Barbadoes Girl: A Tale for Young People Read online

  CHAPTER III.

  This interesting display of natural feelings was interrupted by the hastyre-entrance of Mr. Harewood, followed by Betty, the housemaid, who, inentering the door in a hurry, had fallen down a step, and hurt herforehead, and was now brought forward by her good master, to claim theassistance of her kind and skilful mistress.

  The children were full of concern and condolence with Betty, and with greattenderness shrunk when they saw their mamma bathe her forehead withvinegar, as they knew it must smart exceedingly: and Ellen could not helpsaying--"How good Betty is! she never says oh!"

  "No, Miss," said Betty, "I know your mamma does it for my good; and thoughshe gives me some pain, yet she saves me from a great deal more."

  In a few minutes, Betty declared the smarting was quite gone; and thechildren were so glad, that Matilda began to think, though they werefoolish, yet they were certainly happy, and she wished she could feelas happy as they did.

  When Betty was gone, the tea came in, and Mrs. Harewood ordered a largeplate of toast, as she recollected Matilda's scanty dinner. Thomas oncehanded it all round, and Mr. Harewood then said--"Set it down; when thechildren want it, they will ask you for it."

  All the children remembered poor Matilda's wants, and in order that shemight have plenty, without any more being ordered, or any thing inreference to the past being mentioned, with true delicacy of feeling,forbore to eat any more, so that Matilda could not repeat their words inasking, which she now determined to do. She was very hungry, and the toastlooked very tempting, as it stood before the fire.

  Matilda looked at the toast, and then at the footman; her cheek glowed, hereye was subdued, but her tongue did not move. Thomas, however, handed herthe toast, and she then articulately said--"Thank you."

  This was heard, but no notice was taken; they knew that much false shameattends the first efforts to subdue pride and passion, and they feared lesteven approbation should be misconstrued.

  In order to divert the general attention, Mrs. Harewood said--"I forgot toask Betty what made her run in such a hurry as to occasion her accident,for I gave her leave to go out, and stay till nine o'clock, and it is onlyseven now, I believe."

  "I believe, madam," said Thomas, very respectfully, "she came home inhaste, because her sister has twins; and as you promised her some caudle,she came to tell the cook to make it, and likewise to get some littlematter of clothing, from her own clothes, for the baby that isunprovided."

  "Poor woman!" said Mrs. Harewood; "we must all help; this little strangerhas a claim on us."

  Ellen clapped her hands--"Oh, mamma, may I make it a nightcap?"

  "Yes, my dear; I will get some old linen, and cut out a few things, aftertea."

  "I will give you a crown, my dear," said Mr. Harewood; "as I cannot assistin sewing, I must help to buy needles and thread."

  "And I will give you a shilling, mamma," said Edmund, "if you please."

  "Oh dear," said Charles, "I am very sorry, but I have only fourpence,because I spent all my money on my new kite; but if that will do any good,mamma----"

  "It will do good, Charles, and I will not grieve you by refusing it,because I see you are sorry that you have no more, which will teach youanother time to be provident, and then you will not be under the necessityof giving your last farthing, or refusing to be charitable, when such acase occurs again."

  Ellen handed Charles's fourpence to her mamma; and as she did so, she put asixpence between the pence, so as not to be seen by Matilda, lest it shouldseem like a reproach to her; and as she slipped the whole into her mother'shand, she said--"I hope, mamma, you will be so good as to let Miss Hansonmake a little cap for the baby?"

  "I don't like to sew," said Matilda, rising; "at least not such things asthese: I think a bit of calico to wrap the pickaninnies in is the best, andI'll give that to buy some with."

  As she spoke she threw half-a-guinea on the table, with the air of onedesirous of exhibiting both generosity and wealth, and looked round with aneye that asked for admiration.

  No notice was taken. Mrs. Harewood opening her own purse, took outhalf-a-crown, and then counted all that she had got. In doing it, Ellenperceived not her sixpence, and she then, with modesty, but without anyshame, said--"I believe my sixpence must have slipped down."

  "I did not know you gave me one, child."

  "Yes, but she did, for I saw her," said Mr. Harewood, "though she was notaware that I did. She gave it in silence, not from affectation, but a kindmotive towards one who could not appreciate it; but we will say no more onthis point. Ellen, you have gratified your father: I see in your conductthe germ of a gentlewoman, and, what is infinitely more precious, of aChristian."

  Ellen sprung to her father's arms, and in his affectionate kiss found arich reward.

  For a moment, Matilda thought to herself, what a piece of work is hereabout sixpence, while they take no notice at all of a bright goldenhalf-guinea! but still her understanding combated this thought, for sheknew that all the present company saw beyond the surface, and estimatedthe gift according to the spirit of the donor.

  Betty now came in, and Mrs. Harewood gave her the money, telling her to buysome frocks with it. Observing the servant eye the half-guinea, shesaid--"_That_ was the gift of Miss Hanson; she is very rich, it seems, andgives out of her abundance. I am sure you will be grateful to _her_; but ifyour fellow-servants, Betty, should spare, out of the little time theyhave, enough to assist you in the making of these things, they will be thebest friends you meet with; for labour is much greater charity than money."

  Betty replied, that she was much obliged to all her friends, both above andbelow, and especially to poor Zebby, who had offered, with her lady'sleave, to sit up all night with her sister.

  "She has not only my leave, but my approbation, especially as your accidenthas rendered you unable. Tell Zebby I will spare her for a week, on thistruly charitable occasion."

  With many thanks, Betty withdrew, and Ellen was soon, like her mamma, busywith her needle. Mr. Harewood, drawing a celestial globe towards him, beganto give his sons some instruction, which interested them exceedingly; allwere employed, all happy, but Matilda, whose uneasiness was in factconsiderably augmented by the idea of Zebby leaving the house; for thoughshe used her ill, she had a regard for her, the extent of which she was notaware of till now that her heart was a little softened, and her judgmentenlightened, by the transactions of the day.

  After fidgeting about for some time, she at length took up a needle andthreaded it, and then drawing more timidly towards Mrs. Harewood, shesaid--"I don't mind if I do sew a little bit."

  Eager to seize upon any good symptom, Mrs. Harewood gave her a little cap,carefully doubled down, saying--"You see this is double; in thesecountries, the babies, or pickaninnies, as you call them, must be keptwarm."

  "I called that woman's twins pickaninnies, because I thought she waspoor--a kind of servant; we do not call white children so--only littlenegroes."

  "They are all the same with us, and will be so with you, I hope, by and by;indeed they always were with sensible good people. But, Matilda, what longstitches you are taking! I shall have all your work to pick out again."

  "I believe I cannot sew, indeed."

  "So it appears; nor can you play a tune, nor read a French lesson, norwrite, nor draw: poor little girl! you have a great deal to learn: but,however, keep up your spirits; if you are diligent and tractable, you willconquer all your difficulties; humility and industry will enable you tolearn every thing."

  "How very strange it is," said Matilda to herself, "that these peopleappear to pity me, instead of envying me, as they used to do in Barbadoes,and as I thought they would do here! besides, they are not angry with me,even when they find fault with me, and they seem to wish me to be good forthe sake of being happy."

  These thoughts somewhat soothed the perturbed bosom of the poor child untilthe hour of rest, when the remembrance of the good-tempered negro'sdestination rose to her mind, and she lamented her abse
nce, and blamed herexceedingly for leaving _her_ to go after a woman she had never seen in herlife: but the next day, it was apparent that the lesson she had receivedwas not lost upon her; she appeared ashamed of her ignorance, and willingto learn; and as all her young friends were very willing to instruct her,in whatever they had the power, she soon began to make some progress in hereducation; she was a child of good capacity, and, when roused to exertion,unusually quick; and being at an age when the mind expands quickly, it wasno wonder that she soon gave evident marks of improvement. It was observed,that as her mind became enlightened, her manners were softened, and herpetulance less obtrusive, though she was seen to suffer daily from thehabitual violence of her temper, and the disposition to insolence, whichunchecked power is so apt to foster in young minds.

  Mrs. Harewood found the care of Matilda greatly increase her task ofmanaging her family, as one naughty child frequently makes another, byraising up a spirit of contention and ill-humour; and Charles was sofrequently led into sallies of passion, or tempted to ridicule the fault inhis new companion, that his parents often lamented that they had acceptedsuch a burdensome charge: but when they saw any symptoms of improvement inher, they were ever happy to foster the good seed; and in the consciousnessthat they were not only raising up a human mind to virtue and happiness,but preparing an immortal soul for heaven, they thought little of their owntrouble, and were even truly thankful that she had been intrusted to theircareful examination and affectionate discipline.