +gradually they fell from my hands, and when she had finished, I had +found my way to her side, and clinging to her dress I burst into tears, +begging her to take me to that beautiful place again! It is years since +I have thought of the circumstance, and I trust you will pardon my +enthusiasm, when I say that your "Wanderer's Home," has produced a +similar effect!" + +Natalie expressed her thanks for the compliment, with blushing modesty, +and as Delwood bade them good morning, after having made arrangements +for testing their courage with his iron grays, on the following morning; +so long did his eye linger upon her, who had full command of his every +thought, that he did not observe miss Winnie, who was trembling lest her +fresh supply of mischief should come to an unendurable crisis, before he +should depart. + +It was soon rumored that the lion had been tamed, that the beautiful +Miss Grosvenor had found her way to the heart of Clarence Delwood. +Boston beauties sighed, and those who had been unsuccessful in what is +sometimes termed "setting their caps," looked on with interest, but none +who had seen the favored one, could find it in their hearts to wish her +other than a life of joy. And thus time passed on, scarcely a day sped, +but Clarence Delwood was seen ascending the steps of Mr. Santon's +hospitable mansion. As Winnie expressed herself--"the affair was coming +on bravely;" she had now found for whom Natalie was reserving that +heart, which in spite of her caution, would impart to others its only +element. The time was also drawing near, when Natalie was to have made +glad her mother's heart by her presence. Old Vingo had desired his Massa +Harry to write to young Missy, "dat eben de breakers gettin' impatient +to see her once more, and dat he walk alone now, on de beach in de +moonlight, but he neber 'speck to find anoder Sea-flower." + +In a few days the Santon family were to part with Natalie. It was in +vain they had urged upon her to remain with them another season, for as +much as she had become attached to them all, she longed to see her home +once more. Even Winnie failed to keep time with her usually joyous +spirits, and there was one to whom this parting was not to be thought +of. Mr. Delwood had as yet received no positive assurance, that his +unmistakable sentiments towards Natalie were reciprocated, and yet he +was confident that she regarded him with no common interest. He had read +it in her soul, but he would hear from her own lips if happiness or +misery was to be his through life, and it was with a nervous step that +he wended his way on this last evening of her stay in Boston, that he +might hear his fate. As he drew near the house, he observed, though +early in the evening, but one dim light gleaming from an upper +apartment, and as he reached the gate it was fast, and a porter stood +within, who, to Delwood's hurried question if all was well, as he threw +him a gold-piece, replied in a sad tone--"kind sir, my orders are to +receive no one, as my mistress is dying, or you should have admittance +at once; but I know that you, of all others, could serve to lighten the +blow to my master, and if you take the responsibility, you shall be +admitted." + +"Leave that with me," he replied, "you shall not be censured," and with +assumed calmness of manner, he entered. Noiselessly he opened the outer +door, proceeding to the upper drawing-room, which opened to the room of +the dying one. Mr. Santon sat with his face buried in his hands, sobbing +aloud. Mr. Delwood took him tenderly by the hand, and whispered a few +words in his ear, which seemed to rouse him from the dreadful state of +mind to which he had yielded. "You find here a house of mourning," he +said, "but your presence is most welcome." + +"What can I do for you in this trying hour?" asked Delwood; "can I be of +any assistance?" + +"There is nothing to be done but to submit to the will of God," he +answered, "and I pray that I may have strength so to do." The door of +the chamber of death was opened, and the physician summoned Mr. Santon +to his dying wife's bedside. Delwood stood in the door; pale, but not +emaciated were the features upon which death had set his seal, her last +moment was near, but she had strength and consciousness supported by the +Sea-flower, to say a few parting words; with one hand in that of her +husband, the other upon the head of her grief-stricken daughter, she +said: "farewell, my dearest husband; it is but a little parting; you +will meet me there at last." Turning to the Sea-flower, with her hand +still upon the head of her daughter, she added, "my child will soon be +motherless; through you, she is what I could wish to see her; and when I +am gone, will you never lose sight of her? make her to be like +yourself!" In a feeble voice she continued, "thank God that we may see +heaven upon earth; the gentle spirit is pointing me to my rest;" a +slight trembling of her weary frame, and she had gone to be with the +"just made perfect;" a smile was upon her features, and they smoothed +her limbs as for a night's repose. The father mingled his tears with +those of his child, who was all that was left to him. The Sea-flower, +leaning upon the arm of him who thought it not unmanly to weep over the +scene he had witnessed, retired, leaving the afflicted ones to weep away +the anguish in their hearts, ere they might look upon the loving +kindness of Him, whose ways are all perfect. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +BEHIND THE CLOUDS THE SUN IS SHINING. + + + "I am armed with innocence, + Less penetrable than the steel-ribbed coats + That harness round thy warriors." + + MADDEN'S THEMISTOCLES. + + + "That one so formed in mind and charms to grace, + The brightest scenes of life, should have her seat + In the shadow of a cloud; and yet 'tis weakness. + The angels watch the good and innocent, + And where they gaze it must be glorious." + + MRS. BALE'S "ORMOND GROSVENOR." + + +My gentle reader will pardon the long stride of time which here +intervenes, disclosing nothing of those in whom we feel an interest. +Nearly a year of moments had sped since that in which Mrs. Santon had +passed away. Winnie had seen her loved mother laid in that narrow, +silent house, which is prepared for the dead, and her tears had watered +the green grass which groweth so silently,--upspringing everywhere, even +in the lonely places of burial, a fit covering for those who +slumber,--emblematical of the life beyond the tomb. The joyous mirth +which abode in Winnie's nature had superseded, in a measure, days of +deep mourning; yet this first taste of earth's sorrow had left an +impress upon her mind never to be erased; and though thoughtless ones +perhaps observed no change in her young, elastic spirits, there was one, +gentle and youthful, who had been to her as a mother in her +bereavement,--the Sea-flower. She could see that the death of a loved +one had wrought a good work upon the heart of her friend, as it may with +us all, if we will lie passive in the hands of the workman. + +It was a disappointment to Natalie that her intention of returning home +had been frustrated; yet it was with cheerfulness that she resigned her +hopes, when she saw that duty pointed out another way. Mr. Santon, on +the sudden death of his wife, which occurred on the very evening before +Natalie was to bid them farewell, had himself written a very touching +letter to Mrs. Grosvenor, begging, if it were not asking of her too +much, that she would spare her daughter to them a little while longer, +as it had been the last wish of Mrs. Santon that their daughter might be +with her who had proved such a blessing to them all; and so, in pity for +the dear ones of her friend, of whose death she was pained to learn, +Mrs. Grosvenor had consented to another year's separation from her +child, though it was indeed asking of her a great sacrifice. Old Vingo, +who had wondered if his young missy would take him by the hand, as she +used, when he heard that another long year must pass before he would see +her again, cried like a child; but no one was more disappointed than +Harry, who had counted the days for months, when she would come home; +but his patience was not to be tested thus. He had visited his sister in +Boston, and had received so favorable an impression of city life, or it +may be that he had received a more favorable impression of a certain +pair of black eyes, which were constantly fixed upon him, when he had +accidentally glanced towards a certain young lady, whom, report said, +(Mr. Montague being among the foremost to give credit thereto,) was the +"greatest catch" in town. Whether it was actually the lady's beauty in +question which had dazzled scores of disengaged young men, or whether +they had seen visions of a well-built money-chest, we do not pretend to +say; but this much we can perceive, that a beautiful young heiress, left +to her own discretion in the choosing of a partner for life, stands in a +critical situation, and if these innuendoes refer to Miss Winnie Santon, +we are foremost in wishing our young nautical friend success in the +great game of hearts, for we can see too much of worth in her character, +for her to be thrown away on a worthless dandy, whose money, for the +little time that it keeps him company, is his god. Be all this as it +may, Harry Grosvenor had found several opportunities for visiting his +sister, and upon each visit he was received, not only by the Sea-flower, +but by Winnie herself, with a warm welcome. + +But Winnie, as we have discovered, has been a sad coquette. Another +year, however, has been added to her age since we saw her in society +last, and this last year, so different from any other of her sunny life, +has brought with it the knowledge and experience of many. Perhaps the +Sea-flower's influence, which fortunately she has been under, may have +had its effect upon her character, which is now forming itself; and yet +her bewitching smile, which Harry loved to dwell upon, when he had +returned to his island home, as second only to his matchless sister's, +was very like those which she had bestowed upon many an elated gallant. + +Natalie had not failed to notice the seeming pleasure with which her +brother had listened to Winnie's brilliant conversation, and she had +asked herself if it were possible that Winnie could be so heartless as +to impress her brother with erroneous views in regard to her sentiments. +She would not believe that she had the heart to do it; and yet, through +habit, and a perfect thoughtlessness of the consequences, she might be +led to do so. + +It was evening, and the two sat folded in each other's arms, gazing at +an autumn sunset. Winnie was still in her black habiliments, for it was +not quite a year since Mrs. Santon had died. Harry had left them the day +before, and had bade them both a warm farewell. Winnie had been silent +for some moments, when Natalie remarked,--"What new scheme are you +planning now, Winnie? you are very thoughtful to-night." + +Winnie roused herself, and blushingly replied, "I do not wonder that +you note my thoughtful moments, I am such a gay creature; but, dear +Natalie, there are times when even _I_ can be serious, though there are +few who could credit my words." + +"I can believe you, Winnie, for I know you have a good heart; but what +can have occurred of sufficient importance to banish those dimples from +your cheek? Come, rogue, make me your confidant, or I shall begin to +think you are at your old tricks, after all." + +"If I did not know your forgiving spirit, I should hesitate to place +myself in your power, for fear you might repay me with interest, in +making you, and your particular friend Mr. Delwood, the subjects of my +merriment." + +Natalie looked calmly into her eyes; the truth flashed across her mind +at once, and she was about to clasp her in her arms, calling her by the +name of sister, when a well-known voice from behind them repeated the +name, "Sea-flower," and Mr. Delwood was by her side. + +"Where did you learn the name by which I am called in my island home?" +asked Natalie. + +"Why did you never tell us that you have a name in keeping with your +character?" he asked, taking the seat by her side which Winnie, who had +retired to hide her blushes, had vacated. + +"'Tis the name by which my father loved to call me, and I associate it +with his sacred memory," she replied; and a tear, which Delwood looked +upon as also sacred, fell upon the hand which clasped her's as with +reverential fervency. + +"Your brother told me of the name," he replied, "and will you permit me +to associate with that name all that is of purity? May I not call you by +that name? Can you give one thought to him whose very happiness for life +is dependent on you?" + +There was a pause, Delwood had never until this night, declared to her +his love, in so many measured words, which were but coldness in +comparison with the love for her which filled his soul. A year ago would +have sealed his doom, but that night witnessed another scene. Death had +claimed it for his own. The hand which he held was not withdrawn, +neither did a simper mark her reply. With eyes meekly turned upward, she +answered in a calm, low voice,--"My dear father is in heaven; if he is +looking down, I feel that he will smile upon me, when, with my mother's +consent, she shall give me away to you. I have long ago given myself to +Christ, and if you recognize him as your Saviour, we will together serve +him as dutiful children, praying one for the other that we may +not fall." + +"I am not like you," he replied; "I can never be as pure as you are; +neither am I what the world calls a Christian; but by God's help, I +pledge myself to be one of Christ's followers; and of one thing I am +confident, I shall never be if I grope my way alone through the world, +as I must if I lose you, what I shall be if I have you for a guide!" + +"It is enough; you depreciate your own merits," she said, glancing +proudly upon him; "go, when I return, and with your own lips ask my +mother, if she can find a place in her noblest of women's hearts, for +him who is all too worthy of her daughter's love." + +He folded her to his heart, and the rich harvest moon had sunk far below +the horizon, ere these two kindred spirits had wearied of the +glorious night. + +Mr. Santon had not felt the utter desolation, after the first +overpowering sense of grief had passed, after his wife's death, that he +would have felt had he had no one upon whom to have leaned. As it was, +his home was not desolate, for he cherished his daughter as the "apple +of his eye," and he had come to be like himself again. Happy faces met +him as he came in wearied from his duties "on 'change," and he had again +assumed his easy, jocose manners. Natalie was still continuing her +studies, making unprecedented progress, to the rapturous delight of the +Signor; while Winnie enlivened the whole household. + +As mistress of the mansion she had new duties to discharge, though they +were not so arduous as to deprive her of entertaining the young +aspirants to her hand, who if they did not throw themselves at her feet, +it was only for the want of an opportunity. And thus was everything +going on harmoniously at Santon Mansion, when, to the no little surprise +of every one, it was rumored that the wealthy Mr. Santon was about to +introduce to his domains a new mistress. No one was more taken by +surprise than were Winnie and Natalie. They could hardly credit their +senses, when Mr. Santon congratulated his daughter on the prospect of +having a new mother. + +Poor Winnie! she tried to smile, and she tried to make one of her most +brilliant remarks, as she congratulated her father on his happiness; yet +it was not like herself, and Natalie could see, what Mr. Santon in his +blindness of joy did not discern,--there was no heart in his daughter's +mechanical tones. Winnie had not as yet seen her intended mother-in-law; +she might be all that could be desired of one standing in that peculiar +relation, and she might be otherwise; it was not that which had quelled +the buoyant spirits of the heiress, it was that she shrank from the +thought of any one so soon filling her own dear mother's station, and +she hid her face in Natalie's golden tresses, as her father left the +room, and burst into tears. + +"Dear, dear Natalie," she exclaimed, "you will think me so wicked! But I +wanted no other mother than you! Though you are younger than myself, I +have learned to look up to you, as a valuable bequest left me by my +mother, who smiled even in death, when you promised never to forget me. +We are happy now; why need a stranger come among us? Oh, Natalie, I +never can part from you!" + +"Hush! hush! dear Winnie, you must not think thus! you may come to love +your new mother, filling the most sanguine wishes of your father's +heart, who would be wretched, if his daughter were not reconciled to her +who will stand in the nearest relation to him." + +And thus the Sea-flower endeavored to prepare Winnie's mind for +receiving her new mother, who would so soon take her place at the head +of this once unbroken family, as became a meek and dutiful child; but +she did not tell her of the trembling within her own heart, lest this +new tie should prove a source of sorrows, sowing her youthful heart with +seed which might be productive of bitter among the sweets; neither did +she know of the prayers of the innocent maiden, that hers might be a +thornless path. + +The lady in question, whom Mr. Santon had deemed worthy of his hand, and +its consequent honors, was of a family of lower standing than his own as +far as much of this world's goods go to give caste; but if, aside from +depth of purse, she was his inferior, we have yet to learn. The +marriage ceremonies were attended with little display, in deference to +Mr. Santon's wishes, and the day at length arrived, when the bride, who +resided in a neighboring city, was to be received in her new home. + +She came, and congratulations were exchanged between mother and +daughter, first impressions were made, and the hour arrived which should +liberate each one to the night's repose. Winnie flew to her room; she +had seen her whom she was to call "mother," and from the few hours which +she had already passed with her, her superior discernment of character +had judged of her aright; she never had cause to vary from the opinion +which she had from the first formed of her; she choked back the tears, +so strange to see within her eyes, and kneeling, she repeated the very +first prayer her mother had ever taught her, an exercise which from the +example set before her for the last two years, she now never failed to +observe. Arising, she endeavored to dispel the mountain of anguish which +was creeping into her soul,--in sleep. Poor Winnie! we can pity you; +'tis but life's lesson taught. + +The impression which Natalie had received of the second wife of Mr. +Santon's choice, though she would not bring herself to realize it, were +by no means prepossessing. She had schooled her own, and Winnie's heart +to love her under any circumstances, but when she saw with what +frigidity she received Winnie's warm welcome, thinking not of the +condescension with which she had taken her own hand, her tender heart +was pierced as Winnie looked toward her, as if for strength, and she had +returned her look with a smile which could not fail to prove to her a +ray of sunshine. + +Why is it that it is of so frequent occurrence, that a man who has been +blessed with peculiar loveliness of character in a wife, if he be called +upon to part with her, finds, alas! too late, in a second partner, an +extreme opposite? It was thus in Mr. Santon's experience, as he but too +soon was obliged to acknowledge to himself, though he would not that +others should have a suspicion of the fact; yet it was evident to his +nearest friends that he was not the happy man he once was; the few +sprinkles of gray, which had reflected honor upon the raven black of his +hair, had increased ere the honey-moon was hardly ended. + +Early the next morning after the arrival of Mrs. Santon, Winnie was +awakened by an attendant, whose sense of propriety were a question, if +placed in a balance with that of her new mistress, which were the +weightier. The woman apologized for disturbing "her leddy-ship," but the +new mistress would like to see Miss Santon in the drawing-room as soon +as possible. + +"You can go," was Winnie's reply, "and tell Mrs. Santon that at my +convenience, I will see her!" but recalling the servant, with her next +thought, she added, "merely say to my mother, that I will soon be with +her," and hastily making her toilet, she repaired to the drawing-room. + +Mrs. Santon was alone, for it was a full hour before the family's usual +time for arising. Winnie bade her mother "good morning," and was about +to ask if she had rested well in her new home, when she was interrupted +by her, and in an imperative tone she said:-- + +"This may be earlier than you have been accustomed to 'rising, Miss +Santon, but my habits for early rising are proverbial, and of course my +household will conform to my wishes in regard to matters which you will +at once see are for the best. What I wished to speak with you more +particularly about this morning, is in regard to the keys; you will +please produce them, as I shall have a thorough overhauling at once, and +if I mistake not," said she, glancing at Winnie's neat morning attire, +"the sooner the better, for I think those jewelled hands have not +troubled themselves much about such things. I wonder that you have not +been brought up to something beside killing time!" + +"Madam!" vociferated Winnie, her face crimsoned with the insult which +she had received, but she paused, though still trembling with rage, her +eye had rested on a gentle form, standing within the open door--it was +the Sea-flower. With one finger upon her lip, her brow calm as the new +day, she gazed upon Winnie, till gaining her eye, unobserved by Mrs. +Santon she glided away. Instead of the rage Winnie would have poured +forth, she merely said, "I will send you the keys," and left the room. +Despatching a servant with the keys, which she had intended to have put +into her hands at the earliest opportunity, thereby acknowledging her +superior claim at once, she sought Natalie, whom she found seated in the +conservatory, enjoying the Indian summer breeze, which stole softly in +among the fragrant plants, which were the particular objects of her +care. Each knew what was uppermost in the other's mind, but Winnie's +heart was too full to speak. + +"I have been thinking, Winnie," said the Sea-flower, "how thankful we +should be, that we have so many friends to love us. I think I have never +realized it until now, and," she spoke in a lower tone, "dear Winnie, +should you ever receive other than the kindly treatment to which you +have always been accustomed, let it serve to increase your gratitude +that you have so many with whom you can trust your affections." + +"Yes, Natalie, I will strive to do aright. I will try to do as I think +you would have done, but I fear I shall not have your strength. O, it is +so hard! if I only had a mother to love me, I could endure anything +else!" and her excitable nature getting the better of her, she burst +into tears. Natalie threw her arm about her neck, and, her own voice +tremulous with the pity which she felt for her, she tried to soothe her +spirits; "you shall have a mother! My mother shall be your mother! for +are you not to be my sister? and she will love you as did your own +gentle mother! but Mrs. Santon will yet become reconciled to you, for +when she finds what a good heart you have, she cannot but treat you with +kindness." + +At this juncture the door opened, and Mrs. Santon brushed rudely in; +"welladay! is this your usual morning's occupation? Miss Grosvenor, I +think you should have more wisdom than to be petting a spoiled child! I +imagine that I shall have as much as I shall care to undertake, to undo +the mischief which is already too apparent. It has been as much as I +could do for the last two hours, to get things a little in order; but I +suppose I need not look for assistance here," she scornfully said, and +turned to leave the room. Winnie had it upon her tongue's end to reply, +"My father employs his servants to keep his house in order, and they +have never failed to give satisfaction," but biting her lip, the thought +died away. Natalie arrested Mrs. Santon's steps, saying, "Winnie and +myself will consider it a pleasure to assist you, and whatever we can do +at any time for your enjoyment, we shall be most happy to do it." The +hard-hearted woman quailed a little, at the Sea-flower's proffered +assistance, and Natalie accompanied her to the upper drawing-room, +wondering much what could have given offence to her ideas of a +well-regulated house; for under the housekeeper's scrupulous care, +everything was kept in the nicest order. Desiring Natalie to assist her +in the disposal of some articles, she directed Winnie to find some +out-of-the-way place, and to stow away the rubbish which she would find +in the next apartment, pointing to the room which had been her mother's, +and which Winnie had not permitted any one to disturb, since her death. +Everything had been left just as she had left it, even some withered +flowers had not been removed, and the book from which she had read, had +been left opened at the place her eye had last looked upon. This room +had been kept as a place sacred to Winnie's heart, and indeed the very +servants passed it by with a blessing on their departed mistress; and it +was now with trembling steps that Winnie, hardly realizing what had been +said to her, followed in the direction which the cruel woman had +pointed. She opened the door, and sank fainting into a chair! In the +middle of the floor were the very clothes which her mother had worn, +with other articles thrown together in a pile! her mother's portrait +had been removed, and the room was otherwise in disorder. Natalie ran to +Winnie's assistance, bathing her temples, and smoothing back her long +tresses with tenderness. Just at that moment Mr. Santon entered the +room; he looked at his daughter! at the disordered apartment of his +buried wife, which he had never held more sacred, and he looked at Mrs. +Santon! Without speaking a word he left the room. Poor Winnie! this is +indeed life's lesson! but thou art learning to "suffer and be strong." + +Had the character of the mother-in-law been in accordance with her +exterior, Santon Mansion might still have resounded with joy, for hers +was a face by no means forbidding. On the contrary, a stranger would +have pronounced her to be decidedly good-looking, considering that she +was a woman of nearly fifty years, and those good looks were the secret +of Mr. Santon's unfortunate connection with her. From the first, the +woman had taken a dislike to Natalie; it seemed as if she was determined +to spite her in every way possible. Why she should have felt thus toward +her, was certainly unaccountable, as there was no trait more unlovable +than innocency, about her character; but this very gentleness of nature, +in contrast with the iciness, seldom found in woman's heart, would, as +an unavoidable result, serve to widen the two extremes. + +The Sea-flower would, as time advanced, have sought refuge in her own +home, from this mist of unrest, which had by degrees spread itself +around, but when she had spoken of the thing to Mr. Santon, he had +grasped her by the hand, as a drowning man would catch at a straw, +saying, if she would not entirely sever the golden thread which was once +bound around their home circle, she would defer her departure, for at +least, a little time; and she had seen the tear, which was as molten +lead, welling up from the strong man's heart. Then she said, "It is my +duty! I will remain with you! I feel there is something which bids me +stay; some mysterious power controlling my destiny." + +"May you have your reward!" was Mr. Santon's reply; and we heartily +respond, "May she have her reward!" + +Never a word did Mrs. Santon receive from the Sea-flower, in return for +her ungenerous treatment of her, other than tones of kindness; and +Natalie was happy under this new dispensation, for she said within +herself,--"I am but bearing a part of the burden which would crush dear +Winnie's heart;" and so she sang and played with her usual glad spirit, +gliding about the house with simple dignity, with a cheering word for +every one, and, as Biddy said,--"she was an escaped ray of light, too +bright for the darkness to hide." + +As we may foresee, this very light-heartedness of the Sea-flower only +served to incite the ire of Mrs. Santon, who saw that every new +indignity which she had cast upon her, was returned with more meekness +of spirit. If Natalie had resented such conduct, giving "measure for +measure," the stern woman could have borne it better; but as it was, it +enraged her, that she could not come within her sphere; and, if the +truth were known, her senses were not so steeped in the waters of +insensibility, but that in her very heart she felt her great superiority +over herself. + +"I will put her down, yet!" she said to herself, after another return, +through the Sea-flower, of "good for evil." "She shall yet feel my +power! and why Mr. Santon will persist in her staying with us, is more +than I can tell. But that is the way with these men! they will get +strange notions into their heads, which nobody can account for; even a +wife's wishes are looked upon as of little consequence, in comparison +with their lordly commands. I should not be surprised at any time if +Santon should withhold a favor from me to lavish upon her! But I'm +thinking that he will before long find out what I am made of, if he +thwarts my wishes. To be sure, his daughter has become attached to her, +but what of that? She must learn that she cannot have every whim +gratified; she is a spoiled child at best, and will not be likely to +improve under her skim-milk discipline. Leave me alone for managing +affairs. I've got the staff in my own hands, and all they can do wont +make me anything but the Honorable Mr. Santon's lady! though I'm greatly +mistaken if he don't look with evil eyes on the day that made me his +bride; but that's not of the slightest consequence, as I used to tell my +first husband. Poor fellow! I suppose I was rather hard upon him once in +a while; but I knew he was waiting patiently for the day which should +separate us. He little thought he would go first," and the woman +laughed aloud, as she thought how she had crept into the good graces of +her present husband. "Leave me alone for playing my part," she said, as +seated in her own apartment, she listened to the voice of Delwood in the +drawing-room. "It is evident that her very life is wrapt up in Mr. +Delwood, and it is really quite a pity that so fine a fellow should be +deceived; and lest she should follow my illustrious example, I might as +well interfere in their arrangements; and if I can see aright, she has +talked the enviable heiress into the belief that her brother is a very +paragon of perfection, for she knows right well that a good bag of money +would be no serious objection to his fishermanship. How they ever raised +two such likely looking specimens of humanity down there in the land of +whales, is a mystery; but they'll find they cannot take the precedence +with Boston gentry. If I can avail anything, my particular friend +Montague shall try his luck in securing that portion of the heiress's +estate which I shall be pleased to leave her." + +With these plans matured, she ushered herself into Delwood's presence, +and in her blandest manner made him welcome, initiating herself as far +as possible into his good opinion, which was no difficult task, inasmuch +as he had been accustomed to look upon a character so spotless, that he +was not prepared for the detestable machinations of one who was not +worthy the name of woman. It had been far from the Sea-flower to breathe +a suspicion that there was aught amiss in the character of the +flattering mistress of Santon Mansion. Her high esteem for Mr. Santon +had not permitted her to speak of the sad change, even to her mother. + +"My dear," said Mrs. Santon, turning to Natalie, "in the pleasure which +we must ever find in Mr. Delwood's society, you have forgotten your +engagement with the destitute family, which you have taken under your +especial charge, and poor Mrs. Brown's child is so ill, I fear a few +hours' delay in taking the necessary restoratives recommended by our +physician, may cause the poor thing to suffer; I would despatch an +attendant, but I fear there may be some mistake made, and I know your +very presence will impart comfort to the poor woman." + +"Oh, no, I had not forgotten them," replied Natalie; "but the physician +said any time this afternoon would do, as the little sufferer's disease +is about turning, and we must await the result." + +"Yes, but I have such an anxiety about them, for in their ignorance they +may act contrary to orders, and so be the means of the little fellow's +death. It will be a great relief to my mind if you will just step around +and look in upon them, as it is but a step, and I know Mr. Delwood will +excuse you for a few moments, and I will promise to do my best to supply +your absence." + +Natalie prepared to depart on this errand of mercy, and Delwood would +have taken his hat to accompany her, but Mrs. Santon held him fast by +commencing a brisk conversation, from which he could not with politeness +take himself away. + +"Miss Grosvenor excels in her performance of the latest style, which the +Signor has introduced," remarked Mrs. Santon, endeavoring to draw him +out, when the Sea-flower had departed. + +"I am perfectly amazed at her original rendering of the Italian," +replied Delwood, "and I think I can safely say, that among all my +sojournings among their people, I have never met with one whose style is +more pure than that of Miss Grosvenor's. I should certainly say that +she is of Italian birth, though she tells me that she has never crossed +the Atlantic." + +"She is evidently captivated with their people, or perhaps I may more +properly say, with the only person she has ever met of that nation," +said Mrs. Santon, with a mysterious manner. + +"To what or whom do you refer?" asked Delwood, in an altered tone of +voice. + +"Mr. Delwood, I feel that it is my duty to inform you of a matter, which +has been a source of no little uneasiness, not only to myself, but to +every member of my family; and as you have shown a manifest interest in +Miss Grosvenor, it is not well that you should remain in ignorance of +what so deeply concerns your welfare." + +"Speak! what can it be?" asked Delwood, pale with emotion. + +"Do not allow yourself to be thus moved, I pray you; but what I have to +say is, that three months ago, we gave the Signor notice that we should +require his services no longer, as we had reason to believe his visits +were becoming something more than mere professional calls, and to our +great consternation, we found that Miss Grosvenor was not entirely +indifferent to his marked attentions. I was the last to believe that +Miss Grosvenor could so lose her self-respect and standing, as to look +upon a poor professor, who gains his bread by his own exertions, as a +favored competitor for her hand, and, it was not until I saw with my own +eyes, that I could credit what I had heard. I was satisfied in time, +that his rapt admiration as he gazed upon her, was something more than +enthusiasm that she had excelled even his most ardent expectations; and +the expression of her beautiful face, as she concluded, might have been +the envy of a greater than the Signor. We dismissed the Signor, but he +still continued his visits, under the plea that it was his custom to +give a few additional lessons at the close of a course, and if he might +be allowed, he should consider it a valuable acquisition to his own +musical powers, to continue for a time his exercises under Miss +Grosvenor's superior talent." + +As Mrs. Santon paused, Delwood, in a state of frenzy, exclaimed,-- + +"It cannot be! I will never believe that she is false to me, even though +she should declare to me with her own lips, that another's claims upon +her affections were paramount to my own! Excuse me, madam, but I think +there must be some dreadful misunderstanding in regard to the facts +which you have stated. No! I would scorn myself if I had a doubt of her +innocence! and if such a thing might be possible, I would die rather +than be forced to believe it! I will tell her this very day what I have +heard, but I will not degrade myself, or forfeit her trust, by asking +her if it can be so!" + +"Be calm, my dear friend," said Mrs. Santon; "compose yourself, I pray +you, and take my advice in the matter. Say nothing of what you have +heard to any one, but come here to-morrow morning at ten, when the +Signor will make his appearance, and from a private window, opening from +the conservatory, you may, unknown to any one, witness for yourself the +truth of what I have said." + +"I will follow your advice, inasmuch as I will reveal to no one what I +have heard, until I become like myself," said Delwood, endeavoring to +compose himself as he heard the light step of the Sea-flower in the +hall; and as she entered, he arose to depart, pleading a slight +indisposition as an apology for his abruptness. + +The calm, spiritual eyes of Natalie looked out upon him, as he walked +rapidly down the street, for she could not but notice an estrangement in +his manners; but she did not mistrust that an arrow, poisoned by sin in +its vilest form, had been aimed at his heart. + +The starry heavens of that night told that another day had gone to be +with the past, and innocence laid her head upon her pillow and slept, +unmindful of plots of guilt, engendered of sin, which might prove for +her a draught of bitterness. + +At an early hour the following morning, Clarence Delwood bent his steps +towards the residence of Mr. Santon. "Come here to-morrow, and you shall +see for yourself,"--those words still sounded in his ears, and, as he +drew nearer the house, it seemed as if they grew louder and louder, till +his brain was nearly distracted. But would he privately watch her ways, +whom of all others in the "wide, wide world," he had looked upon as +nearest perfection? No, he would not thus debase himself. + +It was at a much earlier hour than that which Mrs. Santon had named, +that Delwood presented himself, and handsomely feeing the porter who +answered his summons, he asked to see Miss Santon; "and, James," said +he, "you need mention my presence to no other member of the family, as +my business is strictly private, for Miss Santon's ear alone." + +"Yes, sir," replied James, twisting his face info a most knowing wink, +as he smiled upon the yellow ore, "I've been there before." + +Winnie soon made her appearance with no little astonishment pictured in +her countenance, that Mr. Delwood should have honored them with what she +termed "a sunrise call;" and that he should have asked for her in +particular, was a matter more mysterious. His manners, so unlike +himself, served to check at once her flow of spirits, which, in spite of +the weight of oppression which had marked the last year, would find +vent, if not in a witty remark, in the expression of her speaking +countenance was it visible; but she was not slow to discern that some +serious subject was upon his mind, and became serious also. + +In a few words he informed her of what he had learned from Mrs. Santon +the day previous, but what was his astonishment to find her totally +ignorant of the circumstances, not hesitating to declare the whole a +base falsehood. + +"I had not a doubt of the falsity of the report," said Delwood; "but +what can have given rise to such a statement? Surely, your mother would +not wish to injure my feelings, by repeating what may have originated, +without foundation, among the servants, and which she could not have +herself credited!" + +Winnie saw the truth at once, knowing as she did the character of her, +whom, if she had ever looked upon as a mother, must from this moment +forfeit every claim upon her feelings, unless it were that of +utter contempt. + +"Mr. Delwood," said she, raising herself to her full height, her slender +fingers clenched together, every nerve 'roused to action,--"if you would +not insult me, never again call the woman who has had the heart to cast +such a slur upon the character of her whom we know is innocent, _my +mother_! It is not to injure your feelings that she has invented such a +vile scheme, but it is by injuring Natalie's character in your eyes, she +may banish from her heart all future happiness. Nay, do not start at +such a strange declaration from my lips; you are the only person, out +of my father's household, who has a suspicion that our happiness is not +what it once was; but since it has come to this, I will, at the risk of +disclosing to the world what it were wisdom to conceal, establish the +innocent; and rest assured that what I say is true,--this originated not +among the servants, for there is not one but would kneel and kiss the +very ground upon which our dear Sea-flower treads." + +Delwood was thunderstruck. + +"Indeed, I never could have mistrusted Mrs. Santon's character was so +vile!" said he; "but I can sooner believe this than that darkness is +born of light. And has Miss Grosvenor suffered the ill-will of this +cruel, cruel woman, and never lisped a word but should lead others to +respect her? Noble girl that she is! thrice noble have these very evil +designings proved her! 'Tis useless for intrigue to cope with purity." + +"And she bade you come and see for yourself. What meaning is there in +that?" asked Winnie; for surely such an act would go to prove her +innocence." + +"If Mrs. Santon can stoop to the deed, which fortunately has been +disclosed in time to prevent the affair from coming to Miss Grosvenor's +knowledge, she would not hesitate to do a meaner thing, favorable to the +furtherance of her plans; and it is my opinion there is more to be +learned in regard to this matter. I will foil her by following her own +advice, and at the appointed hour will station myself as desired, not as +a spy upon her ways, but that I may sift this affair to the bottom." + +Accordingly, at the hour which Mrs. Santon had mentioned, Mr. Delwood's +summons were answered by the mistress of the mansion in person, who +smilingly drew him to the conservatory, which overlooked the +drawing-room, where he could, unobserved by any one, notice every +movement of her whose very being was dearer than his own. Natalie was +performing his favorite air, and as he listened, he gradually lost sight +of the object of his visit,--engulfed in the ocean of bliss which her +impassioned tones had spread before him, when he was recalled to a sense +of outward circumstances by the voice of the Signor, who, as the +bird-like trill of her voice died away, sprang to his feet, and in a +voice hoarse with passion, exclaimed,--"Never!" and was about to leave +the house, when Delwood intercepted him in the hall, and taking him by +the collar, demanded to know the cause of his strange conduct. The +Signor, in his peculiar dialect, replied, "Do not detain me, sir! it +were far better that none should ever know of the temptation which +well-nigh made me a villain!" + +"You do not leave this house, sir, until you disclose to me what may +concern my welfare! And do not, I pray you, sir, force me to treat you +as other than a gentleman, for if I mistake not, you are yet worthy +of respect." + +"You do me proud, sir; but I would much prefer to keep my own tongue; +for should it come to the ear of madam that her secret is a secret no +longer, I fear it may prove an injury to my professional duties." + +"Remember that I have said, sir, you do not leave this house until you +have given me an account of your strange conduct; but in doing thus, if +I find you undeserving of censure, it shall be no sacrifice to your +reputation. I will pledge myself that you lose nothing." + +"Since you are determined, sir, I will make a clean breast of it," said +the Signor, dashing several pieces of gold upon the floor,--"there, sir, +is indeed the root of all evil! that gold was placed in my hands by a +woman, who would make me a tool for the carrying out of designs, which I +have not the heart to perform." + +"Well." + +"Madam, for some cause, has an under current of thought, which does not +appear to be in keeping with the more open sentiments of this family; +for that amount of gold she connived with me to express such sentiments +toward Miss Grosvenor, as should fire you with a belief of her +inconstancy, and an attachment for myself. It was some time before I +could be bought with gold, but she, doubling the amount, I at last +yielded to what, thank God, I have not had strength to perform. Had it +been other than Miss Grosvenor whom I was to injure, I tremble for my +weakness in resisting so great a temptation; but she reminds me too +strongly of the tear which I have seen in my mother's eye, when she +prayed for her baby boy. No, sir, thrice that paltry amount should not +tempt me now to such degradation!" + +"You have done well, sir," said Delwood, calmly, as he placed double +the amount of Mrs. Santon's bribe in the Signor's hand; "you have done +well, sir; and mark my words,--gold can never relieve a guilty +conscience! Go, sir, and see that you lisp not a syllable of this to +any one." + +Mr. Delwood was about to take his leave, when he was met by Winnie, who +tripped lightly in, fresh from a morning walk. He grasped her hand and +pressed it to his lips, saying,--"You have helped to do away with the +sinful impressions which did their best to fasten themselves upon me. +You will never be forgotten by me, and I know you will do your best to +protect _her_ from the wiles of this hard-hearted woman, of whose deeds +the world shall through me be none the wiser." + +"I should be iron-hearted, did I not strive to make her happy; for it is +in pity for my father and his motherless child, that she consents to be +separated from her own loved family." + +Mrs. Santon had never the impudence to inquire in what way this matter +terminated, but she could see that her machinations had been foiled, as +day after day brought Mr. Delwood a welcome visitor to the house; yet +this defeat did not subdue her bitter feelings towards the Sea-flower; +they only slumbered, to break out afresh on the first occasion that +might present. Natalie had observed the Signor's abrupt departure; she +knew that something must be amiss, and questioning Winnie in the matter, +she disclosed to her what never came to the ear of Mr. Santon: + +"I forgive her," said the Sea-flower, "and I can pity her; for perhaps +she has never had dear friends who might teach her how to love." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +THE MADONNA AND CHILD. + + + "Pure and undimmed, thy angel smile + Is mirrored on my dreams, + Like evening's sunset girded isle, + Upon her shadowed streams; + And o'er my thoughts thy vision floats, + Like melody of spring-bird notes, + When the blue halcyon gently laves + His plumage in the flashing waves." + + PARK BENJAMIN. + + +"Please, miss, a letter for you," said the post-boy, handing Natalie a +letter, which she was not long in discovering, was from her dear mother. + +"I thank you, most heartily," said she, in her low, musical voice, which +caused the youthful sprig of Uncle Sam's department to leave incomplete +the angle of forty-five degrees, which he had been in the habit of +considering as of no little importance in the perfecting of his duties, +as he went his daily rounds. + +"Zounds!" said he to himself, as he went whistling up the street, "if I +don't hope they'll send down another document to her soon!" and his eyes +wandered up to the little patch of blue sky which was to be seen between +the tops of brick walls. + +The Sea-flower perused the letter, and sat, apparently buried in deep +thought. + +"Why, Natie, darling," exclaimed Winnie, as she came bounding into the +room, "what has given you such a wise look this morning? A letter, eh? +good news, I trust; far be the day which shall bring to you aught but +happiness." + +"Thank you, thank you, Winnie, for your good wishes; but I cannot well +conceive of any other than pleasure coming from my gentle mother's pen." + +Winnie ran her fingers lightly over the keys of the piano, and Natalie +did not suspect, as she listened to her sprightly air, that there was a +bright tear glistening in her eye at the holy name of--mother. + +"But you are unusually thoughtful to-day, Natalie," said Winnie, +running her taper fingers through the sunny tresses of her friend, "did +I not know it were an impossibility, I should say you had lost your best +friend;" and putting her dimpled mouth close to her ear, she whispered +some mysterious words so softly,--so very softly, that were we disposed +to turn listener, we could only have distinguished that one +word,--"Delwood;" but we might have seen the delicate tinge of pink, +which, tell-tale like, overspread the face and neck of the Sea-flower. +Be that as it may, there was a thoughtful look lingering about those +expressive features, which could even be traced, when at night-fall, a +well-known step was heard, echoing with no unpleasant sound along the +corridor, and a hand, which, though of feminine delicacy, could have +been fired with sufficient nerve to have wielded a giant's weapon, at +the invader who should come between him and the gentle being, whose hand +was not withdrawn as he held it reverently within his own. + +"Ah, Miss Sea-flower," said Delwood, as he gazed deep into her eyes, +"you are far away among the invisible sprites of ocean to-night, are +you? not one thought for us poor unfortunates, who are so ungenial to +those translucent ones, as never to have been initiated to their fairy +haunts. Really; I must get up a little smile at your expense, for you +could not better please an artist, in the composing of your features, if +you were sitting for your picture. By the way, have you seen the famous +Madonna, whose great beauty is the theme of all conversation? I am told +it is a master-piece, by some gentleman who appears not anxious that his +brilliant artistical powers shall be published, as his name never +accompanies his works, and the piece in question was but by accident, +brought to public view. It hangs, among others, in his fine gallery of +paintings, and is hung with a heavy drapery of black, which was by +chance removed by a gentleman, a friend of mine, who offered a handsome +fortune at once for the prize; but his rich offer was declined by the +owner, who, to the gentleman's earnest desire that he might become its +possessor, replied,--'sir, that bit of inanimate canvas is all upon +which my weary life feeds! were you to offer me the wealth of the world, +I would not part with that one small picture! neither can I be wrought +upon to produce a copy of the same, without violating feelings which +are sacred.' Whether this is a fancy piece, or if it bears the semblance +of some one of his kindred, my friend did not inform me, as he said his +very tongue clave to the roof of his mouth, as the sad artist spoke +those few deep-toned words. I have not myself seen this wonder, and +whether I might be thus warm in my praises is a question, as you know I +am insensible to female beauty, if I may judge by remarks which from +time to time have come to my ear, in past years, from estimable mothers, +whose beautiful daughters ought to have called forth my glowing +sentiments; 'but that which is wanting cannot be numbered,'" said he, +stealing an arch glance at Natalie. + +"I have not seen this painting," replied Natalie, her countenance +lighting up with a new thought, "but I have several times visited the +artist's rooms, though I have never been so fortunate as to get sight of +the mysterious connoisseur. Those who have met him, describe him as +being a middle-aged gentleman, of foreign birth, very marked in his +polite, graceful manners; yet there appears to be a great mystery +hanging about him, and some have ventured to remark that his is no +common history, that he is not merely what he pretends,--an obscure +artist! there is that about his bearing which denotes high birth. I have +admired his talent displayed, and must see this remarkable production; +for you know I am a great admirer of female beauty." + +That night, Natalie mused over the events of the day,--the contents of +the letter which she had received, were first in her mind. Her mother +had expressed an earnest desire to see her child once more; among other +things, she had briefly made mention of a matter in regard to their +pecuniary affairs,--quite a little sum of the comfortable fortune which +Capt. Grosvenor had, by dint of the many perils at sea, accumulated, had +been lost in a recent bank failure;--a failure, as Mrs. Grosvenor +stated, which had proved a source of poverty to many a family, upon +their little island; many a widow had been obliged to part with the last +dollar, which had been earned by the seafaring husband, who had never +returned to share the benefit of his labors; Their whole community had +been more or less affected by this failure. As to Mrs. Grosvenor's own +loss, she had said it was not heavy, or, at least, she had spoken of it +as not resting heavily upon her spirits; why then should the +Sea-flower's thoughts dwell thus upon the matter?--she still mused--"I +fear this may have been a heavier loss, than the gentle words, so +characteristic of my mother's tenderness for me, may imply! she would +not, if it were in her power to prevent, have me feel that I must +curtail my expenses in the least, and I know that my necessary expenses +here, must be a great tax upon her income; to be sure Harry has often +said, that our dear mother shall never know what it is to want; but for +all that, I feel that I might do something to repay my mother for all +that she has done for me. Yes! it is my duty! and it certainly would be +a duty of pleasure, if I could do anything to assist her." This it was, +which had caused the thoughtful expression of the Sea-flower; this which +had called forth the ever ready wit of Miss Winnie--had detained +Delwood's gaze! But what would be the sentiment of uppertendom, when it +should be rumored that the beautiful young creature, of the proud +Clarence Delwood's choice, had stooped so low, as to maintain herself by +her own hands? How would Mr. Delwood himself receive such an +announcement? such thoughts did not occur to the mind of the noble +hearted girl; her every thought and act were of good, and she did not +for once think, that there were those, who could sneer at good motives. +Ah! Natalie, this is a cold, unfeeling world, at best! as experience of +long years doth confirm. Thy little day hath not yet taught thee, that +the world is born of sin, for thou only lookest on the human face as +divine. How Natalie was to render assistance to her mother, by relieving +her of any incumbrance, of which she, herself, might be the cause, had +not yet been matured, until Delwood had spoken of the popular +picture-gallery, of the unknown artist; when as we have said, her face +was lit up with a new thought. "I will seek this gentleman, and it may +be that he can be induced to bring out the dormant powers, which I am +persuaded are in existence; for my love for his department of the fine +arts, knows no bounds! To-morrow I will visit him. This veil of mystery +would seem a barrier, yet perhaps it is of sadness, and I can conceive +that such are of the tender hearted,--alive to another's wants." + +"Want!" she repeated aloud; it sounded strangely upon her ear; and +indeed, we cannot couple the thought with such as she! Can such fair +ones of earth, meet with the chilling breath of adversity? Yes, we may +meet with them in our wanderings! Let us deal with them tenderly; for it +may be one of heaven's sensitive flowers. Stranger still would that word +have sounded to Mrs. Grosvenor and her son, in connection with their +Sea-flower, yet it was remotest from their minds, that such thoughts +would find their way to her heart. Mrs. Grosvenor's circumstances were +indeed more embarrassed than she had expressed to Natalie, yet she had +sufficient left, wherewith they might by retrenching a little, live very +comfortably. Accordingly, that Natalie might not feel this change, she +had dismissed her only servant (if we may do honor to old Vingo, by +dubbing him with a more elevated appellation), making some other +restrictions in her domestic affairs, for the sake of the child, whom +she knew was not her own by kindred, doing away with what she persuaded +herself were but unnecessary indulgences. Faithful mother! thou wilt +have thy reward. + +Natalie arose the next morning, refreshed by the sweet repose which +innocence only knows, and although the day was ushered in with clouds, +and an occasional rain-drop, she proceeded to put into execution the +plans of yesterday; she had made no one a confidant of her designs, not +even Winnie; and when that little lady met her in the hall, all armed +and equipped as the weather directed, she exclaimed,--"where now? Miss +Snow-wreath! are you going to temper your indissolvable charms to an +April shower? or is it to hunt up some poor little refugee; who is so +unfortunate as to be minus an umbrella, that you are so bereft of your +senses, as to venture out, afoot and alone, this disagreeable morning?" + +"Neither the one, nor yet the other, my fair sister," joyously replied +the Sea-flower, and she tripped down the steps, smiling upon the little +frightened rain-drops, which fell lightly upon her, from the skies, not +offering to treat them with such indecorum, as the spreading of her +umbrella, and, when Winnie called to her to come back, or if she would +venture forth, to take the carriage, she was far out of hearing. Arrived +at her point of _destination_, Natalie was so lost in admiration of the +noble illustrations of the infinite mind of man, that she had lost sight +of her object, in visiting the unknown artist, until she was awakened +from her revery, by a voice near her, and looking 'round, she discovered +a poor, dejected looking old negro woman, kneeling with her hands +clasped together, and her eyes fixed upon--Natalie followed in the +direction--it must be the beautiful Madonna! of which she had heard. +Involuntarily she assumed the position of the negress! What visions +filled her soul! flitting to and fro. The past, the present, and the +future rushed in mingled indistinctness through her mind! and over the +chaos there floated a calm, which gradually took the form of +recollections which now caused her heart to beat loudly with the +uncertainty, fraught with reality. _That night!_ came fresh again to her +memory, when she had overheard her brother's words,--"she is not my +sister by birth!" The same holy passions filled her soul, and she gazed +upon that face, the semblance of which, she had many a time, ere now, +looked upon in dreams! might they not have been waking dreams? + +"God grant dat such as she, neber know what it am to be torn from her +childer!" groaned the black woman, with a deep-drawn sigh. + +"Ah, my poor woman," said Natalie, her eyes still fixed upon that +spiritual face, "I trust such has never been your lot." + +"Bress you! missy, dem is de only kind words I hear dis many a day, +since dey take me way from my poor ole man, and de young uns! but I's +not sure now but you's de spirit ob dat pure cretur, (pointing to the +Madonna) dat's speakin a few words, jus to cheer me like." + +"And where are your children now? and your poor old man?" + +"O! missy," said the woman, drawing a parcel from her bosom, carefully +unfolding it, and holding a large red handkerchief up to view,--"if I +tinks I eber find de mate to dat, I'specks I die wid de joy! but it am a +long story, missy, it begins way back, a long fore your sweet eyes see +de light ob dis wicked world." + +"Do not call it a wicked world; it is a beautiful world, which God has +given us to live in!" + +"Ah, missy, if oder white folks like you, I 'specks it be jus no world +at all; it be all one great heaben!" + +"But what is this mark upon the handkerchief?" asked Natalie, for she +had seen a fac-simile of the little device, upon old Vingo's bandanna, +which he used to lend her when she was a child, and she had handled it +so carefully, because he had told her that it was the most valuable +thing he owned in the world, beside his Bible, and she had looked up +into his face, with her great blue eyes, and asked him what the two +little crooked marks were made to represent; and he had told her they +were to represent himself and his poor Phillis, for they were bent with +the sorrows of the world; and now, here were the same crooked marks, +wrought upon the corner of this black woman's handkerchief, which she +seemed to treasure so much! What could it mean? Natalie looked upon it +in astonishment. + +"Where did you get this?" she asked. + +"My poor ole man gabe it to me, de last time I sees him, and he takes +anoder like it, and say, 'Phillis, we will keep dem; dey's not quite as +'spressive as de garultypes ob missus's, but when you sees dat, you may +know dat old Bingo am tinking ob you." + +"And do you ever think to meet him again?" asked Natalie, without +betraying her emotion at such a discovery. + +"Oh, missy, if he know anyting about heaven, I might 'speck to meet him +dar; but we not know anyting 'bout dat good place den, and I 'specks he +am clean used up by dis time; clean gone, widout eber hearin' ob de +good Lor'!" + +"And your children,--you have never forgotten them?" + +"No, missy, I neber forgets dem, and though dey brack as dar mammy, I +lub dem as much as dat pure creter dar; and I takes dem in my arms, and +press dem to my heart de same, but I rudder be called to part wid dem, +dan dat such as she hab to gib up her chilen, for 'pears like I can bear +it better, cause I's brack." + +"My good woman, you have a forgiving spirit for your oppressors, and, +thank God, I have it in my power to make two of my fellow mortals happy. +What should you say, if I were to tell you where you may find +your husband?" + +The woman looked at her, without speaking a word. + +"Your husband is alive and well; and faithful old Vingo is at this +moment in my mother's family, where his wants, spiritual and temporal, +are cared for; and he has often told me, if he could but once again see +his wife, Phillis, he should die happy." + +The woman gave one long, piercing cry, and sank upon the floor. At this +instant the artist issued from an adjoining apartment, and stood gazing +upon the scene. + +"My God! what do I see?" exclaimed the gentleman, in a voice which +instantly riveted the Sea-flower's attention upon him. + +"Tell me! in mercy tell me who thou art!" and he leaned against a column +for support. + +Had Natalie been heir to that weakness which is somewhat characteristic +of the gentler sex, she might have been terrified at such deep, +impassioned language from a perfect stranger, trembling with the +certainty that she stood face to face with a lunatic; but no such fear +was hers. Advancing, she bowed low, in honor to his superior age, +saying, "pardon me, if I am an intruder here; yet, sir, an apology is +needless, for who can resist the grace and beauty which is here +displayed? My presence, sir, has evidently disturbed you, and if you +will permit me to ask one question, I will retire;--the Madonna, that +face of an angel, is she the pure production of your own soul, or can +it be that such as she has indeed been amongst us?" + +"She has been, and has passed away!--has passed away," he repeated to +himself; "I never thought to meet her again until the dark river had +been crossed! but what do I see?" and he passed his hand over his eyes, +as if to assure himself that he were not dreaming. + +No, it was no dream; a gentle, living form stood before him who had +sorrowed for his only child nearly twenty long years, and was devoutly +regarding those inanimate features to which his soul had clung, as if it +were of life; and his eye now wandered from the animate to the +inanimate,--the beauteous countenance of the Madonna. It was not unlike +that of the Sea-flower; the features were the same. Regaining his +composure, the artist proceeded, in a peculiarly mellow tone of voice-- + +"Dear lady, you will pardon my seemingly ill-mannered reception of you, +I know, when you have heard what has never yet passed my lips to any +mortal! Near twenty years have expired since I left my cherished home, +on the other side of the Atlantic, and came to America. I met with +sorrow at an early age; the young wife of my choice was taken from me, +and I should have been overwhelmed with grief, had not the precious boon +left to me by her, claimed my heart-felt love; the beautiful babe smiled +upon me, and I felt rebuked in spirit that I should thus murmur at God's +will, when in his loving kindness he had spared to me this, her very +likeness, and I came to smile again. I could then smile upon his +chastening rod, but,"--and a deep shudder thrilled his frame, "I have +since been led to ask myself if there is a God! O! can a good God thus +afflict his children?" + +"Pause, sir, I beseech you, ere you give utterance to such dreadful +thoughts! Think of the countless mercies which you have received at his +hand,--weigh them well in a balance with your sorrows, whatever they may +have been, and you will find the measure of your blessings tenfold." + +"Your words are as balm to my calloused heart; yet listen to me, and +judge if my cruel fate would not engender a dark distrust in a purer +heart than mine. My child grew in strength and beauty,--grew to be like +her who had left us; she was the pride of my luxuriant home, the main +spring of my life! Yes, I could realize it then, while I could yet gaze +upon her face and dream of heaven; but other days drew near. It was in +her twentieth year when my Natalie knelt before the altar--a bride. She +had given her hand to a noble-hearted American gentleman, upon whom I +looked as being worthy of my darling's choice; and as she placed one +hand within his, she took the hand of her father with the other, and +whispered,--'you now give your daughter to another, yet it shall only +serve to bind me still closer to my father.' I was happy then; and when +two years later, I pressed my daughter to my heart, and bade her adieu, +for the first time, without a thought that it might be the last, I was +happy; and when I pressed a kiss on the cheek of her infant child, and +grasped the hand of my noble son, her husband, I was happy; for so full +was my cup of joy, that I had forgotten the drop of bitterness which I +had tasted therefrom. But, alas! it was not so full to overflowing that +there was not room for the draught that was to be my portion. They +sailed for America, to visit his home, when, after the settlement of his +estate in this Western world, they would return to make glad their +father's home; that day has not yet come! A year elapsed, and I had no +tidings of them, yet I would not permit the thought to dwell with me +that I should never hear from them more, and another year passed on +before the despair entered my soul, which has been to me a burning flame +ever since. I gave my possessions to the keeping of another, and left my +native Italy, to cross the deep, if I might learn of the fate of my +children. I went to the place he had told me was his home, but I met +with only strangers there. I inquired for the noble vessel in which my +child had sailed; she had not belonged on this coast, and thus were my +earnest inquiries repulsed, day after day, with a heartless--'we can +give you no information.' I travelled from place to place, in hopes to +get some clue to the mystery which hung around my lost ones; but, alas, +that was not to be! I sought in vain. It was then a change came over me; +I hardly knew myself. I concealed my name, and lived a recluse, never +disclosing to any one the history of my sorrows. But I could not live +thus, and I endeavored to divert my mind from this state of frenzy, by +making use of the talent, for which, in my heart of stone, I would not +thank my God for bestowing upon me! And so I have lived, as you find +me,--'the unknown artist.' It is needless to add, the beautiful Madonna, +which was never designed for the rude gaze of public curiosity, is the +likeness of my child; and though I had no other than the impress of her +features upon my heart, to guide my trembling hand, yet I have got a +soul upon that canvas! Sometimes I have fancied that some good angel had +not forgotten me, and had breathed _her_ soul into those pure eyes!" + +"And the child?" asked Natalie, in a suppressed breath, scarcely above a +whisper. + +"Her child was but a tiny babe; her features were not sufficiently +developed to leave its memory on my mind; yet they told me the little +creature was like her mother. This, the Madonna's child, is from life. +In my wanderings I visited the island of Nantucket. I spent some little +time there, as I found the great hearts of those people more congenial +to my weary spirits, than the chilling air of avarice, which, in a +measure, marks this western world. One morning, as I strolled along the +shore, looking out upon the sea, depressed in spirits, I observed a +pretty sight not far from me; an old negro sat upon the beach, and by +his side an infant, some eighteen months old, with her arms clasped +about the neck of a large Newfoundland dog, while her eyes, which were +of the blue of heaven, were fixed upon the waves which rolled and broke +in harmless ripples at her feet. She was a beauteous child. I have never +seen another upon whom I could look, as the little angel that had gone. +I traced her beautiful features, as I was so fortunate as to have pencil +and paper by me, and was about to pass on, when I observed the brother +of the child approaching; he was a noble little fellow, with the air of +a young prince, and I never shall forget his proud answer, when I asked +him of his sister,--'We call her Sea-flower, sir, for she came to us +from God, and he smiles upon each little flower, as it lifts up its +head, all trembling with dew.' I breathed a blessing upon them both, for +they had drawn a tear from my heart of stone." + +"Sir," said Natalie, as he paused, "Nantucket is my home; often have I +listened to my dear brother, as he has told me the pretty story of the +sad gentleman whom he met, when I was but an infant, and how he spoke to +me so tenderly, and sighed for his own Natalie. I had no other name +then but Sea-flower, and I have been called by that name ever since; yet +after that day, my Christian name was Natalie." + +The artist gazed upon her, and pointing to the Madonna, +exclaimed,--"Thou art the child! you are like the Madonna! Can it be +that I have unconsciously restored to the mother her child? None other +than her own could thus resemble her!" + +"In my innermost heart there has ever dwelt a mystery, which I can find +no language to describe! In my dreams I have had sweet visions of a +beauteous being, who has smiled upon me, and made me happy. The Madonna +awakens all those pure feelings, and I cannot but look upon her as in +some way connected with my being; yet my own mother lives, and my +affection for her is as for no other being upon the earth." + +"_She_ is in heaven," mused the artist. + +At this moment the door opened, and who should enter but Clarence +Delwood, who was much surprised to find Natalie thus unattended, in +earnest conversation with the mysterious artist. She arose as he +entered, and presented him to the gentleman, but she had not yet +learned his name. The artist presented his card to Delwood, assuming the +same frigid manner which had become his nature. Delwood gave one glance +at the Madonna. + +"How is this, sir," asked he, in an excited manner, "that you have made +use of this lady's face to attract the notice of a vulgar public to your +works? Who gave you authority for such assurance as this, sir?" + +"Calm yourself, Clarence," said the Sea-flower, mildly, "the gentleman +had never seen me, to his knowledge, until this morning. It rather +becomes us to apologize for this intrusion upon the sacred memory of +his child." + +Mr. Delwood listened with astonishment to the information which we have +just learned, and his eyes wandered from the beautiful Madonna to the no +less beautiful being, whom he hoped, at no distant day, to call his own, +while a thought filled his soul with delight, and he said to +himself,--"I knew that she was infinitely above me, though outward +circumstances would make her of no particular distinction." + +"Yes, there is a meaning in this, a mystery to be solved. Who is +she?--this pure being. And your mother still lives," mused the artist; +"do you resemble her?" + +"I am unlike any one of my family, so much so that strangers have noted +it." + +"And your father?" + +"Is in heaven." + +"Truly," mused the gentleman, "and your sainted mother likewise." + +"Permit me to ask your address, gentle lady," said the artist, as his +visitors prepared to retire. + +"And in return you will allow me to come every day, and look upon this +dear face?" + +"You are the only person whom I have bade a welcome to my presence for +years;" and bidding them a "good morning," the artist retired to brood +over other than his sorrows. + +It was then that Natalie remembered the poor black woman, though not a +thought of the object of her own visit thither, crossed her mind. The +woman was silently contemplating the Sea-flower, as if she were an +angel of mercy. + +"Where do you live, my good woman?" inquired Natalie. + +"One spot am not my home more dan anoder, missy; de wide earth am my +home. But tell me, missy, did ole Phillis hear you straight, or am she +so warped troughout, dat she hot get de right comprehensions?" + +"What I have told you, you may rely upon; come here in a day or two +again, and you shall hear farther." + +"Bress de Lor'! bress de good Lor', for sending de bright angel!" +shouted the woman, as she ran out of the house, throwing about her long +arms, (now freed from slavery's chains,) and making sundry other uncouth +manifestations of her joy, so characteristic of her race, which caused a +policeman to realize the dignity of his station, by actually opening one +eye, and puffing diligently at the cloud of tobacco smoke which +encircled the other. + +A week later, and Natalie received a letter from her mother, in reply to +her account of her visit to the mysterious artist. It ran thus:-- + +"MY DEAR DAUGHTER,--It was with joy, mingled with a shade of sadness, +that I perused your last. Not that you, my innocent child, could impart +other than pleasure to the meanest of weak mortals, yet it brought +afresh to my mind a subject, which, though it marks one of the happiest +moments of my life, owing to peculiar circumstances,--the memory of my +dear husband being closely associated therewith,--brings to my heart, +also, a shadow of grief. That which I would say has to do with yourself, +my daughter, yet I cannot commission my pen to the revealing of this +long-buried secret. I would tell you with my own lips, of the mystery +which hangs around your birth, for I would seal the tale with a mother's +kiss, looking upon my foster-child for an assurance of love +undiminished. You must now come home to us. I can bear this separation +no longer. The time has come when our dear little Sea-flower, for so +many years the sunshine of our home, shall test the strength of her +affection for those who will ever regard her--a blessing from that +heavenly shore. Say to the author of the Madonna and child, that I would +earnestly wish that he may accompany you home, as he may be informed of +that which so nearly concerns his happiness. Adieu, my daughter, until I +shall see you once more. From your affectionate mother." + +Natalie folded the letter, and repeating aloud, "can I ever love my +mother less?" she leaned her head upon her hand, and wept. + +The day drew near when the Sea-flower, accompanied by Mr. Alboni, (for +such was the name of the gentlemanly artist,) and Clarence Delwood, +should seek her island home. This was anything but a pleasant +anticipation for Winnie, for since her mother's death she had learned to +lean upon Natalie, though younger than herself, and had received from +her in times of trial, such sweet counsel as would sink into her heart, +giving her new strength, making her a wiser and a better being. In the +time which Natalie had been in the Santon family, there had been a +perceptible change in the character of the beautiful coquettish heiress. +Those blemishes which the faithful mother had discovered, upspringing in +her daughter's youthful heart, marring her otherwise lovable character, +had been erased; not that she had lost in any degree that gay, cheery +openness of heart which we love so well to meet,--she was yet the Winnie +Santon of days which had known no lowering skies, the singing bird of a +June morning,--save that an occasional plaintive note, breathed out upon +youth's freshness of life's realities. + +It was the last night in which these maidens, Winnie and Natalie, might +pour out to each other the fulness of their hearts. The last, did we +say, the last? distance would separate them ere another sunset, and +ocean would intervene; yet we have said,--the last. Folded in each +other's arms, they sat in the pale moonlight, each reading within the +other's soul, an appreciation of this holy hour. Holy hours are they +indeed, which lead our thoughts far up beyond this mortal sphere, +pointing us to other than earth's vanities. Beautiful, yet so unlike, +they were; and ah, what is more beautiful than maiden purity? +Woman,--she fell, yet her name will ever stand foremost in the ranks of +all that is exalting. + +"And who will there be to love me, when you are gone? Who will talk with +me so gently, and keep my feet from the dangerous paths which surround +me?" asked Winnie, as the discordant tones of Mrs. Santon's voice stole +in upon their quietude, from an adjoining apartment. + +"If there is anything in this beautiful world of ours which can make me +sad, it is the parting from those whom I love; yet I know it is but for +a little while. Dear Winnie, can you realize how kind our Father is, +that he has given us the promise of a home where there will be no more +parting,--never a farewell? and he will guide your footsteps; make him +your friend, and though all others should forsake you, you will be +happy. He will be a better friend to you than ever I have been, and +remember, Winnie dear, when I am gone, should sorrow come to you, or +bitter trials mark your way, go to our Father for counsel, and he will +give you sweet rest." + +Thus did the Sea-flower endeavor to leave upon Winnie's heart that which +should prepare her for meeting the trials which she but too plainly +foresaw would be her lot, from the unmotherly spirit evinced by Mrs. +Santon. Blessings on thee, noble girl! would there were more like thee +to be found in this sinful world below! But what is a blessing craved by +the lips of frail mortal, compared with the seraph blessings showered +upon thy gentle head, from her who is looking down upon her child, as +thy voice is raised in prayer to the God of this motherless one, that +she may find refuge beneath the shadow of his wing. + +The last farewell was spoken by poor Winnie, with an aching heart, Mr. +Santon had pressed the Sea-flower's hand, with a tear in his eye, as if +reluctant to let her go, lest the severing of one of the last ties +which bound him to happy days, should be too much for his sorrowing +heart,--and she had gone, leaving her impress upon the hearts of all who +had met and loved her. Her spirit was the spirit of love, forgiving as +she hoped to be forgiven,--her sins, which, had it not been said of man, +"not one is perfect," we should have looked upon as of no deeper stains +than are of the newly washen lambs, gambolling in fresh pastures of +innocence. Even to Mrs. Santon's unpardonable slight, in not giving her +a parting salutation, pleading one of her timely headaches as an excuse +for her non-appearance at the hour of separation,--the Sea-flower had +left for her a kind farewell. + +After an absence of nearly three years, Natalie stood once again upon +the shores of her island home. Everything was as when she had left, for +the bustle and change of the outer world does not disturb the quiet of +this sea-girt isle. Her mother received her with tears of joy, that +fulness of joy which only the mother can feel, who, after a long +separation from the child whose beauty of character sheds a halo of +honor around the household name, holds her to her heart again, where she +knows her to be safest from the world's contumely. Harry welcomed his +sister home, with the wild delight of his boyish days, regardless of the +presence of strangers in their family circle; while old Vingo, who had +been beside himself for a week past, with the prospect of at last +actually beholding his missy face to face, capered about the room, as if +he were not so near his second childhood. The Sea-flower pressed his +bony, black hand to her lips. + +"Ah! I know dat you neber change, missy; I know you always be de same! I +tells mysef dat, dese long years past, and bress de Lord, poor old Bingo +hab one friend as long as he hab a hope ob libin'!" + +"Yes, my good Vingo," said the Sea-flower, "you may truly rely upon one +friend,--that best of friends, he will never forsake you; but," and she +spread out the veritable handkerchief, so precious to the poor black +woman, before his wondering eyes, "you are deserving of the rich +blessings of earthly friends; for had I been tried, as it has been the +will of an overruling providence that you should be, I doubt if I had +borne my cross with the submissive spirit which you have manifested. +Tell me," added she, pointing out the crooked marks in the corner of the +handkerchief, "do you recognize that?" + +Vingo drew forth the bandanna, which always accompanied him in his +wanderings, and laid it by the side of the other. They were just alike; +there were the two crooked marks upon each, speaking as accurately as +the most highly finished ambrotype of the day. + +"Praise de Lord foreber!" shouted the negro; "I neber 'speck to see dat +sight, while I not'ing but ole brack Bingo! I can lib to de end ob my +days wid joy at de sight ob dat! it am next to finding poor Phillis +hersef. Pray, missy, did you find dat in some accidental cotton bag? or +am Bosting only the Christian name for wicked old Kintuck? I shouldn't +tink dat angels could lib in dat cannibal hemisphere!" + +It was with difficulty that those who witnessed the fellow's ludicrous +movements, could refrain from a smile; but when, at a summons from +Natalie, the door opened, and the black woman, so nearly allied to the +human family as to have manifested an appreciation of the beautiful, +stood before them, there was not a dry eye in the room. It was an +affecting sight, to witness the meeting of this man and wife, who had +been separated for so many long years, and under such trying +circumstances. To be sure, they were poor ignorant negroes, who are +looked upon by a large portion of the world, as only fit to be ranked +with dogs and other dumb animals: yet they have souls, hearts which had +been given to Christ, and the meek and lowly Jesus, were he now upon the +earth, would not be ashamed to take this down-trodden race by the hand +and lift them up. God looks down from his throne above with pitying eye; +he pities his children; we grow strong in the assurance of his tender +mercies; but let us remember,--he will avenge with a powerful arm, the +wrongs inflicted upon his feebler ones; for he hath said,--"My children, +love ye one another, even as your heavenly Father loveth you." + +This meeting of old Vingo and Phillis, was enough to have softened the +heart of the vilest "Legree;" but probably, had one of those gentlemen, +whose highly respectable occupation it is to deal in the traffic of +buying and selling--man, been present, they might have been led to +remark, "The silly creatures seem to imagine they have some feeling." + +The evening shades descended. The night was wild, and the voices of the +breakers rose loud, as if responding to the angry aspect of nature; yet +peace sat beneath the roof of Mrs. Grosvenor's dwelling. The evening +lamps were lit, and as Mrs. Grosvenor produced a small casket and laid +it on the centre-table, she thought within herself,--it was much such a +storm only a few days after our dear one came to us. Mr. Alboni sat with +bowed head, as the mother proceeded to bring forth evidences which +should identify her darling child as being of the descent and lineage of +another line of ancestors than hers; while the Sea-flower, her hand +clasped within that of him who had found favor in the mother's eyes, +prepared herself to receive any information in regard to her destiny, +which it should be the will of a just God to decree. The tiny lace +dress, which the infant had worn, when she was first placed in her +foster-mother's arms, was held up to view. It was of a costly fabric, +embroidered heavily with needle-work, evidently the production of the +industry of some lone sister of convent life. The casket, the contents +of which had been so long treasured as things sacred was opened and the +bands of gold placed in Mr. Alboni's hands. He examined them closely; +there were no initials, not the least mark whereby he might learn of +that which was of such vast interest to him, when lo! he pressed the +spring which had before yielded to Mrs. Grosvenor's touch, and +behold!--the same features which he had looked upon day by day, for +twenty years, were revealed to him,--the features of his +Madonna--his child! + +"My God!" exclaimed he, "I thank thee that thou hast brought me from +darkness to light, not only that I may acknowledge thy supremacy, but to +bless thee during the brief remainder of my days; if I may atone for my +deep sin in living so long without thee, even doubting thy existence! +This is truly a convincing proof that thou art all in all. I here vow, +that should the gracious Lord see fit to chasten his servant, by taking +away this, my last support, it shall only serve to increase my faith in +the love of my most precious Redeemer!" and with tearful eyes the old +gentleman held his grand-daughter to his heart. + +"And is it really thus?" asked Natalie; "can it be that my mother has +been looking down upon me, from her home in the skies?" + +"Your sainted mother is in heaven," spake Mr. Alboni. + +The Sea-flower glanced towards her from whom she had ever received a +mother's tenderness; there was a smile upon her countenance, yet Natalie +observed, though she would fain be happy that her loved one was restored +to her kindred, undoubtedly an advantageous discovery in every point of +view, it was like an arrow to her heart; for was she not her child? +Natalie arose, and giving one hand to her mother, the other to him whom +she would henceforth look upon as a father, she said,--"Yes, my own +mother has gone to her home; she is an angel there, where I shall meet +her at the last; but you, my mother, can never be less dear to me; I +must always look upon you as my mother!" and throwing her arms about +Mrs. Grosvenor's neck, she exclaimed, "though others shall claim me by +the ties of kindred, they never shall part me from you; your child will +never forsake you!" + +It was enough; the widowed mother was not "written childless." Then it +was that Mrs. Grosvenor related every minute particular in regard to the +child's discovery, and how she had been a blessing to them all, +repaying them doubly for their care. It was a long and interesting +story, to which this little circle listened, regardless of the raging +elements without, with the exception of the Sea-flower, who drank in +every note of nature's mighty chorus, scarcely thinking of the perils to +which those who were riding at the mercy of the waves, might be exposed; +for her young heart shrank not from ocean's awe; she had always looked +upon an ocean grave as a hallowed place of burial. + +"And your daughter's name was Natalie," remarked Mr. Delwood; "it is a +singular coincidence that the child should be named for the mother." + +"It is all a miracle," said Harry, "and sometimes I have thought old +Vingo not far out of the way, when he declared 'Missy Sea-flower to have +been left upon the beach by no other than the Lord.'" + +Gradually Mr. Alboni came to be like himself again. He was a remarkably +handsome man, his countenance denoting his generosity of heart. His +delight in the society of the Sea-flower, as she pointed out to him each +day, some new attraction about her island home, knew no bounds. It was +now that Mr. Alboni directed his attention to his unsettled affairs in +Italy. Had he lived out his days as the unknown artist, without +discovering an heiress to his vast estates, he would probably never have +given the subject a thought, and strangers, or some public institution, +would have realized a handsome legacy; but his every nerve thrilled now +with new life for her; every advantage which wealth could procure would +be hers. But it was not only to look after his pecuniary affairs that he +laid the question before Mrs. Grosvenor, if her child should accompany +him to the land of her birth, but that she might become acquainted with +the position in life which she was every way capable of filling. And so +it was arranged that Natalie, with her grandfather, should make the tour +of the eastern world, whither Mr. Delwood should accompany them. After +disposing of Mr. Alboni's estates, and visiting the lions of the East, +they would return, to make America their home; and it being left for +Natalie to decide what spot should be chosen as their future home, she +said, stealing a glance towards Clarence Delwood,--"we will return to my +mother's peaceful island home, for we can be happy here." + +Accordingly the day was fixed when they should depart, but the very +evening before they would sail, brought news to Mr. Delwood of the +dangerous, and probably fatal illness of his father. It was with a sad +heart that he looked upon such a separation from his betrothed, for he +would necessarily resign the pleasure which he had anticipated, in +escorting her to countries which he had visited, and which had become +dear to him. It was a great disappointment also to Natalie; yet she +sought to persuade him it was for the best; "she would soon return, and +the separation would bring a thrice joyful meeting." + +It was a glorious evening; the soft moonlight kissed the white sea-caps, +as each strove to lift its head above its fellows, as if to gaze upon +night's purity,--or, mayhap, they would beckon that gentle one, who +smiled upon their wild joy, as she reclined upon her lover's breast, to +join them, in their revellings. Upon the broad bank of the old South +Shore they sat,--a favorite resort of the youth and maidens of this +little island of a mid-summer's eve,--old Sankoty to the eastward, +lifting high his head, imparting a flood of radiance in pity to +thousands, who watch with an intensity, to make the well-known light, +rejoicing no less when they have left it far behind, for well do they +realize that they have passed one of the most dangerous shoals to be +found on the American coast. Behind them, distance about three miles, is +the town; there is no din and bustle borne on the night air to their +ears,--naught is heard but the moaning voice of the night wind, mingled +with the ceaseless roar of the ocean. Here, far from the world's +contumely, no eye to see, no ear to hear, save that of Him who is +omnipresent, were those vows of love renewed, and registered above. Many +a fair maiden has here since plighted her faith, here given her hand to +the loved one of her choice, (heaven bless the union of Nantucket's fair +ones!) yet the night has never since looked down upon two of more +perfect oneness of heart, than those of whom this serene night +bore witness. + +"And will you still retain your foster-name?" asked Delwood, "or will +you travel under your grandfather's Italian name? By the way, I have not +heard the name of your father." + +"Paul Sunderland was my father's name." + +"Sunderland! the Lady Sunderland! I have seen your mother, Natalie!" +exclaimed he. "It was none other than she, the kind, beautiful lady who +sang to me when I was but a child, in Italy; she whom I begged to take +me to that beautiful place again! Ah, it comes to me now, in no dream, +but a reality; I have always thought, since I first beheld you, that I +had somewhere, at some unknown time, seen a picture which was like you; +but, strange, it was none other than the mother of my own dear +Sea-flower!" + +"And your eyes have looked upon my mother, Clarence," said she, gazing +into his very soul,--"and she has smiled upon you? Oh, I shall love you +with a holier love for this!" and the young girl paused, and trembled, +as he held her to his heart, for the thought came rushing into her +soul,--"Oh, what a fearful thing is this,--this depth of fervent love!" + +The morrow came; came to all of our friends who were gathered around the +hearthstone of the widow Grosvenor, with joy, for genial rays, other +than of a May morning's sun, were in their hearts; yet those +indescribable tones, which under any circumstances hang around the +word--farewell, were gradually, unawares, jarring, jarring those gentler +notes of peace, even before spoken. + +"Farewell!"--the mother strained her child to her heart again, and again +put her from her, to embrace her more closely. Farewell, came welling up +from that proud brother's heart, with the same breath, thanking God for +giving him a sister. Broken sobs measured the bitterness of the parting +of those down-trodden ones, who, "by an angel of mercy," had been lifted +up, to taste one drop of that bliss upon earth, which the white man +holds within his power to give or withhold. Farewell!--was it not that +one word, which marked the parting of those two, whose hearts had been +united above? "Adieu to my island home," said the Sea-flower, and the +wild waves whispered,--"we are lonely." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +WE ARE GOING HOME. + + + "The sounds that fall on mortal ear + As dew-drops pure at even, + That soothe the breast, or start the tear, + Are Mother, Home, and Heaven. + + "A home, that paradise below, + Of sunshine and of flowers, + Where hallowed joys perennial flow, + By calm celestial bowers." + + ANONYMOUS. + + +Time wore heavily on with Winnie Santon, after Natalie had left them. +Left as she was, much in her unnatural mother's society, who seemed to +be never more pleased than when she might thwart her designs, or, in +some manner act so as to make those about her uncomfortable, it was not +to be wondered at, if she did sigh for other days, and a confidant, to +whom she might unburden her heart. Her father spent but a small portion +of his time at home; on the contrary, he rather sought to avoid the +fireside, which had once been so dear to him. His feelings, whatever +they might have been, were kept locked up within his own breast, yet +Winnie could read the look of sympathy which he bent upon her, as he +grasped her by the hand, ere he hurried away to banish painful +recollections by duties "on change." When difficulties, which Natalie +had foreseen, caused Winnie's heart to ache, she would school herself to +meet the injustice as she knew _she_ would have done; and the timely +advice of the Sea-flower proved to the lone girl a valuable legacy. She +had heard from Natalie, through the correspondence which for some time +she had kept up with our friend Harry Grosvenor, the which letters were +anticipated and perused with no common interest; indeed, her happiness, +scarcely realized by herself, was closely allied therewith. Mrs. Santon +looked upon these ever punctual letters, which appeared so frequently +among the post-boy's morning deposits, with an evil eye, yet they did +not serve to banish the schemes of her invention in regard to Mr. +Montague, as a favored competitor for the hand of the heiress; and it +was his unwelcome visits, which were not unfrequent, that counted among +the numerous trials which weighed more and more heavily upon her +spirits. Poor Winnie! each life is made of joys and sorrows. + +The death of Mr. Delwood was a deep affliction to his son, for although +he was an austere man, forbidding in his manners, he had always +manifested a spirit of tenderness for his only remaining relative, and +Clarence now sought to dispel the loneliness which was creeping over +him, by directing his attention to his father's unsettled estates, which +was no light task, as Mr. Delwood had been a gentleman of great +property. The life-like specimens of artistical skill, executed by Mr. +Alboni, known only to Boston lovers of the fine arts as "the unknown +artist," were disposed of by Clarence Delwood, in accordance with the +wishes of Mr. Alboni, who, in entrusting the Madonna to his keeping +until his return, placed not only the likeness of the mother before him, +but it possessed him of a correct likeness of his betrothed. + +The noble steamer Atlantic, after a most favorable passage of twelve +days, carried our friends safely to the desired port of Liverpool. As +Natalie stood once again upon terra firma, she could hardly credit that +over three thousand miles of ocean separated her from her home,--that +the same waves which washed the shores of her cherished island, broke +upon the shores of this Eastern world. + +Mr. Alboni was in the happiest frame of mind as they made the tour of +England and Scotland, for from thence they would repair to his own loved +Italy. Over the mind of the tourist, visiting the Old World for the +first time,--countries where have transpired thrilling events recorded +in history, what an immensity of thought and feeling sweeps! It was thus +with Natalie; she could not realize that she was treading in the +footsteps of royalty, who living in long past days, had held sway over +this land, had looked upon this land of "merrie England" as their home. +London, like a mighty Babel, rose before them, her gigantic towers +telling of man's greatness, while the resplendent shining of the sun, +reflected from a million turrets, proclaimed that there was one above +all. St. Paul's, with its dome of grandeur, reflecting not only honor +upon her world-renowned architect, Sir Christopher Wren, but standing a +living memento that Christ hath built his church upon earth. + +Westminster must be visited by every stranger. As Natalie roamed over +this vast structure, in itself a world of curiosity, like so many small +churches roofed in by one great canopy, she lingered in the south +transept, in what is called the Poet's Corner. Here are the tombs of +many of the most famous poets of England. Chaucer, Edmund Spencer, +Francis Beaumont, and others, have tablets here erected to their memory, +while in other chapels are monuments erected in memory of sovereigns, +who have long since gone to render an account of their deeds done here, +to the one great Sovereign of the universe. As the eye of Natalie rested +upon the tomb of the gentle Mary, Queen of Scots, the history of whose +brief life, and the many cruel indignities which were heaped upon her, +rushing to her memory, she stood as if riveted to the spot, when a voice +near her attracted her attention, and a rough-looking old sailor, +tarpaulin in hand, threw himself at her feet, exclaiming,--"Bless the +memory of old England! She is more sensible than I ever thought for. +They couldn't have done a nobler thing than to have placed _her_ +likeness here!" and thus the jolly fellow's tongue flew, as if he would +re-spin all the forecastle yarns of his lifetime, much to the +discomfiture of the eagle-eyed guide, who bade the intruder begone; but +our nautical friend, deigning to give this polite invitation to depart +no further notice than he would have given to the juvenile whales, as +they were taking first lessons in spouting of their maternal protector, +the guide seized him by the shoulder, and was about to show honest Jack +what virtue there was in "force of arms," when Mr. Alboni interfered, +saying,--let us at least hear what the honest fellow would say +for himself." + +"Your honor,", exclaimed Jack, whose very countenance spoke as plainly +as a nose which appeared as if it had been imitating the feathered +tribes, in their efforts to satisfy thirst, for so long, that its +tendency had become upward in sympathy, and eyes which it were difficult +to follow in the direction of both at the same time, could speak, that +he who had been accustomed to guiding his bark by stars of the first +magnitude, all his days, would not now, at this age of life, be guided +by this "star" of diminutive light. "Your honor," said the astonished +tar, as he discovered the beautiful form before him to be actually +possessed of life and breath, and was no senseless piece of statuary, +"shiver my topsails, but if I didn't take the lady to be _her_ +representation, my name's not John Sampson!" + +"Sampson!" exclaimed Natalie, actually taking him by the hand, "Are you +John Sampson?" + +"I'm Sampson the world over, my lady," replied the tar, "and why +shouldn't I be? I've come all the way from Yankee America, to visit my +native dust-heap, which never produced, beside its daily growth of what +might be known the other side of the water, as nature's own pie-plant +and sausage-improver, but one Sampson; but," added he, in a subdued +voice, "may I ask who can take enough interest in a poor fellow, who +never belonged to nothing, as to speak his name? If I had not seen _her_ +go down with my own eyes, I should say that the noblest lady that ever +lived was standing before me; but she's gone where only her kind do go;" +and the rough man drew the sleeve of his jacket across his eyes. + +"I am the sister of a little sailor-boy, whom you once rescued from +imminent peril,--perhaps death; and I rejoice that fortune has favored +me with a sight of your honest face, that I may repay in part, at least, +the debt of gratitude which we owe to you,--Harry Grosvenor, do you +remember him?" asked she, placing her well-filled purse in his hand. + +"Ah, that noble little specimen of young America! a young hero!--could +have jumped over two Johnny Bulls, although my dust-heap happened to be +this side of the water. Well do I remember him! and you are the sister +that he used to talk about, till I really thought the fellow had got +into a lunatic's overall?" + +"Yes, I am his sister," said the Sea-flower, and she might have +added,--your name has never been forgotten in my prayers; but this was +no place for the illiterate, though good-hearted sailor's ludicrous +expressions, and having doubly feed the guide, who did not witness a +scene like this often, within these walls, which were looked upon as +sacred by other than his eagle eye, our friends sought the Adelphi, +whither, at Mr. Alboni's request, Sampson joined them; for there was +something in the words which he had uttered, that struck upon that +gentleman's ear; and yet, what it was, was not clear to his mind. + +"You have spoken of some noble lady," remarked Mr. Alboni; "pray tell me +if you have never met with but one whom you could distinguish by that +title, in all your travels?" + +"And for a very sensible reason; there never was but one like her; or, +that is, I have always thought so until to-day," replied the tar, +glancing toward Natalie; "for my old eyes have seen pretty much +everything they have got in this little world. Ha! I should like to see +the inch of land or water that my foot hasn't measured." + +"Let us hear a little of your history, my good fellow: begin with the +beautiful lady," said Mr. Alboni, proudly contemplating his +grand-daughter. + +"It's a yarn, your honor, that hasn't been spun to every jack tar that's +sailed the seas, for I've a sort of feeling about me, that her memory +shouldn't be used to gratify common curiosity; and, sir, it's only +through the lady's sweet face, so much like _her_, that I am induced to +tell the story, word for word. Ye see, it was about twenty years ago, +come September, and I shipped for a voyage to America in the De--De--, +well, never mind the name; those Frenchmen always spile their crafts +with a jaw-breaker of a name. Well, we had a fair time of it, till we +got pretty well on to the American shores; and as for me, I never expect +to enjoy myself again, as I did the first part of that voyage. We had +quite a crowd of passengers, and among them was a gentleman, with his +lady and child; if that wasn't the handsomest couple that I ever sot +eyes on, then I've missed my reckonings! The lady,--why, your honor, it +fairly dazzled my eyes to look at her! She always had a kind word for +everybody; even us old tars she would talk with, as if she wasn't the +best lady in the world; there wasn't one of us but would have gone to +the mast-head feet first, to do her a favor; and as for gold, she wasted +a young fortune on our ugly selves. We were within a couple o' days sail +of New York, when one of those moist fogs came up, such as will make a +fellow lose a whisk of his patience, if he happens to have any. Well, we +kept on, as we thought, in the same course, for about twelve hours, +when, like a clap of thunder, we struck fast upon a rock! It was as calm +as any day I ever saw, but our sails were all set, and that with the +run of the sea, gave us no small shock; but our captain hoped we might +not have received any serious damages, and set the carpenters to work to +find what our situation was. Well, your honor, it wasn't ten minutes +after we struck, afore we began to settle down. I knew I'd sailed the +ocean longer than our captain, and when I found that we were going down, +I ran below, and found the gentleman and his lady, and told them just +how matters stood with us, and offered to stand by them till the last; +for we had but two boats aboard, and I knew there'd be a scene. When the +lady heard this, she turned to her husband, and said,--'I am prepared, +to share whatever is to be your fate, Paul; but God in mercy save our +child!" We went aloft to the hurricane deck, and such a sight I have +never seen since! every man, woman, and child that we met there, was +looking for something, if no more than a straw, to save themselves. We +had now settled down even with the water, when I, 'spying a large trough +floating near, made for it, and the gentleman taking the babe from its +mother's arms, spread a few clothes in it, and lashed the little thing +into this curious looking craft; both gave it one last kiss, and it was +launched on the wide ocean. At this instant the lady drew from her +pocket a roll of parchment, and handing it to me, said,--"You may be +saved; if you ever hear from my child again, put this into safe hands +for her; but if you should never hear of her, keep it for yourself, and +may God be with us all." At that moment we were carried down, and as I +rose again, I caught at a spar which was floating near, and looking +after my friends, I saw them rise far to leeward; they were still +clasped in each other's arms. I would willingly have gone down if she +might have been saved; but that could not be, and I was borne far out to +sea. The fog lifted, but I was not able to make my whereabouts, and in +this condition I was left for two days, when I was picked up by a vessel +bound to Liverpool direct. I told the captain my story, and found that +we had missed our bearings, that our vessel had been wrecked upon the +Nantucket shoals. Our voyage proved to be a long and stormy one, for the +September gales took us on to the coast of Africa; and when a year after +I shipped for New York, I heard nothing of the child, and have always +supposed her little bark took her to a better land." + +"And so it did!" exclaimed the weeping Natalie, holding the great rough +hand of the tar within her own; "the little bark bore her in safety to a +peaceful shore, where she was received with open arms by those who have +filled the place of her natural parents. You see before you, my honest +friend, no other than the child of that gentle mother, whose parting +from her babe you witnessed." + +Sampson gazed upon her with astonishment, and clapping both hands to his +head, as if to assure himself that his exterior was yet in a healthful +condition, whatever transmogrification the interior might have +undergone, he exclaimed,--"I'm not so sure, after all, that my name's +Sampson! I really begin to think that I must have gone down, with the +rest; and yet, I could swear to it that I'm a portion of that dust-heap! +If my topsails aren't shivered this time; clean gone by the board!" and +as if to verify his words, he sank deeper into his chair, and broke into +such a train of musing, as caused the little son of Africa in +attendance, to jingle his glasses right merrily, that the wild bursts of +his uncontrollable mirth might sound the less. + +Mr. Alboni could scarce credit what he had heard. "And the parchment," +inquired he, "what was the purport of that?" + +The tar sat as one in a trance, but by certain gesticulations, it +appeared that his skysails were not so shattered that he did not +comprehend the drift of the question, and after much tugging and pulling +at an old waistcoat, which was worn beneath the round-about, he produced +a roll, which, from twenty years' wear, it having been his constant +companion during that time, by sea and by land, had become in appearance +of an uncertain nature, and handing it to the gentleman, he said, after +examining the miniature which Natalie put into his hand, of her mother, +"The document belongs to her, and if I'd a happened to have met her on +the sea, I might have known it, even If I hadn't seen the picture of the +noble lady, for she's the exact imitation; but I never can get the land +fog out of my eyes when I'm ashore. That's a sorry looking bit of paper, +your honor, but it's what'll buy more than one twist of pig-tail." + +Mr. Alboni perused the document. He was astounded!--not so much at the +contents of that soiled bit of parchment, which was the instrument by +which Natalie, or the holder, could come into possession of a handsome +fortune; but it was at the honesty of this whole-souled sailor. Was it +possible that this poor fellow, who gained his bread by dint of hard +labor, having a fortune within his grasp, which he conscientiously could +have called his own, had not disturbed a farthing thereof?--choosing +rather to reap the fruits of his own industry, treasuring this rich +legacy, as sacred to the memory of a friend. + +Is there indeed such honor to be found in the breast of fallen man? Aye, +'t is the heart of the noble sailor that beats with a heroism like this! +To him who goeth down to the great waters in ships, such honor is due! + +"And you have had this in your possession for more than twenty years," +said Mr. Alboni, "and yet have never helped yourself to a cent of that +which was rightly your own? Pray tell me, how would you have disposed of +this wealth at last, had you never heard of an heiress to the estate?" + +"D' ye see, sir, I haven't travelled this world over so many times, +without making a beacon light occasionally. Now there's a difference in +light-houses, yer honor. There's the revolving light, and many other +kinds of light, but the brightest of all is that steady light which +shines into the darkness of the poor sailor's soul. I first made that +light, sir, at the Seamen's Home, in New York, and it was there I made +up my mind that I would lend this money to the Lord, for I was convinced +that that would be the most profitable investment; and I've been +thinking of it more and more, for these last few days, if I hadn't +better settle this on the Home, for you know these iron frames will give +out after a while; men don't live to see nine hundred years nowadays, +though I'm named after the strongest fellow that ever handled +a harpoon." + +Mr. Alboni read the document to his grand-daughter, the effect of which +was, that certain sums of specie, deposited in the bank of ----, by the +Honorable Paul Sunderland, could by the bearer of this instrument, be +withdrawn at sight. + +Sampson's tongue was still flying with rapidity, as if his auditors had +not been void of a number, while Mr. Alboni and Natalie were holding a +consultation aside. + +"You are right, my child; you will never miss this from the wealth, +which I thank God I have it in my power to place in your hands. Let it +be as you say,--divide this sum between your protectors." + +"I thank you, my dear, generous father," said Natalie, imprinting a kiss +upon the cheek of her relative; "you have made me happy. I will send +this most acceptable gift to my dear mother, not paining her feelings +with the thought that I would seek to repay her love for her child with +gold, but as an expression of her daughter's filial affection; and not +only will I reward this honest man with the half of this sum, but he +shall have the pleasure of presenting with his own hand this offering to +my mother." + +To this latter proposition Sampson acquiesced with pleasure; he was +delighted with the prospect of once more seeing his young shipmate, +whose mysterious allusions to the Sea-flower he could now comprehend; +but as to himself receiving so liberal a legacy, he was not prepared to +look upon the proposition as favorably. + +"Take it, my good fellow," said Mr. Alboni, "it is rightly your own; and +should you ever have anything to spare, you cannot do better than to +make the investment which you had purposed." + +They parted,--the honest tar to take his way to Columbia's happy land, +while Mr. Alboni and the Sea-flower would prolong their visit for a +little here, then depart to feast their eyes upon Italian skies. Sampson +looked long after the gentle form of the Sea-flower, as he left them, +for when might he see so fair a sight again? + + * * * * * + +"And this was the home of my mother," mused Natalie, as arrived in +Florence, our tourists entered the arched gateway, which led to the +broad domains of the long absent master, just as the sun was sinking to +rest, his soft lingering rays kissing the fleecy clouds, o'er which a +blush came and went, now deepening as the rose carmine, giving place to +the most delicate tinge that e'er sat upon a maiden's cheek,--born of +pure modesty. The scent of the delicate jasmine perfumed the air, while +the pensive strains of some fair one, soft and clear as the tones of a +wind-harp, was borne on the stillness of evening to the ear of the +lovely Sea-flower, who, reclining upon the bosom of her father, her +sunny tresses mingling with the silvery locks, which told that he had +seen many winters, whispered in words low and musical,--"My angel +mother,--I can feel her presence near; she has breathed this blissful +air; can it be more heavenly there?" With her eyes still upturned, as if +their mildness might pierce the veil of azure, her lips moved, as they +had ofttimes done before, in praise and thanksgiving for the wondrous +beauty which our Father, in his boundless love, hath set before his +children. As Mr. Alboni gazed upon each familiar object, surrounding his +beautiful villa, he was greatly surprised to find everything in the same +state of preservation as when he had last beheld his home, once so dear; +instead of an air of desolation, everything falling to decay, as would +be a natural consequence attendant upon the long absence of the family, +the scrupulous care and attention of some interested one, was apparent +on all sides. Even the little ivied bower, which Mr. Sunderland had +arranged with his own hands, when he first smiled upon his beautiful +bride, was still in existence; and here did Natalie dream away many a +happy hour, during her stay in dear Florence. + +The old man and his frugal wife, to whose keeping the premises had been +entrusted, and who occupied a small tenement upon the grounds, could +not have been more surprised if one had appeared to them from the dead, +than were they when Mr. Alboni stood in the door of their cottage. + +"I told you his honor would come again!" said the woman, turning to her +husband; "but I was really afeared it mightn't be in our time; and as +we've no one to leave in our shoes, I'm of the 'pinion that the place +would've dropped off to some stranger." + +"Ha, yes," replied the husband, "my old woman's never far out o' the +way, though she does sometimes talk as if she expected to become +extinguished; but for all that, she's equal to two common ones. But I'm +particularly glad you've come home, on a good many 'counts, for if the +place must go into any other hands than an Alboni, I'm not over anxious +to witness the change in the coat of arms." + +Mr. Alboni received this compliment as it was intended, and as one +motive in visiting his native land again was to dispose of this estate, +he now directed his attention to the future comfort of this most worthy +couple; for the domestics who had served in the family of Alboni, must +not suffer from want. Accordingly a comfortable cottage, adjoining +these lands, was obtained for their use, and an annual income, +sufficient to supply their wants, settled upon them for life; and so +with the estate of the Albonis, whose last representative of the name +would soon depart, for a memorial of days past, this aged couple hoped +to spend in contentment the residue of their days. + +Amid all the splendor and gayety of fashionable life in Italy, the +Sea-flower was never so happy as when seated in the ivy bower, which +looked out upon a little lake, the same which had been her mother's +favorite place of retreat, where she might watch the ever-changing face +of the mellow skies, or roaming through those ancient halls, she might +feast her eyes on the many antique surroundings; but most of all, she +loved to linger in the great reception hall, whose walls were hung with +the portraits of her mother's family, for many past generations. Some of +those countenances denoted men of much strength of character, amounting +almost to a fierceness, but in nearly every female face Natalie +discerned that same gentleness of spirit, which, unknown to herself, was +the expression of her own spiritual countenance. Beneath the portrait +of the last Mrs. Alboni was a place reserved for that of her child,--the +Lady Sunderland; but by some circumstance it had never been placed +there. During the period of our heroine's stay in Italy, she spent much +of her time in the home of her ancestors, to which she became greatly +attached; but once having been introduced to an admiring Italian +assembly, it was no easy matter to remain in seclusion. This new star, +so mild, yet brilliant, was the theme of present conversation. She never +appeared in public, but the blessings of high and low marked her way; +and as she knelt in public worship, meekly bowing at the name of Christ, +there was not one who looked upon her, but this passage of Scripture was +brought to their minds,--"If the righteous scarcely are saved, where +shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" + +But all times come to an end; passing away, is written upon everything +pertaining to earth; and the time when our friends should return to +their island home, drew near. + +It was the day before they would bid adieu to pleasant scenes here, to +journey to Liverpool, for business led Mr. Alboni to sail for America +from that port. The sun had gone down,--the last sunset which the +Sea-flower would look upon here,--the last sunset! Pause, dear +reader,--when will that same sun set to us for the last time? It may be +soon, it may be later; yet it is the same, for all time is present with +God. The evening shades began to claim their reign, regardless of the +smiles and entreaties of lingering day, that he would delay his +approach,--fit symbol of sunny youth, who would banish from his presence +death's unrelenting grasp. And yet, who does not love night with earnest +tenderness? and has no one a smile for death? + +Natalie still lingered beneath the ivy trellis, her feet drawn upon the +cushions, for she would not crush the gentle flowers, which told to her +their love in the rich perfume of the air; and yet, if trodden under +foot, the flowers, with their dying breath, the beauteous flowers, do, +with their richest perfume, breathe forgiveness. + +Her eye was fixed upon the lake,--its glassy ripples a striking contrast +to the giant waves upon which she had ever looked with delight. Ah, who +may divine her thoughts, as she muses thus? A faint smile plays with the +dimples around her mouth, and but for the words she whispers, one might +indeed think her intent upon the ripples which kiss the shore at her +feet; but no, she is transported to where the breaker's roar is heard, +and a proud, noble form she sees,--his piercing eye bent upon the sea. +Full well she knows for whom his heart thus wildly beats; "dear, good +Clarence," she whispers, and starting from her revery, she kneels in +prayer. "My Father, God, thou art merciful unto the weakest of thy frail +ones, keep thou my heart to thee alone; may I have no other gods before +thee; cast out all idols, if any there be, and breathe thy spirit within +my soul; and may thy will be done." + +"Amen," was the response of bright ones, of upper spheres, and may we +receive strength to say,--"Thy will be done." + +"Adieu, dear home of my childhood," spake Mr. Alboni, as the dim +outlines of the land of his nativity at last faded in the distance; and +burying his face in his hands, he gave himself up to his own +reflections, from which Natalie would not recall him. + +Arrived in Liverpool, the steamer in which they were to have embarked +had sailed; consequently a few more days were added to their sojourn +there; but when at length their proud steamer left her pier, accompanied +by many heartfelt good wishes that she might be attended with all +success, that her voyage might prove most favorable, the Sea-flower wept +tears of delight, that she might once more listen to those voices of the +deep; and calmly gazing upon the countenance of Mr. Alboni, she said,-- + +"Father, we are going home." + +Her words fell upon the ear of an officer of the ship, a gentleman of +that nobleness of soul which alone constitutes a true man; one whose +kind and gentlemanly consideration of the comfort and pleasure of those +who have, from time to time, crossed that three thousand miles of ocean +which separates Liverpool from New York, have before been publicly +mentioned, and will long be remembered by those who have before come +under his guidance. "We are going home,"--the officer raised his hat as +he passed the Sea-flower, involuntarily repeating her words,--words +which many times have been idly spoken, but how full of meaning. + +As that gallant steamship made her way over the rolling billows, like +"a thing of life," as if indeed she recognized the course o'er which she +had so many times borne aloft her proud head, in seasons of tempest as +well as of sunshine, there was not one who walked her decks, but looked +upon her gigantic form as an ark of safety, rather than the frail plank +which only separated not far from three hundred immortal beings from an +ocean grave. Several days' sail left "merrie England" far behind, and as +they drew nearer the American shores, many an eye was deluded with the +belief that it had been the successful one, in being the first to make +the outline of the nearest shore of this land of the free. There was the +eye of youth, lit up with the light of innocence, which when riper years +should have left their impress, might have given place to more of guile; +while hand in hand, along her peaceful decks, roamed old age and +infancy, alike joyous in the air of cheerfulness which reigned with +all around. + +It was near the hour of mid-day, weather favorable, with the exception +of a fog which had suddenly sprung up. Occasionally the signal bell +sounded, that if any vessel were in their neighborhood, she might know +of their whereabouts. The fog as suddenly lifted as it had shut in upon +them, but to close down again heavier than before. Natalie had not, as +most of the ladies, gone below, but stood, intent upon those new +thoughts which the veil of fog, which had shut out all sight and sound, +save an occasional tone of the bell, had inspired, when,--a crash, which +shook their vessel from stem to stern, caused every one to look upon the +countenance of his fellow, there to read the words which he had no power +to utter. A propeller was at that instant seen moving athwart their +bows, and from the severity of the shock, it was thought that the +smaller vessel must have sustained serious damage. Accordingly a boat +was lowered from the steamer, under command of the first officer, to +render the unfortunates such assistance as was in their power, believing +their own damages to be but slight; but the boat had not been long gone, +when word was passed to their captain that they were in a sinking +condition. Upon examination it was found that a large breakage had been +made, directly under their bows, and the sea was rushing in +terrifically. + +All was now a scene of confusion; some applied themselves diligently to +the pumps, and others sought to diminish the leak by stretching a sail +across the gap, while the passengers hurried, some one way, and some +another, as if in a state of frenzy. To seek assistance from the +propeller, even if she might not be in as disastrous a condition as +themselves, was out of the question; for both vessels being under full +headway at the moment of the collision, she was now again enveloped in +fog. Oh, God! must it be thus? no escape for these three hundred beings? +What an awful moment of suspense! Still the steamer settles down; what +is done must be done speedily. The captain is without his first officer, +with whom he might consult, his absence necessarily detracting from the +number of boats; but had the boats been suffered to remain unmolested, +for the benefit of the passengers, it were doubtful if they could have +contained so large a number. Where now are those gladsome little +children, those aged men and women, who, listening to those voices of +childhood, would fain have believed themselves young again? Ah! where +are they? Wringing their hands in wild despair! clambering over the +sides of the ship, endeavoring to save themselves on rafts, spars, or +articles affording inferior protection. + +The Sea-flower,--where is she? where is her aged protector? Upon the +deck of that ill-fated steamer the Sea-flower kneels, with eyes meekly +turned heavenward. She asks that peace may be shed upon the hearts of +that agonized throng; that they may fitly receive this will of divine +dispensation. Never was her countenance more serene. Just then a voice +was heard at her side,--"we are going home;" it was the voice of the +noble officer, who had before noted her words. + +"I was happy," replied Natalie, "when I said we are going home, but I +did not realize we would so soon meet the loved ones in that celestial +home, where we shall part no more forever; and I am happy now; yet this +terrible cry of anguish incites my deep, deep sympathies." + +"Thank God for this presence of an angel, to shed light over my last +hour!" said the officer; "I now go down through that dark valley of +death, unattended by that gloom which had seized upon my soul. My God, +in mercy wilt thou sustain my wife and children, when they shall look +for my coming, and I shall never return to them more! and may they soon +meet me there." (He knew not that the youngling of his flock would so +soon join him in singing the songs of the redeemed.) + +He said no more; they were going down; a life-preserver was in his +hands, which he would have secured about the Sea-flower, but she waved +her hand to him, saying,--"Take it to yourself. Farewell." + +Supported by her grand-parent's arm, she gazed upon the waters; they +were not angry. Peacefully sighing, they met her touch, as if they would +welcome her home. "Mother," she breathed, with her last of mortal +breath;--was it a farewell to that loved one of earth, or did she +joyfully greet her sainted mother, who awaited the coming of her child +to her home in the skies, where "the Lamb which is in the midst of the +throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of +waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes?" + +The blue waves rolled on, in their untiring way, and the sun went calmly +down upon this day,--the twenty-seventh of September, eighteen hundred +and fifty-four,--a day long to be remembered, both in the Eastern and +Western world, for in it was the sundering of many mortal ties. Many a +family circle wept as they looked upon the familiar places, which would +know their lost ones no more; but ah, chide me not, kind reader, in thus +leading you adown to the coldness of death, in setting before you that +which causes your tender heart to shudder. Mourn not for these departed; +for would we not wish to meet them there, when, ere long, this mortal +shall have put on immortality? Grieve not because that gentle one has +passed away! say not that she met with an untimely end, when in her +summer of life all was pleasantness before her. Think of her not as one +gone far away, never to be on earth more; cast her not from your heart, +where, during her little day here, in innocence she entwined herself +within its recesses. Oh, no, for she is nearer to us now; she is not +dead, but has passed from death to life; and may her memory remain with +us, in freshness as the ivy green, which loves best the churchyard's +place of holy quietude,--and by her influence may we in spirit come to +be more Christ-like. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +ALONE. + + + "Shall I not listen to the sea-shell's moaning, + That strangely vibrates like the swelling sea, + And fancy it an echoed storm, intoning + A solemn dirge in memory of thee?" + + MISS MARY M. CHASE. + + +A lone man walks the shores of Nantucket; his noble form is slightly +bent, and with the raven of his hair is blended the faintest tinge of +gray, though he is evidently a man to whom the meridian of life is yet +far in the distance; his fine countenance is sad, yet as he gazes far +out o'er the sea, deep in his piercing eye is a subdued look of +resignation, shedding light over his features, which a stranger might +attribute to a mind of happiness; and yet that look of sadness is +oftenest triumphant, leading those who meet him for the first time to +ask from whence he came, for his countenance betrays that his has been +not the common lot of man. Ah, who is he,--on whom young men and maidens +look with pitying eye? to whom the old man lifts his hat, and little +children cease from their sports as he passes, and quietly slip the +innocent daisy, or the sweet-scented arbutus into his hand, which they +have culled from the wide commons, where, they have been told, the good +Sea-flower loved to stray. + +It is Clarence Delwood! his has been a bitter, bitter draught; yet its +dregs have in a measure lost their power, for he has learned that 't is +his Father holds the cup. Little, did he think, as they sat together +there on that high bank, which overlooks the sea, upon that last evening +spent with his cherished one in her island home, that it was to be the +last forever! that her voice would no more be heard! in glad response to +nature's shouts of joyousness. Yet, as alone he sits beneath the silent +night, there where she last told to him her love, he fancies that the +stars in pity smile upon him, and as one more gentle than the rest, +leaves its place in the heavens and slowly descends, drawing nearer and +nearer, finally resting upon the bosom of ocean,--he listens, for the +music of her harp strikes upon his soul, and in the crested billows +which play at his feet, a shining form he sees, her robe all sparkling +with the pearly drops of the sea. He would fain go to her, as she smiles +upon him, as was ever her wont, but a voice he hears, saying, "not yet," +and the bright one recedes from his view. + +Reader, you may visit Nantucket's sea-girt isle, you may walk those +peaceful shores where she loved to roam; you may meet there that lone +man on the shore; you will approach him with feelings of deep regard, +not unlike reverence; but do not hesitate to inquire of him for the +grave of the Sea-flower. With eyes fixed upon the ocean's blue, pointing +with his finger heavenward, he will direct you to a grassy mound, at +whose head is a weeping willow, upon the broad trunk of which is wrought +in letters of pearl,--"The Sea-flower awaits for thee." With a tear you +turn away, with the resolve in your heart that you will henceforth so +live, as that when this mortal life is ended, you may "attain +everlasting joy and felicity, through Jesus Christ, our Lord." + +You will seek the fireside of the widow Grosvenor, where from a mother's +lips, you will be assured of the blessings which accompany a dutiful +child. That fireside is not desolate, for the members of the household +have been led to say,--"Thy will, O Lord, not mine, be done." Mrs. +Grosvenor, though somewhat advanced in life, still retains that peculiar +freshness of her earlier days; and as she proudly glances upon the young +man by her side, calling him "my son," you can hardly recognize in his +athletic form the little sailor-boy of other days; yet it is none other, +although he has arrived to the dignity of captain, and as Sampson +prophesied, a smarter man never sailed the ocean. But who is this +witching beauty at his side, who would fain impress you with a belief +that that mischief which will not remain concealed for the briefest +period, is not her entire composition? Do you not mistrust? who other +than Miss Winnie Santon? she who having tired of the gallants of the +wild West, or rather of their numbers, came to the wise conclusion that +a city life was designed for such as she; she the coquettish heiress, +who once stood very much in doubt as to the state of civilization among +these "poor fishermen." + +Yes, it is our Winnie, and she is now the wife of Capt. Harry +Grosvenor. And is she happy in this her choice? Ask her if she would +exchange her brave husband for one of those superfine niceties, who +suing for favor at her feet, had at the same time lined their vows of +love and constancy with the yellow dust, which had they known the strong +chest to have been at their backs, while in this humble posture, it were +uncertain to which might have been made an apology,--the fair lady or +her dowry. + +But what is the cause of that little commotion among sundry flowered +blankets, juvenile counterpanes, etc., etc., which you have but this +moment discovered in a neighboring niche? Is it old Nep who has +ensconced himself in this dainty little nest? No, for you left him +sleeping under the shade of the weeping willow. Surely, those seven +kits, with fourteen blue eyes, have not lived to this green old age! Ah, +the mystery is solved, by the presence of a tiny hand, which elevates +itself above the little heap of whiteness, and a smiling baby face has +contrived to work its way into the no less smiling sunlight, the which +baby must not partake of too freely; consequently the owner of said +property appears, to alleviate the difficulty, which is done by giving +miss baby a toss into mid-air, and with a ringing laugh, not unlike +those wild bursts of merriment which were wont to be heard reverberating +through the halls of Santon Mansion. + +Yes, it is Winnie's child; and she tells you, while a more thoughtful +look sits upon her countenance, that the name of the little one is +"Natalie;" although she adds, "as earnestly as I love my child, I know +there can never be another like _her_"--and pointing to a portrait, +draped in white, she presses her child more closely to her heart. + +You look long and earnestly upon that countenance of the Madonna,--the +one face representing mother and child. The portrait is the property of +Clarence Delwood, he who is now known as 'the lone man of the shore;' +and while you are yet gazing upon it, he enters, and pressing his lips +to the canvas, he takes a bible from the case and reads. You +accidentally observe the fly-leaf, upon which is written,--"To the +Sea-flower, from her mother, on her second birthday;" and as he reads a +smile lights up his countenance, for it is there written,--"thou shalt +labor unto the Lord," and a more cheerful expression is his; for it is +through his ready pen that the alms chest of the poor receives its +liberal supplies. + +Ere you depart, you inquire as to the fate of Mr. Sampson, learning that +through his agency the widow Grosvenor has come in possession of a +handsome fortune,--the daughter's gift to her mother,--so that now she +is enabled to make comfortable many a cheerless fireside, where poverty, +through the loss of a husband and father, as he went down to do business +on the great deep, had reigned. Honest Mr. Sampson, after so many years +spent upon the ocean, has concluded to live the remainder of his days on +shore; and in the darkest night, when the hurricane roars, and the waves +break high, the brilliant light entrusted to his care, may be seen for +many miles around, by the voyager who may be sailing in the neighborhood +of old Nantucket. Capt. Harry Grosvenor has also bade adieu to his +much-loved home on the sea; for together with Winnie's entreaties, and +the goodly amount of wealth, which she declares as rightly belonging to +her husband as to herself, he has been induced to give his little wife +the promise that he will sail the seas no more. + +But there is one, who is no unimportant member of this happy family, for +whom you have forgotten to inquire, so intent are you, as you pass out +from them into the silent night, upon what you have seen and heard; but +you are minded of this negligence by a voice near, and a negro, +tottering from beneath the weight of years, whom you recognize at once +as old Vingo, stands before you. His mind is much impaired, for he has +attained his second childhood; yet from his disconnected remarks, it is +evident that he still retains a pleasant remembrance of the past. + +"Old Bingo neber want noting more," he replies to your question of what +you can do for him; "nobody neber can do noting more for Bingo; for +Missy Sea-flower hab gib Bingo, Phillis, and gib him Heaben, and what +more does he want?" + +"And where is your mistress's home?" you ask. + +"Dar," said the negro, pointing to the skies, "dar is Heaben, dar am my +missus's home; and dat is whar she tell me dat she wait for me if she +go home first. If it hadn't been missy dat tole me, I couldn't beliebe +dat such an ole brack fellow like me, go to dat white place; but I +beliebes it now, for since missy gone home I's seen a new star up dar; +and I knows it am her, for didn't she say she look down to me, jus' like +ole Massa Grobener and dat poor brack Injin look down upon her! Yes, I +know dat I shall meet her dar, and what am better, Phillis am going dar +too! only sometimes she get skeered like, when she remember what her ole +cotton massa tell her; for he tells her dat de hounds go to dat bright +place, afore good for notin' niggar like her get dar; and she's afeared +dey remember dar ole habits and hunt her up, for she run away from her +ole massa, and gets sabed in dese free states, whar de folks don't +mistake poor niggar for someting else dan a man." + +"Farewell, faithful Vingo, and may the remainder of your days shed peace +along your way. Thy portion here has not indeed been to sit in 'kings' +courts,' yet thou hast so used the one talent lent unto thee, that at +the last, when every 'island shall have fled away, and the mountains +shall not be found,' thou shalt have a place at the right hand of that +glorious throne, whose king is our God; thou shalt hear those blessed +words,--'well done, good and faithful servant,' and the morning star +shalt be thine; and there thou shalt again find that pure gem, who, in +her little day on earth, led thee to the bright river of life, where +thou hast sought and found that 'pearl of great price.'" + +The blue waves have not yet tired of their unceasing sports; they still +chase each other in mad glee from far over the sea, each striving to +outdo his fellows, as they come tumbling in with deep-toned voices. The +beaming beacon still keeps vigil over Nantucket's peaceful slumberers, +while her little ones, in their gladsome dreams of childhood, wander up +and down those shores, intent upon their search for the most delicate +sea-mosses, exclaiming with each new found treasure,--"See! I have found +a _gem_ among the sea-weeds." + +Gentle reader, you are weary, and I will here seek to bid you adieu, +with many thanks for your kind attention; and great is my joy, if haply +any have been impressed in spirit with that meek and holy submission +which shall lead them to say,--"Thy will, O Lord, not mine, be done;" +and when loved ones shall be borne away from us, may we take up our +cross with renewed love for Him who gave, and hath taken away,--and say, +"blessed be the name of the Lord," forever. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Natalie, by Ferna Vale + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NATALIE *** + +***** This file should be named 10848.txt or 10848.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/8/4/10848/ + +Produced by V-M Osterman, Juliet Sutherland, Veronique Durand and PG +Distributed Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + |