As the honest efforts of poor Daph were crowned with success, she found herself abundantly able to provide for the physical wants of her master’s children. Three years of toil had rolled quickly away. Charlie had passed his fourth birth-day, and become a strong-willed, sturdy boy, while the slender figure of the fair Louise had grown and rounded, and the Rose had learned to bloom on the cheek of Captain Jones’s “Water-lily.”

[Pg 108]Daph looked at her little ones with affectionate pride, and watched over them with the most tender care. She encouraged them to play in the small garden in the rear of their humble home, but in the street they were never seen. The garments she fashioned for them were neat and tidy, and the snowy aprons they always wore, were monuments of her skill as a laundress; but she was conscious of a something in their external appearance, which was not as it should be. About the manners of her charge, Daph was still more troubled. “Why you eat so, Miss Lou?” she would sometimes say. “How shall I eat, Daffy?” the child would reply. “Well, I jus don’t[Pg 109] know,” poor Daph would answer, “but dere’s somewhat bout de way you childen do be, at de table, dat Daph don’t jus know how to spress it.”

More serious troubles than these by degrees came upon Daph, in her management. Charlie, though an affectionate, generous child, was hot-tempered and wilful, and when he resisted Daph’s authority, or raised his little hand to give an angry blow, the poor creature knew not what to do. In these scenes she generally triumphed, by the look of real distress which clouded her usually pleasant face, and brought Charlie, repentant to her arms.

With Louise, Daph had another[Pg 110] difficulty. The child was usually gentle and submissive, but she seemed to pine for other companions, and a home different from that which Daph was able to provide for her.

The early lessons of piety which Louise had learned at her mother’s knee, had faded from her mind. Daph could remind the little girl to say her simple prayer at morning and evening, but she could not talk to her of the loving Saviour, or recount the wonders of the Gospel she had never read.

The little book, with the golden clasps, Daph had cherished with the utmost care. She knew it contained the secret which could bring peace and order to her little home, but its treasures[Pg 111] she, in her ignorance, could not unlock.

Once she had ventured to ask Mrs. Ray to read a little to her from it, but she met with a short negative, and a cold, averted look.

Mary was almost as ignorant of letters as Daph herself. So the poor negro kept the precious book unopened, and awaited God’s time for leading her from darkness unto light.

That the children of her dear mistress would be allowed to grow up, ignorant of the knowledge that belonged to their station, and strangers to the Bible their mother had loved, Daph would not allow herself to believe. “It will come, I’se sure!”[Pg 112] Daph would say to herself; “de great Lord can make it right!” and thus she stifled her anxious forebodings, and strove to do the duty of the present hour.

Mrs. Ray’s temper was not quite as trying as when Daph first made her acquaintance. The kindness of the honest negro, and her cheerful acceptance of the trials of her lot, had their influence under that humble roof, and won respect and affection, even from Mrs. Ray. The sunshine of Charlie’s happy, roguish face, had cheered the lonely widow, and Louise had exerted on her a softening, refining influence. Mrs. Ray was improved, but not thoroughly changed.

[Pg 113]Little Mary had many harsh words yet to hear, but time had abated the poignancy of the mother’s grief for her lost darling, and made her somewhat more alive to the virtues of her hard-working, quiet, little girl.

During the three years that had passed, since they had dwelt under the same roof, sickness, at various times, had made the little household seem like one family, and the habit of helping each other had daily drawn them nearer.

Mary’s demure face was lighted up with wonder as she said to Daph, one day, “There’s a gentleman at the door, asking if mother still lives here, and if you are at home.”

[Pg 114]“Is it a tall, tall gentleman, that looks grand-like and magnificent?” said Daph, earnestly, as the thought of her master at once rose to her mind.

“Not exactly,” said Mary, and, as she spoke, Mrs. Ray opened the door, and ushered in Captain Jones.

Although her first feeling was disappointment, Daph shed tears of joy as she clasped the hand of the honest captain; her tears, however, brightened into smiles as she saw the approving look the captain bestowed on her pets, as he caught them in his arms.

Charlie struggled and fought to be free, shouting, “I like you, sir, but you need not squeeze me so, and rub me with your rough whiskers.”

[Pg 115]Charlie got another hug for an answer, while Louise said, “Who is it, Daph? It cannot be my father!”

“No! no! darling!” said the captain, quickly, and he dashed the tears from his eyes, and was sobered in an instant.

Mrs. Ray looked on with astonishment and curiosity, at the cordial meeting between her old acquaintance and her lodgers.

Captain Jones had known Mrs. Ray slightly in her better days, and he now turned to her, and inquired kindly after her welfare. As usual, she had a series of grievances to relate, but she forbore speaking slightingly of Mary, who had modestly retired into[Pg 116] the background. The little girl was somewhat astonished when the captain came towards her, and gave her a hearty greeting, as the child of his old mess-mate, and seemed to think her well worth speaking to, though “only a girl.”

The whole party sat down together, and time passed rapidly on, while the captain sat, with the children in his arms, and heard Daph’s account of her various trials and adventures since they parted. Mrs. Ray listened with eager curiosity, but she could gather little from Daph’s words that she did not already know.

At length, Captain Jones said, with a great effort, “Daph, I have something[Pg 117] to say to you, which is not fit for the children’s ears,” and he gave at the same time an expressive glance towards Mrs. Ray.

The widow seized Mary by the hand, and flounced indignantly out of the room, saying, “I am sure we have too much to do to stay here, where we are not wanted. No good comes of secrets, that ever I heard of!”

“Come children, come with Mary,” said the girl, apparently unconscious of her mother’s indignant manner.

The children followed somewhat reluctantly, and Daph and the captain were left alone together. Since the moment of her ............