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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Rare Book Room 
 GIFT OF 
 
 John W. Beckman 
 
C^V ^&t^Ue-c^L 
 
 
 <JU 
 
 
.V. 
 
THE LITTLE EXILES. 
 
 Frontispiece 
 
THE 
 
 BABES IN THE BASKET; 
 
 OR, 
 
 lur 
 
 BY THK AUTHOR OF 
 TIMID LUCY," "HEART AND HAND," ETC. 
 
 NEW YOR 
 ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, 
 
 C88 BKOADWAY. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S58, by 
 
 ANSON D. F. KANDOLPH, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for 
 the Southern District of New York. 
 
 EDWARD O. JENKINS, 
 
 printer & .Sterrotgper, 
 No. 26 FRANKFORT STRKET. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. I. A MOONLIGHT VISITOR . . 5 
 
 " IL THE " MARTHA JANE " . , . 13 
 
 " III. THE WATER-LILY .... 33 
 IV. THE RED HOUSE WITH THE BLUE 
 
 SHUTTERS 53 
 
 " V. DAPH'S SHOPPING .... 69 
 
 " VI. CLOUDS . 81 
 
 " VII. A NEW PATH ..... 92 
 
 "VIII. NEWS 107 
 
 " IX. A MINISTERING SPIRIT . . 129 
 
 " X. STRANGE PROCEEDINGS . . 146 
 " XL ANOTHER FRIEND . . .155 
 " XII. HOME SCENES . . . .176 
 
 "XIII. MARY RAY 190 
 
 " XIV. THE BASKET OVERTURNED . 203 
 
 " XV. THE END 213 
 
 (iii) 
 
THE 
 
 in 111 I 
 
 OR, 
 
 DAPH AND HER CHARGE. 
 
 86* 
 
 THE evening air stole gently into a 
 quiet room in a southern island, more 
 than sixty years ago. 
 
 There were no casements in the wide 
 windows ; the heavy shutters were 
 thrown back, and the moonlight pour 
 ed, in long, unbroken streams, across 
 the polished, un-carpeted floor. 
 
 Within the large pleasant room, two 
 
 (5) 
 
BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 children were sleeping in their cur 
 tained beds, like birds in pretty cages. 
 Suddenly there was a cautious tread 
 in the hall, and then a strange figure 
 stood silently in the moonlight. Without 
 candle, or taper, might have been plain 
 ly seen the short, strongly-built woman, 
 
 whose black face and gay turban form- 
 i 
 
 ed a striking contrast to the fair child 
 ren in their loose, white night-dresses. 
 
 Who was that dark intruder, and 
 what was her secret errand, in that 
 quiet room ? 
 
 It was Daph. black Daph, and when 
 you have heard more about her, you 
 can better judge whether she came as 
 a friend, or an enemy, to the sleeping 
 children of her master. 
 
THE MOONLIGHT VISITOR. 
 
 The large mirror, bright in the moon 
 light, seemed to have an irresistible 
 attraction for the negro, and the sight 
 of her black face fully reflected there, 
 made her show her white teeth in a 
 grin of decided approval. The pleased 
 expression, however, disappeared al 
 most instantly, as she said impatiently, 
 "Foolish darky, spendin dese precious 
 time, looking at your own ugly face !" 
 
 At this whispered exclamation, the 
 children stirred uneasily. " If I mus, 
 I mus !" said Daph, resolutely, as she 
 drew from her pocket a box, contain 
 ing two small pills. With the pills in 
 her hand she approached the bed-side 
 of the little girl, who was now half 
 sitting up, and looking at Daph, witl 
 
 i 
 
8 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 the bewildered expression of one sud 
 denly aroused from sleep. 
 
 Daph put aside the mosquito bar, 
 and said, coaxingly, " Take dis, Miss 
 Lou, quick as you can, and don't go 
 for waking Mass Charley, asleep da in 
 dat beauty bed of his.' 7 
 
 Daph had slipped the pill into a 
 juicy bit of pineapple, which she seem 
 ed to have had ready for the purpose, 
 and the child instantly swallowed it. 
 With one trustful, pleasant glance from 
 her large, blue eyes, the fair-haired 
 little girl sank back on her pillow, 
 and was soon in the sweet sleep of in 
 nocence. 
 
 As soon as Daph saw the small, 
 slender hands lie open and relaxed, 
 
 ' 
 
A MOONLIGHT VISITOR. 9 
 
 she closed the gauze-like curtains, and 
 stole to the cradle-bed of the little 
 boy. She raised his head gently on 
 her arm, and placed in his mouth a bit 
 of the same juicy fruit she had given 
 his sister, containing another of those 
 hidden pills, which she seemed so anxi 
 ous to administer. The child did not 
 wnke, but the sweet morsel was plea 
 sant to his taste, and no doubt mingled 
 in his baby-dreams of the joys of the 
 pleasant world in which he had passed 
 but little more than a twelve month. 
 
 Daph now set to work busily to fill 
 a huge basket, which she brought from 
 some place of deposit near at hand. 
 The drawers of the bureau, and the 
 contents of the elegant dressing-case 
 
10 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 she thoroughly over-hauled, making 
 such selections as seemed to please 
 her fancy, and being withal somewhat 
 dainty in her choice. Children's cloth 
 ing, of the finest and best, formed the 
 lowest layer in the basket ; then fol 
 lowed a sprinkling of rings and neck 
 laces, interspersed with the choice furni 
 ture of the rich dressing-case. Over all 
 was placed a large light shawl, with its 
 many soft folds, and then Daph viewed 
 the success of her packing with much 
 satisfaction. 
 
 Quietly and stealthily she approach 
 ed the bed, where the little girl was 
 sleeping so soundly that she did not 
 wake, even when Daph lifted her in 
 her strong arms, and laid her gently in 
 
 
A MOONLIGHT VISITOR. 11 
 
 the great basket, the choicest treasure 
 of all. In another moment the plump, 
 rosy boy was lying with his fairy-like 
 sister, in that strange resting-place. 
 Daph looked at them, as they lay side 
 by side, and a tear rolled over her dark 
 cheeks, and, as it fell, sparkled in the 
 moonlight. 
 
 The negro had taken up a white 
 cloth, and was in the act of throwing 
 it over the basket, when a small book, 
 with golden clasps, suddenty caught 
 her eye ; rolling it quickly in a soft, 
 rich veil, she placed it between the 
 children, and her task was done. 
 
 It was but the work of a moment, 
 to fasten on the cloth-covering with a 
 stout string j then, with one strong ef- 
 
12 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 fort, Daph stooped, took the basket on 
 her head, and went forth from the door 
 with as stately a step as if she wore a 
 crown. 
 
II. 
 8ft* "Paytfta gatt*/' 
 
 THERE was the bustle of departure, 
 on board a Yankee schooner, which 
 some hope of gain had brought to the 
 southern island, named in our last 
 chapter. The fresh and favorable 
 breeze hurried the preparations of the 
 sailors, as they moved about full of 
 glad thoughts of return to their distant 
 home. 
 
 The boat, which had been sent a- 
 fchore for some needful supplies, was 
 fast approaching the vessel, and in it, 
 
 (13) 
 
14 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 among the rough tars, was Daph, her 
 precious basket at her side, and her 
 bright eyes passing from face to face, 
 with an eager, wistful glance, that 
 seemed trying to read the secrets of 
 each heart. 
 
 " Here ! go-a-head, woman ! I'll 
 hand up your chickens ;" said one of 
 the sailors, as they reached the an 
 chored schooner. 
 
 " I keeps my chickens to myself," 
 said Daph, as she placed the basket on 
 her head, and went up the side of the 
 vessel, as steadily and securely as the 
 eldest tar of all. 
 
 As soon as she set her foot on deck, 
 the sailors thronged around her, offer 
 ing to take her chickens from her, at 
 
THE " MARTHA JANE." 15 
 
 her own price, and passing their rough 
 jokes on her stout figure and shining 
 black face. One young sailor, bolder 
 than the rest, laid his hand on the 
 basket, and had well-nigh torn away 
 its cover. The joke might have proved 
 a dangerous one for him. A blow from 
 Daph's strong arm sent him staggering 
 backwards, and in another moment, 
 the negress had seized an oar, and was 
 brandishing it round her head, threat 
 ening with destruction any one who 
 should dare to touch her property, and 
 declaring that with the captain, and 
 with him alone, would she treat for 
 the chickens, about which so much had 
 been said. 
 
 " Cap 'in," said she, as a tall, firmly- 
 
16 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 knit man drew near the scene of the 
 disturbance ; " Cap 'in, it's you, sah, I 
 wants to speak wid, and just you by 
 yourself, away from these fellows, who 
 don't know how to treat a 'spectable 
 darkie, who belongs to the greatest 
 gentleman in the island. Let me see 
 you in your little cubby there, and if 
 you have an heart in you, we'll make 
 a bargain." 
 
 There was something so earnest in 
 the woman's manner, that Captain 
 Jones at once consented to her odd 
 request, smiling at himself as he did 
 so. 
 
 A kind of temporary cabin had been 
 put up on deck, for the protection of 
 the captain from the hot rays of the 
 
THE "MARTHA JANE." 17 
 
 southern sun. It was but a rude 
 frame-work, covered with sail-cloth, 
 and yet, when the canvas door was 
 closed, it formed a pleasant and cool 
 place of retirement for an afternoon 
 nap, or for the transaction of private 
 business. 
 
 To that spot Daph followed the 
 captain, her basket on her head, and 
 her firm step and consequential air 
 seeming to say to the sailors, "You 
 see, your captain knows better than 
 you do how to treat such a person as 
 I am." 
 
 When they were once within the 
 little enclosure, Daph's manner chan 
 ged. She put down her precious bas 
 ket, and looking the captain directly 
 
18 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 in the eye, she said, solemnly, " Cap'in, 
 would you see a man struggle for his 
 life in de deep water, outside da, and 
 nebber lift your hand to save him ? 
 Would you see a house on fire, and 
 sweet baby-children burning in it, and 
 just look on to see de awsome blaze, 
 and nebber stir to save de dear babies ? 
 Cap'in, I'se brought you a good work 
 to do. Dey say de great Lord blesses 
 dem dat cares for little children, and 
 gives dem a good seat in. heaven. 
 Swear by de great Lord you wont tell 
 de dreadsome secret I'se going to tell 
 you ! Swear ! time is short !" 
 
 The kind-hearted captain was im 
 pressed by the earnest manner of the 
 woman, and not a little curious to 
 
19 
 
 hear the secret that seemed to fill her 
 with such strong feeling ; " I swear, " 
 said he,' simply, " go on !" 
 
 " De darkies in dis island,' 7 said 
 Daph, slowly, " de darkies are crazy 
 for de blood of der masters. Poor, 
 wicked fools ! Dey means to have 
 enough of it to-night ! By to-morrow 
 morning, de white faces on dis coast 
 will ebery one be white wid de death- 
 whiteness ! Old folks and little child 
 ren dey mean to kill dem all ! Dey 
 told Daph deir secret, as if dey thought 
 she was all black, inside and out. De 
 Lord forgib Daph, dat she did not 
 strike dem down, where dey stood 
 shewing deir teeth, at the thought of 
 living in master's house, and he cold 
 
20 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 in de grave ! Dear massa and missus 
 are up in de country, and Daph could 
 n't get word to dem, but something in 
 here said, ' You can save the sweet 
 babies, Daph ;' so I made as if I was 
 ready to kill dose I loves de best, and 
 set to work a-contriving how a poor, 
 foolish darky could save dose sweet 
 lambs. Your men was always glad to 
 take Daph's chickens, and so de way 
 seemed open. I'se put my darlings in 
 de basket, and here dey are for you to 
 take care ob for de Lord, and he'll 
 reckon wid you for it. It aint likely 
 dey'll have any friends to stand by em, 
 and thank ye for it, 'cept one poor 
 darky, named Daph!" 
 
 In a twinkling, Daph had torn off 
 
THE "MARTHA JANE." 21 
 
 the cover of the basket, and there lay 
 
 n 
 
 the sleeping children ; calm and still 
 as if on their mother's bosom. 
 
 " Dey do breave, de sweet dears !" 
 said Daph, as she bent tenderly over 
 them. 
 
 Great tears fell from the eyes of 
 honest Captain Jones. He was an old 
 sailor, but to salt water in this form he 
 had long been a stranger. He tried to 
 speak, but the voice that had been 
 heard above the tumult of many a 
 storm, was now choked and husky. 
 In an instant he regained his self-com 
 mand, and said, "You have found the 
 right man, Daph ! No harm shall 
 come to them so long as my name is 
 Jeremiah Jones ! The Martha Jane 
 
22 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 can skim the water like a wild duck, 
 and will be off towards a better 
 country before ten minutes are 
 
 over !" 
 
 The words were hardly out of Cap 
 tain Jones's mouth, before he left his 
 tent-like cabin, and in a moment he 
 was heard giving orders for instant de 
 parture. 
 
 The energy that had borne Daph 
 through her hour of trial, seemed to 
 desert her, now that her object was 
 attained, and she sank down beside the 
 little ones, sobbing like a child. She 
 felt herself a poor, helpless, ignorant 
 creature, going she knew not whither, 
 and having assumed a charge she knew 
 not how to fulfil. 
 
THE "MARTHA JANE." 23 
 
 " De great Lord, dat missus loves, 
 can take care of us ! " thought the 
 humble negro ; "He can give poor 
 Daph sense to mind de babies !" 
 
 In her ignorance, she knew not how 
 to pray, but she leaned in simple faith 
 upon the only source of strength, and 
 found consolation. 
 
 In a half-hour after the arrival of 
 Daph on board the Martha Jane, the 
 trim little vessel was speeding on her 
 homeward course. 
 
 Captain Jones walked the deck in 
 deep meditation, while from their vari 
 ous positions his crew watched him 
 with curious glances. The sailors well 
 knew that Daph was still on board, 
 but no one had dared to question the 
 
24 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 captain's orders for putting instantly 
 out to sea. 
 
 Jeremiah Jones was a thorough re 
 publican, when at home in good old 
 Massachusetts ; but once on board the 
 Martha Jane, he ruled with the despotic 
 power of the Emperor of all the Rus- 
 sias. His crew were accustomed to 
 submission, and murmuring was never 
 heard among them. They had indeed 
 no cause for discontent, for Captain 
 Jones was just, kind-hearted, and high- 
 principled, and he wisely ruled his 
 little realm. 
 
 The good captain had acted upon a 
 sudden impulse, for promptness was 
 required, but now came a time for 
 sober reflection. 
 
THE "MARTHA JANE." 25 
 
 " If the darky has not told the 
 truth;" so reasoned he; "what has 
 Jeremiah Jones been doing ? He has 
 kidnapped a valuable servant and car 
 ried off two children, belonging to a 
 man who has the power arid wealth to 
 make said Jeremiah suffer for his mad 
 ness. The thing has been done pub 
 licly, and these fellows of mine may 
 think it for their interest to deliver 
 me up, as soon as I set foot in old 
 Boston !" 
 
 These meditations did not seem to 
 increase the peace of mind of the 
 worthy New Englander. He walked 
 the deck impatiently for a few minutes, 
 and then drew near the objects of his 
 anxious thought. 
 
26 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 He put aside the canvas curtain, 
 and stood for a moment in the clear 
 moonlight, watching the sleepers. 
 Daph had thrown her arm protectingly 
 round the basket, and curled about it, 
 as if conscious of her charge, even in 
 the deep slumber into which she had 
 fallen. That long, earnest look set the 
 perturbed mind of the captain at rest, 
 and again the unwonted tears filled his 
 large, gray eyes. 
 
 A state of indecision could not last 
 long in such a mind as that of Captain 
 Jones, a-nd his usually prompt, authori 
 tative manner suddenly returned to 
 him. He seized a trumpet, and gave 
 a shout of " all hands on deck/' which 
 soon brought his eager crew about him. 
 
27 
 
 In a few words he told Daph's fear 
 ful story, and then throwing aside the 
 awning, he exposed to view the sleep 
 ing forms of the negro and the little 
 ones, as he said : 
 
 " I have pledged myself to be a 
 friend to those whom God has sent me 
 to take care of, my men, but if there 
 is one among you who doubts that 
 faithful creature's story, or who is 
 afraid to lend a hand to save those 
 sweet throats from the murdering 
 knives of those black rascals on shore, 
 let him stand out here, and speak for 
 himself. Let him take a boat, and put 
 out for the island, while it is yet in 
 sight. We don't want him here. He 
 shall have his wages, and bounty too, 
 
28 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 for the master he serves is likely to 
 give him little comfort in the long run. 
 Speak out, men, will you stand by me, 
 or will you go ashore ?" 
 
 Every voice joined in the hearty 
 cheer with which the captain's words 
 were received. Rough hands were 
 stretched out towards him, and he res 
 ponded to their warm grasp with a 
 hearty shake, as one by one the men 
 came up to give him this token of their 
 determination to help him, in the good 
 deed he had begun. 
 
 The cheer that was so welcome to 
 the ear of Captain Jones had quite a 
 different effect upon poor Daph. She 
 sprang to her feet in wild alarm, and 
 placing herself in front of her darlings, 
 
THE " MARTHA JANE/' 29 
 
 stood ready to do battle in their be 
 half. 
 
 The men drew back, and Captain 
 Jones hastened to explain to Daph the 
 hearty expression of good-will towards 
 her, which had risen spontaneously 
 from the crew of the Martha Jane. 
 
 Daph's apprehensions were soon 
 quieted, and, at the suggestion of the 
 captain, she prepared to remove her 
 darlings from their strange resting- 
 place to one of the small state-rooms 
 below. 
 
 The children did not wake while she 
 laid them gently in the berth, and 
 stretched herself beside them on the 
 floor. Daph began to be troubled at 
 the soundness of their long-continued 
 
30 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 sleep. She raised herself, and crouch 
 ing near them, she watched them with 
 ever-increasing uneasiness. 
 
 Captain Jones was on deck, giving a 
 last look to see that all was right, be 
 fore retiring for the night, when Daph 
 came hastily up to him, and laying her 
 hand beseechingly on his arm, she 
 said : 
 
 "0! Cap'in! I'se a-feard I'se just 
 killed my pretty ones ! dey do sleep 
 so. Dem was such little pills, dey 
 didn't seem as if dey could be so migh 
 ty powersome !" 
 
 " Pills !" said the captain, with a 
 start ; " what have you given them ?" 
 
 "I jus don't know myself/' said 
 Daph, desperately. " Daph had de 
 
THE " MARTHA JANE." 31 
 
 ear-ache mighty bad last week, and 
 missus, dear creeter she was always 
 so kind she gibs me two little pills, 
 and she says, ' here Daph, you take 
 dese when you goes to bed, and you 
 will sleep so sound, de pain will all go 
 way!' I says, ' tank'ee missus,' of 
 course, and she goes up to de house 
 quite satisfied. Daph nebber did take 
 no doctor's stuff, so I puts de little 
 pills in my pocket, and just roasts an 
 orange soft, and ties it warm outside 
 my ear, and goes to bed, and sleeps 
 like a lizard. Now when I thinks of 
 putting de children in de basket, some 
 thing says to me, ' you gib dem dose 
 little pills, Daph, dey'll make 'em sleep 
 sound 'nough.' So, I'se just did like a 
 
32 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 poor, foolish darky." Here Dapli be 
 gan to cry piteously. 
 
 Captain Jones went immediately to 
 the cabin. The natural color and 
 healthy breathing of the little sleepers 
 soon assured him that all was right. 
 
 11 Courage ! old girl !" said the cap 
 tain, cheerily, "turn in yourself, and 
 I'll warrant you the youngsters will be 
 none the worse for your doctoring !" 
 
 Thus consoled, Daph lay down again 
 beside her charge, and the silence of 
 deep sleep soon prevailed, not only in 
 the little state-room, but throughout 
 the Martha Jane, save when the mea 
 sured steps of the watch sounded out 
 through the stillness of the night. 
 
III. 
 
 S&* 
 
 AT sunrise the morning after she set 
 sail, the " Martha Jane" was dancing 
 over the waves, far out of sight of 
 mainland or island. 
 
 Daph was an early riser, and in the 
 gray dawn she bestirred herself with 
 her usual waking thought " This is a 
 busy world, and Daph must be up and 
 at work.' 7 Her first glance around 
 showed her that she was not in the 
 southern kitchen, which had so long 
 been her domain, and a merry sound 
 2* (33) 
 
BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 near her reminded her of the new 
 duties she had undertaken. 
 
 Charlie was sitting up in the berth, 
 his bright black eyes sparkling with 
 delight at the new scene in which he 
 found himself. 
 
 " Pretty! pretty little bed! 77 were 
 the first words that met Daph 7 s ear. 
 The hearty hug with which she res 
 ponded to this pleasant greeting, and 
 the consequent laugh of the child, 
 roused his fair sister. 
 
 Louise started up, and looked wildly 
 around her ; " Where are we, Daffy, 77 
 she asked, anxiously. " We 7 s just on 
 board a beauty ship, a-going to see 
 pretty countries over the water, 77 said 
 Daph, coaxingly. 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 35 
 
 " But why do we go?" urged the 
 child, by no means satisfied. 
 
 11 Cause, cause," said Daph, " cause 
 de great Lord tinks it best." 
 
 The face of little Louise instantly 
 took a sobered and submissive expres 
 sion, and she said quietly, u Well, 
 Daffy, Lou will try to be a good girl ; 
 where's Dinah?" 
 
 " I'se to be nurse now, Miss Lou," 
 answered Daph, promptly. 
 
 "Oh! how nice! No cross Dinah 
 any more !" exclaimed the little girl, 
 clapping her hands with very great 
 delight. 
 
 Charlie thought proper to clap his 
 hands, too, and to cry out, boisterously, 
 " Caky ! caky !" a cry which Daph 
 

 36 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 well understood, and for which she 
 was amply prepared. 
 
 She drew from one of her huge 
 pockets some cakes for the children, 
 and then -they all three began to chat 
 as pleasantly as if they were at their 
 favorite resort, under the old tree 
 that grew in front of Daph's southern 
 kitchen. 
 
 Daph found it a difficult business to 
 dress her young master and mistress, 
 but Louise was a helpful little creature, 
 and was of great assistance in enabling 
 the new nurse to select the suitable 
 garments, from the store that had been 
 hastily thrust into the great basket. 
 
 It was an easy matter to comb 
 Louise's soft, straight golden hair off 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 37 
 
 her fair forehead, but it was another 
 thing to deal with master Charlie r s 
 mop of short, chestnut curls. The 
 new bond between Daph and the sturdy 
 boy had well nigh been broken, by the 
 smart pulls she gave, in the course of 
 her unskilful efforts. 
 
 When Captain Jones came into the 
 cabin after his usual round on deck, in 
 the morning, he was greeted by the 
 sound of merry young voices, which 
 struck strangely on his ear. 
 
 Daph gave one peep from the state 
 room, to be sure who was near at 
 hand, and then leading out the child 
 ren, she bade them " go right to the 
 very kindest gentleman that anybody 
 ever had for a friend." 
 
38 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Charlie put out his arms towards the 
 honest captain, who took the little 
 fellow warmly to his heart. 
 
 Louise held on to Daph's apron with 
 one hand, and the other she put out 
 timidly towards her new friend. 
 
 That small, soft, gentle hand was 
 placed in the hard, dark palm of the 
 captain, quietly as a flower might fall 
 on a wayside path. Captain Jones 
 bent tenderly down to the fair, slender 
 child, and kissed her smooth forehead. 
 She loosened her hold of Daph, and 
 nestled at his side. Again those 
 stranger-tears filled the captain's eyes, 
 but he did not look the worse for 
 them, or for the kindly smile that 
 beamed from his fraiik, sun-burnt face. 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 39 
 
 An odd looking party sat round 
 the breakfast-table, in the cabin, that 
 morning. Captain Jones was at the 
 head, with Charlie on his knee ; oppo 
 site him was perched the little Louise, 
 while the weather-browned faces of 
 the mates appeared at the sides. 
 
 Daph had claimed the privilege of 
 milking " Passenger/ 7 the cow which 
 Captain Jones had taken with him on 
 many voyages, and on which he had 
 lavished much of the surplus affection 
 of his bachelor-heart. 
 
 " Passenger," would have found out 
 that she had powerful rivals, if she 
 could have seen Charlie, enjoying his 
 cup of fresh milk on the captain's 
 knee, and Louise looking at him with 
 
40 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 mild trustful glances, that went right 
 to his heart. 
 
 Daph saw all this, if " Passenger'' 
 did not, and with her white teeth in 
 full sight she moved round the table, 
 in the position of waiter, which she 
 had assumed to keep her darlings in 
 view, and to have a care that their 
 new friends, in their abundant kind 
 ness, did not feed them too freely with 
 sailor's fare. 
 
 That was a happy day to the child 
 ren that first day on board the 
 " Martha Jane," and the captain pro 
 phesied that Charlie would " stand 
 the sea like an old salt," and Louise 
 would be as much at home on it as 
 the "Martha Jane" herself. 
 
THE WATER LILY. 41 
 
 There had been a fresh breeze all 
 day, but towards evening the wind 
 grew stronger, and Daph would have 
 found it hard to carry even a trifle on 
 that head of hers, which had so steadi 
 ly borne many a heavy burden. She 
 began also to experience certain 
 strange internal sensations, for which 
 she could not account ; but the faith 
 ful creature bore up without a com 
 plaint, though she staggered to and 
 fro in a way which made the rough 
 sailors laugh merrily at her expense. 
 
 Poor Daph ! Such sufferings as hers 
 could not long be kept secret. Through 
 the live-long night she lay in the an 
 guish of sea-sickness, which can only 
 be appreciated by those who have 
 
42 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 experienced its miseries. In her ig 
 norance, she supposed herself to have 
 been seized by some fearful malady, 
 which must soon take her life. 
 
 " Daph would be glad to die, she so 
 awsome sick,' 7 she said to herself, " but 
 den, who will mind de babies? No, 
 no ! Daph wont die yet. ' De great 
 Lord wont let her ; Daph knows he 
 wont !" 
 
 For two days the poor negro wres 
 tled mightily against the horrors of 
 sea-sickness, bearing up with the mo 
 tive, " Daph must live for de babies !" 
 
 Meanwhile, Captain Jones had all 
 the charge of his new pets. " Passen 
 ger " was quite forgotten, as the stout 
 sailor walked the deck, with Charlie 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 43 
 
 peeping out from under his rough 
 overcoat, and Louise walking at his 
 side, wrapped in the long soft shawl 
 that Daph had stowed away in that 
 wonderful basket. 
 
 They had strange talks together 
 that strong man and those prattling 
 children and they learned much from 
 each other. He told of the wonders 
 of the sea the great whales and the 
 floating ice-bergs and the petrel, that 
 the sailor never kills. Many long 
 years, Captain Jones had made the sea 
 his home, and much he knew, which 
 books had never taught him, yet in 
 little more than three short years, 
 Louise had caught a priceless secret, 
 which he had never found in any land. 
 
BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 He was familiar with the wonders of 
 nature, but to her the Great Creator, 
 to whom he was a stranger, was as 
 a familiar, trusted friend. The marvels 
 which Captain Jones could tell of the 
 ocean, but increased her wonder at His 
 power, who "made the heavens, the 
 earth, the sea, and all that in them is," 
 and in her simple way she would 
 " praise the Lord for all his wonderful 
 works.' 7 Charlie little knew of the 
 strong feelings which agitated the 
 breast to which he was clasped, while 
 his little sister lisped of the lessons 
 learned at her mother's knee. 
 
 Those days of Daph's sickness were 
 precious days to Captain Jones, and he 
 was almost sorry when the stout negro 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 45 
 
 triumphed over her enemy, and came 
 on deck to resume her charge. 
 
 The air grew chill as the " Martha 
 Jane " sped on her northward course, 
 and the white dresses of the children 
 fluttered, most unseasonably, in the 
 cool breeze. The ship's stores were 
 ransacked for some material, of which 
 to make them more suitable, though 
 extempore clothing. A roll of red 
 flannel was all that promised to answer 
 the purpose. The captain took the 
 place of master- workman, and cut out 
 what he called " a handsome suit for a 
 pair of sea-birds " and Daph, with 
 her clumsy fingers, made the odd gar 
 ments. She felt ready to cry as she 
 put them on, to see her pets so dis- 
 
46 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 figured ; but Captain Jones laughed at 
 her dolorous face, and said the red 
 frock only made his ''lily' 7 look the 
 fairer, and turned Charlie into the 
 sailor he should be. 
 
 The " Martha Jane " was Hearing 
 the familiar waters of her own north 
 ern home, when the Captain called 
 Daph into the cabin, one evening, to con 
 sult with her on matters of importance. 
 
 With the happy disposition of the 
 negro, Daph seemed to have forgotten 
 that she was not always to live on 
 board the " Martha Jane/' and under 
 the kind protection of her sailor-friend ; 
 she was, therefore, not a little startled, 
 when he addressed to her the blunt 
 question : 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 47 
 
 " Where are you oing, Daph ?" 
 Now, Daph had a most indistinct 
 idea of the world at large, but, thus 
 brought suddenly to a decision, she 
 promptly named the only northern 
 city of which she had heard. " I'se 
 going to New York," she said ; " Miss 
 Elize, my dear missus, was born dere, 
 and it seems de right sort of a place to 
 be takin de sweet babies to." 
 
 " Daph," said the honest captain, 
 " we shall put in to New York to 
 morrow, for I have freight to land 
 there, but you had better go on with 
 me to old Boston. There I can look 
 after you a little, and put you under 
 charge of my good mother ; and a 
 better woman never trod shoe-leather, 
 
48 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 for all her son i$ none of the best. 
 Shall it be so, Daph ?" 
 
 " Could n't do it! Massa Cap'in. 
 Boston ! dat mus be mighty far off. I 
 nebber hear tell of such a place. New 
 York's de home for my babies, just 
 where missus was born. May be, some 
 ob her grand cousins may be turn in up 
 da, to be friends to de pretty dears. 
 Nobody would eber find us, way off in 
 Boston !" 
 
 It was in vain that the captain tried 
 to change Daph's resolution ; to New 
 York she would go, and he now at 
 tacked her at another point, asking, 
 " What are you going to do when you 
 get there, Daph ? Have you got any 
 money ?" 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 49 
 
 " Not so berry much to begin wid," 
 said Daph, producing a bit of rag from 
 her pocket, in which some small change, 
 the result of her traffic in chickens, 
 was stored. " Not much money, Massa 
 Cap'in, as you see for yeself j but what 
 do you tink ob dese ?" Daph loosened 
 her dress, and showed on her black 
 neck several gold chains, hung with 
 rings of great richness and value, and 
 an old-fashioned necklace, set with 
 precious stones. " What do you tink 
 ob dese, Massa Cap'in ?" she repeated, 
 as she displayed her treasures to his 
 astonished sight. 
 
 Daph had put her valuables on for 
 safe-keeping, doubtless, yet not without 
 a certain satisfaction in wearing articles 
 3 
 
50 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 which so gratified the love of finery 
 common to the black race. 
 
 The captain looked at the jewelry 
 with a sober, pitying expression, as he 
 said, compassionately, " Poor Daph ! 
 If you should offer one of those rich 
 chains for sale in New York, you might 
 be hurried off to jail as a thief, in a 
 twinkling ; then what would become 
 of my pets ?" 
 
 Daph betook herself to tears for a 
 few moments, and then rallied, and 
 said, stoutly, " Daph can work for de 
 babies. She's a strong darky. Heard 
 massa say many a time, Daph would 
 bring a big price. Daph will make 
 heaps of money, and keep young 
 massa and missus libbing like great 
 folks, as dey should." 
 
THE WATER-LILY. 51 
 
 At this idea, Daph's face regained 
 all its usual cheerfulness, and she could 
 not be shaken by the further doubts and 
 fears brought forward by Captain Jones. 
 
 " Keep what you have round your 
 neck safely then, Daph," said the 
 honest sailor, " and never try to sell 
 them, unless you are ready to starve. 
 Here's a little purse of solid gold, that 
 I meant as a present for my mother ; 
 she, good soul, would rather you had 
 it, I know. This will keep you till 
 you can get a start, and then, may be, 
 you can work for the dear children, as 
 you say. I have an acquaintance in 
 New York, who may let you a room 
 or two, and if she can take you in, 
 you may get along." 
 
52 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 
 " I knew de great Lord would look 
 out for us. His name be praised !" 
 said the poor negro, gratefully, as she 
 kissed the hand of Captain Jones. 
 " Ye wont lose your reward, Massa 
 Cap'in ; He'll reckon wid ye !" and 
 she pointed reverently upwards. 
 
 " May He reckon with me in mercy, 
 and not count up my sins !" the cap 
 tain said, solemnly, and then bade 
 Daph "good-night." 
 
1, 
 
 Ifa <&*& ITOW wm tfc* jjtim 
 JWRtttr*. 
 
 CAPTAIN JONES was a prompt and 
 upright business-man, faithful to his 
 engagements, at any sacrifice. 
 
 He was pledged to remain in New 
 York the shortest possible space of 
 time, he therefore had not, after at 
 tending to necessary business, even an 
 hour to devote to Daph and the little 
 ones. It was a sad moment to him, 
 when he strained Charlie to his breast 
 for the last time, and kissed his 
 
 (53) 
 
54 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 "Water-lily," as he loved to call 
 Louise. 
 
 He had given Daph a letter to a 
 sailor's widow, with whom he thought 
 she would be able to secure a home, 
 where she would escape the idle and 
 vicious poor who congregated in less 
 respectable parts of the city. After 
 having made Daph count on her fin 
 gers, half a dozen times, the number 
 of streets she must cross before she 
 came to " the small red house, with 
 blue shutters,' 7 where she was to stop, 
 he piloted the little party into Broad 
 way, and setting their faces in the 
 right direction, he bade them an 
 affectionate farewell. 
 
 As he shook Daph's black hand for 
 
55 
 
 the last time, she placed in his a small 
 parcel, clumsily tied up in brown 
 paper, saying, " You puts that in your 
 pocket, Massa Cap'in, and when you 
 gets to sea, you open it, and you will 
 understand what Daph means. 7 
 
 Captain Jones did, almost uncon 
 sciously, as Daph suggested, as, with a 
 full heart, he turned away from the 
 little ones who had become so dear to 
 him. 
 
 Once more, the only protector of 
 her master's children, Daph's energy 
 seemed to return to her. She wound 
 the shawl more closely about Louise, 
 drew Charlie to her honest bosom, 
 looked after the various bundles, and 
 then set off at a regular marching pace. 
 
56 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 The strange appearance of the little 
 party, soon attracted the attention of 
 the knots of idle boys, who even then 
 infested the more populous parts of 
 New York. 
 
 " Hallo, Darky ! where 's your hand- 
 organ ? What'll ye take for your 
 monkeys ?" shouted one of these young 
 rascals, as he eyed the children in 
 their odd-looking red flannel gar 
 ments. 
 
 Louise clung closely to Daph, who 
 strode steadily on, apparently uncon 
 scious of the little troop gathering in 
 her rear. By degrees the young 
 scamps drew nearer to her, and one 
 of them, taking hold of the skirt of 
 her dress, cried out, " Come, fellows, 
 
THE RED HOUSE, ETC. 57 
 
 form a line ! Follow the captain, and 
 do as you see me do !" 
 
 A long string of boys arranged 
 themselves behind Daph, each holding 
 on to the other's tattered garments, 
 and walking with mock solemnity, 
 while the foremost shouted in Daph's 
 ear the most provoking and impudent 
 things his imagination and rascality 
 could suggest. 
 
 Daph maintained her apparent un 
 consciousness until she came in front 
 of a large door, with a deep recess, 
 which opened directly on the street, 
 and but a step above the pavement. 
 
 With a sudden and unexpected jerk 
 she freed herself from her tormentor, 
 then placing Charlie and Louise for a 
 
58 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 moment in the recess, she charged 
 upon her assailants. Right and left 
 she dealt hearty slaps, with her open 
 hand, which sent the little crew howl 
 ing away, their cheeks smarting with 
 pain and burning with rage. The 
 whole thing was the work of a mo 
 ment. Daph took Charlie in her 
 arms, clasped the trembling hand of 
 Louise, and resumed her steady walk 
 as calmly as if nothing had occurred. 
 
 There was much to attract the atten 
 tion of the strangers in the new scenes 
 about them, but Daph kept her head 
 straight forward, and devoted all her 
 attention to numbering the corners she 
 passed, that she might know when to 
 begin to look out for the house so 
 
59 
 
 carefully described by good Captain 
 Jones. 
 
 Louise soon grew weary of keeping 
 pace with Daph's long strides, and the 
 faithful negro lifted the little girl in 
 her arms, and went patiently on with 
 her double burden. 
 
 A weary, weary walk it seemed, 
 even to the strong-limbed negro, be 
 fore they passed the last corner, ac 
 cording to her reckoning, and stood in 
 front of the very red house with blue 
 shutters which she had been so anxious 
 to see. Much as she had longed to 
 reach it, its appearance did not fill 
 Daph's heart with joy. A sort of 
 dread of the new people whom she 
 was to meet stole over her, but she 
 
60 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 resolved to put a bold face on the 
 matter, and in this mood she gave a 
 heavy knock at the blue door. Her 
 imperative summons was promptly 
 answered. 
 
 The door was opened by a little girl, 
 of about ten years of age, who was 
 covered, from her slender neck to her 
 bare feet, with a long checked pina 
 fore, above which appeared a closely- 
 cropped, brown head, and a small, 
 demure-looking face. The child stood 
 perfectly still, gazing in quiet wonder 
 at the strangers, and waiting to hear 
 their business. 
 
 . Daph had to set the children down 
 on the steps, and fumble in her bosom 
 for the captain's precious note. She 
 
THE RED HOUSE, ETC. 61 
 
 drew it at last from its hiding-place, 
 and handed it triumphantly to the 
 young porteress, saying, " Dis is what'll 
 tell you who we are, and what we 
 wants." The little girl looked at the 
 note with a puzzled expression, and 
 then calmly walked away, down the 
 narrow hall, without saying a word. 
 Daph sat down on the door-step, and 
 took the children on her lap, with a 
 kind of faith that all would go well, 
 which made her feel quite easy. She 
 was making the children laugh at a 
 playful pig, that was running up and 
 down the street, when angry tones 
 from within met her ear, and she 
 caught the following words : 
 
 Take a negro for a lodger ! I shall 
 
 <; r 
 
62 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 do no such thing ! Who does Captain 
 Jones think I am !" 
 
 " Mother," said a calm young voice, 
 11 you know we shall be behind with 
 the rent, and then, the children are 
 white ; one of them is the whitest child 
 I ever saw." 
 
 " The rent, yes, that is a bad busi 
 ness. Well, I suppose I must come to 
 it ! What one does have to put up 
 with in this world ! Show the woman 
 in !" 
 
 Daph, who had heard the whole 
 conversation quite plainly, rose at the 
 last words, and was ready to accept 
 the invitation to walk into the back 
 room, which she immediately received. 
 
 Daph made a polite courtesy to the 
 
THE RED HOUSE, ETC. 63 
 
 sour-looking little woman, who seemed 
 hardly strong enough to have spoken 
 in the loud, harsh tones which had just 
 been heard. 
 
 " So Captain Jones sent you here !" 
 said the woman, somewhat tartly, as 
 she eyed the odd-looking party. 
 
 Daph had taken off the shawl from 
 Louise, and set Charlie on his feet, 
 that the children might appear to the 
 best advantage ; she stood proudly 
 between them, as she said, "I wants 
 to hire a room for my missus's child 
 ren. We's been 'bliged to come north 
 this summer, and will have to look out 
 a bit for ourselves, as massa could'nt 
 come wid us." 
 
 " Daphne/ 7 said the woman, sweet- 
 
61 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 ening a little, :i Captain Jones says that 
 is your name, and that you are an 
 honest industrious woman ? Do you 
 think you will be able to pay the rent, 
 regularly ?" 
 
 " I has a right to my name," said 
 Daph, straightening up her stout figure. 
 " Missus had it gib to me, like any 
 white folks, when she had me baptised. 
 I. isn't particler about having all of it, 
 so most folks calls me Daph. Is I 
 honest? Look me in- de eye, and 
 answer dat yeself. Is I industri 
 ous ? Look at dat arm, and dese 
 ere fingers ; do dey look like if I was 
 lazy ?" 
 
 The clear eye, muscular arm, and 
 hard work-worn hand were indeed the 
 
THE RED HOUSE, ETC. 65 
 
 n 
 
 best assurances the doubtful questioner 
 could have received. 
 
 " As to de rent," added Daph, " my 
 missus' children isn't widout money." As 
 she spoke, she gave her pocket a hearty 
 shake, which produced a significant 
 chinking, that seemed quite satisfactory. 
 
 "You are a queer one!" said the 
 woman, " but you may as well look at 
 the room. It's right there in front ; 
 you passed it as you came in." 
 
 Daph stepped to the door of the 
 front room, pushed it open, and looked 
 around her, with her head thrown a 
 little on one side, as if that position 
 were favorable to forming a correct 
 judgment as to its merits. 
 
 " Well, it do be radder small," she 
 
66 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 said, after a few moment's dignified 
 consideration, " but den it be proper 
 clean, and two winder to de street, for 
 de childen. Haven't ye got anything 
 to put in it ; no chair, nor table, nor 
 such like ?" 
 
 " You will have to furnish for your 
 self," said the woman, " but you shall 
 have the room on reasonable terms." 
 
 The bargain was soon made, but 
 whether on reasonable terms or not, 
 Daph had but little idea, though she 
 prudently concealed her ignorance. 
 
 Once in her own domain, Daph sat 
 down on the floor, and giving each of 
 the children a huge sea-biscuit, she 
 took them in her arms, and began to 
 wave to and fro, singing one of the 
 
THE EED HOUSE, ETC. 67 
 
 wild negro melodies, which spring up 
 wherever the African race take root. 
 
 The weary children were soon in a 
 sound sleep, and then Daph laid them 
 carefully down on the clean floor, 
 covered them with the shawls she had 
 found so useful, and then sat stock-still 
 beside them, for a few moments, lost 
 in deep thought. After a while, she 
 took from her pocket the purse the 
 captain had given her, and her own 
 store of small change, wrapped in its 
 bit of rag. The latter she laid aside, 
 saying, " That mus do for eat. Dat 
 Daph's own. Now dis, Daph jus borry 
 from de cap'in. Massa's children don't 
 have to come to livin on other people 
 when Daph's on her feet. Cap'in 
 
68 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Jones got he money's worth in that 
 beauty gold chain I puts in his hand, 
 and he not know it." 
 
 Here Daph gave a real negro chuckle, 
 at the thought of the artifice, which 
 had made her feel at liberty to use the 
 money so kindly given her, without 
 accepting chanty, from which she re 
 volted, as well for herself as for her 
 master's children. 
 
 " Now Daph must be gittin dis place 
 in order quick, or de childen will be 
 wakin up," said Daph, as she rose 
 hastily with the air of one prepared 
 for action. She carefully closed the 
 shutters, locked the door behind her, 
 and putting the key in her pocket, set 
 off to make her purchases. 
 
y. 
 
 DAPH had observed a small cabinet 
 maker's shop, not far from her new 
 home, and to it she easily made her 
 way. The sight of two little wooden 
 chairs, painted with the usual variety 
 of wonderfully bright colors, attracted 
 her attention, and suggested her plan 
 of operations. 
 
 " It's for de childen I'se buying," 
 she said, "and what's de use ob paying 
 a big price for grown up things. I just 
 wants two chairs and a few tings to 
 
 (63) 
 
70 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 match for de dears/ 7 While Daph was 
 thus soliloquising, the shopman came 
 forward, and she promptly addressed 
 him as follows, " Tse jus come, sar, to 
 buy de fixin ob a leetle room for my 
 massa's childen, General Louis La 
 Tourette. 
 
 Daph mentioned her master's name 
 with a pompous air, and with great 
 distinctness, which had their effect on 
 the humble cabinet-maker. He moved 
 about briskly, and Daph soon had dis 
 played before her all the small articles 
 of furniture he had on hand. 
 
 The bright yellow chairs, adorned 
 with the wonderful roses and tulips, 
 were first set aside ; then followed a 
 little table, painted in the same fanciful 
 
DAPH'S SHOPPING. 71 
 
 manner, and lastly, a good-sized trun 
 dle bed, of a somewhat less gaudy 
 appearance. 
 
 11 Fse in a most pertickler hurry, jus 
 now/' said Daph ; " would you jus hab 
 de kindness to get for de bed jus what 
 will make it look neat and comfable ; 
 not too nice for childen to play on, 
 while I steps out for a few notions as 
 Fse 'bliged to git." 
 
 The shopkeeper kindly complied, 
 while Daph went on her way delighted 
 at being thus able to have what the 
 children would need for comfort, a 
 matter about which she felt herself 
 quite ignorant in this new climate. 
 
 Daph's next stop was at a tinman's. 
 Two wash-basins, such as she had seen 
 
72 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 on board ship, three shining tin cups, 
 three pewter plates and spoons, one 
 strong knife and a capacious saucepan, 
 completed the purchases which she 
 promptly made. Drawing a gold piece 
 from the captain's purse, she laid it 
 calmly down on the counter, then 
 gathered up the various articles se 
 lected. The tinker eyed her a little 
 suspiciously, but there was no look of 
 shame or guilt in her frank and honest 
 face. He concluded she was a servant, 
 sent out by her mistress, and carefully 
 gave her the right change, which 
 seemed, in Daplrs eyes, to double her 
 possessions. When she returned to 
 the cabinet-maker's, she found the 
 trundle-bed neatly fitted out, while a 
 
DAPH'S SHOPPING. 73 
 
 lad with a wheelbarrow was ready to 
 take home the furniture. She added 
 to her purchases a plain wooden bench, 
 and then said, composedly, " I don't 
 know de valer ob such like tings, but 
 General Louis La Tourette, my massa, 
 does, and you must deal right and 
 honest.' 7 As she spoke, she laid down 
 two of her precious gold pieces, then 
 gathered up the small change returned 
 to her, not without some misgivings as 
 to the accuracy of the shopman. 
 
 When Daph reached home, she found 
 the children still sleeping soundly, and 
 she was able to get the little room in 
 order to her satisfaction before they 
 were fairly awake. 
 
 She turned up the trundle-bed on end, 
 
74 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 and threw over it as a curtain the pure 
 white spread the shopman had provi 
 ded. The deep recess on one side of 
 the chimney, thus shut in, Daph in 
 tended to consider as her private re 
 sort, and in the small cupboard in the 
 wall, she laid out the children's clothes 
 with scrupulous care. This done, she 
 set out the little table with the new 
 cups and plates, and drew the chairs 
 near it, while the remaining tin trea 
 sures were ranged along the wash- 
 bench in the most attractive manner. 
 
 It was well for Louise and Charlie 
 that they had been much accustomed 
 to being away from their mother, or 
 they might have been poorly prepared 
 for their present lot. 
 
DAPH'S SHOPPING. 75 
 
 General La Tourette had married a 
 young American girl, who was then 
 living on an island near that on which 
 his plantation was situated. Shortly 
 after this marriage, the husband receiv 
 ed a dangerous wound in his side, 
 which unfitted him for active duty, and 
 he resolved to settle down on his own 
 plantation, which had for a long time 
 been under the care of a most injudici 
 ous overseer. 
 
 Daph accompanied her mistress to 
 her new home, and tried her utmost 
 skill in cookery to tempt her master's 
 now delicate appetite. Even her 
 powers were at last at fault, and 
 General La Tourette could not taste 
 the tempting morsels which the faith- 
 
76 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 ful creature loved always to prepare 
 for him. 
 
 Frequent change of air was now 
 prescribed for the invalid, and the fond 
 mother was almost constantly separated 
 from the children she so tenderly loved ; 
 yet her sweet, devoted, Christian charac 
 ter had already made its impression on 
 the little Louise. 
 
 Thus situated, the children had 
 learned to be happy for the present 
 hour, with any one who happened to 
 have the charge of them. General La 
 Tourette, though a native of France, 
 spoke English in his family, and to 
 that language his little ones were ac 
 customed. They took no fancy to the 
 cross French nurse who had latterly 
 
DAPH'S SHOPPING. 77 
 
 had the charge of them, and much 
 preferred Daph, whose English was 
 pleasant to their ears. They loved to 
 linger at the door of her southern 
 kitchen, or play under the wide- 
 spreading tree that waved over its 
 roof. 
 
 Daph returned their affection with 
 all the strength of her warm heart, 
 and Mrs. La Tourette felt sure that in 
 her absence, Daph would watch over 
 both children and nurse with an eagle- 
 eye. 
 
 With more of the dove than the 
 eagle in her expression, Daph now sat 
 beside the little ones in their new 
 home, so far from the land of their 
 birth. 
 
78 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Not long after her preparations were 
 completed, Daph had the satisfaction 
 of seeing the children awake, refreshed 
 by their long sleep, and full of eager 
 delight at the wonders achieved by 
 their new nurse. She listened with 
 hearty satisfaction to their exclama 
 tions of surprise and pleasure at the 
 shining tin and gayly painted chairs. 
 
 Daph was just wondering what was 
 to fill plates and cups that looked so 
 attractive, when a bell was rung im 
 peratively, in the street, before the 
 house. From all sides women and 
 girls gathered round the bell-ringer's 
 cart, and from his great cans he filled 
 their vessels with milk, which was at 
 this moment most refreshing to the 
 
79 
 
 eyes of Daph. She seized her new 
 saucepan, and sallying out, presented 
 it to the milkman, and received her 
 supply. She watched carefully the 
 bits of money given by other applicants 
 and was fortunate enough to select, 
 from the change she had that day re 
 ceived, the right payment for the milk. 
 
 In a few moments, the children 
 were seated at the little table, and enjoy 
 ing their nice supper of crackers and 
 milk, in a way that made Daph's eyes 
 sparkle with delight. 
 
 " Daffy eat too !" said Charlie, mo 
 tioning to her to put the spoon in her 
 mouth, instead of his own. " Yes, 
 Daffy," said Louise, " do take some 
 supper." 
 
80 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Daph had hardly thought once of 
 herself during the whole of this busy 
 afternoon, but when the children had 
 finished their meal, she filled her cup 
 with the fare they had enjoyed, and 
 ate it with no less satisfaction. 
 
 " Daph knew de great Lord would 
 take care of us P 7 she murmured, as 
 she looked round on the room that 
 seemed to her so comfortable, and 
 true, fervent gratitude, undisturbed 
 by one fear for the future, filled the 
 heart of the faithful negro. 
 
VI. 
 
 ALAS for Daph ! She was soon to 
 find life was not all sunshine in her 
 northern home. The lovely May wea 
 ther, which had been like a pleasant 
 welcome to the strangers, suddenly 
 vanished, and was succeeded by dark 
 clouds, pouring rain, and keen easterly 
 winds. Daph was glad to keep the 
 
 children wrapped in the bed-clothes, 
 
 
 while she racked her ingenuity to find 
 
 means of amusing them. Charlie took 
 a wash-basin for a drum, and the pew- 
 
 4* (81) 
 
82 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 ter spoon with which he beat it was a 
 constant and patient sufferer. Louise 
 was not so easily pleased ; she began 
 to miss her mother sorely, and tried 
 poor Daph, by pleading piteously to 
 see her "own dear mamma." 
 
 Daph had tried to banish from her 
 mind all thoughts of her master and 
 mistress, for the bare imagination of 
 what they might have suffered made 
 her wild with distress. She said to 
 herself, " What for Daph go to tink 
 about tings, jus as likely nebber 
 was at all ! Daph makes out de 
 great Lord could n't save massa and 
 Miss Eiize all hisself, widout Daph to 
 help him ! Foolish darky ! She bet 
 ter cheer up, and take care ob de 
 
CLOUDS. 83 
 
 childen, 'stead o' jus whimper, whim 
 per, like a sick monkey." 
 
 Daph had to go through a course of 
 consolation, similar to the above, very 
 frequently, to enable her to maintain 
 her cheerfulness ; but the piteous 
 questionings of the little Louise well- 
 nigh overcame all the poor negro's 
 philosophy. 
 
 " I'se tell you what it is, Miss Lou," 
 poor Daph said, desperately, at last, 
 " I'se jus tell you what it is ; de great 
 Lord is a-takin care ob your mamma, 
 and if you's a good girl, you'll jus see 
 her some day, and if you is not, de 
 great Lord will nebber, nebber bring 
 you together ?" 
 
 Daph's manner, as well as her words, 
 
84: BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 had some effect upon Louise, and she 
 tried to content herself with, watching 
 the rain streaming down the window- 
 panes, and was soon in a sufficiently 
 cheerful mood to march up and down 
 the room, to the sound of Charlie's 
 music, greatly to his satisfaction. 
 
 The dreary weather without was not 
 all that Daph had to contend with ; she 
 found she had an enemy within the 
 house, whose attacks it was far more 
 difficult to meet. 
 
 The little woman, whose angry voice 
 had attracted Daph's attention at first, 
 kept her humble lodger familiar with 
 its harsh tones. Daph's appearance 
 was the signal for a volley of com 
 plaints, as to the noise made by the 
 
CLOUDS. 85 
 
 children, the marks left on the floor by 
 Daph's feet, as she returned from the 
 well, the unpleasantness of "seeing 
 other folks so much at home in one's 
 own house," etc., etc. 
 
 Daph never had a chance to get any 
 further than, " deed, Miss Ray!' 7 in 
 her attempts at self-justification, for 
 the opening of her mouth was sure to 
 produce another tirade on the "impu 
 dence of certain people, that nobody 
 knew anything about." 
 
 The demure-looking little girl was 
 generally a silent spectator of these 
 attacks, but now and then she was 
 forced to cry out, " 0, mother! don't !" 
 which protest was generally met by a 
 sharp box of the ear, and a "take 
 
86 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 that, Mary, and learn to be quiet !" 
 If Mary Ray had learned any lesson, 
 it certainly was to be quiet. She 
 rarely spoke, and her footsteps were 
 almost as noiseless as the fall of the 
 winter snow. 
 
 I)aph soon found out that Mrs. Ray 
 considered Mary especially guilty, in 
 having presumed to live, when her 
 brother, a fine healthy boy, had been 
 snatched away by sudden disease. 
 
 The loss of her husband, and conse 
 quent poverty, had somewhat soured 
 Mrs. Ray's temper, but her last bereave 
 ment seemed to have made her all acid 
 ity. She constantly reproached Mary 
 for being a useless girl, always in her 
 mother's sight, when the dear boy, on 
 
CLOUDS. 87 
 
 whom she had hoped to lean, had been 
 taken from her. 
 
 Daph's keen sympathies were soon 
 warmly enlisted for little Mary, who 
 had really begun to believe she was 
 quite in fault for continuing to cumber 
 the earth, when nobody wanted her 
 here. 
 
 Daph never passed Mary without a 
 cheerful word, and she contrived to 
 show the child many trifling acts of 
 kindness, which went directly to her 
 heart. 
 
 At one time Daph, with her strong 
 arm, lifted Mary's heavy pail of water, 
 at another, she took her pitcher to the 
 milkman in a pouring rain ; and one 
 day, when she could think of no other 
 
88 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 way of showing her interest, she sec 
 retly bestowed on the little girl one of 
 the few oranges which still remained of 
 the store brought from the ship. 
 
 Mary's sorrowful face, Mrs. Ray's 
 harsh voice, the penetrating chill in 
 the air, and the monotonous life she 
 led in the single room, made it hard 
 for Daph to bear up cheerfully, and., 
 but for the children, she would have 
 withdrawn to a corner, and moped all 
 the time. She managed to keep up 
 her spirits during the day, but when 
 the little ones were asleep, she had her 
 own sad, wakeful hours. More than a 
 week had passed in this dreary way. 
 Daph saw her treasured store of money 
 fast diminishing, under the necessary 
 
CLOUDS. 
 
 expenditure for supplying the simple 
 wants of her little establishment, and 
 she already saw, too plainly, that the 
 whole party must soon have a new 
 outfit of clothing, or they would be 
 disgraced by their rags and unclean- 
 liness. 
 
 The children were quietly slumber 
 ing near her ; she had extinguished 
 the candle, that it might not waste its 
 feeble light, and, with her head on her 
 hand, she began to consider seriously 
 the situation in which she found her 
 self. The present was dark enough, 
 but what was she to think of the 
 gloomy future ! 
 
 Where should she look for the work 
 she would so willingly do ? How could 
 
90 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 she leave her little charge, even if that 
 work were found ? 
 
 'A sense of utter helplessness came 
 over the poor negro, and hot tears 
 poured down her cheeks. 
 
 A sudden thought struck her ; there 
 was One all-powerful, and to Him she 
 would go. She fell on her knees, and 
 uttered her first simple prayer : "Will 
 de great Lord gib poor Daph some 
 thing for do?" 
 
 Overpowered by the effort she had 
 made, and fearful there was something 
 presuming in a poor creature like her 
 self daring to speak to the being she 
 so reverenced, Daph sank down on the 
 floor, in a position of silent humility. 
 A conviction that she had been heard 
 
CLOUDS. 91 
 
 and forgiven for the boldness of her 
 prayer stole over her, and she stretched 
 herself as usual on the bare floor, and 
 was soon in a sound sleep. 
 
VII. 
 
 DAPH rose the following morning, 
 at her usual early hour, and went to 
 perform her customary ablutions beside 
 the well, keeping, however, a sharp 
 look out for Mrs. Ray, to be ready to 
 beat a retreat as soon as that formida 
 ble person should make herself heard. 
 No Mrs. Ray appeared, and Daph's 
 curiosity tempted her to take a peep 
 into the room which served as kitchen, 
 parlor, and general abiding-place for 
 
 .(92) 
 
A NEW PATH. 93 
 
 Mrs. Ray and Mary, though they slept 
 in the loft above. 
 
 Mary was diligently ironing, at this 
 early hour, giving from time to time, 
 dolorous glances at a great basketful 
 of damp clothes, which seemed to 
 diminish but slowly under her efforts. 
 
 " Where's your ma ?" said Daph, as 
 she thrust her head fairly in at the 
 door, regardless of consequences. 
 
 " Mother's very sick this morning," 
 said Mary, sorrowfully, " she can't 
 even turn herself in bed, and all these 
 clothes must go home to-night, we 
 have had to keep them too long now, it 
 has been so wet." 
 
 " Nebber fret bout de close," said 
 Daph, cheerily ; " 1'se held a flat 'fore 
 
BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 dis ! Do Daph good to work a little, 
 she mighty tired, sittin up all day like 
 a lady. Spose I jus steps up to look 
 at your rna. May be I might do some 
 what for her, to make her feel some 
 better.' 7 
 
 " 0, don't !" exclaimed Mary, hastily, 
 " she might not like it." 
 
 " Nebber you mind dat !" said Daph, 
 " you jus show me de way." 
 
 Mary pointed to the door that led to 
 the narrow staircase, and Daph needed 
 no further guidance. 
 
 11 Ye's mighty sick, is n't ye, Miss' 
 Ray ?" said Daph, compassionately, as 
 she stepped to the bedside of the suf 
 ferer. 
 
 Mrs. Ray turned her head to the 
 
A NEW PATH. 95 
 
 wall and groaned, but Daph was not 
 to be easily disconcerted. 
 
 " Spose I jus makes you a little 
 warm drink, and kinder helps you to 
 frow off dis ere sickness ?" said Daph, 
 insinuatingly. 
 
 " 0, my back ! my bones ! they ache 
 so !" said the poor woman. 
 
 " It's jus bein out in dis wet wedder, 
 jus a-comin from dat awful hot fire 
 into de swash down rain," said Daph. 
 " White folks is n't used to such hard 
 work. You jus can't bear it, dats 
 it." 
 
 Daph had struck the right cord, and 
 Mrs. Ray answered, " No ; I aint used 
 to it. That's true enough, but who 
 have I got to help me, but just that 
 
96 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 slip of a girl. 0, if my boy had only 
 lived !" 
 
 Daph did not wait to hear more of 
 the complaints, which were the burden 
 of Mrs. Ray's daily talk. She hastened 
 to the kitchen, and with Mary's help, 
 she soon prepared a steaming bowl of 
 of herb-tea, which Mrs. Ray took from 
 her hand without a word. She would 
 have resisted, when Daph proceeded to 
 bathe her feet in warm water, but the 
 kind-hearted negro went steadily on, 
 regardless of opposition, saying, " You's 
 so very sick, we's mus jus take care of 
 you, same as if you were a bit of a 
 baby. There now, let me jus put de 
 cubber over you," she said, as she re 
 leased the restive feet. " Now, if you 
 
A NEW PATH. 97 
 
 could jus git a little sleep, while I go 
 dress de babies, I'se do believe you 
 would feel mighty better." 
 
 Mrs. Ray did fall into a quiet sleep, 
 the more sound from the night of 
 wakefulness and pain she had just 
 passed. When she awoke, she heard 
 unusual sounds in the kitchen below, 
 and if she could have peeped down the 
 stair-way, a pleasant scene would have 
 met her eyes. A cheerful fire roared 
 up the wide chimney. Daph, revived 
 by the welcome heat, was ironing away 
 at the great table, with real heartiness, 
 while little Mary, at her side, tried to 
 move her slender arms in the same 
 energetic manner. Charlie was seated 
 
 on the table, a happy spectator of 
 5 
 
98 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 these proceedings, while Louise stood 
 by him, sprinkling and folding a bit of 
 rag again and again, not doubting that 
 she was amazingly useful. 
 
 "Mary! Mary!" said a voice from 
 above, feebler and a little less sharp 
 than usual. " who's down there with 
 you ?" 
 
 11 It's jus me and de childen. Miss' 
 Ray, said Daph, putting her head fear 
 lessly up the stair- way. "Dat big 
 basket o' clothes wants 'tention, and 
 I'se jus thought I'se better be ironin a 
 bit, to git de tings out de way." 
 
 Mrs. Ray made no answer, and 
 Daph, after satisfying herself that the 
 patient was a little better, stepped 
 quietly back into the kitchen. 
 
A NEW PATH. 99 
 
 Daph really enjoyed her busy day, 
 and it was followed by sound natural 
 sleep, instead of hours of wakefulness 
 and anxious thought. 
 
 It was more than a week before 
 'Mrs. Ray recovered from the violent 
 cold which had so suddenly removed 
 her from the scene of operations ; 
 meanwhile Daph and Mary had be 
 come excellent friends. The little girl 
 exchanged her hard work for the plea 
 sant care of the children, and Daph's 
 strong arms had the exercise they 
 needed. Daph's busy brain had not 
 meanwhile been idle ; the sight of the 
 great oven in the wide chimney-corner 
 had suggested to her a plan, which she 
 was impatient to carry out. 
 
100 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 "When Mrs. Ray first appeared in the 
 kitchen, she gave an anxious look 
 about her, as if she expected to see 
 nothing but disorder and dirt ; but the 
 well-scoured floor and shining plates 
 on the dresser had another tale to tell. 
 Of Daph's skill in cookery, she had 
 tasted several striking specimens, since 
 her appetite had in a measure re 
 turned, and she looked on somewhat 
 curiously, as Daph busied herself 
 about the fire, preparing what she 
 called, " Just a bit relish, to strengthen 
 up Miss' Ray, now she's on her two 
 feet again." 
 
 " Mary was with the children, and 
 Mrs, Ray took the opportunity to say, 
 " You have been very good to me, 
 
A NEW PATH. 101 
 
 Daph, and I am sure you had no rea 
 son ;" and tears of shame actually 
 came into the poor woman's eyes. 
 
 " Now don't, Miss' Ray !" said Daph, 
 " I'se isn't been and done anything at 
 all. Come, take a little breakfast, and 
 ye'll feel better, I'm sure." 
 
 " What can I do for you, Daph?" 
 continued Mrs. Ray, who had been 
 really touched by the persevering kind 
 ness of the honest negro. 
 
 " Well now, Miss' Ray," said Daph, 
 " I wants to make a little money. I 
 jus thinks I might do de ironin for 
 you ebery week, for you can't stand 
 such hard work, and then, may be 
 you'd jus let me hab de use ob dat 
 beauty oven, for somewhat I wants to 
 
102 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 do. I'se jus used to cookin, and may 
 be, if I makes some ob de cakes missus 
 used to like so much, I might sell dem, 
 at some ob de grand houses, and so 
 make a pretty sum, by-and-bye." 
 
 This arrangement was easily made, 
 for Mrs. Ray felt within her but little 
 strength for work, and she was also 
 anxious to shew her sense of Daph's 
 late kindness. 
 
 One bright June morning, Daph put 
 herself in what she called " splinker 
 order," and the children shouted with 
 delight when her toilet was made. 
 With the help of Mrs. Ray and Mary 
 she had cut out and completed a good 
 calico dress, and a full white apron, 
 and these, with her snowy turban, 
 
A NEW PATH. 103 
 
 made a most respectable appearance. 
 A new basket, covered with a clean 
 cloth, was on her head, and within it 
 was stored a variety of nice cakes, 
 which she was proud to show as a 
 specimen of her cookery. 
 
 Mary stood at the window with the 
 children, as Daph went off, and the 
 little ones kissed their hands to her 
 until she was fairly out of sight. 
 
 Daph had learned her way about 
 the city with ease, for she had quick 
 observation, and a ready memory, and 
 she now found no difficulty in reaching 
 what she called the " grand houses," 
 which were ranged in imposing rows, 
 on what is now one of the business 
 streets. 
 
104 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 At door after door she tried to gain 
 admittance, but the consequential ser 
 vants turned her off with a contemptu 
 ous word, and her heart began to sink 
 within her. At last, as an imperative 
 footman was ordering her away from 
 a great family mansion, two ladies 
 passed out, to enter a carriage. Daph 
 was desperate. She dropped a curtsy 
 and said, " Ladies, like some nice 
 cakes ?" and at the same moment she 
 lowered her basket, uncovered it, and 
 displayed its tempting array. 
 
 The frank, good face of the negro, 
 and the attractive appearance of her 
 wares, secured the attention of the 
 ladies, and they purchased largely. 
 Encouraged by their kindness, Daph 
 
A NEW PATH. 105 
 
 said, "If de ladies would jus speak 
 for Daph to some ob de great folks, to 
 buy from her Tuesdays and Fridays, 
 Daph would try to please dem." 
 
 11 1 like the woman, mother," said 
 Rose Stuyvesant. " shall we engage 
 her to come here always, and see what 
 we can do for her ?" 
 
 The mother assented, and Daph, 
 turning to express her gratitude, looked 
 into the face of the youngest speak 
 er. 
 
 It was a sweet face for man or angel 
 to look into. Nature had made it fair, 
 and parted the golden hair above the 
 soft blue eyes ; but there was a sweet 
 ness round the expressive mouth, and 
 a purity in every line of the oval face, 
 
106 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 that told of a soul at peace with God, 
 and ruled by his holy law. 
 
 Daph long remembered that face, 
 and as she visited the Stuyvesant man 
 sion, week after week, she deemed 
 that a bright day when she caught 
 even a glimpse of her, whom she called 
 " the sweet young lady." 
 
 Time passed on, and Daph thrived 
 in her little traffic, until her cakes were 
 well known, and her form eagerly 
 looked for in many a splendid home ; 
 but the best triumphs of her skill she 
 ever reserved for the Stuyvesant man 
 sion, where she had first found a wel 
 come. 
 
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 pas 
 sed 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 Cap 
 tain Jones's "Water-lily." 
 
 (107) 
 
108 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 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 
 
NEWS. 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 af 
 fectionate, generous child, was hot- 
 tempered and wilful, and when he re 
 sisted 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 triumph 
 ed, by the look of real distress which 
 clouded her usually pleasant face, and 
 brought Charlie, repentant to her 
 arms. 
 
 With Louise, Daph had another 
 
110 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 difficulty. The child was usually gen 
 tle and submissive, but she seemed to 
 pine for other companions, and a home 
 different from that which Daph w r as 
 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 trea- 
 
NEWS. Ill 
 
 sures 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 let 
 ters as Daph herself. So the poor 
 negro kept the precious book un 
 opened, and awaited God's time for 
 leading her from darkness unto light. 
 
 That the children of her dear mis 
 tress would be allowed to grow up, 
 ignorant of the knowledge that be 
 longed to their station, and strangers 
 to the Bible their mother had loved, 
 Daph would not allow herself to be 
 lieve. "It will come, Tse sure!" 
 
112 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 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 accept 
 ance 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 tho 
 roughly changed. 
 
NEWS. 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 some 
 what more alive to the virtues of her 
 hard-working, quiet, little girl. 
 
 During the three years that had pas 
 sed, 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 help 
 ing 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." 
 
114 BABES IN" THE BASKET. 
 
 " 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. 
 
 11 Not exactly/' said Mary, and, as 
 she spoke, Mrs. Ray opened the door, 
 and ushered in Captain Jones. 
 
 'Although her first feeling was dis 
 appointment, 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." 
 
NEWS. 115 
 
 Charlie got another hug for an an 
 swer, while Louise said, "Who is it, 
 Daph ? It cannot be my father !" 
 
 11 No ! no ! darling !" said the cap 
 tain, quickly, and he dashed the tears 
 from his eyes, and was sobered in an 
 instant. 
 
 Mrs. Ray looked on with astonish 
 ment 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 
 
116 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 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 some- 
 
NEWS. 117 
 
 thing to say to you, which is not fit for 
 the children's ears, 77 and he gave at 
 the same time an expressive glance to 
 wards 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 Marj%" 
 said the girl, apparently unconscious 
 of her mother's indignant manner. 
 
 The children followed somewhat re 
 luctantly, and Daph and the captain 
 were left alone together. Since the 
 moment of her landing, Daph had had 
 no one to whom she might speak of 
 
118 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 the dark fears for her master and mis 
 tress, that at times preyed upon her j 
 to her own strange departure she had 
 never alluded. She had met question 
 ings with dignified silence, and had 
 patiently endured insinuations, which, 
 but for her clear conscience, would 
 have driven her to frenzy. Now, she 
 felt that she was to hear some import 
 ant news, and her trembling knees 
 ^fused to support her. Anxious and 
 agitated, she sank on her low bench, 
 and fixed her eyes eagerly on the cap 
 tain. 
 
 " Daph," he began, " there was 
 horrible truth in your words that 
 night, when ,you pleaded so earnestly 
 on board the Martha Jane ! I thank 
 
NEWS. 119 
 
 G-od that I did not turn a deaf ear to 
 you then ! Daph, you have saved 
 }^our master's children from a bloody 
 death, and you will he rewarded, as 
 there is a Father in Heaven !" 
 
 The captain paused, and Daph bent 
 anxiously forward, exclaiming, " My 
 dear missus ? master ?" 
 
 Captain Jones could not speak. He 
 drew his hand significantly across his 
 throat, and then pointed solemnly up 
 wards. 
 
 Daph understood his meaning but 
 too well. She had hoped on, deter- 
 minately ; but now the hour of awful 
 certainty had come, and she could not 
 bear it. She gave one loud scream, 
 and fell senseless on the floor. The 
 
120 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 wild yell that burst from the anguished 
 heart of the negro, rang through the 
 house, and Mrs. Ray and Mary were 
 at the door in a moment, followed by 
 the terrified children. Little Louise 
 dropped down beside Daph, and began 
 to cry piteously, wBile Charlie flew at 
 Captain Jones like a young lion, and 
 loudly exclaiming, "The naughty man 
 has killed dear Daffy, and I'll punish 
 him." 
 
 While Mrs. Ray and her daughter 
 were making every effort to recall poor 
 Daph to consciousness, Charlie con 
 tinued his attack upon the captain, 
 with sturdy foot, clenched hand, and 
 sharp teeth, until the honest sailor was 
 actually obliged to protect himself, by 
 
NEWS. 121 
 
 putting the child forcibly from the 
 room, and firmly locking the door. 
 
 Perfectly infuriated, Charlie flew into 
 the street, screaming, " They've killed 
 my Daffy ! The wicked ! wicked man.' 7 
 
 Several persons gathered round the 
 enraged child, and a young physician, 
 who was passing, stopped, to find out 
 the cause of the disturbance. Charlie's 
 words, " She lies dead there! The 
 wicked man has killed her," caught the 
 attention of Dr. Bates, and he eagerly 
 asked, " Where, where, child?" 
 
 Charlie pointed towards the house, 
 and the doctor entered, without cere 
 mony, Charlie closely following him. 
 His loud knock was answered by Cap 
 tain Jones, whose cautious manner of 
 6 
 
122 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 unlocking the door seemed, to the 
 young physician, a most suspicious cir 
 cumstance. 
 
 Charlie no sooner caught sight of his 
 enemy than he leaped furiously upon 
 him. The strong sailor received him 
 in his muscular arms, and there held 
 him, a most unwilling prisoner, while 
 he watched the proceedings going on 
 about poor Daph, and rendered assist 
 ance where he could. 
 
 Dr. Bates ordered her clothes to be 
 instantly loosened, and then command 
 ed Mrs. Ray to lay her flat on the 
 floor, while he proceeded to apply his 
 lancet to her arm. 
 
 While this process was going on, the 
 clock on a neighboring steeple struck 
 
NEWS. 123 
 
 twelve. Captain Jones looked hastily 
 at his great silver watch, and saw that 
 it was indeed midday, and he had not 
 a moment to spare, as the Martha Jane 
 was by this time quite ready to set sail, 
 and only waiting for her captain. 
 
 He hurriedly placed a little parcel on 
 the mantel-piece, and with one long, 
 sorrowful look at poor Daph, and a 
 hasty farewell to Mrs. Ray and the 
 children, he left the house. 
 
 It was long before Daph returned to 
 consciousness, and when her eyes once 
 more opened they were wild with fever 
 and anguish. She declared, however, 
 that she was quite well, and would 
 have no one about her ; she longed to 
 be alone, to struggle with her great 
 
12-1 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 sorrow. The children would not leave 
 her, but it was in vain they tried their 
 little expressions of tenderness, and 
 begged her look once more like their 
 " own dear Daffy." 
 
 The sight of the unconscious orphans 
 redoubled the grief of the poor negro, 
 and she burst into a flood of tears. 
 The poor children, overcome at this 
 unwonted sight, sank down beside her, 
 and mingled their tears with hers. 
 
 Mrs. Ray and the young doctor 
 were sorely puzzled by the strange 
 scenes they had witnessed. They had 
 both seen the rich chains about Daph's 
 neck, which had been disclosed while 
 she was unconscious, and not a little 
 wonder was excited by the sight of 
 
NE\VS. 125 
 
 that expensive jewelry in such a place. 
 Dr. Bates had not failed to observe the 
 refined appearance of the fair Louise 
 and the noble bearing of little Charlie, 
 contrasting as they did so strangely, 
 with the plainness of their humble 
 home, and the unmistakable African 
 face of the woman, of whom they 
 seemed so fond. 
 
 The wild agitation of Daph, the 
 disappearance of the sun-browned 
 stranger, the necklaces, the children, 
 all tended to fill the mind of Dr. Bates 
 with dark suspicion. He lingered 
 about Daph as long as he could make 
 any excuse for doing so, and when he 
 reluctantly turned from the room, he 
 did not leave the house without tho- 
 
126 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 roughly questioning Mrs. Ray as to 
 what she knew of her lodgers. Mrs. 
 Ray had but little to tell, excepting, 
 that they had been commended to her, 
 three years before, by the same tall 
 sailor, whose appearance that day had 
 created such a commotion. Of Captain 
 Jones she could only say, that he had 
 been a mess-mate of her husband, 
 years before, and had always been 
 reckoned an honest, kind-hearted man. 
 The questions put by Dr. Bates 
 roused all the curiosity of Mrs. Ray, 
 and revived the suspicions, with regard 
 to Daph, which had been much in her 
 mind during the early days of their 
 acquaintance. Such thoughts had long 
 since been banished, by the honest, 
 
NEWS. 127 
 
 upright life of the kind-hearted, indus 
 trious negro, but now they rose with 
 new strength. 
 
 She recalled the richly embroidered 
 dresses in which the children some 
 times appeared, the first summer after 
 their arrival, and she dwelt on the re 
 luctance which Daph always exhibited 
 to answering any questions as to her 
 past life, or the circumstances attend 
 ing her departure from her southern 
 home. 
 
 These remembrances and suspicions 
 she detailed to the willing ear of Dr. 
 Bates, who was satisfied that he was 
 on the eve of unraveling some tangled 
 web of iniquity, and with slow and 
 thoughtful steps he walked away from 
 
128 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 the humble home, so wrapped in mys 
 tery. 
 
 Once more left to herself, Mrs. Ray 
 felt ashamed of having doubted poor 
 Daph, and was half inclined to go to 
 her, and frankly own the misgivings 
 the late occurrences had excited ; but 
 the thought of those strange circum 
 stances again set her curiously at work, 
 and all right feeling was soon lost, in 
 an eager anxiety to find out the dark 
 secret, which hung like a cloud over 
 the poor negro. 
 
IX. 
 
 DAPH had been smitten by a blow 
 too sudden and violent, to rally imme 
 diately from its effects. Her strength 
 and energy seemed forever gone. The 
 hope which had upheld her had been 
 stricken from her, and she knew not 
 where to go for comfort. 
 
 " De great Lord has gib poor Daph 
 up ! " she said, disconsolately ; and, 
 prostrate in mind and body, she lay on 
 her low bed, her eyes shut, and her 
 
 soul all dark within. 
 
 6* (129) 
 
130 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 It was now that Mary Ray had an 
 opportunity of showing her deep grati 
 tude, for the unwearied kindness of her 
 humble friend. She assumed the care 
 of the children, and tried to keep 
 them happy out of Daph's sight, and 
 thoughtfully volunteered to go round 
 herself to Daph's customers, to tell 
 them that sickness had prevented her 
 from preparing her usual supply. 
 
 All that Mary offered, Daph quietly 
 accepted, almost without opening her 
 eyes. 
 
 Daph seemed to have no wants, and 
 it was in ^ain that Mrs. Ray came in 
 and out, and bustled about putting the 
 room in order, opening and closing the 
 shutters, and making herself very busy, 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 131 
 
 to no possible advantage ; Daph did 
 not notice her ; her thoughts were far, 
 far away. 
 
 In one of these visits, Mrs. Hay 
 chanced to find the gold chain the cap 
 tain had laid on the mantel-piece. 
 This added fuel to her suspicions, and 
 she felt justified in secreting it, and 
 showing it to Dr. Bates, as a further 
 proof of the mystery clinging to Daph. 
 
 Mrs. Ray's mind was in a most 
 agitated state. Sometimes she was 
 haunted with vague notions of some 
 most awful crime committed by Daph, 
 and then again the kind, truthful face 
 of the negro would rise up before her, 
 and change her suspicions into shame 
 and self-reproach. 
 
132 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 At such times, she could not help 
 feeling, that only virtue and honesty 
 could be at home in a heart capable of 
 such generous forgiveness, and patient 
 return of good for evil, as she had 
 received from the now sorrow-stricken 
 negro. These moments of relenting, 
 too soon alas ! were gone. 
 
 Daph was lying sad and alone in the 
 silent room, a few days after the visit 
 of Captain Jones, when she heard a 
 low tap at the door, followed by Mrs. 
 Ray's loud voice, saying, " Walk right 
 in, Miss. She aint much sick, to my 
 notion, but she don't take no notice of 
 anybody." 
 
 Daph did notice the stranger who 
 entered, and she even smiled sorrow- 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 133 
 
 fully as she looked up into the face of 
 Rose Stuyvesant. 
 
 " We missed your nice cakes on the 
 table, Daph, 77 said a soft voice, " and 
 when I heard you were sick, I deter 
 mined to come and see you myself, 77 
 
 These words of kindness from a re 
 fined and gentle woman, melted the 
 heart of the suffering negro. She 
 burst into tears as she exclaimed, " 0, 
 my sweet young lady ! You speaks to 
 poor Daph like her own dear missus 
 used to !" 
 
 Rose Stuyvesant sat down beside the 
 low bed that Mary had spread for Daph 
 on the floor. "Are you very sick, 
 Daph ?' 7 she asked, tenderly. 
 
 1 Daph is all dead here, and all dizzy 
 
134 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 here," said the poor creature, laying 
 her hand first on her heart, and then 
 on her head. " De great Lord has 
 sent Daph a big trouble, and den gib 
 her right up ;" and the tears again 
 flowed fast. 
 
 Rose bent over the unhappy negro, 
 and said, gently, "The great Lord 
 loves you too well, Daph, to give you 
 up in your trouble. Perhaps he has 
 sent me to comfort you !" 
 
 Daph looked up with a gleam of hope 
 in her eye, and murmured, " No reason 
 why Daph should n't jus tell all de 
 truth now. Perhaps, if de sweet 
 young lady knows all, she may comfort 
 Daph up." 
 
 " The Lord Jesus can comfort us in 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 135 
 
 any trouble," said Rose, softly. " What 
 makes you so unhappy ? Cannot you 
 tell me ?" 
 
 Daph looked long into the sweet 
 face turned lovingly towards her, and 
 then said, " De great Lord has sent 
 a-most an angel to poor Daph, and she 
 shall hear it all." 
 
 The secret that had so long burden 
 ed the lonely negro, was now poured 
 out with all the unconscious eloquence 
 of a true, warm, single-heart. The 
 tears flowed fast down the cheeks of 
 Rose Stuyvesant, as she heard the 
 simple story of devoted, heroic affec 
 tion, and long, patient self-sacrifice. 
 
 She understood the hope that had 
 cheered Daph through years of labor 
 
136 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 and anxiety, the hope of placing the 
 children of her mistress again on the 
 bosom that had nursed them, and of 
 seeing the happy father again embrace 
 his long lost ones. That hope was 
 now forever gone, and Rose Stuyvesant 
 mingled her tears with those of poor 
 Daph, as she concluded her story. 
 
 Those real tears made Daph feel that 
 she had found a true friend, who sym 
 pathised with her in her distress, and 
 this in itself was a whisper of comfort, 
 
 As soon as Rose could command 
 herself, she said, as she took the black 
 hand in her own, " Daph, the mother 
 who loved to teach her little ones of 
 Jesus, has gone to be with Him. Your 
 master, too, is now with the Heavenly 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 137 
 
 King. You will still be able to give 
 them back their children, in that better 
 land, where there is no parting, where 
 no sorrow ever comes." 
 
 The negro looked earnestly in the 
 face of the speaker, as she went on ; 
 " You must teach the little ones to 
 love the Lord Jesus, and lead them to 
 his home in heaven. Daph, you have 
 that now to do, and that is worth living 
 and striving for." 
 
 " How shall poor Daph show the 
 way to heaven ; she don't know it jus 
 zactly herself," said the poor creature, 
 and the momentary gleam of hope 
 faded from her face as she spoke. 
 
 " Jesus Christ has opened the door 
 of heaven wide, for all that love Him 
 
138 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 and trust Him," said Rose, eagerly ; 
 " His blood, shed on the cross, can 
 wash away the sins of the whole 
 world. The great Lord will forgive 
 you all that is past, and receive you 
 into heaven, for Jesus' sake, if you 
 really wish it." 
 
 " What else Daph want now in dis 
 world, but jus know de way to heaven 
 herself, and lead de childen dere ?" 
 was the earnest reply. 
 
 Poor Daph had been entrusted with 
 but little religious knowledge, but to 
 that she had clung in simple faith 
 through all her trials. She had im 
 proved the few talents that had been 
 given her, and now came her reward 
 in the fulness of the light of the gospel. 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 139 
 
 Again, and again her young teacher 
 explained the way of forgiveness and 
 eternal peace through the blood of 
 Christ. 
 
 At last the beauty, freedom, and 
 matchless love of the plan of redemp 
 tion burst upon her, and there was 
 joy in heaven, when the poor negro in 
 the midst of her tears, welcomed 
 Christ as her Saviour, and knew " the 
 great Lord," as her reconciled Father 
 in heaven. 
 
 While the long conversation, so full 
 of moment to Daph, was taking place, 
 Mary Ray had kept the children hap 
 py in the little garden. Their patience 
 at last gave way, and they pleaded so 
 hard "Just to look at dear Daffy," 
 
140 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 that their young nurse could resist 
 them no longer. 
 
 Charlie burst impetuously into the 
 room, unmindful of the stranger, while 
 Louise more timidly followed. Warm 
 tears filled the eyes of Rose Stuyves- 
 ant as she looked, for the first time, on 
 the orphans. Charlie saw immediate 
 ly the happy change that had passed 
 over Daph's face, and walking straight 
 up to her, he said exultingly "Daffy's 
 better ! Daffy's better ! Good Daffy !" 
 and he laid his curly head on her dark 
 arm which told how dearly she was 
 beloved. 
 
 A peculiar attraction seemed to 
 draw Louise to the side of the stran 
 ger, and when she was tenderly kissed, 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 141 
 
 and that sweet, soft, face bent down to 
 hers, with loving interest, the child put 
 her head on the bosom of Rose Stuy- 
 vesant, clung to her neck and sobbed 
 as if her heart would break. 
 
 'It is not mamma!" murmured the 
 child ; and then more and more fondly 
 embraced one, who had brought back 
 from the dim recesses of memory, the 
 image of her long-lost mother. 
 
 Rose was but little less moved than 
 the child, and in her heart she prayed 
 that she might give to the little one 
 such lessons in holiness, as would win 
 an approving smile, were they heard 
 by that mother in heaven. 
 
 By degrees, the agitation of little 
 Louise subsided, but she quietly kept 
 
142 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 her seat on the lap of her new friend, 
 and seemed to find a new pleasure in 
 looking into her kind face and smooth 
 ing her fair, soft hand. 
 
 Meanwhile, Daph drew from her 
 pocket a parcel, which she had ever 
 carried about her, perhaps with the 
 vague idea that it had some talismanic 
 charm to keep her from evil. Wrap 
 per after wrapper was taken off, until 
 at last the little book with golden 
 clasps appeared. 
 
 " That was all about Him, I know," 
 said Daph, " about that good Saviour, 
 but Daph can't read the blessed 
 book." 
 
 Rose took the Bible that was hand 
 ed to her. and read on the fly-leaf, 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 143 
 
 " Elize Latourette, from her devoted 
 husband. One Lord, one faith, one 
 baptism !" 
 
 The sight of that book in the hands 
 of Rose, again awoke the dim mem 
 ories of the child on her knee, and 
 Louise, through fresh tears, was doub 
 ly drawn towards her new friend. 
 
 " Suffer little children to come unto 
 me, and forbid them not, for of such is 
 the kingdom of heaven," read the 
 sweet voice of Rose. " All are the 
 children of Jesus, who put their trust 
 in Him, and truly love Him." 
 
 A thrill passed over the frame of 
 little Louise at the sound of these 
 words, and she kissed the lips of the 
 speaker, with strange joy in her eyes. 
 
144: BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 "I cannot stay any longer now/ 7 said 
 Rose, attempting to rise. 
 
 "Don't go! don't go!" said Louise, 
 almost wildly, " I cannot let you go!' 7 
 
 "But I must, my sweet Louise," 
 said Rose, as she gently disengaged 
 the child : " I must go now, but I will 
 come every day and read to you, and 
 your 'Daffy/ out of this dear book." 
 
 " When ? When ? What time will 
 you come ? " asked the child, anxiously, 
 while Daph listened eagerly for the 
 answer. 
 
 "Tomorrow, at eleven o'clock, you 
 must stand at the window and watch 
 for me, I will not keep you waiting 
 long." 
 
 With this promise again repeated, 
 
A MINISTERING SPIRIT. 
 
 Rose kissed the children, and with a 
 murmured word of comfort to Daph, 
 Dassed from the room. 
 
 Not so soon passed away the in 
 fluence of that visit prompted by 
 Christian kindness, rich in blessings to 
 the humble negro ; most precious to 
 that young disciple of Christ, who had 
 learned to love to be "about her 
 Master's business.'' 
 
X. 
 
 DAY after day Rose Stuyvesant con 
 tinued her ministry of love to Daph 
 and the little ones. The hour of her 
 morning visit was watched for, and 
 hailed with joy, and well it might be, 
 for she brought with her the sweet in 
 fluence of a loving heart and an ear 
 nest devoted spirit. 
 
 The children were, as usual, eagerly 
 looking out for her one morning, about 
 a week after her first appearance i 
 their humble home. Daph, who was 
 once more on her feet, was moving 
 
 (146) 
 
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. 147 
 
 about with a step a little more languid 
 than usual, trying, as she said, " to 
 make the place look a bit more fitsome 
 for the sweet young lady to sit down 
 in." Charlie, who was perched on a 
 chair beside his sister, and had had his 
 nose pressed from time to time flat 
 against the window, and had drawn all 
 sorts of strange characters, with his fat 
 fingers, in the dampness left by his 
 breath on the pane, at length had his 
 attention suddenly arrested. " 0, 
 Lou!' 7 he shouted, "look this way, on 
 the steps ! there's that ugly, old, bad 
 doctor, that cut dear Daffy's arm, and 
 two big men with him." 
 
 " Good doctor, Charlie !" said Daph, 
 ' he wanted to make Daffy well, but 
 
148 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 he didn't jus know how. It took Miss 
 Rose wid her sweet holy words to do 
 Daph good." 
 
 " He's an old, bad doctor, I say, 
 and shan't come in !" said Charlie, 
 springing towards the door, as the 
 voice of the doctor sounded in the hall, 
 and his hand touched the latch. The 
 sturdy little figure of the boy, reso 
 lutely backed up against the door was 
 but a small obstacle, in the way of the 
 strong hands that forced it instantly 
 open. 
 
 " For shame, Mass' Charlie ! Let 
 the young gemman in !" said Daph, as 
 she came forward, dropping a curtsy. 
 "Ise quite well sir to day," she con 
 tinued, " and Ise mighty tankful for 
 
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. 149 
 
 you being so uncomnion willing to do 
 somewhat for to cure Daph, for by her 
 arm do be a little stiff for de cuttin 
 you gib it de oder day. 77 
 
 "He's an old, bad man to hurt 
 Daffy, and I aint glad to see him a 
 bit," said Charlie, with an angry look. 
 
 "Do your work 1 This is the wo 
 man I" said the slender young doctor, 
 turning to the stout men he had 
 brought with him. 
 
 A strong hand was laid on each 
 shoulder of the astonished Daph, and 
 a rough voice said, " Come with us, 
 old woman ! 77 
 
 " I isn't goin to do no such thing, 7 ' 
 said she, with an indignant glance. 
 " What for is I goin to waste my time 
 
150 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 goin with them as I has no business 
 wid ? Perhaps you doesn't know what 
 manners is, to be layin hands on a 
 poor nigger dis way. Take your big 
 hands off! Ise my misses' childen to 
 look after, and we's would be glad to 
 hab dis bit of a room to ourselves !" 
 
 Daph had not spoken very rapidly, 
 but even as the indignant words forced 
 themselves out of her mouth, she was 
 hurried towards the door. 
 
 "You'd better do your talking 
 now/' said one of the men coarsely, 
 11 for before half an hour's over you'll 
 be locked up where nobody'll hear you 
 if you holler till you are hoarse." 
 
 Daph began to struggle violently, 
 and the sinewy men who held her 
 
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. 151 
 
 were well nigh compelled to relinquish 
 their grasp. 
 
 "Is you a gemman, doctor?' 7 she 
 said desperately, at last, " Is you a 
 gemman, and stand still to see a poor 
 woman treated dis way ?" 
 
 " You are only getting your de 
 serts," said little Dr. Bates, drawing 
 himself up, and trying to look digni 
 fied. " You are to be tried for stealing, 
 and for the other awful crimes which 
 your own conscience can best count 
 over to you, and be sure the severest 
 punishment of the law awaits you ! " 
 
 "Is that all?" said Daph, her spirit 
 rising, "Carry me to any real gem 
 man, and it would take more liars 
 than ever grew to prove any such like 
 
152 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 things against poor Daph. Ise not a 
 bit afeared to go wid you, for sartain 
 Ise be back soon 'nough." 
 
 The children, who had been at first 
 struck with silent astonishment, now 
 began to realize that Daph was ac 
 tually going from them. Louise burslj 
 into a violent fit of weeping, and clung 
 to the unfortunate negro, while Char 
 lie, with an uplifted wash-basin, made 
 a sudden attack upon the slender legs 
 of Dr. Bates, which broke up his dig 
 nified composure, and made him give 
 a skip that would have done honor 
 to a bear dancing on a hot iron plate. 
 
 "Now, Mass' Charley, Ise do be 
 shamed," said Daph, subduing the 
 grin that had suddenly overspread her 
 
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. 153 
 
 face. " De young gemman don't 
 know no better! 'Tain't likely he 
 ever had body to teach him ! You 
 jus let him be, Mass 7 Charlie, and tend 
 to your own sister, Miss Lou, here. 
 Don't cry, pretty dear, Daph will be 
 back soon ! De Lord won't let em 
 hurt Daph ! You be jus good chil- 
 den, and dat sweet Miss Rose will 
 comfort you till Daph comes home." 
 
 The last words were hardly uttered, 
 when the negro was forced into a long 
 covered wagon and rapidly borne away 
 from the door. 
 
 At this moment Mary Ray raa 
 breathlessly up the steps, exclaiming, 
 " Where have they taken Daph, moth 
 er ? Mother, what is the matter ?" 
 7 * 
 
154 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 "Matter enough!" said Mrs. Ray, 
 vehemently; "who could have told 
 it would have ended that way ! I am 
 sure I never meant any such thing. 
 Daph's gone to prison and just as likely 
 I shall never hear the end of it, and 
 have the children upon my hands, 
 into the bargain. Well, well ; I wish 
 I'd never set eyes on that little spinky, 
 Dr. Bates !" 
 
 The bitter reproaches that rose to 
 Mary's lips, .were hushed at the men 
 tion of the children ; and she hast 
 ened to comfort them, as well as she 
 could, while Mrs. Ray went back to 
 her kitchen, in no very enviable frame 
 of mind. 
 
XI. 
 
 "Dis don't be de cleanest place in 
 de world !" said Daph to herself, as she 
 looked round the small, bare room into 
 which she had been thrust. " Well, 77 
 she continued, " de Lord Jesus, do 
 be everywhere ; arid Daph no reason 
 to be above stay in where such as he 
 do set foot. But den de cliilden ! 
 what's to become of de childen ? " 
 
 Here Daph's resolution gave way, 
 and she took a hearty cry. " Daph, 
 you do be a wicked creter," she said to 
 
 (155) 
 
156 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 herself, at length. " Jus as if de Lord 
 Jesus didn't love little childen ebber 
 so much better dan you can ! He's 
 jus able hisself to take care ob de 
 dears ; and Daph needn't go for to 
 fret hersef bout dem." 
 
 Thus consoled, Daph was prepared 
 calmly to wait whatever should befall 
 her. The stream of sunlight that 
 poured through the small window, 
 slowly crept along the floor ? and the 
 weary hours passed away. 
 
 The new and beautiful truths, that 
 had of late been brought home to 
 the soul of Daph, were much in hei 
 thoughts and full of comfort. 
 
 " I do be afraid," she said to herself, 
 " Ise did not act so bery Christianable, 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 157 
 
 when dose big men did catch Daph by 
 de shoulter. Dere's somewhat in 
 Daph mighty strong, dat don't like 
 folks puttin hands on widout tellin 
 what 7 s de matter. Well, well ; I 
 spose Daph will get like a lamb, some 
 time, if de Lord helps her. Ise do 
 wonder what the dears is a doin, jus 
 now. Maybe that sweet Miss Rose is 
 just speakin to dem beautiful words 
 out ob de blessed book. How Daph 
 would like to hear dose same words, 
 her own self! 77 
 
 Daph's meditations were interrupted 
 by the sudden turning of the key in 
 the lock, and then the door of the 
 small room was thrown open to admit 
 the entrance of a stranger. 
 
158 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 The new-comer was a short, stout, 
 elderly man, with a dignified bearing, 
 and a calm, kindly expression in his 
 round un fur rowed face. 
 
 Daph looked at him from his pow 
 dered head, to his white-topped boots, 
 with entire satisfaction. "He do be 
 a real gemman, and dat 's a comfort," 
 she said to herself, as she dropped 
 a curtsy, and waited to be addressed 
 by the stranger. 
 
 Daph's favorable impressions were 
 increased by the mild manner and 
 clear voice in which she was addressed. 
 She soon felt sufficiently at ease to 
 comply with the request made by the 
 gentleman, that she would tell him, 
 frankly, all that she could remember 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 159 
 
 of her life for the last few years, 
 and explain how she, a poor negro, 
 came in possession of jewelry fit for a 
 duchess to wear. 
 
 Daph began in her own simple way, 
 and described those pleasant home 
 scenes on that far Southern island. Her 
 heart grew light at the thought of the 
 happy family circle in those good old 
 times. It was with difficulty she brought 
 herself to speak of the sudden destruc 
 tion with which that home was threat 
 ened. She touched but lightly on her 
 own efforts to save the little ones, 
 when there was no earthly friend, but 
 herself, between them and a bloody 
 death. 
 
 From time to time her listener ques- 
 
160 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 tioned her suddenly ; but she answered 
 him with such apparent frankness and 
 simplicity, that he felt ashamed of the 
 momentary suspicions that had crossed 
 his mind. 
 
 When Daph came, in the progress of 
 her story, to the captain's late visit, and 
 to the day of dark, hopeless despair that 
 followed it, the eyes that were fixed 
 upon her, slowly filled with tears. 
 
 Those tears suddenly gushed forth, 
 as with the eloquence of a grateful 
 heart Daph described the face, like 
 that of an angel, that bent over her 
 in her distress, and told of the Saviour, 
 who is the friend of the sinner, and 
 the comfort of all that mourn. 
 
 "God bless my sweet Rose!' 7 mur- 
 
ANOTHER FKIEND. 161 
 
 mured the stranger. " This was an 
 errand of mercy, indeed ! " After a 
 moment's pause, he added aloud, "You 
 need say no more, Daph ;" and, as he 
 spoke, he put out his hand to take 
 that of the humble negro. 
 
 She did not notice the movement ; 
 for she had lowered her eyes as she 
 dropped her modest curtsy, and re 
 lapsed into silence. 
 
 Diedrich Stuyvesant loved his daugh 
 ter Rose, as the apple of his eye ; but 
 he thought her a little too enthusiastic 
 in her desire to do good ; and he 
 trembled, lest her warm feelings should 
 lead her judgment astray. 
 
 When she had burst into his library 
 that morning, her face flushed with 
 
162 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 excitement and unwonted exercise, he 
 had met her with more than his usual 
 calmness and phlegmatic consideration. 
 The hasty outline she gave him of the 
 story of her new protege, seemed to 
 him strange and improbable ; but he 
 could not resist the earnestness with 
 which she besought him to hasten 
 to the release of an innocent and 
 injured woman. Rose felt a little re 
 lieved when she saw her father take 
 his gold-headed cane and walk forth, 
 with the deliberate air of one who has 
 important business on hand. She 
 would gladly have hurried his steps ; 
 but she knew, that, though slow and 
 cautious, whatever he undertook would 
 be kindly and wisely done, and in this 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 163 
 
 belief she forced herself to wait pa 
 tiently for his long-delayed return. 
 
 Good Diedrich Stuyvesant did not 
 go directly to the prison, as his 
 daughter had advised. He first called 
 on Dr. Bates, heard his pompous state 
 ment of the grounds of his suspicions, 
 and received from him the troublesome 
 gold chain, that was deemed of such 
 importance. 
 
 Having agreed to meet the little 
 doctor at a certain hour, at the place 
 of Daph's imprisonment, he proceeded 
 to the red house with the blue shut 
 ters, and inquired for Mrs. Ray. That 
 personage was thrown into a fit of 
 mortification to be found by so grand 
 a gentleman in a dishabille, plainly 
 
BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 intimating its recent proximity to the 
 wash-tub ; and her curiosity alone pre 
 vented her absolutely refusing to be 
 seen in such a plight. 
 
 It did not take Diedrich Stuyvesant 
 many minutes to fathom Mrs. Ray, 
 and to give to her mean and idle curios 
 ity the contempt that even she herself 
 felt that it deserved. "All accoutred 
 as she was/' she found herself obliged 
 to accompany her new acquaintance to 
 the prison, where she and Dr. Bates 
 occupied a room near that in which 
 Daph had been placed, while Diedrich 
 Stuyvesant proceeded to converse with 
 the prisoner. The time seemed long 
 to the little doctor ; for he had the full 
 benefit of all the vituperative epithets 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 165 
 
 in Mrs. Ray's vocabulary, Which was 
 by no means a limited one in that de 
 partment. On him she vented all the 
 dissatisfaction she felt at having been 
 led ''into/ 7 as she exclaimed, "the 
 worst, the very worst piece of business 
 I ever put my finger in ! " 
 
 Daph had completed her story and 
 was standing silent and humble, when 
 Diedrich Stuyvesant summoned Dr. 
 Bates and Mrs. Ray. 
 
 The Dr., small in every respect, 
 entered with an air of triumph, while 
 Mrs. Ray followed ; pity, self-reproach 
 and curiosity strangely blending in the 
 expression with which she looked upon 
 her lodger. 
 
 Daph met their glance with quiet 
 
166 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 composure. In her heart she had 
 been giving thanks to the merciful 
 God, who had raised up for her a new 
 arid powerful friend, and fresh from 
 the presence of her Divine Master, she 
 could look on those who had injured 
 her, without one taint of bitterness. 
 
 Diedrich Stuyvesant had spoken 
 often in the councils of his country, 
 and to his clear, calm voice, none had 
 failed to listen, for he ever spoke with 
 the power of reason and truth. Now, 
 he stood with the dignity of one ac 
 customed to be heard, as he looked for 
 a moment in silence on the accusers. 
 Then, in a short, clear statement, he 
 told the story of the humble negro, 
 who listened w r ith wonder, as he 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 167 
 
 named with admiration and respect 
 the acts which she had performed, 
 guided by her own loving heart, and 
 upheld by simple faith in " the great 
 Lord " of all. 
 
 Sternness and contempt struggled for 
 mastery in the voice of Diedrich Stuy- 
 vesant, as in concluding, he turned to 
 wards Dr. Bates, and said, " As for 
 you, young man, look at that dark- 
 skinned, ignorant woman, from whom 
 you would have lightly taken her only 
 wealth, her good name, which is 
 above all price ! " 
 
 11 Think of your own fair skin, you 
 deem so superior, of the education 
 you rightly value, the Christian 
 teaching that has been sounded in 
 
168 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 your ears since childhood, and then 
 say what good work you have done in 
 this world ! What have you to bring 
 forward in comparison with the hero 
 ism and self-sacrifice of this poor wo 
 man, whom you despised ? Young 
 man, think twice, if you are capable 
 of thought, before you again peril the 
 good name of the industrious poor, 
 who are under the especial care of the 
 great Father in Heaven ! Explore the 
 secrets of your profession, but honor 
 the sanctity of every humble home, 
 and pry not into those things which a 
 lawful pride and an honorable delicacy 
 would hide from the eye of a stranger. 
 Know, young man, that you have this 
 day broken the laws of this free coun- 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 169 
 
 try, where no honest citizen can be de 
 prived of liberty, on bare suspicion, 
 and you yourself merit the punishment 
 you would have brought on the guilt 
 less. But go ! I would do you no 
 harm. Go, and be a wiser and better 
 man for what you have heard to-day !" 
 Dr. Bates, with a crest-fallen air, 
 turned in haste to leave the room, but 
 his better feelings prevailed, and step 
 ping back he said, " I am young, fool 
 ish, and conceited, I know, sir, and I 
 hope I have learned a valuable lesson 
 this day." Then, going up to Daph, 
 he added earnestly, " I have wronged 
 you, good woman, and from the bot 
 tom of my heart I am sorry for it. If 
 
 it should ever be in my power to serve 
 
 8 
 
170 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 you, I should be glad to make amends 
 for what I have done." " Now don't, 
 sir ! don't, please !" said Daph, dropping 
 curtsy after curtsy, and murmur 
 ing, "the young gemman meant no 
 harm, Ise sure," while Dr. Bates 
 slowly left the room. As soon as the 
 doctor was out of sight, Mrs. Ray took 
 Daph by the hand, and humbly asked 
 her forgiveness. 
 
 "Now don't, Miss' Ray, I do be 
 shamed !" said Daph, in great confu 
 sion, her own tears for the first time be 
 ginning to flow. " Don't speak so to a 
 poor creturlike me. We's all poor sin 
 ners ; it's only the Lord Jesus," sweet 
 Miss Rose says, " that can make us 
 clean." The thought of having said 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 171 
 
 so much in the presence of a " real 
 gentleman " now overcame Daph, and 
 she suddenly relapsed into silence. 
 
 " Come, Daph !" said Diedrich Stuy- 
 vesant, "it is time for you to be out 
 of this place." 
 
 " May I go free, sir?" said Daph, 
 with a wondering, joyous look. 
 
 " Free as air !" was the reply of Mr. 
 Stuyvesant ; " there's no power in New 
 York can keep an innocent woman in 
 such a place as this." 
 
 Daph poured forth her thanks to her 
 deliverer, and Diedrich Stuyvesant 
 walked forth, followed hy the woman. 
 
 He was detained but for a moment 
 in the doorway by the officers, by 
 whom Daph had been arrested, who 
 
 
172 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 pleaded that no action should be taken 
 against them for their unwarrantable 
 proceeding, and were glad to be as 
 sured that their fault, for this once, 
 would be passed over. 
 
 It excited some wonder when the 
 well-known citizen passed along the 
 street, closely followed by Mrs. Ray 
 and Daph ; but he cared little for the 
 remarks of the passers-by, his mind 
 having been once made up to see Daph 
 safely restored to the home from which 
 she had been so rudely taken. 
 
 Diedrich Stuyvesant moved at what 
 was an unwonted pace for him, and the 
 house with the blue shutters was soon 
 reached, and the door of the familiar 
 room thrown open. 
 
ANOTHER FRIEND. 173 
 
 Eose Stuy vesant was sitting on a low 
 chair, Louise at her side, and Charlie 
 on her lap ; while the book with golden 
 clasps was open in her hand. With 
 one shout of joy, the children darted 
 towards Daph, and gave her a welcome 
 which filled her honest heart with joy. 
 
 That sight was a reward to Diedrich 
 Stuyvesant for all the unwonted labors 
 of the day. 
 
 " Come, Rose !" he said, " they can 
 do without us now. I must learn to 
 know these little people some other 
 day. But stay/ 7 he added, as he look 
 ed round on the scrupulously neat, but 
 very plainly furnished apartment, 
 " Daph, I must speak to you a mo 
 ment, before I go." 
 
174 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 The children for an instant were 
 quiet, and the wealthy citizen drew his 
 purse from his pocket, and holding it 
 towards Daph, he said, " You ought to 
 have something to make amends for 
 this day's trouble.- Take that for you 
 and the children." 
 
 "Ise thank you, sir," said Daph, 
 drawing back, " Ise thank you, sir, but 
 my missus' childen shall want for noth 
 ing while poor old Daph can work 
 for them." 
 
 "Well, have your own way Daph," 
 said Diedrich Stuyvesant ; "but one 
 thing you must let me do for you. Let 
 me take the gold chains that have given 
 you so much trouble, and put them in 
 safe keeping. I will see that you get 
 
ANOTHER FEIEND. 175 
 
 their full value in money, if you should 
 ever be in need.' 7 
 
 The treasured jewelry was cheer 
 fully relinquished ; and Daph even 
 felt relieved to have them no longer 
 in her charge. 
 
 " Remember, Daph," said the kind- 
 hearted citizen, as he bade her good 
 bye, "remember, you have something 
 now to depend upon." 
 
 " Ise thank you for your goodness, 
 sir Ise thank you. Ise sure the great 
 Lord will nebber let Daph come to 
 want." 
 
 " Never, Daph ! either in this world 
 or the next ! " said Rose ; and with 
 one of her sweet smiles she followed 
 her father from the room. 
 
XII. 
 
 THE days of excitement and distress, 
 so full of moment to Daph, were suc 
 ceeded by a time of comparative quiet 
 and peace. 
 
 Every morning the kind voice of 
 Rose Stuyvesant, broke in upon the 
 solitude of Daph and the little ones. 
 Louise learned to look as eagerly for 
 the face of Rose as a flower for the 
 sunlight, and to turn as fondly to 
 wards it. There seemed to be for the 
 little girl an irresistible charm in the re- 
 
 (176) 
 
HOME SCENES. 177 
 
 finemeut and guilelessness of her new 
 friend ; and the sweet words of holy 
 teaching, that ever dropped from the 
 lips of Rose, had waked to music, a 
 chord in the child's heart, that had 
 long slumbered in silence. The sensi 
 tive conscience and peculiar interest in 
 spiritual things, that had marked her 
 when under her mother's influence, 
 became again evident. As from a 
 weary dream, she woke to the beauty 
 and reality of religious truth. 
 
 Rose was no sentimental teacher, 
 contented with exciting mere feeling, 
 that worked to no good end. 
 
 The unselfish devotion and respectful 
 deference of poor Daph, had fostered 
 
 a slight imperiousness in the little 
 
 8* 
 
178. BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Louise ; and she had learned to seek 
 her own comfort, with but too little 
 regard for the feelings and wishes of 
 others 
 
 Rose soon saw that her little pet 
 was in danger of becoming quietly 
 selfish, and unconsciously proud and 
 dictatorial. 
 
 Tenderly, but faithfully, the young 
 teacher pointed out to Louise the 
 germs of those hateful faults, growing 
 and strengthening in the bad soil of an 
 evil heart ; and the conscience of the 
 child, made her deeply feel the neces 
 sity of the warning thus affectionately 
 given. 
 
 Bad habits, long indulged, are not 
 easily overcome, even when the high- 
 
HOME SCENES. 179 
 
 est and best motives govern the con 
 duct. 
 
 " Put on my stockings, this minute, 
 Daph ! You are so slow ! " said Lou 
 ise, one morning, putting out her white 
 foot imperatively towards the kneeling 
 negro. 
 
 " Yes, yes, Miss Lou," said Daph, 
 humbly, " Daph do be radder slow; 
 but somehow she isn 't so spry as she 
 used to be." 
 
 This was not the only complaint that 
 Louise had to make that morning 
 every thing seemed to go wrong with 
 her, and Charlie declared, " Sister 
 Lou" was so cross that he had rather 
 go and play in the garden alone, than 
 stay anywhere near her. 
 
180 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 Daph gave a sorrowful look at her 
 } r oung mistress, and then went to the 
 kitchen to prepare some of the tempt 
 ing cakes which were now in such 
 demand, and Louise was left quite 
 alone. 
 
 She took up a piece of sewing on 
 which Rose had been patiently trying 
 to teach her to hem ; but the thread 
 "went in knots," the needle pricked 
 her finger, and she threw the work 
 down in despair, and began to cry 
 with all her might. 
 
 The door softly opened and a gentle 
 hand was laid upon her shoulder. 
 " What grieves you, darling?' 7 said 
 the sweet voice of Rose Stuyvesant. 
 
 " Oh, oh ! " exclaimed the little girl, 
 
HOME SCENES. 181 
 
 not looking up, " I have been so cross 
 and naughty all this morning, I do not 
 believe I am one of the Lord Jesus' 
 little lambs, at all, and I am very, very 
 unhappy ! " 
 
 Rose sat down beside her little 
 friend, and throwing her arm tenderly 
 around her, she said, " You must 
 not be discouraged, my darling, listen 
 now to me. Suppose that you were 
 so very sick, that if you did not soon 
 get better, you would surely die. 
 Now, suppose a kind physician should 
 come to you and offer you some medi 
 cine that would check your fever, and 
 save you from the death that was so 
 near. How you would love him, and 
 how willingly you would do all that 
 
182 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 he said was necessary for you. It 
 might be many, many weeks before 
 you were quite well ; but how pa 
 tiently you would take the medicines 
 he ordered, and how cheerfully you 
 would follow his advice, until you were 
 again full of health and strength. And 
 when you could walk about once more 
 and breathe the sweet, fresh air, then 
 you would be most warmly grateful to 
 the kind physician who had come to 
 your sick bed, and saved you from 
 expected death. Dear Louise, Christ 
 has shed his blood to save you from 
 everlasting death, which is very near 
 to all who are not the true children of 
 God. Whenever you put your trust 
 in the dear Saviour, you are safe from 
 
HOME SCENES. 183 
 
 that death j but it may be long, long 
 before your heart will be clean from 
 sin, and your bad habits will be wholly 
 cured. What says the kind physician 
 to you ? ' Watch and pray. Strive to 
 enter in at the strait gate.' You 
 must be willing to struggle, patiently, 
 against your faults, trying to do right, 
 and looking to God for strength to go 
 on. You must go forward cheerfully 
 and hopefully, thinking of what Christ 
 has done for you, and dwelling on that 
 happy time when you will be safe 
 in Heaven, and your heart will be full 
 of gratitude to Him who has saved 
 your soul from death, and purified you 
 by His grace. Do you understand me, 
 darling?" 
 
184 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 "Yes, yes,' 7 sobbed little Louise, 
 " and indeed I will try try harder." 
 
 " Suppose you begin to-day," said 
 Rose, " to see if you cannot do some 
 thing for others ; that is the best cure 
 for selfishness. Here, I have brought 
 an apron for Daph, which I want you 
 to make. It will please her to think 
 you have done it for her. She is so 
 kind to you, that you should try to 
 make her happy." 
 
 Louise had always accepted Daph s 
 services as a matter of course, and it 
 dawned upon her as a new idea that she 
 was to try to make happy the humble 
 creature who never seemed to have a 
 wish but to serve her master's children 
 faithfully. 
 
HOME SCENES. 185 
 
 Little by little, Louise began to take 
 hold of the idea that to be Christ-like 
 is to be useful, fond of making others 
 happy, and forgetful of self. 
 
 Daph resisted stoutly when Louise 
 first proposed to dress herself, and be 
 gan by degrees to take some care of 
 Charlie. "But," thought the poor 
 negro, "Daph may die some day, and 
 the sweet little mistress do be right ; 
 she must learn to help herself a little, 
 for nobody knows what may happen." 
 
 "Here Daffy, I have made this for 
 you all myself!" said Louise, joyfully, 
 as she held up the apron, which after 
 many days of secret toil she had com 
 pleted. 
 
 ' For Daph, Miss Lou ! and all made 
 
186 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 with those dear little hands. Now 
 "Daph do feel proud !" and tears filled 
 the eyes of the honest creature. 
 
 It was not the mere gift that made 
 the heart of the negro throb with plea 
 sure ; but it was the kind considera 
 tion, the patient thought for her wel 
 fare that overcame her, as she said, 
 "You do be like dear missus now! 
 Dat's de way she used to speak to poor 
 Daph." 
 
 Dear Daffy/ 7 said Louise, bursting 
 into tears, "I do not mean to be ever 
 naughty to you again. Indeed, I am. 
 very, very sorry. I am going to be 
 one of the Lord Jesus' little children 
 now, and you know he was always kind 
 and gentle." 
 
HOME SCENES. 187 
 
 " Now de great Lord be praised!" 
 said Daph, as she sank down quite 
 .overcome. "Daph do be too full of 
 joy, to hear dose words from her own 
 little dear. De Lord help her, and 
 bring her to his beautiful home !" 
 
 To be able to read her mother's Bi 
 ble now became the dearest wish of the 
 little Louise, and with this strong mo 
 tive she made rapid progress in the 
 daily lessons she took from her kind 
 friend Rose. The patience and perse 
 verance of both teacher and scholar 
 were at length rewarded. Louise was 
 able, after a few months of careful in 
 struction, to take her mother's Bible, 
 and, in her sweet, childlike way, read 
 the words of truth and beauty that 
 
188 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 flowed from the lips of Him who 
 " spake as never man spake." 
 
 The leaves, brightened by early 
 frosts, still fluttered on the trees, and 
 the soft air of Indian summer floated 
 in at the open windows. A lovely au 
 tumn day was drawing to a close. 
 Daph and her little charge had taken 
 their simple evening meal, and for a 
 moment there was silence in the cheer 
 ful room. 
 
 " Daffy," said Louise, "I will read 
 to you now out of the dear book." 
 
 Daph sat down reverently on her 
 low bench, and Charlie, in imitation, 
 quietly took his own little chair. 
 
 " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall 
 not want," read the subdued voice of 
 
HOME SCENES. 189 
 
 the child, while the negro bent forward 
 to catch each word of the beautiful 
 psalm. 
 
 "She do be one of the great shep 
 herd's lambs, sure 'nough," murmured 
 Daph, as the little girl closed the book 
 and said, 
 
 " Now Daffy, we'll sing a hymn." 
 Little Charlie joined his voice with 
 that of his earnest sister, and poor 
 Daph, 'mid fast flowing tears, added 
 her notes of praise to that evening 
 hymn. Joy and peace that evening 
 pervaded those few hearts in that hum 
 ble room, for it was bright with His 
 presence who has said, " Where two or 
 three are gatheted together in my 
 name, there am I in the midst of 
 them." 
 
XIII. 
 
 glarg ! 
 
 IT was midnight. Charlie and Louise 
 were locked in the sound sleep of youth 
 and vigorous health ; but Daph, with 
 the half-wakefulness of a faithful dog, 
 was not so dead to the outer world. 
 
 A slight knock, and then a stealthy 
 footstep, roused the negro, and she 
 started up and looked about her. In 
 the dim moonlight she saw Mary Ray 
 standing at her bedside, with her finger 
 on her lips, and herself setting the ex 
 ample in every motionless limb, of the 
 silence she imposed. 
 
 Mary took Daph by the hand, and 
 
 (190) 
 
MARY RAY. 191 
 
 led her into the hall, and then said in 
 a whisper, 
 
 " I could not go without bidding you 
 good-bye, you have always been so 
 kind to me ?" 
 
 Daph looked in wonder at the slen 
 der young girl, wrapped in her shawl, 
 and carrying a small bundle in her 
 hand. 
 
 "Where is you going, Mary?" she 
 said, anxiously ; " it's no good is takin' 
 you from home at this time of night." 
 
 "I can bear it no longer," said 
 Mary, with quiet determination ; " I 
 have never had a home, and now I am 
 going to look for one for myself. 
 Mother may find out that, if I am ( only 
 a girl,' she will miss me. Good-bye, 
 
192 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 Daph. I should like to kiss the chil 
 dren once more, but I am afraid I 
 should wake them. Good-bye !" and 
 the young girl shook the hand of her 
 humble friend. 
 
 The hand she had given was not so 
 easily released ; it was held gently but 
 firmly as if in a vice. 
 
 " Ise wont let you go go straight to 
 black sin," said Daph, earnestly ; " you's 
 a leavin' the mother the great Lord gave 
 you ; you's a leavin' the home the great 
 Lord put you in, and there's black sin 
 a waitin' outside for you, if you go so 
 young and lone ; Ise will not let you go !" 
 
 " I cannot bear it any longer," said 
 Mary, and she sank down on the floor, 
 and wiped away her fast-flowing tears. 
 
MARY RAY. 193 
 
 Mary had of late had a hard life, in 
 deed. Mrs. Ray had been slowly com 
 ing to a knowledge of herself, and this 
 knowledge, instead of bringing repent 
 ance and reformation, had made her 
 doubly unreasonable and irritable, and 
 on Mary she had vented all her ill-hu 
 mor. 
 
 Though still treated as a child, Mary 
 had become, in feeling and strength 
 of character, a woman. The sense of 
 injustice and ill-treatment, which had 
 grown with her growth, had now reach 
 ed its height. The down-trodden child, 
 now felt herself a curbed, thwarted, 
 almost persecuted woman, and she was 
 determined to bear her present life no 
 longer. 
 
194: BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 It was in vain that Daph plead with 
 her to give up her wild purpose ; at last 
 all the poor negro's store of persuasion 
 and warning was exhausted, and in her 
 despair, she said desperately, "Now 
 you Mary jus sit still here, and let Daph 
 tell you somewhat dat do he all sol 
 emn true, ebery single word." Daph 
 had been no inattentive listener to 
 Rose's frequent reading of the Saviour's 
 life on earth ; and now, in her own 
 simple, graphic language, she sketched 
 the outline of his patient suffering, and 
 painful, unresisted death. She told of 
 the glory of His heaven, where those 
 who humbly follow Him, shall rejoice 
 forever ; and the speaker and the list 
 ener forgot the dreary place and the 
 
MARY RAY. 195 
 
 midnight hour, as she dwelt in faith 
 on that glorious theme. " Dere '11 be 
 nobody dere, Mary, dat turns de back 
 on de work de Lord gibs em to do ! " 
 said Daph, earnestly. "Stay, Mary, 
 and try to bear for de Lord Jesus' 
 sake ! Who knows but your poor ma, 
 her own self, may learn to know bout 
 de heavenly home ?" 
 
 " Every human heart has its trials, 
 which it can only bear in the strength 
 
 that God alone can give. Every 
 human heart feels the need of comfort 
 and hope, which can only be found 
 in God's truth. 
 
 Mary Ray was touched by the sim 
 ple eloquence of her humble friend, 
 and acted upon by the glorious mo- 
 
196 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 lives held out to her for new efforts of 
 forbearance and patient endurance. 
 
 The world she had known was 
 dreary and dismal enough ; but what 
 terrors, trials, and temptations might 
 not await her in the new scenes into 
 which she was hastily rushing. Sub 
 dued and softened, she crept back to 
 her bed, and lay down beside the 
 mother whom she had so nearly for 
 saken. Compared with the wide, lone 
 world without, that poor, low room 
 seemed a kindly and comfortable shel 
 ter ; and as her mother sighed and 
 groaned in her sleep, Mary felt that 
 natural affection was not yet dead in 
 her heart that a tie bound her to her 
 on whose bosom she had been nursed. 
 
MARY KAY. 197 
 
 True prayer was at that moment 
 going up to heaven for the poor, tried, 
 desperate girl. And what faithful pe 
 tition was ever unnoticed or unan 
 swered ! 
 
 Mary met Daph's kind " good morn 
 ing," with a shy, averted face, and 
 kept out of her way as much as possi 
 ble during the day. 
 
 When evening came on and the 
 sound of singing was heard in the room 
 of the lodgers. Mary lingered at the 
 open door, and did not resist when 
 Daph noiselessly stepped to her side 
 and drew her to the low bench where 
 she herself was seated. 
 
 Mary Ray learned to love that even* 
 ing hour when she could hear Louise 
 
198 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 read of the blessed Saviour, and join 
 her voice in the hymns of praise, that 
 went up from the faithful worshippers. 
 
 Even this pleasure she was soon 
 obliged to deny herself; for all her 
 time and attention were needed beside 
 the sick bed of her mother. 
 
 Mrs. Ray had never wholly recov 
 ered from the severe cold with which 
 she had been attacked soon after the 
 arrival of Daph. At times, her cough 
 returned upon her with violence, and 
 at length a sudden hemorrhage laid 
 her low. Prostrate, enfeebled and 
 helpless, Mrs. Ray had time to dwell 
 upon her past life, and see all too 
 plainly, the hatefulness of her own 
 wicked heart. A dull despair crept 
 
3IARY RAY. 199 
 
 over her. She gave herself up as a 
 lost and hopeless being, waiting for 
 her eternal doom. Paph felt her own 
 incapacity to reason with, and comfort 
 the wretched woman, and to Rose she 
 turned for aid and counsel. 
 
 Often and long Rose Stuyvesant sat 
 beside the bed of the unhappy woman, 
 and strove to open her mind to the 
 free forgiveness, granted through the 
 blood of Christ Jesus. Her words of 
 peace seemed to fall on a deaf ear and 
 a deadened heart ; but to the listen 
 ing, unnoticed Mary, they were the 
 message of pardon and joy in be 
 lieving. 
 
 Long years of humbling sickness 
 were in store for Mrs. Ray, during 
 
200 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 which she was to be dependent for 
 care and sustenance upon the child 
 she had undervalued and ill-treated. 
 From that child to whom she had 
 given life, she was to receive the still 
 greater blessing of being gently led 
 towards the life eternal. 
 
 Mary's days and nights of watching, 
 and words of holy comfort, fell like 
 the noiseless dew on the heart of the 
 mother, till at last, remorse was ex 
 changed for repentance, and the cold 
 alienation of a sinful heart, for the 
 loving trust of one, forgiven through 
 the " Only Mediator." 
 
 Meanwhile, Daph went cheerfully 
 and industriously on, providing for the 
 physical wants of the children so dear 
 
MARY RAY. 201 
 
 to her ; while Rose, with almost a 
 mother's love, led them in the way of 
 truth and moulded them by her sweet 
 influence. Little by little she managed 
 to throw an air of refinement about 
 the humble room where they dwelt, 
 and to add many comforts and luxuries 
 to their hitherto simple way of life. 
 She advised Daph as to their plain but 
 tasteful style of dress, and gave to their 
 manners that nameless charm of deli 
 cacy and true politeness, which Daph 
 felt herself so unable to describe, or 
 impart. 
 
 While Louise grew tall, graceful and 
 attractive, and Charlie's ruddy face 
 was bright with frank cheerfulness, 
 Rose fancied that Daph's step waxed 
 
202 BABES IK THE BASKET. 
 
 feeble, and her figure less straight than 
 in the first days of their acquaintance. 
 
 When Rose expressed anxiety about 
 the health of the poor negro, to whom 
 she was really strongly attached, 
 Daph would answer with a smile : 
 
 "Daph do be a bit older. Miss Rose ; 
 but nebber you fret for her. De great 
 Lord wont take her away yet, she 
 most sure. Nebber you mind Daph j 
 she do be well enough and oh, so 
 happy ! " 
 
 The upward glance of the eye of 
 honest Daph, told of the source of her 
 happiness, and the spring of her faith 
 ful, conscientious life, 
 
XIY. 
 
 " GOOD-BYE, dears!" said Daph, as 
 she went forth as usual one morning, 
 with her basket on her head. 
 
 " Good-bye, Daffy, dear Daffy !" said 
 the young voices, and she was gone. 
 
 Those sweet sounds lingered in the 
 ear of the negro ? as she walked along 
 the crowded street, unconscious of all 
 around her, and lost in meditation on 
 the many mercies of her lot. 
 
 The passers-by noticed her frank, 
 good face, her tidy figure, and snow- 
 
 (203) 
 
204 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 white apron ; but she seemed to see no 
 one, until, as if struck with sudden 
 frenzy, she gave one leap into the air, 
 exclaiming, 
 
 " Is I in a blessed dream !' ? 
 
 The neat cover flew from the pass 
 ing basket ; far and wide rolled the 
 frosted cakes, and little ragged chil 
 dren made merry with the stores of 
 Daph's cookery. Little did she care. 
 Her arms were thrown round the knees 
 of an astonished lady, and her lips 
 kissed the hand of the tall, pale gen 
 tleman at the lady's side. 
 
 11 Pull off the crazy woman !" shout 
 ed a bystander, stepping forward to 
 suit the action to the word but Daph 
 had found a protector, in the confi- 
 
THE BASKET OVERTURNED. 205 
 
 dence of whose kindness she would 
 have faced the world. 
 
 " My own missus ! my massa !" sob 
 bed the poor negro, as she clung to the 
 loved and long-mourned friends who 
 stood before her. 
 
 "Is it you, Daph !" they said, as, lit 
 tle less moved than herself, they raised 
 her from her humble position. 
 
 " Ise got 'em ! Ise got 'em !" she ex 
 claimed. " De childen ! Dey's safe! 
 Ise got 'em ! De Lord be praised !" 
 
 Who can tell the throb of joy that 
 shook that mother's heart, or the deep 
 emotion that filled the eyes of the 
 strong man with gushing tears ! 
 
 They needed not to tell Daph to 
 lead the way to their treasures. On 
 
206 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 she sped through street and lane, fol 
 lowed by hurrying footsteps and beat 
 ing hearts. 
 
 The small house with the blue shut 
 ters was reached, the threshold was 
 crossed ! A moment the mother paus 
 ed, as if to gather strength for the 
 meeting, and then the door was thrown 
 open. 
 
 In that simple, neat room, sat the 
 fair Louise, her bit of sewing in her 
 hand, while beside her Charlie bent 
 over the book he was reading aloud to 
 his sister. 
 
 The wondering children were clasp 
 ed in their mother's arms, and received 
 their father's loving embrace while 
 Daph, almost wild with joy, kept re- 
 
THE BASKET OVERTURNED. 207 
 
 peating, " You's no more lone orphans, 
 with only poor old Daph to mind you ! 
 De Lord be praised ! Daph's work is 
 done. She be ready to go now, when 
 it pleases de Lord Jesus !" 
 
 How those parents rejoiced to have 
 their lost ones restored, sound in 
 health, and bearing every evidence of 
 having been trained to habits of neat 
 ness, and nurtured in delicacy and re 
 finement ! This was joy, indeed ; but 
 who shall describe the gladness of the 
 mother when she found her children 
 speaking of the Saviour as a familiar 
 friend, and bearing, however faintly, 
 his image in their hearts I Such joy 
 angels know, when they welcome at 
 the gate of heaven the weary pilgrim 
 
208 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 of earth, and usher him into the 
 eternal home of the Father ! 
 
 Daph listened with wondering eyes 
 and grateful heart to the story of their 
 escape, whom she had so long mourned, 
 and whose place she had so striven to 
 fill. 
 
 The coachman, who was pledged to 
 murder his master and mistress, relent 
 ed, and resolved to save them from the 
 ruin with which they were threatened. 
 
 Gen. Latourette's first suspicion of 
 danger was roused by finding that they 
 had been driven in the wrong direc 
 tion, while he in careless confidence 
 had been chatting with his wife. In 
 the moonlight, he could see the flash 
 ing of the waves and hear the murmur 
 
THE BASKET OVERTURNED. 209 
 
 of the waters, and yet he knew he was 
 not near his home, but at some less 
 familiar part of the coast. 
 
 Calling out hastily to the coachman, 
 the carriage came to a stand ; General 
 Latourette became aware that the 
 horses had been cut loose, and he saw 
 the fellow, pistol in hand, seated upon 
 one of them. 
 
 In a few hurried words the negro 
 told the danger of the moment, and 
 pointed to a boat at the water-side, 
 which offered to his master and mis 
 tress some hope of escape. 
 
 Did Mrs. Latourette forget her little 
 ones in that hour of peril ? No ! She 
 pleaded to go to them, if but to min 
 gle her blood with theirs. The negro 
 
210 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 assured her they were already sleeping 
 the sleep of death, and implored her 
 to fly with her husband, while yet their 
 lives might be saved. 
 
 Thus urged, they entered the little 
 boat, and while the strong arm of the 
 husband sustained the drooping wife, 
 and guided the little skiff over the 
 dark waters, the negro went his way, 
 to show the contents of the rifled 
 trunks as proofs of the crime he had in 
 reality shrunk from committing. 
 
 Gen. Latourette and his wife reached 
 a neighboring island in safety ; but 
 exiled forever from their own dear 
 home. 
 
 Sorrowful, as the childless only can 
 be, the world seemed to them sudden- 
 
THE BASKET OVERTURNED. 211 
 
 ly robbed of its brightness ; they could 
 not have borne the trials of their lot, 
 but for the sustaining hand of the Fa 
 ther in Heaven, in whom they had in 
 the days of their prosperity learned to 
 trust. 
 
 Several years of foreign travel had 
 in a measure recruited the failing health 
 of Gen. Latourette, and time had calm 
 ed the poignant grief of his wife. They 
 had come to New York, hoping once 
 more to have a home of their own, sor 
 rowful though that home must be. 
 
 Bereaved and childless no more, with 
 deep thankfulness they praised the God 
 of Heaven for his most unexpected 
 mercies, and devoted themselves anew 
 to His service. 
 
212 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 As for Daph, their gratitude to her 
 knew no bounds, and they felt that, for 
 her faithful services, they could find no 
 adequate reward on earth. 
 
 
XY. 
 
 GEN. LATOURETTE and his wife had 
 once more a home of their own, made 
 bright by the smiles of their affection 
 ate children. 
 
 At that home Rose Stuyvesant was 
 received as a loved friend, and made a 
 sharer in the pure joy she had assisted 
 in laying up for the happy parents. 
 There Diedrich Stuyvesant had been 
 welcomed as an honored guest, and 
 there Captain Jones had seen, in the 
 
 (213) 
 
214 BABES IN THE BASKET. 
 
 united family, something which gave 
 his kind heart more joy than did the 
 warm expressions of gratitude that 
 were lavished upon him, or the more 
 substantial favors that were bestowed 
 with no stinted hand on the honest 
 sailor. Even Mary Ray and her in 
 valid suffering mother experienced the 
 cheering influence that flowed from 
 that happy home, and felt that, al 
 though their lodgers were gone, they 
 had in them still warm and powerful 
 friends. In the midst of this grateful 
 rejoicing was Daph forgotten ? No I 
 Among the loved and honored, she was 
 best loved and most cared for. In the 
 neat room assigned to her was cluster 
 ed every comfort that could smooth 
 
THE END. 215 
 
 the declining years or cheer the humble 
 spirit of the faithful negro. She prized 
 each token of loving remembrance that 
 made that room beautiful in her eyes ; 
 but dearest to her was the Bible with 
 the golden clasps, which lay on her 
 table, placed there by her mistress, 
 with words which filled the heart of 
 Daph with tearful joy. 
 
 " Where is Daph this morning?" 
 asked Gen. Latourette at the break 
 fast table ; " I did not see her dear old 
 face in the hall, as I came down." 
 
 " She is not awake yet," said the 
 wife ; " I told the children they must 
 not rouse her. She must take her 
 rest ; her days of labor are over." 
 
 ' ' God grant that our work may be 
 
216 BABES IX THE BASKET. 
 
 as well done P 7 said the father, sol 
 emnly. 
 
 Later in the day, the children could 
 not be kept from "just looking at char 
 Daffy, even if she were asleep. 77 
 
 The family party entered the quiet 
 room. 
 
 The sunbeams shone across the floor 
 with cheerful light ; but they were 
 dark to the gaze of Daph, for she was 
 beholding the unveiled glory of the 
 Sun of Righteousness. The voice of 
 earthly affection could wake her no 
 more, for she had listened to the wel 
 come of angels, and heard the voice 
 of her Saviour declare, "Well done, 
 thou good and faithful servant, enter 
 thou into the joy of thy Lord ! 77 
 
X.